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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.

367 pages, Paperback

Published November 18, 2025

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About the author

J.J. Foraday

3 books36 followers
J.J. Foraday writes dark academia and supernatural fiction, blending mystery, moral ambiguity, and hidden worlds that exist just beneath our own.

His debut novel, Lockwood University: Vanished, introduced readers to the secretive world of Lockwood University and has since been followed by Nocturnal and the companion novella One Last Premonition.

When not writing, J.J. Foraday can usually be found travelling with his partner, reading, or walking his Yorkie-poo.

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5 stars
85 (61%)
4 stars
40 (28%)
3 stars
11 (7%)
2 stars
1 (<1%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
Profile Image for Stephanie Keijzer.
270 reviews29 followers
June 23, 2026
I enjoyed this magical mysterie. It had some really great parts. Loved the magical school with all the supernatural creatures. There was a great plottwist and a great build up to the question where his brother was. Also loved the humor in it. Laughed out loud a couple of times.

There were also a few things I did miss in this story. I missed some depths. Like in the friendship building and the romance. It felt a bit flat. And also there were some big jumps in the story between chapters. For example one moments our mc is in the toilet talking to someone and the next moment he is chased by wolfs with no build up at all.

If you like a magical read about a hidden magical world with a magical school full of supernatural beings like vampires, wizards and shifters with a big mystery plot I would recommend to give this one a try🧛🧙🧜‍♀️
Profile Image for Flora.reads.books.
331 reviews31 followers
September 4, 2026
Not Ben!!! 😭😭😭😭😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Author 2 books9 followers
September 3, 2026
Being a huge HP fan it was refreshingly nice to step into a world that felt similar yet different all the same, maybe more mature? I'm not sure but it was uniquely special. Without saying too much I was hooked from the very first page! If you're a fan of vampires and all things supernatural then you will thoroughly enjoy this book! I would recommend and look forward to continuing the series, hats off to you JJ
13 reviews
April 22, 2026
I really wanted to be excited about this but unfortunately I found it over hyped and rather misleading. Unfortunately I DNF’d during the first quarter as I found it poorly written and just overall not engaging as I had hoped. The protagonists voice was not compelling and quite honestly I was bored: not to mention the grammatical errors was beginning to exhaust me 😂
Profile Image for T || .
313 reviews12 followers
June 25, 2026
HP and general supernatural fans NEED THIS BOOK. 10/10 read for me.

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
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for fayethebookaddict.
49 reviews1 follower
September 15, 2026

I read this as part of the @Indie Book Voyage it is one of the books that is currently circulating, it’s such a great was to read more indie books and get there stories out there.

I really enjoyed this book and the flow of it, the found family aspect was definitely my favourite. The character development throughout was really good to see. Noah just wanted to know what happened to his brother at the school and how he could have possibly disappeared and had had no contact with him what so ever. When Noah gets there and realises this isn’t quite a normal university and is faced with many different challenges he faces them head on.

If you’re on just getting into fantasy books this a really good introduction as it is not to much world driven and is more about the characters and the plot.

I really enjoyed the ending of this book, and it really does make you want to go straight into the next one in which I will definitely be doing soon! Would I recommend this book yes I definitely would, there was at points not much happening and although that was the case it didn’t make the book drag in anyway and was still so easy to get through.
Profile Image for Rachel Watkinson.
299 reviews5 followers
September 5, 2026
ARC Review
Taken
By J.J Foraday

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

When I heard it was about a supernatural university, with a missing boy, whose brother had to go undercover as a fake vampire to find him, I was so in.

This book gives so much more than that. There are so many plot twists and unexpected things that keep popping up!

The ending had me shocked and very sad 😔

I will always read a supernatural book with vampires, wolves, witches, wizards, mermaids, and anything else ya wanna throw in there!
Profile Image for Clarissa.
7 reviews1 follower
September 2, 2026
Vanished was such an emotionally powerful debut series novel. From the moment I picked up this book, I wondered what was coming next and never wanted to stop reading. The mystery, world-building, and character development kept me intrigued during the entire novel.

This book does an excellent job of incorporating a magical world into the “ordinary” world. The twists placed in this book always had me excited for the next page. Putting this book down once I started reading was such a challenge- “just one more chapter” was an impossibility with this novel. The twist at the end of the novel made me SICK (the last bit of the book has the crazy plot twists), and I absolutely cannot wait to delve further into the world with the sequel. The emotional rollercoaster from this book was devastating and simultaneously absolutely worth every gut-wrenching page or funny moment.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Chris.
57 reviews1 follower
September 23, 2026
Magic and relatable characters

Glad I picked this up. Magic, mystery relatable characters. A relatively fast read. I will read the next one. Appreciate thatvit isn't smutty
Profile Image for Dan Vecchi.
Author 6 books20 followers
June 19, 2026
Vanished by J.J. Foraday is an amazing Young Adult Urban Fantasy that mixed vampires, werewolves, magic and many myths together. Noah is the main charater who receives a phone call from a mystery person who asks him to go to Lockwood University as his brother has Vanished. If you like books like harry potter, zodiac academy and twilight, you will be hooked imidiatelly into this universe. My rating is 5 starts and I could not say how much I loved this book, give a chance to his universe and you will fall in love for this series.
Profile Image for ˗ˏˋjoelyˊˎ˗.
51 reviews15 followers
January 21, 2026
British Humour, Supernatural Chaos, and Comfort Characters

Vanished (Lockwood University #1) — J.J. Foraday

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“When you know, you know. Death doesn’t hurt. Life’s the painful part.”

Talk about emotional damage….
This book genuinely sucked me in instantly i was hooked from the very first page. The night I picked this up, I read until 2 a.m. and physically could not put it down, even though I was desperately trying not to fall asleep. That alone says everything.

The vibes in this book are immaculate perfectly British, incredibly cosy,deeply immersive and action packed and honestly, who doesn’t love supernatural creatures existing within a world that still feels relatable? This will definitely 1000 percent be one of my top books of 2026. I had such a genuinely good time reading it and I’m just obsessed what can I say.

The main MMC Noah beach was beautifully written. The emotional depth behind his character, his background, and the growth he goes through from start to finish, despite the trauma and the completely new world he’s thrown into, genuinely made me tear up. His journey was handled with so much care and authenticity and felt so raw and real.

The supporting characters were written so well that I found myself loving some and feeling genuine anger and hatred towards others which, to me, is the sign of excellent character writing. There are also so many badass female characters in this book, which I absolutely loved for obvious reasons. Love you Ruby 💅

I always seem to find myself especially drawn to fiction set in England. The language, the slang, the atmosphere it just feels like home. Lockwood University and Noah Beach felt incredibly real, and the world-building completely pulled me in. I’ve seen some reviews say the book has a slow start, but personally, I didn’t feel that way at all. I was gripped from the beginning, and the depth of description only added to the immersion I felt.

This book also made me laugh out loud a lot. The humour is unapologetically British and genuinely hilarious. I made so many kindle highlights purely because I was audibly laughing. I want to add I read a lot of this book in public, so people probably thought I was a bit unhinged and mad oops…

As a massive lover of vampires (and I mean MASSIVE) and all things supernatural, this book was completely up my street and right down my alley. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, even though I endured emotional trauma throughout Term 3 (and yes, the author was right Term 3 is absolutely tea filled and drama filled).I was not prepared to be crying actual tears at this book but I did and honestly I was embarrassed because again i was in a public setting oops part 2 😭

I loved the way this book ended and how perfectly it sets things up for book two. I am itching to read it and cannot wait to dive back into Lockwood University and feel right at home again with all my new comfort characters.
If you are seeing this you must add vanished to your TBR and read this at once I compel you to do so!!!! (lol)

An incredible debut novel and first impression I’m so genuinely blown away and this is only the beginning , consider me sat and prepared for what may come next !!!
Profile Image for Jay.Booktok.1.
111 reviews2 followers
February 8, 2026
This book!! 👀😱

I challenged myself with this book as this is not my normal kind of read at all!!

This follows foster brothers Noah and Roman.. Roman gets a invite to a elite university and leaves noah behind in hope to better both there lives..

FF 6 months and Noah gets told that Roman is missing ... only then to recieve a call from someone using the identity 'medussa' who's objective is to get Noah into the university ro find out whats happened to Roman. Noah agrees....

The next Term Noah arrives at Lockwood University... it doesnt take him long to figure out something isn't right.... and before he knows it he is chucked into a world he never knew existed!! shocked and disbelief that he is surrounded by things he only thought existed in a book! ... how id he suppost to stay alive in this world!!.... thinking fast he decides to pose as a vampire!!! ....


As he digs deeper he finds more missing cases... suspicious activity... just what lengths will Noah go to to save his brother...

Things dont go to plan... some people get suspicious of him... some get suspicious about why he is really there! Noah soon realises he needs more than smarts, and secrets he needs friends and allies...

as he embarks on the most dangerous thing in his life will he find the answers he is looking for or does he just end up with more questions???

how long can he keep pretending to be a vampire????
whats happened to Roman?
and whi is behind it all.....

The Author -

J.J is a indie author and WOW what a book this is!! ... i literally couldn't put it down even when I had other plans I read it right up to the last second of me walking out the door ( and I wasn't amused) I even messaged him saying so!

This book is full of suspense, drama, action, sadness, friendship, trust. it has been written so well!!

it has been written so well it felt like you there with them ... a few scenes even feeling like u could smell the food... descriptions were amazing!! i cannot wait for book 2!!!
Profile Image for Hannah.
230 reviews6 followers
March 30, 2026
I read Vanished along with the rest of the girls in my local book club and ended up really enjoying it. The mystery moves quickly, and I found myself constantly trying to piece things together. The final reveal was so satisfying. It also sparked a ton of great conversation in our group, and now we are all excited for Book 2.

Getting to ask the author questions on the group call was such a fun bonus.

Overall, it is a quick, magical fantasy with great banter and plenty to keep you turning the pages. ✨️
Profile Image for Kyle Modschiedler.
347 reviews202 followers
February 9, 2026
3.5 stars! I had a good time with this book. The plot definitely moved a little slow at times but I was thoroughly entertained. We have banter, some unhinged moments, mystery and plot twist. Overall a good read!
Profile Image for A.D. Stevens.
Author 8 books32 followers
February 26, 2026
Epic read

A fantastic spin on the world of vampires, werewolves witches and wizards. A well written story of intrigue and mystery that has you guessing till you aren't a thoroughly enjoyed book by an awesome indi author
Profile Image for RoguePagesAndPixels.
15 reviews2 followers
September 8, 2026
Vanished hooked me almost immediately.

What I loved most was how grounded the writing felt. Even with the dark academia setting, witches, vampires, werewolves and a university full of secrets, the story still feels incredibly current and believable. Set in 2024, the dialogue feels natural, Noah’s inner monologue is genuinely funny, and the supernatural elements are introduced so seamlessly that the world never feels disconnected from reality.

Because Noah begins the story knowing nothing about the supernatural world, we get to discover it alongside him. That made the worldbuilding feel especially immersive. There’s enough information about the different supernatural beings and how the world works to keep you grounded, but it never turns into heavy lore dumping.

The mystery is paced really well too. We’re constantly given little puzzle pieces, then pulled back into university life before another clue or reveal moves things forward. There are some genuinely tense moments where the book becomes very hard to put down, and the twists mostly paid off really well. One element felt slightly predictable purely because there had to be somewhere for book two to go, but there were still several surprises I didn’t see coming.

Noah was easily one of my favourite parts of the book. He’s funny, down-to-earth and very easy to become attached to. There is definite growth between the person we meet in chapter one and the person we leave at the end.

I did want slightly more depth from some of the relationships around him. They clearly matter, but a few felt like they hadn’t yet been given enough space to fully develop. Ben was the exception for me — although that relationship forms fairly quickly, it felt more substantial and he became one of my favourite supporting characters.

A couple of chapter transitions also felt slightly abrupt, with scenes occasionally jumping forward in time or location before I was completely ready to leave the previous moment.

And, on a completely personal note, Noah’s repeated use of “lad” drove me slightly mad. I know it’s a colloquialism, but it consistently pulled me out of an otherwise very natural-feeling character voice.

The ending was heartbreaking, but satisfying and well rounded. We get some big answers while still being left with plenty to uncover, and thankfully book two is already out because I am absolutely continuing straight away.

There is a small amount of romance and a few sweet stolen kisses, but no spice.
Content warnings include death, killing, violence, alcohol, drug abuse and references to rape.

If you enjoy supernatural mysteries, YA fantasy, dark academia, magical-school settings and a little bit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer energy, I’d definitely recommend this one.
Profile Image for jadebookish .
65 reviews5 followers
August 29, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ Vanished by J. J. Foraday

Started: 27/08/2026
Finished: 27/08/2026
Would I recommend it? Absolutely!

If you’re a fan of fantasy, Harry Potter, Supernatural or YA fantasy, definitely add Vanished to your TBR!

This was such an easy and enjoyable fantasy read. The story follows Noah as he tries to figure out what has happened to his missing brother, and the mystery had me wanting to keep reading because I needed to know what was going on. There were SO many twists, and honestly, some of them completely caught me off guard. I love when a book manages to keep me guessing, and this one definitely did that.

One of my favourite parts was watching Noah’s development when it came to found family. I really enjoyed seeing those relationships develop throughout the story, and the side characters were brilliant too. They all had their own personalities and little quirks, which made them interesting to read about rather than just feeling like background characters.

The suspense was another huge win for me. Trying to work out why Noah’s brother had disappeared kept that underlying mystery running throughout the book, and I was constantly making my own little theories.

And can we talk about the Lockwood University leaflet?! 🥹 I absolutely loved this little touch from the author. It might seem like a small thing, but it really helped me visualise the setting while I was reading and made the world feel that bit more real.

I also really enjoyed the writing style. Fantasy can sometimes feel quite heavy or overly descriptive, but Vanished felt much more easy-going and relaxed. It made the book incredibly easy to get through, and I especially loved the British sense of humour sprinkled throughout. It gave the story its own personality.

There were a couple of things that stopped this being a full 5 stars for me. The pacing was generally pretty fast, but there were a few sections that felt noticeably slower in comparison. I also found myself wishing for a little more detail in certain scenes. There’s one particular moment involving Noah stopping something from happening to Ruby where everything happened very quickly, and I would have loved that scene to have been expanded because it had the potential to have a lot more impact.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this one. Mystery, supernatural elements, a supernatural school, found family, twists and plenty of suspense made this a really fun read. And finishing it in a single day probably says everything about how much I wanted to know what happened! 😂

4.5 ⭐️

If you enjoy YA fantasy with a supernatural twist and a mystery that keeps you guessing, I’d definitely recommend giving Vanished a go. 🖤
80 reviews10 followers
June 29, 2026
A dark acadamia that brought me home. Growing up with shows like Buffy the Vampyre slayer, Angel, Vampire Diaries, Harry Potter, Teen Wolf I immediately got lost in the world and its characters.

Noah has one person in the world who makes him feel any kind of happiness and he vanishes after starting Lockward university. Grief tears him apart but when he gets a mysterious call telling him to attend Lockward to investigate his brothers disappearance he doesn’t realise what he is exactly getting himself into.

Witches,wizards, werewolves, vampires. He enters a world of monsters and the kicker he has to convince them all he is one, that he is a vampire.

The acadamia side of this is really light this is more a story of grief, becoming things the world expects you to be but also a supernatural mystery that promises a world of intrigued and excitement and I could not put it down. I devoured every word, needed the next page. I wouldn’t say there was anything different from other works of this type but I felt the characters, the struggle the hardship and the bonds. I enjoyed the story and was left wanting more. It was beautifully written.

My only gripe is that it did feel a little easy to blend into this world centuries of experience, creatures with knowledge and they were fooled pretty easy for the most part, it is explained but it was easy answer and could have had a little more depth but I’m honestly just picking at the tiniest holes.


Read it won’t regret it, fantastic and book 2 is already out.
Profile Image for Tj Elizabeth .
32 reviews
September 7, 2026
4.5 stars 🌟

Happy to have been part of 'The latest ARC read to be put out' gang! 🤣 Thank you to J.J. Foraday for letting me be part of it!

I loved the supernatural elements. I’m a sucker for magic, vampires, werewolves, anything gothic, and I especially love a uni/academy setting in a story. Add in a mystery to solve and you’ve got me! 👀

It was also very down-to-earth and relatable, especially as a fellow northerner. There was so much language used that I use myself all the time, along with terms I know very well, and it brought a smile to my face while reading. I loved the humour throughout too — except for the emotional parts, J.J. Foraday knows exactly which part I’m talking about! 💔

I really enjoyed this story and loved the characters.

I did feel that, at times, the writing and chapters didn’t flow quite as easily for me, but this didn’t stop me from enjoying the story overall.

I’ll definitely be continuing on to book two because I need to see what supernatural chaos Noah and the gang get themselves into next! 😂
Profile Image for Stephanie Shinn.
20 reviews
September 8, 2026
***@jjf.author late ARC Review***

Vanished was such a fun and addictive mystery! Before I knew it I was staying up late for just one more chapter because I had to figure out what was happening!! There were many questions that kept me guessing, and just when I thought I had it all figured out, another plot twist! I genuinely did not see some of them coming.
I really enjoyed Noah and his friends as characters. They were entertaining and complicated, and at times had me questioning why I even liked them at all 🤣. Somehow this just made them even more enjoyable. The supernatural academia setting was a huge plus for me. The writing style flowed really nicely and made this an easy read that I flew through.
I clearly enjoyed this book as I already bought the next one in the series because I need to know what happens next! Overall, this was a 4.5 ⭐ read for me. I'm definitely looking forward to continuing the series. Thank you so much to JJ Foraday for the ARC opportunity of Vanished!!
Profile Image for Sue McGarvie.
Author 4 books9 followers
August 31, 2026
Absolutely gripping. From the very first page I was hooked; a relatable character, friendships and loyalties pushed to the breaking point, enemies who should have been the truest of allies. Magic, lies, blood, death, and love, all woven together into this incredible, unforgettable journey our Noah goes on, unexpectedly, searching for what truly matters to him.
There's a dark side to everything in this book... except for that one light that never dims: true love, the kind we feel for family and best friends. That light is what makes this story shine.
This was, without a doubt, one of the most amazing reads I've had in a long time. I could NOT put it down. I read late into the night, my eyes stinging with sleep until they teared up, and still I couldn't stop turning pages. J.J. Foraday has truly made magic with his writing — I am obsessed and already craving more.
Profile Image for Ruchika .
7 reviews1 follower
September 5, 2026
📚✨ BOOK REVIEW | Vanished by J. J. Foraday ✨📚 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book completely pulled me into its mysterious world! 🖤🔮
Vanished has everything I love in a paranormal academy story—secrets, unexpected twists, supernatural elements, and a story that keeps you guessing. The atmosphere was especially addictive, and every time I thought I had things figured out, the story had another surprise waiting for me. 👀

There were definitely moments where I had to pause and process everything happening, but that only made me more curious to see where the story would go. The characters and the world kept me invested from beginning to end, and that ending left me very ready for more! 🥹📖

If you enjoy dark academia + paranormal mysteries + magical secrets + plenty of twists, this one might be worth adding to your TBR! 🐺✨
Profile Image for Megsreads99.
25 reviews6 followers
September 22, 2026
I absolutely loved this book and I can already tell it’s a great start to what’s going to be an amazing series.

I love all the secrecy and mystery surrounding Roman’s disappearance and I was hooked instantly. So glad that the beginning gives you a little background about the characters but then dives straight into the action of it so you’re not slogging through world building chapters.

For me this was a fast paced read that I loved and devoured. Definitely has the mystical vibes of Harry Potter but an original idea that covers mature topics, a whole system of supernatural being and has delved into world that Foraday has begun to create for us!

Even though the biggest mystery from this book has come to light so many more cans of worms have been opened and I can’t wait to see where the next book goes!
Profile Image for Carolyn Twyman.
96 reviews2 followers
September 25, 2026
This is Harry Potter on steroids! Bigger and better (more adult friendly if you like).

The magical system is pure perfection! The characters are all complex and layered. You fall in love with each and every one of them!

It’s single POV, which I thought I would get bored of, but I didn’t! The MMC is Noah and he is so relatable that you’re routing for him from the first chapter. The modern quips and jargon really bring him to life.

The journey he goes through is emotionally harrowing and you feel ALL the feels reading this book. (No it didn’t make me cry, but it was still touching).

The plot twists…. OMG…. Epic!

If Harry Potter and twilight had a baby, this is the highbred it would produce! Beautiful and I can’t wait to read book 2!

JJ Faraday… I need me some signed copies and character art! 🥰
8 reviews1 follower
August 28, 2026
Oh my!

What a story!
I was hooked from the very first chapter, honestly could not put the book down finished the book in less than 24hours. Cannot wait to read the rest in the series.

Guessing who was involved and the ‘villain’ of the story had me on edge. Just as you think you know who it was a twist appears and changes everything. Keeping you hooked.

** Spoiler **
Also a vampire killing virus tested on bats that caused a massive pandemic, killing thousands of ordinaries.. sounds a little oddly familiar. I loved the subtle nod.

Favourite quotes:
‘To reach the goal I’ve got to get through Edward Cullen and the bloody X-men first’

‘Don’t judge a vampire by their teeth’
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Zoe Dolan.
29 reviews2 followers
September 9, 2026
This took a while to hook me, but once it did, I couldn't put it down.

I struggled with the pacing at the beginning and found the first half pretty slow. There were enough little mysteries to keep me curious, but it took a while before I felt properly invested.

Then somewhere around the final 150 pages, apparently someone pressed the fucking accelerator. 😂

Suddenly theories were paying off, new revelations were creating even MORE questions, and I went from casually reading to needing to know what happened immediately.

I had so much fun trying to piece everything together, and while some of my theories aged better than others 👀, there were definitely moments where I felt extremely smug. 😂

The ending has absolutely convinced me to continue the series because there is still so much I want answers to.

But most importantly:
HE DESERVED BETTER. GIVE HIM BACK.
129 reviews1 follower
September 12, 2026
Vanished was such an incredible read🖤✨

Is this going to be the next Harry Potter I hope so and I’m here to watch this on my screen. The world building was fantastic.

The characters were definitely the main part of what kept me reading I liked seeing their different personalities come through and how their relationships developed as the story went on. There’s a great mix of characters from different supernatural backgrounds and I enjoyed getting to know them. Some of the characters definitely had me questioning who I could trust. And some definitely stole my heart.
WHYYYYY why did it have to be him….. you know what I mean. 😭

If you love secret magical worlds, witches, vampires, werewolves and other supernatural beings definitely add this one to your TBR. 🖤📚
Profile Image for Megan Jones.
6 reviews1 follower
August 31, 2026
The way I absolutely CONSUMED THIS BOOK!!! JJ, you took me through all the emotions and made me fall in love, just to rip my heart out, put it back in and rip it out again!

I'm so glad I can jump straight in to book 2, that ending!😳😳 Honestly, this book kept me enthralled throughout. When I wasn't reading it I was thinking about reading it! The british humour had me cackling at 1am, crying over my favourites at 1pm and everything in between.

Vanished really needs to be the next thing to blow up because it genuinely has it all. Storyline, well-rounded characters, suspense, and world building that makes you question everything. It's one of the best YA fantasies I've read for a while. 10/10
Profile Image for Angela Whitmore.
501 reviews1 follower
September 2, 2026
Vanished

It's like Harry Potter but a bit more grown up. Lockwood University is a secret place for only the magical races. Noah is a human but unknown to him, his foster brother Roman qualifies for a place there. All contact between them ends, then Noah gets a call from the mysterious Medusa. Roman is missing and she wants Noah to investigate. He will need to fit in by pretending to be one of the magical races.
Suspicion, lies, violence, drink and drugs are just some of the themes that follow.
Sometimes I got a bit lost when characters were talking to each other, but the story kept me engaged and I look forward to following Noah's story in future books.
Profile Image for Beth Proctor.
3 reviews4 followers
September 14, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ but I won't forgive you for writing this book 😭
Okay, so I originally thought this was gonna be a 3 star read, it felt like it took time to get invested, but when it picked up and you learned more I couldn't put it down.
I spent a lot of time thinking there was a plot hole in the story, because people didn't know Roman's brother, until we found out they did, but just didn't have a name, and then I was convinced I knew who was responsible so many times, and then another twist came, and I was confused all over again.
The twists, the turns, the plots, pulled this up to a 4.5 read for me.
I adore Ben, and for his story alone, you are not forgiven, J. J. Foraday. You have broken my heart, but reeled me in, I will be reading Nocturnal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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