“…𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴. 𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦, 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥.”

Thank you so much to Random House, Delacorte Press and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy - I truly didn’t expect to be approved (I waited months) so this was such a lovely surprise. What’s crazier is that despite it being an anticipated release for me (the premise sounded intriguing), this is the first I’ve ever read by Adrienne Young! I know I know, The Unmaking of June Farrow is very beloved on bookstagram and even Spells for Forgetting is highly popular (which I also was recently gifted a copy of). Having never read Young’s works I didn’t know what to expect going in.

Having never read Young’s works I didn’t know what to expect going in. It is very atmospheric and I loved the small town secluded in the forest vibes where everyone is holding secrets. It starts off slow and there’s this constant eeriness as the mystery begins to unravel and intensify. I had some theories and was right about the final twist. Still, overall, it was an enjoyable read that kept my attention. Content warnings include death of a sibling, some light profanity, some physical violence, and missing persons.

If you're looking to be transported straight into a Californian forest, stop and pick this book up. The setting and descriptions transported me right to Six Rivers. The vibes were so cold and dark which made it a perfect read for this time of year.

Adrienne Young excelled at creating this genre-bending story that felt more mystery with a dash of fantastical elements rather than all out fantasy. As a lover of another one of her works, The Unmaking of June Farrow, I think she masters at making fantasy approachable and creating compelling characters.

SETTING 5/5 - This whole book felt like I was sitting in a dark, damp forest in the best way.

PLOT 4/5 - I loved the mystery that drove the plot and the relationship that developed through the story.

CHARACTERS 4/5 - The only thing that could make this a 5 star would have been if there were 50-75 more pages to add more time with the characters and story.

EMOTIONAL IMPACT 4/5 - Again, if this had been just a little longer and I could have had more depth and time with these characters this would have been an easy 5.

I can definitely see what all the hype is about surrounding this author. Adrienne does a wonderful job of creating this story and giving the readers what they need. Suspense thrills mystery and an engaging emotional experience. The MFC is on a mission to uncover what happened to her twin brother who she has shared a twin connection with her whole life. I do feel the romance could’ve built up better but still a great read

4.25 ⭐️
Adrienne Young stole my heart in 2024 when I read, "Spells for Forgetting" and "The Unmaking of June Farrow". From that point on I knew she was an auto-buy author for me, and I would run to buy anything she published. When I was given the opportunity to read the arc, I was ecstatic with anticipation and let's just say Adrienne Young DELIVERED once again! To me this one was a little different then I went in expecting based off of her other two novels, but it was still such an amazing read! Adrienne Young is known for her magical realism, and I felt this story was heavy on the thriller aspect with hints of magical realism. The only reason this was not a 5-star read for me is the first 40% dragged and I had no idea where the story was going to go, the pacing was just slow in the beginning. However, with that being said as soon as the storyline picked up, I absolutely could not put it down. The last half of the book kept me guessing and I still never expected that ending!

This story follows James and her twin brother Johnny. Most twins have a deep connection but theirs were one of a kind. James could feel what her twin brother was feeling. When Johnny passes away in a tragic accident, James feels it before she even gets a phone call. However, something doesn't sit right with James. In search of answers, James decides to travel back to her hometown to face her and her twin brothers past as well as the only man James has ever loved... Micah. James soon finds out that she didn't know her brother as well as she thought and in the search of answers what secrets will she unveil.


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

This kept me up until 3 am trying to finish this book! I have never read Adrienne Young but have heard such great things. I am going to brag about having read this already to all my coworkers and friends

Beautifully written, Young’s newest novel is compelling and thought provoking. She, again, brings the story to life through her writing, and I am thankful to have had the opportunity to read it.

Eerie, mysterious, deep, atmospheric, but ultimately too slow paced. I think there is so much promise in A Sea of Unspoken Things and I can completely understand others loving the measured unraveling of truths. It just wasn't a fit for me. I felt disconnected from the characters and couldn't get engaged with the mystery. I thought the writing was very detailed and arresting and Young did a great job of presenting Six Rivers in an evocative way. I also enjoyed the magical realism aspects involving James and Johnny's connection. While this story has numerous admirable elements, I felt that it ultimately fell a bit flat and missed the charm I loved in The Unmaking of June Farrow. This is a quick read - if you enjoy atmosphere, mystery, magical realism, and Young's writing then it could be a good match.

James hasn’t stepped foot in Six Rivers for years, but when her twin brother Johnny is killed in a tragic accident she must return to the quiet logging town to settle his affairs. Once there, she is unable to avoid people she has avoided since moving to San Francisco, forcing unwanted memories to surface. Try as she might, James cannot accept that Johnny’s death was an accident, partly because she keeps feelings his presence lurking throughout town. As James uncovers more secrets from Johnny’s life, his best friend and her first love, Micah, is by her side, making James question everything she feels and knows about her twin.

Young’s books are all incredibly atmospheric, and her beautiful writing made reading this book a treat! I was so invested in the mystery surrounding Johnny’s death, and the past trauma that still haunts James and Micah. This book did not have the same magical realism components of her past two releases, and while I love those elements I didn’t miss them in this story. This novel is packed with tension and intrigue, with a tiny romantic subplot that I was (of course) invested in. Please go read this!

Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I enjoyed this book very much. I couldn’t put it down. Like her small towns world she writes about there’s something magical in Adrienne’s writing. No one does small town mystery quite like her.
This one was a little bit different than the others. It was less romance and more emotional. I still enjoyed it but the overall feel was different. I love the twin discussion and how connected twins are. The setting once again is the best part. Everything she writes is atmospheric you feel like you are there in the story and as always there’s a touch of magic and a mystery to solve. I will always pick up her books to get me out of a slump because they are impossible to put down. All her books feel the same but the stories are so different. I highly recommend this to any one looking for an escape into a magical world but doesn’t want a fantasy.

Adrienne Young is an author who popped up on my book radar when I read her book Spells for Forgetting, and loved it. She has a way with words which give her stories such emotion and heart, and it is no different with this book. I also enjoy the sense of magical realism she tends to weave into her novels as well. It's subtle and I feel like its more impactful because of that, a glimpse of a loved one in a window, a phantom smell, hearing a voice with no source. The reader is left wondering whether it is magical or if it is the psychosis of the character.

James and her twin brother Johnny have been a bit estranged for a while. though they touch base at times, they don't truly know what is going on in each others lives. So when James gets the news, she already knows her brother has died and he was scared in the days leading up to the "accident". Now she has to return to her hometown while trying to avoid the past and just focus on settling her brother's affairs so she can leave. But the problem with the past is things do not always stay buried and the bad has a habit of rearing it's head.

James also has to face Micah again, who was her brother's best friend and a past love in her own life.

There are lots of personal demons to face, in this novel as well as confronting the past and the present. I think it was a well crafted book and the ending resolves in a satisfying way. I would highly recommend this book and I plan to find more from this author in the future.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the digital ARC!
I’m a suspense/mystery lover and this book by Adrienne Young did not disappoint! The story follows James and her efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding her brother’s death. I did find the first half of the book to be a bit slow and redundant at times but at around 50%, I couldn’t stop reading. Looking forward to reading more books by this author!

James and Johnny have always had a stronger connection than even most twins. Before she gets the call, James knows Johnny is gone. She returns home to settle his affairs, but also to do some investigating into his death. She must face the past in order to move forward into a future without her brother.

Adrienne Young's writing is captivating and beautiful. I couldn't put this book down. There were several twists I didn't see coming but they all made sense. I 100% recommend this.

Adrienne Young has done it again! I absolutely flew through A Sea of Unspoken Things to see how this mystery would unravel. As with any Adrienne Young novel, the writing and the atmosphere will sweep you away and make you feel like you're walking side by side with the characters on whatever journey they are on. I wish that we had gotten to connect with the characters more, but I also see this as being intentional due to the mystery that our FMC is trying to solve. As we lean more about her background, its understandable why she keeps the reader at a distance. The Unmaking of June Farrow will always be my number one, but did really love this one and highly recommend checking it out if you loved her other adult novels.

First 5 star read of the year, and well deserved! This book was not what I was expecting after reading The Unmaking of June Farrow recently, I was expecting another literary fiction. This was a story about family connections, from beyond death and even among those who become family through shared experiences…but also very much a thriller. I loved it. Adrienne Young writes so beautifully and emotionally, I can’t wait to delve further into her backlist to see what I’ve missed

4.25⭐
Evocative and beautifully written. An artist returns to her wild mountain hometown for the first time since high school upon learning of the death of her twin. With a sense of disquiet, the story unfolds as she tries to discover what happened to him. Everywhere she sees him and feels his presence. There are two mysteries to unfold, how did he die and what happened just before she left.

Adrienne Young continues to sweep me away and lure me into her atmospherical mysteries—and this new story, with its gripping plot, kept me on the edge of my seat, investigating every clue alongside our main character.

When James’ twin brother suddenly loses his life unexpectedly and mysteriously, she heads back to their isolated hometown to uncover what really happened that day, where secrets and hidden truths from the past collide with her present.

Right away, I loved the nature-filled vibes of this book! It reminded me of Young’s previous work, Spells for Forgetting, but with a national forest setting. The way she weaves the elements of nature into her stories will always be so captivating to me, where nature itself becomes a character of its own.

Like her other mysteries, this was a suspenseful story that enticed me from the first page, and I consumed it in a couple of days. As always, there’s a thread of emotional impact and romantic moments, and I may have shed a tear or two. I can’t wait to see where her next mystery will transport us!

4.25/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This story was so chilling and beautiful, I couldn't put the book down once I started reading. I loved everything about this - the characters, the setting and the plot. One of my favourite quotes is, "We could fill the fucking ocean with the things we never said to each other.” Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press for the ARC!

I love everything Adrienne Young writes! This book read a little slower for me but hey! It was a slow burn friends to lovers (mixed with the mystery!) I think that when it comes to a mystery/thriller, I prefer quicker pace but that doesn't take away from the fact that this is another amazing book from Adrienne Young!

I will forever be in awe of Adrienne's writing. Her books are so consistently immersive, atmospheric and engaging. Her books are always so well written and hard to put down. My heart was POUNDING towards the end of this book at the big mysteries neared the end and the twists and turns really kept me guessing. A Sea of Unspoken things is maybe Adrienne's least "magical" book in the sense that the magic is much more internal and rooted in James' ties to her twin brother and her journey in trying to figure out what happened before he was found shot in the forest. Everyone insists it was a rogue hunting accident but James isn't sure and she has to return to the town she ran away from 20 years prior.

Although there is one flashback chapter, this isn't a dual timeline book so you spend a lot of the time trying to figure out what happened 20 years ago that caused James to leave and also what happened to Johnny. While in a lot of ways this is a small town mystery thriller, because it's Adrienne, the writing is so elevated and beautiful that it felt otherworldly and magical in so many ways even though there is little tangible capital "M" magic on the page.

I loved this addition to Adrienne's work and I remain forever a fan.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

(4.5/5) Part slow burn childhood friends to lovers, part mystery - the writing in Young's latest was beautiful! If you're looking for somewhat of a slow tale that unravels small-town secrets at a relaxing pace - this is the book.

I'm finding that this winter, I need slower, more in-depth character studies like James and Jhonny.. and I love their sibling relationship! It's fragile and beautiful - with James being the perfect protagonist!
**The only thing I would say this is missing is a bit of urgency in the last 20% - but I could also see that being a good thing if you want more of a relaxed read.

I loved The Unmaking of June Farrow and can't wait to get my copy of this one in the mail!

**Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤