I finished this book about a week ago and I’m still thinking about this story and these characters! Junie is such a vivid, well-rounded character and I absolutely loved spending these pages getting to know her, even though there were many devastating moments where my heart broke for her as well. Erin Crosby Eckstein’s writing is beautiful and immersive, capturing my attention from Page 1 and holding it until the last word. I cannot believe this is a debut novel!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy!*

A necessary historical fiction for young readers. Slavery, grief, relocation, and a hint of the supernatural are all themes.

This is my favorite type of book. Historical fiction with great character development and a storyline that sucks you in emotionally. This one starts out a bit slow, but I credit the slow build to why I was so invested in the characters and their future. I loved the touch of magical realism. I would highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, family drama, and a touch of romance. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this beautiful arc.

This was my first time reading a book from this author and it certainly won’t be my last.

Junie is an absolutely amazing read. From the very first page, I was drawn in by the raw honesty, vivid storytelling, and emotional depth. The writing feels both lyrical and powerful, pulling you into Junie’s world in a way that’s both heartbreaking and beautiful. The characters feel so real, and the themes of resilience, love, and identity stay with you long after you’ve finished the last page.

FABULOUS! STUNNING! PERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRFECT! NO NOTES!

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Junie had me worried for a bit.

She's sixteen and has spent her entire life on Bellereine Plantation, Alabama. She helps her family cook and clean and also tends to the master’s daughter, Violet, who's taught her how to read and write. Junie spends her time off writing poetry and griecing her sister Minnie, who died suddenly some months prior. Junie and Violet grew up together. She calls Violet her best friend. They share everything with each other. At least they think they do.

Junie's simple, read: boring existence is threatened when wealthy guests visit from New Orleans with a possible marriage proposal for Violet. In an act of desperation, Junie rouses Minnie’s spirit, which is tethered to this world unless Minnie convinces a reluctant Junie to free her. She tells Junie of Bellereine's dark secrets and her heartbreaking decision. Will these truths be enough to motivate Junie to run?

Bellereine is tame compared to other plantations. The master is rarely home and the mistress is against violence, so Junie and the others are complacent. Her grandmother actually tells her to accept her lot in life. That dreaming isn't for the enslaved. I understand that they're afraid to run because of what happens to people who are caught, but although the mistress might not whip them, she can tear their family apart at her whim. They have no agency. Violet claims to think of Junie as a sister, but "it ain't real love if you gotta own the person to keep em with you."

So, I wondered what it would take for Junie to make like Harriet and run. Violet's under a lot of pressure to do right by her family, but her secrets have consequences for Junie and her family, as well. These two visitors change the dynamics of Bellereine. Between falling for the guests' coachman Caleb and her horrific findings about the plantation, when will Junie realize that "enduring horror to love within the margins" is not enough.

She keeps looking out for Violet and reading poetry from the likes of Keats, but these white people never had her struggles. They can marvel at the beauty of the land because they have freedom.

The last two chapters had my heart in my throat. I was upset with the ending at first, but now I think it makes sense. It could be an allegory for allyship. A true ally will risk their life for you. There is an example of such an ally in this story. It's not Violet.

What a wonderful debut novel!

This historical fiction book took on the magical realism twist and I was all in! Our main character is only 16 and so the voice and tone of the book had a young adult feel at times which I felt at times moved into adult voice - so a little disorienting. It was a well told story; I learned something from the historical fiction portion and the cover of this book is AMAZING! Plus, the author's story at the end makes it all that more impactful.

Can't wait to read more by Erin Crosby Eckstine!!


Thank you to Ballantine Books/Random House Publishing and Net Galley for this ARC.

I enjoyed the genre-bending nature of this novel. I suppose the most accurate description would be historical magical realism. Junie is a compelling character, and her interactions with the ghost of her sister were poignant and added another dimension to an already interesting story. I do agree with some reviews that said it read a bit more YA. Of course, Junie is sixteen, so perhaps that’s natural. Overall, I found this to be an excellent debut novel, and I will keep an eye out for more books by Erin Crosby Eckstine!

Junie's story was a harrowing, heart-breaking, survival story.

Stories about slavery are always difficult to work through. Junie's story and her family was just a horrible shock after the next one. The fear of never knowing what those who run the house will want each day. But Junie's ability to still looking for hope, to be resilient and push for a better tomorrow, was so compelling to read. The abuse was hard to read and I had to take many breaks. But the story was so compelling, I always wanted to pick the story back up and see how it would all work out. Heart-breaking and full of hope, I really liked this one!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This was in someways a different look a slavery, mainly character driven.
Junie a 16 year old slave, born and raised on a plantation in Alabama, and who is a very strong willed person. She takes care of Violets needs, the plantation owners daughter. They were close in age and what felt like, best friends.
Violet taught Junie how to read and both of the girls were in love with books.
One day they had company coming to visit, a young man and his sister from Louisiana, with the idea that the young man might be a good suitor for Violet.
There are a lot of sub plots in this story which we discover when the visitors arrive, and a bit of magical realism involving Junie's sister who had died.
I really enjoyed reading this book and finding out all of the secrets that are disclosed.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for a copy of this book.

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.