This book was different from the previous books I have read from this author. I really enjoyed her last two books and was expecting something similar. This was more basic thriller. It was okay but not what I want from this author.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the opportunity read this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was the perfect read for the beginning of the new year when things are gloomy and dark here in the Midwest. This read was atmospheric and mysterious with a lot of foreboding elements. The way in which Young made the forest itself a character was immaculately done and really added to the building suspense. It is definitely a melancholy book and required a light read afterward, but I loved how Young kept me guessing throughout and that the characters were flawed and realistic. For me, this was the best Adrienne Young book I've read so far. I would highly recommend for anyone looking for a spooky mystery with a satisfying ending.

In A Sea of Unspoken Things, we follow James as she returns to her hometown following the death of her twin brother, Johnny. Johnny’s death was ruled an accident, but the more time passes James begins to realize there may be more to the story. Coming home is never easy, especially when you’ve been gone for nearly twenty years, and not everyone is happy by James’ return. The more James digs into her brother’s death the more questions she’s left with.

I always know what to expect when I pick up an Adrienne Young novel and I’m never disappointed. Young’s settings are so rich and vibrant you really feel like you are transported there. I love how she always sets her story in a small town with just a few secrets - and a little bit of magic. The mystery takes awhile to unfold here, but I was fully invested in the story throughout. And did not see that ending coming! I like how Young used the magical elements to show the connection between James and Johnny (and also to solve the mystery), but I wish we had seen a bit more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.

I think this may be my favorite of Adrienne Young's books so far. Like her other books, Young brings the setting to life with a deep atmospheric flair. She does a good job drawing readers into the world she's created.
I wouldn't say that the characters in Sea of Unspoken Things were loveable. However, they were relatable, and I always love a good animal sidekick.
Unlike Young's other two books, this one features less of her usual magical realism. I'd say this is lightly paranormal, dealing with the twin bond phenomenon.
All in all I enjoyed this book. It had good pacing, was mysterious and atmospheric, with well-written relatable characters.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC.

Adrienne Young’s prose is always a tread - atmospheric, lyrical and beautiful. And the title is an A+.

James returns home after her twin brother’s death. But as she takes a closer look at the details of his life, she’s left with only questions. Was it more than just an accident that took his life? And how well did she really know him?

This story took well over half way to move along. I really enjoyed her other works that I’ve read and I look forward to future works. This wasn’t a favorite of mine, but I appreciated a story that was sibling focused with a little mystery thrown in.

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young is about a woman that returns to her hometown to investigate her twin brother's death. James and Johnny Golden always had a special connection. And when her brother dies, James returns home and starts to feel and see things that lead her to clues about her brother's death. Young is such a special author because she's so talented at capturing the atmosphere of the location of her stories. You always feel like you are there with her in her story writing. This is the third book I've read by her, and I'm always so impressed by her talent. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

This was my first book by Adrienne Young, but it will not be my last! I loved the whole atmosphere of this story in small town California. It had a nice little mystery to it surrounding James' brother Johnny. After James' twin brother dies, she heads back home to figure out what happened and runs into Micah, her high school boyfriend. She has big life decisions to make and needs to figure out who from her childhood past had something to do with her brother's death.

I loved the paranormal elements to this story and found the ending to be quite satisfying. Now I need to go back and read The Unmaking of June Farrow and Fable....I have a library patron who says those are two of her favorite books so now I can't wait to get those too!

I alternated between reading and listening to the audio book and really enjoyed that. Also, the cover is just beautiful!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 7 January 2025

This is the third Adrienne Young book I've read and all of them have been such beautiful works that I think I am going to also pick up her YA series, Fable. I really enjoy her beautiful and atmospheric writing. There was a good mixture of small town conspiracy and mystery to keep me intrigued and trying to piece together what really happened in this sleepy mountain town. I also really enjoyed the complexity of James's relationship with Johnny. My only criticism would be wishing for more of the magical realism that Young is known for, and then felt that James's relationship with Micah had several similarities to the fmc and mmc from The Unmaking of June Farrow.

Adrienne Young delivered another great mystery with an atmospheric setting. I love her nature descriptions, making me want to move to this rural norther California town. While it was a slow build, the prose was excellent as always. And there were some twists thrown in at the end that I didn’t see coming until the last second.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

Twins James and Johnny Golden were once inseparable. For as long as she can remember, James has had an almost supernatural connection to her brother - she could feel exactly what he was feeling. Before the phone even rings, James knows that Johnny is gone. He has been killed in a tragic accident, which she could sense immediately.

James returns to their small-town of Six Rivers, in order to settle her brother’s affairs. While there, she is forced to revisit their shared past and face Micah, the only other person in the world who knows their secrets.

As James spends more time in Johnny’s world, she realizes that their connection hasn’t vanished. It’s almost more apparent, and it seems like Johnny is trying to tell her something about his death. The deeper she digs, the more secrets she finds in the days leading up to Johnny’s death. Ultimately, James must decide which truths should come to light, and which are better left buried forever.

Read if you like:
- mystery
- small-town
- magical realism

I really enjoyed this book. The setting of Six Rivers and the surrounding forest is creepy and atmospheric and lends to the general mystery and unsettling feelings of the story. The relationship between James and Johnny as well as their friendship with Micah is intriguing. As James works to unravel Johnny’s past since she left town, she reconnects with a lot of people in the small town, many who leave you questioning who they truly are. I enjoyed the mystery in this story, and the twists and turns kept me eagerly turning the pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine and Delacorte Press for a free digital copy of this book. This is my honest review. Publication date: January 7, 2025.

I feel like this book had so much potential, the premise was intriguing and the writing style was likeable. however, this just missed the mark for me. The entire first half of the book was so slow that I struggled to push through and see how it all ended. It also felt repetitive at times with how James “Thought she knew Johnny, but maybe she really didn’t”. I did like the twists because I didn’t see them coming, however I didn’t find them to be too believable. Overall I think this book would be a good fit for someone who is looking for a very mysterious thriller, and based on the writing style alone I’d be interested in reading more from this author. Thank you Random House Publishing Group, Netgalley, and Adrienne Young, for allowing me the chance to read this arc in exchange for my honest review!

"A Sea of Unspoken Things" by Adrienne Young is a poignant and evocative novel that delves into the depths of human emotions and the complexities of relationships. Young masterfully weaves a narrative that captures the beauty and pain of unexpressed feelings, immersing readers in a world where silence can be as powerful as words.

The characters are richly developed, each carrying their own burdens and secrets, which adds layers to the story. Young's lyrical writing style enhances the emotional weight of the narrative, drawing readers into the characters' struggles and triumphs. The themes of love, loss, and the importance of communication resonate throughout, making it a relatable and thought-provoking read.

Overall, "A Sea of Unspoken Things" is a beautifully written exploration of the things left unsaid and the impact they have on our lives. It's a compelling and heartfelt story that lingers long after the last page is turned.

I struggled a bit to get into the story enough though I loved Young’s writing! Her poetic voice shines through on every page! The pacing was a bit slower, but I could see how this would be 5 stars for others! 3.5 rounded up for me!

This was my second Adrienne Young and it was quite the mysterious tale with an amazing setting. I had hoped for a lot more magical realism with this one but it felt just more like a mystery/thriller with a slight tinge of paranormal. Overall I still enjoyed it!

James finds herself back in her hometown of Six Rivers after her twin brother Johnny is found was in the woods. Faced with the ghosts of her past, both the romantic and dark deeds kind, she isn’t ready to return the home she ran from 20 years ago. As she digs into who her brother was after years of drifting apart, James is faced with more than just her past - but the present day mystery that unfolds right in front of her.

I think my biggest complaint was that the first 70% felt very very slow. I was not super invested in James and Micah, or really their past. The plot line with the mysterious Griffin situation felt obvious and anticlimactic when the full stories told and it didn’t feel as relevant to the current day storyline. I’m still wanting to read her other works but just don’t think this one hit the spot for me!

Adrienne Young brings the town of Six Rivers and its surrounding forest to life with her magical ability to set a scene. Her writing is so eloquent and vivid that the town and its people practically leap off the page and into your mind.

The characters weren’t particularly likable—but they felt real. They seemed like people you might meet in any small town, each acting in their own self-interest. I should have guessed from the title that this story would be filled with omissions and half-truths—one of my least favorite plot devices. It’s a mystery so I’m trying to find that forgivable, but there were moments where the withheld information added nothing to the story and I found it frustrating.

I struggled to get invested in this book. The first half focused heavily on setting the scene and introducing the town and its inhabitants - an inevitable requirement for any story, but it just didn’t feel like a lot was going on aside from that. Once I reached the second half and the mystery began to unfold, I found myself becoming more intrigued. The ending shocked me, but the second half wasn’t as exceptional as it needed to be to redeem the slow start.

I’m still unsure how I feel about this one, which is how I felt the entire time I was reading it. While it features Adrienne Young’s signature poetic writing, it lacked the sparkle I’ve come to expect from her work.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To start off, I loooove Adrienne’s writing style. The tension in her stories is palpable. The main characters are always written out so thoughtfully and the story never feels half baked. Of course, this book did not come close to Unmaking of June Farrow for me but nevertheless this was a very well crafted book that kept me on my toes for the entire time I was reading it. I really appreciated how the grief James was dealing with took a life of its own and added an eerie but haunting quality to the book.
Overall, I would definitely read anything that Adrienne writes. She has me completely convinced that she can do no wrong with her story telling.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine/Delacorte Press, and Adrienne Young for an advanced reader copy of A Sea of Unspoken Things. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Young is becoming one of my go to authors for introspective mysteries with a magical twist. I loved the atmospheric writing, and the small town setting. I loved how the magical elements were woven into the mystery, and how even though magic isn’t something that is very apparent in the world, it wasn’t really questioned when it came up and made sense in the context of the story.

The twist was a little bit predictable, I guessed the outcome about halfway through, but it was still a very enjoyable read and I will continue to pick up Young’s adult works.

As always, Adrienne Young’s writing is absolutely beautiful. She makes this insular forest town setting come alive. This story follows James, who returns to her home town to figure out what happened to her twin brother who was murdered. Within this in depth mystery, there are side plots of first love, romance, secrets, and growth. It’s a truly beautiful book, in Adrienne Young’s unique, slower and poetic writing style.

I loved the mystery and the immersive setting, as well as the paranormal elements.

James heads back to her home town to take care of things after her brother’s death. She sees and feels echoes of him all around her. The more she goes through his things the more she suspects his death was no accident and more questions arise about what goes on in the small town she ran from years ago.

This novel was an emotional rollercoaster for me. James working through her grief over the loss of her brother while also questioning the type of person he truly was in a town where the locals would rather she go back to her big city life.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

Adrienne Young has quickly become one of my favorite authors with her atmospheric, gorgeous writing and this book was no exception. It was so immersive with all of the details she gave and the amazing setting that I wanted to transport myself to, it was beautiful. I fell in love with Jame's character and her heartbreaking story. I loved the mystery surrounding her brother's death and I really enjoyed the little plot twists thrown in. The romance was great and I loved the ending.