The Unmaking of June Farrow is such a perfect Fall read! The atmosphere, the mystery, the bit of spookiness and anticipation, the romance, and the time traveling magical realism. I had a hard time putting this book down, and even when I put it down to go to bed at night, I found myself tossing & turning thinking about it, trying to work out the mystery. It was just soo good!

This is the perfect fall read! I love everything that Adrienne Young writes, and I knew this would be no exception. Her writing is beautiful, lyrical, and atmospheric. It takes you away and makes the perfect escapist read.

This book was part mystery with the small town murder that needs to be solved. It was part fantasy with the time traveling magical realism elements. It was also part romance and coming of age with the epic love story contained in these pages. This book reminded me of The Time Traveler’s Wife and The Seven Year Slip, and both of these were 5💫 reads for me.

June, the main character, and her ancestors were strong and just very well-written. This book explores the importance of family relationships and the sacrifices we make for the ones we love. Such an amazing story. 😍

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Delacorte Press for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 💕

I’m not sure I have the words to describe how much I absolutely ADORED this!!!

Seriously. Talk about the most enchanting, spell binding, mystical, and enthralling story. The list of everything I loved about this is very, very long but I just feel the need to say everything I can. To start, I loved the atmosphere of this. It is the most perfect Autumn read. It felt so eerie and I loved how it had all of these suspenseful and moody undertones. I love when stories make me feel nervous and like I can’t read the pages fast enough. I also loved how unique it was. It felt very singular and even though I guessed one of the plot twists pretty early on, I was still so happy to finally get to that part of the story and experience being right. I’m not sure how predictable this part of the story will feel to others, but it didn’t take anything away from the reading experience for me. I also loved the writing style, Adrienne Young has some of the most beautiful way of writing I’ve ever seen. It’s enchanting and haunting and brings you in. It’s cozy and feels like fall, if that makes any sense at all. I also just loved the characters. I loved the timelines and how intertwined they all were. There was something so tragic about them, and I loved seeing their stories come together. I think Young did a wonderful job at creating all of these timelines and connections.

So, all of this to say. This story deserves all the 5 stars it’s been getting. I was HOOKED on this. It captured me and kept me interested the whole way through. It was beautifully written. I think it was just the right amount of twisted, complex, layered, and heartwarming. I loved how many breadcrumbs there were throughout the story where you felt just confused enough to stay invested, but not like you were totally in the dark about things. It was kind of like we were going through things along with June and I felt a connection with her the entire time because of it.

I seriously could go on. I’ll probably be able to extend this review as the days go on and more comes back to me. But seriously. READ THIS WHEN IT COMES OUT. And if you haven’t read Spells for Forgetting yet, read it in the meantime while you wait for this. It’s everything and more. I had such a great time reading this. It was such a beautiful, captivating, and atmospheric story, and I need everyone to experience it the way I did.

So allll of the stars to this beauty! 5 stars and more! What an incredibly story! Adrienne Young, you are a marvel!

As always, thank you to Ballantine, Delacorte Press for the chance to give a review! I absolutely adored this and will be recommending it to everyone, especially during this fall season! Can’t wait for this to come out!!!!!!!!

I know I’m in the minority but this one didn’t click for me. I enjoyed the beginning which I felt was lovely and mysterious and promising and then went downhill because I couldn’t buy into the magical realism elements that took over. The sentiment and thread through of love and family was nice but it felt a bit rushed and shoved together for me. Bah! This was a miss.

This book!! This is everything I love about magical realism, an atmospheric setting, and a solid plot that keeps you guessing until the very end. I went into this book fairly blind having read the synopsis months before reading the actual book and I think this is the best way to do it. Young's writing kept me on the edge of my seat. Not only is it engaging from the very first page, but the mystery that June is solving is intricate and well laid out with twists until the last few pages.

The characters in this book weave together to create a true family, one with secrets, but ultimately full of love. June sets out to stop the curse that has plagued the women in her family for generations and the journey this takes her on is nothing short of amazing. She's a character you really connect with and when she's faced with choices you feel the push and pull that she feels. The love of Eamon is almost palpable and you can visualize the small town of Jasper.

This is the perfect book for fall. While the actual storyline takes place in the summer, the immersive writing, the cozy mystery, and the unravelling of family secrets has me wanting to binge this with a warm cup of coffee in front of the fire.

The Unmaking of June Farrow; an unconventional romance, a tiny bit of spookiness, murder and mystery, magical realism, and beautiful imagery all wrapped up into one novel for a wonderful
autumn read.
The strength of this novel is in the mystery surrounding the plot. I’m always more invested in the story when we’re going on the same journey as the main character - knowing what they know and figuring things out with them. Whenever time travel is an aspect, I always find myself questioning the things I know to be true, just like our MC, June Farrow. June was a fun character to get to know, and her defining characteristics (selfless, brave and self confident to name a few) made it very easy to root for her.
Coming in at 4.5 stars, this is a cozy and beautiful story about love defying all odds, even the pesky reality of time travel.
(PS this book reminded me so much of This Love by Taylor Swift so if you read with music playing, that’s my rec)

I absolutely loved this.
All of the heart and the twists, I wasn’t ever bored reading this.
I’ve been thinking about this the past couple of days trying to wrap my head around everything. I do think this is one that you can read multiple times and pick up something new each time.
Such a good idea. I’m still trying to work out parts. When I get thinking about it I still get goosebumps.

No explicit spice. There are some intimate scenes but nothing descriptive. More emotional aspects than sexual. I’ll be buying the book so my mom can read it.

There are some loose ends that I’m curious about. But I understand the reasoning behind the open endedness of it (Mason).

Special thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this digital ARC.

“In the small town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her.”

In this book, we follow June Farrow as she tries to break the mysterious centuries-old curse on her family, the one that has causes mysterious disappearances, hallucinations, seeing and hearing things that aren’t there, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere. But as she gets deeper into looking for answers surrounding her mother’s disappearance, it only leads her to more questions.

This book was so good. I’m not sure how I’m even supposed to write a review for this because I’m still living the high of finishing it almost a week later. Adrienne does such a good job with the mystery and intrigue in this story that you just can’t stop reading. The twists and turns keep you locked in and it’s the perfect balance of not being predictable but also not being so confusing that you have no idea what’s going on. And I loved it!

Adrienne Young is one of my favorite authors, by far, and this book has definitely made it into my favorite books of this year.

I highly recommend this book to those looking for a fantasy/sci-fi novel with mystery and romance and a story you’ll still be thinking about long after you’ve finished reading.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing group/ Ballantine Delacorte Press for providing me with this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

I loved Spells for Forgetting, so I was thrilled to see a new book by Adrienne Young. I didn’t think it was possible, but I loved this one more! The author writes such beautiful magical realism. All the stars for this lovely story!

Another amazing story , loving the way Adrienne is doing this books, definitely recommend to all my friends , the story was amazingly done and enjoyable

The unmaking of June farrow - 5⭐️3🌶️

Fantasy
Murder mystery/suspense
romance
Generational curse
Witches
30’s FMC
Past/present
Magical realism

Adrienne Young has become an auto-read author for me. I’m always blown away by her vivid storytelling. She is able to pull you into whatever world she has created. Her books are always so heartbreaking and mystical. I adored stepping through this door with the June Farrow and watching this story unfold.

I think that the way the plot lines melded together was well done. While the overarching plot was a little predictable, the attention to small details and amazing character arcs made it such a joy to read. The magic was cozy while the plot had me trying to work it all out from the very beginning.

The romance?! It was swoon worthy. The tension and chemistry was everything I wanted from this book. My heart melted for this couple.

Thank you Random House Publishing- Ballantine and NetGalley for and advanced ereader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book has my heart. I didn’t really know what this book was about going in — and I’d recommend you do the same. Every book I’ve read by Adrienne Young has been pure magic and The Unmaking of June Farrow was no different.

I don’t want to spoil anything — but I highly recommend this one!

There’s magic and mystery and romance and I fell in love with everything about it.

I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

Oh I wanted to like this so much, and I didn't. The first 25% was amazing. A little atmospheric, a little poetic and beautiful Southern vibes. But then the rest of the book was a slog for me, and I kept getting Esther and Margaret confused...and one of the big twists wasn't a surprise at all. The other big twist was nice, but not worth the time I spent reading this.

June Farrow knows her family has a curse, but she doesn't know what. There's a preacher who was murdered in the 1950s, and June feels some kind of connection to him. June gets a mysterious letter that tells her to walk through a red door when she sees it, and to trust her. She sees it, walls through, And then June ends up in 1950 with a husband and daughter. And then a bunch of people don't tell June all the facts and she's very confused, and then she solves the mystery because people finally tell her stuff. The end.

Adrienne Young does it again. Another gorgeously written book about the meaning of family and love and the lengths we'd go to to protect those we care about most. All the stars.

I was super excited when I saw that Adrienne Young was coming out with another book this year. And adult fantasy, at that! As much as I enjoyed some of her earlier YA work, I’ve really enjoyed the turn her writing has taken lately toward adult fantasy, especially of the sort where the fantasy elements are largely in the background of a story more focused on characters, relationships, and mysteries. “Spells of Forgetting” was one of my favorite reads last year, and this one sounded very much like it was up the same alley!

I don’t think I can avoid minor spoilers when talking about this book, but it’s really only a “spoiler” in the sense that the official book summary doesn’t lay it all out there. Any quick perusal of Goodreads will reveal this. But if you’re really vigilant, I’m going to try to discuss quickly at the top the absolutely non-spoiler-y things and then get into the rest towards the end.

And the first non-spoiler fact is that I loved this book! It had a lot of similar features to “Spells for Forgetting” and they worked just as well this time around. Namely, Young’s talent for writing compelling, nuanced, and sympathetic characters. This talent extends beyond her ability to write great leading ladies and romantic interests, but also to the side characters and villains that populate her world. This book, in particular, did some great work with these side characters. By the nature of the story, we see several versions of these characters, and it was fascinating to piece together these pieces of their histories and how they interacted with those around them.

I also liked the mysteries at the heart of this story. There were several, including the truth behind the strange curse/mental illness that afflicts June’s family, as well as the disappearance of June’s mother, and a long-ago, unsolved cold case of the town’s preacher. All of these various mysteries wove in and out of one another, and even as you uncover a portion of the truth from one mystery, it simply adds another layer of unknowns to the remaining questions. I was able to piece together a few bits fairly early on, but there were definitely other reveals that took me by surprise. Depending on your sleuthing abilities, there was a fairly large twist that came late in the game that was actually so monumental that I wish the story had lingered over it a bit longer even than it did.

I also really liked the romance at the heart of this story. The love story is a slow-burn style romance, with much of the book carefully detailing June’s connection to the complicated man she meets after going through the door. Due to the nature of how they meet and the mystery of the door, this relationship faces several deep-seated conflicts built into the very core of who each character is. In my opinion, this is the best sort of love story, one that explores the personal arcs of each individual alongside the burgeoning romance building between them.

And now to the spoiler (sort of??) aspect of the review. Again, I don’t think this is a real spoiler as it’s revealed very early in the book and is commonly referenced in reviews. But the door that appears is in fact a time travel portal, allowing the Farrow women to move backwards and forwards through time. Overall, I really liked the way this conceit was worked into the story. It was explained and given parameters to a certain degree, but Young also didn’t get bogged down into a lengthy description of magic systems and space/time continuums. It is very much a tool at the service of the more character-driven story that makes up the heart of the book. And while I was reading, it was easy enough to simply go with the flow, as I was fully caught up in the stakes of June’s own story. That said, after I finished the book, there were some niggling bits of confusion and questions that began to bother me. On one hand, I think it’s really, really hard to write a time travel book that doesn’t lead to inevitable questions about how it could all possible work. But the resolution of this book specifically is clearly meant to build to some greater point about how this specific example of time travel works, and I’m not sure it was fully successful in that regard. There were some lingering questions about whether the late game actions of characters really would accomplish what we were told they would.

Beyond that, I also questioned the initial premise a bit, that the Farrow women would understand the give and take of using the door and still continue to use it as they did. We’re told simply “they couldn’t resist, ultimately,” but I feel like this simplistic explanation actually does a massive disservice to the very nature of the complicated, nuanced characters that Young is known for creating. People don’t just do things, all of them making the same choice simply because, and one of Young’s strengths as a writer is her exploration of these differences between how and why people do what they do. This is a fairly minor complaint, but it did stand out at me, mostly because it is so out of step with the rest of the character exploration and explanation that we’re given. And, necessarily, it’s at the heart of much of the Farrow story, over the decades.

But while I did have lingering questions and quibbles, I can’t emphasize enough how much none of this bothered my actual reading experience. And even with these questions, I think the exploration of family, history, and the deep connections formed with those who make up our lives was so expertly done that I have no qualms recommending this to almost anyone, especially those who enjoy character-driven stories and slow-burn romances.

Rating 8: Atmospheric and lyrical, Adrienne Young does it again, painting a story of a long line of women whose lives weave in and out of one another’s creating a beautiful tapestry of love and mystery.

Link will go live Oct 7

I’ve heard such great things about this author, that I was so excited to finally read one of her books. Maybe it wasn’t the right timing for my to read this book or I wasn’t in the right state of mind. I couldn’t connect to the characters or story. I will definitely try to reread it in the future

This was such a beautiful and emotional story. I feel like not very much can be said without giving anything away and ultimately taking away from the enjoyment of reading it. Not that this extremely complex and layered plot could be effectively summarized anyway.

I was extremely emotionally invested in the characters, the plot twists, the atmosphere. It reads like a small town mystery/romance and just seems to have that extra layer of fantasy/ magical realism. There is time travel, and if there is one thing about me, it's that time travel will confuse me a little bit. Which this did. There were a lot of rules and timelines and dates to think about. You sort of unravel the world and the story as June does, and it creates a really mind-bending and unique experience.

I really loved this, I think the only thing that really kept it from being 5 stars is my own personal preferences. I feel like some things were left unexplored and some things about the world and magic that I still don't understand even after finishing the book. Overall, I'm really glad I picked it up and I think a lot of people will absolutely fall in love with this story.

My brain is melting a little bit, but it's okay because this book was mind-blowingly good! I enjoyed every second of it. If you like time-travel, intergenerational relationships, and a good mystery then you'll love this too.

Short Synopsis:
The Farrow women are cursed. Eventually they all go mad. It’s what led to June’s mother disappearance. June now has started seeing and hearing things - a mysterious door, a voice calling her name, etc. June eventually opens the door and learns the secrets of her family.

My Thoughts:
This book gave me the biggest heart squeeze. It was pain achingly beautiful. Everything was connected so perfectly. It’s a book that kept me up at night because I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

It’s a book that covers a spam of genres - magical realism, romance, mystery, historical fiction

And the writing. I just want this lyrical writing in everything I read.

Read if You Like:
🚪 Magical Realism
🚪 Time traveling romances
🚪 Lyrical/atmospheric writing
🚪 The most heart squeezing romance
🚪 To feel all the things
🚪 Books such as The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie or The Seven Year Slip

I absolutely loved this. The atmospheric writing was everything but the concept of this book was just so so good. I love a good time travel sci go book and this did not disappoint. There was a twist near the end that I did not see coming at all and it absolutely blew me away.