I have the review posted on my Bookstagram, linked below! Great book! Would rate 4.5 stars but worthy of a round up to 5.

I love Adrienne Young and The Unmaking of June Farrow was no exception. This book was magical. This book is twisty and complex in all the right ways as we explore June’s time travel adventures. There were so many exciting twists I didn’t see coming and that’s something I loved the most about this one.

This was a tale about the Farrow women and time travel. At times, I found it a bit hard to follow. But it was a testament of true love between June and the man she choose to build a life with.

Thank you to NetGalley and Adrienne Young for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

I was hooked from the first chapter of this book. I devoured this book. I’m a huge fan of Adrienne Young’s other books, but this one may just be my favorite. It’s just the peak of creativity; I’ve never read anything like it. I’m not a huge fan of mystery type books, but the blend of magical realism and dash of romance is what makes this book stand out from the rest. It’s genuinely a book I would reread again, which is not something I say (or rather write) lightly. I love the author’s attention and exploration of grief throughout the book. I highly recommend if you like magical realism, slow burn romance, second chance romance (but in a more creative way than your typical second chance romance), fake dating, family curses/secrets, and strong female characters.

Thank you, Net Galley, and Random House Publishing Group, for sending me an arc of this phenomenal book in exchange for an honest review. Thank You, Adrienne Young for continuing to impress me by your already elite writing skills.

June Farrow knows there’s something different about her – there’s something different about all the women in her family. All the Farrow women seem to meet with the same fate – a slow unraveling of the mind. June’s own mother, Susanna, is known throughout their small North Carolina town as a madwoman who left June. Since her mother’s death, June has been raised by her grandmother.

After June’s grandmother passes, June is forced to confront what she has known for the past year – she is seeing things that aren’t there and hearing noises no one else does. Is she going to lose her senses at her young age? When a red door appears, June begins a journey that will shake the very foundation of everything she knows. Once June walks through the door, she finds herself in the past. She’ll have to trust others and trust herself to solve the puzzle of her family’s curse.

This book will have you turning the pages to find more clues to June’s past, present, and future. The family dynamics will tug at your heartstrings, and the lengths to which June goes will resonate with any woman who has ever put her family before herself. The magical realism combined with themes of love and loss makes for a heartbreaking yet hopeful story.

I am a true Adrienne Young fan now. This book was heart warming and heartbreaking at the same time. A great magical realism book.

This book has everything I want and didn't know I needed! Mystery, magical realism, small town, farming life, a little bit of a thriller, and one of those romances that gives a quiet love but is oh so beautiful. I loved the time period and how atmospheric the story is written, which cannot be overlooked, as I think it adds to the overall story and makes it just that good. I'm leaving out a major piece of why this book gripped me, which is a huge spoiler, but it is what makes this book have such a twisty plot. It was brilliantly written that there weren't any plot holes in how twisty it was. I've been a long fan of Adrienne and this is her best adult book yet!

June and the Farrow women in her line of history have a mysterious curse, making the women go "mad." June's mother had mysteriously disappeared when she was younger, being raised by her grandmother. Not long after her grandmother passed, June started seeing and hearing things, leading her to search for her missing mom.

Thank you Delacorte Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review will be posted on Instagram.com/torrey.story the week of 10/8/23.

Every once and a while, a book comes along and steals your heart.

The Unmaking of June Farrow is a heartbreaking and hopeful novel about how love can cross all boundaries, even time. I knew I loved Young’s first exploration into magical realism, Spells for Forgetting, and was so excited to dive into this one. I don’t know what I was expecting, but this was the most perfect combination of fantasy, mystery, and sci-fi. June Farrow is a fantastic protagonist that enhanced the story further.

June Farrow, like all the Farrow women before her, is cursed. Everyone one of them eventually descends into madness they can’t escape. June’s mom’s solution was to disappear when she was a child. When June starts to see and hear things that aren’t there, she is more determined than ever to end the curse, by not having any children to pass it down to. When her Gran passes, June’s hallucinations are more frequent. But what if June is not hallucinating? What if that red door she keeps seeing leads to answers about her past?

I love that the theme of this book is love, but mainly familial. The women in this book are so strong and protective of each other. No family is perfect, and there are moments where they hurt each other in the process of trying to love. Seeing the love of mothers, daughters, and granddaughters portrayed in such a profound and realistic way was very touching. The romantic love was just as touching. June in the beginning is completely closed off to the idea of caring for someone in that way, believing it would be selfish of her. It was wonderful to see her grow from believing love is selfish to seeing how selfless it is.

The small-town atmosphere of this town is enchanting. Much like in Spells for Forgetting, this book takes place in a small tight-knit community, that lends itself to intrigue and mystery. Young has a talent for bringing fantasy elements into our mundane world in a way that feels believable. I was so utterly enchanted by the setting that I felt like I was there.

I did not expect such a fantastic mystery, but it was so clever. We have the mystery of the Farrow curse and June’s mother that wove a complex and detailed plot. The twists and turns, for the most part, took me by surprise, and the ending shocked me! It was such a satisfying, if not a bittersweet, conclusion to the emotional journey I had been through.

If I had to nitpick, the only thing I’d say is the mystery aspect of this book got a little too heavy at the end. While time travel was explained throughout the book, there is a dense section at the end, that is key to the story but hard to get through. Things also wrap up a tad too nicely for the mystery aspect, but these are very minor things that did not detract from my fantastic reading experience.

The Unmaking of June Farrow is going to be a beloved book. I would compare this to Addie la Rue in terms of the character depth while having a more active plot. Pick up this book if you love mysterious small towns, strong women, and love stories that transcend time.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse Publishing Group for the advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions shared are my own.

Expressing my enjoyment for this book feels nearly impossible. The Unmaking of June Farrow effortlessly weaves together elements of magical realism, time travel, and overarching witchy elements. Through the journey of June Farrow, who fearlessly confronts perils to break her family's curse, unravel her mother's vanishing, and embrace love, the narrative captivated me.

Normally, I skeptical about stories involving time travel, given the tendency for unresolved questions. Astonishingly, by the book's conclusion, every inquiry I held found a satisfying resolution. Though I completed the book just a few days back, I'm already eagerly anticipating revisiting its pages in the near future.

Breathtaking - Unpredictable - Magic

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5
📚: magical realism/mystery

🤍 read if you like
▫️ time travel
▫️ murder mysteries
▫️ magical intrigue
▫️ second chance romance
▫️ mad woman - by TS

All the women in the Farrow family are cursed with the same fate: at some point, young or old, they will start to go mad. It happened to her mother when June was just a baby, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. When the hallucinations start, June knows her time is coming. But when her grandmother dies, and leaves her a cryptic letter, June starts to wonder if there's more to the Farrow women's history than she thought.

This is a little bit like Adrienne Young's last book, Spells for Forgetting, but also nothing like it at all! The story is completely unique, surprised me left and right, and had me mentally constructing a timeline/investigation board in my imagination to try and follow the progression of the story (insert A Beautiful Mind gif). The twists and turns kept me wondering right up until the reveal! What reminded me of Spells for Forgetting was Young's way of weaving magical realism into a light thriller. It was all so well crafted that I couldn't put it down!

True to all of Adrienne Young's books, the writing in this is atmospheric and beautiful, and the imagery is masterful! I felt like I was IN June Farrow's shoes; I could see myself dancing at the Midsummer Faire, and feel myself in the fields with her, looking for something that shouldn't be there. Am I slowly going mad too?

Overall this book is a blend of magical realism and mystery, but it's just as much about love, self-discovery, sacrifice, and the lengths one will go for those they love.

CW: remember that while Adrienne Young has several YA books, this one is an adult novel, with more mature themes and elements.

This is not my normal genre but I really enjoyed this book! The characters felt like real people and caused me to feel real emotions. It was fairly easy to follow and well written. I liked it!

“The Unmaking of June Farrow” has left me speechless. I could not put this book down. I lost sleep over trying to understand the mysteries folded into this story. The writing style and world-building were eery and addicting. I absolutely loved “Spells for Forgetting,” Adrienne Young’s first adult novel. A perfect combination of all my favorite elements to a story - mystery, romance, and magic. All those elements apply to this novel as well, yet so distinct and unique from Spells. I will not reveal anything to you about this plot because the journey of all the pieces coming together was so intriguing and beautiful. All I will mention is “Timeless” by Taylor Swift.

Thank you very much Adrienne Young for this story. Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Like Adrienne Young's last genre-blending adult title, Spells for Forgetting, The Unmaking of June Farrow features accessible, readable prose with moments of beauty and clarity, and tips its hat to a few genres. Part historic fiction, part time-travel fantasy, and part mystery, there is a lot of draw potential readers in. Young's protagonist, the titular June Farrow, is a more delicate and understated character. Fans of punchy and forceful main characters might struggle to connect with June, but I found her to be intriguing enough to follow.

Unfortunately, this book stumbled quite a bit. Young seemed to struggle balancing the many threads of this story. While time travel features heavily and the main character spends the majority of the story in a decade not her own, it rarely feels immersive enough to come across as historic fiction. Other than the occasional mention of clothing or decoration, there's not a strong grounding in the time period. Likewise, the romantic subplot falls short. There is a lack of believability behind Eamon's change of heart regarding June. There is not much on June's side either, besides physical attraction and arising memories. When they do get together, it had me asking why. It didn't feel earned. The romance got even more muddled by what felt like an attempt at a love triangle? I'm still questioning the presence of the odd interludes into a parallel June's emerging relationship with another man. Halfhearted at best, these mentions were sparse, seemingly random, and felt out-of-place. At no point did this element assert itself as strong enough to potentially threaten the obvious conclusion of who June would end up with.

The various mystery elements, including the main whodunit question in the book, are where Young shines strongest in this release. The mystery is engaging and interesting, and will really have you piecing together clues. Central to this mystery subplot, however, is another area where Young seems to have stumbled. Young seems to have had a bone to pick with religion in this book. Critiques of religion can be wonderful and compelling additions to literature, but in this case it felt forceful. It's never explained why the religious people in town dislike the Farrows--this is told to the reader, it seems, merely to establish how bad the religious people are. Likewise the reader is told repeatedly, long before they are shown, how bad and evil the villain (a religious figure) is. Young's handling of this element simply felt poorly done. It lacked nuance; it lacked clarity. It seemed to be a way for her to express some personal dislike, but it really didn't do the story any service.

Thanks, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of The Unmaking of June Farrow in exchange for a review.

Let me start by saying I liked this more than Spells for Forgetting. I was quickly invested in the story from the beginning, and I liked June. I’ve encountered a few whiny, female lead characters recently and it was refreshing.

The story did drag a bit in the middle, but the end was well thought out and wrapped up nicely.

Overall, 3.5 ⭐️. I’d definitely own a copy for my personal library.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book! Adrienne Young has really nailed enchanted world building, and I was captivated by this book that somehow managed to contain all the elements of a fantasy, sci-fi, romance, and a murder mystery. It took a while for the book to really come together (in part due to the development of the main character), but there were twists I weren’t expecting, endings that were bitter sweet, and the overarching power of a mother’s love. Really enjoyed and looking forward to what else the author has to offer!

What a heartbreakingly beautiful story. I have never read a book quite like this one. It is a story about family and risking everything to protect the ones you love that has resonated with me so deeply. Days later and I’m still thinking about it.

What to expect:
Atmospheric writing
Small town
Murder/mystery
Time travel
Love/Family relationships

I devoured this book! The writing and character growth, the complex relationships and the world. Every element was executed to perfection. And the tears! So many tears! 😭

I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything. I went into this one blind and I don’t know what I was expecting but it definitely wasn’t this (in the best way possible, of course!)

I highly recommend adding this one to your tbr 🖤

Release date: October 17, 2023

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

This is the best book I’ve read this year and I’ve read 300 so far. Words cannot express the feelings it elicited in me. I’m still speechless from it and I finished it almost 24 hours ago. I’m going to leave a review on goodreads once I can regain my thoughts and I’ll post on Insta under liadanblue and grimreadersbookcult once it’s released. Seriously, I want to be buried with this book, it was that good.

Finishing this book just a few minutes ago, I’m left heartbroken that it ended. From start to finish I was absolutely enthralled with the interwoven words and stunning writing from the author. It captured my attention from the very start and held me throughout, which is something to applaud for books like this. It kept me constantly guessing and eager to find out how it was all tied up. I can safely say I’ll be recommending this book for forever and on. The ending had me tearing up and jaw dropped. Literally CAN NOT WAIT to reread this when it comes out!!!! My new favorite.

It isn't often that a book captures my whole heart.

"The Unmaking of June Farrow" is a rare gem of a novel that slowly pulls you in so intensely that you can almost envision yourself as the heroine, and Adrienne Young is easily becoming an instant buy author for me. Her lyrical stories allow you to step into the book and live alongside her characters, without being overwhelmed with trivial details.

June Farrow comes from a long line of cursed women and she has vowed to be the last. Raised by her grandmother after her mother's disappearance when she was 7 months old, June always knew that the curse would come for her - but she didn't realize it would be so soon. After the death of her grandmother she is the last Farrow daughter and her determination to end the curse is met with more questions than answers. Why did her grandmother send her a photo of her mother dated decades before her birth? What causes their minds to slowly unravel - like a fraying rope? As June confesses the progress of her mental deteretion, she is shocked to find that her Grandmother's oldest friend encourages her to walk through the door she was sure until that moment only existed in her mind. Birdie tells her that it is only through the door that she'll find those answers.

This book pulled me in and I didn't want it to end. Captivating and emotional, this book is an absolute must read and I can't wait until publish so I can add another brilliant story to my shelves.
So appreciative to be an ARC reader on this one, and will recommend this book to anyone that will listen to me!

I adored this book! I think this is my favorite by her so far. The storyline is so fun, and the mystery of what will happen keeps you guessing right up to the last chapter.