Atmospheric, compelling, and ominous. This is a story of a father and a daughter, isolated and separated with the highest of stakes to survive or have irreversible consequences.

I felt completely invested and compelled to find out the reason behind Finch and Cooper’s story. This is not a thriller, but had mystery elements. This would be best classified as contemporary fiction, so I think if you didn’t know this going in beforehand this could fall flat for you. To me the big reveal of why they are isolated the way they are was not as shocking as one may think, and could be disappointing if you were hoping for something more.

To me this was a story about family, and the writing paired with the environment kept me interested and invested to see the conclusion of the story.

I would of loved more of Finch’s POV which we saw at the end, and think that it would of elevated the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review ✨

This was a slow, but necessary burn. Oh my word. Halfway through I didn't think I liked this book because I couldn't see where it was going, but I wanted to see where it would end up. I am so glad that I kept going, because this book's ending was absolutely everything. The character development was top notch paired with the level of selflessness showed by a few characters was absolutely heartwarming. This book was the book I did not know I needed. I was pleasantly surprised with These Silent Woods.

Cooper and his eight-year-old daughter Finch live together in a small cabin in a remote forest in the Appalachian woods. They've been living here for Finch's whole life, and they can't leave - Cooper has gone to extreme lengths to keep and protect his daughter, and reentering society would mean that he loses precious Finch for good. They are both completely self-sufficient, relying only on once-a-year deliveries from Cooper's old friend and fellow Gulf War vet, Jake. Finch adores the woods, exploring her territory and learning everything about scouting, hunting, and trapping - although she wishes she had more friends. But this year, the date that Jake reliably arrives comes and goes with no sign of Jake. Cooper finally knows that his friend has passed away, and it's time to change their pattern and figure out how he's going to get supplies for the next year.

When I first read the description of the book, I was expecting it to be a fast-paced thriller about a father and daughter on the edge of survival, or perhaps some insidious abuse or cult story, or a chase between the authorities and Cooper. But the book is none of the above - in fact, it's a quiet, slow story about a father dealing with his past traumas of losing his wife and scars from war, and doing what he can to protect his one dearest thing in the world, his daughter. He carefully weighs the risks of taking his Bronco out to Walmart to get all of the supplies they'll need for the year against the danger of Finch being seen and taken away from him. He rehashes the story of how he got where he is now, the little losses and decisions that put him in this place. Cooper is an empathetic, compassionate man who's sorry for the things he's done, but knows he did them all out of love for Finch.

Throughout the story, you meet just a few more characters, learning how even the slightest tugs at the guardrails Cooper has set can put him on edge, but also show him what else is possible. In the end, the book is somewhat of a moral tale, a story about right and wrong, and one person's sacrifice.

I loved the characters, the writing, the plot, and the pacing of this book. It wasn't too short or too long, it was cozy but not overly slow, and you form a real relationship with the couple of characters you get to know. I really recommend this book for anyone who values strong character development, stories of grief and trauma, and the beauty of the natural world. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC via Netgalley!

This was a near perfect book.

If you are looking for a tense, emotional, character driven story, this is it. Cooper, Finch, and Scotland will stay with me for a long time. The writing was beautiful and atmospheric but these characters were perfectly developed. The only critique I had was the pacing could have been sped up a bit, however, I found it gave me more quiet time to fall into the characters. The scene at Walmart had me literally on the edge of my chair and the ending left me in tears. 5 stars.

Such an amazing read. I expected more of a thriller, but this story of family, especially the father/daughter bond, hit me emotionally and was truly beautiful. Loved this.

This story of a father who takes his young daughter off the grid to live was absolutely riveting. Cooper was escaping from more than just his own demons and Finch grew up not knowing anything different but she had started to yearn for life outside of their isolated cabin. They have contact with only one neighbor, Scotland, and there's some animosity between him and Cooper. The descriptions of nature were so good and the addition of a mystery element when the one person who brings them food every year doesn't show up made for increasing suspense. I loved the progression of the story, loved the characters, and loved the surprise ending. The ending was so emotional which I didn't expect.

Im addictedand need more from this author. I picked this up because it reminded me of another story that i loved. Something about people living on mountains by themselves and something creepy happen is now my addiction. The story was well written

"The thing about grace is that you don't deserve it. You can't earn it. You can only accept it. Or not."

I thought based on title and premise that this would be a thriller. But I was completely wrong. There were definitely mysterious elements trying to make sense of why Father and daughter were living secretly off-grid in a cabin. From the Father, Cooper's point of view of the past and how it affected the present was revealed. Details were revealed throughout the entire book but yet it did not feel slow. There were definitely some plot twists that caught me by surprise. The plot was a beautiful story of a love between Father and daughter and what sacrifices were made so they could be together. The story was heavy in character development and told by the voice in the audiobook of Bronson Pinchot. This is definitely not a typical read for me but I really enjoyed it. Growing up in the woods, living in a cabin, and learning how to survive without technology but just books and nature had a simple beauty to it. Hiding from the past was inevitable that at some point it might come to an end. There were a lot of themes in this story- family, military experience, sacrifice, friendship, and love as well as loss. This book was heartwarming and written beautifully.

Thank you @Netgalley and @StMartinspress and @Minotaur_books for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Such a great book.. It almost broke my heart because of the way things would have to end.. But I kept reading and really enjoyed it. Cooper and his young daughter have been living in the woods for 8 years. Like remote, no electricity, water to the house or electronics. He is running from his past & hiding out.. He doesn’t want a soul to know where they are.. it has been working for them., actually they had a very special life. They made the woods their home. They know every inch of it. They work the land for all their needs. Only two people know they are there.. Cooper’s old friendJake, whose cabin it is. He allows Cooper & Finch to stay here and once a year comes and delivers them supplies. This year Jake doesn’t come. Cooper starts to panic because they have to make it through the winter on what they have. It won’t be enough. How will they make it? Will Cooper have to own up to his past and do the right thing? Will he have to explain to Finch why they are here? As he plans for this 1st winter, without supplies, Cooper had to make some tough decisions. Will the neighbor, they don’t know but see turn them in? Kimi Cunningham Grant had me on the edge of my seat. It was a fast.. but there wasn’t anything missing. Cunningham really gets the details and settings right!!! I couldn’t put it down and the ending was so surprise.. I can’t wait to read another one of Cunningham’s books. I hope you enjoy it too!!!

This is an emotional suspenseful book that captivated me from page one. This book lived up to all the hype. One of the best books I’ve read this year. This story will stay with me for a long time . I was definitely surprised by the ending.

When I came to the last few pages of this undeniably moving and beautifully written novel, I tried to stop, I tried to make it last longer. I couldn't. I had to finish it. When I finished, I literally hugged my kindle. This was my first read of 2022 and it was beyond my hopes and dreams. 5 big bold bright stars for Kimi Cunningham Grant's "These Silent Woods." The story was riveting, the prose leapt off the pages, the characters burrowed into my heart and tore it to shreds. I LOVE this book.
Cooper is a dad who is determined to keep his daughter safe. Finch is a strong and fierce little girl with a curious and precocious spirit. Cooper had a life, but it blew up in his face and left him with a tough choice: take his daughter and run, or lose her forever. Any parent knows the choice he should and did make. He took his little love and ran.
He is raising her in a remote land, living in a cabin far off the beaten path with only one unusual neighbor (Scotland) who visits now and then and his old military buddy who comes by once a year with the supplies that get them through the year. They look forward to this visit every year.
But this year, that visit doesn't come. And Finch is growing up, she's getting curious about the outside world. There is a visitor on the land that poses a threat. Cooper must do what he must do to protect his little family. He must make difficult choices and any parent knows that sometimes the choices we make for our children aren't the ones that society want us to make. My heart was wrenched from my body and torn from my soul. My soul was reborn. This novel completed me! Read it, don't read this review, read the book- you will thank me later.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for breaking my heart and putting it back together again!

I absolutely adored this book. It was slow going the beginning, but the imagery was beautiful. The ending, however, was NOT slow. Loved!!

This is such a good book if you’re looking for something with a winter setting the vines of Near the Bone or The Great Alone! I’ve seen this on so many people’s best of 2021 lists

I absolutely loved this story! One of my all time favorite books, and definitely a top of 2021. Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy to review.

I really enjoyed These Silent Woods and thought it was a unique type of thriller that was more of a slow burn. I liked the setting and the characters that were introduced. I enjoyed the uncertainty you felt while reading, especially when it was unclear what was going to happen. The only thing I wish was that it was more climactic towards the end. While I liked the couple twists thrown in, I expected a bigger, more shocking revelation. Overall though I thought it was a quick read and was different from other books I’ve read recently.

wow. This is one of the most incredible books I have ever read in my entire life. I have not hung onto every word of a book in so long even though I knew it was going to break my heart at some point. With that being said, this story of cooper and Finch was one that truly showed how much love a father can have for their child and how he made every choice he did for her. The writing in this book was phenomenal and the ending made me give this book the biggest hug. HIGHLY RECCOMEND.

I loved this book. It made it to my top 10 books of the year and now I want to read more of this author. So atmospheric and interesting. Highly recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While not a fast-paced, in-your-face thriller, this was a satisfying suspense novel set in the Appalachian Mountains.

Cooper and his daughter Finch live in isolation at a remote, off-the-grid cabin, and Jake, Cooper’s friend, and Scotland, a hermit living nearby, are the only people who know they are there, which is the way Cooper wants it. For the last eight years, Jake has brought Cooper and Finch much needed supplies once a year, but this year, Jake never arrives. Instead, Cooper and Finch cross paths with two strangers – one, Jake’s sister, who now owns the cabin, and a young female photographer, who Finch is transfixed by and whose unexpected disappearance puts them all at risk.

I was really fascinated by the story and these characters. Between Finch’s approaching adolescence, Cooper’s troubled past, and Scotland’s secrets, it was clear that even without the missing photographer, these characters were approaching a build-up to something life-changing no matter what. For eight years, Finch has gone along with what her father wants – staying away from strangers, being able to hide herself in the cellar at a moment’s notice, and following every rule – but as she gets older, it’s clear that she is not naturally a recluse and yearns for the attention and companionship of others. While she’s only eight, it’s clear that changes are coming, and I liked how the author wove this in to all the other things that were going wrong all at once.

Without giving anything away, the ending was a bit easy, but also made a lot of sense for how these characters developed.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.

Ever since seeing Kelly @kellyhook.readsbooks rave about this book, I’ve been dying to get to this book. I went into it blind. I’m not sure what I thought it would be, but it was so different than I was picturing and EXTREMELY intriguing! I devoured it in 24 hours.

I don’t really want to give any spoilers away, even with a brief synopsis. So here are my highlights from it:

✨Go into it blind- the build up and twists are worth it.
✨Reading it during a chillier season adds so much to this book… I recommend picking it up soon!
✨The author’s atmospheric writing is STUNNING. Do you love books where you feel like you’re tucked into a hidden corner of the world? (Think “The Great Alone”) Then this is DEFINITELY a book for you.
✨I don’t usually cry. But there was a part that ripped my heart out. It was beautiful and all props to her for being able to evoke that emotion out of my grinchy heart 😂

Beautifully written story about the love of parents for their children and the lengths we'll go to protect them. Rather enjoyed the dichotomy of Cooper's pre-woods life dealing with PTSD and the peaceful, serene life he created with Finch in the woods. Grant cleverly orchestrates a low intensity of doom throughout the book and crescendos of tension at key moments. Well deserving of all the 5 star reviews.