Recent Reads: The Twin Edition

 A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young (2025)

James and Johnny Golden were twins who always had a strong connection.  When he is killed in what is thought to be a tragic accident, James must return to their small hometown to settle his affairs.  While there, she realizes there is more to Johnny's accident than there first appeared.  Although it felt overwritten at times, and there was too much pushing to show Johnny as this mysterious, brooding man, I enjoyed this book.  It's not a heart-pounding mystery/thriller - it's a quiet exploration of James as she confronts her past and strives to learn what happened to her brother.  There are some light supernatural elements and the conclusion to the story did surprise me, although I also can't say that the revelations were totally satisfying.  4 stars

Maya & Natasha by Elyse Durham (2025)

Maya and Natasha are twins born to and abandoned by their ballerina mother in the mid-20th century in Russia.  The girls grow up with the intention to both be ballerinas, but when the critical moment arrives, only one can be chosen for the premier company.  Throughout the years, Maya and Natasha both must decide if they should look out for themselves or the person they love most in the world.  This was such a captivating novel - although I sometimes had issues with the dialogue not feeling authentic, the story and characters drew me in.  Maya and Natasha are twins but still rather different, and they face an uphill battle with the restrictive society they've been born into.  Both sisters make choices that seem unforgivable, but in the end, can they find their way back to each other?  I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to discover what would happen to the twins next.  4.5 stars

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