Adrienne Young has very quickly become an auto-buy author for me. Everything I've read by her has been beautiful and enchanting. I loved every single thing about this book and simply cannot recommend it highly enough.

thank you @delacortepress for the #giftedbook - The Unmaking of June Farrow was a perfect fall read!

I really enjoyed this book! Some bits at the end got a little confusing but it might be because I was reading so fast to find out what happens! I’m a huge fan of magical realism when it’s written well, and Adrienne Young has it truly mastered!

The Farrow women have been cursed for years, and June wants to end it for good. Earlier, June’s mom disappears and leaves infant June to be raised by her grandma. June starts seeing signs of the curse (seeing and hearing things that aren’t there, including a red door). After her grandma dies, June receives a note and a photograph that make her wonder…and she realizes she can go through the red door. Once she does, she starts piecing clues together and solving the mystery of the curse and how to break it - but to what consequences?

If you are a fan of magical realism, I definitely recommend this book! I didn’t want it to end!

Equal parts achey and immersive and unique, this novel is Young's best yet. From the prose to the mystery to the rich atmosphere she always draws, I was engrossed until the very last page. This one will stay with me a very long time!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this e-book copy!

I am a little late with my review but I finished this recently and it was a very good read. June's journey throughout this book is to stop this curse afflicting her family and learn the truths of her past and future. As the book went on, things got complex and it left audiences not sure how it would end. Overall, I had fun reading this and highly recommend going into it with minimal knowledge for better enjoyment.

Full of magical realism about a family of women who end up being “cursed “ with a touch of madness. June takes on the task of finding out what happened to her mother to cause her disappearance and breaking this generational curse placed upon them. A part thriller, part magic, and part romance it has something for everyone and is definitely worth the read!

I think I liked this book... I know that sounds strange, but I'm having a hard time pinning down my feelings on it. Similar to Adrienne Young's first adult outing, "Spells for Forgetting" I can tell you all about how much I enjoyed the vibe and energy of the book, but after that things fall apart. The plot in this novel doesn't feel particularly unique and is fairly loose in structure at times. But... I wanted to be in that cottage and on that flower farm early in the morning. If you were a fan of "Spells for Forgetting" I am certain you will enjoy this one too.
5 stars for setting and descriptions, 2.5 for plot.

The Farrow women have long been thought to have been cursed and many have disappeared without a trace. June Farrow is the last of the Farrow women and is determined to note let the curse get her. As she’s grieving the loss of her grandmother sets in though, the signs of ‘madness’ start slowly creeping in. Not only is she starting to see things that shouldn’t exist, but a man seems to be watching her. It’s not until she receives a note in the mail from her recently deceased grandmother that June starts need answers to truth of the Farrow women curse might be. When she starts seeing a red door, it’s this need for answers which compels her to walk through. As she embarks on this journey to find answers, everything she’s ever known to be true will be challenged and her faith in herself will be tested.

Adrienne Young is amazing at writing imaginative and magically atmospheric stories. The have this lightness to them that completely transport readers into another realm entirely.

**SMALL SPOILER**

Time travel books are often hit or miss for me as I found that authors either don’t do a great job of distinguishing the various timelines or they get to in the weeds with how the whole phenomenal works, which in turn detracts from the storyline. Young though, did an excellent job of both blurring the lines between realities, while also just letting the reader simply believe in the impossible.

I adored our characters and found this to be a surprisingly beautiful love story with themes of family, sacrifice, and willpower. I wasn’t in love with the initial pacing of the story and found that it wasn’t until about 25% into the story that I was truly drawn in. While that impacts my overall star rating, I 100% know why Young chose to go that route and found it laid excellent groundwork for the rest of the story. I also would have liked to have a better understanding of how and why this ‘curse’ came around, but ultimately, I truly enjoyed reading story. Definitely my favorite from Young so far!


The Unmaking of June Farrow is out now. Huge thank you to Delacorte Press for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

This book was incredible. INCREDIBLE. I was totally hooked by the end of chapter 2. I think this is by far Adrienne Young’s best book… it is unique and a breath of fresh air after feeling like I’ve read a lot of books with the same vibes and tropes lately. The writing was so well done and atmospheric, and the sense of mystery kept me utterly engaged for the entire book. There are so many twists and turns that I did not see coming and I was screaming/crying/smiling the whole way (no really, I was trying to finish the last 10% of this book without crying the entire time). I love that the romance was passionate yet sweet and genuine, and it was a good balance to the murder/mystery plot line. I also like that the ending wrapped up everything it needed to, but also left me with a sense of hope for the characters and their futures because we don’t get every single concrete answer (sorry I can’t be more specific without giving away spoilers!)

I am really glad that I went into this book without knowing much about it. Now that I’ve read it and I look back over the synopsis, I don’t think it does it justice for how spectacular this book was. One of my most favorite reads of the year!

This was lovely. Adrienne Young isn’t always my cup of tea as I prefer epic fantasy, but she is an incredible writer and always weaves great stories. This was no exception.

And this was definitely more my speed. It had all the twists and turns, a very unique flavor of fantasy, and really interesting and captivating characters. Truly a must read and perfect for fall.

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, & Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

FIRST THINGS FIRST, I DO RECOMMEND THIS BOOK EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THIS REVIEW FEELS LIKE I DON’T

Second things second, although I really liked reading this, there were things that could have made it stronger.

Similar to other books by Adrienne Young (Fable, Saint, Spells for Forgetting), there are a lot of references to things that have happened in the past that could have had a lot more impact had their been (more) flashbacks, or even dual timelines / diary entries, something. I’m being SHOWN things that are happening in the current story, but I’m being TOLD about things that have a lot of bearing on what’s currently happening and that disconnect keeps me from ever being fully invested in the story, if that makes sense?

Also, in the name of all things Aslan, can we please please please stop using “I can’t tell you the answer to the direct question you’re asking me because it’s too dangerous” when it is, in fact, not too dangerous and makes literally zero sense because you’re now putting the character in more danger because they have literally no idea what’s going on?

(Also also, at a certain point I legitimately just stopped trying to make the fantasy aspects make sense because they didn’t and it made me happier just to pretend I understood and keep reading.)

But all of that being said - I loved the idea of this book and even if it’s not going to be a forever favorite, I still really enjoyed reading it and there were one or two things that were legitimately jaw dropping moments and I LOVE having that in books!

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the free eARC. This is my honest opinion.

I loved the premise of this book, I was a little confused at parts but given that June was confused as well, this tracks. I liked the mystery of what the Farrow curse is/was, and the other multiple mysteries of murder and disappearance is also fascinating.

The characters were interesting, but the driving force behind this story were the mysteries. The little bit of magic was kinda cool.

4 out of 5 stars, open door but nothing explicit, focusing more on emotion and feelings.

Thank you netgalley for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review

Rating: 5 stars

I've never read any of Young's work before but this one caught my eye long before it came out. I'm so glad I was able to enjoy this not once, but I read it twice. Both times, I loved it through and through. I'm now a huge fan of this author and the stunning writing in this novel. I absolutely need every book from this author from the past and all future releases. I just have no words other than stunning and perfection. Favorite of 2023, probably a favorite of all time.

This book begins with June Farrow attending the funeral of her beloved grandmother. The Farrow women are afflicted by a mysterious curse that causes them to descend into madness. June doesn't want to admit her symptoms to those close to her, but she is beginning to see and hear things that are not there.

June discovers some clues and begins to investigate her mother's disappearance. What follows is an inventive mystery with a touch of magical realism and time-travel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this intriguing novel.

Every time I open a book by Adrienne Young, I’m swept away into the most mystical and autumnal setting and I love it every time. I still don’t know how AY managed to create such a beautiful story of a family of women while also keeping this timeline straight, but it was magical to experience. I was so swept up in this story and when each character was revealed in the end, I couldn’t stop the happy tears for these women.

4 stars

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine / Delacorte Press and NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this book.

Simple but complex. An enjoyable read touching on deeper sentiments of the family we make, belonging, and the power of love.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the e-copy of this book. I love Adrienne Young’s books! And this one did not disappoint. I love books with time travel and this one was exceptional. 5 stars from me. Young is an auto buy for me.

Adrienne Young has written another amazing book!

June Farrow has recently lost her grandmother and knows nothing about her mother's disappearance. There is a secret all Farrow women have, their magic. This story is heartbreaking and amazing. I don't know if I have ever felt torn apart and re-put together by a book before.

Why I loved this book: dealing with Grief, single pov, mind-bending, all about choice, magical, breaking a curse.

Thank you Dell for the opportunity to arc-read this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

I loved Spells for Forgetting and couldn’t wait to read this one!

This was a beautiful book of family, love, self-discovery and hope. There is a little mystery, romance and magical realism. It started out a little slow but once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down! June Farrow is a complex character that you will fall in love with. The story is atmospheric and gives off major fall vibes. It’s one of those books where I would recommend going in blindly and just enjoy the ride. I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me access to an e-arc!

It’s 2023, and June Farrow is the last in the line of Farrow women destined to go mad. Everyone in town knows that the Farrow women eventually turn- June’s own mother disappeared one day, into the woods to never return. The only trace of her she left behind was baby June.

When June’s grandmother, who raised her like a mother, passes away, June is distraught. She’s worried her madness is starting, as she’s been hearing and seeing things for about a year, including a mysterious red door. Since June’s grandmother refused to talk much about their family, especially about June’s mother, June begins doing her own research. What she discovers must be impossible, but somehow is not. As she tries to figure out the mystery behind her mothers disappearance, the curse of the Farrow women’s madness and her family tree, June is catapulted into a new world full of shocking discoveries about herself and her family.

This book is very engaging and the author really puts a lot of thought and detail into the storyline. This book does not have witches in it, but I recommend it to anyone that might believe in or need a little magic.

Thank you Netgalley and Random house publishing for an e-arc of The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young in exchange for an honest review.

From the moment Adrienne Young announced the synopsis of this book I was hooked! Solving her mother’s disappearance, ending her family’s center old curse, and trying to balance finding live? Sign. Me. UP!
It was so refreshing to see that our heroine June Farrow, is in her mid thirties. With being close to her age, it was easier to step into her shoes than say a 18 or 21 year olds.
The romance in the book was nice and complementary to the story. It was the main thread or the secondary one that threatened to take over the entire book. This was June’s story about breaking the curse and taking back her life, not just about her finding love.
The world, the characters, the twists and turns, I loved every moment of this book. I only wish I could read it again for the first time.
EASILY 5/5 stars