"Can the bond between two sisters survive this thrilling nature-inspired, inclusive, magical adventure?"
June 2026 Debut of the Month
This is a thoroughly engaging, thought provoking and thrilling debut fantasy novel which creates a vividly imagined world and has characters that you can really believe in. It also happens to be beautifully written and a perfect read aloud length, with fast paced action and enough twists and turns to keep your audience desperate for just one more chapter!
The story opens in Twigswick , one of several towns dotted around the enchanted forest of Dryda, home of 12 year old Nettle and her older sister Fern. All children are taught to never enter the forest, which is infested with ghouls, monsters and most deadly of all, the ghostly Hollow Spirits. Nettle knows what horrors and dangers lurk there since her father was killed when trying to find her, aged 6. Fern is the opposite of Nervous Nettle, as she is known, and wants nothing more than to escape the rules and restrictions of their life and to join the Wildheart Rangers, dedicated to protecting the towns and keeping the monsters at bay. But shortly after Fern joins up, they hear that she has ditched her role as a Ranger to join the infamous Shadow Stalkers. Nettle cannot believe that Fern is a traitor and thinking she might be in trouble, Nettle courageously enters the forest to find the Rangers and some answers. Lying about her age, she is enrolled into the Rangers and we discover alongside her, the mythology of the Rangers and the woodland spirits they work with, as well as uncomfortable truths about Fern. Nettle comes to slowly realise it’s the Hollow Spirits who need her help, and it is her sister who has to be stopped. As Nettle discovers her own special powers, appreciates her own worth and how to handle her fears, she is supported by the first friends she has ever had.
While being entirely age appropriate and completely integrated into the plot and characterisation, there are important diverse and inclusive LGBTQIA+ elements in this story and while the antagonists are certainly vivid and scary , they too are not one dimensional and the way in which they are dispatched is rather moving. While having some familiar folkloric tropes, this feels a genuinely original story, absolutely infused with a love of nature in all its elements. We definitely leave the book wanting more from these characters and I will certainly be looking forward finding out what will happen to Nettle and Fern in the next instalment of this excellent new series.
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I really enjoyed this adventure because it proves that love triumphs over all and that it is possible that anybody can be misunderstood.
This story is set in a forest which is full of mysterious and terrifying ghosts called Hollow Spirits. Nettle's older sister, Fern, joins The Wildheart Rangers who protect the forest from The Gloom, but when Fern is accused of betraying The Rangers, Nettle must join the group to figure out if the rumours are true. I really enjoyed this adventure because it proves that love triumphs over all and that it is possible that anybody can be misunderstood. I really enjoyed discovering all the different Hollow Spirits and finding out about their personalities and what makes them unique.... Read Full Review
It is most definitely one of my favourites!
I loved all of it from the beginning to the end and every word was riveting. I liked how different Fern and Nettle were. I wouldn't change a thing about it. It is most definitely one of my favourites.... Read Full Review
Crammed with spine-tingling spooks, creepy, curious adventures and heart-warming friendship, this book is great for lovers of fantasy, mystery and adventure - a great read.
Nettle and Fern are sisters, but they are as different as it is possible for two siblings to be. Fern is the brave, courageous, feisty sister while Nettle is timid, anxious and afraid. They live in the village of Twigswick, surrounded by a dark and dangerous forest. When she turns 14, Fern joins the Wildheart Rangers- brave individuals whose job is to protect the ordinary villagers from the monsters that live in the forest. But when Nettle is told that Fern has abandoned the rangers, and joined up with the dangerous and mysterious Shadow Stalkers, she knows that she will do anything in her power to find her sister and bring her home, just as Fern once did for her.
As Nettle meets the Woodland Rangers and discovers the truth about Fern, she starts to question everything she knows about her beloved sister...... Read Full Review
The children of Twigswick are taught three things:
Nettle Sourbud lives in the shadow of her older sister, Fern; fearless, tough and confident, Fern is everything Nettle is not.
So, when Fern runs off to join the Wildheart Rangers - the protectors of towns from the spirits and ghouls of Dryda Forest - Nettle thinks she's lost her sister forever, as she'll never be brave enough to follow her into the enchanted woods.
Then news reaches Twigswick that Fern has abandoned the Rangers to join the infamous Shadow Stalkers and Nettle knows something isn't right. Fearing her sister is in danger, she ventures into the forest to find the truth . . .
Joining the Rangers, Nettle realises she'll have to face her fears and defeat the Hollow Spirits who haunt the forest if she wants to rescue Fern. But soon Nettle starts to wonder if her sister needs saving at all, or Fern is the one who must be stopped . . .
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Wildheart and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Wildheart features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, Adventure Stories, Stories about Family and Friends, Fantasy / Magical, Animal Stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Magical realism / Magical fantasy, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Relating to LGBTQ+ people, Relating to specific groups and cultures or social and cultural interests, Interest qualifiers
Wildheart is available in Paperback
Wildheart was written by Bec Manser and published by Puffin an imprint of Penguin Random House Children's UK
Wildheart has 338 pages
Yes it is part of Wildheart series
£8.09
