What a beautiful and stunning story about a father who is raising his daughter in a secluded cabin in the woods! There are a few tense elements to the story that may be the reason this is being described as a thriller but in my opinion it’s really more of a beautiful contemporary fiction story about a father and daughter.

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @minotaur_books for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pub date: Oct 26

In one sentence: Cooper and his daughter Finch live alone in woods, hiding from his past - but one stranger could destroy the safety Cooper has built for them.

From the cover, it looks like this book might be a typical thriller, but it's really more of a taut character study with some mystery and suspense. I fell in love with Cooper and Finch's characters very quickly. Cooper is incredibly protective of his daughter and bears emotional scars from his time in the military, and Finch is a precocious eight-year-old who loves to read and wants to explore beyond their small cabin. Together, they made a great pair to lead the book.

If you like books where nature is almost like another character, like Where the Crawdads Sing and The Great Alone, I think you'll enjoy this one! I felt so emotionally invested in the story, and I loved the chance to take an armchair trip into the woods.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of Cooper and his 8 year old daughter Finch, living completely off the grid in the remote Appalachian woods.

This book starts slowly, as we learn that Cooper is ex-military, and that he saved his best friend Jake's life in Afghanistan. We find out how Cooper and Finch spend their day-to-day lives - clearly very frightened of being discovered in their cabin in the woods. Jake is their only contact with the outside world - bringing them needed supplies each year. Something happened when Finch was small to send them both into hiding - but it takes a while for the story to unfold as we learn the reason for their isolation.

Their only other human connection is Scotland, their neighbor also living in the woods, who watches them and lets Cooper know that he is aware of why they are in hiding. It's an uneasy relationship.

When Jake fails to show up with supplies one year, their world begins to crumble.

I found this a very emotional book - you knew something bad was about to happen and you could feel the tension rising. The characters were excellently written, and I really liked smart, adventurous Finch. I did not see the ending coming at all, and was blown away by the turn of events.

This book had the feel of "Where the Crawdads Sing' to me in some way - while the story itself was very different, I was routing for the characters in the same way, and could really 'feel' that I was there, hiding out in the woods

I will definitely read more by this author.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

For about 70% of this book I was thinking it was kind of a slow moving dud. But the last 30%, wow. I may have shed a few tears and didn’t expect the twist at the end. And in retrospect, the slow, character/story building during the majority of the book was needed.

Overall a pretty good read and one I’d recommend to others.

Cooper and his young daughter, Finch, live isolated in their cabin in the woods. Only a few people know they exist there, including an old friend Jake who brings supplies once a year. When Jake doesn’t show up, their survival is up to Cooper.

This was an entertaining read but it took some time to get into it. It is a slow burn while you get to know the characters, their history, and how they’re surviving. The heart of the story is a father’s love for his daughter and how far he’d go for her. I wouldn’t really call it a twisty thriller but it does unfold in unexpected ways.

“Thing is, once you’ve crossed, once you’ve done almost everything you ever said you wouldn’t do, you also lose your sense of assurance that you won’t do those things again.”

These Silent Woods comes out 10/26

These Silent Woods is a touching story about a father and his child are living off the grid after his finance, the child‘s mother, was killed in auto accident. Cooper and Finch live a simple life deep in the woods in his best friend’s cabin. When Jake misses his yearly supply drop-off, life takes an unexpected turn for Cooper and Finch.

Told in Cooper’s point of view, we are introduced to a wonderful cast of characters. Cooper is a very complex and flawed character. Finch is a charmer and Scotland, Coop’s and Finch’s mysterious neighbor, is a fascinating character. I felt the ending was a bit rushed, but overall the conclusion was satisfying. A sweet story of love, sadness, strength, and redemption, this is great story to curl up to as the weather turns colder.

Oh my goodness. I think These Silent Woods is going to be one of my favorite books of the year! I adored everything about this read- the emotions, the atmosphere, the characters… Just perfection!

For eight years, Cooper and his young daughter, Finch, have lived in isolation in a remote cabin in the woods. Cooper has a lot to hide and prefers his beautiful and brutal life in the woods. They have little contact with the outside world, but one day a mysterious stranger wonders onto their property. When Finch becomes obsessed with this stranger, their entire world and very existence is threatened.

Y’all, I straight up sobbed while reading the last 20% of These Silent Woods. This book wrecked me and broke my heart. It was so incredibly moving and beautiful!

Five stars! Please read this one…

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions. This one publishes on October 26, 2021. #TheseSilentWoods #NetGalley

I expected more of a mystery/thriller but this was more of a family drama. It was an emotional book but I felt it was pretty slow and at times, dragged a little. All in all, this was a good story and I would read more by this author.

"Consider how much has happened. How a life can veer and stretch and retract and shatter. How it feels in this moment, as though things could crumble yet again with just the slightest alteration. Tenuous, this life. Nothing sure at all."

If I could pick one book to give bookstagram this year, it would be this one.

I don't know what else to say besides that because I don't know that I've ever felt that way about a book. But this one is "good" in the truest sense of the word - the type of book I want my kids to read when they are young adults and feeling lost one day. The type of book that really makes you question everything else you read this year, the last five or ten years - this, this is the one.

If you're the type of person who likes a comparison, I'd say this is like a combo between Charles Martin and Where the Forest Meets the Stars. However, really this stands completely alone. I rarely pre-order books, but this is one I already bought because I believe in what this author is doing here. This is a book I can get behind, one I fully and wholehearted recommend to you.

These Silent Woods is the story of a father and daughter who live in hiding, off the grid in the Appalachian mountains. Every year, a friend brings them supplies. The one year he doesn't show kicks off a series of events that threaten their private existence. I really enjoyed the pacing of the book, as well as the relationship between father and daughter. There is a little mystery to it, which brings an overall suspense factor the kept me invested in the story. Great book for Fall! Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

How can a thriller be thrilling and beautiful at the same time?! I still don't know but this was it! The love the father has for his daughter is breath taking and had me fighting back tears at times! This is so much more than your typical thriller and I can't recommend this enough!

This book is one of it’s kind and I absolutely enjoyed reading it. This is the story of a father who decides to raise his daughter deep in the woods, away from any kind of human interaction for as long as possible but something else was in destiny. The characters are relatable and narration is captivating.. It was hard for me to put down this book and I highly recommend this book!

My rating: 4.5

Kimi Cunningham Grant has written another beautiful, character rich story.
Cooper left his old life 8 years ago after the death of his girlfriend. He and his now 8 year old daughter, Finch, are hiding out in the Appalachian mountains. Grant paints the forest and their life in such a way that you can picture every scene. It’s a quiet, simple life, without any of the frills we have in the “civilized” world. They only see two other people. Jake is Cooper’s ex- military buddy who owns the cabin they live in. And Scotland is their weird neighbor.
This isn’t a fast paced mystery. It’s more of a suspenseful story, wondering first why Cooper left and then how long their life can continue before they’re found out, especially when a young woman encroaches on their space. There’s an underlying sense of tension throughout the story.
I felt for both Cooper and Finch, for very different reasons. Cooper has made some bad decisions and boxed himself into a corner. Finch is so young and trusting with the high moral certitude of the young. And then they are faced with a moral dilemma. The ending was perfect as it explores what we will do for those we love.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

This is an amazing story about how far a father would go for his infant daughter after his wife died in a car accident. Cooper, Finch's father kidnapped his daughter after he was threatened by the law a d his in-laws. He took his daughter deep into the woods where his friend from the service had a cabin. The story goes on to tell his story of his life before he met Cindy Finches mother. Its about the love and perseverance it takes to service in the woods. I received this book free from NetGalley and I'm leaving an honest review. I highly recommend this book.

A simple, yet compelling story with peaceful top notes and simmering suspense. A story of a father and young daughter living in isolation. Grant’s masterful description of their home in the woods left me craving for a weekend mountain get-away, or better yet a month. I was pulled into the storyline and the steady pace of past and present events. This is a story of life, the choices we make, our decisions and actions, how they impact the lives of others and can quickly redirect our course. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Kimi Cunningham Grant, and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books for the advanced copy of The Silent Woods. #TheseSilentWoods #NetGalley

Heartbreaking and triumphant, this novel is definitely different than the normal read for me but it was beautifully written and provoked so much emotion that I highly recommend to anyone looking for something different. Cooper and his daughter Finch, live alone, secluded in a cabin in the woods, they are hiding from something or someone, completely self-sufficient in the wilderness. Once a year an old friend brings a years worth of supplies and when that friend doesn’t show, things begin to shift. An incredible look into the internal struggle of a father trying to protect his daughter and also reconcile with his past will have you rooting for this family until the end! I will say this is a little slow to start but if you stick with it, the character development is incredible and your patience will pay off.

I expected this to be more of a thriller (or maybe even something supernatural) based on the title, cover, and description. But it was actually a very moving portrait of familial bonds, particularly that of father and daughter. Things took a while to get going, but it was never slow or dull or meandering. The ending was especially nice.

3.5 stars

They had the best of luck. They had the worst of luck.

This is how I will think of this novel for a long time.

Cooper and Finch, who are father and daughter, are living in the middle of nowhere in an effort to disappear, and throughout the novel, readers learn not only what their lives are like in the present but also all about the circumstances that have led them to this point. Early on, Cooper begins talking about traumatic circumstances he encountered in the service and the lasting impacts he continues to experience. Readers who are particularly sensitive to the realities of war and related aftermath should know coming in that this is a prominent theme. Cooper also eludes to an accident and a set of unfortunate resulting circumstances. It doesn't take much to determine that Cooper is in the middle of nowhere because he feels he has no other reasonable choice.

What is most compelling about this novel is the challenging relationship between Cooper and the reader. This fellow is a true antihero; he is deeply troubled, and there is a whole lot of noise brewing beneath the titular "silent" façade. Constantly, I found myself wavering between rooting for him and wanting to smack him, and while this was moderately frustrating at times, it also kept me really engaged.

I enjoyed this novel overall, largely because of the spare style, but I did struggle with two areas: the constant repetition of memories and the past and the outrageous good fortune that these characters face at times. While memories should come in bursts, and I understand the value of revealing difficult truths to the readers in small doses, the format was distracting. Additionally, I laughed inappropriately at a couple of the convenient realities that emerged. For me, the resolution felt a little too easy and - even in a novel where readers must suspend disbelief - kind of tough to stomach.

Readers who can handle a dash of magic and a heap of emotions in exchange for these results will be happier with this novel than I was, but this is still a solid read on my end, and I'll look for more from this author.

With Autumn right around the corner, what better way to get in the Fall spirit than a good thriller except These Silent Woods is really not. I went into this book mostly blind other than knowing there was some living off the grid involved. After finishing the book I believe it's been marketed wrong. The first half of the book is much, much slower than I was expecting. I normally don't mind a good amount of character development but this book was just too slow and I didn't get the suspense at all. We spend a lot of time initially trying to puzzle out what is going on with Kenny/Cooper and his past through memories and reflections. His daily life in the wilds is a slog but Finch is adorable and heart-warming. The father daughter relationship in this book was wholesome and nice. However even with lovely Finch, I completely lost interest a few times. Is it really a thriller? No. A decent mystery yes but even that is an afterthought to Coop and Finch's daily life. It would've made a much better contemporary romance had the author gone that way but even the hint of romance that there is, is pushed back to the epilogue. I wanted more of a redemptive ending. Scotland just being forgotten was not satisfying at all.

If you're looking for fast paced action thriller with twists and turns skip this book. However if you're a fan of contemporary fiction maybe give this one a shot but unfortunately I can't recommend it. These Silent Woods is out October 26th. Thank you so much St. Martin's Press for my egalley review copy.

I am part of the minority that didn't enjoy this book. But I love seeing that so many others loved this book- it makes me appreciate the aspects of this book that I didn't enjoy.

My personal issue with this book was pacing. The story follows Cooper and Finch, a father and daughter that are living in the woods because of some horrible thing that happened in his past that forces Cooper into hiding with his child. I think it's pretty obvious what happened near the beginning of the story (I don't think that ever was supposed to be part of the mystery/suspense), but knowing that, there really isn't much to anticipate with the rest of the story. While there is a "reveal" at the end, I didn't feel too involved with the characters, so it didn't give me the emotional impact that I think it was intending.

"These Silent Woods" is marketed as a suspense novel, but I think of it more as literary fiction. I recommend this book for people who want beautiful descriptions of nature- this book definitely delivers that.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this ebook. Publication date is October 26, 2021. A lot of this book takes place as Fall turns into Winter- a great publication date for an atmospheric read :).