Historical Fiction Novels for Christian Readers Who Adored "Christy"
Christian Fiction Set in Appalachia: Historical Gems for Readers Who Loved "Christy"
"Christy," the beloved novel by Catherine Marshall, has captured the hearts of readers for decades with its powerful blend of faith, love, and adventure.
Set in the early 1900s, the story follows 19-year-old Christy Huddleston, who leaves her comfortable life in Asheville, North Carolina, to teach impoverished children in the rugged mountains of Tennessee.
The novel, inspired by the life of Marshall's own mother, delves deeply into the challenges and triumphs Christy faces as she navigates cultural clashes, grapples with her growing faith, and encounters a diverse cast of characters, each with their own struggles and stories.
Christy: A Timeless Classic of Faith and Inspiration
With its rich historical setting and poignant exploration of faith and perseverance, "Christy" resonates deeply with Christian readers.
The novel beautifully portrays the transformative power of love and compassion in the face of adversity, making it more than just a historical narrative—it's a testament to the enduring human spirit.
Whether it's Christy's inner journey of faith or the vivid depiction of life in the Appalachian Mountains, the novel continues to inspire and uplift, earning its place as a timeless classic in Christian literature.
Once you read "Christy," you may end up going on an entire historical fiction binge. Here are Christian historical fiction novels set in Appalachia to ease your post-"Christy" cravings.
Love Christy? Try these historical Appalachian Christian novels today!
Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin
Publisher's description:
Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend, Gordon, breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real world.
Then to top it off, Alice loses her beloved job at the library because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression. Fleeing small-town gossip, Alice heads to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the library in the tiny coal-mining village of Acorn.
Dropped off by her relatives, Alice volunteers to stay for two weeks to help the librarian, Leslie McDougal. But the librarian turns out to be far different than she anticipated--not to mention the four lady librarians who travel to the remote homes to deliver the much-desired books.
While Alice is trapped in Acorn against her will, she soon finds that real-life adventure and mystery--and especially romance--are far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.
The Librarian of Boone's Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Publisher's description:
A traveling librarian ventures into the mining towns of Kentucky on horseback—and learns to trust the One who truly pens her story.
During the Great Depression, city-dweller Addie Cowherd dreams of becoming a novelist and offering readers the escape that books had given her during her tragic childhood. When her father loses his job, she is forced to take the only employment she can find—delivering books on horseback to poor coal-mining families in the hills of Kentucky.
As Addie also struggles to find her place, she’ll unearth the truth about a decades-old rivalry. But when someone sets out to sabotage the town’s library program, will the culprit chase Addie away or straight into the arms of the only person who can help her put a broken community back together?
Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof
Publisher's description:
After the tragic death of her husband, Aven Norgaard is beckoned to give up her life in Norway to become a housekeeper in the rugged hills of nineteenth-century Appalachia. Upon arrival, she finds herself in the home of her late husband’s cousins—three brothers who make a living by brewing hard cider on their three-hundred-acre farm.
Yet even as a stranger in a foreign land, Aven has hope to build a new life in this tight-knit family. But her unassuming beauty disrupts the bond between the brothers. The youngest two both desire her hand, and Aven is caught in the middle, unsure where—and whether—to offer her affection.
While Haakon is bold and passionate, it is Thor who casts the greatest spell upon her. Though Deaf, mute, and dependent on hard drink to cope with his silent pain, Thor possesses a sobering strength. As autumn ushers in the apple harvest, the rift between Thor and Haakon deepens and Aven faces a choice that risks hearts. Will two brothers’ longing for her quiet spirit tear apart a family?
Can she find a tender belonging in this remote, rugged, and unfamiliar world?
A Hundred Crickets Singing by Cathy Gohlke
Publisher's description:
In wars eighty years apart, two young women living on the same Appalachian estate determine to aid soldiers dear to them and fight for justice, no matter the cost.
1944. When a violent storm rips through the Belvidere attic in No Creek, North Carolina, exposing a hidden room and trunk long forgotten, secrets dating back to the Civil War are revealed. Celia Percy, whose family lives and works in the home, suspects the truth could transform the future for her friend Marshall, now fighting overseas, whose ancestors were once enslaved by the Belvidere family. When Marshall’s Army friend, Joe, returns to No Creek with shocking news for Marshall’s family, Celia determines to right a long-standing wrong, whether or not the town is ready for it.
1861. After her mother’s death, Minnie Belvidere works desperately to keep her household running and her family together as North Carolina secedes. Her beloved older brother clings to his Union loyalties, despite grave danger, while her hotheaded younger brother entangles himself and the family’s finances within the Confederacy. As the country and her own home are torn in two, Minnie risks her life and her future in a desperate fight to gain liberty and land for those her parents intended to free, before it’s too late.
The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers
Publisher's description:
In the misty peaks and valleys of Appalachia roams the sin eater—a myth as much as a man, burdened with absolving the sins of villagers passing from this life to the next. But when a young girl uncovers the dark secret behind the tradition, she vows to show her village the truth.
All that matters for young Cadi Forbes is finding the one man who can set her free from the sin that plagues her, the sin that has stolen her mother’s love from her and made Cadi wish she could flee life and its terrible injustice.
But Cadi doesn’t know that the sin eater is seeking as well. Before their journeys are over, Cadi and the sin eater must face themselves, each other, and the One who will demand everything from them in exchange for the answers they seek.
Laurel's Dream by Pepper Basham
Publisher's description:
Dreams are precious commodities in the Blue Ridge Mountains of 1918 and Laurel McAdams is attempting to make hers come true, but sometimes life in the mountains has a way of squandering dreams. As she attempts to avoid matrimony, she is secretly saving for her future with the sole purpose of becoming a teacher and bringing consistent education back to "her people".
Having failed his British father again by being unable to fight in the Great War, Jonathan Taylor joins his uncle's missionary endeavors as a teacher in a two-room schoolhouse in Appalachia, but nothing prepares him for the rugged wilderness, narrow-minded natives, and...Laurel McAdams. Her joy and friendship prove a guiding light in the middle of his new responsibilities and tempt his timid heart toward a future she never expected.
But when Jonathan's teaching methods lead to dangerous outcomes and Laurel's dream is threatened by an unexpected choice, will these two learn how to find hope and maybe even love beyond the heartache? Can Jonathan and Laurel create a new dream from the shattered pieces of the old ones or will bitterness and brokenness keep them apart?
The Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee
Publisher's description:
Bertie Jenkins has spent forty years serving as a midwife for her community in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Out of all the mothers she’s tended, none affects her more than the young teenager who shows up on her doorstep, injured, afraid, and expecting, one warm June day in 1943.
As Bertie and her four sisters tenderly nurture Songbird back to health, the bond between the childless midwife and the motherless teen grows strong. But soon Songbird is forced to make a heartbreaking decision that will tear this little family apart.
Thirty years later, the day after his father’s funeral, Walker Wylie is stunned to learn he was adopted as an infant. The famous country singer enlists the help of adoption advocate Reese Chandler in the hopes of learning why he was abandoned by his birth parents. With the only clue he has in hand, Walker and Reese head deep into the Appalachian Mountains to track down Bertie Jenkins, the midwife who holds the secrets to Walker’s past.
Mercy's Rain by Cindy K. Sproles
Publisher's description:
Mercy Roller knows her name is a lie: there has never been any mercy in her young life. Raised by a twisted and abusive father who called himself the Pastor, she was abandoned by the church community that should have stood together to protect her from his evil. Her mother, consumed by her own fear and hate, won't stand her ground to save Mercy either.
The Pastor has robbed Mercy of innocence and love, a husband and her child. Not a single person seems capable of standing up to the Pastor's unrestrained evil. So Mercy takes matters into her own hands. Her heart was hardened to love long before she took on the role of judge, jury, and executioner of the Pastor.
She just didn't realize the retribution she thought would save her, might turn her into the very thing she hated most.
Over the Misty Mountains by Gilbert Morris & Aaron McCarver
Publisher's description:
When Aaron McCarver met Gilbert Morris at the CBA convention in 1991, he never dreamed that those initial discussions would ultimately lead to his conceiving a historical fiction series that he would write with Gilbert Morris.
THE SPRIT OF APPALACHIA chronicles the story of the settlers of America's first frontier--the lands over the Appalachian mountains--and of faith that carried them through the harshest of times. Over the Misty Mountains is the story of Hawk Spencer, a man whose bitterness over the loss of his wife drives him from his home in Virginia and causes him to seek the frontier to escape his pain.
Becoming a skilled trapper, Hawk is persuaded to lead a wagon train over the mountains before the snows come, but the trail is marked by sabotage from an old enemy of Hawk's. When renegade Indians attack the wagon train and leave Elizabeth MacNeal and her children without a husband, how will Hawk respond to Elizabeth's resilient faith in God?
And how will the MacNeals survive the frontier settlement.
The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate
Publisher's description:
Successful New York editor Jen Gibbs is at the top of her game with her new position at Vida House Publishing―until a mysterious manuscript from an old slush pile appears on her desk.
Turning the pages, Jen finds herself drawn into the life of Sarra, a mixed-race Melungeon girl trapped by dangerous men in turn-of-the-century Appalachia.
A risky hunch may lead to The Story Keeper’s hidden origins and its unknown author, but when the trail turns toward the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a place Jen thought she’d left behind forever, the price of a blockbuster next book deal may be higher than she’s willing to pay.
When the Meadow Blooms by Ann H. Gabhart
Publisher's description:
If any place on God's earth was designed to help one heal, it is Meadowland. Surely here, at her brother-in-law's Kentucky farm, Rose and her daughters can recover from the events of the recent past--the loss of her husband during the 1918 influenza epidemic, her struggle with tuberculosis that required a stay at a sanatorium, and her girls' experience in an orphanage during her illness.
At Meadowland, hope blooms as their past troubles become rich soil in which their faith can grow. Dirk Meadows may have opened his home to his late brother's widow and her girls, but he keeps his heart tightly closed. The roots of his pain run deep, and the evidence of it is written across his face.
Badly scarred by a fire and abandoned by the woman he loved, Dirk fiercely guards his heart from being hurt again. But it may be that his visitors will bring light back into his world and unlock the secret to true healing.
Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof
Publisher's description:
Pretty Lonnie Sawyer is shy and innocent, used to fading into the background within her family, and among the creeks and hollows of the Appalachian hills. Though her family is poor and her father abusive, she clings to a quiet faith.
But when handsome ladies’ man and bluegrass musician Gideon O’Riley steals a kiss, that one action seals her fate. Her father forces her into a hasty marriage with Gideon—a man she barely knows and does not love. Equally frustrated and confused by his new responsibilities, Gideon yearns for a fresh start, forcing Lonnie on an arduous journey away from her home in Rocky Knob.
Her distant groom can’t seem to surrender his rage at the injustice of the forced matrimony or give Lonnie any claim in his life. What will it take for Gideon to give up his past, embrace Lonnie’s God, and discover a hope that can heal their two fractured hearts?
The Mountain Midwife by Laurie Alice Eakes
Publisher's description:
Ashley Tolliver has tended the women of her small Appalachian community for years. As their midwife, she thinks she has seen it all—until a young woman gives birth at Ashley’s home and is abducted when Ashley tries to take the dangerously bleeding mother to the nearest hospital. Now Ashley is on a mission to find the woman and her newborn baby before it’s too late.
Hunter McDermott is on a quest to track down his birth mother. After receiving more media attention than he could ever want for being in the right place at the right time, he receives a mysterious call from a woman claiming to be his mother. Hunter seeks out the aid of the local midwife in the mountain town where the call originated. He believes she is the only person who can help him discover his family background.
Ashley isn’t prepared for Hunter’s entrance into her world or how he affects her heart and her future. He reignites dreams of starting her own family—dreams she cast aside in favor of earning her medical degree and helping her community. But is it commitment to her calling or fear of the unknown that keeps her feet firmly planted in the Appalachian soil? Or is it something else—fear of her growing feelings for Hunter—that makes her hesitant to explore the world beyond the mountains?
Night Bird Calling by Cathy Gohkle
Publisher's description:
When Lilliana Swope’s beloved mother dies, Lilliana gathers her last ounce of courage and flees her abusive husband for the home of her only living relative in the foothills of No Creek, North Carolina. Though Hyacinth Belvidere hasn’t seen Lilliana since she was five, she offers her cherished great-niece a safe harbor.
Their joyful reunion inspires plans to revive Aunt Hyacinth’s estate and open a public library where everyone is welcome, no matter the color of their skin. Slowly Lilliana finds revival and friendship in No Creek—with precocious eleven-year-old Celia Percy, with kindhearted Reverend Jesse Willard, and with Ruby Lynne Wishon, a young woman whose secrets could destroy both them and the town.
When the plans for the library also incite the wrath of the Klan, the dangers of Lilliana’s past and present threaten to topple her before she’s learned to stand.
Why we're obsessed with Appalachian Christian fiction ...
Exploring historical fiction set in Appalachia offers readers a rich tapestry of stories that mirror the resilience, faith, and complexity of life in this rugged region. These novels, much like Christy, capture the spirit of the mountains and the people who call it home, blending authentic historical details with compelling narratives that resonate deeply with fans of Catherine Marshall's classic.
Whether you're drawn to tales of faith, community, or the challenges of rural life, these books provide a window into a world that is both uniquely Appalachian and universally relatable.
For readers who found themselves immersed in the world of Christy, these novels offer a similar blend of inspiring characters and poignant storytelling. They delve into the struggles and triumphs of those living in the Appalachian Mountains, offering a fresh perspective on a familiar setting.
As you journey through these stories, you'll discover not just the beauty of the Appalachian landscape, but also the enduring strength of the human spirit that Christy so beautifully portrayed.
Adore "Christy" but also love to read contemporary?
"Christy" is a novel about a brand-new adult woman leaving home for the first time to experience life, faith, and love. Along the way, she meets unforgettable characters, finds a beloved mentor in Miss Alice, and even falls in love.
Even though Christy's story is set in the early 1900s, readers still relate to the story of a girl branching off into a world unlike any she's other known, facing struggles that make her faith real and personal in a way it had never been before.
In a similar way, the Kennedy Stern Christian suspense series is about a young adult, Kennedy, leaving home for the very first time. After growing up on the mission field in China, she's now experiencing college life at Harvard, and facing the same type of culture shock, tests of faith, and life lessons that you'll read about in Christy ... with a whole lot of suspense as well!
Since it happens to be the bestselling series in our store at the moment, we wanted to take a minute and introduce you to the Kennedy Stern series. You can grab all 9 novels on sale today!
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A note about our recommendations: Our mission is to recommend Christian books that will inspire and uplift. However, we recognize that reading is a deeply personal and subjective experience. While we aim to feature books that align with Christian values, our inclusion of any book or author does not imply an endorsement of all their views, beliefs, or other works. We encourage to be discerning and make your own informed decisions when selecting the books you read.
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