This was unfortunately a flop for me. There was too much going on and I lost interest rather quickly. I had a very difficult time finishing this book and had to push myself to the end. Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC!

After the death of a woman's mother, she finds herself haunted by nightmares and drawn into the investigation of a serial killer. There are elements of fairy tales throughout, but that element did not come through quite as much as the synopsis and really the first hook line made it seem like there would be. One of my biggest issues is that this is being marketed as a thriller, and it just wasn't fast-paced enough to be that. It was really slow until the last little bit of the book, which is more suspense and maybe even that is not quite right for this one. It just wasn't what I was expecting unfortunately.

Cynthia Pelayo is one of my auto-buy authors, and Vanishing Daughters did not disappoint. We still have a whimsical quality to the storytelling that I loved in previous books, a crime in the background and consistent character development. It’s a story about grief at it’s core and yet it’s not only that. Beautiful.

Cynthia Pelayo is one of the most important authors working, and Vanishing Daughters is just the latest proof of that. Pelayo's writing is etheric and poetic, heavy, and strong.

Not as captivating as I had hoped I just didn't feel like I ever truly got hooked. May just be the writing style and not the story it's self but I just wanted more.

DNF 8%

I really struggled with getting into this book. The writing was super descriptive but was hard to follow at times.

“What if a haunted house is a loving thing? A record. A memory. A being itself that longs and loves. Maybe haunted houses aren’t scary things. Maybe haunted houses are extensions of your family, are your family. And maybe those hauntings, those things that you see, are little loving messages, reminders, or warnings. A house loves you like a mother loves you. We should all believe in something beyond death, if even story, because stories keep us connected to each other and the fabric of space.” @cynthiapelayoauthor

Briar Rose Thorn just lost her mother. She’s reeling from the grief. She’s not sure where her reality is- her dreams feel real and her waking moments are like nightmares. Her family’s Chicago home is sending messages- she sees and hears from her dead mother. She is destined to fight an age old evil to release those kept captive in death.

Good fairies, bad fairies, folklore and fairytale- @ will take you on a journey into the veil.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to @netgalley for this #advancedreaderscopy -pub date was 3/25/25

#2025bookchallengebook26of100
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#vanishingdaughters

Cynthia Pelayo has done it once again with Vanishing Daughters! Her prose was beautiful and tragic. Seriously even if you don’t vibe with this story Cynthia’s writing style alone makes her one of the greats in story telling. Vanishing Daughters centers around the tragic life of a haunted woman and the serial killer who is killing women left and right in Chicago. While the second half of that description got a little lost in the middle the story still came together in the most creepy atmospheric way ! I can’t wait to add the physical copy of this book to my library! Happy reading! X

Thanks Thomas & Mercer for the ARC.

This book was a really interesting blend of fairytales in their true original form, serial killers, and the concept of the fae. I think some of the ideas could have been a little more fleshed out in parts, but on the whole, I really enjoyed the story and the concept. It gave me goosebumps in places, and I can tell the writer really cared about the setting and history of each place they wrote about.

If you are looking for a quick read on a weekend, i'd recommend checking this out.

Pelayo sets the tone and proves her talent for eerie yet thought-provoking storytelling with Vanishing Daughters. Briar’s current narrative includes flashbacks with her mother and how it connects to her current state of mind. Yet the storyline was easy to follow, given the slower pace. Readers also get the serial killer’s POV, where we get more insight into his background and motivations.

The author also weaves in real Chicago history, scientific theories, and inexplicable phenomena to offer a sophisticated exploration of grief and loss. Paralleled with ongoing violence against women and the media’s coverage of cold cases, Vanishing Daughters is a noteworthy addition to your reading list.

First and foremost, a big thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eArc! Really appreciate the opportunity to read this!

2.5 ⭐️ (rounded to 3⭐️)

I am honestly a bit torn about this book. It was a solid 4 ⭐️ read for me UNTIL about 86% in. It was a beautiful Sleeping Beauty re-telling with a psychological thriller twist, but the end was what really ruined it for me.

What I liked: The atmosphere was heavy, linking themes of grief and loss to dreams and streams of consciousness to supernatural energies of the spirits that lingered from the restless victims of serial killers. My favorite theme was how Cynthia Pelayo weaved the story of Sleeping Beauty in every possible version to the protagonist and I was excited as to where the plot could go! At first, I was a bit annoyed about the dual pov bc the chapters weren’t labeled with who’s pov it was, BUT I learned to love it bc it was kind of fun trying to figure out who’s perspective the chapter was about!

What I didn’t like: The ending was such a let down for me. I was expecting a cat and mouse kind of situation with Briar and the serial killer, but instead we got some totally unrelated entity that has been haunting Archer Avenue for years waaay before Briar’s story. I was quite disappointed since the tense build up between their relationship basically fell flat just by Briar ‘bringing her home’…

All in all, it did not meet my expectations and was lacking in a climactic plot. While I enjoyed the read, I unfortunately do not recommend this one :(

Unfortunately, this book was just not for me. I feel like the author tried to throw everything at the wall and it was just way too much. Really just way too messy and it makes it hard to read. the weaving of the fairytales into the modern tale felt strange and did not work for me. As other users have said, it felt a bit like a fever dream.

The idea and intent behind the novel were great. It started off intriguing, and I was keen to see where it would lead.

Unfortunately, the writing left very much to be desired. The dialogue was awkward, and the inner thoughts felt unnatural, like no would actually speak or think that way. The back and forth between the otherworldly and reality was not seamless at all, and as a result the writing came off amateurish. And then in the middle of the book there were large sections of fact and history dumped on us. I could tell the author tried to weave it into the story, but the result was clunky and awkward to read.

I didn’t even mind that there was a lot going on. What I did mind was the fact it felt like none of it was handled very well.

Overall, a disappointing read for me. But if you like reading about the eerie histories of folklore and fairytales and being swept up in the atmosphere over a more traditional plot structure, you might enjoy this.

Like always, Cynthia Pelayo comes in with her magical prose that puts me in such a calm state, it’s truly cathartic for me and I love that about it! Vanishing Daughters was everything I have come to love and expect from Pelayo. This dark, fairytale retelling turned serial killer/ghost story is haunting and so atmospheric. Pure perfection.

I love that her work is centered around Chicago, and she sets the scene so beautifully that it feels like I’m revisiting the city each time I read her work, but with a different vantage point this time. The grief packed in these pages was heavy and if you know me, you know I’m here for that.

If you enjoy fairytale retellings, be sure to give this one and Forgotten Sisters a try. Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Kaye Publicity for my copy! Vanishing Daughters is available now.

If you’re looking for a surreal, gothic nightmare wrapped in an inverted fairy tale, Vanishing Daughters delivers a uniquely haunting experience. Pelayo’s prose is rich with imagery—at times, it feels like pure poetry. The novel’s premise is equally compelling, blending horror with folklore and true crime elements.

However, while the dreamlike writing is striking, the narrative structure can feel disjointed and meandering, making it occasionally difficult to follow.

Recommended for readers who enjoy:
•A fresh take on the horror genre, combining gothic fairy tale elements with true crime
•Atmospheric, haunting prose infused with supernatural themes and Chicago urban legends
•Exploration of grief, death, and trauma
-a crumbling Victorian mansion setting, complete with eerie visions and unsettling sounds
-A serial killer element woven into the story
•A blend of psychological thriller and horror
•Twists and an ambiguous ending

⭐ 3.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC. Vanishing Daughters is set to be published on March 11, 2025.

I was hooked from the beginning!!
This book was just so good.
It was amazing, addictive, and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

This book may have an audience, but it isn’t me. Vanishing Daughters by Cynthia Pelayo felt both disjointed and far too long. Maybe it was the way I read it, in short stints, but I really struggled to finish the novel. The idea of weaving old fairytale storytelling with modern-day serial killers was a no brainer for me. I was hooked. But the execution, the long descriptions of radios and energy, seemed to drag the story down. I lasted to the very end, which unfortunately never really picked up.

The cover is absolutely beautiful and I love the title. I’ve never read anything by the author before.

I was really enjoying the first half of the book but then my interested waned and I couldn’t get back into the story. It is a unique take on a haunted house. I think my favorite part was how it spoke on the lingering effects of grief.

Thank you to NetGalley, Cynthia Pelayo, and Thomas & Mercer. I have written this review voluntarily and honestly.

This is such a unique book... I don't really know how to describe it but all I can say is that I was HOOKED from page 1.
Much like the main character, I felt like I was trapped somewhere between a haunting and a dream this whole book. It was the perfect balance of reflection on grief and the reality of the dead never truly leaving people.
Trying to understand the main character was a full time job and when you add in the thriller element and there is so much suspense and anticipation with this one. This is one giant mix of ghost stories, the history of Chicago, and the extreme ways that grief changes people.
If you're a fan of thrillers, this one is a MUST read!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC and the opportunity to read it and share my honest thoughts!

I really wanted to love this book because it has all the makings of something that I would enjoy and love reading: psychological thriller, dark fairytale vibes, and sleep deprivation that leads to weird fever dreams but unfortunately the plot just seemed to fall kind of flat for me. I didn’t really connect to the main character and I felt like she was hopelessly stuck in her grief which was just hard to read for page after page.

I DNF’d at about the 15% mark which is rare for me to do so early on but as mentioned above, I was just not engaged with the characters or the story to continue reading.