Welcome, bookworms! As the seasons shift and the days grow shorter (or longer, depending on where you are!), my reading list has been a constant companion. This week, I’m diving into a story that tugged at my heartstrings and sparked more than a few thoughtful moments. Whether you’re looking for your next weekend read or just love hearing about new releases, grab a cozy blanket, a hot drink, and join me as I share my thoughts on Junie!
Title: Junie
By: Erin Crosby Eckstine
Genre: Historical
Pages: 368
Release Date: February 4th, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★
Summary from Goodreads:
A young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister’s ghost, navigating truths about love, friendship, and power as the Civil War looms.
Sixteen years old and enslaved since she was born, Junie has spent her life on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama, cooking and cleaning alongside her family, and tending to the white master’s daughter, Violet. Her daydreams are filled with poetry and faraway worlds, while she spends her nights secretly roaming through the forest, consumed with grief over the sudden death of her older sister, Minnie.
When wealthy guests arrive from New Orleans, hinting at marriage for Violet and upending Junie’s life, she commits a desperate act—one that rouses Minnie’s spirit from the grave, tethered to this world unless Junie can free her. She enlists the aid of Caleb, the guests’ coachman, and their friendship soon becomes something more. Yet as long-held truths begin to crumble, she realizes Bellereine is harboring dark and horrifying secrets that can no longer be ignored.
With time ticking down, Junie begins to push against the harsh current that has controlled her entire life. As she grapples with an increasingly unfamiliar world in which she has little control, she is forced to ask herself: When we choose love and liberation, what must we leave behind?
Review:
Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine is an absolute gem—a luminous, heartfelt story that captures the tenderness and turbulence of girlhood with remarkable authenticity. Eckstine’s writing is poetic yet raw, drawing readers deep into Junie’s world as she navigates family, identity, and her own inner landscape. Each page is infused with a quiet strength and vulnerability that left me utterly entranced. This is a novel that lingers in the mind long after the last page, offering a rare blend of coming-of-age nostalgia and profound emotional depth. A definite must-read!
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