I struggled to get invested in this story, but I blame it completely on the timing I began reading it. I was traveling a lot and it made it so I was only able to read it here and there for almost two months. I forced myself to finish it this week and I’m glad I did!
I just love Adrienne Young’s writing so much. She tells stories so beautifully. I love how she writes a mystery! I found this one to be very atmospheric and I loved going into depth on the small town and relationships there.
I will always be an Adrienne Young fan! I need to get to her other books now!!

Huge thank you to Random House for the ARC!

For context, The Unmaking of June Farrow was an absolute knock-out 5 star read for me. Safe to say my expectations going into this one were sky high!

While it did have so many elements of a great book: amazing characters, character development, mysteries elements, great writing, etc., I found myself bored more often that not which really pains me to say. I saw many reviews that it was a slow start, etc, and even tempered by expectations and still was let down.

I'm still hopeful for her future releases and will read whatever she puts out next!

I’ll start by saying that I love Adrienne Young’s writing and the way she is able to draw you into a setting. However, the only other book of hers that I have read is The Unmaking of June Farrow. I adored that novel, and so it’s hard not to compare the two. For me, this just didn’t have the same magic.

From the beginning, the reader is made aware of some event in the main characters past that is a shrouded in mystery. It is eluded to often and after a while it started to feel very repetitive.

The larger mystery of the novel is very nuanced and I think done well. Young leads you to make assumptions that throw the reader off the track. I like to be surprised and I was!

Although I was a bit disappointed, it was an interesting novel that I think a lot of readers will enjoy.

I loved this book. I think it was the most well done with the mystery aspect since Young switched to adult books. The romance wasn’t quite as compelling but a great read.

I really love Adrianne Young’s writing. It’s always very atmospheric and immerse you in the story and characters. The first half of this book was admittedly, a little slow for me, but by no means was I bored reading. The second half picked up a little bit and overall was a wonderful read.

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley and Delacorte. Thank you for the opportunity to review. All thoughts are my own*

Wow! I just loved this one! Adrienne Young did it again with another hauntingly beautiful and atmospheric read. Filled with mystery, suspense, magical realism, and a gorgeous small town setting, this is one that you won’t want to miss.

James and Johnny Golden have only had each other. For as long as James can recall, her connection with her twin Johnny has gone so deep, she can actually feel what he feels. Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, and James knows even before she gets the phone call, that he is gone, and she is well and truly alone for the first time.

When she arrives in her hometown to settle Johnny’s affairs, she is forced to face some hard things from the past that she and Johnny shared. And she must finally talk to Micah, the only other person who truly knows. He’s also the only man she’s ever loved.

James soon discovers that the connection she had with Johnny isn’t quite gone like she originally thought. As she spends more time in the place she grew up, she has more questions about her brother, the person she thought she knew. She finds herself trying to figure out what Johnny was up to leading to his accident.

I enjoyed these characters and this setting so much and I hope that Adrienne continues to write more stories like this one. If you enjoyed Spells for Forgetting and The Unmaking of June Farrow, I think you’ll like this one too.

Highly recommend!

Adrienne Young’s writing is so smooth. So early to read.

This story follows a set of twins and their “family”. Small town gossip, feelings, and problems are brought up as one twin suddenly passes away due to a “hunting accident”

Things come into question about his death as answers are being uncovered. How much can your trust your hometown and these people you grew up with??

This was fantastic. Kept me sucked in the whole time! Loved the twists!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte press for providing the ARC!

I am giving this book a 3.5 rounded down. This book is a dark mystery book that tells the story of a grieving twin returning to her hometown to finish up her brother’s affairs. But as she stays longer, the more memories start to arise, and the more secrets can’t stay hidden.

This book is very akin to Bittersweet in the Hollow. It was fun, kept me on my toes, and the reveal halfway through kept me engaged all the way until the end. I appreciated how James went through her grief, and the almost supernatural element kept up that creepy cozy vibe throughout the whole story.

I think I would have loved to see more connection between James and the other characters in the story. I felt like when the reveals at the end of the book came to light, I was left wanting more in a sense. The best way I can describe it is that Johnny was so enigmatic that anything secret/reveal related to him just didn’t hit as hard as I wanted it to. I think the pacing was interesting but didn’t hit until halfway through the book.

I look forward to reading the Unmaking of June Farrow!

Adrienne Young is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of all time. This small town mystery with some magical realism sprinkled in made this book a very addicting escape. Her writing is so beautiful and I always forget I’m reading! Yes this book is a slower pace, however, I was so captivated by this story it didn’t matter. This book is one that lots of people will enjoy with the mystery, suspense, twists, touches of magical realism, and romance.

Highly recommend picking this one up! Get your preorders in now. This book releases on Jan 7th.

When James Golden returns to her hometown of Six Rivers, California, it is with a heavy heart. After being away for nearly 20 years, James is home to bury her twin brother, Johnny. Although they’ve been physically separate, they’ve always shared a nearly supernatural connection, able to feel each other’s emotions as if they were their own. And because of this connection, James knows there is something more to Johnny’s death than an accidental hunting shot.

Six Rivers holds many secrets and regrets for James, and she’ll have to face the past head on if she hopes to find justice for Johnny. Along with her ex and Johnny’s best friend Micah, James will have to decide if the life she’s made for herself in San Francisco is the life she still wants.

This was a great read! There were lots of characters with their own secrets that intertwined to create a captivating mystery. The more I read, the more I wanted to keep reading to discover the whole truth. There were many layers to this story, and the way they connected and built upon each other was so well done. The setting of Six Rivers was both eerie and comforting at the same time.

The combination of magical realism, mystery, and the slow burn pacing that ramped up as the story progressed make this a must read.

I really liked this book. The characters, the setting, the mystery…I just found myself wanting more from the plot. I felt like the whole thing was foggy but maybe that was the point, with the main character being shrouded in grief. Excellent offering from Adrienne Young. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

I devoured this in two sittings, and stayed up WELL past my bedtime for both of them. Needless to say, I really, really enjoyed it.

This lands as much more of a mystery to me than a fantasy, which felt a bit different for Adrienne Young, but was enjoyable regardless. The small fantasy/magical realism aspect did add something unique and interesting to the plot, but what really drove me forward was all the moving pieces, the complicated emotions explored between our characters, and all the different players in the mystery. This really is an exploration about things left unsaid between people who love each other and who have a very complicated and storied past. All of these characters are really complex based on their pasts and the way they connect to one another, and I also really really enjoyed the PNW forest town setting. I was completely surprised by literally every twist and turn, and it was so so so hard to put this down as a result of it.

I'm knocking off a star here because I wanted to be much more invested in the romance. It felt like it bloomed a bit late and as a bit of an afterthought, which is not what I've come to expect from Adrienne. I still really enjoyed them together and found them to be compatible, but I didn't feel super *excited* about them or their future together after the story ends.

Overall, if you like a mystery with a magical-realism bend, a complex exploration of family and small-town dynamics, and multiple converging murder mysteries with constantly changing suspects, I think you will really love this. If you're chasing a similar level of fantasy and romance to what you can find in The Unmaking of June Farrow, this definitely hits a bit different from that. Thank you so much to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for this eArc!

This is absolutely a me problem, because Adrienne Young is SUCH a popular author and I see her books getting raved about all the time, but for some reason I couldn’t get into this one. I went into it with an open mind, and tried to read it a couple times, and it just wasn’t for me. The writing style is something to be admired though, and Adrienne Young is very obviously talented, but I just didn’t love this one.

Thank you Adrienne Young, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press, and Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I ADORE the cover of this book, or really any of Adrienne’s books! Other than the fact that it’s written by Adrienne, that’s what really pulled me in! The typography is spot on and it’s just a gorgeous cover that makes you want to read it!
This book is a mystery-thriller romance with some magical realism elements! This book is expected to release on January 7th, 2025!

➼ small town
➼ magical realism
➼ mystery
➼ childhood friends
➼ thriller
➼ second chance

Trigger warning(s): death, assault

It did take me a little bit to get into this book, but it was the same way for The Unmaking of June Farrow and that one is one of my favorite reads from 2024! I wasn’t sure what to expect with this mysterious story. The description gives you so much to go off of from the start and my brain went into overdrive trying to predict what the outcome would be! Usually I’m really good at predicting the plot twists, but this one semi got me! I was definitely off for part of my suspicions, was truly shocked, but the ending I had predicted right even though I was hoping to be wrong.

James Golden returns to her hometown of Six Rivers after the death of her twin brother, Johnny. She’s set to settle his affairs when some questions arise about his death. You can see the character improvement from the start! James grows so much as a person, while she’s facing all the memories of the past!

★ ★ ★ ★/5
🌶️
💧💧

“𝓦𝓮 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓴. 𝓘 𝓾𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓙𝓸𝓱𝓷𝓷𝔂 𝓼𝓪𝓲𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓘 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓲𝓽’𝓼 𝓽𝓻𝓾𝓮.”

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Adrienne young is one of absolute favorite authors and this book did not disappoint. The family drama, the twists, the turns. The way she always wraps things up so perfectly with the prettiest bows. So perfect yet again.

I found Adrienne Young the first time she was a BOTM choice. I love her style of writing and the mystery she adds.
The cover of this book is beautiful. If I saw it at the store I 100% would pick it up to see what it’s about. The plot is intriguing too.
I liked this story didn’t love it like the other two I’ve read. Moved a little slow for me

5⭐️- I loved this one so much. It stole my heart there at the end. The characters were the highlight to me in this book. James was a strong female character that was so relatable. And Micah, just love him and his - will go to the ends of the earth - support to James and community. Small town vibes set the backdrop for this fast paced mystery. I could not put down and really drawls you right in to the story. Surprising reveal twists there at the end too that I did not see coming. Highly recommend and publication date is right around the corner!

Expected release date: 1/7/25

Special thanks to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for this complimentary digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

After the death of her twin brother, James goes back to her small hometown to find answers. While she is there she discovers she might not know her brother as well as she thought she did.

This book had a touch of magical realism with how James was connected to her brother. I enjoyed these elements as well as the mystery of finding the truth. This takes place in a small town and shows the dynamics of how small town life can be.

During this book James is not only looking for answers around her brother's death but also finding out what makes her feel again. It seemed like she had just been going through the motions of her life and no longer finding joy in what she did.

I liked the author's writing style. She was able to write what she wanted you to see. There were a few times where she talked about how Johnny saw how life was and coming into a dark world. It felt very emotional to me.

Seriously I am gonna need Adrienne to keep writing these amazing adult novels because they are some of my favorite books ever?!! This one did not disappoint with its suspense and who dunnit and had me second guessing what I thought was going to happen but it just made the story that much better. Such an amazing story!

I really enjoyed this story! The setting and atmosphere are spot on. I loved the isolated small town in the woods, full of local lore and residents with long memories who don’t take kindly to outsiders. The pace moves along nicely as well, dropping hints, spinning theories and then unraveling them. There’s a couple of good twists in there. Amidst all the mystery and drama there’s also really relatable elements like complicated family dynamics, difficulty setting boundaries, and reconciling past and present. A big thanks to Delacorte Press & Random House, and NetGalley for access to the eGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.