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Quick answer: If you loved The Giver of Stars, read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, The Personal Librarian, The Invention of Wings and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. All celebrate brave women, books and friendship in hard times.
Jojo Moyes's novel follows women who ride horseback to deliver books in the mountains of 1930s Kentucky, facing weather, gossip and danger. The books below share that mix of historical detail, strong friendships and quiet courage. Most are adult historical fiction, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek | Kim Michele Richardson | Adult | the nearest match |
| The Personal Librarian | Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray | Adult | real historical figures |
| The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society | Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows | Adult | book clubs |
| The Invention of Wings | Sue Monk Kidd | Adult | history with heart |
| Orphan Train | Christina Baker Kline | Adult | dual timelines |
| The Four Winds | Kristin Hannah | Adult | Depression-era survival |
| The Secret Life of Bees | Sue Monk Kidd | Adult | found family |
| Where the Crawdads Sing | Delia Owens | Adult | nature and mystery |
| Water for Elephants | Sara Gruen | Adult | circus history |
| Lessons in Chemistry | Bonnie Garmus | Adult | clever heroines |
| The Nightingale | Kristin Hannah | Adult | emotional stories |
| Me Before You | Jojo Moyes | Adult | more Moyes |
| The Last Letter from Your Lover | Jojo Moyes | Adult | love letters |
| Before We Were Yours | Lisa Wingate | Adult | family secrets |
| The Paris Library | Janet Skeslien Charles | Adult | bookish history |
1. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
A blue-skinned librarian rides a mule to deliver books in Kentucky. Inspired by the real Pack Horse Library Project.
Best for: the nearest match.
2. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
The story of Belle da Costa Greene, J.P. Morgan's librarian, who hid her heritage. Smart and engaging.
Best for: real historical figures.
3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Letters tell how a book club formed during the Nazi occupation. Witty and warm.
Best for: book clubs.
4. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
A wealthy girl and an enslaved girl in Charleston grow up together. Based on Sarah Grimké.
Best for: history with heart.
5. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
A foster teen helps an elderly woman sort her attic and learns of the orphan trains. Gentle and moving.
Best for: dual timelines.
6. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
A woman fights to keep her family alive during the Dust Bowl. Hard times and strong will.
Best for: Depression-era survival.
7. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
A girl in 1964 South Carolina finds a home among beekeepers. Warm and wise.
Best for: found family.
8. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
A girl raised alone in a marsh is accused of murder. Nature writing meets a courtroom plot.
Best for: nature and mystery.
9. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
A veterinary student joins a circus during the Depression. Colorful and romantic.
Best for: circus history.
10. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A 1960s chemist becomes a television cooking star. Funny, sharp and moving.
Best for: clever heroines.
11. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Two sisters resist the occupation of France in different ways. Big emotion and clear stakes.
Best for: emotional stories.
12. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
A young caregiver and a paralyzed man form a bond. Moyes's biggest hit, funny and sad.
Best for: more Moyes.
13. The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes
A woman finds old love letters and unravels a 1960s romance. Two timelines and a mystery.
Best for: love letters.
14. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
A girl taken from her family in 1939 and a modern woman uncover a shared secret. Emotional and well researched.
Best for: family secrets.
15. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
Librarians in occupied Paris protect books and each other. A love letter to libraries.
Best for: bookish history.
How to Choose
For the same subject, read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. For more Moyes, Me Before You. For other librarians, The Paris Library and The Personal Librarian. For a female-driven Depression story, The Four Winds. Many of these books are emotional, so keep tissues nearby. Libraries are the perfect setting for this kind of reading. Ask your own librarian about local history, and look for exhibits about traveling libraries and bookmobiles. These books pair well with a visit to a library or a historical museum.
Related: The Giver of Stars Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes) · 15 Books Like The Giver by Lois Lowry You’ll Love: Dystopian Stories for Young Readers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Giver of Stars about?
Alice joins a group of women who deliver books by horseback for the Packhorse Library in Kentucky, and she finds friendship and trouble.
Is it based on a true story?
It is inspired by the real Pack Horse Library Project of the 1930s.
Is it like The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek?
They share a subject, but each has a different plot and tone.
Who wrote it?
Jojo Moyes, a British author known for Me Before You, published it in 2019.
Is there a film?
No film has been released.
Is The Giver of Stars historical fiction or romance?
It is historical fiction with a romance, but friendship drives the story.
Who is Margery in the book?
A tough, independent woman who leads the Packhorse Library group.
Are the Packhorse Librarians real?
Yes. The Pack Horse Library Project was a New Deal program from 1935 to 1943 that employed women to deliver books in rural Kentucky.
Is it available as an audiobook?
Yes.