As someone who has spent time camping and being in the Northern California redwoods, I can attest that AY has captured the misty haunting atmosphere of the place. I liked the dreamlike quality of the story and I truly didn't see the twists coming.

The novel’s strengths lie in its atmospheric writing, complex characters, and thoughtful exploration of its themes. James is a compelling protagonist whose artistic sensibilities inform how she views the world. Her struggle with guilt, grief, and her complicated feelings toward her hometown feels authentic and earned. Adrienne Young creates a palpable sense of unease that permeates every page.
I enjoyed it as I have all of her books. I rated this four stars.

This was so sad but so beautiful, James uncovers so much about her twin and herself. While trying to figure out what happened to her brother she reconnects with Micah and they navigate through this tragedy.

I read Adrienne Young’s book last year “The Unmaking of June Farrow” and I didn’t love it as much as everyone else, but it was still a good read. I feel the exact same about this book. It’s worth the read, but not one of my favorites, and that’s okay! Adrienne’s writing is beautiful I just feel her stories could have a little more depth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I first off, Adrienne’s writing is beautiful. I love her imagery, and the way she describes things. But that’s where it ended for me. The characters were so…… bland. This small town (basically) murder mystery could have had a ton more to it, but it felt like every other small town murder mystery I’ve seen. The pacing was slower than I have seen from her other books, so I was surprised. I’m not sure if the different theme of the book threw it off or what, but I was expecting a bit more here.

This book took me a long time to get into. This was my second Adrienne Young book to read and the pacing felt very different than what I was expecting after reading the Unmaking of June Farrow. Once I got to about 3/4 through the book, I felt like the plot actually picked up and we started getting somewhere when Autumn’s story mixed in with Johnny’s. It felt James’ character didn't have as much growth as I hoped aside from her relationship with Micah. Overall I liked this book, but I don’t think I’d recommend it as much as I did her other book.

I was so excited to get this ARC of Young’s latest novel. I loved June farrow. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the latter. The characters were intriguing as was the eerie setting of dark small town. It was slow to get into and took me until about 60 percent to want to keep reading. I loved the ending, but the beginning could have been a little shorter.

I will always read anything by Adrienne Young.

When James feels her bother die, she returns to Six Rivers to get his affairs in order. Instead, something feels off about his death and she finds a mystery to solve instead. James left Six Rivers behind years ago and the memories from her youth. Will she be able to stay and figure out what happened to Johnny?

This was not my favorite of hers and I would have much preferred the audio over reading it. It also felt like this should have been released in the fall season. I am very much a mood reader, and I think I would have enjoyed this more during spooky season. Perhaps my review will change the next time I read this book.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much, @NetGalley, for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars rounded up.

I greatly anticipated A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young since The Unmaking of June Farrow was in my top 12 of 2024 and earned a surprising and rare 5-star rating. In this contemporary story, James returns to her home town after her brother’s mysterious death. Set in rural California, the author creates a strong sense of place.

Sadly, this didn’t meet my expectations. I appreciated the writing and the slightly unsettling supernatural elements, but the plot was very slow. I often enjoy character-driven books and novels about grief, but I just didn’t connect with it. I kept waiting to be swept away as I was in June Farrow, but sadly it never happened.

I’m interested in Adrienne Young’s next book, but I’ll approach it with tempered expectations. Thank you to Delacorte Press for the advance review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC! Unfortunately, I did not like this as much as the author's previous work - however I think this is still an enjoyable read. Fun read but couldn't connect with the characters. The plot was somehow too much and too little at the same time?

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I think I will always read anything Adrienne young writes.

I struggled for a bit with the beginning of this book just because it felt like a slower pace than I’m used to. I almost completely gave up but I pushed through.

James and Johnny are twins and have a special connection. When Johnny dies, James has to go back to town to settle his affairs. But things aren’t what they seem, and she realizes she may not have known her brother the way that she thought she did. So she has to enlist the help of Micah who is her brother’s best friend and the one person that she loved.

The second half of this book is good and makes up for the first half being so slow. and the twists were good so I think that was its saving grace.

I would say 3/5 stars for me on this one just because I want to enjoy the entire book not just half of it!

For me, this one was just okay. I really enjoyed her YA novels, but I seem to have a harder time getting into the adult ones. The beginning was intriguing, then it got slow and felt somewhat repetitive and then it picked up pace a little bit, and then it slowed back down with a conclusion that did not end with a bang or any sort of wow factor. Overall it was an okay read, but if you're looking for a good twist, this one isn't it.

I would say this falls on the cozy, atmospheric, mystery side that previous Adrienne Young books have. Unlike her previous adult novels, this one felt a little slower paced and I didn't feel quite as drawn into the mystery in this one. It lacked a little of the magic that I really enjoyed in her other novels. Still a solid read, but not my favorite from her.

As my intro to Adrienne Young, I definitely want to explore the rest of their books too. This read like a thriller, which I wasn't expecting based on the cover.

I loved this. First off, I loved the setting. It threw me off that it was talking about Redding and Northern California because it’s where I am from and live. But it was fun reading about it and it randomly popping up. The mystery was great too. I got one thing sorry of right, but my jaw was dropped the later half of the book. It took me a couple tries to read this book, but I’m very glad I did. I loved everything about this. The twin bond, the mystery, the setting and the unexpected love story. Definitely not one to miss.

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.