A Sea of Unspoken Things follows James whose twin brother Johnny was accidentally killed by a hunter while working with owls. She returns to her hometown to finish his work and tie up loose ends. James meets up with Micah who is her brother's best friend and her first love. She slowly uncovers her brother's secrets and the truth about his death.

Adrienne Young really has a great way of immersing readers in her stories and the surrounding environment. She writes so beautifully they you want to read and digest every word. I didn't know what to expect with this novel but I could not put it down. It was drama, small town life, romance, and suspense all rolled into one. I loved it!

Thank you to Random House Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read before release date. I enjoyed the book but felt like it was drawn out a bit, I lost interest a couple times. However, This book is a shorter read and would be a good pallet cleanser. Enjoy and happy reading!

I have posted my review on Goodreads my user name is Erica casimir

Yet another incredible atmospheric mystery thriller with a touch of the supernatural. Adrienne Young became one of my favorite authors after reading The UnMaking of June Farrow last year. While not quite to that height, A Sea of Unspoken Things grabbed me from the very first page and did not let go. When Jame's Twin Johney is shot and killed in what seems to be a hunting accident, James must return to the hometown she ran from and deal with secrets from both the past and the present. I loved how the supernatural connection that exists between James and her brother is understated but present throughout the story. Enough to add intrigue and questions, but without any sense of certainty or interference on the part of the ghost. The story had me guessing all the way through and pulled me into the dynamic of the small town characters. There is some romance and certainly more than one mystery to be solved, but what drives the story is the characters and Young never fails to weave a rich tapestry of connections and complicated motivations into their humanity. I loved this! 4.5 stars rounded up.

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me.
This book tried to be a thriller but it was just way too slow of a burn to build up any suspense. I found the plot very boring up until about 70% where things finally got a little interesting. There was also very little character development of James or Micah so I felt unconnected from both of them. The author spent so much time trying to get the reader to understand Johnny, that the development of the other characters suffered. I also usually like Young’s atmospheric writing but in this story, it just felt long and drawn out. Overall, I did not enjoy this one.

SYNOPSIS
- A grieving twin sister returns to her gloomy hometown to settle her late brother’s affairs. As she navigates her loss, she begins to uncover long-buried secrets about her brother, herself, and their past.

MY THOUGHTS
- While the premise had promise, the execution didn’t quite deliver. The book read more like a YA novel, which made it feel less impactful than I had hoped.
- The gloomy setting was atmospheric and fitting for the mystery, but the slow pacing often bogged down the narrative.
- I would categorize this book as a mystery with some magical realism sprinkled in.
- Character development was one of the book’s weakest points. I never felt like I got to know anyone, and I was never invested in any of the characters.
- The ending was particularly disappointing. After all the buildup, the resolution felt anticlimactic and unsatisfying, leaving me wishing for more depth and closure.
- While the setting and hints of magical realism were intriguing, the lack of character development and the slow pacing made this a less-than-memorable read. If you’re looking for a light mystery with a somber tone, this might be worth a try, but it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impression.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐⭐️ A promising premise with an atmospheric setting, A Sea of Unspoken Things ultimately falls flat due to slow pacing, underdeveloped characters, and an unsatisfying, anticlimactic ending.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press & Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchanges for an honest review. This book will be published on January 7, 2025.

If there is one word that sums up all of Adrienne Young’s adult books so far, that word would be “atmospheric.” Whether it’s a remote island village, a mountainous farming area, or a small town in the middle of the California redwood forests; you feel as if you are there with the characters in an incredibly visceral way.

I don’t tend to gravitate toward thrillers because I solve them quickly and then tend to be bored if there isn’t enough character depth and development to hold my interest. The ones I enjoy flow like this one, where the suspense builds slowly and the story is built upon the character layers and development in such a way that it’s tied to the mystery. I had my suspicions early on, but the mood, the characters, the setting, and the hints of magical realism kept me entranced even after I was pretty sure about what happened and why.

The pacing is deliciously slow because we are unpacking so much history and emotional content between the main character and the town she left behind twenty years prior. We are on her journey to figure out what caused the death of her brother, but we also see her journey toward combining who she was in the past and who she is now to figure out what she wants for her future.

For me, this was another hit novel by Young, and I’ll be sticking around to see what she comes up with next! Thank you so much for the advanced copy of the book, Netgalley and Random House/Ballantine!

3.5 - her prose is absolutely captivating and so beautiful. I was immediately drawn into the story and could feel and picture everything. It made me want to read every other book by this author.

The pacing for me was my biggest issue. It felt a bit slow until 60% and then I couldn’t put it down, because everything started moving at rapid speed.

This is an atmospheric and moody mystery meets general fiction, with a little romance and magical realism. I think if you’re a fan of this type of read and don’t mind a slowwww burn, you’ll enjoy it.

Hauntingly Beautiful. It’s hard to find words for this one. Small town, magical realism, slow burn mystery, atmospheric suspense, a suspicious death. Each chapter left you wanting more. The main character James Golden returns to the small town she grew up in to investigate her twin brother Johnny’s death. (Yes, her name is James) She ran from this town and the people there at the age of 18 but now needs to settle Johnny’s affairs. What she was told was an accidental hunting accident begins to feel off to her. The more she learns the more she knows she needs to know what really happened. I loved this book, the characters, the setting, the writing. 5 stars.

I was beyond excited to receive an early copy of A Sea of Unspoken Things. Not surprisingly, the writing in this book is beautifully done. The author truly works magic by immersing the reader in her writing. The story follows James, who reluctantly returns to her small California hometown after the sudden death of her brother. As she grapples with her grief, she begins to suspect that his death might not have been an accident. This sets her on a haunting journey back into a past she’s tried to leave behind. What unfolds is a slow-burn mystery that expertly builds tension and suspense, leaving the reader constantly on edge. I'd recommend this to fans of the Mare of Easttown, with its atmospheric small-town setting and layered characters. Buy the book for the gorgeous cover and stay for the beautiful prose! I'd give this book a 4/5.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second book by this author (Spells for Forgetting was my first) and I just don't think that her books are for me. I didn't hate this book but it's definitely not my favorite. I found it insanely slow and was very willing to take breaks while reading it. I really got into it at around 65% and at that point it got a lot more interesting for me.

Give this book a chance if it sounds interesting to you but I don't think I'll be reading this author again unless another one sounds truly amazing. Even then it probably wouldn't be at the top of my list.

As other reviewers before me have mentioned, this book can be a bit slow. I even know exactly what point they were referring to, when they said it only picks up around the 70% mark. Now, a slow pace may not be the end of the world, though having it misfiled as a thriller—a genre defined by its ticking clock—has done <i>A Sea of Unspoken Things</i> no favors. A slow pace can be comfortably mitigated by vivid characters, lush prose, and fantastic atmosphere. And none of these elements are <i>badly</i> done, per se. They're just nothing to write home about.

The characters are fine. They add to the plot and have dimension. However, I had a hard time caring about any of them on a deeper level, including our protagonist, James.

There are occasional beautiful passages. I particularly liked the flashback with James, Johnny, and Micah diving off the cliffs into the gorge. But just as often, the prose was humdrum, with a whole lot of tell-not-show frontloaded. There was also, I'm forced to add, a whole <i>whack</i> of typos and grammatical errors, not to mention at least one missing word and left-in notation symbol. This is an ARC, so I hope all of those were fixed between the ARC's release and publication.

I was hoping, going into this book, that the magical realism elements would lend the story a dreamlike, numinous atmosphere. The way James spoke of the forest, it feels like that was Young's intent as well. Unfortunately, while the magical realism forwarded the plot, it didn't transform it, feeling half-assed, if I'm quite honest.

The mystery elements were fine. The romance was mostly fine. If it didn't culminate in one of my least favorite tropes. Spoilers omitted, but what the fresh Lifetime hell. Ugh.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House—Ballantine for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.

✨ Atmospheric Suspense
✨ Small Town
✨ Magical Realism
✨ Suspicious Death
✨ Second Chance Romance
✨ Secrets and Lies

I’m convinced that everything Adrienne Young writes, I will love! This is a fantastic atmospheric suspense novel that follows James Golden as she refuses to believe the death of her twin was an accident. She returns to her small hometown after 20 years away to handle her twin’s affairs, to dive deeper into the circumstances of his death, and unravel the secrets that her town harbors.

I honestly couldn’t put down this book! I love Adrienne’s writing and how she pulls you straight into her story. I was instantly transported to the small logging town in Northern California and captivated by the small town life and the secrets that are hidden there. There are twists and turns at every corner as James reconnects with the people she left behind all the while digging into her brother’s life. Old memories and feelings are uncovered and she soon realizes that she may not have truly known her own brother or even herself.

I need to make a special mention of the relationship/tension between James and Micah! I love a good second chance romance and this was a definite will they or won’t they up until the very end!

Thank you so much to Delacorte Press for the advance copy! ❤️

An immersive mystery/thriller set in a very small town in California. James returns home to find out what happened to her twin brother after finding out that he was shot while he was in the woods. She has a feeling that all is not what it seems. Once in the town she starts to see his ghost as she begins reconnecting with people she has not talked to in 20 years. As James begins to dig deeper she finds that there is much more to the story than what she first thought and what has happened may somehow be connected to their past.

What I loved about this book is the imagery. I really felt immersed into Johnny and James' cabin in the woods. There was a dark vibe as well that really set the mood for this story. I also liked that there was much more to this story than I originally thought. Overall, a very solid thriller that mystery lovers will enjoy.

Thank you to Dell/Random House Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

3.25 stars

This book, in my opinion, is 100% a thriller — and it absolutely delivers on that front. I went into it not knowing much about the author, but based on the covers of her previous books, I expected something more along the lines of literary fiction. I honestly don’t even know why I thought that, but I guess I was expecting something more introspective or character-driven (maybe because of the cover art or vibes I picked up on). But no, this was pure, gripping suspense. Mind you i dived in 100% blind without reading tropes or a blurb.

The story centers on James, and her journey is packed with twists and turns that kept me hooked from start to finish. I actually finished it in under three hours because I couldn’t put it down. The first 60% of the book was solid, with a slower build-up that worked really well for me. But then, after that, things started speeding up a lot, and the reveals started coming at a breakneck pace. For me, it felt a little rushed toward the end, and I would have liked the mystery to unfold at a more measured pace to really savor those twists and discoveries.

One thing that stuck with me is how much I wanted more depth from James. I was hoping for more of an emotional exploration — like some self-discovery, grief, or healing on her part. Honestly, her life felt pretty empty to me, and I’m not sure if that was intentional to reflect her inner state or if I just couldn’t connect with her. She just came across as… lifeless, which made it harder for me to fully invest in her journey.

Another thing that felt lacking was her relationship with Micah. It wasn’t explored in any meaningful way. We’re told they were close in the past and that they get back together quickly, but there’s no real deep dive into their history or why they still care for each other. I get that this book isn’t a romance, but if you’re going to introduce a relationship, at least give us a little more context or depth to understand why these characters are together, especially when James herself feels so distant and disconnected imo.

That said, the book was still really fun overall. The writing was beautiful and lush, and the author definitely has a knack for creating atmosphere. The mystery itself was great — even though the pacing picked up a bit too quickly at the end, the plot was so immersive. Each chapter fed you just enough information to keep you wanting more, and I found myself completely engrossed in the twists. It was one of those books that pulls you in, and even though the ending felt a little rushed for my taste, I still really enjoyed the experience. In the end, I think this was a fun, addictive read with a strong narrative. It wasn't perfect (I definitely had some expectations that weren't fully met), but I’m glad I read it. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and sometimes that’s all you really need for a good thriller.

✨ Book Review✨

A Sea of Unspoken Things
By Adrienne Young
Publishes: 1/7/25
Genre: mystery (supernatural thread)

I thought this was a great small town mystery with a neatly woven thread of the supernatural. It is mainly a “whodunit” storyline, but it’s also about coping with grief and trauma, rekindling old relationships, and coming back home again. I definitely felt engaged in finding out the truth, but part of me wasn’t totally satisfied with the outcome. I rated this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

Thanks @netgalley for the opportunity to read the digital arc of this novel! It was a great add-on pick from @bookofthemonth for January!

#mysterybook #bookreview #bookrecommendation #supernaturalmysterybook #whodunitnovel #bookofthemonth #januarybooks #netgalley #bookstagram

I really enjoyed this fiction/thriller/magical realism book from Adrienne Young! Young really sets herself apart in this type of genre, as I feel like she always delivers in writing the types of thrillers that have a huge character focus and read more like a fiction book. There definitely were some magical realism/fantasy elements in this book too which gave it the signature Young feel. I actually was so hooked when reading this book and truly found myself gasping at the different reveals at the end of the book, I had no clue what was coming.

A Sea of Unspoken Things is about James and Johnny, two twins that have only ever had themselves. James has always been able to intuitively feel everything that Johnny feels, and knows before she gets the phone call that he is dead. James returns to their hometown to try and work out the mystery of what happened to Johnny, which leads to her digging up the past that she had ran from and kept buried for years. As James unravels the last few days of Johnny's life, she begins to learn how many others were entangled in this tragedy and who was responsible for so much of the death and tragedy in their town.

I listened to A Sea of Unspoken Things on audio and I LOVED the audiobook, it was so atmospheric and really made me feel like I was in the small town, in the forest, with James, trying to uncover the mystery of who killed her twin brother. I definitely would recommend listening to this one if you can get the audiobook, it made the book go by so fast and really pulled me into the mystery! This was a super fast read and I didn't get bored in any part of it, as there were so many main characters that each had a unique backstory and role in the main plot, and I loved how the ending brought all these characters together! I had so much fun reading this one and if you like Adrienne Young's books, or love a good fiction/thriller book, you aren't going to want to miss this one!! Thanks to Delacorte Press for the free book!!

A Sea of Unspoken Things is a story about love, grief, family, and friendship. James learns of her twin brother Johnny's death, which forces her to return to her hometown, Six Rivers—a place she has avoided for 20 years. Upon her return, she discovers that Johnny's death may not have been an accident but possibly a murder.

This book left me with a whirlwind of emotions. I felt giddy and happy for James, yet confused and full of unanswered questions. I craved closure, which the story didn’t fully provide. The fast-paced nature of the book made me wish it had been longer—I would have devoured every bit of an expanded version.

What earned this book 4 stars from me was its captivating blend of thriller, mystery, horror, and romance. However, the mystery remained unresolved, leaving me hoping for a sequel. I believe the characters and their stories need the closure they deserve.

Overall, this book evoked powerful emotions that I’m still trying to process. I loved it, yet it left me questioning my sanity. It felt like pieces of a puzzle were missing, and I’m eagerly hoping for a sequel to solve it all.

A huge thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Delacorte Press for giving me the chance to read this incredible story of James, Johnny, and Micah.

✨WHAT I LIKED:
📌 The friendship between Johnny, James, and Micah was heartwarming.
📌 Micah is the epitome of a true friend.
📌 Although it’s a thriller/mystery, I couldn’t help but get giddy about the chemistry between Micah and James—it’s absolutely overflowing!

✨TROPES:
📌 Slow - Burn Romance
📌 Love Triangle
📌 Sibling Bond
📌 Found Family/Friendship
📌 Grief and Loss
📌 A Subtle Hint of Spice

🖥️ GOODREADS REVIEW: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7161050338

💻 BLOG REVIEW: https://kimthebookdragon.com/2025/01/03/arc-review-a-sea-of-unspoken-things/

LINKEDIN REVIEW: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kinanahmanalao_arc-review-a-sea-of-unspokenthings-activity-7280703406032220163-3iWP?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Oh my gosh Adrienne Young does it again with a brilliantly atmospheric story that will captivate you and have you hooked from the first few chapters!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for sharing this ARC!

After adoring The Unmaking of June Farrow last year, I was so excited to receive an advance copy of A Sea of Unspoken Things. Adrienne Young is an excellent atmospheric writer. Her books are all vibes all the time, and this one is no exception. The mysterious and supernatural premise of this book was incredibly intriguing and for about 60% of the book I was on pins and needles with anticipation on how everything would resolve. Unfortunately, there were too many twists and turns that didn't make sense, and one major piece of the mystery is so unrealistic that I can't believe it didn't get edited. The writing is still enjoyable, so if you loved June Farrow and enjoy atmospheric stories, give this one a try.

what a beautiful slow burn mystery of a women coming back home to find her twin brother. adrienne always writes with a touch of magical realism thats leaves you breath taken. this is one to keep you hooked with paranormal and romantic themes throughout. big thanks to penguin random house for the arc and netgalley as always!
A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young will be available on January 7.