I adored this book so much! This was so gripping right from the beginning. The forest is described so perfectly and the whole thing is atmospheric.
Without spoilers, I absolutely love the messaging delivered in this novel - it's dark, it's wholesome, it's crazy! 🌲👏🪏

I'll be preordering this one right away! thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the E-arc.

The forest of missing girls was not what i expected but i surprisingly enjoyed it. I was hooked from the first page. This has very eerie tones and is definitely spooky, perfect for late fall when it debuts. Minus one star for the rushed ending.

For the first 25% of The Forest of Missing Girls, I was all in. I loved the ominous forest setting, Ophelia's struggle for identity, and the overall family dynamic. And when Maddie disappeared, it felt so improbable that I was pulled even further in.

However, as the story went on and the second POV became stronger, I lost interest. I wasn't expecting a genre twist, and I might have been along for the ride if it didn't slow down the overall story. But ultimately, it did just — pull focus from a much more grounded and emotional narrative that could have stood on its own in a different book.

This book had an interesting story line. I it was told from the mom’s pov of her growing up and the daughter pov on what’s happening now. I loved the creepy woods vibe to the story. It was a quick easy read and I enjoyed it

I devoured this book! Lia is coming off a break up and decides to leave LA as it was just not her scene and she returns to her home in the woods with her Mom, Dad and little sister. The woods have been a place of fun in her childhood but also fear because girls are disappearing from these woods that she has found so disarming at times. These disappearances, while scary of course, have not impacted her directly all that much until her sister’s best friend goes missing and she is determined to figure out what has been going on.

This story is told from Lia’s perspective as well as a mystery character (in the beginning, all is revealed at a later point in the story). This is a book with a strong set of female characters with looks at expectations of females from society and the impact of those on women.

This book was spooky, ethereal and captivating with a dash of sci-fi which normally I do not care for but it worked in this story and I would highly recommend this book!

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

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Nichelle Giraldis’ “The Forest of Missing Girls” is an eerie, genre-blending mystery that plunges you into a dark tangle of secrets, generational trauma, and speculative horror all set against the ominous backdrop of a forest that seems to have a mind of its own. What begins as a straightforward disappearance quickly spirals into something far stranger and more disturbing.

The story centers on Lia, who returns to her small hometown after a breakup, only to be drawn into the disappearance of a local teenage girl near the very woods that haunted her childhood. As Lia begins to unravel the mystery, it becomes clear that her mother knows more than she’s letting on. The story is split between Lia’s perspective and a second, haunting POV that focuses on a missing girl. The slow reveal of this second voice is one of the book’s most compelling aspects, keeping you guessing until the threads begin to converge.

Giraldis paints the forest with lush, sinister detail, crafting an atmosphere that’s equal parts beautiful and terrifying. The forest almost feels like a character itself, pulsing with whispers and secrets, heightening the suspense and contributing to the growing sense of dread. As the story unfolds, the line between science and superstition begins to blur. Hints of body horror and speculative science, possibly involving human experimentation and grotesque attempts at “perfection, ”begin to emerge, drawing comparisons to Frankenstein and even elements of botanical horror.

What makes “The Forest of Missing Girls” stand out is how it weaves these disturbing elements into a deeply personal story about mothers and daughters. Lia’s relationship with her demanding, enigmatic mother lies at the heart of the story. Through their shared behaviors and fractured trust, the story explores how trauma and expectations are passed down through generations. It’s a chilling, yet thoughtful look at how far some will go to protect or control the ones they love.

That said, the book isn’t without its missteps. The middle section drags slightly, and the shift from grounded thriller to speculative horror may be jarring for those expecting a more traditional mystery. Some character arcs—particularly secondary ones—feel underdeveloped, and I wanted a more emotionally satisfying payoff for the missing girls themselves. Still, the slow build pays off with a satisfying, if haunting, conclusion that provides closure without neatness.

If you enjoy moody, atmospheric thrillers with a speculative twist, and don’t mind a little genre-bending along the way, “The Forest of Missing Girls” is well worth the read. It’s unsettling, original, and layered with emotional depth and is perfect for fans of dark family secrets, eerie forests, and stories that ask whether monsters are born… or made.

3.5/5 stars
This book carries an eerie, almost haunting quality that draws readers in from the start. While it doesn’t rely on a shocking twist, the story holds your attention with a steady, unsettling grip. It’s an easy, immersive read that lingers in your thoughts—especially the next time you find yourself near the woods.

The Forest of Missing Girls pulled me in immediately. I sank right into the storytelling and settled in for the long haul (even though I ended up tearing through it in just a couple of sittings). It is a fast-paced, compelling read full of simmering dread, creepiness and tension.

The characterization is wonderful. Lia, her sister, Evie, and her mother, Elizabeth, all felt incredibly real to me, as did most of the other characters. The relationships—particularly the mother/daughter dynamic and the bond between sisters—were beautifully handled and held a lot of nuance. I enjoyed how much depth these relationships added to the novel.

One of my favorite aspects was the subtle homages to Frankenstein throughout. They were like little Easter Eggs. This is a modern-day reimagining but it also expanded on the original in a really interesting way. The questions the novel poses like: what if Frankenstein’s monster had been a woman? Could she have children? What are the generational consequences of this? are handled so well.

If I had one tiny critique, it’s that I would have loved just a bit more backstory on the missing girls themselves. While there was definitely emotional resonance, I just wanted to hurt a little more? Maybe that's a me thing. I just wanted a little more of their voices and memories. In a similar way I'd have loved to know more about the supernatural elements of the forest. Why was it so powerful?

That said, these are (very) minor notes in what was otherwise perfect for me. I adored this book and am so grateful to have had the chance to read it early. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity.

I personally prefer my my thrillers to be fast-paced, action-packed, and full of plottwists. Since this is pretty much the opposite of this, it didn't work perfectly for me.
However, if you love a good, eerie, slow paced, atmospheric thriller, this one is perfect for you! The descriptive writing paints a beautiful scary imagery and atmosphere.
If you loved The Lamb, you would probably love this one as well.

I personally found the plottwist very underwhelming and incredibly predictable. I did like the idea and can acknowledge that the concept is scary, I just wished it would have been revealed more shockingly to add some tension.

My only real issue was that I think the book clearly failed to convey the message about beauty standards. It clearly tried to have a deeper meaning based on social critique. For that, however, it was too shallow.

The Forest of Missing Girls by Nichelle Giraldes


Set to Publish November 11 2025


⭐⭐⭐⭐


The Forest of Missing Girls is a strange, brooding novel that lingers like the memory of something you’re not sure really happened. Nichelle Giraldes crafts a story where grief and girlhood rot quietly beneath a canopy of whispering trees and something in those woods is still listening.

There’s beauty in the writing, a kind of dreamy rot. The forest feels alive, breathing, even watching. And the protagonist’s return home is steeped in unease, with familial tension crackling under every interaction especially with a mother whose love feels more like surveillance. It’s a dark fairytale, twisted with mystery and body horror, where identity, perfection, and power intertwine in unsettling ways.

But the novel isn’t without splinters. The shift from eerie realism to speculative horror might lose some readers it’s abrupt and, at times, disorienting. The emotional core feels distant, with characters that beg to be understood but rarely let you in. And the ending, while bold, may leave some readers wanting more closure, more agency, more justice.

Still, this book earns its place in the forest. It doesn’t just ask what happened to the missing girls it asks what happens to the ones who are left behind.

4 stars. A haunting, flawed fable worth getting lost in. Just don’t expect a trail of breadcrumbs.

A huge thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. 💖

I'll be honest, I'm quite sad to be rating this book 2 stars.

The Forest of Missing Girls had such a promising premise: a creepy forest, girls disappearing, a mother with secrets, and a sister determined to uncover the truth. It sounded like the perfect setup for a dark and unsettling horror, but that’s not what I got.

Lia returns home after a breakup, only to be pulled into a strange and unsettling situation when a teenage girl vanishes near her family’s house. As she tries to make sense of what's going on, it becomes clear her mother knows more than she lets on and the forest that once haunted her childhood seems to be at the centre of it all.

I went in expecting horror, or at least a gritty thriller, but the story shifted into a strange sci-fi/fantasy direction that felt jarring and out of place. Don't get me wrong, I do love my Sci-Fi/Fantasy...
It just felt out of place, and the genre twist took me out of the story and made it hard to stay engaged.
It also seemed like a huge part of the book was about a criticising mother and the main character not knowing which version of herself she wants to be.
While there were some eerie moments, the plot started falling apart for me about halfway through. It just didn’t deliver the tension or payoff I was hoping for.

This one wasn’t for me, but readers who enjoy speculative elements in their thrillers or like stories that take a weird turn might have a better time with it.

Not your typical “Monster.”

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC! The Forest of Missing Girls is a refreshing change from the usual storylines in mystery books. Nichelle Giraldes gives us the story of two sisters and their mother, who has some Dark secrets. The enemy is not who you would expect, and the crime committed is disturbing in an unnatural way.

There are some magical forest vibes going on that I did not quite grasp onto, but seemed like a key aspect. This kind of threw me off as well as not really getting much closure on the missing girls. We pretty much know what happened but I feel like so much of the story was taken up by small details that don't play a big part.

I liked the story, the characters, and the plot twists! Definitely gave a creepy feeling when describing the forest! Overall I give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I think the concept was great and was glad to have the opportunity to read it.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book early.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, as it was my first from this author. The description of girls going missing in the woods was something I knew I'd be interested in.

The book started off with a lot of potential, but quickly jerked into a completely different, science fiction, direction. More make-believe than thriller, I was disappointed with the fantasy woven into this book that could have been a fantastic thriller.

This book left me less than satisfied, and it was a struggle to push through as it was, taking me four times longer to read than my average book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

I love a spooky forest story and this book definitely delivered on the spooky forest. 

The story itself was different from what I expected it to be, but I did enjoy it. 

The characters were not very likeable, which was unfortunate. I also wish the ending was a bit more satisfying.

The twist were very predictable, I think the book overall read more YA despite the MC being 23. 

It also felt like the story was trying to say something about beauty/ beauty standards/ aging, but it never really added up to a coherent message.

I would recommend this if you're looking for an atmospheric creepy forest story.

First of all thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

“The Forest Of Missing Girls” sank it’s roots deep into me and didn’t let go!

★★★★★

This was my first book by Nichelle Giraldes and I found myself captivated by her writing. The story holds an atmosphere that is both dark and unsettling while also feeling tender and empowering.
It blends mystery with something deeper, more morbid and mysterious. Yet at the heart of it, it’s about identity, survival, and carving out who you are and want to be when the world tries to shape you into something else.

I know this one will stick with me and haunt me in the best way possible.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ /5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

With my recent love of the botanical horror genre, this book’s description on NetGalley immediately caught my attention and I knew I had to put down my current read to dive into this one the moment my request got approved. And it’s safe to say I was NOT disappointed!! This book was such a captivating, fascinating read as someone who loves some of these darker topics covered throughout this book.

One of my absolute favourite things about this book was the dual POV. I thought it was absolutely brilliant how we don’t truly know who the secondary POV is until a good chunk of the way through the book. I’ve never read a book where that has been done before and I thought it was such a unique element that worked perfectly with the story.

While the plot of this book was phenomenal, there were a few things I didn’t love that make this book a 4 rather and a 5 star rating, in my opinion. Firstly, I didn’t really LOVE any of the characters. I liked Evie quite a bit, but everyone else kind of fell flat — or the parts of characters I liked weren’t explored as deeply as I would have preferred. I also didn’t love the ending of the book. While it wasn’t horrible by any means, I wish it was more… impactful, I guess? Without spoiling anything specifically, I will say that I wished the missing girls were able to get revenge for themselves rather than someone else doing it for them.

Overall, this book was a great read and it’s absolutely worth it simply for how brilliantly the story unfolds by the use of the dual POV.

5 ⭐️ - This was such a fun, creepy read that had me covered in goosebumps, unable to put the book down. I was hooked.

Things I liked-

- This book combined elements of murder-mystery, Blair Witch and Frankenstein all wrapped up into a very interesting story.
- There was enough mystery throughout the book that kept you engaged and needing to know more, without leaving huge plot holes or loose ends.
- You could feel the forest watching you throughout this book. Such a cool setting that really brought out the ominous terror.

Things I didn’t like-

I genuinely can’t think of a thing. I was thoroughly entertained all throughout the story. There should probably be another edit pass. But mostly everything was polished!

Thank you NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC! I really loved this story!

The Forest of Missing Girls was so much more than I could have imagined! From the setting of the woods in contrast to the bustle of LA, the world the story sets up a moody and foreboding feeling right from the get go.

The plot was unique and the characters were well fleshed out. I didn’t have high expectations for this one with the title being so basic but I’m pleasantly surprised. The only thing that could have made this more interesting to me is if there were some POV moments from Mother. Her character was interesting and seeing through her eyes would have added a bit more.

Excellent book! I could not put this down

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I definitely wasn't expecting the horror aspect to this story, and it was a refreshing surprise! I was glad that I found myself rooting for the main character and her sister, because I usually have a hard time relating to characters.

The mother was very unlikeable... And only somewhat redeemed herself IMO. There's definitely a lot of generational trauma to unpack here.

This was such a unique book and I loved it so much!! I would describe it as a dark fairytale with a bit of magical realism. The atmosphere was dark and kept me super intrigued throughout the whole book.

When Lea heads back home to live with her family after a bad break up, her sister’s best friend goes missing in the woods directly behind their home. The same woods that have taken numerous girls over the years.

Lia suspects that her mom knows more about the forest and what is going on. As Lea investigates where these girls have gone, she gets WAY more than she bargained for!