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.