Thanks for the chance to read early. This was a different story than I expected and enjoyed it. Parts were a little slow but I loved the suspense and tension.

I included this one on my pub day feature with a recommendation to pick it up. I was engaged immediately. I am not AT ALL a outdoorsy kind of person but I was still so captivated by the atmosphere of this book. The details and descriptions were perfection. This is more of a slow burn suspense instead of an edge of your seat thriller but it works. Because I tend to prefer character driven novels, I loved the character development, relationships, and back story.
These Silent Woods is incredible but it’s important to note that this one has a different vibe and level of intensity and is a great book in a different way.

I’ve been meaning to read this author for ages. So many people have recommended These Silent Woods and while I own a copy its still sitting on my shelves. I sort of forgot about it because as a bookworm I have many books to read but then I saw this one on netgalley and decided to request it. I’m glad I did! This is one of those slow burn mysteries that has tension, but not enough to keep you gripping and flipping the pages. The author has written something atmospheric and those who have never hiked a day in their lives will suddenly feel as if they’ve been on one because of how detailed the author writes it. The characters are great- I enjoyed the dips from past to present and seeing how their lives veered from one another. My only complaint though is that there’s not too much that happens until the very end. For me, I love a mystery/thriller novel that packs a punch, and this one just doesn’t do it. There are many readers out there though who love a novel like this, so I do recommend giving it a try! I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to finally reading These Silent Woods!

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had the privelege to read an ARC copy of this book - many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this opportunity.

I really loved the premise of this story. Three estranged friends, one goes missing, the remaining two need to put their differences aside to get to the bottom of everything. It has the plot and setup to become a page turner.

Except it didn't for me, sadly. Maybe it was a disconnect with the characters or even the setting of the book, but it didn't feel like I was fully into the plot. I was waiting for that one line, that one moment to pull me in and have me obsessed with the characters, the stakes, everything. I'm not entirely sure where it fell flat for me, but it did.

Overall, a decent book, but for a bit disappointing. Despite that, Cunningham Grant remains a favorite author of mine!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads. This is definitely a read I had trouble putting down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I didn’t love the story but I did enjoy it. The mystery element pulled me in to the story quickly, but for whatever reason I can’t quite pinpoint I didn’t connect 100% with the story. Still a good read!

Set in the mountains and forests of Idaho, Kimi Cunningham Grant sets the wilderness as a character in THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING. Grant uses the challenges faced by the characters to test them for weaknesses. She did the same in THESE SILENT WOODS with the same excellent results. These characters become different people when taken from their safe everyday lives and thrown into a setting where your next step could be your last. Even the main character, a profession wilderness guide, will be challenged to keep herself and her charges safe.

The three main characters have a back history of causing each other pain. When one of them disappears, can the remaining two set aside their differences and find her before she finds danger face to face. This book/story is full of atmoshere, both from the Idaho setting and the words that are not said by the characters. Grant may not have many titles in her library, but she definitely has the quality that many readers search for.

A suspenseful read!
Set in the wilderness, the author's description of the character's surroundings had me feeling like I was there. Told in dual timelines with well-developed, complex characters.
Emlyn, a fishing and hunting guide, sets out to find her estranged friend Janessa who is a social media star documenting her time in the wilderness until she disappears.
A captivating mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

So many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy!

Having enjoyed previous reads by Kimi Cunningham Grant, I was interested in this one, and it did not disappoint! The descriptive writing had me along for the ride, and although it was a slow burn with a dual timeline, the style kept it moving and intriguing. I thought I had a few of the mysteries figured out early on, to be surprised, which I always enjoy. The characters weren't my favorite, but that's life! Not every person is completely likable. :)

I really enjoyed this one! I also enjoyed These Silent Woods and continue to love her nature writing. This was a solid, page-turning story with excellent atmospheric writing, perfect for summer reading. It hit all the right notes for me and I look forward to recommending to others!

I LOVED her previous book, These Silent Woods, so I was expecting an atmospheric mountain adventure full of twists but I didn’t care for the characters or the storyline. Usually when I near the end of a book my eyes are glued to every last detail and I cannot put it down, but with this one the ending was predictable and I just couldn’t make myself finish it…but I pushed myself to read every last chapter.

I liked the past and present timeline that built up the character’s story, but again, I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters.

Without giving out any spoilers on characters, I wanted more of a conclusion but feel like the romance overtook the criminal conclusion that I desperately needed. Maybe I read too many crime thrillers, but I feel like I needed to know what happened with the “bad guys” since the last portion of the book blew up with their secret lives and the girls were going to expose them, but it bothered me that those loose ends were never tied up.

-I loved the suspense and constant questions of "who can we trust?" I enjoy a good guessing game because it keeps me reading
-Kimi's writing style and voice is wonderful, and she has such a way with words and painting an amazing scene.
-This is a book that gets better and better as you read it. People who are quick to DNF would miss out on some great moments in the end.

THOUGHTS:
-The time jumps happened too often for me and were all over the place. They range from Emlyn's childhood, teen years and adult years. Normally this isn't a problem for me, but for some reason it made the present timeline feel less impactful.
-The romance needed to be swapped. I wanted what we got in the end, to happen at the beginning. That last hour of the audio was wonderful, and I WISHED it'd been switched.
-The ending was great but was also resolved too easily and too quickly. wholly underwhelming.

OVERALL:
I liked this book and I'd recommend it to nature lovers who want a dash of mystery.

Reminiscent of recent headlines this is the story of a woman whose friend goes missing. Overcome with memories from the past she is left searching for her friend with the man that she thought she would love forever until he left her abandoned in the woods half frozen to death. They are forced to work together as they trudge through the wilderness uncovering clues and reliving the past as they narrow in on the location of her missing friend.

I had no idea where this story was headed. Just when I thought I knew, it would take a different turn. I enjoyed the tension and uneasiness the story created. The atmosphere was described perfectly as were the challenges that one faces in the wilderness. This was a slow building story with alternating chapters from the past that gave insight to the relationships between the three friends. This is very well written but I had a difficult time relating to the characters or becoming emotionally involved in the story.

3 ⭐️

Thank you to Kimi Cunningham Grant, NetGalley, and Minotaur books for this #gifted book!*

Synopsis: “But, truth is, I always found the most dangerous animal of all—…—that’s got to be the two-legged kind.” Emlyn Anthony packed her things in an airstream and decided to live in the wilderness after her failed relationship with Tyler. She was ready to escape him and move on—or so she thought. When Tyler reenters her life asking for help finding her former best friend Janessa, regret encircles Emlyn’s mind. Memories replay of her past as they trek through the wilderness searching for this missing social media star whose own post betrayed her. Something isn’t right. As the hike progresses and the story pieces together, Emlyn explores the truth about her friends, herself, and The Nature of Disappearing.

Analysis: One thing I love about Grant’s books is how her characters instantly draw me in and keep me turning every page. Emlyn is trekking through a wilderness both physically and metaphorically, and this deep theme continues throughout the book. She has to deal with how she views herself, how she’s let others affect her, and what she’ll do with the future. All of the characters in this book are deeply flawed, but they show the real life story of what happens when you’re involved with the wrong people and things. This book is filled with beautiful imagery of the forest, the complexities of adult friendships, and adventures in the wild. The last bit of the book dives into that page-turning finale that readers long for. If you’re looking for subtle mystery/suspense/thriller, you absolutely have to give this book a try!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions ťexpressed in this review are my own.

the nature of disappearing by kimi cunningham grant 🥾 thank you minotaur books for the finished copy and box of essentials to explore the wilderness 🍂✨🪵

a wilderness guide must team up with the man who ruined her life years ago when the friend who introduced them goes missing 👀

this story switches between past and present timelines, explaining how this friend group ultimately fell apart. while I liked the adventure of hiking into the unknown mystery within the present storyline, the past felt too slowly revealed as there wasn’t as much going on.

emlyn was a good mc to follow but for as strong-willed of a character as she was, at times she was portrayed as a very *insecure girl* which didn’t make much sense. as characters started showing their true motives & nerves started picking up towards the end, I ultimately wanted more within the final chapters. everything ended SO abruptly, we never truly got answers about what happened in the moment or a few months from now… we were just left to assume.

moral of the story: don't let anyone back in your life who as ever wronged you, even when it’s the most tempting. 3.5 stars ⛰

The author of THESE SILENT WOODS has written another unforgettable story. In this one you will get lost in the wilderness. Go fly fishing in freezing cold rivers. Find a true forever friend. Fall in love. In real love...

When Emlyn wakes in a stranger's cabin she has no idea how her life is going to change. She's been through a lot and it's time for her to face it all. To accept that she is a good and decent person who is worthy of love and being heard. She has been through so much for another. It's time for her to live life for herself now. At least that is what I got out of this story.

A beautiful heartfelt story of a young woman who fell in love. She fell in love with the wrong boy. But no one, not even her best friend, could tell her that. And to be honest her best friend didn't really try that hard. What she experiences for the next five or more years is her story. She tells it all too. You get all the details and meet some pretty awful people. But you also meet the kindest, most caring people too.

This story is about a young woman who is really searching for something. And when she finally finds it it is so beautiful. So honest and loving. When she finally accepts that she is worthy of hope. Of a normal, caring, relationship.

I loved this story. It's filled with a lot of tension. A lot of thrills. A bit of love. It hits on drug addiction. Lies. Maybe a bit of abuse but in a way that is not what you think. It's a story of hope. Hope in it's truest form. Somewhere in Idaho there is a couple living a good life. I believe that now. I'm happy for them.

Thank you #NetGalley, #KimiCunninghamGrant, #StMartinsPress, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars. It's that good.

This story takes place in the beautiful wilderness of Idaho. As a lover of nature, I enjoyed the sceneries the author so beautifully captured in this book.

Emlyn is a guide and when her ex-boyfriend contacts her about the disappearance of their mutual friend, Emlyn doesn’t hesitate. With her skills, she knows they have a better chance of finding Janessa. 

The two timelines intertwine nicely. The past takes us back to the time when Emlyn became friends with Janessa. Everything is fine between them until Emlyn meets Tyler, Janessa's childhood friend.

The writing was beautiful. The set up was spectacular. But, I just wish I was more engaged in the story. I was waiting for more suspense and thrilling moments in this book. The ending was what I was hoping for. This book will be loved by many readers this season.

Having read and loved These Silent Woods, I was excited to read The Nature of Disappearing. But I was a bit disappointed, expecting a thriller but getting a just a slow story with not much happening. Switching between the different timelines made it feel disjointed as well. The description of the setting was great and the plot wasn't bad, it just wasn't very cohesive and lacked any real suspense. I'd be willing to give the author another try but would recommend These Silent Woods over this one. My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Oh. My. Gosh. You better cancel your plans before you start this book because you won’t want to put it down. I love “These Silent Woods” and I couldn’t wait to read this. Kimi Cunningham Grant has a talent to make you FEEL as if you were really there. Emlyn is working as a nature guide when her friend goes missing. She teams up with her old boyfriend to find out what happened. This is a twisty tale will keep you guessing until the end.
I can’t wait to see what Grant writes next! Many thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheNatureOfDisappearing #KimiCunninggamGrant #NetGalley #Mystery #BooksInNature #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

A captivating mystery thriller.

Emlyn has come a long way since Tyler ruined her life and she lost her best friend, Janessa, over him. Now she works as a wilderness guide living alone in a trailer in Idaho backcountry. She's cautiously made some friends, including a Forest Service ranger named Varden. Slowly she is trying to come to terms with her situation and to find some peace, but all of that is shattered when Tyler contacts her because Janessa has gone missing. Janessa was documenting her van life on social media with her boyfriend, Bush, and suddenly went silent. Against her better judgement, Emlyn allows herself to be drawn back into Tyler and joins him in his desperate search for their friend.

This was beautifully written and the narrative shifts back and forth in time as we learn Emlyn's history with Tyler and Janessa. The descriptions and details of the vast wilderness that Emlyn inhabits creates an atmosphere and setting that matches Emlyn's inner turmoil. Some twists and turns provide the suspense, and nothing is quite as it seems. Emlyn struggles with her self-perception and experiences some true growth as she faces the truth. I could relate to Emlyn as a main character and the story was very poignant and realistic.

I listened to the audiobook while following along with the e-book ARC (both provided by the publishers) and enjoyed the narrator though there was not much differentiation in her tone and pitch for the various male and female characters.

Definitely this would make a good choice for a book club to discuss the whole nature of finding yourself, starting over, and getting beyond your past.

I was all in with this book at the beginning. I liked the way the author wove information about the past in with the present. It’s a pretty common storytelling method, but it worked well in this case. Unfortunately, the book began to fall apart as we approached the last quarter. The reasoning of the characters did not really make sense, and I felt like something was off between the stakes of the story and the action. I did enjoy the setting and learned a little about tracking along the way.