I fear that this book has "The Nature of Disappearing" in my mind as it is quite forgettable aside from the absolutely beautiful writing and atmosphere Kimi Cunningham Grant is able to express on the page.
I flew through this book devouring the Idaho Wilderness and walking on the egg shells of tension our characters found themselves in. The set up is everything a reader could want: A missing girl, ex lovers and friends of the girl set out into the Idaho Wilderness to find out what really happened. As the chapters alternate between past and present the reader learns more about the shady nature of the relationship triangle.As the book progressed I was sucked in by the writing and kept waiting for something “big” to happen. When the “reveal” (I am using bunny ears here because it was not that shocking_..) was esposed I desperately wanted more, maybe more sinister? To describe how I felt, if you ever did the Tower of Terror you have that build up to 13 floors knowing what is going to happen, but instead of the release and dropping 13 floors a mach speed, the ride just putters down at regular speed. Such a let down. It really all boils down to there was so much more attention given to the setting instead of the plot. This book could have been an easy 5 star with a much more developed and dark plot.
fter finishing the book I read the author’s notes, and those 2 pages are 5 stars no question asked. Kimi pours out her heart and thoughts on what prompted her to write Emlyn’s story. Her faith and trust in God is there displayed on the page.I did like the Christian elements present in the book, where it is often frowned on in books. I liked the struggle with being in the wilderness and then her tying it back to being in a spiritual wilderness at times as well. The emotion and words she spills on the authors note pages is what I want more of, I wish in this book she had showed more of that Kimi…..maybe a future book idea?

Thank you NetGalley and Kimi Cunningham Grant for allowing me to review this advanced copy. I was not influenced or paid for this review.

Emlyn has escaped her past by hiding out as a wilderness guide is a small Idaho town. That all changes when Tyler, her old love, that ruined her life years ago, calls to say that their mutual friend, Janessa, has disappeared. Teaming up with Tyler to search for Janessa is the right thing to do but it also drags Emlyn into a part of her life that she has wanted to leave behind. Together they head off into the wilderness, far from town, friends, and cell service. Will they be able to find Janessa before it is too late?

This suspense novel keeps you on the edge of your seat, while taking you on a beautiful trip into the backcountry of Idaho.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for providing this Advanced Reader Copy for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is my first Kimi Cunningham Grant book and wow! what a great first book it was. Right from the start I was involved. The writing was so fabulous I could not wait to get back to reading it. The description of the scenery, the people, the feelings, the everything was so well done that I felt as if I was right there. Even better, I loved Emlyn and Janessa, even at their worst times. I was fooled by the “who did it”. I never guessed that which is a bonus. The only thing I didn’t like… that it ended 😕
I can’t wait to read another!

Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to read this and to find another favourite author!!

This is the second book I have read by Kimi Cunningham Grant and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She has a way of writing that just draws you in and paints a picture with words that brings the story to life.

This is not a book I would have expected to enjoy as I am probably the least outdoorsy person on the planet. I know nothing of fishing and hunting or survival and wilderness, nor do I care; however, I hung on every word and I was hooked (pun intended!).

As I was reading, I had no idea which direction this story was going to go. I had thought this was more of a thriller and while there was suspense at several points in the story, I would not give it that genre classification. It was not at all what I expected but still, it was a story I enjoyed and I would recommend to others. Kimi Cunningham Grant is a talent to be reckoned with and I look forward to much, much more from her in the future.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I am so grateful for the opportunity.

3.75 stars This was a good read! If you’re going into it thinking it’s a thriller, it’s not. The pacing is very much like These Silent Woods, which is more setting focused. I love how the author sets the setting and makes you feel like you are there. It also reminded me of Gabby Petito case with the van life gone missing. This book centers around three estranged friends Janessa, Em, and Tyler. It was overall a fast paced book and recommend it. Really liked the flashbacks as well to tie the whole book together. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins press for this arch in exchange for an honest review

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest review.,
This book starts out with the friendship of 2 young girls that carries through many years. One is the protector and tries to keep the other one from making a big mistake with a guy but she doesn’t want to listen and thinks she has the guy all wrong. As time goes on the book takes you through a lot more. You are taken through the wilderness and into stories of people’s lives. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

I absolutely loved Kimi Cunningham Grant’s previous book, These Silent Woods, so I was very excited to get an ARC of her new book. Unfortunately, this one didn’t land for me like I’d hoped. Though this is a fast paced, well written book, it was much more “mystery” than I prefer.

This was a quick read and held my interest for the most part. I didn't really feel any connection to the characters or care about what happened to them, apart from Varden. I wish he had a bigger role in the book because the scenes with him were my favorite. The plot twist was lackluster in that I got to it and was thinking, "oh, that's it?" I really enjoyed These Silent Woods so will definitely be reading more from Grant in the future!

All I want to do is go backpacking out West now! And believe me, that has never been something that has piqued my interest before! The beauty and bigness of nature is a strong theme in this book and yet it is conveyed in a subtle way that doesn't make you feel like you're reading a nature documentary. And I haven't even gotten to the main story and characters! They were all so real and I immediately cared about them. Even though the issues the characters are dealing with may not be something every reader has experienced, the themes and struggles are common to man, so that I think everyone could see a piece of themselves or someone they know in this story. It was redemptive, hopeful and paced to keep me reading. A fantastic novel!

I’ve always enjoyed Kimi’s writing and this is no exception. The Nature of Disappearing is a story surrounding loss, betrayal, and love.

Emlyn, a wilderness guide, is living a quiet life. But when the man, Tyler, who destroyed her world three years ago asks for her help, she’s thrown back into everything she tried to move on from. Searching for Emlyn’s former best friend, Janessa, the duo retrace her steps and find themselves in more trouble than they ever thought. As time is ticking, Emlyn will do anything to find her friend.

A great recommendation for anyone who is looking for a nature-themed suspenseful thriller!

The Nature of Disappearing is the latest suspense novel by Kimi Cunningham Grant, author of These Silent Woods, one of my favorite books.

I was excited to get a copy of this story that will be released on June 18, 2024. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, the author, and NetGalley for my ARC!

Just like These Silent Woods, The Nature of Disappearing takes place outdoors.

Emlyn is a wilderness guide. She lives a safe life in Idaho where she takes people on fishing and hunting trips.

One day, Tyler, a man she thought she loved, tells her that her old best friend, Janessa, is missing. Janessa is an influencer documenting her adventures in her van and has not posted on her account in over a week. Due to Emlyn’s knowledge of the wilderness and the fact that Janessa was her best friend, Emlyn sets out with Tyler to find Janessa. During this journey, she confronts the past, trying to save her friend. The reader will ask questions such as, “What happened between Tyler, Janessa, and Emlyn that has caused them to not be as close?” and “Where is Janessa now?”

This story was one I was anxiously looking forward to reading! Although this was not a five-star book for me, I would give it four stars and would encourage readers who love the wilderness and suspense to pick this one up.

Normally I end my reviews with my thanks but the publisher was so kind in providing me with an ARC of this when I reached out, with no hesitation. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur, NetGalley & also to Kimi Cunningham Grant for her help in facilitating me getting my hands on her new book.

Kimi, you had me with These Silent Woods 🖤

I have now read three books of Grant’s & while this wasn’t my favorite she’s officially hit my list of auto-read authors. She is an exceptional writer, when you’re reading her book you are there in that moment seeing/feeling all that the characters see. The descriptiveness of the land (Wilderness💙😉) was exceptional to say the least. With this particular book it did keep my interest from the get go. But overall the actual plot didn’t quite do it for me, like another reviewer mentioned it fell kind of flat (for lack of a better word). With TSW it was a great balance of plot & description. This one was more so experiencing the outdoors through the characters eyes. I personally wish the book had more time with some of the characters (maybe a bit of a longer book to include more of them), and/or maybe less of others. In my opinion some missed opportunity for some romance/plot/readers connecting to characters.

The ending was technically a good ending with where the characters went separately/together but not the way I’d have written out the ending. A bit too short of an ending for my liking. I ended the book wanting more..more romance, more loose ends tied up with characters.

Overall a good book! I can’t say I’d necessarily say to go out & read it asap but for fans of Grant add this to your tbr. I will absolutely read her next book & I still want to go back & read an older one of hers that I haven’t read yet.

Thank you again St. Martin’s, Minotaur, NetGalley & the author- I appreciate you all!!

I am unfortunately at a 3 for stars because of plot. If I was rating it based solely off of the writing it would get a full five. With that being said I’m gonna meet in the middle & give 4 ⭐️

Kimi you’re incredible & I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us readers with your next book. Don’t change 🖤

OH - for anybody that’s going to read this, make sure you read the authors note as well as the acknowledgment at the end of the book 🤗💖

I love this book!!! Definitely more of a “romantic suspense” story - light on the romance, heavier on the suspense. But I thoroughly enjoyed the journey the author took me on. I felt invested from the get go, and even though the ending wasn’t entirely shocking, it kept me interested until the very last page.

Right from the very first page. was drawn into the story. At the end of each chapter I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. I couldn't put it down! I could empathize with how Emlyn was feeling and really felt like I was right there with her going through the journey she was. . From the duel timeline to the development of the characters I loved it all. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

The Nature of Disappearing by Kiki Cunningham Grant. I enjoyed the first third of the but then found myself saying, I don’t care what happened five years ago, get on with it. I skipped a lot because I just wasn’t engaged with the past. Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

I know they say to not judge a book by it's cover but I definitely did in this case. I am an outdoor enthusiast and I was intrigued. The book was set over multiple timelines so while you knew a falling out happened between the main characters, you did not know exactly what happened until much later. Therefore the book drew me in and was a page turner! The descriptions of nature were rich and I felt like I was there.

There were some plot points toward the end that I didn't love but overall thought it was a good ending and a quick easy read

I would definitely check out a different book by this author

3.5/5 stars!

TW drug addiction

I loved this book and I couldn't put it down! The enjoyed seeing the protagonist come into her own over the course of the book, and I loved how the dual time line only let the reader in on the necessary information a little at a time. I fell in love with the main character. The plot was twisty and engaging and about a world/passion that I know nothing about, so I learned a little too. I loved Grant's first book, it was the top rated book I read the year it came out, so I was super excited to read this one. The best part was that this book was still so engaging and yet completely different from the first book. This is an auto-buy author for me for sure!

I quite enjoyed The Nature of Disappearing. The overall pacing of the book was just right, and I found Emlyn to be a likeable protagonist. It was nice to read a thriller that was based mostly in nature. It's been a while since I've read one that focuses on the outdoors, and I really appreciate the change of scenery.

I was not expecting the book to go where it did towards the end, which made it that much more engaging.

I highly recommend picking this up for for an easy summer read!

Book Title: The Nature of Disappearing
Author: Kimi Cunningham Grant
Publisher: Saint Martin’s Press- Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: June 18, 2024
My Rating: 3.7 Stars Rounded up
Pages: 304

Emlyn’s life is simple,
She works as fishing and hunting guide, spending her days in Idaho’s endless woods and scenic rivers. She lives alone in her Airstream trailer, her closest friend is a Forest Service ranger and the community’s makeshift reverend, who took her in at her lowest.
Additionally she has been trying to deal with Tyler, the man she thought was the love of her life, until he left her on the side of the road three years ago.

Emlyn is enjoying her job guiding clients sometimes fishing sometimes hunting. When one of her clients John Thomas insists on lunch at the Sunny Creek Lodge she is not happy about it but knows it is part of the job. After they eat as Emlyn is paying the bill and notices a small TV in the bar that is reporting a missing person. When the picture is shown, Emlyn recognizes the person! it is Janessa who was not just her best friend but they were confidantes, allies, However more recently they haven’t spoken to each other. Janessa has become a social media star, documenting her #vanlife adventures with her rugged survivalist boyfriend.

She knows that she needs Tyler her ex-boyfriend who was such a disappointment, to help find Janessa and accompany her into the deep Idaho wilderness.

Story goes into their past which was interesting, also we join their present journey.

Story is good - True! I was totally spoiled by my first Kimi Cunningham Grant story " These Silent Woods'.
I loved everything about it. . the characters were wonderful.. It was simply a beautiful story
Now looking forward to the next wilderness story!

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books, for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 18, 2024

I absolutely loved These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant so I was super excited for this one!

The setting in Cunningham Grants stories are unlike any other and I feel like I am literally alongside of the characters. The ending was a bit abrupt for me, but I otherwise enjoyed this one and can’t wait to see what comes next from this author!

3.5 stars rounded up!