A Place for Vanishing

Ann Fraistat

Release date: January 16th, 2024

SYNOPSIS:

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.

REVIEW:

If you have any kind of phobia regarding bugs – you may want to sit this one out.

Libby’s diagnosis and current mental health ratcheted this book up a couple of notches. Not only does she have her own stressors and triggers but everyone has been uprooted from their normal – both their lives and locations. A fresh slate may sound like a dream, but as the story progresses you get to see what lies underneath the effort of trying. I really enjoyed how Libby’s mental health and diagnosis were a constant companion in this book, and it was convincing. Seeing how Libby’s family and the boy next door struggled and supported her added yet another layer.

There were plot twists in this book that I definitely did not see coming. I felt as consumed by this book as Libby, Vivi and their mom felt by the House of Masks. The house was one of the most unique ones that I have read about in a book – stained glass windows, concealed rooms, unnerving decorative elements. The world-building and descriptions were on the level I dream about. I LOVE uniquely phrased descriptions of things, people, places, and this book has it in spades. I can hazard a guess as to where the spirits originated from, however; I would have appreciated a little more of a backstory on them.

The crumbling Queen Anne Victorian was massive. Solid. It sank into the earth like it had roots coiled five hundred feet down.

I would like to thank Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the chance to read this hauntingly atmospheric book. All opinions are my own. If you enjoyed books like Burn Our Bodies Down, House of Hollow, She Is a Haunting, or A Hunger of Thorns then I believe that you would love this one as well. If you haven’t read any of these but loved this book then I highly recommend those titles.