Two sisters raised in fear are about to find out why in a chilling novel of psychological suspense from the author of The Thinnest Air.Ignorant of civilization and cautioned against its evils, nineteen-year-old Wren and her two sisters, Sage and Evie, were raised in off-the-grid isolation in a primitive cabin in upstate New York. When the youngest grows gravely ill, their mother leaves with the … leaves with the child to get help from a nearby town. And they never return.
As months pass, hope vanishes. Supplies are low. Livestock are dying. A brutal winter is bearing down. Then comes the stranger. He claims to be looking for the girls’ mother, and he’s not leaving without them.
To escape, Wren and her sister must break the rule they’ve grown up with: never go beyond the forest.
Past the thicket of dread, they come upon a house on the other side of the pines. This is where Wren and Sage must confront something more chilling than the unknowable. They’ll discover what’s been hidden from them, what they’re running from, and the secrets that have left them in the dark their entire lives.
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The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent
Mixed feelings on this one. I had trouble trying to figure out why there were two stories going on at the same time – alternating chapters with different points of views and neither seeming to coincide in any way. Who were these storytellers? Well, there was nineteen year old Wren and left alone with her eighteen year old sister expecting her mother to return though hope of the mother and little sister’s return was fading. AND there was Nicolette who is definitely in a funk over her husband and seems obsessed with the idea of him having taken a lover and spawned a child with that lover. I have to admit I ended up skimming a great portion of this part of the book.
As I read further the two different stories did eventually overlap with a few of the unexplained issues I had while reading actually being explained. In some ways Wren and Sage were a bit like time travelers when they finally left their cabin in the woods and found the world BUT they still seemed rather immature for their ages even after reading their backstories. Nicolette also had a backstory that eventually came out that explained quite a bit although why she didn’t just talk to her husband still eludes me.
There are a few twists and turns here and there toward the end with a happy ending for the sisters and for Nicolette and her husband but when I finished reading I wondered just how well adjusted everyone really was and what their futures might end up being like in the long run. I also had to shake my head as I tried to determine whether or not I found the story believable…perhaps parts of the story were but all together it seemed a bit cookie-cutter perfect and tied up with a bow. Sitting here now I can almost see this made into a movie…maybe.
Did I enjoy the book? Sort of
Would I read another book by this author? Maybe
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
This was a gripping and engrossing read that captured my attention almost instantly.
I really liked the two separate narratives almost like separate stories, originally seeming poles apart but connected and eventually merging into one shared conclusion.
I liked the back and forth style of narration adding tidbits and clues, drip-feeding the reader and creating a sense of mystery and intrigue.
So you have Wren and Sage living off-grid isolated with there mother and younger sister.
When their younger sister falls seriously ill There mother takes her for help promising to return but she never comes back.
With there, food stores dwindling and losing hope the girls need to make a decision on what comes next, that is until their hand is forced by events out of there control.
Nicolette lives at the edge of the forest with her husband Brent a successful photographer.
Unable to have there own family they are on the verge of maybe fostering.
But when Nicolette starts questioning Brents loyalty to there marriage and whether he still feels the way he did when they married she embarks down a rabbit hole of doubt and the deeper she digs the more she uncovers.
Two seemingly unrelated story trains that are heading on a collision course of impact.
This was an easy and engaging read.
A real page-turner of a story that I couldn’t put down.
It was slightly predictable in places but the twist itself was excellent and caught me completely unawares.
I found this to be really well narrated with such a heartwarming finale and I am happy to recommend.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of “The Stillwater Girls”
All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
http://www.beckiebookworm.com
The Stillwater Girls was an amazing book with lots of mystery and secrets. Nicolette and Brant have lived a wonderful life. Full of romance and adventure and not a care in the world about money. Brant is a famous photographer and his job has taken them to far away places but Nic can’t quiet escape the nightmares she has. They never had children and she is longing to have a child of her own so much so she dreams about it. Brant has become more distant than and Nic is determined to find out why.
Wren and Sage are struggling to survive after their mother leaves them to take their younger sister to the doctor. The girls have been sheltered from the world so when things happen to change their protective bubble they have to adapt quickly.
This is a great book and it pulled me in from the very beginning. So many secrets and mysteries that you won’t know what’s really happening until the end. Don’t peek, trust me you want the surprises. I received an early copy of this book to read and review and give my honest opinion. This isn’t my usual go to genre but I am so glad I volunteered to read it. I will definitely be reading more from this author. I absolutely loved it and I highly recommend it.
This was the first Minka Kent book that I’ve read. I can’t believe how good this book was. I was on my toes from the very beginning trying to put all the puzzle pieces together hoping that I could figure it all out before it was revealed in the book. Of course just when you think you’ve got it all figured out the big twist comes and changes it all. Overall what happens to the girls is so sad and heart breaking but the reality is that not only are they lucky to have gotten out, but this kind of thing happens everyday. I hate that so much time was wasted and lost for them all, but def. an amazing read.
This is a new author to me and a totally different genre than I usually prefer, but I must say that I am glad that I gave this one a go. Wren and her sisters Sage and Evie as well as their mom live in an isolated cabin, and grew up knowing that they can never leave the forest. When Evie is ill her mom has no choice but to try and get her help, problem being they never came back. No spoilers; this is a must read, you will not be disappointed. This is a unique and intriguing story, which has suspense, twists, mystery and heartbreak, which all lead to an all round entertaining read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
The Stillwater Girls is an amazing read! I absolutely loved it! The characters are amazing, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! I could not put this book down! I loved how everything wrapped up in the end and left everyone happy. I highly recommend!
Amazing read by this first time author to me. It’s a psychological thriller, mystery, intrigue and suspense. I really enjoyed this book.
Holy Moly…I never saw it coming! This story was so unexpected. I got sucked in from the start and was definitely invested.
Wren and Sage have been raised off the grid. Two sisters left behind in their cabin, when their mother took off with their youngest sister one night to get her medical treatment. They never came back.
Forced to survive on their own, until they feel threatened by a man who came looking for their family and they flee the only life they have ever known. Luckily they land on the doorstep of Nicolette, a woman who was kind and wanted to help them.
This story was a tangled web. Told from alternating points of view, the story was suspenseful and kept me interested. I was invested in these characters and had to keep reading until I found out their fates. I definitely enjoyed this twisted tale and will seek out more from this author in the future.
This book was excellent! The two seemingly unrelated threads of the stories captivated my interest from the first pages. Wren, Sage and Nicolette, all such sympathetic characters! I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen with each of them. Almost midway through the book, their stories start to become intertwined, I couldn’t imagine what would eventually happen, but I was totally engrossed in their stories and lives! Added to that was finding out the answer to the mystery of what happened to Wren and Sage’s mother and sister. A totally enjoyable book; well written, no needless sex or violence. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and thank NeyGallery and the publisher for the chance to review an advanced reader copy.
There are rumors that speak of the people living deep in the recesses of Stillwater Forest. Most residents of Stillwater Hills laugh at those stories and put them off to local folklore. But when two gaunt, disheveled girls show up on Nicolette Gideon’s porch, wearing threadbare clothes in the middle of winter everyone will discover exactly what has been hidden away for so many years.
Bravo to Minka Kent for elevating the standard in this genre. #TheStillwaterGirls is a nod to suspense writers who take the time to expound upon a plot through distinct, well-crafted characters and a narrative that continues to compel the reader forward. It makes its impact without a steady stream of violence and that high- tension underpinning that most novels of this genre lean towards. It is raw, emotional, and serendipitous with just the right amount of shock value. Highly recommended. 5 Stars.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #ThomasandMercer for this ARC