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    Unspoken
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    Unspoken
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    Unspoken
    Ebook364 pages5 hours

    Unspoken

    By Sarah Rees Brennan

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Kami Glass is in love with someone she's never met - a boy the rest of the world is convinced is imaginary. This has made her an outsider in the sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale, but she doesn't complain. She runs the school newspaper and keeps to herself for the most part - until disturbing events begin to happen. There has been screaming in the woods and the dark, abandoned manor on the hill overlooking the town has lit up for the first time in 10 years. The Lynburn family, who ruled the town a generation ago and who all left without warning, have returned. As Kami starts to investigate for the paper, she finds out that the town she has loved all her life is hiding a multitude of secrets- and a murderer- and the key to it all just might be the boy in her head. The boy who everyone thought was imaginary may be real…and he may be dangerous.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster UK
    Release dateSep 13, 2012
    ISBN9780857078087
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    Unspoken
    Author

    Sarah Rees Brennan

    Sarah Rees Brennan is the New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Unspoken and The Demon’s Lexicon trilogy. Her most recent book, In Other Lands, was a Hugo Award finalist. She lives in Ireland. Visit her at SarahReesBrennan.com.

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    Reviews for Unspoken

    4/5

    391 ratings75 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Gah! So good! Kami Glass is a breath of fresh air in a world of self-doubting YA protagonists. She's Veronica Mars with a paranormal gift, and rather than being isolated a la Bella Swan, she's got her own Scooby Gang who help her solve mysteries. Read it! So good! WHERE IS THE SEQUEL??
    • 4/5
      I actually liked this story. A hint of the fantastical with characters that are believable and well developed. Though my male students will find it difficult to dive into this story, I found it interesting and an easy read, my girls would like this without a doubt.
    • 4/5
      I did a quick reread today. I just wanted everything fresh as I went into Untold (The Lynburn Legacy Book 2). I am keeping my fingers crossed that the second installment of The Lynburn Legacy series will be as wonderful as the first book. Oh, and that it will not break my heart like the first one!
    • 4/5
      I received this book from my awesome #OTSPSecretSister. She thought that I would like it, and I really did! The main character, Kami, was a strong willed girl living in a strange little town in England. Her relationship with Jared was completely fascinating and there were just so many feels! Especially when you get to the big twist at the end! She also has a really great relationship with her parents and best friend. Her parents are a little more present than you see in most novels with teenagers as the protagonist. It was refreshing. There was so much about this book to like for anyone. Mystery, witchcraft, small town strangeness, hints of the occult. I am definitely glad my secret sister sent this to me and even more glad that I found books 2&3 on Book Outlet the other day! I can't wait to dive back in and see what happens with Kami and Jared.
    • 3/5
      Kami is determined to make a name for herself as an investigative journalist, even though she lives in a sleepy little English village where nothing exciting ever happens. But then the Lynburns return to their manor on the hill, and she starts noticing all kinds of mysteries. And when the two young Lynburns (dreamboat Ash and his trouble-making cousin Jared) take an interest in Kami, her life gets very exciting indeed. Ritual animal sacrifice, murder attempts, magic, and terrible betrayals ensue, leaving the reader engrossed.

      Engrossed, but not that entranced. Kami is a strong and distinctive character, but every main character speaks with the same snappy witticism-heavy style. It makes them run together, despite their obvious differences in background and motivation. Also, I felt like Kami and her friends basically never spent any time in class or doing homework, which made them a little less believable as intelligent and ambitious teenagers. Allllso I felt like there was the same love triangle Brennan had written in her Demons trilogy, and I am pretty tired of YA fantasy love triangles in general and Brennan's type in particular.

      All this aside, it's a good book with a few really magical moments. Brennan does creeping horror and action scenes especially well, which is perfect for a book like this. I just wish this book hadn't felt so much like her Demons books.
    • 2/5
      So I really wanted to love this book. I love the synopsis, I love the concept, and I love the cover... But I've been trying to read this book for a few days (what feels like months) and I just can't get into it. I am over halfway through it and I still feel like I have no idea what it is about. The writing is beautiful and I love the witty dry humor of the characters, but all of this doesn't make up for the fact that the plot gets so lost in details and descriptions that you have no idea what is going on. I feel like the author is setting the stage for something big to happen at the end and for it to continue through the series of books, but the lack of action is what is keeping me from finishing. I'm going to try to pick it back up in a few weeks and give it another try because I refuse to not finish a book. Fingers crossed that with a fresh start I will fall in love with this book like I had hoped!
    • 4/5
      Unspoken has a little bit of everything. It's emotion, funny and mysterious.

      Kami is a great character. She's smart, confident, and does what needs to be done in order to get a story. This time, she may be in over her head.

      When I first started reading, I was trying to figure out what was going on. The answers came in due time. In a town full of secrets, who can you really trust? This becomes the question throughout the book. There wasn't a ton of action, but enough to keep the story moving forward. While trying to find out who's sacrificing animals in the woods is top priority, Kami wants to figure out what is going on with her and Jared.

      Jared is a lunatic, or maybe bipolar. He's somewhat content one second, then flying off the handle the next. He's got some serious anger issues that need to be worked out. Ash is good looking and polite. But I question his interest in Kami.

      I love how this group of friends interact with each other. It's like on happy, quirky team. They get each other, but an outsider would think their comments were odd. My best friend and I know this feeling very well. If someone were to look at our texts they would think we were a little odd.

      I also loved that Kami's father is present. Too many times there are broken homes surrounding female main characters. It's great to see a supportive and loving father.

      I can honestly say I didn't have anything figured out until the end of the book. Jared comes away from the events that have taken place a different person. Kami isn't sure how to deal with all of this new information. The ending is a major cliff hanger that left tears trying to escape my tear ducts. I felt awful at their indifference, and wanted to scream at Sarah at the same time.

      If you're looking for a YA paranormal read with some mystery and quite a few laughs, you should definitely try this out. Sarah has a great sense of humor and keeps you wanting more!
    • 2/5
      Supernatural YA romance suspense novel just was not my cup of tea. The protagonist's life is, to me, oddly compartmentalized. She has a mom and a family but does not interact much with them. Her school is a backdrop to non-school activities. These things are there, I guess, because they are essential to a YA novel but are just in the background for the plot twisting and dialog between the characters, which I just did not see much interior life. It could just be me.
    • 5/5
      You guys. I mean. This book is really, really good. It is so funny and charming. I don't have a ton to say about it until I read it again, I guess, which I'll probably do within the next week BECAUSE IT'S SO GOOD.

      The characters are fantastic. I mean, literally ALL of the characters are great, and they (especially Kami) have the most delightfully dry sense of humor. Kami's interactions with her parents and brothers remind me of the family dynamic in Easy A, which is so, so refreshing after all the angsty shit I've read lately.

      The world is built really well. The mystery works. The love story is sweet and builds completely opposite how a normal romance would, so it's refreshing and fun.

      I know the premise sounds dumb, but it's just executed flawlessly. Bummer about its being the first book in a series, though, because we're left with a cliffhanger that I'd rather not have to sit on for the next two years or whatever it takes to write a second novel.
    • 5/5
      Oh, my, that was a good read. Interesting premise, great characters, and lots to think about. Of course, it ends on a gigantic cliffhanger, which is kind of annoying because I don't like waiting for the next installment! Also, the cover is gorgeous.
    • 4/5
      Even though Unspoken sucker-punched me with the ending, I really liked this book -- maybe even more-so because of the ending. No neat and tidy, kissy kissy ending, but one that makes you say, "Wow, I didn't see that coming! Now where's it gonna go?"Suppose you had an invisible friend. (I did. His name was Rudy, and he would come visit me whenever I was taking a bath. I last heard from him over 50 years ago, but it does make me look twice at any Rudys I meet, and wonder if he was the cad that deserted a 4 year old. But I digress.) So, suppose you had an invisible friend, and the two of you shared your thoughts from the instants you were born. And suppose your name was Kami, your father was half Japanese, and you lived in a little English village, called Sorry-in-the-Vale. Having an invisible friend you could talk to in you head wasn't common amongst the other villagers, (in fact they thought you quite peculiar for being able to do so.) But, you're bright, articulate, inquisitive, and want to be a reporter. You've got a loyal friend, endearing family, and a mind that wants to squirrel out any news story it can, since you run the school newspaper.So when the Lynburn family that buit the singularly creepy stone mansion on the hill eons ago returns after being away all of your lifetime, you smell a story. And indeed, there may be one, but first you have to get past all the creepy things that happen: animals being sacrificed in the woods, someone's attempt to kill you, and other weird stuff. Plus there are the Lynburn cousins, two boys your age, one clean cut and preppy, one Marlon Brando in The Wild One delinquent to contend with. But you've got the voice in your head to comfort you, laugh with -- until it turns out that bad boy cousin has a voice in his head, too, and guess what? It's you.Bad things continue to happen in Sorry-in-the-Vale. Kami and her merry band of misfits try to find out what's happening. And it's a good reading ride, snazzy Gothic, in a YA blend. How cool is that?Since I've been snookered, I'll pick up book two in the series when I get a chance. After all, I really liked some of the dialogue.
    • 3/5
      Charismatic and funny characters with a mixed race, part Japanese protagonist, made this an engaging and joyful read. I loved the show-stoppingly beautiful Angela's lazy, sleepaholic and anti-social character. Kami's self-respect, self-awareness, common sense and individuality were appreciated. Brennan was obviously determined to set her heroine apart from the clueless, unhealthy role models from other books.

      The love triangle didn't bother me until the end because it was weighted in Jared's favour so there wasn't much angst. Jared's apparent but unexplained dislike of touching Kami was distinctly unusual, because what teenage boy doesn't want to touch a girl (or another boy)? This led to a distancing of the two characters which was a bit angsty.

      I'm not happy with the way things ended (although it was a healthy decision Kami made) because it's not just a normal cliffhanger, it completely opened the door to unoriginal love triangle angst characteristic of many other YA novels. This does Unspoken a disservice because the rest of the book was highly enjoyable.

      The mystery is a little thin on the ground but as the focus was on establishing the personalities of the characters I didn't mind so much since the culprit(s) wasn't obvious and events weren't predictable.

      The mention of a political science class confused me since we don't study that in the UK (or at least that's not what we call it) and Unspoken is set here. I'm also aware there were some Britishisms others may not understand though I don't think it's prohibitive to enjoyment.

      I'll most likely wait for reviews for the sequel from those I trust before I decide to invest in something I could quite easily hate.
    • 5/5
      This book is completely delightful!Kami Glass wants to be an award-winning journalist someday, and in order to make this happen, decides to start a school newspaper. She can't do it alone, and so bribes her best friend, the world's laziest beautiful teenager, Angela, to help her. He first self-assigned assignment? Find out everything she can about the Lynburn family, the distant and newly returned manor-house-owning practically royalty of Sorry-in-the-Vale.Oh, and Kami also plans to find out who is killing animals in the woods. But maybe they're connected?Kami is one of the most entertaining main characters in a book ever. She's funny and clever and charmingly loyal (and her interactions with her dad and brothers shows exactly where her funny comes from). Quips abound in this story, and while there are a couple of moments when the writing didn't quite explain moments and seemed to skip important information, the characters and dialogue completely make up for it.Highly recommended, and I've already almost finished the second book...
    • 4/5
      Veronica Mars and Harry Potter had an affair, and this book was their lovechild.

      Really, though -- I love me a good wise-cracking supersleuth girl. The sorcery didn't enthrall me, but then I'm rarely enthralled by urban fantasy stuff, so that says very little. The writing was great, and the ending was one I completely didn't see coming. Also, the sequel needs to come out, like, yesterday. Sarah Rees Brennan and Random House, GET ON THAT.
    • 4/5
      I just couldn't put this down. The twists and turns and oh goodness the ending ugh so good and I just want the second book now because I need to know what happens next.

      Kami has had a voice in her head her whole life - a voice that finally gets a face when her town's ruling family comes back to roost. Navigating this new and strange relationship while trying to discover what everyone is hiding keeps Kami on her toes, but when people start dying the stakes have never been higher. The setting and the characters will just draw you in. The writing is magical and the story is stunning.
    • 3/5
      I'd consider this book on the high end of the "teen gothic romance" spectrum, as well as a modern take on Nancy Drew-style girl detective stories. The protagonist, Kami, is clever and driven, her friends have fun personalities and play important roles in the plot, and although her love interests are broody and mysterious, they still become part of the group and act like regular teen guys. Relationships evolve in a realistic way, and even at times when I thought a big overemotional moment was called for, the characters remained grounded and angsted with thoughtfulness.

      The level of quippy banter flying around in this book is sheer madness. How are you supposed to achieve a gothic tone when you know the characters are just going to make sarcastic jabs at the next mysterious thing they encounter? There was a lot of potential for an uneasy spooky atmosphere that never quite came together. I did enjoy watching the central mystery of the town unfold, and it raises some interesting possibilities for future stories.

      This book seems well-loved among the YA crowd, and unlike your average Twilight, I think it deserves praise. But for me the romance was just okay, and the mystery concluded at a point that didn't exactly whet my appetite for a sequel. I'd still check out the next book in the series if I was in the mood for a light paranormal mystery, and I'd definitely pick up this book for a young reader instead of letting them take their chances with the sea of generic YA books currently available.
    • 4/5
      So I finally, finally finished this book. I'm not sure what I can say about this story, I was expecting so much more. The book started off at a good pace, but for me, it started to falter right around the time Kami (our intrepid investigative journalist)encounters Jared for the first time, in the flesh, at the library. After that initial meeting when they realized who each of them was, the story seemed to sort of slow down to painful crawl. I know the story was supposed to be about finding out about the mysterious Lynburns and their return to the town, but a good chunk of the book was dedicated to Kami's and Jared's feelings toward one another. What was with Jared not wanting to touch Kami anyway?The story really seemed to pick up speed after the pub incident with Holly, and even more so with Nicola. It was interesting learning about the connection with Kami's mother and Rosalind and how that formed the connection between Kami and Jared. I wasn't surprised to learn who the sorcerer was, nor was I surprised when Holly told Kami what happened with Angela. I was, however, shocked with Jared's behavior toward Kami after all was said and done.All I can say is that I'm glad MY teenage years weren't quite so angsty and drama-filled!
    • 5/5
      The characters in Unspoken were phenomenal. The author did an excellent job really fleshing them out - I fell in love with so many of them. Despite being a blood-filled mystery, there is actually a lot of humor and moments that made me laugh out loud. The dialogue was downright witty - I absolutely loved it. Kami is an excellent protagonist. I love that she's confident in her kookiness and doesn't lose her mind over beautiful boys. We need more female characters like her in YA.This book was well on its way to earning five stars but something fell apart for me towards the end concerning the mystery. I like mysteries where clues are planted early on so the reader can at least go back and realize that things were pointing toward the ending, but I felt like the mystery was just pushed on us without us having any insight into what was happening. I'm sure more will be cleared up in the next installment in the series but the lack of details made it difficult to enjoy the plot of this one.
    • 2/5
      The cover sucked me in. However, the rest of the book didn't stand up to the cover. Or, maybe it did, but I didn't want to see it. I liked the book when it was more of a "straight-forward" mystery but, as the story went along, I lost more and more interest.
    • 4/5
      The book was witty, humorous, and very smart. I loved the overall mood of the book. Gothic mystery fantasy...what's not to love? Cliffhanger though was pretty uncool. Now I gotta wait!! I will definitely be following this series.
    • 4/5
      Kami’s imaginary friend turns out to be a real boy. Problems ensue, with his weird family returning to quiet English village where things are not quite what they seem. There will be sequels.
    • 4/5
      I actually liked this story. A hint of the fantastical with characters that are believable and well developed. Though my male students will find it difficult to dive into this story, I found it interesting and an easy read, my girls would like this without a doubt.
    • 4/5
      The story basically chronicles Kami's realization that her small and boring hometown of Sorry-in-the-Vale...gotta love that name... is a place she thought she knew very well...but has a hidden dimension. She finds evidence of animals being ritually killed in the nearby woods. That little surprise I could well have done without. She realizes that people are keeping secrets and she decides to investigate. Slowly, Kami's ordinary world is revealed to be strange, horrifying, and full of supernatural events and surprises. Sarah Rees Brennan did a phenomenal job with this enticing novel making it complete with mystery and mayhem,
    • 5/5
      Unspoken is undoubtably one of the most moving and wonderful books I have read in a long time. It’s incredibly powerful – something about the prose and the characters and the setting stays with you long after you’ve out the book down and turned out the lights.Kami’s character carries the book for me – she’s absolutely amazing. Quirky takes on a whole new meaning around her: she’s got this way about her that I adored, but I can see how it could be off-putting to those around her, and also to some readers. Kami is incredibly blunt, a trait that makes her so successful as a reporter I think. Her friend Angela is also unique – she has a penchant for napping everywhere and is really funny as well. For once I got to read about a female YA character with healthy relationships with her family and friends, and I loved it. In contrast, despite Kami’s constant awareness of Jared, I felt like I didn’t know Jared that well. Much of this stems from the fact that he acts in opposition to what Kami feels from him, and like her, I was continually confused. His cousin, Ash, was a lot more transparent and I was exasperated that Kami couldn’t figure him out!BetweenJared and Ash, I have to say I prefer Jared. I know he’s more unstable and unsavoury than Ash, but something about Ash, and his perfect glory, kept bugging me throughout. I feel Jared is more honest, overall. The other Lynburns freaked me out a lot, regardless of whom we’re talking about. The twin sisters, Jared and Ash’s mothers, are really creepy and closed off, and I didn’t like the way they treated Kami. I actually really liked Ash’s father, he seems really nice. I was sorry for the way his story developed in the book.Sorry-in-the-Vale (a weird name, yes, but once I got over that it was okay) is brought to life by Brennan’s lush writing. I didn’t have any difficulties imaging the town, its inhabitants and the creepy influence the Lynburns have on it. I loved the writing style: there is something very frank and open about the way the book is written. I think the book is paced well too, a bit like classical music that begins slowly, unassumingly, and then builds up into a crescendo. Upon reading it for a second time I have discovered a lot of hidden clues which I hadn’t on the first read, and now I’m even more in awe of Brennan’s writing skills. The clues, about everything, are there if you know what to look for!As you can probably tell, I loved everything about this book, except for the fact that it ended, because now I need more. You should be desperately wanting to read Unspoken, you should be coveting it. I’ve ordered in the US hardcover version to look pretty on my shelves, since I had an e-ARC, and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel as soon as I can my hands on it!A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.
    • 5/5
      Originally posted at Paperback Wonderland.

      So, it took ages for this book to reach my hands but was it ever worth the wait!

      Bear in mind that I've just finished reading it so this review may seem kind of unhinged - I read the whole book in one afternoon, my eyes are killing me, but more importantly I need to point out that very few books have hooked me up like this, I may be one of the stingiest reviewers when it comes to doling out stars.This may not make much sense, but although any similarities with the following books were slight and had a feeling of reverent homage to them, when I read it it felt like Howl's Moving Castle had a baby with The Changeover. I kept thinking "Oh, there's some Diana Wynne Jones' worthy wit" and there was something undefinable about it, perhaps the nature of the main protagonists' relationship and the portrayal of family life that brought to mind Margaret Mahy.
      High praise as this may be (and coming from me it really is), this book is all Sarah Rees Brennan. And that makes me so, so glad!

      I had trouble connecting with the main character of her first trilogy - and, very cleverly, that was the point. But Unspoken had my eyes glued to it from the very first page and had some truly laugh out loud moments that, were I one who still had any shame left, would have made for some very uncomfortable moments on the train. As it is only the other passengers were unsettled.

      The plot is tight, it had me guessing until the great revelation, the characters were fully developed, the atmosphere was creepy, and heartbreaking, and funny - perhaps funnier because it was heartbreaking.

      And now a moment to fangirl over the fact that my OTP almost got together in the book - OMG YES!! I was so hoping those two would fall for each other! And they kind of almost did but not really because angst! I'm not going to spoil anything, not even with a spoiler tag because the whole development of their relationship, even though it was unobtrusively in the background, made me so absurdly happy that I can't take that away from anyone who hasn't read it yet. I usually say I can tell a book is amazing if I almost die while reading/walking with it and this one joins the few, the great - because if it weren't for a kind old gentleman hooking his cane to my belt and pulling me away from incoming traffic the worst could have happened: I wouldn't be here to read the next book in the The Lynburn Legacy.
    • 2/5
      **This book was provided to us by the publisher but that did not influence this review**

      I reviewed this with Ana at The Book Hookup. You can find the original review
      here

      Our Review:

      ♥ The storyline:
      Ana: There really are two plots in this book and both are quite unique. The first is the fact that Kami’s “imaginary friend”, the one she’s been communicating with in her head her entire life, turns out to be real. He’s flesh and bone and, all of a sudden, living in her town. This storyline could be a book on it’s own. There’s so much to explore in this pretend relationship turned real. But, it shares the limelight with another story…the story of the Lynburns. The Lynburn family has a long history in her town and it appears it’s not a good one. As we learn about why they are back, strange things begin to happen and Kami finds herself investigating a mystery. Things are not what they seem in this town or in these relationships…there is a very tangled web that needs to be straightened out.
      Celeste: The book was going in 100 different directions all at the same time and I wasn’t sure what to focus on. I was definitely intrigued with Kami and the voice in her head, although it just seemed so random initially. There was a moment (in the elevator) when I thought that I would love this book. Another storyline was about the family of Lynburns returning to Sorry-in-the-Vale. It didn’t make sense to me, or why Kami even cared. But maybe she cared because she wanted to be a journalist? It just wasn’t clear.

      ♥ The characters:
      Ana: Kami was a strong hero in the story. She didn’t let little things like the law stop her from getting what she needed (now don’t be concerned, she’s not a career criminal or anything…she just goes after the information she wants). She’s independent and strong and has a great analytical mind. This is different from so many main characters in YA these days. Jared is the imaginary friend turned real life guy. He’s the “bad boy” in the book and believes himself to be broken because he’s related to some (in truth) very crazy people. His cousin Ash is his polar opposite…soft where Jared is hard, light where Jared is dark. The secondary characters, which included the Lynburns, Angela and Holly, and Kami’s family (yes, they were actually involved…a shocking twist for a YA novel), all played their parts well.
      But, unfortunately, it’s in the characters that I experience one of my concerns with this book. Although I liked the characters, I didn’t fall in love with any of them. Not even Jared. I found him to be needy which is not a good “bad boy” quality. And that made the book put-downable (yes, I’m making up words again) for me. And, I didn’t see the chemistry I wanted to see between Kami and Jared. You all know that I love love so this was disappointing for me.
      Celeste: I’m tough to please this time around. The only character I liked was Jared…but I really, really liked him! The rest of the cast were just luke warm for me. Kami was the heroine who thought she could fix and solve everything, even though she kept risking her life because she was impulsive. Ash Lynburn was a pretty boy, Angela and Holly were Kami’s cute bff’s, and her parents were absent. I felt like Kami’s emotional range didn’t go far, and her feelings didn’t run deep for anything. She claimed she wanted to be a journalist, but it seemed more like she was just nosey, not that she thought whatever she found out would affect her family. Jared, on the other hand felt profound emotions about Kami. He was the brooding bad boy, except we all know that he had a very kind heart. And let’s not forget he was tall and muscular. ;)

      ♥The twists and turns:
      Ana: Lots of twists and turn and “I didn’t see that coming” moments. The plot was fast moving. The characters surprised me several times in their reactions and their actions which added to the suspense of the story.
      Celeste: Many twists and turns but I don’t think all the dots connected smoothly. Too many things were going on at once so instead of feeling surprised I think it let to more confusion.

      ♥The ending:
      Ana: Well, I didn’t see that coming….on either front. As I mentioned above, there are really two stories happening here and both managed to surprise me in the end. Although only one of them made me sad.
      Celeste: I have to say, I too felt sad, but was so annoyed with Kami. I only felt badly for Jared. The other story was just too much.

      ♥Overall thoughts
      Ana: This was a book with lots of potential and it met it in some of the ways. The suspense was well done, the relationships were well cultivated, there was humour in many areas to lighten the mood and Kami was a great main character. But, in other ways, it felt a bit disjointed to me. The book jumped from storyline to storyline and, at times, from location to location and conversation to conversation, too quickly. In all honesty, I was reading a galley which probably had not been formatted correctly yet and that probably affected the flow of the book. I hope that with a bit of editing that may not be as big an issue. I just wish I’d been able to connect with the characters more because I know that is what was missing for me. Overall, it had good potential with unique storylines and likeable characters, I just didn’t get what I expected or wanted from this book.
      Celeste: The storyline with Kami and Jared was great, even though I didn’t love Kami I really liked the connection the two of them had. On that note, I think the storyline of the book has great potential, but needs a serious rehaul. It needs to flow better and build up more slowly. As I said earlier, it just went in too many directions at once. The basic outline was great but delivery just didn’t work for me. However, I checked out other reviews and people are loving it… so don’t just take my word for it. It just didn’t work for me. Will I read the next one? Probably not…unless Ana reads it first and tells me the style has gotten better.
    • 4/5
      For more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.Meg (Cuddlebuggery) and Gillian (Writer of Wrongs) have been after me to read Unspoken for months now. I just wasn’t sure though. I mean, I trust them, but for some reason I was highly skeptical of this book. However, I decided to go ahead and read it during my vacation, because why not? Plus, I had the ancient ARC on my shelves from back when it first came out and better late than never, right? Thankfully, Unspoken wasn’t what I expected at all. Unfortunately, I don’t have book two with me and I can’t find out what happens next for at least two weeks and probably more. Curses.Paranormal romance novels, more than some other genres, seem to follow a particular formula really strongly and that, I think, was what I expected. Sarah Rees Brennan is clearly well-acquainted with that formula, but she’s playing with it rather than repeating it by rote. For example, on the surface, there’s a love triangle with the good guy and the bad boy, but it’s not really that cut and dried when you get into it. The relationship dynamics aren’t simple and there’s no instalove anywhere.Then there’s Kami, who I have to describe as plucky, determined and reckless. Kami’s highly intelligent and driven. She wants to be an investigative journalist and is starting the school paper. There’s no mystery she doesn’t want to research and solve. As such, she’s highly curious about the Lynburns, who have returned to Sorry-on-the-Vale after many years away. No one will tell her anything, though, so she’s going to have to interrogate the Lynburn boys, Ash and Jared, both incredibly hot. Poor girl. In pursuit of truth, however, Kami can be really reckless. She considers danger worth the price of a good story and sometimes I’m like gurrrrrrl.Still, I think Kami’s great. She’s very much herself, even when she’s making some terrible decisions. In fact, the cast is pretty great all around, though I’m not a hundred percent certain how I feel yet about Ash or Jared. I have a feeling that will come. From that, you can probably surmise that I’m not completely set on a ship for Kami yet, and you would be right. Obviously I know what the ship will be and I think it’s probably the right ship, but my heart has yet to fully buy into it.On the other hand, I do love Kami’s connection to Jared, who heretofore was her imaginary friend. Suddenly he’s there in the flesh. This is where I mean the book is much more complex than anticipated. I think this would be used by most authors as a way to jumpstart a really cheesy romantic love. Not so Sarah Rees Brennan. Actually, both Kami and Jared are a little bit disappointed to learn that their imaginary friends are real. It complicates things, because it’s a lot easier to trust in someone who cannot tell your secrets. Sorting out what they are to one another isn’t a simple taskMy favorite character by far is Angela, Kami’s best friend. Again, she seems like a cliché for about three seconds until you get to know her. I mean, she is the most beautiful girl in town, a fact which Kami does envy a bit. However, Angela’s not the typical best friend stereotype by a long shot. She’s lazy and violent, in that order. Angela hates people and is my spirit animal. She spends as much of her time napping as possible. When roused however, she will kick whatever asses need it most. Also, my ship for her didn’t seem like it would come true and then it DID, so YAY.The plot itself was, at times, a bit predictable or meandering. It wasn’t my favorite element of the book. The reveal of who the evil doers were wasn’t the shock that it could have been. However, the ending itself was surprisingly dark and I think the scariness could be ratcheted up in later installments. Brennan does seem like she might be willing to do some truly nasty things to her characters, which excites me, for I am a cruel reader. That ending gives me much hope for what is to come, even if I think it’s a paranormal trope. Whatever, I must know.Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan has all of the banter. It’s a case study on banter. At times it’s pretty close to laugh out loud funny. That alone will keep me coming back for more. Expect to immediately need book two when you finish this one. I feel such pain not having it.
    • 4/5
      This and other reviews can be found on Reading Between Classes

      Cover Impressions: OOOOOOOHHHHHH PREEETTTYYYY! I really like this cover. The silhouette effect creates a sense of mystery and the font adds a fantastical charm. I cannot wait to see if/how this theme continues with the next book in the series.

      The Gist: For as long as Kami Glass can remember she has heard a voice in her head. She has lost friendships and the other citizens of Sorry-in-the-Vale avoid her gaze but she has never been able to give up her imaginary friend. When the mysterious Lynburn family returns to town, Kami is faced with the realization that Jared is not so imaginary and that if their connection could be real, perhaps Sorry In the Vale might also hold more sinister secrets.

      Review: Unspoken is based on a really interesting premise. Kami and Jared have been able to hear one another since birth, but have convinced themselves that the other was not real. When they finally discover each other, one might think that they would fall in the ultimate insta-love and proceed to sicken us with their every move. BUT Brennan would not do this to us. No, No, instead she wrote characters who recoiled at the thought of a real, physical person knowing their every intimate secret (who wouldn't?!). To complicate matters, Kami is investigating the return of the Lynburn family, whom the townspeople speak of with both awe and fear and the sudden violence that has erupted in Sorry-in-the-Vale.

      The true strength of Unspoken lies in its characters. There are no one dimensional characters here. Each and every person, from Kami, to her friends, to her parents and brothers and the Lynburns, have unique and interesting qualities. My favorite has go to be Angela, Kami's outspoken best friend. She loathes nearly all people and covets a laziness that can only be matched by her brother, Rusty. Angela has a quick wit and says whatever is on her mind. This often leds to moments that have me literally laughing out loud such as:

      "Angela spared a glare for Kami and then resumed her marathon glaring session at Jared. 'I'm not calling you that,' she announced flatly. 'It's too weird. I'm going to call you Carl.' Jared scowled. 'I don't want you to all me Carl.' 'That's interesting, Carl,' said Angela, cheering up."

      I also had a special place in my heart for Holly, the girl who hit puberty a little too hard and found herself shunned by most of the girls her age. She is incredibly sweet and it is clear that she has tried to make friends with Kami and Angela for quite some time. Even she gets a few great lines:

      "'Right,' said Holly, 'Well. If the unicorn is pink, about two feet tall, with a sparkly mane, we'll know my imaginary friend is real too.'"

      Believe me, there are LOTS more examples of this fantastic dialogue, in fact, a number of quotes from Kami's dad can be found in the Notable Quotables section below. In fact, in writing this review and reading others I have seen quote after quote after quote and hardly any repeated. THAT is how good the dialogue is.

      The plot of Unspoken moves smoothly as secrets are revealed and the danger heightens. The story was not bogged down with the typical insta-love and love triangle that could have happened if Brennan when the easy route. I did feel that Kami made some stupid decisions (creating a few "What, what, what are you doing? moments) and a few things could have been fleshed out further (such as the encounter with Henry Thornton) but overall, the action was exciting and suspenseful.

      I feel I must discuss the ending. ABANDON HOPE OF NOT BEING SPOILED, ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE: Kami's ultimate decision was unexpected in terms of the actions of most YA heroines, but was completely in line with who she is as a character. Jared's reaction surprised me and broke my heart a little. Endings like these are frustrating in that I feel unsatisfied. Secrets have been revealed, plots uncovered and bad guys identified, but nothing has been solved. That being said, it also accomplishes the author's purpose, which is to create in the reader a voracious longing for the next book!

      Yes, yes, yes! to reading the next book the moment I can get my hands on it!

      Teaching/Parental Notes:

      Age: 13 and up
      Gender: Both
      Sex: Kissing
      Violence: Knifeplay, ritual sacrifice, murder
      Inappropriate Language: Asshole, Hell
      Substance Use/Abuse: None

      Notable Quotables:

      Note: There are TONS of awesome quotes from this book but I thought I would pick a few from Kami's dad because parents hardly ever get the great lines in YA.

      "Kami, I know all the other kids are throwing themselves down wells right now, but your mother and I have a firm policy of no danger sports until you're eighteen."

      "'Why are you putting on lip gloss, my daughter?' Dad asked. 'Trip to the library? Trip to the nunnery? I hear the nunneries are nice this time of year.'"

      "'Wearing that? Wouldn't you fancy a shape-less cardigan instead? You rock a shapeless cardigan, honey.'"

      Unanswered Questions:

      Kami and Jared seemed to be able to block each other at times, so why doesn't Kami employ this strategy during awkward moments, such as when she is on a date with someone else?
    • 5/5
      This is the first book I've read by Sarah but I loved it although I was a little frustrated at the ending as it totally leaves you hanging and not in a good way! Now we have to wait until September for the next installment. I love the characters of Kami and Jared and how they relate in the real world. I started this yesterday morning and finished it today. I couldn't put it down and that hasn't happened in a while. I don't get a lot of time to read but this one I had too. It takes a bit before you figute out what paranormal power is in play but that just helps build the story. Get this and read it!
    • 3/5
      A fascinating book. Kami's a cool character, and her relationship with her not-so-imaginary-friend is really intriguing. I only gave it three stars though, because it could have used a bit of polish, and the ending really disappointed me.