I really don't like Historical fiction but Jojo Moyes can always pull me in. I loved learning about the librarians who rode by horseback to get to the people in the mountains.

This book ruined me for Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek because I was so loyal to Jojo Moyes. I do think the two are so similar that there must have been some copying. Glad to see library work is being recognized for the important place books hold in the lives of families. I already knew about the effort, and had seen plenty of black and white pics of women on horseback carrying books into hills, dells and hollows. Only a writer of her stature can bring these people into living color. Five stars for recognizing the amazing influence of books and libraries.

The Giver of Stars is an interesting work of historical fiction, chronicling the history of the Pack Horse Library. The Pack Horse Library initiative was a New Deal initiative in Kentucky in the 1930s. Young women formed a bookmobile on horseback which promoted literacy for families and offered an opportunity for women to step beyond the traditional roles of that period in time. Main character Alice Wright thinks she is escaping her boring life in England by marrying the dashing Bennett Van Cleve. Once she arrives in her new home she finds living with her oppressive father-in-law unbearable and jumps on the chance to join the packhorse librarians. The trials of these women was a very interesting part of this read, however the romance was a bit fluffy. Overall, I would recommend to any reader who of historical fiction.

I absolutely adored this novel and Jojo Moyes never disappoints. As a librarian, I really enjoyed this story of the Kentucky librarians and the friendships these women created. Despite their differences, they forged lifelong bonds and saved each other more than once.

Loved this glimpse into Appalachian and librarian history! The characters were well-developed and I was invested in their story.

I was interested in the topic, but for some reason didn't expect to really enjoy the story. However, the characters were interesting and real, and the bond that grew between the women as they each, for different reasons, strove to get books to the people of their community was inspiring.

LOVED this book. I recommended it to many patrons. Everyone loved it. As a librarian, I am of course drawn to books about libraries, but Jojo made each character come to life. I felt myself cheering on each character and did not want book to end. I even put it down for a day and savored the ending.

A great choice that I have recommended for Book Clubs and readers of all types! Saw Ms Moyes in DC during the Summer of 2019 to promote the book & she was simply delightful!!!

This book is really, really good. It's about the construction of a library in Kentucky in the late 1930s, early 1940s. Alice, an Englishwoman, marries an American man and moves with him to rural Kentucky, where she engages with the community, makes friends, builds new relationships, and transforms people's lives and builds a library with other women in the town. This story has a happy ending and is very uplifting and can improve your mood. It will teach you a little bit of history, as it's based on a true story. It's a reminder that we're not so far away from a time where books were delivered via horseback! The language and descriptors are beautiful.

A US historical fiction following the great depression era in Kentucky where a group of librarians go horseback to deliver books to homes in need. These patrons may not have transportation to go to the library or have fallen ill and cannot leave there home. A group of dedicated women do what it takes to stand up for what they believe in. One of the librarians English Alice Wright weds American Bennett Van Cleve on his European Tour to escape the limitations of her life. She find more meaning to life than just books, a long lasting friendship with the girls and ultimately the courage to take the journey she wasn't originally set out to do. I find this book very telling with relation to the current pandemic situation. Loved the new vibe of Moyes work. You can tell a lot of research was done by Moyes to make this book happen.

This was such a good story. I have read other books by this author, but this one was a departure from her usual style. I did not know anything about the WPA Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky before reading this book, but it was such an interesting part of history. The friendships that were formed among the librarians and the people that they brought books too was truly inspiring. And also the friendships that formed among the librarians themselves as they got to know each other after their long rides each day into the hills delivering books was wonderful. This story shows the good in people, the strength in people that they don't realize that they have and how people support each other when they need it most. I did not want this story to end.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is perfect for fans of historical fiction and women's fiction. Set in Kentucky, it follows a pack horse librarian that brings books to rural folks. With tinges of romance and sassy friends, this book provides relatable characters and a setting that you won't soon forget.

Alice thinks she has finally made it. She get to shirk off the repressive life she has lived in England while her handsome American husband whisks her off to the glamorous life of big city America. Unfortunately, Alice's new husband Bennett does not live in New York City like she imagined. He lives in small-town Kentucky. She now finds herself right back where she started. Having stuffy social visits with dull people that are always judging her for her supposed shortcomings. So when the opportunity to get out of the house and work as a Pack Horse Librarian presents itself, Alice jumps at the chance. She soon finds though that she is in over her head.
Moyes writes an enjoyable book, though somewhat predictable at points. Any book lover will relish the thought of trudging through hell and high water to deliver the wonders that books can bring. The similarities to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson are striking, I prefer to give the author the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to two historical novels based on the same time, place, and subject. I have read and enjoyed both novels and do not feel that either detract from the other, but instead, gives readers that liked one a read-alike to continue the journey with. You could easily see Moyes' Alice befriending Richardson's Cussy.

This fictionalized account of the horseback librarians of Appalachia in the 1930s sheds light on a little known aspect of history and how knowledge helped promote women's rights. The heroine is a transplanted Brit living in rural Kentucky. Working with the library service helps her keep away from her abusive spouse.

It's a good read, though there are some troubling aspects: it is very like another books published earlier and there are some errors in description.

I loved the historical aspect of this book. The characters were well done, as Jojo Moyes is so well known for. I ached for their losses and cheered for their victories. Highly recommended.

JoJo has a talent to write a good book. To captivate reader. To make you feel her story. To be part of it mentally and intellectually. Every book read by her is a delight. It will move you in various ways. You cry. You laugh. You reflect. Just beautiful!

The Giver of Stars is a real departure from Jojo Moyes’ usual fare. Set in Depression-era America, it details how packhorse librarians served the people in Appalachian Kentucky. This is the second book on the subject matter to come out in 2019, the other being The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson. While there are some curious duplications in the two books, the main plots are different.

Readers learn about the librarians, which Eleanor Roosevelt was instrumental in founding through the WPA. Women were hired to deliver books and other materials to people who lived in remote areas. Librarians also read to the families and helped them with reading tasks.

The heroine of this tale is Alice Wright who left England to marry Bennett Van Cleve. Life in Kentucky was not what she thought it would be so she eagerly answered the call to deliver books by horseback. Along with four other women, they become the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky.

This is also the story of the struggle between men and women as the librarians refuse to be deterred by men. Lives are also endangered by one particular man who attacks one of the librarians on horseback.
My review will be posted on Goodreads starting April 10, 2020.

For historical fiction readers about America during the Great Depression, this will present a little-known aspect of that time and how libraries worked to reach those in the underserved area of isolated eastern Kentucky.
I’d like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Viking and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

This historical novel had it all for me.  First of all, it is about a program that delivered books by packhorse during the Depression to people in the Appalachian area of eastern Kentucky. You can't beat that. It has an interesting story where I learned about something new, and the characters were interesting and well-drawn. Moyes also vividly portrays the region so realistically that I felt like I was right there alongside the characters. These women who were the packhorse librarians were such strong women, and it was nice to watch several of them develop over the course of the book to find their strength. I also loved how they became such good friends who supported each other even though they were all very different. Societal and religious pressures were also portrayed well in the book, along with the environmental factors of the coal mining industry. I would have rated this five stars, but I felt like Moyes wrapped up the ending too quickly. She rushed through some parts, and they seemed contrived. Don't let that keep you from reading this compelling novel, though.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy to review.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Two things drew me to this book, one was the author and the other was the subject. Ms Moyes did a fantastic job in telling the story of the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. She wove a story around a little know fact of librarians who risked so much so that people in rural Kentucky can have access to books. I loved reading the stories of Beth, Izzy, and Sophia.

THE GIVER OF STARS by Jojo Moyes is an engaging work of historical fiction about strong women. The setting for this new novel from the best-selling author is primarily 1930s rural Kentucky. That is where Alice Wright, an unconventional English socialite, moves with her new husband and her father-in-law, who manages the local mine. Feeling stifled and out of place, Alice volunteers to work with the Kentucky Packhorse Librarians – delivering books and magazines to the rural residents. She joins Margery, another independent spirit, and other young women, establishing connections with local residents, even as labor strife grows and her father-in-law's opposition to her work turns more vindictive. This novel also contains a romance for Alice and another for Margery, adding to the appeal for Moyes' many fans. If you like historical fiction, I encourage you to also look for The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek – a novel which was published last Spring – and contains a unique story about the same library delivery service.