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Intriguing overall with atmospheric outdoor settings and a well-constructed story, I was invested in the main character but not completely. Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS TITLE. Am I good at coming up with titles? No, but I would not say this title was fitting with the content of this book.

With that being said, I really enjoyed this one! I'm a sucker for a "trapped in the wilderness" kind of book, and Kimi Cunningham Grant delivered. I like a messy ending where things are wrapped up, but not necessarily cleanly.

It was my first novel of hers that I've read, but I would definitely read more and recommend this one.

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Anticipated pub: June 18!
Thank you to SMP Minotaur for the early copy to read and review!

I enjoyed this one quite a bit! I loved the wilderness scenery descriptions and the flawed characters. The relationships with Emlyn's new friends seem so genuine, like all they want is to support her and lift her up. I also liked the dual timeline aspect (I usually do like this style). We get flashbacks to the time Emlyn and Tyler were together to see what led Emlyn to ending up where she is, as well as more details about their relationship AND each of their relationships with Janessa.

This is beautifully written, I love the descriptiveness of the setting and the characters thoughts (like, Emlyn doesn't think she's that strong but she really is).

If I have one gripe it was the big reveal. Maybe I'm burnt out on mystery/ thrillers but this one felt a little flat, like it didn't feel all that grand. Still not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment and love for this story!

I just have one question and maybe I completely missed it, tell me in the comments if I did. But, what was up with Emlyn's left ring finger always being sore in the cold? It said an old injury but I thought it would have a bigger reveal since it was mentioned 800 times. (And again, maybe I just missed it?)

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In her afterword, Kimi Cunningham Grant says that her title for this book, before the marketing folks replaced it, was 'Wilderness'. Having read the book, 'Wilderness' sounds like a perfect fit as hysical and emotional/spiritual wildernesses provide the landscape for the book. I still have no idea what 'The Nature Of Disappearing' means. It sounds like something generated in a blue sky session tasked with coming up with a title that sounds intellectual in an unthreatening way while hinting at danger and mystery.

The physical wilderness is almost a character in its own right. It's described in a way that made me want to put my boots on and head for the forest while also reminding me of how indifferent that landscape is to me and my needs and how easily I could come to harm. 

Emlyn, the main character, is comfortable moving through the Idaho wilderness. She's a fishing guide and a competent tracker who knows how to survive alone in the wild. When we first meet her, she still trying to navigate her way out of an emotional/spiritual wilderness that she has inhabited since having a near-death experience after being betrayed by a friend. Although Emlyn can confidently read sign well enough to track people through the forest, she no longer trusts her ability to read the people around her well enough to trust them. Her life has been fractured, leaving her adrift, uncertain and anxious.

What I admired most about this book was that Kimi Cunningham Grant managed to create a physical journey fraught with danger, laced with mystery and culminating in life-threatening violence that also pushes Emlyn to find the clarity, courage and will to bring herself out of the physical and emotional wilderness and reclaim her life. The journey was immersive and tense but also found room for reflection that gave the events meaning beyond simple survival. 

The story is told as a present-day narrative, enhanced with scenes from Emlyn's past. I liked that the start of the book didn't rush to action. It built a context by mapping personal histories and seeding a sort of retrospective foreboding regarding a yet-to-be-specified-in-detail life-changing incident in which Emiyn was betrayed. The narrative keeps approaching it sideways as if peeking at it through its fingers. The aim here isn't to tantalise the reader by withholding key information as a traditional thriller might but rather to reflect how we actually deal with painful things that we know and want to forget. 

The first half of the book spends a lot of time getting to know the cautious, withdrawn, emotionally fragile person that Emlyn is now and is learning who she was five plus years earlier at college when she formed a close friendship with her charismatic friend, Janessa and fell in love with Tyler, the man who she'd expected to spend her life with but who we know betrayed her. I found myself deeply engaged with Emlyn both before and after the big betrayal. I liked her honesty. I loved that she wasn't perfect and was aware of her own faults. That she didn't always know why she did things when she was doing them, She would do harmful things that she knew she would probably regret but in the moment of doing them she wanted to cause harm or at least wanted it enough not to stop herself. It felt true. It also made me want to go: "No, no, no! Don't say that."

By the second half of the book, the dual timelines (Now and 5 Years Ago) started to amplify each other, building tension and increasing the sense of imminent disaster. I found Emlyn's rising anxiety hard to distance myself from or dismiss. Her fragility and her uncertainty and her history of being broken made being close to her unsettling. 

The most unsettling thing was her awareness of her own uncertainty. It wasn't indecision. She understood that deciding wouldn't be enough. Metaphorically, she was walking a cliff path in fog, knowing that it's the step after the next one that's uncertain and may perhaps be fatal.

The only thing that Emlyn is certain of is that if Janessa, from whom she has become estranged, is missing in the wilderness, then she will go and find her, even if it means travelling with Tyler the man who derailed her life five years earlier. 

The complex and conflicting relationships with Janessa and Tyler strengthened the narrative. The mystery around why and how Janessa went missing was a good one. The denouement was violent, credible, unexpected and satisfying. 

If you're looking for a book with a wilderness setting, a mystery to solve, a dramatic finale and which manages to get you thinking about trust and hope and how we see ourselves and each other, then 'The Nature Of Disappearing' is the one you want. It will be published on 18th June 2024.

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I enjoyed this story a lot. It was very interesting to go back in time and find out what happened between the main characters and how they ended up where they are now. I liked where the story went and how it got us there. I wasn't certain who to trust along the way.

Parts of this book are a little slow moving. The characters are hiking for a while and there are descriptions of the activities they need to do to progress through the wild. This didn't bother me, as I found it interesting to follow along with them. The only flaw I had with the book was that there is sort of a love triangle. It's not the main focus of the book and it was handled well, but it is one of my least favorite tropes. In this instance I can see why it was included, so I was able to go along with it.

I was fortunate enough to receive both an ebook and an audiobook of this one. I went back and forth between the two depending on my needs at the time and enjoyed both. I can't say that I would recommend one over the other, but the audio was narrated by Emily Pike Stewart and was very well done. So, if you are audiobook lover, it is worth a listen.

Once again, I am excited to see what Kimi Cunningham Grant will come out with next.

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Emlyn lives a quiet life as a trail guide in rural Idaho, hesitant to trust anyone after her ex-boyfriend abandoned her in the wilderness several years ago. When her ex-best friend, a #vanlife influencer who works with said ex-boyfriend goes missing on a camping trip, he crashes into her life again and asks for her expert tracking help in finding her.

Most of the book is mystery and build-up, and actually a little bit on the slow-paced side, but it takes a sharp turn toward thriller near the end. But even though it’s slower paced, it still kept my attention all the way through. I liked Emlyn a lot and wanted to find out what had happened to her and what was going to happen next.

Content Warning: drug addiction, date-rape drugging, abandonment, controlling and abusive relationship

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The Nature of Disappearing is a new release by Kimi Cunningham Grant. This one is set in the wilderness of Idaho and follows the tale of Emlyn. Emlyn has spent the past few years recovering from a bad relationship that left her pondering what to do with the rest of her life. She's created a found family and is settling into her new normal when her best friend appears to disappear while traveling. Emlyn is convinced by her ex-boyfriend to help him find her friend. Together they set off by foot into the rugged area they think she'll be found in. Plenty of twists and turns in this novel keep the story moving right along. Read and enjoy!

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I’ve had another of the author’s books on my TBR for a while and was not feeling the wilderness thing. I feel like maybe I need to go and read that one too now.

I really good sucked into this. More character driven that I expected, which is something I very much enjoy. A lot of back and forth between the past and present, something else I enjoy as well. A good built up and a satisfying ending. It was fast paced and a quick read and I think my only complaint is that I wish there’d been more.

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4.5 stars

The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant was a slow burn that really surprised me with how it hooked me in.

I really didn’t know how this book was going to turn out for me initially. It has a slower build up without inundating the reader with unnecessary set up, but the slow, yet steady pace really works for the story. It manages not to spend too long on the pre-story before the point of the plot begins, and yet manages to give the reader the necessary backstory to really connect with characters and understand the relationships. It does this by alternating between the main events; namely where Emlyn, the main character, is at in the present, while navigating the potential disappearance of an old friend; and in contrast, the initial forming of her relationships with both the missing friend, and her ex-boyfriend who has reappeared in Emlyn’s life to ask for her help in searching for Janessa.

Interweaving the past with the present was very expertly done in my opinion. It really served to make me care for a character and a relationship that wasn’t present in the current timeline which is an impressive feat. It also left me wanting to know so much more about Janessa, particularly the sketchy circumstances leading up to her mysterious disappearance which were so subtle yet incredibly intriguing. It also left me desperately wishing Emlyn and Janessa would have a chance to rebuild their lost friendship after so many years, because it gave such a pure and wholesome glimpse into their past friendship left me sad they had drifted apart. I truly cared about the characters and very much wanted them all to be ok and have everything work out in the end.

Another notable aspect to the character side of this book that I enjoyed was that you could really see Emlyn’s growth, not only from past to present timelines, but also from the start of the book to the finish. It’s very evident and makes Emlyn both of extremely real and relatable which only adds to the entire story.

The Nature of Disappearing was definitely a book that snuck up on me and I came away from it pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed it. I did not expect it to be the standout novel it was and I can only highly recommend it to thriller fans.

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In the world of thrillers, so many tropes are the same: traumatized one-dimensional main character, twisty plot, unexpected (but, really totally expected) villain. Yet, sometimes, in the world of thrillers, stories emerge that are actually good representations of deeply nuanced and relatable characters. Characters who are extraordinary in the most ordinary of ways.

"The Nature of Disappearing" by Kimi Cunningham Grant is one of those stories. One that found me rooting on the main character with way more than a series of eye rolls (lol — I know you know those protagonist types). While I'm ambivalent towards its ending, I really enjoyed this story, its setting, and the slightly action-hero-like-quality of its dynamic female characters.

Would recommend to a friend looking for a quick-paced adventure thriller/mystery (emphasis on the "mystery" over "thriller"). I'm glad I read it and would absolutely read more from Kimi!

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After really enjoying These Silent Woods, I was so excited to be given the eARC of The Nature of Disappearing to read on Netgalley.

This author has a knack for describing vivid landscapes like a painter with a brush on canvas. I felt transported to the northern California wilderness, from the rushing rivers to the dangerously rocky bluffs of the mountains. As far as outdoor adventure writers go, Grant can keep up with the best of them.

I loved the alternating timelines that flipped back and forth between now, 5 years ago and 1 year ago. I found that this writing style helped to move the story forward in the now, and fill in the mysteries of the past as we went. Slowly, we find out what our FMC Emlyn and her two best friends, Tyler and Janessa went through together and understand why Emlyn has been living estranged from them both for the last year.

My critique for this book is that it moved along slowly and was more of a drama than a thriller. There was some mystery involved, but I didn’t find myself on the edge of my seat or unable to put this one down. There was also a fair amount of religion and God throughout the book, which I don’t mind personally, but I know may either draw or repel certain groups of readers.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

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I really enjoyed it. It was a bit slow in the beginning, but once I found my rhythm, I enjoyed the journey. This is a very character focused novel, so if that's not your thing, just be aware of that going in. I did want a little bit more from the ending. Quite frankly, I wanted the mystery to be something a little more harrowing and not to wrap up so quickly and one of the twists was very obvious. But I still thought the book was well written and interesting.

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The premise of this book immediately drew me in. As the main character Emlyn searches for her missing "van life" friend Janessa with the help of Tyler, a guy she had once been involved with but now struggles to trust, the narrative cleverly weaves between past and present. This dual timeline beautifully depicts Emlyn's relationship with Janessa and her tumultuous history with Tyler.

The author's vivid descriptions of the wilderness setting were enchanting, making me long for summer weekends spent camping in the woods. Although the pacing felt a bit slow at times, especially given the urgency of a missing person plot, the flashback chapters were a highlight. They allowed the mystery to unfold gradually, maintaining a high level of intrigue throughout the book.

The friendship between Janessa and Emlyn was particularly captivating. I found myself deeply invested in their journey and rooting for them to have a chance to heal their differences. The ending was unexpected, but it felt just right.

Overall, this book masterfully combines elements of suspense and personal growth, set against a backdrop that is both beautiful and treacherous. The slow reveal of backstory through flashbacks adds depth and keeps the reader engaged, making it a compelling read despite the slower pacing.

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I was really excited to read this book, since I loved Grant's THESE SILENT WOODS. Unfortunately, I just didn't connect with this book at all.

Although I didn't love the story, the one part that I loved was the sweeping backdrop of the Idaho wilderness. I felt transported there and I think Grant's writing of the landscape was captivating.

What fell flat was the story - Emlyn was a very frustrating main character. I wanted to shake her half the time. The "mystery" was just okay for me, too. This book is dubbed as a thriller and it certainly is NOT at all. It's more contemporary mystery and much slower than you think..

Despite all of this, I will definitely try Grant's next book.

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This is a new to me author. I was intrigued by the premise of the story and excited to read it. The description of the placed in the story were detailed and made you feel like you were there. However, I found the pacing to be very slow and for some reason I just could not connect with the characters.

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I am a big fan of thrillers that portray the natural world and its beauty and danger.

What I did love about The Nature of Disappearing: Grant's beautiful depictions of the beauty and danger of life in the backcountry and her lovely writing.

What I loved less: considering there were only 7-8 characters, there was a LOT going on.

As main character Emlyn searches for her missing "van life" friend Janessa with the help of Tyler, a guy Emlyn had been involved with but can no longer trust, there is a past-present narrative depicting Emlyn's relationship with Janessa and another one chronicling Emlyn's rocky past with Tyler.

I am not always a fan of a past-present storyline and in this case it offered information I didn't want to know. I wish there had been more backcountry and less drama in the past. Emlyn is supposed to be a skilled tracker and backcountry guide and I wanted to see some of that and less of how she's such a "mess" in her personal life. Compartmentalize and get it together, girl!

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I absolutely loved this book! The mystery of what happened to Janessa, along with the slow bit-by-bit reveal of how Tyler came to abandon Emlyn in the woods years ago, made for a tension-packed 'I don't know who to trust' mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

I love Kimi Cunningham Grant's writing. The beautiful description of the wilderness and the dual timeline building the background of Tyler, Emlyn, and Janessa's relationship swept me into the story completely. I especially loved the friendship between Janessa and Emlyn, and was rooting for them to have a chance to heal their differences. The ending was unexpected, but perfect.

I listened to the audio version of the novel, and Emily Pike Stewart's narration was the perfect voice for Emlyn. The book lends itself to audio, and this one kept me going on longer, more frequent walks because I enjoyed it so much.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC and audio ARC of The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant. The opinions in this review are my own.

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Absolutely loved this one--I could not put it down. Kimi Cunningham Grant is a new favorite; I've read two of her books and they are both now favorites. The Nature of Disappearing follows Emlyn through a dangerous expedition to find a missing friend, while flashing back to the past that led her there. It's so good. So satisfying, well-written, immersive. The plot and characters could have easily been overdramatized, but the author keeps everything grounded and realistic. I love the craft.

Thanks to @minotaur_books @kimicgrant @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the advance copies of the book, as well as the fun swag that came with! I alternated between listening to the book and reading the ebook. The narrator was excellent.

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Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing my review copy!

KCG writes exactly the type of book I wanna read. These Silent Woods was one of my favorite reads at the time it was released so I was excited to read The Nature of Disappearing. While this story didn’t quite touch me the same way, I enjoyed getting to know Emlyn and hear her story. I felt that she had a relationship with Janessa that many could relate to. My only real issue with this story was the Bush storyline. I guess I should have seen it coming, but his reveal felt a bit jarring. I’m excited to read Fallen Mountains and everything else KCG comes up with.

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Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, and Kimi Cunningham Grant for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! I'm not much of an outdoorsy/camping gal but this one had me hooked from the very beginning and I couldn't put it down! 4 star read for me!

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