Her ex-boyfriend, Tyler, who has already betrayed her one time comes to Emlyn out of the blue worried about Janessa who is doing a wilderness tour as a social media influencer to promote Tyler’s campervan. Janessa and Emyln are estranged because of Tyler but Emlyn loves her friend and knows she would do the same for her. She recognizes the most recent picture posted and they take off for that park only to find the campervan and rotted food that had been left out as if they left in a hurry. Emlyn is an excellent tracker and they take off through the wilderness to find them and the reason they are MIA. Who else is in the woods and what are their motives? Strong character development with lots of twists and surprises as Emlyn processes the betrayal and moves through it. Enjoyed this one!

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC! #TheNatureofDisappearing

I really enjoyed the newest from Kimi Grant. I was so invested in these characters from the very beginning. Not only is it a mystery/thriller in a beautiful setting, but it is also a drama between friends and between those that you love. I loved Emlyn and learning all about the wilderness from her. I couldn't get enough of this one and would definitely recommend it for the summer TBR! A huge thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for an advanced e-copy.

Many thanks to my partners @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the #free gifted copies of this book.

Vivid. Engaging. Suspenseful.

One thing is for sure: I am a devotee of Cunningham’s writing. Beautiful prose. Vibrant details. A moody yet appealing backdrop. Yes, yes, and yes!

Here’s the thing: I am not a camper. I have little to no survival skills. I do, however, appreciate the beauty of getting lost in nature and love hiking in the forest. But even then, I stick to the beaten paths and never stay overnight.

But Grant paints such a vivid picture of life in the woods... it makes me long to be amongst the animals and trees, almost convinced I could flourish there (even overnight?!). It’s apparent she has a deep, abiding love for the beauty and challenges of nature in the way she breathed life into this atmospheric backdrop. And I’ll happily head into the wilderness with her every single time she offers.

This read captivated me from the start. Somehow, I opened the book and immediately found myself 60% in! The storyline brimmed with suspense and kept me on my toes forming new theories until the truth was revealed.

I appreciate a well done nonlinear timeline, and Grant excels at piecing the puzzle together to give a fullness to the pacing and plot.

The twist took me by surprise. Even with all my theories, the storyline took a turn I didn’t expect. And truth be told, I longed for more from that last scene. Still, the fullness of the book satisfied.

Themes of resilience and overcoming run throughout the book. Grant excels at showcasing the complexities of human nature. At its heart, this book is about moving from brokenness to acceptance and allowing yourself to be loved, and I think the messaging will find resonance with many.

While These Silent Woods remains my favorite read by Grant (found on my ALL TIME favorite reads shelf in my library), this book showcases her ability to craft stories I want to read. I highly recommend throwing out any TSW’s expectations and embracing this new storyline and its focus on growth and friendship.

🎧 Bronson Pinchot BRILLIANTLY narrated Grant’s last book, and in the beginning, I was a tad disappointed to see he wasn’t narrating this one. BUT. He could not have embodied Emlyn the way Emily Pike Stewart did. (Apparently the publishers do know best! 😆) Emily’s narration truly made me feel as though I was in the moment with Emlyn as the story progressed.

Thank you to @macmillian.audio for the gifted audiobook and Minotaur Books/ NetGalley for the ebook ARC. All opinions are my own.

Narrator Emily Pike Stewart did an amazing job of narrating The Nature of Disappearing. I listened at 1.75x. I paired the audiobook with an ebook copy as well.

Bookish Thoughts: Like most people I loved These Silent Woods! It was a no brainer to pick up the author’s next book. I went in not knowing too much about the plot. I thought the book was going in one direction only to be pleasantly surprised in how it turned a different way. The sense of place drew me into this book along with a strong beginning. If you enjoy hiking, wilderness and a good mystery, consider reading The Nature of Disappearing!

#MacAudio2024

3.5 stars*

as was the case with These Silent Woods, this book was very well written. the author did an excellent job getting the reader in the main character, Emlyn's head and establishing her internal conflicts. i also really enjoyed the setting of this book; this is the second book i've read set in this part of the Idaho wilderness, and i loved how Emlyn's journey through the wilderness mirrored her internal journey. tacking on an extra half star for the quality of the writing and characterization, because not only did the author write the characters well, but she also wrote the complexities of female friendships and first loves well.

now for what i didn't care for: i didn't love the direction the story took. i've seen other reviewers describe it as anti-climactic, and i have to agree with that. once we get all of the answers, they feel contrived and even a little dumb, if i'm being honest. i also zoned out a bit when we got to some of the camping/hiking parts. going into this one i knew not to expect a fast-paced thriller but more of a slow-burn thriller, but even then i got bored at some points, although not so often that i wanted to give up on the book. i was still interested in the outcomes of the story since there was always something left to find out until the end.

the audiobook was narrated very well by Emily Pike Stewart and i would recommend it!

overall, i think this book had potential, and i wanted to love it, but didn't. i would recommend this book if you like:
- slower thrillers
- books set in the wilderness
- complex female friendships
- characters with internal conflicts

The Nature of Disappearing is out June 18, 2024. thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this ebook and Macmillan Audio 2024 Influencer program for a copy of this audiobook!

I enjoyed this wilderness thriller. At the beginning, I thought I knew where it was headed and I wasn't happy about it, but it ended up going places I didn't expect. I enjoyed the scenic descriptions and the story. I had a harder time connecting with the characters, and I felt that there could have been more development in that area. All in all, an interesting mystery! Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur for the advance digital copy!

Good but not great, I adored her first one though. I needed more tension and depth. This one wasn’t as emotional as her first either. I enjoyed enough to finish but not sure I’d recommend.

Emlyn's life has changed quite a bit in the last 3 years. She is a fishing and hunting guide in a small Idaho town where she has built her own safe refuge. But, 3 years ago her ex-boyfriend, Tyler, who she thought was the love of her life, left her on the side of the road almost dead. And now, her best friend Janessa, who just so happens to be Tyler's best friend as well, is missing after a falling out with Emlyn. Just when Emlyn's life is finally in a good place, Tyler shows up to ask for her help to find Janessa. Emlyn is known to be one of the best trackers and Tyler believes she is only one that can help him find Janessa in the miles of Idaho wilderness. But, can Emlyn trust Tyler? Or is he still the person that let her down in the past?
Review:
I read Kimi Cunningham Grant's previous novel, These Silent Woods, at the end of last year and absolutely devoured it! I was so excited to pick up her new novel, The Nature of Disappearing and I was not disappointed! It is a fast paced read that sucks you in with characters that have depth and tragic stories. I also really liked the thrilling aspect and wanting to know what exactly Janessa and Tyler were hiding. I did not get as emotional with this story as I did with These Silent Woods, but I still felt engrossed in the character stories and their development. I also really enjoyed the alternating past and present timelines. The only thing missing for me was an epilogue. I really enjoy seeing the characters lives a few years in the future and would have loved to know how much Emlyn's life changed in another 3 years.
The Nature of Disappearing publishes on 6/18 and I highly recommend picking it up!!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Kimi Cunningham Grant, and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC of The Nature of Disappearing in exchange for an honest review!

If you have ever considered the van life, like influencer culture, and are an outdoors person, you will find things to be interested in during this story. Even without those, I was drawn in immediately by the writing and felt like I could see the setting of Idaho and feel the emotions of our main character. She was dealing with so many difficult issues yet trying to move forward with grace. I was intrigued immediately and appreciated the way her back story was sprinkled throughout in a clear way. By the end, I felt like I was saying goodbye to a friend. The suspense was handled well, although I would consider this a character story with a secondary suspense plot. My second read by this author has cemented her in my auto-buy list.

This isn’t These Silent Woods, and readers going into it need to adjust expectations. It is still a fantastic and propulsive story, with gorgeous nature descriptions and good character development. It’s also very timely and more thriller-y than her last book (one of my favorites ever) so thriller readers should absolutely pick this up!

I didn't hate it, I didn't love it. I honestly feel very indifferent. I love this author and her stylistic writing, her words flow and have almost like a poetic feel sometimes. But it was a little too much at times and held the plot back, making this feel very slow sometimes.

Highlights:
- The setting. I love the hiking and outdoorsy vibes, knowing that half of the danger is the elements and terrain.
- The found family element that Emlyn had established with Varden and Rev.
- Varden. Just in general. Varden was a highlight.
- The idea of the flashbacks to help us fill in the gaps of Emlyn and Tyler's past was good. A bit too stretched out, but I liked this format.

Reasons this book didn't work for me:
- I found Emlyn's trajectory of falling for Tyler again to be completely unnecessary. Like if a man leaves you for dead, he is not worth your time anymore.
- I was bored. While I liked the adventurous hiking through the woods, it went on for way too long and I just wanted something to happen.
- The twist, when we find out what was really going on with Janessa/Bush, was underwhelming. It truly felt like it came out of nowhere and built upon a storyline that I only sort of cared about in the first place. <spoiler> The fact that Janessa thought that she could accomplish her goal of exposing Bush on her own, and also felt that it was necessary that SHE do it on her own... it felt very forced and unrealistic. </spoiler>
- This attempted to give me a love story, but it all fell flat for me.
- Yes, I was curious to know what was really going on, but I honestly didn't care all that much and, after finishing, I would have been content to just dnf and not find out the ending...

this was an excellent read for me because the author really set the scene! filled with beautiful settings, this book held my attention throughout.

i really liked the dual/alternating timelines - we get to see present day chapters and “___ years ago” chapters, which I really think helped adding to setting the scene as well. Emlyn was a likable main character for me and I enjoyed getting a glimpse into her journey of what she went through - plus with her friends, Janessa and Tyler!

this thriller was drama-based in my opinion and included elements of religion/God, which I like and appreciate seeing in any fictional read!

Right off the bat this one just did not compare to These Silent Woods. I can't imagine, as a writer, setting that bar and continuing to attain that level of greatness. With that being said.. even though it didn't quite hit the mark, I still enjoyed it.

This was a very slow moving mystery/thriller. While there were some twists, they came along subtly and with not enough power to really shake me. It felt more like a drama than suspenseful.

The plot may have left little to be desired but, I did love the exploration of friendship and romance. You gotta love a good character growth novel. The wilderness setting and #vanlife were fun and appealing to me. I'll for sure be checking out what this author has in store for us next.

Enjoyed the mystery of the story, as well as the descriptive nature scenes. Characters were just ok. They won't stay with me.

This book was awesome!

When I first started it, I wasn’t sure, but the minute Tyler came into the story with the suspense of finding their friend, I was hooked.

This is a story with everything in it. Well, it’s absolutely heavy on the thrill, mystery and a few heavy topics. There is a dash of romance and young love in there too.

The dynamic between all of these characters was written flawlessly. I truly and wholeheartedly enjoyed it and listen to it via MacMillan audio and thought they did a phenomenal job. I would recommend this book to everybody.

A thriller about hunting for a friend who has gone missing-with a twist. This moves back and forth in time to tell the story of Tyler, Emlyn and Janessa. Janessa was the rich girl at college who first rescued, then befriended, then argued with Emlyn, who finds herself drawn back in when Janessa disappears in the wilderness. Emlyn remade her life, becoming a wildlife guide, and she's a terrific character. At Tyler's plea, she uses her skills to track Janessa and her partner, taking herself and Tyler through the woods. What they find is not at all what Emyln expected. No spoilers from me. I've been a fan of Grant, who is a great storyteller who creates atmospheric and tense novels where the outdoors- the wilderness-is another character. This is a great addition to her list. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Excellent read.

Gut-wrenching emotion. Evocative descriptions. Fully fleshed out characters. All of the above describes The Nature of Disappearing to a T. From the dual mysteries presented in the past and present timelines to the immersive atmosphere of the Idaho wilderness, each and every scene came alive before my eyes. Seriously, I felt like I was <i>there</i>, hiking alongside Emlyn and Tyler. Whether it was the well-illustrated setting or the realistic feel, I was utterly blown away by how vivid it all seemed.

Speaking of the characters, they were easily the strongest piece to this novel. Wholly true-to-life with genuine foibles and flaws, Emlyn in particular had a startlingly powerful character arc. Starting off as a somewhat broken persona with severe self-worth problems, her path throughout this story was truly intoxicating. More so, however, was Varden and Rev. Between the two of them, color was added through deliciously eccentric personas.

The plot, though, was rather more of a long, slow burn than I had anticipated. Despite being billed as suspense, I’d classify it as more of a drama. Was there foreboding and tension? Well, yes—but not quite enough in my book to describe it as such. At the same time, I was spellbound by this tale. Full of mysterious secrets and dirty lies, as the truth came to light everything fell perfectly into place. I just wish that the reveals had felt alive and not just explained.

My biggest hang up, however, was how long it took to get to the action and climax. I’m not joking when I say that not much really happened until the 80% mark. And when it did, it was somewhat anticlimactic and not quite fully explored. At the same time, it didn’t necessarily distract from the huge pluses to this poignant tale.

All in all, from the exploration of friendship and romance—albeit dysfunctional—to the character growth, there was just so much to love. While the plot may have left something to be desired, the characterizations and setting were a slam dunk success. Along the way, Grant also dove realistically into the tragic waters of addiction and the heartbreak that can result. Tied all together, this was still a smash hit—as long as you don’t expect a straightforward tale of suspense. Rating of 3.5 stars.

THIS AUDIO MADE ME LOVE THE BOOK! Seriously so good! True crime lovers are going to adore this!! It reminded me of the GAbby Petito story. It was a slow start but then sucked me in.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℕ𝕒𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘
𝗞𝗶𝗺𝗶 𝗖𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁
Thriller
304 pages
Pub Day: June 18, 2024

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
After issues with her boyfriend and best friend, Emlyn lives alone working as a fishing and hunting guide. She is determined not to get hurt again.

Then, her ex swings by asking for help finding Janessa, who is missing. Since Janessa had been her best friend, she grudgingly agrees.

That is where her life falls into a whirlwind again and nothing is as it seems.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs
This story shows how cunning people can be, especially when drugs are involved.

Emlyn’s life is unfurled as the story progresses. She pulled herself out of a big hole, but continues to stand on the edge. She has lost her trust and won’t allow anyone in.

The POV switches back and forth between the Emlyn’s present and her past with Janessa and Tyler. I like when characters have flaws and these three certainly do.

The ending was a surprise to me.

💕Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

While this book was a little slow to start, in my opinion, I grew to enjoy reading Emlyn's story. Now, it did take me to about 45% to really start enjoying it and I think that a big part of that is personal - I saw a lot of myself in our FMC and that was hard to read. However, I wanted to see her prevail and find her dear friend so I continued. I'm glad I did, but I do think I need a little more action in my novels to really enjoy them.