Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a ARC of this book!
WOW! Things started off slow, but once things picked up I could not put this book down. James (an interesting name for a female character- this is explained in the characters backstory) returns to her hometown after the death of her twin brother. Her story takes many twists and turns until she is able to piece together the mystery surrounding her brother’s death. My first 4 star read of the year, will definitely be recommending to others :)

Adrienne Young knows how to create a spooky vibe and "A Sea of Unspoken Things" did not disappoint. I loved the tiny magical element added to the story which helped pull you along as the mysteries unfolded. A fabulous little atmospheric mystery.

Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press/Random House Publishing for this e-ARC of A Sea of Unspoken Things! First, may I just say, I LOVE Adrienne Young as an author. I love her characters, I love her writing style, and her books are always the right balance of character building and plot.

This story is about our FMC James, who returns to her small town home after 20 years, in response to a call regarding what is to believed to be an accident that resulted in the tragic end of her twin, Johnny. James must face not only settling her brother's estate and belongings, but also all of the memories that she left behind in the town, including a childhood love and a dangerous secret.

This was my first voyage into reading an adult fiction/mystery novel of hers, and it did not disappoint! Mystery is not my favorite genre, most of the time because I can predict the story line and the "twist" by the first fourth of the book, but this one kept me on my toes, which I appreciated. I did not know for certain what was going to happen until right before the big reveals (of which there were not one, but two!), and my brain was constantly working to try and piece all of the information together.

I loved the character building of James, and her flashbacks that showed us the history that she had with the town of Six Rivers, and why she had stayed away for so many years; I thought this dual timeline was done very well, and I also enjoyed the slight bit of paranormal aspect that we get which leads James to discover clues about the nights/days in question (iykyk). I also really enjoyed the parallels between the main characters and some of the side characters, and how that played into the eventual reveal at the end. Lastly, Young's writing is just the right level of whimsical and suspenseful, while still delivering hard hitting messages about family and one's roots that were prevalent at the end of the story.

I very much enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more by this author!

Let's just get this out of the way, I love Adrienne Young and will pick up anything she writes.

That being said, this book was...different from her usual. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
As usual, Adrienne Young provided us with a beautifully atmospheric book. i always feel like i am immersed in the landscapes and towns and feelings of our characters and this one was no different.

This one was more part Murder mystery/thriller than romance ( fade to black Spice here only) but that was not a bad thing. This started off really slow for me, but picked up about midway and before i knew it I was almost at the end.

I suspected who our villain was but not...everything. I'll leave it at that so I don't spoil it.
That being said, the ending was satisfying but.. a little flat for me? I don't know if I wanted more or what but...yes I wanted more. LOL.

All in all I enjoyed it. It was beautifully written, almost lyrical, but this book was not my favorite of hers and that's ok!
I still give it a solid 4.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House- Ballentine for providing an eARC. All opinions are my own.

Adrienne Young yet again delivers a beautifully atmospheric story, steeped in melancholic nostalgia. I have loved every single book I have read by her and this may be my favourite one yet.

I can’t exactly put my finger on what makes Adrienne Young’s writing so incredibly special, but it definitely has something to do with her innate ability to capture the tragic beauty of life and loss, of what ifs and could have beens, of pain and love. Her stories are so raw and real and relatable, and they HURT but in the best kind of way.

I will forever be in awe of her storytelling, and this book just solidifies Adrienne Young as one of my favourite authors of all time.

3.4 ⭐️

This is probably my least favorite Adrienne Young adult book though so far she on has 3 out.

The first half was really slow and dragged for me. I contemplated putting it down and picking it back up later but I pushed through. I will say it did pick up a bit in the last half.

As always, Ms Young’s writing is so good and atmospheric. I loved the forest setting and reading it in January just added something extra.

I liked the main female character, James. She was the definition of “my brother’s keeper.” Her brother was an interesting character though we only felt his presence in the book. I can’t say too much without spoiling it but I will say, I’m really glad that a certain situation involving him and another person was not the case. I kindof wished we got more from his character… more flashbacks.

Micah. I probably liked Micah more than James tbh. He was straight forward and I wish that we got more with him and James. I felt like their reunion was kindof rushed especially after 20 years.

The plot twists. Super anticlimactic and I just didn’t see it. I really can’t say too much without spoiling a major plot twist but I will say.. I had a feeling about one person.

The ending was cute.

The story for me was just okay. Wasn’t bad, wasn’t great but if you liked her other adult novels, I say give this a try.

📖 A Sea of Unspoken Things 📖⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Genre- Mystery. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Length- 288 pages. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Pub Date- January 7, 2025. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣My thoughts- I was really looking forward to this book, but unfortunately it didn’t blow me away. The writing is beautiful and the setting was captivating, but the actual story was very meh and the pacing was awful! ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣An artist returns to her hometown after the sudden death of her twin brother. There is a touch of magical realism, but it’s mostly a lot of James searching through Johnny’s belongs. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Overall- it just left me feeling meh. Three stars! ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of A Sea of Unspoken Things in return for my honest review!

This book moved at a slower pace but once the story picks up I was hooked. Adrienne is a beautiful storyteller and her books always leave me wanting more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)

Every time I turned the page, I had more questions. 😅 I loved the journey of this and James’s strength of pushing through even when she was scared of what she might found out. The twin connection was so interesting and I loved the supernatural aspect of it! The ending fell a little flat for me, but overall it was a great read.

🥀Single POV
🥀Small town
🥀Twins
🥀Multiple mysteries!
🥀Secrets 🤫
🥀Second chance

A Sea of Unspoken Things was just the atmospheric mystery I needed. I love Adrienne Young's writing style and she never disappoints. That certainly holds true for A Sea of Unspoken Things. I was absolutely unable to put this down as soon as I started reading it. Young's ability to entrance readers is second to none. I admit, there were twists that I just did not see coming! A Sea of Unspoken Things is a story about twin bonds, loss, second chances, and facing the past to move forward in the future.

3.75 ⭐️

Firstly, thank you to Random House Publishers, Ballantine and Netgalley for this ARC read.

This book was pretty different from June Farrow but there was still some wonder and magic sprinkled in. More of a mystery and suspense theme with some nature and wilderness aspects.

I enjoyed Smoke, the twin dynamic and the small town. I don’t want to give away the ending but the ending was a tad disappointing for me as it how it wraps for some of the characters. I did suspect that outcome however.

Wowowowow.
The last 1/4 is a wild rollercoaster. I was unable to put it down and I'm still thinking about how it ended!

I didn't realize this was part murder mystery and it read like a thriller at times, which was perfect.
Adrienne Young is officially an auto buy author for me.

Perfect amount of romance. Fantastic red herrings! Great small town vibes, I honestly felt like I was in Northern California with them and I could feel and smell the pnw. It starts with a bang 🔫 and ends with the sweetest wrap up. Definitely recommending this to everyone.

This was an interesting mystery with the different layers with all the characters different levels and not knowing their intentions. I enjoyed going through the story and getting a bit more information along the way. The spirit type energy helping the story go along was intriguing plot. I liked the simplistic ending.

I love the way Adrienne Young writes, even though this one was a little slow for me. I did enjoy it overall, just didn't feel myself grabbing for it,

🤍Thank you so much @delacortepress for the copies of A Sea of Unspoken Things 🤍

Adrienne Young is an auto-read author for me, and she swept me away with this eery mystery.

James returns to her hometown after the death of her twin to face the secrets buried there. And to face Micah, the only man she’s ever loved.

What follows is an atmospheric and heartbreaking story about loss, regret, and a mystery that had me glued to the page.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
steam: fade to black

after reading The Unmaking of June Farrow and LOVING it I knew I had to read her newest, and I ate up every word of this book!!


James is forced back to her hometown she escaped at 18 when her twin brother is found dead. Though ruled an accident, James knows there is more to the story— she can feel where the bullet struck her brother. Now she must face her past, the lies she told, the man she left behind.. and has to figure out if her brother is the person she thought he was.

Mystery, death, a small town, romance, and a connection between twins that prevails after death - what more do you want in a book??

I read the last 60% of this book in one sitting!! be sure to pick it up when it comes out Tuesday!!!!! thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the arc 🥰🤩

This is a new to me author. The Unmaking of June Farrow has been on everyone's lips as a must read book, so while I waited for my Libby hold, I grabbed this one from Netgalley. It was good. It was a bit slow in places and while it had a bit of mystery (aka whodoneit), it was more character driven than a lot of big events (although to be fair, there were several big events that drove the story as well). James and Johnny are unidentical twins and when Johnny loses his life, James is thrown back into a life she wanted to just get away from and HAD gotten away from. Soon the mystery of Johnny's death has James rediscovering her roots and her small town. It absolutely is beautifully written, almost lyrical and had me clearly imagining what the author was trying to describe. I will absolutely read more from this author.

If ever there was a story painted in muted blues and vibrant grays, it would be the hauntingly lovely A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young.
After twenty years, James Golden returns home to Six Rivers to handle the affairs of her twin brother, Johnny. His untimely and accidental deal feels anything but accidental to James, who can feel his presence everywhere in their hometown, like he is leading her to something important.

James goes on a mission to understand her brother's life and cure the nagging ache that tells her that not everything is as it seems in the town of Six Rivers. She also reconnects with their best friend, Micah, creating a second-chance romance subplot. The romance is a full plot on it's own but definitely takes a backseat to the mystery.

With elements of ghosts and the supernatural connection shared by twins, I would describe A Sea of Unspoken Things as a magical realism mystery. I couldn't put it down once the story really started unfolding and I didn't see the twist coming at the end. I absolutely recommend A Sea of Unspoken Things to readers who enjoy moody, atmospheric mysteries.

Thank you to Adrienne Young, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press, and Netgalley for the eARC of A Sea Of Unspoken Things in exchange for my honest opinion. I really enjoyed it. Four stars.

📷🪵🪦💔

When James Golden’s twin brother, Johnny, dies in a tragic accident, the deep, almost psychic connection they shared is severed, leaving her unmoored and consumed by questions—was his death truly an accident? Against her better judgment, James returns to the wild, small town of Six Rivers, a place she swore she’d never revisit after leaving behind her family and her first love two decades ago. As she pieces together the mysteries surrounding Johnny’s death, James uncovers layers of deception and long-buried secrets, forcing her to confront truths that blur the line between loyalty and self-preservation. Adrienne Young masterfully weaves a story of grief, love, and betrayal in this hauntingly atmospheric novel. Perfect for fans of complex family dramas with a twist of mystery, this book will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.

This was an engrossing mystery story. Adrienne Young is able to create characters that are both accessible and intriguing. This is overall a story of grief and self-awakening. James's twin brother, Johnny, is killed in an apparent hunting accident. She returns to the small town she left behind twenty years earlier in an attempt to learn what happened to Johnny. She unexpectedly goes through a journey of realization and acceptance of who both she and her brother were as individuals. The plot moved quickly, and I was unable to easily put the book down. I was immersed in atmosphere world and was driven to know what happened.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a character driven mystery with a slight mystical tone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House- Ballentine for providing an eARC in return for my honest thoughts.