Cover Image: The Wicked Unseen

The Wicked Unseen

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

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.

Was this review helpful?

This seemed potentially interesting to me but it the end I nearly dnf. I forced myself to get through it though. I did not like the dialogue at all and I didn't really understand the whole 'satanic panic' thing as it happened in the 90s so not sure why a YA book would be set at this time.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with the eARC!

This was such a strong debut! This book embodies the reason why I love the horror genre: not for the scares, not for some boogie man that will give me nightmares, but for ACTUAL horror and to have a voice in societal/political issues. The different conversations the characters have are so important, as well as the rants some of them have (I LOVED Audre's mom! Any time her character spoke, I was like, "Yes, queen!! Say it louder for the people in the back!"). This book discusses abuse, racism, healthy religion vs. cultish religion, and harmful ignorance.
I read this book so fast that I didn't even realize how fast I was reading it. Audre's character is so lovable, and so is her entire family. David and Elle are both lovable as well, especially with how Audre interacts with them and the immediate connections they have.
I really appreciated the historical endnote that Griffis included in the back - the story already had loads of depth, but knowing that the most extreme, horrible parts are based on history adds even more meaning to it. I'm not the biggest fan of YA books, but this one is a must-read for any horror or thriller lover. This has to be one of the best, well-written books I've read so far this year and has definitely made it onto my favorites list.

Was this review helpful?

I cannot put into words how AMAZING this book is. First of all, the way it's written, it grabs you from the beginning and just keeps you on tenterhooks until the end! Second, our main character is just AWESOME. A well adjusted 16 year old doing the MOST and sometimes being VERY funny in the process.

I will say, trigger warning for cult like themes and religious abuse. But man oh man, this was one of the best books I've ever read. Cannot wait to get my hands on more by this author and will enthusiastically recommend this to anyone, whether they ask me or not.

Was this review helpful?

The whole idea for the story seemed great. I love a good cult story if its done properly. With that being said, I felt like the author was almost pushing their religious ideas too much for me to be able to look past that. All and all a nice easy and fun read but not my favorite. Thank you for the ARC!

Was this review helpful?

I probably should have put this book down after the first few chapters when I realized it wasn’t working for me. However, I continued with the story in hopes that it would get better. It did not. While The Wicked Unseen is a quick read, it is not one that I would recommend picking up due to its unrealistic plot and boring cast of characters.

Was this review helpful?

The Wicked Unseen by Gigi Griffins
Now this book was a wild ride, one that I didn’t really enjoy until a quarter of the way through. The basics of this book is that Audre and her family has moved to a new town filled with evangelical, satan fearing, weird people. It is a mystery novel, by all things considered, but there are some tough or triggering topics that appear throughout the book. One being, abuse and manipulation, it feels like all the church members (not David’s church though, he’s great) are abusive and manipulative. There is also mention of well Police mistreatment and brutality, and some homophobia (very small amount but still appears). It was hard to read sometimes, not necessarily because of these tough topics but the switch from cringey teen writing/POV to teen describing or witnessing one of the things mentioned above. There was also a lack of consistency in POV, Audre was first, but then Elle was third but also first at some points? At least that is what it felt like to me. But overall this was a very enjoyable story, Griffin’s created such a good mix of mystery, spooky, and realism in this novel. And honestly, my biggest problems with this story is just that it needs maybe an adjustment in editing or a revision in some areas (personal preference however). I do think this could be one of the next big Book-Tok books or other social media if there are some slight writing changes. However, seeing some other books being promoted on social media, this book as is, is still miles better than those.
I look forward to purchasing this book, and I also will request it at my local library.

Was this review helpful?

What I like most about this book is that Audre’s family is unapologetically who they are and this is a YA where the MC actually has a good family dynamic with smart, loving parents. There is also LGBT+ & minority representation.

Outside of the family and the mystery, this book deals with a variety of religious and patriarchal/family trauma. I was in high school in 1996, and some of the things that happened in this church brought back memories of why I stopped going myself. It’s spot-on about the era and Satanic panic.

The only thing that took me out of the story were some stylistic choices. There were a few Elle flashbacks but I’d prefer two MCs or one rather than three Elle backstories. There are also a lot of telling asides like, “Feeling: heartbroken. Mind: buzzing.”

Was this review helpful?

I was given a chance to read this as an ARC and my honest opinion was that the religious aspects that the author kept going on and on about made me uncomfortable. I get it, its a thing that has happened and happens in our world but I guess religious horror is for a specific kind of person who is not me.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for this opportunity. I had a blast reading this and cackled quite a few times. The author captured teenage snark quite well. However I think this would have been an epic book to release around Halloween.

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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 and gripping! A wicked good book!


#TheWickedUnseen #NetGalley #GigiGriffis

Was this review helpful?

I received this book from Random House Children and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This statement is always true. I’m not given compensation to discuss a book and I’m not told how to rate a book. I am given a book in exchange for my opinions on it, and I am truthful in all my reviews whether I loved them or not.

First, I need to say that this book is an excellent read. I really loved the little known historical facts (I even looked some up) I really loved the satanic and christian tones of the book and how religion can make people act in mysterious ways.

Audre is a newcomer, at 16 years old, to a small, religious community. Growing up in Brooklyn did not prepare her for a quiet life in rural Pennsylania, or is it a quiet life? As she tries to make friends, things go horrid. The cemetary behind her house is defaced, her mother is a mortician, her father once belonged to a satanic cult. The preacher's daughter of this small town goes missing. Did the new family in town have something to do with her disappearance, or was it something more sinister and deeper than that.

This book is a wild ride. There are so many suspects with no leads and the police are not worried about finding the girl, they are more worried to blame someone. Who better than the weird family that just moved in. We see friendships form and die, we see the lengths that people will go through for someone they love. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to people that are interested in occult, satanism, and christianty, as they collide in good versus evil in this book. This book did not give the feel of overly, throw it in your face religion, but just enough to keep up with the storyline and the plot.

Great writing, great plot, and great i=little known historical content. I really enjoyed it.

Was this review helpful?

The Wicked Unseen Review!

Thanks so much Random House Children and Netgalley for this gifted copy, in exchange for an honest review! The Wicked Unseen comes out June 20, 2023!

I’m always down for a book set in the Satanic Panic era. The Wicked Unseen was a 3.75/5 ⭐️ for me! I loved the whole satanic panic plot in a small town in the 90s! It was very eerie and kept me guessing until pretty close to the end! You had a sense of dread right from the beginning and it just kept building. And that ending was absolutely crazy! I wasn’t a fan of a single character besides the gay best friend, so I was a little annoyed throughout. 😅 But I think that the characters were meant to be unlikable. This one stereotyped Christians into one horrible box and I had a really hard time reading it as times, being a Christian myself. I think in the end though the main character had a change of heart and realized not all Christians are judgmental jerks, so that was comforting! 😄 This did read as a ya horror and it did give me Fearstreet vibes!

Synopsis: Audre does not fit in at all in her new small town, which she unfortunately calls home. The town is very worried that there are satanists in their town and when the pastors daughter (and Audre’s crush) goes missing, people immediately blame the cult. Audre isn’t quite sure though and she’s the only one in the town to seem to want to do anything about it.

Was this review helpful?

If I’m being completely honest, I came into this book without any real expectations besides the fact that the cover looked neat and the description mentioned the possibility of a Satanic cult in a small town. The book definitely lived up to its cover.

Griffif’s novel takes you on a whirlwind story of the mysterious disappearance of the town’s golden girl. When Elle, the pastor’s daughter, disappears, the small Pennsylvania town is quick to suspect the newest (and seemingly odd) family in town. For fans of Stephen Graham Jones’ My Heart is a Chainsaw, The Wicked Unseen gives off similar vibes and is a unique and thrilling experience for readers who enjoy spooky stories and nods to horror films.

The setting of a small closed-minded town adds critical depth to the story and a strong element of immersion, allowing the author to explore real-life historical themes and happenings like the satanic panic, hell houses, Dungeons & Dragons, and the power of religion. Griffif’s ability to weave together real-life events and themes with a thrilling plot and dynamic characters is truly impressive.

The characters are well-developed and believable, making them either really likable or really hateable. The plot twist is also solid and keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story builds up to an exciting climax, and readers will find themselves flying through the last quarter of the book.

Overall, The Wicked Unseen a must-read for fans of horror stories, thrillers, first loves, and towns with secrets.

Was this review helpful?

The Wicked Unseen is a wicked-fun mix of mystery, horror, and modern day monsters. There are so many things I liked, beyond the twists, turns and jump-scares. It’s not just a quirky YA horror/mystery page-turner, there’s wisdom and a few lessons here too.

The writing is especially clever, and the characters are well-developed and thoughtful. It would be easy to reduce the evangelical players into caricatures, but the author keeps them believable and balanced. And even though this is a thriller-mystery, there was a good amount of humor too, which I thoroughly appreciated. I’m a fan of well-placed snark, and nobody is better at it than teenagers, especially one as intelligent and self-assured as the main character, Audre. I was rooting for her every step of the way. All in all, this was a fun and fast read, with a totally unexpected ending you won’t see coming!

Was this review helpful?

“The Wicked Unseen” had me thinking of a ghost story, it left me at the end knowing that sometimes the living is scarier.

Was this review helpful?

This book confused the pants off me from the very beginning: it claims to be set in 1996, but the main character talks like a VERY 2020s 'Zoomer written by a millenial,' and the focus on the Satanic Panic is very strange to have set in the '90s, rather than the '80s when it actually took place. Overall, the plot was ok, and I certainly appreciated the sapphic representation, but...this book really didn't work for me.

Was this review helpful?

Being the new girl in town is tough, but it is even tougher when you’re friend/crush goes missing and nobody in the town cares about anything else besides pinning it on your family.

Was this review helpful?

When a new girl moves into a community that believes there is a secret Satanic cult in the forest, things only get worse when her crush, the preacher’s daughter ends up missing and the town’s obsession with evil gets out of hand. Audre has just moved into rural Pennsylvania, and she knows she doesn’t fit in. From her nose ring to her horror movie obsession and her family’s ouija board collection.. and the fact that Audre herself is queer. In a small community obsessed with being Christianity and being free of evil, anyone who doesn’t conform to the belief or to the following of the preacher... they are considered an outsider. When the preacher’s daughter Elle, a girl who Audre has been crushing on suddenly disappears, the town is quick to blame Audre. When not even the cops will help, busier blaming her family and ignoring the fact that there is a girl missing they should be looking for rather than harassing Audre, Audre will have to figure out what actually happened to Elle leading to her disappearance and if there really is a Satanic cult in the woods... or if the real monster was inside the town all along. This was a fun read! I definitely found myself engrossed in the story and the mystery and it really was so interesting to see the real horrors that were occurring in the community. I definitely think this book is a good book to add to your list if you are a fan of queer horror stories, thrillers, and mysteries! Definitely great for fans of the Fear Street series Netflix did!

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Underlined for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Was this review helpful?