Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ann Fraistat for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Place for Vanishing coming out January 16, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I was really excited about the plot. I love old houses with a mystery. I wasn’t expecting some of the mystery behind the house, so it was a nice surprise. I loved the characters and thought they were interesting and well rounded. I loved the journey they went on. I thought Libby’s circumstances were really sad and tough, but I think she handled them well. There was a lot of growth for the characters. I loved it!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys spooky YA novels!

Moving into her mother’s childhood home was supposed to be a fresh start for Libby and her family. With her bipolar III diagnosis and the tragic events that happened afterward, they need this. However, with bugs haunting the halls, stained-glass windows featuring intricate masks, a garden with impossibly blue roses, and rumors that everyone who has lived in this house has disappeared stretching back to the first owners… well, it’s definitely not the fresh start that Libby was looking for. The house has a secret, and even though her mom says everything is fine, Libby feels like the masks hold the horrific truth.

“When I’d been the one spiraling, I hadn’t realized it at the time, not totally, but I had expected Mom to know how to fix me. How to save me. Every tiny thing she’d said wrong, every misguided gesture, had made me feel more alone. Impossible to help. I had hated her for that. For having a brain that worked differently from mine. For not having been through this herself so she could shepherd me through safely. What an ugly truth. It stemmed from a basic childhood fantasy: Mom always had the answers.”

There are so many bugs, so if you feel queasy at all about them, then don’t read this book. Now my thoughts: This books blended an atmospheric horror and an eerie supernatural mystery with mental health and a family reconnecting with each other. A horror story that didn’t really pull me in until 50% in, but once it did I couldn’t stop reading. There’s so many things happening that capture your attention, from Libby’s mental health and her learning how to value herself and believe in her own strength, discovering the truth behind the house and the masks on the windows, and an interesting boy that seems to have a special interest in the house. Delving into sensitive topics as we see Libby struggling with her bipolar, and how her family struggles to reconnect after a sucide attempt, please be warned and check the trigger warnings. I do feel like the author wrote about these topics with compassion, showing character growth with every family member, especially between Libby and her sister. Overall, this is a slow-burn gothic horror that makes your skin crawl with an underlying theme of mental health and family dynamics.

A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat is a captivating, thrilling, deeply haunting tale. This book is so twisty that it will give you whiplash!
The characters are well drawn and complex, and Fraistat’s prose offers some surprising twists.
Absorbing, wonderfully written, and fraught with tension, A Place for Vanishing will keep you in its grip until the very last page. Fantastic. It will leave you reeling!

Thank You NetGalley and Delacorte Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Gothic story that was so original and creepy! I could not put this one down. There were a few places were the story did seem to drag, but as a whole, it was captivating, exciting, and creepy.

The cover art was genuinely compelling, and the premise initially held significant intrigue. However, the narrative's progression in the first half felt rather sluggish, and just as it seemed poised for a more profound exploration, it ventured into somewhat implausible territory.

I was particularly disappointed by the superficial treatment of bipolar III/cyclothymic disorder, indicating a clear lack of comprehensive research on the subject.

Yet, I must commend the innovative incorporation of the seance theme, especially with the introduction of the insect motif. It added a uniquely unsettling layer to the tale.

A Place for Vanishing was a thoroughly creepy novel—if you have a problem with insects, definitely don't read this! I liked the setting and the masks element, but I thought the romance felt a bit forced and the pace dragged for me in the beginning. A solid 3-star read.

Not gonna lie…. This book scared me a little, and I need this to be turned into a movie.

It's 13 Ghosts, meets Mexican Gothic.

The plot:

A new start, in a new town, in a very old house with a checkered past… sounds fun. After a bad year, Libby’s mom moves Libby along with her sister Vivi into a house she's owned for years, but never mentioned. The house is odd, with strange features, and an even stranger history. Libby doesn't believe in ghosts, but something isn’t right about the house, so she enlists the help of her broodingly handsome neighbor, Flynn to dig into the house’s disappearances and convince her mom to leave… until she realizes something has a hold on her mother that will never let her leave.

The good:

I adored the characters. They're so easy to fall in love with and cheer for. I’m so sad that my time with them is done. I thought I knew what was going to happen during the first chapter of this book, but boy I was wrong. The concept is interesting and its obvious the author spent time thinking this through thoroughly. I got seriously creeped out a few times… you know… the running and jumping on the bed after turning out the lights kind of creeped out. I love a good haunted house story! They're difficult to pull off, but this author nailed it!!

The bad:

There were places I felt the author gave too much detail, and Libby’s inner dialog rambled on unnecessarily in some places. The beginning of the book moved very slowly for me… I feel like it took me forever to get into it, but it was worth it.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good haunted house, or spooky read. It's well-written, unique, and captivating.

“𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐤-𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐞.”

Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
(2.5 rounded up for the albeit gross- uniqueness)


Thank you @netgalley and Delacorte Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The cover is gorgeous and the premise intriguing.
Unfortunately, the first half of the book was a slog to get through before finally picking up and becoming interesting. However, it became really far fetched and pretty difficult to trudge through at the end.

The authors understanding of bipolar III/cyclothymic disorder was also off, and poorly researched.

The paranormal seance trope is not new, but the bugs? 🐜 🤢, spot on for a fresh twist on the usual.

#aplaceforvanishing

Great, creepy horror with ominous insect vibes. the protag felt so relatable and i was so creeped out by this mask house. thanks for the arc.

Read if you enjoy:
Supernatural Horror, Lite
Haunted Houses
Fantasy
Family Drama/Dynamics
(Great) Mental Health Representation

For at least 3/4 of this book, I wasnt sure where it was heading i.e. what was real... but I was enjoying the ride. The imagery was fantastic. A great partnership between horror and whimsy. Each chapter was laced with an eerie undertone. The inner conflicts, mental health issues and family dynamics were well represented.
Nearly 5 stars for me, but the ending finished up a little too quickly, skipping right over some obivous "but how are you going to explain THAT?" moments.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC!

*3.5 STARS*

Content Warning: insect horror, body horror, attempted suicide

+ I really enjoyed the author’s other book What We Harvest and so I wanted to see what A Place for Vanishing would be about and I was not disappointed. I was horrified with all the insects in this book! It’s entertaining as heck but I was grossed out with so many scenes.

+ The place Libby and her family have moved to is called the House of Masks. Thing is, it was where her mom grew up and it’s eerie and creepy! It’s an old house, and each room has a theme, and a mask. As the story goes on we find out more about the history about the house and how it used to be a place for séances. It has a dark history as Libby finds out through research and help from a new friend, Flynn.

+ I like that the story brings up Libby’s bi-polar III diagnosis and the reasons they had to move away from their old town. Her mom and younger sister are coping with it in different ways but I like how it touches on the challenges that come with mental illness. Of course, living in a house this scary, only makes Libby feel even more off-kilter but she actually finds strength in figuring out what’s happening in the house and helping to save her family.

~ Bugs. If you do not like insects (ants, beetles, cockroaches, centipedes, etc…) do not read! I live on a tropical island so I can’t get away from insects but oh man did this book trigger so much horror for me because I hate cockroaches, centipedes, praying mantis’ and wasps. And the bugs in this book get life-sized – ugh. I’m actually surprised I finished the book!

My Thoughts:

I think the horror fans will like this one – especially if you like insect horror! I found the House of Masks very fascinating and wanted to see how the story would end despite me cringing in horror at some of the scenes. I think What We Harvest was more my speed – this one was a bit too horrifying for me but I’ll definitely read more books from this author.

This creepy horror novel gave me the CHILLS!!! The insects gave me the absolute creeps! A truly amazing story

I truly loved this book. It’s been a minute since I’ve been so captivated by a book that everything around me stops existing. I was invested in this book right away.

It was creepy, haunted and gave me chills. It will definitely be a top read in 2024 for me, it is going to stick with me hardcore. I highly recommend this if you are into YA gothic, horror, paranormal, etc.

I was intrigued by the book's description, especially because I enjoy a good horror/suspense book. This book is geared towards a younger audience, so I definitely wanted to check it out. Unfortunately, while I liked the horror/suspense aspect of the book, I strongly disliked the Mental health aspect. As a licensed mental health therapist it was very obvious from the onset of the book that the author has little to no knowledge of mental health, and that any research on the matter was less than subpar. The author wrote about Cyclothymia (Bipolar III Disorder) in a way that was inaccurate and then looped in symptoms more in alignment (barely) with Schizophrenia, but more as if it was based off of inaccurate stigmatized beliefs about these disorders. Cyclothymia is actually the more manageable of the bipolar mood disorders, yet the character describes experiencing the opposite. The mom and sister interact with the main character as if she's experiencing psychosis yet that has nothing to do with her "diagnosis." On top of that it is written that she drank alcohol which triggered a hypomanic episode...*big sigh*...I don't even want to bog this review down with explaining the fallacies with thus so I'll move on. Suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts were also poorly written about as well--again without the understanding or respect for those who have experienced it. Incorrect use and description of "night terrors" versus "nightmares" and other key details that should have been properly researched. Trauma, overall, in this book is poorly described and further perpetuates misinformation that has plagued mental health for generations. The description of the interactions with the therapist and treatment interventions also were poorly researched and written almost as if the author did a Google search and threw whatever popped up first into the story. The description of the mom's trauma and the alleged interventions she was using to interact with her daughter had the same issue. It was obvious that no research was done regarding psychiatric hospitalization or that process because it was written about as if based off of what the author saw in a TV show or movie. I love when authors bring awareness to mental health in an informed, positive way that improves knowledge and understanding. This book is doing the opposite and is, basically, exploiting mental health to make the narrator seem unreliable. I am very disappointed and annoyed.

This book will send shivers down your spine, and haunt you in the most incredible way!

A dark, gothic vibe, featuring a sinister house and emotionally broken characters. It’s the perfect eerily haunting read with intricate character development and strong mental health themes.

This will keep you hooked from beginning to end!

This book was so incredibly amazing! I cannot thank NetGalley enough for giving me the opportunity to read this. Libby is written so well when it comes to mental health and finding strength within yourself. The gothic horror/body horror of this was written so incredibly well and had me lowkey regret finishing this at 2:30 am. I need everyone to read this book so I have so many people to talk about it with

A Place For Vanishing is a story unlike any that I’ve read. We meet Libby, her sister Vivi, and their mother after they move into their mom’s childhood home in the aftermath of Libby attempting suicide. Their family dynamic is shaken to the core, and we see how each member is affected.
The beginning of the book starts as a haunted house, but with its own quirks and history that Libby must uncover. Around 60% it when the book really sank its teeth in, and I couldn’t wait to figure out what truly was going on here.
Haunted house, creepy family history that must be figured out in time, and saving those who matter the most. If you have any qualms about insects, I would stay away as there is a lot of bug stuff going on in this book, but otherwise, I would recommend this highly!

Big thank you to Netgallery for the ARC; all opinions are my own!

I’ve found lately that books that involve big, mysterious houses are definitely ones I want to be reading. Bonus points if there are enough descriptive details that I can envision the mansion easily. Most of the time these books involve some sort of mystery, so that makes it even more up my alley. A Place for Vanishing hit a little different though, and I think it was just not quite realistic enough for my taste.

First, I would like to address the fact that the protagonist in this book, Libby, is very transparent about dealing with a mental health diagnosis and her time in a psych ward. I was impressed that the author added some of the difficult details right away and peppered the rest throughout the book, making the story of Libby’s recent past and diagnosis of bipolar III seem like a life-changing event, (which it was) but also possibly a metaphor for the healing she is going through in stages as time moves on.

The main reason Libby, her younger sister Vivi, and their mom moved to the big old house that was their mother’s childhood home is to escape the memories of some recent incidents they’d rather forget. It seemed like the perfect opportunity: a need for a change and an old house inherited. Sounds like fate, right?

Unfortunately, the mother didn’t strike me as super stable and responsible. She’s doing the best with what she has, but sometimes she takes on more than she can handle…like moving to a huge, possibly haunted, house. Apparently, the fact that her parents possibly disappeared rather than died (as she was told) and several other people have disappeared from the house aren’t anything concerning to the mother. Or maybe she doesn’t believe that they were disappearances in the first place. The more the whole family learns about the house and its history, the creepier the story gets, with séances and secret ceremonies and a past that is filled with shadows and uncertainty.

All in all, this book mixes reality and a world of spirits and ghosts quite successfully, in my opinion. I appreciate that while Libby is fighting mental battles she’s also fighting these fantastical physical battles simultaneously. A Place for Vanishing captured my attention and held it until the very last page.

Review of a Digital Advance Readers Copy from Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press

This was really wild! A family looking for a fresh start, a strange house where people tend to go missing, seances and spirits, and bugs. Lots of bugs. This was definitely creepy and a little grotesque. I was super engrossed in the mystery of the house and its sinister history and it made the book really fly by.

This honestly just got crazier and crazier as it went on. Some of the descriptions especially involving the bugs actually had my jaw dropping. I enjoyed the characters and the little hint of romance was cute as well.

The depiction of mental illness and the way it affects the people around you was very well done, but definitely check trigger warnings. Overall a really unique & well written contemporary gothic horror.

Thank you to Random House for the ARC!

3.5 stars

The best way to describe this story is UNIQUE - I can honestly say I've never read anything quite like it.

16-year-old Libby has recently been diagnosed and treated for Bipolar III after a suicide attempt; as a result she, her 13-year-old sister Vivi, and their mother are moving back into mom's creepy childhood home. There's something not quite right about this place - insect/bug masks in every room along with stained glass windows depicting the aforementioned...not to mention the myriad of creepy crawlies infesting the place despite multiple fumigations -- but that isn't even the worst part. The formerly abandoned home has a long history of folks vanishing. With the help of her cute neighbor Flynn, Libby and Vivi plan to get to the bottom of these disappearances and understand what's going on in this house a little better.

This book does a great job representing Libby's mental state and the highs and lows of her mental illness - along with showing what it's like for family members of folks with mental illness.

Once you start reading you're definitely in for a wild ride - there is a lot to unpack on this adventure.

Folks who enjoy horror, paranormal activity, supernatural beings, and all around great story-telling will enjoy this book.

Thank you so much to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I look forward to consuming more material from Ann Fraistat.