Montana in the 1920s-30s was ruled by the copper kings. This is the story of three women during that time. Alice is a librarian whose father is the mayor. Collette's father was involved in the union movements in the mines. Millie worked for the Federal Writers Project to try to write a guide to Montana. Three different women whose lives will converge. Alice creates the boxcar library to bring books to the miners/loggers and their families. It is a train car that travels between the camps. The copper kings believe this is a bad idea. Knowledge is power.

This is wonderful historical fiction and should not be classified as LGBTQ. It is told from multiple points of view. You will hear from each woman. How there lives were controlled by men and how they strived for independence. It will hold your interest from beginning to end. History like we never learned in school. It is a story for everyone who loves books. I loved this book and would highly recommend reading it.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #BriannaLabuskes and #WilliamMorrow for a copy of this book.
#TheBoxcarLibrarian

This is a fictional history lovers dream. With three different POVs woven throughout the story, major time periods such as the end of WWI, Prohibition, the Depression, Dust Bowl, WWII and the New Deal are talked about. It has love, romance, mystery and books. What else could you need?! This story is very much a love letter to the state of Montana and Labuskes definitely did her research before writing this book. It took a while before I was able to understand how these three characters were related to the plot but once I understood that it became an easy read.
This is mainly about people who love books, people’s whose lives were changed by books and the power books can have on a society. If you enjoy Kristin Hannah and Kate Quinn you will love this

“America is nothing without its people-all of its people.”

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the gifted eARC

My new fav from Brianna Labuskes, this historical fiction story follows three women whose lives intersect over the course of the 1920s and 30s in Montana. I really enjoy reading about periods and places in history that I know little about and this book was so well researched and the author did such a great job tying the threads together.

As a librarian, I especially loved learning about the boxcar libraries that served remote mining/logging communities and the brave women that travelled the rails to bring books to communities that wouldn't otherwise have access. There's also a great murder mystery element, some romance, revenge, betrayal and always at the core, strong women taking chances and fighting for good causes.

Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like The giver of stars by Jojo Moyes or The four winds by Kristin Hannah. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Alice is the sheltered daughter of the mayor of a mining town in Montana. She wants to bring books to the struggling families of the mineworkers and the mineworkers themselves. Alice convinces the owner of the town’s mining company to support the concept and fund a stipend for a librarian. Alice also brings in enough books to stock the library, and take the boxcar library on the road attached to the end of a train. Locals come at every stop to check out and return books, and the library conducts public readings on the nights they are in each town,

Millie is part of the Federal One Project, the Federal Writers project, which was tasked with giving writers (who were starving to death like a lot of other crafts) meaningful work that would bring the country. Mille is transferred to the department in Montana, after she interferes in some office harassment that is likely to get her fired. In Montana she comes across as mystery, as one of the office’s submissions has seemed to be sabotaged. Millie’s job is to figure out who did it and why, and to reproduce the missing work within a certain deadline or Millie and the whole office will be fired. There are definitely political overtones; the office produces travel guides that are more than just itineraries, but include all kinds of different races, men, women, children, as all are part of the story of America.

Colette Durand, is the daughter of a miner working for the Anaconda Copper mining company. Her father is a leader among the coal miner and a target for the company who controls every aspect of the miners lives. Well read, intelligent, and a great father, he teaches Collette through the stories he tells her many of which he knows by heart. A tragic event occurs that causes Colette to meet Alice; together they make the Boxcar library a reality.

These 3 women, Alice, Millie and Colette form the bones and flesh of the story, along with the men who shape, inspire and sometimes impede them.

There are many quotes from many books are scattered throughout the story including Shakespeare adding context, color and depth to the story. In fact, in some ways the story is told through the quotes themselves.

The Boxcar Librarian covers a time in our history that we too often forget, but is in some ways reminiscent of what’s going on today. A story of grit and determination, vision and persistence, The Boxcar Librarian is inspirational and shouldn’t be missed.

I had never heard of the Lumberman’s Library which the idea for the boxcar library was based upon.
Set against the backdrop of Montana in all of its glory but also its secrets: the mines, the unions, the crooked politicians, and the mining companies that literally owned the entire state.
It’s a slow build as Labuskes painstakingly connects the tendrils of the tale together.
The connecting theme is books and how they can inspire people, build bonds with people, and also be weaponized.
I was hopeful for one relationship for Alice but was disappointed in the man’s character and what he had done.
Slide open the door to this story and mine the word nuggets for yourself.

Based on a true story of a boxcar that was transformed into a library to take books to the residents of Montana’s mining towns during the depression. Told in three voices – Colette, raised in a mining town by her miner father who loved Shakespeare; Alice, overly protected daughter of a rancher; and Millie who was sent there by the WPA to work on the Montana State Guide. Amidst this is the story of the unions trying to get better wages and more safety and the Copper Kings who own the mines and will protect their profits at all costs. Like “The Giver of Stars” a fascinating read about the importance of books to those who don’t have access and the strong women who made it so.

The women of The Boxcar Librarian are fascinating characters, and their stories had me hooked.

Set in the 1920s-1930s, the intertwining stories of three women trying to find their path in Montana were woven beautifully. There is danger, backstabbing, and determination to see their goals through, all set during an interesting part of our country's history.

The boxcar library is the main setting for part of our story, as a young wealthy woman sets out to share her love of books with mining communities along the railroad tracks. The importance and love of books and reading is felt throughout the story, which rolls along at a slow but steady pace.

I enjoyed the way a mystery was cleverly written among the three timelines, and thought the author did a fantastic job combining the mystery with historical fiction!

Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Boxcar Librarian pulled me right in and wouldn't turn me loose. The characters of Millie Lang, Alice Monroe, and Colette Durand were well-drawn, and they all made me care about their well-being.

While the mystery was a good one that kept me guessing, I think the setting had the strongest grip on me. The Depression-Era time period was fascinating. I loved learning about the Boxcar Library (based on Montana's Lumberman's Library-- don't miss the author's note at the end), Montana's mining history, and the Federal Writers' Project. I have a reprint of the Arizona edition of the American Guide Series, and this book made me take it off the shelf to reread sections.

Strong setting, story, and characters. I definitely recommend The Boxcar Librarian.

Thanks to WIlliam Morrow for an advanced copy of The Boxcar Librarian by Brianna Labuskes.

I really wanted to like this book -- historical fiction based on the Missoula Boxcar Library mixed with the 1930s WPA American Guide Series but there was just too much going on in this book.

The 3 separate storylines and different timelines made this very confusing from the start and while you knew they'd eventually connect, it took too long to in my opinion. Also, this had a very slow start and I was bored through most of the book,

I did like the author's note at the end, but I felt like this book was trying to be too many things at once.

I may say this is a 3.5 rounded up to 4, but that's still up for debate with me. It feels too low, but also a 4 feels maybe too high? I'll have to think about it some more.

Now, I did enjoy this book. I did get a little confused at first with the different timelines, mostly between two of the characters, because I hadn't paid enough attention to the years at the beginning of the chapters. The biggest thing I could complain about is that it just felt so long. However, I was sick for the majority of my time reading this, so it possibly could have affected that, but it just took me awhile to get into it. I did like the second half better. Some of the pacing just felt a bit off.

There was an identity reveal to the readers that I feel didn't get the attention it deserved and I didn't really like that. I was hoping for more from it. I did also predict the "twist" but I'm fine with that because I like the direction it went.

DNF at 10%. After a few chapters going back and forth between time periods, I could already feel myself losing interest. I skipped ahead and all three STILL weren’t in the same time period. Going to skip on this one, as it’s too slow for me,

This took me a minute to get into-- the different perspectives being in different decades threw me and took me a minute to place them -- but I loved it by the end.
*
This is mostly about books, people who love them, people's whose lives are changed by them, and the power books can have. But there's also a mystery, several in fact! In the 1930s, Millie is sent to Montana to figure out who sabotaged the state's entry for the American Guide series. In the 1910s and beyond, Colette is trying to figure out who was responsible for a horrific crime. These stories intersect, along with Alice who ends up being the glue to bring the characters and storylines together.
*
This was on the longer side, but was such a pleasure to read. I loved the characters and really enjoyed how the story came together. And the ending was just perfect. Definitely recommend!

I really, really liked this one. It did take me a bit to get into it and understand the alternating timelines but once I settled in, I enjoyed it. I find historical fiction to be a 50/50 for me, but this one hit the right notes.

I have family that lives in this area so that definitely added to the appeal, if you know the area you can visualize the story and that added to the richness of the words. I also appreciated the author for highlighting this part of history and also wrapping up the ending the way she did.

Interesting in premise, I found the writing to be hard to follow and I was not a fan of the main character. there were one or two supporting characters that stood out to me but all in all, one that I will not revisit.

The Boxcar Librarian is a fascinating dive into a little-known piece of history, blending mystery, adventure, and the transformative power of books. With three different timelines and POVs—Millie in 1936, Alice in 1924, and Colette in 1914—it takes a bit to settle into the rhythm of the story, but once you do, it’s an immersive ride through Depression-era Montana.

The premise is fantastic—librarians delivering books to isolated mining towns via a converted boxcar? Sign me up! The historical research is spot-on, and Labuskes does a great job bringing this time period to life. The themes of literacy, labor rights, and resilience really shine through, and I loved the emphasis on how books can connect and uplift people.

That said, the multiple timelines and perspectives made the beginning a little slow and occasionally confusing. Some transitions between the characters weren’t as smooth as I’d have liked, but once their stories started to weave together, it all clicked into place. If you enjoy layered historical fiction with a dash of mystery and a strong female-driven narrative, this book is definitely worth picking up.

Bonus points for making me want to go on a deep dive into the real-life Boxcar Library!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I wish I could share all of my highlights from this book at once. My favorite thing was the way the author highlighted how helpful books can be for people & what they can open our eyes to. That theme & the fact that it was set in Montana were my favorite parts of the book.

That being said, this book has a lot of plot points going on at the same time. It is done well, but can be a little bit confusing to keep the timelines straight.

There were some twists and turns I couldn’t fully predict & I do appreciate that. While I understand why the author made those choices, I did hate some of them.

My last note was that the romance that was the main focus of this book was a victim of the miscommunication trope in my eyes & that is my least favorite one.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone.


Three timelines ranging from 1914 - 1939 with three POV’s creates a challenging start to Brianna Labuskes new novel, THE BOXCAR LIBRARIAN.

Montana is the primary setting for this story about mobile libraries. Three different women are involved with the operations of a new library built into a library car that services lumber camps and the tiny towns that line the tracks along the way. These women are bibliophiles through and through, sharing many insights about books that are now considered classics. I thoroughly enjoyed the tidbits of information and added a few books to my TBR because of them. For those readers who are fans of “The Bard”, you will be especially enamored. Labuskes is deft with descriptive prose. I spent many hours feeling extra chilly while reading about the winter months in Montana - bbbrrrr!

As stated in the beginning, it took a long time, more than 50 pages, before the multiple storylines began to settle into a comfortable reading experience. Part of the problem is not enough time to get to know three strong, female characters. The other issue is close timelines. Even tho’ each chapter is unique to a voice and a timeline and clearly marked, I found them hard to follow until the 50% mark or a bit later. The chapters were too short and more character development was needed sooner. Elongating the chapters would have permitted the author to give readers deeper insights to backstories that would have helped me understand some of the motivations of the characters. We did get the info needed but it was scattered in a few, high intensity scenes near the end. Rather than feeling like “ah ha”, it was “dang, I wish I knew that 200 pages ago!”

For those who love books, adventure, mystery and light thriller reads, THE BOXCAR LIBRARIAN will be a good read. Labuskes did an excellent job with research and bringing attention to an event in our history that isn’t well known or documented. This time period is full of huge historical events: the end of WWI, Prohibition, The Depression, Dust Bowl, WWII, racial tensions w/blacks & indigenous, women’s rights, The New Deal and more. It was eye opening to see how little this area of the county was impacted by these events Taking books and other reading materials to these families was a life changing gift for many.

3.5 stars rounded up for bringing an important story about real historical events to contemporary readers📚

Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, with thanks.

I absolutely loved The Boxcar Librarian by Brianna Labuskes.This book introduces three strong female characters and jumps between their stories over the years.

We have Millie Lang an editor for a depression era work program. She is sent to Montana to investigate missing paperwork and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Then Alice Monroe, a sheltered rich girl with a generous spirit and a strong will, who wants to help the miners in the area by giving them the gift of books by creating a boxcar library. Last but not least Colette Durand, the daughter of a union leader miner, who loves her father and reading.

This book expertly weaved together these stories. Every different point of view felt distinct and clear. When plot lines connected over different chapters and years it was seamless. It was like a reading a connect the dots. I couldn’t wait to see what the next connection would be so I could get a even fuller sense of the story.

This book had mystery, romance, revenge, and multiple surprises. I even cried a little at the end. Also, I really want to visit Montana now.

If you enjoy well written, compelling stories, with strong characters you will not be disappointed with this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Williams Morrow, and Brianna Labuskes for the ARC.

This book included so many mentions of the power of books - education and escape were primary things and there are so many highlight worthy lines in this book. I loved the three points of view - Millie in post depression WPA work, Alice founding the boxcar library and Colette being a miner's daughter. There was so much going on for each of the women and a lot of mystery to unravel while enjoying an ode to the love of books. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a chance to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

Three women's stories start in three different decades and merge eventually in a super satisfying piece of historical fiction about strong women who make their way in Montana. in 1914, Collette is part rough and tumble, part self-educated and pro-union. Her father, who is raising Collette is a miner, self educated and a strong union man. Their home is filled with books and his brain is filled with whole plays of Shakespeare and the many authors he loves and shares with Collette. Being a union man is highly risky in a company town owned by "The Company." The Anaconda Mining Company keeps its workers under its thumb, along with various politicians. When tragedy befalls Colette, she takes off on her own and we follow her story through the book, thereafter.

The novel alternates among the stories, but generally in a linear way, so while you are jumping decades and finding out things about each of them in the various decades, the chapters devoted to Collette, Alice and Millie follow a continuous time line. In 1924, Mayor Monroe of Missoula Montana is heavily invested in the Company and involved in various bootlegging and other questionable enterprises, but Alice is only dimly aware/suspicious of his doings. Alice is his daughter, a young woman who is a local librarian. With the help of her childhood friend Mac, now employed by her father to carry out a variety of work, including keeping an eye on Alice, she brings books by motor car to nearby mining towns. Mayor Monroe is very controlling and protective of Alice. An old schoolmate, who she views as too wild and his reputation too notorious dips in and out of her life in Missoula. Sidney Walker comes from wealth and he is a gambler, heavy drinker and always, always teases Alice when he runs into her. His mother is a social power in town.

When Alice thinks of the idea of fitting out a boxcar as a lending library, and starts to fundraise with the moneyed company and townspeople, Sidney's mother steps in to thwart the plan. She believes it is dangerous to let "those people" experience the power of words. In a surprising twist, Alice calls checkmate on Mrs. Walker and her plan goes forward, along with the hire of an unusual choice for the person who would serve as the boxcar librarian. The first two men to interview just didn't get Alice's vision. The boxcar will be hitched to trains that run through mining towns and we get to follow the boxcar and its librarian in many sweet and scary encounters and adventures.

And then there is Millie, an orphan from Texas, raised by her aunt and uncle as a combination older sister and minder of their rambunctious boys. In 1936, she is working for the Work Progress Agency (WPA) Federal Writers Project in a component that oversees a state by state guidebook project. Writers, photographer, editors, typists and interviewers travel about their assigned state to interview people in urban and remote areas and put together a a book meant to attract visitors. Millie, an editor in Washington, DC is sent to Missoula Montana to address a serious issue with Montana's project. Thus, the office staff initially views her as the enemy.

These women are phenomenal characters with rich stories and very different motherless backgrounds. All are book lovers, independent for their times and just interesting. So are the various support characters, the setting and the cultural and political stories of each of their initial eras: Montana's union battles are notorious and well represented in The Boxcar Librarian. Prohibition plays a role as well. The depression and the ups and downs of the New Deal and the WPA is a rich part of this story. Each woman learns more about poverty, if not personally than through their exposure to people in need. Each learns more about corruption in government and about the despotic nature of powerful corporations that rule with iron fists. So, for me, the rather progressive nature of the book was most welcome. It does not so much lecture as lull one into sympathy. This is a well researched and beautifully written book. One of my few "couldn't put it down," new to me authors.