Adrienne Young is always on my auto-buy list for her lyrical prose and her ability to immerse one’s self into the story. Unsurprisingly, she has absolutely knocked it out of the park with this piece.

This book has similar vibes to Spells for Forgetting so if you liked that, you’ll love this.

The Unmaking of June Farrow has:
• Mystery / thriller
• Family curses
• Generational women / family stories
• Small town

June’s story is so beautiful and I think I cried 12 times while I was reading it because, dammit, she knows how to make you feel alllllll the feels. Adrienne’s writing is cinematic and I felt like I was there right beside of June making every heart-wrenching decision. I loved the familial ties and how everything is tied together in a complex web.

If you love a dash of fantasy with your mystery and romance — PICK THIS UP.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion!

I was beyond excited when I received this advanced copy. I absolutely love Adrienne Young! “Spells for Forgetting” is one of my favorite books of 2023 and I adore The Fable duology. This one was so different than what I anticipated, but absolutely incredible nonetheless. It has the perfect combination of time traveling magic, complicated relationships, and the enthralling writing style she’s perfected at this point. I always love her strong-willed female protagonists and June Farrow is no different. I will say, the one thing I didn’t love, was that it is a bit confusing keeping track of who is who, when and where with all the overlap of timelines, but I also think that’s partly user error by reading on my kindle and not an actual physical copy. Overall, another wonderful book by Adrienne Young, definitely throw this one on your pre-order list!

I wish I could give this book 10 stars and so much more. I cried, I smiled, and I am now left wondering how I am ever going to move on from this book. A piece of me will always belong with June Farrow.

Adrienne Young has such a way with words and her story came to life in a way that I was not expecting. I didn’t know I would fall in love with the characters the way I did. I didn’t know I would be crying with the bittersweet ending.

I cannot recommend this book enough. Anyone who picks this book up will not be disappointed.

I am obsessed with Adrienne Young. I couldn’t put this book down! There were a few parts of the time travel that really didn’t seem all that important and could be confusing at times. Loved being able to see June discover what was really important to her!

3.5 stars rounded up.

This definitely felt like it was inspired by Alice Hoffman. And pairs well with Invisible Hour.

Time travel is always tough, and this isn't any exception. It's actually pretty well done, in fact. One reveal I completely didn't see coming. It's a multi layered story, although a few parts confused me. Mostly that she was insistent on having a choice, but she didn't really when you look at the thing in its entirety (this will make sense when you read it).

I can't say too much without being spoilery! Anyway, it was a quick read and unfolded nicely.

Adrienne Young delivers a captivating and addicting tale of a family curse with this upcoming novel.

June Farrow has had to live with the looming fate that all Farrow women experience: the slow and sure descend into madness. She's lived her life, thus far, denying herself of romance and family, unwilling to pass the curse on to her children. Even so, she's had a good life. June lives with her grandmother Margaret, and Margaret's best friend, Birdie. She has good and honest work tending to her family's flower farm, and she has her own best friend, Mason, who she knows will be there for her through anything. This is the life she's made in 2023, and she's happy here, except for the ongoing mystery of her mother's disappearance.

The story starts with the death of June's grandmother, the woman who raised June in place of her mother, Susanna. Days after her grandmother's funeral, June receives a package in the mail containing an old picture of her mother that sparks even more questions. This ignites, in June, a relentless determination to piece together the puzzle of her family's history, before she's gripped with the inevitable Farrow curse. It has been a year since June's own madness started creeping in on her: seeing and hearing things that aren't there, including a red door.

This is only the surface level of this mind-bending story. It's a beautiful and devastating tale of love and family, and doing whatever it takes to protect that. The flashbacks of June's memories and her episodes were perfectly timed within the narrative, and introduced more questions than answers every time. I was guessing at the truth the entirety of the book, and even if I thought I had one answer, there were still several more mysteries that needed solving.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes second chance romance, small town mysteries and magical realism.

What a page turner! I have a soft spot for portal fantasies. Add in some time travel? Well, that is a book I'm bound to enjoy!

We follow the life, or really lives, of June Farrow. Like the other women in her family, she is cursed with the ability to travel back in time. This ultimately ties into the lives of her other family members, specifically her mother's relationship with the town's minister. While there is the element of murder, this book is really about family and doing whatever is necessary to protect those you love.

I was captivated by the way Adrienne Young wrote the flashbacks of memories and the various moments of June's "episodes." I'm willing to bet if I did a re-read I would pick up on more hints about what is really going on. The reader and June are both in the dark, just trying to figure out how things connect.

All that being said, I wish there was more depth to the characters, especially June's relationship with her daughter.

Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC!

June is a woman torn between 2 times-2023 and 1951. She's a Farrow, descended from a long line of women who could disappear, then reappear into the present, past, and future. June is unaware of this until she starts having visions of another life, another life she may or may not have lived. These visions include a red door that keeps appearing, beckoning her to enter.

Abandoned as a baby by her mother, she was raised by her grandmother and manages the family's flower farm in Jasper, WY. She's built a comfortable life there but has always been plagued by the questions around her mothers' abandonment. Upon her grandmother's death, she finds a journal with cryptic clues about her mothers' disappearance and madness. Determined to find out what happened, she decides to go through the red door and is deposited into Jasper in 1951. Not too much has changed except her grandmother is alive, she has a husband and daughter, and she's the prime suspect in the local preacher's murder!

As June peels back the layers of her family history and learns more about her mothers' actions, she begins to fall in love again, and wonders why she left the life she once had.

This book reminded me quite a bit of the 'Time Traveler's Wife'. You are rooting for June to find happiness and break the family curse of madness and confusion. Along with her husband, she is determined to clear her name and find some semblance of a future for her newly acquired family. The author infuses the atmosphere with the struggles of life on the farm, tending to the crops, and coming home weary at the end of the day. It's a hard life, made easier with love. What will June decide? You'll have to read this and find out!

This is my first Adrienne Young book and I promise it won't be my last.

I adored how Young wrote. The writing was as beautiful as the flower filled setting we opened up to.
​ This is a complicated topic, time travel. I picked up this book blind and had no idea that would be, partially, the main focus of this book. I feel the author did a wonderful job balancing the complications of time travel, without taking away from the overarching story. I really enjoyed the characters.
The author stayed true to the characters whether they were young or old.
My only 'complaint' (and reason for deduction of a star) was although the writing was beautiful, it slowly started to get repetitive. It started to feel as if the author was adding more 'fluff' than pretty writing.
This was a great intro to Adrienne Young and I am excited to read more of her books.

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young
Publish Date October 17, 2023

4.5⭐

What a lovely book, I so enjoyed this one! This is the first book I've read by Adrienne Young, although I have many of her books in my TBR pile of which will now be moved further up the list as I can't wait to read another.

June Farrow comes from a long line of Farrow women who have gone mad from a century long curse. Her mother is one of those women, one day she disappeared leaving June to be raised by her grandmother. But when her grandmother begins to suffer the same fate, and she also becomes plagued by visions she doesn't understand .she is determined to stop this curse once and for all. June knows that to do this means that she will never find love or have a family of her own.
After her grandmother dies, she uncovers clues about her mother's disappearance that only brings more questions. Resolved to stop this curse she decides to go through the door that appears in her visions to find answers. But once she crosses that threshold she emerges into a small town, where she begins piecing together the truth and meets a family that will forever change her life.

I just adored this book and I found myself not wanting to put it down while at the same time not wanting it to end. A beautiful story about heartache, loss, and second chances..

Another reason why Adrienne Young is one of my FAVORITE authors!!

This book was magic, mystery, suspense all curled up into one delightful read. I couldn’t put it down. I was confused in the beginnings of this book, but intrigued on where it was going. 50% in, it had drug its claws into me and I devoured it quickly.

This has
• subtle magical elements twisted in making you wonder if you are going crazy as well.
• Found family, family reconnections.
• A second chance love
• Fade to black

Adrienne has done it again- and I say this every time. I read a comment on here saying she has “jewel toned prose”- and that’s what you get. I loved this story- it reminded me of the family live in practical magic mixed with some less steamy outlander and even the time travelers wife with a mystery and murder. I loved it!! The ending was gorgeous.

"The Unmaking of June Farrow" by Adrienne Young is a spellbinding and enchanting tale that weaves together elements of mystery, family secrets, and a touch of magic. Set in the picturesque town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow's life is intertwined with her family's cursed history, adding an air of intrigue to the story from the very beginning.

Young's evocative prose draws readers into June's world, filled with the whispers of the town's folklore and the lingering questions surrounding her mother's disappearance. The author expertly crafts a sense of anticipation and wonder as June begins to experience strange occurrences, signaling the long-awaited arrival of fate.

As June endeavors to break the family curse, she must confront her fears, even if it means sacrificing her own desires for love and family. The emotional depth of the story is further enriched as June uncovers cryptic clues after her grandmother's passing, propelling her on a journey that transcends time and reality. The mysterious door, once thought to be an illusion, opens a path to the past, unearthing the town's secrets and changing June's life forever.

Young masterfully entwines the themes of self-discovery and an epic, star-crossed love that captures the reader's heart. The intricately woven plot keeps readers on their toes, eagerly turning the pages to uncover the enigma of June's family history and the fate that awaits her.

"The Unmaking of June Farrow" is a stunning blend of fantasy and emotion, transporting readers to a world where the past and future collide in a mesmerizing dance. Adrienne Young's storytelling prowess shines through, creating a captivating narrative that lingers in readers' hearts long after the final chapter. This book is an absolute must-read for anyone who craves a breathtaking and unforgettable journey through the realms of love, destiny, and self-discovery.

Everything Adrienne Young writes is magical, atmospheric, and I love that she’s branching into adult books. I recently read Spells for Forgetting and just knew I would love this just as much.

Farrow women suffer from madness in their lives and pass it on to their daughters. The Unmaking of June Farrow follows June who just lost her grandmother, and is afraid she too is losing her mind. She starts invests her mother who disappeared when she was a baby and sets off a chain of events where June will have to make decisions to protect those she loves, and solidify her future. I loved the writing, did I mention AY creates beautiful, atmospheric books??

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What can I say other than that I DEVOURED this book. Literally couldn’t put it down and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. The atmospheric writing, mystery elements and twists kept me turning the pages, but it was the complex family relationships and the ties between the Farrow women that kept me emotionally invested and in awe.

Our main character is June Farrow, a woman who was raised by her grandmother after her mother’s sudden disappearance when she was a baby. June has spent her whole life waiting. Waiting for the curse that has plagued the line of Farrow women - going mad - to come for her. She has lived a quiet existence, refusing to fall in love or to start a family in order to have the curse end with her. A year before her grandmother’s death, her worst fear comes true and she begins seeing things and hearing voices. The visions only intensify until June receives a mysterious clue and a simple instruction - the next time that she sees a red door…to walk through it. What comes next is best left unsaid, but know that you will be in for a wild ride.

The Unmaking of June Farrow is a murder mystery with time travel elements, but at its core a story about love and heartbreak and the journey of finding oneself and realizing that following your heart is okay. It explores the way that women come together in times of need, sacrifices that mothers make for their children, what people are willing to do to protect their family, and the weight of choices made by older generations.

I was consumed.

5/5 ⭐️

Read if you like:
- small town mysteries
- time travel
- generational family stories/curses
- magical realism

Huge thank you to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC!

I'm generally a fan of novels in this vein – others include Kindred and Time Traveler's Wife – and am totally game for the twisty, knotty complications of a time travel / alternate universe plot, but I just wasn't that taken with The Unmaking of June Farrow. I felt like I'd already read this story before, but kept reading in hopes that there would be some "big bad" villain twist, someone from centuries ago who had started the Farrow curse that June would need to overcome. Nope. Instead, the story hews very close to the convention of "unexplainable curse" – I guess that's satisfying enough for all these other 4 or 5 star reviewers – but if you're looking for something surprising and unexpected, this isn't it.

I also find it incredibly frustrating when main characters are kept in the dark because the story would fall apart otherwise – they ask direct questions, other characters say we can't tell you right now it's too dangerous, it's for your own good, etc. If that's true, then maybe your plot is too thin? Perhaps I just don't have patience for this kind of storytelling. I also didn't love the arbitrary nature of the time travel rules here – it involves a magic locket and doors and limitations on the number of times that it can happen that no one has any explanation for and feels like the plot creating the world, rather than the world creating the story.

E-arc provided by Netgalley

I really loved this, time travel doesn't usually work for me but I liked the way it played out in this one, this is the second 5 star arc I've received for Adrienne Young and she's slowly becoming one of my favs. Also even though the romance wasn't necessarily the biggest part I really liked it

This was an absolutely captivating read! From start to finish I was completely immersed in this storyline. "The Unmaking of June Farrow" masterfully blends mystery, sci-fi/fantasy and romance into a remarkable tale.

The Farrow women of Jasper, North Carolina are different or cursed as some may say. June the FMC was raised by her Gran on her family's flower farm after her mother's disappearance. Her life is essentially lived in limbo awaiting the moment when the "sickness" will set in. A note following her Gran's passing starts June's determination to find out what happened to her mother and her journey lead me as the reader on a path I couldn't have predicted.
The fine line between the rational explanation and fantastical one was so skillfully blurred, it takes you on a mind-bending roller coaster ride of intrigue and suspense.

I don't want to give too much about plot away but I will say that this book is absolutely a must-read and should be both on your radar and TBR.

And as a side-note I want to mention that I think this book would make a fantastic screen adaptation!

Thank you Adrienne Young, Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine , Delacorte Press for providing me with an ARC of this book .

5/5 ⭐️

Adrienne Young writes another remarkably brilliant book. It is mind bending. Twisty. The perfect blend of sci-fi, mystery and romance.

The Unmaking of June Farrow revolves around a young woman that is faced with impossible, gut wrenching decisions. While caring for her ailing grandmother and the families thriving flower farm, June begins to experience the curse that plagues the Farrow women. Seeing hallucinations including a door appearing out of nowhere.

One day she discovers she can touch the door and she makes the first decision that changes everything.

This story unfolds in the perfect way. Leaving you wanting more. Young weaves an incredible story that will stick with you long after you finish reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an E-ARC of The Unmaking of June Farrow.

Book Name: The Unmaking of June Farrow
Author: Adrienne Young

ARC

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press for an ARC of Adrienne Young’s Latest The Unmaking of June Farrow

Stars: 5
Spice: 3

Standalone
Fast Paced
Plot Centric
Southern Fantasy Mystery with Romance Subplot
Similar to Spinning The Moon by Karen White (1000% recommend if you like this one)

- Topics
- Mothers and Daughters
- Magical Realism
- Gothic Vibes
- Legacy
- Madness
- Tropes
- Family Curses
- Fate
- Murder Mystery
- No Spoilers for You!!! 😉
- Thoughts.
- Anything She Writes is Gold
- Tense and Dark
- Very Spooky
- Southern Gothic and Magic
- MMC is just perfection
- Best Book 2023