I don’t think it’s a surprise, but I have been a huge fan of Young’s since I read her YA debut Sky in the Deep! I loved her adult debut last year, Spells, and I was definitely not left feeling disappointed with June! I will say I felt the beginning was a little slow, but it quickly picked up and had me never wanting to put it down! One of my favorite parts of Young’s books is her imagery. The way she describes things makes me see the whole scene in my mind.
Go in to the book as blind as you can! It won’t leave you disappointed! There’s magic, intrigue, mystery, and murder!

Thanks to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first book by Adrienne Young. I am usually a fan of novels with time travel however with this book the plot was not very interesting. The pacing is incredibly slow throughout the whole book. I was waiting for something big to happen and that never came. The whole book is just about an ‘unexplainable curse’. The main character was kept in the dark the whole time, which I found extremely frustrating as a reader. I really don’t have the patience for this kind of story telling. I would not recommend this book.

My mind is broken in the absolute best possible way…

My recommendation is to go into this one blind… let yourself be surprised but what unfolds on these pages.

If you’re a Young fan you know you are in good hands and I do have to say that this is possibly my new favorite from her. One I don’t think I will be forgetting anytime soon… I can also see myself reading this over and over in future years.

This one gave me The Ten Thousand Doors of January meets Alice Hoffman vibes. A seamlessly mix of fantasy, SciFi, romance and mystery. I haven’t read anything quite like it…

CONTENT WARNING: death of a loved one, parental abandonment, grief, on-page panic attack, violence, blood, murder
I was thrilled to buddy read this with Julie @ One Book More not just because our chats are endlessly entertaining, but because I always get so much more out of a book when I buddy read it with her (or my other buddy read partners). We were both looking forward to it, and I’m honestly so glad that I had her to read this with, or I probably would have thrown my Kindle multiple times.

To start with, readers are plunked into a teensy town. This book doesn’t give small-town vibes. It gives claustrophobic, one-light town vibes. And Young’s writing is beautiful and atmospheric, making us really feel like we’re right there with June. She’s spent her whole life living in this dying farming town, nurturing a family flower farm that has been there for generations. But she’s got a family curse hanging over her head, and the clock is ticking for her.

This is one of those genre-crossing books, which involves a mystery, a family saga, and a romance. And each of the aspects of the genres are superbly handled. There’s a lot of foreshadowing in the beginning of the story, and at the start, all we know is that the women in the Farrow family start to hallucinate and seem to experience some time of severe mental illness at some point in their lives. It happened early in June’s mother’s life, and as a result, she abandoned June as a newborn to be raised by her grandmother.

But the questions just seem to pile up, and when June starts experiencing her own hallucinations, the story really takes off. We had a lot more questions as things start to pick up, and it drove me bonkers. The romance builds throughout the story even as everything else was getting confusing, and at least I had that to hang onto as a kind of anchor. I was completely rooting for the romance, even as I was dying to figure out the mystery as well as figuring out what the heck was actually going on.

Overall, this turned out to be the fantastic and intriguing story that I was expecting from Young. My high standards are maintained once again! Julie and I spent so much of the book confused yet hopeful, and it wasn’t until the last quarter of the story that we weren’t confused anymore. But it was so worth the wait! I was a bit concerned about how mental illness would be treated in the story, since it’s often used as a plot point and portrayed negatively, but it was handled well. This is the kind of book that you can’t put down, and if you have to, you’ll be thinking about it when you do. Don’t miss out on this gem.

Wow! What did I just read?! This book was excellent, but be prepared to be a little confused and asking yourself questions almost the entire time… but like, in the best possible way!

I really enjoyed this story! It kept me at the edge of my seat & I continuously found myself being surprised. This isn’t one of those books where you can call the ending 5 pages in! It takes some time to really make progress to weave this story together and understand the Farrows… I was 70% in and still a little confused until all the pieces really started coming together! But this makes it all the more compelling!

All in all this was a great, atmospheric read. 4.5⭐️ would absolutely recommend this book to anyone and everyone!

I almost DNFed this book and I’m so glad I didn’t. For about 70% of the book, I just wasn’t feeling it. I’ve read two of Young’s books and I’ve really enjoyed both. She’s such an atmospheric writer and you feel completely enveloped in the worlds she creates and connected to her characters. I honestly can’t put my finger on it, but with this book, the pull just wasn’t there. I wasn’t bored, but I was waiting for that moment of emotion to overtake me. Just when I thought it just wasn’t going to happen, it finally did. The last 20% was so beautiful. It reminded me of how I felt reading The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman which is my absolute favorite. That’s not to say that the first 80% is bad by any means. It is a slow burn, still a very atmospheric read, but there wasn’t a lot of action with this one. The Magic system took me a while to fully understand and I’m honestly still not sure I do, but that’s most likely a me problem. I feel like a lot of readers will love this one, start to finish. Like I said, I’m certainly glad I kept going for that beautiful ending. Being honest though, it was overall a pretty middle of the pack book for me.


Thank you to NetGalley and Delacourte Press for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am *always* ready for magical realism once autumn hits.

I mean, who doesn't want a tiny bit of magic in their lives in the fall?

I was captivated by the cover, title, and premise of this book. However, I was underwhelmed by the execution of the story.

I appreciated the overall themes and storylines, but the plotting felt clunky and confusing.

I have now read four books by Adrienne Young and not one has disappointed me. The Unmaking of June Farrow is my second favorite after Spells for Forgetting.

The Farrows have an ability to go through a red door and pick a different time to go to. No one knows when or why the door appears but the main rule is you cannot go to a time where you already exist. It has been long known the Farrows are just different. June’s mother (who vanished without a trace) and grandmother have been known to be living in two timelines and it’s only a matter of time before June falls to the same maddness.

Anytime time travel is involved I have to be careful. I find myself looking for plot holes and start questioning everything and it ends up making my head hurt. I think in the end it all works out- my reasoning will stay in my head to avoid potential spoilers.

Once I got out of my head with technicalities I loved June’s story. The beginning June is grieving her grandmother and still trying to solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance. She’s told by her grandmother's friend to go through the red door when it appears. Although I had a ton of questions throughout it was easy to be patient because of the writing. I definitely recommend The Unmaking of June Farrow ESPECIALLY if you liked Spells for Forgetting.

This was my 1st Adrienne Young read, and will definitely not be my last. I picked this as my BOTM and I'm excited to get a physical copy.

The Unmaking of June Farrow wasn't something I was ready for. It was absolutely breathtaking and different. A different I didn't know I needed in my life.

It follows June Farrow and the Farrow woman. The Farrows knew they were different and every woman has a choice to make when the red door arrives.

I was blown away with how Adrienne Young spun this story. It unfolded before my eyes in the right amount of time. I cried, I laughed, it warmed my heart. It's been a long time since a book has touched me so completely. This book is a must read. It has an amazing fantasy element that seems so real.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨ARC REVIEW✨

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young (@adrienneyoungbooks )
4.5 stars ⭐️
Publication Date: 10/17/23

This was such a perfect fall read! I have never read a book by Adrienne Young before, but this certainly won’t be my last. I am so excited to dive into more of her stories, because her writing was so beautiful, captivating, and atmospheric. It truly takes you far away and submerges you deep into the story.

This book is part murder mystery, part fantasy, part romance. I have never read anything liked it. And I loved it so much. The characters were strong, the story was beautiful, the writing was incredible. Read this book if you like:

✨Magical Realism
✨Time Travel
✨Romance
✨Family Stories/Curses
✨Murder Mysteries
✨Beautiful, Atmospheric Writing

I highly recommend adding this book to your fall TBR – and to make it easier, its an October selection on @bookofthemonth (use the link in my bio to sign up and get your first book for $5!)

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @randomhouse for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Unmaking of June Farrow
Thank you to both NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had been waiting on a 5 star read to come into my life since July, and when June Farrow showed up she brought that 5 star home!

I went into this book very blind, based on the fact that I absolutely LOVED Adrienne Young’s adult debut, Spells for Forgetting, last fall. And that trust was well placed! Going in blind made it feel like I was trying to figure out what was going along right with June, it upped the suspense in the first half of the book as well. I suggest taking a similar approach if you trust me, but I will provide you with some vibes!

✨a family curse that causes madness, passed through generations with no cure
✨a twisty turny timeline
✨an unsolved small town murder with repercussions decades later
✨the cost of family secrets
✨underlying feelings of mystery, suspense, suspicion, and romance
✨the lengths we will go to for the people we love 🥺

This book is absolutely unique and had me enthralled the entire time. It’s the perfect addition to your fall lineup, the story is beautiful and kept me guessing the entire time. Be sure to grab it on October 17! Maybe grab Spells for Forgetting too if you haven’t yet, they are both so gorgeous!

I'm speechless. This book tore me right in two. How AY can create such magical characters is truly beyond my comprehension.

4*

Young has found herself in the sweet spot of magical realism. Her literary craft was made for this genre and the beauty with which she builds these worlds is second to none.

The mystery of June and the Farrow women is one that is captivating and heart breaking and I loved watching the way they interacted with each other.

I did feel that Mason, overall, was a superfluous character and really did nothing to serve the story and was essentially forgotten about, by both the author and June. In fact, the story overall leaned away from how I'd envisioned it from the synopsis, though that's not necessarily a bad thing.

This is definitely making it to the 2023 favorites list!

Synopsis: June Farrow has spent the past year experiencing some strange hallucinations. She knows the Farrow woman are different, but it is not until she goes through a door that has been appearing in her visions that she begins to understand the complexity of her family. Ending up in a different timeline, June is faced with some difficult decisions regarding love, family and has to figure out what to do moving forward.

Thoughts: This was a complex book filled with amazing characters, a atmospheric setting and a great blend of genres. The writing itself was unreal and will sweep you away!

Read if you like:
-Time travel
-Magic realism
-Family curses
-Small town mysterious
-Addie La Rue and The Dream Daughter

Thank you Random House for the ARC. Pub 10/17

I was thrilled that I got the opportunity to read a NetGalley digital ARC of The Unmasking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young. I couldn't remember the synopsis that I'd read months ago, but I also knew that I wouldn't be disappointed.

I LOVE this book. Go in blind and let the story unravel.

I want more! I need more!

This needs to be a movie or a show, I could visualize this so we’ll while I was reading it, I loved it so much. Will be adding this author to my auto reads list, I loved her other book Spells for Forgetting as well!

This started out as a slow burn. I was trying to figure out what was going on, but by the time we got to the meat of the story I was invested. I maybe would have liked a little more on Mason and Birdie so that the climax had a touch more emotional punch, but I loved the rest of it so much. Beautiful writing, great story with the loose ends all tied up. 5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this book just as much as I loved Spells for Forgetting. Love the mystery, magical realism, and romance - my three favorite genres.

Do I understand a single thing that happened? Not really. Did I enjoy it? Yes indeed. Really the only thing I can think of to describe this is "no thoughts, just vibes". This was twisty and confusing and oh so magical.

Adrienne Young masterfully creates a multiverse with different timelines and time travel and so many twisting story lines that you will want to keep reading just to find out what everything means. I could have finished this in one day if I didn't have to actually be an adult and go to work *sighs*.

I normally do not like ending a book still feeling confused, but I am actually quite satisfied with how this wrapped up. I'm glad June made the decisions she did *no spoilers* and I think it was the best outcome we could have gotten for this story. June is a much bigger person than I am, because if I had to face some of those decisions I would have simply curled up in the fetal position in a corner and cry.


OKAY SPOILER NOW DON'T READ

SERIOUSLY SPOILERS

STOP NOW

LAST WARNING.......

okay so the one thing I wish was done differently, is that I wish the book was longer in the end. Once June started figuring things out and remembering things, everything went by super quick and I didn't get a chance to sit and enjoy the nice romance moments. I want to see June live in her new old timeline and be a family with Eamon and Annie. Even just an epilogue with a scene of them living a mediocre suburban family life, cooking breakfast in the kitchen. There were so many things happening and so many things I was trying to figure out and June was trying to figure out, that we didn't get many nice moments of just peace and vibes.

This is now a Book of the Month choice! If you read and enjoyed Spells for Forgetting by our author I highly recommend getting this one. Spells was in my top 10 books read I 2022 and this has a very similar vibe. This was a 5 star for me.

A perfect cozy fall vibe here readers! We have it all in this book. A small town with a generational curse on the women of a family, a mysterious door that appears. Some mystery and romance to top it all off.

Our author really has a way with creating a setting you can really visualize and set yourself in. This book included a non-linear time line and I don’t think that is always smooth to conquer and it was very smooth and seamless in this story. I didn’t get lost or lose track of what was going on and that’s super important for me in a book like this. Our characters! I really enjoyed our protagonist, her feelings and back story were so well developed. It very easy for me to say I loved this one and recommended it.

Thank you to our author, Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an advanced eGalley copy of the book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This will be available on October 17th, 2023. I hope if you choose to read it you enjoy it also.