I have a habit of picking books without reading the blurb first so they’re always a surprise. Veil by Jonathan Janz caught my eye not only because of the absolutely gorgeous cover, but because of all the hype I’ve seen from other readers online. Sci-fi horror will always have a special place in my heart so you can imagine how much I loved this book.

When John loses his son, it’s a family’s worst nightmare. Then other people start to disappear first by the hundreds then the thousands. At first, it only happens outside but then people start to disappear from their homes too. Nowhere seems to be safe. In a desperate act to put a stop to the attacks, John teams up with a band of survivors to break the veil and get his family back.

There are so many things I loved about this book. The characters were witty and well-written. They felt real and relatable and that made the last third of the book so hard to read because I had the feeling not all of the characters would make it out alive. That was the only thing I guessed correctly.

Everything else was a mystery. The plot went ways I never imagined, and it made it so hard to put it down. Several times while reading, I had to fight myself to set it down so I could get other things done.

I loved the eerie sense of dread woven through the story. It’s not an easy thing to maintain such a suspenseful atmosphere, and I applaude Janz for pulling it off. When the suspense finally starts to ease, that’s when the tears come in for the last few chapters.

If I had to choose a theme, I’d say family. How much would you do to save them? Without giving away any spoilers, I want to say that’s what made the end of the book both satisfying and difficult.

All in all, this was a wildly-imaginative tale. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves strong characters, scary creatures, apocalyptic vibes, and emotional rollercoasters.

A huge thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

VEIL is the second book that I’ve read from Jonathan Janz, and it won’t be the last!

People are disappearing, and now John’s 15 year old son (Sam) has vanished from right under his nose. He’s got to figure out what’s happening and keep his 13 year old daughter (Emma) and estranged wife (Iris) safe as well.

Iris blames John for losing their son and leaves to be with her parents. Things get worse from there. The world descends into chaos and a busybody neighbor organizes the community and targets everyone who doesn’t comply with and obey his mandates.

Alien creatures are taking people and dragging them into thin air. Making things worse, the aliens are invisible. John is recruited into a small group that has found a man with a traumatic brain injury who can see the creatures. This group thinks they have discovered a procedure to help people see the creatures that are taking everyone and John volunteers. Saving his family is all that matters, but is it too late?

Jonathan Janz has created this thrilling Sci-Fi/Horror story that had me on edge, eager to see what comes next. What he has really done is created a set of characters, a family that I really care about, that I can associate with, and that I’ve got to see through this seemingly impossible set of circunstances. Add great storytelling, and Janz has given us a 5 Star novel and I wonder if there is more of this story to tell…

4.5 Stars rounded up

I went into this book largely blind, and wow did it surprise me! In a way, it felt like two different novels, the first two thirds a quieter story of survival, dissecting the best and worst of humanity, reminescent of The Mist. Then in the final third we ramp up into a hardcore action movie.

As a fellow Biology teacher, like our protaganist John, I loved the scientific thought that went into this book. There were very creative aspects utlilized, and Janz included important concepts often largely ignored in similar works. I was left with a million questions, so I can only hope for a sequel!

The characters were solid, the story fantastic. My only complaint (minor) was with pacing. There were a few scenes, especially the first main action sequence, that went on for a very long time. I started to lose focus by the end of those few sections, but otherwise I was fully engaged.

Veil is perfect for fans of sci-fi horror, and big blockbuster type invasion movies in particular!

I finished this book a few days ago but just didn’t have the words and still don’t! This book was incredible. I loved absolutely everything about it. The concept and storyline. The characters. The eerie feeling and sense of dread throughout. I love the way Jonathan Janz writes and tells the story it’s very descriptive and like watching a movie. It’s going to be hard to beat this for my favorite read of the year I’m telling ya! If you’re into sci-fi horror and aliens, you’ll love this one!

Wow!!! This book was phenomenal!! I loved it, so lucky to have received early arc of this book! Thank you NetGalley and publisher!!!

Jonathan Janz never disappoints! This book was absolutely amazing from the very first page. Well fleshed-out characters, with fear so malevolent that it leaps off the pages right into your heart! I couldn't stop turning the pages. I will always anxiously be awaiting every single new Janz book!

I’m so glad that I received this ARC copy of Veil from NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Jonathan Janz. Veil took me on an emotional rollercoaster, from sadness to confusion, anger, and happiness, and back again.
He wrote one character that I found myself absolutely hating and wishing the aliens would find them.
If you’re a fan of sci-fi horror and/or alien horror, Veil by Jonathan Janz is the book to pick up.

I was lucky enough to be at AuthorCon V last month when Jonathan Janz revealed the cover for this book and I was absolutely blown away. The moment I saw it, I knew it was going to be something special, even before I realized it was from one of my favorite authors.

What a story. From the very first page, it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. go into this one blind. Don’t read too much about it, just take a look at that stunning cover and dive in.

Janz has crafted a world that’s both breathtaking and brutally dangerous. This is, without a doubt, his best work yet—and that’s saying something, because he’s already written some incredible books.

I was lucky enough to be at AuthorCon V last month when Jonathan Janz revealed the cover for this book and I was absolutely blown away. The moment I saw it, I knew it was going to be something special, even before I realized it was from one of my favorite authors.

What a story. From the very first page, it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. go into this one blind. Don’t read too much about it, just take a look at that stunning cover and dive in.

Janz has crafted a world that’s both breathtaking and brutally dangerous. This is, without a doubt, his best work yet—and that’s saying something, because he’s already written some incredible books.

This might be the most terrifying alien book you'll ever read. And there's not a UFO to be found anywhere because these bloodthirsty creatures have a very different, very brutal way of taking people.

Our main protagonist loses his son, then his wife, and finally his daughter. They simply disappear. Taken by invisible forces, snatched from thin air. But he's not alone. Millions of people worldwide are disappearing like this and it turns into an apocalyptic event..

He'll do anything to get his family back and will the help of a like minded group, they'll attempt what just might be a suicide mission to a world they don't belong and no guarantees of safety.

The characters in this novel are excellent. They provide the basis for the unrelenting terror which will test them physically, mentally, and emotionally. And as lock downs and stay at home orders go global, the threat isn't JUST these invisible monsters but humans themselves. This book brings back memories of certain people during the pandemic who put their needs above anyone else and just makes things worse. And in here, these will be taken to the extreme. Threats from within and threats from without.

The alien creatures are absolutely horrific. No compassion, no mercy. What we'll eventually find out about why they're taking millions of people violently will give you a body deep chill.

This book is horror/sci-fi at its finest. Extremely engaging and un-put-downable. I highly recommend it.

My heart is broken and its been stomped on.

VEIL by Jonathan Janz, my newest review book from Net Galley, is an intense sci-fi/horror thriller that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat and it’ll break your heart too.

So what’s it about?

John Calhoun has a wife, a son, and daughter and he ends up losing all three to mysterious invisible creatures that drag them away one by one. After they’re gone, he joins up with fellow survivors who want to get their families back and have a crazy plan to do so.

The book is told in the first person I, so you get to know John Calhoun very well along with his family. You feel for them and their struggle to survive and John’s struggle to get them back. And you get to know and love the survivors he meets and want them to succeed too. Miranda was my favorite of the survivors. Wait till you meet her!

VEIL is a pretty crazy book too. Its not as crazy as say WAKE UP AND OPEN YOUR EYES by Clay Mcleod Chapman but its pretty close. Oh my god its close. VEIL can be intense one moment and then slow things down a bit to let you get to know the characters better. Its a really great book.

I love how VEIL is written. Janz is so good at handling people and creatures, check out his Children of the Dark books too, and he handles characters and plot well. I had a very tough time putting the book down!

That all said, you should know that this book does not conclude the story and definitely sets things up for another book. That shouldn’t have surprised me. The same thing was done with Children of the Dark.

I highly recommend VEIL. I enjoyed it a ton. I can’t wait to read the next book!

VEIL by Jonathan Janz releases on September 16th, 2025. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing an early digital copy of the book.

Oh my lord, this was such an amazingly written atmospheric emotional roller coaster that hits you again and again until you literally become of out of breathe reading it!!!