Light to the Hills: A Novel by Bonnie Blaylock

"Light to the Hills" by Bonnie Blaylock is a historical novel set in 1930s Appalachian Kentucky. It follows Amanda Rye, a young widowed mother who becomes a traveling packhorse librarian, delivering books and hope to isolated communities during the Great Depression. Along her route, she befriends the MacInteer family—gentle matriarch Rai, her quick-witted daughter Sass, and eldest son Finn, who is recovering from a mining accident. As Amanda grows closer to the MacInteers, she shares a dangerous secret from her past, leading them all into unforeseen challenges. Together, they confront issues of survival, justice, forgiveness, and the transformative power of literacy and community bonds.