Ugh what a beautiful book. I love when a small plot doesn’t mean much compared to how the atmospheric beauty of a book sucks you right in. I took a chance on this book, and I am so glad I did.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy for review.

These Silent Woods was one of the most poignant, beautiful, and thought provoking books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Upon first viewing, I figured this would be just another thriller with just enough suspense to keep me on the edge of my seat. What I got ended up being so much more. And I absolutely love that the author surpassed all my expectations.

We start by meeting Cooper and his young daughter Finch. They've lived alone in the woods for the past eight years, surviving on their own by hunting, gathering, and relying upon the annual visit of Jake, Cooper's long time army buddy. But that year, Jake doesn't show, and Cooper and Finch must figure out some other means of getting what they need to survive a harsh winter in the woods. Everything comes to a standstill when they stumble on a young woman in the woods, and what happens next changes them in ways they did not expect.

Honestly, I can't recommend this book enough. Anyone who loves survival stories, thrillers, books with great characters, or even just atmospheric novels will not want to miss this one. Everyone should go out and pick up a copy when it is released into the world on October 26. I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

Secrets brought Cooper and Finch to Cooper’s friend Jake’s cabin in the woods. They have had a good eight years living off the land, however, when an event threatens the life Cooper has built for them, will he face up to all that has brought them to the woods or take Finch and run?
This story poses the question; to what lengths will you go, to keep your family safe? Ms. Grant gives us a possible answer to that question and creates a very interesting story. I enjoyed this story and will be adding her name to my TBR list.

Ever since she was a baby, eight-year-old Finch and her father Cooper have lived in isolation in the remote Appalachian mountains. Cooper is in hiding from his past, and other than a mysterious neighbor, their only visitor is Jacob, who brings them supplies once a year. When Jacob fails to show, Cooper must break their isolation, with disastrous results.

Almost nothing actually happens in the glacially slow plot of These Silent Woods. Although the mystery has a bit of suspense, it takes over half of the book for the action to even begin. With a religious spin and endless descriptions of nature, the book is definitely more contemporary fiction than thriller.

One of the best books I've read this year. I feel like I know Cooper and Finch. The story was heartbreaking and happy, worrisome and suspenseful. This is all in all a great read.

Cooper and Finch are holed up in a cabin in the woods with as little contact from the outside world as possible. And for good reason or is it? This superb read will be one you will be happy you took the time to read.

After the death of his fiance, Cooper took their newborn daughter and vanished. Eight years later, Coop and Finch are thriving, hidden away from the world in a rustic cabin with the bare minimums in the Appalachian Mountains. They make do by growing and hunting for food and with a once a year grocery delivery from Coop's old combat buddy Jake. Jake and a mysterious neighbor Scotland are the only two people Coop and Finch ever interact with. Coop is highly suspicious of Scotland, but he tolerates his sudden appearances because Scotland knows Coop's secret - knows what he did and why he can't return to civilization with his daughter. If anyone else learns the truth, they'll take Finch from him. Coop and Finch are happy in their isolation. Finch is a precocious child, smart as a whip and savvy in the ways of the land having been taught survival techniques by her father. However, eight year old Finch is becoming more and more curious about the outside world and all the things she's only ever read about like indoor plumbing, electricity, restaurants, schools, other children. One day while out hunting, Coop and Finch see a teenage girl with a camera on their land bordering the national forest, causing Coop to have a panic attack. While they stay hidden until the girl moves on, Coop's greatest fear of other people infiltrating their small world has happened. Finch's natural curiosity is to seek out the girl while Coop warns her to stay away from that area of their land. When Finch ignores his warning, what she witnesses will destroy their safe little corner of the world.

These Silent Woods is a beautiful, poignant story about a father and his daughter existing in a solitary world. Coop's secrets have the power to destroy that world and tear Finch away from him forever. He will not allow that to happen at any price. When people start invading their world, Coop knows their days are numbered. It's only a matter of time until someone discovers them and figures out who he is. These Silent Woods evolves through Coop's point of view with bits and pieces of the past intermingled in the present. Grant's characterizations are authentic to the point I felt I knew Coop and Finch, and my anxiety over their situation grew as the story unfolded and the ending appeared to be a given. The author's descriptions of the setting feeds all the senses from the breeze in the trees, to rivers swollen with rain, to meadows alive with wildlife, and birds calling. It's easy to imagine being there and seeing the wonder of it all through young Finch's eyes . . . until ugliness invades threatening their existence. It's important to avoid spoilers before reading this story to savor it as Grant renders it . . . one morsel at a time. It's been awhile since I've wiped tears while reading the final pages of a book, but I did with this one. These Silent Woods is a raw, emotional story that tugs at the heart strings. Highly recommended to fans of mystery, suspense and thrillers. Also to anyone who loves a good emotional, heartfelt story about the lengths a father will go to protect his child.

Wow! What a fantastic read. The characters are so well developed they feel like family, in fact I wished I could be a part of their family. The atmosphere was also really well done, their unique situation was brought to life in vivid color. . This book was fantastic cover to cover. It was both heartwarming at times and suspenseful. I’m not going to lie, the end brought me to tears. Great big sobbing tears. The emotion I felt for the characters was intense, that is how well written this book is. This one needs to go on your reading list.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the eARC of These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant. This was such a pleasant surprise! I loved everything about this book and will definitely seek out other books by this author.

The Thing about grace is that you don't deserve it. You can't earn it. You can only accept it. Or not..........

Cooper and his young daughter Finch live in the Appalachian mountains. Cooper fled there years ago with his daughter when CPS threatened to take her from him. Having just lost his wife to an accident and dealing with PTSD from the war, he knows he can't lose the only thing left that he loves; his daughter.

Cooper is a loving father. He is soon visited by Marie; the sister of his best friend during the war and the owner of the house that Cooper now resides in. Cooper and Marie form a special bond and Cooper thinks that things may finally be falling into place for him. But soon, a tragic death of a young woman found in the woods could change everything for Cooper and Finch.. But will it or not?

This book has just about everything you could ask for in a read. I don't want to give any spoilers so you will have to make room on your self for this one. It's a story of love, sacrifice, and grace. And I absolutely loved it!

These Silent Woods releases on October 26, 2021.

Character driven story that will appeal to all patrons. The story explores the complex relationships of family and friends.

In a cabin in the middle of nowhere in the Appalachian woods, Cooper is busy raising his young daughter, Finch. They are completely isolated there and Cooper insists to keep it this way. However, as Finch is getting older, she is getting more and more defiant of this way of life and longs for companionship. One of the few people that know where Cooper and Finch are living is Cooper’s old friend, Jake. Jake comes to their cabin once per year to deliver supplies and food. However, this year Jake never shows up. This causes a series of events that may expose Cooper and his past secrets.

Kimi Cunningham Grant has created a brilliant survival story that takes place deep in the Appalachian woods. The character of Finch was developed perfectly, she was very likable and a super smart book worm. The author did a fantastic job with all of the characters. They were all very realistic and interesting. The ending was surprising and I loved it. This book was near perfect and deserves each and every star!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

This is another book that I thought I would really like and...my attention just wandered. And a lot of people liked it! Oh well, things aren't going to appeal to everyone and this just didn't appeal to me.

Wow! I just finished this book and I can’t say enough about how great it is. When I first started this I wasn’t sure I was interested in reading about a man and his 8 year old daughter living in a cabin in the woods with no outside contact other than a nosy neighbor and Cooper’s friend that brought them supplies once a year. Boy was i wrong. I could not put it down. I had to find out why they were there and what would happen to them if they were found. Lots of twists and turns, lies and coverups. I came to love the characters and even tearing up in parts. Perfect! I’ll be watching for more from this author and recommending it to my friends. #netgalley #TheseSilentWoods #KimiCunninghamGrant

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“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.”
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~ Book Review! ~
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THANK YOU @netgalley for getting me out of my bad book streak! I absolutely adored #thesesilentwoods by @kimicgrant and flew through it in less than a day! This book involves themes of resilience, acceptance, absolution, love, survival, and sacrifice. It is a raw and emotional account of one man’s attempts of finding purpose after fighting in the War on Terror, experiencing loss of a loved one, and grounding his PTSD and depression by centering his entire world around providing for his 8-year-old daughter, Finch. Cooper attempts to cope with his grief while residing in the expansive and remote forests of the Appalachian Mountains, teaching Finch how to chop wood, fish, hunt, and most importantly, hide and remain undetected.
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The setting was so atmospheric and breathtaking while also so isolating and unsettling. The author meticulously flows between past and present to completely immerse the reader in Cooper’s experiences and emotions, where you fully resonate with the characters and hope for their prosperity. It is a suspenseful and exhilarating story as well, keeping the reader on high alert and right in the forefront of the drama unfolding once a murder is involved.
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Grant portrays the signs of PTSD accurately and empathetically, showing the reader the extent trauma unfolds under one’s psyche and what it can cause someone to do under pressure. There’s a bunch of cliff-hanger chapters that make you want to fly through the book, with multiple twist endings that had me in absolute tears. This book kind of reminded me of #wherethecrawdadssing , with the atmospheric and immersive setting, the coming-of-age story with elements of suspense, thrill, and romance, and the twist ending that had you racing to the end. I was touched and enlightened, as well as shocked and fulfilled. What a great way to describe a novel! Thank you so much @kimicgrant , @netgalley , @stmartinspress , and @minotaurbooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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#thesesilentwoods is out 10/26/21!
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Rating: 4.5/5
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P.S. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13
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So I might have pushed a few books aside when I was approved for These Silent Woods. I have been seeing this all over Bookstagram, and I just had to know what brought Cooper to this off-the-grid location.
Cooper and his daughter Finch have been living in this very primitive cabin for eight years. It is the only life Finch has ever known. She has never had a sleepover, friends, or any contact with the outside world. I suppose if you are going to live a life without electricity or running water, it is easier to have never known what that kind of life is like. Cooper's friend Jack owns the cabin, and except for the supplies he brings once a year, Cooper has managed to build a world for his extremely bright daughter.
An occasional unannounced visit from their nearest neighbor, Scotland, is most welcome by Finch who loves him. Cooper, not so much, as he doesn't trust Scotland to not turn him into the authorities. But what could Cooper have done to make him turn his back on the world and choose to raise Finch in this harsh environment? When Jack fails to appear, Cooper knows that something bad must have happened to his friend. Then a stranger appears in the woods, and Scotland's behavior seems more bizarre and threatening. I imagined every worst-case scenario, and as the pages flew by, I kept coming up with different theories, all of them proved wrong by the author reveals. I don't want to give any plot points away, so all I will say is read this engaging book when you can!
The atmosphere was downright creepy and I imagined every noise to be the portent of bad things to come. A heartwarming story about grief, love, and loss set in a very unique place. I finished this in two sittings and would have done it in one if not for adult responsibilities.

Wow! I was not expecting to love this book like I did. Very well written and hard to put down.
A father and daughter living in complete seclusion from the world due to his determination to keep them together while others were trying to tear them apart.
So many emotions! Love, fear, shock.
Wow wasn't expecting that from Scotland. A definite must read!

Cooper and his now-eight-year-old daughter Finch have been surviving in the woods since Finch was a newborn. She learns from nature, her father, and the books given to her by the only two people who know they are there: Cooper’s Army buddy, Jake, who brings supplies once a year, and a mysterious neighbor who prowls the woods and always seems to know their business—giving him a power over Cooper that Cooper resents.

Part of what drives the story is the mystery of what exactly Cooper and Finch are on the run from—we know Cooper did something underhanded to get back custody of his daughter, but we don’t know the full story until closer to the end. The ending was, for me, a tear-fest, and I can’t explain how the author pulled that off, but she did.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES OCTOBER 26, 2021.

So amazing!! I’m not crying, you’re crying! I could not put this book down. The story and writing just kept me hooked that I had to keep reading ‘just one more chapter’! I loved the characters and all of the hidden depths. The plot is different, suspenseful, and full of hidden mysteries. Just such an interesting concept and a wonderful heartfelt story. I do think the ending was slightly abrupt and I wish there was a little more wrap up in the epilogue. My heart was shattered and then left wondering about just a few things. Still definitely recommend! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

Ok, this was powerful and moving, I hope I do Kimi Cunningham Grant, justice while writing this review.

These Silent Woods, is a powerful novel. I have taken so much from this book and the connection I formed with the father and daughter was unreal. This can almost also be classified as a spiritual novel .

The setting was in the Apalachian mountains which was also extremely unique. The description of nature was well done, I almost felt like I was right there with them.

These Silent Woods, is nothing short of a five star read. I was blown away with each turn of the page. This book has become an instant favorite and I highly recommend everyone purchase a copy on its release date, November 9, 2021. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Really a wonder how he got away with this, not that he was wrong but the whole time I thought the neighbor would turn him in somehow. Suspense kept me reading way into the night. I disagree with no school or friends for her to remember playing with in her later years. Most of us have good memories from our childhood. But still a good read. It also didn’t feel like a true description of the mountains and woods of northern Appalachian country. But I highly recommend this possibility true story, who knows?

These Silent Woods is a beautiful love story between a young girl and her father. I loved the writing and the wonderful way the story weaves the past and present. Finch and her father Cooper live in the woods because of a past he is running from. We learn that Cooper is a vet suffering from PTSD, that his wife has does suddenly and he is hiding in the woods with his precocious daughter. Through flashbacks we learn the truth of what Cooper has done, while growing close to the father and daughter duo. I loved their relationship and the characters the author built. This is a gem.