These Silent Woods is a tension-filled read that will have you on the edge of your seat until the last page. The story takes place in the Appalachian wilderness and revolves around Cooper and his daughter Finch. There are many secrets in their cozy and sheltered life. Trouble ensues, secrets are revealed, and the ending will leave you in shock. I devoured this one!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Great story, characters and writing

This is not a thriller and marketing as such may get it some backlash but I hope not. It’s quite the story. The descriptions of the setting and day to day “plodding” make this story come alive. Finch is such a fun character and her relationship with her dad, Cooper, is heartwarming.

The story alternates between the past and present showing why these characters are now living off the grid. There is death, ptsd, kidnapping and I got a bit teary at times. These is also friendships, love, redemption which still got the tears going. The conclusion is lovely, thought provoking and very fitting. It isn’t very realistic but I’m going with it because It feels good.

I will definitely look for the next by this author. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for a copy in exchange for a review.

A good, quick read. A layered story that filled in gaps well as it went along. Suspension of belief required. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

In the northern Appalachian mountains, Cooper and his young daughter Finch live in complete isolation. They have no electricity, no family, and almost no connection to the outside world. Which is just how Cooper wants it, because he knows it's the only way they'll be safe.

But lately Finch is starting to push back, increasingly unsatisfied with their solitary lifestyle. And when one of their tenuous links to essential supplies--and survival--breaks, Cooper and Finch realize they may be in danger greater than they'd ever imagined.

Then a stranger wanders near their remote cabin, and Cooper's longtime struggle to stay hidden seems increasingly impossible. His secrets feel sure to unravel.

This series of unexpected events upends everything for Cooper--some in the best ways and others in the worst imaginable. Chance encounters, assumptions, and suspicions could ruin his long-held, desperate plans.

The premise is a slam dunk for me, and Grant does a nice job of slowly unfurling the truth of what occurred in years past and led Cooper to his extreme lifestyle. I felt a little frustrated that Cooper didn't spend more energy during their years of isolation thinking about potential exit strategies for him and especially for his beloved Finch in order to ensure that her best interests would be considered if things went sideways. (And what was the plan to save Finch if something had happened to Cooper during the brutal years in the woods, leaving Finch vulnerable?)

This feels like a tricky story to bring to a close, and I had mixed feelings about the sacrifice at the heart of the ending as well as the somewhat neat resolution of certain matters. But I very much enjoyed my time in the woods with Cooper and especially Finch.

I received a prepublication digital edition of this book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press , Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my own opinion.

What a great can I curse? No! What a great freaking book. I loved this book. I'm going to stop people on the street and tell them to read this book NOW. But first let me pick up the pieces of my broken shattered heart and glue them back together.

This book has everything you could want and its about a father and a daughter, who he wants to protect. They live in the deep Appalachian mountains in a cabin of the father, Cooper's, military friend Jack.... Cooper lives here with his 8 yr old daughter Finch. They live off the grid together, never venturing outside of the mountains and are supplied with all they need by Jack, who comes once a year. This year, Jack does not show, and this is where it all begins. I wouldn't dare say more because you need to read this book for yourself.

Be prepared for this and have your handkerchief on hand because you will be in tears. What a beautiful heart rendering book. 5 million kajillion stars!

#thesesilentwoods
#kimicunninghamgrant
#mystery
#NetGalley published 11/16/21
#stmartinspress
#minotaurbooks

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (rounding up for ratings)

I was pulled in right away. I was curious from the beginning. Why were they hiding out in the forest? This poor child has never been with other people. Why? What's going on? Hmm...

The narrator is the father, Cooper. The sentences are short and to the point. You can tell it is written as he thinks. It's mysterious from the very beginning. Cooper and his daughter have been living in a cabin in the woods for most of Finch's whole 8 years. She doesn't know what it's like to live with electricity, with other people, or even going to school.

I don't really want to go into the story too much. I don't want to give away the story. This is not an edge of your seat story. It's not thrilling. It's just a really good story. One you can imagine actually happening in life. Sadly. I just loved this book. The only reason I took half a star away is bc I felt that the ending was quite quick. Yes it has a very well done Epilogue. But I did feel it was a bit abrupt.

#ARC
#arcreview#generalfiction
#bookstagram #booknerds #bookworm #booklover #bookdragon #readalot #ilovereading #inkdrinker #librarymouse #bookaddict #bookaholic #booklover #booknerd #readingaddiction #readingaddict #readingforpleasure #bookreview #booknerdigan #bookish #booknerdbookreviews #gottareadthisbook #lovethisbook

I initially requested this book because of all the high reviews, and that was probably one of the more intelligent things I’ve done this year. The desire to never put These Silent Woods down is weird because this story progresses somewhat slowly, but that doesn’t equate to a loss of interest like most other books would. The character building is phenomenal, and that allows for an insanely perfect ending. Just know that you’re probably going to need tissues for the last little bit of this book.

This is a book that will tear down your belief in humanity and then build it back up stronger than it ever was before. I know I tend to be a little liberal with my stars (I’m always just going to be legitimately stoked to have the access/privilege to read), but this is one of those stories that will stick with you after.

Thanks so very much to NetGalley, Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Publishing, and Kimi Cunningham Grant for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Review posted to blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

Wholly unexpected and oh so Fabulous!

First, let me say that this was not on my radar and all. I had absolutely no plans at all to grab this until Kaceey convinced me to do so. I must, therefore say a huge thank you to her as this fantastic character driven fiction and garnered a great discussion between the two of us.

Cooper and his daughter Finch live off the grid and have done so for years. Isolated in a remote cabin in the Appalachian woods, their life is about survival, sacrifice and deep, fierce love. At eight years old, Finch is only now beginning to question their way of life and want for more. Cooper however is desperate to protect his daughter from the outside world and from the sins of his past.

To say that this book gutted me is an understatement. I was unprepared for the impact it would have. I adored all of the characters in this novel equally and was stunned by the writing. Kim Cunningham Grant, I am now a big fan of yours.

A fantastic buddy read with Kaceey!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the arc.

Published on Goodreads and Twitter.

You’ve probably noticed all the five-star reviews for this book by now. And naturally, you’re wondering…does it really live up to all that hype?

One word. YES! It deserves all the stars and praise it’s been receiving.

How far would you go to protect your family?

Cooper, a decorated Army Ranger had difficulty readjusting to civilian life once back home stateside. Suffering from PTSD, he managed his day to day struggles by putting one foot in front of the other, hoping to keep the nightmares at bay.

Cooper has been raising his daughter Finch in a remote mountain cabin. More or less an island of two, managing to shut the outside world out for 8 years. So secluded, only two people are aware of them at all. The nosy neighbor Scotland, who Cooper can’t bring himself to trust. And Jake, Cooper’s best friend and war buddy who brings them supplies on the same day each year. This year, Jake didn’t show up. But someone else did…

Now Copper’s private world is at risk.

Can Cooper keep Finch safe? Or are all his secrets about to be exposed.

WOW! What an incredibly thought provoking book about love, family, friendship and sacrifice. I adored Cooper and his desperate struggles to be a good man while fighting back his military demons. And Finch stole my heart in her innocence and wonder.

Beautifully written. I highly recommend.

A buddy read with Susanne.

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to Goodreads and Minotaur Books

This is a beautifully written suspenseful read! I flew through it wanting to know more about Cooper and Finch and what had them living alone and isolated in the woods! So many questions but yet they live a beautifully quite life. I loved getting to see Coopers story slowly come out between chapters of current events. I was wrong about curtain things while trying to figure it out and loved that! I grew really attached to finch and Cooper throughout the story, I felt for them and the struggles they faced. Things that just were out of their control, that would rock their world in a secret sting way. Add to all the a mystery girl in the woods and I just couldn’t put it down. Over all such a beautiful and heartbreaking story with a lot of suspense.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for my early copy for honest review.

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. Cooper has many secrets and will do anything to protect his daughter. Once a year they are delivered supplies, but this year Jake doesn't arrive and their lives begin to spiral and will forever be changed. This book is an emotional roller coaster and Cooper's devotion, love and willingness to sacrifice all to protect Finch will bring you to tears. The ending was not what I expected and the whole book is a heart-wrenching experience.

Sometimes a book just comes out of nowhere and takes you completely by surprise. That’s exactly what happened to me with 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝗪𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐒 by Kimi Cunningham Grant. You’re not going to get much from me about this book, because I think the story is better without knowing too much. (𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 read the publisher’s synopsis.) I will tell you it’s about a father and his young daughter, Cooper and Finch, living off the grid in a cabin deep in the Appalachian mountains. There’s a reason why and a couple people who know, but their world is limited, which is not the same as small. Something happens to threaten the life Cooper so carefully built for them.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
That’s all I’m willing to share, but trust me, you’ll want to read 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴. In some ways it reminded me of 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘕𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 by Claire Fuller, but rest assured the two books did NOT go to the same place. From start to finish, I was all in as Grant drew me deeper and deeper into the world of Cooper and Finch. Her characters were so well-developed and full of heart, I found myself enamored with them. The setting felt vivid and real. On top of all that, her story had a big dose of mystery to it, which compelled me to read “one more chapter” over and over again. The ending was a little neat and tidy, but still I consider this book a huge November win! 

Note: My thanks to Minotaur Books (via NetGalley) for an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel set in Appalachia. As a fellow Appalachian, I’m drawn to stories about the area. This one is a story about survival, about a father and daughter duo trying to make their way in a secluded cabin in the mountains. They survive years with only a few people to help them along the way. Then a stranger appears and turns their whole world upside down. I felt for Finch as she struggled with the isolation of their lives, I felt for Cooper who was only doing what he thought was best for his daughter and in the end, I felt for Scotland who proved that doing the right thing is what’s important.

These Silent Woods is the story of a father’s love for his daughter and their unique fugitive life in the woods. The setting is so well described, I feel ready to move to the woods myself.

However, it is so much more than that. It is a heartbreaking tearjerker too. I haven’t felt so emotionally involved in a book since I read Island of the Blue Dolphins as a child. This book is just as beautifully written. It is also a Turing test. If you can read the excellent conclusion without crying, you must be a robot.

I think categorizing this book as suspense might be a bit disingenuous. It felt more like general fiction until about the 80% point. When I read These Silent Woods, I had no idea what the plot was. And that is for the best. Go in blind and savor the perfect prose and unusual plot. 5 stars and a favorite!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was great! I highly recommend it. It was a non stop page turner! For sure will read more by this author!

This looked like the perfect book to pick up to welcome fall, but I expected a thriller and this didn’t deliver for me. I went into this book blind…the only assumption I had was that it was about someone living in isolation and anticipated something shocking to happen.

Be warned- the first half of the book is really slow and never built up any real suspense. There is a lot we don’t know about the characters, and as the story goes on we learn more about why they ended up in this cabin. As we learn about their background, their once quiet cabin life doesn’t feel so safe anymore. This book begs the question, can you ever escape from your past or does it always catch up to you?

I would classify this as more of a mystery than a thriller. If you’re picking this up expecting something fast paced and full of twists- you’ll be disappointed. However, it was still a good story and I’m glad I read it.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for this advance reading copy. This book was published 11/16/21.

I don't know what lead me to this book. It's not the type I typically read. When I started it, I thought I would have a hard time getting through it. However, the father/daughter relationship was so sweet. It wasn't long and it was a book I could not put down.
There were several twists and surprises from the characters. The end reminded me of a Nicholas Sparks book. Surprisingly enjoyable read.
I received this galley from NetGalley.

Now, this is a novel with heart. THESE SILENT WOODS has been described as “near perfection” by reviewers and I beg to differ; it is downright perfection.

Seeking solace and safety in the Appalachian wilderness, Cooper and his young daughter Finch hide from the world in a remote cabin. My initial intrigue turned to wholehearted investment as the story slowly unfolded. I couldn’t shake the steady sense of foreboding that looms over these pages.

Kimi Cunningham Grant has crafted a story that explores grief, loyalty, and sacrifice in a profoundly beautiful way. The writing is atmospheric and understated but packs a serious punch. It’s a stunning portrayal of the intimacy of the father-daughter relationship. I was completely transported to the rolling Appalachian mountains and solitary beauty of the woods.

The ending was staggering. Tears, chills, the whole nine yards. This redemption story is everything I love about fiction.

RATING: 5/5 stars
PUB DATE: 10/26/21

A big thank you to Minotaur (St. Martin’s Press) for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.


This has so much potential. To be honest I feel like this is how I start most of my mystery/ thriller reviews. I loved the premise of a secluded cabin setting and the isolation factors at play but that was a solid 70% of the book. Nothing much happened until 80% or so when a mystery is introduced but even then the fall out of the mystery didn’t impact the protagonist and his situation as much as it should have? The mystery just seemed like a random element to add in because it was introduced and resolved so quickly that it didn’t seem to hold any weight in the outcome of the novel. I also wasn’t sold on the slight romance of the novel either. I think this could have been much better if it was longer and the author really took the time to plan out and spread out the mystery aspects of the book. Unfortunately, it was way too hyped in my opinion.

𝗔 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁. 𝗩𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲, 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹, 𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹.

🌲 HOLY CRAP - These Silent Woods was freaking incredible. I’m almost certain this one may be in my top 5 favorite books of the year. It was so freaking good and emotional and wow - just wow. I normally don’t get emotional with thrillers (would I consider this a thriller? Hmm maybe like half thriller and half contemporary). This book literally shedded my heart in pieces and then put it back together.

🪨 This is a fairly short read so I highly suggest you go into it as blind as possible. This book was so moving and incredible - left me in a complete state of shock at the end. I wasn’t expecting to absolutely love this book as much as I did, but oh man I’m so glad I got to this and that this is my last read of October - what a fantastic way to finish the month.

🍃 These Silent Woods literally took me by surprise. I loved the father and daughter relationship and everything he did for them. If this book isn’t on your radar then what are you doing - add it!! This book wrecked me in both good and bad ways. Do I recommend this? Heck yes!! I’m absolutely blown away by this story - I wasn’t expecting it to hit my emotions in this kind of way, but oh dang I’m glad it did. One of my favorites reads of the year for sure!

✨Thank you @minotaur_books for sending me a free early copy!✨