I know I’m in the minority here, but this book was pretty disappointing. The gorgeous cover and interesting premise drew me in but the writing seemed immature and for lack of a better word, kind of cheesy. Also, the story was implausible and unbelievable. I won’t be rushing out to read any of the author’s other works.

3.5*
Two seemingly different, and I mean extremely different stories running side by side. You’ll ask yourself, how on earth can these stories be related? How are they possibly going to merge? There’s just no way.... but hold on!

Nicolette, married to a world class photographer feels her world is crashing down around her. She’s losing the thinnest of threads that are barely holding her marriage together. Unable to have children, she’s desperate to foster a child. Her husband Brant...well, not exactly on board with that choice. He’s perfectly content with his freedom of globetrotting around the world for his photography.

Wren and her younger sister Sage are living in a secluded cabin and quickly running out of food, desperate to keep warm. Their mother left more than 2 months ago with the girls’ youngest sister who fell ill. She left strict instructions with her 2 daughters to never, ever open the door to anyone until she returns. Is she coming back? The sisters are losing hope. Then comes the inevitable late-night knock on their door!

I absolutely love when separate stories align simultaneously! It’s like a trying to put the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together. And though I found some sections to be a bit predictable, it took nothing away from my overall enjoyment.

Minka Kent continues to deliver suspenseful and gripping thrillers that will keep me reaching for more of her books in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Minka Kent for an ARC to read and review.

I'm a little conflicted by this book. I devoured the first part. I was insanely intrigued by the Wren and Sage parts, and sufficiently intrigued by the Nic and Brant storyline. I was invested in the mystery, and then things just sort of fell apart in the end. I found the twist and ending so improbable in what had otherwise been a reasonably believable story that it kinda soured the book for me.

I'm still giving it 3 stars, based solely on the strength of the first half. I know that some people will be able to look past the weirdness of the ending and totally enjoy the book, but I just couldn't overlook it.

In spite of the ending, the book is a quick and easy read that will definitely hold a reader's attention throughout.

I loved the suspense in this story line. This one had me in its grip from beginning to end! It's a beautiful, emotional tale that will make you cry, but also touch your heart. I look forward to reading many more books from this author.

An enjoyable read, despite the implausible ending.

** Trigger warning for mental health issues. **

The ramshackle, one-room cabin nestled deep within Stillwater Forest is the only home nineteen-year-old Wren knows. Here she lives with Mama, and her younger sisters Sage and Evie. Her father and older sister Imogen are buried under the willow tree out back, having both died when Wren was just a baby.

Wren knows little of the “real” world – the one Mama has fought hard to protect her from. She’s never seen a television set, listened to recorded music, or experienced the joys of indoor plumbing. She can read and write, though her library is closely scrutinized by Mama. But she is is content enough. And why not? The world beyond their modest homestead may as well be gone, wiped off the map, for Mama’s apocalyptic descriptions of it.

So when young Evie falls sick and Mama flees with her into the forest in search of help, Wren knows it’s serious. When they fail to return – after fifteen days, twenty-eight, sixty-three – and with their supplies dwindling and winter barreling down on them, Wren is terrified to consider the possibilities. Yet it’s only when a stranger breaks into their cabin, seemingly in search of Mama, that Wren can will herself to act.

Meanwhile, thirty-something Nicolette exists in what may as well be another ‘verse. A wealthy heiress married to a celebrated photographer, on the surface Nic has it all. It’s only her closest friends who know the truth: Nic struggles with seasonal depression (although, unlike the rest of us plebes, she’s able to drop everything and spend three months in Florida every year. Oh, to have cash monies!), which was exacerbated by an emergency hysterectomy in her late 20s. Unable to bear children, she convinced her husband Brant to apply as a foster home. But when she finds a picture of an unfamiliar young girl in Brant’s sock drawer – sporting his same sea-green eyes and deep dimples – and discovers that he’s been siphoning money from her trust fund, Nic worries that even a child could not save their crumbling marriage.

The lives of these two women collide, altering each in unthinkable ways.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed THE STILLWATER GIRLS: it’s fast-paced, entertaining, and compulsively readable. Until Wren and Nic actually meet, I found it difficult to guess how their different narratives would intersect.

The main criticism I’ve seen from other reviewers is that the ending is eye-rollingly ridiculous…and it is. But I kind of don’t care? Like, this is such a breathless, easy read, and it came at a time when I was in desperate need of help out of reading slump (thanks, THE CASSANDRA!), so I think this cushioned some of the disappointment over such an implausible twist.

Honestly, just don’t get your expectations up, and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

OMG! This book was awesome! It’s an easy read also. I started reading it last night and got about 10% in and finished it up this a.m. I couldn’t put it down even though I thought I had it all figured out. Of course, with any good book, I was wrong!

Thank you Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book started strong with two storylines so completely different that I couldn’t fathom how Kent was going to connect them. Connect them she does, in a unique way. The pages turn quickly as the story unfolds until it hits the final far fetched plot twist that was just a bit too obvious and convenient.

Review copy

THE STILLWATER GIRLS is one long slow burn of a story. Told from four different characters point of views it takes a while to get moving. If you're looking for big ka-booms and car chases, you might want to check elsewhere. If, however, you're looking for a mystery-thriller with some actual thought put into it, stop right here.

There's nothing particularly likable about any of the people that you'll meet in this book. On the surface, you'll even wonder if your eyes might roll right out of their sockets...I thought mine might do just that. But, then come about the 50% point and suddenly everything kicked into play. 52 card pickup anyone? That's when I just didn't put the book down.

It was a great, fun story. But it did have a couple of problems. One glaring (to me) error and a bit of sappiness. But overall a 4 star read that I would recommend to thriller fans

This was a great, short read. I devoured it in one sitting. Lots of happy coincidences, but I was willing to overlook those because I cared for the characters. I dare you not to fall in love with Wren.

I was instantly drawn into The Stillwater Girls by Kent's writing. Her writing is fast-paced, full of suspense and quite mysterious. I enjoyed reading about both Wren and Nicolette and trying to figure out how their two stories were related. About halfway through the book, the characters came together and I figured that I had everything solved. I was definitely wrong as the characters' lives become much more intertwined than I expected. The big reveal was unexpected and a little bit farfetched. The ending was a letdown, it all just seemed too unbelievable.

I enjoyed Kent's style of writing throughout, but the plot twist and ending brought my rating down to 3 stars (from the 4 stars that I would give the first two-thirds of the book).

This was an intriguing story. It had a slow build up, so the readers didn't exactly know what the mystery/crime is until later in the book (though there is just enough intel to get your mind wandering.) We get a look at two different women's POV over their life thus far and their relationships. One is Wren who, along with her sister are struggling to stay alive as their food runs low and waiting for their mother and younger sister to return. They live in the boondocks and have no idea what kind of world exists outside their cabin in the woods. Nicolette is a women struggling with her marriage. She has a haunting past. It's written in a way that keeps you guessing and wondering. It is a mentally heavy story.. There are a few thrilling moments of uncertainty.The subject matter is one that may be difficult for some readers to hear about. (Nothing of the sexual nature.) It is a solemn read and there aren't many 'happy' moments.

*I received an ARC from Netgalley.

Fantastic book by Minka Kent!

The story captivates you from the start with in depth characterization and a situation which doesn't meet the norm. There is also the questions of how the stories told by the two alternating narrators will mesh together

The unique premise and continuosly unwinding mystery will keep you entertained and turning pages quickly. Don't pass on this book!

Well, was totally not expecting that too happen. As usual, I love Minka's work and jumped at the chance to read this review early. Although it was great at first, it almost lost me towards the middle but eventually grabbed me back by the end. I love Nicolette. I adored her character. And out of the sisters Wren was my favorite. Still a great book even though the twisted ending was a little far fetched for me, I can't wait for the next one.

Thank you Netgalley and Minka Kent for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

** I received an arc via Netgalley for an honest review***

This was an interesting read. I was very intrigued by the premise of two girls abandoned in the woods and having to survive.

I liked the alternating chapters between Wren and Nicolette and how they eventually come together. I enjoyed Nicolette a lot. I really liked her as a character and felt for her through the whole story. I really enjoyed Brant and Nicolette’s relationship too!

However I was a little bored until literally about 40%, everything was a little slow and if you read the synopsis it tells you something that doesn’t happen until literally 40% so the first quarter is just a slow build up but it wasn’t super thrilling. However the last quarter was really interesting finding out all the secrets. This is hard to explain as there quite a few little plot twists in this, I figured out the tiny plot twist and one of the big ones in the end but the big big one I had no clue and I REALLY enjoyed that twist (it’s the first one you find out)

I was super attached to these characters, especially Wren and Sage I just wanted to hug them so tight and make them feel loved.

This was a really good read and I think any mystery lover will enjoy this, not as much of a thriller as I hoped for but still super enjoyable!

I read this book in 2 days!! Is was awesome, well written and kept me wanting more. I do think the ending was wrapped up a little too fast I would have liked a little me detail. I can't wait to read her next book. I am a faithful follower.

This book is very well written. It pulled me in almost right away and kept me interested until the very end. I will definitely be recommending this to the customers at my work!

Honestly, I loved this book. It was just the right amount of psychological suspense that I was hooked from the beginning and had to know what happened. While the ending seemed like it just stopped abruptly and didn’t flow with the rest of the book (my one complaint), I’d definitely recommend this one to anyone who needs a good mystery/suspense novel. Also, I had never read anything by this author before, so I’ll definitely be looking into what else she’s written! Thanks to Netgalley for my free copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Minka Kent is a great storyteller. Ever since the Memory Watcher, I am always on board to read her new stuff as soon as it becomes available. The Stillwater Girls has all the readability and engaging characters of a Minka Kent thriller, with a little more, "wait, what?" reaction for me. The implausible in this one was a bit of a distraction for me, but overall there's a lot to like in her novels. So read all of them!

The pathway of The Stillwater Girls was vivid thanks to Minka Kent’s writing. She took me from Wren to Nicolette’s experience with great ease and clarity. The pieces of each character’s story put together a puzzle that I felt satisfied with the end. I was shocked by the twist, but that was one of the final pieces which fit. Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Stillwater Girls from Minka Kent. I hope to read more from her in the future.

Wow what an amazing book! This is my first Minka Kent book to read and I am looking forward to reading her other books. This book starts out as two alternating stories that you have no idea how they fit together but the two stories end up blending perfectly. I loved the characters that she created for this book - Wren, Sage and Evie who grew up off the grid - literally Little house on the Prairie style. i liked this book so much and would encourage you to add it to your TBR list when it comes out on April 9th.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.