We’re back to announce our official selection for February!
We’ll be reading The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, and we hope you’ll read along with us! But more on that later…

Jojo Moyes, most notable for Me Before You (her tragic romance novel turned movie starring Emilia Clarke), recently published a historical fiction novel that’s getting a lot of attention. Including ours! Released in October of 2019, it was selected for Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine bookclub in November. And we can’t seem to open Instagram without seeing another book lover rave about it.

It’s based on the true story of a New Deal initiative backed by Eleanor Roosevelt called the Traveling Library. The Depression left much of America in poverty, but none were hit quite like the coal-mining counties of Kentucky. Without access to public libraries, and many illiterate, women were called upon to travel the counties and deliver books to those most in need. From 1935 to 1943 these women rode on horseback delivering books to homes and schoolhouses, earning names like packhorse librarians, book ladies, and paddle sack librarians. It proved to be immeasurably successful.

{To learn more listen to this podcast by The Kitchen Sisters}

The Giver of Stars follows a fictional member of the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky; Alice Wright. Eager to escape English life, she marries American Bennett Van Cleve. Although their life in Kentucky doesn’t bring Wright the excitement she craves. At first.

“… a richly rewarding novel of women’s friendship, of true love, and of what happens when we reach beyond our grasp for the great beyond.”

When she hears of the need for women to join the Traveling Library, she jumps at the chance. Alice Wright quickly finds an ally in fellow librarian Margery; a uniquely independent woman. And they’re joined by three other determined women who set off on an unpredictable journey. We’re mood readers at The Bookly Club, and in February we like to read a love story of sorts. And although this might not be your typical romance, it seems to be a story about the love of books, love among friends, and the test of true love. Five unconventional women set out on an unconventional path and find love in many different forms. And we can’t wait to read all about it!

We hope we’ve done our job in convincing you to read along with us 🙂
Here’s how…

• pick up a copy from where ever you get your books, and read along with us anytime between now and the end of February
• keep us posted on any thoughts and/or progress you wanna share social using #booklymark and tagging @thebooklyclub
• stay tuned for our discussion post on Instagram and our reviews here on the blog so we can chat all about it!

Happy reading, x