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Unseen Gods
Careful what you search for, you may just find it. With grotesque glimpses of the disappeared, the past is alive and well.
After winning an old casefile at auction outlining the disappearance of a hunting party back in the nineties, Kory and his pregnant wife invite their friend and mentor, Professor Frank Colista, and others, for a casual long weekend of exploring the mystery onsite with very little hope of finding anyone or anything. When one of their factions disappears without a trace, Kory and Colista fear the past may repeat itself. Then the deaths start. As a savage, unexpected snowstorm sets in, the disappearances and ungodly sightings of the deceased ramp up, and an old woman rambles about end-of-days and sacrifice.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress.
After winning an old casefile at auction outlining the disappearance of a hunting party back in the nineties, Kory and his pregnant wife invite their friend and mentor, Professor Frank Colista, and others, for a casual long weekend of exploring the mystery onsite with very little hope of finding anyone or anything. When one of their factions disappears without a trace, Kory and Colista fear the past may repeat itself. Then the deaths start. As a savage, unexpected snowstorm sets in, the disappearances and ungodly sightings of the deceased ramp up, and an old woman rambles about end-of-days and sacrifice.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing Independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published October 14, 2025
3 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Justin Holley
26 books60 followersJustin is the author of the novels HELLWEG'S KEEP, TETHERED TO DARKNESS, the 3-book Blood From the Stars serial novel (THE FALL, THE CAPTURE, & THE END GAME), SEVEN CLEOPATRA HILL, BRUISED, WEDNESDAY'S CHILD, and THE GULLIES, as well as, several short stories haunting magazines and anthologies around the world. BRUISED was mentioned in Brian Keene's "Top Ten Books of 2015". He also investigates the paranormal with a TAPS-family group and plays volleyball twice a week. Correspondence from his fans is encouraged, and the best way to contact him is through his website: www.justinholley.com
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 15, 2025
A quirky cast of characters heads to an isolated hunting cabin, where people had vanished decades before. This unsolved disappearance leads to what is meant to be a casual weekend among this group, unraveling the mystery.
Instead, what these friends and local police get is a snowstorm that traps them in a nightmare of gore, body parts, and demonic activity with a possessed woman.
Luckily, Professor Colista and his protege have extensive experience in supernatural dealings, but will this be beyond the scope of what they can handle?
Who will survive?
I loved the creepy atmosphere. The mix of folklore and legend pulled me in and kept me racing through the pages. The juxtaposition of a couple on the edge of breakup and a couple who will stand by each other as long as they live added tension and complexity to the story and provided a break from the more gruesome and disturbing scenes.
My thanks to Flame Tree Press for the advance paperback.
Instead, what these friends and local police get is a snowstorm that traps them in a nightmare of gore, body parts, and demonic activity with a possessed woman.
Luckily, Professor Colista and his protege have extensive experience in supernatural dealings, but will this be beyond the scope of what they can handle?
Who will survive?
I loved the creepy atmosphere. The mix of folklore and legend pulled me in and kept me racing through the pages. The juxtaposition of a couple on the edge of breakup and a couple who will stand by each other as long as they live added tension and complexity to the story and provided a break from the more gruesome and disturbing scenes.
My thanks to Flame Tree Press for the advance paperback.
November 26, 2025
Unseen Gods is a cosmic horror novel written by Justin Holley, published by Flame Tree Press. An isolated cabin where people vanished decades ago is the excuse that puts our cast of characters, trapped in the place by a snowstorm, ending involved in a nightmare full of gore, body parts and a possessed woman.
Kory and his wife Sally acquired an old set of papers describing the disappearance of a group of hunters in the countryside; the kind of mystery they love to investigate, so the duo and their old magic tutor Collista and her girlfriend go to the place, finding a biggest confrontation between the forces of good and evil, accompanied by nightmarish images that will put the group in danger.
What we have here is quite an interesting occult mystery that eventually grows into something bigger, and that especially highlights Holley's ability to create tension through horrifying images; the pacing is quite fast, not letting us much time to connect with the characters, putting most of the narrative weight on the confrontation that is happening in the background.
Despite those rough aspects, Unseen Gods has been an enjoyable read; a novel that I recommend if you are looking for some classic horror on the shorter side, with some surprises reserved for the reader. A nice novel!
Kory and his wife Sally acquired an old set of papers describing the disappearance of a group of hunters in the countryside; the kind of mystery they love to investigate, so the duo and their old magic tutor Collista and her girlfriend go to the place, finding a biggest confrontation between the forces of good and evil, accompanied by nightmarish images that will put the group in danger.
What we have here is quite an interesting occult mystery that eventually grows into something bigger, and that especially highlights Holley's ability to create tension through horrifying images; the pacing is quite fast, not letting us much time to connect with the characters, putting most of the narrative weight on the confrontation that is happening in the background.
Despite those rough aspects, Unseen Gods has been an enjoyable read; a novel that I recommend if you are looking for some classic horror on the shorter side, with some surprises reserved for the reader. A nice novel!
October 23, 2025
The story follows a group investigating a decades-old disappearance in the woods, led by chaos magician Professor Frank Colista (yes, really). I genuinely liked Colista, his apprentice Jenifer, and his cat Crowley, who, honestly, was the only character I was actually worried about. The rest of the cast? Not so much.
I also enjoyed reading Trude — not because I liked her (I didn’t), but because she brings that chaos energy that keeps things interesting. One of the supposed emotional cores of the story is a pregnant couple and their deep, undying love for each other. The book tells you this. Repeatedly. But somehow… you never feel it. Maybe it’s the writing, maybe the pacing, but their connection just didn’t land for me.
The prologue is fantastic. One of those rare horror openers that immediately grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. The book isn’t long either; not quite a one-sitting binge, but easily knocked out over two cozy evenings and a warm drink.
The middle dragged a little for me. You can tell it’s building toward the big last act, but the momentum dips and I found myself skimming here and there. Luckily, the third act picks up hard. Back to tension, blood, and what-the-hell-is-happening energy I wanted all along.
As for the horror itself: Holley mixes folk, occult, and a dash of body horror into a creepy, snowed-in setting that absolutely works. The atmosphere is strong, and the mystery is compelling. I found myself more invested in figuring out what was going on than in the fate of most characters. But maybe that’s the point.
Fun, creepy, and atmospheric. Unseen Gods doesn’t hit emotionally, but it nails the weird. Perfect for readers craving eerie folklore, occult mayhem, and a splash of gore. All without having to slog through 500 pages.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I also enjoyed reading Trude — not because I liked her (I didn’t), but because she brings that chaos energy that keeps things interesting. One of the supposed emotional cores of the story is a pregnant couple and their deep, undying love for each other. The book tells you this. Repeatedly. But somehow… you never feel it. Maybe it’s the writing, maybe the pacing, but their connection just didn’t land for me.
The prologue is fantastic. One of those rare horror openers that immediately grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. The book isn’t long either; not quite a one-sitting binge, but easily knocked out over two cozy evenings and a warm drink.
The middle dragged a little for me. You can tell it’s building toward the big last act, but the momentum dips and I found myself skimming here and there. Luckily, the third act picks up hard. Back to tension, blood, and what-the-hell-is-happening energy I wanted all along.
As for the horror itself: Holley mixes folk, occult, and a dash of body horror into a creepy, snowed-in setting that absolutely works. The atmosphere is strong, and the mystery is compelling. I found myself more invested in figuring out what was going on than in the fate of most characters. But maybe that’s the point.
Fun, creepy, and atmospheric. Unseen Gods doesn’t hit emotionally, but it nails the weird. Perfect for readers craving eerie folklore, occult mayhem, and a splash of gore. All without having to slog through 500 pages.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 27, 2025
I spent the first half of the book thoroughly confused, yet intrigued enough to keep reading. It features a character from a previous book of the author's, "Tethered to Darkness" (which I haven't read): Professor Colista, a 'chaos magician,' whose magical powers are restricted by some bizarre rules about his clients' faith; his father also appears in the story, not to mention his cat, so a better understanding of the character would have been appreciated to get into the story more easily, but it is nowhere provided. I still don't know what "chaos magic" is supposed to be.
That said, I did enjoy some parts of the story, especially the last third and the ending. The middle third I felt dragged too much, and the abrupt introduction of a large cast as the story develops didn't help things along as much as I expected. The premise is interesting, however (cabin horror combined with religious horror tropes) and the action scenes were quite good! The ending belongs more to a book in a series; perhaps there's supposed to be a next volume?
I recommend the book to horror readers who enjoy legends and lore, heroic and quirky magicians as main characters, and demons as the villains!
That said, I did enjoy some parts of the story, especially the last third and the ending. The middle third I felt dragged too much, and the abrupt introduction of a large cast as the story develops didn't help things along as much as I expected. The premise is interesting, however (cabin horror combined with religious horror tropes) and the action scenes were quite good! The ending belongs more to a book in a series; perhaps there's supposed to be a next volume?
I recommend the book to horror readers who enjoy legends and lore, heroic and quirky magicians as main characters, and demons as the villains!
September 22, 2025
"A tricky thing, though, the Devil. It would try and disguise its work through manipulation, misidentification, hoping the truth would come too late. The only chance any of them ever had against an adversary so bloody was sacrifice. So, sacrifice the solution would be. The end."
I have to start by saying that barely a week before I even started reading this, my algorithm shifted to showing me posts about chaos magic/magicians, etc., and I was beyond confused. So, when I started reading this story, and chaos magic kept being a theme, I knew it was a sign! (You can judge me, lol.)
This was such a great and well-rounded book! I don’t do a ton of supernatural horror books like this, but I am so glad I gave this one a chance. Holley did a phenomenal job at setting the scenes and making them very atmospheric and creepy at times. The characters were all done really well, and while it was heavy on dialogue, Holley nailed it from cover to cover.
There are some violent scenes, of course, but there’s so much actual story that it’s the perfect balance in my opinion, and a great read for all horror readers. This is also a great read for those who favor folklore, possession, and the supernatural!
I have to start by saying that barely a week before I even started reading this, my algorithm shifted to showing me posts about chaos magic/magicians, etc., and I was beyond confused. So, when I started reading this story, and chaos magic kept being a theme, I knew it was a sign! (You can judge me, lol.)
This was such a great and well-rounded book! I don’t do a ton of supernatural horror books like this, but I am so glad I gave this one a chance. Holley did a phenomenal job at setting the scenes and making them very atmospheric and creepy at times. The characters were all done really well, and while it was heavy on dialogue, Holley nailed it from cover to cover.
There are some violent scenes, of course, but there’s so much actual story that it’s the perfect balance in my opinion, and a great read for all horror readers. This is also a great read for those who favor folklore, possession, and the supernatural!
October 15, 2025
Just four pages into the prologue and I was hooked it set the tone perfectly and left me desperate to keep reading.
Kory, Sally, and a few of his friends head off for the weekend to investigate the mystery of an unsolved disappearance. But when one of them vanishes without a trace, the group begins to fear history might be repeating itself.
The chapters following the prologue take time to introduce the characters before the story bursts into full action—and once it did, I found it almost impossible to put down. My favourite characters were Frank Colista, a professor of parapsychology and the occult, and Jennifer, his protégé. And of course, Trude—but I’ll let you discover more about her as you read.
This is a sci-fi horror packed with gore, tension, and unbelievable events—a fantastic read for the Halloween season, with a brilliantly eerie cover to match.
Kory, Sally, and a few of his friends head off for the weekend to investigate the mystery of an unsolved disappearance. But when one of them vanishes without a trace, the group begins to fear history might be repeating itself.
The chapters following the prologue take time to introduce the characters before the story bursts into full action—and once it did, I found it almost impossible to put down. My favourite characters were Frank Colista, a professor of parapsychology and the occult, and Jennifer, his protégé. And of course, Trude—but I’ll let you discover more about her as you read.
This is a sci-fi horror packed with gore, tension, and unbelievable events—a fantastic read for the Halloween season, with a brilliantly eerie cover to match.
October 15, 2025
Just a few pages into the prologue, I was hooked. This book has everything a horror book should be – séance, chaos, and just the right amount of creepiness. As a horror girlie, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and it gave me goosebumps and a real sense of fear. Holley did an amazing job setting the scenes, making them eerily atmospheric. The characters were all well developed, but my favourites were Frank Colista, a professor of parapsychology and the occult, and his protégé Jenifer, who had a single ’N’ on her name.
There are some violent scenes, but they’re well connected to the overall story. Supernatural horror is one of my favourite parts of any horror novel, and this book has just the right amount of it. It’s going to be a great read for any horror fans.
This is such a perfect read for spooky season! I really had a creepy great time reading it.
There are some violent scenes, but they’re well connected to the overall story. Supernatural horror is one of my favourite parts of any horror novel, and this book has just the right amount of it. It’s going to be a great read for any horror fans.
This is such a perfect read for spooky season! I really had a creepy great time reading it.
September 24, 2025
Unseen Gods by Justin Holley kept me guessing about the antagonistic forces until the end.
There are so many actors at play in this books, but not so many that it's confusing or convoluted.
I don't want to spoil anything. So I'm just going to say this is a good read and you should check it out. It's cosmic, it's cult-ish, it's good vs evil.
💀💀💀💀 from me. Releases 9/26.
There are so many actors at play in this books, but not so many that it's confusing or convoluted.
I don't want to spoil anything. So I'm just going to say this is a good read and you should check it out. It's cosmic, it's cult-ish, it's good vs evil.
💀💀💀💀 from me. Releases 9/26.
October 20, 2025
A competent horror story but really needs better characters to invest in
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
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October 22, 2025
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Unseen Gods' by Justin Holley.
CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULES AND GRAB THIS PAGE TURNING HORROR!! THE BEST HORROR I HAVE EVER READ!! GRAB YOUR COPY NOW, PERFECT FOR HALLOWEEN!! I CAN GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!
This may be the first book I have read by this absolutely incredible author but it most definitely will not be my last!!
OMG!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS BOOK, AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, HAUNTING, HORRIFIC AND PAGE TURNING EXPLOSIVE MUST READ!!!
This book is extremely well written with vivid and evocative descriptions that really put you in the storyline, feeling the hair on your arms raise and putting you on the edge of your seat!!! The storyline is just as stunning as the cover!!!
The first thing I have got to say is an absolutely HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the amazing author Justin Holley! Not only is this the best horror story I have EVER read but OMFG the book itself is just blooming STUNNING!! I got a hardback copy of this book and it it is an absolute work of art!! Spray painted sides, an absolutely eye catching cover and just that alone meant I just HAD to read it and that was before the epic synopsis had even grabbed my attention. If you are not a fan or horror, gore, occult well just turn away now because this has got it all in abundance and I LOVED this addictive, explosive, creepy, horrific page turner!!! It had the perfect amount of horror, occult, suspense, gore and everything else that you could ask for!! It is extremely very fast paced and gripping read and I devoured it in one sitting in the space of a few hours!!! This really is the perfect book to read for any horror fan and with Halloween just around the corner you genuinely could not ask for a more perfect read!! You really do need to stop wasting your time reading this which cannot justify how good this book is and just run, don't walk, and grab your copy of this chilling, spine tingling book now but make sure you read it with the lights on!! I can promise you that if you love horror then you will absolutely LOVE this!!! With an addictive storyline ram packed with horror, supernatural, tension, suspense, mystery, fear, demons, shocks, death, torture and absolutely everything you could ask for and just so much more in a gripping page turning horror what on Earth (or is it hell?) are you waiting for? This truly is an absolutely addictive, action packed page turner with a unique storyline that will grip you from the moment you open the pages until the very end, and longer!! A huge well done to Justin on the absolute uniqueness of this book!! I have read hundreds and hundreds of books so it is getting harder and harder to find books with a truly unique storyline but Justin truly has smashed it out of the ballpark. I loved getting to meet all the different characters and Justin has done an absolutely brilliant job of weaving the storyline together perfectly ensuring the reader gets the bigger picture. The setting and creepy atmosphere is perfect for the storyline and Justin's fantastic emotive and evocative writing skills really suck the reader into the story ensuring they can see the horror all around them and feel the chill up their spine. You have truly got to grab a copy of this fantastic horror today!!! I absolutely LOVE horrors and for me the creepier the better but, although I have found some great horror books out there, I struggle to find many filled with enough to creep me out!! That was up until I read this book and Stephen King eat your heart out because this is absolutely packed with a storyline and horror that I have never come across and as I have read hundreds of horrors and seen hundreds of horror movies THAT is truly hard to come across but Justin absolutely slam dunks it!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS Justin!! Along with a creepy and horrific atmosphere and storyline Justin also creates an absolutely fantastic group of characters each with their own unique personalities. They were all very strong characters, realistic and sturdy with their own unique personalities, flaws, quirks, strengths and weaknesses. There is a wide range of characters and we get to meet loads of different characters which I absolutely loved!! I remarkably became very quickly attached and invested in the characters and loved seeing the dynamics and interactions between them all. Justin has created them so well that I really did feel like I was with each and every one of them in the hotel and cabin listening to the machines, screams and hell going on around them. Well done Justin on creating such a memorable, unique, diverse and multi layered group of characters that will stay with me for a long time!! This is one of those books that I picked up and within a quarter of the book I realised I was wasting time lying to myself saying just one more chapter and I will do X, Y or Z as there was no way I could put it down!! Each and every chapter ended in a way that I had to know what was going to happen next so I ended up walking around with my book glued to my hands and unable to take my eyes of the pages until I had completely devoured the book within a few short hours. This book has definitely shot to my top horror book of the year and I would be absolutely shocked if anything managed to knock it off this spot as it just had absolutely everything a horror fan could want or ask for!! I honestly loved absolutely everything about it from the characters to the settings and it was just one heck of an amazing read!!! If you love horrors, gothic stories, supernatural books, thrillers, suspense, well do you know what if you love reading then grab a copy of this book today and you will not regret it!!! It has got to be one of, if not the best horror book that I have ever read!!! I absolutely love, love, LOVED the unique storyline!! I've just genuinely never come across a book anything like this one and I doubt I will again!!!! I just genuinely love, love, LOVED IT!!! This book will suck you in and keep you gripped in the pages until your thrown out at the end with a racing heart!! A truly unforgettable one in a million page turner!!!!
Clear your schedules before turning a single page as this book is truly unputdownable!!! However, I recommend you read this in the day with company although I still couldn't guarantee you wouldn't have nightmares!!
This book is THE BEST horror book I have ever read !!! This book really is a truly unique page turner that I picked up and had devoured within a couple of hours!!! It had absolutely everything you could ask for and more!!! GET IT NOW READY FOR HALLOWEEN!!
Well done Justin Holley on an absolutely addictive and explosive page turner and I would definitely like to the top spot of my favourite authors of all time!!! Congratulations on an absolutely fantastic success and here is to what is guaranteed to be many more 🥂
Overall an absolutely addictive, action and supernatural packed suspense filled and chilling horror that will keep you turning the pages until you've devoured the book in hours!!
#UnseenGods #JustinHolley #FlameTreePress #RandomThingsTours #RandomTTours
@JustinHolley @FlameTreePress @RandomThingsTours @RandomTTours
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Review for 'Unseen Gods' by Justin Holley.
CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULES AND GRAB THIS PAGE TURNING HORROR!! THE BEST HORROR I HAVE EVER READ!! GRAB YOUR COPY NOW, PERFECT FOR HALLOWEEN!! I CAN GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!!
This may be the first book I have read by this absolutely incredible author but it most definitely will not be my last!!
OMG!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS BOOK, AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, HAUNTING, HORRIFIC AND PAGE TURNING EXPLOSIVE MUST READ!!!
This book is extremely well written with vivid and evocative descriptions that really put you in the storyline, feeling the hair on your arms raise and putting you on the edge of your seat!!! The storyline is just as stunning as the cover!!!
The first thing I have got to say is an absolutely HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the amazing author Justin Holley! Not only is this the best horror story I have EVER read but OMFG the book itself is just blooming STUNNING!! I got a hardback copy of this book and it it is an absolute work of art!! Spray painted sides, an absolutely eye catching cover and just that alone meant I just HAD to read it and that was before the epic synopsis had even grabbed my attention. If you are not a fan or horror, gore, occult well just turn away now because this has got it all in abundance and I LOVED this addictive, explosive, creepy, horrific page turner!!! It had the perfect amount of horror, occult, suspense, gore and everything else that you could ask for!! It is extremely very fast paced and gripping read and I devoured it in one sitting in the space of a few hours!!! This really is the perfect book to read for any horror fan and with Halloween just around the corner you genuinely could not ask for a more perfect read!! You really do need to stop wasting your time reading this which cannot justify how good this book is and just run, don't walk, and grab your copy of this chilling, spine tingling book now but make sure you read it with the lights on!! I can promise you that if you love horror then you will absolutely LOVE this!!! With an addictive storyline ram packed with horror, supernatural, tension, suspense, mystery, fear, demons, shocks, death, torture and absolutely everything you could ask for and just so much more in a gripping page turning horror what on Earth (or is it hell?) are you waiting for? This truly is an absolutely addictive, action packed page turner with a unique storyline that will grip you from the moment you open the pages until the very end, and longer!! A huge well done to Justin on the absolute uniqueness of this book!! I have read hundreds and hundreds of books so it is getting harder and harder to find books with a truly unique storyline but Justin truly has smashed it out of the ballpark. I loved getting to meet all the different characters and Justin has done an absolutely brilliant job of weaving the storyline together perfectly ensuring the reader gets the bigger picture. The setting and creepy atmosphere is perfect for the storyline and Justin's fantastic emotive and evocative writing skills really suck the reader into the story ensuring they can see the horror all around them and feel the chill up their spine. You have truly got to grab a copy of this fantastic horror today!!! I absolutely LOVE horrors and for me the creepier the better but, although I have found some great horror books out there, I struggle to find many filled with enough to creep me out!! That was up until I read this book and Stephen King eat your heart out because this is absolutely packed with a storyline and horror that I have never come across and as I have read hundreds of horrors and seen hundreds of horror movies THAT is truly hard to come across but Justin absolutely slam dunks it!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS Justin!! Along with a creepy and horrific atmosphere and storyline Justin also creates an absolutely fantastic group of characters each with their own unique personalities. They were all very strong characters, realistic and sturdy with their own unique personalities, flaws, quirks, strengths and weaknesses. There is a wide range of characters and we get to meet loads of different characters which I absolutely loved!! I remarkably became very quickly attached and invested in the characters and loved seeing the dynamics and interactions between them all. Justin has created them so well that I really did feel like I was with each and every one of them in the hotel and cabin listening to the machines, screams and hell going on around them. Well done Justin on creating such a memorable, unique, diverse and multi layered group of characters that will stay with me for a long time!! This is one of those books that I picked up and within a quarter of the book I realised I was wasting time lying to myself saying just one more chapter and I will do X, Y or Z as there was no way I could put it down!! Each and every chapter ended in a way that I had to know what was going to happen next so I ended up walking around with my book glued to my hands and unable to take my eyes of the pages until I had completely devoured the book within a few short hours. This book has definitely shot to my top horror book of the year and I would be absolutely shocked if anything managed to knock it off this spot as it just had absolutely everything a horror fan could want or ask for!! I honestly loved absolutely everything about it from the characters to the settings and it was just one heck of an amazing read!!! If you love horrors, gothic stories, supernatural books, thrillers, suspense, well do you know what if you love reading then grab a copy of this book today and you will not regret it!!! It has got to be one of, if not the best horror book that I have ever read!!! I absolutely love, love, LOVED the unique storyline!! I've just genuinely never come across a book anything like this one and I doubt I will again!!!! I just genuinely love, love, LOVED IT!!! This book will suck you in and keep you gripped in the pages until your thrown out at the end with a racing heart!! A truly unforgettable one in a million page turner!!!!
Clear your schedules before turning a single page as this book is truly unputdownable!!! However, I recommend you read this in the day with company although I still couldn't guarantee you wouldn't have nightmares!!
This book is THE BEST horror book I have ever read !!! This book really is a truly unique page turner that I picked up and had devoured within a couple of hours!!! It had absolutely everything you could ask for and more!!! GET IT NOW READY FOR HALLOWEEN!!
Well done Justin Holley on an absolutely addictive and explosive page turner and I would definitely like to the top spot of my favourite authors of all time!!! Congratulations on an absolutely fantastic success and here is to what is guaranteed to be many more 🥂
Overall an absolutely addictive, action and supernatural packed suspense filled and chilling horror that will keep you turning the pages until you've devoured the book in hours!!
#UnseenGods #JustinHolley #FlameTreePress #RandomThingsTours #RandomTTours
@JustinHolley @FlameTreePress @RandomThingsTours @RandomTTours
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August 25, 2025
It’s spooky season at Kindig Blog and I was drawn in by the cover of Unseen Gods – excited to see what lurked beneath!
When a group of friends decide to travel to an old hunting cabin, they realise they may have bitten off more than they could chew as the lights start to dim and night draws in.
After starting to read Unseen Gods, I had to check and double check that this wasn’t part of a series. Nothing in the blurb indicated this was the case, but a lot of things weren’t adding up and I had the feeling I was missing something. Professor Colista, one of the main characters is described as a Chaos Magician with his ingenue Jenifer, but it isn’t properly explained what this is and there was reference to previous events that I didn’t understand or have any context for. I ended up having to specifically search for the author’s name and the character’s name to find out that the character featured in a previous book called Tethered to Darkness. Usually this wouldn’t bother me – I’ve read lots of books mid-series but usually they offer some kind of introduction to newer readers which isn’t the case here. This made it really hard to empathise with the characters and led to a lot of confusion.
Aside from the missing context of the previous book, I also didn’t particularly find any of the other characters very likeable, although Justin Holley pulls no punches with their fates. The only character I actually felt something for was the cat. I also didn’t really understand whether his dad was actually there or an astral projection which was just confusing. Although the atmosphere was creepy with some gory scenes, I don’t really understand how the events at the Hunting Lodge were linked to the possessed lady at the hotel or the Hairy Men or the blue lightning - it all just seemed like a lot of ideas being thrown around without anything to link them together.
If you want to give this book a go, I’d highly recommend reading Tethered to Darkness first, so you get essential exposition about the characters which is severely lacking in this book. Thank you to NetGalley & Flame Tree Press for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
When a group of friends decide to travel to an old hunting cabin, they realise they may have bitten off more than they could chew as the lights start to dim and night draws in.
After starting to read Unseen Gods, I had to check and double check that this wasn’t part of a series. Nothing in the blurb indicated this was the case, but a lot of things weren’t adding up and I had the feeling I was missing something. Professor Colista, one of the main characters is described as a Chaos Magician with his ingenue Jenifer, but it isn’t properly explained what this is and there was reference to previous events that I didn’t understand or have any context for. I ended up having to specifically search for the author’s name and the character’s name to find out that the character featured in a previous book called Tethered to Darkness. Usually this wouldn’t bother me – I’ve read lots of books mid-series but usually they offer some kind of introduction to newer readers which isn’t the case here. This made it really hard to empathise with the characters and led to a lot of confusion.
Aside from the missing context of the previous book, I also didn’t particularly find any of the other characters very likeable, although Justin Holley pulls no punches with their fates. The only character I actually felt something for was the cat. I also didn’t really understand whether his dad was actually there or an astral projection which was just confusing. Although the atmosphere was creepy with some gory scenes, I don’t really understand how the events at the Hunting Lodge were linked to the possessed lady at the hotel or the Hairy Men or the blue lightning - it all just seemed like a lot of ideas being thrown around without anything to link them together.
If you want to give this book a go, I’d highly recommend reading Tethered to Darkness first, so you get essential exposition about the characters which is severely lacking in this book. Thank you to NetGalley & Flame Tree Press for a chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
September 7, 2025
Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
Kory, along with his wife and friends decide to go camping and to check out a site where multiple hunted had gone missing during the 1980s. While they all have had some type of experience with the unknown, this one would prove to be a bit more difficult and relentless than anything they’ve ever seen.
I overall found this story to be interesting, your general good versus bad/evil kind of story, involving possession or something of the unknown. The touches involving Native American folklore I appreciated. Started off very strong, totally grabbed my attention because I wanted to know who this old lady was speaking to, and if it was going to lead her down some weird path. While the characters and their relationship with each other felt kind of stereotypical, yet they were still more or less solid characters and grew into their stereotypes, if that makes sense.
Something I’d like to mention as well is the professors background. In this book, he is said to be a Chaos Magician, which honestly means nothing to me. Of course, from reading on, you can probably get a better of idea of what it actually means. But when k went looking through the author’s other works, there’s one book called “tethered to darkness”, where he also shows up. I’m guessing you may be able to get a better understanding of his hero origin story from there? I’m not sure.
While not my favorite, still a solid read. I’d recommend this to anyone who is looking for possession stories or something more out of the box. I say out of the box because the ending kind of lost me. I was pretty confused with what the professor was doing and how things even ended. Could just be me, since I sort of lost that drive nearing the end. May pick it up again in the future just to reread to try and understand though.
Publish date: Oct 13, 2025
Publisher: Flame Tree Press
Kory, along with his wife and friends decide to go camping and to check out a site where multiple hunted had gone missing during the 1980s. While they all have had some type of experience with the unknown, this one would prove to be a bit more difficult and relentless than anything they’ve ever seen.
I overall found this story to be interesting, your general good versus bad/evil kind of story, involving possession or something of the unknown. The touches involving Native American folklore I appreciated. Started off very strong, totally grabbed my attention because I wanted to know who this old lady was speaking to, and if it was going to lead her down some weird path. While the characters and their relationship with each other felt kind of stereotypical, yet they were still more or less solid characters and grew into their stereotypes, if that makes sense.
Something I’d like to mention as well is the professors background. In this book, he is said to be a Chaos Magician, which honestly means nothing to me. Of course, from reading on, you can probably get a better of idea of what it actually means. But when k went looking through the author’s other works, there’s one book called “tethered to darkness”, where he also shows up. I’m guessing you may be able to get a better understanding of his hero origin story from there? I’m not sure.
While not my favorite, still a solid read. I’d recommend this to anyone who is looking for possession stories or something more out of the box. I say out of the box because the ending kind of lost me. I was pretty confused with what the professor was doing and how things even ended. Could just be me, since I sort of lost that drive nearing the end. May pick it up again in the future just to reread to try and understand though.
Publish date: Oct 13, 2025
Publisher: Flame Tree Press
August 11, 2025
This horror novel has moments of brilliance that planted the most disturbing images in my head. Other parts were not my thing, which makes it hard for me to rate it. It took a bit for the story to get going, biding its time introducing the characters. I really rooted for the MC, Professor Colista, his apprentice Jenifer and his feline familiar, Crowley (mild spoiler for crazy people like me, who won’t read anything where a cat is in peril: the author goes to great lengths to assure us from the beginning that he will be safe). The rest of the cast was more or less likable. Once the horror got going, it really caught my attention with a mixture of Hellraiser and Evil Dead. But then it kept interrupting the action with dialogues about the characters’ feelings (not my thing). At the risk of sounding like a psycho, I thought that the most horrific parts were very good and I’d give those five stars. The rest of the novel would get 3.5 from me so rounding up to 4.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Flame Tree Press.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Flame Tree Press.
September 28, 2025
received as a NetGalley arc in exchange for an honest review
The world Holley creates is layered and has potential for depth. There is also variation in the characters and the narrative is action packed. At first, I tried to read this as camp, given the characters are quite tropey, but soon found that there were too many pieces of the story missing for me to frame my reading this way.
It's unclear how Trude fits it with the greater antagonist and why her plotline is necessary. I found it strange that she can communicate with two entities directly, yet no one else can. I also don't understand what her purpose was aside from providing another plotline.
The author is detailed in his descriptions. While I prefer more freedom given to the reader, I would understand this structure had the plot been as considered. I also found the incorporation of Native American culture to be off tonally.
The world Holley creates is layered and has potential for depth. There is also variation in the characters and the narrative is action packed. At first, I tried to read this as camp, given the characters are quite tropey, but soon found that there were too many pieces of the story missing for me to frame my reading this way.
It's unclear how Trude fits it with the greater antagonist and why her plotline is necessary. I found it strange that she can communicate with two entities directly, yet no one else can. I also don't understand what her purpose was aside from providing another plotline.
The author is detailed in his descriptions. While I prefer more freedom given to the reader, I would understand this structure had the plot been as considered. I also found the incorporation of Native American culture to be off tonally.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2025
Very interesting 3.5/5..... It started strong being able to describe some really spooky scenes. I actually had to stop reading in the middle of the night!
Couple of things:
- The characters were a bit trope-y
- I personally would have liked to explore the Colista's magic and his past a bit more. It felt like it wasnt explained thoroughly.
- I disliked the reveals or "telling the story via the characters dialogue." The conversations between the characters felt a little awkward and unnatural at times. It really took me out of the spookiness of the story just explaining stuff via their convos.
This was still a fun ride, I liked the back n forth of chapters following the two different sets of characters, and I never felt bored. And parts of it were actually scary!
Couple of things:
- The characters were a bit trope-y
- I personally would have liked to explore the Colista's magic and his past a bit more. It felt like it wasnt explained thoroughly.
- I disliked the reveals or "telling the story via the characters dialogue." The conversations between the characters felt a little awkward and unnatural at times. It really took me out of the spookiness of the story just explaining stuff via their convos.
This was still a fun ride, I liked the back n forth of chapters following the two different sets of characters, and I never felt bored. And parts of it were actually scary!
October 4, 2025
This is the right amount of creepy! I loved this so much! I like reading of ghosts, séances and suchlike and this book really gave me the goosebumps! I really liked Colista and Jenifer, the mentor and mentee, you can tell Colista cares for Jenifer and has trained her well. Crowley also was a nice surprise.
When strange goings on happen at the cabin and hotel, we follow along and see how powerful Colista and Jenifer are apart as well as together.
I liked the group at the hotel, such different people and backgrounds, brought together and have to work together to keep safe from the noises and bright lights.
A perfect read for the spooky season!
When strange goings on happen at the cabin and hotel, we follow along and see how powerful Colista and Jenifer are apart as well as together.
I liked the group at the hotel, such different people and backgrounds, brought together and have to work together to keep safe from the noises and bright lights.
A perfect read for the spooky season!
November 10, 2025
Another one night read (I'd had a rough day and when that happens I need a book). Very dark as I have come to expect from Justin, the descriptions of the part assumed to be Hell are very gory - and I could actually see this tale doing well as a movie, it is very visual. I always have a weakness for a mystery and when folk vanish in the snow (any story set in snow/winter is another weakness), it is something which grabs me. I didn't realise some of the characters featured in a previous book but that didn't detract at all and it was easy to read as a standalone.
November 29, 2025
Thanks again to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have never read anything by Justin Holley, but after reading Unseen Gods, he has moved up my list of must-read authors. Also, Brian Keene (one of my favorite authors) recommended one of Justin's early works, Bruised.
I love cosmic horror, and this novel has it in spades. Plenty of action, suspense, horror, and people in dire straits galore. I only hope we get to see more novels with some of these characters. I'll be there.
Highly recommended read.
I have never read anything by Justin Holley, but after reading Unseen Gods, he has moved up my list of must-read authors. Also, Brian Keene (one of my favorite authors) recommended one of Justin's early works, Bruised.
I love cosmic horror, and this novel has it in spades. Plenty of action, suspense, horror, and people in dire straits galore. I only hope we get to see more novels with some of these characters. I'll be there.
Highly recommended read.
September 24, 2025
Add the elements of isolated cabin, missing person, tainted past, group of people, and demonic activities and you've got the makings of a great story. Justin does just this in a riveting story where all is not as it seems when Kory and friends decide to investigate an older missing persons case. Then a snowstorm happens, then people start dying. A great, tense read that keeps you on the edge the whole time.
October 20, 2025
This book is such a creepy atmospheric read, great for this time of the year.
Disturbing in places, a book I read during daylight hours and will be avoiding isolated cabins for quite a while 😂
The prologue really drew me in and gave a taste of what was going to happen, I enjoyed the folklore aspects to the book and if you’re after a good horror read this spooky season look this one out.
@randomthingstours @justinholleyauthor #unseengods
Disturbing in places, a book I read during daylight hours and will be avoiding isolated cabins for quite a while 😂
The prologue really drew me in and gave a taste of what was going to happen, I enjoyed the folklore aspects to the book and if you’re after a good horror read this spooky season look this one out.
@randomthingstours @justinholleyauthor #unseengods
November 2, 2025
- ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) provided by NetGalley -
This kept me gripped throughout with the supernatural goings-on as the story follows our paranormal investigators uncovering more than they bargained for.
Fast-paced and easy to read, I was eager to see what fate the characters had in store and how the horrors would unfurl.
The ending felt a little rushed, but didn't detract from my overall experience
This kept me gripped throughout with the supernatural goings-on as the story follows our paranormal investigators uncovering more than they bargained for.
Fast-paced and easy to read, I was eager to see what fate the characters had in store and how the horrors would unfurl.
The ending felt a little rushed, but didn't detract from my overall experience
October 14, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc for an honest review. This just wasn’t for me unfortunately, it was a short read thankfully. A group goes out to this cabin where a group of hunters went missing years before. A lot of weird things happen starting with their friend disappearing. I just didn’t love the characters or the story unfortunately.
October 26, 2025
phenomenal read. Justin Holley pulls you into his books leaving you there surrounded by chaos magic strange noises vivid images and a page turning pace guaranteeing all hope of putting the book down before the final page is turned. the characters are otherworldly but at the core human fighting their own insecurities while pure madness erupts. Great book looking forward to the next book.
October 15, 2025
A creepy novel, that's a quick read. Good chracters with plenty of frights. The weather play a parts in the atmosphere and isolation that the characters experience. Overall I liked this book enough to seek other books by this author. Thanks to Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for this review ARC.
September 4, 2025
Review to come. TBH this book represents me coming back to accepting books for review and it just fell short for me in almost every way.
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