A Place for Vanishing is an engaging horror sorry that takes readers on an unforgettable journey. Libby is hoping for a fresh start when she moves into her mom's family home, but her mom seems determined to keep the truth about what happened in that house a mystery. The house, however, has other plans for Libby and her sister. Not only is the story of the house and its history engaging, but the author does a wonderful job of exploring family dynamics and mental health issues. Each chapter reveals more about the house, drawing us into the story. The characters are well written and it is easy to care about what happens to them next. I would recommend this book for fans of A Lesson in Vengeance and Horrid.

An enjoyable read with an eerie-spooky feel. Nothing too scary and the writing was good. The story grew more and more interesting with each chapter. It had lots and lots of bugs (gross) and séances. I liked the house with all its secrets and there is a hint of clean romance in this.
I recommend this book.
Thanks Random House Children’s via NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was SO GOOD! So creepy, very grotesque at times (many times), and has a really accurate ( I think) representation of mental health that can be intense, so I would definitely look at trigger warnings. I liked that the book not only focused on how Libby's mental health affected her but also her family. All the characters felt so real and I think the growth in all of their relationships was well written. Flynn was the perfect addition, with the romance adding a nice cute, lighter note but still not being the main focus. The pacing was perfect, and the ending didn't feel rushed at all, since the "ending" was pretty much the last 20-30 percent. The paranormal aspect was very original and I felt like nothing was left unexplained in the end (in a good way)!

A lot is going on in this book. There were many things that occurred in such a short time frame, which kept me interested all the way through. Thoroughly paranormal. Loved how descriptive all the decor and “characters” are in this story. The romance in this book happens way, way, way in the background. You really feel for Libby and Vivi, and the situation they've been put in, both before and after they move into the house. The ending was really good and it didn’t feel rushed.

This story sucked me in and kept me turning pages! It's creep and a bit eerie and everything I was hoping for from the synopsis. Thoroughly enjoyed!

Wow! This was such a creepy grotesque read. Swarming with bugs and spirits this haunting story had me hooked from the start. Libby has been diagnosed with bipolar III and her and her family are recovering from the traumatic events that preceded her diagnosis. They end up moving to her mother’s family home for a fresh start but nothing is as it seems. They are plagued with weird dreams and the house is full of bugs and creeping vines that feature unusual blue roses. I really appreciated how the author represented mental health. She showed how it not only affects the person with the diagnosis but those who are close to them. Libby’s character is real and raw and she shows tremendous growth throughout the story. It’s nice seeing her relationship with her mom and her sister throughout the story. I also appreciated the small romance that was included. Flynn was a wonderful love interest and while this definitely wasn’t a romance read I enjoyed the added sweet moments. The pacing was done really well and things progressed at a pretty fast pace. The last 25% of the book was intense. I couldn’t put this one down and I highly recommend it. Definitely check out the trigger warnings but I think this was a great paranormal psychological thriller, that included accurate representations of mental health. I’m definitely excited to see what Ann writes next!

Huge thank you to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

This one quite honestly didn’t hold my attention, which I found shocking. I love a gothic house with spooky happenings, but things were a little too weird? Like it would be one thing if everything was beautiful but looked sinister in shadow or something like that but like the whole house is full of bugs and we’re just supposed to let Libby’s mom gaslight her that it isn’t an issue? The book could really have used a bit more grounding in reality, like if Libby was going to school during the day and then coming home to the creepy house and having to deal with that dramatic context switch.

Things I liked: the frank way that Libby talks about her bipolar III (at least in the beginning; it sort of just kind of fades to negative intrusive thoughts later on, but I’m sure that’s a valid experience for someone), and Vivi’s character.

Things I didn’t like: not enough grounding in reality, Flynn’s character (especially his intro; we're supposed to believe that Libby has a connection with / budding crush on THAT? Pass), the layout of the house was super nebulous/unclear to the point where the only thing we actually know about in any detail are the stained glass windows, gaslighty mom who is “out of character” without us ever establishing a baseline.

I truly loved this book. This author is incredible with her writing. I would highly recommend this book. 10/10

Following a suicide attempt of the oldest daughter, Libby, the Feldman family moves to their mother's old house. Libby gets creepy vibes from the house and immediately realizes something is off about it. Her sister, Vivi, insists that she's being paranoid and begs her not to say anything for the sake of their mom.

Libby and Vivi start finding masks around the house, but their mom asserts they are not supposed to put them on. Digging into some research and questioning their neighbor, Flynn, Libby finds out that nine people have gone missing at the house. Flynn, Libby, and Vivi, do a seance to connect with the first owner of the house to get answers, but they might receive a little more than answers.

I loved this book! It was perfectly paced and was such an easy read. Once I started I didn't want to put it down! I loved the premise about the house and the masks and thought that was such a unique touch to the story. I also loved how fast-paced and exciting the ending was!

The story played out as a mystery in the start, but then it turned into a paranormal story. It was such a good plot!

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves mysteries or paranormal activity.

An eerie and atmospheric gothic horror, complete with haunted house, séances, and ghosts! What more could a girl ask for?

After her bipolar diagnosis and suicide attempt (potential trigger warning), Libby and her family move into her mother's ancestral home attempting a fresh start. At first glance, the house appears to be hella creepy—decades of decay, an overabundance of creepy crawlies, and freaky stained glass windows depicting various insects and other unsettling scenes. Soon enough, Libby uncovers disturbing news about the house's sinister past including masked séances and strange disappearances, and begins to suspect the the answer to unlocking the truth lies in the strange insect masks attached to several of the windows.

<blockquote><b><i>"We all wear masks—to hide our imperfections, to make us stronger and braver. But if Libby keeps hers on for too long, she might just lose herself—and everyone she loves."</i></b></blockquote>

As you read, you come to realize just how multi-layered the above quote really is. Like the metaphorical masks worn by people like Libby to hide what's they're feeling inside, but also referring to the disturbing insect masks which not only house a spirit of their own, but also endow the wearer with supernatural abilities attributed to that particular insect.

This book was amazing! Hard to put down and kept me on the edge of my seat. I fell in love with the characters—they were so real and yet so broken. Libby's bipolar disorder was treated with respect and compassion, and it really added a whole other dimension to the story, as opposed to just being there for the sake of diversity. The character and world building was phenomenal as well, the tension slowly simmering throughout until everything really came to a boil at the final séance. I'm very much looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

A Place for Vanishing will be published on January 14, 2024, but you can preorder it at Amazon now.

Many thanks to Random House/Delacorte Press for providing me with a digital advance reader copy for review in exchange for my honest opinion. #APlaceforVanishing #NetGalley

A Place for Vanishing is hands down one of the best books I've read this year. Weeks later, I'm still thinking about the book, not only about the main character but also her mother and how much the book had to say without explicitly saying it.
APFV is so well written and everything is so easy to picture and imagine. You truly step into The House of Masks it is creepy and lovely and atmospheric in the most wonderful ways.
Libby went through so much, before arriving at The House of Masks and throughout the story and even though she comes out stronger, she's not magically fixed. I can't tell you how refreshing that is, and how many young people need to know that they are whole and worthy even if they need medication or help in other ways. I related to Libby's struggles with her mental health and how going through those struggles as a teenager are completely different than they are at other ages and stage. As I read APFV I felt a lot of the same emotions that I did when I was younger.
Now that I'm an adult with kids of my own it was kind of eye opening reading about the relationship between Libby and her mother. Libby never really stops to think if her mom might be dealing with her own mental health struggles, and I think that's so realistic. Not heartless or maliciously, just in a way where kids expect their parents to have all the answers and be solid. Unfortunately, no matter how much a parent wants to be that for their child, it's not always possible. Seeing her mom struggle with her own mask and trying to hold everything together, until she lost herself completely, that really hit me.
I wish that we got to see more of the characters from the past. We saw a little bit of two characters and how they got pulled into their fates but I wish we got to see more of the others. I have thoughts about how the other people ended up where they did but I don't want to speculate too much.
I truly can't stress how well everything was handled. Even though the book was creepy and gross at time, it still managed to be beautiful and heartwarming. It is such an amazing book of friendship, young love, and families finding their way back to each other. The mental health representation was so well done.
At the end of the day it is a paranormal mystery and there is a ton of bugs. If you don't like bugs, this might not be the book for you. I can not stress enough how many bugs and bug appendages are in this book. It's a lot.
I loved it. I can't wait to reread it and see what I missed the first time around.
Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC.

Fresh of a bipolar diagnosis and a hospital stay for a suicide attempt, this new house is suppose to be a new start for Libby and her family. Her mom’s childhood home is a mysterious place, marked by disappearances dating back over a century to the homes original owners. Full of creepy stained glass and infested with bugs, Libby must uncover the secrets of the house quick, or she may just lose herself…and everyone she loves. A Place for Vanishing is a haunted house horror sure to give you the heebie jeebies.

I haven’t stopped thinking of this book in the days since finishing it. This is what horror books should be. The pacing of this book was immaculate. The suspense builds up slow, leaving the reader to truly wonder what’s at play and what the stakes are. The story was unique, kept me guessing and I never saw the culmination of the build up coming. This book is the perfect amount of creepy and wonderful. The actual plot of the book is unique and really well written. It’s engrossing and kept me wanting more. I was a little let down by the ending and epilogue, as it felt like an easy way out.

Our characters here are really well planned and executed. Libby is a heroic main character. While still raw and triggering, the author did a really nice job handling her mental health in this book. It was nice seeing Libby grow as a character as the book progressed and become more comfortable with herself and her diagnosis. Her relationship with Vivi is realistic and I loved the dynamic between them and how it shifts as the story progresses and more information is shared. Not a big fan of the romance in this one, only because it felt a little rushed.

All in all, this is a haunting story that will make your skin crawl.

"A teen girl and her family return to her mother's childhood home, only to discover that the house's strange beauty may disguise a sinister past, in this contemporary Gothic horror from the author of What We Harvest.

The house was supposed to be a fresh start. That's what Libby's mom said. And after Libby's recent bipolar III diagnosis and the tragedy that preceded it, Libby knows she and her family need to find a new normal.

But Libby's new home turns out to be anything but normal. Scores of bugs haunt its winding halls, towering stained-glass windows feature strange, insectile designs, and the garden teems with impossibly blue roses. And then there are the rumors. The locals, including the mysterious boy next door, tell stories about disappearances tied to the house, stretching back over a century to its first owners. Owners who supposedly hosted legendary masked séances on its grounds.

Libby's mom refuses to hear anything that could derail their family's perfect new beginning, but Libby knows better. The house is keeping secrets from her, and something tells her that the key to unlocking them lies in the eerie, bug-shaped masks hidden throughout the property.

We all wear masks - to hide our imperfections, to make us stronger and braver. But if Libby keeps hers on for too long, she might just lose herself - and everyone she loves."

Here for all the Gothic horror.

Top five reads of 2023. This book creeped me out. 100% a must read.

WARNING: If you are not comfortable with bugs as the form of horror, do not read this book.

Now that is out of the way, let me tell you about the book that made my skin crawl. Having to try and sleep between reading sections was not a good move because I couldn't get the bugs out of head.

Libby and her family find themselves at a home that has an unsettling past because they need a fresh start due to Libby's suicide attempt. There is more to be unraveled here but spoilers, so go with it.

The YA of this book is very well done. Libby and her sister Vivi (this similar naming is literally the worst) are well written characters that act their age. They have issues that will be unraveled as they communicate, and they are true to the nosey teens, with low risk assessment abilities. Due to Libby's mental health she is an untrustworthy main character that second guesses herself and what is real.

The slow build up of the plot really makes this book. Discovering the paranormal aspects along with the girls had me on edge throughout the story. Throw in the teen romance, teen emotions, plus all the family secrets, it really seals the levels of plot arcs happening.

There was no way the book could have prepared me for the last 25%, I wasn't ready for what the truth of the masks and the disappearances turns out to be. There were signs throughout the story, don't get me wrong. I just couldn't fathom the plot taking the turn it did. I can't even give you a reference to another book that did something similar because it will give it away.

Also, way to slip in that sweet ace rep, like so much perfection to the way it's referenced, this is how it's done. So natural it's like people actually live this way?! I am obsessed with how it was written in. Thank you to the author.

I loved it. Bugs are creepy af. When you make them a catalyst to a ghost / spirit story, it's going to get freaky. Everything gets wrapped up with a jump forward as the last chapter which is my FAVORITE way to end these type of intense books. I need that rainbow people!

You'll love this book if you enjoy your paranormal ready to have a bit of suspense, and surprises.

TW: Suicide is HEAVILY discussed in this book. From how it effects the family members, to how it effects the person. After thoughts, and lead up thoughts. The actual attempt is described in this book. I cannot stress enough how much suicide is discussed in this book. I am pretty sure this book is an allegory for all aspects of suicide, and mental health.

This book was so good! I enjoyed the creepy vibe it gave me, even though I’m not a fan of bugs haha. It was written so well, and I connected with each character.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST CREEPY CRAWLY HAUNTED HOUSE BOOKS I'VE EVER REAAAAD!

This book seriously gave me the ick in the best way. I gasped out loud at some of the descriptions and seriously had some nightmares. Trigger Warning: Do you not read if you do not like bugs. I don't like bugs but that worked in favor for me reading this book.

I loved that there was a mystery here. Where are her family members going? At least nine family members have gone missing since the 1800s. And I looove a good mystery. Libby, who is the FMC and recently diagnosed with Bi-Polar, and her family (mom and sister) move to this vacant family heirloom for a "fresh-start" according to her mother.

I thought all of the characters were super flushed out. The only thing I struggled a little bit with was Libby & Flynn's connection. It seemed to kind of happen out of nowhere with no real progression but I got over that because I did enjoy Flynn's character.

I also liked the way Ann Fraistat dealt with the mental illness issue. She did a wonderful job showing how it affected the entire family - as well as Libby.

This was a great addition to the Haunted House genre and it is a book I would definitely recommend.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC for my honest review.

The topic of mental health, and other dark triggers like suicide can be VERY invasive and hard to deal with but it was handled remarkably well. This was a fast paced gothic horror that is very accessible for teens and older, and also a perfect place to start your horror journey

Finally, I finished this! The cover and blurb drew me in. The first half I was questioning everyone and everything. Even Libby. Maybe it was all in her head? I feel bad even questioning a fictional character like that after everything she went through, but she wondered it as well ..probably what made me wonder it. That added a creep level factor to this.
The house itself just seemed horrifying and I don't understand how anyone would willingly go there, let alone live there. The stained glass? The mosaic? The masks. It's all a big heck no for me. It gave off The Haunting vibes. Very spooky setting and story telling. That ending felt a bit rushed but in thankful because whoooof, it was a bit much!

Be warned there is heavy mental health in this and a past suicide attempt mentioned

Fast paced and enjoyable. The topic of suicide and mental health can be intense but the author fit it in well. The family secrets and supernatural happenings were totally unexpected it definitely was a wild ride!