This one fell short for me.
I really wanted to like this one. I read so many great reviews and I just found myself bored.
I will begin by mentioning that I received a copy of the audio book for this. I very much enjoyed the narration of the book. The narrator understood the assignment and provided a great delivery.

The concept of this story line was intriguing. Three long lost friends Emlyn, Janessa and Tyler are forced back together when one goes missing. Differences and past dramas must be set aside in hopes of finding their friend before it is too late.
Definitely a SLOW burn. I just could not connect with the characters and that was what did it for me. I did finish the book and I didn't hate it, I just didn't really enjoy it either.

Thank you, Kimi Cunningham Grant, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING is a well crafted mystery/nature thriller that keeps you guessing, and wondering whom to trust. It features the outdoors as almost a character a place of solace for main character Emlyn who has been disappointed by people a little too often. The vivid descriptions of the wilderness are bautiful and craft an atmospheric setting. Emlyn sets out to find her best friend after her disappearance from social media but this means confronting her own demons and her feeling of just not being enough or worthy as well otherwise she'll be an obstacle in her search for her friend. There's a slow building of tension but the feeling of utter seclusion in the Idaho woods definitely adds a notch, as do all the revelations to come, just stick with this one.

The author's writing is lyrical and evocative, the scene is set in an almost poetical way - I could almost smell the camp food. Compelling, moving, and thought-provoking.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Pike Stewart, the narration was wonderful and made the characters come alive.

I was eager - and nervous - to read The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant because her previous novel, These Silent Woods, was one of my favorite books of 2021. How would the author follow up a near-perfect novel? I’m thankful that early reviews tempered my expectations because Nature was good ... but not nearly as engaging as Woods. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Set in rural Idaho, the contemporary storyline follows Emilyn, a skilled wilderness guide, whose life is small and secluded by choice. It’s disrupted when former boyfriend Tyler suddenly appears with concerns that their mutual friend Janessa is missing. Emilyn agrees to use her tracking skills to help Tyler search for Janessa, and segments of their trek alternate with flashbacks to moments in Emilyn’s past, from her childhood and meeting Janessa to the good and bad times with Tyler. Their discoveries increase in tension until the full truth is revealed.

I had the rare opportunity to consume this audiobook, narrated by Emily Pike Stewart, in a single day while doing mundane spreadsheet work at the office. As a result, I had no issues following the non-chronological story, but I may have if I read or listened over several sessions. The story has a small cast of characters, several of whom are unlikeable, but I really liked Rev and Varden. I’m not familiar with the Idaho wilderness or trekking through it so any plot issues regarding these topics were lost on me.

One of the most meaningful things in my reading life is finding unexpected elements of faith woven into “general market” novels. I love that Ms. Grant does this so well; it was my favorite aspect of this tale. I was also intrigued by Emilyn’s early fascination with a dictionary which fostered her practice of choosing a single word to describe people, including herself.

I’m grateful to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for review copies of this novel.

This was supposed to be an atmospheric thriller. Atmospheric - yes, absolutely. Thriller - well, it wanted to be. It was set up for that from the beginning, but little by little, it stayed stagnant and eventually less and less thrilling. The major moments of twists and turns wasn't as poignant as I thought it would get. The overall storyline just didn't rise up to the setting that was created from the get-go.

And the MC. Oh, boy. Emlyn just wasn't a likable character. And then she teamed up with her ex Tyler, who I was surprised she even cared to talk to because of what he had done to her. Yes, they're out to look for their friend Janessa, but really, it didn't seem believable enough for this to happen. Just the more I read, the more less connected I was to care enough for these characters. I loved the atmospheric writing from this author for sure, but the characters just didn't work for me. And the ultimate reveal at the end just didn't do enough justice for the drawn out middle parts.

Thank you to NetGalley and McMillan Audio for the audio eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

My first book from this author! There is something about wilderness thrillers that I absolutely love the vibes and high tension of being in the wild.

I was unable to listen to this one before it expired. Once I read the book I will come back and give my review.

4 stars, but like the "!!!" kind of 4 stars, if that makes sense?!

I believe The Nature of Disappearing is marketed as a thriller, and there sure is a suspenseful aspect, but I'm not sure if it counts as a true thriller. There's a lot of character development and introspective moments among the mystery and growing unease, and honestly, I loved it. This was the most wholesome thriller I've read?? I want to read 100 more like it!

Most thrillers have a lot of grossness in them, per the vibes of the genre. And while there are a couple of graphic scenes (mostly involving animals that have been hunted), the overwhelming focus of the story was Emlyn and her internal struggles and growth. Her understanding of her worth and how to move forward after mistakes changes and shifts over the course of the book in a captivating way.

Surprisingly, there was a subtle thread of Christianity in the story, but not in a preaching way. One of Emlyn's close friends is rather spiritual, and so that character's wisdom is flavored with biblical passages and she is known for her prayers. Nothing more than that is really examined, so I wouldn't qualify this as a "Christian book" or anything of that nature. I appreciated the neutral/maybe slightly positive representation of the religion.

And also, there was a super tender hint of romance that was so, so precious.

I was left impressed by Grant's handling of sensitive topics such as addiction and her ability to weave suspense without relying on disgust as the main motivating factor, and left wanting read more of the author's books that fall in this kind-of-thriller, kind-of-lit-fic genre! I will be looking out for future releases!

The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant was a captivating book with some suspenseful moments. I listened to the audiobook that was very well narrated by Emily Pike Stewart. Her narration kept me engaged and immersed in the story. Even though I had found Kimi Cunningham Grant’s prior novel, These Silent Woods, far superior to The Nature of Disappearing, I did enjoy listening to The Nature of Disappearing. The Nature of Disappearing was told in a duel timeline that focused on Emlyn’s backstory during her college years when she and Janessa were best friends. An account of how Emlyn met Tyler was included as well as the way in which Emlyn and Tyler fell in love. Then in present day, the now twenty-eight year old Emlyn, estranged from both Janessa and Tyler, had become a hunting and fishing guide in Idaho. Emlyn lived in an airstream trailer by herself in the secluded mountains of Idaho. She really liked Varden, the Forest Service Ranger but did not trust or allow herself to share her feelings with him. Emlyn enjoyed the time they spent together, though. Her only other friend was Rev who had taken her in when Emlyn was at her lowest. Emlyn’s life was quiet and simple, just the way she wanted it to be.

It had been three years since Tyler had left Emlyn on the side of the road to die from the elements and the injuries she had sustained. Emlyn had done her best to erase him from her thoughts until he showed up one day asking for her help. Tyler informed Emlyn that Janessa was missing. He was very worried about her. Janessa had become a very popular social media star and posted constantly about all kinds of things and always included her location. Tyler had kept in touch with Janessa over the years even though Emlyn had not. This was not like Janessa to go off the grid and not post on her social media platform. Tyler thought Janessa might be in some kind of danger. He had come to ask Emlyn for her help in trying to find Janessa because of her strong skills and knowing the surrounding area so well. Emlyn was hesitant at first. She did not want her history or past feelings for Tyler to resurface because Emlyn was sure that she was still attracted to Tyler as much as she tried not to be. How could Emlyn live with herself though if she ignored Tyler’s suspicions that Janessa was in some sort of danger and she did not try and help her? Of course Emlyn would help Tyler look for Janessa and try and determine what happened to her. Will Emlyn and Tyler be able to find Janessa? What had happened to her?

Although I enjoyed The Nature of Disappearing, there were a few things that disappointed me. I wished that the focus of the story had concentrated more on the mystery of where Janessa had disappeared to and what aspects of danger she had been exposed to rather than on Emlyn’s and Tyler’s relationship and breakup. Emlyn’s skills and knowledge of how she handled the situations she found herself in was impressive. I found it odd and insensitive that Tyler contacted Emlyn and asked for her help after how things ended with them. Even though The Nature of Disappearing didn’t grab me like These Silent Woods, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it. I look forward to seeing what Kimi Cunningham Grant writes next.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by this author. I loved how descriptive the writing was. I felt like I was in the wilderness and could see the animals she was describing. I also really enjoyed the ending. Unfortunately, the rest of the book was a little too slow for me. I felt like nothing was happening in the beginning or middle of the book. I enjoy my thrillers both fast paced and full of suspense, and this book was neither. I’ve seen a lot of good reviews for this one so I think I’m in the minority.

I think the audio is the way to go with this one. Emily Pike Stewart’s narration made me stick with listening until the very end.

ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥: 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 & 𝐸-𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: 𝐈𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲/𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕) 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐞𝐭𝐜. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐲, 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬! 𝐈𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝; 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐈’𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚. 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞, 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨) 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐈𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐄𝐦𝐥𝐲𝐧, 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚 (𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐨), 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡, 𝐓𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐫, 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭.

𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒦𝒾𝓂𝒾 𝒞𝓊𝓃𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝒽𝒶𝓂 𝒢𝓇𝒶𝓃𝓉, 𝑀𝒶𝒸𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒶𝓃 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜, 𝒮𝓉. 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝓉𝒾𝓃'𝓈 𝒫𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈, & 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.

This is another beautifully written novel from Cunningham Grant! I loved THESE SILENT WOODS and was excited to get back to the wilderness in this one. Emlyn was a fantastic FMC and had such growth despite a rocky beginning to life. It was a compelling and interesting story, layered with many emotions. There are many themes throughout but all are well done. I went between reading and listening and would recommend either format.

Emlyn is a fishing and hunting guide who is a loner and happy to live in an Airstream trailer and have a handful of close friends. When Tyler, who she once was very close to, informs her that their friend Janessa is missing, he begs for her help. Janessa is believed to be in the wilderness. Emlyn isn’t anxious to drag up history with the two but agrees to help. As Emlyn and Tyler trace Janessa’s path through the wilderness, flashbacks reveal how the friends met and what caused them to part ways

While the audiobook helped move the story and I liked the author's description of the journey through trees and flowers, it felt slow. The flashbacks, though interesting, didn’t promote any sense of suspense or urgency.

While the background of the three slowly comes to light, nothing draws me to any of the characters. The information was interesting, but it lacked anything to emotionally draw me to them. And the plot, well, it was somewhat disappointing.

Final Thoughts
You will find those who love this story and others who weren't drawn to it. But would I recommend it, yes. There are too many good reviews to pass this one by.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a gifted e-audiobook.

It is a credit to the Kimi Cunningham Grant that in a relatively short amount of pages, I felt like I knew the main character Emlyn at a deep level.
The story revolves around the disappearance of Emlyn’s friend Janessa. From the very first time Janessa was introduced, I was fascinated by her.

Emlyn went through a pretty significant break up before the book starts. She lives in mostly solitude now, and there was something fragile about her that I picked up on right away.

When Emlyn learns Janessa is missing, she’s wracked with guilt that a call with Janessa dropped last week and she never reconnected with her. Was the call related? Janessa’s disappearance also brings Emlyn’s ex back into her orbit, as he is also looking for Janessa.

Having seen glimpses of the trauma Emlyn seems to carry from her previous relationship, I was fascinated to meet Tyler—the ex-boyfriend. A love story broken by betrayal, I wanted to know what would happen. Would this be a story of fated lovers brought back together through a common quest, or one of a woman realizing that he was never the man she thought he was?

More than anything, this is a book about relationships, trust, and what happens when those are broken. Is it irreparable? I found the story atmospheric and the characters and their relationships compelling.

I did the audiobook for The Nature of Disappearing which is narrated by Emily Pike Stewart, who was a great choice to tell Emlyn’s story. This book is rich with detail and elegant writing, as well as the complex character of Emlyn as our narrator. Audiobook listeners will enjoy it!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for my copy. Opinions are my own.

Emlyn doesn’t allow herself to think of her past. Three years ago, Emlyn was left for dead on the side of the road by the person she loved, Tyler. She left her best friend, Janessa and her home in the Midwest, and has moved to the beautiful wilderness of Idaho. She works as a fishing and hunting guide there. Emlyn lives in her trailer and is finally happy. Until Tyler shows up and tells Emlyn that Janessa is thought to be missing.

Janessa is a social media influencer now with her survivalist boyfriend. They document their travels with the #vanlife adventures. When Janessa has not posted in sometime, and her location pings from a different location then her post caption says, things become suspicious. Even though Emlyn and Janessa have not talked in sometime, Emlyn feels the need to go to her friends aid.

When Emlyn and Tyler get back to the Midwest, they begin their search for Janessa. Emlyn knows she might be the one of the only people with the knowledge and tracking skills to save her friend, so she reluctantly teams up with Tyler. As the two trace Janessa’s path through miles of wild country, Emlyn can’t deny there’s still chemistry crackling between them. But the deeper they press into the wilderness, the more she begins to suspect that a darker truth lies in the woods, and that Janessa isn’t the only one in danger.

The author is a very talented writer. I did love the author's descriptive writing of the wilderness and animals in the woods. I have read These Silent Woods by this author as well. For me, overall this was a very slow burn and a bit disappointing. I was patiently waiting for the suspense to sneak up on me, and it really never did. It somewhat picked up around the end, but I was expecting so much more.

I saw the first book by this author everywhere when it came out but didn’t pick it up, now I’ll have to cause her writing is excellent. I loved all the backcountry details in this search/rescue/adventure novel set in the beautiful outdoors of Idaho. I love flashbacks- they always keep me on my toes and wanting more. I felt like the main character was wayyyy too self-deprecating for most of the novel, but her growth was impressive and admirable. I loved the love stories and the examination of friendship. TW for addiction and wild animal death, but overall this book is fast-paced and engaging.
The audio narration is well done and definitely added to the intensity!

I recently completed THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING by Kimi Cunningham Grant. While it didn't capture me quite as much as her previous book, THESE SILENT WOODS, I still found it enjoyable. Grant's atmospheric writing and storytelling are captivating, and reading it while visiting national parks made the experience even better.

The main character's journey to overcome her past and heal was compelling, and the natural settings fit perfectly with my surroundings. Overall, it's a solid read that I'd recommend, especially if you appreciate well-crafted, atmospheric stories.

I switched back and forth between the book and audiobook and really enjoyed Emily Pike Stewart’s excellent narration.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I had heard mixed things about this book from bookstagram peers but I don’t know what they are talking about - I honestly was a fan of this thriller!

I very much liked Kimi Cunningham Grant’s ~These Silent Woods~ so I knew I had to ask @macmillan.audio for this one when the form went out recently.

I devoured this audiobook in only two sittings because I was so interested in what happened to the main character Emlyn’s friend Janessa. Was she missing or wasn’t she?!

This book had me feeling things beyond the normal nerves that come from reading a thriller. I also enjoyed the camping influencer storyline, as I work for a social media platform and always find thrillers that include social super interesting!

I for one could never live in a van and travel around like those influencers do but more power to any of y’all that do or aspire to! I have too much crap in my house to downsize like that 🤣

Overall, I think this is an interesting thriller and I recommend it!!

So the narration gets 5 stars for sure! The story line is more like 3 stars. I didn't strongly dislike anything about the story, it just wasn't super satisfying or page turning. Some plot lines felt undeveloped and/or were left unresolved, and the "twist" at the end didn't feel very twisty. It all seemed kind of rushed and not super well thought through. I also thought the sub-plot about a religious character was a bit weird and didn't add anything (other than confusion). But I really enjoyed the narrator!

I really wanted to like this one more than I did. Overall it was still a good book! At one point around 50% I almost stopped listening due to disengagement to the story. I decided to keep going and see it through. It just may not be a book for me!

I was shocked how fast I finished this book! I was hooked instantly. This book had a murder mystery, best friend bond, nature, everything that makes this a great spooky story. I even loved the ending! This is perfect for someone who wants a spooky, thriller, that is fast pace, and has a really good back story of the characters. This is not based on Gabby Pottio but it reminded me a lot of it.


I received the audio version of this book and the narrator is Emily Pike. She was perfect for this book! I enjoyed every minute.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook of The Nature of Disappearing.