Welcome to Litsy!

February was a pretty good reading month. My favorite is tagged.

I needed something completely different from my last reads and this book about a father and daughter living off the grid due to events in his past jumped out at me. After 8 years in the woods strangers cross their paths and their precarious world is threatened. I found this so engrossing as you learn what drove Cooper to choose such an isolated life and see Finch become more curious about what she is missing. A good distraction and a solid story.

Cooper and his daughter Finch live an isolated life in an Appalachian cabin. We slowly discover the reasons behind Cooper's determination to stay in hiding. His secrets- and Finch's curiosity- begin to threaten their safety. When Finch is 8, 2 new people enter their orbit and the dominoes begin to fall. The outside world can no longer be kept away.

This was beautiful and I loved it.

A smidge of snow (looks like we're getting a break from False Spring 😀) and some quiet time to start a fresh book. Ahhh Sunday, I ❤️ you
#CurrentRead

This novel was set in the mountains of the northern Appalachians. A father and his daughter are living in seclusion. The father has had a difficult time with PTSD after serving in the military. The land they live on is owned by a friend from the service. Isolation is the only life the daughter knows. The past and its challenges were easier when the girl was younger. She needs to become part of the world. 4.5/5

This book was a pick, but a low one, for me. The story of a father and his daughter living in the deep woods for years, a place to hide from an event in the past, should have been in my wheelhouse. It‘s not a mystery, it‘s not a thriller, it felt like an expanded short story. And I had a few questions at the end. 🤷🏻‍♀️ With this book, I completed my reading goal for the year. I had kept the goal low, hoping I‘d read my New Yorkers. I did not.

(After pulling all the plants from the flower boxes I decided to leave this one in. Seems like the frost didn‘t damage it!) I‘m enjoying this story but am finding myself still involved with the characters I left behind in a previous book. I might need another day to transition to this one. Anyone else ever experience a similar book/character hangover?

Good morning, Litsy friends! ❤️📚❄️

Just finished this one this morning - recommended and gifted to me by @BarbaraBB - thank you! 😘

Cooper and his daughter Finch have been living in a remote Appalachian cabin for years, when a series of events threaten to shatter their careful sheltered existence.

Loved both Cooper and Finch (and even Scotland!). I have a question, though, for those who have read it already, in spoilers below.

While searching for my next audiobook, I came across this on my wishlist. The setting of a father and daughter living in the woods with no electricity and no connection to the outside world because a secret is being held sounded quite intriguing.

Full review at abookandadog.com/blog/these-silent-woods

Original painting pictured by artist, Patrick Riley, is available at https://www.poesoulstudio.com/original-artwork-pss/a-place-to-rest-my-mind

Marketing this one as a suspense/thriller really does it a disservice. For the most part, it is a much quieter book than that. About a man trying to navigate a life for and with his daughter, while hiding from the world. Don't read it for a shocking, twisty, suspenseful story. Read it for the story of a father who, above all else, loves his daughter and will do anything for her. And for an ending that will move you to tears.

It's a read outside kind of morning!

A novel about sacrifice and risking everything for the ones you love. A remote Appalachian setting will always be a way to entice me to pick up a book, and this one delivered on that! However, the best part about this book is the ending.

This was GREAT. I felt the atmosphere, the tension, the love, the uncertainty. Absolutely LOVED the ending. Thanks for putting this on my radar, @BarbaraBB 😘😊

I loved this book, all of it. Cooper has been fleeing from his past and is raising 8 year old daughter Finch in the remote Appalachian woods. Once a year a friend brings supplies and there‘s a hermit neighbour somewhere nearby but mostly they are by themselves. Until the moment the books starts.
What a loving and atmospheric read and that perfect ending… tears in my eyes. Loved it. Thanks for bringing it to my radar, Meg 🩶

C‘mon 5:00! I‘m ready to start my weekend

Cooper & Finch live in a remote cabin with very little contact with the outside world. Jake visits 1X a year & there‘s a hermit named Scotland.

C&F have been living like this for 8 years when Jake doesn‘t show up. Their world unravels from there.

Cooper‘s story about what happened 8 years ago slowly reveals what lengths a dad will go to do not to be separated from his baby girl.

SO GOOD! Awesome ending!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/3

Shelley! What a fun package you sent! I looooove the earrings! The tree of life is one of my favorite symbols. Love the pins, bookmarks and stickers and the book is perfect for Scarathon. Thank you so much! @ShelleyBooksie

#LitsyLoveFallBacktoBooksSwap

This was so good. A slow burn, which usuallly means boring, but it was hard to put down. It gave me some Cormac McCarthy‘s The Road vibes. Not as dark, but with all the atmosphere and suspense. How far will a father go when faced with losing it all?” Bring tissues.

I went into this with the understanding that I was reading a thriller. It definitely was not a thriller or horror. It was a captivating story of a father and daughter living in isolation in hiding. Definitely a slow burn but I couldn‘t put it down. It left me in tears because things/people are not always as they seem. Definite recommendation. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

59/2023!

August has been a slow month for reading so far!

This is a pick with reservations. As others have noted, this is badly marketed as a thriller. It is not a fast-paced thrill ride. It relies heavily on coincidence that wasn‘t wholly believable, and I kept waiting for a shocking twist that never came. There is building tension throughout, but it‘s quiet and sneaky. I did enjoy it, but had I not already tempered my expectations based on other reviews, I might not have.

When @Megabooks noted this mystery brought a tear to her eye, I had to find out for myself. With the help of Libby, the audiobook was soon at hand (‘er ear). So there I was pushing my 7-mo old grandson down the street with tears rolling down my eyes! Also this is superbly narrated by Bronson Pinchot (blast from the past) and I could almost hear the silence in the woods. ↓

What is up with me getting emotional and crying at the end of a thriller? But this novel‘s ending was just perfect!

After a tragic accident, Cooper and his daughter, Finch, have to hide in an army buddy‘s cabin. They live in isolation except for their neighbor, Scotland. Cooper can‘t quite trust him or anyone else, though. When a girl stumbles into their woods, Cooper is afraid more will follow, but Finch is entranced. Will their cover be blown?

I went into this one blind and was pleasantly entertained. It did not go where I thought it would, so that‘s a plus. There is also a mounting tension throughout which feels quite menacing, but not of the killer thriller type. Rather it stems from domestic & personal conflict. Note, it is unrealistic in a couple of respects so the reader has to suspend disbelief.

The audio narrator has a very soothing voice. 😌

⭐️⭐️ I hate when books are mis-marketed. This is not a thriller. If I‘d been anticipating a slow burn, I could‘ve gone in with proper expectations which might‘ve helped … also, maybe not. I hated this story. It was boring, unbelievable, and too tidy. Nothing/nothing/nothing/rush/end. And gag me with that ridiculous epilogue. Made for a decent #bookclub discussion, though, so there‘s that. #thankunext

Looks like a perfect Saturday morning to me.

#gooddog
#goodbook
#goodcoffee

This book is heart wrenching and oh so good. A slow burn but no where near boring. I was invested in every moment. I was afraid when Cooper and Finch were afraid, happy when they were happy. This book is amazing.

B&N monthly pick. Gets me every time.

#suspensefulsaturday

These Silent woods is a pungent, page-turning story of the length a father will go to protect his child.

The characters are crafted three dimensionally—they are relatable, have significant purpose to the story.

While the novel was a full, satisfying story, I was curious to see more about the mysterious girl with the camera.

These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant is a captivating story of sacrifice, protection, and grace.

5/5 stars

#BookspinBingo #Doublespin
@TheAromaofBooks
I started out ok for March, then just fell into a huge slump trying to get through my doublespin pick.
But the tagged book was a free spot and only got through Siren Queen.

This felt like a quick, touching audiobook. I listened to it over just a few days and it was nothing that I was expecting. I seemed to be under the impression that this was a thriller, which it wasn‘t at all. It was an often sad, sometimes sweet story about the lengths a dad will go to for his daughter. A good listen overall. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. It isn‘t a thriller, per se. Not scary. But the author was able to draw out the pieces of the story that got Cooper & Finch to this place in a way that kept me turning the pages & not wanting to put it down.

#BookspinBingo #Freespace😃
I had expected this to be a thriller, but I would probably describe this more as a slowburn mystery. Its a quiet book very atmospheric and the first audio book to actually make me ugly cry. While most of the book seems calm, and characters are pretty soft, there is just an air of tension that runs through it. Everything seems alright, but something is about to go down. ⬇️

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This was slow for me in the beginning, but it turned out to be a moving and melancholic tale about the power of grace and love. I don‘t think I would call this a thriller - it seems more like contemporary fiction. I feel conflicted about Cooper‘s character, but I think his heart was in the right place. 🎧

Woo-hoo! Got a bingo and read my #BookSpin and #Doublespin. Bring on March! #BookSpinBingo

This book was marketed wrong, it was suppose to be a Thriller, but it's far from it. I think the author thought if they lived off the land in the woods, it would give a scary vibe. But I thought it gave off a very cozy and peaceful vibe. There wasn't any plot twists or anything, just following their lives. I struggled between a 3 or4 rating because I did end up enjoying it. But settled on 3.5 because I was kept waiting for a twist that never came.

Not a fan of this at all. If I wanted to be preached at, I would have picked up a Christian book. Instead, I was blindsided by what I thought was a thriller. The author actually has a character who cheated on his wife and was "very poisonous" because he was an "outspoken atheist." Barf. The story itself was super boring, unbelievable, and unoriginal. I wish I could get back my hours that I wasted on this drivel.

I can't remember the last time I read 23 books in one month, I'm hoping it's a good sign for the reading year ahead 😆

These Silent Woods, The Dark Hours, and The Stolen Hours were my favorites of the bunch 👏🏽

Well, look at Whitman coming through with some well-timed words I needed to hear tonight. 🏆✊👌🤓

It has been a long time since I read a book like THESE SILENT WOODS by Kimi Cunningham Grant: startling plot twists, riveting, unexpected, tender and heartrending. Not a word is wasted in this larger-than-life story of a father and a daughter who must do everything in their own terms to live through life against all odds, against a horrible past and a bleak future. Brimming with wisdom about the human condition, Ms. Grant is setting the bar 👇

Fantastic! I felt fully immersed in the woods with Cooper and Finch and was super invested in how things would end for them. I can't remember where I saw a recommendation for this book, but I'm sure glad to have picked it up! 4.5⭐️

Side note: this was my 20th book this month so far. I'm sure glad I broke out of the slump that hit me over the holidays! Ashley's getting her reading groove back 💪🏽

First 5 🌟 read of 2022. Compelling characters and strong sense of place, combined with a tense plot. Loved this one!

Great, great book. I can see why it is getting a lot of buzz. Loved the outdoor setting. The characters are real and raw and I did not expect the ending.

4½⭐
This book is beautiful, poignant, and a tad cautious. It was also definitely what you would call a slow burn. I‘m sure that many will love this story because of all these things. I, unfortunately, didn‘t love it but I did really, really like it. If I had to pinpoint why I would have to say that I felt like the entire story was eluding to something bigger than what is was and I think it left me feeling underwhelmed.

More than half of these reads were 4 stars and up for me - it was a great reading month!

Excellent book--mysterious and atmospheric.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Book 151

These Silent Woods is a mild thriller about a man and his daughter who live in a cabin in the woods in order to avoid some unknown danger. It's a story that's been told, with an underwhelming backstory. It was okay but nothing special. ⭐⭐⭐

"??? ????? ????? ????? ?? ???? ??? ???'? ??????? ??. ??? ???'? ???? ??. ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??."⁣
⁣
Exactly the book that I needed in my life right now. Rarely do books live up to my hopes, but this one truly did. It was atmospheric, cozy & emotional. I could feel the characters' happiness, grief, peace & anxiety. It's December and I've finally found my favorite read this year.