“When people pity you, it's like they don't realize that the exact same thing is coming for them. And then I feel embarrassed and uncomfortable and have to pity them, because, like, do you not realize that it's always someone's turn? You haven't noticed everyone gets a few blows that seem so big you can't survive them?”

What did I expect when I turned the first page of A Million Junes? Was it to crawl into a cocoon of blankets and never want to leave its warmth and comfort? If you guessed right then…

*ding, ding*

You win a new car!

Ok just kidding. I didn’t buy you a new car. But I can promise you this book will suck you in, never letting you go. If I were you, I’d make sure to grab those blankets first.

I had no expectations when starting this book. In honesty, it probably wouldn’t have entered my radar for a while. Thank you book club for finding an awesome catch. What I did know was that it seemed like a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but that’s not the case. The only thing taken from that story is the hatred of two families because it goes in a completely different direction quickly.

The story is based around June, a girl who ten years ago lost her father suddenly. During her last year of high school, her grand plan for a future is to live just as her father and father’s father lived, footloose and carefree. That is until Saul comes into town, a member of the family June is brought up to hate. If anything bad happens to her family, it’s their fault. But with Saul’s entrance, a magical thing happens and June begins to see memories from the white wisps surrounding her family’s house. All that she knew begins to turn upside down as she learns the real truth behind the family hatred and the death of her father.

The concept is fresh for a YA contemporary story. To me, most fantasy stories set in present time are filled with overdone concepts and made up worlds to the point that the contemporary aspect becomes quickly lost. Henry instead takes the modern world and gives it a slight twist, just enough to let the reader know that magic can exist.

June is also a fresh strong female voice in YA. Her snarky POV lends a groove that sticks with me well. Mix her with Saul and you’ve got a great combo of comebacks and whiplash. These characters feel like real people just put into paper form. Hands down some of the best character building I’ve ever read. And one of the reasons this book is so easy to fall in love with. That and the glorious whimsy of the story.

“My inheritance is grief and sunlight and the ability to choose which to hold on to.”

Henry’s imagination is great.

Until you get to the end. There she loses me. The story becomes jumpy and it’s hard to keep everything straight. Soon a whole mash of characters comes into play with no room to breathe. That and the weird scene construction left me going *huh*. I can’t tell you more for fear of spoilers.

The story itself goes a little out there - especially for a book that feels like it’s playing the fantasy part on the down low. The ending plays a 180, like the movie Sunshine, where you feel like you are watching a sci-fi flick till the ending turns into a slasher. And no, this book doesn’t turn into a slasher. It’s just a comparison guys. Mix all this with the changes from beginning to end and you might feel that the two parts are completely different stories. This isn’t a complete turn-off but does leave one a little winded and confused. I can say that I was sitting there going “Now where was the beginning?”

Still, this won’t deter me from recommending A Million Junes to anyone I see - though it won’t be getting the 5 stars I wanted to give it so badly. Henry was able to put together a well-rounded story that included some good secondary story arcs, strong original characters, and an overall fun concept to get sucked into. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 33/100