I was in a weird reading slump, so it took me forever to finish this - I debated between 3 & 4 stars. While I did enjoy the story premise, I felt like it took 75% of the book for the true enticement to start for me. Junie was also a little insufferable tbh, but then I do remind myself that she was 16 lol. She just treated Caleb so horrid at times.

My biggest bone to pick was honestly the ending. It was so open ended. I honestly felt like maybe I was missing a chapter because we didn’t get any closure for literally anybody?? I was hoping we could get a little follow up. Overall, this was a nice debut from the author and I feel like I learned a lot about the enslaved family unit within the plantations. I got emotional at times thinking about the abuse and how sometimes families were torn apart. I appreciated bringing education and awareness to this part of history.

This book deserves more than 5 stars!!!

Oh the tears! It has been so long since a book has had me cry like this.

The writing is spectacular and when I say I was STUCK reading this? I was stuck. Fell asleep last night with book in hand because I could not keep my eyes open any longer and I had it right back in hand this morning the moment I opened my eyes.

I decided to read physically in tandem with listening via audiobook and the audio is also spectacular.

Junie is easily a top read for 2025 and it’s going to take a damn good story to come close to it.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the advanced reader copy.

Junie is a book that became an unexpected and fascinating story for me. Mostly historical fiction, the story is engaging with good character development and a strong and likable female protagonist. But the touch of magical realism made the book more creative and interesting. The setting is an Alabama plantation just before the start of the Civil War and I think that the author did a great job of depicting the life of a young slave girl working as a house maid. Apparently Junie’s story is somewhat unusual as she was chosen to work in the house and be a companion for the master’s young daughter in spite of her darker skin. Her friendship with the master’s daughter, Violet is probably somewhat unusual but the inclusions of Junie’s encounters with the ghost of her dead sister and a same sex relationship between two of characters in this time period really gave the story more pizzazz. Of course, I expected abuse and mistreatment of slaves to be included and this was accurately depicted but the book was so much more than this. It’s a story that makes the reader cheer for the likable characters and hate the horrible ones and I do like books that elicit emotion. I even enjoyed the open and mysterious ending - not all wrapped up in a neat little package. A great read - very much recommended!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

I think this is definitely the book for a lot of people, but I am not a big fan of the genre despite my best efforts. I keep trying, and it's totally me.

This was such a great debut book! I really loved how the author let Junie have all her feelings that a lot of authors don’t write. I loved Junie, she was my favorite character. Second favorite was Caleb. I was upset at first with their ending, but once I read the authors note I only felt sadness. Knowing this story was loosely based on the authors family history makes the story more impactful. This book just really made me realize even more how awful the history in our country is.

Junie, a young adult historical fiction novel, follows the life of 16-year-old Delilah June, also known as Junie.

Junie serves as the maid to her slave owner’s daughter, Violet. After a visit from wealthy guests threatens life as she knows it, she inadvertently summons her sister Minnie's spirit with a desperate act. With help from Caleb, the wealthy guests coachman, a friendship forms, and she discovers dark secrets of the plantation. As she fights for freedom and love, Junie must decide what to leave behind.

One thing I really enjoyed in this book was the relationship between Junie and Caleb. The first half of the book is relatively slow-paced, but it picks up significantly in the second half. I would recommend this book.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book is beautiful! The writing, the imagery, the words speak of a tragic beauty of a 16 year old slave girl trying to find her 'sublime' beauty in life! This story is very tragic, so if that is something you have a hard time with, this is not the book for you.

Junie is a 16 year old slave girl who has been enslaved since birth. She cooks and cleans and is the lady's maid for Violet McQueen, the daughter of the Bellereine plantation owner. She dreams of faraway lands and writes poetry. She roams the first near by in grief of her dead sister Minnie.

When wealthy guests arrive from New Orleans, hinting at marriage for Violet and upending Junie’s life, she commits a desperate act—one that rouses Minnie’s spirit from the grave, tethered to this world unless Junie can free her. Minnie gives the tasks that must be done to free her. Junie can not do it alone and asks the guest's coachman Caleb to help in exchange for teaching him to read. Their time together turns their arrangement into something more , and they can no longer stay away from each other.

When we choose love and liberation, what must we leave behind? Let's read Junie's story and find out.

I love love love the characterization in this book. Junie with her carefree personality and her ability to still dream. Her family who has been so broken down they refuse to live any life. Violet who gets in trouble for not following the norms of society. Bea the Beautiful troublemaker. Caleb the steadfast rock who ground Junie. Each character is so distinctive and so well developed.

The desolation of the tragic events is so well created in the writing and the imagery. The quiet dark forest, the miles and miles of cotton fields, the dirt roads with plantations at the dead end. Truly stunningly written.

This is definitely more character based then plot based so there are areas that are slow and feel a little meandering. I understand this is there to show regular normal life before tragedy hits but it was really hard to get through parts in the middle. The last 100 pages were a slam dunk and I could not stop reading after that point.

Junie is such a beautiful character. I loved her voice because it was so honest and raw for a time period that a voice would be silenced. The story was well told and concluded just perfectly.

4.5 stars

I had a hard time putting this book down once I started. Junie was a compelling and well-developed character, and while there were many times when I wanted to yell at her to slow down and stop and think, I also understood her inability to be what everyone around her seemed to want her to be. To her family, she was going to get herself hurt or killed with her inability to stop wanting what was impossible in their eyes. To Violet, her master's daughter, she was her best friend and confidante, but Violet could never imagine Junie refusing her anything. To Caleb, she was his middle C (my heart stopped when I read that), but she was also going to get herself killed. To most of the white adults as well as some of the other house slaves, she was too dark to be a maid.

Even when I felt like yelling at her to slow down and stop what you're doing or you're going to get yourself or someone else killed, I also cheered on her courage to do or say what needed to be done.

In some ways, this story reminded me of Gone With the Wind, except it was written from one slave's point-of-view. The fact that parts of this story was based on the author's own family made this all the more poignant, although she readily states that much of the story was made up. Still, some of the characters were inspired by real life members of her family, including Junie.

I am blown away by this debut novel and cannot wait to read more by this talented author. She can tell a story and make you care about the characters.

As an aside, I loved the gorgeous cover!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was one of the best books I read all year. A historical fictional tale of a woman who is determined to break barriers while living under the thumb of a family during the Civil War. This coming-of-age story wraps up all that a reader would want--mystery, romance, a strong heroine and even supernatural elements. This book does not dissapoint!

Beautiful and moving historical fiction and coming of age novel that takes place on an Alabama Plantation just before the Civil War.. Junie is a slave that serves the daughter of a wealthy family ( Violet) and has lost her sister and is grieving. She learns that Violet may marry meaning she will have to follow her and leave the plantation. Tons of family secrets unravel and there is plenty of good plot to this novel.. There is even some romance and some magical realism. Junie’s deceased sister appears to her in the woods. Junie’s character is so developed. You get to know her and her dreams and you are rooting for her to fight for her freedom, even though it may mean painfully ,leaving her family behind. I loved the ending not knowing exactly what will happen with Caleb in the future, leaving the door open to possibility. Stunning work for a debut. I don’t usually love magical realism but this just had the one element where Junie’s deceased sister appears to her and wants her to finish some unfinished business for her. I do think this element could have been written more seamlessly into the story. But that’s a minor criticism overall. Well worth the read!

A haunting and lyrical blend of historical fiction and magical realism, *Junie* is a powerful coming-of-age story rooted in grief, love, and liberation. The emotional weight of Junie’s journey—from mourning her sister to uncovering dark plantation secrets—feels intimate and immersive. Her love of poetry adds beauty to even the bleakest moments, and the supernatural thread with Minnie’s spirit is handled with subtlety and grace. While parts of the story unfold slowly, the payoff is worth it. Junie’s fight for agency in a world that denies her power is both heartbreaking and hopeful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! This haunting debut is emotional, heartbreaking, and eye opening. It gives an insight into Black American history and magical realism in the American South during pre-Civil War. Junie is a very emotional coming-of-age story. Without too much spoilers, the author's note just made it more...ugggh...my heart.

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine is a novel that really snuck up on me. I’ll admit, the first half felt a little slow—it took me a bit to settle into the rhythm of the story. But once it found its footing in the second half, I was completely drawn in. The emotional payoff was so worth it.

I especially loved the relationship between Junie and Caleb—it was tender and genuine, and added a layer of hope to the story. The friendship between Junie and Violet was another highlight. It’s messy, complicated, and incredibly human, which made it all the more impactful.

The author’s note at the end was one of my favorite parts. It really underscored Eckstine’s goal of portraying Junie as an individual rather than a symbol of a collective experience, and I think she absolutely succeeded in that. Junie felt real—complex, flawed, and fully alive on the page.

The only thing that didn’t quite land for me was the magical realism. It was an interesting addition, but I wish it had been a bit more developed to blend more seamlessly with the rest of the story.

Overall, a powerful and thought-provoking read that I’d definitely recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is like nothing I’ve ever read before and I’m so glad I did. This is a powerful, gut wrenching story that will stick with you for a long time. I was sucked in from the beginning and didn’t want it to end. The author is incredibly talented and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

This book was clearly the author’s passion project. It was beautifully written and vividly described. Junie was ahead of her time, with dreams and intelligence but stuck in the wrong era. The novel also had a supernatural element, with her sister being a ghost. However, I did find that the language sometimes didn’t quite fit the 1860s setting. It could’ve been a bit shorter too. The ending was a bit frustrating, as I wasn’t expecting it. Despite this, the novel is a heartwarming story of compassion, resilience, and love.

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

Junie is a simply beautiful book. Hauntingly beautiful. It’s a story of loss and renewal and connection to ourselves and the people we love. I was transported into Junie’s world, motivations, and quandaries, and was thoroughly invested in her from the first page. I’m so glad I got to know her spirit, her family, and her journey over the course of these pages. This is a quick but dense read and will have you feeling a heartache and nostalgia that won’t leave for a while. It’s the best kind of book hangover!

This is hands down one of my favorite reads of 2025 so far, and I cannot believe it's a debut! I was hooked right from the beginning. And the ending had my heart racing the entire time. It's been a while since I've had this strong of a reaction to a novel, but wow! I can't wait for Erin's next novel!

Junie is a story that has been told many times over, but Crosby Eckstine does a fantastic job at making a classic narrative seem new again.

I received a free copy of Junie by Erin Crosby Ecksteine through netgate for review, I received no compensation for this review. All opinions and thoughts written here are my own.

I just finished reading Junie by Erin Crosby Ecksteine. I think this was a beautiful piece of work weaving together. Truth and fiction in an interesting way. There's only a couple of things that really didn't feel right to me. I'm sorry to say I'm that would be Junie and her ability to read well. I believe that that was probably true for a few black people around that time. Truthfully, I think people would have been more careful about it because a black person could be killed for such a thing as well as their owner for even teaching them. So I think the author could have used a little more authenticity by being a little more careful about Junie's ability and love for books. The only other issue I have is with violence character. If she was truly the way that she was portrayed in her sexuality would not Junie have been her first love perhaps? Rather than her husband's sister? Or wouldn't she have had friends from school that sort of thing? There seemed to be a disconnect there to my way of thinking. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book and I wish the best for Aaron Crosby Ecksteine as she moves through her writing career. Thank you so much for creating this piece of work and allowing readers like myself to enjoy it