It took me a long time to finish this book as I’m not sure what I was expecting and it was difficult to get into the flow and work out what era it was set.

The tale of a quirky English girl wedded to her perfect American husband set in a remote location in America. She soon realises that married life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and takes up work with the local outcast bringing books, on horseback, to those in the remote villages.

She works tirelessly and finds true friendship and happiness in the most unlikely of places - but she finds her people and will do anything to protect them - even when she fears he friend could end up in jail and without her newborn child. Her husband’s father at the centre of betrayal and her marriage falling apart.

A story of friendship - uniquely so.

I have enjoyed all the books I've read by Jojo Moyes and this one didn't disappoint. A great historical read that is quick to get into and beautifully written.

i have enjoyed all Jojo Moyes' previous books and I am constantly amazed that she is able to produce individual and unique stories.

Alice Wright, marries an American to escape her stifling life in England, only to find herself in another restrictive environment. She joins the library project and forms deep bonds with the other women, particularly Margery, a fiercely independent leader. Together, they face numerous challenges, from harsh terrain to societal resistance, but their commitment to spreading knowledge and literacy never wavers,

Moyes' writing is rich and immersive, bringing the Kentucky landscape and the era's struggles to life. The characters are well-developed, each with their own unique backgrounds and personalities, making their camaraderie and growth throughout the story deeply moving3. Themes of friendship, resilience, and the transformative power of books are central to the narrative, making it both heart warming and thought-provoking.

Brilliantly narrated I found myself longing to get back to Alice's story.

Pretty good! I haven’t read a historical fiction novel in a while. It wasn’t perfect and I found myself skimming a few bits here and there but overall I liked it.
I loved how brave these women were to venture out to the Kentucky mountains to spread their love of literacy. They meet some very interesting characters on the way, people that outright rejected their books but others that embraced them. There is quite a bit of unnecessary drama and men treating these women like crap of course as it was a time where patriarchy was awful but that’s what life was like. The women’s friendship was nice too see and how it developed.
Thank you Netgalley for this review copy.

Another excellent title, which will challenge readers and writers alike. Excellent choice of protagonists and plot line that will engage all.

One of the best Jojo books in a long time. From the word go you are drawn in the world of Holly and the world she leaves behind when she marries wealthy Bennett. whose father seems to rule the family and the small mining town in Kentucky that is to become her new home. Holly soon becomes disilutioned and joins other women who run a mobile book library to all who will accept it, but it is all done on horseback! Many trials of hardship and superstition follow but all seems to settle. The truly horrific tail follows real life in the wild and remote Kentucky outbacks and the opposition faced by anyone who goes against authority. Set in the mid 20 century I sincerely hope that life has improves.

I have read a lot of jojo’s books.
This book is based on a group of women in Kentucky who start a library to help aid people to read in areas that are more remote.
It turned out to be magical and very up lifting. Love the characters!!

There’s are high and low points, but that’s to be expected of a good book.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed this book - JoJo Moyes also seems to write a book which hooks you in and keeps you reading.

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes is very different from her previous books. Based on a true story and set in Depression-Era Ameria, it's the story of five women and their journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond.

This book has been on my #tbrpile via @netgalley for years. Apologies to the publisher and author for not reviewing it sooner. Why oh why did I wait so long to read it? This was an absolutely fantastic book, with strong female characters you root for from the off. Although I loved all the ladies in the book, Alice and Margery were the stand out characters for me. The plot grips you and I was so invested from a very early stage. I think I was put off reading this for a long time because I know #jojomoyes for contemporary fiction such as ‘Me before You’ and this is historical fiction. Well, I was a fool! I should have picked this up immediately. I absolutely adored this novel and would love to read more about these characters in a sequel.

I'm usually a big fan of Jojo Moyes but for some reason I just couldn't get on with this book. I started it more than once but just couldn't get gripped.

What a fantastic book. I was initially put off when I read the synopsis but was soon drawn into the novel and its characters. Lots happening and a snapshot of a time when things were very different.

I had high hopes for this book as I’ve enjoyed several by the author but this one just didn’t cut it for me. It felt like hard work reading it. I did finish it but wish I’d not bothered

I love Jojo Moyes and she is possibly the only writer that could make me fall in love with historical fiction! Following a group of women who are thrust together into becoming the horseback librarians for a small rural area, this Great Depression era novel completely sucked me in. Fantastically strong female characters, friendship and books, what more could you want? Thanks Netgalley!

A lovely, lovely book. Jojo Moyes is back on form (I’ve read a couple of hers recently that I hadn’t enjoyed as much as earlier books). I was drawn to this partly because of the librarian aspect (in our archive is a photo of staff from my area delivering library books on horseback many years ago!), and the struggles of the women in rural Kentucky made for enthralling reading.

This is mainly a story about Alice., she is a beautiful but awkward young English girl, Set in the 1930's , Alice becomes attracted to a young American who is travelling with his father around Europe. They are quickly married and travel to America. Alice had seen the marriage as an escape from her mundane life in England but quickly becomes unhappy in America. She volunteers on a programme for women to travel on horseback to deliver library books to the isolated mountain families. The book charts the way the library becomes an escape for Alice and her unhappy home life in America. She becomes close to the diverse group of the other librarians and is not prepared to give her new life up. The story is enthralling and I would really recommend this book to anyone. Jojo Moyes has a real talent for getting under the skin of her characters and making you totally believe in them.

JoJo Moyes has nailed it with another well researched, emotional and heartfelt story, telling the story of every day women in rural Kentucky. Women who don't quite fit in with society of the time, but who come together to create a new library branch of Packhorse Librarians to help other disadvantaged families. Based on a real, historical concept it follows the dramatic story of these fictional women, set against a beautiful, desolate landscape, and the harsh reality of gender, marriage and 1930s conservative society.

There is strife and danger, friendship and love to be found and a tale of community that weaves between all these families and brings them together, despite the odds. An amazing read, this might be my favourite Moyes book yet!

Is it no secret I love Moyes ability to tell stories, I have read all of her books (I think) and not met one I didn't like. Set in Kentucky America, money is tight, women's priorities is the husband, home and of course knowing their place. Alice has come from England to marry her beloved Benedict, thinking she is leaving one dull existence to an exciting new one in America. Not realising she is trading like for like and bound to be disappointed. Benedict lives in his overbearing fathers shadow, the family have money and Alice better know her place. Margery is one of the most outspoken in the town, not loved and has a dodgy family history. Margery with the help of Alice and a small band of ladies are helping families with books, magazines and reading materials. The mobile library will be a godsend to some and an aberration to others, leading to an incident that will change everything for them all.

Based around a true story, the Packhorse librarians where something I had never heard of and absolutely love. A band of women, travelling around their community, up the hills, to get reading materials to families, connecting a community in ways no one would have foresaw.

It is a tale of friendship, love, abuse, greed with a mix of racism, misogyny, human endangerment with the focus on making money even if it costs humans life or limb. A mixed bag, some scenes uncomfortable, because of the era women were felt to know their place and we have some plucky characters in the book and who doesn't love a strong woman or two. Loved Moyes books and this one was no different, 4.5/5 for me, very much looking forward to the next and I will be looking into the history of the Packhorse Librarians.

Jojo Moyes writes such incredible and unforgettable novels, she is the author of my favourite novel Me Before You and each time there is a new release by this author I know I am going to be in for a treat. The Giver of Stars is the title of her latest release and is based on a true story which appealed to me even more.
In the mountains of Kentucky where the folk are struggling due to the Great Depression a group of ladies come together to form a Mobile Library on horseback. Margery O’Hare doesn’t follow the society rules and is a very strong willed woman who leads the team of women in their little business they become so passionate and proud of. Alice Van Cleve is a young English woman who has recently arrived after marrying the well known Bennett and after struggling to find her place in society, much to the disapproval of her husband and father inlaw decides to join the women and work as one of the horse back Librarians. The woman soon began to see that not everyone agreed with the idea of the mobile library and they would meet a whole host of challenges in their way.
I found myself completely immersed in this storyline and the women’s bravery, courage and determination was commendable. Each and every one of the women who were involved in the Horseback Library were such determined and proud women who were not afraid of hard work and at times put their own safety at risk just to be able to support their community. The characters were developed incredibly well and the friendship and solidarity that was bult between the women was wonderful to see.
The storyline felt deep and raw as it contained so many different hardships and struggles effect nit just these strong women but also people in their community whose lives the women touched. The author writes with such detail that I could easily picture everything in my mind and I am absolutely certain that this novel will be hitting our screens at some point as it was so vivid and intriguing it had me captivated from start to finish so it would be great to see this made into a film.
This is one of those novels that will stick in my mind for a long time to come and it certainly sparked my interest in The Pack Horse Library Project that the minute I finished this novel I was googling to find out more and was amazed at the information and pictures that I found.
What a remarkable read, if you are looking for a novel with depth, solidarity, friendship and determination at the core then this novel will not disappoint you.

Based on a true story about the Kentucky pack horse librarians, The Giver of stars is a book about friendship, loyalty, love, ambition. and how to overcome hurdles in the face of adversity. Sadly am not a fan of historical fiction type books and found this to be a little slow and at times very hard going and would never have picked it up had it not been for the author's name. Not my favourite book from Jojo Moyes but I can still appreciate the excellent writing and strong characters. Many thanks to netgalley for an arc in return for my honest opinion.