I really enjoyed this one. It was a perfect blend of mystery and magical realism. Shadows of her brother Johnny haunts James after returning to Six Rivers. It's been 20 years since she left and coming back after Johnny's death is bringing forward painful memories of the past and reminding her why she left.

She's confronted with people from her past as she tries to figure out what happened to Johhny out there on the ridge. This was slow paced, but the mystery kept me reading. I have read all of Adrienne's books and plan to continue to do so. I definitely recommend it.

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

wow, what a novel. when i saw that i was approved for an e-arc of a sea of unspoken things, i was so excited. i read the unmaking of june farrow this year and fell in love with adrienne young's writing.

the story follows james as she returns back to her small town after her twin brother johnny was killed during a hunting accident. except, james knows deep down that it wasn't a hunting accident. you see, she felt and saw johnny's last moments alive. she returns back to their hometown after years of staying away to unravel what actually happened and who johnny really was.

i was immediately hooked by the premise of the book. a mystery with bits of magical realism and romance sounds right up my alley. the beginning really set up the characters, the setting, the small town. adrienne young's writing style allowed me to envision the words on paper into a movie playing out in my head. i felt the characters. i felt the environment. i felt the small town. everything felt so real and alive.

after the halfway point, the story really picks up and starts to unravel what really was going on. at several times throughout the novel, i was surprised. the mystery and the tension were so masterfully maintained until the very end.

also, i loved the magical realism elements, especially the connection between james and johnny. despite johnny being dead for the entire book, the glimpses we as the readers saw of him through james's perspective really made it feel like he was there and a character in the book.

the romance was both devastating and heartwarming. i won't go into too many details, but i felt the romance between the two characters.

if you couldn't already tell, i loved the book. easy 5 stars.

thank you so much to netgalley, adrienne young, and delacorte press for the e-arc. i cannot wait to own a physical copy of the book!

Thank you @delacortepress @prhaudio for the #gifted copy. I loved the audio narration. I switched between reading and audio version for convenience.

James returns to Six Rivers to figure out why her twin brother died. Diving into his research brings up the past and forces her to deal with her past love, Micah and the things the drove her away when she was 18.

Slow burn, twisty, and perfectly infused Young’s touch of magical realism. I only wish I could have seen a little more of the romantic spark.

Having loved The Unmaking of June Farrow, I was excited to request the eArc of A Sea of Unspoken Things. I wasn't disappointed! Young has a way of truly transporting you to her settings with beautifully descriptive writing. The premise of James being able to learn more about her brother's death through their special twin connection was what initially drew me to this story, and I wish it had been included even more than it was. I found the characters and their backstories to be interesting and compelling. I didn't feel like the plot or outcome was overly predictable, which I often find with mysteries like this. As someone from a small town, I really appreciated the accuracy of Young's depiction of small-town culture and stereotypes (they're stereotypes for a reason!). I would definitely recommend this book for those who like small-town mysteries with a flair of magical realism.

First, a huge thanks to NetGalley, Adrienne Young, and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read this book. It was such a beautiful story, I felt like Adrienne was showing us a part of her heart with this story.


I have loved Adrienne Young since I read The Unmaking of June Farrow over a year ago. She has this way of weaving a story that just pulls you in and makes you feel like you’re there. This book was the same way. From the first chapter to the last, we as the reader were on a journey with James trying to make sense of this tragedy. I was trying to put the pieces together along with James and the story definitely kept me guessing.

James and Micah’s relationship was by far my favorite in the book and they really were the heart of the story. They both clung to each other yet pushed each other away and left so many things unspoken for so many years. In the end the were all each other ever needed or wanted all along.

This story was real and honest and raw and stunningly written. I love that Adrienne dove into this idea of a twin connection and how one twin can feel the other. It’s such a personal story for her and I truly feel honored to have read it. Thank you again, NetGalley, the publishers, and most of all Adrienne for the opportunity to read this book. I absolutely loved it.

I read both The Unmaking of June Farrow and Spells for Forgetting this year. I really enjoyed both of these books, so it’s a bit hard not to compare! James was a very closed off individual and it was difficult to feel connected to her as the FMC. My favorite parts of the novel was when she dove into her brother’s past work projects to try and connect the missing pieces.

Some of the other side stories didn’t interest me as much. I also wished we had more of the backstory between Micah and James. There were some flashbacks to the past, but I wish it was told in dual timelines, separated by chapters. I felt like it was just okay overall!

Read if you like:
- Small town mysteries
- Elements of magical realism
- Twin telepathy

Thank you @netgalley and @delacortepress for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Young’s newest novel follows James as she returns to her hometown of Six Rivers in the wake of her twin brother’s untimely death. James’ supernatural connection to her twin leads her to suspect that perhaps his death wasn’t the accident it was presumed to be.

The setting is perfectly executed. The small-town, secluded vibe holds steady throughout the entire book and supports the building suspense. As always, Young’s writing is excellent- smooth and beautifully crafted. The beginning of the book felt very slow and almost dull at times but the second half moves much more quickly. The suspense builds nicely from that point on, culminating in multiple unexpected twists. Overall, I missed the magical realism element from Young’s previous books but enjoyed this as more of a thriller/mystery read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC provided in exchange for my honest review!

All I can say is…WOW.

This book is something special. I had so many feelings while reading it and I just couldn’t put it down. The story painted in this book is one of pure beauty even Among the pain and sadness of the story.

I highly recommend reading this suspense thriller. It’s a work of art.

This book was another great read by Adrienne Young. Her writing style is so elegant and captivates the reader. The story follows James, which is surprisingly a female character with a traditional male name, as she goes back to her small home town when her twin brother, Johnny, is killed. However, things seem off and the presence of the twin bond still feels very real despite him supposedly no longer being alive. James and Johnny have always been a balance to each other and James is used to the chaos that seems to follow Johnny. The continuation of their connection cannot be ignored because it is made suspicious due to his supposed passing. Answers to questions that arise are needed — what is really going on in this town? Is this some sort of revenge? Was it really an accident? This book comes close to my favorite Adrienne Young book, The Unmaking of June Farrow, for all of the same reasons. The small towns, the beautiful prose, and the magical realism elements are all what kept me engaged. The pacing felt good for this book, the mysterious elements keep you guessing, and the characters were well thought out which I appreciated. There was a bit of romance added in for good measure which added interest to the plot because the romantic interest is someone from James’ past and they have a history. I did have my theory of what would happen, as I do with most books, but this didn’t take away from the experience of reading this novel. This extremely beautiful and infatuating story is definitely worth the read, especially if you enjoyed Adrienne Young’s other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and review.

I think at this point, Adrienne Young could write about her laundry routine and I would eat it up. Her prose flows like silken words and I can't believe it took me so long to find her. I read The Unmaking of June Farrow last year and instantly knew that Young would be one of those authors that I would continue to read without question.

In this book, we find James being drawn back to her small hometown after the death of her twin. While his death is likely an accident, James had a vision at the time of his death that made her feel that there is more to the story. While settling his affairs she investigates his final days and pieces together his life.

The atmosphere in this book is beyond any other book I have read. The emotions of the characters are palpable and the sadness that permeates the pages of the story draw the reader in. Once I got going in the story I couldn't stop and had to finish the entire book in a single sitting. I did find the ending a little lack luster but the overall feel of the story and the way it was crafted more than makes up for it. I will mention that if you are a fan of Young's writing because of the magical realism, that is almost entirely lacking from this story, though I personally did not find that to be an issue in the storytelling at all.

I will say I enjoyed June Farrow more, but felt more attached to the characters and the setting in this one. A strong addition to the library and I look forward to her next book!

*I would like to thank the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Yes, you will want to read this one.

Adrienne Young is in a league of her own, and continues to evolve with each of her publications. A Sea of Unspoken Things (2025) has suspense, mystery, magical realism, surrealism, romance, and even a hint of gothic influence. Young’s work is uncategorizable - not because it isn’t well defined, but because her cup spills over, and I wouldn’t settle for calling it something singular. Even though I don’t think the literary world has fully realized it yet, she’s carved out her own space in fiction, and I want to live in it with her.

Our main character, James Golden, has always had an unexplainable connection to her twin brother, Johnny. When she receives a phone call from her home town that Johnny has been killed in a supposed hunting accident, she knows that something is off. She returns to the place she left 20 years ago, a town that holds plenty of secrets, including some of her own. Her past mixes with her present challenges as she and her first love, Micah, dig through Johnny’s life in search of the truth, even if it ends up being ugly.

Young gives us something that is far too sparsely written into fiction these days: a mature female protagonist. Similar to The Unmaking of June Farrow (2023), Unspoken Things brings us a 37-year-old, fully developed human being. There is no 19-year-old main character here, and I unapologetically rejoice! James certainly still fumbles and doesn’t always get it right, but she’s capably poised with the depth of her experiences to be able to drive the plot forward and make believable choices that affect both her own life and those around her.

There are hints of the supernatural in this book, but they are nonconforming and definitely don’t lead the plot. Young’s characters are so deeply human that the touches of surrealism don’t seem to reach the reader as such - how rare a skill. One of my favorite aspects of Young's writing is that when reality starts to bend into something more, it's done so delicately that I simply start to believe that the barrier shouldn’t be there to begin with.

“The farther the truck maneuvered down the switchbacks, the more I could feel it. Johnny seemed to press through the cracks in the truck, like the pressure of water leaking in. Way out here, there wasn’t a single soul to feel it, except me.”

We should all celebrate more loudly Young's ability to craft descriptions about the natural world that most of us are only able to feel intangibly. If you appreciate nature being alive and as influential as any other character, you will fall in love with this prose.

“The silence deepened, as if the muted quiet of the forest had somehow gotten in. I could almost feel it climbing its way inside of me, making my bones feel heavy.”

The story would have benefitted from doubling down on the darkness of the characters at an earlier point. I didn’t grasp the enigma of Johnny until I was much deeper into the story, although I believe that Young took us on this ride intentionally, because it mimics the theme that our main character faces throughout: you might not know someone close to you as well as you think you do. In general, some of my favorite and most memorable moments from Young’s stories are the grittiest, and this book is no exception (digging in the fire pit ashes, lying in the gorge). I was left wanting more of them, but only because Young writes them so well.

If you are simply anticipating a thriller, you may feel that there is a dip in pace through the middle, but I urge you to reframe. There is so much more than a mystery going on here (most notably, the metamorphosis of a woman who regains control and ownership of her outcome), and it’s one of the reasons that this book stands out amongst all the other copy/paste novels adjacent to it. The ending was discoverable if you were paying attention, but it didn’t detract from the value of the read.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, if rating Unspoken Things individually. However, June Farrow is one of my top shelf favorites, and Unspoken Things wasn’t as all-encompassing, so June Farrow still remains on its throne.

I can’t end this review without mentioning that Young’s book covers are so beautiful that it makes me believe there is hope for the print industry after all. I read this digitally, but I will undoubtedly buy the hardcover too. It will be discreetly added to the Suggested Reading shelf of every bookstore I visit for the foreseeable future.

I highly recommend starting the new year with an atmospheric search for answers in A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young, anticipated to be released on January 7, 2025.

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Thank you to Random House Publishing Group/Delacorte Press for the advance reading copy. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.

I loved reading this which was a pleasant surprise after I wasn’t a huge fan of The Unmaking of June Farrow earlier this year. But this one was so suspenseful and interesting and the setting made it spooky and atmospheric the whole way through. The supernatural elements really worked in this book and the characters were all very mysterious and layered. I liked the ending too but my only complaint is that I wish we got a few more clues to lead us there as the readers. Definitely recommend this one though, it had me hooked from start to finish.

This was my first book by Adrienne Young, and I really enjoyed her writing style! I really was engaged in this story quickly, and found it hard to put down. I do feel I had a difficult time connecting with Johnny, and felt the secrets and twists at the end were lacking. I do want to give this author more of a chance cause I really enjoyed the imagines she painted, just this book was not for me.

only read if you want to read the name Johnny 683 times in a 288 page book. There's a difference between haunting the narrative and just being in the way to the point where the other mystery that was way more interesting ended up having so many loose ends. Also only read if you want a cast of characters that cannot hold a secret the second they are confronted, a very convenient dog, to constantly remind yourself the main character is nearly 40 because the writing style in her narrative is so YA, an unnecessary love triangle, hardly any actual magical realism, and to be ultimately disappointed any time it seemed this book was taking a darker, fascinating turn

This is my first book by this author and I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and setting, which created a creepy, moody vibe that complemented the plot perfectly. The magical realism elements felt believable, and I liked how they tied into real-life myths about the unique and often mysterious connection between twins. Normally I can predict the killer or the direction a plot will take, but the author did a great job of keeping the twists hidden. I was genuinely surprised by the ending, which is something I always love in a book. I definitely recommend it and will be reading more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Bellatine for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was full of twists and turns. James and Johnny are twins. They are both artist types but in different ways. Johnny in photography and James in drawings. Now Johnny is gone.

James feels the moment when Johnny died. She goes back to her hometown in order to get his affairs in order. But what she finds is more than she bargained for. What really happened to Johnny?

I was kept guessing until the very end.

A Sea of Unspoken Things is an eerie and beautifully atmospheric small-town murder mystery. All of the characters were a bit suspicious and shifty, and the story had me guessing right up until the very end. And even though I had issues guessing at 'who done it' the big reveal at the end left me a bit disappointed. I loved the twin dynamic with a bit of a supernatural twist, and the romance subplot was really sweet. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Book Review: A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Adrienne Young’s A Sea of Unspoken Things invites readers into the world of a small town brimming with secrets, long-standing tensions, and deep rooted histories.

What I Liked:
The Small-Town Dynamic: Young’s depiction of the close-knit, gossip-laden atmosphere of the town was immersive. Every interaction felt charged, as though the very streets held memories and grudges.
Intriguing Side Characters: The supporting cast was vibrant and compelling, each character adding layers to the story’s depth. They often felt more alive than the protagonists, leaving me wishing for more time spent with them.
The Town as a Character: The setting felt alive, its mood shifting with the tides and the emotions of its residents. Young crafted a vivid sense of place that was as much a participant in the story as any human character.

What I Didn’t Like:
James as a Main Character: Unfortunately, James failed to resonate with me. I thought her to be a shallow character for most of the story.
Missed Opportunities for Flashbacks: The mention of the event of twenty years ago were intriguing but always glanced over. We only received the one short flashback instead of the mystery slowly unfolding. Expanding on these moments could have deepened the emotional stakes and enriched the narrative.
Rushed Resolutions: Key plotlines wrapped up too quickly, leaving the endings feeling unsatisfying and unearned. A slower, more deliberate conclusion would have given the resolutions the weight they deserved.
Slow Narrative Pace: While the deliberate pacing suited the reflective tone of the story, there were moments where it felt too slow, making it hard to stay engaged.

Final Thoughts:
A Sea of Unspoken Things is an atmospheric novel with a strong sense of place and intriguing side characters. However, its slow pacing, rushed ending, and underwhelming main character detract from its overall impact. While it didn’t fully meet its potential, fans of small-town mysteries and introspective narratives may still find something to appreciate in its pages.

Everytime I thought I had the ending figured out, the twists returned. Adrienne Young’s writing is so descriptive, you feel completely enveloped in the world she has created for her characters. The characters are complicated and real which makes them all the more relatable and the reader even more invested in their story. I feel this book was well-paced and the plot truly sucks you in. Another amazing read from this author!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for granting me access to this ARC!

Another mystical, enthralling novel from Adrienne Young!

I went in blind to this novel, because I know anything by Young is an auto-read for me. I loved the web that was woven, with just enough backstory to illicit a genuine feeling of connection to the characters’ stories. The past/present narrative was beautifully done, and kept me turning the pages. This book illustrated the undeniable bond of siblings, following your intuition, and the fact that you can never truly outrun your past.