A review of “The Ghost You Can’t See,” a faith-based fantasy adventure tweens and teens will love

Finding faith-based adventure books for tweens that are both exciting and clean can feel like searching for buried treasure. That’s why I’ve loved The Issachar Gatekeeper book series from L.G. Nixon. 

A few months ago, I shared a review of the first two books in the fantasy series. The new book in the series, “The Ghost You Can’t See,” keeps the adventure going with a story that’s packed with mystery, courage and Biblical truth all while staying clean and tween-friendly.

I received a free copy of “The Ghost You Can’t See,” a Christian fantasy book for tweens and teens, in exchange for my honest review and social media coverage. All opinions are my own.

About “The Ghost You Can’t See”

As part of a series, “The Ghost You Can’t See” both continues with main characters we’ve come to know and love — namely Lucy Hornberger and her best friend Schuyler Williams — while also introducing new characters. 

Lucy, who we meet in the first book of the series, “The Ghost of Darwin Stewart,” is a young girl (13) facing all the struggles of real life like parents, chores, school and even a bit of romance. 

Early in the first book, Lucy’s world changes when she learns she’s been chosen to battle evil spirits. 

Instead of having special powers, Lucy is gifted with some magical items in the first book that let her see supernatural creatures not otherwise visible. Pretty quickly Schuyler joins her with the girls having been best friends their whole lives.

The pair quickly face a series of tests in the first book. Then in the second book, “The Ghost Writer,” Lucy’s spiritual battles continue as she comes to the rescue of a classmate who has been cursed. 

Like all great fantasy books, those in The Issachar Gatekeeper series let us see a mix of the real world and the magical world beyond. 

Lucy is working for The High King, who reigns over all that is good, to defeat Darnathian, whose true identity is the dark prince reigning over evil.

Having fought against evil with good in the past, Lucy has fully embraced her new life in this latest book and is ready to watch out for daemons (or evil spirits) and protect those around her. However, her path isn’t easy, and her challenges grow more complex with each book.

In this third book, Lucy faces struggles with friendships, new responsibilities at home and taking on a curse from hundreds of years ago.

Lucy remains the perfect heroine for the series with a mix of relatable strengths and weaknesses in both the real world and in the fantasy world. It’s a creative way to explore spiritual warfare in an age-appropriate, Biblically sound way.

Ghosts in a Christian fantasy book

Don’t let the word “ghost” throw you off. These books aren’t about haunted houses or spooky specters.

Ghosts are often taboo in Christian circles — and understandably so in the sense of departed souls haunting others. But, that is not the take or interpretation in these books.

Nixon, a devout Christian, portrays these ghosts as manifestations of demon spirits. Early in the series, for example, Lucy learns the ghost she sees isn’t the real Darwin Stewart but a demon taking his form.

Instead of spooky ghost stories, L.G. Nixon’s fantasy novels for tweens are faith-based adventures.

(Read about Nixon’s viewpoint on ghosts reflected in the books here.)

A faith-filled story with heart and purpose

This creative take on the supernatural makes it easy to connect the story’s deeper meaning to Biblical truths. 

“The Ghost You Can’t See” is a great book for digging into the ways the supernatural world affects our daily life in a way that is approachable and understandable to tweens. While reading the book, I found a variety of references to Biblical concepts. 

It’s an easy connection to make between The High King representing God and the dark prince, Darnathian, representing Satan — much like in The Chronicles of Narnia from C.S. Lewis.

Multiple passages throughout the book explain Biblical concepts in a great way that older kids will easily understand while also just reading a good book. This passage, for example, explains the importance of monitoring what we allow into our minds: 

“Darnathian whispers half-truths and deceptive thoughts to bend your thinking — a redirection, if you will. Unconsciously, you know something is missing, so you add your own interpretation to fill in the gaps. Then, instead of truth you have a lie…Don’t you understand? What you let into your mind can change your thinking. It’s like nourishment for those little gray cells.”

“The Ghost You Can’t See” by L.G. Nixon

Nixon does a great job of encapsulating the fantasy genre while also making Biblical principles accessible. It’s a relatable Christian middle grade book.

“The Ghost You Can’t See” is a perfect book for Christian moms who are fans of Harry Potter and looking for a clean Christian book series for teens with a young protagonist fighting against a dark force.

Why tweens (and parents) will love it

Yet, with all of that said, will tweens actually like the book? Is it relatable, engaging and thrilling? In short, yes to all of the above — and for good reason! Voracious readers and casual readers alike will be drawn into this fantasy adventure for tweens.

​”The Ghost You Can’t See” has lots of fantasy elements but is also relatable. Lucy is struggling with friend drama in the middle of spiritual wars. For example, Lucy faces doubts about her best friend early in this third book and finds herself losing heart. 

Feeling left out or cast aside by friends is something tweens can certainly relate to. Lucy certainly isn’t perfect and struggles with a variety of imperfections, even including being clumsy.

The book doesn’t use any inappropriate language. It does, however, use language that tweens and teens will relate to. The characters’ dialogue sounds like listening to a group of kids with sarcasm and slang terms unique to the series. For example, expressions like ‘Son of a buck snort!’ add humor without crossing any lines.

The story continues

One of the great things about a book series is getting to know and follow the characters throughout their journey. Just as in any other series like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, The Issachar Gatekeeper series gives tweens and teens the chance to see main character Lucy and Schuyler grow and change.

As they are growing and learning, so are young readers. It’s a great series in that it grows with the reader. 

As with any great series, each book ends with just enough of a cliffhanger to make you eager for the next book. As an avid reader myself, I appreciate that each storyline ties up in the book while also leaving us wanting more at the end just as all favorite fantasy books should do!

Getting your own copy

The Issachar Gatekeeper series really is worth adding to your tween or teen’s book list. This is the perfect time to get started with the series.

L.G. Nixon’s site is running a limited time offer to get the books in the series for $10 each and receive a copy of the seasonal novella from the series, “The Ghost in Your Christmas Present.”

You can also just purchase book three, “The Ghost You Can’t See” for $15.99 for paperback, $8.99 for ebook or $3.99 for audiobook. (As the mom of a dyslexic child, I love this series has the accessibility of an audiobook as well!)

If you’re looking for a clean, faith-filled fantasy adventure for tweens, “The Ghost You Can’t See” is a must-read.

Find more book reviews for tweens and teens from Families with Grace:

Christian books for teens: Why “The Ghost Writer” is a standout read

Book review: “The Message Student Devotional Bible”

Book review: “The Enneagram for Teens”