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In this standalone and companion novel to the The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series, our heroine for the ages, legendary book woman, Cussy Lovett, returns home.
A powerful testament of strength, survival, and the magic of the printed word, The Mountains We Call Home is wrapped into a vivid portrait of Kentucky life: examining incarceration and criminalization, exploring the effects on the poor and powerless, and tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds, along with nostalgic glimpses of a bustling, multifaceted Louisville, and heartwarming portraits of reading efforts in every facet of life.
Meticulously researched and richly detailed with a new cast of absorbing and complex characters, this beautifully rendered, authentic Kentucky tale is gritty and heartbreaking and infused with hope, spirit, and courage known only to those with no way out.
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (3/19/2026)
I am reading THE MOUNTAINS WE CALL HOME by Kim Michele Richardson. I just reviewed THE HOUSE OF HIDDEN LETTERS - loved it. I also reviewed ACROSS A STARLIT SKY by Susan Shalev - a wonderful historical fiction read.
-Elizabeth
"In The Mountains We Call Home, Kim Michele Richardson once again displays her seamless blend of research and imagination that we expect in the best of historical fiction, yet as I read deeper I realized that Cussy Lovett's journey and challenges (first inside a prison, then a large city), as vivid and compelling as they are, are only part of Richardson's achievement: her latest novel is also a marvelous reminder of how literacy and literature can heal and give hope, even freedom." —Ron Rash, New York Times bestselling author
"No one writes about gritty courageous women like Kim Michele Richardson. The Mountains We Call Home is an unforgettable page-turner that captures the dark beauty of Appalachia and its people of Kentucky, with their stealth intelligence and covert vulnerabilities." —Jeannette Walls #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Castle
"Brilliant storytelling. Cussy is one of the most dynamic characters in American fiction. Without Kim Michele Richardson's heartfelt, uplifting storytelling, the world would be a sadder place, indeed. I loved The Mountains We Call Home, which is woven so seamlessly of important themes that it has the potential for changing lives." —William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author
This information about The Mountains We Call Home was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
New York Times, Los Angeles Times and USA Today bestselling author, Kim Michele Richardson, is a multiple-award winning author who has written five works of historical fiction, and a bestselling memoir. Kim Michele was born and raised in Kentucky and lives there with her family and beloved dogs. She is also the founder of Shy Rabbit, a writers residency and scholarship implemented for low-income writers.
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