One of my favourite reads of 2019!

The prologue sets the scene well, a woman and her mule making their way carefully through the wilderness are confronted by a man, his breath sour with drink and his finger on the trigger of a loaded gun...

This novel about a group of women who set up and ran a branch of the Pack Horse Library in Baileyville, Kentucky during the Great Depression touched my heart.
A heartwarming and poignant tale, the girls didn't have an easy ride. The Pack Horse library project may have won the approval of Eleanor Roosevelt but there were plenty of townsfolk who didn't agree with the scheme, many of them believing that 'The Good Book' was the only reading most folk needed, especially when word got out about a 'sinful' book that was doing the rounds.

What I really loved about this book was the characterisation, all of the girls were completely different and from completely different backgrounds and as they became familiar with each other, friendships were formed and it was the closeness and strength of their bond that for me really made this a great read.
The Giver of Stars ticked all my boxes. It taught me something, the characters were believable and most importantly of all, when I closed the final pages I had a smile on my face.

My thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy for review purposes. I was under no obligation and all opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book it. I felt a real connection to Alice and passing on her love for books. This one is definitely one to keep on a bookshelf.
Thank you Jojo for the magic you have in writing and bringing a wonderful story to life .

A beautifully written book, with scenic descriptions that transport you onto the back of a horse and riding the terrain right alongside the librarians, with a wonderful insight not only into the library service itself, but also the lives of women in 1930's America, in the more rural parts of the States.
The portrayal of the different women who volunteered for the service and their motivations for doing so gave you a real sense of the hardships they were suffering, trying to escape from and most importantly trying to life other women and children from alongside them.
The relationships between the librarians and their customers as well as their personal relationships make each woman a well rounded character to read about and to root for and the hints of romance are well handled to not take away from the main themes of the story whilst still serving to bring satisfaction that your favourite characters find happiness outside the library.
An all round excellent read about a part of American history I was unaware of but am now fascinated by.

I am ashamed to admit here that...deep breath...I have not read enough Jojo Moyes novels.

Now, with the admission off my conscience, I can tell you one thing straight out. I loved this novel! Now, as I said, I haven't read as many of Ms. Moyes books as I should have, but I am getting to know that she loves to tackle (IMHO of course) subjects which are not easy to write about and here she tells a tale that is hard to believe is based on fact, though of course, it is. This makes it all the more rewarding to take in and savour each word, phrase etc.

Powerful, moving, with well-rounded characters that match the spectacular surroundings of the settings of Kentucky in the mid to late 1930's.

I would recommend this book for those looking for a rewarding reading experience.

Thank you to both Avon and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

Thank you to netgalley.co.uk for giving a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I have to say that I'm so pleased I was given the chance to review this book by Jojo Moyes, I am a fan of her work, in particular, her Me Before You series but I love her historical fictions. I'm pleased to say that this one did not disappoint. I have never read anything quite like this wonderful book.
I loved the characters in the book, particularly Marjorie, I found it quite interesting to see the rise of women's power and how the characters were afraid of losing the status quo. I felt that throughout the book, Jojo was writing with such a passion it made me not want to leave the book at any time. I was sad when I finished this book. This novel is probably my new favourite of Moyes.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

a world wind romance sees a young girl marry an american and heads off for what she thinks the glamorous life and then she ends up in kentucky....in the depression....

the lifestyle that she imagines didnt happen and alice found her new home and surrounding very difficult so when volunteers were needed for the new library, where she would take books up into the mountains to families that couldnt come into town on horseback, she took up the challenge and along the way she came to know her fellow neighbours

its a gripping novel with how the women battled through adverse weather conditions to the era where a womans place was in the home and how even alice father in law took over her marriage and what happened next

there are some amazing characters in this book that i fell in love with and hoped that alice would battle her way through all that came her way and i even had a little tear in my eye at the ending, really loved this book and was invested in the characters in the book

gripping novel and one i couldnt put down...another author to add to my watch list

This is an epic novel based on the 1930’s Horseback Librarians program in Kentucky which was started by Eleanor Roosevelt to enrich the lives of people who lived in the mountainous regions. "Book women" were hired by the WPA and worked for around $28 a month delivering books in the Appalachians via horseback or on mules on very dangerous trails and in all weathers.
This is a powerful story with well drawn characters who battled against all odds to carry out their work and I didn't want it to end.
Highly recommend this to lovers of historical fiction.
5*****

When English born Alice arrived in Baileyville, Kentucky with her new American husband and father-in-law her dreams shattered. The town consisted of one street and was surrounded by hills, forests and the mines her father-in-law owned. Not quite the bright lights of the city she thought she would be living in.
When a call went out to the women of the town to volunteer to be part of an outreach team to deliver library books up in the hills to people that couldn't get down to town, the response was poor. Alice was the first to come forward much to the disapproval of her domineering father-in-law. Especially as the whole thing was been run by Margery O'Hare, a bit of a wild woman that could outdo most men at anything.
The little team grew to 5. Lizzy the daughter of wealthy parents in the town, who stills suffers the after-effects of polio, making it difficult for her to walk never mind ride a horse or mule. She became one of my favourite characters in the story. Beth and finally Sonia, an African American woman, very well educated but having to work in the small outbuilding converted to house the books in secret because she was black. They were a very mixed bag of characters.
The trails were treacherous, the weather horrendous and gratitude not always shown but the demand kept growing. The lending library didn't go down well with some of the people in town making life very stressful for Alice at home. This is one epic story of endurance, strong women and fighting for justice. It was a time when women could be openly beaten without anyone blinking an eye about it. It was seen as a way to control a disobedient wife.
This story takes over your life while you read it, with its rugged beauty and pioneering women that became my heroes. For me Jojo Moyes best book yet.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

Having read all her previous novels I was thrilled that a new Jojo Moyes book was finally being published and this definitely does not disappoint. Whilst Me Before You is my favourite book it is by no means a reflection of Jojo’s breadth of writing and I think The Giver of Stars is more true to her natural style. I was a little unsure about the book to start however on reflection it feels a little like how Alice, who for me was the main character, must have felt about her life in Kentucky where she felt displaced and uncertain until the book develops a little more and when Alice finds her place I felt as though I had fallen into the story too. The writing is superb, the feel for life in the small town in the 1930s flows through the book on every page, The characters are a fantastic reflection of the true strength of women, even in times when society viewed them as lesser beings. I loved the way the prologue was used, not as a point before the story or some detail to lead up to but as the centre of it. In short this book is glorious and more so as it is loosely based around a genuine library scheme and feels so authentic in its telling.

The Giver of Stars is a spectacularly good book, the best I’ve read his year. Full of drama, angst, romance, heartache and heartbreak but above all based on a true story.

During the Great Depression the government funded an initiative to bring literature to the poor. Set in 1937 the Horseback Librarians of Kentucky consisting of five wonderful women ride into the mountains to take books to the poor, riding dangerous trails in all weathers, with all sorts of hazards including snakes, mosquitoes and some unsavoury characters, they have their work cut out for them, firstly as females and also offering books to read other than the bible to the disgust of some people.

The main two characters are Majory a Kentuckian who is headstrong and determined to ensure she can reach as many families as she is able. Alice an English lady who has married, in an unhappy loveless marriage joins her in her quest to help fill her life with some meaning.

We learn of their hard lives, the power of men over women, the injustices of the rich against poor, But we also have humour, love, true friendship and bravery. These women are true pioneers, I was in awe of them.
A beautifully written story, it flows along seamlessly and is a pure joy to read. Be prepared to be unable to put this book down. I cannot praise it highly enough, I just wish I had a tiny percentage of the ability of this author to inspire you to read this book. An absolute winner.
My very grateful thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Such a beautiful read. The author writes so beautifully you feel you are there with the characters. Loved it

I can understand why Ms Moyes was drawn to the story of the horse back librarians when she read the article mentioned in the foreword to this edition. And I do enjoy an historical novel based on a true story or event.

I found the book slow to get into but once Alice arrives in Kentucky the pace picked up. I though the sense of place was excellently written – the squalor and deprivation particularly. What I did not get from this book was a sense of the time in which it was set. Except for a few mentions of motor vehicles the whole thing reads like a Western set in the 1800’s. At one point the year 1868 was mentioned and I thought ‘oh, that’s twenty years ago’ when in fact it was 70 years previously. Perhaps a few more mentions of the women’s clothing might have helped to situate the book in the late 1930’s? And the telephone wasn’t mentioned once. Apart from this I thought it was a very good story and one I recommend.

With thank to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an unproofed e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the best book I have read all year. The story of women librarians, travelling on horseback in difficult terrain in Kentucky, bringing hope to families whilst trying to assert their independence in the 1930s. The two main characters, Margery and Alice, are women I would like to meet and be friends with. They are strong in such adverse conditions, and so good to other people. The social constraints and prejudices women had to live with then makes me so glad I am living nearly 100 years later, and thankful for the changes those women fought for. This book is a very emotional read, and it made me cry more than once. I can not recommend it highly enough.

Amazing story of the strength of women who face adversity. Cleverly written describing a mobile library in the mountains of Kentucky using horseback as the transport. This was life changing for the residents some of whom learnt to read using this service. Couldn’t stop reading this book - had to know the ending.

The Giver of Stars is the most lovely book that will stay with me for a long time. It is set in rural Kentucky in the Depression. The plot is based on the real Pack Horse Library Project which was a Works Progress Administration (WPA) program that delivered books to remote regions in the Appalachian Mountains between 1935 and 1943. Women were the ones running the project and delivering the books to those who were unable to access books in any other way as they were so remote.

This story follows the ups and downs of women who get together to setup such a scheme where they deliver the books on horseback to families who wouldn’t have access to books. We hear heart-warming tales of books people are cherishing having and also of children learning to read as a result of the scheme. The five women who get involved with the scheme all form a close bond and are very committed to their work despite facing a number of challenges with their lives outside of work.

This was so well written and kept me gripped the whole way though. I loved the portrayal of the women and how the story panned out. A really lovely book with lots of plot, drama and heart-warming interest.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goodness! This book is absolutely brilliant and has to be one of the best pieces of historical fiction I have ever read. Set in Kentucky in the 1930's and based on the Horseback librarians, started by Eleanor Roosevelt, the book tells the story of five incredibly brave and strong minded women. The writing is filled with passion, is well researched and touches on racism, exploitation and class. I devoured this book and can only hope it is made into a film for it would surely be a box office winner. It has to be the book to read in 2019 and I am sure will be talked about by book lovers everywhere. I really was sad when the book came to an end. My huge thanks to Net Galley and Penguin UK for my ARC.

Anyone who has read a jojo moyles book knows that,in reality no reviews of a new book by her are needed as her writing is the biz
I had no idea what this book was about ( just the author was enough for me to want to read and review ) and so when I read the intro was surprised to read the book is based on a group of women in Kentucky in the late 1930’s who, via horseback, start a library to help encourage people in remote areas to read, it wasn’t I thought, probably a book for me but of course would read it...
It turned out to be magical, remarkable, emotional, joyful and any other positive adjective you can think of, truly uplifting and storytelling at its best
The writing is without flaw, the characters instantly ‘easy to get to know’ and once again this author just delivers on every literary score
I absolutely adored every page, every story and sub story, learnt things about America in the 1930’s that shook me and fell in love with the whole concept of what they did to encourage folk to read inc many struggles and problems along the way
Every high and low, good thing and bad is told so so well, I could go on for hours about it but wont except to say for me it was almost 500 pages of reader bliss
10/10
5 Stars

An absolutely fantastic book based on the horseback librarians in America in the 1930s. I knew I’d enjoy it, I love everything I’ve read from Jojo Moyes but even so I was unprepared for how this took my breath away. It’s a beautiful story and left me with the greatest respect for the women who, in real life, shared the love of reading with others.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

This book was inspired by a true story.
Alice marries an American and leaves her home to live with him. But, her marriage isn't panning out the way she expected. She meets Margery, who is aiming to take books to the people in the outlying areas and they start a mobile library - visiting the peoples' homes on horseback.

I found all the characters interesting whether I loved them or otherwise.

I have read all of JoJo Moyes books, and each one is different. This one more than most.
It's set in the 1930s in rural Kentucky. Following the discovery of information about the Packhorse Library, JoJo knew she had to write about this amazing piece of history. She herself spent time in a rural cabin high in the mountains, riding the trails that the girls would have used, seeing the beautiful scenery, the abandoned homes, the rocky pathways.
The story is set round five brave women who took books , on horseback, to the far flung outlying homes on the mountains. Sometimes these were received gladly, sometimes not.
Alice, who is one of the chief riders, has a marriage in name only with a weak man. They start life living with his father, a cruel and bigotted man, who would do anything to have his own way, including knocking Alice about, watched by his son.. She rebels and goes to live with Margery, who is one of the bravest women, travelling high into mountain ranges.
The happiness the books bring to some of the families is wonderful; to perceive, children beginning to read, adults exploring literature, even a dying man soothed by being read to.
There are so many areas in this story, floods, imprisonment, births, and so much more. It is a book that needs serious reading otherwise you might miss something.
I loved it, and am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for a review copy.