2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of Vanishing Daughters.

Briar has just recently lost her mother and she has inherited her house which she believes to be haunted. There is also a serial killer that is on the loose in the neighborhood which is making it hard for her to sleep. She begins to have nightmares and she starts to feel like she is slowly losing her mind.

This was definitely less thriller/mystery and more horror/psychological. I feel like this whole book could have been a fever dream. There was just way too much going on and I was not a fan of the writing style. It was just not for me.

A lyrical modern fairy tale, in a crumbling mansion on the south side of Chicago, Vanishing Daughters is a story of women, of serial killers and of the legacy of pain left behind.

Cynthia Palayo has written a beautiful ghost story from two angles, from the ghost and from the current resident of the haunted place. With hints of Sleeping Beauty and the real life story of Chicago's dark history, this is a dreamy and haunting look at the history of women and of places.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A Chicago based thriller that ends up being part, fairytale and part psychological mind bender.

Disclaimer: I did read this as an e-book through NetGalley. Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for the free e-book copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

(3.75 rounded up) Oh gosh, how I wanted to love this. And overall, I did enjoy the novel for the most part. However.....

First, the things I enjoyed. I always enjoy Pelayo's ability to blend Chicago history with the dark and mythical. In this novel, our main character is sorting through Chicago history, as well as living through a psychological thriller/fairytale type storyline. Dealing with the grief of her recently deceased mother Briar is caught in a web of insomnia, heartbreak, and what seems to be paranormal instances. All simultaneously well being stalked by a very prominent serial killer. Needless to say, the premise while super involved and complicated. It seems was a really interesting, dark and yet still fresh. The blend of psychological thriller and fairytale Law was something completely new to me and I have to admit it was very interesting and I did enjoy that aspect of the novel.

Now the however. It got extremely rambling towards the middle of the book. I felt like all of the action completely slowed to a halt, and we just got a lot of repetitive internal monologue from the main character. I could never quite tell if she was hallucinating or lucid. Which isn't necessarily a problem, but the periods of lucidity and hallucination were so incoherent at times that it really lost me. While everyone grieves differently, and I respect this portrayal of grief, it really felt over the top to me, and I just had a hard time relating to that particular aspect. I really wish there had been more development in the way of the relationships between the main character and her roommate and boyfriend. Well, they were a pretty significant part of the book. I felt like nothing really deep or motivating happened within those relationships.

The ending was definitely thrilling and left on a high note. And that is honestly what saved a lot of this book for me. But it did feel a little rushed and it happened extremely late within the book. Overall, I do recommend as something that is fun to read if you're into a psychological thriller, and wanna add a little bit of fairytale lore to that thriller. But it was a middle of the road book for me.

How fun was the concept of this book? However it kind of fell short for me. I wanted more from it.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my early e-arc.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. The writing style is very similar to a fairy tale and has a dream like feel to it, and I quickly realized this was not for me.

I liked the concept of this book and will be trying out others by this author, I just don’t think this one was for me. The multiple genres in the same book is something I would like to explore further. I requested this on Netgalley based on the description and as a daughter also grieving the loss of her mother I’m not sure this was what I was in the mood for? Just because this book wasn’t right for me though doesn’t mean it won’t be the right book for someone else. Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the arc.

This is the second book I read from this author and I am definitely getting a feel for her style. Vanishing Daughters is written in a dreamy, whimsical way which makes the reader wonder if they what is being told is just the imagination of the MC, Briar, or if it is actually happening.

Bri is a journalist who recently lost her mother and she is now living back in her childhood home in Chicago. She is battling with the grief of the loss of her mother which is causing her to have nightmares. At the same time, we learn of the Chicago Strangler who is a serial killer on the loose and has an obsession with Bri.
Bri leans heavily into memories of her mother and she remembers fairy tales that her mother shared with her and how one tale connects with her family.
What I loved about this story is the atmospheric, gothic, horror vibe to it. The fact that it was written from a dreamy perspective makes it an interesting read because you don't know if there are in facts real fairy tales, turned to horror or if this is all just a part of Bri's coping mechanism to her grief.

I recommend this book to readers who like atmospheric horror, gothic vibes, ghost stories and unsettling fairy tales. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer. All opinions are my own.

4.75 stars! I received and arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Pelayo hits it out of the park again! She has easily become one of my favorite authors. I love how she seamlessly intertwines fantasy with horror, and Vanishing Girls is no exception! I never knew I needed a true crime interpretation of Sleeping Beauty until now!

Another beautifully-written read from Cynthia Pelayo! This one is a mix of fairy tale, serial killer, Chicago history and lore, and grief! I was really hooked from the get-go and of course I absolutely loved all of the Chicagoland references throughout! 🙌

I did feel the pace slowed a bit halfway through, and some things were a little bit repetitive. But I still really enjoyed the read and definitely recommend checking it out! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Cynthia Pelayo for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

Vanishing Daughters comes at you with a contemporary twist on fairy tales and folklore set in Chicago. With the backdrop of a grieving protagonist, we see the consequences of such grief on the mind and the manifestations that occur due to this. Briar is suffering after her mother's passing, and she stays stuck in a sort of cycle as she wonders about the last thing her mother told her. Add a serial killer on the loose, dead girls popping up everywhere, and nightmares and night terrors spilling into the real world.

I think the concept of this book was very intriguing. Just a quick read over the blurb had me wanting to get my hands on this book. However, I think if you want to read something with more suspense, then this might not be for you. The format of this book alone is more stream of consciousness at times and very philosophical. Unfortunately for me, I tried to immerse myself in the writing and this world, but the style didn't allow me to really get in there. There was only a single chapter where I felt fully immersed and I was so interested, but everything around it felt more surface level than anything else. I wish I could've enjoyed it more because I did love all the characters and how they were presented in the story, but I struggled to fully get into this book.

At the end of the day, this was an incredible concept, but the execution isn't typically what *I* tend to read.

While this felt a little all over the place at time- it was a super solid story and was a really fun read. I found myself challenged to put it down and needing to know the outcome and if I was right about the twists and turns! Absolutely worth the recommendation!

3.25 Stars 🌟 A huge thanks to Thomas & Mercer & NetGalley for the ARC! 💌

Vanishing Daughters by Cynthia Pelayo was definitely a wild ride. The premise was sooo intriguing 😲 – a haunted woman + serial killer + fairy tale vibes? YES, PLEASE! But... there’s a but.

So, Briar Thorne’s life is a mess after her mom’s death 💔. She’s stuck in their creepy mansion, haunted by her mother’s ghost and weird happenings around the house. Sounds exciting, right? Well, that’s where it kind of lost me. The execution was a bit all over the place – like, we start with this intense ghostly setup, but then we’re thrown into these philosophical musings about grief, dreams, and consciousness... and I’m like… wait, what just happened to the creepy serial killer plot?

Don’t get me wrong, the atmosphere was AMAZING. The mansion, the weird occurrences, the eerie vibes, all of that had me hooked. But, then the pacing... Ugh. Snooze fest in the middle of the book. I was literally waiting for the thriller to kick in, but it was like watching paint dry until the last 10 pages, where everything goes CRAZY (in a good way).

Now, I do love a good dark twist, and this book had some cool ones, but the fairy tale connection? Eh. 💤 It felt forced at times, and the serial killer just didn’t have the oomph I was expecting. He was more of a mystery in himself, which was cool, but I was hoping for more edge-of-my-seat moments.

Let’s talk about Briar. She’s a journalist, super smart, but honestly, she frustrated me at times. Her grief felt over the top, and I get it—losing someone sucks, but it seemed like she was just stuck in a loop of reflection. I wanted more action!

In the end, if you love dark, supernatural thrillers with a philosophical twist and fairy tale inspirations, then you’ll totally vibe with this. 🌙 But if you’re expecting a straight-up edge-of-your-seat thriller, you might wanna pass. 🙅‍♀️

Overall, it’s a good read but just not my cup of tea! ✨

Tropes:
🏚️ Haunted House
🌙 Grieving Protagonist
🏚️ Serial Killer
🌙 Supernatural Thrills
🏚️ Philosophical Musings
🌙 Fairy Tale Inspirations

CW: Grief and loss, Ghosts, Serial Killer

This wasn't for me- there was too much going on what with the ghosts, the serial killer, and so on. Briar's mourning her mother and struggling with nightmares that might be true. Or not. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

This one was very different from what I usually read. It’s a bit of a slow burn at first, so it took until about 25% before the pace started picking up. The story itself was really well-written and Cina did a great job of portraying an MC who is an absolute basket case. While the writing seems very disjointed at first (kind of similar to Requiem for a Dream), it is actually us being thrust into the MC’s descent into madness. It was a stellar strategy, despite being a bit confusing at first. By the time the ending came about, it was hard to know which events she was actually experiencing and which were in her head, which was the whole point of this novel. This was a very character driven story, so if that’s your jam, you should definitely pick it up, especially if you’re looking for something with a modern gothic horror feel to it!

Huge thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

This is my first book by this author, and it grabbed me from the first page and kept its grip until the very end. The cover is gorgeous and was what caught my attention along with the title. Vanishing Daughters combines a modern psychological thriller with our oldest fairytales and stories, resulting in an entirely new experience. I truly enjoyed this book, but I don't think it will appeal to every reader. The writing style is dreamy and wandering, with certain chapters resembling a stream of consciousness from our main character Briar. And, as I noted in the first part of the review, this book covers a wide range of subjects and topics, and while they're all handled brilliantly, it can feel a little overwhelming at points. However, if you favor dark modern magical realism and prefer atmospheric over fast-paced stories, I believe you will enjoy Vanishing Daughters.
Overall, I appreciated this darkly gorgeous novel. I believe the story will stick with me for a long time, and it has even influenced my perspective on several issues. This book is an example of a completely unique story. Vanishing Daughters is recommended to those who appreciate magical realism, fairy tale and myth-inspired novels, and one-of-a-kind reading experiences.

I’m in a pickle. This is an undoubtedly amazing book, well written and with intriguing ideas and characters. Objectively, I should give it 5 stars, excellent, magnificent. Now, for whether I liked it or not, I’m afraid that it was not for me. All these philosophical concepts about dreaming and consciousness, the ghostly apparitions, the fairy tales… it is not something I enjoy, and I had a hard time reading this. Briar just lost her mother, and she’s stuck in her family’s dilapidated mansion grieving and plagued by nightmares. She dreams or hallucinates, walks her (adorable) dog and talks to her (super-likable) friends. There is also a serial killer who’s stalking her. This is a story that has been repeating itself forever and she needs to listen to her mother’s voice (in her head?) to break the circle. I loved the descriptions of the house, as well as the stories about Chicago. I could even relate to Briar’s recent loss, having lost my dad last year, but I still couldn’t connect with her – her grief seems too out of proportion for something we all know will eventually happen. I hope many readers will love this. Based on my enjoyment, though, I’d have to give it 2 stars. Rounding out, I’m settling on 3.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer.

I love Cynthia Pelayo for the tone of her stories. This cross of modern and dark fairy tale has such atmosphere and mood that it makes for a very engaging read. Vanishing Daughters does this so well that I have very few complaints. The one thing would be that this type of story always has a sense of disjointedness to it, and for this story that didn’t come together quite as well as it did in Forgotten Sisters.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Sleeping Beauty retelling with a serial killer twist...I'm so here for here for it!

Vanishing Daughters was completely unexpected and I couldn't put it down. I loved the web of mystery and intrigue the author created. This story was bizarre, yet utterly fascinating. I was completely invested and couldn't wait to see how everything would come together in the end.

If I had to make a complaint about anything, it would be that I wished that Emily and Daniel would have been featured a little more. I felt like we got little glimpses of them, but they were ultimately an afterthought.

Overall, I thought Vanishing Daughters was a unique gothic thriller with an unexpected fairytale twist. This book is quite a departure from the books I normally read and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Vanishing Daughters by Cynthia Pelayo is a chilling, atmospheric thriller that combines elements of horror with a tense, edge-of-your-seat mystery. The story follows Briar Thorne, a journalist who has been haunted by strange and terrifying dreams ever since her mother's death in their old Chicago mansion. As Bri confronts the lingering grief from her mother's passing, she begins to suspect that the eerie experiences in her home might not just be figments of her imagination, but something far darker and more dangerous.

When Bri starts investigating the grisly murders of fifty-one women at the hands of a serial killer, her search for answers leads her to a stranger who suggests that the key to solving both the murders and her own nightmares lies within her ability to connect with the dead. As the killer becomes more aware of Bri's research, the stakes intensify, and she finds herself in a race against time to stop a murderer before she becomes his next victim.

Pelayo expertly weaves together a tale of supernatural suspense and real-world terror. The sense of dread and foreboding is palpable throughout, keeping readers hooked as Bri uncovers chilling truths that blur the lines between the living and the dead. With a strong, determined protagonist and a gripping narrative, Vanishing Daughters is perfect for fans of psychological thrillers and supernatural mysteries alike. It's a dark, haunting journey that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page.

Overall the book/story was decent. The characters were very descriptive and very interesting.
I liked the way the story was told and the fairy tale aspect to it.
I definitely think this book should have been longer. There were times that the story was leading somewhere then it just didn’t get brought back up. Like it was an unfinished thought or they meant to go into more detail but then decided not to.
I really felt like the ending was missing something as well. The story had so many twists but they didn’t lead anywhere.
Hopefully there will be a sequel or so to fill in those blanks.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the copy