This was one of my anticipated books this year. This book started off strong and I was turning pages so quickly to see what was happening. Towards the middle it started to fall flat and it never recovered. I started finding myself skimming through the pages to get to the end so I could see what happens. This book had so much potential but unfortunately missed the mark for me.

Thank you Adrienne Young, Ballantine, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

I LOVED this book! I finished it weeks ago and I am still thinking about it. Adrienne Young is an amazing author that constantly captivates my attention as a reader. The Unmaking of June Farrow is without a doubt my new favorite book by Adrienne Young and among my top books for 2023. I seriously couldn’t put it down and the twists threw me for a loop, because they were so well done. Add the Unmaking of June Farrow to your must read pile and be prepared for it to be one of your favorite books of the year!

This was an intriguing read! I’ll admit that I didn’t really know what I was getting into because I saw the author and cover and requested the book because of that but I’m glad I did! Even now that I’ve read the book I’m not sure how I’d classify it. Magical realism? Mystery? Romance? It contains all that and more. I liked that the book had a little bit of everything. It kept me interested and I was never really sure what direction the story was going in.
The book takes place in a small town where the protagonist is an outcast. I’ll admit that at first the book reminded me a lot of Spells for Forgetting. But the plot quickly diverged into something different. In the story, we’re introduced to June who tells us that all of the women in her family are cursed to fall mad. However, we soon learn that that may not be the case. We learn as June does the real secrets of her family and get to watch as June decides whether to follow the course set for her or to try to make a change.
This book really took me by surprise. I’ll admit that I did not see a lot of the plot twists coming. I don’t know if they were hidden too well or if I just wasn’t paying close enough attention while reading to catch them. But I was genuinely shocked at some of the reveals and wanted to immediately go back and re-read the book to see what clues I had missed. All of the twists and reveals made this a fun book to read!

June is a Farrow, and thus doomed to madness. Sometimes it comes early, like with the mother who abandoned her. Sometimes it holds off for decades, as it did for her grandmother. June has been steadfastly ignoring hallucinations for a year and is determined to end the curse by never starting a family. Then, a posthumous message from her grandmother sets her on an impossible journey. The Farrow women are not insane but unmoored in time, and June must untangle the knotted threads of her family history before she unravels altogether. A captivating, if sometimes dizzying, romance.

I'm obsessed. I'm just absolutely obsessed. I've never read anything like this before.

This book was even better than I expected it to be. The concept was already so intriguing, but the story and the writing somehow surpassed it. The plot is something that I've never personally come across, and I think it's brilliant.

It's written in a way that has you falling for the characters while also leaving you hungry for answers. I couldn't be happier with the way the entire story unfolded, and this special little family holds a small piece of my heart. ❤️

After reading “Spells for Forgetting” and loving it, imagine my excitement to see a new book by Adrienne Young. I was hoping that this one would be just as likable. I was wrong.

Because “The Unmaking of June Farrow” was absolutely riveting! It grabbed me from the beginning and never let me go. It completely exceeded my expectations in every way.

The fact that there were so many time transitions from past to future in several different timelines and years definitely made me a little wary at first as that can be pretty hard to nail as an author without it getting confusing. Adrienne Young killed it!

All of the characters were fleshed out nicely and I felt a connection to them all. This was one story that I didn’t want to end. I’m looking forward to more from this author as I am extremely impressed so far!

I give this book 4 solid stars. The Unmaking of June Farrow is about a family of women who have been “cursed” as far back as they can remember. June Farrow is the last member of the family and she is determined to break the curse. June thinks she is going crazy until she gets a letter from her recently deceased grandmother that changes everything.
This book had me hooked from the very first sentence. I’ve never read anything like it. There are twists and turns throughout the entire book that kept me guessing and wanting to keep reading to find out what happens next. I was left completely satisfied by the ending that tied everything together.
I would definitely recommend this book!

"I couldn't stop thinking that where we stood was the center of something, a place that created the kind of gravity that made galaxies."


I honestly have no idea where to begin with this review.
Adrienne's adult novels are another level. If you've seen my review for Spells for Forgetting you know how much I adore it so when this became available for request I hit that button so fast lol still cant believe I was approved for one of my most anticipated this year.

If you like me read and loved Spells for Forgetting I absolutely recommend you pick The Unmaking of June Farrow up too.
You can read this in one sitting - it's fast paced, and sooooo, SO interesting; murder mystery within a heart-pounding mystery, star crossed romance, magic ..HOLY SH*T I devoured it. The story's deeply emotional and that combined with Adrienne's beautiful writing, the soul crushing romance and the magical atmosphere will leave you gasping for breath.

The only thing I'd "complain" about is that the romance is such an important part of the plot I only wish there were more scenes between the main couple so we can really feel the connection and the deep love between them. Not that we can't, it just would've been even more impactful if we'd seen a few more interactions, considering how crucial the romance is for the choices June makes so I really wish the book was longer.

"It's just that, sometimes, it feels like you're back. But then I remember you're not, and that makes me feel like," he exhaled. "Like I can't breathe."

😭😭😭😭😭 HAVE MERCY, I love them so muuuuchhhhhhhh

I don't know what else to say, it's so difficult to put a review into words, you just need to experience it so - go into this blindly. I'd only read the summary before I started it and I was totally not prepared and I think that made my experience even better. This book tugged at my heartstrings so many times.. I may never recover from the way the book ends and everything that's revealed. AY's Adult books are what I live for and this is another winner.

eternal gratitude to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
all quotes are from an advance reader copy and may differ in the final publication

This is by far one of my favorite books this year! I have read another book by this author. But this one is offically my favorite.

June Farrow is one of a long line of woman who are cursed. Her family owns a thriving floral farm, she has close friends and had a great relationship with her grandmother before her passing. But like the other woman in her family, she is cursed. Her mother went mad and disappeared with out a trace. Now, June is worried she is also losing her mind. She hears things and feels as if someone is calling for her. One day a door appears and June decided to go through it. Soon things flip upside down for her and everything she knows is challenged. June unravels all the truths of what really happened to her mother and this family curse.

What I enjoyed:
- the absolutely beautiful and magical writing style! I couldn't put this book down and finished it in less than 24 hours. I had to know what the mystery was about. I felt like I was following around with June to put the pieces together.
- The star crossed romance was new and quite sweet
- This one is a real page turned! You will want to know just as badly as June does
- So much more but I don't want to spoil too much.

Overall, I LOVED this book! I thought it was the the best book by the author. The book beautiful, dreamy, magical and full of intrigue. 5 stars out of 5! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Adrienna Young writes some of the most charming novels. This one truly reminded me of the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue in the best way.

I loved the mystery and that the characters were woven and connected over different time lines.

Young writes such beautiful stories about women and their families and this one is no exception. I love time travel/ alternate timeline stories and this one was excellent.

Oh my heart. This book was so lovely. I had high expectations considering Spells For Forgetting was one of my favorite reads last year and I am so happy to report that this story is making this year’s favorites list as well. What started as a simple enough premise turned into a complex journey across generations of women than left a bittersweet ache in my chest. I was thrilled when each piece of the puzzle unraveled and at one point gasped and cried to my husband “[insert insane spoiler that makes no sense without any context]” while he just smiled and nodded. I could have kept reading this book forever. I would have happily spent another hundred plus pages with the Farrow women.

I will be posting a review on my Instagram/goodreads on or just before pub day.

This is my first Adrienne Young novel but certainly not my last! Readers who enjoy small-town, mystery with magical realism will really love this book. I would have preferred a bit more development going into the romance and other interpersonal relationships, that’s just my preference as a romance reader, but I also feel like the magical realism elements of the story do most of the heavy lifting in this area, which is hard to explain without spoilers.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing and NetGalley.

I love Adrienne Young, and her writing is so impressive. I liked the writing of this book. I liked June. There were other characters that I liked as well. I did not so much like the story, which was disappointing! I am so glad that other people are giving this book the love it deserves. I wish I could have!

After the death of her grandmother, June Farrow awaits her fate…a centuries-old curse which plagues the Farrow women. The small town of Jasper, North Carolina is well aware of the madness that plagues the Farrow women. When June’s symptoms begin to worsen she fears the worst but a mysterious letter leads her on a path of discovery. Next time she see’s the mysterious red door she thought was a hallucination she opens it and walks through to a place that might hold the answers she’s been looking for to end the curse.

The Unmaking of June Farrow is a fun new novel by Adrienne Young. I really enjoy reading her novels because she always adds the perfect little touches of magic. This novel takes in a small sleepy southern town where a family of women who run a flower farm are cursed with “madness” suffering hallucinations and forgetfulness which typically results in their demise. For June, the curse appears to be starting earlier in life than expected and she begins to prepare for the fate that awaits her. The reader is able to glimpse the fear that June experiences during her episodes. Without spoilers, there is a twist of events that lead June to answers about the curse which might just involve a romantic involvement with a handsome farmer. As always, Young provides another entertaining and magical read that you will want to curl up with.

𝙅𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙪𝙣𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙅𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚.

Everyone. Please stand for a round of applause for this book. It was absolutely perfect.

This book was breathtaking.
This book was mesmerizing.

I was hooked from page one. I genuinely think my jaw dropped from a twist within the first 20%. I couldn't stop reading. I never knew what was going to happen next. I was constantly on the edge of my seat.

A family curse, a murder mystery, an epic love story.

This will be a perfect October read and everyone should preorder ASAP!

It is so hard to shower this book with praises while not giving anything away! This story is so unique and the premise is so extremely singular that I can confidently say I have not read another book like this. If you loved Adrienne Young’s last book, Spells For Forgetting, then you will love this book too! Young is exquisite in her execution of atmospheric writing, and immersing you in an ever evolving plot that unravels page by page and leaves you guessing along with our heroine, June. She embarks on a journey to find answers to questions she doesn’t even know to ask, and we find out the twists and turns right along with her. As her answers unfold, she has to decide what she wants her life to be and if she will risk it all for the happiness and love she always denied herself. It will leave you guessing and surprised right up to the very end!

What I will say, is that there are magical realism elements which allow us to travel through time with our characters and it literally opens a door (a red door) to so many possibilities for their lives! What June has always thought has been a curse on the Farrow women may just be the thing that takes her to her destiny. As she discovers secrets that the generations of women in her family have kept hidden from her, she finds out that she may be the one keeping secrets from herself more than anyone, if only she could remember.

Because the premise of the book is very magical and deals with different timelines, it does keep you on your toes to remember all the details and “when” things happen. The premise is also so unique and abstract, I felt like there were a few details in the magic system that could have been explained more thoroughly, or small details that I was still left wondering about. Overall, it was nothing that interfered with my enjoyment of the story, or my ability to fully comprehend the story as it was unfolding. The romance was also something that doesn’t develop until the very end, so for my romance readers, just know that while the story has a wonderful romance it is not the main plot of the book and is not spicy.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group for the eARC! My review is currently available on Goodreads, and will be posted to my instagram account within the week (@laurens.happy.place).

Reading Adrienne’s books feels like a hug. You fall into these worlds where the writing is so real and authentic that you want to see and touch and smell everything she’s writing. For that reason alone she will always be an automatic buy author for me. This book touched on so many things that I’ve struggled with- grief from losing my mom specifically. Reading a story about a group of women who literally twist the strands of time and fate to protect their own really hit a place in my heart that I wasn’t expecting. Spells for Forgetting was my favorite book of 2022 and The Unmaking of June Farrow is a strong contender for 2023.

June Farrow lives a quaint and quiet life on her flowerfarm in NC. Her family has inherited tendencies for strange visions, odd sensations and time-lapses, and June suspects that she has these traits. She's begun having visions of a red door, and her own mother disappeared after exhibiting symptoms of these strange traits. June begins to think about how her life would change if she walked through the mysterious red door. I absolutely loved this book. The mystery, the plot twists, the magic system, the characters? All gold. I was expecting something good but this just blew all of my expectations out of the water. If you're looking for a wonderfully crafted story of fate and family, and love and mysteries, then look no further because this was absolutely stunning.

June Farrow , in her thirties, lives a quiet life on her family’s flower farm in North Carolina. She suspects she has inherited her family’s tendency toward time lapses, strange visions, and peculiar sensations. Her own mother disappeared when she showed symptoms of this “ strange madness.” June has visions of a red door that sometimes appears to her. How would her life change if she walked through the mysterious door? This is a story of love, fate, family, and choices. It subtlety enfolds the reader into its surprising revelations.