In 1936, tucked deep into the woods of Troublesome Creek, KY, lives blue-skinned 19-year-old Cussy Carter, the last living female of the rare Blue People ancestry. The lonely young Appalachian woman joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and becomes a librarian, riding across slippery creek beds and up treacherous mountains on her faithful mule to deliver books and other reading material to the impoverished hill people of Eastern Kentucky.

Along her dangerous route, Cussy, known to the mountain folk as Bluet, confronts those suspicious of her damselfly-blue skin and the government’s new book program. She befriends hardscrabble and complex fellow Kentuckians, and is fiercely determined to bring comfort and joy, instill literacy, and give to those who have nothing, a bookly respite, a fleeting retreat to faraway lands.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a powerful message about how the written word affects people–a story of hope and heartbreak, raw courage and strength splintered with poverty and oppression, and one woman’s chances beyond the darkly hollows. Inspired by the true and historical blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek showcases a historical first for the introduction of Pack horse Librarians in literary novels — a tale of fierce strength and one woman’s belief that books can carry us anywhere — even back home.

As a general rule of thumb, I’m not a huge fan of dramatic historical fiction. I prefer dramedy — real life situations with a humorous flair. I didn’t realize this book was a dramatic historical, and I didn’t realize it was based on real events. It didn’t matter. The story was fascinating.

I’m struggling to figure out what to say about this book. It’s not my preferred genre, but I really enjoyed it. It didn’t have enough romance in it for me, but it still held my attention. It was too dramatic and slower paced than I normally like, but it still pulled me into Cussy’s world and kept me engaged until the end.

This book is an example of why I like to pick up random books and read. There are so many things about it that are outside my norm and outside my preferences, but the writing and the story thoroughly captivated me. Will I read more by this author? Maybe not. Am I glad I read this book? Absolutely.

Rated PG-13 for some language and adult/historical situations. Get your copy here!

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