In a sense, Kimi Cunningham Grant's The Nature of Disappearing seems almost like a Law & Order style 'ripped from the headlines' plot. Think Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie. Trendy influencers disappear into the proverbial great unknown and everybody starts trying to track them down amidst the beauty and danger of the untamed wild. That sort of thing.

Kimi Cunningham Grant does successfully branch off the known facts Gabby Petito's disappearance to give her novel a unique and complex twist that will keep the reader on edge for the better part of the story. Saying too much would be spoiling the story and the story absolutely is worth reading.

So what I will say is that there are content/trigger warnings that are relevant for drug use, physical and mental abuse, mental health struggles, toxic relationships... all of which do fit in the story without ever seeming over the top or as if they're there simply for the novel form of clickbait and drama. But if you don't want to read that sort of thing, this book might not be for you.

That being said, The Nature of Disappearing focuses on Emlyn who seems to have spent her life trying to disappear in a crowd until she finds her footing in remote Idaho and comes into her own as a strong and powerful woman who realizes that she can be whatever she wants without needing to surround herself with stronger, more powerful people (as she did for years) and that she can choose to have whichever people she wants in her life. And that's an important lesson for a story to tell.

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I received a copy of The Nature of Disappearing through NetGalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest and original review.

This book takes you right into the heart of Idaho wilderness; the setting is a main character in itself. Emlyn has struggled to make a new life for herself after her ex-boyfriend Tyler abandoned her. She is a survivor, but still struggles with her mental health and has deep trust issues. However, when Tyler shows up in her life again with news that her once best friend Janessa is missing, she knows her tracking skills can help find her.

The story is told from Emlyn's POV in present day as they search for Janessa, as well as in the past through all the happiness and heartache that broke Emlyn. The wilderness holds secrets and danger, and Emlyn gets more than she bargained for with Tyler in her life again.

While I enjoyed These Silent Woods more than this book, I was still drawn into the setting of this story. I liked Emlyn and could feel her pain. It was captivating, heartwarming, and suspenseful.

I admit I was disappointed with this book, and I urge prospective readers to read its many glowing reviews rather than rely on my misgivings. This was a slow read until its frightening, action-filled conclusion when the mysterious events were revealed. I was not sure what type of book was intended. Was this a vibrant, descriptive wilderness adventure, an intense psychological drama, or a mysterious thriller? The characters were well-developed with all their flaws, and I found abrupt transitions from past to present confusing. The many references to the past at first made me think the characters must have been introduced in a previous story, but when looking at summaries of earlier books, I found this not to be the case. We were eventually given all the information needed, but I never connected with the characters or storyline. The love stories and relationships never rang true.

Emlyn is a wilderness guide who takes visitors hunting in the scenic forests of Idaho and fishing in the sparkling rivers. She lives in an Airstream trailer. Her two friends are a park ranger and a woman who regards herself as a religious advisor. Emlyn has a very poor self-concept, considering herself as pathetic and forgettable. She keeps herself isolated from any form of social life.

She once had a long-time friend, Janessa, an extroverted, popular companion who drew Emlyn out of her self-imposed isolation and was a dynamic leader in their relationship. Janessa advised Emlyn what to wear and places for them to visit and disapproved of her choices of men. Emlyn reluctantly followed her advice. Emlyn fell in love with Tyler, Janessa's lifelong friend. She was warned to stay away from Tyler as he was trouble, and she would regret it. Emlyn continued her relationship with Tyler, keeping it hidden from Janessa. At first, she believes Janessa has romantic feelings for Tyler, and her warnings result from jealousy; Janessa insists that she only loves Tyler as a friend.

There was a bitter breakup when Emlyn gradually got the courage to confront the domineering Janessa and tell her she needed to make her own choices. She has been out of touch with Janessa for a long time. She now understands that she should have stayed away from Tyler, who once deserted her and left her freezing and near death on the roadside. She has tried to put the past behind her. She is upset by a visit from Tyler, who informs her that Janessa has gone missing with her new companion, Bush, an expert survivalist. The couple had become social media stars, chronicling their travels in words and photos on the internet. He fears that they are lost and that Janessa is in danger. When Emlyn notices a photo falsely identifying their location, she knows she must join Tyler in searching for them. Emlyn's tracking skills are haphazard, and she mainly relies on GPS and her intuition. She finds herself attracted to Tyler once more.

When Janessa and Bush are located, a series of surprising twists reveals that nothing is what it seems, and people are hiding secrets. Emlyn is now in danger. This story of betrayal, suspicion, distrust, misplaced love, low self-esteem and forgiveness is set in a beautifully described, atmospheric wilderness setting.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an early chance to read this book, which is due to be published on June 18th.

I loved the in the deep wilderness unpredictability of this thriller. It took turns I didn't expect and had me hooked at every page.

Rounded up from 3.5 stars. This is the first book I've read by Kimi Cunningham Grant and it was a decent thriller/adventure novel. Set in the Idaho wilderness, the setting is well-represented and Emlyn is an interesting character - she can fish, hunt, tie flies, and track. This could have been five-stars, but the big reveal was kind of underwhelming and the ending was very abrupt. Also, the romance storyline in the book is what I guess is considered a "closed door" romance - lots of kissing on the forehead and not much else. I would still go back and read Grant's other books, especially since they are set in the great outdoors/wilderness.

If you love detailed nature descriptions, this book will make you want to pack up and head straight to the Idaho wilderness. Grant’s vivid portrayal of the great outdoors is truly mesmerizing. But, unfortunately, that’s where the excitement ended for me. The story itself was a painfully slow burn, and I found myself constantly waiting for something interesting to happen.

Connecting with the characters was a challenge. Despite my high hopes, especially since I’ve loved Grant’s previous books, this one left me a bit disappointed.

Here's the gist: Emlyn lives a quiet, simple life as a fishing and hunting guide in Idaho. She’s left her troubled past behind, including a fractured friendship with Janessa and a heartbreak from Tyler, who abandoned her three years ago. Her closest companions now are a kind Forest Service ranger and a makeshift reverend who once took her in.

But everything changes when Tyler reappears with alarming news: Janessa, now a social media star with her #vanlife adventures, has gone missing. Despite their rocky past, Emlyn realizes she might be the only one capable of tracking down her old friend. Reluctantly, she teams up with Tyler, and together they follow Janessa’s trail through the wild terrain.

As they venture deeper into the wilderness, Emlyn can't ignore the rekindling chemistry between her and Tyler. However, the deeper they go, the more sinister the truth seems. It turns out Janessa isn't the only one in danger.

In summary, while the book’s depiction of Idaho’s wilderness is enchanting, the story’s slow pace and the difficulty in connecting with the characters made it hard to fully enjoy. Here's hoping Grant’s next book brings back the magic we know and love.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

A story of self acceptance, mystery and love. Emlyn learns that she is worthy of love after her father walks away and her first love leaves her. Themes of drug abuse.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: June 18, 2024
Kimi Cunningham Grant, author of “These Silent Woods”, brings another adventure survival mystery to the world with her new novel, “The Nature of Disappearing”.
Emlyn works as an adventure survival guide, leading expeditions through the Idaho wilderness. She tries not to think about her once-best-friend, Janessa, who barely speaks to her, and she definitely doesn’t like to think about Tyler, her once-boyfriend who left her abandoned on the side of the road in a snowstorm, nearly killing her. Although Emlyn has put these traumatic events behind her (for the most part), her life is thrown off course when Tyler comes into her workplace asking for her help- Janessa went on a wilderness adventure with her boyfriend, Bush, and hasn’t been heard from in weeks. Only Emlyn has the specific set of wilderness skills needed to find Janessa, especially if she’s been injured, but Emlyn isn’t sure if she wants to risk opening up old wounds to help a friend who may not want to be found.
“Disappearing” is narrated by Emlyn in the third person and has a dual-timeline plot. The first timeline, the present day when Janessa is missing, alternates with the second timeline, when Emlyn and Janessa first meet and the events that led to their estrangement. Clearly marked, the dual timelines help create the bubbling tension as well as help the reader form a connection with both Emlyn and Janessa. Cunningham-Grant’s story flows well, and “Disappearing” is an engaging and suspenseful read from the get-go.
Cunningham-Grant surprised me with the many twists and turns in this novel and I did not expect it to play out the way it did, although I was not at all disappointed by the final ending. I have read many books lately with #vanlife and camper van living as its central theme, so I thought I knew where this novel was going to take me, but I was completely caught off guard (in a good way). For someone like me who prefers watching nature from behind the curtains of my house, Cunningham-Grant allowed me to immerse myself in the survivalist lifestyle, even learning some tricks along the way!
“Disappearing” is emotional at times, with intense topics such as drug addiction and abandonment, but it definitely isn’t sombre and the ending of the novel left me with all of the happy feels! “The Nature of Disappearing” is not just for the adventurers out there, and I highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for a (safe) way to escape to nature while being entertained along the way!

I loved Kimi Cunningham Grant's first book I read, These Silent Woods, so I couldn't wait to read The Nature of Disappearing! It did not disappoint! I is every bet as good or better. The language flows so smoothly and that makes it a fast and easy read. It's a story about starting over and learning from your past. It's about learning who you can trust to take care of you in hard times. Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I highly recommend it!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy to read and review.

I found this book to be mesmerizing. The author was so descriptive and the settings of the novel were very vivid in my mind.

It was a compelling mystery/thriller that wasn’t too outlandish and a beautiful message in the author’s note.

When her best friend goes missing in the wilderness, a woman is forced to team up with her ex-boyfriend to track her down in the Idaho mountains. Mystery wise it’s pretty slow, but there’s a lot of character development and surprisingly heavy topics covered. The atmosphere is the star here, really immersive nature writing that keeps you engaged.

SYNOPSIS
- Emlyn is living in Idaho. She works as a guide at a local shop, and she was recently been awarded Idaho’s best tracker.
- Janessa, Emlyn’s BFF & a #vanlife influencer, is missing. Emlyn teams up with her ex-boyfriend, Tyler, to find Janessa.
- Emlyn has some baggage. We learn about her childhood, her friendship with Janessa, her relationship with Tyler, and her new life.

MY THOUGHTS
- Atmospheric. Great setting in the wilderness and off the grid.
- Complicated relationships.
- Multiple timelines.
- I wanted to slap Tyler at SOO many points when reading the book, and I wanted to shake Emlyn.
- I think this book does a great job flushing out some important themes — settling for what we think we deserve, realizing your worth, how stories we tell ourselves can limit us, how wounds from childhood can impact adult relationships.
- Main complaints: ending fell kind of flat, slow burn in a lot of ways, & pretty predictable.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫3.5 stars. atmospheric, set in Idaho wilderness. multiple timelines. but, fell flat & predictable in a lot of ways.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on June 18, 2024.

Captivating from beginning to end! Emlyn has built a good life as a fishing and hiking guide in Idaho and has hopes that her relationship with Varden, the Forest Ranger, will become something deeper than friendship. Until the news reaches her that her best friend, Janessa, has disappeared into the wilderness with her partner, Bush. Emlyn teams up with her ex boyfriend, Tyler, to go look for her. What they find is completely unexpected and much more sinister than they imagined. I really enjoyed this story, I loved all the wilderness information I learned about survival, trapping, poisonous plants, etc.

The story read very smooth and kept me engaged from the first page to the last. This is my first book by this Kimi Cunningham Grant, so I plan to read These Silent Woods sometime soon!

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on June 18, 2024

I enjoyed this one! It kept me turning the pages to figure it out and I liked the main character. There were some twists in there that I wasn’t expecting which is always fun! The ending felt a little rushed/not as satisfying as I would’ve liked. The characters had interesting relationships and I was interested in all the flashbacks!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a great thriller, with a lot of moving parts that somehow all come together to create an exciting read. Emlyn has some emotional baggage from her childhood, and is essentially a loner until she befriends Janessa. When the two have a falling out over Tyler, a friend/boyfriend, they go years without really talking. When Tyler shows up with a story of Janessa being missing, Emlyn joins him in a hunt to save her friend.
The first three quarters of the book move at a steady pace. There are flashbacks to 3-5 years ago evenly placed in the story to help build the background of the three friends. I did feel the ending was a bit of a let down. It seemed so exciting and adventuresome up to that point, and then it just sort of concluded. I would have loved a bit more. However, with that being said, it was an excellent read, and I really recommend.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Kimi Cunningham Grant's "The Nature of Disappearing" immerses readers in a thrilling and emotionally rich journey of self-discovery and peril. Emlyn, who has meticulously constructed a new life in the serene wilds of Idaho, finds her past crashing back into her present when her old flame, Tyler, arrives with alarming news. The narrative deftly intertwines Emlyn's struggle to maintain her hard-won peace with the urgency of finding her missing friend, Janessa. Grant excels in depicting the raw beauty of the wilderness and the intricacies of human connections, making the setting almost a character in its own right. The suspense builds as Emlyn and Tyler navigate treacherous terrain and their unresolved feelings. "The Nature of Disappearing" is a poignant exploration of the cost of running from one's past and the resilience required to face it. Grant's storytelling is both captivating and thought-provoking, ensuring readers are hooked until the very last page.

I loved this author’s last book, These Silent Woods, and I was very excited when I saw this. It hooked me from the beginning, and I had finished it within a day. I really love her writing style and how she writes people.

Emlyn is a great narrator. The story is told in dual timelines offering insight into how two important people to the story came into her life. When her friend Janessa (these names 😂), a travel influencer and social media star, goes missing, she must go into the wilderness with her ex boyfriend, who Janessa is currently working for, to find her.

The mystery of what happened to Janessa really propelled the story forward, while the reader is learning about what happened between Emlyn, Janessa, and her ex Tyler in the past. It’s a poignant look at friendship and love with a great setting.

One of my favorite things in this book is that Emlyn would come up with one word to describe a person. And then learning the story of why she did that. This was an emotional thriller that I highly recommend!

4.5 stars

We follow Emlyn, a hunting and fishing guide, and her ex Tyler, who team up to search for their missing friend. Janessa has been going on adventures in the wilderness and documenting them on social media with her boyfriend. When Janessa goes radio silent, her friends start to worry and go out to try and track her. This is the first time Emlyn and Tyler have spent together since he left her for dead in the snow 3 years prior.

I found this a little slow and hard to get into. It did pick up towards the end. I was able to predict the ending a bit, but overall did enjoy the read. I felt like the main character was very well developed. 3.5 stars rounded up for goodreads.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I truly wanted to love this way more than I did but it was fine. The beginning really intrigued me and drew me into the story. I’ve read reviews that say they don’t feel this is mysterious enough but I think Grant did a good job with that element within her story just fine!

Other than all of that— I thought the plot was intriguing. I enjoyed the past and present storylines but at the end of the day, this just wasn’t over the top magical to me. If you’re going into this thinking you getting TSW…don’t.

Emlyn started a new life when her old one became unbearable. She works as a hunting guide, has made friends that are like family, and rarely allows herself to dwell on what happened between her and her boyfriend Tyler.
When he suddenly contacts her, concerned because Janessa is missing, she has no choice, but to join him in the search. Janessa was once her best friend, and even though circumstances pulled them apart, she cannot let something happen to her.
Told in the past, and in the present, we learned what occurred between Emlyn, Tyler, and Janessa. In the present, it’s a harrowing journey through the desolate woods to try and find Janessa before it is too late. Emlyn was a wonderful character, and my eyes were glued to every page.