The setting of this book was just what I needed for a fall/winter forest vibe. I really felt like I was in a town in the middle of no where trying to solve this mystery. I can never resist ghostly elements in a book, they were done in a very realistic way that I would imagine a grieving twin could experience. The two mysteries were connected perfectly, I thought I knew where it was going but I was wrong. I got the ending I was hoping for, really enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House publishing for the advanced copy of this book.

I went into this book blind. I have other books by Adrienne, but I haven't read them yet. I didn't read the summary, and I was pleasantly surprised by the content of the book. It's part romance, part mystery, part small-town prejudice, part coming of age (even though everyone is much older than young adult), and part paranormal (not really, but tiny amounts of spiritualism). I loved how everything intersected and nothing was overly graphic or too high stakes. Good character growth and plenty of surprises in the end.

I really wanted to like this one more. 60% of the book was an extremely slow burn where I just couldn’t wait to be done. Once the story started to finally pick up it was SO good!! The ending tied everything perfectly together and I like the double twist.

I love Adrienne Young's books! "A Sea of Unspoken Things" is a captivating and atmospheric novel that weaves together elements of mystery, romance, and suspense to create a truly immersive reading experience. Author Adrienne Young masterfully transports readers to the small forest town of Six Rivers, where secrets lurk around every corner and the past refuses to stay buried.

The story centers around James Golden, who returns to her hometown after her twin brother Johnny's mysterious death. As she delves deeper into the circumstances surrounding his passing, James must confront not only the ghosts of her past but also the eerie atmosphere of Six Rivers itself.

Young's writing is both haunting and beautiful, drawing readers into a world where nothing is quite as it seems. The slow-burn pace and intricate plot twists will keep you on the edge of your seat, while the vivid descriptions and rich character development bring the setting and its inhabitants to life.

"A Sea of Unspoken Things" is a masterful blend of genres that will leave you breathless and yearning for more. If you enjoy atmospheric mysteries with a touch of romance and the supernatural, this novel is not to be missed.

3.5 Stars

The story repeatedly alludes to a life-changing event involving another character’s death but doesn’t provide enough background information, making it feel repetitive and slightly frustrating. This lack of detail also left me unclear about James’s motivation for leaving Six Rivers in the first place.

Meanwhile, as James searches for answers about her brother’s death, she’s also reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend, who was once her best friend. These two storylines felt like they were competing with each other rather than working together, creating a sense of disconnection between the plots.

That said, I absolutely loved the author’s prose and her vivid descriptions of characters and settings. She does an excellent job of immersing the reader—I could clearly visualize everything and feel James’s anxieties.

The pacing improves significantly around the 70% mark, and from there, the story becomes incredibly engaging and twisty.

This book was… different. Different from what I expected because I didn’t read June Farrow so I haven’t read Adrienne write contemporary. I enjoyed the premise of the story and how it pulled you in from the beginning, as well as the mystery aspects. I just didn’t care for the characters all that much, and didn’t find myself caring about what happened to them.

I was so excited to receive an advanced reader copy of A Sea of Unspoken Things! This was my first time reading Adrienne Young, though I already own several of her books.

The story started off a bit slow but quickly drew me in. I felt completely transported to the small town of Six Rivers and immersed in the deep connection that James shares with her twin brother.

Adrienne Young’s writing is beautiful and captivating, and I’m excited to read more of her work in the future.

While this book is written beautifully, it was unbearably slow and dry for at leas t 60%. By the time things 'picked up' I had already figured out everything that was going to happen. I appreciate Adrienne Young's attempt at adult fiction, but I honestly believe she does better at fantasy worlds and YA. Fable/Namesake were my absolutely favorite books, but her adult books are just falling flat.

Adrienne Young is an auto-buy author for me, and this book was no exception when it comes to her greatness. This book tells the tale of our main character's twin brother's death, and as the mystery unravels, she must learn more about herself the process. It was filled with twists and turns and Young's gorgeous, ethereal writing. I wasn't expecting the magical realism parts, but it was a welcome surprise. I was sad to part with the characters when the book was over!

A SEA OF UNSPOKEN THINGS was such a disappointment and a let down for me, given how much THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW meant to me. Because of TUOJF, Adrienne Young is an author that I am constantly recommending to my friends who ask me what to read next. After this book, I'll be saying "You should check out Adrienne Young ... anything but THE SEA OF UNSPOKEN THINGS." That's not fun at all. I wonder if having the audiobook to really bring the story to life would help me enjoy this more, and I'm open to exploring that when this book releases in 2025. If I enjoy this more after a reread, I will come back and eat my words!

Slow burn mystery with a touch of magical realism. I enjoyed this read quite a lot - the best part being the writing has a beautiful, ethereal style to it.

James returns to her small home town after she learns her twin brother, Jonny has been mysteriously killed whole out in a remote area of the forest. She has always felt a strong bond with her brother to the point of sometimes even feeling his emotions and having flashbacks of his experiences. She wants to get to the bottom of what happened to him, and in the process must reconnect with her brother’s best friend (who is also her first love), Micah.

The mystery elements of this weren’t huge shocking twists but more of an unraveling of everything that led to the death of her brother. The last third of the book definitely picked up the pace and I liked the ending. Enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Sea of Unspoken Things is the story of a young woman who returns home after years away to investigate the death of her twin brother, while also coming to terms with her own haunting past.

Another slam dunk for Adrienne Young! The Unmaking of June Farrow was one of my favorite reads this year, and Young’s unique brand of magical realism comes to life yet again in A Sea of Unspoken Things, this time combined with a thriller/mystery storyline. Raw, evocative, and suspenseful, this story keeps the reader on their toes. I will admit, the beginning was slow-paced, but when it starts to pick up towards the middle, it’s hard to put down!

I love when I find an author that many of my followers haven’t heard of and then they become addicted too. . Adrienne Young is a true, masterful storyteller. I fell in love with her writing when I read Spells For Forgetting and she got me again with her new book A Sea of Unspoken Things. Johnny and James are twins. Johnny is a “storm in the clouds.” He has a “soft heart with a wild soul.” James feels the need to always be there to protect him. She feels a supernatural connection to her brother. While Young has some magical element to her stories they are the perfect amount, not making the story unrealistic. It’s like seeing a butterfly and believing one of your deceased loved ones has come to visit.

Johnny and James are twins, and Micah is the glue that keeps them together. I loved all the three of their characters.

This story is about family, it is about the need to protect the ones you love. But…..would you kill to protect them? There is a mystery involved in the story but this book is way more than a mystery in a small town. Small town story’s written by the right person are the best. This story was the best!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Adrienne Young writes books that are in beautiful even though they are set in dark places. I can feel the places she describes. Her writing is beautiful and detailed without being too much.

I really enjoyed the story of James coming back to Six Rivers after the death of her brother. Helping finish his project, coming back to a very small town, and trying to find out how he died all become the focus of James trip. Micah is her high school boyfriend but also her brother Johnny’s best friend, and James needs his help to reconnect with who her brother was before he died.

The mystery in this story was well done and I really enjoyed it.

4.5/5 stars - I could NOT put this book down!

James Golden returns to her hometown in remote Northern California after her twin brother has died. As she tries to tie up loose ends in his life, she finds herself questioning what happened to him and reflecting on the tragic circumstances under which she left her hometown twenty years before.

Part a mystery (what happened to her brother? Was his death truly an accident?) and part a moving narrative about grief, this novel is beautifully written and treads the line between literary fiction and mystery, with a touch of magical realism thrown in.

This is the second book I've read by Adrienne Young and she's becoming an auto-buy author for me.

Another genre bending and blending book from Adrienne Young. One thing I love about her books is that you can recommend them to so many people, fans of fantasy, mystery, literary fiction, romance, and magical realism. This book felt first and foremost like a mystery. While the front half of the book introduced us to our characters and helped us understand them, the second half felt more like a murder mystery. The first half was a bit slow, but I stayed up until 12:30 reading because I couldn’t put it down once I hit the back half.

Adrienne Young continues to write the most beautiful stories. Her words allow the reader to immerse themselves into the story. This one is no different. Five stars for this gorgeously heartbreaking story.

James is summoned back home when her twin brother Johnny dies under mysterious circumstances. James left home for Art School and now resides in San Francisco. From the moment James steps back into Six Rivers, all is not what it seems.

James and Johnny, along with their friend Micah, have secrets. They also have a shared past. James has to confront all of this when she returns.

James and Johnny also have an unexplainable connection. If you have read this author’s previous books, you know she weaves a tale that has elements of magic. This book is no different.

This story is heartbreaking and beautiful. My favorite scene comes towards the end when James puts some of the pieces together. It’s just a beautiful moment for me that really brought the whole book together. I also loved the ending.

Adrienne Young is an auto buy author for me. I know from the first page, I’m getting an immersive story that will leave me breathless. This one exceeded my expectations - as this author always does.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, Delacorte Press, and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this incredible book. It releases on January 7th - 2025. Preorder your copy now - you will not be disappointed. I will always recommend this author’s books!

This book tackles a woman’s journey as she goes back to her small town that she fled twenty years prior, to bury her remaining kin, her twin brother. It tackles her grief as well as discovery of the person he was as compared to the person she thought he was, as she uncovers more mysterious things related to his death. This book unravels into her questioning if she ever truly knew her brother and what he was really doing on the gorge.

I found the elements of grief her very interesting and the lyricism that she uses to describe the connection the FMC felt with her twin brother, giving it a somewhat magical realism to it that I found fascinating.

Wow, this was beautiful. A haunting yet heartwarming story of girls attempting to escape their small forest hometown, of the urge to protect family at any cost, and ultimately of justice, self, love, and belonging. Adrienne Young’s writing is so gorgeously atmospheric, I was riveted by every chapter as the threads of this mystery slowly untangled.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Young hit the mark with a compelling story of a twins’ connection to her brother. She returns to her small mountainside hometown and goes on an emotional adventure that challenges everything she knew about him.

I’ve loved all of Young’s books and this one was no exception.