ust as I was while reading her previous novel, [book:These Silent Woods|56268973], I am amazed by the author's undeniable talent for atmospheric writing and the ways in which she has me following these characters into uncharted territory with a quickening heart rate! I'm no expert, but I've done a bit of camping and hiking and it is clear that the author knows what she's talking about - either from research or personal experience - when she writes of outdoor travels, adventures and mysteries.

This novel felt a little slower than her previous one but I definitely enjoyed it and, on multiple occasions, found myself spellbound by both her writing and the direction of the story. I can only imagine how much fun it would be to throw this book into a backpack on a camping trip or outdoor excursion - the author makes it all seem so real!

The Nature of Disappearing was an interesting read for me since I went in thinking it was going to be more of a thriller than it was. It was definitely more of a mystery and touched heavily on the theme of friendship and relationships, which still had many aspects that I love in a book. I was intrigued by the story from the beginning, which is written in past and present timelines, where Emlyn goes searching for her best friend Janessa in the wilderness after she goes missing. I found the story to be on the slow side and I think I expected more from the ending and more to the story in general as there was a lot of build up and I was left waiting for more. That being said, I really enjoyed Emlyn as the main character, how she picked one word to describe a person and also getting to learn about her past and seeing her move forward. My favourite aspect about this book was how atmospheric it was — the vanlife, backcountry camping, being cut off from the world in search of a missing friend.

Overall, I liked this one and rated it 3.5 to 4 stars. If you are looking for a slow burn mystery set in the wilderness, written in past and present timelines, check out The Nature of Disappearing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

In this captivating novel of suspense, a wilderness guide must team up with the man who ruined her life years ago when the friend who introduced them goes missing.

Kimi Cunningham Grant is queen of the slow burn - her novels grow and unfold with delicious suspense and this one was no exception. Every single page had atmosphere and as a reader you cannot help but be immersed in the setting. Throw in the emotion, healing and growing that Emlyn does throughout along with the darkness and suspense, and you’ve got the perfect thriller novel.

Wilderness guide Emlyn has made a quiet new life for herself after the terrible events of three years ago that led her to being abandoned and left for dead by her boyfriend Tyler.

Now, Tyler is back, asking for her help: Janessa, her former best friend, is missing. A social media #vanlife and adventurer influencer, Janessa and her survivalist boyfriend have not checked in for a couple of days, and evidence convinces Emlyn that she needs to search for her friend in the deep Idaho wilderness.

Past and present collide as Emlyn and Tyler press further into the backcountry, and she soon realizes Janessa may not be the only one in danger.

With a Now vs. Then narrative timeline to show the beginning and eventual breakdown of her relationships with Janessa and Tyler, I quite enjoyed Emlyn’s character and her story. She starts off as timid and submissive, a victim of her own insecurities, and through time and circumstance learns to be more confident and assertive and have faith in herself.

The deep dive into wilderness survival and tracking and rugged outdoor life was very interesting. The overall mystery of Janessa’s disappearance and the clues found along the way were compelling enough to keep me listening. While I wanted just a little more out of the ending, it was still an enthralling story.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for early review. All thoughts are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Age Level: Adult
Content: none

This is a wilderness survival thriller with a twist. Emlyn is haunted by the past and has been struggling to move forward. She ends up needing to team up with the boy who ruined her life to help save her best friend. The book is dark and somewhat slow paced, but overall is a good story. I really enjoyed Emlyn's words for everyone.

I had low expectations going into this book based on others’ reviews, but I ended up loving every minute of it! It’s a very tame thriller, which is perfect for me since thrillers aren’t usually my jam. I love that it was set in Idaho and mentions several places in the surrounding area that I’ve been to. It had just the right amount of suspense and I loved how the story wrapped up for the main character. These Silent Woods, written by the same author, was a favorite of mine as well and I’m excited to read more books by her!

Kimi Cunningham Grant came out swinging in her debut, and while this didn't land quite as well for me, it was still an enjoyable read. With stakes just a little lower, I needed a bit more from the characters, but overall, worth checking out.

"The Nature of Disappearing" is undeniably well-written and makes for a quick, engaging read. Anything by Kimi Cunningham Grant is worth exploring without hesitation. I loved her previous novel so much; I recommend it to everyone!

In this novel, for an immersive adventure deep into the wilderness, where the environment itself creates a tense and captivating atmosphere, making nature the antagonist of the story. "The Nature of Disappearing" hooks you with its survival theme, offering a mysterious and intriguing narrative. It follows in the footsteps of the author's previous thrilling novel, "These Silent Woods," sharing a similar atmospheric setting, Grant can really capture the scenery of her worlds.

"The Nature of Disappearing" excels with its realistic character portrayals, highlighting both their flaws and engaging qualities, fostering a strong connection with readers. Emlyn, the protagonist, is a capable survivor displaying toughness and resilience. Yet, we also see her vulnerable side, making questionable choices as she navigates mixed emotions and blurred judgments.

This book differentiates itself by emphasizing the central love story between Emlyn and Tyler, whose betrayal overshadows the mystery of Jenessa's disappearance. The narrative skillfully shifts between timelines, creating a complex interplay that might occasionally leave readers feeling a bit disoriented. The fractured love story significantly impacts Emlyn's present decisions.

Despite some abrupt transitions between timelines, I enjoyed the characterizations, the intricate portrayal of a broken love story, the exploration of deep friendship, the examination of dysfunctional relationships, and the captivating mystery—though it could use a bit more refinement. The author's extensive knowledge and detailed descriptions of wilderness survival are standout features, leading me to round up my rating from 3.5 to 4 stars.

I struggled with this book. I can usually read a 300 page book in 2 to 3 days, but this one took me 4 because it just really wasn’t holding my interest very well. Reading the sypnosis, this made me think of the Gabby Petito case. I thought the book would go in that kind of direction, but it definitely did not. It was a VERY slow burn, was lacking in suspense/excitement, and just over all underwhelming. I did enjoy the past and present timelines. The character background for our main character was done well & the ending felt satisfying enough. I just really wanted more out of this one. I feel like it could’ve been really great, but it just didn’t do it for me. But, maybe you will enjoy it! Check it out when it comes out on 6/18/24.

This book wasn't for me. I hate when adults hide feelings instead of just saying how they feel. And the ending really made me upset.

This novel is awesome on so many levels—the characters who are strong but flawed, the setting which comes through as clear as the deep blue sky, the plot which kept me reading way after I should have gone to sleep night after night and the underlying spiritualness inherent in all of this.
Read this and be prepared for it to stay with you long after it is finished! I wish there could be another book with Emlyn and Rev and Varden because now I’m invested in their story and want to see where it goes next.

Thanks to #netgalley, #minotaurbooks, and the author, Kim Cunningham Grant for this ebook of #thenatureofdisappearing to read. All opinion here are my own.

I loved These Silent Woods, so I was excited to dive into Kimi Cunningham Grant’s latest. The Nature of Disappearing proved a decently compelling follow-up, if a bit slow and uneven at times. I enjoyed this as a nice summer suspense to breeze through in a day.

Emily Pike Stewart did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Kimi Cunningham Grant, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really loved These Silent Woods so I was so excited to read this one. It was a masterclass in creating an atmospheric setting and top notch character development. This book is not going to knock you out with action and twists but instead is a slow burn mystery with an intense look at the bonds we form with those around us and how we face our insecurities. And the unexpected romance storyline? I loved that. I deducted a star because I felt like the shift between timelines felt a bit clunky sometimes and while I enjoy a slow burn, this one took some time to really get into the heart of the mystery. I still really enjoyed this book and look forward to future books by this author.

Read if you like:
▫️cabin life
▫️survival shows
▫️hiking/camping
▫️slow burn mysteries

Thanks to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now!

This book really was a total thrill ride. I really enjoyed the flashbacks to years ago because I think it really gave us some background on what had been going on.

The book was so twisty and you really didn’t know what was going to happen. I definitely plan to read more books by this author because I really enjoyed this one!

The Nature of Disappearing was exquisitely done - past and present unfold as we get to know the characters, their flaws and all. The description of the wilderness setting will have you feeling like you're right there. Just enough mystery and suspense to keep you on your toes and turning the pages. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Kimi Cunningham Grant for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Such a quick read with an interesting story. I really enjoyed reading this book and connecting with the characters. I could not put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for a digital ARC of this book. This was not a favorite. In the beginning, I thought I might DNF. Not that the story was bad, it just isn't my taste. I was expecting a bit more thrill but it wasn't there.

This book kept my attention but I'm not sure it really deserved to. I was drawn in by the concept of a pair of #vanlife social media influencers going missing - obviously this felt prompted at least in part by the Gabby Petito case - but that ended up being barely relevant to the plot. In fact if anything it just made most of the plot feel pretty unbelievable by the end.

Main character Emlyn was just a deeply frustrating person, the type of character that's like a pinball getting slapped around but never really moving anywhere on her own. She's resentful about how her best friend Janessa orders her around, but still follows her everywhere, including moving across the country to Janessa's own random hometown in Idaho. When that friendship breaks up, she just literally stays there and gets a job she doesn't seem to care about much, and has two entire friends, one of whom is supposed to be the will they/won't they romance except all they do is stare at each other like this: 🥺 for months while neither makes a move. Are these people twelve years old?

Emlyn's maybe still wishy-washily hung up on her ex Tyler, who did something so objectively terrible to her that it should have been the final nail in the coffin (a coffin already generously nailed!) for anyone with sufficient vertebrae to form a spine. The entire book really ended up turning on one stupid plot point in which Janessa tells Emlyn not to date Tyler but just refuses to tell her <i>why</i> for no clear reason, then gets mad when Emlyn refuses to follow that order without good cause. Which is fair! And it wasn't even necessary. 😩

Anyway, this whole book ended up feeling like a too-long backstory for the forest nerd romance that author really wanted to write about two damaged hot people finding love and bear tracks in a miasma of pine needles and weird Christian overtones. Whatever. Who's gonna write an actually good thriller about this slice of the social media world?

My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Grant knows how to write wilderness mysteries that though they seem incredibly far fetched, somehow still manage to catch just enough of that “but what if” allure that keeps you invested.

Similar to her last book, the set up with this one takes a bit of time as you’re clued in early to a traumatic past that makes the main character reclusive, gritty, yet somehow naive in a way due to their isolation and insulation.

It took a bit for the flashbacks to feel like they were actually adding to the story instead of just filling in the blanks of missing friend Janessa and her character, but I’m not convinced they needed to go on quite as long as they did and I had a big eye roll over the way Emlyn and Janessa’s friendship was portrayed. There are some pretty huge lies of omission with damning consequences that just don’t make any sense.

I did clock the twists and reveals, including the villains and main drama quite early, but I did enjoy seeing it all unravel and come to light for Emlyn. Where this did lose it substantially for me was in the last handful of chapters when we see how the past and present fully collide and the main mystery is solved. It felt like such painstaking work- literally hiking step by step to get to this moment and the climactic showdown felt so dissatisfying.

There’s an attempted murder that isn’t even called as such, and instead of a big confrontation or reveal, we mostly get allusions to past and off page plotting. The payoff was just so not there and even for Emlyn, her big moment to shine and come through as a hero never materialized. Then when rescue arrives, the story just kind of fades to black. We get no insight into the conclusion to an incredibly far fetched mystery. Did anyone ever find the ranch? Was the SD card safe?

Ultimately I think this was less successful as transporting me into the Idahoan wilderness and creating that wild yet also locked room type of atmosphere that makes you claustrophobic in the way this was meant to, and I didn’t find the characters or plot to be very strong. While it was a quick read and easy to get through, it had an air of an unfinished draft instead of a fully fleshed out story with something to say.

The Nature of Disappearing is a fictional mystery written by Kimi Cunningham Grant. When Emelyn first starts college it is hard for her to connect with her classmates, until one day when she meets Janessa at a diner. Years later Emelyn is a wilderness guide, and is no longer as close to Janessa. But when Emelyn’s ex-boyfriend calls her telling her that Janessa is missing, Emelyn has to decide what to do, if it is safe for her to be around Tyler, and if Janessa even wants her to find her.

This was an engaging mystery, and I enjoyed how we looked at the pasts of the main characters, and how that helped us understand some of their actions. I appreciated the character and relationship development throughout the book, as well as learning a bit about the wilderness area where the book takes place. I definitely recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley, and to the author and publisher of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.