Junie: A GMA Book Club Pick

A Novel

By: Erin Crosby Eckstine

Narrated by: Angel Pean

GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • As the Civil War looms, a young girl must face a life-altering decision after awakening her sister’s ghost in this “poignant story of love, family and friendship [that] celebrates the power of liberation” (People).

“An enrapturing tale of survival . . . Eckstine has poured a ton of heart into her characters.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“The richly textured prose quickly pulled me into [Junie’s] treacherous yet magical world.”—Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake

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?

Insightful, beautiful and thought-provoking

A beautifully written, heart-wrenching story based on the life of a 16 year old African American girl who is a slave on a plantation in pre-Civil War Alabama. This was a story I couldn’t put down and one I know will stay with me for a very long time.

LOVE LOVE LOVE….

Beautifully written with unexpected twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, then emotional, then excited! lol….. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

A beautiful story of love, courage, and survival beautifully narrated.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars

I am in awe of how beautifully written this book is. I listened via audiobook and Angel Pean's narration was absolutely stunning.

While the story is set during slavery and carries themes consistent with that era — beatings, dehumanization, colorism, and family separation — the lead character, Junie, radiates love, strength and courage throughout. There is a deeply enduring friendship between Junie and her enslaver Violet, a blossoming love story between Junie and Caleb, a fierce loyalty Junie holds for her family, and a narrative that reads like poetry. The storytelling is lyrical and moving, and then towards the end, it delivers drama and twists you simply do not see coming.

To even think about what was in those pillows — and that it may hold some truth — is deeply unsettling. Honestly, everything about that era disgusts me. And yet, I am so thankful — for my ancestors and for every person who survived that kind of terror. The boatman killed just for trying to help, and whatever is suggested happened to Caleb... heartbreaking.

The author's note at the end is powerful. Learning that this story was inspired, even faintly, by the author's own ancestors adds a whole other layer of meaning.

The theme of our ancestors watching over us and guiding us through this life stayed with me. I feel that truth today.

I loved this book. I probably have more to say, but I'll stop here. Just read it. 🫶🏾💛

Pretty good read.

Well written story inspired by chapter from author's genealogy. Relatively well-developed characters and storyline. Think I might have my book club read this.

Showing the hopes and dreams of someone who wanted more despite being born a slave.

I love this book it was very different on showing the emotions and what the characters wanted or was facing in a time when it was likely impossible to dream or want a better life.