I have to protect my peace on this one. As an identical twin myself, I’ve spent decades now being asked if I had a sixth sense, could feel my twins pain, sense them….etc. Originally, from the synopsis, I hadn’t realized there was a heavy magical realism vibe with the twin relationship. Due to this, the slow pacing and sibling death, I chose to DNF this at about 40%.

There is a great deal that is special about being a twin but I can’t handle reading a book about the death of that sibling, let alone a layer of mysticism about it.

What I will say and why the 3-star despite DNFing is the authors writing is incredibly lyrical and soothing. I would definitely try something else from her but for right now this hits too close to home.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a slow burn for sure, but once the fire blazes it is a wild blaze. I stuck this one out because I actually really enjoy the writing style of Adrienne Young, I enjoyed it in The Unmaking of June Farrow. I find a lot of the narration to be similar to internal monologues and stream of consciousness. I did however find serious issue with the fact that they said "The California Academy of Sciences" EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. No abbreviations no just saying, "the project," it was always the full phrase which no one would reasonably say in conversation. NO ONE.

For that very specific reason this book cannot be rated four stars. The editor dropped the ball on that. It's unnatural.

Young's novels always turn into a binge read for me, and this one was no different. I finished it in less than two days.

As a supernatural/paranormal fan, I was completely there for James's twin connection with her brother that continued even after his death. Johnny died from a gunshot wound and, despite being miles away, James felt the pain the second it happened. She shared the vision of the last thing he saw - his view of the trees above as he lay in the forest. While staying in his cabin and moving about the town, she continues to feel his presence, and it's overwhelming at times. As she delves deeper into his life and wraps up loose ends, James begins to wonder if she ever knew her twin at all. But things aren't adding up, and she doesn't believe her brother was accidentally killed by stray gunfire from a hunter as local law enforcement states.

I had part of this mystery figured out, but another aspect came as a complete surprise. I love it when that happens. Besides the question of what happened to Johnny, there's also a missing girl he mentored in photography and an incident that occurred when Johnny and James were in high school that resulted in the death of a student. Friend/secret high school boyfriend Micah aids James in her search for the truth. It doesn't come as a surprise that they rekindle their relationship. I wasn't feeling the chemistry between them, but it's also not a primary focus of the story.

If you're not reading this author, you should immediately add her to your list. She's written both adult and young adult titles. For readers who enjoy prose-like writing, immersive small town mysteries, and a dash of the supernatural.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love Adrienne Young's writing but this particular story did not grip my interest as much as in previous books (The Unmaking of June Farrow was insanely good!) This book is definitely different, without any magical aspects. I also found the whole thing sort of somber and sad, which was not the vibe I was expecting. The book is very slow in the beginning and I never found it picking up as much as I had hoped. I did like this one but didn't love it.

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
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"We could fill the fucking ocean with the things we never said to each other."
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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!