I absolutely loved this book! I was immediately drawn in by the aesthetic of the house that was described in the book, and I was intrigued by the air of mystery surrounding it. There was a huge unknown secret surrounding the house that Libby and her family moved into and it was a very delightful experience to see how that secret kept unraveling until you were shown the truth! I also really liked the macabre and grotesque aspects of the story and the way it made you feel uneasy and almost disgusted at times. That really enhanced the point that the author was trying to get across with this book. The only thing I will say is that some readers might not enjoy this book if they really don’t like bugs or are afraid of bugs, but if you don’t mind bugs then I highly recommend this book! A Place For Vanishing is a must read book and I will definitely buy my own copy when it comes out.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was better than the author's first book, What We Harvest. I liked the characters and the plot was interesting and engaging. Although you may want to think twice if you are really squeamish about bugs.

5/5 stars

A new favorite!

I don’t know why, but I wasn’t expecting this book to be a horror novel. The synopsis completely flew past my head and I was surprised when it took a turn for the creepy and the crawly, literally. But that kept me wanting to read and it was a hard book to put down.

This book has everything that I wanted out of a creepy, gothic novel: it’s atmospheric, it dives into human error and human nature, it hits the points of making my skin want to crawl and making me forget I was reading a book to begin with.

Libby was such a tragic character that I rooted for with all of my heart and soul. She’s sympathetic and just filled with a type of guilt that made me want to hug her and squeeze it all out of her. Each of the characters are flawed, struggling with their own problems and sometimes, too caught up in their own problems to look up and see how the others are hurting.

I thought the amount of thought and care that went to writing about mental health was done well and while I can’t speak on it, as I do not have bipolar disorder, it didn’t feel glorified and set the tone for Libby’s believability with those around her.

The prose was amazing and I found myself immersed in the world and horrified with the thing happening in it. Everything that happened was a beautifully painted image and I forgot I was reading. I was so invested in Libby’s journey and the history behind the house and just this overall need to see her succeed. There was many a moment where I found myself dusting my body off or smacking my legs thinking there was a bug crawling up it.

I highly recommend this book and it’s perfect to kick off Halloween in… 10 months or if you’re in the mood to just get creeped out randomly.

First off thank you to Netgalley and Ann Fraistat for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

Starting over on a new town after a horrible bi-polar incident with Libby, her mother decided to relocate her and her sister to a home she's owned (passed down by ancestry) but hasn't lived in since she was 4. After just one night, creepy noises and unexplained occurrences begin. Desperate to understand, Libby starts researching and finds out that her home is called the House of Masks and 10 people have gone missing over the years, including her grandparents.

What a wonderful story. Unlike anything I've read. I was sucked in from the first chapter. A definite read!

This book puts a fascinating twist on a haunted house story featuring creepy masks, seances, ghosts, possessions, and so, so many bugs. SO many bugs. YA tends to be better for diverse rep than most contemporary genres, and that's reflected here with a really fantastic portrayal of mental illness (Bipolar III) and an aroace character (not a big part of the plot, but appreciated nonetheless).

The heart of this novel is the family drama as the main character readjusts to life with her mother and younger sister in a new house after a suicide attempt. This is shown with painful honesty as those relationships are rebuilt on the increasingly tenuous ground of adjusting to a new and increasingly dangerous home. I don't really have anything to complain about here - I gave this book a shot even though it's outside my usual genre tastes, and I had an enjoyable time reading it. A worthwhile read if any of the above intrigues you!

My thanks to Random House Children's/Delacourte Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you, NetGalley and Delacorte Press, for my complimentary digital copy for review.

Let's delve into the captivating setting of this story - an enchanting old Victorian house with a haunting history that immediately caught my attention. The mysteries surrounding the house and the fate of its previous occupants intrigued me. What happened to those who inherited the house and vanished without a trace?

Libby's journey, following her diagnosis of bipolar III, her harrowing suicide attempt, and her fresh start in a new city, captivated me. The house, intended as a sanctuary for her recovery and new beginnings, had other plans for her and her family. What fascinated me most was watching Libby grapple with self-doubt, questioning whether her experiences were real or figments of her imagination. Her internal conflict made her a compelling character to latch onto and follow throughout the story.

The suspense in this book steadily builds, never leaving a dull moment. It maintains a steady pace, skillfully weaving tense moments that keep readers on edge.

As someone who appreciates stories centered around family dynamics, this book delivered on that front. It delves deep into the emotional turmoil families endure when one of their own attempts suicide, as seen through the eyes of Libby's mother and sister. But it also explores the other side of the coin, showcasing Libby's resilience and guilt.

Now, let's talk about the horror element - it was absolutely out of this world. The loss of control over something beyond comprehension, where the one who once held power becomes the powerless. It sent chills down my spine.

I tried to read this. The writing was so good and I was excited at first, but the bugs were triggering for me.

This book is great for people who aren’t triggered by bugs, I just couldn’t do it.

tw:%20Suicide/self%20harm%0A%0AAfter%20Libby%20has%20an%20emotional%20and%20mental%20breakdown,%20her%20mother%20decides%20it%E2%80%99s%20time%20for%20a%20fresh%20start%20for%20their%20little%20family,%20moving%20Libby,%20her%20younger%20sister,%20Vivi,%20and%20her%20to%20her%20childhood%20home,%20which%20has%20sat%20empty%20for%20decades.%20Libby%E2%80%99s%20mother%20has%20never%20wanted%20anything%20to%20do%20with%20the%20house%20since%20she%20moved%20out%20as%20a%20young%20girl%20after%20an%20accident%20which%20killed%20her%20parents,%20and%20once%20the%20family%20moves%20in,%20Libby%20realizes%20why.%20The%20house%20feels%20very%20%E2%80%9Coff%E2%80%9D%20and%20is%20filled%20with%20creepy%20imagery.%20Plus,%20it%E2%80%99s%20considered%20the%20neighborhood%20%E2%80%9Chaunted%20house.%E2%80%9D%20With%20the%20help%20of%20a%20new%20friend%20in%20town,%20Libby%20vows%20to%20get%20to%20the%20bottom%20of%20the%20house%E2%80%99s%20secrets,%20even%20if%20it%20means%20risking%20her%20life%20to%20save%20her%20family.%0A%0AThis%20book%20is%20a%20YA%20thriller,%20and%20it%20definitely%20reads%20as%20a%20little%20more%20juvenile.%20The%20mystery%20isn%E2%80%99t%20super%20complex,%20though%20it%20is%20pretty%20interesting%20to%20see%20as%20it%20plays%20out,%20because%20there%20is%20quite%20a%20bit%20of%20questions%20in%20regard%20to%20the%20reliability%20of%20the%20narrator.%20Then%20there%E2%80%99s%20more%20questions%20that%20arise%20as%20certain%20things%20become%20more%20clear.%20But%20I%20won%E2%80%99t%20spoil%20that%20part%20of%20things.%0A%0AAnd%20tgere%20were%20some%20interesting%20twists%20here%20and%20there.%20Some%20I%20was%20able%20to%20guess,%20some%20I%20wasn%E2%80%99t.%20My%20interest%20was%20kept%20until%20the%20end,%20though%20some%20of%20the%20final%20confrontation%20scene%20dragged%20slightly.%20But%20I%20wanted%20to%20see%20what%20happened,%20and%20the%20payoff%20was%20well%20worth%20it!%0A%0AMaybe%20I%20just%20didn%E2%80%99t%20like%20how%20much%20supernatural%20elements%20were%20mixed%20in?%20That%E2%80%99s%20all%20I%E2%80%99ll%20say.%20I%20wish%20some%20more%20was%20grounded%20in%20some%20form%20of%20realism/reality.%20But%20that%E2%80%99s%20a%20personal%20preference,%20and%20may%20not%20be%20yours!%0A%0ASo%20if%20this%20sounds%20like%20something%20you%20would%20be%20interested%20in,%20go%20for%20it!%20It%E2%80%99s%20a%20good%20book%20overall!

Let me start by saying A Place For Vanishing made my arm hairs stand up on more than one occasion. It is so well written, the detail the author uses is impeccable and had me feeling as if I could envision every single aspect of the house she describes. The main character in the story is Libbey who had recently went through some mental health issues which is why her mother decided it would be a good time for her, her sister and mother to make move. They are moving into their ancestral home, which happened to be an eerie old mansion. It is said that the mansion holds many dark secrets and that many people have "vanished" from it. It doesn't take long for the girls to realize that someone dark and ominous is definitely residing in the house with them.This story is definitely one for the spooky season. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend reading it if you like a little spook in your stories.

I was completely sucked into this novel from the very beginning. I absolutely loved the creepy gothic horror feel to this book, and I could not put it down. I appreciated the unreliable narrator and loved that I had no idea what was happening for the first half of the novel. Unfortunately, that is where it started to become a cliched paranormal novel and where I began to lose my interest in the story. I loved the creepiness and absolutely grossness of the novel. I didn't really think the romance was a necessary aspect that added to the story. I would have preferred this to have stayed on the gothic train for the whole book instead of turning into a paranormal book. Towards the end it did wrap up the loose ends, but too easily in my opinion. While I appreciate that in most novels, I would have preferred this to have been more of an open ending. I think it would have added to the gothic allure. I did enjoy this one, but not as much as I had hoped.

This is a great addition to the young adult horror genre. It has high levels of creepiness. Readers looking for contemporary gothic horror are especially going to appreciate this book.

Great mental health discussions and representation. Overall this book was weird and kind of gross, not too strong on the horror or thriller aspect but overall a fun read. Would not recommend if you have any issues with bugs though.

This book makes me glad I started reading horror 😭 this book was really the perfect blend of eerie (but enticing) horror, sisterhood/family and romance

I absolutely loved the MC's character growth over the course of the book (esp the "wanting to live", "life is precious" understandings at the end 😭). I also loved the sister/family bonds (and the way they were tested but also strengthened) AND the very adorable romance between the MC and the boy next door.

CWs - MC is diagnosed with bipolar III which leads to frequent highs and lows (including suicidal thoughts + a suicide attempt in the past). Other TWs - death, murder, lots and lots of creepy insects, ghost stuff, death of parent, sibling/parent dealing with the grief of their sibling/child being suicidal, self-harm

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Thank you to netgalley and Random House Children's for allowing me to read this book. This book gave me all the spooky and creepy vibes and I loved every moment of it.

This was an amazing book that I wish I could give more than a 5 to. The descriptive writing style was unique and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout much of the book. I easily read 3-4 books a week, but this one was extra special both in terms of characters and world building. It was eerie and beautifully written. It was a combination of horror and fantasy about two sisters who returned to their mother's childhood home where many individuals had mysteriously disappeared through the ages. It combined spiritualism and mystery. I highly recommend this book.

TW: suicidal ideation, depression, and mental health discussion
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for my arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another pleasant YA surprise for me, "A Place for Vanishing" by Ann Fraistat follows teen, Libby, and her mom and sister moving to her mom's childhood home which may or may not be haunted.

The summary sounded creepy and the light gothic horror that I needed after my semester. To start with Libby, I adored this girl. Libby's family move is prompted by her recent bipolar III diagnosis. Preceding her diagnosis, Libby makes an attempt that rocks the lives of her younger sister and mom. I thought that the discussions around her diagnosis and the way her family reacts to it were handled really well and realistically. I think we like to think that people would react differently but I think the realities of how a family would react to an attempt were realistically presented.

I also love how the house is described and how it becomes a character of its own throughout the narrative. I think it's cool to read Libby's journey as being represented by the mystery of the house. And the way that Fraistat describes the bugs, the wallpaper, the stained glass windows, and Libby's mom's descent were so unsettling and creepy. I mean, it was so gothic and I enjoyed it so much. And then, my favorite part, is when things finally come to a head and become revealed; the detail and descriptions of the gore, the thorned vines, oh god, it was just so gross and creepy. There's a moment where Libby is describing the feeling of a thorned vine going into her leg through a cut and it's just so horrific. I loved it!

I do think that there are some things that other readers may have issues with. Things like how slow the build-0up was; the payoff was so worth it but I can see another reader really hating it. That said, before things picked up, I did start to get really bored. but I pushed through and it ended up working out for me. Another thing is how Libby's mom and sister treat her; this was hard for me to read through even knowing that it was realistic but I know that others will read this and feel frustrated and annoyed at how they treat Libby. But again, it was a realistic depiction and it helped to ground the story. And another review pointed out that the big bad villain was confusing for her and thinking about it now, I get that. I can see another reader being confused with who the bad guy is. Even though it is explained, the way we get there is a bit confusing. I also am now realizing that I don't really understand the villains' motivation. Again, it is explained but it just didn't feel like enough for me.

All of that said, I have to give this book a 5 because of Fraistat's writing style and abilities with handling Libby's BPD, the creepiness, and the overall idea of the novel. I had fun reading it.

The story unfolds around Libby, whose family seeks a fresh start in a new home following her bipolar III diagnosis and a preceding tragedy. However, the supposedly normal house they move into turns out to be anything but, setting the stage for a narrative filled with eerie secrets and chilling mysteries.

The description of the setting was beautiful! The house, with its winding halls, peculiar stained-glass windows, and a garden of impossibly blue roses, becomes a character in itself. The author skillfully blends the mundane with the mysterious, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they navigate the strange occurrences and unsettling rumors surrounding the property.

Libby's character is compelling, and her journey is intricately tied to the mysteries of the house. The exploration of mental health through her bipolar III diagnosis adds depth to the narrative, allowing readers to empathize with her struggles and victories. The dynamic between Libby and her mother, who is determined to maintain a facade of a perfect new beginning, adds a layer of familial tension that enhances the overall story.

4/5 stars

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

THOUGHTS

You know, I really wasn't digging this one for about 80% of the book. But I guess I shouldn't have doubted Ann Fraistat's horror abilities. Because that last 20% upped the ante on every page. The creep, the ick, and skin-crawling-ness all came together to stick the landing... and make everything that came before worth it. This book takes a long time to set itself up, but the payoff is spectacular. What a way to kick off the New Year!


PROS
Creepy, Creepy Bugs: If insect infestations make your skin crawl, this book probably won't be for you... unless that's what you're looking for! I didn't know I was looking for it, but I am so glad I got it. This book is tinged with spiritualist history, undergirded by a relentlessly unhinged energy, and absolutely brimming with scurrying, scuttling, and rot. Ethereal is perhaps a good word to describe this book... but only if ethereal comes with a healthy dose of damp and mold.

Graphic Body Gore: It won't be for everyone, so squeamish readers beware! But Ann Fraistat really knows how to embrace body horror--and not just in a way that's blood and guts. As I said above, the payoff here is absolutely worth it. I knew what Fraistat could do after What We Harvest, but that book feels like nothing compared to this one. This book pulls out all the stops. It will make you cringe. It will disgust you. And that's just what you want in horror.

Foreboding: The balance here between "something's not right" and "it's too late" is absolutely perfect. I think it can be hard to lay that sort of foreboding groundwork. Readers need to feel that something's going to go wrong without that foreboding feeling dragging--or without being shocked when something does go absolutely wrong. And this book nails it. You get the tantalizing feeling that these choices might not be the right one, but you're not left with a lot of time to linger. Things go wrong so fast, so quickly, so irredemably that you can't really blame the characters. You might beg the characters to slow down before committing, but at the same time, you recognize that you, too, would get caught in the exact same trap. It's a rock-and-a-hard-place situation.


CONS
Slow Build: As much as I think the payoff made this book work it, it does take a long time to get there. Others might not be as patient as me (to their detriment). I found this book pretty uninspiring for way over half of it, and many readers just won't give it the chance it deserves. It's worth it, but you've got to commit to it to get there.

Toxic Positivity: I know this is part of the family conflict, but I still found it really, really irritating. It was hard to read Libby's mom dismissing her negative thoughts and feelings. Feeling or experiencing something negative isn't bad. And dismissing and ignoring all negative emotions really isn't the way to help somebody going through (or coming out of) a mental health crisis. So that was really hard to read, even if that was kind of the point.

Confusing Villain: The one really big issue I had here was with the villain. I think this book is really good... with this one exception. No spoilers, no naming names (I really do think you should read this book!). But it just felt like one of the Big Bads here didn't have the motivation to really make their story compelling. I needed a why, and I didn't get one.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10
Fans of Liselle Sambury's Delicious Monsters will enjoy this new rotting corpse of a house full of layers of unresolved family trauma. Anyone who adores Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House will love the twists and turns in this historical home.

A Place for Vanishing sounds strange when you think about it. And this book is strange but not in a bad way. Libby has recently been diagnosed with a mental illness after an attempted suicide. Her mom has decided to move the family into the old family house that has been vacant for many years. This house has a history. Not a good history either. Libby and Vivi are about to face this history head on.
I loved that the book brought up mental illness and dealing with the after of being diagnosed. Libby's character felt spot on. The story was interesting. It was a little slow moving at the beginning but once you get about half way in it picks up. The character development was good too. It was a good read.

I loved this book from page one, it was creepy and HAUNTED! yes, it's an actual haunted house story with actual ghosts! Not that I don't love a good twist where all the weird stuff we've just gone through isn't real, but true haunted house stories are absolute favorites. Also, it's weird, in the best way, and sort of gross in the creepy crawly bug area, they are everywhere.. all the time... doing bug things... Also, there are content warnings for suicide and depression.
Honestly, when I picked this up to start reading I had no idea what I was getting into. I didn't remember if I ever read the synopsis I just knew that I LOVED Ann Fraistat's last book and had a feeling I was going to love this one as well and I was so happy that I was right! I could not put this book down! I loved Libby, she was struggling so much and still trying to put on her normal face for her mom and sister after something tragic that happened. I loved watching Libby and her sister grow closer while trying to survive the House of Masks ( the legit name of the family home they are moving into.. Like that doesn't immediately say this place is going to be weird and creepy..) All of the stuff starts happening pretty much right away, which I loved and the tension, suspense, and hauntings went up right until the very end even after Libby and her "friend" Flynn have figured out what's really going on in the house. With a little help from the beyond.

This book was fun, and while reading it in the middle of the night I became extra aware of all the random noises my old farmhouse makes, and every time one of my cats stared off into the distance seemingly at nothing. It gave the perfect vibes and atmosphere, and the characters were well-developed, and the writing sucks you in. I can't wait to buy this book and read it all over again!