Ooo, this book had my heart racing from the very start. The Sea of Unspoken Things is a modern day mystery about a twin sister attempting to solve the answers behind her brother’s death. Revisiting her hometown of Hawthorne is the last thing that James wants to do due to her complicated history and reason for leaving years before, but when she returns to town to uncover the secrets behind her brother‘s suspicious death, she is surprised by the twists she finds along the way. Well paced and gripping, Adrienne Young does it again with this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for the chance to read this creative and deep mystery. The story centers on artist James, who returns to her small hometown after her twin brother passes away in a mysterious accident in the deep forest near their home. As James goes through her brother Johnny's belongings, along with the help of her childhood love Micha, she discovers she didn't quite know her brother and that his death was possibly not an accident.
The atmosphere of the town and forrest was its own amazing character. The astethic adds to the mystery and also added a level of comfort.
I loved James and Micha's connection. Their relationship was deep and complicated.
The pacing was a little slower in the first half than I had hoped, but as more layers are revealed, it built speed and intrigue. I really enjoyed the ending. There were only a few loose ends that I wish were tied up. However, it was still a creative and fun mystery.
There is an element of magical realism in regard to James and her brother Johnny's connection.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was original, serene, and mysterious. I recommend it if you're looking for an atmospheric slow burn thriller.

Thank you Random House publishing for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Adrienne Young's A Sea of Unspoken Things is a beautifully haunting novel. The story explores complex topics such as grief, love and the unstoppable forces that bind us all to one another. I was impressed with the characters as they felt raw and real with struggles that were relatable and, as usual, Young does not shy away from a good thought provoking plot. Combine that with her signature emotional depth and lyrical prose and Young has crafted a story that is both deeply intimate and profoundly atmospheric. The book also effortlessly blurs the lines of genres including thriller, mystery, lit fic and fantasy. This alone makes it an attractive pick for a myriad of readers. I personally enjoyed every second I was immersed in this book and would recommend to others. 4 stars

2.5 stars rounded up

I have a lot of mixed feelings on this one. While I really love Adrienne Young's writing because it is always atmospheric and mysteries in these types of stories, this one was missing answering a number of questions that I still had by the end. Two big ones I still have to do with James and Johnny's connection seemed like magical realism, but I wanted more the same with Johnny’s connection to the owls. The owls kept coming up through the story, so I was waiting for a revelation about it and why it was so important, but nothing ended up coming out about it. Both these points were just in the story because with no real point or explanation other than making the characters interesting and unique. I also have real changes in up tempo of excitement and action. When the big reveal happened there was no big surprise, the story just went at a smooth and kind of uneventful pace. This one was not really for me, I just did not have a connection to the story or characters, it was a little disappointing.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion

Not really sure how to feel about this one. I love Young’s writing, and her amazing ability to create a stunning atmosphere. I liked the story of James, who is brought back to the small town she fled after the death of her twin brother. The story has woodsy small town mountain vibes and the mystery is very slow paced and tied more in family and small town drama. There is a DASH of romance. The story just felt too slow, the ending rushed, and I really wanted to see more of the characters.
I would definitely encourage others to read this book, as I know some friends really loved it. I have to say it has been my least favorite of her books. I think it could be a great book club book since it could encourage some discussion.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to preview.

This book was so atmospheric. It follows James Golden as she goes back to her California hometown to settle her twin brother's affairs after his death. As twins, James and Johnny were so close and they told each other everything. James has always been able to "feel" Johnny, and back in the town where he lived and died she feels like she still can. This leads her to investigate his death, and she finds out she may not have known Johnny as well as she thought she did. There is also romance involved, but it's not the main focus. This was my second Adrienne Young book after The Unmaking of June Farrow, and while this didn't quite live up to the amazingness of that book, it was still enjoyable.

The Unmaking of June Farrow was one of my favorite books from 2024 so I was SO excited to read this one. I absolutely love Adrienne’s storytelling and the way she creates such a vivid atmosphere. This book instantly transported me into the world and had me hooked. The mystery aspect made me not want to put it down. This book confirmed Adrienne Young as one of my auto-buy authors!

A beautiful story about loss and those we love. They are never really far and the grief is real. Such a touching book. Short and her makes you feel all the feels!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young was my first book by her, and while I found the story engaging, it did feel a bit scattered at times. The characters and setting were intriguing, but the plot seemed to jump around in ways that made it hard to fully immerse myself. Still, the writing was strong, and there were moments of emotional depth that kept me hooked. Overall, it was a solid read, but the lack of focus left me feeling unsure—3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. This one was definitely an engaging and interesting story. I love the authors writing style.

The Short: Twins James and Johnny have a deep connection and for most of their lives have only had each other. When Johnny dies suddenly, James is left to deal with their lingering connection, his affairs, and their haunted past. When she goes to to take care of their childhood (and Johnny's last home), she begins investigating his mysterious death and begins to unravel his secrets and her own.

The Longer: A Sea of Unspoken Things is atmospheric and twisting as James is forced to face the past, and the life of her brother that she may not have always known as well as she thought. I'm not 100% certain what I was expecting from this book, but after finishing it, I think it's more thriller than anything and delivers in that genre. James, while feeling and going through so much, felt a little flat to me and I really wanted more from her - maybe some self-discovery or at least addressing/considering her feelings. Micah and Johnny at times had more depth than James did. The writing is really lovely, and felt like Young brought the setting to life, the plot is immersive and the mystery is good; the ending felt a little rushed, but overall, it was enjoyable and it kept hooked to keep reading. I wish there had been more to Micah and James' story.. not necessarily for romance, but to just have a grasp of their history/attraction/etc.

I’m reading anything by Adrienne Young.
What drew me to this book was the author. I personally have several of her books at home and will always stop when I see her name.

This story is different from other works of hers I’ve collected. Though I tend to enjoy her fantasy reads more, this work is still worth the read— still intriguing with mystery and grief.

A Sea of Unspoken Things drew me in from the very start. It felt like a privilege, being able to witness James investigate her twin brother’s death while trying to uncover the secrets that surrounded him.

I think this is Adrienne Young’s most twist-filled story yet! I really enjoyed the flip between present day and past. The flashbacks helped to understand the characters more deeply. Young’s characters are very well thought out. She is able to provide the reader with the perfect amount of backstory in a very organic-feeling way. Their backstory is told in a very natural way that lends to the story. Her characters are interesting and flawed in the best way. James’ inner turmoil throughout the book speaks mountains to Adrienne’s talent. I found the pacing of this book to be perfect for my personal reading preference. It started off with a bang and it kept me interested throughout.
The author has a way of creating an atmosphere that is so immersive that the reader can easily place themselves in the story. My favorite thing about Adrienne Young’s books is how I am able to picture the story in my head as I read. It plays out like a movie as I read along. I have enjoyed all of her books that I’ve read so far and look forward to reading her upcoming publications as well.

This is a story about regret, grief, and impossibly infinite connections. It may be short, but don't let the length fool you. It is full of depth and, what can only be described as, texture. Young has perfected the art of atmospheric prose and poetic love stories.

If you read Spells For Forgetting and liked it, you will likely enjoy this book as well.

If you are looking for a slow read that feels like you are being wrapped in a fluffy blanket, sipping tea by the fire, then you should read this book.

It explores themes of identity, grief, and connection in a beautiful way that is unique to Adrienne Young.

Now, if you are looking for an intense mystery or full-on romance...this is not a book for that. The mystery was more of a plot device used to help the main character explore her relationship with her late twin brother. The second-chance romance is tender and sweet, but also, not a focal point.

If you are prone to DNFing when a book has a slow start, be warned, this book doesn't really get interesting plot-wise until around the 40-50% mark. Which, considering it's less than 300 pages, it's too terrible.

Ultimately, I rated it 4 stars because it was a little slow for my personal taste and didn't quite fit my mood at the time. It could have been more enjoyable if I was in the mood for a slow, cozy read.

Having recently read all of The Narrows in 2024, this was such a delight. As much I loved being in the Narrows, (I saved Saint for last and I still think of his story randomly), I love Adrienne's way of telling a Romystery 🤭 Spells for Forgetting is still my absolute favorite of hers and A Sea of Unspoken Things was like diving back into my favorite part of her writing.

I truly believe that Adrienne Young can write no bad books. I've read her work time and time again. She's just brilliant. The setting was such a huge part for me in the brilliancy of this book. The twists in the plot were exquisite. She is an auto-buy author and I love her so much!

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

I really appreciate the way Adrienne Young writes. She is smart, trusts her reader, and paints the most gorgeous atmospheric settings. I thought this novel was beautiful, and such a good fit anyone who loves Mary Beth Keane or Liz Moore with a little Alice Hoffman thrown in.

I love anything from Adrienne Young. She has proven to be a master storyteller in different genres. I loved this latest story, the relationships between the characters that tugged on heart strings. The brother and sister dynamic was a good baseline for the mystery. Secrets never stay hidden.

As a mother of twins, I know that there is a bond that is rather magical between them - they sense each other outside the realm of the rest of us. So the idea the James and Johnny Golden had something special even when one of them is on the other side of the veil. . .well that had no argument from me. As a premise for this story, I was in 101%.

Adrienne Young has presented an interesting twisty mystery with sparks of mystic tone in an intriguing way - the story had me to the very end.

*A sincere thank you to Adrienne Young, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #ASeaofUnspokenThings #NetGalley