Unfortunately, I did not get to reading this as an ARC due to the holidays and flu and work. But I do look forward to reading this as a finished book.

I was so excited to receive approval for this ARC as I had been admiring Adrienne Young's books from afar for some time. I had heard nothing but good things about the World of Narrows series and The Unmaking of June Farrow, and this book did not disappoint.

This story had so many elements to it- thrilling, haunting, exciting, mysterious, romantic, and most of all beautiful.

The way the author was able to bring such detail to the small town of Hawthorne, CA was phenomenal. The scene she set was one I wanted to be a part of, and I found myself entranced by every detail of the little town hidden within the ominous forest. This book also explores the idea of twin telepathy which I found quite intriguing. The supernatural elements brought from both the environment and the familial connection between the FMC, James Golden, and her recently deceased brother Johnny were gripping within the first chapter.

As much as I love thrillers and mysteries I tend to find most of them predictable, but this one had me guessing until the end. The characters we meet in Hawthorne are tied into the story so brilliantly that you never suspect the outcome.

I also greatly enjoyed the romantic ride we got from James and her childhood friend/boyfriend Micah. The tension and trauma shared between the two of them is exactly what this book needed, and the author did a fantastic job of bringing it all together for us in the end.

This book was an easy 4.25 stars, and I cannot wait to read more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

James and Johnny were always incredibly close. When Johnny was killed, James knew it. But she can't shake the feeling that there's more about her brother's death that she needs to uncover and solve. Having to repair some burnt bridges from when she left town for college and never returned, she needs to turn the insolated small town back in her favor in order to help her solve the mystery of her brother's death, including her former love and brother's best friend, Micah. This was a wild ride. I expect that there is usually a twist I didn't expect in Adrienne Young books but I felt like the entire book was an unexpected twist. It was like a huge ball of tangled yarn being unraveled and just when you think you're close to having it unwound, there's another tangle to unwind.

#arc
#netgalley
#aseaofunspokenthings

the magic realism was so good in this! I enjoyed the different aspects of this book and so glad I gave this author another chance!

Adrienne Young is an instant request/read/buy/beg/borrow/steal for me and this outing did not disappoint.

James and Johnny Golden have always had a connection that went deeper than being twins, and when Johnny is killed in what appears to be a hunting accident the only place James can go is home. Home being Six Rivers, a bucolic town nestled deep in the forests of northern California. James escaped from the small town life of Six Rivers after she graduated high school to pursue an art degree and career in San Francisco and never truly looked back. Now that her brother, her one tie back to the town, is gone she has little choice but to return to the sight of so many heartbreaks and tragedy - both past and present - to settle his affairs and try to make sense of her loss.

Johnny, a photographer, was working on a research project for endangered owls at the time of his death. While his death has been ruled a tragic accident, James isn't convinced. She knows her brother, and their connection has never betrayed her before. As she works through Johnny's affairs, she reconnects with people from her past (including high school flame, Micah) and discovers there may be more to Johnny's death than she (or anyone) knew.


As stated, I have loved all of Adrienne Young's books - adult and young adult works alike. Her adult novels all have similar "feels" to them. They're atmospheric as hell, and far slower paced than say Fable or Saint. This outing was different than both The Unmaking of June Farrow and Spells for Forgetting in that it didn't tackle magical realism (though, the. connection to Johnny is a bit mystical at times) which, as evidenced from other reviews, was surprising. Surprising, but not unwelcome AT ALL. This is also a much slower burn than June Farrow or Spells, in that it takes a good 45-50% of the book to really get moving - but once it does it doesn't slow down. I loved the character of James so much. She was flawed and damaged but still, ultimately, trying to do right by her brother and honor his memory while not sacrificing herself in the process. The rest of the town felt real - almost like you could reach out and touch it, or drive through the northern California wilderness and find yourself at the Six Rivers Diner being served by Sadie.

IF I was going to nitpick, I could have done without the final chapter/epilogue. It tied things up nicely, but perhaps almost TOO nicely given the tone of the rest of the book. Again - that's me having to actively look for something I didn't like.

Adrienne Young, you'll always be an auto-read in my book :)

As soon as I started reading I couldn’t stop. I was unsure where the story would take me and I loved the mysteriousness of it. I wanted to read it as fast as possible to find out what was going on. It was written very well and I felt like I was there in the small town and in the forest.

Giving this a 5 star rating is such a surprise for me because I thought I was going to DNF this 50% in. Unfortunately the plot of the book doesn’t start until you’re 60% into the book but once you get there it is so freaking good. The writing as always is beautiful I just wish the actual plot started way sooner. However I love a good ending so overall this was 5 stars for me.

Overall, this was a very good story by Adrienne Young. While not my favorite of hers, I still really enjoyed the story and was pleasantly suprised that the story was more of a mystery/thriller instead of just magical realism.

She writes such beautiful, atmospheric reads and this was no exception. I loved the FMC and her deep emotional outlook on life. I really love the way this author writes.

Fantastic read. A little slow to pick up, my only reason for deducting a star. Adrienne Young is an auto-buy for me, and that trend continues. The story is suspenseful and full of heart. James and Micah in particular pop off the page as if standing before you. Love this book.

Adrienne Young has become an instant buy author for me. I’m obsessed with her writing and the beautiful stories she tells. There’s magic. There’s fantasy. There’s mystery. Her writing is so captivating and just easily draws you in.

Adrienne Young is an auto-buy author for me, no question. Like her other novels, this one is atmospheric and mysterious and full of complicated characters and relationships. There is something about the way she writes place that really sucks me in and refuses to let me go and I love that in a novel.

June Farrow is one of my all-time favorite books, so I was extremely pumped to get this ARC. It doesn't quite hit that level for me, but it was still a very enjoyable read with vivid imagery and a fun mystery aspect.

Another enjoyable read from Young. I think now that I have read a few of them the plot development seems a little formulaic, which isn't necessarily a problem but when you read several within a few months it can seem repetitive and not as inspiring to read. I do love the atmosphere and having lived in the Pacific Northwest, I can imagine the settings and feel transported to her world.

I love Adrienne Young. Her writing is vivid and bright, creating a beautiful picture for the reader to create in their minds. I liked that this one had a hint of mystery - it always left you wanting to know more. I highly recommend this one!

If you are looking at this book and thinking, that it is going to be like June Farrow because the covers are similar and they have the same author you will be disappointed. This is more of a murder mystery than a book about magical realism. I didn't read anything about it so didn't have any expectations going in. I enjoyed it, but I know several people who were disappointed because they were expecting another June Farrow.

James is called home to the small town where she grew up when she hears of her brother’s accidental death. Deeply connected to him despite the affects of a strained relationship, James questions the circumstances of his death and sets to fill in the details to get a clear view of what Johnny was really up to.

This is a book about sibling dynamics (specifically twins), buried secrets, small towns, and how far people will go to protect their own. It’s atmospheric and ominous, as the reader goes along with James to try to determine who to trust and where James’ relationship with her brother went awry. I enjoyed this book due to the setting, the vivid writing style, and the mystery. Recommended for fans of the slow burn! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital copy.

A Sea of Unspoken Things is a slow-burn thriller about a woman named James who returns home after her brother Johnny’s death. The two are twins and have always shared a close connection, but James insists she could feel what he felt at times. Upon her return, she reconnects with their childhood friend Micah, her first and only love and deals with a resurgence of feelings regarding her own past. In researching what happened to Johnny, James is convinced that certain things are not adding up, and that maybe Johnny’s death was not an accident.

The pacing of the book is medium to slow at first, but this was not a problem for me as the mystery is interesting and the novel is steeped in atmospheric imagery. I loved the descriptions of the town and the woods. It is easy to relate to the feeling of going home and seeing people one used to know and all the memories that uncovers for a person. The pacing towards the end of the book picks up and everything comes together pretty fast. I loved the book overall and I look forward to reading more from this author. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

When I pick up an Adrienne Young book, I know I’m guaranteed an atmospheric read, and once again she delivers in her latest adult novel, A Sea of Unspoken Things.

Set in Six Rivers, a small town nestled in the forests of northern California, Young paints a mysterious and haunting picture of a town closed off and protected by the surrounding trees.

Our story centers on James, an artist who escaped Six Rivers and made a life in San Francisco. She is reeling from the sudden death of her twin brother Johnny, a photographer who had never moved from Six Rivers. His death has been ruled an accident, but she’s not so convinced. She reluctantly returns to settle his affairs and can’t help searching for answers.

Along with the physical distance, James and Johnny had grown apart, somewhat keeping each other at arm’s length for various reasons which we learn throughout the tale. As James reconnects with people from her past, trying to get an idea of just what Johnny was involved in, she discovers various trails to follow.

And of course one of those connections is her old flame Micah, who was Johnny’s best friend and James’ first love.

While I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t quite as engaging as Young’s previous novel, The Unmaking of June Farrow. Without spoiling anything, this one seemed to have some plot holes, or the appearance of plot holes, if that makes sense. I don’t feel like I got all the answers I needed, and some of the answers I got felt rushed and too predictable.

I feel like most of Young’s novels are told from various POVs but this one is all James’ POV, which would be fine, except that I never really felt like I knew or understood her brother Johnny. I wanted a little more of his story. Maybe some flashbacks from him woven throughout would have helped make the connection??

However, if you’re a fan of Young’s, you should enjoy this one! Beautifully written with all the magical elements we’ve come to expect from her stories, it would especially be a good one to read cuddled up by a fire, inside OR outside!

The Unmaking Of June Farrow was one of my favorite reads last year so I was elated to receive a copy of this ARC through NetGalley,

A Sea of Unspoken Things is a beautifully written book about a woman investigating her brother's footsteps before his mysterious death. James comes back to her hometown to find closure after her twin brother's death. She's told it was a terrible hunting accident, but James feels like something is off about the info she's getting. When she begins to investigate, she finds out she doesn't know her brother like she thought she did. Some things are better left unknown when she asks too many questions.