This is a great YA novel about an enslaved teenager named Junie who lives in Alabama around 1860. She is a housemaid to a girl named Violet who she grew up with and sees almost as a sister, but as they both get older and face the expectations that come with their ages, Junie starts to realize how dark her life is and feels unable to accept the way things are, all the while she's being haunted by the ghost of her recently deceased sister who wants Junie to get the freedom she couldn't have for herself.

This was a very strong story, I've not read a book about slavery from this perspective before, but to be fair I haven't read very many books that take place during this time in American history. I really liked how all the characters felt fleshed out and not like side characters, you could feel sympathy for Violet and Bea without excusing their racism and acceptance of the status quo, it's not easy to make a character sympathetic without excusing their bad behaviour, so this is something I always appreciate. 

I do wish that there'd been more than a brief mention of the slaves who didn't work in the house, but with the author's note at the end, I understood why she made that decision.

I really appreciate when publishers send me books like this, because it's not something I would have picked up on my own but it was a very good book and I'm glad to have read it. So thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy.