Pirate Patty Reviews

Cassie  Chambers is proof that a determined woman can do anything. Raised in Owsley, Kentucky by an entire family whose lives have been rooted deep in the Appalachians.

Her grandmother had married and had seven children and she worked from sun up to sun down to put food on the table for her family. Her daughter Ruth was the best tobacco worker in the fields. Besting any man. Her other daughter, Cassie’s mother, took a different path and while she married young, her family helped raise Cassie so her parents could get an education and get out of the cycle of poverty.

They did such a good job that Cassie followed their footsteps and ended up graduating with two Ivy League degrees. And while the opportunities were endless, Cassie decides to go home. She has seen what the courts do to women in the hills and she wants to help.

Owsley County is one of the poorest counties in Kentucky and the entire country. There is no more coal, no more tobacco, and yet these Hill Women are finding new ways to keep their families fed and healthy. These women are subjected to more domestic violence, lack of healthcare and education.

This book broke my heart so many times. Even my husband was hooked on the story and ended up digging into the state and the county. I learned a lot and I felt humbled. This was a well researched and well-written book. I think everyone should read it!

NetGalley/January 7th, 2020 by Ballantine Books