A very suspenseful book.
Following Wren, a very young, incredibly sheltered girl, she and her two sisters and their mother live off the grid.
When their mother and youngest sister leave due to illness and never come back, Wren must leave their home with her sister.
But there are other dangers lurking nearby.
Suspenseful

Minka Kent has won a new loyal fan this book drew me right in .A chilling read a haunting read a book with twists and turns told through different eyes.Highly recommend this book this author.#netgalley #thomas and Mercer publishing

Two sisters living off the grid in a cabin in the woods are faced with dwindling supplies and an upcoming harsh winter. Their mother left with their younger sister, who was very ill months ago and never returned. Raised to be afraid of the outside world and all it’s inhabitants, they are terrified when a stranger shows up asking questions about their mom. Heartbreaking story of determination and survival.

Stillwater Girls, or the first half of it, was very engrossing. I was invested in the story of Wren and Sage and the mysteriousness of their situation. The big reveal, however, was disappointing--my suspension of disbelief dissipated. Overall, it was an entertaining and heartwarming read.

3.5 stars (rounded down)

An Enjoyable Mystery with an Unrealistic Ending.

Wren, 19 and Sage, 18, are sisters, living somewhere off the grid in the woods of New York. Their Mama and their younger sister, Evie, 9, left them months ago - as Evie was sick and needed medical attention. Fending for themselves, foraging for food, Wren doesn’t know how much longer they’ll survive, when a man breaks into their cabin - though he doesn’t hurt them, both sisters are scared. When it becomes clear he knows their Mama, Wren becomes suspicious. She just knows that she and her sister Sage need to escape - or else.

Once they get out, they find safety at Nicolette’s house a few miles away. Nicolette, who has never had children and who has always longed for them. Nicolette who suspects her husband Brant of keeping secrets from her and who finds peace and comfort in Wren and Sage’s appearance. Nicolette who has only ever wanted to feel needed.

This is a novel filled with mystery and intrigue and I was hooked immediately by Minka Kent’s storytelling! It wasn’t until I got to the final reveal that I did a “huh,” well that was a bit strange. As in, never have I ever! That said, up until that point, I was was loving every second. And I didn’t really read the synopsis of this one I just saw “Minka Kent” and “read now” and I was like “yeppers, I’m in.” That said, it was still pretty good, the twist was just a little “out there.” That aside, I loved the characters of Wren and Nicolette - they were compelling and convinced me that I’d made the right decision - this book screams “read me” and if another one of Ms. Kent’s books came up as a “read now,” I’d grab it in a heartbeat. Hope you will too!

This was a buddy read with Kaceey, which we flew through in less than a few hours!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and Minka Kent for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Published on Goodreads and NetGalley on 3.10.19.
Will be published on Amazon on 4.9.19.

Creepy, chilling and excellent. I loved every single minute of it. Thqnk you for giving me a chance to reqd it

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer, and Netgalley.
I had.decided.not to request this book for review from Netgalley because it seemed a bit overhyped. I really wish I'd stick with my gut instinct! This story was so disjointed and all over the place. The twist? Damn it, woman! I should know better by now. If someone says to watch out for that twist then I should be able to find said reviewer and give them a swift knock upside their noggin! If there's a twist in these type of books, then it's usually one I've seen coming from a mile away. This isn't a book is recommend for people who enjoy authors that leave you guessing, or if you really enjoy digging into clues. I can't say it was a bad story though. For me it was meh.

It's like two different stories at first. I am not sure that I liked it very much, it was different that's for sure. There are these two girls with no knowledge of the real world and in the other story Tage the strange couple who not to know what to make of them and there relationship. Than about half though the story they met. It was kind of mysterious. The solution was kind of unbelievable. But of course at least everything turned out good. All in all, if you like angst and tragedy, this is the book for you.

The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent is the story of two young girls abandoned in the woods by their mother never having seen the modern world. When the girls attempt their own rescue they come face to face with modern amenities we easily take for granted. The story that follows entails their search for their mother and youngest sister. The story kept me interested from page one, and by the midpoint of the novel I was captivated. I loved how this story juxtaposed the setting of backwoods country with modern day suburbia. Additionally, I felt the varying viewpoints between adult and child was well-designed. The ending was a bit unbelievable, but I appreciated it, nonetheless. This was my first novel by Minka Kent, and I look forward to reading more. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first book by Minka Kent, and I really enjoyed the story and the writing.

The book weaves in the present day situations of Nicolette, a rich woman who feels her marriage to an artist may be in trouble, and Wren and Sage, two girls raised off the grid by their single mother.

Wren and Sage collide with Nicolette when the girls, who have been seemingly abandoned, must leave their home in search of necessities and safety.

I was completely entertained by both stories, but especially by Wren, whose voice is half the book. I loved how tenacious and strong she was as she cared for her sister and awaited the return of her mother and baby sister back to the cabin.

I will be picking up Ms. Kent's other books and awaiting future novels.

Thanks to Netgalley.com, the author and publisher for my advanced copy.

Wow. Wow. Wow. This is my first book by Minka Kent and I'm fully blown away! If all her books are like this, she may be my new favorite author! I read this book in one day and was totally shocked at the ending. The story was so interesting, especially with how many questions I had about where the girls came from, how the two storyline were going to connect, etc. Fantastic job! 5 stars!

I was able to read this ARC, thanks to Net Galley, but this is my honest review.

A mother and her three daughters live totally off the grid in the Stillwater forest. A place no one wants to go. The girls, Wren, Sage and Evie know nothing beyond their own one room cabin and the mysterious supply man who their mother meets in the forest. The world is dark and dangerous they are told. 

When Evie gets sick her mother leaves with to get help.  They never return. Months go by and Wren is sure they will die and then a mysterious man shows up asking questions and the girls take a chance and escape into the forest. What they will find on the other side will rock their lives.

The story is told from multiple view points and I was hooked from the first chapter! The author has a very engaging style and I was reading as fast as I could to see what happened. And at the end is when it all fell apart for me. It was so disappointing. I can suspend belief on a lot of things but this was just so real and raw and gritty up until the end that when the end came I couldn't make it sync with the rest of the book.

Solid 3 stars on this one.

NetGalley/April 9th 2019 by Thomas & Mercer

I didn't understand how the two strands in the book would merge but they do, and it's very skillfully done.
A tale of 2 sisters, alone and abandoned in the forest. Another tale of a woman who believes her husband is being unfaithful. Both tales amazingly entwine easily and believably.
Well worth reading, recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

I just love Minka Kent. This was well written, with well-woven small twists. It was such a quick read. Though, I do have to say, the ending moved a little too quickly and I feel it could have been handled a little better. It was a good twist, sure, but the coincidence a little unbelievable. I enjoyed how everything was nicely tied up, though. Overall, 3.5 stars, rounded to 4. I will continue looking forward to more from Minka Kent.

This is my first Minka Kent novel and I will deff be on the lookout for more! This novel was a fantastic page turner! I always love to hear a mystery from different views and seeing things through other characters eyes. It really adds a certain depth to the story, All the twists keep you intrigued and unable to put down! If you’re looking for a good quick mystery this is for you!!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

WOAH! I really, really, really enjoyed this book. I didn't expect to like it that much either. With multiple POV's and something constantly going on and happening, I had a really hard time putting The Stillwater Girls down. If any one is looking for a quick read, mystery/thriller type book, this one is definitely for you!

I think what I liked about this was how outside of the box the plot-line was. It wasn't necessarily out there or something that is not likely to happen-- but it's still something that could still happen and something beautiful can come out of it. I think I liked that the most. Something awful happened to all of these characters, but the author still found some type of way to make things beautiful for them. That's an incredible talent in my opinion.

There were a couple of things that happened though that was just a little too far-fetched for even me. Especially with Nic. But, for the most part The Stillwater Girls was a superb mystery/thriller for me. I liked the continuing action and the way the story line was structured. It wasn't like anything that I have read before and to me that is a huge deal with as often as most thrillers these days all sort of sound the same.

I read this one in one sitting. The plot was quick paced, the writing smoothed along the pages very nicely, and I didn't find myself getting bored. Although a little of it was far-fetched, I still really had a great time reading this one! I hope that you do too.

Sisters Wren and Sage have been living with their mother and younger sister, Evie, in a cabin in the woods. When Evie gets ill and needs medical attention, their mother and Evie leave Wren and Sage behind. It’s been over two months and their mother and little sister haven’t returned, leaving Wren and Sage to fend for themselves. Their mother told them never to go past the woods and never ever let a stranger into the house, under no circumstance. With the winter closing in and the food dwindling, their future is looking bleaker by the day. And it gets even worse when an unknown man shows up at their door, saying he is taking them elsewhere and that he needs to find their mother. He isn’t to be trusted and Wren knows that she needs to take her sister far away if they want to remain alive—she’s sure this stranger wants to kill them.

Nicolette has always wanted a child. But unfortunately it hasn’t been in the cards for her and her husband, Brant. They made peace with never having children—proclaiming their love was always enough—but Nicolette starts to question their marital happiness when she discovers incriminating evidence that her husband could be cheating on her or, worse, that he has another child out there. Nicolette isn’t sure what she wants to do about this newfound information, but before she can fully process everything, two young women—Wren and Sage—show up to her house one morning, needing immediate help. Nicolette knows that, in an odd way, this is her chance to help young women, almost be a mother.

As police are trying to track down Wren and Sage’s mother, Wren is having doubts about the life she led in the cabin in the woods for so many years. And what’s even stranger is Nicolette’s husband, Brant, looks oddly familiar. But how could that be, considering they’ve never even met? She feels safe within Nicolette and Brant’s home, but will she ever truly escape the stranger from their cabin and will they ever be reunited with Evie? The answers to these questions could solve years of unsolved mysteries and tear apart the only life these girls have ever known.

The Stillwater Girls is Minka Kent’s latest suspense/mystery publication. The synopsis of this story intrigued me and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I found the book to read quickly and I was thoroughly enjoying the dual perspectives between Wren and Nicolette, wondering how the two stories would intersect. Like other reviewers have mentioned, I found the twist came from left field. It seemed a little too unbelievable, a little too convenient. Also, after the twist was revealed, there was a lot of “telling” and not enough “showing.” Things were just explained via dialogue, rather than action, which lessened the impact for me. An enjoyable, quick read, yes, but it lost it’s “thrilling” aspect three quarters of the way through. 3.5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Minka Kent for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea what this book was about when I requested it, but I am very glad that I did. It was excellent. I thought I knew what was going on and I was totally wrong Lots of twists, turns and surprises. 2 girls left alone. a woman who thinks she's happily married but discovers her husband has secrets. And what about the husband ? Is he a liar and a cheat ? Or worse ? Or is he a good guy ? And how do they all find their way together ? Such a wonderfully written story. Minka Kent really knows how to tell a story.

The Stillwater Girls, my first book by Minka Kent, is a solid 3 star: a good read, interesting, but quite flawed.

Stillwater is a forest in upstate New York in which two girls, Sage and Wren, have lived with their mother and younger sister, Evie, for their entire lives. They, quite literally, have had no contact with civilization. There are no cell phones, radios, televisions, internet - nothing. They never have seen another human being outside of the women in their cabin. At least, not that they can remember. Their mother occasionally meets up with a "supply man" who sells their homemade soaps and brings them supplies but, for the most part, they are self sufficient and adequately living off of the land around them. Until the night that Evie falls ill and their mother leaves the cabin to take her to find medical help. Wren and Sage wait....and wait.... Wren carefully marking off the days on her homemade calendar, weeks, then a month and then two. Then a man arrives at their cabin and their lives change forever.

Stillwater Girls completely had me hooked for the majority of the book. Kent is an amazing writer and the story of these girls, how they survived, their meager happiness and their fears, were palpable. I absolutely loved them. Until the final stage of the book. It was as though I was watching a ball of yarn unraveling. The storyline itself began to come apart string by string. While I appreciate plot twists and surprises, those in Stillwater Girls, felt so contrived and unbelievable that I wanted to back up and re-read it all again hoping for a different outcome. Surely all of the great writing at the beginning couldn't fall apart like this at the end, could it? But, sadly, it did. That's not to say that as whole the book wasn't good because it was. It could have been terrific, though, and it wasn't.

I appreciate the advanced copy given to me by #Netgalley, #Thomas&Mercer and #MinkaKent. I have read such great things about Kent's books and definitely will read one of her other works.

I was admittedly excited to start this book you didn't know nothing about the description or anything really except bells ringing in my head that said it was okay I'm not upset I read it.