Thank you so much to Dave at The Write Reads for inviting me to be part of this blog tour, and to the publishers, Farshore, for sending me a copy of Dread Wood in return for my honest opinion.

Dread Wood is an absolutely gripping page-turner that kept me utterly engrossed throughout:  horror, humour and heart blended together perfectly.  I’m glad I read it inside in daylight as I’m not sure I would have coped if I’d been reading it outside for reasons that will become clear when you read it – and you really must read this edge-of-your-seat, action-packed deliciously spine-tingling delight!

Classmates, but not friends, Angelo, Hallie, Gus and Naira are forced to spend their Saturday morning in school as they have all been given detention.  Yes – on a Saturday!  What could be worse?  Well, their teacher also expects some team bonding and confiscates their phones! NOW, how could it get worse?  Well, there is the matter of the terrified scream, the strange substance and the missing teacher …

And then things take a turn for the seriously scary and weird as the group begin their search locked inside the school grounds with the groundskeeper and his wife who keep humming Incey Wincey Spider; as they witness their teacher being dragged underground; and, as they find themselves being hunted, but by who, or what?

Will the children be able to work together to outwit the horrors that lurk underground, ready to attack as soon as they touch the ground?  Will they uncover the real reason they have been brought together on detention?

Now this is how you do middle-grade horror!  Tense, thrilling, twisting and oh so very, very creepy.  It gave me Stranger Things vibes.  I loved the cliff hanger chapter endings; the sudden and unexpected occurrences that made me jump; the real sense of the danger and threat that faces the team; and, the slow realisation that they have been brought together for a reason.  I also loved the sharp humour shown by the children which feels so genuine and really helped to relieve the tension in more scary moments.  Definitely needed to keep my nails from being bitten off! 

Angelo, Hallie, Gus and Naira are brilliantly written protagonists, portrayed with a genuineness that I found really refreshing.   They all have different motivations, strengths and vulnerabilities, and are dealing with a range of difficult issues including parental pressures, poverty and disability.  As they find themselves facing terrifying danger, they learn the value of teamwork and, through that, open themselves to friendship.  I love how the four learn to trust each other enough to share their secrets, admit their mistakes, and to find real value and strength in their friendship.

Dread Wood is an absolute corker of an adventure, brimming with just the right amount of scariness, edge-of-your-seat tension and humour that is sure to keep older children engrossed, giggling and freaked out! 

About the Author

Jennifer Killick is the author of Crater Lake, the Alex Sparrow series, and middle-grade sci-fi adventure Mo, Lottie and the Junkers. She regularly visits schools and festivals, and her books have three times been selected for The Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge. She lives in Uxbridge, in a house full of children, animals and Lego. When she isn’t busy mothering or step-mothering (which isn’t often) she loves to read, write and run, as fast as she can.

Twitter: @JenniferKillick

This is my new weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books. I hope others will enjoy taking part in this too!

How to take part:

• Post a picture of the front cover of a middle-grade book which you have read and would recommend to others with details of the author, illustrator and publisher.
• Open the book to page 11 and share your favourite sentence. 
• Write three words to describe the book.
• Either share why you would recommend this book, or link to your review.

This week, I’m celebrating …

Favourite Sentence from Page 11:

The warden wore a long black cloak, studded with badges, and carried a sword.

This book in three words:

ADVENTURE, BEWITCHING, FRIENDSHIP

Hedgewitch is a gorgeously bewitching adventure that completely enthralled me:  an adventure brimming with witchy delights, Faerie tricks and nature-inspired magic.

Twelve-year-old Cassandra Morgan is not allowed outside the boundary of Fowell House, a boarding school where she is unpopular, bullied horribly and alone.  Cassie’s mother had left her there seven years previously, asking her to wait for her return.  When she is called to the Headmistress’s office, Cassie is informed that she is being sent to an orphanage the next morning as her mother is presumed dead.

Booklover Cassie has always found adventures from between the pages of her secret library of books, but is now determined to seek her own adventure by escaping from Fowell House and finding her missing mother.  However, could she be entering a world of danger as children from all over London, including a first former from Fowell House, have gone missing?

It is not long before trouble finds Cassie when she is chased by a gang of creatures carrying knives and nets.  Just as she is about to be kidnapped, she hears a voice telling her to get on the broom she has lifted to defend herself.  Imagine her surprise when she discovers that the voice comes from a cat who has been sent to find her, and that the broom is a witch’s broom which flies them both to safety.  Montague informs Cassie that he has been sent by her aunt, Miranda who has only just learned of her existence.  Oh – and her aunt just happens to be a witch.

Cassie soon finds herself in the village of Hedgely where her aunt is the current Hedgewitch, protecting humans from the faeries who live on the other side of the Hedge, the largest and oldest wood in Britain, situated at the edge of the village.  Whilst Cassie is welcomed by the friendly housekeeper, Mrs Briggs, her aunt Miranda is unfriendly and cold and sets out some rules she is expected to follow, including not entering the Hedge alone.  When she asks about her mother, it is clear that her aunt is not willing to help, so Cassie determines that she will search for her mother on her own.

So begins an incredibly exciting, action-packed adventure as Cassie is drawn inexorably towards the Hedge which holds both nature-filled magic and mesmerising danger.  She finds both friends and enemies in the local coven where she begins her witch-training.  In her search for her mother, will Cassie uncover the truth behind the missing children?  Will she find something that has been missing in her life:  a home, friends and family?  In searching for what she has lost, can she find herself?

Just wow!  This is an utterly captivating story that completely entranced me, reaching the tendrils of its magic from the pages and drawing me into a world that felt irresistibly real.  I adored that the magic was imbued with the beauty and wonder of nature; and, I loved that the Faerie creatures were tricksy and deliciously dark. The unexpected twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat; the danger and deceit gripped me; and, the revelations – oh my goodness:  the revelations!

Cassie is a wonderful young protagonist.  She is determined, curious and courageous.  She is prepared to break the rules for what she believes in, and take risks to help others.  Her kindness towards others is rewarded when she needs help.  I loved the friendships that she forms with her coven friends, Rue and Tabitha. And what can I say about Montague – tetchy, sarcastic – and brilliant! 

The chapter header and interior illustrations are absolutely stunning and really capture the symbiosis between nature and magic, complementing the story perfectly. 

Hedgewitch is a thrilling, magical adventure that is sure to become a firm favourite with readers of 9+.  I absolutely cannot wait for Cassie’s next adventure, Woodwitch.

Thank you to Toppsta and the Publishers, Welbeck Flame, for sending me a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’d love if anyone who wants to give this meme a go would comment in the comments box and include a link to your post so I can visit, comment and find some great middle-grade recommendations. If you do create a post and are on Twitter, and would like to share your post, please use the hashtag  #MGTakesOnThursday so I can find it, read it and share it!

I’m just about to start Dread Wood which I’m really looking forward to as I’ve loved Jenifer’s Crater Lake books. Not so sure about the spiders though!

I finished listening to The Wee Free Men just as we broke up for the Easter holiday. I absolutely loved this, and have reserved A Hat Full of Sky and Wintersmith ready to listen to when I go back to work. I also finished The Lost Apothecary which is an adult book which I really enjoyed. The tension between past events and present day is incredibly well portrayed. Even though I was away for the weekend, I just had to keep picking this book up. I found it utterly gripping and powerfully written with a wonderfully satisfying ending. I also read The Hunt for David Berman which is an exciting historical adventure set in Scotland during World War II where a young evacuee has been sent to live with his grandparents, and discovers a Kindertransport boy living in a cave who is unaware that he is being hunted by the Nazis. I will be taking part in the Blog Tour later this month. I also couldn’t help picking up The Ogress and the Orphans and I am so glad I did. I absolutely adored this and loved the writing style which felt magical and left plenty of food for thought. The joy of story-telling, of books and their importance in holding a community together and in making connections really shone through and I loved it for this!

I was so excited to come home today to find I had been sent an early copy of the final book in the Brightstorm trilogy, FireSong. It has immediately jumped to the top of my TBR as I’m so looking forward to seeing how Arthur and Maudie’s adventure ends.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

I’m currently listening to the audiobook of The Wee Free Men which I’m loving. The narration is brilliant, and it is such a ridiculously fun story! I really like Tiffany and the ‘Jocks’ made me giggle every time their name is said in the gorgeous Scottish accent. I’m reading The Lost Apothecary as my adult novel this month, and have only just started it. I think I’m going to like it!

I finished Once We Were Witches which was one I’d been looking forward to for ages. I really enjoyed this which is a brilliant witchy fantasy with some historical elements. I have pre-ordered the next one.

I didn’t get to start The Hunt for David Berman this week, but I’m hoping to read it when I start my Easter holidays this weekend. I’m also hoping to read Dreadwood.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

What a month March has been! It was the month I finally caught COVID. I was lucky that I wasn’t really unwell – a heavy cold and tiredness. I’ve still got a light cold and cough, but not sure that is related to COVID! It’s my Easter holiday soon and I’ve booked a few days away with my husband in the Cotswolds (first time away since the pandemic started, apart from visiting family in Ireland) to celebrate our wedding anniversary and to say I’m looking forward to it is putting it mildly! On to my reading for the month …

Books I’ve read:

I’ve read 14 books this month, 6 physical copies, 3 e-books and 5 audiobooks – a few more than February and probably the most audiobooks I’ve listened to in a month.

NetGalley:

My Feedback Ratio is at 94%. I’m edging closer to my 100 Book Reviews Badge, having reviewed 79 books now. I’ve been approved to read three books this month.

Books sent by publishers:

I have been lucky enough to have been sent these books by publishers this month. I have read and reviewed The Secret of the Treasure Keepers. I will post my review shortly for The Rema Chronicles which is a graphic novel that I really enjoyed. I will be taking part in Blog Tours for The Hunt for David Berman and Dread Wood later this month.

Books bought:

I’ve bought 9 books this month although I haven’t managed to read any of them yet!

How has your reading month been? Have you read any of these? Have you any of them on your TBR?

There are so many books I’m looking forward to in April. I have been lucky enough to get a pre-read of The Secrets of the Stormforest and Hedgewitch which are both fantastic. I have already bought The Great Fox Illusion and The Girl Who Lost a Leopard as they have either arrived early as part of book subscriptions or they’ve appeared early in my local bookshop.

I have taken the synopsis for each of these from the Waterstones website except for Day of the Whale which is taken from the Publisher’s website.

Release Date: 7th April

Ed and his sister Roo are faced with the most boring half-term holiday in history: five days spent in the company of their elderly neighbour Miss Filey, and her ancient, smelly cat. But when they find a box of birthday candles in a cupboard in Miss Filey’s house, their world is changed completely. These are no ordinary candles, every single one of them comes with a wish. There’s only one problem: some of those wishes actually belong to someone else . . .

When Paisley Fitzwilliam escapes the clutches of the Dark Dragon, she has just one thing on her mind – getting her brother Dax back from the icy Northern Realms, where he was whisked away by the fierce and mysterious dragon riders, the Krigare. It’s clear that Paisley’s track is unique, but with the Dark Dragon and the King’s Guard now on her trail, she faces danger at every turn. To rescue her brother and keep the Heart Stone from the clutches of the Dark Dragon, Paisley must harness her power and seek new and dangerous alliances. . .

Thirteen-year-old Flick Lions has won a place on a new television show, in which young people compete to win the legacy of the Great Fox, one of the world’s most famous magicians. But Flick isn’t interested in uncovering the Great Fox’s tired old magic tricks – she’s after something much more important. The magician destroyed her family, and this is Flick’s only chance to put things right. Inside the Fox’s house is a secret that will change the world of magic for ever, and Flick will go to any lengths to find it.

Abandoned on the Mumbai railways, Ajay has grown up with nothing but a burning wish to be a journalist. Finding an abandoned printing press, he and his friends Saif, Vinod, Yasmin and Jai create their own newspaper: The Mumbai Sun. As they hunt down stories for their paper, the children uncover corruption, fight for justice and battle to save their slum from bulldozers. But against some of the most powerful forces in the city, can Ajay and his friends really succeed in bringing the truth to light? Not to mention win the most important cricket match ever…

Selvi is a wild child who loves climbing in the beautiful mountains behind her home. She is often joined by Lokka, a leopard with a beautiful coat and huge golden eyes. When hunters come for Lokka, Selvi is determined to fight. But what can she do against such powerful enemies? Turn to her friends, of course! Now they just need the perfect plan…

Grace and her friends must protect a newly hatched dragon from mysterious evildoers. When Grace moves to Hong Kong with her mum and new stepdad, her biggest concern is making friends at her fancy new boarding school. But when a mysterious old woman gifts her a dragon egg during a field trip, Grace discovers that the wonderful stories of dragons she heard when she was a young girl might actually be real – especially when the egg hatches overnight. The dragon has immense powers that Grace has yet to understand. And that puts them both in danger from mysterious forces intent on abusing the dragon’s power. And now it’s up to Grace and her school friends to uncover the sinister plot threatening the entire city! 

Release Date: 14th April

When mysterious footprints appear in the Stockholm snow, ten-year-old Kara must discover where they’ve come from – and who they belong to. They lead Kara to Rebecca, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl, and her younger brother Samuel. Kara realises they are refugees – from another time, World War Two – and are trying to find their way home.

Flick and Jonathan have faced countless dangers in their roles as part of the Strangeworlds Society and come out alive on the other side. But what do they really know about the Society they are risking their lives for? Why does it exist? Who is Strangeworlds there to protect? And what in the worlds is happening to the multiverse now? With worlds everywhere under threat of collapse and mysteries abounding, it’s up to Flick and Jonathan to discover the answers to these questions. And only if they can uncover the secrets of Strangeworlds and the secrets of a new mysterious world called ‘The Stormforest’, will they have any hope of defending their world – and others – from the threat that is facing them all.

Cassie Morgan has run away. After seven years spent waiting for her mother to return, she flees her dreary boarding school and sets out to find her. But the world outside her school is full of hidden magic and children have been going missing.With the help of a talking cat and a flying broom, Cassie escapes to the enchanted village of Hedgely. There she will begin her training in the practical skills of witchcraft with the Hedgewitch, who watches over the Hedge, the vast forest that marks the border between England and Faerie.

Release Date: 26th April

It is early spring, a turbulent, perilous time of sudden storms, frozen river fractures and drifting ice. Fleeing from a demon intent on devouring his souls, Wolf is swept out to Sea far from the Forest and his pack. The ocean too teems with danger: sea wolves, sharks and hunters of the deep, and the demon is gaining ground. Torak and Renn must race to save their pack-brother, battling the harsh, icy waves and merciless torrents. If they can’t find Wolf in time, the bond between them will be severed for ever…

Release Date: 28th April

Thirteen-year-old Skandar Smith has only ever wanted to be a unicorn rider. To be one of the lucky few selected to hatch a unicorn. To bond with it for life; to train together and race for glory; to be a hero. But just as Skandar’s dream is about to come true, things start to take a more dangerous turn than he could ever have imagined. A dark and twisted enemy has stolen the Island’s most powerful unicorn – and as the threat grows ever closer, Skandar discovers a secret that could blow apart his world forever…

Silverthorne is a place of secrets. A forest of twisting paths and tangled thorns. A castle with locked towers and whispers of tragedy. A village trapped between terrors known and unknown. But something is stirring in the leaves… Saffy is a good girl, tired of being told to stick to the forest paths, and always follow the rules. Aurelia is a hidden girl, locked in a castle tower, dreaming of escaping the fate she’s told awaits her. Wild Rose is a fierce girl, raised by wolves, full of spells and fearlessness and cunning. Together, they will change life in Silverthorne forever.

When Ravian’s father doesn’t return home from sea for his son’s birthday, Ravian is certain he must be in danger. Hearing tales of a cursed ship that captures fishermen, Ravian goes in search of his father accompanied by his only friend Marvin the seagull. Before long, the pair find themselves trapped on the ship with a kindly boy and a bad-tempered pirate for company. The ensuing voyage is beset with battles with giant squid and fierce storms, and Ravian despairs of ever finding his father.

“Follow Big Blue”. These were the last words that Cam’s father said to him. So Cam follows Big Blue, the giant whale-god, as does everyone else on Cetacea, an island in the flooded future. The islanders’ lives play out under Big Blue’s rules, which are communicated to them by the enigmatic whale-talker, Byron Vos. Byron was once a marine scientist and is now organising an epic clean-up operation to revive the ocean after centuries of human greed and neglect. But, as the story unfolds, Cam begins to wonder if all is not quite as it seems. Could there be a more complex truth behind Byron’s actions? A truth that may be connected to Cam’s father’s disappearance? Cam’s quest to understand life under Big Blue leads him to new friends and shared adventures – but the truth, when he discovers it, turns out to be far more dangerous than he ever could have imagined.

Do any of these catch your interest? Have you read any already?

I’m currently reading Once We Were Witches. I haven’t got too far in to it yet, but I already know its going to be one I’m going to really enjoy!

I’ve just finished listening to Death Sets Sails. What an ending to this series! I wasn’t sure when I first started this series, but I’m so glad I’ve stuck with it. My favourites were definitely A Spoonful of Murder, Death in the Spotlight and this one. I also finished the last in the Strangeworlds trilogy, The Secrets of the Stormforest. I really enjoyed this which is a brilliantly fast-paced, exciting story with wonderful characters.

I’m hoping to read The Hunt for David Berman next. I was totally drawn in by the blurb, and am really looking forward to this historical adventure.

Have you read any of these? What are you reading?

The March theme for Six for Sunday, hosted by A Little But a Lot is Springing into life and today’s prompt is for Books with nature themes. There were quite a few books which would have fitted this prompt, but these are the ones I’ve chosen:

By Ash, Oak and Thorn is the most delightful wander through, and celebration of nature and the environment, and the need to appreciate and look after it. Three tiny, ancient beings – Moss, Burnet and Cumulus have to leave their home in the ash tree when it is destroyed and travel to find others like them, taking them through the countryside and into the city.

This is a recent read which I loved with its journey through the stunning Scottish Highlands, and the focus on rewilding with the issues this might raise.

I loved Crowfall with its focus on the balance between technology and nature and the wonderful sentient Eard trees. It juxtaposes the two islands of Ironhold and Natura. Ironhold is an island of technology, invention and industry where nature has been denigrated for the sake of progress. In contrast, Natura is an island abundant with nature – wild and mesmerising – whose Eard (takes a very active part in the lives of the islanders.

This is a heartachingly stunning, powerful and thought-provoking story set in a dystopian future where the majority of humans are forced to live in Cities whilst outside nature is given the opportunity to flourish unchecked and unhindered, growing wild. Two siblings, Juniper and Bear escape the City and begin a long and desperate journey through the Wild in an attempt to be reunited with their parents … 

This story opens a window into the breath-taking Louisiana wetlands landscape with a mesmerising view of the marshlands, the bayou, the wildlife and climate, a wetlands that is under threat due to rising sea levels and human threats.

The story is set in the dystopian aftermath when society is drastically changed by the catastrophic environmental damage caused by Hurricane Chronos. The story’s central message is a very current one around the potential devastation that could be caused by inertia in tackling climate change.  It really crystallises the effects this could have not only on the environment but also on the people who have to live in the aftermath, with the innocent bearing the brunt of mistakes made by their elders.  Children are both the victims, and the redeemers, of this dystopian society.

I’m currently listening to Death Sets Sail on Borrowbox which I’m really enjoying. Already, this is definitely one of my top 3 books in this series!

I’ve finished listening to Top Marks for Murder which was ok for me, but one of my least favourites in the series – not sure if this was because I was finding it hard to focus! I also finished How to Steal the Mona Lisa which was a really fun book written mostly as emails and blogs. I have posted my review. I really loved Like a Charm and am really looking forward to the final book in this duology. I also read a graphic novel, The Rema Chronicles which has stunning illustrations and a portal story I really enjoyed. I will post a review shortly.

I haven’t managed any reading in the evenings this week as I’ve has three parents’ evenings, so I’m hoping to get to this one this weekend.

Have you read any of these? What are you reading?

The Rewilders is a thrilling dual narrative adventure set in the stunning Scottish Highlands:  a heart-warming story of building trust, finding friendship and family, and helping others which kept me engrossed throughout.

Twelve-year-old Esme is reluctant to spend the weekend with her gran as she will miss her best friend’s party.  When she gets to her gran’s house things get even worse:  she finds the school’s ‘bad boy’ Callum in the shed with his latest foster carer, and friend to her gran, Sadie.  Why have they been brought together by Gran and Sadie? Well, it just so happens that Gran and Sadie have got themselves into a spot of bother, and need the children’s help to fix it. 

When visiting the Rothiecraig Estate, gran had found an abandoned kitten, and smuggled it home.  However, she soon discovers that she has made an alarming mistake as the kitten, who is growing fast and is causing havoc in gran’s house, is not, in fact, a domestic moggy, but a wild lynx kit.  Whilst Gran cares for the young lynx, she also recognises and respects that it is a wild creature and needs and deserves to be released back into the Highlands.

Gran and Sadie put their trust in Esme and Callum, along with Gran’s gorgeously friendly dog Shug, to undertake a journey across the Highlands to rewild Cora on the Rothiecraig Estate some 30 miles away.  Not quite the boring weekend that Esme was anticipating!

The children soon find themselves on a dangerous mission to protect and rewild Cora as they venture through the Highlands.  Could the howling they hear outside their tents be from wolves roaming the landscape?  Will they be able to shield Cora from human threat?

This is an exciting, fast-paced adventure with unexpected twists and a real sense of threat and danger that kept me on the edge of my seat as I kept turning the pages.  Esme and Callum are in a race against time to bring Cora home, but will they find that they have left it too late for her to re-join her family?

I really enjoyed that this story is written from the dual perspective of Esme and Callum who have both built a defensive wall around themselves and are hiding who they truly are whilst at school.  In their shared hope of getting Cora to safety, they form a tentative friendship which becomes stronger as trust develops and they open up to each other.  My heart ached for both of them as they are both, in different ways, struggling at school.  Callum has been fostered by the wonderful Sadie who is there for him and gives him the security and safety he needs after an incredibly difficult start in life.  Esme has had to cope with separation and a toxic friendship, but finds the strength and self-belief to be true to herself, and to be the person she wants to be.

Cora is such a beautiful animal, and I really loved that there was no attempt to tame her in the story.  She roams freely, developing her natural hunting instincts, which makes it all the more awesome that Esme and Callum get to spend time with this elusive animal in what was once a natural habitat.

This story sensitively highlights the issue of rewilding through projects to re-introduce species which were previously native to the Highlands, such as lynxes and wolves, in order to help sustain the natural ecosystem.

Indeed, this is a perfect story – either in class or at home – to lead into opportunities for discussions around themes of bullying, friendship, family and environmental sustainability.

The Rewilders is a heart-warming, exhilarating and truly unmissable adventure for children of 8+.

Thank you so much to Anne Glennie and Cranachan Publishing for inviting me to be part of this Blog Tour, and for providing me with an early copy of The Rewilders in return for my honest opinion.

Please do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour for this brilliant book!