3.5. I read this slower than I read most books but I was happy to pick it up when I did. It was an interesting story line.

Wow. I was hooked from the beginning with this one. This book had me in my feelings the whole time. The writing was beautiful without being overly descriptive.

Junie and her families story was heartbreaking. I was rooting for her survival. I thoroughly enjoyed the paranormal side of this story and the history of the slaves that previously died. I understand why the ending was left so open, however after taking this journey with Junie I really wanted more closure.

Overall, I really loved this book and will recommend to others.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for this Advance Readers Copy ebook in exchange for my honest review

I struggle to find the words to describe this brilliant debut novel—the sheer scale of heart found in this story. Junie is a character I will carry with me for a long time. We follow her journey of grief, friendship, finding love, and self discovery. Her strong determination is felt throughout this beautiful book. I can not wait until this comes out to reread it.

"Everybody wants to be free, Junie. Nobody deserves to live their life like we do."


Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC

I LOVE this COVER! It's one of the prettiest covers i've ever seen. I was so drawn to the book because of the cover. The book did not disappoint! I loved it. Defintly something a bit out of my comfort zone but it was so so good. Highly suggest you give it a shot.

Beautifully written! Junie is a story of a girl, enslaved as a housemaid on the Belleriene plantation in Alabama. Throughout the book, Junie struggles with grief associated with the loss of her sister, as well as her desire to be free, to explore, to feel the sublime as she reads about. Throughout the story and upon forging new relationships, she addresses her grief, and carves out something of her own, I felt so many things when reading this. Erin Crosby Eckstine writes a story of bravery, compassion, suffering, spirituality, and love. I will undoubtedly be reading again.

Raw portrayal of a 16-year-old enslaved girl in 1860 Alabama.

Junie misses her sister Minnie but when she encounters her ghost, she's not prepared for the dark secret the Plantation holds. A secret that ties her down. She needs the courage to break free without putting the rest of her family at risk.

Junie is complex with her strong ties to her mistress Violet. Her life as a servant in the Plantation and what it all entails is authentic. The love interest Caleb waltzes into her life and she's afraid to act on her attraction, fearing getting too close.

I loved how the author peels back the romanticized South and shows the harshness the enslaved endured. There's a big twist at the end that I didn't see coming.

Warning of scenes of abuse, rape, and suicide.

Engaging historical with a touch of the paranormal set in the pre-Civil War South and the girl who against great odds fights for a better life.

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine is a haunting and evocative debut that masterfully blends historical fiction with elements of the supernatural. Set against the backdrop of the Civil War in Alabama, the novel tells the poignant story of sixteen-year-old Junie, an enslaved girl grappling with the weight of loss, the bonds of family, and the quest for liberation.

From the very beginning, Junie's character draws you in with her vibrant personality and rich inner world. Living on the Bellereine Plantation, Junie’s life is defined by her duties to the white family she serves and the close-knit relationships she maintains with her own family. The sudden death of her sister Minnie casts a long shadow over her, leading to nights spent wandering the woods and eventually awakening Minnie’s spirit. This supernatural twist serves as a catalyst for Junie’s journey, pushing her to confront the harsh realities of her existence and the dark secrets that lie within Bellereine.

The narrative beautifully captures the essence of the era, transporting readers back in time with its vivid descriptions and authentic portrayal of life in the South during the Civil War. Eckstine’s writing is both lyrical and powerful, balancing the grim realities of Junie’s world with moments of tender humanity and resilience. The supernatural elements, rather than overshadowing the story, enhance it by adding layers of depth and symbolism, reflecting Junie's inner turmoil and desire for freedom.

Junie's relationships, particularly with her family and Caleb, the coachman who becomes her ally and confidant, are depicted with nuance and sensitivity. These interactions underscore the novel's exploration of love, friendship, and the human spirit's capacity for hope and resistance. As Junie navigates the complexities of her world, she evolves into a character of remarkable strength and courage, challenging the forces that seek to control her.

The book’s pacing kept me engaged, blending moments of suspense and revelation with poignant reflections on identity and agency. Junie's journey is both a personal odyssey and a broader commentary on the struggle for liberation and the costs it entails. The narrative’s emotional depth and the timeless themes it explores make Junie a story that resonates long after the final page.

Junie is a compelling and unforgettable novel that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and those who appreciate stories of resilience and empowerment. Erin Crosby Eckstine has crafted a beautifully told tale that not only illuminates a dark chapter in history but also celebrates the enduring strength of the human spirit. This is a debut not to be missed, and I eagerly await future works from this promising author!

**Review is scheduled to post on my blog on February 1st, 2025!**

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC!

This was such a joy to read. It's the Summer of 1860, and we are greeted with vivid imagery of south during this historical time. Growing up on a plantation, the main character, Junie, is subjected to slavery, but the story takes a warmer note with a the sense of overcoming, rising from the restricted path set out for her.

The descriptions of the setting, and the author's overall understanding of the time period and being able to submerge the reader was what really drew me into this story, and I felt in good hands. I LOVE historical fiction, and being drawn into the story with such enriched research was a treat!

Another thing I found interesting was the paranormal aspect, Junie's dead sister. Because of this, the book never took on and spooky/horror themes, and was more heartwarming. In the sense of Junie's story being a coming-of-age story, it was a success.

The cover is what drew me to this (SO GORGEOUS) though I am so happy I gave it a read. It was fantastic!

Junie is a powerful tale of a young girl navigating love, friendship, and power in the face of unimaginable challenges. If you're into stories that mix history with a touch of the supernatural, Junie is a debut you should check out.

A fantastic debut novel by Erin Crosby Eckstine.

Junie is a well crafted, moving story about an enslaved girl who struggles through the hardships of life, truths and betrayals on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama as the Civil War looms. She has awakened her sister’s ghost and in doing so discovers the secrets and lies that has surrounded her entire life.

But Junie’s strong will to survive all the forms of physical, emotional and psychological degradations will not defeat her. Or will it? She must decide her fate. Love, loyalty or liberation?

This books holds some twisty turns I was not expecting and is paced so well, it is a real page tuner. I highly recommend this book to any literary or historical fiction fan.

The author’s note is not to be missed. It moved me deeply. Thank you to Net Gallery and Random House Publishing for providing this ARC to me. Congratulations to Erin Crosby Eckstine on a stunning, thoughtful debut novel. I’m positive your grandmother is beaming!

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.