I liked this one . It was a little creepy in a good way and true to the way of life for some people in the part of the world I live in . I felt it was good from beginning to end with engaging characters.

⟾ 2.5 stars

i'm really sad i didn't enjoy this one and i can definitely tell this time it isn't the book's fault at all. i expected a lot more tension because it's marketed as a thriller, but it didn't feel like one at all. it only focused on cooper's life with his daughter, with a few moments of mystery that weren't explored at all.

the build-up was way too long and i was constantly bored up to the 75% mark. it did get a bit better after, but the thriller part was so unsatisfactory. it's just glazed over and resolved in a couple of pages, which is a shame, because it could've made for an interesting conflict. i think the problem i have with the book is exactly this- it has no /conflict/.

the characters were wonderfully described and i really liked finch. she's amazing and i adored how smart she was throughout the book. cooper was okay, although i didn't really get the animosity he has with scotland, it felt a bit forced.

the writing i didn't like at the beginning, but it eventually grew on me. i don't really know how to describe it, but it doesn't read like the usual 1st person POV. i noticed it was a bit awkward at times, especially at start, which put me off a bit, but it did get better as i read more.

i was going to give this one 3 stars, but then the ending happened. it resolved the minimal conflict in a page and wrapped it up nicely - way too nicely. it was a bit forced imo.

thank you to netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Enjoyed the free prerelease copy of this book from Netflix. An interesting story. Kept my interest, which means to me, it’say good book!

** Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. **

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved the bond between the father and daughter. This is a perfect suspense novel for those who like reading books set in the woods/survival type setting. This books gives me Where The Crawdads Sing vibes. I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to everyone. I expect that this will definitely become a best seller when it’s released.

I just finished another book so similar to this but I enjoyed this one too. This one was pegged as a thriller but I don't think it really is. It is much more a story between a father and a daughter who live off the grid. The lengths this father went to for his daughter was beautiful and emotional.
This book was unputdownable and I enjoyed every element the author created.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my advanced ebook copy.

I love this book. Couldn’t put it down. Mysterious and delightful! One of my favorite books ever!!!!!

WOW!! I am blown away by These Silent Woods! Its the best book I’ve read in a long time! I could not put it down!! I was hooked from the beginning and devoured it quickly. The best part of this book was the ending, which I did not see coming! Totally unexpected and so bittersweet. I shed so many tears! This book really hit me hard in the feelings. Add this to your TBR list now, it is amazing!


Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review!

2.5 stars rounded up

This ended up being a much different book than I was expecting. From the blurb I was anticipating a suspenseful tale of a father and daughter living in hiding and surrounded in mystery, and while there were tense moments, it was definitely more of a slow burn with hints of romance and survivalism. I enjoyed the characters and Cooper's narration but found myself slogging through the first third until the action started ramping up. I think my rating would be higher if I had a better understanding of what kind of book it was going into it. I believe it would benefit from a different, less ominous cover design and a new description.

It's been 8 years. Eight years in the Appalachian wilderness. Living as off the grid as humanly possible. Eight years.

Cooper and his daughter Finch live in a cabin owned by an Army buddy. After Afghanistan, Cooper tried to return home to a normal life. Great wife whose parents had no time for Cooper. Hated the very air he breathed.

Newborn daughter arrives. As does a random act no one saw coming. His in laws come for their infant granddaughter. Cooper hands her over and immediately starts planning how to get her back. The legal obstacles are great. Too great to be left to chance, so Cooper takes things into his own hands and heads for the backwoods with his daughter in tow.

After a few years, this old mountain man shows up. Calls himself Scotland. Arrives unannounced. Never heard him coming. Suspicious is Cooper. Guy lives in a neighboring cabin. Been keeping an eye of this little family through his high power spotting scope. Strange indeed. But Finch seems taken with him despite his rough exterior.

Once a year, Cooper's buddy drive a truck in with supplies. Cooper grows and hunts his own food, but other necessities have to be purchased and Cooper wants to stay hidden, thus the delivery. This year, no delivery. Not good. Scotland is also concerned for the owner as well as Cooper and Finch. Manages to scrape together some things they need. Cooper even takes the risk of venturing into town for supplies.

The winter is setting in. Snow arrives. As does a visitor. A woman. Drove up like she knew the route. She should. She's the owner's sister. She knew of the annual supply runs. Knowing her brother couldn't make it, she filled up a car and headed for the cabin . . . and gets snowed in (of course). But it is her nosey nature that stimulates Cooper and Finch to check out the rumor of a missing high school girl.

I had no clue what I was getting myself in for. But after a single chapter, I was hooked. Call this a modern day Jeremiah Johnson story (without the Crow Indians). Man (and daughter) testing themselves in the wilderness. What could be better. A quiet tale primarily about 3 people (Cooper, Finch, Scotland) and how a new insertion can bring out more from most people than they knew they had and what they were willing to give up.

A splendid tale. Can't say enough. Highly recommended.

Available October 26, 2021

First off I have to thank NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. This book has me in my feels. So much so that I had to pause for a few days after reading it before leaving a review. This is marketed as a thriller/mystery but I don’t think that’s the category I’d place it in. I went into this expecting a creepy mystery, and while this is a very atmospheric novel, a traditional thriller it isn’t. I can’t say much without giving away a ton of spoilers but I can say this book took me by surprise and delivered one gut punch after another by the end. The story follows a very small cast of characters and mainly centers on a man called Cooper and his daughter Finch. Finch is precious and incredibly intelligent and Cooper is basically a veteran survivalist with a shady past. For some reason I kept picturing the actor Josh Brolin as Cooper so movie gods, please make that happen!
This book definitely packs an emotional punch and left me debating my own morality and belief system. So so good.

Who wants to live deep in the Appalachian Mountains, with no running water, electricity, no quick trips to the store, or any modern conveniences? All the while raising your fierce 8 year old daughter? Is this just a story about being fully submerged in nature, or is there more? Is it about the survival and the love one man has for his daughter, and he is willingness to do anything to make sure they are together.

Kimi Cunningham Grant takes you on a fascinating walk, slowly showing you bits and pieces of the how and why Cooper and Finch ended up in These Silent Woods. Grant Slowly builds the story, releasing bits and pieces of insight into the tangle of circumstances that lead these two captivating characters to this cabin.

Cooper is a deeply complex character, with many layers that must be slowly peeled away and revealed. He completed three tours in Afghanistan, which stripped him to the bone. He suffers from panic attacks and PTSD. Besides all of these hardships he finally makes a home with the love of his life, Cindy, who is tragically taken from him. Leaving him a grieving man with a tiny baby, Finch.

Finch is an astonishing little girl. She has only known home as the cabin in the woods. Living in complete isolation with her father. She is fierce, loyal, and always wants to do the right thing. She has ferocious appetite for reading. She loves to quote poems and lines from books. She is also Cooper's voice of reason. You can see the two of them have an extraordinary love for one another.

These Silent Woods had me captivated. The way in which Grant tells the story, leaves you wanting for more. The characters are fascinating and weave an extraordinary tale of survival and love. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this emotionally charged book. I highly recommend it!

I have just read These Silent Woods by Author Kimi Cunningham Grant.

I really did not know what to expect going into this book after reading the Publisher notes, however really enjoyed it. This was an excellent read!

It was almost spiritual, and so much about lost love and a father’s love for his young daughter.

Set in the Appalachian mountains for many years, living a very isolated life. The bond of this family is very touching.

A father and nature that teaches so much.

Thank you to NetGalley, Author Kimi Cunningham Grant, and St. Martin's Press for my advanced copy to read and review.

#NetGalley

This book was wonderful! I loved every second of it! Emotions flying with my favorite genre of thriller, mixed with some family feelings.

What a beautiful, moving, emotional novel. I absolutely loved the characters, the setting, and the stunning writing and read this book in a day because I could not peel myself away from it. Needless to say, I was invested from start to finish and will be recommending it to everyone I know.

This has the makings of a popular mystery title. It seemed realistic, it is well written, there's good suspense once it gets going, and it has a good ending. It's not necessarily fast paced, but that does not take away from it's impact. Recommended.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!

5 compelling stars
From the Publisher: “A father and daughter living in the remote Appalachian mountains must reckon with the ghosts of their past in Kimi Cunningham Grant's These Silent Woods, a mesmerizing novel of suspense.
No electricity, no family, no connection to the outside world.
For eight years, Cooper and his young daughter, Finch, have lived in isolation in a remote cabin in the northern Appalachian woods. And that's exactly the way Cooper wants it, because he's got a lot to hide.”

Cooper is a complex and compelling character. Completely self-sufficient in a cabin in the Appalachian Mountains with Finch, his 8-year-old daughter. Tough and tender, he will do just about anything for Finch though plagued by PTSD from his time in Afghanistan. An eccentric neighbor seems to be spying on them, stopping by at odd moments. A teen girl goes missing and adds to the layers of mysteries. Characters are intriguing and believable with doubts, playfulness, caring hearts, protective hearts, tender hearts.

Grant’s writing and dialog are strong throughout. I felt the woods around me. The action kept me reading quickly and bowled me over at the end. This book, full of grace and grit, is one that both male and female readers will treasure!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Devoured in one sitting! These Silent Woods has it all... an isolated cabin, intricate character development, a recent war hero, family drama, survivalism, a close father-daughter relationship, an oddball neighbor named Scotland and his pet crow, and a mystery in the #West Virginia woods (one of my favorite places... Let's Goooo Mountaineers!). I just love, love, love these characters and their story. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This is an absorbing and well-written novel about a man on the run from the past and the daughter who he feared would be taken away from him. They live together in a cabin in the deep woods completely off the grid, with only an annual supply run provided by an old army buddy and an eccentric neighbor who is a slightly disturbing presence, able to appear without notice and given to cryptic statements. When the buddy doesn't show up and a woman appears, camping in the woods nearby, their carefully protected privacy begins to unravel.

The relationship between father and daughter, two well-developed characters, and the lengths they go to to have a life in hiding deep in the woods, makes for a moving story that carries undercurrents of suspense - not only what happened to send them on the run, or whether they will be found, but whether "Cooper," the father, is doing right by his precocious daughter, isolating her from the world. Though I got a bit impatient with all the time it took to learn what sent them into the woods in the first place, it's altogether a deeply satisfying story that includes (eventually) a murder mystery and a twist of an ending.

Cooper lives with his daughter, Finch, in isolation in a cabin deep in the Appalachian woods with no electricity or running water. They’ve lived there for eight years, ever since the girl was an infant. Is Cooper simply a back-to-nature guy? No, he’s not. Moving to the woods was for him not a frivolous gesture, but, instead, a move generated out of necessity; the only way he knew of that would ensure their survival.

These Silent Woods is a compelling novel. Cooper, the narrator, is a man broken by war who did something bad eight years before – something so horrible that the only way he could keep his child was to escape to this remote cabin in the woods. But, now, Finch is not a little girl anymore. At eight, she knows the woods better than anyone and is beginning to realize that there may be more to life than the tiny cabin she calls home.

I loved this novel. The writing is as beautiful as the story is suspenseful. The tragic character of Cooper is rendered with grace and compassion – a man scarred by war who fell in love and thought he’d found peace, only to have tragedy strike once again and set him on a course that he knows deep down will never last.
This is the best book I’ve read in a long time. The final chapters were read through a veil of tears that I couldn’t stop from flowing. Ms. Grant’s prose is vivid and every character is beautifully rendered.

These Silent Woods, A Novel is an outstanding work of fiction and is most highly recommended by this reader. Five Stars.

I've been waiting all year to find a book that really moves me. I think I've found it in These Silent Woods. I am willing to wager that this is the best book I've read in 2021. I tore through it and thought about the characters and what might happen even when I wasn't reading.

The characters are so beautifully developed. The scenery is described in such a way that it feels like part of the story, or another character in itself. The dialogue is realistic and while the story is heartbreaking, it's not outside the realm of possibility.

I have to say I both loved and hated the ending. I think a good story normally ends with conflicted feelings. It was heartbreaking and exhilarating at the same time.

I will definitely be recommending this to everyone once it's published!