If I hadn’t read other reviews, I would’ve given up on this book very early on (as I have with other books from this author). I’m not one for a “slow burn”.

But ultimately, I’m glad I stuck with it. The ending was satisfying, even though I didn’t know it was a thriller going in. A couple of creepy moments that literally had me turning on the lights.

Adrienne Young is a fantastic writer, and I was so excited to read "A Sea of Unspoken Things". Like her previous works, the world building is gorgeous and the characters leap off the page. A great read.

3.5⭐️

Read this in one day, I enjoyed it but I was hoping for more from Adrienne as June Farrow is my all time favorite book. But it was interesting. Always was hoping for more magical realism aspects, and was slightly disappointed that there wasn’t really any. The writing was beautiful and the story was very interesting. Feels like a few things were left unanswered to me, and/or were wrapped up quickly when other parts dragged on.

Thank you for the arc Netgalley & penguin Random house

Adrienne Young is not one I like to miss. She is weaves such beautiful words and metaphors into mysterious and riveting plots. I couldn't put the book down and just HAD to know how it ends. James is a wonderful heroine.

3.5!! This was super mysterious and really had me guessing the whole time!! The first twist I wasn’t really sure how i felt about but I’m glad we had the second one because it felt like there was definitely something else going on!! It dragged a little for me at the middle party which was why i’m rating it 3.5 but overall I really enjoyed it!!

Adrienne Young's A Sea of Unspoken Things is a captivating blend of mystery, magical realism, and emotional depth. The story follows James, who, upon the sudden death of her twin brother Johnny, returns to their hometown of Hawthorne, California. There, she delves into the secrets Johnny left behind, uncovering layers of their shared past and confronting unresolved emotions.​

Young excels in creating an atmospheric setting that immerses readers into the narrative. The small-town backdrop is rich with secrets and complexities, enhancing the story's depth. The exploration of James and Johnny's unique bond adds a layer of intrigue, though at times, the supernatural elements felt underdeveloped. The pacing is generally engaging, but certain plot points could benefit from more thorough exploration.​

Overall, A Sea of Unspoken Things is a thought-provoking read that combines elements of suspense, romance, and magical realism. It's a story about family, secrets, and the lengths we go to protect those we love, making it a worthwhile addition to Young's body of work.

I really loved this slow-burn mystery! The main female character, James, was so well-written, and I loved following her as she navigated her grief, uncovered secrets, and tried to understand what really happened to her twin brother. Her connection with Johnny felt so real, and the way her emotions were written made me feel everything right along with her.

The mystery unfolds slowly, but in the best way—it kept me immersed in her world, and I loved learning things along with her. I loved seeing her interactions with her old hometown friends and acquaintances, and the town itself was a nice setting for this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an eARC of this novel!

Overall, A Sea of Unspoken Things offers readers a richly woven tale that masterfully intertwines the complexities of human relationships with elements of the supernatural, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate nuanced storytelling.

📖: A Sea of Unspoken Things
✍️: Adrienne Young
📃: Delacorte Press
🗓 Pub Date: January 7, 2025
Genre: literary fiction, thriller
Format: Kindle
Pages: 277 pages
--
"We could fill the fucking ocean with the things we never said to each other."
--
Adrienne Young's writing is beautiful! I have heard so much of her books, especially The Unmaking of June Farrow, and I was excited to read her work for the first time.
We follow James who recently lost her twin brother, Johnny, and now must return to the town she grew up in. James shared a deep bond with her twin brother, and she feels that even though he passed away, the bond is still there. She decides to find out who killed Johnny and feels this bond will help her. She reunites with an old love, old friends, and visits old time places. While searching for answers, she begins to uncover secrets, things never said and possibly even more questions than she had at the beginning. There’s a chance she was not as close with her brother as she thought.
I LOVED how she blended genres together - we are getting a fiction book that keeps you thrilled to find out the truth, adding a bit of romance and magical realism too! I do want to add that this is more of a slow burn mystery, but I enjoyed how it all ended up.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

I am a big fan of Adrienne Young, but I didn't love this book as much as her others. It was still very entertaining and I enjoyed the twists towards the end.

James and Johnny are twins, and when Johnny is killed in a hunting accident, James returns home to sort things out. The more she finds out about Johnny's life, the more she wonders if there was more to the accident than originally thought.

This book has a lot of layers. There's not only the mystery of what happened to Johnny, but there's a lot going on with James. She's grieving her twin, returning home after a long time away, and mending friendships and relationships.

I thought it was well written, but the pacing was a struggle in parts. It's a slow burn, for sure. I really liked the descriptions of the town, the cabin, the woods, etc. It was very easy to visualize everything without it being overly wordy.

3.5 stars.

This was my first book by this author, I did enjoy it at times but it felt very slow and I was kinda of bored which made me stop and put this book down a few times but everyone kept saying it was amazing which is why I was picking it back up! I'm not sure if this has been marketed as a thriller but it felt like one and I'm not much of a thriller reader so that could be why I wasn't really getting into it!

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I definitely liked it better than the first one. Very suspenseful and her characters are all well developed, however, I gave it 4 stars because the story did seem to drag on. Thanks for the ARC.

Everytime I read Adrienne's books, I am in awe and I am in love with all Adrienne's books. Mystery with Magical vibes --> this one is for you

A story of the connection between twins, their desires , and the choices they made that led to different lives and separation. I'd say this was a slow-burn murder mystery with distracting details to lead the reader off the scent of the real murderer.

I thought this was phenomenal. I think, having never read a book by this author, I was completely free of preconceived notions or ideas or comparisons to make, which left me free to enjoy it for exactly what it was. The best part of the book was her writing. It was lyrical in a way that you don’t find in thrillers, giving the story a unique and tangible voice. I also feel like it’s rare to find a thriller with elements of magical realism that doesn’t rely on magic to create a convenient resolution. Here it was a complicating factor that pulled you in different directions in a way that was truly fascinating. I also loved the characters and being inside James’ head as she was inside Johnny’s. It was such a unique experience again only made better by the way the story and the dialogue were written. I also loved Micah, who felt like such a good, steady foil to the twins. I loved the way the themes of the book wove together into a tapestry that left you racing to see what would happen next while also holding your breath. This wasn’t just a story, it was an experience and I truly loved it.

This was my third book by this author and I enjoyed it! The book started a little slow, however the twists made up for it in the end. I’d recommend!

A Sea of Unspoken Things

3 stars/5

This was not my favorite Adrienne Young book, but her writing is beautiful just the same. Plotwise, the story just never came together for me. I think the book would have benefited from a dual timeline, which has been done well in Young's previous books.

The descriptions of nature and the wildlife did draw me in, though I did not find any of the characters likable. I was surprised by the twist at the end, although I just felt like the whole thing was a little too long.

Read if you like:
☁️ Atmospheric reads
🕵️‍♀️ Mystery
❤️‍🩹 Second chances
🏡 Family bonds (twins)

1️⃣ POV
📍Hawthorne, California

I would like to thank NetGalley, Delecorte Press, and the author for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

“Maybe we were made in the dark, like Johnny said, but we'd found a way to create our own kind of light.”

James and Johnny always shared a special bond thanks to their twin connection. They grew up together in a small California town, essentially on their own. So James can feel it, the moment her brother is killed in a tragic accident. As she returns to Hawthorne to settle his affairs, she has to face their past, including Micah, the only man she’s ever loved and Johnny’s best friend. Being home, James can still feel her twin’s presence and starts to wonder if his death truly was an accident.

As with other books by Adrienne Young, this book has a strong sense of place and as I was reading I felt like I was in the forest with James. The prose is beautiful and I was invested in the mystery. It’s was fun to experience all the twists and turns and while I was able to guess a piece of the mystery I was surprised by the ending. The beginning of the book was a bit slow, it took until almost halfway for the plot to pick up a bit and I wish I had liked the characters more. I really liked Micah but it was hard for me to connect with James. If you’re in the mood for a darker mystery, especially on a rainy day, give this one a try.

This is only my second book by Adrienne Young but I thoroughly enjoyed it — even more than The Unmaking of June Farrow. I loved the small town feels, and how the forest is almost its own character. I enjoyed the mystery aspect and the way it deals with the question “how well do we truly know someone” — the way James has to slowly peel the layers of her brother’s life and his death was captivating and I thoroughly enjoyed how it all pans out in the end.

Loved "Unmaking of June Farrow", so I was so excited to receive this from Netgalley! Another beautiful, human tale of love, loss, and how people interactions, however small, impact others. Loved it!