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Vanished
One brother vanished. The other must become a monster to find him.
Roman Salisbury was the light in Noah Beach's world. Then the light went out.
When Roman disappears after being invited to Lockwood University, Noah forces his way into the school determined to bring him home. But Lockwood is no ordinary university. It is a sanctuary for witches, wizards, and werewolves, hidden behind prestige and ancient magic.
To survive, Noah must turn every lie into a weapon and pull off the most dangerous con of his convincing the entire University that he is a vampire.
The deeper he sinks into Lockwood's secrets, the more he feels himself slipping into someone colder, sharper, and far more dangerous.
Because at Lockwood, power comes at a price.
And blood remembers everything.
Noah must decide how much of himself he is willing to lose to uncover the truth before he vanishes to.
A dark academia fantasy about brotherhood, grief, and the cost of becoming what the world fears.
Roman Salisbury was the light in Noah Beach's world. Then the light went out.
When Roman disappears after being invited to Lockwood University, Noah forces his way into the school determined to bring him home. But Lockwood is no ordinary university. It is a sanctuary for witches, wizards, and werewolves, hidden behind prestige and ancient magic.
To survive, Noah must turn every lie into a weapon and pull off the most dangerous con of his convincing the entire University that he is a vampire.
The deeper he sinks into Lockwood's secrets, the more he feels himself slipping into someone colder, sharper, and far more dangerous.
Because at Lockwood, power comes at a price.
And blood remembers everything.
Noah must decide how much of himself he is willing to lose to uncover the truth before he vanishes to.
A dark academia fantasy about brotherhood, grief, and the cost of becoming what the world fears.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 20, 2025
6 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 6, 2026
HP and general supernatural fans NEED THIS BOOK
When i seen this and its reviews it was a must read for me its been described as Harry Potter meets ZA. So i had to JUMP at it.
Vanished is a dark academia fantasy about brotherhood, grief, and the cost of becoming what the world fears. It's also about a world within a world, aka the supernatural & the mortal world - main location in the UK. Based within the University called Lockwood - to the mortal eye its a University for pushed up rich kids, but to the supernatural - its a University for witches, werewolves and vampires!
⚠️ Trigger Warnings
Alcohol and drug abuse, mentions of grape and violence towards pregnant women. The obvious but worth mentioning death and killings.
🔥 Medium-to-slow pacing with a strong late reveal.
🐺 Supernatural academy setting (werewolves, witches, vampires)
🖤 Brotherhood and found family at the center
🩸 Mystery surrounding disappearance
💧 Grief, loyalty, and emotional instability
🌑 Tensions that builds quietly before blowing
🌶 not a spicy book
The main focus of the book is the lives of the two main characters - Roman Salisbury & Noah Beach. Both boys grew up in rough areas and had to fend for themselves, by being liars and thiefs. Because in the end, all they have. Is each other. Their little interaction at the beginning warmed my heart. Brothers by choice not by blood, and the fact that Roman has the ability to do magic but doesnt know it?? What to heck was that all about - how has party tricks been explained all his life haha.
Its been so long since I binged a book in 24 hours or less but hot damn. JJ had me hook, line & sinker. The twists, turns, dramas and traumas just kept coming... the plot was plotting. I guessed ONE of the outcomes and damn, am I proud of it!! Its was such a huge twist, to be fair ive read so much stuff its probably how/why i picked up on it 🤣
The world building was incredibly. The depictions of everything was done in amazing detail, you really got the image into your head and it made you really feel like part of the book.
One of my major favourite things about this book was how it was split into "terms" spring and summer etc. I loved that aspect it really drew you in to make you feel like you were part of the story.
My heart ripped and tore so much for Noah, and I cried at so many different stages in this book. It is seriously an emotional book, one focused on the loss of a loved one, and other fallouts of life.
I loved Eloise in the beginning not so much her sisters! Brats.. and what's Maggies deal?! Also, i didnt like Chancellor Livingston from the beginning..something fishy is there!🤣 but Vice Chancellor, Iris Montgomery seems just as bad also, that poor mortal!
One of my favourite quotes was like chap 5 or 6 lol “To reach the goal, I’ve got to get through Edward Cullen and the bloody X-Men first. If you think I’m going back in there, you’re insane.” - dont diss Edward Cullen bruh. That man is ..... ofty yup. ❤️🤣 Gimme 100 grand - i gotchu bro. Seriously?! Will that work for me too?!😱🤣 dammmm
I was on the fence about trusting Ben - if they all know what happened to Roman just be honest. Fml?.... BUT aside from Noah, Ben ended up being my favourite character in this book.
Some of my fave quotes that made me laugh alot 🤣 “You can tell a werewolf from their muscles. Everything about them is big, other than their brains.”... "thats what you get when you mix a pack with testosterone and tits" JJ seriously?? Are you trying to kill me off? 🤣🤣🤣
"Wicked bitch of the west" i cackled way to much! 🤣🤣🤣 offftyy that was a spicy way to cause chaos! I LOVE IT!!! Posting *spoiler* of a missing person using *spoiler, spoiler* ... toxic 😆😱🤣 I wasn't overly keen on ruby at the start, but I loved how she stood her ground and cackled so bad when she said “Put that picture away, or I’ll shove your mobile so far up your rectum it’ll only get WiFi in your prostate.” 👌🤣
There was so many people i disliked but Brents father (the Chancellor was the main one) fuck that guy... I can't believe i did work out the ending, well some of it... be prepared to have a heart wrenching moment thats all im saying.
PS.. that cliffhanger was hell.
I could go on (my orginal feedback i sent to JJ was over 18 paragraphs long, but boy did i rant like hell) .. so this is my shortfeedback!
Overall for plot, story, connections to the story and characters, and emotionally destroyed
10 out of 10
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When i seen this and its reviews it was a must read for me its been described as Harry Potter meets ZA. So i had to JUMP at it.
Vanished is a dark academia fantasy about brotherhood, grief, and the cost of becoming what the world fears. It's also about a world within a world, aka the supernatural & the mortal world - main location in the UK. Based within the University called Lockwood - to the mortal eye its a University for pushed up rich kids, but to the supernatural - its a University for witches, werewolves and vampires!
⚠️ Trigger Warnings
Alcohol and drug abuse, mentions of grape and violence towards pregnant women. The obvious but worth mentioning death and killings.
🔥 Medium-to-slow pacing with a strong late reveal.
🐺 Supernatural academy setting (werewolves, witches, vampires)
🖤 Brotherhood and found family at the center
🩸 Mystery surrounding disappearance
💧 Grief, loyalty, and emotional instability
🌑 Tensions that builds quietly before blowing
🌶 not a spicy book
The main focus of the book is the lives of the two main characters - Roman Salisbury & Noah Beach. Both boys grew up in rough areas and had to fend for themselves, by being liars and thiefs. Because in the end, all they have. Is each other. Their little interaction at the beginning warmed my heart. Brothers by choice not by blood, and the fact that Roman has the ability to do magic but doesnt know it?? What to heck was that all about - how has party tricks been explained all his life haha.
Its been so long since I binged a book in 24 hours or less but hot damn. JJ had me hook, line & sinker. The twists, turns, dramas and traumas just kept coming... the plot was plotting. I guessed ONE of the outcomes and damn, am I proud of it!! Its was such a huge twist, to be fair ive read so much stuff its probably how/why i picked up on it 🤣
The world building was incredibly. The depictions of everything was done in amazing detail, you really got the image into your head and it made you really feel like part of the book.
One of my major favourite things about this book was how it was split into "terms" spring and summer etc. I loved that aspect it really drew you in to make you feel like you were part of the story.
My heart ripped and tore so much for Noah, and I cried at so many different stages in this book. It is seriously an emotional book, one focused on the loss of a loved one, and other fallouts of life.
I loved Eloise in the beginning not so much her sisters! Brats.. and what's Maggies deal?! Also, i didnt like Chancellor Livingston from the beginning..something fishy is there!🤣 but Vice Chancellor, Iris Montgomery seems just as bad also, that poor mortal!
One of my favourite quotes was like chap 5 or 6 lol “To reach the goal, I’ve got to get through Edward Cullen and the bloody X-Men first. If you think I’m going back in there, you’re insane.” - dont diss Edward Cullen bruh. That man is ..... ofty yup. ❤️🤣 Gimme 100 grand - i gotchu bro. Seriously?! Will that work for me too?!😱🤣 dammmm
I was on the fence about trusting Ben - if they all know what happened to Roman just be honest. Fml?.... BUT aside from Noah, Ben ended up being my favourite character in this book.
Some of my fave quotes that made me laugh alot 🤣 “You can tell a werewolf from their muscles. Everything about them is big, other than their brains.”... "thats what you get when you mix a pack with testosterone and tits" JJ seriously?? Are you trying to kill me off? 🤣🤣🤣
"Wicked bitch of the west" i cackled way to much! 🤣🤣🤣 offftyy that was a spicy way to cause chaos! I LOVE IT!!! Posting *spoiler* of a missing person using *spoiler, spoiler* ... toxic 😆😱🤣 I wasn't overly keen on ruby at the start, but I loved how she stood her ground and cackled so bad when she said “Put that picture away, or I’ll shove your mobile so far up your rectum it’ll only get WiFi in your prostate.” 👌🤣
There was so many people i disliked but Brents father (the Chancellor was the main one) fuck that guy... I can't believe i did work out the ending, well some of it... be prepared to have a heart wrenching moment thats all im saying.
PS.. that cliffhanger was hell.
I could go on (my orginal feedback i sent to JJ was over 18 paragraphs long, but boy did i rant like hell) .. so this is my shortfeedback!
Overall for plot, story, connections to the story and characters, and emotionally destroyed
10 out of 10
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 27, 2025
4.75🌟 rounded to 5! This book is a slow burn that rewards patience and deliberately allows relationships and grief to unravel, and then absolutely snaps into focus in the final - Term 3 is where everything clicks—the secrets surface, the emotional stakes hit harder, and finally we know who is the disgusting sad excuse of a "snake"(snake is used so to avoid spoilers) and a pathetic excuse of a friend. Although you can't expect anything else form someone who would be in Slytherin should it be another book.
At its core, this is a story about brotherhood and loss. Noah and Roman aren’t just foster brothers; they’re each other’s constant in a world that’s already taken too much. When Roman is accepted into Lockwood Academy and then mysteriously disappears three months later, Noah joins the Academy in search of the truth. He pretends to be a vampire( cringe until you get to chapter 3) and fools everyone..almost everyone 🙃
Lockwood itself is a supernatural powerhouse with werewolves, witches, vampires—and Noah, pretending to be something he’s not just to survive long enough to find the truth. The supernatural elements don’t overpower the story; they sharpen it althouth at the beginning genuinely thought it was a bit cringe all these powerfulbeings and one human is going to fool them?! Identity, belonging, and fear sit just beneath every interaction, and Noah’s slow uncovering of the truth feels earned rather than rushed. Each interaction reads like a real conversation, for me the usage of "bro" was a bit too much - I just hate how teenagers use it all the time. It's stupid 🤷🏻♀️
We get dating and heartbreaks.
This isn’t a flashy, action-heavy fantasy - tho you do get a few fights too. It’s introspective, emotional, and sometimes uncomfortable. The grief feels heavy. The silence between characters matters. And when the revelations finally land, they hurt in the way good stories are supposed to hurt - you might find yourself with a lump in your throat towards the end and then find out that the second book comes out in 2026 is a blessing.
I wish there was more description of the academy and the classrooms. I kind of imagined something like a modernised version of Dunmore park house!
🖤 Medium-to-slow pacing with a strong late payoff
🐺 Supernatural academy setting (werewolves, witches, vampires)
🖤 Brotherhood and found family at the center
🩸 Mystery surrounding disappearance and identity
🖤 Grief, loyalty, and emotional restraint
🌑 Tension that builds quietly before unraveling
🤼♂️ Entitled pricks who think women belong to them, even if they may have been promised once.
🌶 not a spicy book, apart from one scene.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings
Alcohol and drug abuse, mentions of grape and violence towards pregnant women, child grooming. The obvious but worth mentioning death and killings.
****SPOLERS****
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- SHE IS HIS GRANDMAAA? Now I didn't epxect that, from all the scenarios. Also how sad to find out you have a grandma, but to find out your mum is dead in a few months 🤧
- I fully agree with the autors sister from the acknowledgements, don't think I can forgive you for killing Ben you monster 😭
- Brent needs to die, don't care he lost his dad.. his dad literally grooms children and in a way kills them to make himself "collectables".
- It would be interesting to see if Noah will continue to chase after Millie or would there be another love interest
At its core, this is a story about brotherhood and loss. Noah and Roman aren’t just foster brothers; they’re each other’s constant in a world that’s already taken too much. When Roman is accepted into Lockwood Academy and then mysteriously disappears three months later, Noah joins the Academy in search of the truth. He pretends to be a vampire( cringe until you get to chapter 3) and fools everyone..almost everyone 🙃
Lockwood itself is a supernatural powerhouse with werewolves, witches, vampires—and Noah, pretending to be something he’s not just to survive long enough to find the truth. The supernatural elements don’t overpower the story; they sharpen it althouth at the beginning genuinely thought it was a bit cringe all these powerfulbeings and one human is going to fool them?! Identity, belonging, and fear sit just beneath every interaction, and Noah’s slow uncovering of the truth feels earned rather than rushed. Each interaction reads like a real conversation, for me the usage of "bro" was a bit too much - I just hate how teenagers use it all the time. It's stupid 🤷🏻♀️
We get dating and heartbreaks.
This isn’t a flashy, action-heavy fantasy - tho you do get a few fights too. It’s introspective, emotional, and sometimes uncomfortable. The grief feels heavy. The silence between characters matters. And when the revelations finally land, they hurt in the way good stories are supposed to hurt - you might find yourself with a lump in your throat towards the end and then find out that the second book comes out in 2026 is a blessing.
I wish there was more description of the academy and the classrooms. I kind of imagined something like a modernised version of Dunmore park house!
🖤 Medium-to-slow pacing with a strong late payoff
🐺 Supernatural academy setting (werewolves, witches, vampires)
🖤 Brotherhood and found family at the center
🩸 Mystery surrounding disappearance and identity
🖤 Grief, loyalty, and emotional restraint
🌑 Tension that builds quietly before unraveling
🤼♂️ Entitled pricks who think women belong to them, even if they may have been promised once.
🌶 not a spicy book, apart from one scene.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings
Alcohol and drug abuse, mentions of grape and violence towards pregnant women, child grooming. The obvious but worth mentioning death and killings.
****SPOLERS****
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*
*
*
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*
*
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*
*
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*
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*
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- SHE IS HIS GRANDMAAA? Now I didn't epxect that, from all the scenarios. Also how sad to find out you have a grandma, but to find out your mum is dead in a few months 🤧
- I fully agree with the autors sister from the acknowledgements, don't think I can forgive you for killing Ben you monster 😭
- Brent needs to die, don't care he lost his dad.. his dad literally grooms children and in a way kills them to make himself "collectables".
- It would be interesting to see if Noah will continue to chase after Millie or would there be another love interest
January 3, 2026
First book of 2026 done and a brilliant start with a five star read. I came accross this author scrolling through tiktok and was sold by the blurb and description. The cover is simple, but stunning. This is giving Harry Potter, Vampire Diaries and Monster high vibes. Witches, Wizards, werewolves, shifters and vampires. PERFECT! There's a lot going on throughout the story, so always something to keep you guessing and reading on. I flew through the last 100 pages and I needed all the answers and I didn't guess anything. I also need therapy for a certain part in this book (no spoilers, but how dare you). This book made me feel excited and back in my teen days in the magic worlds. Its a clean read so no smut woo hoo the odd kiss. Brilliantly written. I could easily see this being turned into a tv series or film which I would watch! I'm already waiting for book two!! HURRY UP AUGUST. Highly recommend. 5 stars.
January 5, 2026
4.25⭐️
A really great debut, I read the first 100 pages, slow but enjoyable proving the background information that was required while helping to build the characters and their friendships.
At the start I didn’t know how to take Noah. His character was just a bit too childish and immature for my liking. But as the story progressed and he continued to investigate his brother disappearance he matured quickly, battling grief and trying to uncover the secrets surrounding his disappearance and that of Lockwood University.
Term 3 flew by for me, with every page building up to the grand finale, and without spoiling too much that one scene really hit my heart.
The pacing may feel slow but if you follow the novel closer to that of a movie or a tv show and read it almost episodic then the pacing is just perfect. Trust me the 270 pages I’ve read In the last 6 flew in.
A great debut and I look forward to book 2 later this year.
A really great debut, I read the first 100 pages, slow but enjoyable proving the background information that was required while helping to build the characters and their friendships.
At the start I didn’t know how to take Noah. His character was just a bit too childish and immature for my liking. But as the story progressed and he continued to investigate his brother disappearance he matured quickly, battling grief and trying to uncover the secrets surrounding his disappearance and that of Lockwood University.
Term 3 flew by for me, with every page building up to the grand finale, and without spoiling too much that one scene really hit my heart.
The pacing may feel slow but if you follow the novel closer to that of a movie or a tv show and read it almost episodic then the pacing is just perfect. Trust me the 270 pages I’ve read In the last 6 flew in.
A great debut and I look forward to book 2 later this year.
January 8, 2026
An elite university that hand selects students. Two foster brothers. One fast paced and twisty magical adventure.
What if the things that go bump in the night needed somewhere to learn? And what if your brother suddenly disappears into it? Armed with only a vaguely useful anonymous text pen pal it is up to Noah to figure out what is really happening at Lockwood University, and where his brother Roman went.
The book seamlessly blends drama and magic with just the right amount of gore and angry yelling at plot twists. An absolute must for fans of dark academia and urban fantasy with a distinctly English twist. From centuries long political disputes to onesie clad drinking games and werewolf forest raves you never quite know what is going to happen next
What if the things that go bump in the night needed somewhere to learn? And what if your brother suddenly disappears into it? Armed with only a vaguely useful anonymous text pen pal it is up to Noah to figure out what is really happening at Lockwood University, and where his brother Roman went.
The book seamlessly blends drama and magic with just the right amount of gore and angry yelling at plot twists. An absolute must for fans of dark academia and urban fantasy with a distinctly English twist. From centuries long political disputes to onesie clad drinking games and werewolf forest raves you never quite know what is going to happen next
December 31, 2025
Vanished..
This book has it everything - a friendship, laughter and joy,but,also, pain, loyalty and tradition.
Having grown up alongside HP and his friends, first few chapters made me feel as being back home again. "Welcome home,Harry" - exactly what I heard while I read the start of this book.
It is a rollercoaster of emotions - a book that will take you on a new journey.
This is a family, a new family that an author created for us and it welcomed us openly.
This is joy..this is friendship.. this is Vanished,Ladies and Gentlemen.
"Family doesn't have to be blood...I wasn't looking for a family,but I found one." - J.J.Foraday
This book has it everything - a friendship, laughter and joy,but,also, pain, loyalty and tradition.
Having grown up alongside HP and his friends, first few chapters made me feel as being back home again. "Welcome home,Harry" - exactly what I heard while I read the start of this book.
It is a rollercoaster of emotions - a book that will take you on a new journey.
This is a family, a new family that an author created for us and it welcomed us openly.
This is joy..this is friendship.. this is Vanished,Ladies and Gentlemen.
"Family doesn't have to be blood...I wasn't looking for a family,but I found one." - J.J.Foraday
January 13, 2026
I’m going with a 3.5⭐️
The vibes were really cool. Noah was genuinely relatable, and there were some lovely moments that stood out as quote-worthy. The characters were solid overall — I liked all of them, but the witches were definitely my favourites. I would have loved them to be a little less goody-goody, though.
The main reason for the rating is that the beginning felt a bit slow, and I managed to guess the majority of the twists. Once I got past the opening — where the pacing felt slightly off — I really did have a good time reading it.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. There were just a few things that held it back from being a higher rating.
The vibes were really cool. Noah was genuinely relatable, and there were some lovely moments that stood out as quote-worthy. The characters were solid overall — I liked all of them, but the witches were definitely my favourites. I would have loved them to be a little less goody-goody, though.
The main reason for the rating is that the beginning felt a bit slow, and I managed to guess the majority of the twists. Once I got past the opening — where the pacing felt slightly off — I really did have a good time reading it.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. There were just a few things that held it back from being a higher rating.
January 2, 2026
OMG I just couldn’t put this book down, if you love Twilight and Harry Potter then this is something you will enjoy. The world of supernatural meets an ordinary boy looking for his brother, and uncovers some shocking truths along the way…
I’m so excited for book 2, if you can please hurry up and bring that out. Thank you :)
I’m so excited for book 2, if you can please hurry up and bring that out. Thank you :)
December 15, 2025
I would highly recommend this booked and already very exited for book2!
I’m new to reading and can say this book has drawn me in with all its twists and turns and thrill! I also love how fast pace the book is!
I now feel so lost now I’ve read it all but buckled in ready and rearing for book2!
I’m new to reading and can say this book has drawn me in with all its twists and turns and thrill! I also love how fast pace the book is!
I now feel so lost now I’ve read it all but buckled in ready and rearing for book2!
January 4, 2026
Great read! Got me guessing the plot throughout and I'm looking forward to book two, already theorising !
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews