This is hands down one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read in a long time. There is so much to this story and the main character. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

4 stars

Well, this one is going to tug at your heart strings.

Junie is 16 years old, and she has been enslaved throughout her life. Though she has seen many of the horrors associated with this horrific state, and she has experienced her own personal tragedies, she has been somewhat protected by her close relationship with Violet, a young woman to whom she attends. The tenuous threads of protection appear millimeters from being snipped as Violet's circumstances change and Junie's awareness grows.

As Junie goes through the aforementioned arduous process, she is coming of age in some of the ways that are typical to most folks during this stage, but she also has the added challenges of learning more about the ways in which her ideas depart from those of her family and community. One unexpected ally of Junie's is her deceased sister, Minnie. To me, this is an absolute standout element of this novel. When your reality is so traumatizing that the only thing that can save you from it is a supernatural element, well, the messaging is clear. The dissociation, ways in which Junie gains knowledge, and general attachment to personal bonds in an environment that constantly makes obvious how delicate those are is quite powerful here.

Though the audience is noted as adult, I think this also works well as YA historical. Junie is 16, and the central theme is coming of age. While reading, I frequently thought that my college level YA students would really enjoy this, and I'll be recommending this one to them in addition to folks who want to see a particularly intriguing take on this vital but always challenging to encounter motif.

I enjoyed the structure, form, genre mashing, and characterization and am looking forward to more from this author.

What an inspiring and beautifully written book about a deeply dark period of time. Junie is written with such an interesting and powerful voice. It’s hard to believe this is a debut for this author. Recommend.

When I first started reading Junie, I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy it. I am not a fan of “paranormal fiction or magical realism.” The main character, Junie has visions of her deceased sister, Minnie and was able to interact with her. However, it didn’t take me long to fall in love with the book. The book primarily focuses on slavery and Junie, a sixteen-year-old enslaved girl on a plantation in Alabama. Although the book provides glimpses into the horrors of slavery, this book focuses on love, hope and friendship. Junie and her mistress, Violet believe they are each other’s friend. Yet both individuals are continually challenged by society to follow the traditional rules of salve and master.

Junie’s deceased sister Minnie is an important character in the book and helps the reader to understand the past and the secrets of the plantation and her character works extremely well to provide another dimension to the story. Another key character is Caleb, the guests’ coachman. While he is on the plantation, he and Junie develop a relationship that is nothing less than complex. They find themselves having to deal with hardships and adversity as they navigate their feelings for each out.
One quote from the ARC that I really touched, and it resonated with me was: “She told me that when you first lose somebody, the grief feels like the strongest tea you’ve ever tasted, so bitter and sharp you don’t think you’ll ever be able to swallow. But that every day, another drop of water falls into the cup, and it gets a little easier to taste. That bitterness, that pain, it don’t ever go away or get smaller. But it does fade.”

I loved this book, the characters and story. Knowing this is a debut novel for the author, I know I will be watching for her future books. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#Junie, #ErinCrosbyEckstine, #NetGalley

⋆⋆⋆⋆⅕ — i stayed up till 2 am reading this and then cried after reading the acknowledgements, so yes, this was an intense emotional experience. i feel like i couldn't connect to junie in some parts of story, but after reading the author's thoughts, i understand what she was trying to (and succeeded in!) portray. junie was a very human, very alive character, and with her, eckstine most certainly achieved what she set out to do. the writing itself is lyrical and captivating, making sure you can't look away from even the most painful events. my favorite book of the year so far.

Junie is an incredible book about an incredible girl. Born enslaved in pre Civil War Alabama, Junie never knew life anywhere but the Bellereine Plantation. Growing up as the "pet" of the master's daughter Violet, Junie learns to read and write albeit in secret. Her head and dreams are filled with poetry and beauty. Her life is filled with hard work (which she tries to avoid) as well as the pressure of living in her dead sister's shadow. Through a series of events, Junie finds herself questioning everything about her place at Bellereine and beyond.

The book is reminiscent of Toni Morrison's Beloved - but in my opinion it is better. The story itself is more straightforward and the title character is infinitely more likable. The book is well written and the story draws the reader in from the very beginning. I honestly didn't want to put it down. My only regret is that I can't read again for the first time.

Most definitely 5/5 stars.

In this compelling and lyrical debut novel, Erin Crosby Eckstine tells the story of Delilah June (Junie), an enslaved young woman on a strangely isolated Alabama cotton plantation in the days before and during the outbreak of the Civil War. Junie has spent her whole life at Bellereine Plantation, serving the McQueen family and being assigned specifically to the family’s daughter, Violet, with whom she has grown up and who has taught Junie to read so she might discuss the books she herself loves. As the family prepares to marry Violet off to an odious and brutal man to save the plantation from the debt collectors the master has brought to their doorstep with his excessive drinking and gambling, the family’s genteel façade begins to show all its cracks. In addition, to the developing concern over the potential new master, Junie is wracked by guilt, believing she caused her sister Minnie’s death, but when she encounters Minnie’s ghost in the woods, she comes to learn the true cause of Minnie’s death and some of the dark secrets the McQueens are harboring, she begins to see that escape might be her best option. Junie is richly portrayed in all of her glory, despair, and human failings. This historical fiction is a page-turner, and Ms. Eckstine is an author to watch.

Thanks to Net Galley, Ballantine Books, and Ms. Eckstine for the opportunity to read this exemplary debut novel.

Beautiful, sensory writing.
A wonderful plot full of tension and hope.
A main character you want to shake, but can’t help rooting for.
Slow burn romance that warms your heart.
Secrets.
Sweet, SWEET revenge.
What more could I ask for?
Well there are 2 more things I could ask for, but I respect the author’s creative decision not to neatly wrap up the ending. I chose my own ending, so I’m happy.

I really enjoyed my reading experience with this book. I found myself invested in both the plot and the characters, but Junie’s journey especially captured my attention. We meet Junie as a girl dealing with grief and lack of self worth. A girl who really only understands herself as an enslaved “friend” of Violet and the sister who should’ve died.

The life she knows is flipped upside down when the possibility of marriage comes knocking for Violet. It’s Violet’s new chapter that leads Junie to mistakenly awaken her dead older sister’s spirit. As Junie tries to help her sister Minnie, she begins to learn some hard truths that prompt her to rethink her place in the world and reimagine what her future could look like. Witnessing Junie go from naive to woke in all aspects of her life is definitely my favorite part.

There are so many good things I can say about this book. Overall, I enjoyed Erin’s approach. Unlike so many historical fiction novels that portray American slavery, this book whispers the horror rather than yells trauma. Erin doesn’t shy away from depicting some of the evils Black people experienced during this time—instead, suffering and trauma play background roles. The star of this story is the fullness of Black humanity in the face of horror. Their hope, their dreams, their grief, their love, their joy, their flaws, their ability to find light in the darkness.

I’d love to read more from this author in the future!

Thank you so much to Erin Crosby Eckstine and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read an early copy of “Junie” in exchange for my honest review.

“Junie” was not just my first book of the year—it’s the one I’m certain will stay with me long after 2025.

From the very first page, I was captivated by the story and, most of all, by the character of Junie herself. She felt so real, so alive, that being inside her head as she navigated her highs and lows became an emotional journey of its own. I rooted for her through her triumphs, cried for her in her darkest moments, and, on more than one occasion, wanted to reach into the pages and shake her to see reason. Junie’s humanity, her flaws, and her resilience made her unforgettable.

The supporting cast was just as masterfully crafted. Violet and Caleb, in particular, stood out, each with their own intricacies and hidden depths. Every character felt like a fully realized person, with motivations and contradictions that made me pause and reflect. This book doesn’t offer easy answers—it pushes you to wrestle with questions about morality, about what truly defines a person as “good” or “evil,” and about the choices we make when faced with impossible circumstances.

There were moments when I felt overwhelmed by the tension in the story, moments when I wanted to scream at Junie or the world around her. The book has a way of keeping you on edge, of immersing you so deeply in the uncertainty and injustice of the 19th century that it’s both gripping and uncomfortable. Knowing the historical context of how Black people were treated during that time only added to the weight of the narrative, making it impossible to look away, even when it hurt.

Despite the emotional intensity, “Junie” never lost me. It hooked me from the start and refused to let go until the final page. This is a story that challenges, breaks, and ultimately transforms its reader.

It’s only seven days into the year, and yet I know “Junie” is destined to be one of my all-time favorite books. A powerful, unflinching, and deeply human story—I can’t recommend it enough.

Set in 1860 Alabama, on the cusp of the Civil War, this is a ghost story, a love story, and a revenge story. The main character, Junie, is a 16-year-old dark-skinned slave, haunted by her older sister, Minnie, whose recent death Junie believes she caused.

Junie lives with her grandparents, aunt and cousin on the McQueen cotton plantation. All of them are household slaves, cooking, sewing, cleaning and serving in the McQueen family home. Junie belongs to 17-year-old Violet, the only child in the financially failing family, whose resources are stretched because of the Master’s drinking and gambling. Violet and Junie have been close since babyhood, and Violet has taught Junie the forbidden skill of reading.

Junie is an intelligent, intense, and impulsive young woman, who writes poetry as well as reading it. She repeatedly puts herself in danger with her need to temporarily escape to the surrounding nighttime woods to put distance between her outer and inner lives.

Into their small world come the wealthy Taylors, brother and sister Beau and Beatrice. The McQueens hope Beau will marry Violet, and save the family fortunes. They bring with them Caleb, Beau’s slave/valet/coachman, who forms an attachment with Junie.
Beau also brings violence to all around him, and the story becomes one of physical and mental cruelty and survival.

Though the ending is not happy, it is satisfying, especially as it is based on the true story of the author’s great-great-grandmother.

5 stars. I loved Junie’s character. Her vibrancy, kindness, determination, and will to survive was a powerful reckoning tool against the cruelties of being born into slavery. Set on the Bellereine Plantation in Alabama pre-civil war, the story focuses on 16-year-old Junie’s life, family, and those she comes in contact with including her owners the McQueens,’ — in particular, the McQueens daughter Violet to whom Junie is her personal maid. Junie feels grief and guilt over her sister Minnie’s death, and she finds solace in seeing Minnie’s haint or ghost during her nightly walks, that continue throughout the story. In the authors note Eckstine tells how she focused primarily on the psychological abuse of slavery. In the books entirety she has humanized and explained the slave experiences so well. And by the end, for the story to come full circle to what happened to Junie’s sister made this debut a stunning surprise. You’ll want to keep the Kleenex near as it’s a jaw dropping, emotional experience. JUNIE is loosely based on the authors great-great-great grandmother. Pub. 2/4/25

I received an arc copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Junie is the story of a 16-year old slave at the time when the Civil War is about to occur. The book chronicles her day-to-day of serving as a maid on a plantation, when the young women who she serves is on the cusp of marriage to a young man from New Orleans who is out for having her family's land.
While this book started out strong, as soon as the ghost aspect was introduced, it started to fall flat for me.
And the characters never developed in the way I would have hoped.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

First, all the stars go to the cover artist for this novel—it’s absolutely stunning and deserves recognition!

Junie is a deeply layered story about a 16-year-old enslaved girl living on an Alabama plantation. Junie’s life is shaped by her unique bond with Violet, the plantation owner’s daughter, who teaches her to read and sparks her love for literature. Beneath the surface, Junie battles overwhelming guilt, believing she caused her older sister’s death.

The plot takes a dramatic turn when Violet’s father invites a young man and his sister to the plantation. Junie wrestles with her growing feelings for the man’s valet, while Violet faces the pressure of securing the plantation’s future through a potential match with the guest. The story offers unexpected twists, especially involving Violet, that keep the reader intrigued.

While I appreciated the complexity of Junie’s journey, the supernatural elements—particularly her conversations with her sister’s ghost—didn’t resonate with me. That aside, the book explores love, guilt, survival, and hope under extraordinary circumstances.

Where to even begin with this. I have so many feelings.

The book is set just before the Civil War and follows an enslaved 16-year-old girl as she does the housework and cares for the daughter of the plantation owners. She's grieving after the sudden loss of her older sister, and after a desperate act that brings her back as a ghost, she has to decide just how far she's willing to go for freedom.

It's perfectly paced, the characters are well-written, and Junie's POV is such a heartbreakingly beautiful one to follow. If you like historical fiction with a dash of the paranormal, this is well worth checking out. I read the bulk of it last year, and it would be in my top five of last year and maybe the top five of this year, too. We will have to see!

Junie, a slave born onto a plantation in Alabama, has lost her sister, Minnie, less than a year ago. Junie is known as the carefree one, or careless and stubborn and wants more for herself than her enslaved life. She is a maid to Violet, and Violet has taught Junie how to read and both girls are enamored with poetry and romance books. With the plantation in debt, due to Violet's dads gambling and drinking, he plans to marry Violet off to Mr Taylor to secure their future. With new masters in the house, the status quo has changed and Junie realizes white people can never be her friend or confidant... so how do you escape for the future you should have?

This book has so many themes woven together seamlessly - family, sisters, coming of age, love and romance, slavery and master history, as well some fantastical aspects with ghosts and mediums. What a great spin on history.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

4.5 stars rounded down for an excellent historical fiction book set in 1860 Alabama, US. The narrator is Junie, a slave on a cotton plantation. The author explains that she is a descendant of a woman who escaped slavery in Alabama. Since historical records are scarce, she had to recreate the narrative. She wanted to write a story showing slaves experiencing the full spectrum of human emotions under horrific circumstances.
I believe that she succeeded very well and recommend this book to historical fiction fans. There is some violence, but not graphic.
Thank you Jordan Forney at Penguin Random House for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#Junie #NetGalley

Pub Date Feb 04 2025

What a powerful story! With realism and a bit of mysticism, Junie's life is portrayed as a 16 year old slave in Alabama. She shares some of her history along with that of her family. There is brutality and violence in her life but it only makes her a stronger person. The characters are well developed and the setting vividly depicted. If you like historical fiction, you will love this one. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in my review are entirely my own.

What a heartfelt and powerful story! Historical fiction with a strong female lead… one of my favorites. And the historical notes at the end had my jaw on the floor. Such an incredible read! Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy.

This story is a historical dramatic recollection told from the voice of an impressionable teenager. It is set in Alabama during the 1800s just before the Civil War. It tells the struggles of Blacks and females under the thumb of the White male. Yet under everything it imbues a sense of hope that things will get better. The author has created some powerful characters through which to tell this story. She also paints a vivid picture in the people and places. It is emotional and not at all easy to read in some places, but you will not want to put it down for fear of missing what happens next. This story would make a great adaptation for a successful movie. Junie is a character that will live a long time in memory.

Many thanks to Ballentine Books, the Erin Crosby Eckstine and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this wonderful book.

I absolutely loved this book. So many books on slavery tear your heart out with explicit detailed abuse. This is not one of those reads. Of course there are injustices however, Junie is lucky enough to live on a plantation where the masters are more humane than most. You still get a feel for enslaved people, loss of freedoms, lack of choice, no education. Certainly a sad time and blight in US history.

Junie is young, headstrong, bright, daring, and undependable. She spends her days as a housemaid to a young mistress, Violet, daughter of the plantation owner. She is always pushing boundaries often at the costs of her family. They are constantly covering for her missteps and antics. Her supportive family unit (aunt, grandparents and cousins) love her and make sure she is no exposed and punished as she wanders off and climbs trees in the woods or down by the river.

There is an interesting and diverse cast of characters, all with their own pertinence in the story. I liked all but one even with their flaws.

The part of the story that is spiritual, where she spends time with her dead sister Minnie is not something I typically would enjoy in a book but it really worked well in this storyline and helps bring closure.

I definitely wanted more at the end. I was so invested in all the characters, I really would have like to see where they all ended up. Maybe a sequel🙏? What happens to Violet? Does she end up with the love of her life? How about the grandparents? Does the house get rebuilt? And oh Caleb!!! I can imagine their endings but I really think we need a sequel. Hint hint…

The historical note at the end brings a nice touch to the stories end. FIVE solid stars!!!