I love a good mystery, ones that keep me guessing, with twists and turns that are plausible, a book that I can polish off in a matter of days because I have to know what's going on. But I find myself picky these days, a few have been iffy and when publishers say 'if you liked such and such book then you will love this one', well what if I didn't love or even like such and such book?

I have a few favorite authors where I know I'll get a good ride but I also have a free favorite bloggers/reviewers whose opinions I trust - Laurie The Baking Bookworm for example. It was her review that pointed me in the direction of The Stillwater Girls.

I didn't read too much of the blurb but enough to get the just. I was captivated right away, how can one not be after the first few chapters? There are 2 storylines here, one with 2 teens abandoned in a remote cabin somewhere in the woods. While the other is a young woman with longings and unfilled dreams. There were vivid pictures of both lifestyles with its hardships, suspicions and trust issues.

My curiosity of the connections and where the plot was going kept me guessing and while
I thought a couple things predictable I was taken aback by the ending. Well done Minka Kent.

Minka Kent is a new author to me, will definitely keep my eye out for more of her books.

My thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy (via Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Such a well written, crazy tale. First book I’ve read by Minka and it did not disappoint. This story was a roller coaster ride of emotions. Definitely looking forward to more books by her.

The Stillwater Girls
By Minka Kent
Main Characters: Wren and Sage
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.
5 out of 5 stars
Holy cow Batman! This is the first book I have read by this author and I really want to read more. There are parts that you can guess but so much more you can't. I definitely did not see the ending. Lots of twist and turns and well-rounded characters. This book had me from the very beginning. Would absolutely love to read more by Minka Kent.

*Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.*

Ignorant of the present-day world, three sisters were raised in a cabin deep in the woods in upstate New York. When the youngest sister becomes sick, the mother takes her to a nearby town for medical attention, but after months they never return to the cabin. With the other sisters trying to survive, a stranger finds them claiming to be looking for their mother, and doesn't plan on leaving without them. The girls escape, but in return they have to confront all the lies and secrets that have left them in the dark their entire lives.

I really enjoyed this book. The plot keeps you interested all the way through. It is an easy and quick read that is enjoyable.

I rewarded this book with four stars because of the suspense that it manages to create in the reader. There are many things that remain pending, questions not answered, facts that happen too quickly: all this could bring down the value of the book, which, however is a juice of suspense. The reader starts the book and then he/she must end it in any way, to find out the truth. The reading proceeds fast and there are no waste of time in the plot, everything is well outlined at least up to three quarters of the book. Each character has a good voice and personality.

This was my first novel by Minka Kent and it was quite the page turner. It was the perfect length for a quick suspense story. I really enjoyed that the chapters flipped between Wren and Nicolette’s point of view. The finally twist felt a little unbelievable but I still really enjoyed this one and will be checking out Minka Kent’s backlist! This one is out now! ⁣

Children raised off the grid. I mean is there ever a good, healthy reason to do this? Nope! That is why this premise always resonates with my slightly morbid mind. I find it fascinating how children can blindly accept the things they are told. I relish reading about the world that no longer exists outside of their comfort zone (or forest). How they accept that the rest of the world crumbled leaving nothing but havoc beyond their set perimeters. Simply because they have never known otherwise. This premise never gets old and Minka Kent surely did it justice.

There are two vastly different stories being told. You begin this story wondering how this all unfolds? And how the hell will these intertwine? But you are undeniably hooked to each happening. We are first introduced to Wren and her sister Sage. These girls have been waiting for their mother in their excluded cabin in the Stillwater Forest for months. Their food supply is running out and their means for survival are perishing little by little. If they don’t leave their small confines, they will die. But soon a stranger shows up and it changes everything. Next is Nicolette. Nicolette seemingly has it all. But she can’t seem to get away from the idea that her faithful husband has been keeping something detrimental from her. The more she digs, the deeper it gets….

Honestly, I had a hard time putting this novel down. I’ve been working some crazy hours lately and have had minimal time for reading. But I’ll be damned if I didn’t worm out every second of spare time available to glue my eyes to the pages of this book. The overall story was enjoyable. Reading about their worlds slowly unfolding was entertaining and engaging. The characters were all likable. I could feel for each of them and their circumstances. Even Brant who I wasn’t sure of his position in this novel. There was a strong theme of caring in this novel and I really enjoyed the overall effect. I loved the Gone Girl shout out. And was admittedly a tad jealous of Wren diving into that novel for the first time. Having no inclination to the big reveal. There was one little issue with one of the reveals. I had a hard time accepting it. Although, I don’t think it is impossible. It was just a bit much. I think that I will dive into a few other reviews and see how they felt about it.

Overall, I really did enjoy this novel. Thrillers can be a hit and miss these days. But I genuinely thought this was a hit.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for a copy of The Stillwater Girls.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced read in exchange for this review.

Dang. This was an amazing book that was impossible to put down. I finished this in less than a day because I could not stop reading. I look forward to reading more from this author! I loved the characters and felt like I could clearly see what they looked like from the descriptions. I don't want to give too much away, but it's definitely one to read!

Wren, Sage and Evie are three sisters and their mother has been raising them in the forest away from all of civilization. However when Evie gets sick they leave to go get help leaving Sage and Wren behind. When they don't return the girls start to worry and then a strange man their mother would meet in the woods showed up. As soon as they could they ran away from him and out into the world they knew nothing about.

This is a great story that will have you on the edge of your seat from the first chapter. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend it to any book lover.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, thanks to Net Galley and Minka Kent for the opportunity to read this novel. Great story that kept me reading, i couldn't put this book down.. This is written from two characters views and is about three children who were living in the woods with their mother, one child becomes ill and the other two children are left on their own while the mother goes in search of help. The cabin is rustic, the children are sheltered and home schooled and they are living off the land it seems. Flip to Nicolette who is married, trying to become as foster mom due to her inability to have children and worried about her husband having an affair. Eventually the two worlds collide. Such a great story, well written and kept me captivated. The ending is such an unexpected twist. i would absolutely read more books by Minka Kent

Two seemingly separate stories intertwine in a shocking way in the latest novel by Minka Kent, The Stillwater Girls! In one story, two girls raised in isolation off the grid find themselves forced to leave the hold home they’ve ever known when a stranger comes to call. Miles away, a woman with everything life has to offer questions her marriage, feeling disconnected from her husband and certain he is keeping a secret. With twists, turns, and a fascinating conclusion, I found myself completely engrossed in The Stillwater Girls!

I always make sure to put in the book blurb so that the publisher voice is present in my reviews. But in this case, I felt that the blurb, though engaging, accurate, and intriguing, leaves out half of the story and I’m not entirely sure why. In fact, the half that is left out is also present from the very beginning of the book and is equally as intriguing—initially more-so for me! Maybe it would have felt too distracting, but I want to talk in a non-spoiler way about both stories, because they are given equal time in the book and they eventually intertwine in a fascinating way!

In alternating chapters, we here the story of Wren and Sage narrated by Wren, and the story of married couple Nicolette and Brant, narrated by Nicolette. Wren, Sage, and their sister Evie were raised in a small cabin in the woods with no modern amenities. They were completely isolated from the world, except for a man who came by every once and awhile to bring supplies. But one night Evie got very sick, and their mother took her into town to get help from a doctor. And then she never returned…

Month pass, and Wren and Sage are running out of food. The livestock are dying, and they are heading into winter alone, unsure if their mother and sister are still alive. And then the stranger comes, and everything is not ok. Desperate to get away from him, Wren and Sage may need to do the one thing they were told never to do…go into the forest and find out what is beyond.

Well the stranger was positively creepy! And Wren and Sage have a fascinating story. These are two girls living in modern times who have never seen a telephone, never had central heat, never had plumbing. And now they are alone, not even sure what their mother’s name was. In fact, it never really occurred to them that their mother had a name besides ‘Ma’… When the stranger comes, it is unclear what he wants, but very clear what he doesn’t want—for them to escape. Chills!

Then in the alternate story we meet Nicolette, an affluent woman married to a famous photographer named Brant. But their marriage is not in a good place. Nicolette finds Brant at times incredibly loving, and at other times so distant. And they have some tough times in their past. Things that are difficult for any marriage to withstand. And then Nicolette finds evidence of a secret—something Brant has never told her. What could it mean? How long has he been lying to her?

Oh Nicolette… I really enjoyed her character, actually more-so than Wren and Sage, though I liked them too. Nicolette was so relatable to me, and that connection always helps me understand the story. What Wren and Sage were going through, on the other hand—I doubt many readers have experienced that!
I could not figure out how these two stories would come together, but when they did and the twists start—whoa!!! Somewhat unbelievable, but I didn’t mind it a bit! I was along for the ride and having a blast reading this!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and Amazon Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.

Wren and Sage are two young ladies, who have been isolated away from society for their entire lives. Their mother "mama" has always taught them that beyond the forest lays a world of violence and evil. They've grown up without electricity and any knowledge of the world. When their youngest sister Evie falls ill Mama decides she must take her to see a doctor and leaves Wren and Sage on their own. After a few months supplies start to dwindle, livestock is dying off and suddenly a man shows up. Wren decides she must take their future into her own hands and convinces Sage they need to go beyond the forest.

I DEVOURED this book. I read it in a day, at any chance I could. I tried to think of all the ways the two different stories were going to intermix and I came up with a list of the paths I thought this book was going to take. NOPE. I legitimately do not think I ever could have guessed the twist of this book. Quite honestly I love when books keep me guessing and completely go a different direction. BUT (you knew it was coming) the twist was so illogical, it was ridiculous.

Overall, It was an alright read. It kept me guessing and although it was ridiculous I did enjoy it before that point. Give it a chance (or better yet read one of Minka Kents other books!)

4 Stars!

The Stillwater Girls is a suspenseful novel that is told from two perspectives. The first one is Wren, a girl who is alone in the middle of nowhere with her sister Sage after her mother leaves with her little sister, Evie. Wren and Sage are struggling to survive with their dwindling supplies before a stranger arrives at their house. The second perspective is Nicolette, a woman who cannot have children but is wanting to become a foster parent. She is trying to find out more about her husband’s aloof behavior after she finds a hidden, life-changing discovery.

While this book have a bit of a slow start, I couldn’t stop reading because I was so invested in the two storylines. I loved both the survival aspect and mystery of Wren and Sage’s situation as well as the domestic mystery between Nicolette and her husband. The pacing picks up rapidly once Wren, Sage, and Nicolette’s stories converge, but there are still plenty of mysteries to unravel with big reveals.

I recommend this book, and I’m interested in reading more by Minka Kent!

Note: I received this book as an ARC from the publisher on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured half of the book in one day, that’s just how fast-paced and easy to read this novel is. The premise was truly alluring about sisters living off the grid with a mother who bailed on them in search of medicines for the younger sister. I never truly warmed up to the character of Nicolette, because in Kent’s previous novel, The Thinnest Air, she had another similar character (pretty rich girl with a husband acting suspiciously). I’m sure it’s fun to write about rich people, but I always feel a bit disconnected when books only focus on wealthy people who have closets that are the size of a living room.

My only gripe about the book was the twist in the middle. I think the book could’ve done without the twist or at least made a twist that was less far-fetched. I wish to keep this review spoiler-free, but the twist involved a serious mental health issue that seemed to be taken lightly.

The writing in the book is somewhat simplistic which means that it’s an easy read (not saying it’s a bad thing). But it only took me a couple of days to be done because it was a really quick read (lengthwise and ease of word choice). It wasn’t overly descriptive or flowery, but the excessive foreshadowing grew tiresome at times.

The book had too much of a happy ending for me, which seemed a bit unrealistic, but I guess that’s what readers expect so maybe many won’t mind. Overall, it was an enjoyable read that kept me interested and had me invested in the characters, so I will def check out other books by this author.

I feel like I've read a lot of books, like Sharp Objects, where there are two sisters and an insane mother, but I have to say the adding of the "stranger" was a new element that I feel like kept me intrigued throughout this one. The hard thing about thrillers and mysteries these days is that we want something new, and it is hard to combat the fact that we have to get increasingly more interesting as writers. The more disturbing the better, and it's terrifying!

Good potential, but lots of holes in this story -- and comes across as pretty preposterous overall. Disappointing.

I loved this book until the ending, still it was a pretty good story. There are two different storylines here and you wonder how they will merge. The writing style was great and I liked the characters. A whopping tale.
Many thanks to Thomas Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Excellent psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Abandoned children, missing children, a missing mom, a marriage in crisis, a ne’er-do-well brother… there’s a lot going on in The Stillwater Girls.

Wren and Sage live off-the-grid with their mother and little sister, Evie. When Evie became ill, their mom bundled her up and left to find help, admonishing her teenage daughters to open the door to no one.

That was two months ago.

Winter is on the way, and the girls are running out of food… and hope.

Wren and Sage don’t know what electricity is, have never seen a phone, and only know about television from the stories their mother told them about “the outside world.” But she’s also told them the world is a cruel and evil place and they’re never to go into the woods surrounding their little shack.

So, they don’t.

However, while there are many things nineteen-year-old Wren doesn’t know, she knows how to survive.

When a stranger appears at their front door, Wren bides her time and plots a way out for her and Sage.

This girl is resourceful! Her mama told many lies, but she taught the girls well.

Nicolette Gideon is affluent, married to the love of her life and living a charmed existence.

Or so it would appear.

Unable to have children, Nic is pushing her husband, Brant, to become foster parents. She’s desperate to be a mother and wants Brant on-board fully.

She blames his lack of interest on the up-and-coming artist’s preoccupation with his first gallery show.

Until she finds the photo of a little girl hidden in his sock drawer and money is being removed from her trust fund account.

Is Brant already a father?

Two stories become one when the girls’ escape leads them through the forbidden woods and into Nic’s life—and distract her from her marital woes, but not for long.

Questions lead to more questions no one can answer until a mega-reveal in the story weaves loose ends together… and I felt like someone doused me with ice water.

It did not work for me and left me disappointed and angry.

I have no problem suspending belief for a book, but this felt more like bent reality.

I don’t do spoilers, but I will say this—family and friends conspiring to keep a secret is plausible. But the town isn’t a party to the conspiracy, yet say nothing… for a decade?

No, that’s a bridge too far for me.

The Stillwater Girls IS a good story. Suspenseful writing will pull you in right from the beginning, and the alternating POVs of Wren and Nicolette only heighten the suspense. While the plot twist didn’t work for me, I’m sure readers of crime fiction and thrillers will enjoy this read.

A fast paced thriller featuring two storylines - one deals with two teenagers raised in isolation and the other tells of a wealthy woman who no longer trusts her artist husband. The stories merge in a fascinating ending.