3.5/5 Stars

A Sea of Unspoken Things, which followed the story of a sister trying to learn the truth behind her twin brother's death, was a blend of magical realism and mystery. With beautiful scenery and a dash of romance, this novel was a very easy read. The plot progressed exactly as would be expected, with James not only finding the truth of her brother's death, but also falling back in love with Micah and her hometown. While the plot twists were not jaw-dropping or overly shocking, there were still many elements of surprise or uncertainties placed in this story.

As someone who adores being completely wrong when reading any story with a mystery, this novel fell short for me in that regard. With that being said, I think A Sea of Unspoken Things is the absolute perfect mystery for those who are looking for something cozy. If you love to curl up in front of the fire with a warm drink in hand, this is the book for you.

Short synopsis: James is investigating her twins brothers mysterious death, when she slowly discovers all the secrets he’s been hiding.

My thoughts: This was very different than the books I’ve previously read by Adrienne. It still has her signature magical realism. But this was such a slow burn with lots of atmospheric vibes and a mystery that kept me guessing until the end.

This book really made me sit back and think how well do I really know those closest to me.

Read if you love:
* Slow burn
* Magical realism
* Mystery with a touch of romance

Adrienne Young, as always, writes so beautifully. Ever from the first page, her incredible prose hooks you and conveys emotion so poignantly. I'm looking forward to reading future books by her!

This one hit me right in the feels. It’s haunting, emotional, and beautifully written. The bond between James and her twin brother Johnny is so intense, and you really feel her loss from page one. The small-town setting adds this eerie, quiet vibe that fits perfectly with all the secrets slowly bubbling to the surface. It’s part mystery, part grief journey, with a bit of second-chance romance thrown in. If you're into atmospheric stories that unravel slowly and make you feel all the things, this is definitely worth a read.

Some books change you and leave you thinking about them long after you’ve read them. Then there are other books, ones that you might enjoy, but never think of again. A Sea of Unspoken Things happened to fall into the latter category. 

James and Johnny Golden are twins with an uncanny connection to feel whatever the other feels. At the outset of the novel, James travels back to her hometown; a small town in Northern California, to pick up the pieces after Johnny is killed in an accident. 

But it appears even death wasn’t able to sever James and Johnny’s connection—James continues to see visions of Johnny as she rifles through his life and begins to piece together clues about his death. In doing so, she stirs up long-buried secrets from their past. 

In simple, lyrical prose, Young takes us through a journey exploring James’ teenage years growing up in a small town, the secrets she’s spent a lifetime trying to forget, and the first love she never forgot about. With all these elements put together, the story was an enjoyable one to read, but one that hasn't left much lasting impression on me.

Of all the elements that this novel had going for it, the writing was what got me to stick with the book. The plot is fairly fast-paced, and I never felt that it meandered at any point, or that it was too long.

If you're looking for a small-town cozy mystery with a dash of romance, this one could be for you.

This moody, atmospheric mystery was well-written. The setting really made the story as the forest itself became a sentient persona, and the only thing the isolated small town distrusts more than outsiders is one of their own who left. The dynamics played out in a captivating way and I was hooked from start to finish.

I’m so sorry to Adrienne Young but what was this book? Nothing really happened? And when things finally did happen it was all so fast that it felt chaotic? 80% of the book was slower than molasses and then BOOM everything happened.

3 stars for the vibes because I did love the remote town in the woods vibes and for the audio narrator 🤌🏼

3.5/5. I wanted more character development or time with the characters to relate to them more. I liked how flawed the characters were projected to be, but they felt a bit flat. The atmosphere was well written as it always is with this author. I think it was the strongest part of the story. This had a slow beginning, and did pick up in the later half of the book. The mystery was interesting, but I think the story either needed to have a stronger paranormal/magical realism aspect to make that element worth it. Personally, I think Spells for Forgetting had a better balance of magical realism and mystery than this one. Overall, not a bad book but not the best of the author's.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for a review.

I loved this book SO much. Adrienne Young does such a masterful job of building such a believable world around you as you read. Her ability to transport you so as if you’re seeing the scenes play out in front of you is phenomenal.

I loved it. 5/5 stars.

I have always been a fan of Adrienne and I am so grateful to have gotten this ARC. Her books always leave me so inspired and empowered by the end. A beautiful story with such immersiveness.

This is my third read by this author, and I like how Young blends a little bit of magic with the real world.

In this one, James heads home after the accidental death of her twin brother. Once she's back, she starts seeing her brother, a not unusual occurrence for her. She has always had some kind of supernatural connection with him that has helped her stay connected to him, even though they haven't been spending much time together after a tragic death when they were teens. Now that she's back home, James begin trying to piece together what happened to her brother and whether or not his death was really an accident.

I liked this book. The theme of grief is heavy but without it feeling overbearing. The steps to get to the reveal at the end were a slow burn that kept me reading, and I was really interested in the small town setting.

This book also has an element of second chance romance, which I enjoyed as well.

If you're already a fan of this author or interested in magical realism, this would be a good option for you.

Honestly found this very boring which was not at all what I was expecting from this book or author! Kinda disappointed!

Twins Johnny (a boy) and James (a girl) were inseparable along with their friend Micah growing up in Six Rivers, California. That is until James fled the small town for college and city life in San Francisco and left the two behind as well as a secret they shared. She always had a unique twin bond with Johnny and knew exactly what he was feeling, so it came as no shock that she could feel his death miles away. When she comes back to town after almost twenty years away to settle his affairs, she starts to have more questions than answers about Johnny, his life, and his death from a supposed hunting accident.

This book was very captivating! It kept me intrigued and guessing throughout the story. Just when I thought maybe I knew what was going on, another twist was thrown in! Towards the end, I began to suspect what had truely happened, but it all came together in time. The characters were very well written, and the dynamic of the town was perfectly portrayed to mimic small town life in a secluded region. I absolutely devoured this book and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!

a solid 3 stars.

Adrienne Young truly has a knack for atmospheric writing. It is definitely a trademark of her writing. ASOUT is my 2nd novel from her, The Unmaking of June Farrow being my first. This story is much more of a mystery with a dash of magical realism and a smidge of romance. I would say the third act of the book is what really grabs you. Personally, none of my predictions of who the killer may be was right - so when it was revealed I was taken aback because I was not expecting that character to have done it. This was a good enjoyable nighttime read

If you want a quick melancholy slightly eerie story then A Sea of Unspoken Things is the book for you.

It definitely did not disappoint! I can't even put into words how tangible the town and its people were.
There's an eerie familiarity to it all that genuinely made me feel like I had been right there with them. There were so many scattered pieces of this mystery that kept me hooked and the ending was not something I had predicted. This was such a comforting read, and I really recommend it for anyone in the mood for something mysterious with just the right amount of suspense

The prose was lyrical and beautiful but the plot itself was lacking. I was disappointed because I typically enjoy this writer. The pacing lagged and nothing happened for the first 40 percent of the book.

This was just too similar in theme to Good Dirt, which I read directly before it. I would definitely read another title by this author though.

I enjoyed reading this. James has returned some twenty years after to her hometown from her life in the city. Her twin brother Johnny has died in a tragic accident. Her twin has always been felt by her and even after his death, she can still feel him. Small town tragedy with no resolve. James is determined to put her brother’s spirit to rest by solving what happened to him, and at the same time realizing that she really didn’t truly know him.

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young
⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the first time reading this author. I have heard her novels are great, but this was disappointing for me.

What I liked: The ending accelerated finally, and the story made more sense. It was a lagging start to a rapid crescendo. The element of mystery and secrets kept me vaguely interested.

What I didn't like: At the beginning, the plot was tedious and slow. The characters' development was lackluster. The story was not engaging, and I had difficulty resisting the urge to DNF.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, for the advanced reader's copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Netgalley #ASeaOfUnspokenThings #MysteryandThrillers #SciFiandFantasy #WomensFiction

pleasantly surprised!! loved the mystery with a little bit of sixth sense/magical woven in. ending left me a little meh but it was very immersive and i enjoyed reading it.

the feelings of the loss and the family and love was just all very deep and had me feeling everything, which is why i liked it so much.

i had low hopes because June farrow was a flop for me - it was marketed as mystery with a little magic but it was like magic with a little mystery. this was way more mysterious while still including some magic!

many thanks to netgalley and random house for the arc!