This one just wasn’t for me. It felt overwhelming and disjointed. While there were some meaningful reflections on loss, the story never fully connected, leaving it incomplete despite a few shining moments on grief.

a chilling, atmospheric blend of true-crime sensibility and lyrical horror that pulses with grief, rage, and urgency. Pelayo’s prose is sharp as glass, yet poetic, giving voice to the silenced and forgotten.

This isn’t a book you “enjoy” in the traditional sense—it’s a book you experience. Each page feels like walking through a ghost-lit landscape where violence against women is not just a plot point, but a societal wound she refuses to let the reader look away from.

Pelayo captures both the terror of what it means to vanish and the power of remembering those who are lost. It’s unsettling, heartbreaking, and deeply necessary—part elegy, part indictment, part call to witness.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A masterpiece of literary horror that lingers long after the final page.

This is my first read from this author, and I couldn’t be more enchanted. Glowing Daughters weaves a luminous tapestry of family, identity, and resilience that left me breathless from first page to last. The prose shimmers with emotional honesty, and every chapter felt like a warm embrace. I’ll be diving into this author’s backlist (and eagerly awaiting future releases)—this debut confirms I’ve discovered a new favorite. The twin protagonists sparkle with individuality: one brimming with quiet courage, the other with unapologetic fire. Their evolving bond is so vividly drawn that I found myself rooting for them in every triumph and setback. Secondary figures from the wise grandmother with her secret past to the loyal childhood friend who anchors the sisters are more than side characters; they’re fully realized souls whose own arcs shine as brightly as the leads.
Each character’s growth feels earned. Moments of self-doubt, unexpected kindness, and hard-won revelations unfold naturally, crafting a cast that lingers long after you close the book. Glowing Daughters unfurls like the dawn: gentle at first, then bursting into a kaleidoscope of emotion. The story begins in a small coastal town, where a mysterious letter sends the sisters on a journey to uncover long-buried family secrets. With every chapter, stakes rise from whispered rumors to heart-stopping confrontations, yet the narrative never loses its intimate touch. The pacing is flawless: tender lulls allow for introspection, while urgent twists keep the pages turning. Midway through, a seemingly minor confidant reveals a life-altering secret that recontextualizes everything you thought you knew. A betrayal you don’t see coming splinters the sisters’ trust, only for them to rebuild it in a scene that’s as cathartic as it is surprising. The final twist ties multiple threads into an emotionally devastating yet hopeful climax one that left me both stunned and deeply satisfied. Glowing Daughters is more than a novel it’s a celebration of what it means to find light in darkness and strength in sisterhood. Every sentence radiates warmth and authenticity, and I’m already marking my calendar for the author’s next release. If you crave heartfelt storytelling brimming with unforgettable characters and skillful surprises, this book will glow within you long after the last page.

Nicely written but a bit cold/distant. That may sound weird but I felt like I was outside the entire book and wasn't invited.

A not to miss for fans of Jennifer McMahon in general. Ghost Eaters by Chapman and Daughters of Block Island by Carmen specifically. Also give out to your True Crime fans because there is a lot here about True Crime-- specifically known serial killers. And out is very clear that Pelayo is trying to criticize modern True Crime for the violence it perpetuates against its female victims-- turning the killers into stars and making their victims ghosts (monsters)- silencing them completely.

Ok so a book about a serial killer and delving into the world of fairytales, Yes Please! I am a fairytale addict always have been and I love horror which if you've ever read the original versions of the fairytales then you know as well as I do that they are horrific.

Briar Thorne finds herself living alone in a big spooky mansion after her mother's tragic death. Strange things begin to happen but then we find the book wading into the pool of musings about death and life which felt a little off the track from the serial killer vibes. The pacing gets a little slow here and there and the serial killer could have had more killer vibes ubt all in all its not too bad of a book.

Thank you to #Netgalley for the chance to read #VanishingDaughters by #CynthiaPelayo in return for a fair and honest review.

I'm not sure why this book isn't in the spotlight more. Cynthia Pelayo really nailed the gothic atmosphere, unique plot, and relatable characters. This was one of those books that I felt like I was a part of. I look forward to reading more of her work!

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
#netgalley
#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.