Set in Antebellum Alabama, this gripping novel follows 16 year old Junie, an enslaved girl whose life at Bellereine Plantation takes a supernatural turn after her sister's death. When her sister Minnie's spirit becomes tethered to the mortal world, Junie must find a way to set her free while grappling with her own desires for liberation.

Erin Crosby Eckstine blends historical fiction with supernatural elements, using Junie's poetic soul and nighttime forest wanderings to contrast with the harsh realities of plantation life. This thought-provoking story explores grief, family bonds, and the price of freedom, challenging readers to consider what we're willing to sacrifice for love and liberation. I could not put this book down. If you are interested in historical fiction with a supernatural twist read this book when it comes out on February 4th!

Thank you Erin Crosby Eckstine and Random House Publishing Books/Ballantine Books for a chance to read this amazing story.

HIGHLY recommend
5.0 stars

OH, MY! This debut novel by Erin Crosby Eckstine is so, so good! It is the first book that I have read about enslavement with the story of the enslaved people being THE STORY!! I got to learn about the enslaved family bonds, their thoughts and feelings, as well as, and the loss of autonomy by being "property".

This story will live with me for a very long time. There are many twists and turns including some supernatural aspects and mysteries.

Please note: this historical novel is loosely based on Erin's 3rd great-grandmother, Jane. I love that the author has honored her ancestor so beautifully! Additionally, the subject matter was deep and hard, but worth it so it took me a while to finish it!

Published/posted dates with links
• Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6766888543; posted 10/31/2024
• Books by Dorothea - https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2024/10/review-junie-ebook.html; posted 10/31/2024

“Junie” by Erin Crosby Eckstine is a historical fiction book. In the Author’s Note (which I strongly recommend readers read), Ms. Crosby Eckstine explains how this book came to be - and I think the notes give more depth to this book. What I liked about this book was that it didn’t shy away from the horrors of slavery (focusing mainly on those of the house) but it didn’t go into such deep description to turn off the reader. Many topics are touched upon - guilt, love, family bonds, relationships - along with a dash of supernatural. I felt this was an okay book - at times the pacing was very slow and at other times (such as near the end) things seemed to race to a conclusion. I also didn’t feel like any of the characters changed/grew during this book - which was a bit disappointing. I think that the author did justice to her family in writing this story as it’s a good one, but I also feel like an editor needs to remove some of the descriptive sentences.

As a lover of historical fiction, was immediately drawn into Junie's story from the beginning to end. Junie captures a wide range of emotions, which to me, is a sign of a great storyteller. I was initially a little thrown off by the inclusion of the supernatural, however, the author did a great job of weaving the character into the story that felt natural and necessary.
There were some parts and language of the story I felt did not fit the pre Civil War era, but not significant enough to take away from the overall story.
All in all, this was a great read. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves this genre.
The best part of the book to me was the author's note. I normally do not read the author's note but I was intrigued to learn the author's inspiration for writing this book.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. I would describe it as magical realism with Junie's dead sister coming back to see her in the year after her death and trying to get her to complete 3 tasks. The brutality of slaveowners is no surprise, but it still leaves me feeling upset. Junie's spirit is admirable as she endures and tries to make her own decisions against everyone telling her what to do.

I thought this was a poignantly written historical fiction book with very strong and likable characters. I will definitely keep a lookout for this author's subsequent books.

Junie is a young girl conflicted about the life changing decisions she is facing. She knows there is more to life out there for her than what she is currently living but is not sure which path is the right one. Her ghostly sister is trying to help guide her along the way. I like how Erin Crosby Eckstine blended in a supernatural aspect without it overpowering the rest of the story. There is so much heartache in this book and Junie is a wonderfully strong character. I feel like this could be a series. I would love to know what happens to Junie next. Thanks you @NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC. I am grateful to be chosen to read this book ahead of its release date.

The story of Julie, a dark-skinned maid to the plantation owner’s daughter is fascinating. The view of slavery at the time, laced with magic and spirits, family ties, and the cruelty of slavery are all tied up in this story. Very well done.

Erin Crosby Eckstine’s Junie tells the story of pivotal year in the life of the title character during the two years leading up to the Civil War. We learn that Junie’s sister died after saving Junie from drowning. Then Junie starts seeing a golden aura of Minnie at the edge of the river in the forest. Minnie tells Junie that she is caught at the In Between and needs Junie to help her move on by completing three tasks. These tasks aren’t easy and make Junie question if her carefree self is strong enough to do them.

Eckstine paints a portrait of plantation life in the Deep South, along with the cruelty and abuse that happened to the slaves who knew no other life than what they lived. Junie has a supporting cast of characters (Violet, Caleb, Bess, Muh, and Granddaddy to name a few) that help define Junie for who she was developing into: determined, maturing, loving, family oriented, and forgiving. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House- Ballantine Books for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on February 3, 2025.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #Junie #ErinCrosbyEckstine #RandomHouse #BallantineBooks

The book starts out a little slow, and Junie was not the most likeable character despite what she was born into and the hardships of being a slave. Because she was based on a real character from the author's personal history, I wanted to like her more. It just took me such a long time to get into her as a the main character in the book because I feel like she kept making decisions that put others at risk of reprisal. In fact, by the end - no spoilers here - things came full circle because she again made rash decisions that impacted those around her in a negative way. If you love someone, sometimes you make sacrifices; and I just never felt like she understood that. Not to take away from the real character the book is based on and what she had to endure, And not to take away from the slave narrative, because slavery in the South was brutal. Much of the book, I found myself rooting for those around her, including Violet, more than Junie. Even her run ins with her sister made me frustrated, because she kept ignoring Minnie. Now, the ghost could have gone either way - good or bad - and some of the things that the ghost pushed on Junie definitely tended to validate Junie acting for herself and not others. And maybe that's the point: that slavery made people forget about the ones they love in order to get free and get their lives back on their own terms.

Ok, but the book is actually well written and enjoyable. It moves well enough, although maybe a bit of padding especially at the start that I could have done without. I also dove into it when I was perhaps less into historical fiction. I find I got though cycles with my reading tastes, and I have been setting aside historical fictions for other genres and this one landed right when I had gone on a no historical fiction kick. So, I probably needed it to be stronger to really make me say "wow, this was awesome.."

That being said, it's a good read about a young girl coming of age and learning to fight for herself in some pretty awful circumstances. If you like historical fiction set around the Civil War and/or slave narratives, this will appeal.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A southern Gothic novel about slavery, ghosts, brutality, and escape.

What an incredibly powerful book! Junie is a slave in Alabama just before the Civil War. She is maid to Violet the daughter of the McQueen family who own a plantation. Junie is grieving the loss of her sister and believes it is her fault she is dead. One day she sees her sister's ghost and she sends her on a mission that will have far reaching consequences.

My heart broke when I read Junie's story. She was an incredible character and I wanted her to find all the happiness in the world. This book is a powerful reminder about our countries past and the fact that no one should ever have to be controlled by someone else. This is great historical fiction with a touch of magic. I love a story with a strong female character and I don't think I could ever find a character stronger than Junie. Even more powerful than the story was the historical note at the end. The fact that Junie is based on the author's actual ancestor is an amazing twist. I highly recommend this historical fiction book!

Thank you to Ballantine Books/Random House Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

This book was nothing I expected, but everything that I needed. Junie is an amazing book that depicts a side of slavery that we wouldn’t know if the stories weren’t passed down from generation to generation.

This book showed love, friendship and trust, but it also showed hatred and ruthlessness. I ran through every emotion reading this book.

The depiction and depth of the characters is what draws you into their world. Junie showed the black and white perspective and that’s not something I’ve seen in many books.

This is definitely a book that should be read by everyone.

I really enjoyed reading this debut novel. Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Booksfor the ARC to read and review.
Expected publication date 2/4/2025.
Junie and her family’s story was so compelling to me. The story had it all - great historical background, memorable well drawn characters, a page turning plot and even a bit of the supernatural.
Set in Alabama on Bellereine Plantation just before the Civil War broke out, the story gave a chilling commentary on slavery and the fallacies the South was based on. I feel I learned a good deal about the period in history.
Junie was a wonderful heroine - I think readers will fall in love with her. I loved the interactions she had with her grandparents, sister, Caleb and even Violet.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the book and plot really flowed beautifully. It was a real Goodread.
I must say the ending rather floored me a bit. Just hoping it will mean we hear more of Junie’s life as it felt a bit incomplete and stunning.
.4.5 stars - the ending just fell a little flat for me.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This is a very good book about slavery in Alabama in 1860 . The story takes place in Bellereine, the mansion on a cotton plantation run by the McQueen family . Violet McQueen , an only child, grows up with her personal maid/slave/friend , Junie. Even though Junie is very dark ( mentioned many times in the story) she is allowed in the house to take care of Violet . The girls are both 16 years old. Violet is forced by her parents to marry Beau who is a very sadistic and evil person. The story follows Violet’s marriage, Julie’s deceased sister, Minnie, and the desire of the slaves to get their freedom. I enjoyed the story even though ghosts and spirits were a big part of the story.

A beautiful story about main character Junie, and her family members enslaved on a cotton plantation in pre-Civil War Alabama. We follow Junie on a journey of experiences that challenge her convictions and open doors to new perspective.

Thank you Erin Crosby Eckstine for sharing this story with readers. The language the author uses to describe the characters and their experiences is beautiful and poetic, evoking emotion at every turn. This book broke my heart yet left me with great hope.

Thanks again NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

4 stars for me. I found the book hard to put down. Junie a slave and her relationship with Violet, the plantation owners daughter, was very interesting. Violet cared for Junie almost like she was her sister, teaching her to read and treating her well. Of course nothing stays the same. The storyline of Junie and her sister Minnie added to the book. The characters were so well written that you really cared about them. There was a supernatural storyline between Junie and Minnie that I really didn't care for, but as the story went on, I saw why the author wrote it that way. All in all, a satisfying read and something different. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love racial stories and this didn't disappoint. I found the story of Junie, a young slave, and her relationship with her "best friend" a white girl, of a similar age, who Junie works for as a maid, particularly well drawn.

This is a difficult book for me to review. I never struggled reading it & it kept me engaged & the story was deep.

Junie is a 16 year old house maid who has a close relationship with Violet, the young woman she tends to. They have a very close relationship & that takes a turn when Violet is introduced to a perspective husband. This is told prior to the Civil War starting, but it is mentioned a few times throughout the book.

Some interesting characters, difficult situations & a little ghost action.

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine is going to be a "it" book. The writing was sublime and the character of Junie is one you will not soon forget. Her strength was a testament to her character. loved it.

Full review coming soon.