A quick and light story about a very interesting woman. I don't normally lean toward inspirational but this was a fine book with a nice story.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this new book by Kim Vogel Sawyer.  I was drawn into this story set during the Great Depression and the way the characters lived during this time.  I loved learning about life as a Pack Horse Librarian.  This was a real job of the WPA program instituted by President Roosevelt to try to boost the economy.  Being an avid reader myself, I am so glad that books could be brought to this rural areas.  Addie's bravery after being forced to leave college and travel to Boone's Hollow where she knew no one was inspiring.  Addie, Emmett, and Nanny Fay were models of how a Christian should conduct themselves; though, at times they seem a little too good to represent real people.  Their actions and reactions definitely show what Christians should strive to be.  I felt terrible for Nanny Fay and how the people of Boone's Hollow treated her, yet she had such a kind soul and temperament.  In contrast, Bettina was spiteful and mean, yet I found myself feeling sorry for her due to how she was treated by her father.  She really was just seeking love.  My only disappointment in the book was that the romance between Addie and Emmett didn't really play out the way I hoped it would.  There just wasn't enough told about their relationship.  I would love to see these characters again in a future book and see what life is like for them.

I have always found the folks of the hills, like those in another great book, "Christy", to be interesting. Superstitions and downright stubborn pride are so rampant that no one ever really knows what started a feud. Yet, this pride is what kept these folks alive in a way. Kim did an excellent job diving into both the good and bad aspects of the societal issues of the fictional Boone's Hollow.
One protagonist has a rugged pulled out from undernher and must accept a job in the middle of nowhere as a traveling librarian. The other has to return to his hometown when jobs are not available fresh off his college graduation. You have to read it for yourself to discover who the antagonist is and the journey that character takes.
I did enjoy this story. It was well-written. I only wish it would have continued a little longer. I hope the author expands on the antagonist and writes a sequel. 

I received an ARC via Netgalley but I freely give my honest review.

The Librarian of Boone's Hollow
by 
Kim Vogel Sawyer

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer

I was so happy to be get my hands on the latest Kim Vogel Sawyer. I have always loved her books. Almost every book I have read by Kim Vogel Sawyer has tugged at my heart and touched me but this one did not.

I did not enjoy reading this book at all. I found it very slow and it took me a long time to get thru it.  You have to get 60% into the story until the main character, Addie, actually starts her job as the librarian of Boone’s Hollow.

I did not like any of the main characters and could not relate to any of them.

Sorry to say I would not recommend this book to anyone. 

I would like to thank Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow, by Kim Vogel Sawyer, is a wonderful story that takes place in Kentucky during the great depression. Addie and Emmett first briefly met at college. When Addie is forced to drop out due to lack of funds, she is offered a job to deliver books to families outside of Boone Hollow. After graduation, Emmett is unable to find work and goes home to his family. After deciding to take a job at the mine, he is offered the head librarian’s position and has to make the decision to leave the mines.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. The writing is so clear it is easy to envision the struggles Addie had to learn to ride a horse and how hard it was to fit in Boone Hollow as an outsider. It is heart-warming to see the generosity of her parent’s friends and church members with helping supply the library needs. I enjoyed reading of the dangers the men face with mining and the precautions they need to take and the jobs the government created for those who needed them during the depression. This story does touch on the topic of abuse and prejudice, and the love and support given to those in need.

I received an ebook copy of this story from Waterbrook Multnomah publishing through NetGalley, this is my honest review.

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is one of the best books Kim Vogel Sawyer has written and that’s saying a lot! The book focuses on the Kentucky Packhorse Library Project and the people trying to survive in the depression-era Kentucky mountains. While the story introduces some wonderful characters, the plot is really focused on Emmet and Addie. Both are trying to use their college degrees (well, almost a degree for Addie) to make the life of the small mountain community better through books. The story gives an accurate portrayal of what life was like during this time. From child abuse to mountain superstitions, Sawyer brings the story from fiction to real life. I can see The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow as a movie. The picturesque mountain setting and the believable characters along with the flowing dialogue make this book is a must read! I voluntarily received a copy of this book from Netgalley.

This is a sweetly told heartwarming story based in the mountains of Kentucky. With the Christian themes of love and forgiveness, it features the historical beginnings of libraries in that area including the importance of packhorse librarians. I don't think many are aware of this occupation nor the fact that most of them were women. It's a very easy but interesting and somewhat soothing read for anyone who likes Christian fiction or Kentucky history.

There is nothing better than picking up a book and discovering something new about a time in our country’s history.  To have this knowledge delivered through interesting and quirky characters is even better.

In Librarian of Boones Hollow, Kim Vogel Sawyer has given us a glimpse into the coal mining country of Kentucky during the Great Depression.  This book is so beautifully written that you can smell the wood fires, the decaying autumn leaves and hear the twang of the various characters all of which have their own voice.  We learn of a program called Works Progress Administration, WPA for short.  Through WPA the main female character, Addie due to unforeseen circumstances, ends up in Boones Hollow as a travelling librarian taking books and magazines to isolated families in the hills.  The main male character, Emmett, is a young man who left the hills to attend college.  Both face prejudice and struggles to be accepted. How will these two lives inner twine?   Along with Addie and Emmett are several supporting characters that give this story life, Bettina who was hard to like at times, the two mothers and two fathers and the resident healer so often found in the Appalachian hills. Superstition, suspicion, and secrets are part of this story as they were in real life.  

The spiritual thread woven through the lives of these people showed how to persevere with faith even during the dark and tough times.  

I loved this book and am hoping there is a sequel.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Waterbrook and was not required to give a positive review.

The Librarian of Boone's Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
________________________________________________________________________
Story Notes

This was an interesting look at some of the work done by the employees of Roosevelt's WPA movement. I really enjoyed reading about how the books and magazines were passed out and about the people who live in the hills of Kentucky. Addie Cowherd was a week away from graduating from the University of Kentucky but a lack of ability to pay for her classes leaves her without a home or job. The offer to be a pack librarian for the town of Boone's Hollow and the surrounding hills is a blessing she didn't expect or is sure she's ready to take on. But a paycheck is a valuable asset in the wake of the stock market collapse, so Addie determines to do her best. Along the way she will find challenges to her faith and her person and she just might find a way to make her dream of being a writer come true. I loved reading Addie's story and how there were other character insights given too. I was able to see the story from four different points of view and that gave the story some good depth. Bettina was an excellent character who just wanted someone to love her and give her a way out of her hard situation. Her lashing out at others was a form of protection any who have been through what she had would do. Nanny Fay was a perfect example of Jesus to all around her even in the face of unkindness and distrust. Her quiet way of sharing love with others and "turning the other cheek" inspired others to do the same. And Emmett was a good character too, but I wish he been a little more apt to stand up to Bettina. Her meanness to others could have been curbed if Emmett had spoken with her straight out. I do believe others will like this look back at another time and place that might given them some things to think over about themselves, I certainly did. 

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Waterbrook/Multnomah via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

“But a town with a library was a good town. She’d be happy there. In time, she’d feel right at home.”
Just before final exams at college, Addie Cowherd finds out her parents haven’t been able to pay her school bill and she won’t be allowed to finish the semester. They’ve had to sell their house and move into a boarding house and have no room to take her back in. She needs to find a job and a place to live in a hurry. She had been working part-time at the local library during school and while they don’t have the funds to keep her on, the director hears about a job in Boone’s Hollow as a packhorse librarian and Addie applies. She leaves city life to live in a small town in Kentucky where family grudges are held for generations.

I was part of the launch team for The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow. I’ve read two other books about the packhorse librarians – The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes and The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson – and wanted to see what the storyline would be for this third book. The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is written by a Christian author. I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

When Addie gets to Boone’s Hollow, she is immediately cast as an outsider by most. Then, she chooses to room with an older woman whom a lot of people hold a grudge against because she married an Indian. For two weeks, she tries to deliver books, but no one will take them from her. However, Emmett comes back to town after graduating from the same college Addie attended and takes over the library. Can he help her change the town’s attitude toward newcomers?

I enjoyed reading The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow. It is written from a Christian perspective and some parts feel a little forced as the characters tend to realize that they did something wrong really quick and then set it right really quickly. Readers who enjoy Christian fiction will enjoy this book, though – especially if they also enjoy historical fiction.

When Adelaide Cowherd's adoptive parents can no longer afford her college tuition (hello, Great Depression!), Addie, as everyone calls her, has to get a job to help pay off her debt. With experience working in her college library, she's offered a position as a "packhorse librarian" in Boone's Hollow, Kentucky. Organized by the WPA, packhorse librarians deliver library books to poor people.

But little does Addie know that the folks in Boone's Hollow don't take kindly to outsiders. They don't even take kindly to their own kind, especially when their kind go off and graduate from college, as Emmett Tharp has done. He's the first in his family to go to college, much to his mother's delight. However, the Depression has made it hard for educated men to find jobs. Is working in the coal mine alongside his father Emmett's only option?

If Bettina Weber had her way, Emmett would stay by her side in Boone's Hollow or elsewhere for the rest of her life. She may be young, but she's had her sights set on Emmett since they were kids, and she just knows that Emmett will court and marry her one day. Except, it seems like Emmett has eyes for new librarian Addie.

The Librarian of Boone's Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer is more than just a love triangle and romance. In fact, there's nary a romantic scene until the very end. This is actually a story about finding out other people's stories. Boone's Hollow people are unkind to old Nanny Fay, but that's because they don't really know her. Bettina is unkind to Addie, but that's because she never gives Addie a chance. And nobody in town knows the real story of Bettina and her late mom, except for one person.

I enjoyed how the author weaved scripture throughout the novel without hitting you over the head with it. It seemed very natural for these church-going characters to quote the Bible. And I also liked how the main characters were working to change the bigoted attitudes of the townspeople through library books and stories. Reaching out to those who are different is exactly what Jesus would have done.

The Librarian of Boone's Hollow is published by WaterBrook and is on bookstore shelves now. I received a free e-ARC in exchange for my review.

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is such a beautiful story of faith, hope, and love! I loved the way that both Addie and Emmett clung tightly to their faith and the things their parents had taught them. Each showed strength of character when faced with superstition, prejudice, and suspicion.

Told through the eyes of several of the characters, I was able to see the hardships faced in the mountain communities steeped in ancient rivalries and superstition. I was quite touched by Bettina’s plight, despite how much she made me not want to like her! I was impressed, also, by the way the author made each narrator’s voice sound so different from the others.

I loved reading about the packhorse librarians, commissioned by the WPA to provide jobs and promote literacy. And to think they made such high salaries like $25 a week!

Sadly, one of the characters endured violence at the hand of her father. While this is mentioned, there are no descriptions of these abusive acts, just the after-effects of bruising, self-depreciation, and fear.

Kim Vogel Sawyer did such a beautiful job of keeping the story pointing to Jesus. Nanny Fay, one of my very favorite characters, was such an example of grace and forgiveness towards the community that shunned her and refused to allow her to feel she was a part of it. She continually exhibited the love of God and shared the pearls of her wisdom to Addie.

If you enjoy historical fiction with a strong faith element, I encourage you to read The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow.

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is a fascinating look at the Great Depression and the packhorse librarians employed by the government during that time to remote regions of the Appalachian Mountains. Addie Cowherd had hopes of being a college graduate, but the economic difficulties mean she must quit and find a way to support herself. Through a connection with the local library, she acquires a job as a packhorse librarian, traveling to Boone’s Hollow, where she is most decidedly treated as an outsider by the majority of the townspeople. However, she is not without friends – Emmett Tharp moves back home to Boone’s Hollow after graduating from college, with hopes of finding a job closer to home, while Nanny Fay provides Addie with not only a place to stay, but a home away from home.

I appreciated the strong faith message in this novel, primarily to trust God no matter what circumstances life is bringing your way. Addie endears herself to the reader by being able to accept changes with grace, while also being a bit bewildered by her new surroundings and receiving treatment from others that she’s not used to receiving, while Nanny Fay reacts to even the smallest blessing with gratitude and warmth. Emmett attempts reconciliation, as he clashes with his father over what he feels he is called to do with his life. Throughout the story, Sawyer does well to highlight prejudices and ways of life that were realistic to the time, though heartbreaking and off-putting to the modern day reader. There is a slight thread of romance that is very light, but does have a happily ever after in the end.

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to post a positive review, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

The storyline and characters in this book are very compelling.  Reading this book made me feel as if I’d actually traveled back to the years of the Great Depression and lived in Boone’s Hollow.  I felt for Addie as her whole world turns upside down and she has to leave college because of economic reasons.  When she takes the job there, she immediately has to deal with the prejudices, superstitions, and mountain traditions to which the maintain people cling to tightly.

I liked that as we follow this story through the viewpoints of Addie and Emmet, the author shows respect for the mountain people.  She acknowledges their flaws, but never ridicules them.  The themes of faith in God during distressing times and helping those who are sometimes unloveable directs the story in an inspiring way. As I finished the book, I was sorry to leave these characters behind; however, I think this book is a stand-alone story and there’s not a sequel. If you’ve ever read and enjoyed the book “Christy” by Catherine Marshall, I believe you’d love this one, too.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Kim Vogel Sawyer has once again written a beautiful inspirational story with her newest release The Librarian of Boone's Hollow. I adored Addie’s Depression era tale. I was entertained from start to finish. I loved every single page.

I am giving The Librarian of Boone's Hollow a very much well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who need a story of faith and inspiration. It is most definitely worth a read.

I received The Librarian of Boone's Hollow from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is one hundred percent my on honest opinion.

It was fascinating to learn about the Works Progress Administration's (WPA) program that put people to work during the Great Depression. I was tickled to read about Addie Cowherd, her enthusiasm for this project and her passion for words. Addie and the WPA (nicknamed Pack Horse Librarians) hoped this would be a way to increase literacy and boost morale in the Appalachia area. 

I googled this program and was surprised to learn that hundreds of Pack Horse Librarians traveled many miles a day with saddlebags jammed full of books, making deliveries through some of the county’s most impoverished and isolated communities in Kentucky. Just like Addie, these women had to know how to ride a horse and maneuver it with 25 pounds of books in tow. Addie had to deal with one more thing the other ladies did not have to contend with, and that was rejection. She was an “outsider” so therefor not to be trusted.

Emmett Tharp is shocked. He never expected to be rejected by his own. He was born and raised in Boone’s Hollow Kentucky for goodness sake. Just because he received a full scholarship to a University and went off to college to learn about business was no reason to be ignored. There was only one young lady pinning for Emmett this whole time and thrilled to welcome him home. Her name was Bettina. She acts like a crazy stalker fan. She has her mind set on marrying him and have him take her away to the big city. She knew there were no jobs in Boone Hollow for a college graduate like Emmett.

The authors passion for story shines through her characters as they all make the best of hard times. This story is written so the reader gets to see things through three characters POV. Addie, Emmett and Bettina. I liked that we got a well-rounded view of the situation in the community and how they responded to the pack horse librarians. We also get to see the living conditions, experience the terrain in which these girls traveled and get a sense of the heartbeat of the community.

The head librarian explains to Addie, “Education is key to changing the old mindsets ...Which is why I believe so strongly in this program…I see the delivery of these books as something deeper, more important than a mere job. A book takes one into another person’s thoughts and emotions. Books open up worlds beyond the view from one’s own window. Stories can stir compassion, can inspire integrity, can show different lifestyles and problem-solving skills. Books, Addie, have the power to change people for the better.”

Amen and Amen! this book does that and more. I learned so much through characters I adored and had compassion for their situations. This book would work well for your next book club pick. The author includes questions to help in your discussions. If you have not read a book by this author, you should. Her books are a delight. I enjoy learning about history through an entertaining novel like this one.

I also like the natural spiritual thread woven into the fabric of this story and characters. I appreciated how Nanny Fay – herbal lady (no one trusted) walked out her faith with people that shunned her. But she loved them and the people God put in her path. Addie and Emmett watched. They hoped to be like her one day. Me too!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

The Librarian of Boones Hollow
A good story that kept my interest from beginning to end. I wanted to read more!

Who doesn’t love a story about a book lover? I think this is my favorite book by Kim Vogel Sawyer! I read most of it in one sitting, it was that good. I loved Addie, Emmett, and Nanny Fay. I didn’t like Bettina throughout the whole book, but she wasn’t too bad by the end. 



I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I find information regarding the Pack Horse Library Project of the WPA (Works Progress Administration) very interesting, and this book gives the reader a look into how much the remote mountain areas relied on this service.  This book mainly focuses on the people of Boone's Hollow who are employed through the program, the difficult life they and their families have in this coal mining area, and how fragile relationships become amongst the fear of the unknown and the bigotry of the uneducated who don't know any better than what they have been taught in their small community. The strong Christian beliefs of the characters in this book give their stories another dimension as they struggle between right and wrong and ultimately acceptable behaviors.   Following Addie Cowherd, Emmett Tharp, Bettina Weber and Nanny Fay through the pages and into the dilemmas they live with makes for a very interesting and captivating story.  I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Waterbrook and Multnoma in return for an honest review, which this has been.  #TheLibrarianofBoone's Hollow #NetGalley

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a beautifully written historical novel taking place in the Appalachia mountains of Kentucky during the Depression era. I loved reading about the people from that area and era. They were a very proud people with their quirks and habits and their fear of “outsiders.” They also disdained education believing their was no need of it. This is a place where outsiders and different ways of living are regarded with suspicion. They work hard in the coal mines and it’s the only way of life they have ever known, hard work and poverty. Every character has a story of their own in the book.The characters that Sawyer created are colorful and interesting. A strong thread of faith is woven within the pages.  I highly recommend this book to any fans of Christian and historical fiction. ….Thank you to Netgalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for providing me a copy of this book to review. The words are my own.