Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and the author, for approving my ARC request.

I blasted through it in 2 days. The first half slowly builds up to a second half full of relevations!

I found it well written and loved the eerie forest setting, finding myself sometimes drawn to the trees and the forest alongside the characters.

It's a story about difficult family dynamics, sisterhood and motherhood, told through two POVs, with a twisted commentary on beauty standards while also exploring the idea that family isn't always found with those we share blood with.

I clocked early on what the mystery was going to be but that didn't take away the excitement and dread while I kept reading.

I especially loved the father was just a background character and this story really was all about the women, their connections and their strengths.

The reason why I didn't rate this book higher was due to the pacing. The beginning was too slow and the ending felt too rushed. I would have liked the last dinning scene to last a bit longer, understand what was going through the other characters' heads.

Overall, I highly recommend if you're looking for a story with a mix of fantasy, mystery and social commentary.

The Forest of Missing Girls completely pulled me in from the first page and is definitely one of my top reads this year. I absolutely loved the writing style and the dark, atmospheric setting. It was hard for me to put down because I found myself needing to know what in the world was going on. I loved Lia & Evie's relationship and the ending has me wanting more. Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Reading the description of this book is what made me want to read it; I should have also read some more of the reviews first so I had a better idea of what was coming.
The book started out beautifully written and enticing in its portrayal of the forest. I thought it was setting up to be a great thriller; and then it sharply took a turn into sy-fy territory. I admit I struggled with it for a while because of this. I set it down for the night; when I picked it up the next day now knowing what to expect I was able to fall back into the story and quickly finished it.

A twisted commentary on womanhood, motherhood, and sisterhood, with some Frankenstein and forest magic thrown in.

ARC Review
***************!!!CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!!**************

The Forest of Missing Girls by Nichelle Giraldes

Thank you @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the opportunity to read this book prior to it's November release.

The Forest of Missing Girls was presented as a thriller/horror - which is right up my alley. Unfortunately, this book lacked all thrill and instead gave Sci-Fi/Dark Fairy Tale vibes. The story alternates between present time and 20+ years ago. A scorned doctor begins kidnapping women to mix-and-match their bodies into "perfect" women in her cottage's basement laboratory. The reason for this Frankenstein-esque experimentation was absolutely ridiculous -when the doctor met her pen pal boyfriend in person he thought she wasn't pretty so he ended the relationship. She was so upset about this letdown she started creating women using unexplained forest magic and living vicariously through their beauty and successful lives.

My primary issues with the book:
🌛 The magic of the forest isn't explained
🌛 There are no lessons learned for anyone
🌛 The end was anticlimactic
🌛 Character development for many was lacking
🌛 These "creations" are made as adults and released into society with no family. In a small town it was not believable that no one questioned all these family-less women showing up
🌛 The characters just were not likeable
🌛 Not enough time spent explaining this hidden cabin in a forest 1 mile in that no one can seem to find.


This was my first ARC - I wish I had enjoyed it more, but maybe if I went into it knowing the real genre I wouldn't have been waiting for a thrill that was never going to come.

It took me about 6 days to get 35% in this book before I had to DNF. Back and forth chapters between two setting kept me confused and it seemed it was going in a magical/odd direction that I simply wasn't interested in.

The setting and characters were explained enough but I just didn't like being confused and not really understand the direction it was going.

Very good read. I smashed it because I really wanted to know what happens. I was shocked that Elizabeth was a frankenstein creation and not just a blessed with beauty natural

This book felt very unbalanced to me. The pacing was significantly slower in the beginning than the end. I did not think that the narration in the different points of view was significantly different between them. In some points I couldn’t tell who was narrating because they were so similar.

I would describe the exposition as sloppy and info-dumpy. It didn’t feel like what I would expect of a book that is traditionally published, I think there would have been better ways to illustrate the information that was forcefully told. I feel like the book being in first person also took away from the effectiveness of the exposition.

The story was significantly entertaining, and I appreciated Elisabeth’s character, which is why I rated it so highly. The only problem I had with the story is that it felt like a pile of tropes and was fairly unoriginal.

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher, and author for the ARC of The Forest of Missing Girls.
The Forest of Missing Girls book is a thriller with a mix of supernatural elements. We follow a young woman who returns home and is pulled into the mystery of a forest. A forest where girls have gone missing throughout the years and where her family secrets also are buried. I loved reading the complicated family dynamics. It was also really refreshing to get a female villain. Overall a 4 out of 5 stars read for me.

'The Forest of Missing Girls' is an atmospheric thriller weaving mystery, folklore, and complex family dynamics into a gripping story. Lia returns to her childhood home, where the surrounding forest holds dark secrets and a history of disappearances. When a local girl goes missing, Lia’s deepest fears become real, and she begins to suspect that her mother harbours secrets connected to the forest’s sinister past.

After a bit of a slow start, the story kicks off and provides some unexpected twists with some supernatural undertones. Character development is a little uneven, but there's a great chilling atmosphere that balances horror and family drama.

4,5/5 stars. I tore through this one! From the blurb, I was expecting more of a straight mystery/thriller, so it was a lovely surprise when folkloric horror and dark fairytale vibes crept in alongside the central plot. The opening chapters were a little slow for me, mostly due to the scene-setting and the FMC's internal monologue... but the moment the second POV stepped in? From that point on, I was completely hooked, and just couldn't put the book down. I really enjoyed how the author wove in complex family dynamics, the weight of parental and societal expectations, and threads of generational trauma, all wrapped in a fresh twist on the "girls go missing in the forest" trope. That constant undercurrent of dread, that sense that something was off, lingered beautifully on every page. And the wild, tangled forest setting? Absolutely perfect.

I will not lie, it took me a few chapters to grab my attention, but once it did I was fully hooked. I was expecting a thriller, but this delivered and more. I thought I had it figured out after Maddie had gone missing, but then the plot twist hit and I could not put the book down. The writing flower so well through the story, beautifully written. The double point of view made the story so much better as well. Especially with the plot twist. Will definitely be recommending this book for those who love spooky season.

I really enjoyed this.

If you enjoy a thriller mystery and a little horror with some fantasy vibes thrown in, along with the unrealistic societal expectations of women and a protagonist with a screw loose, then you’re going to love this. It sounds like a messy mix of genres, but it works.

The story centres around the mystery of the missing girls, with the two sisters, Lei and Ellie trying to figure out what’s going on, when Ellie’s best friend disappears. Lei suspects their mother, Elizabeth, knows more than she’s letting on…. and maybe she does??!!!

This kept me engaged and entertained throughout, I will certainly look out for other books by this author.

3.5

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press, and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say I am a little bummed that this is only getting a 3.5. The premise was something I was drawn to, and I was excited to read this book. However, the book did not hit the mark for me.

I felt there were so many inconsistences though out the story itself. I know that a relationship between mother and child can be compilated, but once minute Lia admired her mother then the next, she was indifferent and then almost to dislike for her. Lia was supposedly lonely and eating dinner alone when she was living with the boyfriend but then later on, she was talking about going out to dinner and being surrounded by friends when she lived in the city. These are just two examples. It felt all over the place.

**Minor Spoilers - do not read anymore if you don't want any spoilers**

The biggest downfall for me is that we started getting the POV from the "missing girls" after a few chapters. So, we knew what was happening with them the whole time. This didn't allow for any element of surprise and when the confrontation finally took place it felt very low stakes. I really wasn't concerned for our main character and her family. It is too bad. I feel if the story was told a bit differently it could have landed a major blow and taken out breaths away.

Overall, it was an okay read and there were interesting ideas.

This book I would think was heavily inspired by Frankenstein and the cult classic movie Eyes Without A Face. I enjoyed the creepy vibes and the 2 sister main characters. I guessed most of it by midway point but still enjoyed the book. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a creepy tale.

I wasn’t sure at first if The Forest of Missing Girls was really my kind of read, but I dove in, and within a few chapters I was hooked. Nichelle Giraldes writes in a way that doesn’t just describe the forest and the house—you feel them. The writing is visceral and immersive, so atmospheric that I could practically smell the damp earth and hear the whisper of branches.

From the moment Lia returns to her childhood home, with its creaking floors and the brooding forest just outside your window, you sense something lurking beneath every shadow. The suspense builds steadily, weaving in family secrets and local legends, and all the while you’re anxiously turning pages, wondering whose truth is buried under the trees.

When that teenage girl disappears, it shifts the story into full paranoia mode because now it’s not just whispers on the news. It’s personal. You feel Lia’s fear for her younger sister, her frustration when doors slam shut, and the creeping dread when she suspects her own mother might know more than she’s saying.

What I absolutely loved is that the forest isn’t just setting—it’s a character. It’s hungry, unpredictable, and deeply unnerving. It pulses with eeriness, and Giraldes uses the environment to ratchet up the tension beautifully.

I also appreciated the family dynamics. Lia’s emotional vulnerability and stubborn determination felt real. She’s fierce in her protectiveness but occasionally hesitant, which made her so relatable. The shifting loyalties, the buried resentments, and the slowly unraveling history between mother and daughter added complexity to the mystery.
The atmosphere is haunting and chilling, which really matches the mood I felt throughout.
The layered mystery and twisty family backstory caught me off guard and made the emotional stakes even higher.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely. If you like your thrillers with strong family ties, hidden histories, and that creeping sense of dread, this one is a standout. It surprised me in the best way.

I had the pleasure of reading an ARC of The Forest of Missing Girls by Nichelle Giraldes, and it absolutely delivered on atmosphere and suspense. The setting is stunning and the forest is almost alive with secrets. Giraldes creates a haunting sense of place that lingers long after you turn the final page.

There’s a supernatural thread woven through the mystery that adds just the right amount of unease and wonder. It doesn’t overwhelm the plot but deepens it, blurring the lines between reality and folklore in a way that keeps you guessing. The pacing builds steadily, and the emotional stakes are high, especially as the story touches on trauma, sisterhood, and the way a place can both haunt and hold you. How far can a mother’s love go? This tale pushes that boundary, blurring lines between love, fear, and the unknown.

Perfect for fans of atmospheric thrillers with a touch of the uncanny. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what Giraldes writes next.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

This was an interesting read- thanks so much to Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC; releases 11/11/2025!

A horror novel with a lot of content, this book takes us on Ophelia’s journey with striving to be perfect for her mother Elizabeth. All the while, Elizabeth is hiding a huge secret from her and her sister that would change how they look at their mother forever. Ophelia moves back to her hometown in Nebraska from LA and relishes the quiet, but also notices the woods that she used to play in as a kid make her feel a bit uneasy now. Going in to them she gets turned around, feels like someone is watching her, and notices her mom whispering to her friends by them late at night. One night when her sister and her best friend Maddie are sitting by the fire, Maddie disappears and somehow Ophelia knows her mom is involved. Will they find Maddie before it is too late? Or will the missing girls count just keep getting bigger in her hometown?

Spooky, poetic, meaningful; these are the three words that come to mind when I read this one. Even though some of it is gruesome, it feels like the author was very gentle with the story, almost like a fable would be. Highly recommend to the avid horror reader looking for something different or the thriller reader looking for a little more detail!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc read of The forest of missing girls.

This book releases in November so grab a blanket on a chilly day and dive into The forest of missing girls.
This book was super thrilling and totally gave me goosebumps.

Not sure what I was expecting going into this book but oh lord it was good! The beginning is a little slow, but definitely picks up about 25 percent in.

A bit of a dark story, somewhat of a modern day Frankenstein. So twisty and alluring.
Just do yourself a favor and run and grab this book! I was captivated!

I found this book to be frustratingly underwhelming. What should have felt like building tension instead felt like needless barriers put in the way. The main character was annoying and bland. The story was unrealistic and bland.

Had to catch up from being on vacation but glad I didn’t forget about this one.

Loved that the two dogs weren’t hurt 😅
What a twisty turn this book took. It’s the type of book to read with some hot chocolate or coffee on a lovely cold/rainy day or in front of a fire place in the dark. It has that scary/spooky feel to it.

This book won’t be released until November, so it’s the perfect time!

You’ll get the trauma, family bond, secrets, etc. I highly recommend this book!!