I love magical realism so much because with it you can do something like this! I loved the plot and idea behind it, how June was having to deal with such a mysteries and trying to get away from the curse that plagues her family.

June's character was so great. I loved her determination and stubbornness, how determined she was to end this curse once and for all, but the best thing about this story was the mysteries and how it all came together in the end. It was so many things but at it's heart was the murder mystery. It fit so well with the rest of the plot.

The ending of this was so clever. It all fitted together so neatly. I guess one plot point and there's a bit more that is hinted at from the start, but the way it all worked out was unexpected and thrilling.

I don't normally read magical realism, but I absolutely loved The Unmaking of June Farrow. I adore Adrienne Young's writing style and this has become a favourite read of mine. This book is centered around a mystery and sprinkled with a bit of romance. The story is also an incredible family/intergenerational saga. This unforgettable tale touches on the sacrifices we make as women, and the Enduring power of love.

In the quiet mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow patiently awaits the hand of fate. The Farrow women are renowned for their flourishing flower farm but carry the weight of a mysterious curse that has haunted their family for generations.

The madness that led to Susanna Farrow's vanishing left her daughter, June, to be raised by her grandmother. In Jasper, it's widely believed that June is destined to meet a similar fate, yet she harbours a secret—her unravelling has already commenced.

Following her grandmother's passing, June delves into clues connecting her mother's disappearance to the town's dark history, leading her to a mysterious door. Beyond it may lie the answers to the long-standing mysteries that have cast a shadow over Jasper. Upon crossing the threshold, June embarks on a journey that not only has the power to alter the past and the future but also entangles her fate and heart in a star-crossed love.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if it were in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This took me a while to get into, but around the 25% mark, I was so hooked that I couldn't put it down. There's such a tender, beautiful and heartbreaking story here and I was so impressed by the way Adrienne Young's writing established tension and history on the page between characters – this was completely enveloping. When it finished I had to go back to the beginning and this was so rewarding. I did find some aspects of this puzzling, (the timelines, the rules of the world, the ending) but ultimately I loved June and her family's story at the heart of this.

4 stars! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!
I have never read a book of this genre before, where magic and realism are so blurred. Reading the first quarter of the book, there was no mention of magic, but then as the story progresses, elements begin to trickle in.
June Farrow comes from a long line of Farrow women, all of whom suffer from madness. They begin to see and hear things that are not there, her mother disappears as the madness began to set in. As June looking into her disappearance, there are things that don't make sense and stories that don't add up. Before you know it, you are on a mind-boggling sci-fi/ fantasy rollercoaster!
Thank you NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review

4.5 stars

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!

I wasn’t sure if I’d like it when I first started it, but my mind was changed as soon as June stepped through the red door. This book kept me on my toes and trying to unravel the mystery along with June had me hooked. 10/10 recommend if you want a mystery that feels like fantasy at the same time.

After loving Spells for Forgetting last year I was really excited for this one and it didn’t disappoint!

I wasn’t sure what to expect with The Unmaking of June Farrow and honestly I’m glad I didn’t know much about it as it takes a turn about 30% of the way through that I really hadn’t anticipated. I thought the story was very compelling, it did take me a little way to get fully invested, but once I was into it I needed to know what was going to happen.

This book was heartbreaking and beautiful and did make me cry at a particular reveal which I hadn’t seen coming.

Pick this one up If you like magical realism, mystery, stories about family and a touch of romance.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I absolutely love Adrienne Young, and I find myself so invested in each of her works! Her books are so compelling, and The Unmaking of June Farrow was no different. There's a really strong familial bond woven throughout this book, connecting all of the Farrow women, which was so beautiful. I also really enjoyed the small town atmosphere, and Adrienne Young does such a wonderful job setting the scene, I felt completely immersed in the lives of those living in Jasper.

The mystery of the Farrow curse was very intriguing, although I have to admit that I still don't really understand what happened or the resolution; time travel is a lot to wrap your head around and while I loved Adrienne Young's approach to it, it was very confusing. It might have been because I somehow ended up reading two books dealing with time travel at the same time, but the resolution of the time travel situation felt very dense, so I was left not entirely comprehending how the book even ended. That does not go to say that it wasn't well explained - it might have just been my headspace at the time of reading.

Overall, I did love the characters, particularly June, and I will always read an Adrienne Young book! I can't wait to see what she comes out with next, and I commend her for tackling the difficult topic of time travel!

I will write a full review of this book but I need time to ruminate on it. I started to read it a few months ago, after attending a talk by the author, so I was looking forward to reading it. I did find the start slow, it was straight into a sad time in the protagonist’s life when it wasn’t yet clear who the protagonist was. Once I got about 20% in (which took a few attempts) I was hooked. It was such a gentle story, reminiscent of Back to the Future, Outlander and The Time Traveller’s Wife. I really enjoyed it and have already recommended it to friends.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Young is obviously very good at writing fantasy-adjacent novels set in small-town America. However, there's something about her writing that leaves me a bit cold emotionally. I appreciated the narrative and found that compelling, but couldn't really connect with the characters very well. Maybe that's just me though!

This book is stunning! Filled with mystery and magic. I adore Adrienne Young’s writing style, it’s so atmospheric and beautiful.
Just like with spells for forgetting I got lost in the world created within the pages of this book.
Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a tender, touching book. Although it tackles dark themes of abuse, estrangement, and abandonment, it still retains a captivating sense of wonder and heart. The time traveling plotline and central mystery are masterfully done (and so clever!) but at its core, it's a book a book about relationships, found family, and rediscovering oneself. Adrienne Young's prose sucked me in and the small town atmosphere was so palpable that it was almost a character unto itself. I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc of this book. I have been wanting to try an Adrienne Young book in a while and the synopsis for this sounded very interesting. The best thing about this book is the atmosphere, I loved it. The characters were not my favourite, but I appreciate the story and world building. This book is perfect for Autumn and I highly recommend it to everyone! This convinced me I should be reading more Adrienne Young books.

I like books that make you think and take you on a journey with a touch of magic. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for accepting my request to read and review this book!

This was such a surprise, I read and enjoyed Spells for Forgetting by this author but this book knocked it out of the park.

What a brilliant story! I loved the twists, loved that the story did not go where I predicted it would in the first half. I truly believed I had the plot all worked out but alas, I did not.

It was super heartwarming and had some great moments of found family. The time travel stuff was a tiny confusing, but I am awful with that kind of thing. But this book was so so clever.

Also ADORED the romance, I wasn't expecting it to be what it was but I adored it. And I loved how it progressed from nothing to something (trying not to spoil anything).

Definitely will continue to read all this authors future works. Highly recommend.

An enjoyable mystery with plenty of twists and turns. I'd previously heard that it was "witchy" but I would describe more as having magical elements.

4.5

Mysterious, emotional and compelling are words best used to describe this book. This is a book that will have you cooking up conspiracy theories while leaving you completed satisfied with its ending.

The story follows the Farrow women, cursed to spiral into madness. There’s a tonne of mysteries surrounding the women in the family that I absolutely cannot say more about without spoiling.

Adrienne Young’s writing style is fantastic, you’re truly sucked in and the book plays out like a film. Her books absolutely never miss, the few books I haven’t yet read by her I’ll certainly be purchasing.

This book took a little longer to get into than spells for forgetting. It really took the first 20% to get into its stride. But, I do wonder if it’s because it was a different world/ story to the first book. Which I was not expecting I thought it was a series/ followed the same characters they absolutely so not. But it follows a similar story arc of a small town mystery and magical realism. I really hope we get more in the style from the author as I devoured it.

Thank you to NetGalley & Quercus Books for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Spells For Forgetting earlier in the year and now The Unmaking Of June Farrow, I can confidently say Adrienne Young is an auto buy author for me now.

It takes such talent to be able to tell a story that both enchants you and breaks your heart simultaneously.
The writing was seamless and felt effortless to read. I could vividly picture everything in my mind thanks to Young’s atmospheric prose. The plot was captivating and I couldn’t wait to see how June would break her curse or what her inevitable choice would be.

If I had to critique something, I would say that the murder mystery aspect was probably the weakest part of the plot - but the *vibes* of the book more than make up for it in my opinion.

*Excuse me while I now go read Young’s back catalogue

5 stars

The Unmaking of June Farrow by @adrienneyoungbooks 5/5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🏆Best book of 2023??! Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner sure fire 🏆!!

🕰️Oh be still my North Carolina living, time-travelling heart!

✨This was an absolute sensation of a read. I've been in a perpetual slump this year.. stumbling between reads then this sensational story lands in my lap and I fell into that dreamy state where you tumble head first into the pages of a book and don't want to come up for air.

🌕This clever "full circle" of a story starts in 2023 in the shadows of s North Carolinas stunning Blue Ridge Mountain. June Farrow is 34 and has received a letter from her recently deceased Grandmother, containing a photo from 1911 that will change her life forever...and literally split her life in two.

🕰️This time-travelling, gorgeous story is plumb full of charm, mystery and suspense. I could not wait to find out the outcome of the story.

❤️Stunningly written, I envy everyone who gets to read this tale for the first time, it's time travelling at its absolute best.

If you could time travel, when would you go to? 🕰️

I wasn’t expecting to love THE UNMAKING OF JUNE FARROW// Adrienne Young, but I fell head over heels for June’s completely unique, unpredictable, mesmerising and heartfelt story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Small town girl, June Farrow, like all Farrow women before her, is cursed. Eventually, an indescribable madness takes hold of them all- but what if it was more than it seemed? As June’s own unraveling begins, she is more determined than ever to uncover the truth behind her mother’s disappearance; and clues finally lead her to a mysterious door.

What follows is a journey that will change June’s past and present and find her caught up in a star crossed love like no other ✨

Want to experience magic? Pick this one up