Light to the Hills: A Novel
- Downloads：9045
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-11-03 11:21:53
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Bonnie Blaylock
- ISBN：1713681846
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Maureen
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An engrossing story The beauty of the countryside and the lives of the people becomes a haunting reality 。its as if the author had painted a picture that the reader Could walk into 。the best book l have read for along time。
Jenny Day
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2。5 stars rounded up。 But it fell flat and I lost interest in what felt too much like recycled material from similar novels on the subject。 Bogged down with predictable characters with cutesy southern names。 I was really hoping for a fresh unique story。 This may have worked better if the author had at least tried to create a fresh take。 At the very least the writer could have been more original by creating a unique name for her mule。 Instead it felt lazy when she opted to take the name of the or 2。5 stars rounded up。 But it fell flat and I lost interest in what felt too much like recycled material from similar novels on the subject。 Bogged down with predictable characters with cutesy southern names。 I was really hoping for a fresh unique story。 This may have worked better if the author had at least tried to create a fresh take。 At the very least the writer could have been more original by creating a unique name for her mule。 Instead it felt lazy when she opted to take the name of the original mule in Troublesome Creek and slightly alter it to Junebug for her mule。 To the author's credit the research was decent and what we've read in similar stories。 Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC for an honest opinion。 。。。more
Janet Everett
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Wonderful storyI loved this book - never wanted it to end。 I was caught up in the story of the characters and their trials and tribulations。 I have read other stories about the books delivered by women on horses and mules and how much they improved the lives of those they visited。 This book ranks right at the top of this type of story。 I felt as if I knew the characters and their story。 It was like when I was young （in the 50s）。 Everyone made do at the time， raising their own food， canning and f Wonderful storyI loved this book - never wanted it to end。 I was caught up in the story of the characters and their trials and tribulations。 I have read other stories about the books delivered by women on horses and mules and how much they improved the lives of those they visited。 This book ranks right at the top of this type of story。 I felt as if I knew the characters and their story。 It was like when I was young （in the 50s）。 Everyone made do at the time， raising their own food， canning and freezing to make ends meet。 I never realized we were poor （money-wise） because everyone was else was in the same boat。 I felt it served me in real life when I was in tough spots like the characters were in this book。 。。。more
Alayne Emmett
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This was such a disappointment I thought it would be better than it was。 It started off well but， it started to drag， too much descriptions of the characters and scenery。 Not a patch on The Giver of Stars which was fabulous。
Linda Galella
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Theres some light but there’s a giant dose of mountain justice you’ll cheer about！I don’t have the gift of being a psychic reviewer。 I actually read this book and this title is nowhere near Literary Fiction。 I found lots of clunky prose that’s tough to read。 Fortunately， much of “Light to the Hills” is dialogue and easier reading， once getting used to the mountain speak。 It’s Historical Fiction bordering on Book Club， thanks to the author providing a list of discussion questions at the end。 Amaz Theres some light but there’s a giant dose of mountain justice you’ll cheer about！I don’t have the gift of being a psychic reviewer。 I actually read this book and this title is nowhere near Literary Fiction。 I found lots of clunky prose that’s tough to read。 Fortunately， much of “Light to the Hills” is dialogue and easier reading， once getting used to the mountain speak。 It’s Historical Fiction bordering on Book Club， thanks to the author providing a list of discussion questions at the end。 Amazon has a Coming of Age genre listed and there’s an arc that fits but IMO， the historical aspects are far stronger; time and place drive this story。This is author， Bonnie Blaylock’s， first novel and it’s a good storyline， but has been done before。 There are a few too many characters and development takes a long time。 For some， it never happens。 On the very positive side， the three main female characters are all strong and engaging。 As they battle both the Depression and limits of coal country Appalachia， these formidable females are inspiring warriors for family and their futures。 Blaylock did some interesting research and included mountain medicine and superstitions throughout the story。 Some I’ve read in other books and a few were new， like finding acorns during a storm， gathering some and taking them home， will protect you from lightning strikes in the next storm。 There are also examples of recipes， gardening techniques， religious and mine practices， all of which are delivered via the characters daily lives rather than the dreaded info dump; much preferred。A good debut novel that takes the high road - no foul language， two very brief drunken sexual scare scenes， and limited violence。 Were this a movie it might not make PG-13。 While the story is enjoyable and offers good opportunities for learning， the ending is great。 No spoilers here， “Light to the Hills” is worthy of reading📚 。。。more
Sarah
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For my full review， visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks。wordpress。com/。。。I was drawn to this book because it reminded me of a story from Jojo Moyes that I had loved dearly。 However， this did not grab me as much as I had anticipated， although I still found the subject matter to be interesting。 For my full review， visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks。wordpress。com/。。。I was drawn to this book because it reminded me of a story from Jojo Moyes that I had loved dearly。 However， this did not grab me as much as I had anticipated， although I still found the subject matter to be interesting。 。。。more
Kimberly
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I was fortunate enough to be given an advance copy of Bonnie Blaylock’s debut novel， LIGHT TO THE HILLS， and I feel as though I time-traveled to the Kentucky Appalachian hills in the 1930’s。 I have experienced that world through the author’s words。With hauntingly lyrical language， Blaylock weaves a tale of mountain people who are poor in material possessions， but rich in family and friends; illiterate， but extraordinarily wise in the ways of nature。 Appalachian culture is as much a main characte I was fortunate enough to be given an advance copy of Bonnie Blaylock’s debut novel， LIGHT TO THE HILLS， and I feel as though I time-traveled to the Kentucky Appalachian hills in the 1930’s。 I have experienced that world through the author’s words。With hauntingly lyrical language， Blaylock weaves a tale of mountain people who are poor in material possessions， but rich in family and friends; illiterate， but extraordinarily wise in the ways of nature。 Appalachian culture is as much a main character in this story as Amanda Rye or Sass MacInteer。Amanda is a 21-year-old woman who takes a job with the Works Progress Administration as a pack rider who delivers books throughout the area。 It’s a risky job， but one Amanda undertakes to support her young son。 Amanda finds she’s passionate about bringing books into homes where learning to read is a luxury that’s been overshadowed by the necessity to grow and gather food。 Sass is a smart adolescent who lives in one of those homes。 She has a fond memory of sitting in a warm schoolhouse listening raptly to her teacher read a book about a girl detective named Nancy; unfortunately， Sass had to leave school before she found out how Nancy solved the mystery of the old clock。 Now Sass spends her days roaming the woods foraging for edible greens， berries， and mushrooms。 When Amanda brings books to the MacInteer household， she brings Sass the tools she needs to rekindle the magic of shaping letters into language。tAmanda grows close to Sass and her large， loving family。 But no one is immune from the dangers that abound in the region: danger from mine cave-ins， danger from rattle snakes， danger from corrupt people who will steal what others have worked for。 Both Sass and Amanda are cruelly threatened by a man from Amanda’s past， but a strong thread running through the story is the value of women supporting and standing up for each other。 Mothers， sisters， and friends are fierce in protecting their loved ones。tLIGHT TO THE HILLS is a book that will resonate with me for a long time。 It has already garnered one literary prize， and I predict there will be more。 Kudos to Bonnie Blaylock for a powerfully eloquent historical novel。 。。。more
Nick Rizzuti
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Really great storytelling！ The Appalachian setting is treated with a lot of care and attention to detail; while the culture and values of the characters might feel romanticized just a little bit from time to time， it also doesn't shy away from the darker sides of Appalachia， so the result is a rich and nuanced setting。 Similar care is shown to the characters。 The narrative flows seamlessly between several different points of view， the very best bits being those from the perspective of Sass。 Alto Really great storytelling！ The Appalachian setting is treated with a lot of care and attention to detail; while the culture and values of the characters might feel romanticized just a little bit from time to time， it also doesn't shy away from the darker sides of Appalachia， so the result is a rich and nuanced setting。 Similar care is shown to the characters。 The narrative flows seamlessly between several different points of view， the very best bits being those from the perspective of Sass。 Altogether it makes for a cozy and intimate read。 。。。more
Michelle
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