Definitely didn’t know what I was getting into with this book! And I loved it! 😍 Time travel, strong female bonds, and the sweetest love story. I am obsessed with June and her cleverness. A slow burner but so so good. Definitely a good character development story with a naturally propulsive story line. Such a satisfying ending.

I will usually skim a synopsis of a book if I didn’t already see a review for it, so I’m a big proponent of going into a novel kind of blind. And I would definitely recommend that with The Unmaking of June Farrow. I read the synopsis when I requested the ARC but I didn’t reread it before I started the book and I’m glad I didn’t. So I’m also not going to give too much of a synopsis in my review.

What I will say is that this story surprised me at every turn. It’s a complex story that will keep you engaged, but it’s not overwhelming to understand. I think Adrienne Young found a perfect balance between telling a compelling story that you have to think about but it’s still light enough that it’s easy to follow, but will definitely surprise you.

I loved the way it was written. This was my first Adrienne Young book and I’m definitely a fan now. I felt like I was in the story and I’m still thinking about the characters nearly a week after finishing the book. All the characters in June’s world felt so real and I felt very in tune with the main character, June, as she grappled with hard decisions and situations throughout the story.

I easily and highly recommend this book. If you like a compelling and complex female MC, atmospheric reads, a dash of magical realism, and multiple secrets that you will spend the novel trying to figure out on your own only to be surprised at the end–preorder this now! I really feel like I haven’t read anything like this. Without any spoilers, I absolutely loved how the illness with June is set up in the beginning and what was actually manifesting. I won’t say more, but I thought it was SO, so well done and paid off so well.

Also, as an NC native, I love the setting in the Blue Ridge Mtns. Definitely recommend looking up some pictures if you’re not familiar with the mountains in NC–it’s absolutely beautiful and Young captured it so well within the book! I also was riding passenger on a road trip through the Smokies while reading a majority of this book and the mountain environment really added to the reading experience, so I also recommend that :)

I gave it 4 stars here on NetGalley, but it's really a 4.75. I absolutely loved it!

Thank you Net Galley, Random House, and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read this amazing story ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Adrienne Young’s Spells for Forgetting. So I was excited to read another work of hers. I love the atmospheric texture of that novel set in the Pacific Northwest. This work has the same texture but the of the Southeastern United States. As with her first adult novel there is a supernatural mystery that haunts the main character June Farrow, but she thinks she is in a long line of women in her family losing her mind.

The novel is set on small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina. The Farrow women own a thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors.

While June’s grandmother lays dying she starts seeing and hearing things that she believes are hallucinations. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing. After her grandmother’s death June visits her family physician who recommends she starts putting her affairs in order. June is advised by a trusted family member to go through the door that haunts and she does. Her discoveries are heart wrenching and upend all her perceptions of life as she knows it.

I feel there should have been a little more character development. Young is very adept at this, so I was surprised Mason seems a bit flat. Annie is a child, but she too felt a little cut out. I would still take the time to read all of her novels.

In the small town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow has always known that she would go mad one day. After the death of hear grandmother, June becomes the last living Farrow who hasn’t succumb to the family curse.

Going into this book, I didn’t know what to expect since this is the first book that I’ve read from this author. But she far exceeded my expectations. Jasper is a typical small town in the south. They prefer normalcy and shy away from anything they deem odd, this includes the Farrow family.

Seeing the dynamics between June, her family, and the people in town both past and present was interesting. I also enjoyed how she handled the star-crossed lovers romance, beautifully done! Overall, I loved this book!

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for my review copy!

I don't want to be dramatic and say this is a new all time favorite, but....I have a strong feeling it's just that. This was everything and yet something entirely its own. I've never read anything like it.

I feel like it can be classified as a million different genres. It's a thriller, but that doesn't do it justice. A mystery, but in an ever-evolving way you wouldn't expect. A romance, but in the most superb, unconventional, heart-achingly beautiful way. Throw in a dash of historical fiction and a sprinkle of magical realism and you almost ALMOST start to understand what this book is.

I thought it would just be a fun fall romp with eerie vibes - I did not expect it to grip me so completely. And I definitely didn't expect it to be as deep and emotional as it was. My heart went though so many palpable extremes. Racing one minute, swelling the next, then on the verge of breaking...I was feeling it all. I was so invested.

I'm envious of anyone who gets to read this for the first time. Stunning.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy!

I loveed this book. So compelling and stunning writing. I will be a fan of this author for years to come.

No one writes like Adrienne Young. When I pick up her books, I know there's going to be characters I'd die for, a story that completely wraps me up and takes me away, and writing that feels both familiar and ethereal. The Unmaking of June Farrow was no different.

From the beginning, I was drawn to June. She is part of a legacy of women who always go mad, seeing and hearing and experiencing things that aren't there. I loved June's balance of knowing her reality and future and still hoping for a different outcome. I instantly wanted to be there for her through her journey.

The tension in this book starts right away with the madness, and with every secret revealed I was on the edge of my seat. Once I hit the halfway point, I couldn't put this book down even if I wanted to. I never saw the twists and turns coming. My mind was blown! I've never really liked a time travel book, but if anyone could make me love one, it's definitely Adrienne Young. The whole thing was so well executed.

I did wish there was a little more romantic development in this book, but I still enjoyed the second-chance romance and how it mixed with the tension and the plot. There are SO many emotions throughout that tie everything together. My heart was ripped wide open and healed again. All in all, this book is a haunting story with secrets upon secrets and characters that feel REAL. Another winner from my favorite author.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5

Thank you, Dellacorte Press, for the arc!
Release Date: October 17, 2023

Trigger/Content Warnings: madness, deaths of family members, violence, murder, parent abandonment, one open door scene

My favorite book all year! I one I couldn’t wait to read the next Adrienne Young, but I had no idea how much I’d love it. I cannot begin to describe how beautifully written this story is. The language, the characters, the imagery. It’s a story like no other one ever read. I had zero idea how it works play out. I couldn’t put it down! I had to keep turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. I’m not even going to begin to explain the plot. This is one you need to go in open for it all. It’s haunting and evocative and beautiful.

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
Release Date - 10/17/23
Rating (5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre - Magical Realism
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this eARC. Loved it! The Unmaking of June Farrow is a murder mystery with time travel elements ; which was one of the things I enjoyed most about the book!This book will be one of my top favorite reads of the year. This is the first book I’ve read by Adrienne Young. Can’t wait to read more of her books! Once I started reading , I could not put it down!! It’s a beautiful story about heartache, loss, and second chances. Highly recommend this one when it releases October 17th, 2023.

June Farrow has lived her whole life knowing that one day she will be driven to insanity. It’s the Farrow women’s curse, one day their mind will start fraying.
After a death in the family June is forced to look closer at their family history, finding that this curse is not what she had been lead to believe.
She’ll be lead on a dangerous adventure across time where she’ll learn of love, loss and who she really is.

This book absolutely took my breath away. Every page felt like magic.
June Farrow’s story is a tangled web of family secrets, magic and star crossed lovers.

You’ll like this book if you enjoy
-Magical realism
-Rich family history
-Second chance romance
-Small town
-Star crossed lovers

I’ll be putting up my review on Instagram and goodreads closer to release.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Adrienne Young has done it again! Listen, I adore Adrienne Young so maybe I'm a bit biased but i swear everything she writes is gold. Young's way of writing is so lyrical and effortless (although it probably takes a lot of effort on her part) that it's easy to get lost in her words.

I can't say too much about the book because it would spoil so much. I did, however, guess who someone was that was revealed at the end - I was pretty proud of myself for that. But basically, the book involves time travel, second chances (first chances?), and a generational mystery.

If you're fans of time travel, reluctant MMC, and swoon-worthy love - the Unmaking of June Farrow is for you. There's a strong female presence (like in most of Young's books) but (I think) this is her first try at an adult genre book. But if you're expecting a ton of spice, explicit sex, or tons of curse words - this isn't the book.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This book is so hard to review, because any little thing said about the plot is like a spoiler. I’m blown away by this book, the love between the family members, the curse of the Farrow women, the strength of those women to live through the lives they did. It all felt so heartbreaking and bittersweet. The ending made me cry when the mystery is finally unraveled and the unspoken things that it makes one think of that are just so sad, the secrets that they have to keep from each other. I truly loved this book and all the characters. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this ARC!

The Unmaking of June Farrow is an adult fiction with a fascinating generations old curse that is filled with mystery, complicated relationships, and mystical magic. I enjoy Young’s writing and was excited to receive an early copy of this new work. I was not disappointed! The main character, June, is a caring and curious woman entangled in a web created by the long ago disappearance of her mother and the sickness that plagues the women of her family. As she uncovers the mysteries of her family, we are thrown into an impossible world that is complicated but still easy to follow as you read. I enjoyed the setting in a cozy southern town that is filled with intrigue. There were unsettling moments with certain deranged characters, but it added suspense and excitement to the story. I found the characters unique and the premise absorbing as I did not wish to put the book down. If you enjoy mystery, complex family and relationships, and a bit of the impossible you will like this book. It is an adult fiction so beware that there is some language, sexual material, and some violence.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL STORY! Adrienne's ability to get to the heart of her character within the first few pages makes you hurt for and care for the MC instantly. This story is wholly its own; a masterclass at building tension and mystery. I wasn't sure where the plot would go, or how I'd feel about the romance, but she had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I honestly can't wait to read this again!

SYNOPSIS:
- June is grieving the loss of her grandmother, Margaret. Margaret raised June with the help of a few folks (Birdie & Mason), after June’s own mother, Susanna, abandoned her & disappeared without a trace. Over the last year, June has been experiencing hallucinations, including a red door.
- June investigates what happened to her mother, and after a series of revelations, June is faced with a decision to walk through the red door.
- Can’t really say much else without spoiling it :)

MY THOUGHTS
- Involves time travel + magical realism. Also, has suspense/mystery + romance.
- Lots of strong female characters.
- Interesting premise & well-plotted story.
- A good Fall read.
- A little slow in some parts.
- Set in Jasper, NC.
- Young adeptly paints the setting, as well as emotions & body language. While reading, your mind automatically forms a picture with the words.
- As with all time travel stories, it is easy to find some logical inconsistencies & confusion. With these types of read, I find overthinking it isn’t worth it.
- I enjoyed Young’s clever references to women’s legitimate issues timelessly being deemed “hysteria” or mental illness by medical professionals and society.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Read if you enjoy time travel with a mix of other genres (romance, mystery/suspense, magical realism).

Thanks to Random House Publishing and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It will be published on October 17, 2023.

Adrienne Young has sculpted a brilliant story of passion, mystery, complexity, and love. The Unmaking of June Farrow is a beautiful reminder that love will prevail against the logic of time.

The novel follows the life of June Farrow, one of many farrow woman who seem be counting the days until their lucid reality takes over to the farrow curse. vivid hallucinations that blend together with the world around them. so when Junes grandmother is finally conquered by the curse, and the weight of her mothers disappearance begins to close in, june has to face that maybe time is ticking down faster than she realizes.

this book is complex, intricate and becomes a unputdownable source of wanderlust.

it started off very slow for me, but it paid off in the end.

a potential movie adaptation would be dreamy

This is definitely one of my top books of the year. It has everything I could want. While its not really fantasy it is more of a mystery/thriller (more on the mystery side of things) and has magical realism. In this our main character is the last of her family. Her beloved grandmother, the woman who raised her has died. June has made it her mission to be the last of their line and end their families curse with her. All the children that her Farrow family line has is women. The women have one girl and that is it. Each of them end up going mad. They see things, hear things, and they start to deteriorate.
June has already started seeing and hearing these things. She also sees this mysterious red door. She finds out more about her mother that does not make sense…then one day she decides to go through the door.
I have really been in the mystery/thriller mood this year. But I also really wanted something mystical that also would throw in something different from what I.have been reading. I felt like I was goign into a slump and this single handedly stopped that from happening. I will be going back to this book more in the future for multiple rereads!!

OH MY GOSH, this book was nothing short of amazing. I devoured this book, it will live with me for awhile. The theme of this book is familial love with some steamy romance and a murder mystery set in a sci-fi fantasy world. I'm not going to say much more than that because I don't want to spoil it. The book has hope and it resonates throughout the story. The women in the book are really strong, and while they don't always do what's best for the family, they do it through love and bring strength. This is a brilliant novel with so many twists and turns you will be intrigued until the very last page. The only downside, I will have a hard time moving on to other books after reading this spectacular diamond.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press, the author Adrienne Young and NetGalley for this incredible read.

Part mystery, part magical realism, part historical fiction, The Unmaking of June Farrow is unlike anything I've ever read. Adrienne Young's writing is magnetic, and her sense of place was incredible. This takes place in the blue ridge mountains, in a fictional town near Asheville, and I really felt that I was there. I found myself getting upset when I had to put the book down to go back to real life. And when you finish it, you'll want to do the same as I did and go back and reread it, to see things you missed along the way. This is one of my favorite reads of this year and I'll be making sure to pass this along to everyone I know!
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. June Farrow, like all Farrow women, will eventually become “sick “with the family curse. In the small town of Jasper, North Carolina, everyone remembers the madness and disappearance of June’s Mom, Susanna. Susanna leaves seven month June in the loving care of her grandmother. Then there is the historic unsolved murder of a local pastor that also made local headlines years prior.
After June’s grandmother dies, a cryptic piece of mail arrives that causes June to dive into her mother’s mysterious past. June has begun to experience symptoms of the Farrow curse including hearing voices, sounds and seeing things, including a red door.
This was a delightful read with an inventive storyline that keeps you engaged. Really enjoyed this novel.