A traveling librarian ventures into the mining towns of Kentucky on horseback—and learns to trust the One who truly pens her story—in this powerful novel from the best-selling author of A Silken Thread. During the Great Depression, city-dweller Addie Cowherd dreams of becoming a novelist and offering readers the escape that books had given her during her tragic childhood. When her father loses … When her father loses his job, she is forced to take the only employment she can find—delivering books on horseback to poor coal-mining families in the hills of Kentucky.
But turning a new page will be nearly impossible in Boone’s Hollow, where residents are steeped in superstitions and deeply suspicious of outsiders. Even local Emmett Tharp feels the sting of rejection after returning to the tiny mountain hamlet as the first in his family to graduate college. And as the crippled economy leaves many men jobless, he fears his degree won’t be worth much in a place where most men either work the coal mine or run moonshine.
As Addie also struggles to find her place, she’ll unearth the truth about a decades-old rivalry. But when someone sets out to sabotage the town’s library program, will the culprit chase Addie away or straight into the arms of the only person who can help her put a broken community back together?
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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.
I was so excited to get an advance copy of this book! It releases September 15, 2020.
Quick synopsis: Addie is attending college and happy about her future when she gets bad news. Her parents have hit financial trouble and have lost their home. It also means that Addie’s school bill cannot be paid. She would do anything to help her parents and is thrilled when a job opportunity comes up to work in a library in Boone’s Hollow, Kentucky. Addie loves books and she is eager to start her job so that she can begin to send money back to her parents.
Emmett is from Boone’s Hollow, but knows Addie from college. They met briefly at a bonfire at school, but don’t really know each other. Emmett graduated from the college and returned home. He has all about given up on his dream to have a career due to not being able to find a job in the area of his degree and so he decides to join his father in the coal mines.
Bettina has lived in Boone’s Hollow her whole life but has never furthered her education. She is content to live in the small town and lead a simple life. She has her eyes set for Emmett and is ecstatic when he returns from college She also works for the library system delivering books by horseback to the less fortunate folks on the mountain. She is convinced she and Emmett can have a future together to include marriage.
Emmett is shocked to find Addie in Boone’s Hollow and Bettina is not happy at all seeing that Emmett knows her. Trouble follows in the story, not only with personal relationships, but with someone who may just be trying to get rid of the library program. So much more happens and other characters are introduced but I don’t want to give too much away. There are good lessons in here on not making snap judgments about how people live and to not make decisions about people without finding out about them on your own. It is dangerous to just listen to talk that may not be true.
This story is a nod to the Works Progress Administration which included REAL librarians on horseback. I find this fascinating as I am a huge book and library fan. You can read more about the real librarians online.
I really enjoyed this story and felt it went along very quickly. I was not only interested in what was happening to the characters, but I love any book that makes me look into a subject even more. Kim Vogel Sawyer did not disappoint. If you like books, libraries and learning more about historical subjects, this book is for you.
I really appreciate WaterBrook Multnomah for the advance copy and for this opportunity to read this fascinating story. #partner
The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer had me hooked a few paragraphs in, when the story took a direction I did not expect. From that moment on, I read with a hunger for answers. I was drawn in to the story right along with Addie Cowherd, as she met and made friends and enemies. I was not able to puzzle out a few of the plot twists until they happened and that left me with pleasant surprise dancing inside of me.
My heart ached at the poverty and struggles the residents of Boone’s Hollow experienced, as well as the abuse and injustice they suffered at the hands of each other and the mining companies. I also recognized the truth of their stories. I have visited a historic mining town in Kentucky and have seen and learned about the mining way of life in the same time frame that Addie entered Boone’s Hollow. I wanted to see the people of Boone’s Hollow overcome the superstitions of their past and recognize Addie’s good heart ,as well as fall in love with Nanny Fay, as much as I did. We all could learn a lot from Nanny Fay! I felt like Nanny Fay could have had her own story and I would have benefited from the telling of it, as much as I was convicted by the life Nanny Fay led, and the grace she found to forgive. The amazing grace of Nanny Fay was seen in how she opened Addie’s eyes to more than just the surface things other member’s of Boone’s Hollow allowed Addie to see. It changed how she viewed Bettina, a character I even struggled to reconcile with.. The book challenged me to look at assumptions and even the way others’ superstitions and judgements can cloud my ability to see clearly.
The story unraveled at just the right pace to keep me hungry for more while unfolding in such a way that I felt I was one page away from figuring it all out. The characters fit with my knowledge of mining towns and left me aching to know more about some of them. There is so much room for additional stories to come out of the characters of Boone’s Hollow!
Disclaimer: Although I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, the words and opinions above are my own.
I could not put this wonderful book down. I loved all the characters. This story didn’t go too far into how the program for the women horseback librarians really worked but the story delved into other problems. There is romance and some intrigue. These characters learn to treat each other in better ways. I received a copy of this book from Waterbrook and Multnomah for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
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.
A story full of faith, hope, and love
My rating is 4.5 stars
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.
Read my review of The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Whenever I am looking for an uplifting story, one that will bring me joy and a heartwarming escape then I search out one of Kim Vogel Sawyer’s stories. I was so excited to join the launch team for her latest book, The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow to be released for purchase on September 15th! I received this book through Waterbrook and Multnomah as a part of their launch team for an honest review.
The book is set in the depression era, the backcountry of Kentucky mountains. Addie Cowherd is a student at the university in Lexington Kentucky. Adopted by loving parents, Addie was raised in the city and given every opportunity to pursue her interests. While at the university, Addie learns that the depression has indeed hit home, leaving her parents unable to continue to support her. She is given an opportunity to become a horseback librarian in the Kentucky mountains, in a backwoods hamlet called Boone’s Hollow.
Emmet Tharp is the first of his family to go to college. He graduates with his degree yet the economic times of the 1930s make it difficult to put his hard-earned diploma to use. He returns to his home country of Boone’s Hollow and tries to find employment of any kind. Fate would intervene, as Addie and Emmet’s path’s cross in the quest to keep the horseback library program for the residents of Boone’s Hollow going.
Through hard work and faith in God the two touch many lives, enriching the community and finding love in the process.
Kim Vogel Sawyer’s books never disappoint. Each one is a treasure and The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is no exception. I heartily recommend The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow and pray it brings joy as it is read
Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer for the purpose of reading and reviewing prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and no one has influenced them.
The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is an amazing Christian fiction novel with engaging characters and a heartfelt plot. The pacing pulled me into the story from the first page to the last page. The book gave me a true sense of the backcountry of Kentucky.
Addie Cowherd’s character desperately needs a job after she learns she can no longer stay in college and finds out her parents have lost their home when her father lost his position at the bank. I loved her indominable spirit, even when faced with a new community that practically shuns her because she lives with an elderly woman that the superstitious folks of Boone’s Hollow believe is a witch. My hearts went out to her when she is unable to do her job because of the townsfolk’s distrust.
Emmett Tharp has finished his business degree but cannot find employment in such a depressed economy, so he ends up in Boone’s Hollow faced with taking a job in the mines with his father, something he didn’t want to do. To his surprise, he discovers the young woman he’d met at his school prior to his graduation. I enjoyed his easy acceptance of his situation as he faces what had to be a blow to his pride and ego. Then his hesitation when he at last obtains a position and the head librarian.
As with most clean and wholesome romances, the love story blossoms from the friendship that grows between Addie and Emmett as they end up working together at the library. Their affection is sweet and lovely, and I truly wanted them to find their way to each other.
If you enjoy sweet and tender romances with endearing characters and a fulfilling plot, then you will love The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow as much as I did. While this is not the first book I’ve read by Ms. Sawyer, it is one that touched me. Happy reading!
The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow takes readers back in time during the days of the depression to Boone’s Hollow, a mining town in the hills of Kentucky. Addie Cowherd’s family has experienced financial difficulties that have forced her to leave her college classes as well as her beloved part-time job in the library. She has no choice but to find a full-time job but the only one available requires her to move to Boone’s Hollow to work for the horseback library delivery there. As a city girl, Addie finds life in the hills to be more difficult than she expected and learns more than she ever wanted to know about rivalries and feuds among the hill people. Only her determination and the Lord could help her succeed.
Emmett Tharp is the first resident of Boone’s Hollow to graduate from college but a degree has not been enough to secure him a job during such hard times. He is forced to return home, certain someone will have a job for him but only a job working underground for the mining company is available. Naturally Emmett and Addie crossed paths at some point and worked together to make the library system a success despite subtle attempts to sabotage their friendship and even more blatant attacks when those did not succeed.
Strong and lifelike characters populate the pages of this story. Not only are Emmett and Addie well-developed but other characters also come to life. I appreciated the way one particular unlovable and sometimes vindictive character was portrayed in a way that offered understanding and sympathy for the reason she acted the way she did. This wonderful tale presents a strong story of forgiveness and illustrates how showing the love of Christ can bring a divided community together.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Promise you won’t let their actions dictate your reactions – Miss West, library director
For Addie Cowherd, life is made up of studying hard and working part-time at the library so that she can earn her degree. College is not available to everyone, and she knows how hard her adoptive parents are working to allow her this privilege. When their situation changes drastically, she must make her own way, so the job of packhorse librarian sounds like a gift from heaven. A different and unexpected world greets her when she arrives in Boone’s Hollow. Prejudice is rampant, money is scarce and it seems the only friend she has is the woman she boards with. Can she learn to keep her thoughts and feelings from showing on her face?
Emmett Tharp, formerly of Boone’s Hollow, had graduated from college and is ready to find that job that does not require him to spend long hours in the dark, breathing in coal dust. tReturning to Boone’s Hollow is not part of that plan. The Lord, however, seems to have other plans for both Emmett and Addie. Will they be receptive to His will?
This ARC was received through WaterBrook and Random House. The thoughts and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.
Kim Vogel Sawyer’s newest book The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow, portrays the juxtaposition of the depression era timeframe and the despair of the deep South in so very haunting a way. I was intrigued and fascinated with learning about this period of time in our nation’s history. Her writing pulls you into the story in a way that leaves you feeling as if you were there, too, experiencing everything the cast of characters experiences.
I have read many of Kim Vogel Sawyer’s books, but I think this is my favorite. The people are easy to love, and having lived the largest part of my life in the South, I can attest to the superstitions and old wives’ tales that used to run rampant (and in some areas still do) through its annals. Sawyer has done a wonderful job of capturing the desolation and isolation in the hills of Kentucky, and her superlative research shines throughout the story.
The Christian element runs compellingly through the book in the female protagonist, Addie Cowherd, who exemplifies her faith in steadfast, infallible ways. And, even though she is not accepted as she hoped she would be, she carries on, nonetheless. Sawyer’s ability to interweave convincing and effective scriptural truths without beating one over the head with it is much needed and refreshing.
I hated to leave Boone’s Hollow as each character became as real to me as possible. I would love to see a sequel to The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow.
I received The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow from Waterbrook through NetGalley. However, I was under no obligation to post a review.
What an amazing historical account of the packhorse librarians of rural Kentucky. It is very enlightening and carries a powerful faith filled message with characters that are well developed and each have a unique personality. Ms Sawyer has captured a vivid picture of these people that is both delightful and entertaining. I could identify with the clannish behavior as some of it still holds true today in the Appalachian Mountains. It is a story masterfully crafted and will leave you wanting more. I feel in love with Bettina even though I didn’t want to like her. She had me dabbing my eyes as I learned her story and is a perfect example of don’t judge a book by its cover. Everybody needs a Nannie Faye in their life to show them how to treat others. You will stay up late to finish but then be disappointed it is over. This will go on my favorites shelf along with all my other books by this author. I was thankful to receive a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
A while back, some polls were taken of Christian fiction readers. Many said their favorite fiction book of all time was Catherine Marshall’s Christy. Now we are blessed with several Christy-like books on the market. Certainly, the Appalachia of times gone by has a nostalgic pull for readers.
Kim Vogel Sawyer’s depiction of the Kentucky hills and her proud, but superstitious people will sate some of the longings to know these people who lived by their own code of honor. It wasn’t enough to live in the hills, one needed to be born and bred in the hills, know the neighbors from birth, and adhere to the superstitions.
In 1936, Addie Cowherd and Emmett Tharp, near strangers, and separate of each other, leave college in Lexington, KY, and attempt to make their respective homes in Boone’s Hollow (pronounced ”Holler” by the mountain folk). Emmett is rejected because of his outside education; Addie, for being a total stranger to an area where being a stranger ”like to as not” can get you shot on sight.
Sawyer shows us throughout the story what life in the mountains could be like. Superstitions run high, distrust of strangers is learned early, family feuds are fed for generations, and anyone stepping off the mountain is seen as a traitor.
Stills hide in the trees, feeding addiction, which then, in turn, feeds abuse, yet neighbors refuse to break the ”code of honor.”
I couldn’t believe that at the end of the story, Ms. Sawyer had me loving the person she had shown unlovable. That’s talent! And those are characters- who can forgive that mightily! So much to learn, more than even reading, from the people of ”Boone Holler.”
My two favorite characters (who like to be too shy to take a bow) would be Emmett’s mother, Damaris, and Nanny Fay. They just might could be the backbone of the mountain.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. I also bought my own copy, to be sure I didn’t miss it. All opinions are my own, and no positive review was required.
Notable Quotables:
“…yawning during a sermon is most certainly a sin.”
“Just ’cause nobody else knows you done somethin’ extra special don’t mean it ain’t special.”
”She’d cracked that mirror herself so her soul could escape if the mirror captured it, but she didn’t want to take no chances by looking at herself too long.”
A Historical Fiction Novel set in the Kentucky Mountains during the Great Depression. While reading this book, I could tell that Sawyer had done a great deal of research. The book is beautifully written. The characters are well researched and likeable. Sawyer took time in learning the superstitions of the Mountain people and how they were passed down from one generation to the next.
Addie is a junior in college, when she finds out, that due to the Great Depression, she must drop out of school as her family has no way of paying the tuition. Though, she is scared, she takes a job through the WPA program. While, there she learns to accept God’s graces. The mountain people are so different but showing God’s love toward them, might just endure her to their heart.
Emmit left Boone’s Hollow for college, thinking he would only visit for a short time, before finding a job in the city. The Great Depression makes that impossible, so he is stuck in the coal mines. Only good thing about that, is he gets closer to his dad.
I recommend this book. It is written well and as you read the words on the pages, you are transported back in time to the Kentucky Mountains.
Thanks to Netgalley for the Kindle version of this book for my honest opinion and thoughts.
“A book takes one into another person’s thoughts and emotions. Books open up worlds beyond the view from one’s own window.”
–Miss West, Librarian
Addie Cowherd, a junior at University of Kentucky, had such aspirations to finish college and become a writer. As the economic downturn from the Great Depression continued into 1936, Addie finds her life dramatically altered when her father loses his job and the family loses their home. Unable to pay for college, Addie finds herself dismissed from the University with nowhere to go.
Addie takes a job as a packhorse librarian for the WPA in the small town of Boone’s Hollow nestled deep in the Appalachian mountains of Kentucky. With almost no experience on a horse or outside of a town, Addie finds life in Boone’s Hollow to be a challenge. Along with three other local girls, Addie starts out each morning from the tiny building that houses the library and works her way through the surrounding mountainous community. Needless to say, Addie is not exactly welcome in this tightknit community of hill folks.
When Bettina Webber, one of the local packhorse librarians, becomes jealous, Addie’s life becomes even more difficult. A lack of book learning and centuries of superstitions make people extremely wary of Addie fueling Bettina’s private war against her. Taken in by an older woman, Nanny Fay, Addie comes to understand more about the people and their culture as she tries to do her job.
The characters in the novel evolve and mature beautifully. The lessons shared in this faith based story are many and deep. First and foremost, the lesson of books and their influence shine through in this novel. One of my fall favorites! Excellent read! Readers of historical fiction and Christian fiction will really enjoy this book!
This ARC copy was received from Waterbrook Press and Netgalley. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
#The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow# by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a historical fiction book. Kim Vogel Sawyer is a best selling author . This story takes place just after World War II. The economy is not good. It is a hard time to find employment. The main characters parents lost their home. Her father lost his job. It was difficult for her parents to start over and for her Dad to job hunt. There were many people out Thank you to the author, publisher, netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. I will post my review on Goodreads, netgalley, booksamillion, bookhub, Barnes and Noble, CBD.com , my blog , facebook,and with church staff.
Another great book by Kim Vogel Sawyer. This is set during the Great Depression. Addie Cowherd wants to become a author and is studying to do so. Her father loses his job and she can not continue her education. She needs to find a job to help her parents who has lost there home. Addie gets a job with in Boone’s Hollow Kentucky bringing books to poor coal mining families by horse back. Emmett Tharp returns to Boone Hollow after he is the first of his family to graduate from college. As he struggles to find a job he starts to work for the library. This is a beautiful story and it was hard to put down. Lots of interesting things happen in the town. Keeps you wanting more.
I couldn’t resist selecting this book as it’s about a traveling librarian during the Depression. Sign me up! At first, I have to admit I was concerned the book might get too “churchy” since it comes from a Christian publisher, and this might overwhelm the story. But I absolutely loved this book and never felt preached to. The author writes a lovely story about a young woman who gets kicked out of college for non-payment of fees (her parents have lost everything in the Depression), and finds a job as a horseback librarian for a mining community. Addie is motivated to send money to help her parents and endures prejudice, petty jealousies, and hardships in her job.
Everett has just graduated from the same college as Addie, but there are no jobs to be found. He returns home to his mining community — the one where Addie now works — and faces his own struggles. Of course, the two are meant for each other. This story is ripe for a happy ending, and we all need a feel-good story, don’t we?
I loved that the author gives side characters depth and their own conflicts. Ms. Sawyer is an eternal optimist about the goodness of people. I was heartened to read this story. In a world filled with troubles, it was nice setting aside the news and picking up this book to read. I highly recommend.
Addie Cowherd is precisely where she intends to be along her path to becoming an author when the realities of the Depression Era bring her to what seems to be a screeching halt. With her options limited to none, it seems hopeless until she learns of a traveling librarian position in the Kentucky hill country. She is an outsider and her welcome to Boone’s Hollow is lukewarm, at best. What is to become of her and her dreams if she can’t find a way forward alongside these people?
Just because Emmett Tharp grew up in Boone’s Hollow doesn’t mean he fits in. The Depression ruined his big city opportunities and his education isn’t much help in the mining community he used to call home. How will he make a living when he can’t find a desk job and he isn’t cut out for work in the mine? And how can Addie and Emmett work together to open up new worlds and new understanding to the people around them?
Kim Vogel Sawyer’s latest release felt a little familiar when considered in the scope of, “What happens when the world closes a door on our plans?” And, “How do I trust God to make a way when it seems there is none?” I really enjoyed the story line of The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow, as well as the way the author’s thoroughly considered characters build a world in which I could become immersed in order to feel the frustration, distrust, affection, and joy woven throughout. The idea that understanding can break down walls and one person can make a difference are timely reminders to us all.
The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow releases September 15, but you can pre-order your copy today from your favorite bookseller.
Thank you to the author and to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.
The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow is set during the depression in the mountains of Kentucky. I enjoyed the history of that time and the characters in the story. This is an easy read. Especially for me, since I’m from Tennessee and that’s the way I talk. lol! My only wish, was that there had been a stronger romance between Emmett and Addie. All in all a very good read, and I really enjoyed it.
*I was given a copy of this book from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.