What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wicked Unseen
The new girl in town is having trouble fitting into a community that believes there's a secret Satanic cult conducting rituals in the woods. When her crush goes missing, she starts to wonder if the town's obsession with evil isn't covering up something far worse. Perfect for fans of Fear Street!
To say sixteen-year-old Audre doesn't fit in would be the understatement of the century. She's a city kid who's found herself in a rural town. The only girl at school who'd rather kiss a girl than a boy. Not to mention that the whole town believes there's a secret Satanic cult conducting rituals in the nearby woods--and Audre is a born skeptic.
When the preacher's daughter and Audre's secret crush, Elle, goes missing on Halloween weekend, the town is quick to point fingers--in Audre's direction. While they harass Audre's family for being newcomers and nonbelievers, Audre realizes she might be the only person here who can find her friend.
The deeper she goes, though, the weirder it gets. What happened to Elle--and is the evil this town is hiding really what Audre thinks it is?
To say sixteen-year-old Audre doesn't fit in would be the understatement of the century. She's a city kid who's found herself in a rural town. The only girl at school who'd rather kiss a girl than a boy. Not to mention that the whole town believes there's a secret Satanic cult conducting rituals in the nearby woods--and Audre is a born skeptic.
When the preacher's daughter and Audre's secret crush, Elle, goes missing on Halloween weekend, the town is quick to point fingers--in Audre's direction. While they harass Audre's family for being newcomers and nonbelievers, Audre realizes she might be the only person here who can find her friend.
The deeper she goes, though, the weirder it gets. What happened to Elle--and is the evil this town is hiding really what Audre thinks it is?
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 20, 2023
About the author
Gigi Griffis
17 books142 followersGigi Griffis is the author of the The Wicked Unseen, We Are The Beasts (2024), and The Empress (as seen on Netflix), among other things.
She’s a sucker for little-known histories, “unlikable” female characters, and all things Europe. After almost ten years of semi-nomadic life, she now lives in Portugal with an opinionated Yorkie-mix named Luna and a collection of very nerdy books.
She’s a sucker for little-known histories, “unlikable” female characters, and all things Europe. After almost ten years of semi-nomadic life, she now lives in Portugal with an opinionated Yorkie-mix named Luna and a collection of very nerdy books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
March 13, 2023
Remember the Satanic panic of the late 80's and 90's? Gigi Griffis draws on that panic in this gripping and hard to put down YA LGBT horror mystery book. This book was both clever, riveting, and a homage to the 90's.
Sixteen-year-old Audre is the new girl in town that sticks out like a sore thumb! She has a nose ring, has her own style, loves horror films and her family has a Ouija board collection. The small town in Pennsylvania where she moved with her family, believes that there is a secret satanic cult doing rituals in the surrounding woods. Audre and her family don't believe in such things, but the town does.
She makes friends with Elle, whose father is a preacher, and David who wants to a journalist and is also gay. Audre has a crush on Elle who goes missing on Halloween night and as the police begin to point fingers at Audre's parents, Audre and David do their best to find out what happened to their friend. Are Satanic Cults responsible for Elle's disappearance or is this the mention of Satanic cults a ploy to cover up the real evil in town? Danger lurks, but does it lurk in the woods or within?
The Wicked Unseen is a unique and gripping book which grabbed my attention from the very beginning and never let go. The mystery of what happened to Elle was very well done. I also enjoyed how the plot unfolded and characters began to show their true colors. What happened to Elle? Read and find out!
This is a YA book, but all ages will enjoy this. Readers who were teens during the time frame this book takes place will also enjoy and spot the 90's references and appreciate them more than YA readers may.
Clever, well written, and gripping! A wicked good book!
#TheWickedUnseen #NetGalley #GigiGriffis
Thank you to Random House Children's, Underlined and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Sixteen-year-old Audre is the new girl in town that sticks out like a sore thumb! She has a nose ring, has her own style, loves horror films and her family has a Ouija board collection. The small town in Pennsylvania where she moved with her family, believes that there is a secret satanic cult doing rituals in the surrounding woods. Audre and her family don't believe in such things, but the town does.
She makes friends with Elle, whose father is a preacher, and David who wants to a journalist and is also gay. Audre has a crush on Elle who goes missing on Halloween night and as the police begin to point fingers at Audre's parents, Audre and David do their best to find out what happened to their friend. Are Satanic Cults responsible for Elle's disappearance or is this the mention of Satanic cults a ploy to cover up the real evil in town? Danger lurks, but does it lurk in the woods or within?
The Wicked Unseen is a unique and gripping book which grabbed my attention from the very beginning and never let go. The mystery of what happened to Elle was very well done. I also enjoyed how the plot unfolded and characters began to show their true colors. What happened to Elle? Read and find out!
This is a YA book, but all ages will enjoy this. Readers who were teens during the time frame this book takes place will also enjoy and spot the 90's references and appreciate them more than YA readers may.
Clever, well written, and gripping! A wicked good book!
#TheWickedUnseen #NetGalley #GigiGriffis
Thank you to Random House Children's, Underlined and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
January 7, 2023
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
***
Ok, wow. This is a hell of a debut novel. Drawing from the Satanic Panic, "The Wicked Unseen" is a religious horror that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. Not only is it interesting and dangerous and violent, but it has heart. Certain parts of the book, really tugged those strings.
I enjoyed the characters as well. They were varied and compelling, trying to muddle through a confusing landscape where the adults aren't always in their corner.
Though, Audre's parents kind of rock.
I'm so glad I had the chance to read this and I'll be looking for Gigi's next book.
***
Ok, wow. This is a hell of a debut novel. Drawing from the Satanic Panic, "The Wicked Unseen" is a religious horror that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. Not only is it interesting and dangerous and violent, but it has heart. Certain parts of the book, really tugged those strings.
I enjoyed the characters as well. They were varied and compelling, trying to muddle through a confusing landscape where the adults aren't always in their corner.
Though, Audre's parents kind of rock.
I'm so glad I had the chance to read this and I'll be looking for Gigi's next book.
November 15, 2023
The Wicked Unseen is the story of a missing sixteen year old girl, a potential “satantic” cult, sapphic romance, and how extreme and abusive some highly religious people can be. How far would these people go to prove themselves to God and get into Heaven?
Audre has recently moved to a rural town in Pennsylvania, where the locals are convinced that there is a secret Satanic cult performing rituals in the woods. Her Dad has met Satanists and he knows they are nothing like how the movies present them to be. She knows that her family’s Ouija board collection and her love of horror movies are going to make them prime suspects.
The town’s paranoia only heightens when the preacher’s daughter goes missing over the Halloween weekend. She’s Audre’s crush, Elle. She felt instantly smitten by her, but had her romance plans seemingly dashed by Elle’s boyfriend, Ryan, proposing to her at sixteen because “God told him to”. Elle has a secret though, she doesn’t think she is attracted to boys.
Is Elle’s disappearance really to do with a sinister cult of devil worshippers, or is this town hiding secrets? Could Ryan or Elle’s parents be behind her disappearance? Audre sets out to find out the truth.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
4 stars
Audre has recently moved to a rural town in Pennsylvania, where the locals are convinced that there is a secret Satanic cult performing rituals in the woods. Her Dad has met Satanists and he knows they are nothing like how the movies present them to be. She knows that her family’s Ouija board collection and her love of horror movies are going to make them prime suspects.
The town’s paranoia only heightens when the preacher’s daughter goes missing over the Halloween weekend. She’s Audre’s crush, Elle. She felt instantly smitten by her, but had her romance plans seemingly dashed by Elle’s boyfriend, Ryan, proposing to her at sixteen because “God told him to”. Elle has a secret though, she doesn’t think she is attracted to boys.
Is Elle’s disappearance really to do with a sinister cult of devil worshippers, or is this town hiding secrets? Could Ryan or Elle’s parents be behind her disappearance? Audre sets out to find out the truth.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
4 stars
November 16, 2022
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Audre moves with her parents and younger sister to a small town, where Elle—one of the first friends she made after moving—goes missing. Elle’s father is a minister who preaches about the dangers of demons. Elle’s church youth group would rather pray than search for her. The cops blame Satanic Panic and focus right away on Audre’s family. When it’s obvious that no one in the town is actually looking for Elle, Audre steps up, but she’s met with resistance at every turn.
I like how one of the main themes of the book is Christian zealots and the ego of men who think they know what’s best for women, and using God as their excuse to do as they see fit. Another is crooked, racist cops. The real evil in this book isn’t monsters or demons; it’s men.
I was a teen in the 90’s, so I remember some of the Satanic Panic, but it hasn’t really went away. With QAnon conspiracy theories, some people still believe in it.
I enjoyed this book. I could relate to the main character. I recommend reading this book if you grew up during the 80s’ or 90’s, but especially if you grew up later.
Audre moves with her parents and younger sister to a small town, where Elle—one of the first friends she made after moving—goes missing. Elle’s father is a minister who preaches about the dangers of demons. Elle’s church youth group would rather pray than search for her. The cops blame Satanic Panic and focus right away on Audre’s family. When it’s obvious that no one in the town is actually looking for Elle, Audre steps up, but she’s met with resistance at every turn.
I like how one of the main themes of the book is Christian zealots and the ego of men who think they know what’s best for women, and using God as their excuse to do as they see fit. Another is crooked, racist cops. The real evil in this book isn’t monsters or demons; it’s men.
I was a teen in the 90’s, so I remember some of the Satanic Panic, but it hasn’t really went away. With QAnon conspiracy theories, some people still believe in it.
I enjoyed this book. I could relate to the main character. I recommend reading this book if you grew up during the 80s’ or 90’s, but especially if you grew up later.
June 5, 2023
The Wicked Unseen by Gigi Griffis
Audre is a city kid who moves to a rural town with her family and finds herself struggling to fit in. She meets a girl named Elle and is immediately smitten with her. But when Elle goes missing and Audre's family becomes entangled in a secret satanic cult she is determined to clear her family and get to the bottom of what happened to her friend in the woods. The more she digs, the creepier it becomes when the town's secret obsession with evil begins to unfold.
I realized early on that I was not the right fit for this book, but decided to follow through and give it a chance. To be honest Gigi Griffis succeeded in creating a very unlikable character in Audre. I couldn't deal with all of her opinions and attitude making everything into a hot topic. I found myself angry throughout the whole book and would have been my first DNF if I wasn't feeling obligated to finish. I wouldn't call it a thriller, more of a rant about every controversial subject she could fit in this book. Just not for me.
Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this for an honest review.
Audre is a city kid who moves to a rural town with her family and finds herself struggling to fit in. She meets a girl named Elle and is immediately smitten with her. But when Elle goes missing and Audre's family becomes entangled in a secret satanic cult she is determined to clear her family and get to the bottom of what happened to her friend in the woods. The more she digs, the creepier it becomes when the town's secret obsession with evil begins to unfold.
I realized early on that I was not the right fit for this book, but decided to follow through and give it a chance. To be honest Gigi Griffis succeeded in creating a very unlikable character in Audre. I couldn't deal with all of her opinions and attitude making everything into a hot topic. I found myself angry throughout the whole book and would have been my first DNF if I wasn't feeling obligated to finish. I wouldn't call it a thriller, more of a rant about every controversial subject she could fit in this book. Just not for me.
Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this for an honest review.
August 3, 2023
You guys, I am weirdly hung up on the fact that Pokemon was a plot point in a book set in 1996, when it didn’t debut in the U.S. until 1998. That’s it. That’s my rant. This is not a comprehensive review 😂
June 26, 2023
This was a fun book. The plot relies heavily on the hysteria surrounding a fear of satanists/devil worshipping of the 80s and 90s. It has quite a bit of nostalgia that was fun to read. I appreciated the diversity of the main character. Not only was she a lesbian, but also diverse in that she came from a big city to a small town. The cast was also diverse. Loved that her BFF was Hispanic and also gay. Such great representation. The religious fervor was hard for me as it hit a little too close to home. Easy, flowing dialogue with nice humor. Overall a great book that I highly recommend!
October 14, 2022
I had no clue how bad the Satanic Panic truly was until this book. I flew through this book in two nights, it literally had me by the throat. I don't want to say too much without spoiling so all I will say is if you like fierce unapologetic girls, touching friendships, plot-twists that make you gasp, and OH-NO-SHE-WENT-THERE moments ( literally I was shook by one of the characters, truly subverts genre tropes) then this book is a MUST READ!
June 26, 2023
This was a fun book. The plot relies heavily on the hysteria surrounding a fear of satanists/devil worshipping of the 80s and 90s. It has quite a bit of nostalgia that was fun to read. I appreciated the diversity of the main character. Not only was she a lesbian, but also diverse in that she came from a big city to a small town. The cast was also diverse. Loved that her BFF was Hispanic and also gay. Such great representation. The religious fervor was hard for me as it hit a little too close to home. Easy, flowing dialogue with nice humor. Overall a great book that I highly recommend!
November 12, 2023
Listen. The year is supposed to be 1996 and the phrases "How are your feels" and "It's just not my aesthetic" have been used.
Oh. And everyone just happens to have a cell phone.
Oh. And everyone just happens to have a cell phone.
December 18, 2022
Satanic cults in the woods? A missing friend. Whoa! This book was such a fun read I couldn’t stop reading.
Everyone believes there’s satanic rituals happening in the woods. People go missing. Symbols appear. But is all what it appears to be? Is there really a cult, or does someone just want it to appear that way to do evil disguised in the shadows? This is one you won’t want to miss!
Thank you so much to #NetGalley, the publishers and author for extending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Be sure to grab this one in preparation for Halloween 2023! You can’t go wrong.
Everyone believes there’s satanic rituals happening in the woods. People go missing. Symbols appear. But is all what it appears to be? Is there really a cult, or does someone just want it to appear that way to do evil disguised in the shadows? This is one you won’t want to miss!
Thank you so much to #NetGalley, the publishers and author for extending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Be sure to grab this one in preparation for Halloween 2023! You can’t go wrong.
July 21, 2023
Holy fuck!! This was incredible and now I want to read more horror, especially queer horror. This felt like it took place in the early 2000s, but I see other reviews mentioning the satanic panic of the 80s and 90s, so I might be off by a bit. Either way, this is set in the past, but I had no trouble imagining like it took place now. The way the religious zealots have taken control of the USA, it eerily similar and projects a picture that would be awful if it came true. Ugh I do not want to even think about it, but I know it's a possibility.
Anyway, this fucking blew my mind. I'll be back with more thoughts later, maybe.
Rep: white lesbian cis female MC with panic attacks (likely anxiety/PTSD combo or a panic disorder), Puerto Rican gay cis male side character, Puerto Rican cis female side character, white cishet male side character with chronic pain and uses a cane, white queer cis female side character, white sapphic questioning cis female side character, various white side characters.
CWs: Religious bigotry, religious ideals masquerading as abuse, child abuse, manipulation, cults, body shaming, bullying, child death, cursing, death, missing child, kidnapping, injury/injury detail, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, gun violence, homophobia/homomisia, lesbophobia/lesbomisia, panic attacks, racism, xenophobia, violence, murder and attempted murder, fire/fire injury (including past mentions and ), toxic relationship (familial between SCs), blood, vomit, grief, police incompetency and abuse of power, death of parent.
Anyway, this fucking blew my mind. I'll be back with more thoughts later, maybe.
Rep: white lesbian cis female MC with panic attacks (likely anxiety/PTSD combo or a panic disorder), Puerto Rican gay cis male side character, Puerto Rican cis female side character, white cishet male side character with chronic pain and uses a cane, white queer cis female side character, white sapphic questioning cis female side character, various white side characters.
CWs: Religious bigotry, religious ideals masquerading as abuse, child abuse, manipulation, cults, body shaming, bullying, child death, cursing, death, missing child, kidnapping, injury/injury detail, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, gun violence, homophobia/homomisia, lesbophobia/lesbomisia, panic attacks, racism, xenophobia, violence, murder and attempted murder, fire/fire injury (including past mentions and ), toxic relationship (familial between SCs), blood, vomit, grief, police incompetency and abuse of power, death of parent.
June 22, 2023
This one wasnt for me but it might appeal to some. It’s very clear that the author has an agenda and that’s fine but the story seems a bit overwritten and a little … venty? And not the good kind from Starbucks.
TW: abuse, Christian extremism, violence
TW: abuse, Christian extremism, violence
December 19, 2023
This book will have you hooked from the very beginning!! You won’t be disappointed in this thriller!!!!
Read
December 1, 2023“It’s not the demons we should scream at but the man who told us they were real.”
A culty small town horror book where the villain is the Satanic Panic itself? Yes!!!
Rehashing of 2010s tumblr feminism in a “historical” book?
Um….
There’s just a few lines ripped from tweets and text posts that warrant eye rolls.
“I hope he steps on a lego barefoot every day for the rest of his life.”
That sentence was more painful than any lego could be. This, and other internet memes from the 2010s show up frequently.
Audre is an edgy goth girl who jumps to conclusions about EVERYONE and is rewarded by the narrative. She is besties with David because she speaks spanish (her Latina friend from New York taught her. We never see this friend on page) at one point our Puerto Rican bff is put in handcuffs ‘cause our white feminist protag mouthed off to cops. When she apologizes, he absolves her all guilt. He says it fine. Our white author tells us it’s fine. Audre also complains about “white men” a bunch, and it just feels a little…not self aware. Like, girly pop is also white? Lil weird. Idk.
I think Audre being wrong! fucking up! being too sure of her herself would be interesting, and given it’s a YA book, she could learn some lessons? The only time she has to apologize is when she lumps David in with the “bad christians” But the book seems incongruent with Christianity as a whole. So like…I’m confused if Audre/the author believes her own apology. If you’re an anti-thiest just commit.
Meanwhile Elle is struggling with deconstructing the religion she was raised with. She still believes some of the bullshit used to justify abuse. Her pov felt real and relatable and INTERESTING. I wish we had more of her. And some closure with their relationship? Like…are they gonna get together? Hm.
This whole book should have been dual POVs. I want more Elle being closeted and confused as hell and less of Audre’s perfect goth family and self-righteous crusade of yelling at indoctrinated teenagers.
Plot? Fun. Campy. Juicy. Saw 80% of it coming but that’s okay. Audre? Wished the narrative was more critical of her. I hate reading a protagonist that is right about everything. I wish she started falling for this culty stuff, like her little sister. So we could have Audre falling INTO the religion and Elle falling out.
Maybe because I already listen to the Satanic-Panic-was-Pretty-Fucked-Up-Right type of podcasts, I couldn’t ignore my problems with the characters and the preachiness. Maybe this would hit more for someone who doesn’t know about Hell Houses or culty youth group practices. Most of Audre’s conclusions on how messed up this is…is so obvious. I’m like…”yeah no crap” at most of the rants.
I thought I was the target audience, but this is more for people who HAVEN’T done any deconstruction. Who haven’t been exposed to internet activism. It is a YA book, after all. Would probably recommend to a teen to teach about the Satanic Panic. The author’s note at the end really drives home why all of this is relevant now. So that’s cool.
But Audre likes Limp Bizkit. I can’t forgive that.
A culty small town horror book where the villain is the Satanic Panic itself? Yes!!!
Rehashing of 2010s tumblr feminism in a “historical” book?
Um….
There’s just a few lines ripped from tweets and text posts that warrant eye rolls.
“I hope he steps on a lego barefoot every day for the rest of his life.”
That sentence was more painful than any lego could be. This, and other internet memes from the 2010s show up frequently.
Audre is an edgy goth girl who jumps to conclusions about EVERYONE and is rewarded by the narrative. She is besties with David because she speaks spanish (her Latina friend from New York taught her. We never see this friend on page) at one point our Puerto Rican bff is put in handcuffs ‘cause our white feminist protag mouthed off to cops. When she apologizes, he absolves her all guilt. He says it fine. Our white author tells us it’s fine. Audre also complains about “white men” a bunch, and it just feels a little…not self aware. Like, girly pop is also white? Lil weird. Idk.
I think Audre being wrong! fucking up! being too sure of her herself would be interesting, and given it’s a YA book, she could learn some lessons? The only time she has to apologize is when she lumps David in with the “bad christians” But the book seems incongruent with Christianity as a whole. So like…I’m confused if Audre/the author believes her own apology. If you’re an anti-thiest just commit.
Meanwhile Elle is struggling with deconstructing the religion she was raised with. She still believes some of the bullshit used to justify abuse. Her pov felt real and relatable and INTERESTING. I wish we had more of her. And some closure with their relationship? Like…are they gonna get together? Hm.
This whole book should have been dual POVs. I want more Elle being closeted and confused as hell and less of Audre’s perfect goth family and self-righteous crusade of yelling at indoctrinated teenagers.
Plot? Fun. Campy. Juicy. Saw 80% of it coming but that’s okay. Audre? Wished the narrative was more critical of her. I hate reading a protagonist that is right about everything. I wish she started falling for this culty stuff, like her little sister. So we could have Audre falling INTO the religion and Elle falling out.
Maybe because I already listen to the Satanic-Panic-was-Pretty-Fucked-Up-Right type of podcasts, I couldn’t ignore my problems with the characters and the preachiness. Maybe this would hit more for someone who doesn’t know about Hell Houses or culty youth group practices. Most of Audre’s conclusions on how messed up this is…is so obvious. I’m like…”yeah no crap” at most of the rants.
I thought I was the target audience, but this is more for people who HAVEN’T done any deconstruction. Who haven’t been exposed to internet activism. It is a YA book, after all. Would probably recommend to a teen to teach about the Satanic Panic. The author’s note at the end really drives home why all of this is relevant now. So that’s cool.
But Audre likes Limp Bizkit. I can’t forgive that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2023
This book started really strong but the more I read the more it lost me. The mystery is...not that mysterious? I called what was going on from the start so everything ended up being super predictable in a non-satisfying way. I also found the analysis of religious extremism a bit superficial, compared to other works like Flanagan's Midnight Mass & AJ White's Hell Followed With Us. Overall an okay read but I was expecting a more compelling mystery.
ADDITION because it keeps bothering me even after months. I know it's not my place to comment on this, and I was looking for reviews by latines, but here on goodreads I don't seem to find any. The portrayal of the MC's puerto rican best friend and her relationship with him is...idk, it feels very off to me. When the MC gets arrested, she acts out against the police officers, conscious that her whiteness will protect her...but her BFF is not white. Why doesn't she care about him? That the police officers will punish *him* for her tantrums? She also makes a mockery of his religious beliefs and the point isn't...really expanded, on the contrary, it is framed as if BFF is responsible for MC's comments and he's like "I deserved it". Excuse me? Criticizing christian extremism is one thing, but religion is SO important as a cultural identity for many minorities. MC grew around latines in NY but somehow failed to notice that? Again, i can't speak for the community, but I have enogh friends and family from latin America to see how important religion is for cultural identity. I know Evangelicals are awful, but even when it comes to christianity, there are so many denominations and so many ways to express one's faith. Hell, Evangelicals even evangelize /other christians/ of another denomination. Puerto Rico is a majority Catholic country but somehow the BFF is Evangelical too? Idk.
I understand that the author wanted to make her MC an unlikeable character and probably use her to vent their frustration with the Evangelical Church (which is awful! I agree!) but the problem is that the MC has a lot of prejudices and never gets challenged. She is loved by her friends even when she is in the wrong. She doesn't grow as a character during the story. She sounds like r/Atheism incarnated, which is why I think the criticism of christian extremism falls short (see above) and feels extremely white and US centric.
ADDITION because it keeps bothering me even after months. I know it's not my place to comment on this, and I was looking for reviews by latines, but here on goodreads I don't seem to find any. The portrayal of the MC's puerto rican best friend and her relationship with him is...idk, it feels very off to me. When the MC gets arrested, she acts out against the police officers, conscious that her whiteness will protect her...but her BFF is not white. Why doesn't she care about him? That the police officers will punish *him* for her tantrums? She also makes a mockery of his religious beliefs and the point isn't...really expanded, on the contrary, it is framed as if BFF is responsible for MC's comments and he's like "I deserved it". Excuse me? Criticizing christian extremism is one thing, but religion is SO important as a cultural identity for many minorities. MC grew around latines in NY but somehow failed to notice that? Again, i can't speak for the community, but I have enogh friends and family from latin America to see how important religion is for cultural identity. I know Evangelicals are awful, but even when it comes to christianity, there are so many denominations and so many ways to express one's faith. Hell, Evangelicals even evangelize /other christians/ of another denomination. Puerto Rico is a majority Catholic country but somehow the BFF is Evangelical too? Idk.
I understand that the author wanted to make her MC an unlikeable character and probably use her to vent their frustration with the Evangelical Church (which is awful! I agree!) but the problem is that the MC has a lot of prejudices and never gets challenged. She is loved by her friends even when she is in the wrong. She doesn't grow as a character during the story. She sounds like r/Atheism incarnated, which is why I think the criticism of christian extremism falls short (see above) and feels extremely white and US centric.
January 15, 2023
This book is a love letter to the 90s and all the fantastic horror that came from that time. I couldn't predict anything that happened over the course of this delightful book and I couldn't put it down! Highly, highly recommended if you love any slashers at all and a well-thought out, suspenseful mystery.
May 23, 2024
I picked this up last night to get a feel for it... and kept reading. 😅
Audre recently moved from the city to a rural town with her parents and little sister. So she's finding it hard to fit in with the churchy crowd. It's not just that she's different, but also that most of the town is obsessed with the concept of Satanic cults hiding in the woods. And when the preacher's daughter goes missing, the police is quick to suspect Audre's family...
I really enjoyed this! It's a YA horror story that is ambiguous in many ways, while also highlighting the real-life horror that is religious zealots. Dealing with the self-righteous, who honestly believe they're doing 'god's work', is terrifying. And fucking gross, tbh.
Anyway, I really liked Audre's voice. She was stubborn, determined, and believed in herself. Something that's hard to do for any teenager, let alone one who doesn't fit the forced narrative about how a girl is supposed to dress, behave, and have a crush on. Plus I loved her parents. They were cool and so supportive, about so many things.
The family dynamic really worked for me. As well as the setting and the fact the story was set in 1996. Very cool.
Also, the mystery at the core of the story turned out to have a good twist. I suspected some, but not all of it.
This is a great book!
Audre recently moved from the city to a rural town with her parents and little sister. So she's finding it hard to fit in with the churchy crowd. It's not just that she's different, but also that most of the town is obsessed with the concept of Satanic cults hiding in the woods. And when the preacher's daughter goes missing, the police is quick to suspect Audre's family...
I really enjoyed this! It's a YA horror story that is ambiguous in many ways, while also highlighting the real-life horror that is religious zealots. Dealing with the self-righteous, who honestly believe they're doing 'god's work', is terrifying. And fucking gross, tbh.
Anyway, I really liked Audre's voice. She was stubborn, determined, and believed in herself. Something that's hard to do for any teenager, let alone one who doesn't fit the forced narrative about how a girl is supposed to dress, behave, and have a crush on. Plus I loved her parents. They were cool and so supportive, about so many things.
The family dynamic really worked for me. As well as the setting and the fact the story was set in 1996. Very cool.
Also, the mystery at the core of the story turned out to have a good twist. I suspected some, but not all of it.
This is a great book!
March 15, 2023
Gigi Griffis really taps into a timely and powerful story with this book. She hits all the markers for me of a solid and entertaining LGBT+ YA horror novel. Given the intensity of the situation presented before the characters I found the writing complimented the overall feelings I felt while reading this book. The ending wrapped up nicely. I look forward to Griffis next work.
Thank you to Random House Children and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.
Thank you to Random House Children and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.
June 20, 2024
I had high hopes for this book, a YA thriller supposed to be set in the Satanic Panic era. And from the author’s afterward, I know she had good ambitions for the book and that many of the seemingly OTT elements had inspiration in real life. But good ambitions alone couldn’t save this book for me.
The first problem is, I just didn’t think it was very well written. The writing itself was ok, but the story kind of lurched along, more to point out the evils of religious extremism than to actually further the plot. The good guys were paragons of progressive virtue, and the bad guys were cartoonishly intolerant and horrible.
So much didn’t make sense. Why did her family—her mom a mortician and her dad a writer specializing in the occult—suddenly move from Brooklyn to rural Pennsylvania? What did they do to earn the ire of the community so quickly? How did the police know her dad had once been a member of the Church of Satan (for research purposes, of course)? If they’re such outcasts, why did Elle invite Audre to her church and why did Audre go? There could be good reasons for all of this, but we’re not given them.
The mystery/thriller part is mostly just David and Audre wandering around encountering weird things and then being harassed by the cartoonishly incompetent/prejudiced police. I actually agree with the author’s sentiments but it was all done so ham handedly. Audre always refers to the policeman as Officer Truck Nuts and that’s pretty much all we’re given.
Speaking of truck nuts…setting the story in 1996 was a mistake. First of all, if it was meant to take place at the height of the Satanic Panic, 1986 would have been better. That’s when the pearl clutching about D&D and heavy metal was at its peak. I was the goth outsider back in the 80s, so trust me, I know the era well. By 1996, the moral panic had pretty much wound down.
And as far as 1996 goes… so many anachronisms! Not just the writing style, dialogue and characters attitudes, but so many details like: Pokemon. The preacher lambasting the evil pocket monsters and Audre wearing a Pokemon shirt, when the game wasn’t released in the US until 1998. And the truck nuts…while first released around that time, they were a specialty item only and didn’t become common until the 2000s. Certainly not common enough in 1996 for Audre to think that someone was the kind of guy to have truck nuts.
And this is why I regretfully give this one a single star:
Bad plotting
Cartoonish characters
Anachronisms galore
Made me look up the history of truck nuts
All in all, just not for me.
The first problem is, I just didn’t think it was very well written. The writing itself was ok, but the story kind of lurched along, more to point out the evils of religious extremism than to actually further the plot. The good guys were paragons of progressive virtue, and the bad guys were cartoonishly intolerant and horrible.
So much didn’t make sense. Why did her family—her mom a mortician and her dad a writer specializing in the occult—suddenly move from Brooklyn to rural Pennsylvania? What did they do to earn the ire of the community so quickly? How did the police know her dad had once been a member of the Church of Satan (for research purposes, of course)? If they’re such outcasts, why did Elle invite Audre to her church and why did Audre go? There could be good reasons for all of this, but we’re not given them.
The mystery/thriller part is mostly just David and Audre wandering around encountering weird things and then being harassed by the cartoonishly incompetent/prejudiced police. I actually agree with the author’s sentiments but it was all done so ham handedly. Audre always refers to the policeman as Officer Truck Nuts and that’s pretty much all we’re given.
Speaking of truck nuts…setting the story in 1996 was a mistake. First of all, if it was meant to take place at the height of the Satanic Panic, 1986 would have been better. That’s when the pearl clutching about D&D and heavy metal was at its peak. I was the goth outsider back in the 80s, so trust me, I know the era well. By 1996, the moral panic had pretty much wound down.
And as far as 1996 goes… so many anachronisms! Not just the writing style, dialogue and characters attitudes, but so many details like: Pokemon. The preacher lambasting the evil pocket monsters and Audre wearing a Pokemon shirt, when the game wasn’t released in the US until 1998. And the truck nuts…while first released around that time, they were a specialty item only and didn’t become common until the 2000s. Certainly not common enough in 1996 for Audre to think that someone was the kind of guy to have truck nuts.
And this is why I regretfully give this one a single star:
Bad plotting
Cartoonish characters
Anachronisms galore
Made me look up the history of truck nuts
All in all, just not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2023
This was definitely a hit and a miss for me. Right smack dab in the middle. I liked some parts and didn't like others. Audre and her family have moved to a small town along the Appalachians where her mom has inherited a mortuary. As soon as she starts to make some friends though, she realizes that all of the people in town are obsessed with church, and not a healthy obsession either. Knowing that this book is supposed to be horror, reading that this girl moves right next door to a cemetery and almost into the Appalachian mountains already gets me excited. Add a cult and satanism to it and we have gold.
First the good. Audre is obsessed with horror films and compares the other students to where they would fall in the murder lineup, which is fun (especially being based in the 90's). Her family is a nice dynamic and her best friend David is a great secondary character. And when the conflict comes to its height it really gets going, with a feisty ending.
But it doesn't ever get to the level it starts at. There really isn't any horror, and the moments of suspense, that had such potential, fall flat. The entire book was basically a slam against christianity, which if looking at it from a character POV is fine because there is definitely consistency. But rather than directing the focus on how completely insane this particular church is and talking about how abnormal every action by the pastor and churchgoers is, this just features a story-long inner monologue about her aversion toward religion in general. The author's note at the end does explain why it is written this way, however it felt too broad while reading it. Maybe if there had been some build up about how Audre had been really hurt personally by church too many times in the past? That might have helped. Either way, it needed to build the cult aspect more. The town also talks about a satanic cult that lives in the mountains. I would have loved to have seen more of this. It is only ever talked about vaguely.
I wish there would have been some really good horror in this, because it was definitely set up for it. Definitely read the author's note at the end, as it explains where all of the ideas come from.
First the good. Audre is obsessed with horror films and compares the other students to where they would fall in the murder lineup, which is fun (especially being based in the 90's). Her family is a nice dynamic and her best friend David is a great secondary character. And when the conflict comes to its height it really gets going, with a feisty ending.
But it doesn't ever get to the level it starts at. There really isn't any horror, and the moments of suspense, that had such potential, fall flat. The entire book was basically a slam against christianity, which if looking at it from a character POV is fine because there is definitely consistency. But rather than directing the focus on how completely insane this particular church is and talking about how abnormal every action by the pastor and churchgoers is, this just features a story-long inner monologue about her aversion toward religion in general. The author's note at the end does explain why it is written this way, however it felt too broad while reading it. Maybe if there had been some build up about how Audre had been really hurt personally by church too many times in the past? That might have helped. Either way, it needed to build the cult aspect more. The town also talks about a satanic cult that lives in the mountains. I would have loved to have seen more of this. It is only ever talked about vaguely.
I wish there would have been some really good horror in this, because it was definitely set up for it. Definitely read the author's note at the end, as it explains where all of the ideas come from.
January 29, 2024
This was a 5 SCREAM read for me all the way till the end!
Check out my full video review here on my Youtube channel Nightmares, Anyone?
https://youtu.be/eipE1i-VNLo?si=GA9p-...
Audre and her family move to a small town in Pennsylvania and this is where her life will change forever!
When she meets Elle a school mate she is instantly attracted to her and she cant tell her.....her Father is a priest and Audre is looked down upon in town because she loves horror, has a nose ring and her family has an Ouija board collection! Yes. This starts out GREAT. With Halloween coming up, and when it does, Elle ends up missing after going to a halloween party, and you guessed it.....Audre and her family are the first suspects!
I listened to the audio book of this and was blown away by Griffis's writing. This is labeled as YA and I have no idea....plus I did not care because that is how good this book is.
When the town explodes with what seems to be Satanic Cult rituals being performed in their local woods.....this book does not stop. There were some GREAT scenes of gore and murder and I would recommend this book and it's author to anyone who likes a well written horror story. Pick it up and read or listen to it! You will be glad you did.
5 Sceams!
Check out my full video review here on my Youtube channel Nightmares, Anyone?
https://youtu.be/eipE1i-VNLo?si=GA9p-...
Audre and her family move to a small town in Pennsylvania and this is where her life will change forever!
When she meets Elle a school mate she is instantly attracted to her and she cant tell her.....her Father is a priest and Audre is looked down upon in town because she loves horror, has a nose ring and her family has an Ouija board collection! Yes. This starts out GREAT. With Halloween coming up, and when it does, Elle ends up missing after going to a halloween party, and you guessed it.....Audre and her family are the first suspects!
I listened to the audio book of this and was blown away by Griffis's writing. This is labeled as YA and I have no idea....plus I did not care because that is how good this book is.
When the town explodes with what seems to be Satanic Cult rituals being performed in their local woods.....this book does not stop. There were some GREAT scenes of gore and murder and I would recommend this book and it's author to anyone who likes a well written horror story. Pick it up and read or listen to it! You will be glad you did.
5 Sceams!
April 7, 2023
Audre and her family have trouble fitting in to their new town, which seem to orbit heavily around a creepy pastor and a cult-like arm of Christianity. I have to be honest: I was not a fan of this book, but I also don't think I'm the right audience for it. I could not stand Audre. She really bothered me. We get it; you're edgy, not afraid to challenge authority and the status-quo, and constantly call out the social injustices around you. Like, constantly. Maybe the disconnect for me was that this is a YA novel; but to me, Audre's character development was just SO heavy-handed. I did think it was pretty funny when I found in Gigi's "About the Author" section, she noted that she's a sucker for "unlikeable" female characters. To me, she succeeded that with Audre.
This was a pretty quick read, and I did find the story to be interesting. The main reason I kept reading it was because I wanted to find out what in the world happened and what was going on in the community. But I did struggle to finish this, because of my issues with Audre.
This was a pretty quick read, and I did find the story to be interesting. The main reason I kept reading it was because I wanted to find out what in the world happened and what was going on in the community. But I did struggle to finish this, because of my issues with Audre.
May 21, 2022
I was lucky enough to read an early copy of this book and I cannot wait for the world to be able to get their hands on it too! The 90s satanic panic was something I didn't know a ton about but the book gripped me from the first page with the 90s nostalgia and horror movie tropes turned on their head. I loved the main character, she was so bad ass and smart and always stood her ground, no matter what was going on around her. I never saw the twist coming at all - I even gasped aloud at a few reveals - and the relationship between the MC and the preachers daughter character was my favorite. Would definitely recommend if you want a fast paced, nostalgic thriller/mystery with queer, fierce girls!
February 2, 2023
If a girl like Wednesday Addams moved to a small religious town during the satanic panic of the 1990s then the preacher's daughter went missing... the premise is sooo intriguing! I absolutely inhaled this book. It's fast-paced, full of intriguing characters, fascinating history, and is LGBTQ+. If you love horror, thriller, mystery, or historical books you will enjoy this as it has all these elements. I love this book!
November 11, 2022
This book was amazing!! The wicked unseen kept me on my toes the whole time I was reading. Easily finished in two days. It kept me guessing each chapter. Best book I’ve read in a long time!
January 24, 2023
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book, provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I don't think I was the target audience for this book. It was well written, but the characters were kind one-dimensional. I mean, there was no real explanation for why Audre wanted to be friends with Elle so badly. Audre's parents were cool, tho haha. I dunno, I just think it was a bit too young for me.
I don't think I was the target audience for this book. It was well written, but the characters were kind one-dimensional. I mean, there was no real explanation for why Audre wanted to be friends with Elle so badly. Audre's parents were cool, tho haha. I dunno, I just think it was a bit too young for me.
January 7, 2023
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
***
Ok, wow. This is a hell of a debut novel. Drawing from the Satanic Panic, "The Wicked Unseen" is a religious horror that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. Not only is it interesting and dangerous and violent, but it has heart. Certain parts of the book, really tugged those strings.
I enjoyed the characters as well. They were varied and compelling, trying to muddle through a confusing landscape where the adults aren't always in their corner.
Though, Audre's parents kind of rock.
I'm so glad I had the chance to read this and I'll be looking for Gigi's next book.
***
Ok, wow. This is a hell of a debut novel. Drawing from the Satanic Panic, "The Wicked Unseen" is a religious horror that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. Not only is it interesting and dangerous and violent, but it has heart. Certain parts of the book, really tugged those strings.
I enjoyed the characters as well. They were varied and compelling, trying to muddle through a confusing landscape where the adults aren't always in their corner.
Though, Audre's parents kind of rock.
I'm so glad I had the chance to read this and I'll be looking for Gigi's next book.
December 24, 2023
I survived this. This was my childhood. The true horror of my life was religion and this book was incredible way to try to explain to my children what that looked like and why I am the way I am today. Also, a great introduction to horror for my kids as we discuss and explore genres together.
Shelved as 'on-hold-will-finish-one-day'
May 24, 2024Paused at 53%. I think I’m going to officially pause this for a while, bc there are other audiobooks I want to get to once I finish the one I’m on. Idk if I’m in the mood for more religious trauma atm. But, I do want to finish this one. So I’ll be back to it eventually.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews