Year after year, class after class, the children I teach always have one thing in common: a love of being scared. Whether it be by film, by book or by computer game, terror is always a crowd pleaser. I know for a fact, therefore, that The Wildstorm Curse is going to be a real hit!

Spoiler alert: it’s actually scary! This book is not for the feint hearted. Even as an adult, it sent a shiver down my spine. It’s a proper hide-under-the-duvet type book. It’s delightfully eerie and thrillingly terrifying. I was hooked from the first page to the last! It was unpredictable, the characters were both likeable and relatable and the peril felt very real. I love that the author drew on her own experiences as a storyteller with dyslexia and found the inclusion of this detail quite powerful in reminding children about overcoming barriers.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC - this is a perfect book for any Year 6 bookshelf.

The Wildstorm Curse follows the story of Kallie, who is excited to spend a week of her summer holidays at Theatre Camp. She longs to be a writer and has even written her own play. But something strange is going on at camp… is Kallie in danger? And if so, from what?

This novel is a fun exploration of horror and the supernatural for middle grade readers. Characters are well thought out and engaging, and the plot is exciting and sets a good pace to ensure the reader doesn’t get bored.

The writer has thought carefully about atmosphere and how to keep the plot tense, and overall, it’s not a bad storyline. I love the idea of the power of stories and I think the book is really promoting a strong message.
Kallie is a very relatable character for young people, as are some of the situations she finds herself in, so I can see this being quite an empowering read.

Some of the supporting characters are a little stereotypical, and the drama camp side needed a stronger dose of reality thrown in, but overall, I can see the appeal.

I think a good adventure that young children will love.

I really enjoyed The Wildstorm Curse. It is exciting and mysterious with some really important themes.

It's about the theatre and the power of stories. Now, I'm a book blogger, I know stories are powerful but still, it's great to see a book like this really get into what makes them so powerful, what it is that gives stories their magic. Some of it is positive, but not all of it, because that power, that magic, can be used for wickedness just as easily as for good, maybe more easily. People are, generally, more inclined to believe a lie than the truth after all. Stories have magic, and in The Wildstorm Curse, that magic comes to life with shocking and thrilling effect.

This book is exciting, dramatic and tense! As the curse takes over more people it feels like the odds are against Kallie and her friends. It's mysterious too, as the true identity of their foe lies hidden for much of the book. There are ancient mysteries and secrets to uncover and lots of pieces that fall into place beautifully for the finale.

I loved the mix of the theatre and the ancient witch, two things that work so well together but in a combination I've not seen before. It was very effective and really set a wonderful scene for the storytelling.

There are some really important elements in the book too. Kallie comes into the theatre camp as an outsider, into a group of people that know each other from the year before, and feeling like she's the odd one out. I think that's a position most of us have found ourselves in, and it was easy to appreciate how hard it was for her, how much she resented it and felt resented or alienated in turn. Those feelings are again tied very cleverly into the curse, but even without that they feel real and important. Then there's the dyslexia, and that is handled so incredibly well. Kallie is dyslexic, and she is a playwright. The Wildstorm Curse makes it very clear how she can be both of these things, without ignoring the struggles she goes through, the problems she faces and how she tries to deal with it. It's honest, up-front but ultimately very optimistic and empowering. I loved it!

A magical tale about the power of stories and storytelling.

Ideal for fans of the Inheart series of novels. Kallie,arrives at Wildstorm unsure of where she fits in. She feels like she's being watched and can't help but want to know more,about the curse which was supposedly cast by Ellsabet who was tried and burned as a witch.
As Kallie and her new friends learn more about the curse, the danger becomes more real not only for the students at Wildstorm but also for the villagers of Merricombe. Will anyone believe them about what's going on? and can they put the show on whilst battling the evil in their midst?

Loved this novel and took me back to reading inkheart for the first time. Eve I think your writing style is fantastic and so glad your persued your dreams can't wait to read more from you. I will be recommending this to everyone I know! Many thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this.

In spite of her dyslexia, 13-year-old Kallie dreams of becoming a playwright and she is looking forward to spending a whole week of her summer holidays at the Wildstorm Theatre Camp. At the end of the week, the Wildstormers will perform a play in the local village theatre. But spooky things start happening after the cast discover that they will be performing a play written by a 17th Century Ellsabet Graveheart, a mysterious woman who was burned as a witch by the local people. and strange, scary things start happening. Little do Kallie and her friends know that dark forces have been stirred by the reparation of the play, and that it's down to Kallie to save them all....

Mystery, magic, an unlikely hero - there is a lot to love in The Wildstorm Curse. The story is cleverly woven around Kallie's love for writing and the magic of storytelling. The character of Kallie is very relatable and attaching, and it's a pleasure to see her growing in confidence throughout the book.

What a deliciously dark and thrilling middle-grade read! Wildstorm theatre camp was a great setting for tales of witchcraft, a recently restored theatre in the woods, a group of Enchanted and a growing evil - what's not to love?! I loved the themes of friendship, the power of stories for good and how bravery is having the courage to keep fighting. I couldn't put this down and would heartily recommend to readers age 9+

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

A wonderfully creepy story of supposed witchcraft and a hidden evil that surfaces when Kallie arrives at a summer theatre camp. Despite being dyslexic she wants to be a playwright and has won this place at camp, but can he deal with the tensions that she finds in the village and in the camp. This is a fast paced exciting adventure, by a fantastic new author, although she has worked in publishing for a few years.

The Wildstorm Curse is a dark, dangerous and mesmerising adventure with an ominous air of mystery that made it an utterly unputdownable, gripping read.

13-year-old Kallie is spending a week of her summer holidays at Wildstorm Theatre Camp, having won a playwriting competition to take part in the production being staged at the village theatre. As Kallie sleeps in a tent in the meadow behind Hollowstar House, she is unaware of the awakening of an ancient creature in the woodland above the village of Merricombe, a creature seeking revenge …

Despite a strange dream, Kallie wakes feeling refreshed and excited as she loves the theatre and is working towards her dream of becoming a playwright. She soon meets Emilia Masters whose mother is the play director and owner of the theatre. Emilia tells her that the villagers think that the theatre has been cursed by a 17th Century witch, Ellsabet Graveheart, who lived in the village when the theatre was first built – and she has written the play that the cast are performing, a play that has never-before been performed.

So begins a terrifically thrilling, spine-tingling adventure as danger edges ever closer, as secrets are unearthed and unexpected truths are revealed. Will Kallie and her friends be able to defeat an ancient power intent on destroying the village? Can the pen and storytelling prove more powerful than the enchantments of a vengeful entity? I don’t want to give any spoilers, but suffice to say that this really is a page-turner, intricate in its masterful weaving of both past and present, of the supernatural and the workings of a theatre production. I loved the slow, suspense-laden reveal of Ellsabet’s story as the theatre production rehearses and as history is in danger of repeating itself. Just superb!

Kallie is a wonderful young protagonist. She is determined to not let her dyslexia hold her back from fulfilling her dream of becoming a playwright. My heart ached for her as she burned with embarrassment at admitting to her friend Emilia that she is dyslexic, and I adored Emilia’s response which is one that I wholeheartedly agree with:
Who cares about spelling when you’re taking people on an adventure.

Whilst Kallie would rather write adventures, she finds herself living in one, finding the courage to face her fears and seek the truth with the help of her wonderfully supportive friend, Emilia.

I adored the heart-warming messages in this story: the strength of friendship; the power of storytelling to transform and reveal; and, having the courage to follow, and fight for, your dreams.

A must-read exhilarating, captivating adventure for readers of 9+, this is one I cannot recommend highly enough.

Wow, This Book Blew me Away, I Highly Recommend this for any Fantasy Novel fans.
(Thanks to Net Galley for this Book).

A fabled witch, a powerful curse, a monster out for revenge…everything you need for a fantastic story! Eve has such a knack for writing characters and building atmosphere that send chills up your spine. Her first book was exceptional and I dare to think this is even better!

When Kallie wins a place at a theatre summer camp, she is overjoyed and though a bit shy, she can’t wait to get stuck in to a play and meet some new friends. K has always wanted to be a playwright and it is her play that wins her a place. She meets Emilia and they form a quick friendship, despite a very rocky start for Kallie.

Kallie’s strange dreams begin to come true throughout the week and the appearance of several “enchanted” people, anger from townsfolk and mysterious events all culminate in Kallie needing to play the role of hero.

Filled with action on stage and off, and with a brilliant cast of characters to meet, this is a superb story. I loved that Kallie wanted to be a playwright and though she is dyslexic, she perseveres and writes as an escape and way to relax.

A strong four stars, for this strong read of a girl who gets to win a place at a summer camp for young actors. The theatre is mysterious, the villagers surprisingly against the place's existence and the camp's activities, and our heroine suddenly starts having weird dreams and even weirder things happen to her improvised scenes. Could there be some possible connection between all the weird and a local witch – or was she just the stuff of legend?

This ends up being a fantasy read, but one grounded very much in reality – there is no escaping the personal memories of the author inspiring the whole summer school setting. It shows itself to be a great love letter to story-telling, as well, in having memories, histories and drama put on the page for other people to read or to act, but it never loses sight of being a good, warm-hearted action adventure. An easy recommendation.

This will appeal immediately to our Y5/6 children due to the suspenseful nature of the story. With super description and realistic characters, both male and female, this was a thrilling read which I devoured in one session. Can't wait to see when book 2 will appear and what the next adventures of the Wildstormers will involve.

One of the things I liked most about this book is the fact that it's about a child with dyslexia but overcoming the challenges that dyslexia causes isn't the main focus of this book, However, on the flip side, it does give in insight on some of the insecurities that having dyslexia can cause. As someone with dyslexia myself, I haven't seen many books that have a dyslexic character as the main character, so that was so good to see. In addition, the story is a great, spooky tale and I really enjoyed it. I love the instant friendship between Kallie and Emelia and the twist at the end was unexpected. I wonder if Kallie and Emelia and all of the wildstormers will be back for another adventure at some point.

I know that quite a few people are now enjoying Christmas reads -either old favourites or new releases – but I am hanging on until much closer to the festive season to pick those up. For me this is most definitely the perfect time of the year for spooky, suspenseful stories – those that you need to read with the light on – and in this new title from Eve Wersocki Morris, I have struck gold.

For 13-year-old Kallie Tamm it is the summer holidays and she has just arrived at Wildstorm Theatre Camp in the village of Merricombe, for a fun-packed holiday of drama activities ahead of acting in the performance scheduled for the end of her stay. Late for a wide variety of reasons, she is greeted by the camp’s director, Jackie, who is clearly displeased at her tardiness and after saying goodbye to her mother is told it is too late to meet any of her fellow guests and shown to her tent.

After experiencing a bizarre dream during the night, Kallie wakes early to discover that her tent is actually much nicer than it had first appeared and, reflecting on her deep desire to be a playwright, starts to feel excited for all that her stay will bring. Going out to explore she notices strange symbols under the eaves and around the windows of the house in whose grounds she is camping and finds herself following a black cat towards some trees, which she realises remind her of her dream. Just as she starts to think about what had happened in it she is startled by a voice behind her. Introducing herself as Emilia, the voice’s owner tells Kallie that the cat thinks of himself as a guard for the theatre that sits within the woods – a theatre said to have been cursed by a witch.

Over breakfast, Emilia tells Kallie of Ellsabet Graveheart who is said to have cursed the theatre with evil magic when she lived in Merricombe 400 years ago – an event now commemorated by the villagers in the form of the tea towels and suchlike that they sell to visiting tourists. While Emilia, Kallie and the other camp residents start to practise the play they are to perform, something dark is stirring within the woods and strange things start to occur. As Kallie starts to wonder if the theatre really is cursed, can she find out what is going on and will she be in time to put a stop to it?

So many children will see themselves reflected in Kallie. Dyslexic – as is the author – she is determined not to let her difference hold her back in her quest to become a writer, speaking within the story of so many things that she has found challenging, whether that be spelling or reading aloud. While dyslexia is far more commonly recognised now than when I was a child, it is all too easy for those who do not share this condition to imagine that it is a trivial matter – something that can easily be overcome with coloured overlays or a different font – and here its impact on Kallie is presented clearly and empathetically for the reader, which will hopefully lead to a greater understanding from those reading this.

Perfect for fans of spooky and creepy stories such as Phil Hickes’s Aveline Jones trilogy and Michelle Harrison’s A Pinch of Magic series, this would make a great read for confident Year 5s upwards. Publishing January 19th, my enormous thanks go to publisher Hachette and to Net Galley for my advance virtual read ahead of that date.