I devoured this while on my trip, staying up far too late into the night, reading in my hotel room. I loved Spells for Forgetting and the forest setting of James’s hometown gave me very similar vibes to Spells; a small, close knit community, with the setting providing mystery and becoming a character itself.
James returns to her hometown after twenties years due to the unexpected death of her twin brother, to settle his affairs. However, returning home leads James to believe there was more to his death than meets the eye and sends her down the rabbit hole to solve this mystery, confront her past with the town, her brother, and Micah, and learn that maybe the mystery isn’t just her brother’s death, but who he truly was. There were a lot of twists to this story and it kept me guessing until the very end. The story was intriguing and with multiple layers, but never had me feeling like it was overwhelming or that any of the events were unbelievable. I can’t wait to see what Adrienne comes out with next and I’m very excited for the fairyloot SE of this!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I've really enjoyed this author in the past and this novel is no exception. She writes beautifully. Her books are often on the slower, emotional side, which is fine with me. While there weren't her touch of magical realism in this novel, there was more of a spectral feeling hovering over the entire novel. James returns to town after the unexpected death of her twin brother. She hasn't been back to town in quite some time, leaving after a tragedy. James tries to figure out what happened to her brother, stumbling upon another mystery at the same time. I did feel that the ending wrapped up very quickly, with two mysteries wrapping up pretty quickly.

This novel was much slower than Young’s previous two adult novels, and unfortunately it didn’t work quite as well for me personally.
Young’s atmospheric and beautiful writing is still present in this book, which is my favorite thing about her stories. For me this one was just too slow paced and I felt that things were too quickly resolved in the end which left me feeling unsatisfied.

Thank you to Ballantine for an advanced copy of this book!
Pub date: January 7, 2025

4.5⭐️ A Sea of Unspoken Things was everything I wanted it to be—riveting, mysterious, and layered. The writing felt vivid and poetic. I found myself completely immersed in each description and moment.

I loved how deeply connected the characters were to the setting. You really see the level of impact living in a small town can have on a person, especially when small towns whisper. I loved the complexity of the FMC. The link between James and her twin brother, Johnny, was equally beautiful yet haunting. The plot moves slowly at first, but once you hit that halfway point, it picks up and doesn't stop. I'd have liked *more* from the ending, but overall, I really loved this story.

This is a great read for anyone wanting small-town mystery, descriptive writing, and a touch of magical realism. I enjoyed this one!

—𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.—

So excited I got this advanced reader copy! I love a small town thriller and this one delivered. Once you got into the story, the plot really picks up and the twists really get you!

Good LORD! Adrienne Young! This woman knows how to write a BOOK!!! This was amazing amazing amazing! The writing was spectacular and the plot was phenomenal. James was a spectacular main character and she was well rounded as F! Truly love love this book.

A haunting, atmospheric book for my Twin Peaks-loving heart! Young expertly threads romance, mystery, grief, and above all--love and identity--as James searches for answers to questions known and unknown in the hometown she left many years ago. Read this on a rainy day, when you're looking to feel the whole spectrum of emotions, but ultimately feel safe knowing you close the book feeling hopeful at last.

We follow James as she leaves the big city to visit the small town she never thought she'd see again. As she is getting her twin brother's affairs in order after his unexpected death, she realizes there is something here that just doesn't add up. As James begins to unravel the truth and lies, she finds more than she is expecting that could turn everything upside down.

This was so so good, I could not put it down! This might be my favorite Adrienne Young novel. It is so hauntingly beautiful and emotional in the best way. I love Adrienne's prose and it was so easy to fully immerse myself into this small town. The push and pull with Micah was exquisite and kept me coming back for more. The ending was perfection and left me in tears.

With a bit of romance and a lot of mystery, this was one of my favorite reads of 2024!

A big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced e-copy!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC of A Sea of Unspoken Things—I really enjoyed this! It felt like a cozy mystery with old-school Riverdale vibes in the best way.

Set in an eerie small town surrounded by forests, the story follows a pair of twins, one of whom died in a mysterious accident. The surviving twin starts on a journey to uncover what really happened. Somehow, this book managed to be both creepy and comforting at the same time.

The writing was almost lyrical, beautifully detailing every moment and character in a whimsical way. With its atmospheric setting and haunting tone, it would make a perfect winter read. It’s out January 7th of next year, and I’ll definitely be diving into Adrienne Young’s backlog soon (I’ve been meaning to anyway).

Highly recommend!

Content warning: gun violence, sexual assault, discussions of inappropriate relationship between an adult and a teen

Not my favorite of Young's novels, but this still was an engrossing read. Don't go into A SEA OF UNSPOKEN THINGS expecting a fast plot, this is one of those stories that develops slowly. For being under 300 pages, it does feel like a longer book (not in a bad way exactly).

I understand why readers watch the majority of this story unfold through the eyes of James Golden, but I really wish Young had given us even a few flashback chapters from Johnny's point of view. Same with Micah, I wish he had more of a voice. Once we got to a certain scene in the plot, I had a good idea of at least who was responsible for what, but I still found the reveal satisfying.

Smoke was the perfect name for that pup and I adored him, even if he wasn't always front and center in the plot.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.

When her twin brother is accidentally shot dead, James goes back to her hometown to pack up his belongings. But her true motive is really to understand what happened. The uneasy feeling will not leave her alone and she's confident that things aren't what they seem.

Add to that a small town where the love of her life, her brother's on again and off again girlfriend and all her childhood friends still live. A small town full of gossip. A small town she'd managed to escape. A small town where there are no secrets. A small town where she and her brother and her ex were keeping a secret they never told anyone.

And James isn't sure her brother is as innocent as he seems. But she knows him and there's no way he could have hurt anyone. Or could he?

Young's writing is haunting, claustrophobic and atmospheric. Her characters are memorable and three-dimensional. I love reading her stories.

with gratitude to netgalley and Delacorte Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I believe that fiction fans would agree this is one of the most anticipated upcoming releases of 2025.

This is the second book by Adrienne Young that I have read, following The Unmaking of June Farrow, which has received great reviews from many fans. However, I wasn’t one of them, although I admit it left an impression that made me want to give another one of her books a try.

Fortunately, A Sea of Unspoken Things surpassed my expectations.

The story revolves around the twin siblings, James and Johnny. After Johnny's unexpected death, James returns home to uncover the truth about what happened to his brother. As she uncovers the secrets surrounding Johnny's life leading up to his death, James realizes that her brother may not have been who she thought he was.

One of the things that won me over about this book is that the story revolves around the relationship between siblings, which is one of my favourite things to read about.

You will find a romance subplot in this book, and while the love story is quite sweet, I am happy that this is not the book's main plot.

Adrienne Young's main characters often carry a melancholic tone, which can be seen as both a weakness and a strength. Personally, I feel that the main characters from two of her different books—June from The Unmaking of June Farrow and James from the current book—sound a bit too similar. While this is something that could be criticized, I find that I don't mind it much. I only care that the story is beautifully written.

If you are a fan of Adrienne Young’s previous books, A Sea of Unspoken Things might be your new favourite.

If you haven't read any of her work yet, it's important to note that her storytelling often has a slow pace, which may not appeal to everyone. However, if you don't mind this slower development and enjoy solving mysteries with a side of romance, you will likely appreciate this book.

As for me, I have enjoyed this book, but I must admit that I still struggle with the slow pacing typical of Adrienne Young's books.

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

This book was outstanding. The depths of the characters felt well articulated. It was such an interesting story that had me wanted to know more and more as the storyline went on. Per usual, Adrienne puts out another outstanding book!

Adrienne Young is such a fantastic author and this book is no exception! The story is gripping. I love love love it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book offers a unique twist to a murder. Twins always claim that they know when the other is hurt, or something if off. This happened to James when her brother Johnny was killed. She had this eerie feeling that she could not write off. That something had happened to Johnny, but she could not put her finger on what the feeling was. Days later when they finally contacted her with the news that her brother had passed. James is quick to throw a few things in a bag and head to Six Rivers. The small, rural town that is surrounded by National Forest. It is truly cut off from everything and everyone. Like every small town, the gossip runs deep. There are stories going back years. As soon as James walks into her childhood home, she is smacked in the face with her past. There is also something else that is making the hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention, she is seeing her brother everywhere. Is he trying to tell her something or is this just part of the grieving process? James is taking it upon herself to dig into Johnny's past and to find out the answers to his death!

I loved the small town feel that Adrienne Young brings to life. The strong differences between Johnny and James. How James always had to shoulder whatever trouble Johnny ever got into. The supernatural elements had my brain sparking. This is a slow burn that will linger at the back of my mind for some time to come. Thank you to Adrienne Young and Delacorte Press for my gifted finished copy that I will treasure.

If Adrienne writes it, I will read it. This book was a solid 3.5 stars for me!

James heads back to her hometown after her twin brother mysteriously gets unalived and they’re saying it was a “hunting accident.” James has this connection with her twin that she’s had most of her life, and something just doesn’t feel right about what the town is claiming. So, she goes on a journey of discovering what really happened. She hasn’t been back to her hometown in 20 years, so it’s dredging up a lot of her past and some things that were left unspoken. Hence, the title.

It took me a little bit to get into the book (about 70%) but once I did, I really enjoyed the mystery elements and it had me racing to finish to figure out what really happened. I love how it was nicely wrapped up at the end and also that this book was based around older characters (late 30’s). Gave it a very adult feel!

Adrienne Young is an automatic buy for me, so I was thrilled when an arc of A Sea of Unspoken Things appeared in my inbox. Which is why it breaks my heart to give this anything lower than five stars.

Sea has all the heralds of a Young book. Stunning prose, captivating characters, and atmospheric writing like no other. James, learning that her twin has been killed, goes back to her small town in Northern California to settle his affairs and finish a project he was working on. There she rekindles relationships and discovers there might be more to her brother’s death than she’d been told. As she unravels the threads of his mysterious death, she discovers things that will change the town forever.

I’ve read all of Young’s books and this is the first one I struggled with. The wonderful atmosphere was there. As was her gorgeous way with words. But something fell flat for me. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was specifically, but there are two things I identified as part of the problem. I found her friend in San Francisco more compelling than her old friend Micah in her home town. Quinn seemed to be more inline with who she was as an adult, and even though Micah brought her closer to her brother, I just wonder how long that tenuous bond will last. (FYI this is not a love triangle. It never gets that far.) The other, larger, problem I have is the lack of magical realism. This reads like a mystery to me. (And I’m not a huge fan of mysteries.) All of the ‘magic’ in this book can be written off as mourning trauma and twin connections that I’ve heard from many a twin. Both of these things combined left me somewhat unsatisfied with the ending. (Being unspecific to avoid spoilers.)

Overall, this book was very good and very well written. It just felt a little off to me. If you love an atmospheric book with a mystery, I think you will love this book. And for those of you that are turned off by the magical realism in Young’s other books, this could be a great place to start with her novels! You won’t regret it. She has a way with words that few do.

I debated going ahead and still giving this five stars because of all the strengths in it, but decided the problems I was having deserved to be noticed. But this will be a five star read for so many people!

Many thanks to the publisher for a copy. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

This was very well crafted, with an atmospheric setting, engaging storyline, and plenty of twists to keep me on my toes. I was not expecting quite so much of the mystery in this one, but thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless!

A gripping read that captures the complexities of grief and trying to run from the past.

The story follows James returning home after her twin brother dies. Everyone believes it was a hunting accident but James isn't buying it. She starts investigating and what gets dug up is more than she could have imagined.

This is my first Adrienne Young book and I loved it! It felt like a movie playing in my head. I give this 5 stars! I highly recommend it! It releases January 7, 2025!



Thank you #netgalley and #randomhouse for the ARC of this book for my honest review.

June Farrow was one of my top 10 books I read this year. So when I was approved for this arc, I was ecstatic. Unfortunately, this one was just okay for me. It didn't hook me in at all and I just felt like it was a slow burn with no real purpose. I will still continue to read this author as her other work was really magical. This also may be better on audio.