🕵️ Quiet mystery
🏡 Small town
❤️ Second chance romance
👫 Intense sibling bond

A Sea of Unspoken Things is the newest by Adrienne Young. It follows James, a woman who has long left her northern California small town after a trategy- only to be brought back by her brother's mysterious death.

Ive been a fan of Young since Fable, but her transition into adult books has been a little confusing for me. She writes with the same beautiful, lush style, but a lot of her subject matter feels dulled and meant to appeal to the widest possible audience.

Unspoken Things is part mystery, part slowburn character study. It doesn't quite have the sharp, dark feel of Sharp Objects, but its also not full on small town chick lit. Its meant to be a mystery, but that often takes a backseat to James exploring her former town and reflecting on the complex relationships she's had with its residence, as well as her brother.

Because Young's prose is so good, I powered through this book, but I often caught myself wondering how much I actually enjoyed it. The writing offers these gorgeous little passages trying to convey the complexity of a character or James's relationship to them, but I found myself not particularly connected to anyone or moved by the character relationships. The most meaningful among these are the backstory between James and her brother Johnny, and her former flame Micha who still lives in the town.

Back to that mystery- its sort of boils down to "Was Johnny killed", and "if so, why?"- and it did hold my attention. the northern California setting and focus on someone involved in wildlife preservation was pretty unique, and the complicated web of characters in Johnny and James's life introduced a number of suspects when it was actively being pursued.

A Sea of Unspoken Things, as mentioned, is very much meant to appeal to everyone and is largely inoffensive and not challenging. Its an easy read and perfect as an airport novel or something to pick up when you are busy or need a break from heavier books. I recommend it to anyone looking for a lighter, more chick lit themed mystery.

I'm such a sucker for anything Adrienne Young writes, and this one was no different! The writing is just so lush and gorgeous, and the misty, magical setting is exactly why I keep coming back to Young's books. The only reason this isn't 5 stars is that I wanted more romance!

This is maybe one of Adrienne Young’s best books. There is a pull, a mystery, that makes putting it down simply impossible until you reach the conclusion. I finished this book in two days, and absolutely loved it. The descriptions are so lifelike, I felt like I was immersed in the story from the beginning. Absolutely beautiful.

Guess who got approved for the arc, baby!

Rating: 3.75 ⭐️

"We could fill the fucking ocean with the things we never said to each other."

The first half of the book was a little slow, I'm not gonna lie. It made me a little nervous. So much of this book revolves around the mysteries that infest this small town, specifically the mysteries that surround James' brother Johnny. But we don't get that classic mystery-feel until almost halfway through the book.

However, the second half of the book really shines. That's when James started asking the real questions. The classic dilemma, do we ever really know the people closest to us? The second half had me absolutely seated, wondering what the heck was going on.

If you're a fan of small town mysteries, this one's for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for sending me A Sea of Unspoken Things in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was giving mystery and a touch of rom com. Easy read that kept me gripped the whole time. Also helped that it had short chapters, so I flew through this book. Involves a set of twins where Johnny has suddenly died and its up to James to move back to her hometown to tie up loose ends and she dsicovers a lot more than she anticipated.

Some of it was somewhat predictable but that didn't bother me. The main characters were very likeable and not annoying. Still not my favorite book by this author but it was fun. 3.25/5.

Another incredible read! You can always count on Adrienne Young to immerse me into a fictional world filled with beautiful scenery, depth and emotion. I really enjoyed it overall! This story is more so of a mystery rather than magical realism! Adrienne has done it again!

A Sea of Unspoken Things delivers a mysterious and atmospheric read that draws you in with its small-town charm and moody undertones. The first thing that stood out to me was how effortlessly the dark, brooding setting enhances the story, creating an irresistible backdrop for the unfolding mystery.

The relationship between James and Micah was a real highlight for me—authentic, nuanced, and a source of emotional depth throughout the novel. However, I found myself yearning for more from Johnny’s character. While a major theme revolves around James coming to terms with how well she really knows Johnny, his development felt a bit underexplored, leaving me with unanswered questions.

The second half of the book picks up the pace, becoming fast and twisty in ways that kept me glued to the pages. But I did struggle with the middle, which dragged and felt somewhat repetitive at times. I also wished the elements of magical realism were more prominent to fully immerse me in that world.

Overall, *A Sea of Unspoken Things* is an enjoyable, easy-to-read mystery, brimming with suspense and atmosphere. If you're into dark, small-town secrets, this one will definitely keep you entertained.

This book is a mystery but it's also a human study and things unravel bit by bit. It's difficult to see Johnny only through the lens of his twin, James, bc it comes with the trappings of sibling love and confusion, connection and distance that only sketches him in based on what she needs him to be at that time. The supernatural element of twinship plays a very large part of the story, as is the usual elements of small town and big dreams. It's a quick read and nothing feels resolved, truly at the end.

4*

Young has a way with magical realism and she draws readers along on journeys that feel both fantastical and familiar.

Since reading Spells for Forgetting, I've always picked up anything that Young has put down, and it's very rare that she misses, and A Sea of Unspoken Things is no exception.

Though the middle of the story does feel a little slower, the story she weaves is rich, enchanting and sometimes terrifying.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this advanced copy of A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young.

This book was not what I expected but that being said, it will definitely stay with me. Adrienne Young writes so beautifully, you feel pulled into the story fully and completely.
I struggled in the beginning with connecting to the characters, but as the story progressed, I was drawn in by the mysteries in the background.
I love that it had just a touch of magical realism, in a way that made the story feel real even with that hint.

Overall 4 out of 5 stars.

My only wish is the situation with them as teens had been addressed, but I also can see why it wasn’t.

3.75 stars. A very engaging mystery that involves lost friendships, family issues, and many surprises! I thought Adrienne’s writing was so captivating and eerie. Reading this book felt like solving a puzzle with the FMC. Every time I thought this must be it and I turned out to be wrong. Overall really enjoyed solving the puzzle! There were paragraphs describing actions that I thought were not very important for the plot line. Something like “I looked for the keys, then opened the door, then I stepped into the house”. Other than that, it’s a good book.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.75 stars!

First off I’m so grateful I was able to get an eArc of this book! Adrienne’s writing is captivating, it feels like I’m right there with the characters, following their story.

There were a couple grammatical errors I noticed, but it didn’t deter from my rating. I will say this genre isn’t one I tend to read and this story kept me engaged. Every time I had to put it down I wondered who did it and how it played out. When I thought it was a certain character who did it, it was completely different. James was a very dedicated sister and it was neat how her and Johnny had a “magical” connection even after. The romance was very low and you can guess how it turned out, but it was executed very well.

I decided on a 3.75 due to not being my favorite genre and I felt it lagged in some parts of the book. Overall I would recommend if you like mystery, and fiction.

An atmospheric small town mystery following a woman trying to grieve her twin only to discover that his death isn’t as it first seems. The setting for this book was dark and emotive, the author does a great job of enthralling you into it. It took a wee while to get into but I ended up really liking this.

I love Adrienne Young's writing. She creates stories and worlds that you want to immerse yourself in and this was no different. This book follows James, who returns to her hometown Six Rivers after the death of her twin brother Johnny. She returns to attempt to deal with her deep connection she still shares with her brother and to figure out what really happened to him. She gets help from her high school ex, Micah. The romance between James and Micah was sweet, but 20 years is way too long.

It's more on the mystery/thriller side with a little bit of romance and magical realism added on. This reminded me a lot of Spells for Forgetting. I liked that a bit more, but still really liked this one!

I love, Adrienne Young. Her books all have a mystical ethereal quality and the descriptive writing just pulls me in and keeps me reading. Her characters come alive for me. I loved James and Johnny and Micah and the supporting characters in six. Rivers were just right. She gave the feeling of small town to the characters, and the cabin, and the redwoods. I will read anything by this author. I loved the unmaking of June Farrow, spells for forgetting, and fable… But this may be my favorite book yet. When I finished wanted to flip back to the beginning and start all over again . Five stars for this wonderful novel thank you NetGalley for the digital copy and the privilege of reading this great book.

So glad I finished this in the middle of the night so now I definitely won’t be wide awake shaken to my core for hours 😵‍💫🥲💀

This definitely is a darker side of the Adrienne Young vibe we’ve been so blessed with these last couple of years. Granted, there’s always been some darkness but this is…creepier? Tenser? Higher stakes? I found myself multiple times throughout this book terrified and nervous and missing some of the whimsy fall vibes. Where’s the really swoony romance to fall back on during these trying times?! Adrienne!

This book is a mystery, little bit thriller, there’s a teensy tiny bit of magic and fantasy involved, definitely notttt a romance lol. Like wut. Okay there *is* some romance happening but it’s pretty vague and it’s just sort of there. I personally, the weak sauce scaredy pants that I am, was hoping (stressfully praaayying) for more romance, but I’m here and I survived and we are all good even with the tiniest slice of romance I got.

Do I feel relief now at the end?! Not entirely sure. But overall I did enjoy this one. Not the earth shattering way that I enjoyed and loveeeeddd June Farrow, but did enjoy it and will recommend it! And obvs Adrienne will continue to be autobuy for me.

Got an ARC from the publisher. Review is my own.

Thank you for the amazing read!! Let’s dig in 🙂
Adrienne Young weaves a gentle mystery starting with strange circumstances surrounding the death of the FMC’s twin brother. Once the mystery unfolds, the characters have found peace, a sense of home, love and family.
I really enjoy the way Adrienne Young writes and keeps me engaged! Sometimes, the reveal from the mystery isn’t as exciting as I’d hoped, but I find the beautiful character development and story telling win me over. A very strong 4 ⭐️ read for me!!

I love anything by Adrienne Young and so I really enjoyed this! She has the ability to paint such an atmospheric picture! I will say this was more of a mystery/thriller then I expected and I tend to like more the romance and fantasy so took me a little to appreciate it but the supernatural elements keep me interested. Will be adding to our library 100%!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was such an engaging read! The storyline was about twins with a "supernatural" connection even in death. I love a good mystery and I could not put this one down. The characters were wonderful rendered and the scenery was a character in itself. This one tugged at all the emotions and I loved every single word. Highly recommend

The Unmaking of June Farrow was one of my favorite books of 2023—I loved it so much that I read the ARC twice before it was even published. So, when I saw Adrienne Young announce A Sea of Unspoken Things, I was thrilled to see another release so soon. I even stalked NetGalley hoping to snag an ARC.

A Sea of Unspoken Things follows twins James and Johnny Golden. James spends the story investigating her brother's mysterious death while grappling with her own haunting past.

While I'm not typically a fan of the mystery genre, I still found this book enjoyable. I'd rate it a solid three out of five stars and would even recommend it to fans of the genre. Adrienne Young has a unique talent for evoking complex emotions toward her male characters, something I can't quite put into words, and for that, I remain in awe. I don't think there was anything I particularly disliked about the book, and I believe that readers who love mysteries will enjoy this.

Overall, here's how I rank Adrienne Young's books:

The Unmaking of June Farrow
A Sea of Unspoken Things
Spells for Forgetting
I will continue to read anything Adrienne Young writes because of my love for June Farrow.