The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek / Kim Michele Richardson / 299 pages

This historical fiction novel takes place in 1936 in Kentucky.  The author uses a program created by President Franklin Roosevelt, Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, to create her story.  Cussy Mary Carter is a traveling librarian for Troublesome Creek.  She travels by mule over treacherous territory to deliver books to her patrons every day.  The town is a coal mining town and lives are greatly affected by the Depression.  Cussy also faces prejudice because of a hereditary blood condition passed on in her family that causes her skin to be blue.  The author gives the reader a true feeling of what it was like to live in this time of history.  Great character development and historical research made this a wonderful book to read.  I always like it when I can learn something new from reading a book!

Sold on a Monday / Kristina McMorris /341 pages

Sold on a Monday is an historical fiction story based on a true story.  It is set in 1931 during the depression.  Ellis Reed is a young newspaper reporter trying to make a name for himself at a newspaper in Philadelphia.  One day he takes a picture of two boys sitting on their front porch before realizing there was a sign in front of the porch advertising the boys for sale.  The picture was not meant for publication.  Lillian Palmer is the secretary for the head of the newspaper.  She finds the picture and gives it to her boss thinking it would help Ellis's career.  Ellis writes a human interest story to go along with the picture.  The story spreads to other papers and Ellis's career is taking off, but there are huge repercussions.  The book starts off slow, but gains momentum and was hard to put down.