Did I enjoy this book? Sure. Would I recommend this to everyone I know? No.

There are trigger warnings mentioning SA and miscarriages for starters.

When it comes to the content of this book, I can read/listen to it without it bothering me. The main character in this book was raised LDS and then broke away from the church and eventually has a spiritual awakening where she can then start to see the invisible emotional fields around people's bodies. She digs deeper into why she can see them and what to do to help heal herself and those she loves. Growing up as a Christian in church, I wouldn't recommend this book lightly.

When it comes to the way it's written, it isn't the most well written book I've ever read. The writing felt choppy sometimes. It didn't always flow from one spot to another gracefully. Sometimes, it was hard to keep up with what was happening. Especially while she was experiencing someone else's memories as if they were her own.

Thanks to #netgalley and Sourcebooks for the chance to listen to the ARC of this audiobook. Julianne Hough was the narrator. I enjoy listening to her talking, and initially, I enjoyed the fact that she didn't do voices for each character. She just read the story. After a while, though, that became confusing when I couldn't keep up with who was talking.

A dazzling and heartwarming novel from Emmy Award winner Julianne Hough and Rule author Ellen Goodlett.
When the stars align, anything can happen. On stage at an awards banquet is the last place Lexi Cole expected to drown. But as she accepts the award for top-seller at her realty firm, something unusual catches Lexi's a man surrounded by a dark haze. Then she hears a woman screaming for help, and the taste of saltwater overwhelms her. Just as Lexi's throat begins to close, the man leaves the room and the sensation of drowning abruptly stops. Later that night, the man dies of an overdose, and Lexi learns about the traumatic boating accident that killed his sons and tore his family apart. Lexi wants to believe it's a bizarre coincidence. Any other explanation would disrupt the normal, comfortable life she's worked so hard to build. Lexi is an expert at denial and a pro at fitting in. But as more strange events unfold, Lexi can't deny that something is changing inside her. She feels other people's emotions, sometimes even glimpses of their private memories. By embracing her new abilities, Lexi can help heal people―though not until she confronts the past she's spent a lifetime burying. But when a vision reveals her husband is in danger, Lexi must face her inner demons or lose the person she loves most.

With this type of synopsis, I was excited and ready for a ride. Right at the beginning we have a possible paranormal situation, mention of miscarriage, and family discord, oh and there is a witch. The rest of the book seemed like filler to finish the book, I listened to it via the audio arc gifted by Netgalley, and Sourcebooks Landmark and I must say that I may have been able to swallow it better if I had read it. The narrator was very bland and just did not relate to the cast's individuality for me. The cover art, summary, narrator, and weird atmospheric music are severely conflicting for me.

This title just wasn't for me.

The premise of this book really intrigued me. Lexi has unexplainable things happen to her, and she quickly discovers she can see people's auras, look into their memories and feel their emotions. At first it doesn't seem possible, but with the help of Bea, a "witchy" shop owner she is finding out that what she's capable of. Bea teaches her how to be open to what she's seeing and feeling even though her friends are skeptics. This book was okay, not really my cup of tea but I'm thankful to Net Galley for the ARC.

To be very honest, I didn't care for Julianne's narrating. I thought I would, but I couldn't get into it and had to DNF fairly quickly. I would be willing to pick this up and traditionally read, but not a fan of the audio at all.

I just could not get into this book and ended up DNF. I guess I was not the target audience for this type of book.

Perhaps I wasn't the right one to read this book because I failed to see its charm. The story revolves around mysticism and extra-sensory experiences, but in many ways, it's a plug for the Mormon church. I didn't like the main character and never came to relate to her.

I went into this book a little blind (I guess I didnt read what the book was about) however by the end I was pleasantly surprised. I liked that Lexi stood up for herself and what she believed in but didnt discount her husband. A very interesting book - great narrator!

4 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

Publish date: 08/13/2024

This novel was both quirky and introspective. It explores the energies/auras surrounding people and delves into energy healing as a means to cope with trauma, and resolve past and present issues. If you could visually see that someone was unwell, would you tell them? Would you try to heal them? What if you made it worse? It is a story about families, bonds strengthened and broken and healing. Thanks to NetGalley and RGB Media for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Thank you Recorded Books for the copy to read and review! Out now!

I skimmed some reviews before requesting and reading this. I was interested to see Julianne Hough as an author but nervous due to lots of less-than-enthusiastic reviews BUT wanted to give it a chance and I'm glad I did. This was a 3.5 for me. I liked Lexi's character's growth throughout this story. I also loved the friendships and relationships especially with Bea and her character's snark :)

I don't particularly agree with all the astrological aspects but they are well-described and make sense in the story. This is the main driver of the plot so if it isn't your 'thing' I might suggest skipping this one. But I still felt it was an interesting story and this worked well overall.

Going with 3 stars vs 4 because of the ending but I did like this story.

Gosh, I feel really bad writing a negative review but this book was just not for me.

I thought the premise was so intriguing! Someone who can feel other people’s emotions but can’t understand why? I’m interested. Learning about your “gift” by some random person in town that everyone dislikes…classic. The “energy work” and the problems that the main character tries to heal seem a little on the lame side. And the ending I just straight up hated.

I also think that Julianne Hough maybe should have hired a narrator for this one. I didn’t enjoy the little jingle to announce the chapters, it distracted from the momentum of the story by making such a definite break before continuing the story. She also could have benefited from a professional narrator that could have done different voices for all the different characters that there were. I think so often we take for granted how great the professionals are at their jobs. This one showed me for sure how good some of these narrators really are. I ended up being pretty bored the whole time. The story wasn’t gripping and heartwarming like it’s advertised to be and the story telling just wasn’t the best.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for the advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I became a fan of Julianne Hough way back in 2008 when she released her country album, and I loved watching her act in the movies Safe Haven, and Footloose! I’ve even done some of her free KINRGY workouts through fitonapp! So when I saw she and Ellen Goodlett had written a book I was really curious. Especially since she was the narrator for the audiobook!

Everything We Never Knew is a unique mix of emotional drama and a touch of the supernatural. The story follows Lexi Cole, who seems to have life figured out, until a strange experience at a work event shakes up her perspective on life. Suddenly, Lexi finds herself feeling other people’s emotions and seeing glimpses of their memories, forcing her to confront long-buried trauma and embrace these new abilities. As she tries to help others, she realizes that she must first heal herself, and focus on the elements (🍃🔥🌊💨) and personal energies to do so.

The book is both heartwarming and thought-provoking, with a focus on personal growth and self-discovery. It 100% connects to her KINRGY workouts and connecting with air💨, fire🔥, water🌊 and earth🍃.

From the little I know about Julianne I felt like this book has a deep personal connection to her life…including her separation from the LDS Religion…

If you’re into stories about emotional journeys with an aether connection vibe, this one is worth picking up.

Huge thank you to @netgalley and RB Media for the advanced audiobook copy!

DNF, was around chapter 4 and it was had to follow along at times, with no real explanation as to what was happening or what she thought was happening. Found myself zoning out and not engaging in the book

I wanted to love this ARC, but it just wasn’t for me. The first two chapters threw everything at you—miscarriage, hallucinations, and a traumatic death. I usually try not to DNF any early copy I’m approved for, but this one just wasn’t what I was expecting. Supernatural stuff is usually my thing, but it didn’t make sense in this story, so I ended up skipping a lot of it.

Also the audiobook had this weird crackily sound in the background that was super annoying.

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

The audio production is okay. It's listenable, it's not bad, it's also not the best. sadly, I overall did not enjoy this book. I think there are people out there who will. The writing felt very telling instead of showing and felt slightly immature. However, this is a very touching and sensitive story, so I do think if you feel particularly connected to the synopsis you should at least give it a try. It just hit the same as I expected it would.

Title: Everything We Never Knew
Author: Julianne Hough and Ellen Goodlett (Narrated by Julianne Hough)
Genre: General Fiction (Adult)
Rating: 4 stars
Pub Date: August 13, 2024

📖 S Y N O P S I S 📖
On stage at an awards banquet is the last place Lexi Cole expected to drown. But as she accepts the award for top-seller at her realty firm, something unusual catches Lexi's eye: a man surrounded by a dark haze. Then she hears a woman screaming for help, and the taste of saltwater overwhelms her. Just as Lexi's throat begins to close, the man leaves the room and the sensation of drowning abruptly stops. Later that night, the man dies of an overdose, and Lexi learns about the traumatic boating accident that killed his sons and tore his family apart.

Lexi wants to believe it's a bizarre coincidence. Any other explanation would disrupt the normal, comfortable life she's worked so hard to build. Lexi is an expert at denial, a pro at fitting in. But as more strange events unfold, Lexi can't deny the truth: something is changing inside her. She feels other people's emotions, sometimes even glimpses their private memories.

By embracing her new abilities, Lexi can help heal people—though not until she confronts the past she's spent a lifetime burying. But when a vision reveals her husband is in danger, Lexi must decide: face her inner demons or lose the person she loves most.

💭 T H O U G H T S 💭
The cover is stunning and part of what drew me into requesting this book. Although I read the synopsis, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. This story follows Lexi and her journey through healing, growing, and changing. Much like her husband, I do not necessarily believe in energy healing, but I saw this as one way to connect with ourselves. Some people need to heal spiritually before being able to heal mentally or physically. It was a beautiful story, likely rooted in Julianne Hough’s real-life situations, that covered grief and loss, parents not standing up for us when we are children, and learning to be in-tune with ourselves.

⚠️CONTENT • WARNINGS⚠️
• difficulty conceiving/infertility and miscarriage
• drug-related death or overdose
• sexual assault and harassment
• parental abuse
• death of a child

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia | Recorded Books for the opportunity to listen to an Advanced Listener’s Copy (ALC) in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

Title: Everything We Never Knew
Author: Julianne Hough & Ellen Goodlett
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: August 13, 2024

I received complimentary eARC and ALCs from Sourcebooks Landmark and RBmedia respectively via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Unique • Atmospheric • Healing

📖 S Y N O P S I S

On stage at an awards banquet is the last place Lexi Cole expected to drown. But as she accepts the award for top-seller at her realty firm, something unusual catches Lexi's eye: a man surrounded by a dark haze. Then she hears a woman screaming for help, and the taste of saltwater overwhelms her. Just as Lexi's throat begins to close, the man leaves the room and the sensation of drowning abruptly stops. Later that night, the man dies of an overdose, and Lexi learns about the traumatic boating accident that killed his sons and tore his family apart.

Lexi wants to believe it's a bizarre coincidence. Any other explanation would disrupt the normal, comfortable life she's worked so hard to build. Lexi is an expert at denial, a pro at fitting in. But as more strange events unfold, Lexi can't deny the truth: something is changing inside her. She feels other people's emotions, sometimes even glimpses their private memories.

By embracing her new abilities, Lexi can help heal people--though not until she confronts the past she's spent a lifetime burying. But when a vision reveals her husband is in danger, Lexi must decide: face her inner demons or lose the person she loves most.

💭 T H O U G H T S

When I first head Julianne Hough was publishing a novel, I instantly knew I would want to read it. While I don't consider myself a huge fan, I have always been drawn to her personality and listened to her music. The cover and synopsis sealed the deal for me.

Everything We Never Knew came across as a deeply personal narrative - at times I had to remind myself it wasn't Julianne's memoir. What started out highly engaging, soon turned into a plot that struggled to hold my attention. Lexi experiences bouts of survivour's guilt and anxiety. It's a story of finding oneself and the going through the process of deep healing. Lexi's character growth leapt off the page and is the true strength. I appreciated learning about the Saturn return.

Julianne narrates the audiobook herself. While the pacing and intonation suited the plot quite well. the narration truly lacked the emotional depth of the complex storyline. I expected much more emotion in voice and atmosphere from such a deeply personal story, especially one about healing.

I had incredibly high hopes for Everything We Never Knew that unfortunately were not met. It ended up being meh despite containing such a unique concept and content. Additionally, the ending felt like it cut short a story because the word count was reached. With that said, it is unlike anything I've read before, so kudos to the authors for stepping outside of the mainstream.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• the spiritual world
• unique plotlines
• witchy vibes

⚠️ CW: infertility, miscarriage, blood, toxic familial relationship, child abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, death, child death, boating accident, drowning, overdose, mental illness, panic attacks/disorders, cursing

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"You learn to hear the blank spaces in other people's stories when you insert them in your own."

"We want to believe we're in control so badly that we convince ourselves everything is our fault. Because the alternative - the world being totally random and our of our hands - is terrifying."

"You hate the new shape of the world, but you accept it anyway."

No. Just no. This book was so over the top. The narrator was annoying and whiny. It was just not good.

A journey in the path of healing a trauma that causes a dissociative amnesia.
The book is all over the place, I didn't get attach to any of the characters involved in the story. The disclosure/realization is a little bit too unrealistic, the monologue is overly optimistic like everything is fine after it. On the contrary the very last dialogue of the book is extremely well written.

Just finished listening to the book, Everything We Never Knew. This book was just released this week, August 13th. It was both written and narrated by Julianne Hough. I've been a fan of hers ever since I was a kid watching her and her brother as some of the professional dancers on Dancing With The Stars. I had her debut album when it came out and used it with my singing teacher for my singing lessons when I was a kid. Some of my favorite movies of hers were Safe Haven, Grease Live, and Footloose. So as you can imagine, I was super excited to be chosen to listen to this audio ARC of her debut novel! And wow, this was such a beautifully written story full of hope, strength, finding yourself, healing yourself, learning to love yourself after trauma. Many parts of this story struck a personal chord with me. I am so thankful she wrote this book, because I needed this book. She has also written new music, songs to go along with this book, and I cannot wait to listen to them. I highly recommend this book, it was such an incredible and powerful story. 🤍📚

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this audio ARC of Everything We Never Knew, in exchange for an honest review.

This was almost a DNF for me. I was excited when I heard Julianne wrote a book, and while it had an interesting premise, it fell flat.
Here’s the premise: Lexi Cole starts experiencing weird phenomena, feeling others’ emotions and experiencing their memories, while sometimes having audio or visual hallucinations. When a vision reveals her husband is in danger, her abilities are put to the test.
This had the potential to be great but went off on too many alternate storylines like her family, her job, “training” etc and it became very confusing to follow. The only thing I enjoyed was Julianne narrating her novel.
Thank you to RBmedia for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.