On so many levels, this book touched my soul. The hope, fear, and longing hits you hard. The author delves deep into the intricate connections between twin siblings and the lengths they go to protect each other. At every turn, James is haunted by ghosts of the past that even death can't quiet. As James digs deeper and deeper into her brother's life, she will question the past choices she made and whether she ever truly knew her twin at all. Page after page is filled with mystery upon mystery and cements why Adrienne Young has become one of my favorite authors. Sending hugs your way for a stellar new addition to my book collection. It's definitely a welcome addition to the literary world.

📖 Book Review: A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young

‘Maybe we were made in the dark, but we’d found a way to create our own kind of light.’

My thoughts 💭

Please check for trigger warnings. ‼️

Thank you NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Adrienne Young for providing me with an ARC of this book. As always, all thoughts are my own.

This was certainly not at all what I was expecting but man, that’s a great thing. In this story we are following James, a girl who grew up in a small town with her twin brother, Johnny, but ended up leaving to start her life in a big city. She comes back only because she finds out her brother was murdered. Through her discovery of what happened to Johnny she ends up reunited with everyone she grew up with. Including, an old flame, her ex best friend, her brothers first love and her son, and finally the begrudged father of their late childhood friend. This book was so much more than a murder mystery. It was a love story, a coming of age story, and so much more. Adrienne Young did an incredible job putting you in every single characters mindset to be able to understand why they did some of the things they did. And the ending was absolutely beautiful. I would definitely recommend this book to friends if not just for the beautiful writing itself. 4/5 ⭐️

A meaningful and heart wrenching look at familial bonds, love, grief, and finding light in the darkness. This mystery is filled with breathtaking visuals with a dark layer of suspense and tragedy. If you like mysteries and a forest atmosphere I’d recommend adding this one to your TBR!

I liked this one more than June Farrow, but less than Spells for Forgetting. The first half is pretty slow, but it definitely picks up- tbh all her books are like this tho. Adrienne Young writing another small town mystery, I know, I was shocked too. I'm not mad about it, but I do wish we could more from her books. Especially this one. Like half the book is the characters are just reminiscing about the good ole times and I get it, but you also couldn't have paid me to care about any of them. I think that this fell pretty flat for ne personally, but I do think it's a good book and worth it if you're in the mood for a quick mystery read.

Adrienne Young has an amazing ability to weave fantasy elements into her books! A Sea of Unspoken Things is a mystery with some romance and a bit of the supernatural rolled up into one.

James and her twin brother Johnny were close growing up in their small town. It was pretty much just the 2 of them living in the woods until a childhood friend dies under suspicious circumstances and James leaves their small town to move to the city. 20 years pass and Johnny is shot in the woods with no suspects. James returns to collect his things but you know what they say about returning home again. She's quickly right back where she left off: in a will they or won't they with Micah (her childhood love) and trying to solve another mysterious death. But the more she digs, the more she realizes her brother was hiding a lot.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC.

A small town, a murder mystery, and the connection between twin's that transcends death all come together in this story about a woman who has to investigate her brother's death while confronting both her past and the man she left behind. James and Johnny Golden were inseparable twins who did everything to protect one another and shared a deeper connection... they could feel what the other was feeling and see into the other's thoughts and emotions. Yet after an accident involving their friend that ends in death, James leaves town.... but then years later she feels something wrong, and learns that her twin Johnny has been killed in a tragic hunting accident... but James knows that isn't true, she felt his last moments, she knows he was scared and was murdered in the woods of their old town. James decides to finally come back to her old home and find out what actually happened to her brother... but that means coming face to face with who her brother truly was and if she really knew him at all... and facing her buried feelings for her ex that all come crashing back now that she is finally back in town. Can James find out what truly happened to her brother and who did it... or will her small town's secrets bury her before she can find the truth? I have always been a huge fan of Adrienne Young's writing and this was another fantastic book from her. It's a fantastic small town mystery with a touch of romance and a touch of paranormal. It's really the perfect book to bring out on a cold day with a warm cup of tea or coffee. The atmosphere is so well built and the mystery flows really well. I've loved reading all of Adrienne's standalone adult books and this one was another one that I will be recommending to readers who enjoy a cozy read that is beautiful and a touch haunting. It's such a compelling read and just creates such a unique world and atmosphhere!

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

4.5⭐

*+:｡.｡𝓝𝓸𝔀, 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓹𝓮𝓸𝓹𝓵𝓮, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓹𝓪𝓲𝓷. 𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼.｡.｡:+*

WoW, this book had me in a chokehold. I kept getting blindsided one time after another was it better than "The Unmaking of June Farrow"? No. Is it 2nd in place of Adrienne's books for me? Of freaking course

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

My last Adrienne Young book was a 5-star so I'm so excited for this one Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC 💕

Thank you to Adrienne Young, NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballentine for this eARC copy

This review will have ***SPOILERS***



I really enjoyed this book, it was a quick, interesting read that really had me page turning on a bender for the last 50%
I did find the first 50% a bit slow paced. The romance was hardly there, and I thought, quite shallow, or unexplained.
The reason I gave it four stars is because I found the big reveal a little unbelievable. Autumn was missing for months with no one reporting it? Johnny was out looking for Autumn and hadn’t reported her missing?
Also the quick admission from each perpetrator with just a *look?*
I struggled with that.

I still ate this book up and will buy everything Adrienne Young writes. I’m a fan. This one just didn’t tick all the boxes for me.

Thank you again!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press for a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved Adrienne Young’s previous books: Spells for Forgetting and The Unmaking of June Farrow. The way she integrates magical realism, lush prose, and atmosphere is masterful. However, this time, in A Sea
Of Unspoken Things, while these elements were present, something kept me disconnected from the feelings I usually get when reading one of her books. The characters were a bit flat, the romance uninspired, the pacing dragged, and the plot isn’t anything that hasn’t been done before. I didn’t find myself wanting to pick this up to read, though I did keep coming back because of Young’s writing. I was the most interested at 75% of the way through when the murder mystery began to come together.

James Golden, an artist who has escaped her small town life and the secrets that haunt her past, has returned to Hawthorne to settle her brother’s affairs after a tragic accident takes his life, in the forest. Once back, she begins to investigate his death and begins to wonder if his death was an accident at all. Reunited with her teenage love, Micah, and led by the presence of her brother, Johnny, they unravel the mystery of Johnny’s life and what happened that day in the woods.

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy small town murder mysteries with a slower build up and pace.

James Golden has to return home after the death of her brother to a beautiful setting that felt so alive and made me feel as if I was stepping side by side with her. Though, James encounters the realization that she did not know her brother as well as she thought she did even with the deep connection she shares with him. Adrienne Young never fails to amaze me with her ability to create such a unique premise that is executed so perfectly. The plot was quick paced as everything started to unravel and pieces began to connect which had me on the edge of my seat. I never guessed what was going to happen next or what was going to be revealed about who. However, even with the lively descriptions of the setting and town, I found James lacking some depth and wish we could've delved more into her as a person rather than her place in life as a sister. Additionally, I wanted more of her relationship with Micah since the years of them knowing each other wasn't conveyed well enough. It would've been lovely to see them transitioning from a teenager relationship to now an adult one on more of a deeper level. Overall, Adrienne Young's writing is always a joy to read and it keeps readers involved with the plot line since I was only left wanting more as each chapter came to a close.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

Here is my feeeback for the book A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young. Thank you for letting me tread this book in advance . 4 stars

Adrienne Young did it again. James finds herself back in her small hometown after the death of her twin brother. The death has been ruled an accident, but this doesn’t feel right to James. James always felt an intense connection to Johnny while in their hometown, even after his death.

Adrienne was able to create a beautiful plot and characters even with the story being surrounded with death.

Well hello Adrienne Young! This was the first book of hers that I've read, and I was captivated!!! Her writing is exceptional. It is exquisitely detailed, resulting in a fully immersive and atmospheric experience for the reader. She also seamlessly blends different genres, giving a little bit of something for everyone. I am excited to read more of her books because it seems like these are common traits of her stories.

The first half of this story passes at a slower pace, which some may not like. However, it's during this first half that the tension, suspense, and doubt start to build. The slow pace feels intentional because of that. This story is like an onion- it has layers that you have to work your way through, and the beginning layers take a little longer to get past.

The second half of this book packs a punch, and the pace picks up. I love how the writing leaves the reader suspecting several people. While I guessed one of the ending twists, I was surprised by another! I enjoyed the ending and was pleased with how it all pulled together.

A woman returns to her hometown to find out what happened when her twin brother dies mysteriously in the remote woods of Northern California. She also deals with her own issues and prior relationships after leaving town abruptly twenty years ago for art school. There is also a bit of magical realism/paranormal activity but not as much as her other books. Beautifully written, but I found the pacing slow in the beginning. Also, felt like there were a lot of red herrings rather than developing suspects and building suspense.

Thank you to Delacorte Press, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
288 pages
Releasing: January 7th, 2025

Johnny and James, a set of twins, only have each other in life. When Johnny dies in a tragic accident, James takes it upon herself to handle his affairs. She is forced to rehash their ominous past & see the only other person who shares that past with her- Micah- who also happens to be the only man she has ever loved. As she begins to uncover secrets that her brother was trying to hide and that is death may not have been an accident.

Adrienne Young is a new to me author. She is an author local to me in NC & I have had several of her books on my TBR forever. I am so thankful to have gotten an eARC of this book. The descriptions, the prose, the writing style. I just love this book! This book was very well written- you have to peel back the layers to get to the meat of the book & see the final punch of the book. This book also encompasses multiple genres- romance, suspense, general fiction, and magical realism. Not many authors can do that but Adrienne Young sure can! Although I’ve never read her other books, I’ve heard this is different from the rest & I recommend you check it out!

Read if you like:
✨Atmospheric/moody vibes
✨Slow burn mystery
✨Small town vibes
✨Paranormal/romantic elements

Thank you @netgalley @delacortepress & @adrienneyoungbooks for this eARC!

#adrienneyoung #delacortepress #smalltownmystery #moody #paranormal #romantic

Adrienne Young does it again! Adrienne never ceases to amaze with her uncanny ability to blend multiple genres together - small town romance, thriller, as well as some magical elements.

This time around we follow James as she (yes she) heads back to her small town to pick up the pieces post the demise of her brother. Except…her twin-tuition is ringing that something nefarious is at play.

In classic Adrienne fashion, we see James run into members of the community she grew up with and rekindling old memories. I LOVED the flashbacks and building together the pieces of James’ life this way. It took some time for the plot to truly build, but I think it was needed for the second half to run!

If you’ve come to love Adrienne’s moody, mysterious writing as much as I have, then A Sea of Unspoken Things will not do you wrong!

Anticipated release: 1/07/25

Thank you to Adrienne Young, NetGalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy for my honest review.

I am slightly disappointed by my own review because I absolutely love Adrienne Young.

I had really high hopes for this book but it just didn’t stick or grab me like I hoped. It took me weeks to read this book. I had to force myself to pick it back up just to finish.

There’s a huge amount of foreshadowing for something that happened in the past. We, as the readers, know that it’s a big secret. It was almost too repetitive building that climax when we learned the secret…

I think Miss Young’s writing is great, the story line and plot has potential but it fell flat. It was a case of who done it but with 100 extra pages.

There were a lot of characters throughout the book. I really did like them all. It definitely provides the small town life, everyone is in your business persona.

SPOILERS:
- So it takes her getting stoned to admit she has a twin connection…
- I knew that Sadie was involved from the damn beginning!!!

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Happy I read it. Adrienne Young does an amazing job at setting the scenes and drawing in the reader. I think the plot dragged on for a bit too long and the climax of the end felt very sudden and too fast paced.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to be an ARC reader!

An atmospheric murder mystery set in the California logging forests. A slow build up of gripping tension and suspense as James returns home after a 20 year absence,upon learning of her twin brother Johnny's death., As she delves deeper into the supposed hunting accident, the spiritual connection with her brother guides her into new realizations both of Johnny's past life and his death.

The twins special connection gave a spiritual insight to the story. And the second chance romance between Micah and James was a bittersweet reunion. I loved Micah!

Adrienne Young's lyrical writing has the ability to transport the reader straight into the setting, blending mystery, romance, and magical realism.

This one swept me away!

Publishing Jan 7,2025

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the ear in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the ARC of A Sea of Unspoken Things! Adrienne continues to be an auto buy author for me! The way she tells a story and brings life to not only the characters but the settings is amazing. The mystery left me wondering as I had suspicions of many characters throughout the book. Adrienne wrote it in a way that let you really immerse yourself in the story while wanting to keep turning the page to see what came next. I also really enjoyed the love story part of the book and how it was woven in with the larger mystery. I need Adrienne to keep writing books because she can do no wrong! Thank you again for the ARC!

A fantastic read by Adrienne Young ! I'd never read anything by her before, but wow, her writing is just gorgeous. It completely pulled me into the story of James, who goes back to her small town after losing her twin brother, Johnny. But here's the thing: Johnny doesn't seem to be totally gone. Their twin connection is still there and James starts to wonder if something more is going on. The story has all the elements that keep you hooked: small towns, beautiful prose, and a touch of magical realism. The pacing was just right with mysterious twists that kept me guessing and the characters were wonderfully developed. Plus, there’s a hint of romance that spices things up.

Honestly, I couldn't put this book down. If you're looking for a captivating read with beautiful writing and a touch of mystery, you need to check this out!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC!