
Member Reviews

📚: The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant
⭐️: 3.5/5 (rounding down on #goodreads)
The gist: Emlyn is pulled back into her past when her ex, Tyler, calls with the news that their former best friend, Janessa has gone missing. An influencer posting #vanlife content in the wilderness with her partner, she’s gone silent on social media, worrying those that know her past and present. As they trek through the endless woods in Idaho, secrets come out where no one is safe.
The good: Kimi Cunningham Grant does atmospheric writing so well. I could feel the setting, the woods, the wildlife, the tingle up my spine that something wasn’t right.
The eh: This is hard, because I loved These Silent Woods so much, but this read by the end missed the mark. The ending felt predictable and thrown together. The pacing throughout the book was timed so well, and then the last handful of chapters was just a reveal dump that felt off stylistically from the rest of the read. (Also, an added subplot thrown in at the end felt out of place.)
Thanks to @stmartinspress via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Nature of Disappearing is out this Tuesday, 6/18.

This one fell a little flat and disjointed for me. I didn’t love the main character and thought the impetus for her conclusions were a little scattered. I did love the lush writing of Idaho-the strong sense of place was great. I didn’t love the ending and felt I couldn’t connect to any of the characters, though.

I adored Kimi Cunningham Grant’s 2021 book- These Silent Woods and was lucky to get a copy of her fourth novel- The Nature of Disappearing. When her best friend disappears, a wilderness guide must team up with her ex, the man who ruined her life, in order to find her!
This is a quiet, atmospheric and intriguing read that takes you deep into the woods. The characters are imperfect but relatable. I appreciated that it’s ultimately a tale about friendship, but wish the end would have been a little more believable.
Ultimately I really enjoyed it and felt like I’d been on a little camping trip where I didn’t have to sleep in the rocks! Four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @netgalley and St Martin’s Press for an ARC of The Nature of Disappearing. It publishes tomorrow- June 19, 2024!

I was excited to get The Nature of Disappearing from NetGalley. The author's previous book, These Silent Woods, was so buzzy. (For the record, I had some issues These Silent Woods but I did find it to be quite memorable.) Therefore, I went into reading The Nature of Disappearing with high hopes.
Ultimately, the book didn't quite land for me. I give it 3.5 stars.
First, the good: I loved the setting. The backdrop nature's landscape was more interesting than almost anything else happening in the book. Kind of gave me Cheryl Strayed "Wild" vibes. I also really liked Varden's character and in the final 15% or so, the relationship that he and Emlyn forged had me more invested than I had been for the previous 85% of the book. Emlyn also had some redeeming qualities...she's smarter and stronger than she gives herself credit for!
What didn't work as well for me were the other 2 main characters in the book (Tyler and Janelle). I was genuinely not invested in either of their storylines. I wanted Emlyn to cut her ties with both of them and move on with her life, but she kept getting sucked back into Tyler's orbit. Since the majority of the book is Tyler and Emlyn traipsing around the woods searching for Janelle, that means I was not invested in a lot of the storyline.
Overall, this book is fine. Nothing super objectionable. I think if you like Peter Heller's books or if you are a die-hard fan of the author, you should still give this book a try.
To the publisher: I do really like the cover of this book. Well-done to whoever did the cover art! I am such an avid reader that one of my self-imposed rules is that I don't buy hard copies of books anymore that have unappealing covers. Well, this one would be one I would consider purchasing because the cover is nice!

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for #gifting me a digital and audio ARC by Kimi Cunningham Grant. All opinions are my own.
College friends Emlyn and Janessa may have drifted apart, but that doesn't deter Emlyn from searching for her missing friend out in the wilderness with her ex, Tyler. When Janessa goes ghost on social media, missing several of her regularly scheduled van-life travel posts, Emlyn and Tyler, also Janessa's childhood best friend, investigate her latest post. Noticing that Janessa's post isn't truly where she claims to be, they go on the hunt for Janessa.
My thoughts:
This gave me serious Gabby Petito vibes! It was chilling and intriguing.
I was HOOKED from the start! I loved reading and listening to this fast read!
Very SURPRISING ending that I did not see coming!

As always this authors atmospheric writing style shines. Her attention to detail and description of the wildness is beautiful and impressive. The story itself is a slow read. I feel like this would be better described as suspense / drama vs. thriller. I didn’t really connect with the characters and overall there was something missing that I needed to keep me engaged. I may not have finished if it weren’t for the audiobook. As slow as the story was in the beginning the audio helped me through. I’d recommend this book to those who are looking for something light but suspenseful and definitely to lovers of the outdoors.

I was able to read this book as an ARC thanks to Netgally. I went into this story blind, without even reading the description in depth before starting! The story follows Emlyn as she attempts to work through the trauma of her past with her new life in the present. It is a slow read, but I truly appreciated the intense details added in along the way. I wouldn’t describe this as a thriller, but I was still intrigued to figure out what was the truth and who was lying. I recommend this one to all who love the outdoors and can relate to working through an old love while finding yourself.

The Nature of Disappearing is the perfect answer to the viral social media question posed to women... alone in the woods would you rather encounter a man or a bear? Regardless, we must be prepared to encounter both and to save ourselves. We must train. We must study. We must be equipped to use violence. Bust, mist of all, we need to use our brains.
A wilderness survival adventure, a thriller, a reflection on friendship, and even a splash of bittersweet romance, The Nature of Disappearing has a little bit of a lot woven into its pages. Definitely check this one out if you like strong women who thrive in the outdoors!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Emlyn works in the Idaho wilderness as a guide for people who want to hunt and fish. When her ex-boyfriend Tyler shows up and asks for her help finding old friend Janessa, Emlyn is reluctant to get involved at first.
Emlyn and Tyler have some significant history, and their relationship did not end well. Spending time with him is not what Emlyn wants to do. Similarly, Janessa and Emlyn haven’t spoken for a long time. But when Emlyn hears that Janessa is likely missing in the wilderness, she realizes she may be the only one who could find her old friend.
We follow Emlyn and Tyler on their hunt for information, learning about Tyler and Emlyn’s backstory as we go.
The writing in the book is wonderful, and the author does an amazing job of describing the wilderness and the beauty of the nature all around Emlyn. I like the way she brings her characters to life too.
However, the plot didn’t really grab me, and after a while I really wondered what we were all doing wandering in the woods. I loved “These silent woods” and was hopeful for a similar feel from this book, but it just fell a little flat.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest book by Kimi Cunningham Grant, with the audio perfectly narrated by Emily Pike Stewart. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!
Emlyn and Janessa met in college and formed a tight bond. But time changes things and their relationship changed as well. They were partially estranged but trying to reconnect. Janessa is now an online influencer, blogging about her adventures with her boyfriend, Bush and Emlyn is working as a fishing guide in Idaho. When Emlyn's ex, Tyler, shows up and shares her concern that neither has heard from Janessa, they pack up and try to find her.
I loved this author's previous book, These Silent Woods, and the wilderness definitely is another character in this book as well. Be sure to read the author's note on the meaning of that word as well. This was less of a thriller and more of a character study on relationships, trust, second chances. The story goes back in forth in time as we learn the backstories of the characters and how it influences their behavior and relationships in the present. A good read and will be anxious for her next book!

Very atmospheric story about a girl who goes into the woods with her ex to try to find her best friend who appears to have gone missing. I enjoyed it! It felt a little slow at times, not a lot happening until the end, but I appreciated Kimi’s knowledge of nature and taking on the wilderness.

Rating: 3 stars
Release date: 6/18/24
I was SO excited when I received the e-arc of this book because I really enjoy thriller/suspense novels in nature settings. So, the synopsis seemed like a no-brainer to pick up. While the beginning captured my attention pretty quick, I felt like the pacing was off as the story continued. There was definitely a lag during the middle section right up until the end. This book is pretty character-driven, so maybe that was why it felt pretty slow? I did enjoy the main protagonist a lot, but felt like there were too many flashback chapters to be purposeful. The secondary characters weren't interesting to me, and I felt like I didn't get enough context to truly understand underlying motives of the entire cast. At times, I felt like I was unsure of where the book was headed which made me question some of the author's choices.
Overall, I found the message at the end of this book to be pretty endearing. The ending is worthwhile if you can get yourself there! I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's backlist, including "These Silent Woods" which I've heard AMAZING things about!
Thank you St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Emlyn doesn’t like to think of her past. She now lives in the wilderness of Idaho as an fishing and hunting guide. When her ex shows up and tells her that Janessa, her old best friend, now #vanlife influencer, is missing she goes to help.
I ended up enjoying this one a lot more than I thought i would from reading the synopsis. Nothing against the synopsis, but I’ve just read so many missing person stories lately. This one stood out because there was a developed back story. Traumatic events from the past are hinted at, but you have to stick with it to find out what really happened. There’s a lovely romantic sub plot (very much sub) that warmed my heart amidst all the trauma. The survival aspect of the story, as most takes place in the wilderness, was also a bonus for me.
“Those people who liked to believe nature was all beauty and dance - they were wrong. Anyone who spent enough time in the world could tell you that.”
The Nature of Disappearing comes out 6/18

The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant is a suspense novel about a wilderness guide and her ex teaming up to try to find their missing friend. I really enjoyed the previous book by this author, These Silent Woods. This book had some of the same atmosphere, but the story isn't quite as compelling. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately this was a big miss for me. Was so excited to read it after loving the author’s previous novel. Perhaps my expectations were too high. I definitely expected more suspense/thriller vibes than I got. This is a very slow moving mystery. Plenty of nature vibes. If descriptions of nature including hiking and fishing are your jam, maybe you will love this! The author excels at providing very descriptive prose about nature.
Emalyn and her friend Janessa rarely speak to each other. When Janessa goes missing, Emalyn decides she must help track her down. I didn’t completely buy this. Not sure I would go traipsing after a friend from the past that I barely speak to.
Emalyn’ s back story with Tyler also just didn’t make sense. I wouldn’t spend any time with someone who had that I had that type of history with.
Struggled to care about Emalyn and Janessa. By the time the plot and pace picked up, my interest was
Gone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Nature of Disappearing is the suspenseful novel by Kimi Cunningham Grant that tells the story of Emlyn, a 28 year old wilderness guide. Emlyn’s college friend, Janessa has gone missing and Emlyn’s ex boyfriend, Tyler asks for Emlyn’s help. The three of them have a complicated relationship and we learn the details in a dual timeline.
The wonderfully descriptive scene setting puts the reader right into the wilds of Idaho. The author develops the character of Emlyn whose father left her at a young age, shaping her view of the world. The novel was an engrossing, quick read with a well paced story that has a decent twist. I will definitely be reading more by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I wish I could pinpoint why this wasn't as successful for me. I think part of it is because the big action didn't really kick in until about 60% of the way through the book. I also couldn't connect completely with the characters.
** I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

3.5 Stars
This was a quick read for me as it kept me interested in what was going on. I enjoyed the descriptions of the wilderness and really had no idea where the story was going and how it was going to end. I found the ending fitting for the characters and I'm glad I read it.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Overall a good thriller, really liked the friendship aspect, could do without the inserts of evangelism

I’m indifferent on this book., I enjoyed it but also don’t. The atmospheric, descriptive nature writing was excellent and the best part of this book. I felt like I was in the middle of the Frank Church Wilderness in Idaho hiking along with the characters. Unfortunately the characters and the plot lacked for me and the ending left me asking “that’s it?” I think this book would be better classified as a suspenseful drama than thriller.