The Forest of Missing Girls is a creepy, atmospheric read that blends literal danger with a strong psychological edge. The presentation is unique and kept me intrigued from the start. While I had a good idea of the general twists early on, the details still pulled me in and made me want to see how everything unfolded. It’s not entirely unpredictable, but it’s still compelling. The eerie tone and unsettling moments make it a worthwhile read, especially if you enjoy mysteries that play with your head a bit.

This psychological thriller set in a small town haunted by secrets and disappearances. The storyline follows a dual pov.

Lia Gregg who is the main character , returns to her childhood home after a breakup, hoping for a fresh start. The surrounding forest has always terrified her.It’s dark trees are steeped in local legends and stories of missing girls. When a teenage girl vanishes from her backyard, Lia’s fears become reality. The danger is no longer distant. As Lia investigates, she begins to suspect that her mother knows more than she’s letting on about the forest’s sinister history. With her younger sister potentially at risk, Lia must confront the secrets buried in the woods and uncover the truth before it’s too late.

The story has an eerie atmosphere with emotional depth, it has a haunting tone.

I gave it 3.75 ⭐️ it was eerie at times but it felt a bit too slow paced for me. And I didn’t really connect with the characters. Still a good read and I would recommend it to those who likes a slower paced thriller/ horror story.

Thank you NetGalley for this Arc. 🥰

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The setup for this had so much promise. A creepy forest, missing girls, a mother with secrets, and a sister determined to figure it all out? It sounded like the perfect eerie, twisty read. But unfortunately, it didn’t deliver a 5 star for me.

The main character, Lia, comes back to her hometown after a breakup and gets pulled into a strange mystery when a teen girl goes missing near her childhood home. There are definitely some unsettling moments, and the forest itself had potential as this haunting, almost alive presence in the story.

The plot veers into a more sci-fi/fantasy direction that felt really out of place with the tone that was originally set. What started as a creepy thriller shifted into something that didn’t feel grounded, and the suspense got lost in the process. On top of that, a lot of time was spent on Lia’s complicated relationship with her mother and her identity crisis, which felt repetitive and overshadowed the actual mystery.

This just wasn’t the story I was hoping for, but I think readers who enjoy unpredictable twists in their thrillers might connect with it more than I did.

An ancient malevolent forest, darker family secrets and fear of childhood memories are rife within this folkloric horror. A journey of uncovering truth, and facing fears and confronting the secrets lurking in the trees and the darkness they conceal before it's too late to save anyone. Atmospheric, eerily emotional and beautiful.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬

After a bad breakup and an existential spiral, Ophelia retreats to her childhood home—unfortunately, that means dealing with her hyper-critical, picture-perfect mother and the creepy forest out back where girls used to go missing. Naturally, she ends up babysitting her younger sister Evie and Evie’s friend Maddie... until Maddie vanishes, kicking off a tense unraveling of old secrets and woodland horrors. As Ophelia digs deeper, she starts to realize there’s more to those disappearances—and her mother—than anyone wants to admit.

I really enjoyed the pacing of this one. The shifting POVs—from Ophelia to the missing girls in the woods—gave the story an eerie, layered depth that builds to a satisfying (if slightly predictable) twist. Once the truth about her mom’s connection to everything comes to light, it’s the perfect “Ohhh no” moment. Think your classic missing girl thriller, but with a gothic, almost Frankenstein-esque twist. Dark, suspenseful, and emotionally sharp—definitely worth the read.

Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
After reading the blurb, I thought this book sounded amazing. I love a good creepy forest story. Unfortunately this book missed the mark for me. It was fine, there were some creepy forest parts and there are also a few missing girls. I think it really lost me around the halfway point when we find out there is a bit of science fiction in the story. If I know that's the genre I'm reading before I pick up a book, I'm ok with it for the most part. I guess I just wasn't expecting it with this book.
Like I said, the story was fine. If reading about creepy woods with a bit of science fiction added in is a thing you like, you'll probably enjoy this one more than I did.

The tension builds slowly but surely, wrapping you in a sense of dread that’s impossible to shake. Giraldes’s prose is lush and evocative, capturing the oppressive beauty of the wilderness and the tangled web of guilt, grief, and suspicion that binds this community together. What makes this book stand out is its deeply atmospheric setting. The forest is practically a character itself; mysterious, threatening, and strangely seductive. Giraldes explores the complexities of girlhood, generational trauma, and the fragile ties that bind family and community with nuance and heart.

This one did not work for me, sadly. I love a good thriller, and I found myself just wanting to put this one down. Also, I was expecting a plot twist to ‘wow’ me, and I never got one or felt that. I also felt like it was too slow for my liking.

I LOVED this story!! I seriously could not put it down once I started it. There were so many twists and turns even up to the very last page. This really made me want to dive into more horror novels and I will definitely be reading more of Nichelle Giraldes’ work. I loved the dual timelines and POVs. Everything fell perfectly into place.

I was really looking forward to a gripping thriller, but this one just didn’t hit the mark for me. I found myself skimming through chapters just to get to the end and it felt like a bit ehhh. The genre labeling also feels off; this leans much more into sci-fi than thriller, which was unexpected and disappointing since I was anticipating a murder mystery vibe. While I do love a sci-fi book, it just isn’t what I thought I was sitting down to read.

There’s also a lot of description of the woods.. pages and pages of it.. which didn’t feel necessary and slowed the pace even more. Maybe if I’d gone into it expecting a sci-fi take, I would have rated it higher, but as a thriller, it just didn’t deliver what I was hoping for.

Creepy thriller with an really intriguing story. Girls have been going missing for years and are never found. Told from the POV of Lia, who grew up in the town, and is back after a stint in LA, and the missing girls, it is an eerie, atmospheric story. Everyone seems to have secrets, especially Lia's mother.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

3/5 stars
Pub date: 11.11.25
Thank you to NetGalley / Poison Pen Press for sending me this book!
This book follows an unnamed town / forest where, you guessed it, girls go missing rather frequently. It’s told from 2 POVs (1. Missing Girls 2. Lia, who moves back to her childhood home in the forest). I figured out the plot twist / trajectory of the 2 POVs by like 20%, but once I got to about 40% I didn’t care that I kind of knew what was happening. This book is less about the plot twist / gotcha! moment and more about how the story unfolds. I did not care for the characters in this book & was more invested for the plot of the story. I felt like where it felt flat was the repetitive messaging of “girls go missing all the time and no one cares.” What I did like about this book is it was CREEPY as heck! Perfect for fans of Local Woman Missing or feminist retellings of old myths and classics. The Forest of Missing Girls feels appropriate for fall reading season.

This is thriller novel with a sci-fi/speculative twist in it. This very atmospheric and I love the creepy forest.
A short *Synopsis*
Lia Gregg always hoped to outgrow her fear of the woods surrounding her childhood home. The dark, menacing trees have long been the site of whispered legends and disappearances of girls like her. But after a breakup sends her back to live with her family, the woods feel more sinister than ever.

When a teenage girl disappears from their backyard, Lia's childhood fear becomes terrifyingly real. The missing girls are no longer just faces on the news. Now, the danger is closer than she imagined, and her younger sister could be next.

The book is told in dual perspectives. It took me a while to get hooked into the story, but it is worth the wait. I love the themes of friendship, Lia's personal journey and unrevealing of the twist. I would say it's more like a speculative mystery thriller than horror read for me. It's a 4 ⭐ one.

Unsettling: 2.75
Intriguing: 2
Scariness: 1

The book comes out in November. Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen press for the ARC.

In general, the book is easy to read without too many vocabulary to search for. The story is interesting, and something new that I have never read before. However, I feel that in the middle of the story (around 40%) we already knew what was going on, and that actually was a little too fast because there wasn’t a plot twist I was expecting at the end of the book. I would recommend reader to read if you are looking for books that you can read easily without using too much brain analysing what is going on. It’s still a enjoyable time reading this book:)

Lia moves back in with her parents, with a forest that has been taking missing girls for years. This was an eerie atmospheric read in a small town that gave me all the chills! This town has more secrets than the deodorant! This book makes you question all the characters and their motives. Secrets are abounded in this small town with the creepy woods where missing girls go. I could not put this book down. It was fast-paced, with twists and turns that made my head spin.

Huge thank you to Poison Pen Press and Netgalley for the opportunity of reading and reviewing this arc! 🤍

I was a little conflicted on my rating because the first like 20% was really creepy and I was feeling like I needed to read this book by day. It had the suspense of what the forest was and since when I was little I didn’t like being alone in the backyard because I felt like the forest behind my house was watching me so it made me feel the ambiance of the book but then it lost me and I was a little bored and then the last 30% was really good and I wanted to keep reading. So for that I decided on a solid 3 stars 🌟. It wasn’t my favorite read but I would still recommend it to read in the fall time.

The Forest of Missing Girls is a haunting and atmospheric psychological thriller that delves into the eerie legends surrounding a secluded forest and the dark secrets of a family living on its edge. Nichelle Giraldes crafts a chilling narrative that keeps readers on edge, blending elements of horror with emotional depth.

The story follows Lia Gregg, who returns to her childhood home after a breakup, only to find that the forest she once feared has become even more menacing. When a teenage girl disappears from their backyard, Lia's childhood fears resurface, and she begins to suspect her mother knows more about the forest's mysteries than she's letting on.

Giraldes excels in building suspense through vivid descriptions and a slow-burning plot that gradually reveals the forest's sinister hold over the family. The writing is atmospheric, capturing the oppressive mood of the setting and the psychological tension that builds as Lia uncovers unsettling truths.

The characters are well-developed, with Lia's internal struggles and complex relationships adding depth to the narrative. The themes of family secrets, fear, and the unknown are explored effectively, making for a compelling read.

While the pacing may be slower for some readers, those who appreciate a methodical unraveling of mystery will find this novel engrossing. The eerie atmosphere and psychological depth make The Forest of Missing Girls a standout in the genre.

Overall, Nichelle Giraldes delivers a captivating and unsettling tale that will resonate with fans of atmospheric thrillers. The Forest of Missing Girls is a must-read for those who enjoy stories that linger long after the final page.

Ever since Lia can remember, she’s been afraid of the forest surrounding her childhood home — and with good reason. Every few years, a girl goes missing in the woods never to be heard from again — and the most recent disappearance has happened right in her own backyard. This book reaffirms my belief that the scariest monsters are human with a story that kept me up all night and left me feeling glad I don’t live near the forest.

This book is like Frankenstein reimagined.

When Lia returns home after a breakup, she gets reacquainted with the eerie woods in their backyard. After her little sister's best friend goes missing, she begins to remember other girls who also disappeared. Did the woods have anything to do with these disappearances?

I really enjoyed the whole spooky woods vibe the book and I think other people will enjoy it as well. I also liked that the narration came from two different points of view - Lia and the missing girls. It keeps things interesting and gives a little backstory at the same time. The book did take a strange turn when Mother was introduced. I wanted to see more detail on her operations and what made these experiments work so well. Because it wasn't as detailed in this area, I didn't find it to be very believable.

This book is supposed to be suspenseful with a touch of horror. It did have a little bit of suspense, but I felt it got a little predictable.

Overall, it's a pretty good book with great ideas that just needed a little more detail. I think many people will enjoy curling up with it!


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Michelle created a book that was filled with suspense and kept me on my toys the whole way through. The perspective of the missing girls and how it gently unfolded the story throughout kept me engaged. I particularly loved how it was a commentary on societal pressures on women's looks and how she portrayed that. This book wasn't what I was expecting when I went into reading it but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it!