Thank you to Random House Publishing Group Ballentine and NetGalley for the ARC of A Sea of Unspoken Things in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars! As always, the writing from Adrienne Young is spectacular and I wouldn't change a single thing about it. The way she can put emotions into a page is absolutely stunning. Everything flows so beautifully which makes it an easy and enjoyable read.

I am a big fan of the small town setting and even more than that, I love me a good mystery. While I feel like these aspects were done pretty well, I was a bit disappointed in the lack of magic or fantastical elements that The Unmaking of June Farrow had. Part of what I loved about that one so much was how whimsical it was, and while I know this isn't the same book, I was a bit let down that it didn't have that since I loved it so much.

The only other critique I have about this book is some of the redundancy throughout the chapters about James and Johnny's relationship. There were some parts in the middle where I felt like I'd read the same thing earlier.

For what the story was, I don't think it could have been done better, and I look forward to see what other genres she tries to take on. I will continue to read this author until she stops putting out books!

A Sea of Unspoken Things - 4.5/5 stars

This was my most anticipated read of the year and Adrienne Young absolutely delivered.

She has such a unique way of storytelling that draws you in from the first sentence and keeps you reading. (Sometimes until the middle of the night because you just HAVE to know what is going to happen)

Just like in Spells for Forgetting and The Unmaking of June Farrow, we are fed tiny crumbs of information that give us just enough to be caught up in the story but not enough to actually figure out what’s going on until it’s looking you right in the face.

Unlike in her other two stories, the magical realism feels more supernatural in this story which almost makes it feel more realistic and painful somehow. If you have a close sibling, you know the deep connection you build with them that feels spiritual and supernatural.

The only reason I’m giving it a 4.5 rather than a 5 is because I felt like the plot aligned a little too close to Spells for Forgetting. The characters genders have been swapped and the location and general mystery is different, but it was hard not to guess what was going to happen (especially with James and Micah) because of the similarities.

As with her other two books, I found myself unable to put this book down and I will forever buy every book Adrienne Young writes!

I will have the review posted on my goodreads page on 11/27.
I will also have a review posted on my TikTok page the second week of December!

She did it again! What a boss! I love Young's writing style and how easily it sucks me into the story she has to tell.

James returns home to better understand her twin brother's death. While sifting through the life he came to live in her absence, she unearths more than she bargained for.

A winding story with drama, unfinished romance, a hint of clairvoyance, and detective-style mystery will have you turning pages late into the night! I devoured this book - add a copy to your Christmas list ASAP!!

My review is on Goodreads under the name "Kristy" as of today (11/27/24).

This was a good one! Small town spooky, twisty mystery? Yes please! I’ve become very fond of Adrienne Young’s work! Her stories are very captivating and the added other worldly aspects make it so interesting. James has this wild, deep connection to her twin brother and she sees, hears, and feels things even after he’s passed away? So cool. And I didn’t have it figured out at the end either on who done it. It was a surprise! And I loved Micah. He was just a delightful character.
Review is up on Goodreads!!

Adrienne Young writes a compelling story about a woman, James, who is called home to deal with her twin brother’s death after two decades away. James’ return to her small town forces her to face the dark history she ran away from while investigating the suspicious events of her brother’s death… with a light paranormal touch.

This was a quick read with a well written story where the events of the present unveil events in a timeline two decades prior. The mystery unfolds amidst a light love triangle… well actually the perception of two love triangles.

The FMC is a likable character, and Young does a great job of creating uncertainty in the arcs of the other characters to keep you guessing. One twist I saw coming, the other took me by surprise.

This book didn’t hit home quite like June Farrow, but it was an enjoyable, easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is only the second book I’ve read by this author but she is quickly becoming a favorite. I was drawn in from beginning to end on this one. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

If there’s a thing Young can do, it’s write an atmospheric, thought provoking book that gives you all the feels!

I loved this story! This one is more grounded than her others I think but it still full of mystery, intrigue, magical realism, and intuition. The sibling relationship and sort of sixth sense I’ve always thought to be a fascinating concept and I love how Young made that the heart of this story mixed with grief, past history trauma, and a second chance romance.

Young’s writing is beautiful, let me first say that. Her books are always so full of lush descriptions involving nature and that PNW feel and I absolutely LOVE that about her books. They give you sort of a zen vibe when reading. This was a fairly quiet, slow burn book as James unravels the events leading up to her brothers death to determine if it was in fact an accident. The romance is between James and Micah, an old friend, and it’s sweet but doesn’t overshadow the mystery. Her characters are so fleshed out and three dimensional. We get tidbits of James’ past and what led her to leave this sleepy little town of hers but not the full story until the end and that kept me intrigued along with the mystery of her brother. It’s another great Adrienne Young novel if you’ve enjoyed the vibe from her last two adult novels.

Huge thank you to #NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book publishes January 7, 2025.

What to expect in this book:

-Sibling relationships
-California Redwoods setting
-Atmospheric
-Mystery
-Slight magical realism
-Gorgeous cover!

Thoughts

From the author of The Unmaking of June Farrow and Spells for Forgetting comes another atmospheric and moody read, perfect for fall and winter! James and Johnny are twins in more than just their blood, but in intuition. When Johnny mysteriously dies, James returns to their hometown of Hawthorne, California to manage his affairs and face the people that she left behind there years ago. Even after Johnny's passing, James still feels connected to him and feels that he is leading her to uncover what really happened the days before his "accidental" death. Mysterious and compulsive, this story shows the power that the ties that bind us can have and that our pasts truly never stay far behind.

Let me say that nothing with top June Farrow for me from this author. It was everything I needed to be. But this book is so different. Genre-bending as her novels are, this felt more mystery/thriller to me than the other books of hers that I have read. I loved the backstories and unraveling of each of the characters and the. lengths with which James goes to find out more about Johnny's life. I would have loved there to be a *little* bit more magical realism but enjoyed the sight fantastical elements of James' connection with her brother after his death.

Ultimately, I think this is perfect moody book to read when the weather is changing outside. It will transport you to remote places in Northern CA and is a quicker read at under 300 pages. I highly recommend to all fans of this author and to fans of magical realism and mystery.

“A woman investigates her twin brother’s mysterious death while confronting the ghosts of her own haunted past”…

James left her home town in the northern California Forest when she started Art school in San Francisco. Despite not being home for 20 years, she felt the exact moment when her brother Johnny was shot and killed. Now she returns home to unravel the secrets Johnny surrounding Johnny’s death, but in order to do that, she must face the reasons she fled all those years ago.

She can feel Johnny’s presence lingering as if he wants to tell her something. She may not like what he has to reveal. Did she even know her twin at all?
🌲
Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adrienne Young has an absolutely beautiful way of writing.

We know there was an event that became the catalyst for James leaving Six Rivers. The event is initially introduced, but with each passing chapter, we only get snippets of what happened. It is not fully revealed until later in the story, leaving the reader to speculate their own theories; There are so many revelations and twists which captures the reader with each chapter.

As with her other Adult novels, Spells for Forgetting and The Unmaking of June Farrow, there are mysterious deaths, a natural atmospheric setting, and a supernatural sense/ability.
🌲
I would categorized this book as suspense/thriller/murder mystery with a supernatural undercurrent.

I highly recommend this story if you liked either of Adrienne Young’s other adult novels. Or other Cozy Fantasies or Cozy Mysteries

Opening up a new Adrienne Young book is such a privilege. The way she builds a world where reality intertwines seamlessly with hints of magic is nothing short of magical itself. As with Spells and June Farrow, A Sea of Unspoken Things immerses the reader immediately in its setting—this time in the pregnant hush of a lush forest. The story feels quiet while also being full of the low murmurs that build the story and ultimately lead to its surprising and satisfying conclusion. I can say with confidence that if Young writes it, I will always read it.

James and her twin brother Johnny are all each other has. They are so close that she can feel the moment he dies. Filled with grief, she goes back to her hometown to settle his affairs. She hopes to be in and out quickly since she ran away from that place and her ex Micha years ago. Myserious circumstances lead her to feel and sometimes see Johnny's presence, and it seems to want to tell her something. This compells her into a deep dive of her brother's life and his death.

Thoughts 💭
I was beyond excited to get this book. The Unmaking of June Farrow is an amazing book, and Adrienne Young is an exceptional writer. This book did not disappoint. I will say it started off slow but hooked me not soon after. There was so much mystery and intrigue along with so many possibilities of what could have happened to Johnny. I felt the confusion and pain that James felt and went right along on this journey with her. I liked the magical realism of the book that included an almost supernatural closeness between the twins. They could feel and understand things about each other without speaking. This appears to also carry over into death. Is she really seeing and feeling her deceased brother? What is he trying to say? The ending was perfect and tied everything together nicely.

Micah and James have history together, and I'm all for a second chance romance. He was her first and only love, but it was kept a secret since Micah was also Johnny's friend, and they knew he wouldn't approve. Them rekindling where they left off was a nice touch. What a wonderfully told story!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

If there’s one thing Adrienne Young knows how to do, it’s write a beautiful story. She does an atmospheric small town setting so well and I love how nature is always so prominent. This one had me especially hooked and I finished it in a day. I was so interested in James’ quest to figure out what was going on with her brother Johnny leading up to his death and whether it was really an accident. I loved how the past was slowly unraveled and we kept finding out more and more facts that were constantly turning the story on its head.

I also enjoyed the slow burn second chance romance and how it was important to the story but it wasn’t the main focus. There were two main twists and I didn’t see either one coming - I honestly couldn’t stop reading at the end because I wanted to know what happened so badly. I think the only thing that would have made this better for me is the magical realism aspect playing a bigger role. I think Spells for Forgetting is still my favorite, but I liked this one more than June Farrow.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I could not wait to read this and just like AY’s bestseller last year, The Unmaking of June Farrow, this totally was worth the wait.

A story about a woman who is investigating her twin brother’s death who can almost feel their connection even through death. While questioning and delving deeper into her brother’s life, it becomes clear that she may have her own story to unravel with a lost love and a past she has tried hard to forget.

I absolutely loved the magical realism sprinkled in while being immersed in the mystery of their sleepy little forest town in California.

A huge thank you to @delacortepress and @netgalley for this ARC. This is due to be published on January 7, 2025 so add it immediately to your TBR!
Total 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!
#aseaofunspokenthings #netgalley
#magicalrealism

This book has a gothic, ethereal feel to it that I absolutely love. It is a small town, family saga mystery, with a great ending. But something is keeping me from rating this book higher. This books is a slow burn, and maybe I was just lacking patience. I would still recommend this book and am looking forward to reading the rest of Adrienne Young's catalog.

WOW. A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young is a beautifully written gripping mystery thriller that will having you hanging on her every word as you try to figure out the truth behind Johnny Golden’s murder.

Johnny’s twin sister James left their home town of Six Rivers nearly 20 years ago, she had to escape and start a new life for herself. She left behind many things… dark memories, her first love, and her twin brother. James has a deep connection to her mysterious twin brother Johnny, and although they haven’t had a deep conversation in years she can feel it in her bones that his death is more than just an accident.

I was deeply captivated by this story - the story is short and the pacing is perfect — you could easily finish this book in one sitting if you had the time, it was so challenging for me to put it down and attend to my responsibilities when I had so many theories swirling in my mind and needed to get to the bottom of this. The characters are multi-dimensional and have been through so much over the past 20 years. This book will absolutely consume you in the best way possible.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I love Adrienne Young’s writing so much & highly recommend this book.

I liked this story as a whole, but I didn’t love the experience of reading it. It felt very slow and like nothing was really happening for a huge chunk of the book. I didn’t feel like I had enough context to care about the characters or the mystery. I felt like the connection between James and Johnny either needed to be more pronounced or eliminated altogether. I also had a hard time getting past a dog that was supposed to be well over 20 years old but was just as spry as ever. It would have made so much more sense to just shorten the timeline (the characters didn’t read as being in their late 30s anyway, so I think that would have helped smooth out a lot of things!).

I hate being such a downer because I do really enjoy Adrienne Young. This story just wasn’t quite it for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the chance to read this (very highly anticipated) advanced reader copy!

A Sea of Unspoken Things follows James Golden, an artist based in San Francisco who returns to her small hometown to investigate her somewhat estranged twin brother's so-called accidental, tragic death. With the help of Micah, her brother's best friend and love of her life, and her brother's spirit, she tries to unravel years of secrets to figure out the truth of what actually happened to her twin.

True to Adrienne Young's style, this book is full of poetic, atmospheric prose that was a genuine pleasure to read. I expected the magical realism element to be more prominent, but it seemed to take more of a backseat to the mystery/thriller focus. While I was hoping for more fantasty, the plot was still extremely engaging throughout. I only managed to guess half of the ending, which pleasantly surprised me, too.

I adored the relationship between James and Micah. The tension, the yearning, the hurt, the forgiveness - I couldn't get enough. Young also handles grief in a raw, honest way throughout the novel. I don't always love flashbacks in books as it can sometimes feel like a lazy way of moving the plot forward, but I really enjoyed how it was executed in this story

I believe I noticed a typo 66% through the e-ARC that I wanted to point out: In Chapter 17, under "Cut it out, Griffin," it says, "Micah was notiveably annoyed..." which I assume should probably be "noticeably,"

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read what Adrienne Young has up her sleeves next!

I am such a huge Adrienne Young fan and I was so excited to get a copy of this book! If she writes it I’ll read it. She is the absolute queen of writing slow burn, atmospheric mysteries with a hint of magic thrown in. A Sea of Unspoken Things was no different and I really enjoyed this one. I will say for those familiar with her previous work this is the *least* magical of the bunch. Its pacing also felt a bit slower to me. I still really enjoyed this one and if you like her other works I think you’ll enjoy this one too!

“You can't go back home to your family, back home to your childhood, back home to romantic love, back home to a young man's dreams of glory and of fame,..." Thomas Wolfe
Adrienne Young has one of the most unique, creative, and imaginative minds of any author I have ever read and she most certainly did not disappoint with 'A Sea of Unspoken Things'.

'A Sea of Unspoken Things' is one of those books that ruins you, at least for a little while, for any other book. You know, a book that engulfs your being so much you can't think of anything else for a little while. I devoured this story in one sitting and just couldn't put it down. As with other books Young has written, I know that this book is one I will still be thinking about and referring to other readers for years to come.

Due to tragic events, James Golden left her small rural town of Six Rivers twenty years ago for the big city of San Francisco and had never planned to look back. Unfortunately, her twin brother was killed under mysterious circumstances. Local authorities are calling Johnny Golden's death an accident but James intrinsically knows something nefarious happened. James has always had this indescribable connection with her brother, she believes it stems from being twins so what is she to think when the other half of her soul dies and she starts to learn that she really didn't know him at all. The deeper she searches through Johnny's life the more she discovers things she wish she had left buried.

To compound matters, James has to overcome the events from her past, those same events that sent her running from Six Rivers. When they were teenagers, James, Johnny, and their closest friend Micah were a part of something very tragic. That tragedy cause the three to keep a very big secret from everyone for the past twenty years. A secret that drove a deep wedge between the three. Now that she has returned to her home town, she must overcome her past and the biases of the locals in order to discover what really happened to her brother.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the the Arc

James has a deep connection with her twin brother, Johnny. When he is killed in what looks like an accident, James knows something is up and comes back home to unravel the mystery. In coming home, James must also face a past she left behind.

It pains me to rate this book so low considering I have loved every other book I have read from Adrienne Young. Starting with the positives! The authors writing style is amazing: beautiful prose, descriptive settings, and complex characters were all present in this book. My issue came with the plot. The book was slow and repetitive up until the 60% mark. And by the time things did start to pick up, I was zoned out. There were some unexpected twists and I enjoyed the ending but it wasn’t enough to make up for the first part of the book.