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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

🥀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?

🏷#books #booknerdigans #bookstagram #read #horrorreader #bookworm #bibliophile #horrorcommunity #bookish #bookhaul #audiobook #bookreview #bookishalgor #audiobook #spooky #spookyseason #horror #halloween #themacabrelibrary #halloweendecorations #allthingsspooky #darkbookstagram #creepsgetlit #goth #CodeOrange #darkacademia #horrorbooks #netgalley #macabre

I jumped on this book like ants on sugar!!! A Place for Vanishing is such a deeply emotional story about a family healing together from a suicide attempt by our Main Character, and her diagnosis of bipolar III. The emotional depth and realistic representation of the struggles people go through during a situation like this was incredible! But then we also have this creeptastic spooky house and the “ghosts” haunting it!

Fraistat’s ability to meld real life topics with fictional themes, and not lose any part of the story or atmosphere, is by far some@of the best writing I’ve read. I cried, I laughed, I checked over my shoulder many times, but most importantly I found a new favorite book and author to keep on my treasures bookshelves.

I truly hope I inspire at least one of you to read this book, and maybe her debut novel as well. 😉🥰

A Place for Vanishing
by Ann Fraistat
Pub Date: 16 Jan 2024

A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat is A YA gothic with a heady douse of creep. Rich in atmospheric prose, we follow Libby, who has recently been diagnosed with bipolar III following a suicidal attempt. Her mother moves her and her sister Vivi, back to their ancestral house Madame Clery's House of Masks.

This book checked all my boxes, horror, unreliable narrator, paranormal. Strange family disappearance in the house over the years. Along with something menacing residing along with Libby and her mother and sister in the house. This book definitely kept me on my toes. If you enjoy horror this book is just what you need. 🤎📖

5 Reasons to Read

Haunted Histories & Houses

When Libby’s mom pulls up at their new old house, a mansion to be exact, she wonders why her mother never told her and her sister it ever existed. This house was so creepy and the stories of the disappearances connected to it will keep you invested throughout your experience reading this book. Every time a new section of the house is discovered the creepier it gets. I thought the house and it’s history added so much to the atmosphere of this story. I loved it.

Masks

The masks and their connection to the house was so fascinating. It was cool to see how each mask called to certain people in the story, including those not actually living in the house itself.

Sisters

Libby and her sister used to be so close but after the recent attempt Libby made to leave this world, and the recent diagnosis of bipolar III, the two sisters haven’t been able to make it back to each other. Until they enter this house and start experiencing strange things. The things they discover together just might bring them back together and strengthen their sibling bond even more than ever before.

Seances

Séances may have been part of the mansions history when it was first established 100 years ago but Libby soon finds out that someone may be performing them in the present. There is one particular scene in the first half of the book that gave me the chills. It really felt like I was in the room with them while the Séance was happening.

Bugs

So many bugs! I never thought I’d enjoy a bug horror but I totally did! This book was so creepy crawly, literally, and I don’t think I’ll ever look bugs or masks the same way again. I definitely recommend this one! I also think it’d make for a cool movie!

Creepy and atmospheric is an understatement! Horror lovers will surely enjoy the bug masks displayed on the walls, the history of séances performed in the backyard, the spirits who long for possession, and the terrifying bug elements.

What I loved:
✨Excellent character development: Libby (our MC) suffers from cyclothymic disorder (bipolar III), which often blurs the lines between reality and intrusive thoughts. The author openly discusses her own diagnosis in the author's note, bringing authenticity to Libby. As the story unfolds, Libby's family navigates not only the impact of her diagnosis but also the effect it has on the rest of the family members.
✨The Haunted House: Libby's family moves into Madame Clery's House of Masks. The house is cursed with several urban legends. Upon exploring the house, they stumble upon 13 bug masks, and Libby and her sister begin to unravel the mystery surrounding these masks. I absolutely love how Fraistat incorporates insects and their metamorphosis into this haunted house story. I can usually handle body gore, but these bugs grossed me out more than I care to admit!
✨Narration: Sophie Amoss excels with the narration. I loved her onomatopoeias. They added to the paranormal vibe of this book!

I really enjoyed the atmospheric nature of this one. The blue roses, the strange matching wallpaper, the stained glass windows that seem to correlate with the stone table in the backyard. This is a story that's very carefully built but also designed to make you question what you're reading, if what Libby is experiencing is real or in her head, and how the lore surrounding the home adds to it all. Rather than rely on tired tropes within the genre, I really like the differences in the house appearance, the "weird" things about the house, and the reason the family moves to the house in the first place.

I loved this book, it’s so magical, yet horrifying at the same time. The haunted house has so much history behind it. The way the bugs and insects were described were so creepy that I genuinly felt uncomfortable while reading it, which is something I need when I read horror books. I also appreciated the mental health representation, it’s refreshing to see accurate bipolar rep. The characters were dynamic and intersting. This is a great book to read during autumn or anytime you want a good, haunting story.

4.5 Stars

This was an incredibly atmospheric YA horror/fantasy that covered quite a few heavy topics. I found the story surrounding the House of Masks to be rather intriguing. I really appreciated the magic and mystery surrounding the masks and their abilities as well as how it all tied into the story. This was a captivating gothic fantasy full of paranormal elements and mystery. This one is definitely worth picking up.