The Mountains We Call Home

Cussy Lovett has always been the heart of this series, and in this third installment, she's never been more fully realized. Unjustly imprisoned alongside her husband for the crime of an interracial marriage, Cussy trades the mountain trails of her packhorse librarian days for a Kentucky prison cell - and somehow finds a way to keep doing the only work she's ever known: putting the right book in the right hands. I loved that Richardson doesn't soften the cruelty of the system Cussy is caught in, but she never lets that cruelty change Cussy's quiet, stubborn grace.

One of my favorite supporting characters is Effie Claxon, the preacher's wife. Together with her niece, Susan, she risks everything to help Cussy. I was emotionally touched by her courage, which showcases the strength of their bond, forged in such a short time. Effie serves as a shining example that kindness truly exists in the world.