Adrienne Young’s latest novel is a mismatch of romance, sci-fi (maybe, sort-of) and fiction. And like the mismatch of genres that it is, so was the plot. I’ve had a hard time encapsulating my thoughts on this one.

The plot is convoluted. I couldn’t shake away the thought of wanting it to not make me think that hard. I think there were a couple paradox issues with the science of it at all.

The characters were interesting. I wanted to know the mystery of June Farrow. For the most part, I enjoyed how it tied together at the end. I just wish there was more emphasis on the romance of the characters and character building of the family members. Instead I felt like I had to get a paper out to draw diagrams to be able to follow along with the plot.

I’d still recommend it as a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc.

This story is unlike anything I’ve read before, and it is beautifully written. I feel like I was transported to small town farm life in North Carolina. June is a very likable character, where as a reader, I was invested in her journey of breaking the Farrow family curse and making the right choice for herself in the end. I think my only critique of this novel is that I could use a little more. I think spending a bit more time in each of June’s places in life would just solidify her actions and the emotions behind them. I simply want more time with June, Eamon, and the Farrow family.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A family of women with dark secrets and a supernatural curse. Several of the woman attempt to outsmart the curse and save their line.

Lovely and atmospheric. Beautiful and mysterious. I love Adrienne Young's writing so much and her storytelling and ability to draw readers in is incredible.

There honestly isn't a way to describe The Unmaking of June Farrow without spoiling the entire plot. I love Young's other books and was especially excited for June Farrow, and I was definitely not disappointed. This will go down with other strong female characters like Addie LaRue, Evelyn Hugo, and other titles that are easily referred to by the main character's name.

This story was so incredibly unique. I did have slight trouble keeping up with the timeline at first, but I did finally figure it all out. The plot also explains it much better, but at first, it may seem a bit confusing.

This is a beautiful story, with a beautiful ending, and I truly hope everyone has a chance to read this unique story.

Thank you Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!
4.5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW by Adrienne Young. I'm really loving Young's adult books. She is the master of atmosphere and vibes—also angsty romance. I got into this one most once the main love interest was introduced, then the star-crossed lovers trope made it hard for me to put the book down. The mystery behind the story really pulled me in too. There was a lot that reminded me of The Time Traveler's Wife. My one complaint is sometimes the time travel just straight up did not make sense. I was confused for a long time about whether they were able to change things about the future and how that worked. It also was never explained how the time traveling started happening in the first place; it just kind of was. But I know I could never write a time travel novel in a million years because it's just way too complex, so props to anyone who manages it ever.

An enchanting and distinctive time travel tale that will have you enthralled from beginning to end. I simply devoured this, as suspected. Once again AY delivered an immersive experience. I felt just as desperate as June to unravel the truth behind everything.

The atmosphere, setting, characters were all beautifully written. All of the mystery and suspense, as well as the plot twists had me on the edge of my seat. I found myself going back and forth to reread certain parts to see if I could figure out what was happening, but it was completely unpredictable. I also really enjoyed that TUOJF had more of an eerie vibe than all of her past books.

I will forever pick up whatever Adrienne Young is putting down. If you loved Spells for Forgetting than I have no doubt you will want this on your fall and or spooky season TBR.

This book left me utterly speechless. I was so twisty and mind bending I just couldn’t get enough.
Cursed June farrow takes you on a ride of a lifetime.
If you need a cozy, crazy, magical, spooky book for fall then this is the one for you. You will not put this book dow and be left utterly amazed at 3 am wondering “what the hell did I just read” it the best way possible.

I will recommend this book to everyone

I wanted to love this! It may be a me problem; I did most of my reading in the middle of the night due to pregnancy insomnia so my brain wasn’t at its best. However, I felt relieved to see that other reviewers were confused by the lapsing timelines. It was like looking at a solved math problem but not understanding the steps that went into solving it. Several of the revelations would have been sweeter or more shocking if I had had a better grasp on the magical math of the story.
Beyond that, the first half especially was a bit bogged down with description. This may be an example of “right book, wrong time” or ”right book, wrong reader”
I was definitely reminded of A Thousand Doors to January, to the point that it was kind of uncanny. There were also traces of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
I think this book will be just right for some, just not for me right now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the eARC!

Adrienne Young creates an interesting magical world and mystery in The Unmaking of June Farrow but as much as I liked the book it didn’t seem to stick with me much later. I enjoyed the world building and characters that Young created and really enjoyed June as a character and i feel that is Young's strength: World-building and characters.

I took the night to process my feelings before writing this review - but truly all I can say is wow 🥲

The way the last 100 pages of this had me absolutely UGLY crying, like not just a tear shed like full fledge couldn’t breath, snot flying, hyperventilating to the point my husband asked if I was okay 🥹

There were moments I was confused by the timelines and the fraying stories matching up but I naturally struggle with these things so it’s to be expected and why I didn’t see a real “issue” with it because the thing is, this made me FEEL ALL THE FEELS.

The moment we understand Eamon, and Annie. I lost it. LOST IT! This is a treasure of a story and I’m so beyond thankful I was given the opportunity to read this from NetGalley.com because honestly this is one of my top reads for the year ✨

Literally this book unmade ME 🫠

This story follows June Farrow and the Farrow curse that occurs to the women in her family. June decides that the curse will end with her by choosing not to fall in love. After the passing of her grandmother, the woman who took her in after her mother fell victim to the madness, June starts to pay more attention to the "signs" of the curse, hearing and seeing things that aren't there. She starts to take a deep dive into researching her missing mother again, and she finds herself on a journey no one could prepare her for but herself.

As a native of North Carolina, I never thought it would be possible, but Adrienne Young made me fall more in love with my home state. Her descriptions are absolutely breathtaking. I want to pack my bags and go straight to Asheville, NC. Young does an incredible job of portraying what NC is genuinely about: the small-town community and tight-knit families. The story was so immersive that I felt like I could see myself in Jasper, NC.

Without giving the plot away, I believe it is best to go into this story blind. Sometimes, I thought I couldn't keep up with what was happening, but everything was fully explained at the end of the book. I did cry when I finished because the story was beautiful. I didn't think anything could top Spells for Forgetting, but I was wrong. Adrienne gets better and better with each book she writes.

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Delacorte Press, for providing an eARC of The Unmaking of June Farrow. This review is being left voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

This story was absolutely stunning! This is about a young woman named June Farrow who comes from a long line of women are plagued with an unknown disease. At some point, the Farrow women lose their minds and no amount of testing or doctors visits can determine what causes the unraveling. Decades earlier, June’s mother went missing, so she was raised by her grandmother. The circumstances surrounding how she gets to her grandmother is also suspicious in itself.

One day, after her grandmother dies, June finds a letter addressed to her. Inside the letter she finds a mysterious photo of her long lost mother which prompts her to dive deeper into the details within the photo. Everyone around June is keeping secrets from her and when June finally starts pushing for answers she soon finds herself on a self-discovery journey that goes beyond her wildest dreams, and against the laws of nature.

This was so incredibly atmospheric and beautifully written. I was captivated from the first page. I loved the magical realism, the second chance romance, the slow burn and irresistible mystery in this book, and uncovering June’s family secrets with her.

The vivid imagery, character development, and intricate connections among the characters completely enchanted me. This is a book you'll undoubtedly find unforgettable.

my only complaint is that the ending did confuse me a bit. I wish things would have been explained more and fleshed out because I found myself struggling to make sense of the final chapter. Either way, this didn’t take away any enjoyment, and overall I’m giving this 4.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I think this is my favorite book Adrienne Young has written, and I'm pretty sure I've read them all.
I was immediately captivated by the Farrow women's curse and how they all go mad. I was immediately captivated by the mention of a murder that happened years earlier that I knew would play a big part. I was kept captivated when we learn June has started down the path of madness and is finding clues about her mother who dropped her in town as a baby and disappeared forever. The clues don't make sense. I literally HAD to know what that clues meant. Then June goes through the door she thought was only a hallucination.
These characters were fantastic. It's so hard to talk about the people and things I want to talk about without spoiling the *big thing.* June was really intricate. I felt like I knew her and all the rest of the characters actually. She was willing to give up having a family so she would never have a daughter to pass the madness onto after watching it happen to her grandmother and knowing what happened to her mom. Yet she loved her family and her one friend Mason so deeply. She loved the flower farm she worked at. She loved her life despite knowing that one day she would succumb to the madness. After the *big thing* she showed another kind of love all together and it just made my heart want to burst. The other Farrow women were so woven together and the journey they had throughout the book was amazing. There were a few other characters I don't want to mention that were also amazing.
The atmosphere of this book was so vivid. I felt like I was in Jasper, North Carolina. I felt like I could picture these fields and these farm houses and the Summer Faire. I was totally transported. I felt like I was living the story alongside these characters every chapter, every page. That doesn't happen often.
The plot took me on such a journey. Like I said, everything that happened in the beginning totally captivated me. Once the *big thing* happened, things slowed down and I wanted to know more about the clues and the murder, but we got something totally different for a while and my interest waned. But things picked up and even though we had more lulls, I welcomed them because by that time I was so incredibly invested in the characters and I wanted to know everything about them. After finishing the book, things totally made sense, but as I was reading, I was constantly trying to figure out how one thing related to another and it just blew my mind how all the puzzle pieces fit together.
There was one part near the ending where I could vividly picture the story going 2 ways (ironic if you've read it). My heart was beating so fast. For what the story was, it ended more than perfectly, but also certain things broke my heart. There was also one big reveal close to the end that I had figured out early on and part of me wished I hadn't because going into that reveal not guessing anything would have been so emotional. The whole ending just made me emotional. I wasn't sad or overly happy, I just FELT so much.
This was an absolutely amazing book I would recommend to everyone. The first genre it is under is fantasy, but don't let that push you away if you are not a fantasy reader.

This was an incredible story about the power and endurance of love.

June Farrow knows that all the women in her family are cursed. Every woman before her suffered a kind of madness, seeing things that aren’t there, hearing voices or sounds, getting lost in their own minds. June wants to ensure the curse ends with her. She has closed herself off from love, swearing off marriage and children. But so far she can’ stop the curse, and is experiencing things that she can’t explain. But shortly after her grandmother’s decline and death, June receives a mysterious letter in the mail, setting off a chain of events that will change her life forever.

I really loved this book! It is incredibly atmospheric, with southern, small town vibes, and a little bit of creepy mystery that is just perfect for fall. I really don’t want to share too much about the plot. This book is best experienced if you go into it with little information, and just let the story unfold. It reminds me a lot of Spells for Forgetting, which I also loved by this author, so if you enjoyed the pacing and mystery of that book, you will probably love The Unmaking of June Farrow as well. The writing is beautiful and draws you in to the story, while the flow and progression as we learn more will keep you hooked and needing to know what happens next. Over the course of the book, June learns more about her family and her past, and learns to open herself up to love and all the messy things that come with it, even knowing what will happen in her future. There is a romance that is central to this story, but there is also familial love too, especially between mothers, daughters, and grandmothers. This story made me reflect a lot on how traditions are passed down and carried from one generation to the next by women, which was an underlying theme throughout the story.

This was a glorious book, and a perfect eerie read for a fall weekend.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press for an electronic Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

It’s been a while since I’ve devoured a whole book in one sitting. This book took my breath away and captivated my soul! The Farrow women are cursed. As time goes by, they start to see and hear things. Then the red door appears. A crazy series of events that’s impossible to tear yourself away from, with surprising plot twists and beautifully brave characters. Escape into Young‘s thrilling mystery to forever change the fate of the Farrows!

First of all, thank you to Delacorte Press and Net Galley for the ARC. I was really looking forward to this novel as I am a fan of magical realism and it did not disappoint. June Farrow lives in a small mountain town near Asheville and is coping with a dying grandmother and fears that she has the same madness coming for her that comes for every woman in her family. June starts to find clues after her grandmother passes away that lead her to believe she has a chance to break the curse but it may mean realizing that her hallucinations are not really hallucinations and she maybe part of a bigger story that goes across time.

I thought that the author did a great job of explaining the timelines, paradoxes, etc. while incorporating an engaging mystery with some great twists.

Mysterious time travel and self-discovery give a deeper edge to this romance. Readers will enjoy discovering what June has done to make her own future possible.

Adrienne Young does not miss. I don’t think I can properly put into words how much I enjoyed “The Unmaking of June Farrow”. Initially, I was a bit intimated by this book. However, after picking it up, I was unable to put it down.

This is one of those books where I think it’s best to go in blind. It’s hard to categorize into one specific genre as it has a little of everything - mystery, thriller, family drama, romance, etc. This is just a good story that I think everyone will enjoy. The plot keeps you on your toes the entire time, and will keep you guessing until the last pages.

I absolutely love the way Adrienne Young writes her settings and her ability to make them feel like characters. She did this in last year’s “Spells for Forgetting” and she does it again in “The Unmaking of June Farrow”. She is able to write such atmospheric settings that make you feel nostalgic for places you have never been. The characters in her story are also amazing. They are flawed and complicated people, but she writes them in a way where the reader is able to understand their motivations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I think this book has solidified Adrienne Young as an auto-but author for me. I loved Spells for Forgetting. I loved this one even more. I rarely end a book wishing it was longer but I wanted this to keep going. Without giving much away this does have more of a “sci-fi” feel to the magical realism. There is a love story here and damn is it a beautiful one. I cried out of sadness. I cried out of happiness. I cried over a twist in the storyline. This was easily one of my favorite reads this year and I highly recommend grabbing this one.