Reviews

There are so many incredible books available at the moment that it is impossible to read them all, no matter how hard I try! Here are my thoughts about some of the books I have read and how I think they could be used in school as well as Q and A sessions with authors and illustrators.

Fiction, Horror, Older Readers Sue Wilsher Fiction, Horror, Older Readers Sue Wilsher

How to Survive a Horror Movie

Having enrolled at a girls’ boarding school on a remote island in an attempt to escape her past, Charley is determined to keep a low profile. She and her room mate, Olive, share a passion for horror films and so know all the rules of how to survive in these situations. Or they think they do… When someone starts killing her classmates, Charley finds herself at the heart of her own horror movie where she not only keeps finding dead bodies, but is also haunted by the ghosts of those who have been murdered. Charley not only needs to follow all the rules learned from watching films, but to listen to the dead if she is to catch a killer.

This is absolutely NOT the sort of book I would normally pick up! I hate horror films, run a mile at ghost trains and avoid scary situations at all costs…however, I am really pleased I read this as despite the title and some grisly murders, it was an excellent read!

A fast paced, easy read, ‘How to Survive a Horror Movie’ brilliantly plays on all the tropes of the genre as Charley hurtles from death to death, her worst fears being realised as the ‘suicides’ as her school seems determined to call them prove to be increasingly vicious murders. The story includes some gory descriptions, but the there is a real tongue-in-cheek sense of humour running through everything which somehow means even a wimp like me managed to read everything.

Behind all the blood and suspense, there is a strong storyline which makes sense of the events which take place- but I am not going to offer any spoilers! Although I worked out who was behind things, I was only partially correct and the actual conclusion was far more satisfying than the one I had envisioned. The characters are very well formed, particularly Charley and Megan, one of the ghosts of those who have been murdered and it is easy to get swept up in the action.

I absolutely loved this one despite all expectations to the contrary! Can’t wait for book 2!

How to Survive a Horror Movie

Scarlett Dunmore

Little Tiger ISBN: 978- 1788957120

Published September 5th 2024

Read More
Fiction, Horror, Mystery Sue Wilsher Fiction, Horror, Mystery Sue Wilsher

Ghost Tide

When his mum packs him off to East Anglia to stay with family he hardly knows, Charlie is annoyed that he won’t be able to spend the holidays playing football and hanging out with his friends. Uncle Patrick’s house is dilapidated and his daughter, Ariel, is all but hostile. Finding an ancient box buried on a beach, Charlie unwittingly releases a violent presence which causes mayhem. Working with his cousin, Charlie must somehow set things right once more.

‘Ghost Tide’ is a compelling, chilling read. Atmospheric writing keeps the reader on the edge of their seat as the tension mounts. Not a great lover of being scared, I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this one!

Charlie is a thoroughly likeable character. Thrust into a situation he would rather have avoided, he tries to make the best of things, empathising with his uncle as Patrick tries to make a new life with his daughter after the death of his wife. Intelligent and curious, he is sensitive to the ghostly whispering voices in his uncle’s house which he can hear, something which he has in common with his cousin and leads to a new understanding between them. Ariel is also well developed and believable and the two make a determined, courageous team as together they face the dangers and challenges which opening the box has triggered.

Rich in descriptive details, the story flows well, building towards a very satisfying conclusion. I loved the references to, and quotes from, The Tempest and the map at the beginning of the book- who doesn’t love a map?! Spine-tinglingly spooky, ‘Ghost Tide’ offers much to enjoy!

Ghost Tide

Jim Cockin

Eye Books ISBN: 978-1785633775

Read More
Blog Tour, Fiction, Horror, Adventure Sue Wilsher Blog Tour, Fiction, Horror, Adventure Sue Wilsher

Blog Tour: The Doll Twin

Since the death of her parents, Una has been living in a children’s home. Missing her lighthouse home and the moods of the sea, she find life here hard, her ways infuriating Matron who calls her ‘Una the Unwanted’ and ‘Una the Unstable’. When the Smiths arrive and decide that they want to adopt her, Una is thrilled both by being wanted and by returning to live by the sea. But her new home, Copperlins, although impressive, is strange and leaves her feeling unsettled. The villagers of Knifely Stifling are wary of the house- and its inhabitants- but Una strikes up a friendship with Mary, a village girl, giving her a feeling of belonging. However, she cannot pretend that the strange occurences and noises in Copperlins are not happening and one night, she comes face to face with life-sized doll which looks just like her…

Sounds intriguing? It most certainly is! ‘The Doll Twin’ is a deliciously spooky read which keeps the reader guessing with the plot making twist after turn as poor Una finds herself facing peril, unsure of who she can trust and how she will survive.

I love the character of Una. Desperate to be a ‘good’ daughter, she struggles to mould herself to be the daughter she thinks the Smiths want whilst trying to hold on to being herself and doing what she thinks is right. Her curiosity, courage and loyalty are all severely tested yet she faces and overcomes many challenges, including being confronted by a life-sized copy of herself who she comes to know as ‘Ani’, an Animated Curiosity. I don’t want to spoil the story so I will say no more about this…

The story is wonderfully atmospheric, with locations and buildings taking on a life of their own, adding much to moments of tension or great emotion. The sea ebbs and flows through Una’s life, offering peril, sanctuary and home. ‘The Doll Twin’ is an excellent read- one not to miss!

The Doll Twin Janine Beacham

Firefly ISBN: 978-1915444479

Many thanks to Janine and the lovely people at Firefly for asking me to take part in this Blog Tour! Make sure you look at the other stops and find out what everyone else thinks about this brilliant story.

Read More
Fiction, Horror, Adventure Sue Wilsher Fiction, Horror, Adventure Sue Wilsher

Fright Bite

Club Loser are heading to Neon Perch, the place to go, for a night of celebrating Colette’s 13th birthday. With Songbird Karaoke, Galactic Golf, Battle Karts and a kitty of cash to spend, they are set to have the best night ever! However, as usual, nothing goes to plan and when the friends decide to experience Project Z, the brand-new, immersive, zombie escape room experience in the basement, they quickly realise that their old adversaries are back with more unpleasant surprises and horrors, including some vicious creatures with a poisonous bite…tick, tock.

A new book from Jennifer Killick is always a celebration- a new ‘Dread Wood’ book doubly so! Each book seems better than the last and although I might have been heard to say that ‘Deadly Deep’ was my favourite, I can now reveal that ‘Fright Bite’ has knocked it off the top spot!

One of the joys of these books is that you really feel part of ‘Club Loser’ and so are fully invested in the adventure before it starts. This unlikely group of friends prove that opposites attract and show the importance of getting to know others. Each of the gang is unique, each is flawed, but they really bring out the best in each other!

The story starts calmly enough. There is plenty of banter and if you haven’t read the previous books (why haven’t you read the previous books?), you quickly build a picture of each personality, including the very loveable Mr C, and the dynamic of the group. Having initially lulled you into a (very false) sense of security, Jennifer Killick quickly starts to build tension until the inevitable realisation dawns and the Latchitts are back!

As Club Loser face a series of terrors, culminating in venom-dripping rats controlled by Hickory Dickory Dock, the mixture of tension, humour and action keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, only breathing a sigh of relief in the last few pages when safety and sanity are once more restored. It’s a cracking read- and I can’t wait for the next one!

Dread Wood: Fright Bite

Jennifer Killick

Farshore ISBN: 978-0008657031

You can read my review of ‘Dread Wood’ here, Deadly Deep here Crater Lake here and Crater Lake Evolution here.

Read More
Fiction, Horror, Humour Sue Wilsher Fiction, Horror, Humour Sue Wilsher

Deadly Deep

It’s the Summer term and Club Loser are on a school trip with the rest of Year 8, sailing off the coast of France to learn about marine life. But, as usual, things take a sinister turn and they must pitch themselves against another Latchitt - and their latest devious creation! What could possibly go wrong?!

Once again, our Queen of Scream has produced a brilliant adventure which manages to balance being fantastically funny with frissons of fear! In the Dread Wood books, Jennifer has created a brilliant team of mis-matched friends whose loyalty and belief in one another shines through on every page. She has an incredible knack for creating relatable, realistic characters, who real children identify with (they do- I’ve asked!), and are cheering on every step of the way.

These books always launch into action. The reader knows from page one that things are not going to go well and tension builds rapidly as the plot develops, resulting in a completely absorbing and enthralling read. This brilliant blend of humour, action and horror is a winning combination and although I always prefer a book, I can see that this series would translate into amazing films with some very ‘real’ kids in the starring roles!

‘Dread Wood’ was the winner of the Books for Older Readers Category of the Children’s Book Awards earlier this year, proving how popular these stories are with the readers they are actually intended for- a better review than my poor ramblings could ever be! This series is perfect for keeping those children who are at the age we all know we are most in danger of losing as readers reading and enjoying books!

Dread Wood: Deadly Deep

Jennifer Killick

Farshore ISBN: 978-0008538576

‘Dread Wood’ here, Crater Lake here and Crater Lake Evolution here. You can read about a visit from Jennifer Killick here.

Read More
Fiction, Horror, Adventure Sue Wilsher Fiction, Horror, Adventure Sue Wilsher

Blog Tour: The Housetrap

Today, I am delighted to be taking part in the Blog Tour for the deliciously dark new novel from Emma Read, ‘The Housetrap’. A complete change of pace from her ‘Milton the Mighty’ books, this one is not to be entered lightly…

As Delilah McDeery’s best friend, Claude, is moving to Cornwall, she is visiting him to say goodbye. However, all Claude seems interested in is playing Escape Room II with his new best friend, Sam. Sent outside- ‘Devices are banned’- by Claude’s mother, they are joined by Amity, Claude’s little sister. Tension between the older children quickly mounts and an argument erupts during which Amity wanders off into Badwell Woods. Forbidden to the children, the woods are full of dangerous sinkholes- and stories of missing children. Determined to find her, the others follow and discover an abandoned mansion and although it gives Claude an uneasy feeling, a scream from Amity makes him and the others rush inside…

And for fear of spoiling the story for others, I shall stop my summary right there! Emma Read has created a novel full of atmosphere and tension which is both clever and frightening. It’s essential to know the child before you recommend them this one!!

I am not the biggest horror fan. Sinister things linger with me so it is usually best if I go no where near them, but in ‘The Housetrap’, Emma has managed to strike the perfect balance between thrilling adventure and all-out scary story, making this a thoroughly enjoyable, exciting read. In order to solve the house trap and set themselves free, the children have to face a series of puzzles to solve two mysteries: the disappearance of Hypatia Batstone, daughter of the inventor of the house puzzle, and the clues on each level which will allow them to leave the building. The reader is completely absorbed from the outset, willing the children to succeed as the house shifts and reforms around them on their journey through the ‘game’.

The story also explores friendships and how the dynamics can shift and change as children grow. Delilah and Claude have been friends forever so Delilah feels understandably displaced by Sam, the new best friend, who seems to take great delight in baiting her. As they are forced to spend time together and start to get to know one another better, things change and together, they make quite a team. Delilah’s mathematical ability and knack with puzzles is an obvious bonus, but each brings strengths to the challenge.

An excellent spine-tinglingly enjoyable mystery/adventure, ‘The Housetrap’ is a brilliant read! Are you brave enough to enter..?

The Housetrap Emma Read

Chicken House ISBN: 978-1913322786

Many thanks to Chicken House for inviting me to be part of the tour today. Make sure you have a look at the other brilliant stops on the tour as well!

You can read my review of Milton the Mighty here and Milton the Magastar here.

Read More
Author visits, Fiction, Horror Sue Wilsher Author visits, Fiction, Horror Sue Wilsher

Scary monsters…and Jennifer Killick

Yesterday, I joined an excited audience at Sidcot School to hear Jennifer Killick speak about her books. Although pathetic by nature and very easily scared, I love her ‘Crater Lake’ and ‘Dread Wood’ stories and know that children do too, finding them just scary enough and relating well to the characters in them.

For someone with such a deliciously twisted and wicked imagination, Jennifer is a warm, lovely person, full of enthusiasm and energy. Her talk was the perfect mixture of interaction, inspiration and fun which keeps the audience engaged. She introduced everyone to ‘Geek, Robot, Overlord’, a game from ‘Crater Lake’ based on ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’, and I could see children playing this in the signing queue at the end of the event.

Jennifer treated us to a reading from ‘Dread Wood’ and even though I knew what was coming (having read the book!), I still jumped at the end! As she read, there was not a sound from the audience who were completely engrossed by the story. All too soon, the event was over and Jennifer was faced with a huge signing queue! Although book three of the ‘Dread Wood’ series is not yet released, Alistair from Books on the Hill in Clevedon had worked his magic once more and ‘Flock Horror’ was available (it’s so good!).

Thanks to Andrea and Bev at Sidcot for letting me join the event. ‘Flock Horror’ (Farshore ISBN: 978-0008538545) is out on the 2nd March- don’t miss it!

You can read my review of ‘Dread Wood’ here, Crater Lake here and Crater Lake Evolution here.

Read More
Fiction, Horror, Humour Sue Wilsher Fiction, Horror, Humour Sue Wilsher

Dread Wood

Detention has never been so deadly…

Forced to attend a weekend detention, Angelo, Hallie, Gustav and Naira think that things can’t get any worse. However, when their teacher is dragged underground, things start to get really scary. With danger all around, their only hope of survival is to work as a team as they try to escape.

What a read! Jennifer Killick is well known for her excellent ‘Crater Lake’ stories, but she has completely outdone herself with this one. Managing a perfect balance of humour, suspense and creepiness, ‘Dread Wood’ is gripping from page one.

Jennifer Killick excels at capturing characters- getting their ‘voice’ just right so they are believable- and developing them so that the reader cares about what happens to them. Not a natural friendship grouping, Hallie, Angelo, Naira and Gus yet find themselves bound together by circumstances, forging a deep bond. Friendship and ‘fitting in’ are at the heart of the story, challenging initial perceptions and considering the reasons behind someone’s actions as well as their consequences. Although people do the wrong thing, their actions shouldn’t define them.

These characters are launched into a series of nail-biting moments where they are fighting for their lives. In places the tension is palpable, yet the story is pitch perfect for children in Y6/Y7, never becoming too gory or disturbing, but offering a regular frisson of excitement.

Another excellent read from the ‘queen of horror’!

Dread Wood Jennifer Killick

Farshore ISBN: 978-0755503711

Published March 31st 2022

Read More