One thing is for sure with an Ahlborn book, well..a few things, you will be incredibly uncomfortable and deeply unsettled, creepy with a capital C, think you will escape with your heart in one piece? Think again, I went into this blind as I've previously enjoyed (is that the right word?) their works and I wasn't disappointed, a real strong voice in the horror genre, chilling and haunting!

This is one of the most atmospheric books I have ever read. It is injected with a heavy dose of an insidious feeling and the anxiety just builds as the story goes on. This book made me physically anxious, made me think I was hearing things and seeing shadows. The writing is that good. Told in multiple POVs, from each of the family members, all of the characters are well developed and have their own voice. And Isla, wow is she incredibly unlikable, but also addicting to read. Even knowing why she is the way that she is, she is so well written that you just can’t feel anything but hatred towards her. This book was deeply unsettling and the story was intense and disturbing, but in such a good way. I will say that the end felt almost a little too chaotic, but it really tied the story up so well. I love what was insinuated and how clearly you got a picture of what was being gotten at without the words ever being actually uttered. Overall this was an excellent read, a plethora of emotions and feelings wrapped up in one very eerie package.

If there’s one thing to know about an @aniaahlborn book, it’s that you will be unsettled the entire time. Whew, this book gave me the creeps! I made the mistake of reading it before bed last night, and had to put it down and turn Friends up loud for an hour before I felt okay closing my eyes lol

This book was so dark, creepy, unsettling, spooky, heartbreaking, and disturbing - so you should absolutely read it! I went into it blind, I think you should too, the only two things you need to know is miscarriage TW, and the dogs are ok!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5

I LOVE the creepy kid trope, and this did not disappoint. I was not ready for the direction the book went though, so that was a fun surprise. The first part of the book is a little slow as it sets the scene and characters. The book really picks up and the chapters are short so it is easy to move through the story quickly. Each family member has a POV so that is a little much at times. Unseen is definitely creepy, but not overly scary. Ania Ahlborn is so good at writing crushing endings, and this one obliterated me, I wanted so much more!

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. I heard that the author writes amazing books and this one was just that. Hooked from the beginning until the very end. I enjoyed the plot and characters and really found the story engaging and a page turner. A must read for fans of the author or the genre.

Horror stories about creepy kids can be hit or miss for me, but I really liked the direction The Unseen went in! The story kicks off with a strange boy walking out of the woods and into the lives of the Hansen family. From there everything goes off the rails for the Hansens.

To begin with, I felt a little lost with the many different perspectives; in addition to parents Luke and Isla, we also get chapters from all of their five children. I think I would have liked for there to have been a bigger difference in writing style between the chapters to really distinguish the characters. But by about 1/3 of the way through, I felt settled with who everyone was.

I can’t fully get into what I liked about the book because it falls firmly into the spoiler category, but the story really picked up for me when we started to get an inkling of what was really going on. That reveal—and all of the creepy descriptions that came with it—was worth feeling a little unmoored at the beginning!

Thank you NetGalley and Ania Ahlborn for this ARC.
I went into this read mostly blind. Not what I expected from this book at all. This was a very interesting take on alien beings and abduction. I have goosebumps from some of the scenes towards the end of this book. At times the different point of views were confusing but over all this was a good book and would recommend to our library patrons.

I love the creepy kids' trope, and this gave me all the vibes. Ania Ahlborn is one of my favorite authors and this book is no exception. Isla, her husband, and 5 kids welcome a child into their home to foster that they found near their home. To say this book was creepy is an understatement! I literally was looking around my house whenever I heard a sound. I usually don't do that, but I am not surprised Ania Ahlborn had me freaked out! I may have been yelling at the book a few times. When an author makes you not like a character, I have to give it to them. It just means they tapped into more emotions which made me feel for the other characters. Ania is an auto-buy author for me!

Woahhh this was a chilling tale! Super unique and attention grabbing. There were times when I closed my eyes, I could actually see Rowan… the things that happened in this story were certainly unforgettable and I haven’t read anything quite like this one.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I wasn't really into this story. It had way too many POVs for my liking, was difficult for me to follow. The ending was pretty good. The wild boy was creepy. It was just a lot.

I was excited for this book as I'm a fan of Ania Ahlborn. The first half was amazing but then I felt like everything went downhill for the second half. The ending was meh. Isla isn't a very likeable character either.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I have loved Ania Ahlborn’s work ever since I read Brother, and this book is no exception. It is very well written, easy to read, and kept me engaged from start to finish. I definitely would recommend this book to others!

Thank you, NetGalley and Publishers for this ARC! I love this author, and I devoured this book in one sitting. The author has a way of engrossing you within the story, it’s atmospheric and unnerving. The characters are amazing and the plot is great! Her books are easy to read and they are so unique. I would highly recommend this book along with her other books that she has written if you love horror books with a lot of plot , that are well written and will make you lock your doors at night!!! Great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC of The Unseen.

I have heard amazing things about this author's work and was immediately drawn in by the summary so I was super excited to jump into this one! The first half had me in a chokehold to where I literally dreamed about the story at night. Unfortunately the second half went downhill so fast for me. I wasn't emotionally invested in any of the characters and the middle of the story felt very repetitive and slow. The story had such promise initially but I truly hated the direction it took at the end. Ultimately it felt a lot more like cheesey sci-fi than the horror book I was expecting.

2.5 big bummer stars

Wow, this is dark, creepy, and extremely scary!

I went into this one blind and, happily, found that it never went exactly where I expected it to.

This is one of those books where you'll start to think you're seeing weird shadows or hearing odd noises as you read - it's so atmospheric!

While I hated Isla, I enjoyed reading her. Even after discovering why she was the person she was, I never warmed to her or felt particularly sympathetic. I did, however, feel so bad for her family. I adored all of them and that made me loathe Isla even more.

As for our mysterious foster child? Yeah...that's a big no for me.

An excellent and very eerie read that should probably be a movie as well because in a dark theater, people would scream and scream and scream.

Ania Ahlborn proves once again why she is a standout in modern horror with The Unseen, a chilling, slow-burn descent into grief, paranoia, and the supernatural.

In a remote Colorado ranch house, Isla is a mother of six—now five—still reeling from the sudden, devastating loss of her young son. Her world has narrowed to grief, leaving her disconnected from the children she still has. But when a mysterious boy appears at the edge of their property, Isla feels an immediate, unshakable need to keep him. Against all reason, she brings Rowan into their home.

But Rowan does not bring comfort. As strange occurrences begin to plague the house, shadows creep closer, and her remaining children each experience disturbing, inexplicable events, Isla refuses to let go of the boy—despite the increasingly sinister signs that something is very, very wrong.

Woven throughout the novel are media interviews, newspaper articles, and police reports on missing children, adding a chilling layer of realism that pulls the reader deeper into the growing dread. The Unseen is a relentless, atmospheric horror story, full of family secrets, eerie folklore, and the kind of quiet terror that lingers long after the final page. Ahlborn delivers a masterful blend of psychological and supernatural horror, making The Unseen an absolute must-read for fans of dark, unsettling fiction. #GalleryBooks #TheUnseen #AniaAhlborn #HorrorReads

I’ve read all of Ania Ahlborn’s scary novels and liked every one of them. Her newest novel, The Unseen, kept me guessing as the tension escalated for Isla, Luke and their 5 children once a very strange orphan was added to the family. Ania writes so well I could visualize the action and the characters as I read. Anyone who likes well written spooky books is encouraged to check out this talented author.

3.5 stars. I think that this was a good book, but I just do not think that it was the right book for me. I think it leans a little too far into the horror genre for my liking.