I was beyond excited to dive into my first Adrienne Young book and while this story wasn't what I was expecting, I really enjoyed the ride.
At its core, this book is about the bond between siblings. It tells that story through talk of grief, through diving into the challenges of lifelong relationships, and through analysis of the potentially destructive nature of loyalty.
Our main character is a fish out of water in her old pond and the amalgamation of her interactions with those she has deep history with plays nicely with her navigation of new relationships and her use of interpersonal connections to get the answers she's looking for to drive the plot forward.
The pacing of this story seems to be off at times. There are lulls that could have been edited down to allow for continued reader engagement. The ending of this book feels a bit rushed, which I think is this book's biggest disservice to the overall story.
My biggest takeaway from this book is Young's talent at using location to enhance the story. Her descriptions of locations and settings are phenomenal and allow the reader to paint vivid pictures in their mind. She makes the setting its own character and in this story that was a very powerful tool.
If you're in the mood for an emotional mystery, pick this book up! It's easy to enjoy!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

4 Stars – Slow to Start, but Worth It in the End

The pacing was pretty slow for most of this book, and it took a while to get to the heart of the mystery in the small town. But I really enjoyed trying to figure out what happened, and the twists at the end were fantastic.

One thing I missed was the stronger magical realism that I loved in Spells of Forgetting and The Unmaking of June Sparrow. Here, it’s more subtle, and I found myself wishing it had been a bigger part of the story.

That said, the ending was incredibly satisfying and tied everything up perfectly. Overall, even though the pace could drag at times, the payoff was definitely worth it.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advance copy to review.

In true Adrienne Young fashion, A Sea of Unspoken Things pulls you into a deeply immersive and atmospheric story. Johnny has died in a tragic accident and when his twin sister, James, returns to their small hometown, she can't shake the feeling that he's not really gone. The otherworldly connection James and Johnny have takes center stage in this story about family, the secrets we keep, the protectiveness we feel, all built up around the mystery of who Johnny was, and what actually happened to him the day he died.

This story is an emotional journey through the lives of the twins and specifically James' grief. We learn about their past and the traumas who made them who they are. It's a touching look at recognizing people for who they are and loving them anyway. The mystery is the catalyst to explore these themes and each part is well crafted. The pacing is steady, forcing you to slow down and take it all in. The setting of Six Rivers evokes the claustrophobia I can imagine comes from living in small, rural town. We are constantly questioning who Johnny was and what secrets the town was keeping from her. Overall, this was so well done and you can really imagine yourself as a bystander in the story.

Actual Rating: 4.5/5

As twins, James and Johnny Golden have always been close. So close that James can feel what Johnny feels, so James knows even before she gets the call that Johnny is dead. She also knows that Johnny’s death was no accident. Forced to go back to the place she tried to escape from James must confront who she thought Johnny was and who he actually is and unearth the truth along the way.

I love the way Adrienne Young writes. It’s so visual and atmospheric. I always feel like I’m a ghost that’s been transported through her writing and I’m witnessing these characters actions and thoughts first hand and A Sea of Unspoken Things didn’t disappoint.

There’s so much depth and so many layers to these characters and this mystery. I loved the small town setting. This could be because I’m just a sucker for small town mysteries but I thought it was an excellent backdrop to the thoughts and feelings of our main character James. It was gloomy and full of melancholy. Yet, as the story progresses and truths become unraveled it becomes more and more beautiful.

James was an excellent main character. I didn’t connect with her like I did with June from The Unmaking of June Farrow but I felt for her nonetheless. I felt the weight she carried around as she grieved for her brother and faced her past. And I felt as that weight lifted the more she discovered about her brother and the small town she used to call home. Micha was also an excellent addition to the story. He was so swoon-worthy and I’m so glad James had someone to lean on throughout.

Overall I was so invested in this book. The mystery aspect felt a little lackluster, moreso in terms of plot twists but I think the story was more about our characters and their journey and they absolutely shined. Adrienne Young’s atmospheric and immersive writing brought these characters and their story to life.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Last year the previous book of Young, The Unmaking of June Farrow was on my top list! I went into this book with high expectations. That said, I was let down a bit.

What we are given is a deep connection of adult twin siblings, James and Johnny. Johnny dies and James goes to his town to help settle his affairs and also begins to try and figure out the details surrounding his accident.

The book was slow and methodical. I found I had to push myself to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the gifted e-arc.

Holy crap. This book was absolutely gorgeous. It made me feel so many things. I cried, my chest ached. The writing was absolutely beautiful and the story was so compelling. I couldn’t put it down.

A Sea of Unspoken Things is a solid mystery read with light touches of fantasy and romance.

The good: I loved the slow development of the main characters. New characters are introduced throughout the first half of the book, which sets the stage for a shifting cast of suspects as James unravels the mysteries in her hometown. The setting was cozy and I felt like I was stepping into this little logging town each time I opened the book.

The bad: My biggest complaint was that it took me over half of the book to actually want to keep reading, so it dragged on for a couple of weeks. I was hooked around 55% and then I had trouble putting it down at all and devoured the rest in a day. I’d still recommend this to a friend, but I would certainly give that disclaimer. It’s a slow starter, but when it gets going it’s great.

The world and characters felt deep and I felt connected to them in a way I don’t get from every author. I will certainly be reading more Adrienne Young!

I discovered Adrienne Young by reading "The Unmaking of June Farrow" and "Spells for Forgetting" I loved both.
With "A Sea of ​​Unspoken Things" the reading was different, I struggled because of an uneven and slow pace.
The idea of ​​the story was not bad but it was the execution that made the book difficult to read.
I found a lot of things repetitive, in the first 100 pages, it was mentioned at least 10 times that Griffin died!! without saying how of course.. At one point, I didn't care..
The other problem was the pace, too slow.. it lacked that tension that you find in mystery books, that captivate you and make you not put the book down until you know the end..
And finally, I didn't manage to get attached to any of the characters, something was missing. And yet, in his previous books, I didn't have this issue.
I wanted so bad to like it .. I will keep reading Adrienne Young's next book nevertheless, she is a talented author.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fiction • Mystery • Small Town • Spirits
𝘗𝘶𝘣 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦: 7 January 2025

3.5⭐️ rounded up

Thank you to @delacortepress and @prhaudio for the free galley and ALC! 📖🎧

✩°｡⋆⸜ 🎧✮˙✧˖°📷 ༘ ⋆｡˚
Adrienne Young is back with another atmospheric, mildly magical, murder mystery set in small town Pacific Northwest back country. The vibes are slightly ghostly, with magical realism in the form of a twins’ spiritual connection, borne together in the dark, and still connected even upon death.

James and Johnny are twins. They’ve always protected each other. Until Johnny is found shot in the woods, the supposed victim of a hunting accident. James begins seeking answers, following her premonition that it was no accident, with the help of her former flame and first love Micah, the local sheriff, and a cast of other potential suspects.

This is less a love story (although there will be a second chance romance subplot), and more about the twins’ fraternal telepathic sixth sense. I wouldn’t have minded getting more of Johnny’s perspective from beyond the veil, although in this book we only have a single POV, and I wanted even more magical realism than was given.

Fans of Spells for Forgetting will eat this one up as it has a very similar feel to the story and plot. I would still put The Unmaking of June Farrow on top, although Adrienne Young retains a permanent spot on my autobuy list.

I love her prose; I actually wish this was a little longer than 288 pages, so that we could see more of the romance develop + more side character development.

🌊 A pleasant, atmospheric read with a dash of magic ✨

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

I picked up this book not knowing what to expect. I loved it. We all know Adrienne Young is a great writer and this book was no exception.
It had me on the edge of my seat. While I felt well connected to James and all of her emotions dealing with the death of her twin, the romance between her and the love interest was lacking. Overall the book was really good and I will be adding it to my list of recommendations.

James returns to her hometown to deal with the death of her twin brother, Johnny. She left Six Rivers 20 years ago to escape the small town and leave behind that version of herself. It’s not long before she starts to uncover things about Johnny’s life that she wasn’t aware of, echoing the same troubled past she ran away from.

I loved the atmospheric prose, so descriptive that you feel like you’re in the forest, too. The connection between James and Johnny, a little spooky but never directly affecting the plot, was just the right level of paranormal for me. The things James was seeing drove her to dig deeper, but they were never used as the only evidence or explanation for anything.

The mysteries kept on multiplying, and it was so satisfying to put the pieces together, even as the author kept me guessing through the end. I enjoyed The Unmaking of June Farrow, but this one was a lot easier to read and keep track of (and wasn’t defying all the laws of physics!) so I would recommend this one first.

You left town when you were 18, now you have to come back and resolve some I fished things of your twin brothers . What you unfold is wild and crazy!!
This definitely kept me on my toes guessing! And I didn’t not see that ending coming !!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC. Thoroughly enjoyed Andrienne Young’s new book. A few twists I sure didn’t see coming. This is the third book I have read by her and she does not disappoint. Definitely worth the read!!!

Young is the queen of atmospheric, immerse prose, and her newest adult release (1/7/25) is no exception. Despite her roots in the NC Appalachian mountains, A Sea of Unspoken Things takes place in a small mountain town in Northern California. It follows James as she returns to her home after a 20 year absence when her twin brother, Johnny is found dead in a local gorge. James is forced to confront the town residents, including her former teen love, Micah as she attempts to settle Johnny’s affairs. But James keeps getting odd visions and Johnny’s has left behind some cryptic notes in his home that convinces James there is more to his death than police are revealing. Told through alternating present day efforts by James and Micah, and haunting snippets of James and Johnny’s past, the plot slowly builds into a mystery with shocking twists.

I loved the setting of this one; Young’s books typically include a unique setting where the plot lines are closely interwoven to the local natural environment; the setting itself almost feels like a character. I loved that the MCs were older, (near 40’s), the intimate connection of having twins, and the second chance romance subplot. Readers who enjoy atmospheric slow-burn mysteries with a touch of magical realism should absolutely put this new released on your TBR.

Thank you to @delacourtepress and @netgalley for my e-ARC.

I was so excited for this book because I loved The Unmaking of June Farrow, and I was captivated once again by Adrienne Young’s storytelling in this mystery/thriller (with a hint of magical realism).

James returns to her hometown of Six Rivers after her twin brother Johnny dies to help tie up some of his loose ends.
She’d left at 18 and hasn’t been back for twenty years and is now faced with ghosts of her past, including the love she left behind, Micah.

James and Johnny have always had one of those magical twin connections where she could feel his emotions and see flashes through his point of view. Their connection lingers even after he’s dead and his presence in her life guides her search for the truth behind his “accidental” death. While digging for the truth, she uncovers far more than she wanted to about Johnny and about her own past in Six Rivers.


The writing was beautiful and emotional, and the story kept me captivated all the way until the climactic end.
The characters had so much depth. The tension between James and Micah was palpable. And the loss and grief that James experienced losing her twin brother was heartbreaking.
Again, a beautiful story. Definitely recommend!

Once again, an amazing addicting book everything that I’ve read by the author has been perfect and something that I actually thoroughly enjoyed the whole time. I cannot wait until this book comes out so I can recommend it to my book group and my followers on Instagram.

Overall, I think the author tried to do too much in too little time, and both the mystery and characters suffered for it.

Most of the issues I had with the story was because the mystery was placed at the forefront for the majority of the plot, but it wasn’t enough of an interesting mystery, especially because I felt a lack of connection to both James and Johnny to want it solved.

If the story had been more focused on the character, and the mystery angle dialed back, then we could have spent more time with the characters and I would have been more invested.

Characters
Honestly, I didn’t connect with any of the characters. It almost feels wrong to even make it plural, because so much of this story was just James. None of the other characters were really fleshed out - for the most part, it felt like a character would just enter a scene to say a couple lines, or only to have a very specific point in the mystery plot.

Micah was the only other character you really spent significant time with and I feel like I know next to nothing about him or his personality. I didn’t really know anything about our main character either because it was a constant repeat of inner thoughts without really getting to know her, and so much time at the beginning was wasted on trying to set up a suspense by being told there was a past incident - which after the reveal felt mostly unimportant.

Narrative
If this story was more a character dealing with her grief, with a sub-plot of learning truths about her brother and a mystery of what happened to him, then first person would have worked. However, the mystery took up so much of the story that it suffered from being stuck in just James’s head.

With how it was written, the mystery plot would have benefited from being third person narrative or dual timelines. Being stuck in only James POV in the current timeline kept taking the reader on these stream of consciousness type of tangents, even in the middle of conversations. In the first half, I feel like 95% of the story was just her thoughts, which after a while were just repetitive.

There was also a habit on projecting or assuming what others thought. After the first couple times I was annoyed, not really trusting if James knew that’s how the other person felt. Someone would say something about Johnny, and she would think I knew exactly what they were thinking because Johnny was always like this, while also admitting she didn’t really know him anymore - or that her and Sadie weren’t close back then, but she absolutely knew exactly what Sadie’s feelings were for her brother.

If there were dual timelines I think it would give an opportunity to build the suspense of the mystery, as well as actually flesh out the setting and characters, that I felt were lacking from James POV - with so much bogged down with her telling and not showing. The constant “I always had to cover for Johnny and put him first and take care of him”, and we were given at most a couple examples that weren’t even delved into.

With a dual timeline, possibly even with parts in Johnny’s POV, we could actually get to know Johnny ourselves and see these personality traits that were constantly being told to us. A lot of the time, with how James and Micah would talk about Johnny, I was actually confused with how to view him because they talked in broad terms of his personality that left me with questions. Instead of having this jumble of thoughts where James described Johnny or something that happened, we could actually see the scene play out and not just be told how to feel about it.

Posted to Goodreads and Instagram on 12/12/24.

I was excited to receive this as an ARC! It was a slow burn for me to get invested; however, this book will stay with me.

Brief summary: James comes back to Six Rivers after her twin brother dies from a stray bullet in a hunting accident... only James does not believe it was an accident.

This book tugged on my heart strings because I have a brother who I am close to! Having the twin connection added a unique and almost supernatural element to the book. Watching all the family secrets unfold was riveting. The twists in this book kept coming until the final few pages. I did predict the ending; however, it was so satisfying!

I enjoyed this one! The atmosphere was lovely, the prose as always with an Adrienne Young book was spectacular, the connection between twins was fascinating, and I really loved how there were multiple plausible suspects for the murder mystery element; I could see each one of them having done it, and it was very fun trying to figure out which one really did it.

I wanted to love it, but ultimately, the pace was very slow, and I struggled with the romance and ending. Still a huge fan of this author and her creativity and prose, so hopefully others will love it more!

Very grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

We all have secrets. This is the story of a twin trying to discover the secrets her brother was keeping, which may have led to his unexpected and untimely death. But all she has is what was left behind, and it tells a broken story.

Johnny was an odd duck - dark and mysterious, even to his twin sister, James. Between them was some kind of supernatural connection twins tend to have. But James felt something even more than that in times of great distress. Like she was in both bodies at once, somehow. It is how she explains the crystal clear sensation she got of the bullet that killed him hitting her own chest. And she still has that preternatural feeling. It won't go away, even though he's gone, and James is certain he's trying to tell her something from beyond the grave.

As a mystery, this works really well. There's a clear objective, there are lots of compelling clues, and a cast that supports the story well. I was hooked. But the little *sparkle* I love about every Adrienne Young book I've read so far are her complicated romance plotlines, and this one did not disappoint.

Now, in no way is this a romance novel - this is firmly mystery territory. But there's this guy, right? And despite their messy history, he's there and ready to help her figure out what the hell happened to Johnny.

It's a simple story really, but the writing is skillful and compelling. Another mark of an Adrienne Young story is some kind of magical realism element. With June Farrow it was a foundation of the story and integral to the plotline the whole way through, with Spells for Forgetting it was a little more understated, but still foundational, but with Unspoken, it's in the little details. The twin feeling. Their pet Smoke. Maybe even the forest itself.

I really enjoyed this book, and I'm honored I was chosen by the publisher and netgalley to receive a free download of the story in exchange for a fair and honest review. I'm sure this isn't the only time I'll be visiting this one!