Thank you Netgalley and Random House for allowing me to read A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young in exchange for my honest review.

I was hooked in the first half off the book. Adrienne Young did such a good job of setting up this eerie creepy hometown that made me understand why James had left and didn't come back. The were supernatural elements to the story that really drew me in and kept me engaged into this creepy wooded small town. However, that all seemed to fall apart for me during the second half of the book as the plot developed.

We had two big plot twists during the book. The first one, I felt like had so much potential. We had the set up for the first plot twist, but i feel like the plot reveal itself wasn't fully fleshed out. Both of the reveals lacked a real explanation to make the impact that it should have. They were both a bit brushed under the rug.

Overall, I liked it. I liked Adrienne Young's overall writing style, but I wish there were plot points that had been given more time to develop to truly make an impact.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book.

Yet again, Adrienne Young has wowed me with another hit! We start off in this small town mystery with a hint of the paranormal with a twin sister (James) heading back to her hometown after 20 years due to the fact that her brother has passed and she is bringing his ashes back for his final rest while also helping to complete an environmental project he was involved with.

James does not believe that Johnny, her brother's death was an accident (shot during hunting season) and begins a deep dive into the life that he developed without her while also delving into another mystery in the town that Johnny seemed to have been involved in.

I love how the author ties in some paranormal and romantic elements into the story, much like her first book's draw of magical realism. The pacing of the book was evenly paced and kept me intrigued throughout. I feel like I could have finished this in a day if it weren't for the holidays. Her descriptions throughout the book were fantastic, and you feel like you're in the small town with the characters experiencing what they are.

The only thing I did not like was that the ending to the mystery was pretty predictable once you got to a certain part in the story, but there was a little bit of a twist so it helped to make up for it.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be on the lookout for the author's next release! Pick up this winter read when it is published, and you won't be disappointed!

I toyed with what to rate this because the second half of the book was great but it felt like the entire first half was just set up for the story. It was very slow moving and took that first half to get into the book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

My first Adrienne Young book and it did not disappoint! I went in blind and had such a great time. Such a great mysterious story with lots of twists and turns. There is a little romance in there but I would more so call this a mystery/thriller with a romantic subplot. I won’t give anything away but I could not put this book down and can’t wait to read more of her books!

after loving her adult debut, the unmaking of june farrow, i was over the moon to see that i received an arc of her latest release! unfortunately, it let me down just a tad, as the the pacing is much slower and atmospheric - which will definitely work for some people, but i had a tough time getting into it. i was unable to complete the book and will be dnf’ing halfway through.

i will not leave a review for this title. thank you for the arc!!

I have read several of Adrienne Young’s works now and have yet to stumble across one I did not love.

One thing you know you can always get from Young is absolutely beautiful writing and prose. Writing that just draws you in and makes you FEEL. Stunning world building, incredible characters that are multi-layered and feel so raw and real, slow burn, mystery and powerful, heartfelt meanings laced within the plot.

A Sea of Unspoken Things was no exception to this. While the plot did take a little bit to get into, I found myself loving yet another world that Adrienne Young had written. Truly such a gift.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacourte Press for the ARC!!

I was SO excited to read this because Adrienne Young is an extraordinary storyteller…loved the added magical elements!
A bit slow in the beginning but then it really takes off. The author takes us down James’ emotional path of grief, nostalgia and mystery while looking for answers. Her journey culminates with a sweet, final resolution that made the entire story memorable. The writing and plot are just incredible.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I went into this expecting a thriller with a hint of supernatural elements. What I got was a slow paced exploration of grief and life in a isolated community.

The author does a fair job of depicting the process of grief and loss. James feelings bleed through the page and I found those moments to be equal partes heartbreaking and relatable. However, the plot spends to much time hinting at a revelation from their past that was fairly obvious from page 1, and it drags because of it.

My main gripe with the novel is the ending. The story overall was fairly easy to follow and I did not expect some big twist at the end. So it came out out of nowhere when we got not 1, but 2. Without any explanation whatsoever we are just told who the murders are in like 1 scene. It let me confused as hell.

Also the romance DID NOT needed to be there at all. It was forced and not believable. Maybe if they didn’t got together in the end I would’ve not mind it. The HEA came completely out of the blue and made no sense for the main character. It literally is just there to give the readers a positive note.

This novel has the usual Adrienne Young style - beautifully written, lots of descriptions, a mystery to be solved, and a touch of magical realism. The story focuses on James Golden, whose twin brother, Johnny, has been shot and killed. This incident brings her back to the town she left to get away from her past and attend art school. The mystery surrounding his death, a second chance relationship with their friend Micah, and a look at escaping small town life are central to this novel.

This book was a bit slow without any action before the puzzle pieces came together in the end. I still love how Adrienne Young writes her stories, unfurling pieces as it develops and there are often secondary reveals.

Thank you Random House for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

My first Adrienne Young, and ARC, and I am hooked! This book was the perfect mix of magical realism and beautiful character development. The setting was so vivid and immersive that it felt like I was stepping into one of Johnny’s photographs. The twists were not what I expected which I appreciated after thinking I had it all figured out😏I can totally see this being a miniseries, which I hope happens! Overall, a beautiful story of love, devotion, getting lost and being found. 4.5⭐️

Like other Adrienne Young books you’re given a very brief overview of a story (in this case it’s woman returns to her small hometown after the death of her twin brother) but as the book goes on more and more history and depth unfolds and fills in the blanks. It was a gripping read as you get such small tidbits of information and are finding out a lot of the story alongside our main character James. I will say the supernatural/magical elements are a lot less in this book than I was expecting based on the authors previous work, this doesn’t affect the story except it’s more of a mystery than the magical realism I assumed it would be.

I've been a big fan of Adrienne's writing since being pushed to read Spells for Forgetting and then I simply could not get enough. The Unmaking of June Farrow had me sending selfies to my friend of my very shocked face on several occasions. So I went into this wanting to love it and being so excited to get immersed in the world that Adrienne creates which is always stunning - they feel like real places and real people on another level. However, unfortunately, this had the one trope that for me, even Adrienne can't get around: amateur detective. I was all in to a four-star review to about 80-85% because we were lightly dabbling into amateur detective but I anticipated the plot would come together the way her other books did, but then it went full amateur detective and I just could not with the twists and turns. This is a very 'specific-to-me' issue so if that's not something you dislike, and you loved Adrienne's past work: you will love this. It falls so in line and I look forward to reading all her future titles.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the earc, all opinions are my own.

Adrienne Young is an instant read for me. James is forced to return home after a hunting accident killed her twin brother Johnny, except she hasn’t been home in 20 years. Layers and layers of small town secrets unfold throughout the chapters. No spoilers but a must read.

Adrienne Young is now an auto buy author of mine. Her adult books are PHENOMENAL and this one is no exception! I adored this book. The exploration between twins and the mystery element was perfect. She writes so beautifully. I’ve been trying to be more stingy with my 5 star books but this was an easy 5 stars.

This was so unique and interesting! Young puts you right into a rustic and woodsy small town with a bunch of secrets. James left her hometown as soon as she became an adult, but the mysterious death of her twin Johnny brings her back. The author takes you for a ride with many twists and turns, as well as a few blindsides. If I’m being completely honest, I had hoped for a little more magical realism, but this is still a good read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really wanted to love this book because I’ve always admired Adrienne Young’s writing, but unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me. Her prose is as beautiful and atmospheric as ever—she has such a talent for crafting vivid, sensory-rich environments. I could practically feel like I am cold with her descriptions.

However, as a plot-driven reader, I found the story itself lacking. The pacing was incredibly slow, and I struggled to pick it back up after each sitting. The mystery at the heart of the book didn’t capture my attention, and the resolution of the murder felt underwhelming. While this book has been described as magical realism, I didn’t feel that it delivered on the “magic” element.

It’s clear that Adrienne Young is a master of prose, but this book didn’t have the engaging plot I was looking for.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for this e-ARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved this one! I’ve read one other book by her but this one was so much better. I loved the mystery / suspense of the story. It was easy to read & page turning. I enjoyed trying to figure out who did it and what happened. I liked that there ended up being 2 different mysteries. I don’t see this being fantasy at all and definitely more mystery.

This is a small town mystery. James and Johnny are twins who have always had a deeper connection in a supernatural element way. Johnny recently passed away from an accident in the woods and James has come back to town to tie up loose ends. What she uncovers is something other than an accident and the way the secrets of their teenage years arise had me biting my nails.

Wow the angst and mystery in this book had me on my toes since getting towards 30% of the book. The beginning was a bit slow and at times a bit too descriptive for my liking but I think it was definitely to build up the mystery and secrets of it all. I was up till 2 am because I just had to know who did it, I could not figure out who was the culprit and the ending had my jaw on the floor!

What you'll find:

🦉Slow Burn Mystery
🦉Small Town
🦉Second chance romance
🦉Love, Loss & Family Ties
🦉Atmospheric Writing

Thank you to the author, Random House Publishing- Ballantine and NetGalley for gifting me this eARC

This book releases January 7, 2025

This is a taut, extremely well-paced, and emotional thriller and family drama that sucked me in right away. When her twin brother has died in what appears to be an accident, James comes back to her hometown after twenty years away to make peace with his death. But of course once she gets there, it doesn't really seem like an accident, and she decides to stay and try to figure it out.

I was surprised by how much I liked this book, since I'm not usually a huge fan of mysteries and thrillers. But I felt like this book had a ton of emotional depth, way more than I normally find in this genre (although to be fair, I don't read a lot of books in the genre, so I'm definitely not the best judge). James really wrestles with the reality of who her brother was and her own complicity in enabling his worst personality traits, and Young deftly explores how small towns protect their own, often to the detriment of outsiders and those who go against the grain, and how trauma follows you everywhere. The forest town of Six Rivers is impeccably atmospheric - it reminds me of Forks, IYKYK - and the mysteries unfold in a natural and, at least to me, mostly unpredictable way. James' grief is devastatingly articulated, and the cast of characters is compelling and nuanced. I really liked this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for this eARC!

What I love about Adrienne Young's books and writing is that she really makes me feel like I am in her stories. Her writing is so atmospheric and illustrative that I feel like I'm transported right in the middle of the world she has created. A Sea of Unspoken things was an enjoyable ready. The small town mystery aspect of it kept me engaged and there were moments that were quite poignant and introspective. The magical realism in this novel was not as pronounced as her previous books, but it is still a captivating read.

I will always look forward to an Adrienne Young book!