ARC Review: Unspoken

Title: Unspoken
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Genre: YA Paranormal, Fantasy
Release Date: September 11

See it at Goodreads

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

I’d never really read anything by Sarah Rees Brennan before now, but heard a lot of good things about her writing. When I saw the premise for Unspoken, I just knew I had to request this title and dive in as soon as possible (thanks NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read, of course).


The rumors are true. World-building and crafting are amazing. I adored it really. Brennan knows how to pull a reader into her story and see the vivid details easily. There was something magical here that I really enjoyed. But why isn’t my rating higher? I had a few nitpicks honestly. Maybe it was because there was too much emphasis on Kami’s character not wanting to be attracted to Jared, and the hint of a love triangle at times that I just didn't find necessary for this one perhaps. What really hurt the entire story for me was the ending--but this will not stop me from snatching up the second book whenever it comes out to find out what’s to happen next.


What I really loved was the sprinkled humor throughout--hello Shakespeare humor, too! OMG, I was laughing out loud in places and I loved every bit of it. I also loved that it had involved parents. Yes! No absentee parents! It’s a creative and wonderfully crafted story, and I was turning the pages in a rush. Kami is quirky and unique. I’ll definitely remember her character for a long time. Plus I can relate with her geeky love of journalism as I was the same way in school too.


I like quirky and this gave it to me. A fun, unpredictable read that I’ll definitely be recommending. And I can’t wait to read more of Sarah Rees Brennan’s work.


3.5 stars!