Let’s first give credit to this stunning #bookcover, which has had me utterly captivated for a while. This #historicalfiction gem was absolutely beautifully written, powerful beyond words, and both devastatingly tragic and inspiringly hopeful. Based in antebellum Alabama, which also happens to be my home, in the years directly preceding and on the brink of the Civil War, this one is one of the best #southernhistoricalfiction #books I have read in a long time, and a moving, though provoking #read that touches on issues of family, belonging, friendship, race, slavery, family dynamics, substance abuse, grief, freedom, romance (young and old), sisterhood, and sexuality. A sheer tour de force.

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Teenage Junie has been enslaved since birth, on Bellereine Plantation in rural Alabama. Junie has never seen the world outside of the plantation and its grounds that she has worked on for the entirety of her life, and is a spirited, passionate adolescent, whose exploratory and adventurous nature, as well as clumsiness and occasional naivete regarding the consequences of her action, consistently get her into trouble with her family and peers. Junie’s life revolves largely around serving Violet, the unorthodox only child of the nearly constantly inebriated and rarely home plantation owner and his English, distant wife, who also happens to be Junie’s bestfriend and confidante, as well as the individual responsible for teaching Junie to read and instilling her love of literature, Jane Eyre, and poetry.

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As Junie struggles with a recent tragedy and loss in her family, her life is turned upside down when a wealthy brother and sister duo arrive from New Orleans, and her world as she knows it threatens to unravel.

I could not put this book down. I was really drawn to Junie as a character, but also to the story that this author created around her family's history. I felt that this book was definitely original and offers such a unique take on slavery. I was extremely impressed with the magical elements and how this was tied into the plot. I felt the angle of this story was so unique and offered something so different from other books I have read from this time period regarding slavery. I want to read more from this author in the future. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

In this powerful and brilliant new historical fiction novel, readers follow teenage Junie, an enslaved girl who has spent her entire life on the Bellereine Plantation in Alabama with her family, as she deals with her older sister Minnie’s death and the struggles of growing up while enslaved. When wealthy guests arrive and Violet, the white master’s daughter, seems to be on the path towards marriage, Junie is terrified at the upending of her life and accidentally rouses Minnie’s spirit. With the help of Caleb, the guests’ coachman, Junie must free Minnie’s spirit and discover the secrets of Bellereine that she can no longer ignore. With its complicated characters and intense historical backdrop, readers will be pulled into the complicated and secretive world of Bellereine Plantation. Junie is a fascinating and complex protagonist, and her relationships with her family, Caleb, Minnie, and Violet make her even more interesting to readers. The novel deals with American slavery very well and handles the complicated relationships and ethics of the system, and readers should prepare themselves for a complex and broad discussion of slavery. With its incredible historical details and immersive setting, readers will be totally immersed in this powerful and emotional new release.

4.5 stars

Oh, Junie! I loved her as a main character. She spoke from her mind and had the biggest heart. She truly saw the best in everything and everyone, until she was burned by them. I loved the audiobook narration of this book, and also read some chapters of the physical book. The writing was beautiful and the character development was top-notch. The first half of the book was much slower than the second, and I flew through the latter half. The love story between Junie and Caleb was endearing and I hoped for a happy ending for them.

Junie is a slave to the McQueen family, and her mistress is a young woman named Violet. They have a close relationship and consider one another friends - Violet even taught Junie to read and write. However, when a suitor named Mr. Taylor comes for Miss Violet, their relationship is tested, and Junie realizes that her safety happiness are at risk and she must make sacrifices to entertain the idea of a better future. Meanwhile, she falls for Caleb, a handsome young slave who visits the plantation with Mr. Taylor. She does not want to get close to him, only to have him leave with Mr. Taylor. Yet, she shares her darkest secrets with him and they imagine what life could be like if they were to escape their captors.

This book had magical elements, historical fiction, coming of age and so much more. There were scenes that made me gasp in surprise, and others in horror. However, there were so many heartwarming passages as well. The family bonds were strong in this story, and I loved seeing the world through Junie's eyes. The author's note at the end really brought this story together, and I loved how Eckstine honored her family while crafting a beautiful novel! This is one not to miss!

After MONTHSSS im finally done with this and it really dragged. The story was great when it was just historical fiction but the magical realism was very flat and the story would have been 5 stars without it. it was unnecessary and felt like it was written in as an afterthought. it was written really well but God, I do not care about Minnie and her weird ass prophecy that didn't even matter. The story would have been better if everything stayed exactly the same except the Minnie prophecy was something of Junie's own mind.

This book was a fantasic debut. I was surprised to learn that the author is from Alabama and that Junie takes place in Alabama. This story was beautifully, heartbreaking. I enjoyed the supernatural element of the story. Set Pre-Civil which I have not read before. Junie deals with the greif of loosing her sister. She is also a house maid to the McQueen's daughter. When the chances of a courtship happens, Junie may or not fall in love with the Taylor's coachman. I loved the author's writing style. I cannot wait to read another book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc! I don't typically read nor enjoy historical fiction BUT this one really kept my attention. probably due to the magical realism elements! It really kept me engaged in the story! It was such a deep and moving story. ALSO the COVERRRRR! I loved it. I did only give it three stars because it was a little boring/slow at times but that could just be a me thing because I feel that way about most historical fictions.

Junie: A GMA Book Club Pick by Erin Crosby Eckstine is a powerful, atmospheric debut that mixes history, grief, and the supernatural into a gripping coming-of-age tale.

Set in 1860 on an Alabama plantation, the novel follows 16-year-old Junie, who’s been enslaved since birth and haunted by her sister Minnie’s death. When guests arrive and threaten to uproot her life, Junie’s desperation drives her to perform a ritual that literally raises Minnie’s spirit—from beyond the grave. With help from Caleb, she confronts plantation secrets, racial power, and the definition of freedom.

Junie has been enslaved since she was born, working for her master’s family and tending to Violet, the master’s daughter. Mistakenly, Junie feels as though Violet is her friend since she taught her to read and write. But one night, Junie accidentally awakens the spirit of her recently departed sister, Minnie, and now must fulfill her wishes so she can cross over to the other side. Things start to worsen at the plantation when the wealthy Mr Taylor comes to visit and is rumored to be interested in courting Violet. Desperate to stay, obligated by Minnie’s spirit and wrapped up in Violet’s secrets, Junie must decide what the best course of action is for herself, even if it means leaving behind those she treasures most.

I really loved this book and Junie’s story. I’m not a fan of magical realism but I didn’t mind it in this story. The characters were flawed and the story had plenty of complexity to it to keep me guessing what direction Junie’s life was going to go in. As many books written during the time of slavery, it exposes the harsh reality of being a slave and having little to no control of their lives.

Thank you to @netgalley @ballantinebooks @randomhouse for a #gifted early digital copy of this book. This is also a @gmabookclub pick.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review. This book will be a classic, I am certain! Wow! I am speechless. This was beautiful and has stayed with me over time. I highly recommend this to everyone! It was that fantastic! Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this beautiful book.

This book was beautiful and tragic. The characters were real and had such depth. I appreciated the growth of some of the characters, as well as the true nature of other characters revealed over time. The supernatural elements not only amplified the story, but also seemed to pay homage to some of the traditions that have been erased over time. I also appreciated the authors note and felt this truly rounded out the story.

This story was so well done and I really enjoyed it. I enjoy reading from this author and I'm looking forward to the next book. The plot was really well explored and I enjoyed the overall story. The characters were great and I was able to dive myself into this book. It was well done and I highly recommend.

Overall this one did not work for me. The magical realism element ended up taking me out of the historical context of the story rather than making me feel more a part of it. I know so many people really loved this one, and I seem to be in the minority. If you love magical realism and historical fiction, I think this could work for a lot of readers.

Such warm storytelling! The author’s love for these characters is absolutely contagious. It’s not often that I fly through the pages of a historical fiction, but this book had me hooked. The pacing is spot on. There was always an unanswered question or mini mystery compelling me to keep reading.

The portrayal of slavery felt a little off at first. It seemed rosy to the point of being unrealistic. As I continued to read, I realized that the depiction of slavery changes as Junie matures. Junie is young and, in some ways, sheltered. The book becomes darker as she more fully understands the reality of her situation. Because Junie is so young, the novel sometimes skewed a little YA for me, especially in the beginning. That said, one of the more interesting aspects became watching the storytelling grow up alongside Junie.

The author’s note really put words to much of what I was feeling as I read. She intended to show the enslaved characters as complete people with loves, interests, ambitions, etc. Therefore, she makes a point to give them some joy even in hard times. I think she 100% nailed what she set out to do. This is both a heartfelt and entertaining debut.

Junie is 16-years-old and enslaved by the McQueen family on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama. She serves Violet, reads voraciously, and explores the nearby forest. Junie also grieves the death of her older sister Minnie. So, when Minnie's spirit asks Junie to complete three tasks, Junie must decide if she'll comply. She also must decide what she will do with Caleb, the slave of Violet's beau. Is Junie able and willing to uncover truths, open her heart to love and pursue liberation at all costs?
The author wrote this book as a tribute to her ancestors. It's partially a biography but also speculative fiction. Her goal is to give readers a look at the life of an enslaved person who considers pursuing freedom. As Junie and Minnie discuss, “And who says I wanted to be free? That I wanted to go off from the plantation with you forever?” “Everybody wants to be free, Junie. Nobody deserves to live their life like we do.”
I enjoyed the book for the most part. I didn't care for the fantasy parts at times. And some of the "happy" ending is too sweet for my preference.
The book does tell an important story and is a valuable asset to the literary world.

5 engaging stars
“Junie squeezes Violet’s hands, the same pale, soft hands she’s held as long as she can remember. There’s an untold story in their grasp, one that takes them in wagons and on steamboats to the unknown. They’d hear the great music, see the great sights, maybe even make it all the way to France like Violet has always wanted. They’d be the adventurers in the books they’d grown up reading together. It is a good story. But… she knows it isn’t hers.”

I immediately became invested in this book’s nuanced characters who had strong emotional relationships. The dramatic plot always moved along. At times it was sad, but as Eckstine writes in the end notes, “That’s the beautiful thing about fiction; sometimes you get to create hope where it doesn’t always exist.” Often one can guess where the book is going. I loved that the author surprised me a few times. Even at the end of the book I noted, “Oh no. I did not see this coming…Exciting. It’s been a long time since I read such a gripping book.”

I appreciated that different perspectives were shared. Some enslaved people had too many ties to their home to try to escape.

Make sure you read the Author’s Note at the end of the book. Erin Crosby Eckstine writes that she wrote Junie “intending to create a well-rounded and human portrayal of an enslaved characters, someone I felt I’d rarely seen in literature.” She succeeds. The author “spent a lot of time with this story, thinking about the reality that people had lived their entire lives as slaves, meaning they experienced a full spectrum of human emotion and conditions under these horrific circumstances.” Junie herself is based on Eckstine’s great-great-great grandmother, Jane Cotton.

Junie would make an excellent movie. It deserves a wide audience. “See all the beauty you can, my sweet sister.” Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was definitely a slow burn, but worth it! There were quite a few twists in the last half of the book, that put a past and present into perspective for both the characters and the readers. I was pleased with the character development, as I really did not like Junie in the beginning. Her entire family continued to call her carefree (careless) and I agreed with them. I found myself questioning if Junie fully understood the risks she was taking or if she was just selfish. However, a lot happens during the year this book takes place and this forces her to grew as a woman, friend, granddaughter, cousin, and sister.

I questioned the Minnie/haint potion of the book, thinking perhaps it was all in Junie's head, but it turns out it was not deeper than what it was. Sometimes, I think ghosts/magic realism can be a cop out to wrap up a plot, but think this was well done and not overused. I also really enjoyed some of the characters, especially Caleb and Muh/Granddaddy. The book is left slightly open-ended to the point where a sequel could fit in quite easily and wonder if the author intentionally did that.

Finished Junie this morning & really enjoyed the time I spent reading this story 🩷

@erincrosbyeckstine thank you for writing & sharing such an important story 👏🏻 the author’s note too 🥺 & the book’s stunning cover 🫶🏻

4.5 stars rated up
Junie had been in my NetGalley approvals for quite some time, but I am a moody reader and for some reason, I kept passing it up. Our book club selected it for our May pick. Unfortunately I had issues and didn’t read the book in time or go to the discussion but I’m really glad I read the book. Despite our book club having mixed feelings, I enjoyed this book.

Junie is 16 years old, living in the south before the civil war. She has been a slave since she was born. Her sister has recently passed away and Junie is struggling with becoming a woman, the loss of her sister and other family members and her own future. She is the personal maid to the estate’s daughter Violet. She believes her and Violet are truly friends. The master brings a young man and his family to the home to court his daughter. Junie and the coachman, Caleb, begin a friendship that transitions into more. In the meantime, things at the estate are heating up. Junie is being visited by the ghost of her sister, she brings up horrid things that have happened to her family at the estate. Junie is unsure of her future and longs to set her family free.

This book was based loosely on the authors ancestry. I could feel so many emotions in this book. This is a beautifully written debut book. The characters, specifically Junie, but even some of the other characters had depth, emotions and personality. I looooved Junie, she was headstrong, compassionate and kind. I gave off half a star because I wasn’t particularly fond of the ending. I wanted so much more!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since hearing the author speak last summer....I had been anxious to read this one. Will recommend to most of my readers because it is a powerful story. The book has it all, characters you won't forget, a storyline that will pull at your heartstrings, and even some magical realism. All of that combined makes it a book that transcends genres and appeals to many different readers!

Description
Sixteen years old and enslaved since she was born, Junie has spent her life on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama, cooking and cleaning alongside her family, and tending to the white master’s daughter, Violet. Her daydreams are filled with poetry and faraway worlds, while she spends her nights secretly roaming through the forest, consumed with grief over the sudden death of her older sister, Minnie.

When wealthy guests arrive from New Orleans, hinting at marriage for Violet and upending Junie’s life, she commits a desperate act—one that rouses Minnie’s spirit from the grave, tethered to this world unless Junie can free her. She enlists the aid of Caleb, the guests’ coachman, and their friendship soon becomes something more. Yet as long-held truths begin to crumble, she realizes Bellereine is harboring dark and horrifying secrets that can no longer be ignored.

With time ticking down, Junie begins to push against the harsh current that has controlled her entire life. As she grapples with an increasingly unfamiliar world in which she has little control, she is forced to ask herself: When we choose love and liberation, what must we leave behind?