4.5 - Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press & Minotaur Books for the complimentary copy of this book!

I remember two years ago when I read These Silent Woods, I was immediately immersed into Kimi's writing and the story she created. This one was no exception. I am a little overdued reading this and boy was I kicking myself that I had not read it sooner.

The book is told from the present timeline but also through multiple past timelines. The past timelines showed the start of the relationship between Emlyn and Janessa as well as with Tyler. These played an important with knowing their history and how it correlates to what is happening in the current.

Emlyn learns that an old friend Janessa has not updated her whereabouts to her friend Tyler and Tyler becomes worried that something has happened on her travels. Emlyn and Tyler are not on the best of terms due to what happend years prior but Emlyn wants to help find her former friend to ensure she is okay.

"You're different."
"I sure hope so."

One thing that Kimi is great at between the two books that I've read, is how she describes nature and the environment that the characters are around. It really made me miss hiking! Now their skills were much more advanced than I'll ever be. I love the detail that Kimi put in through Tyler and Emlyn's excursion trying to find Janessa.

The romance reader side of me was rooting for Emlyn and Tyler throughout the book. But I understand why it wouldn't work and I was satisfied in the end in that regards (not spoiling!).

The ending was a little lackluster but overall this was a great read! I was invested the whole time and it kept me guessing most of the time.

I highly recommend this book if you love an outdoor setting, dual timelines, and looking for something a little suspenseful!

This was - slow, but once it picked up it wasn’t easy to put down. Emalyn seemed super naive for her preferred job choice. Tyler, Janessa, and Bush treated her as such.

Really enjoyed this one. The relationships dynamics were interesting and her outdoor knowledge was interesting. Liked how things turned out but would have loved to get more of Ellen and Varden

After feeling underwhelmed by Kimi Cunningham Grant's first book, I was hopeful that this novel would be more my cup of tea. While intriguing, I unfortunately found this to be too slow in terms of pacing and I wouldn't describe this as a thriller, more literary fiction with suspenseful elements - just like I described Grant's prior novel. This was by no means a "bad" book. I just have discovered that this author isn't for me - which is okay! I know many fellow readers who would love this and I highly recommend it to them!

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

This was my first book by this author, and unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. I had difficulty getting into the story, and the mystery didn’t capture my interest. It took a direction I didn’t enjoy, and by the end, it felt flat and underwhelming. I really wanted to like it, but it ended up being just a mediocre read for me.

On the positive side, the setting and atmosphere were well-crafted. The forest backdrop really added to the immersion and kept me curious about where the story would go. I also appreciated the use of past and present timelines, which helped reveal more about the characters and their history.

This story felt very character-driven, but unfortunately, I couldn’t connect with any of them. Weeks later, I find myself forgetting much of the plot. There also wasn’t enough tension, suspense, or conflict to keep me engaged; I was often bored. It’s definitely a slow burn, and it took a while to pick up any real momentum.

Despite my experience with this book, I’m still curious about this author’s other works. I’ve heard great things about her books, so I plan to give her another try.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

🏔🌲Book Review:
Title: The Nature of Disappearing
Author: Kimi Cunningham Grant
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/4 stars

Tyler, Tyler, Tyler.....get your priorities straight, man. 😖

Emlyn receives a voicemail message from her estranged, once best friend, Janessa, that states, "There's something i need to tell you...." and then the call drops. A week later, Emyln's ex-boyfriend, Tyler, reappears in her life, reporting that Janessa is missing. Tyler and Janessa have been best friends since childhood, so when he and Emlyn started a relationship, it definitely caused waves with Janessa, who believed Emlyn should steer clear.

Starting their own search for Janessa, going off off clues from Janessa's last posts on social media, they head out into the vast wilderness in Idaho. Will they find Janessa, and what were the circumstances of her disappearance? Will Tyler and Emlyn be able to salvage the remains of their prior rocky relationship, or will Emlyn see the truth to what destroyed them in the first place. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Published: June 18th, 2024

Thank you, @netgalley and @stmartinspress, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love a good nature thriller! The friendships in this one lacked some substance, and the twist was predictable. I still enjoyed the book and will read more by this author. Thankful for the ARC!

The Nature of Disappearing was a good book that kept me entertained, however, it lacked the suspense that I was looking for. The beginning of this book was slow but it did pick up about halfway through. I had high expectations, based on my love of These Silent Woods, but this one fell a little flat.

The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant 🏕️🏕️🏕️.5

I would like to thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

“[S]ome things you say cannot be taken back. [F]riendships can shatter over a single argument. [N]o relationship is immune to ending.”
— Kimi Cunningham Grant, The Nature of Disappearing

I thought I'd love this book more than I did, but for me it was just ok. I've read tons of nature, survival thrillers and this one fell a bit short. Like the friendships were kind of surface level and not as believable. And there weren't much for breadcrumbs that led to the twist. The twist was also a bit underwhelming, overall I think this was a good book but I've read books that did it better.

3.5 rounded up to 4.

I absolutely LOVED These Silent Woods, so this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. Sadly, I didn’t feel the same tension and suspense with The Nature of Disappearing that I felt with her other book. Perhaps the father/daughter connection is what kept me going with These Silent Woods and I couldn’t feel the female friendship connection with this one as much? Kimi Cunningham Grant is such a master at writing an atmospheric wilderness setting though, so that kept me going!

Thank you Minotaur Books, #partner for the advanced copy of The Nature of Disappearing in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved Kimi Cunningham Grant’s debut novel, These Silent Woods, so I was thrilled to get my hands on her sophomore novel and let me just say…it did not disappoint! She has such a unique voice that just captivates me from start to finish with her novels and I find I cannot stop thinking about her books once I finish them.

From the moment I started this one, I just knew it was going to be one of those books I would not be able to put down, and I didn’t. I read this one in one sitting! I was totally captivated not only by the story but also by the characters. I was so invested in what was happening with them. I loved the way the multiple timelines allow us to slowly get to know the characters, revealing crucial information at just the right time.

I loved how atmospheric and suspenseful this story was. The slow-burn pace works so well here, as each chapter brims with just the right amount of tension and suspense. At times, I got Gabby Petito vibes from the story, though I loved that the story went in a totally different direction.

This story is very much character-driven and I loved that. But what I loved even more is how strong the sense of place is. The woods, or wilderness, is once again a main character in this book, much like they were in These Silents Woods. It’s unforgiving and adds a sense of darkness to the story but also signifies loneliness with is vastness.

While I am late in sharing this review, I do promise it is a book I continue to recommend. It’s writing is so beautiful and vivid and I am excited to see what comes next from this author – I will absolutely be picking it up to read!

This was a really atmospheric mystery read. The wilderness location and descriptions of the setting added for a very immersive read.

I really enjoyed the mystery and plot.

This was a really atmospheric mystery read. The wilderness location and descriptions of the setting added for a very immersive read. Emlyn works as a fishing and hunting guide in Idaho in an attempt to move on from her past. When a former boyfriend shows up to tell her that their mutual friend is missing, Emlyn has to confront her past and work through everything she knows about her friend to track her down in the wilderness. Emlyn was such an interesting character. I liked that the book was dual timeline because I feel like I really got to understand Emlyn as her story unfolds. The mystery unfolds throughout the book at a slow pace, but I think that works well with the descriptions of the woods and the surroundings. Overall, I think this was a suspenseful read. The writing is where this book shines and I really liked the style. I would recommend it to mystery fans!

The Nature of Disappearing brings you an atmospheric story set in Idaho. Emlyn is hiding out as a fishing and hunting guide after a bad breakup trying to create a life for herself when a friend goes missing. She teams up with her ex to try and find out what happened to her friend.

I loved These Silent Woods so I was excited to read another book by Grant. Unfortunately I had just read a book set in Idaho and I feel like the socail media influencer gone missing storyline has just been overplayed for me. That being said Grant does have a way of sucking you into the setting of the story and her characters are interesting. I'll definitely read something else by her.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC of The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant

Kimi Cunningham Grant did it again by creating a stunning and atmospheric setting in her newest novel, The Nature of Disappearing. Like her previous book, The Silent Woods, I was immediately captivated by the author’s descriptions of the great outdoors and the people who know how thrive within that vast and challenging landscape.

In this novel we explore the friendship of two young women in their college years and into early adulthood. Emlyn and Janessa, do not seem to be a likely pair, but Janessa is determined to befriend and protect Emlyn early on in their budding friendship. A decade or so after the young women first meet, the tables are turned, when Janessa, a popular influencer, disappears from the grid.

This slow-burn thriller/mystery is told by Emlyn, in alternating time lines between the past and present day. In this way, Cunningham Grant fleshes out and brings nuance to her characters.

Although I enjoyed seeing the growth in Emlyn’s character, bouncing from timeline to timeline did take me out of the story somewhat. I often felt like this book did not know if it was a character driven literary suspense or a straight-up thriller. For me it did not fall neatly into either category. The twist was somewhat disappointing and a bit of a let-down.

Overall, this was a story I was compelled to keep reading, but one in which I found the ending to be lackluster. My favorite part of the book was the nature writing and watching the friendship between Emlyn and Janessa unfold. The Nature of Disappearing will be a good read for those who enjoy a slow burn mystery/thriller set in the great outdoors, and for lovers of coming-of-age novels and female friendship stories.

3.5 Stars

I was looking forward to this book but was ultimately disappointed. These Silent Woods was one of my favorite books ever so my expectations were set high. I feel like not a lot actually happened in The Nature of Disappearing. It was slow leading up to a disappointing ending that ended rather quickly. The beginning of the book started out promising but quickly lost my interest.

I loved this author's previous book, These Silent Woods, and was so excited to preorder a copy of The Nature of Disappearing. And then, as I often do, I let it sit on my shelves for 6 months until I finally picked it up. I think I'm realizing that I really love nature/wilderness stories, especially with a little suspense, and this hit that mark for me. Emlyn is a wilderness guide attempting to move on with her life after a traumatic breakup. However, when her best friend from the past goes missing, she's compelled to team up with her ex to help find her friend. I love Kimi Cunningham Grant's writing and this one kept me turning the pages. My only critique is that the ending seemed a little rushed. But overall, I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to whatever this author comes out with next. 4.5 stars.

Kimi Cunningham Grant has a knack for pulling you into environments in a way that heightens the emotional stake. She delves into the messiness of human connection—not just with others, but with ourselves.

A Journey into the Wild

So, Tyler – yeah, he is that guy, who waltzes back into Emlyn's life like nothing ever happened in their past. And with news, Emlyn’s old friend Janessa is missing. Great. Just when Emlyn thought she could finally forget about the past, him, and the hurt he caused... But Janessa's a friend, and Emlyn has to help. Still, it's not like she trusts Tyler. So, off they go, trekking through exhausting terrain and dredging up all those feelings she'd rather leave buried.

Emlyn: A Reluctant Heroine

Emlyn–She’s not your typical bold, take-on-the-world protagonist. She doesn’t see she’s resilient or strong, and honestly, that’s why I loved her. She is a mix of strength and self-doubt. The story spends a lot of time just getting to know her—peeling back the layers of her past and revealing the experiences that have shaped her.

Slow Burn, Satisfying Payoff

The book takes its time. You’re wading through introspection and backstory for a while before the action kicks in. But once it does. The stakes get real, the tension builds, and next thing you know, you’re clutching your book (or Kindle, because let’s face it, e-readers are life) as everything depends on what happens next.

Knock out two tasks at once

Now, here’s the thing. This title sat on my NetGalley shelf forever. Why? Honestly, the reviews weren’t exactly glowing, so I kept putting it off. But when I finally decided to give it a go, I grabbed the audiobook it became my go-to for multitasking. Doing all those things I’d rather skip and be reading instead. I was entertained and productive.

It may not have been love at first listen, but by the end, I was hooked. Slow start aside, it’s one of those stories that creep up on you and stick around. Worth a shot!