“We were made in the dark. I used to hate when Johnny said that, but now I know it’s true.”

This is perhaps the darkest of Adrienne Young’s books. There was a point where both James, the MC, and I feared the worst about Johnny. It’s hard to talk about it without giving the book away but secrets and twists that are slowly revealed were worth the quieter start to the book.

“Maybe we were made in the dark, like Johnny said, but we’d found a way to create our own kind of light.”

AY’s writing is just simply gorgeous. I would read her grocery list. She perfectly captures James’s grief at losing her twin brother despite their distance and her reluctance to return the tiny town in the woods that she fled. She wove in her trademark hints of magical realism without it distracting from the plot.

Be warned, the first half of this book is very slow. Despite the atmospheric writing, I had to push myself to continue at the beginning. But once I got through the first bit, the mystery continued to twist and build and I was hooked!

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Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young is an absolutely mesmerizing and soul-stirring novel that explores the fragile beauty of love, grief, and redemption. With her signature poetic prose, Young crafts a hauntingly atmospheric tale that captures the raw ache of unspoken truths and the longing for connection. The coastal setting is so vividly rendered, it feels almost like a character itself—wild, untamed, and brimming with secrets.

What makes this book unforgettable is its emotional depth. The characters are beautifully flawed, grappling with their pasts in ways that feel authentic and heartbreaking. Young masterfully balances melancholy with hope, creating a story that is both tender and powerful. This is a stunning exploration of human vulnerability, making it a must-read for fans of emotional, character-driven fiction.

The reviews were right - this book is wonderful. Go out and read this gem. I finished in 2 days. Outstanding as always.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.25 ⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Mystery/ Magical realism📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
I enjoyed the uniqueness of the plot and the hints of magical realism. I did feel like the ending was a little anti-climatic but the last twist at the very end made up for it!

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Slow-burn mysteries
Atmospheric, small-town settings
Family secrets
Supernatural twin bond
Strong character-driven stories
Twisty endings
Themes of grief and healing
Magical realism
Romance subplots
Emotional depth

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Unique storyline
Well developed characters

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Pacing was a little slow
I didn’t really connect with any of the characters

𝙵𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜:
★ “Maybe we were made in the dark, like Johnny said, but we’d found a way to create our own kind of light.”
★ “We could fill an ocean with all the things we never said.”
★ "Both of us had always been trying to capture moments and keep them. Him with the camera, me with my pen. But in the end, we somehow always saw things differently"

4.5 stars. Absolutely loved this one. Different from the usual books by this author but still amazing.

I love Adrienne Young's work, and this book was no exception. James return to the tiny logging town she left decades ago after her twin brother Johnny is killed in a hunting accident. She's always had an uncanny connection to him, and suspects there is more to his death than meets the eye. As she starts to put his affairs in order, she finds out more and more that leads her to believe he wasn't killed by accident. She also meets up with the boy she was in love with as a teen. While this was a slow-burn mystery, the book never feels slow. The writing is lyrical, the setting perfectly drawn and James is a sympathetic protagonist you can't help but root for. Loved it.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital arc of this book!

A Sea of Unspoken Things is the second book I have read by Adrienne Young and by far my least favorite. It follows James Golden, the artist who left her small town as soon as she was able, and her return back to town after the death of her twin brother, Johnny. Being back home throws her directly into the path of her old lover and brother's best friend, Micah. But James doesn't believe that what really happened to her brother was just an accident. Since returning to Six Rivers, she can feel a strong presence that she knows is Johnny's and it seems he's trying to tell her something. As Micah and James work together to figure out what really happened to Johnny, old feelings rise their way to the surface.

I finished this book a week ago, and in between the time it took me to finish it and write this review, I forgot literally everything that happened in this book. The premise was intriguing and I was excited for Adrienne Young's expressive writing, but immediately something felt off about this book. It felt almost as if Young didn't trust the reader to figure out the mystery for themselves so she spoofed it to them. The twists were unbelievable and frankly laughable and I didn't feel anything at all about the romance between Micah and James. The entire time I was incredibly freaked out about the prospect of Johnny and an 18-year-old student being involved---and it felt like I was the only one?? The characters were entirely prepared to hide the affair if necessary.

I have few positive things to say about this book and the cover is one of them. I suppose another would be the writing style. I do generally love Young's books, but this one was a hard pass in my opinion. If you are deciding which Adrienne Young book to read next, do me a favor and skip this one. An easy 1/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I really enjoy a good mystery/thriller, and this book totally hit that mark for me. I haven't had a good read in this genre for awhile, so this was a welcome read! The plot moves along at a good pace, albeit a little slow at the beginning for me. But once I got hooked, I was HOOKED! A great read. Highly recommend.

4 1/2 stars

I really enjoy most everything this author writes. This book was no different. This mystery about the death of James' twin brother, Johnny back in her hometown - - the one she swore never to return to. But when she senses that his death wasn't accidental and believes that it was actually intentional, she can't help but return home to see if she can uncover what really happened.

Returning home to a small town opens all kinds of wounds for James - none the least is her heartbreak with former boyfriend, Micah. When she sees him, it's clear that they still have feelings for one another. Feelings that she's tried to shove down and forget about. She also has had to deal with the emotional baggage of her friends that she left behind as well because when James left years ago - - she left everyone and didn't look back.

This book had several mysteries at play and was quite enjoyable for me to read. I also enjoyed the romantic tension between James and Micah. This was definitely another winner by Adrienne Young.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Adrienne’s story telling is seriously top notch. Her writing actually makes you feel like you’re in her books and living in the plot. Go into her books blind because you’ll enjoy them way more.

I would like to start by thanking Random House Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. I apologize for the delay in submitting this review. I want to mention that I decided to stop reading this book at 26% because I realized it wasn't the right fit for me.

The story follows twins James and Johnny, who have always shared a deep connection. After Johnny dies in a tragic accident, James returns to her hometown to settle her brother's affairs. While there, she begins to uncover the truths surrounding the days leading up to Johnny's death. Now, she must decide which truths should be revealed and which should remain buried.

I believe the setting and overall atmosphere of the book were excellent. The characters were well-developed, and their emotions were portrayed authentically; I genuinely felt their struggles while reading. However, I found the pacing to be slower than I prefer.

Overall, this book didn’t resonate with me. I think that mystery readers who enjoy closely following the main character may find it perfect for their tastes! Once again, I would like to thank Random House Publishing and NetGalley for providing this ARC. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Pacific Northwest small town atmospheric mystery. Our leading lady James is back home trying to solve her twin brother’s death. The first half is a slow and steady setting build up. The second half all the action takes place and the twists turn you all around.

# A Sea of Unspoken Things
# 2/26/2025 ~ 2/27/2025
# 4.0 / 5.0

I genuinely loved Adrienne Young’s other book, The Unmaking of June Farrow, so I was really hoping for a similar experience with this book. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. While the atmospheric setting was definitely a strong point, the slow pacing made it hard to stay interested. The characters also felt a bit flat, and since the mystery didn’t really grab me, I struggled to stay invested. I kept picking it up, hoping it would eventually pull me in, but I just couldn’t stay engaged. In the end, I lost interest and decided to put it down. Maybe I’ll give it another shot in the future, but for now, it just didn’t click with me.

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


I really thought this book would be 5 stars but there were some pretty glaring holes and things that bothered me throughout this book that I just couldn't get over. It took me a long time to get through this one. Partially due to the first person POV. It was so slow in the beginning that I struggled to want to pick it up, I felt like the overall pacing in the first half needed some work. Towards the end the pacing picked up and the stakes were high, which kept me much more interested and held my attention.

“That was the way of grief, I was realizing. It was a barrage of pain that was so unbearable that it made you numb. And then out of nowhere, something made you feel again, and the cycle started over from the beginning.”


The investigation was the train moving through this plot. The story line while I felt was lacking had some pretty good twist. I can't say I didn't see them coming. BUT The investigation is literally what kept it moving for me. I needed to know who did it. The writing was beautiful, which is what has be in such a conundrum. She wrote the book well. I just feel like it could have been SO much more! I didn't find the characters to be memorable and lacked the depth I feel was warranted given the themes at play here.

Overall, not my favorite Adrienne. Which is sad for me. But maybe you will like it. If you read it let me know your thoughts.

What to Expect:
Magical Realism
Murder Mystery
Buried Secrets
Small Town
Romance Subplot
Second Chance
First Person POV

Originally I wasn’t sure how I wanted to rate this book, but after sitting with it for the evening I’ve finally decided.

I can see how for some people the first half of this book dragged a bit. It was a slow build, but Adrienne Young’s writing is so just beautiful and immersive that I honestly loved it. I was flying through the beginning and just excited to see where we ended up. I never truly felt like I was forcing myself into the story or just trying to get past parts, I was along for the ride wherever this book took me.

As someone who has a lost a sibling (granted not a twin), this book was gorgeously written. Not only was grief talked about in such a natural, understanding way, but the anger and the refusal to drop something when it doesn’t feel right were so real too. The magical realism of being able to sense Johnny’s emotions, and feel him, to know that he is leading you somewhere was just incredible. I would love to think that this was true in the real world in some ways. Sensing their presence and knowing they are with you and leading you somewhere, because sometimes you just know. Gorgeously written and I loved every minute.

Did I predict some of the twisty parts in the end? Ultimately yes, but it wasn’t enough for me to not like the other pieces of the book or rate it any lower.

Also, can I just say that I LOVED Micah! One of my biggest pet peeves in a book like this where we are focused on the journey of a female is when it feels like the male love interest becomes a larger focus. This book did not do that at all and I was here for it. Micah was a great love interest and there is all the spots he was needed, but never taking over. Nor did the romance sections of this book take away from the mystery and magical realism in anyway, they blended together very naturally.

Beyond excited to see what Adrienne Young writes next!

I really enjoyed this book. It was part mystery, part small town drama. It was a quiet novel, and very much liked it.

This book did a great job of being both supernatural and mysterious while you watched the main character confront her past. I really enjoyed how the characters history and current mystery came together. I would recommend this book.

Adrienne Young’s books just get better and better.

Some I want to devour, and some require savoring, piece by piece. This one was somewhere in the middle, with twists that made me not want to put it down, but at the same time I didn’t want it to be over.

A story of siblings and secrets AND add a mystery?

SIGN ME UP.

If you’re itching for a book with gorgeous descriptions, depth, and enough tension to keep you turning pages well past bedtime, don’t skip this book!

I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own l, and a review was not required.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Random House Publishing for a copy of this ARC.

2 stars. I ended up listening to this on audio, and that was a poor choice. I wish that I had read it instead. For the bits that I did read, I realized how unique and encapsulating Adrienne's writing style is and I did not get that at all from the audiobook. I was very confused at most parts and therefore became unmotivated to listen to it and I missed out on some information. I also would not classify this as a fantasy/magic realism story, I would consider it a mystery/thriller.

James has always had a twin bond with her brother Johnny. Now Johnny has been killed and the bond seems stronger than ever. Is Johnny trying to give her clues to his murder or maybe trying to confess to his own crimes…
Atmospheric thriller that I could not put down- thanks Netgalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.