Do some people inspire loyalty and devotion, while others are easy to forget and leave?.

Emlyn works as a fishing guide in Heart, a small community (year round resident population: 78) near the Obsidians in Idaho, and firmly believes that philosophy to be true. Sadly, she counts herself in the latter category…she has been left behind by her father when she was in middle school, several years ago her best friend Janessa cut off ties and moved away, and finally the man she loved (a childhood friend of Janessa’s named Tyler) left her in a remote area where she came close to dying. She was rescued then by Varden, a Forest Service ranger, who brought her back to his cabin in Heart and with the help of the community’s healer and spiritual guide Rev provided Emlyn with a place to recover from her wounds and the betrayal which left her unsure if she wanted to go on. Now she enjoys making her living immersed in the beauty of her surroundings, inhabiting alone an Airstream trailer in whatever pocket of wilderness she can claim for a time. She has walled off her emotions to protect herself from future damage, with the exception of her friendships with Rev and Varden (the latter, she suspects, could lead to more, but she doesn’t think she is worthy of his love). Then she sees a brief news story on CNN….Janessa has gone missing in a remote are in Wisconsin, where she had travelled with her partner Bush to document their adventures on her #vanlife social media accounts. Emlyn and Janessa had only recently started to reestablish contact and discover if their friendship could be resuscitated, and in fact Janessa had called her a week earlier and said that she had something to tell Emlyn, but the call dropped before she could say what that something was. At the time, Emlyn thought nothing of it, but in the light of her apparent disappearance she fears that she has let down the one friend who time and again had saved Emlyn from dangerous situations. When Tyler appears out of the blue, convinced that Janessa is in real trouble and begging Emlyn to use her knowledge of tracking and survival to help him find her, Emlyn is torn between wanting to keep as far away from Tyler as possible and at the same time fearing that if she refuses to help Janessa will be the one to suffer. She turns to Rev for advice, who suggests that Emlyn may need to look into the matter for her own sake, to settle once and for all the unresolved anger, guilt, and pain which are holding her back from a full life. Has Emlyn grown strong enough to resist the pull of the bond she and Tyler still share? And will she regret heading back into the remote wilderness with only this man at her side, when once before he had put his own needs ahead of her survival?
This is my first time reading author Kimi Cunningham Grant, and I must say that I was more than impressed. There is a twisty thriller at the base of this book, but it is also an impassioned tribute to the wilderness which serves as the backdrop to the story as well as the quest of a young woman,left damaged and insecure by what she has endured at the hands of those who claimed to love her, to heal and reclaim her life. The characters, both major and minor, are wonderfully developed; I particularly enjoyed Emlyn’s passion for finding just the right single word to describe each person in her life….plucky, alluring, decent, captivating, radiant, even condescending. I have never been to Idaho, and while I do not think I will add it to my bucket list (I’m not much of a get-back-to-nature sort) I do feel that I have a better appreciation for the wonders it holds thanks to the world that was portrayed in the novel. As the story spools out, the reader learns more about Emlyn, her life before and after the confident, beautiful and wealthy Janessa entered it, and what caused a friendship that was near sisterhood to explode, as well as the ultimately destructive relationship between Emlyn and Tyler. Love guilt, the imbalances within relationships and the pull of the past are some of the threads that continue to bind these characters together, and it was a darkly beautiful tale to absorb. Readers of C. J. Box, Ana Reyes and Stacy Willingham should definitely grab a copy of The Nature of Disappearing Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me early access to this unexpectedly captivating thriller.

I enjoyed the uniqueness of this story, but had a hard time remaining fully interested in it. Right when it pulled me back in, it was over. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy to review!

The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant is an emotional thriller that has more to do with trust than it does with guns or saving the world. Sometimes understanding the good and the bad, trusting the right people and learning to trust yourself is saving enough. In this case, Emlyn admits early on that she has abandonment issues. Who wouldn’t with her past.

I liked this fishing and hunting guide who has made a group of great friends after she had nearly died. I found the suspense in this story connected some to her missing friend, Janessa but mostly to finding out how she had arrived in this place of her life. The author reveals this slowly as the story unfolds.

A well written story that kept my interest, finding Emlyn, Janessa and the Rev to be unforgettable and like the way Emlyn learned finally to trust herself and the future.

The Title is a bit deceptive it seems to me. Characters were really well developed, and the atmosphere of strange was interspersed in the story enough to leave you questioning everything as you went with them on this journey. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all mystery lovers, and I think other genres would like this book also. I also would like to read more by this author.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and author Kimi Cunningham Grant for advanced copy for honest review.

Happy Pub Day!

I was really captivated from beginning to end. The descriptive detail of nature and the knowledge of tracking within this book kept me engaged. We start with the quiet Emlyn who ends up befriending the out going Janessa. They hit it off and become inseparable even after college. Back at Janessa's home we meet the neighbor Travis who is all about the Van Life and camping and just living in the great outdoors. Well with old habits dying hard they all go their separate ways. Travis who Emlyn wants desperately to forget comes back into her life after several years, looking for their friend Janessa. She was went off the grid and with her being an Instagrammer, this is completely not like her. They head out to the remote and I mean remote wilderness looking for Janessa and partner Bush. Without giving spoilers... they need to find Janessa and they need to find her fast, Bush is not to be trusted, actually no one is to be trusted. Not everyone is who they seem. 5 stars, great twists, recommend!

"The Nature of Disappearing" by Kimi Cunningham Grant captivates with its richly drawn characters and intricate plotlines.

While living a simple and solitary life in the Idaho wilderness, our protagonist Emlyn embodies resilience and vulnerability in equal measure as she navigates the complexities of her relationships and the mystery of her friend Jenessa's disappearance. The novel skillfully delves into Emlyn's tumultuous love story with Tyler, whose betrayal casts a shadow over the narrative, while exploring themes of friendship and the intricacies of dysfunctional relationships.

Grant's narrative technique, weaving between past and present timelines, adds depth and suspense to the story, although some readers might find the transitions slightly abrupt. Despite this, the novel excels in its vivid portrayal of wilderness survival and its emotional resonance. The final revelations, while not earth-shattering, maintain a compelling momentum that keeps the reader engaged. Grant's descriptive prose vividly captures both the beauty and harshness of the wilderness setting, enhancing the novel's atmospheric quality.

Overall, "The Nature of Disappearing" is a well-crafted exploration of loss, love, and strength, showcasing Grant's talent for creating authentic characters and evocative settings. This novel immerses readers in its world, leaving them reflecting on its themes long after the final page.

I've not read this author before but the description intrigued me. I enjoyed the book and really liked the lead character, Emlyn. The characters were complex and interesting. The story unfolds with a mix of present day and past. There was a good level of suspense. I wasn't sure who to trust. The book moved at a good pace. Emlyn was such a kickass heroine even though she has no idea that she is! I liked the author's style. The descriptions were clear and allowed me to picture where they were. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I loved this book. The writing style of short, staccato sentences, some composed of only one word. The deep dive into Emlyn’s emotions, present and past. And the play between past and present, as the mysteries of what happened, and what will happen, on many different levels, is revealed.

Emlyn is a wilderness guide and the main character in our book. She doesn’t use social media, so she didn’t see her old friend, Janessa, has been missing for a week until she sees a clip on the news. Apparently Janessa is now a #vanlife influencer, and she and her boyfriend Bush are documenting their outdoor adventures - but they haven’t posted in a week, and nobody can get ahold of them.

Emlyn went off-grid after Tyler, Janessa’s childhood friend and business partner, and Emlyn’s ex-boyfriend, left her on side of the road in the snow five years ago. She almost died until Varden, a Forest Service ranger, found her. Emlyn decided to stay there with Varden and “Rev”, an elderly woman who needs help running the wilderness company, and become a guide. She thought nobody knew where she was until Tyler called, asking her to help him find Janessa. The book follows them on their journey, and also dives into the past, and the toxic relationships Emlyn has had with the two.

When I started reading this, I was thinking about how many #vanlife, Gabby Petito-type books I’ve read this year, and I was hoping this one would be a little different. I wasn’t disappointed; this isn’t totally about the glamping influencer or her Instagram account, this more is about friendship, trust and the opioid epidemic. Beautifully written and very atmospheric, this is not only a page-turning, suspenseful thriller, it’s a deep look into more than just a social media influencer getting lost. This author rarely disappoints…4.5 stars!

(Thank you to Minotaur Books, Kimi Cunningham Grant and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on June 18, 2024.)

Kimi Cunningham Grant is becoming one of my favorite authors! She has a unique ability to write thrillers with depth and she can make you feel EVERYTHING.

I feel ask though this is a book better read without knowing the synopsis so you can truly enjoy the twists and turns. I ADORED this book and I think everyone should read it!

Format: Kindle (ARC)
⭐⭐⭐ 3.5 Enjoyed, would recommend


I’m really in my thriller era at the moment. The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant is an ideal thriller for the summer. Imagine being a rich and atmospheric setting of the wilderness and how creepy that would be. The narrative centers on Emlyn, a wilderness guide who must join forces with her ex, Tyler, to locate their missing friend. The hauntingly desolate ambiance of the deep woods is gripping, delivering a suspenseful adventure brimming with tension and mystery.

“The eyes flicker. No body, no movement, no noise. Just a set of eyes that move right. Then they disappear for a moment. Now left. It is pacing, watching. Deciding.”

I am one of the many who loved These Silent Woods so I was highly anticipating this book. I’ve seen some mixed reviews but I really enjoyed this one. It is very different from These Silent Woods and I think many people were looking for a similar reading experience. They are nothing alike, save for the great nature writing that Kimi Cunningham Grant is so good at. Because of those early reviews I went in just letting the story speak to me and I think that’s what allowed me to thoroughly enjoy this.

The characters did read a bit younger than their actual ages, but that’s really the only negative for me this one, and it’s really a slight negative. I was fully immersed in the setting and along the trail with the characters through the book.

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:

Anne of green Gables references
Flashbacks
Nature writing
Hiking

Thank you Minotaur for the digital copy through NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ALC.

Major thankks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press & Macmillan audio for the ARC & ALC copies of this one!!

I found myself feeling a tad disconnected with this one, and at times quite lost. I typically enjoy an alternating timeline to help us engage with the characters and story, but unfortunately in this instance it left me feeling confused.

Overall it was a decent read and Macmillan audio did a fantastic job with the audio, but I couldn't really get into this one. I didn't feel any excitement or suspense from the story.

I know that tons of people have loved it, so I definitely still recommend you giving it a try! It just didn't work out for me personally.

I loved Kimi Cunningham Grant's These Silent Woods, but she's now become an auto-buy author for me with The Nature of Disappearing. Not only are her settings wild and natural (I'm always up for a wilderness thriller), but she crafts characters that are instantly relatable. I think we can all see a little bit of ourselves in each of them, and Emlyn maybe the most of all. She chooses a word for people in her life, but it's heartbreaking that her own word is "pathetic". I loved watching her become strong and brave, and the ending was everything I wanted it to be.

Synopsis: Emlyn is a wilderness guide who must reunite with her ex, Tyler, in order to save their mutual friend who has gone missing in the woods.

Thoughts: The Nature of Disappearing is a binge-worthy thriller perfect for summer reading. With the luscious, atmospheric woodland backdrop, there is an eerily desolate vibe throughout. With characters too deep in the wilderness to be quickly rescued, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. A note on the audio: Narrated by Emily Pike Stewart. I found the narration style to be very entertaining. I felt a little like I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds!

Read this if you like:
🏕️ camping/hiking
🏕️ thrillers
🏕️ drama

Ok, if These Silent Woods wasn't cournagement enough, The Nature of Disappearing has solidified Kimi Cunningham Grant on my list of auto-read authors!

The Nature of Disappearing brings back all of the gorgeous nature settings that I loved in her last book. There is something so magical about the solitude of nature, especially when it's the setting in a book. I am transported away from real life for a while when I read a book like this!

TNOD wasn't quiet as mysterious or suspenseful as TSW, this book focused more on the broken relationships between the characters, but I didn't mind. I enjoyed the reflections the characters had and found them to be both insightful and realistic. However, it did have suspense, just not as much. And the last quarter of the book got really good!

This will definitely make a great summer read, and I recommend it to fiction readers, romance readers, and suspense readers!

I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

🪵𝕋ℍ𝔼 ℕ𝔸𝕋𝕌ℝ𝔼 𝕆𝔽 𝔻𝕀𝕊𝔸ℙℙ𝔼𝔸ℝ𝕀ℕ𝔾 🪵
𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯
🗓️𝖯𝗎𝖻 𝖽𝖺𝗍𝖾: 𝖳𝗈𝖽𝖺𝗒! 𝖩𝗎𝗇𝖾 𝟣𝟪, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟦
𝐌𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟑 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬! ★★★

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...Three estranged friends. One goes missing in the wilderness…

💟𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢…First off, I have to say that 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑾𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒔 🏆is prob in my top 10 list of ALLLL the books I have ever read…..so, to say I wanted to love this one would be an understatement. I tried. Hard. I just couldn’t get there. I finished the whole thing too. Would never DNF after my immense love for her other book. 🩵I read this in hybrid form..some e reader📱 & some audio🎧 & the narrator was wonderful. What this book does have since y’all know this is hard for me 😭 is a wonderful atmospheric description of the wilderness they are in. Grant does paint a great picture there. 🙌🌳I wish I could say more, but I never felt connected to much at all. One part I loved(no spoilers) was where the main character finds a word to describe everyone she knows. Just one word & only to herself. I do weird “challenges” like that with myself all the time. This book wasn’t for me, but I am sure others will love it.

I loved Grant's previous book, but this one is just not great. Nature writing is not for me and I felt like the characters were stereotypical and flat.

Last year, when I finished reading another book by Kimi Cunningham Grant, THESE SILENT WOODS, I came away feeling as if I had read what would become a favorite book of mine— I loved it that much! However, just because you love one book by an author doesn’t mean you will love the next. Well, here I am, having finished her newest novel THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING, again in awe of her ability to draw me into a compelling, poignant story driven by amazingly rich characters.

I loved Emlyn, our protagonist, whose tragic past dictates an uncertain present, and even more precarious future as a result of her feeling as if she is undeserving of happiness. Broken trust at the hands of people who should have loved her better make her live her life this way. But this is the story of Emlyn finding her strength, her resilience, and a renewing trust in individuals who truly love her for who she is, flaws and all. She will surely become one one of my favorite fictional characters.

Beautiful written, moving, heart-breaking, and heart-warming, THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING is a book that will stay with you long after turning the last page. You will come away enriched having read it. As I grew closer to the conclusion, I honestly didn’t want the book to end. It is written in such a way that you relate to both the story and the characters in a very personal way. You’re invested in Emlyn’s journey—both her physical journey as well as her emotional journey—from the first chapter. It will be hard for you to say goodbye. It was for me!

I want to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley, Kimi Cunningham Grant and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for gifting me the ARC of THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING! I so appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! It was a privilege to be able to read the novel before publication.

The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant was such an enthralling mystery.
I love Grant! Her writing instantly sucks you in and holds you captive.
The storyline was extremely compelling and I was completely addicted from beginning to end. I started it this morning and finished it in a day!!
The story had the right amount of suspense to keep me engaged throughout.
Easy to read with vivid descriptions that brought the setting to life. The pacing was perfect, with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end.
Kimi Cunningham Grant does a fantastic job with her characterization.
Her previous novel, These Silent Woods, I thoroughly enjoyed and once again her skills/depth of writing is just flawless in this one.

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!