Member Reviews

Take the normal teen angst, add a new mental health diagnosis and some trauma, and top it off with a move to a terrifying home with a sordid history and you have the makings for an excellent read! Do not be fooled by the young adult genre classification, this book is packed full of suspense and gothic horror that will keep any reader on the edge of their seat. Symbolism, spiritualism, and illusionism combine for a delightfully unsettling and spine-chilling tale.

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A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat is literally perfect for those of you who love mental health rep in your horror!!

Libby has bipolar III and is honestly pretty fresh off of a s*icide attempt at the beginning of this book. Libby’s mom has decided the three of them (including Libby’s younger sister Vivi) could use a change of pace and scenery and move into the house Libby’s mom lived in as a toddler then later inherited.

The house is old and moderately creepy, and gets more so when Libby’s mom immediately starts lying about certain aspects of it, like the reasons the girls aren’t allowed in the attic. Doors open and close on their own, weird sounds are coming from overhead all throughout the night, and Libby is woken up more than once by one of her family members having something creepy happen to them.

This might be a CW for you, or it might be a draw, but this book is super bug-heavy. The house they live in is bug-themed, with multiple stained glass windows featuring different bug types and creepy bug masks being fixtures in the house.

Libby and her sister, along with their neighbor, Flynn, have to figure out how the bugs are related to the weird things going on in their house, especially when their mom stops taking care of herself, almost as if something else has a hold of her…

Libby is pretty open about her mental health struggles and the facts of her diagnosis and I think her family’s different ways of coping with her attempt are really realistic. I love when action-y stories have heart, too, and this one totally fits that picture.

I also like when it feels like horror stories are still narratives? Like, this definitely is a creepy house story but it's ALSO a story about a family and a girl and a maybe crush, and I just love that it feels so fleshed out on both sides. I wasn't super invested in the story, because, like, bugs are kind of whatever, but I thought that it wrapped up fine and made total sense and I had no arguments or qualms over it. I think even without caring about the why, I still was pretty invested in the what, and I read most of this book in one day. I really liked it and I think there's potential for me to like other Ann Fraistat books even better, depending on subject matter.

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“A Place for Vanishing,” a young adult fantasy fiction by Ann Fraistat, is deeply entrenched in the horror genre.

When a single mother and her two daughters move into a Queen Anne Victorian house, a long abandoned inherited property, the residence is shabby, reeks with the fetid perfume of rare blue roses that transcend the gardens and grounds of the estate, and crawls with an insurmountable infestation of insects—even after fumigation.

Motifs of blue roses and an assortment of arthropods thrive throughout this mysterious home. The property holds a creepy, infamous reputation in the community for its decades-long legacy as the abode of turn-of-the century seance-holding spiritualists, as well as the location of numbers unsolved missing persons cases over the years.

With a longstanding reputation of mischief and mayhem, the ‘House of Masks’ holds this sobriquet because of its ubiquitous stained glass windows that depict carnival-style masks, humanoid-like insects, and strange blue roses—the primary motif of the residence.

Within hours of the family moving in, insidious supernatural forces begin transforming each of their lives in grotesque and terrifying ways. It’s as though the woman and girls become possessed by spirits with evil intent.

“Masks” is an original idea that is as compelling as it is creepy. If you’re not completely repulsed by notions of bugs crawling through your hair, clothes and bed while sinister forces compel their actions, then this may be the next scary read on your reading list.

JoyReaderGirl1 graciously thanks NetGalley, Author Ann Fraistat, and Publisher Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York, for this advanced reader’s copy (ARC) for review.

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This book was so creepy. Probably because of the bugs. So many bugs.

Libby has just been released from the mental hospital after a suicide attempt and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Her mother believes the family needs a fresh start, so she moves with Libby and her younger sister to her own childhood home, one she abandoned after her parents mysteriously disappeared when she was four.

Libby doesn’t want to burden her mom more than she already has, but the house is . . . creepy. It’s covered in dust, none of the windows open, there are horrible sounds coming from the attic and walls, and there are bugs everywhere, including in the unsettling scenes depicted on stained glass windows in each room of the house. When Libby learns about the house’s history of masked seances and mysterious disappearances, she knows something is very, very wrong, but the longer she and her family stay in the house, the more it seems to be pulling them under its spell.

This was a great haunted house horror story: we really wanted to know what happened while also really wanting to put the book aside and turn on a sitcom to clear our heads. But what we loved most was the connection Fraistat drew between Libby’s mental health struggles and her efforts to avoid falling under the house’s spell. Battling mental illness is hard work, and Fraistat intertwines Libby’s fight to stave off depressive episodes and choose life in a powerful way that will especially resonate with anyone who has fought a similar battle.

There are a few mild instances of profanity, and suicide (including memories of the attempt) plays a significant role in the plot, but the novel is ultimately hopeful (or at least as hopeful as a horror novel can be).

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and Delacorte Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

Review will be posted on https://threeheads.works/category/blog/ya-books/ on April 8.

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I really loved this book and how Fraistat incorporated such a unique aspect of horror. I also love how she talks about mental illness and its affect on families. 4.3/5

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A teen girl and her family return to her mother's childhood home, only to discover that the house's strange beauty may disguise a sinister past…
This book for sure was a rollercoaster of emotions. With the Main Character, Libby, dealing with the aftermath of a failed suicide attempt and traumatizing mental health struggle. I felt myself relating to her in a deep level that for sure had me feeling vulnerable.Which was kind of a sad experience but cathartic. It’s such a dark and sensitive topic to cover. I think it handled it solidly.
With the main storyline being such a trip of haunted masks, abundance of bugs (shivers), and the journey of self healing. This book was pretty solid. It kind of dragged at times but it not too bad.
If you are looking for a book that has creepy ghost house with a dark past and a storyline of a sensitive topic. This book is for you. I would say to prepare yourself and your mental health before this book a bit. I did but it still hit close to home.
4 stars
Thanks to the folks at NetGalley for a copy of this book. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.

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Jeez do I love YA gothic horror. 4 stars

This book is centered around discussions of mental health, family dynamics, and bugs. So many bugs. If you are a fan of Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic, you're gonna dig the hell out of this. What Moreno-Garcia did with fungi, Fraistat did with bugs. Oh, the bugs.

Our MC, Libby, is a teenager who has recently been diagnosed with bipolar III. Following a suicide attempt (TW for discussions of suicide and descriptions that may be a bit too heavy for some), Libby's mother takes she and her sister to her childhood home. A new space, a fresh start. But how the hell do you have a fresh start in a house that's covered in stained glass windows featuring images like cockroaches slaughtering fuzzy bunnies? Was this an image in the book? I don't even know anymore, but the vibes are right.

Stuff gets weird. There's some library research involved. Discoveries are made. Masks are worn, both metaphorical and otherwise.

I loved this. I thought there were a few missteps here and there with dialogue, but I wouldn't harp on that too much. There's such good content here. 4 stars.

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This is the best horror book I have ever read. I have read gothic books and books that give "horror vibes," but not exactly "ghosty horror shivers." I can assure you that you will see ancient ghosts in "A Place for Vanishing" by Ann Fraistat.

Libby, her mom, and her little sister Vivi moved to her mother's childhood house for a fresh start. Things didn't go as they hoped in this mansion. This story falls under the classic haunted house trope, but in the most unique way possible.

Flynn, a boy next door, met Libby when he was performing fake séances in her mansion's backyard. At first, their meeting felt absolutely accidental, but later it was revealed that they were both connected. Libby and Flynn's relationship was so beautifully evolved in a short period of time. Usually, I prefer slow burns, but I think this book is exceptional.

Coming to the plot, people have been disappearing in the mansion for years, and at present, Libby encounters certain abnormal things. So, she seeks the help of Flynn to perform séances in search of finding the truth about the disappearance.

At first, it was fun for Flynn because he believed he was not a true medium (through whom the spirits communicate), only to find out he was a real one. Let me say, every séance performed was so horrifying. It just glued me to the pages. I feel like watching a horror movie—a really good one.

The most disturbing thing was the bugs. Yes, there are lots and lots of bugs in this book because the spirits are weirdly connected to them. I loved how they were not normal spirits who had died previously in the mansion, which made the story even more interesting.

In short, this book felt like watching a very good horror movie. I think there is nothing more you need in a horror novel. If you are a horror lover, like me, then you just read a review of a PERFECT horror book.

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This book doesn't exactly have a ring of reality. It's not something you can imagine happening. It still manages to capture an eerie atmosphere though. It's very strange and unsettling to read. THe reader feels off balance at all times.

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YA meets gothic horror. Haunted house? Check. Bug infestation? Check. Mom avoiding your questions? Double check. Absolutely worth checking out (the book, nobody checks out of this house). https://youtu.be/buKHxvTvhxk

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I really enjoyed this! It's atmospheric and draws you in. It has really great creepy moments and is really well written. The characters are well developed and the setting is really great. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Ann Fraistat, Random House Children's and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review.

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A Place For Vanishing was an interesting and fun escape. I don’t normally read YA but this book fascinated me. I loved the gothic setting. I enjoyed the characters with all their quirks. I was intrigued by the eerie magic behind the House of Masks. This book is so delightfully atmospheric. The message of the value of life and fighting for the ones you love was a surprising touch of seriousness to an otherwise fantastical story.

I have posted this review on Amazon, Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3eIvT9r_LQ/?igsh=bmFyaXUxazd2ODEw

And Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6145394407

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An amazingly thrilling and creepy YA book. As Libby and her family move back to the family home in the wake of her recent bipolar diagnosis, odd things begin to happen. The new beginning Libby and her family are looking for seemingly slips further away as the house and the secrets it hold take on a life of it own.

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I knew the premise, but had no idea it was going to be like a paranormal horror mix.

This book was wildly unexpected and really interesting. A big component of this book was MC mental health struggles, which I thought was neat and brave. I was really immersed into this story. I kept thinking this would be a cool movie. It definitely had Thirteen Ghosts vibes (which was great since I love that movie), but was completely different with whole creepy crawly insect component.

Horror is kind of hard for me to rate because it’s kind of like all bets are off. Anything goes. What I will say is I could imagine this story very vividly and I enjoyed the ride.

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Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and Delacorte Press for my review copies. All opinions are my own.

This one will probably stay with me for a while. It is a gothic, mysterious story that is very heavily focused on mental health. But also horror. Now, I usually go into books pretty blind (I might have read the synopsis a while back, but haven't refreshed my own mind since) and so when all the crazy, horror stuff started to happen - I was pleasantly surprised, and also in awe. It was fun in a macabre way.

I loved how openly and easily the topics of mental disorder, suicide, and depression are talked about in this book. It might be triggering for some. But a must topic to talk about expectations, and feelings that not only those that live with them experience, but how others deal with them as well. Though maybe not enough was talked between the characters, it was still very open in the book for the reader. That sometimes things aren't as you assume (yes yes, U and ME), and there's a lot more going on under the surface. But the message of the story is that you are stronger than you think, and that you just need to harness that power from within to keep going. We all have a will to live, we just sometimes have to find it.

SO to just wrap up - lots of mental health TW, suicide (not on page, but mentioned), depression, anxiety, lots of bugs and blood, and weird/macabre animal art.

Not for the faint of heart.

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Deliciously atmospheric and eerie, A PLACE FOR VANISHING was a spectacular tale of a family relocating to an old, ancestral gothic manor after a series of life-altering consequences. After settling in to the foreboding house and experiencing a number of unsettling events, it soon becomes apparent that the house might not be the idea place for the fresh start Libby and her family are looking for. ⁣

There’s a creepy undertone that runs through the entirety of the book, giving readers a deep sense of wrongness. I adored that aspect of the story so much. I also loved the incorporation of mental illness and how Libby’s diagnosis really altered the course of her life. Mental illness plays a huge role in this book and I really loved how realistically it was portrayed, according to the author’s lived experience. Mental illnesses aren’t one size fits all, and it’s truly incredible how the same diagnosis can be wildly different from person to person.⁣

Bottom line — I adored this book. It kept me glued to the pages from start to finish, and it’s one of those books that will leave you thinking long after turning the final page. I loved the author’s previous book, What We Harvest, and this one will sit beside it on my favorites shelf. Definitely pick this YA horror up if you’re a fan of:⁣

⁣⁣⁣➽ Atmospheric, eerie stories ⁣
⁣⁣⁣➽ Potentially haunted houses ⁣
⁣⁣⁣➽ Creepy ass bugs ⁣
⁣⁣⁣➽ Mental health representation (bipolar III)⁣
⁣⁣⁣➽ Strong sibling relationships ⁣
⁣⁣⁣➽ Heavy, relatable themes including depression

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I love a book that centers around a house--and this book was no exception. A Place For Vanishing is a YA horror novel with a hint of gothic vibes and excellent mental health representation. We follow Libby, who is adjusting to a recent diagnosis of bipolar III following events that were difficult not just for her, but also her Mom and little sister, Vivi. Seeking a fresh start, her Mom decides to move them into her childhood home, Madame Clery's House of Masks, a property she has been avoiding for decades. From the very start, I was so intrigued by this property and learning more about it. We see stained glass windows, various architectural structures, and many insects throughout the house leading many to believe the house is cursed or haunted. We follow along as the family try to figure out the truth surrounding the property and if possible, a way for them to survive it unscathed. This was chilling and exciting all at the same time. I can't wait to read what the author comes out with next!

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I enjoy a good horror story and this book hit the spot plus this is my first read from this Author. It was scary and haunting and libby moving to start over, which she encounters a-lot in this house. I love stories with secrets which there was and bugs as well. Thank you Net galley for this ARC.

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I’m torn on how I feel about this book. Parts of it were definitely creepy, especially with the bugs, but at times, the horror elements were ridiculous. The story felt too long and drawn out, with the same issues over and over: bugs, seances, and masks. The mental health aspect wasn’t as fleshed out as it needed to be. There is a YA audience that will be creeped out by this read. I don’t think the appeal will be wide.

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🥀Book Review🥀

🕷Today, I wanted to put a really great YA Horror book on your radar, incase it wasn't already there. A big thank you to @delacortepress, @netgalley and @annfrai for approving me for the advance copy.

🪳A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat🪳

🕸My Thoughts🕸

Oh man, what an amazing book. YA Horror rarely ever hits the spot for me. It's usually too fluffy or it tries too hard to be something it's not. That is NOT the case with this author and her books.

One of my favorite YA Horror books is Horrid by Katrina Leno and A Place for Vanishing is right up that alley. Well, if you threw Thir13en Ghosts into the mix, that is. (Have you seen thirteen ghosts? If not, please remedy that) Oh, and throw in a crapload of creepy crawlies.

I really love when mental health and horror are mixed together and that is exactly what this book is. But, please, if you cannot be open minded and understand that everyone's experience with mental health is different then don't bother picking this book up. Otherwise, please DO pick this gorgeous book up.

💬ⓆⓄⓉⒹ: If you had to pick a bug/insect to be spiritually connected with, what would you pick?

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