It’s been a while since my last post. Don’t think I haven’t been reading - I’ve knocked out a few more books since the last post; I just decided not to write about them. While I’ve been gone, here is what I’ve read and a quick “should you read this?" answer.

• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
  • What would happen if the First Son of the USA and the Prince of England hooked up? I finished this one in two days if that tells you if I liked it or not. Warning, it is a little risque.
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
  • Do you even have to ask if you should read this one?
• The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory
  • I went back and read the third book of this series. It was as I predicted; skip this one.

Read on to learn more about my latest read.

Book Read: The Giver of Stars
Author: JoJo Moyes
2020 Book Count: 20

The Giver of the Stars is the story of Packhorse Librarians in small town Kentucky. After Alice Wright marries American Bennett Van Cleve, she hopes she is leaving the worst days behind; however, Baileyville and her husband are not what Alice expected, and there doesn’t seem to be any hope of improvement in sight.

When a branch of Eleanor Roosevelt’s traveling library is started in Fred Guisler’s barn, Alice surprisingly volunteers. As she begins to learn the lay of the land, Alice finds an unlikely ally in Margery O’Hare. Margery, the leader of the library, never needs a man to tell her what to do. She not only plans and marks the trails, but shows Alice that a woman can stand on her own.

Joined by three other women, Alice and Margery trek across land and rivers to deliver books to the community. Through her travels, Alice meets people from many walks of life; some know how to read, some don’t; some are looking for someone to do the reading; some never make it out of the house. The Packhorse Librarians are ready to deliver books through rain, snow and wind. They will even risk their lives when they are called upon.

Following a discovery after a major flood, the six women, including Sophia who manages the inventory, will face a battle unlike any other. Together with Fred and Margery’s beau Sven, they will be pitted against others in their community, including Bennett Van Cleve and his father, who want nothing more than to bring Margery O’Hare and her fellow Packhorse Librarians down.

Some seem to forget that books have a way of bringing people together.

I got this book as a gift (after asking for it :)) because I love JoJo Moye’s other books. This sounded like it would be a great read. I’ll admit, when I first started reading this, it moved slowly and I was disappointed. I struggled to pick up the pace. Luckily, things turned around, and I ended up enjoying it.

I tell you this to warn you that you may have to push through the beginning. I recommend you power through it. This book has grit, guts and characters who will have you rooting for them. Others, in all honesty, you will want to punch in the face (I’m talking about you Van Cleve). Alice is likeable and, after facing a terrible life at home, finds a backbone. Margery, who is tough as nails, shows a vulnerable side when with Sven; she learns to embrace a part of herself she didn’t think she had. Throughout the book, Fred is simply the best.

This book does have a brief prologue, before it jumps three months back in time. The brief description in the cover mentions nothing about this piece of the story. Honestly, I’m glad it didn’t. This part of the plot was surprising and gave the book a good twist over halfway through. It’s always good when a book unexpectedly keeps you on your toes.

After I’ve read a book, I tend to start Googling it; usually, it’s because I want to learn more about the author and what else they have written (if I like it). During my Googling of this book, I found out there has been evidence of The Giver of Stars being pretty similar to another book (The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek) that came out six months prior. From the few articles I read, the similarities are a little nerve-wrecking. I can only judge what I read, which was The Giver of Stars, so I set those articles aside while writing this post and am making my recommendations based solely on what I read. I do feel like I needed to tell you all though.

Power through the slowness at the beginning of this book. Eventually, the story will pick up and you’ll be reading until the end. The Giver of Stars is a story of friendship, determination, and the impact of a book.

Next Read: American Royals by Katherine McGee