I had NO idea when I received this book from the publisher that I was receiving the third book in the wonderful series of the book woman. This was an amazing continuation of the story of Cussy and Jackson. When I was reading this book, I would find myself wondering if we have really moved that far forward as a society. Some things we have and others we really have not. Does God look down on us and is His heart grieved with what he sees? Does He look at everyone and wonder if we will ever learn? I also loved reading the author's story at the end and all of her personal history and all her research. This is just an amazing series!

The 3rd book in the The Book Woman series, this one focuses on Cussy's days as a prison librarian. After years of bringing books and reading to her mountain people with The Packhorse Librarians Program, she has now been incarcerated for marrying a white man. In prison, she finds a way to get the books to other prisoners and bring the joy of reading to them. Sad but hopeful, this is another great addition to the Book Woman series.

Kim Michele Richardson's new sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series continues Cussy Carter Lovett's story. After the bookwoman and Kentucky Blues broke Kentucky law by marrying Jackson Lovett, a white man, she and her husband are arrested and both sent to prison for their interracial marriage. What follows is a love story about this interatrial couple who refuse to buckle under societal pressure and discrimination, The Mountains We Call Home is also a testament to the power of literacy and how it can improve lives and build community. A story of strength, survival and the magic of books, Through complex (and often flawed) characters, Ms. Richardson brings alive Cussy's world inside the Kentucky prison system, visiting a thriving 1950s Louisville (prior to urban renewal) and the surrounding areas as she portrays the ugly and tragic impact of discrimination, prejudice, and Jim Crow laws.

I previously read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, which provides excellent background to this story, and plan to now seek out the second book in the series that follows Honey Carter, Cussy's adopted daughter. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC copy of The Mountains We Call Home. I highly recommend this extremely well researched and documented series.

“As the years passed, we barely spoke of the mountains we call home.
Spoken even rarer these days, but always there, the longing could not stay silenced.”
- Cussy, The Mountains We Call Home

The Mountains We Call Home is the third installment in Kim Michele Richardson’s The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series. The novel takes place between the early 1950’s and the late 1960’s. Cussy, a Pack Horse Librarian in the mountains of Kentucky, lives with a genetic condition called methemoglobinemia that makes her skin blue. Her community ostracizes her and, after an abusive first marriage that left her a widow, she finds love with Jackson. The day they were married the sheriff ripped up their marriage license and put Jackson in jail. The novel opens with Cussy and her husband both being arrested this time and sent to prison for violating miscegenation laws - interracial marriage. This act provides the major angst of the story.

Cussy is considered a person of color and therefore treated as such while in prison and after her release. Despite some harsh treatment from her fellow inmates, Cussy perseveres and eventually is able to use the skills she learned as a book woman within the prison library. Several months into her 18 month sentence, she makes a discovery which leads the prison warden to make a horrifying decision. Given a temporary reprieve from the warden’s determination, Cussy is ‘loaned’ out as a visiting librarian to the Louisville Western Colored Branch of the Carnegie Library, the first black patrons library in the country. During her time working with the head librarian, Cussy is amazed at how unfazed the black community is by her blue color and realizes the similarities they share because of their skin colors. When she and Jackson are eventually reunited, they make their way to Detroit and try to reconcile living in working class industrial city with their innate sense of who they are.

This is a love story on two levels, The first is the love between Cussy and Jackson, the cruel acts they suffer, and the sacrifices they make to be together. The second love story is the love of books and the power of literacy - how it can improve one’s sense of self-worth, provide better economic opportunities, and build community. Reading provides the mind some relief from situations and emotions that are hard to handle as evidenced by Cussy’s literacy efforts in the prison.

The supporting characters are just as wonderfully drawn as Cussy and Jackson. They show a quiet strength, determination to do what is hard but right, and act as pseudo mothers and mentors for Cussy.
The author tackled some difficult topics straight on, realistically and tastefully. One of the things I love about historical fiction is learning new pieces of history - for example the Louisville Western Colored Branch of the Carnegie Library, and West Walnut Street in Louisville, KY. Reading the notes that follow the story, it is clear Ms. Richardson did a tremendous amount of research to ensure that not only the events but the characters were authentic to the time.

While it can be read as a standalone, the reader will have more background and a much deeper investment if they have read the previous works. It is well worth a reader’s time to read the first two books as they do not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebook Landmark. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series continues with Kim Michele Richardson's latest, The Mountains We Call Home. While this book continues Cussy's story, it can also be read as a standalone. I recommend you read the other two first. Cussy (considered a person of color) and her husband (white) are imprisoned for breaking the law by being in an interracial marriage. Cussy never gives up and uses her skills learned as a book woman within the prison system and beyond, whenever given the opportunity. This is her story as she faces the adversities of not just being an imprisoned "blue" but also of being a woman during that time period. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC ebook, which I read to write this review. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved the first two books but this one is probably my favorite. The amount of research put into this book is unreal. I found myself torn between turning the pages to find out what happened next, and opening my internet browser to research more about the history referenced in the book. My heart ached for the decisions Cussy and Jackson were forced to make, as well as the punishments and mistrestments they and many other characters were forced to endure. As a life long Kentuckian, I appreciated how the author pointed out the judgements placed on Kentucky as poor and uneducated by the media. As a teacher, avid reader, and bookstore owner, I simply cannot rejoice more at the way the author is able to reflect the benefits to each character's life by adding the skill of reading and the access to books. I can't wait to get my hands on the physical copy of this book!

Third in the series this book shows us even more about life for the poor and disadvantaged in the 1950s. Cussy and her small family are living back in the hills of Kentucky where folks don't mind that her skin in blue. But the sheriff is once again finds her and her white husband and sends them both to prison.
Following is the fascinating story of her life in prison and after when they head north to Detroit
I recommend you read the entire series - one of the best.

You know when you start a book and you just don't want to put it down?! I was so excited to hear there was a third book coming out in this series! You can read it alone but I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on ANY of the books! I gave every single one 5 stars. I always recommend The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek to everyone and this one is just as amazing!