I will read anything this author writes. Even her grocery list. Adored this book as well as all of her other works!

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young.

4 STARS.

Magical realism or whimsy? Or maybe both? Adrienne Young is good at writing this genre, either way. This is the second offering I've read by the author and continue to be impressed by the writing, world building and characterisation.

The women in June Farrow’s family are cursed. Her mother left her on the streets as a baby during her descent into madness, and now her grandmother has passed away under similar circumstances. June is the last remaining Farrow woman, and she believes she’s about to meet a similar fate when her own mind begins to unravel.

Haunted by hallucinations and eerie memories, June begins to see her doctor and prepare for the worst. But then her grandmother sends her a message from beyond the grave – a mysterious letter and photograph posted just before she died. These could be the key to unlocking a mystery spanning over a century, and stopping the curse of the Farrow women.

What unravels is not June’s mind, but a beautiful, time-slip love story.

I’ve taken my time getting round to this novel which was a huge hit last year. I have to admit, I read the author’s Spells For Forgetting a few years ago and wasn’t blown away by it – whilst it was beautifully written, the plot just didn’t grab my attention.

But, with June Farrow, this author has taken things up a notch. She draws a rich tapestry of life, love and magic set against a stunning backdrop of rural Americana. This book has just the right amount of magical realism combined with authentic emotion – it actually reminded me of one of my all-time favourites, The Time Traveller’s Wife.

The time travel gets a little complicated, and there’s a murder mystery in the mix to keep track of too, but I never felt lost in this novel – just utterly absorbed. Despite its many threads, this complex story felt seamless and heartfelt.

I couldn't read this as an ebook for some reason so will get it when it comes out! Sorry! (Leaving a 4 star review to be fair.)

I absolutely love Adrienne Young's writing. June Farrow buries her grandmother but she does not bury her secrets. She wants to know more about her mother and father and receives a necklace and a mysterious picture that sets off a chain of events. Then June steps through the red door and everything changes. I loved the mystery in this one and how it all unfolded. There was one big reveal I didn’t see coming.

Thanks to Quercus for the review copy.

When I picked up The Unmaking of June Farrow, I wasn't expecting such an emotional rollercoaster. Oh my.
The whole novel was captivating with intriguing characters, such good time travel elements (though I had to really concentrate to get how time travel worked in this universe), and a little murder tossed into the mix. Such a great combination! It all fit together so well and I was on the edge of my seat, wanting to know how it would all play out. I loved this book so, so much!!

Think this was just not for me. Love Adrienne Young normally. Maybe wrong time? Bought this book as I was way behind on my ARCs. The writing was really good, I just couldn’t get into the story.

June Farrow is cursed, her whole family line is, her mother went mad and disappeared and now she herself can see and hear things that aren’t there; voices, chimes and a door that appears out of nowhere. When June’s grandmother dies and she finds more clues about the curse, June decides to risk it all and the next time that door appears, to walk through it and face what has plagued her for so long.

I don’t want to give much away as to what is beyond the door that June walks through, which means I can’t talk about much of the book, but needless to say that Adrienne Young one again demonstrates that she is an incredible storyteller. There is a magic/scif fi – fantasy element to this, of course, I mean doors are just appearing, and a murder plot with twists and turns a plenty. But the true heart of this story is that it’s a love story, a heartbreaking, beautiful love story that is so endearing and intimate to read, a real delicious and tender slow burn.

This book really does have something for everyone – sci-fi/fantasy, a feminist empowering protagonist you will absolutely love (truly Young knows how to write a badass female lead!), murder mystery, themes of family, romance, sacrifice and self discovery – and it’s intertwined perfectly by Young.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Once again Adrienne Young has reminded me why she is one of my favourite authors for bringing to life a complex and original story with beautiful characters that you can’t help but love. This was such an enjoyable and easy read.

"A woman risks everything to end her family’s centuries-old curse, solve her mother’s disappearance, and find love in this mesmerizing novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Spells for Forgetting."

"In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors."

"It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own.

"After her grandmother’s death, June discovers a series of cryptic clues regarding her mother’s decades-old disappearance, except they only lead to more questions. But could the door she once assumed was a hallucination be the answer she’s been searching for? The next time it appears, June realizes she can touch it and walk past the threshold. And when she does, she embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but also uncover the lingering mysteries of her small town and entangle her heart in an epic star-crossed love."
I absolutely fell in love with this book, now one of my absolute favourites. Its just a perfect blend of fantasy/ mystery and sci fi
this book will move you to tears 😢 thank you netgally for this ARC I thourally enjoyed and will have this book living rent free in my brain always xxx

I absolutely adored Fable By Adrienne so I'm always looking forward to her newest releases. This book was absolutely beautiful. Would definitely recommend.

What a beautifully written book. I really loved the story and the mystery worked in too. I wasn’t sure on the ending though and felt like I had a lot of unanswered questions. I like to know everything. But possibly that was the point? I would still recommend it and definitely read more by this author.

Thank you for the e-arc of The unmarking of June Farrow.
I found this novel beautifully written and the story just unfolded perfectly.
The storyline is unique and Adrienne Young keeps you invested in the characters and story.

Beautifully written, steeped in atmosphere, combing romance and foreboding. June Farrow lives in a small town on a flower farm. When her grandmother passes away, she receives a photo of her mother but the photo is impossible because its from the early 1900's. June has always known her family is cursed with madness but now that curse is gaining clarity and turning her life upside down - because the Farrow women can time travel. Following an impossible trail, June seeks answers about her mother, her family and lastly, herself.

A captivating, fantastical story about family legacy and finding oneself, with some lovely supporting male characters to bring some romance.

I adored this book.

This was my last book of 2023 and what a high to end the year on. The Unmaking of June Farrow is such a gorgeous, introspective and quietly magical book. It reminded me in vibes to Addie La Rue.

The writing and the characters are absolutely stunning. I was utterly gripped by this book and can’t wait to get my own physical copy. Adrienne Young does it again.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Magical realism, time travel and a mystery timeline what else could a reader want? When June starts to 'see' images and parts of a story she thinks that she has the same curse as the other women in her family. having been left in an alley by her mother who then disappeared forever and raised by her grandmother June tries to hide what is happening to her from this around er. hen her grandmother dies the glimpses into another life increase and June starts to look more closely at her family tree and what happens. What June finds is not anything what she expected and the further she spiralled into her story the more her family history made sense until it was time for June to decide where she wanted to stay forever.

I absolutely loved Spells for Forgetting so I was delighted to find out about Adrienne Young's second adult novel, I've also read her YA series Fabel and enjoyed it.

Adrienne Young really excels at creating atmospheric settings, within pages we are completely transported to Jasper, North Carolina where June Farrow spends her days working at her family's flower farm and wondering when the curse that has plagued the Farrow women will come to claim her.

This is magical realism at it's finest, it's beautifully written, there's plenty of intrigue and mystery as June tries to figure out more about her family's curse. The Unmaking of June Farrow is a multi generational story, with a bittersweet and beautiful message about family.

I only wish it was a little longer as I felt the romance was a little underdeveloped but honestly I just wanted more! This book has cemented Adrienne Young as one of my auto buy authors though and I cannot wait to see what else she has to offer.

Utterly captivating and beautifully written. I cannot get these characters and this story out of my head. I only finish it 5 days ago and I am constantly fighting the urge to immediately reread it.

One of the best books I’ve read in a very long time!! And definitely a new all time favourite that I will go back to multiple times!

June Farrow is the last in a long line of cursed Farrow women, who all slowly start to lose their minds with an unknown alignment that has plagued their family line. When June starts to see and hear things that aren’t there, she worries her time is coming to an end, that the curse has finally set in for her too. Then see she’s the red door. A red door that could change everything when she finally decides to walk through it and risk everything to attempt to end her family’s curse.

Every time I had to put this book down, I immediately wanted to pick it back up! It works a slow, captivating charm upon you, until you find yourself so deeply intwined with the story and characters, unable to look away.

This book truly engages your mind and I found myself excitedly theorising and attempting to spot any foreshadowing for clues of what was to come. From this, I did guess the ending, but not in a this-book-is-predictable kind of way, rather in a I’m-constantly-thinking-about-it-and-OMG-I-was-right-and-I-love-this-so-much kind of way.

Adrienne Young is one of my favourite authors and has been for a long while. Yet this book not only shot to the top of all of her books for me (something I wasn’t sure was possible - Sky in the Deep had been solidly number one for a long while) but also an absolute favourite book of all time for me!! I love it so much and cannot wait to reread it!! (I’m desperately trying to hold off starting it again right now, not sure how long I will hold out honestly! I love it so much and I just want to experience it all over again!)

Adrienne Young is officially an auto-buy author for me from now on. The mood, the vibes, the storytelling across generations, and the twists – it all adds up to an unforgettable read that stays with you. Thrills and chills galore, twists and turns and intrigue – I couldn’t put it down. Read this on a day when you have no plans, because you’ll want to read it in one go.

*I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

"The Unmaking of June Farrow" by Adrienne Young is a captivating blend of mystery, romance, and the supernatural. Set in the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, the story follows June Farrow as she grapples with her family's cursed history and her mother's unexplained disappearance. Young's evocative writing keeps the plot moving at a quick pace, drawing readers into a world filled with mystery, love, and sacrifice. The atmospheric setting of Jasper adds depth to the narrative, and the exploration of familial legacy and the enduring power of love resonates on a deeply human level. While some readers might desire further exploration of certain plot elements, the novel's strengths lie in its compelling storytelling and emotional resonance. Overall, "The Unmaking of June Farrow" is a captivating and unforgettable journey that showcases Adrienne Young's talent as a storyteller.

4/5

4-4.25 stars

This book was the perfect blend of magical realism, romance and mystery, with a heart-warming and heart-wrenching multi-generational story at its core.

Adrienne Young’s writing is absolutely stunning, and immediately hooked me. The setting was so atmospheric, and I was entranced by the unravelling of June’s story right up until the final page.

I feel like I can’t say too much about this book in fear of spoiling it, but it had some unexpected twists, and the while the ending was satisfying and felt “right”, it was also a little bittersweet. I loved the emphasis on family relationships and the sacrifices we make for the ones we love.

I do wish this book had been a little longer, though. 50-100 extra pages would have allowed for more character and relationship development. I also couldn’t quite wrap my head around some of the fantasy elements and would like to have known the origin of them, which could have potentially been explored if the book was longer.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Unmaking of June Farrow, and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thankyou to NetGalley and Quercus Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.