June Farrow was found abandoned as an infant by her missing mother, Susanna . June’s whole life she has been waiting to get the Farrow family illness which caused Susanna to disappear and her grandmother to start seeing things. Now June has started to see strange things and she is convinced she is heading towards madness until a picture her grandmother mailed prior to her death turns everything upside down. What is really the Farrow women’s curse?
Fantastic read.

This review was hard for me because what ever I say will be a spoiler. So be warned here.

Time travel, is the curse and a man’s obsession is the cause of the bad luck.

Adrienne does it again. I’ve never picked up a book of hers I didn’t absolutely LOVE. each book has its own unique imprint and I think June might take the cake for me. The voice was so interesting and different yet also so Adrienne. I love the mystery. Definitely kept me on my toes trying to guess it. I almost felt like I was on the journey with June. The setting AH! And I love the themes in this book! Trust me. Read it.

I’m sadly DNFing this at 10%!!! I can’t believe I didn’t like this based on how high the ratings are and the rave reviews I’ve seen on bookstagram, but I was so so so bored. I’ve DNFed other books by Young before so I’m wondering if her writing style is just not for me. I thought the story dragged so much and I wasn’t invested in knowing anything more about the family “curse”. Thanks anyway for the ARC.

My favorite book of 2023! Absolutely incredible. I just Finished it and I’m not even sure I have the words to articulate how this book made me feel. A magical door, weaving timelines, alternate universes, four generations of Farrow women, and an epic love story make up this gorgeously stunning novel from Adrienne Young. I’ll be buying every special edition I can get my hands on. This one will stick with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“…these were single stars in a constellation I couldn’t fully see.

———————-

The Farrow women are all known in their town, they stand out and are shrouded in mystery about the disappearance of one. They all also descend into madness as they age. June is determined to solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance, her strange appearance on a door step as a baby and the curse that seems to claim them all.

This book would have been about 15 pages if these people just had a conversation… don’t get me wrong Adrienne Young weaves a beautifully vibrant story. My own life completely disappears whenever I read one of her books. Here I could smell the smoke as they smoked the fields and see the vibrant flowers. Every story of hers I’ve read I am utterly transported by her world building and so invested in the characters. That said, in the end, if someone has just been honest with June, literally at any point in her life, this whole mystery could have been avoided! The one reveal at the end was one I did not see coming and made want to go back and read the beginning. My emotions wanted to rate this one 5 stars but my logical side decided on four. Read this one more for the atmosphere than the mystery. Especially if you’ve spent your life wishing for a magical door to appear…

Thanks to Delacorte Press for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

Absolutely loved this book!! This gave me the same feels and joy as the Invisible Life of Addie La Rue. I loved June, I love the concept of the book, and the relationship felt really poignant and real to me. Definitely recommending to everyone I know.

This was a very different and bizarre story and I really am not sure I enjoyed it, but it’s been a couple of days and I’m still thinking about it, so I have to give June Farrow 4 stars for keeping me engaged even after finishing the book. The story is, at its base, a love story complicated by the fact that the heroine, June, finds herself having memories of another place, and eventually, another time. June swears that she will be the last of her line to end the generations of women in her family who have gone mad. I don’t think Adrienne Young wrapped things up tightly enough stretching the story just a bit too far, maybe more than just a bit. Still I would recommend ‘The Unmakinh of June Farrow” because it was totally different, thought provoking, and who doesn’t wish sometimes for a different life.

Young does it again! I loved Spells for Forgetting was so excited to read The Unmaking of June Farrow.

Short Synopsis: June Farrow comes from a family where all of the women are seemingly cursed. They each experience hallucination and ultimately go mad. When June begins to develop these symptoms, she ventures to discover the history behind her family's past and unlocks a door that will change everything.

Thoughts: Young's writing is atmospheric and beautiful. The world she creates is intricate and well thought out. This book also spans a variety of genres, making it a likely winner for most readers. I had opted for the audiobook, and while Brittany Presley did an excellent job, I would suggest that people pair it with reading, as some timeline components were a bit challenging to follow on just audio.

Read if you like:
-Time travel
-Family secrets
-Magic realism
-Small town mysteries
-The Dream Daughter, Addie LaRoue, Outlander

I've been a fan of Adrienne Young for years and I will continue to read anything she writes. This was a beautiful, magical story about love and choice. The magical realism elements surprised me in a good way and I quickly read this story, trying to figure out how things would play out with the choices June was forced to make. Such a wonderful story. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 stars for this time travel fantasy with a touch of romance and mystery.

As with her previous novel, Spells for Forgetting, Adrienne Young's writing is enchanting and atmospheric, and helps to really cement her characters in the world she's building. The time travel aspect and the rules surrounding it were a little confusing, and I still don't think I fully understand it. but it wasn't distracting enough to take me out of the story. I enjoyed the murder mystery storyline but found the romance between June and Eamon to feel a bit forced and hard to connect with. But overall, I found this story to be a step up from the author's previous novel and an excellent addition to the magical realism genre.

I’m not gonna lie, this book was very hard for me to get into at first. But once I got the hang of what was going on, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down!

I’m not gonna go into what it’s about because I feel like it would spoil it and because I think you should read this without knowing anything.

The writing was beautiful and the atmosphere was perfect for this story. The characters were phenomenal and there was so many twists that I didn’t see coming which made the story even more enjoyable. This book is the perfect representation of what you would do for love and family.

If you’re looking for a cozy read for the spooky season then I highly recommend picking this one up on October 17th!!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the e-arc!

Another book from Adrienne for people to fall in love with! If you loved Spells for Forgetting then I feel it’s safe to say you will love this one. It was a slow start for me on this one, but once we really got into the mystery, fantasy, magical realism, aspects of the story I was engrossed. As the mystery unfolded around the family and the curse I found myself fascinated with what was happening.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my unaided opinion.

THIS IS MY ROMAN EMPIRE! This book is so absolutely amazing. I’m so broken and some how healed through this book. I’ve never read a thriller before so this was pretty intense for me. I’m completely changed by this book. This is absolutely my number one book of the year!


Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC 💖

5/5 ⭐
1/5 🌶

The Unmaking of June Farrow is easily one of my favorite books of the year. Adrienne's writing is absolutely stunning and wraps you up from the very start. This story was full of whimsical mystery, star crossed love and a dash of suspense. When I finally got the answers I had been waiting for, I was floored and left in the best kind of tears.

I honestly don't know what to say that won't spoil the book... The mystery was wonderful and so well thought out. Beautifully woven with these main characters that I just adored.

*possible small spoilers ahead*
I was heartbroken when we met Eamon... I knew they were star crossed, but I wasn't expecting his coldness and how it would affect me, er, June. So much of this book was so angsty, it about tore me to shreds at times. But I understood where Eamon was coming from as we learned more about his life with June.

I can't say enough good things. I will definitely be reading this story time and time again and diving through Adrienne's backlist to get my fill.

I have been so excited to read Adrienne Young’s newest work! Ever since reading Spells for Forgetting thanks to Book of the Month, I have been reading her older young adult novels. She is phenomenal.

June Farrow does not disappoint. This novel gives such strong Outlander/Time Travelers Wife vibes, while also being completely on its own level. I loved the dynamic between June, Margaret, and Birdie… and I was seriously so torn when the choice came to go through the red door. I was screaming for her not to!!!

Oh man, but then I met Eamon. And Annie. And I fell in love with their storyline. The way Young wove a love story together with a murder mystery was just perfection. And just like Spells for Forgetting, there was just enough Magical Realism to make it whimisical but not overpower the story. I did not want this novel to end.

Another fun read from Adrienne Young - if you have enjoyed any of her other works then you will probably enjoy this one as well. A twisty, turn-y mystery/light fantasy revolving around a family, their curse, and choices to be made. It was a bit of a slow start for me but I devoured the second half quickly as the mystery was unraveled. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

What an amazing book full of love, family, understanding and time travel. The way this author writes is so beautiful, with a great atmosphere and a plot that will draw you in and keep you wanting to know more and at the end you will feel like you closed the door to the book. It was wrapped up so beautifully.

June Farrow always felt as though she didn’t quite fit in, it wasn’t the fact that she was left by her mother at a young age or that she was raised by her grandmother. It was deep down inside her something was missing. She started to get clues about her mother’s disappearance, but they just didn’t make any sense until one day everything did. Little did she know that she would have to go back in time to get all the answers, and while there she would have to answer a big question about herself.

I thought the plot was fun and interesting, I was left trying to figure out the clues throughout the book and seeing if I could figure out who, what, where, when and why. I loved that you could see the love that these Farrow women have for each other, and the willingness that they have to protect each other no matter the outcome. You will be there every step of the way as June starts to unravel the truths and starts to piece together all the clues. On top of figuring out the clues left behind she finds herself uncovering more clues about a death that happened in the past and why it feels so familiar to her.

I enjoyed the love story that slowly blossomed in this book, I want to talk about it, but I can’t without giving someone away. But let me tell you, it was beautifully done. You can feel the love, the hurt, the sadness, the grief and then the feeling of being whole. You will feel as though you’re right there with June and everyone throughout the book. The characters were easy to relate to, and I found myself drawn to them all for their own different ways.

I really want to say more about this book but I really don’t want to take away the deep, emotional, beautiful book. So please go pick up this book and dive into the world of June Farrow and go on an adventure with her and all the characters.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

4.5 stars ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very interesting story and everyone knows I love a good mystery, of which this book has multiple. This book genuinely made me have to think so hard and there was more than one occasion where I had to remind myself to relax my face because it was so scrunched up in concentration. I loved the depth and layers this book has.

Time travel is confusing.

Overall, this was a heartwarming story about the choices you have in life and learning to pick your path for yourself. June saw the cycle Farrow women went through and knew she had to find a way to fix it, and then she did. Her determination and commitment to her family shined through. Eamon and the other Farrow women’s trust and unwavering love for her despite their hurt was such a good representation of true family.

****Spoilers incoming below*****

I did love how it unfolded that future June had a plan and had everything figured out, all the pieces were left for past June and us as the reader to put together. Like I said, love a good mystery.

I loved seeing this version of June remember Eamon and Annie and slowly remember how much they meant to her and how much she loves and will always choose them. So cute.

This was definitely my favorite of Young’s books that I’ve read thus far! While reading, the first thing that came to my mind when trying to describe this book was The Time Traveler's Wife! The novel follows June Farrow & the line of women before her in rural North Carolina - her mother Susanna’s mysterious disappearance, the murder of the town minister, and her grandmother’s final days.

What impressed me the most about this novel is that Young does such a masterful job of balancing the magic of time travel with the detail of everyday life in a rural farm town. This novel ended up being SO much more than just a “romantic book with a magical twist”. June struggles with growing up, finding herself, her hidden desire to be a mother, and the desperate need to unearth the truth about her family’s mysterious history. A beautiful novel that I honestly would consider reading a second time! ✨