I loved this book. The story is so heartbreaking, and Junie is such a wonderful character. The focus on the psychological, mental, and emotional abuse — as well as physical — that enslaved people had to deal with was literally shocking. So many twists and turns in this book, heartbreak, absolute horror at what people *are* capable of doing for their own ego, as well as hope. So glad I prioritized this one.

I was asked to review “Junie” by Erin Crosby Eckstine. I love historical fiction, but this was the first time I have read something with a touch of magic realism.

Here we meet Junie, who has been enslaved in an Alabama since birth. She has tragically lost her sister, whom she still sees and speaks too. But this is much more than a ghost story. Junie is also friends with Violet, the daughter of the plantation owner. It’s through Violet that she meets Caleb, a young man indentured to a family of the man Violet is set to marry. Events set Junie on a trajectory where she faces many obstacles, but ultimately, she perseveres.

Junie is a thoughtful character who jumps from the page. Though her story is sad, she and the reader are still able to find joy. The writing is descriptive and evocative. I have read many pre-Civil War novels (the novel is set in 1860-1) but none set in Alabama. The novel does a good job of detailing the life of a young enslaved woman without romanticizing the Old South.

Four stars.

Thanks to the publisher, author and Net Galley for a chance to read and review this book.

"Junie" is a powerful and haunting debut that masterfully blends historical fiction with elements of the supernatural. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, this novel tells the story of Junie, a young enslaved girl on the Bellereine Plantation, as she confronts deep grief, forbidden love, and the dark secrets that surround her.

The book's strength lies in its rich, atmospheric writing and the emotional depth of its protagonist. Junie's journey is both heartbreaking and inspiring, as she grapples with the loss of her sister Minnie and the heavy burden of her existence. The inclusion of Minnie's ghost adds a poignant layer to the narrative, symbolizing the unresolved pain and trauma that haunt Junie and her world.

The relationship between Junie and Caleb is tender and well-developed, offering a glimpse of hope and love amid the harsh realities of their lives. The author skillfully portrays the tension between the characters' desire for freedom and the oppressive forces that seek to control them.

While the pacing occasionally slows, particularly in the middle of the book, the compelling storyline and well-drawn characters keep the reader engaged. The novel's exploration of love, power, and the fight for liberation is thought-provoking, and it raises important questions about the costs of freedom and the sacrifices that must be made.

"Junie" is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel that will stay with you long after the final page. It's a story of resilience, courage, and the unbreakable bonds of family, making it a worthy read for fans of historical fiction and those looking for a fresh perspective on the Civil War era.

Junie is the story of an enslaved girl coming of age on a plantation in Alabama, beginning to discover that her lifelong relationship with her white "best friend" is one of ownership, not friendship, and that the sense of freedom she feels roaming the forest near her home can never be truly hers. The author notes that she chose to focus on the psychological, emotional, and social degradations of slavery more than the physical ones, and that aspect of the novel made a compelling story. But I found the recurring presence of Junie's dead sister in the form of a spirit who needed her help to be a bit of a distraction from the realism of other sections of the story, and a thread that detracted rather than added to the novel's value.

Thank you netgalley for this arc !!

I absolutely loved this book!! I put a link to my full review on my instagram !! https://www.instagram.com/p/C-5TFOjgFth/?igsh=MXc2b25xdGt6cjZoeQ==

Junie is a detailed account of a young woman and the role she plays in a wealthy family. It's a long book, and the story is full of disappointment, scandal, hope, love, and self-expression. I took my time with this one because the subject was heavy with grief. Be warned. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger Warnings: use of racial slur, racism, violence, abuse, domestic violence, racism based abuse

What a beautiful and heart wrenching narrative, one that explores the complexities of enslaved people, and works to effectively portray an experience that is often forgotten and ignored in literature.

In the beginning of her author’s note, Erin Crosby Eckstine writes, “I wrote June intending to create a well-rounded and human portrayal of an enslaved character, someone I felt I’d rarely seen in literature.”

And boy does she deliver.

Protagonist Junie, who endeavors to discover the mystery behind her recently deceased sister, and to even greater extent, discover who she is and her desire for freedom and the life she deserves, is one of more complex protagonists I have experienced in more recently releases. She is a fully 3-dimensional character. She gets angry, loves to read, falls in love, has complicated feelings about Violet. I never grew tired of her, and loved seeing her grow and start to fight for herself.

She feels real to me, like I could see her running through the forests in my brain.

Speaking of, the writing for this book is absolutely gorgeous. I felt like I could feel, see, taste, touch, and smell everything in this book.

I cannot wait to read more from this author, and eagerly embrace every new voice she encourages us to hear.

Junie is a captivating and deeply moving novel that masterfully blends historical fiction with a touch of magical realism. Set in pre-Civil War Alabama, the story follows Junie, an enslaved girl whose life is marked by the brutal realities of her time. However, the novel takes an intriguing turn when Junie begins to communicate with the ghost of her sister, a unique element that adds depth and emotional resonance to the narrative.

Eckstine’s storytelling is rooted in personal history, drawing from tales passed down through her own family, which imbues the novel with authenticity and intimacy. The rich portrayal of Junie’s world, combined with the delicate handling of complex themes like slavery, loss, and survival, makes this novel a powerful read. The infusion of magical realism doesn’t detract from the historical setting but rather enriches it, offering readers a nuanced perspective on the resilience of the human spirit.

A must-read for all ages, Junie is a genre-bending novel that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of Erin Crosby Eckstine's novel Junie.

As a sixteen year old girl enslaved since birth on Bellereine Plantation Junie navigates the balance of being owned by the McQueen family and being the "best friend" to their daughter Violet. I thoroughly enjoyed the way that Eckstine portrayed Junie as a strong personality. One that, despite being a slave, had a vision and a dream.

Additionally, Junie is visited by the ghost of her deceased sister, Minnie, who leads her through a mystery that results in Junie learning well-kept secrets involving their and the McQueen family.

As a debut novel, Eckstine should be lauded for writing a touching, riveting, page-turning novel. I couldn't wait to see how Junie's story unfolded.

Junie is a debut novel by Erin Crosby Eckstine. It follows sixteen year old Junie who has been enslaved with her family on a plantation in Alabama for her entire life. The book portrays her grief after her sister dies, and her love of poetry and nature. An intense story unfolds, and it’s a page turner. With beautiful writing and a strong narrative voice, it’s a solid debut. The cover is also stunning and is what caught my eye in the first place.

This might be my favorite book of the year, if not ever. "Junie" is a beautifully crafted tale of bravery, family, perseverance, loss, and love. The story follows Junie, a 16-year-old slave on an Alabama plantation, as she copes with the grief of her sister's death the previous year.

After encountering her sister Minnie's ghost and uncovering secrets about her past, Junie embarks on completing three tasks to bring peace to Minnie's soul. Through her relationships with her family, the slave-owners, a fellow slave named Caleb, poetry, and herself, Junie navigates a harsh world and makes difficult choices.

It's been a long time since a book made me tear up, but this one did it!

This book was so beautifully heartbreaking in every way. Junie might be one of my favorite characters ever and will stick with me for a long, long time. The author wrote about such a heavy and dark time in history with a beautiful hopefulness through Junie's eyes. Erin's Author's Note at the end broke my heart and put it back together equally. Must, must, must read.

This book was beautifully written. I was immediately hooked by the way the author imagined the characters. They were complicated, broken, and yet all somehow tied together no matter what their social divides were. This was definitely a book that I could not put down up until the very end. Surprise twists and turns kept happening up until the very at end of this book. I was left feeling sad for the way that the characters of this era felt trapped in their lives. I also felt hopeful that there would be peace and better days ahead for these characters. I definitely felt all the emotions with this novel,

I was blown away by this book. What a beautiful, layered, multi-faceted depiction of the pre-Civil War south. Junie’s story is heartbreaking, thrilling, emotional, and empowering. I cannot wait until this becomes required reading in the classroom - because this is a story that needs to be heard.

A young girl, enslaved on an Alabama plantation, faces the stark changes brought by the Civil War. Lyrically written and gripping until the last page, this novel is a must-read.

Excellent book! Well written with deep characters, telling of life from a slave girls perspective at the dawn of the civil war. Her struggles were deeply felt and conveyed well. The touch of magical realism was intertwined well. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading Junie. Some may say that it was too “gentle” of a portrayal of slavery in the South. I thought it was perfect for THIS story though. The love displayed through this story from Junie’s family, to romantic love, to forbidden love was refreshing. Add in a dash of the paranormal and you’ve got your novel! Such a great read!

Wow, this was an amazing book with so much texture and grit. I loved Junie, the so called "carefree girl" who was anything but carefree, she just wanted a better life for herself. This book was very vivid and the characters so well described and defined. I really loved this book!

A thoughtful and well-written story about an enslaved girl in Alabama. For a debut, this was really good. The author has a beautiful writing style and really managed to make her characters (especially Junie) memorable. Despite the subject of slavery, there was still a lot of hopefulness to this story.
Would definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves a good historical fiction!

I devoured this book and will say with my fully chest that it deserves to be on the NYT best sellers list.

Junie traverses themes of mental health, grief, sexuality, love, race, hope, and reality in a captivating way. The characters in Junie are beautifully written. They’re complex and dynamic, making it impossible to know how they are going to react to any situation that comes their way or how their reactions will affect the direction of the story.

The plot and story are so detailed and well written that I found myself transported into 1860’s Alabama while reading— my mind even started to read the book in a southern accent at some point and I’m someone who has lived in the north my entire life.