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Member Reviews

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review.
This time bending fantasy is not for the beginner fantasy reader but is exceptional. It takes a lot of concentration and reading it slowing to get all of the twists and turns in this well paced novel. Page turns were slower than normal and I often reread paragraphs thinking “what now?” This is to say it’s not a straight ahead read because, well, it’s time shifting!
My fantasy loving patrons will love this and I will reach for it for them. I know exactly who to recommend this to.
This will likely be a best seller as it taps into the feels of family, a lost mother, and wanting to find out who we really are.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for this prepub.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my review.

This book is beautifully written from cover to cover. Themes of family, found family, mental illness and finding where you belong. Magical elements also have a part in this story which I loved. A little bit of murder mystery in a small town with June’s mother’s disappearance.

I only struggled a bit with the love story. It almost felt a bit unnecessary to the story.

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"The Unmaking of June Farrow" by Adrienne Young is an absolute gem of a book that I recently discovered, and it has left me utterly spellbound. With its captivating blend of suspense, magical realism, and coming-of-age themes, I was drawn into the enchanting world of Jasper, North Carolina, where June Farrow's story unfolds.

From the very first page, I was captivated by Adrienne Young's writing style. Her words flowed effortlessly, immersing me in a rich and atmospheric tale that I couldn't put down. As I followed June's journey, I couldn't help but feel a deep connection with the characters and their emotional struggles.

June's determination to break the ancient curse haunting her family's flower farm resonated deeply with me. Themes of personal growth, family bonds, and the weight of past generations' choices struck a chord, making me reflect on my own life and the impact of my family's history.

June and her family felt like dear friends by the end of the book. Their relationships were so beautifully portrayed that I couldn't help but feel invested in their joys and sorrows. As June unraveled the mystery surrounding her mother's disappearance, I experienced a whirlwind of emotions - from heartache and hope to anticipation and joy.

The magical realism elements added an enchanting touch to the story, making it unlike anything I've read before. The way Adrienne Young blended reality and the impossible was masterful, leaving me in awe of her storytelling abilities.

When I finally reached the last page, I was at a loss for words. The ending left me with a mix of emotions, and I found myself thinking about the book long after I finished it. "The Unmaking of June Farrow" has earned its place as one of my all-time favorite reads.

I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone seeking a captivating and emotionally resonant story. Adrienne Young has created a literary masterpiece that will stay with me for a long time, and I'm grateful for the experience of being a part of June's unforgettable journey.

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Reviewed for NetGalley:

I will start by saying, I think I would just read Adrienne Young's grocery list and find it beautiful and whimsy. So of course, I loved the Unmaking of June Farrow.

June comes from a long line of Farrow women that ultimately lose their mind. After the passing of her gran, her last known relative, June's symptoms of madness appear to be increasing in nature.

A beautifully written story of family, love, and finding the place (no matter the circumstances), you belong.

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THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW by Adrienne Young was an absolute delight to read. Not unlike her other adult novel, SPELLS FOR FORGETTING, the story begins in a small town with an out of place protagonist, but it quickly takes on a life of its own. Young creates magic and mystery as she invites you into the small town of Jasper, North Carolina, and when you leave you will be thinking about this story for days.

June is a likeable and, more importantly, relatable character who is full of curiosity and love and whose ultimate goal is to know herself and her family. The cast of characters who support her in this journey are endearing, witty, and protective. And the antagonist in this story is both real and unreal. This book is full of strength and courage, it shows you what it is to dive into the unknown, and it has just enough magic to keep a fantasy reader satisfied. I highly recommend.

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Once again, Adrienne Young has blown me away with her second adult novel. I was hooked from the very beginning and never wanted to put this story down.

I think this one is best to go in blind. It has such a complex mystery that unravels slowly throughout the book. The suspense and magical realism created a compelling story and at times I was stressed not knowing how this was going to end.

The romance is a little more of a subplot, but it is slow and beautiful. I really loved the small moments they had together.

Overall I really loved everything about this one and can’t wait to get the physical copy in my hands!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House/Delacorte Press for the eARC!

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Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I think this is a 2.5/5 for me.
I guess I let the magical realism part of the story draw me in. Yet, I was about 20-25% into the novel before it started to get interesting. Then, when the door appeared and June went through, it wasn't as interesting as I'd hoped. I guess I expected more of a fantasy type of story. That's more on me than the book. The whole thing about how the curse worked got a little confusing here and there. There wasn't much to the side characters for me, partly because we only get June's POV. Maybe that's why I felt the main romantic interest and the guy he was angry with were acting weird for reasons not really explained. Or not explained well.

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I thought the story was ok, but the time traveling aspect was confusing and a little too convenient to the plat. Everything wrapped up way easier than I thought it should.

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4.25/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Adrienne Young for a copy of this ARC!

First of all, I love Young’s books and her writing. I have read all of her novels except for one.

I really enjoyed this magical story. I went into it blind not wanting to know anything as a way to help me not guess any possible outcomes. Although I still did guess some twists there was one I didn’t!

The story starts with June Farrow taking care of her ill grandmother. This illness runs in her family and she has secretly been having episodes for a year now. She soon uncovers that this illness is something she never thought could possibly happen. Her life gets thrown for a loop and us readers are right there with her trying to figure everything out.

The only reason I didn’t rate it a 5 was because I was unsatisfied with parts of the ending. I loved sections of the ending but others left me dissatisfied. Also, I do love the main male interest, but I felt we should have seen more about their past to fully ship them.

This book has so many elements! It includes: magical realism, fantasy, thriller/mystery, and second chance romance. I would recommend this book to all my friends and family! So good!

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The concept was really interesting and I enjoyed the overall story. I do wish we got a little deeper dive into June and Eamon's original love story. It didn’t necessarily feel like enough for her to leave her entire life behind.

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I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Adrienne Young book I have read- and let me tell you…it did not disappoint! I will absolutely be reading more of her works.

This book examines the generational curse/mystery of the Farrow women and how it has affected their families, relationships, and lives.

Poetic in nature, Young is able to grip the readers with beautiful imagery and prose that makes you feel as if you are experiencing this firsthand with the Farrow family.

While this book initially comes across as a “cozy fantasy” it quickly jumps to a page turning mystery, dare I say thriller, that has the reader quickly flipping to the next page to find out what happens!

The storyline which Young has written required immense amount creativity, which can be applauded as she did not make it too difficult or confusing for the reader to follow.

As a whole I throughly enjoyed this novel and the story of the Farrow women. This is a novel unlike any I have ever read! It is absolutely a one of a kind emotional read that leaves you feeling exhilarated and impressed by this family of strong women.

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The Unmaking of June Farrow is such a marvelous, unique, and thrilling read. The suspense was never-ending and I enjoyed the characters. I loved it so much. I will absolutely be buying some copies for my friends and my neighborhood little free library.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful ARC!

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I really enjoyed the writing in this, but not the storytelling. We should have spent less time on 2023 June if it wasn't going to be her story. I spent the whole book wanting to go back to 2023. Disappointing. And while the premise was unique and fascinating, it didn't seem to quite all pull together in the end. :-/

2.5 stars

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Thank you NetGalley as well as the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review.


Lemme just say- ALL OF THE STARS!!

Wow!! So, was able to finally sit down last night well after work and really spend some time with this book, I thought, okay, I'm on basically no sleep so I'll read for a couple of hours and get some sleep. LOL , NO. This book grabbed a hold of me and would not let me go. I swear I was reading with one eye open rotating between dry as hell and tearing beyond belief just to find out what happened. I was in a serious chokehold and could not read fast enough!

I can not remember the last time I read something that made me feel like my brain was going to explode (in all the best ways of course) If you love magical realism and a twisty-turny, sci-fi psychological mind game- look no further. This book is so unbelievably good!

This story follows June Farrow, the last in the line of Farrow women who suffer from a mental illness. We are introduced to June as she is attending her grandmother's funeral, her mother had long passed as a result of mental illness and she is essentially now on her own. Shortly after her grandmother's funeral, June starts having hallucinations and 'episodes' that leads her to believe that the illness is now coming for her, that she is going to start losing her mind.

June opens a door that she is convinced is all in her mind and she is utterly shocked as to what is on the other side.

I loved every single character, Young did such an amazing job at brining them all to life. The romance is a bone-deep, epic, one and only, soulmate love that punched me right in the heart and made me feel. Completely captivated by this small town and all of the people in it, the writing is just exquisite , I could feel the fields and flowers on my finger tips. I was on the edge of my seat , probably with my eyes popping out of my head while I read, dying to see what happens next. This book is forever burned into my mind and heart and I will never forget it. Definitely doing a reread!

If you loved Spells for Forgetting , you will be OBSESSED with this one!

There is:

Mystery/Thriller
Mind-bending
Family Curses
Magical Realism
Star Crossed Lovers
Small Town

For fans of :

Outlander
What the Wind Knows
Stranger Things
The Time Travelers Wife

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Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of this ARC!

Without giving away any spoilers—I’ll just say that this book has some of the elements from my all time favorite novels!! And now this book pushes itself toward the top of that list for me!

We follow a young woman, June, who shuts herself off from some of the prime experiences in life, because she knows she will eventually develop the illness that runs in her family. Although, is it really an illness? Or something else? I was turning pages late into the night to answer that question…

This one has a little bit of everything—magical realism, fantasy, thriller/mystery and romance! I can’t recommend it enough!

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Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Publication: October 17, 2023

Rating: 4 stars

This was my first book by Young while her previous book "Spells for Forgetting" has been sitting in my TBR. I went into this book semi-blind and it was wonderful!

Young's descriptions were top notch for me and made me feel like I was right in the story. The two things that caused me to knock a star off was the magical element and the romance element.

This is mostly a me problem but I went into this book thinking that there was more magical pieces to it but this falls in the category of magical realism. This may have been cleared up had I not gone in blind.

Lastly, I couldn't get into the romance aspect. It felt forced and a little too much of a slow burn.

Overall, a very enjoyable read and I can't wait to read her previous book!

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Let me tell you, Adrienne Young can WRITE! She's written some of that best immersive stories - once you start page one, you fall into her book. I could smell the tobacco fields, lazily pick flowers and be enveloped in small town living of Jasper. I find myself torn between wanting to fly through the pages or force myself to take it slowly.

In June Farrow's small town, her family (the women) have QUITE the reputation. The family is believed to be cursed and they slowly go insane. June begins hearing and seeing things that shouldn't be there and she's frightened that she's become affected by the family curse. She opens a door that she is convinced she's hallucinating, however she finds herself involved in the family drama.

That author has created fabulous, richly detailed characters and a family history that involves a curse, magical realism, romance and is chock full of family stories and background.

I didn't want to put this book down and I stayed up super late finishing it. Fabulous read!

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If you are a fan of Outlander or Stranger things you will love this book.
The story is set in a parallel world but in a different age.Typically this is not what I would have read but it’s a book by Adrienne Young.She has a way of writing that draws a reader in and hooks you so firmly that you don’t even realize you are reading something that’s way out of your interest.
This is the story of June Farrow the last of her line.The story opens with the death of her grandmother .All the women in her family have shown signs of madness and June does too.This story starts from here and twists and winds until you want to put the book down but nope you can’t…it’s hooked you in too tight!
Thankyou Netgalley and Random House Publishing group-Ballantine for this ARC

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This is so freaking good! I loved it! I felt so connected to this story because the writing was so good! This is another hit and best seller! I wish I didn't do spoilers free reviews because I want to tell everyone about this ans talk about it! Loved this!
I just reviewed The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young. #TheUnmakingofJuneFarrow #NetGalley
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4/5

What I liked about this book:
- the story and plot was awesome!
- the historical fantasy / romance genre is quickly becoming one of my faves and that’s what this book is
- the romance piece of the book is so sweet and wasn’t too much at all

What I didn’t love:
- it was a slow start. I got horror/thriller vibes and thought it was going to take that direction
- there were a few unresolved situations in the plot which I would have loved being answered in more depth


The reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because of the slow start. But all in all I really enjoyed this book!

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