This book is about so much more than a sixteen year old enslaved girl who speaks to her sister’s ghost. That relationship allows her to see and confront all the aspects of her very difficult life. The author addresses the emotions that are common to all humans as her captivating characters move through the story. They each drop tidbits and jewels of insight that are valuable to everyone, including the readers. Some of her conversations include descriptions of emotions that are precisely what I’ve felt but in such beautiful language. I felt connected in some way to each character.

On top of all that, there is a fast paced story of a family and the events happening around them which are out of their control. There’s so much crammed into this book that it felt like it surely must be a series. I highly recommend this book and I’ll be watching for other books from this author.

Thank you to Ballantine and Random House for allowing me to become an advanced copy reviewer and this is my honest opinion.

4.5 ⭐️

I enjoyed following the story of Junie, a sixteen-year-old slave in Alabama as she uncovered secrets within her own family as well as the family of her enslavers.

While this book can be dark at times, the writing is beautiful and the characters, both major and minor, will have you smiling one moment and gripping your book in frustration the next. This is a book I won’t soon forget and look forward to re-reading when it is released next year.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this novel.

Its an amazing read. I was immediately drawn into the characters and didn't want the book to stop. The character development is through the roof and you will enjoy this read.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Extremely well-written!

About The Main Character:
Junie is a 16 year old plantation slave whose days are filled with serving the McQueen family and working alongside her family. She navigates her daily struggles through her relationships and finds solace in escaping into the woods to be alone.

I was immediately transported back in time by this story. This book shone so much light on slavery and explained the experiences so well. No one has ever humanized a slaves experiences like Erin has done. Junie is a tale of generational healing, coming of age, and moving forward into something better. There were so many times I was just left with a jaw dropping moment in this book because I didn’t expect what was going to happen next. She has done an incredible job with her main character being a hopeless romantic, friend, sister, and a slave. I fell in love with this character because of all of her human experiences and it brought me back to my own teenagedom. And when you look at her story, you are just lost in the fact that how can it be that people experienced this ill treatment. There were so many moments of hope in this book for a better future which kept me turning the pages because after falling in love with Junie, I wanted her to thrive and find a way out of a bad situation. There were so many times I thought she was going to give up but she just kept going and for the story to come full circle to what happened to her sister really made me feel fulfillment. Such a precious story, read it!

Topics: Identity, Belonging, Family Ties, Societal Expectations in Race/Class, Teenage Coming of Age/Experiences, Slavery, Hope, Happy Ending, Human Experiences, History

Special thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Electronic Advanced Reader Copy (E-ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest, and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

Living in pre-Civil War Alabama, Junie is an enslaved young woman dealing with the aftermath and continuing nightmares that haunt her long after the death of her sister. When the visions from her dreams come to life, she sets our to solve a mystery that took place several years ago. During this journey Junie seeks to find herself and longs to travel the hard road towards liberation. Her family longs to maintain the status quo of their lives, but Junie wants so much more from life.

This story was well written, and the setting was so detailed that it was easy to picture Bellereine Plantation and the way of life it would have created for its inhabitants. It was a beautiful but sad depiction of what life in the pre-Civil War South was like. As a work of historical fiction, it has almost everything that makes it my favorite genre.

The only reason this was not a 5 star read for me was because I felt the entire cast of characters fell a bit flat. I felt there was no true character development and most of the characters were mere skims of personality that were lying underneath. The characters were not likeable, and I don't mean because they were bad people and you just loathed their actions, but because there was no real depth to them and I didn't connect with any of them, including Junie.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the E-book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the Advanced Copy of this book! It comes out in Feb 2025 and is an interesting historical fiction. It follows the journey of Junie as a slave in Alabama in the 1860s.

In all honesty, I loved the main character (Junie), but struggled with some of the clunky writing, the author over describes a lot of the setting and details and it really took me out of the moment. I found the look at power dynamics between the master family and the slaves well done and interesting. The ghost elements surprised me and took a little away from the power of the book, I think it would be a more serious historical fiction without it.

Overall a quick (heavy) read, that I would recommend for next year, especially if you like historical fiction! 3.5 Stars!!
#Junie

Thank you to NetGalley + Random House Publishing for the advanced copy of Junie.

This story, loosely based on a real enslaved woman who the author is related to, follows the tale of Junie. Junie is young, still learning about the world she lives in and whose primary job on a southern plantation is serving a coming of age young white woman, Violet. Junie and Violet were children together and share a bond that flouts custom. I won’t ruin the story, but the story takes a close look at Junie grieving a lost sister, individuating, and seeing the world in a new light as her ground shifts under her and she’s forced to question the origin of many of her beliefs.

It is a ghost story, a love story, a coming of age tale of a young woman who’s never had the opportunity to choose her own path. You’re rooting for Junie from the first page, sometimes you’re annoyed with her, other times her grief is yours. This was a hopeful read, and I loved it.

This book is why I love historical fiction. Erin Crosby Eckstine wrote such a beautifully crafted story of life on Bellereine Plantation told from the eyes of Junie, a sixteen year old enslaved girl since birth. Battling not only physical demons during her waking hours but ones that plague her sleep from the loss of her sister Minnie, Junie blames herself and she must come to terms with the truth and what actually happened to Minnie

Junie is headstrong and carefree and this at times is her undoing. She never gave up and fought for herself and her family till the end.

A quote taken from the author's note that I loved:

I wrote this book as a love letter to the culture I'm proud to be part of, and as a way of continuing my grandmother's legacy. She never got to read this book, but I like to think that, like Minnie, she's watching, ever-present on the horizon.

Inspirational, engrossing, touching, page turner! I really enjoyed this historical fiction story of Junie, a young enslaved girl working as a maid to the owner’s daughter, Violet. This novel focuses on the relationship between Junie and Violet and their families in the plantation home of Bellereine. It’s a story of struggle, determination and love. I thought it beautifully written with well developed characters and relationships. I liked the supernatural component with Junie’s sister Minnie.
Touching author’s note at the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m so glad i decided to request this book. I downloaded it a while ago and decided to jump into it blind without rereading the summary. I loved reading the story of an enslaved person as a whole being, not just their life in relation to their enslavers. There were moments where I was infuriated and moments that I felt vindicated! After learning that this story was loosely based on the author’s own family, it makes me wish there was more information about that family member. Alas, such is the plight of black families in this country. I only give it 4 stars because I don’t usually enjoy unanswered questions. I would have really enjoyed an epilogue. I will seek out more books by this author.

"Junie" is a poignant and thought-provoking story about a young enslaved girl and her extended family on a plantation in Alabama. Junie and her family are settled into their routines, going about their daily assigned tasks with no thoughts of a different life. However, Junie learns that her sister desires a different life and dies to set things in motion for the rest of the family to be free.
This book stood out to me as it was quite different from other Civil War-era books I've read. The author did a great job with the details in this story, and the supernatural aspects were portrayed differently. She fleshed out Junie's family and showed how they interacted with each other. The family secrets were vital to Junie carrying out her sister's plan for her family to escape to freedom.
I had a range of emotions reading this book. This was so much packed into this book. I was so torn by some of the choices made by the characters. I don't know if I would have made different choices or if I would have resigned myself to accept things as they were. Things seldom change unless we make them change. Perhaps there will be a follow-up to see what Junie accomplished.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an e-arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

I went into this book with zero expectations, but knowing the topic would be heavy since it revolved around slavery. I enjoyed the book but thought the Minnie/ghost piece was a little out of the blue. I also felt that so many bad things kept happening to Junie back to back to back but that it was hard to keep reading.

Beyond its compelling storyline, the book stands out for its insightful commentary on the human condition, weaving philosophical questions into the fabric of its narrative. The author's skillful use of language not only enriches the text but also elevates the reader's experience, offering new perspectives on familiar themes. Whether it's the intricate dynamics of relationships, the exploration of identity, or the confrontation with ethical dilemmas, this book tackles complex issues with sensitivity and intelligence. It's a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the nuances of life, making it a valuable addition to any book lover's collection. Regardless of genre, this is a work that resonates on multiple levels, affirming the enduring impact of well-crafted literature.

I received a copy of Junie for NetGalley. Junie is a 16 year old slave who lives on a plantation in Alabama. Her older sister Minnie died a few months ago and Junie blames herself. the year is 1860 through 1861. there are rumors of a war that may be starting. Junie is a servant to Violet who is the same age and they have been friends since they were little. When Violet is being pressured to marry a man from another plantation, Junie's family says she may be forced to go with Violet . Junie goes to the place where her sister Minnie died and finds she can see her sister's ghosts. Minnie talks with Junie encouraging her to run away. When Junie meets Caleb, a teenager who comes to the plantation with the family of the man who may marry Violet she tries to talk Caleb into running away with her. This book covers about 18 months from beginning to end.A lot goes on with the characters that lead to the final part of the book. The author bases Junie on her great, great, great grandmother. I found this book to be a very good read. I found myself wanting to find out what happened to Junie. I would give this book a 4.5.

This is great read. The characters were engaging and I couldn't put the book down. I would recommend this book for a book club or a friend.

I loved this historical fiction, Junie. The way the Author wrote brought the pages to life and I was immersed into that place and time. I could picture everything so vividly which makes for an easy and enjoyable read. There were elements of the book that I am not typically a fan of (ghost of Junie’s sister Minnie) but the way it was written it didn’t detract me from liking the story, in fact once I let it sink in I rather enjoyed that aspect as well. Once I finished this book I was thinking this is a solid 4 ⭐️ with a slight thought of maybe giving it a 5 ⭐️. Then I read the Authors note and that pushed it easily up to a 5 ⭐️ rating with no hesitation. DO NOT SKIP the Authors note!!!
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Junie is a slave who lost her sister. She believes she is friends with her masters daughter who is teaching her things a slave shouldn’t know. As the story unravels there are surprises with every turn. This story kept me interested to the last page and at times on the edge of my seat. I would recommend this read.

A big thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC as well as Erin Crosby Eckstine.

This book is why I love historical fiction. Erin Crosby Eckstine wrote such a beautifully crafted story of life on Bellereine Plantation told from the eyes of Junie, a sixteen year old enslaved girl since birth. Battling not only physical demons during her waking hours but ones that plague her sleep from the loss of her sister Minnie, Junie blames herself and she must come to terms with the truth and what actually happened to Minnie

Junie is headstrong and carefree and this at times is her undoing. She never gave up and fought for herself and her family till the end.

A quote taken from the author's note that I loved :

I wrote this book as a love letter to the culture I'm proud to be part of, and as a way of continuing my grandmother's legacy. She never got to read this book, but I like to think that, like Minnie, she's watching, ever-present on the horizon.

I loved this book and cannot wait to buy a physical copy.

Carefree, Always Carefree!
Junie is the story of an enslaved girl living on an Alabama cotton plantation in 1860, just prior to the Civil War. Her family has been torn apart by the injustices of slavery. Her mother is sold when she is just a baby and her father passes away shortly after. Julie and her sister are raised by their grandparents and work as house servants.
Junie finds friendship and hope in her relationships with Violet McQueen, daughter of the the plantation owner and Caleb, a young man indentured to a family visiting the McQueens.
The central themes of the book revolve around the love that grows between Junie and Caleb, the betrayal of a friendship, and the desperation of those who see no end to their miserable circumstances. These storylines caught and held my attention, especially the the Junie/Caleb loves story but additional, underlying themes muddied the water for me including: murder, rape, domestic violence, alcoholism, supernatural events and LGBTQ relationships.
I was also distracted but overused tropes: characters frequently “rolled their lips under their teeth”, “pressed the heels of their hands into their eyes” and invoked Sam Hill.
And, oh the similes!
Please don’t skip the Author’s Notes as they both add context and illustrate how Junie and her decendants overcame and thrived in their communities. Their truth is the hope the author wishes to leave her readers.

Thank you Netgalley, Ballentine Books and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A 16 year old enslaved girl since birth. This is a mesmerizing story that I highly recommend. It explains the era so well. Loved it,

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.