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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek #2
The Book Woman's Daughter
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2022)An Instant New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
Bestselling historical fiction author Kim Michele Richardson is back with the perfect book club read following Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, the daughter of the beloved Troublesome book woman, who must fight for her own independence with the help of the women who guide her and the books that set her free.
In the ruggedness of the beautiful Kentucky mountains, Honey Lovett has always known that the old ways can make a hard life harder. As the daughter of the famed blue-skinned, Troublesome Creek packhorse librarian, Honey and her family have been hiding from the law all her life. But when her mother and father are imprisoned, Honey realizes she must fight to stay free, or risk being sent away for good.
Picking up her mother’s old packhorse library route, Honey begins to deliver books to the remote hollers of Appalachia. Honey is looking to prove that she doesn’t need anyone telling her how to survive, but the route can be treacherous, and some folks aren’t as keen to let a woman pave her own way. If Honey wants to bring the freedom that books provide to the families who need it most, she’s going to have to fight for her place, and along the way, learn that the extraordinary women who run the hills and hollers can make all the difference in the world.
Bestselling historical fiction author Kim Michele Richardson is back with the perfect book club read following Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, the daughter of the beloved Troublesome book woman, who must fight for her own independence with the help of the women who guide her and the books that set her free.
In the ruggedness of the beautiful Kentucky mountains, Honey Lovett has always known that the old ways can make a hard life harder. As the daughter of the famed blue-skinned, Troublesome Creek packhorse librarian, Honey and her family have been hiding from the law all her life. But when her mother and father are imprisoned, Honey realizes she must fight to stay free, or risk being sent away for good.
Picking up her mother’s old packhorse library route, Honey begins to deliver books to the remote hollers of Appalachia. Honey is looking to prove that she doesn’t need anyone telling her how to survive, but the route can be treacherous, and some folks aren’t as keen to let a woman pave her own way. If Honey wants to bring the freedom that books provide to the families who need it most, she’s going to have to fight for her place, and along the way, learn that the extraordinary women who run the hills and hollers can make all the difference in the world.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2022
6159 people are currently reading
100168 people want to read
About the author
Kim Michele Richardson
13 books4,079 followersThe NEW YORK TIMES, LOS ANGELES TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Kim Michele Richardson is a multiple-award winning author and has written five works of historical fiction, and a bestselling memoir.
Her critically acclaimed novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a DOLLY PARTON RECOMMENDED READ, a Goodreads Choice award nominee, and has earned the 2020 PBS Readers Choice, 2019 LibraryReads Best Book, Indie Next, SIBA, Forbes Best Historical Novel, Book-A-Million Best Fiction, and is an Oprah's Buzziest Books pick and a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Reads selection. It was inspired by the remarkable "blue people" of Kentucky, and the fierce, brave Packhorse Librarians who used the power of literacy to overcome bigotry, hate and fear during the Great Depression. The novel is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms.
Her fifth novel, The Book Woman’s Daughter, an instant NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY and INDIE NATIONAL bestseller, is both a stand-alone and sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.
Kentucky-born native, Kim Michele Richardson, lives with her family in the Bluegrass State and is the founder of Shy Rabbit, a writer's residency scholarship.
Her critically acclaimed novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a DOLLY PARTON RECOMMENDED READ, a Goodreads Choice award nominee, and has earned the 2020 PBS Readers Choice, 2019 LibraryReads Best Book, Indie Next, SIBA, Forbes Best Historical Novel, Book-A-Million Best Fiction, and is an Oprah's Buzziest Books pick and a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Reads selection. It was inspired by the remarkable "blue people" of Kentucky, and the fierce, brave Packhorse Librarians who used the power of literacy to overcome bigotry, hate and fear during the Great Depression. The novel is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms.
Her fifth novel, The Book Woman’s Daughter, an instant NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY and INDIE NATIONAL bestseller, is both a stand-alone and sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.
Kentucky-born native, Kim Michele Richardson, lives with her family in the Bluegrass State and is the founder of Shy Rabbit, a writer's residency scholarship.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,351 reviews
February 11, 2022
What a beautiful tribute to the power of books, to the people of Kentucky, the author’s birthplace, to the Women of the Pack Horse Library Project, to the strong women who worked in the mines or as fire lookouts in forest towers ! This story is told with compassion for the Blue people who suffered prejudice, for the women who were mistreated and abused . An amazing sense of place and time reflected on in this realistically portrayed and well researched story of 1950’s Kentucky.
If you loved Cussy Mary Carter in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, I suspect you’ll love her daughter Honey Mary Angeline Lovett in this sequel as she is equally brave, caring and passionate about sharing her love of books as her mother. You could probably read it as a stand-alone, but I recommend you read the first book before this one to fully appreciate Honey’s story. I hope Richardson will write a third book in the series.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Sourcebooks through Edelweiss.
October 5, 2023
Well that was embarrassing…..When I was at Book Club to discuss this book, I turned blue. When I am cold, my hands (particularly my fingernails) turn blue. I kept trying to shove my hands into my pockets. However, my lips turn blue as well so even if I am successful in hiding my hands, my blue lips aren’t exactly discreet.
“Do you know that you are blue?” well-intentioned people ask me.
In The Book Woman’s Daughter, Honey is part of the Appalachia Blue, a set of people who have methemoglobinemia which can result in blue-colored skin.
In some ways, I felt incredibly connected to this book and in some I could not relate.
The friendships in this book were formed too quickly. Now, I am an extreme introvert. It usually takes me about six months to warm up to someone. And I am also fiercely independent. If I broke both of my arms and someone offered to open the door for me, I would say, “I got this!” How? No idea, but I would try to figure it out. I would rather crawl on broken glass than ask for help. Yep…still working on this.
So in comes The Book Woman’s Daughter: Insta-friendship between Pearl and Honey.
I was also frustrated because this book is written in the first-person perspective, and I wanted to hear more of Honey’s thoughts.
There were also quite a few coincidences that were not really believable. Someone would show up just at the moment to rescue someone. The attorney would just wait around for Honey with two other people. If someone isn’t home, I’m like, “Better luck next time!” after about 30 seconds. Honey would just so happen to run into someone else in the mountains. If you need a job, you can get one right on the spot (even though they had to interview other candidates and wait).
Can someone please deliver books to my house on horseback though?
A big thank you to Troy Public Library (TPL) for hosting book club!
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“Do you know that you are blue?” well-intentioned people ask me.
In The Book Woman’s Daughter, Honey is part of the Appalachia Blue, a set of people who have methemoglobinemia which can result in blue-colored skin.
In some ways, I felt incredibly connected to this book and in some I could not relate.
The friendships in this book were formed too quickly. Now, I am an extreme introvert. It usually takes me about six months to warm up to someone. And I am also fiercely independent. If I broke both of my arms and someone offered to open the door for me, I would say, “I got this!” How? No idea, but I would try to figure it out. I would rather crawl on broken glass than ask for help. Yep…still working on this.
So in comes The Book Woman’s Daughter: Insta-friendship between Pearl and Honey.
I was also frustrated because this book is written in the first-person perspective, and I wanted to hear more of Honey’s thoughts.
There were also quite a few coincidences that were not really believable. Someone would show up just at the moment to rescue someone. The attorney would just wait around for Honey with two other people. If someone isn’t home, I’m like, “Better luck next time!” after about 30 seconds. Honey would just so happen to run into someone else in the mountains. If you need a job, you can get one right on the spot (even though they had to interview other candidates and wait).
Can someone please deliver books to my house on horseback though?
A big thank you to Troy Public Library (TPL) for hosting book club!
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
October 27, 2022
The Book Woman's Daughter
(The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek #2)
by Kim Michele Richardson, Katie Schorr (Narrator)
This story can be read as a standalone but it's even better if you read the first book, which is about Honey's parents. Honey's adoptive mom is blue skinned and it's caused a world of trouble in the past and it's causing a world of trouble in 1953. Honey's parents are being sent to prison for a blue being married to a non blue, leaving her a ward of the state, and Honey is going to be sent to children's prison if she doesn't have a guardian. Authorities don't even know she is blue skinned too and a blue skinned person has almost no rights.
Things work out for a bit since Honey is able become a packhorse librarian, taking her mom's old packhorse library route. But life is hard for a blue and it's hard for a women, married or not. As women get hired for jobs that used to be a man's domain, Honey isn't the only woman being persecuted. By sticking together, Honey and her friends can try to stay safer while earning a living in a world where the only thing really open to them in these Kentucky mountains is to be the property of a man, whether he treats her right or not. Honey's chances of staying out of children's prison are slim but she's not going to give up her freedom without a fight.
Surely there will be another book after this one. I don't see life being easy for the blues, for Honey and others like her, for a long time and I'd like to know how she makes her way through a world where a social worker calls her "it" and considers her a vile creature. I admire Honey and the other women who are trying to make a living despite dangerous struggles and I want to know more about these women who were pioneers at doing jobs alongside the men.
Published May 3, 2022
(The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek #2)
by Kim Michele Richardson, Katie Schorr (Narrator)
This story can be read as a standalone but it's even better if you read the first book, which is about Honey's parents. Honey's adoptive mom is blue skinned and it's caused a world of trouble in the past and it's causing a world of trouble in 1953. Honey's parents are being sent to prison for a blue being married to a non blue, leaving her a ward of the state, and Honey is going to be sent to children's prison if she doesn't have a guardian. Authorities don't even know she is blue skinned too and a blue skinned person has almost no rights.
Things work out for a bit since Honey is able become a packhorse librarian, taking her mom's old packhorse library route. But life is hard for a blue and it's hard for a women, married or not. As women get hired for jobs that used to be a man's domain, Honey isn't the only woman being persecuted. By sticking together, Honey and her friends can try to stay safer while earning a living in a world where the only thing really open to them in these Kentucky mountains is to be the property of a man, whether he treats her right or not. Honey's chances of staying out of children's prison are slim but she's not going to give up her freedom without a fight.
Surely there will be another book after this one. I don't see life being easy for the blues, for Honey and others like her, for a long time and I'd like to know how she makes her way through a world where a social worker calls her "it" and considers her a vile creature. I admire Honey and the other women who are trying to make a living despite dangerous struggles and I want to know more about these women who were pioneers at doing jobs alongside the men.
Published May 3, 2022
February 7, 2022
The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson is a 2022 Sourcebooks Landmark publication.
This follow up to "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek”, centers around Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, and her fight for independence after her parents are jailed. Honey, at sixteen year of age, is not quite old enough to live without a guardian and forces are at work to send her to a horrible work- house like environment, unless she can find someone to stay with until she’s of age.
Eventually, Honey finds herself following in her mother’s footsteps, delivering books to the far corners of Appalachia. Her journey is paved with hardships and challenges, but with some help from her friends and supporters, she channels her mother’s fighting spirit to face adversity and overcome the obstacles in her way.
I loved this book as much as I did the first one!! Honey is a compassionate, determined character. Despite the odds against her, she never settles, and though she could take an easier path, she stays true to herself instead. I also loved the way her friends had her back and did all they could to keep her safe and free.
Honey’s story is difficult, as she deals with some of the same issues her mother faced, but ultimately it is one of triumph and inspiration.
Overall, this is a deeply absorbing novel, with well-drawn characters, and as with the previous book, it is very descriptive, honoring the time and the place. I hope we hear from these characters again in the future as I am sure there are many more stories to be told!
4.5 stars
This follow up to "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek”, centers around Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, and her fight for independence after her parents are jailed. Honey, at sixteen year of age, is not quite old enough to live without a guardian and forces are at work to send her to a horrible work- house like environment, unless she can find someone to stay with until she’s of age.
Eventually, Honey finds herself following in her mother’s footsteps, delivering books to the far corners of Appalachia. Her journey is paved with hardships and challenges, but with some help from her friends and supporters, she channels her mother’s fighting spirit to face adversity and overcome the obstacles in her way.
I loved this book as much as I did the first one!! Honey is a compassionate, determined character. Despite the odds against her, she never settles, and though she could take an easier path, she stays true to herself instead. I also loved the way her friends had her back and did all they could to keep her safe and free.
Honey’s story is difficult, as she deals with some of the same issues her mother faced, but ultimately it is one of triumph and inspiration.
Overall, this is a deeply absorbing novel, with well-drawn characters, and as with the previous book, it is very descriptive, honoring the time and the place. I hope we hear from these characters again in the future as I am sure there are many more stories to be told!
4.5 stars
October 26, 2022
Both my wife and I previously read the 1st book The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and enjoyed it. I rate this historical fiction book 4.5 stars rounded up. You should read the 1st book before reading this one, as many things are explained in that book, i.e., how the daughter came to be adopted and why her parents are in prison.
The imagery in this book of rural Appalachian Kentucky is rich and evocative, bringing the reader into a land of stark beauty and isolation. The author describes the trials of Honey Lovett. She is the daughter of 2 people illegally married in the eyes of a cruel "anti- miscegenation" law, forbidding marriage between different races. These laws, mostly in the southern half of the US., were finally struck down in 1967 by the US Supreme Court in the Loving vs Virginia case. These laws happened in my lifetime, I am sad to say, although my state, New York, did not have one.
Honey's mother had a genetic disease. congenital methemoglobinemia, causing her skin to turn blue. She married a white man without the disease. They are now in prison and 16 year old Honey is sent to live with family friend Loretta Adams, now 91 years old.
The cruel Social worker, along with the Sheriff who arrested Honey's parents are trying to take Honey into custody and send her to a workhouse/prison for orphaned children.
Honey has a mild form of the"Blue disease" and faces discrimination. How she manages to overcome these obstacles makes for an inspiring story. My wife who read this library book before me, says "Many people need killing in this book."
A personal note: Two of my 3 grandchildren have an incurable, terminal genetic disease called Cystic Fibrosis. Through a consumer DNA test, I learned that I carry 1 copy of the CF gene and passed it on to my daughter. My s-i-l also had 1 copy of this gene and they combined in 2 of my 3 grandchildren.
I have become an organ donor, because someday, 1 or both of my CF grandchildren could need a lung transplant. I give money to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I vote for the party that passed the Affordable Care Act, with its pre- existing condition clause.
Two quotes;
Honey, delivering books on her mule: "Junia trotted through wooded paths of budding dead nettle, toothwort,and bloodroot, fording icy-cold waters and following thed creek into town with nary a fuss or bother."
Coal miner's widow to Honey: "I can still taste his kiss," she whispered. "I taste it every day sweet pea. Ya know, a girl should marry a man whose kiss can stay on her lips forever."
I road this book in 3 days.
For anyone interested, here is my review of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
The imagery in this book of rural Appalachian Kentucky is rich and evocative, bringing the reader into a land of stark beauty and isolation. The author describes the trials of Honey Lovett. She is the daughter of 2 people illegally married in the eyes of a cruel "anti- miscegenation" law, forbidding marriage between different races. These laws, mostly in the southern half of the US., were finally struck down in 1967 by the US Supreme Court in the Loving vs Virginia case. These laws happened in my lifetime, I am sad to say, although my state, New York, did not have one.
Honey's mother had a genetic disease. congenital methemoglobinemia, causing her skin to turn blue. She married a white man without the disease. They are now in prison and 16 year old Honey is sent to live with family friend Loretta Adams, now 91 years old.
The cruel Social worker, along with the Sheriff who arrested Honey's parents are trying to take Honey into custody and send her to a workhouse/prison for orphaned children.
Honey has a mild form of the"Blue disease" and faces discrimination. How she manages to overcome these obstacles makes for an inspiring story. My wife who read this library book before me, says "Many people need killing in this book."
A personal note: Two of my 3 grandchildren have an incurable, terminal genetic disease called Cystic Fibrosis. Through a consumer DNA test, I learned that I carry 1 copy of the CF gene and passed it on to my daughter. My s-i-l also had 1 copy of this gene and they combined in 2 of my 3 grandchildren.
I have become an organ donor, because someday, 1 or both of my CF grandchildren could need a lung transplant. I give money to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I vote for the party that passed the Affordable Care Act, with its pre- existing condition clause.
Two quotes;
Honey, delivering books on her mule: "Junia trotted through wooded paths of budding dead nettle, toothwort,and bloodroot, fording icy-cold waters and following thed creek into town with nary a fuss or bother."
Coal miner's widow to Honey: "I can still taste his kiss," she whispered. "I taste it every day sweet pea. Ya know, a girl should marry a man whose kiss can stay on her lips forever."
I road this book in 3 days.
For anyone interested, here is my review of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
May 4, 2022
***Now available***
The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson is the sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek but it can also be read as a stand-alone. The story begins in 1953 when a blue woman with a rare blood disorder, Cussy Mary Carter Lovett, and her white husband, Jackson Lovett, are arrested and imprisoned for violating the miscegenation laws of Kentucky. Their sixteen-year-old adopted daughter, Honey, must evade the law and head back to Troublesome Creek to live with an elderly friend, Retta. If Honey does not escape, she will be confined to the Kentucky House of Reform, a children’s prison, where she will be forced to do hard labor until the age of twenty-one (21).
This is a story about strong women and the power of sisterhood. While still a teenager, Honey must grow up quickly and become a wage earner. She befriends other women including a frontier nurse, a young female forest fire lookout, and a female miner. As in most parts of the country in 1953, men dominated the workforce and treated working women unfairly. There are interesting side stories about Junia, a mule, and Tommy, a rooster, who protect their female owners. Additionally, light is shed on the terrible condition of the prisons and forced medical experiments and surgeries on patients. The author has clearly done her research in writing about these topics.
There were some things that I didn’t like as much about the story. First, even though the Pack Horse Librarian service had been discontinued in 1943, the Troublesome Creek Library happens to revive the project just as Honey arrived in town in need of a job. It was too coincidental. Second, the book occasionally felt like it was focused on man-hating. The story has a corrupt Sheriff, an unjust coal mine boss, and a prejudiced bully and his family who will stop at nothing to get their way. These bad guys were stereotypical and slightly over-the-top. At one point Honey says like all Kentucky women, she knows when to stand down to men. It is a means of survival taught to girls, instilled at a young age.
4-stars. Many thanks to #Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for my advanced reader copy. This book will be published on Tuesday, May 3, 2022.
The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson is the sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek but it can also be read as a stand-alone. The story begins in 1953 when a blue woman with a rare blood disorder, Cussy Mary Carter Lovett, and her white husband, Jackson Lovett, are arrested and imprisoned for violating the miscegenation laws of Kentucky. Their sixteen-year-old adopted daughter, Honey, must evade the law and head back to Troublesome Creek to live with an elderly friend, Retta. If Honey does not escape, she will be confined to the Kentucky House of Reform, a children’s prison, where she will be forced to do hard labor until the age of twenty-one (21).
This is a story about strong women and the power of sisterhood. While still a teenager, Honey must grow up quickly and become a wage earner. She befriends other women including a frontier nurse, a young female forest fire lookout, and a female miner. As in most parts of the country in 1953, men dominated the workforce and treated working women unfairly. There are interesting side stories about Junia, a mule, and Tommy, a rooster, who protect their female owners. Additionally, light is shed on the terrible condition of the prisons and forced medical experiments and surgeries on patients. The author has clearly done her research in writing about these topics.
There were some things that I didn’t like as much about the story. First, even though the Pack Horse Librarian service had been discontinued in 1943, the Troublesome Creek Library happens to revive the project just as Honey arrived in town in need of a job. It was too coincidental. Second, the book occasionally felt like it was focused on man-hating. The story has a corrupt Sheriff, an unjust coal mine boss, and a prejudiced bully and his family who will stop at nothing to get their way. These bad guys were stereotypical and slightly over-the-top. At one point Honey says like all Kentucky women, she knows when to stand down to men. It is a means of survival taught to girls, instilled at a young age.
4-stars. Many thanks to #Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for my advanced reader copy. This book will be published on Tuesday, May 3, 2022.
May 19, 2022
Love me some Honey in my reading repertoire.
Back to Troublesome Creek in the heart of the Kentucky Appalachians. In this sequel, Honey, Cussy’s daughter, takes the reins as the junior Bookwoman. Continuing her mom’s journey delivering books to those isolated in the Mountains.
I Can never get enough of these blue, tough, book loving women. Honey is seeking her freedom - emancipation -at the tender age of 15. Why? Her parents, wrongly jailed for miscegenation laws. Wtf?!? A lot of other inbreeding that went on that was way more concerning!
The characters are brilliantly memorable. Honey, Pearl, the feisty mule Junia, and what about that vigilante hen, Tommie?!?
This was a good place to land 😊
5⭐️
Back to Troublesome Creek in the heart of the Kentucky Appalachians. In this sequel, Honey, Cussy’s daughter, takes the reins as the junior Bookwoman. Continuing her mom’s journey delivering books to those isolated in the Mountains.
I Can never get enough of these blue, tough, book loving women. Honey is seeking her freedom - emancipation -at the tender age of 15. Why? Her parents, wrongly jailed for miscegenation laws. Wtf?!? A lot of other inbreeding that went on that was way more concerning!
The characters are brilliantly memorable. Honey, Pearl, the feisty mule Junia, and what about that vigilante hen, Tommie?!?
This was a good place to land 😊
5⭐️
January 22, 2023
Why I chose to listen to this audiobook:
1. since I really enjoyed (and learned a lot from) reading/listening to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, I added this sequel (which works as a standalone) to my WTR list; and,
2. my hold became available on cloudLibrary.
Praises:
1. this is certainly a plot-driven story about Honey, a 16-year-old "blue" girl and the trials and tribulations she encounters in a few short months after her adoptive parents (Cussy and Jackson Lovett of Book Woman fame) were imprisoned for interracial marriage, illegal in 1953 Kentucky;
2. I appreciated the refresher course about Kentucky's Packhorse Librarian Project as well as the unique "blue" people who were discriminated against because of a blood disorder called methemoglobiemia; and,
3. I learned about how some women in mid-20th century Kentucky taught in Moonlight Schools, traveled in rural areas for the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS), were employed as "fire lookout girls", or labored in coal mines while dealing with misogyny.
Niggles:
1. I would have liked stronger character development, especially with the various females employed in unique positions or in non-traditional roles;
2. why would Honey's father recommend a 91-year-old woman to be Honey's guardian? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where that storyline was headed; and,
3. the numerous "villains" and Junia the mule's uncanny instinctual behavior were all getting a little farfetched for me!
Overall Thoughts:
Personally, I would have been more invested if Honey, as a "blue" person, was legally an adult, but had a deeper fleshed-out character while teaching in a Moonlight School, or spotting fires from a watchtower, or toiling in a coal mine, or even working as a nurse through the FNS, dealing with sicknesses and injuries, local remedies, "big city" medicine and superstitions, as well as encountering discrimination from ignorant characters.
Recommendation?
Many GR reviewers loved this story, and since I enjoyed Kim Michele Richardson's previous book, I hoped to as well. With Kentucky's rich history involving its womenfolk, I was hoping to be introduced to something different. As it is, I'm afraid this book won't be as memorable for me like The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.
1. since I really enjoyed (and learned a lot from) reading/listening to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, I added this sequel (which works as a standalone) to my WTR list; and,
2. my hold became available on cloudLibrary.
Praises:
1. this is certainly a plot-driven story about Honey, a 16-year-old "blue" girl and the trials and tribulations she encounters in a few short months after her adoptive parents (Cussy and Jackson Lovett of Book Woman fame) were imprisoned for interracial marriage, illegal in 1953 Kentucky;
2. I appreciated the refresher course about Kentucky's Packhorse Librarian Project as well as the unique "blue" people who were discriminated against because of a blood disorder called methemoglobiemia; and,
3. I learned about how some women in mid-20th century Kentucky taught in Moonlight Schools, traveled in rural areas for the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS), were employed as "fire lookout girls", or labored in coal mines while dealing with misogyny.
Niggles:
1. I would have liked stronger character development, especially with the various females employed in unique positions or in non-traditional roles;
2. why would Honey's father recommend a 91-year-old woman to be Honey's guardian? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where that storyline was headed; and,
3. the numerous "villains" and Junia the mule's uncanny instinctual behavior were all getting a little farfetched for me!
Overall Thoughts:
Personally, I would have been more invested if Honey, as a "blue" person, was legally an adult, but had a deeper fleshed-out character while teaching in a Moonlight School, or spotting fires from a watchtower, or toiling in a coal mine, or even working as a nurse through the FNS, dealing with sicknesses and injuries, local remedies, "big city" medicine and superstitions, as well as encountering discrimination from ignorant characters.
Recommendation?
Many GR reviewers loved this story, and since I enjoyed Kim Michele Richardson's previous book, I hoped to as well. With Kentucky's rich history involving its womenfolk, I was hoping to be introduced to something different. As it is, I'm afraid this book won't be as memorable for me like The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.
May 28, 2022
I loved this story of Honey Lovett just as i loved the story of her mother, Cussy, in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.
Due to her parents imprisonment for miscegenation, (interbreeding of people of different racial backgrounds), Honey must try and fight for her own freedom, since she is just 16 and needs to avoid being sent to The Kentucky House of Reform.
Honey is of the last of the Kentucky Bluets… as was her mother, she becomes a book woman.. delivering books throughout the Kentucky hills, atop a mule.. same mule her mother used delivering books as part of the Women of the Pack Horse Library Project.
Honey needs the job to fight for emancipation to truly be free.
As her mother did, she faces a lot of mixed reactions to the job she does as she spreads kindness and the gift of literacy. ..
Due to her parents imprisonment for miscegenation, (interbreeding of people of different racial backgrounds), Honey must try and fight for her own freedom, since she is just 16 and needs to avoid being sent to The Kentucky House of Reform.
Honey is of the last of the Kentucky Bluets… as was her mother, she becomes a book woman.. delivering books throughout the Kentucky hills, atop a mule.. same mule her mother used delivering books as part of the Women of the Pack Horse Library Project.
Honey needs the job to fight for emancipation to truly be free.
As her mother did, she faces a lot of mixed reactions to the job she does as she spreads kindness and the gift of literacy. ..
May 9, 2022
It’s been three years since Kim Michele Richardson delighted readers with the story of Cussy Mary, a packhorse librarian traveling the hills of Kentucky on a mule (lovable, devoted Junia) to deliver books and literacy to those who needed it most. Cussy Mary had a condition that made her skin appear blue. Her adopted daughter, Honey, has the same condition, and The Book Woman’s Daughter is Honey’s story, which begins around the time her parents are jailed.
Honey, still a minor, is sent by her parents to live with friends in Troublesome Creek. It’s there she has to prove she can live on her own or risk being thrown in a reform school/work farm. She takes up her mother’s library route and delivers books. Just as with her mother, the route is demanding and often times dangerous.
What a gift Richardson has given readers, bibliophiles themselves, in revisiting this storyline of how books and literacy can provide escape, jobs, changing thinking, opening doors. It’s a story of the strong women who show up every day. I always love this author’s storytelling. You can feel the devotion to her home state and its people in every word.
The author wrote this as both a sequel and a standalone; however, if you are interested, I highly recommend reading both books in order because either book is too good to miss and provides important background on these endearing characters.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Honey, still a minor, is sent by her parents to live with friends in Troublesome Creek. It’s there she has to prove she can live on her own or risk being thrown in a reform school/work farm. She takes up her mother’s library route and delivers books. Just as with her mother, the route is demanding and often times dangerous.
What a gift Richardson has given readers, bibliophiles themselves, in revisiting this storyline of how books and literacy can provide escape, jobs, changing thinking, opening doors. It’s a story of the strong women who show up every day. I always love this author’s storytelling. You can feel the devotion to her home state and its people in every word.
The author wrote this as both a sequel and a standalone; however, if you are interested, I highly recommend reading both books in order because either book is too good to miss and provides important background on these endearing characters.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
May 12, 2022
Dang, it!! I loved and was a big fan of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. I did a Q & A with Kim Michele Richardson and then loved it even more. I loved her passion for her characters and story, which shone through in the story. I thought I would love The Book Woman's Daughter just as much, but I didn't.
I have a lot of thoughts about books, and after reading, I ask myself some questions. Here are some of them.
What were some of the themes explored in the stories?
Some meaningful and compelling themes around the treatment of women, independence, and discrimination are touched on and are explored dramatically.
Are the characters likable or unlikeable and easy to connect and relate to? Do they change and grow with the conflicts they experience?
Honey is very likable and delightful, and she will appeal to many readers and her conflicts will evoke many emotions. However, I found her uninteresting, and I struggled to relate to and connect with her conflicts. Her challenges and struggles felt cinematic and fell into stereotypical behavior. My drama meteor hit its capacity, and I was glossing over part of the story. I felt like I was watching the scenes rather than experiencing Honey's challenges and feeling with her.
How did the setting add to the dynamics?
Kim Michele Richardson beautifully creates a fantastic sense of place and time through her descriptions.
Did the stories have me think deeply, challenge my thoughts, and see something different? Or learn anything new?
Nope, whatever was there got lost in the drama.
Do I recommend it?
Yes, This is a very likable story, and many reviewers here loved it. It will appeal to most readers. The drama drives the story, and I have learned that I read books quite differently than most people do and what I like and don't like from a story is very different than most.
I received a copy from the publisher.
I have a lot of thoughts about books, and after reading, I ask myself some questions. Here are some of them.
What were some of the themes explored in the stories?
Some meaningful and compelling themes around the treatment of women, independence, and discrimination are touched on and are explored dramatically.
Are the characters likable or unlikeable and easy to connect and relate to? Do they change and grow with the conflicts they experience?
Honey is very likable and delightful, and she will appeal to many readers and her conflicts will evoke many emotions. However, I found her uninteresting, and I struggled to relate to and connect with her conflicts. Her challenges and struggles felt cinematic and fell into stereotypical behavior. My drama meteor hit its capacity, and I was glossing over part of the story. I felt like I was watching the scenes rather than experiencing Honey's challenges and feeling with her.
How did the setting add to the dynamics?
Kim Michele Richardson beautifully creates a fantastic sense of place and time through her descriptions.
Did the stories have me think deeply, challenge my thoughts, and see something different? Or learn anything new?
Nope, whatever was there got lost in the drama.
Do I recommend it?
Yes, This is a very likable story, and many reviewers here loved it. It will appeal to most readers. The drama drives the story, and I have learned that I read books quite differently than most people do and what I like and don't like from a story is very different than most.
I received a copy from the publisher.
March 14, 2022
The Book Woman’s Daughter follows Honey Lovett, the daughter of Cussy Carter Lovett. Honey is the product of a mixed marriage. Cussy was a Blue, someone with a genetic disorder that causes her skin to be blue. Honey only has the blue tint on her hands and feet.
The story starts in 1953 and not much has changed in Kentucky. Starvation still kills more people than any influenza. And the laws are still racist, prohibiting mixed marriages, which includes the Blues. The book starts when Honey’s parents are both sent to jail for violating that law and Honey, age 16, is at the mercy of the court.
She finds work as a packhorse librarian, the same job her mother had years earlier. Richardson again does a wonderful job capturing the time and place. The Kentucky hills are a hard place to survive. Books were one of the few enjoyments available. Coal is the primary source of employment. The story is a reminder that people tend to take out their frustrations on those they love. There’s a lot of domestic violence. There’s also violence against women that take what are considered “men’s jobs”. The characters are inspirational and endearing. The book is extremely well researched. But it was too easy to see the direction the plot was going which undid some of my enjoyment.
My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebook Landmark for an advance copy of this book.
The story starts in 1953 and not much has changed in Kentucky. Starvation still kills more people than any influenza. And the laws are still racist, prohibiting mixed marriages, which includes the Blues. The book starts when Honey’s parents are both sent to jail for violating that law and Honey, age 16, is at the mercy of the court.
She finds work as a packhorse librarian, the same job her mother had years earlier. Richardson again does a wonderful job capturing the time and place. The Kentucky hills are a hard place to survive. Books were one of the few enjoyments available. Coal is the primary source of employment. The story is a reminder that people tend to take out their frustrations on those they love. There’s a lot of domestic violence. There’s also violence against women that take what are considered “men’s jobs”. The characters are inspirational and endearing. The book is extremely well researched. But it was too easy to see the direction the plot was going which undid some of my enjoyment.
My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebook Landmark for an advance copy of this book.
June 18, 2023
It’s not often that a sequel lives up to the original- in this case it did. 🤗 I enjoyed the first book and indeed equally enjoyed this one too!! 👍 I’m enthralled by this time in history- where women delivered books via horseback to the off-grid-folks. 😍 Adding in the blue people, just adds one more enthralling rabbit hole in my google history. ⭐️
June 2, 2023
Honey Lovett is sixteen and her parents Mary and Jackson have just been arrested. Due to having Methemoglobinemia, they have broken Kentuckian law by marrying and having a child. They have been in hiding for twelve years, during this time they have made preparations and Honey is to make her way back to Troublesome Creek and stay with a friend.
As a minor, if the police and social services find Honey, she will be sent to an institution and forced to work. Honey gets away and she rides her mother’s mule Junia to Troublesome Creek. Loretta Adams is happy to have her little Petunia living with her and lawyer Mr. Morgan is trying to sort out Honey’s and her parent’s legal problems.
Knott County needs the services of Assistant Outreach Librarian, Honey applies for the position and gets the job. Honey and Junia are riding to remote areas delivering books and newspapers and just like her mother Cussy Mary did before her. Honey loves her job, she makes friends Pearl Grant and she works for the forestry department as a fire-watcher.
In the Appalachian Mountains prejudice is still rife, males dominate the workforce, and women and children are ruled by patriarchal caver. Honey is old enough to marry, yet she has to fight to not be sent to the states institution and to live peacefully in Troublesome Creek.
I received a copy of The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson from Edelweiss and Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review. Included in the story are characters I admired from The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and unfortunately prejudice, poverty and corruption is still a problem in the mountains. Knowledge and reading show Honey the path to take for her freedom, justice and emancipation. Ms. Richardson has done it again, a delightful coming of age story and five stars from me.
As a minor, if the police and social services find Honey, she will be sent to an institution and forced to work. Honey gets away and she rides her mother’s mule Junia to Troublesome Creek. Loretta Adams is happy to have her little Petunia living with her and lawyer Mr. Morgan is trying to sort out Honey’s and her parent’s legal problems.
Knott County needs the services of Assistant Outreach Librarian, Honey applies for the position and gets the job. Honey and Junia are riding to remote areas delivering books and newspapers and just like her mother Cussy Mary did before her. Honey loves her job, she makes friends Pearl Grant and she works for the forestry department as a fire-watcher.
In the Appalachian Mountains prejudice is still rife, males dominate the workforce, and women and children are ruled by patriarchal caver. Honey is old enough to marry, yet she has to fight to not be sent to the states institution and to live peacefully in Troublesome Creek.
I received a copy of The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson from Edelweiss and Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review. Included in the story are characters I admired from The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and unfortunately prejudice, poverty and corruption is still a problem in the mountains. Knowledge and reading show Honey the path to take for her freedom, justice and emancipation. Ms. Richardson has done it again, a delightful coming of age story and five stars from me.
April 22, 2022
There's a new generation of Book Women and Honey, Cussy's daughter, is continuing her mother's legacy at the age of sixteen. Since the end of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, Cussy and Jackson have been quietly raising their daughter and trying to stay under the radar. The law comes to call and they send Honey (and the ever faithful Junia, the mule) back to Troublesome to keep her safe. Honey takes the opportunity to ride her mother's route and fights to be declared an adult so that she is not sent to the prison farm. Although Honey's Blue legacy is only in her extremities, she still must battle prejudice on multiple fronts. Filled with heartwarming and heartbreaking moments, I loved this one every bit as much as the first book. Another fantastic Book Group read.
Thank you to Sourcebooks and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Sourcebooks and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2022
"Knowledge is free at the library. Just bring your own container." (Unknown)
Honey Mary-Angeline Lovett has a story as long as her name. Honey grew up in the mountain country of Kentucky during a time when poor actually meant poor and richness was found in the land and in the people who populated the small rural communities.
Honey's mother, Cussy Mary, was one of the original Book Women back in the 1930's and '40's who were part of the Pack Horse Initiative granted by FDR within the WPA. These women rode on horseback or on mules to deliver books to the country folk. Literacy was in high need during these trying times of the Great Depression and the coal mine wars. Mining seemed to be the only source of work and this work was brutal and life-threatening.
I would encourage you to read the first book in this series that focuses on Cussy Mary. Cussy Mary's people first came to Kentucky from France in 1820 with a rare blood disorder. These individuals suffered from prejudice and isolation because of the blue cast to their skin. "The Blues" could not marry into society as it was against the law. The book actually opens with Honey's parents being arrested for intermarriage and taken to prison to serve time.
Kim Michele Richardson has Honey's feet hitting the ground in a rapid run to protect herself from the unfairness of these laws here in Troublesome, Kentucky in 1953. The social worker is hellbent on placing Honey in Children's Prison until she is twenty-one years old. At the age of sixteen, Honey needs a guardian.....immediately if not sooner. And now begins the quest for Honey to be validated as a young woman seeking her freedom.
The Book Woman's Daughter is guaranteed to "rile your innerds" as the story unfolds. We'll meet up with some low-lifes who have the audacity to question Honey's moral character throughout this storyline. What's at the core of all this is the resilience of Kentucky women who were subjected to the cruelest of conditions where their voices were stamped out and nearly silenced. Richardson implements the phrase "manful interpretations" of the role of women. There is much triumph here mixed with the reality of pain. Speak out until you are hoarse. There's power even in a whisper.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Sourcebook Landmark and to Kim Michele Richardson for the opportunity.
Honey Mary-Angeline Lovett has a story as long as her name. Honey grew up in the mountain country of Kentucky during a time when poor actually meant poor and richness was found in the land and in the people who populated the small rural communities.
Honey's mother, Cussy Mary, was one of the original Book Women back in the 1930's and '40's who were part of the Pack Horse Initiative granted by FDR within the WPA. These women rode on horseback or on mules to deliver books to the country folk. Literacy was in high need during these trying times of the Great Depression and the coal mine wars. Mining seemed to be the only source of work and this work was brutal and life-threatening.
I would encourage you to read the first book in this series that focuses on Cussy Mary. Cussy Mary's people first came to Kentucky from France in 1820 with a rare blood disorder. These individuals suffered from prejudice and isolation because of the blue cast to their skin. "The Blues" could not marry into society as it was against the law. The book actually opens with Honey's parents being arrested for intermarriage and taken to prison to serve time.
Kim Michele Richardson has Honey's feet hitting the ground in a rapid run to protect herself from the unfairness of these laws here in Troublesome, Kentucky in 1953. The social worker is hellbent on placing Honey in Children's Prison until she is twenty-one years old. At the age of sixteen, Honey needs a guardian.....immediately if not sooner. And now begins the quest for Honey to be validated as a young woman seeking her freedom.
The Book Woman's Daughter is guaranteed to "rile your innerds" as the story unfolds. We'll meet up with some low-lifes who have the audacity to question Honey's moral character throughout this storyline. What's at the core of all this is the resilience of Kentucky women who were subjected to the cruelest of conditions where their voices were stamped out and nearly silenced. Richardson implements the phrase "manful interpretations" of the role of women. There is much triumph here mixed with the reality of pain. Speak out until you are hoarse. There's power even in a whisper.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Sourcebook Landmark and to Kim Michele Richardson for the opportunity.
May 3, 2022
’They still call her Book Woman, having long forgotten the epithet for her cobalt-blue flesh, though she’s gone now from these hills and hollers, from her loving husband and daughter and endearing Junia, her patrons and their heartaches and yearning for more. But you must know another story, really all the other important stories that swirled around and after her, before they are lost to winters of rotting foliage and sleeping trees, swallowed into the spring hymnals of birdsong rising above carpets of phlox, snakeroot and foxglove. These stories beg to be unspooled from Kentucky’s hardened old hands, to be bound and eternally rooted like the poplar and oak to the everlasting land.’
This story begins in Thousandsticks, Kentucky in 1953, describing the era when air-raid ‘duck-and-cover’ drills were common during the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and their respective allies in the time after WWII. It’s early March, as the daughter of the original Book Woman, Honey Mary-Angeline Lovett, is now sixteen years old, looks back on those years, recalling the love and appreciation shown to her mother, and to her as she often accompanied her on her book route.
When a peddler comes to their door, and notices her mother’s blue skin colour, he can’t help but mention it when he gets back to town. Knowing that the law will come to them at any moment, since Miscegenation laws were a tool used to get rid of those people who appeared physically to be ‘different,’ and therefore unwanted and unwelcome. Meanwhile, their daughter Honey is hiding in the cellar when the ‘law’ shows up, and her parents are escorted to prison.
Honey inherited this condition, although it is mostly seen in her hands. When she follows in her mother’s footsteps, delivering books to those living in and around their rural area, or even in town, she feels it’s necessary for her to wear gloves to cover her hands. Most of the people she meets along the way are happy to see her riding her mother’s mule, Junia, and some remember her fondly, from when she accompanied her mother. But there are others who find her to be some kind of abomination, and make sure to let her know that she is not welcome.
I loved the setting, the quiet charm of the Appalachian landscape alongside the quiet strength of these women resolved to fight against the ugliness of laws created out of hate, and designed to target a group of marginalized people. I love the resolve of these women, and the men who had the courage to stand by them, to believe them, and believe in them, despite repercussions. I loved the strength and determination of these women, their bond as women, and, of course, this ode to books, and how the right words and stories can change the world.
Published: 03 May 2022
Many thanks for the ARC provided by SOURCEBOOKS Landmark
April 22, 2022
A most wonderful story!
Just like its predecessor, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, The Book Woman's Daughter is a wonderful story. We are introduced to Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, the daughter of Cussy Carver, who resides in the Hills of a gorgeous Kentucky mountains, she too, is so like her mother, a blue skinned packhorse librarian. Because of their skin color, the family had been in hiding and when her parents are imprisoned because of miscegenation, (interbreeding of people of different racial backgrounds), Honey is left in the care of another woman. She is threatened with reform school because of her age and of course what she is. The blue people were different, a scourge and many felt they should not be permitted to live. Later when Honey's elderly custodian dies, Honey is bigger danger of winding up in that school that she dreads until she reaches age twenty-one.
Honey vows to stay free and in her endeavors, she becomes what her mother once was a packhorse librarian. Honey is full of spirit and the love of family and book traveling on her cantankerous mule, she travels the hills of Kentucky through dangers and threatening people to deliver her books and bring joy to her readers. However, so many seem to be against her but she does have some in her corner. For Honey, her blue skin appears on her hands so she wears gloves hiding her hands. Through all of her trials, Honey shows her steadfast desire to remain a bookwoman and as she tries to obtain, her freedom, (emancipation) the perils seem to come faster and one wonders if she indeed will be free.
This is a marvelous story, told in the tradition of the first book with vivid description of the life and beauty of the Kentucky, the simplicity of life as well as its hardships. What is apparent was the people that Honey and Cussy served were delighted having books brought to them. They were thought of as treasures and a way for them to escape to another world. Both women not only delivered books but they also delivered help and hope to the people who were dirt poor.
Women are strong and in this story their stamina and fortitude made for a most vital book that praised the ability of people who lived in that time and place.
This wonderful book comes highly recommended because of its high lighting of the spirit, the resiliency, and the courage of these women who were able to bring literacy to so many.
Thank you to Kim Michele Richardson, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for a copy of this fantastic story due out May 3, 2022.
Just like its predecessor, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, The Book Woman's Daughter is a wonderful story. We are introduced to Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, the daughter of Cussy Carver, who resides in the Hills of a gorgeous Kentucky mountains, she too, is so like her mother, a blue skinned packhorse librarian. Because of their skin color, the family had been in hiding and when her parents are imprisoned because of miscegenation, (interbreeding of people of different racial backgrounds), Honey is left in the care of another woman. She is threatened with reform school because of her age and of course what she is. The blue people were different, a scourge and many felt they should not be permitted to live. Later when Honey's elderly custodian dies, Honey is bigger danger of winding up in that school that she dreads until she reaches age twenty-one.
Honey vows to stay free and in her endeavors, she becomes what her mother once was a packhorse librarian. Honey is full of spirit and the love of family and book traveling on her cantankerous mule, she travels the hills of Kentucky through dangers and threatening people to deliver her books and bring joy to her readers. However, so many seem to be against her but she does have some in her corner. For Honey, her blue skin appears on her hands so she wears gloves hiding her hands. Through all of her trials, Honey shows her steadfast desire to remain a bookwoman and as she tries to obtain, her freedom, (emancipation) the perils seem to come faster and one wonders if she indeed will be free.
This is a marvelous story, told in the tradition of the first book with vivid description of the life and beauty of the Kentucky, the simplicity of life as well as its hardships. What is apparent was the people that Honey and Cussy served were delighted having books brought to them. They were thought of as treasures and a way for them to escape to another world. Both women not only delivered books but they also delivered help and hope to the people who were dirt poor.
Women are strong and in this story their stamina and fortitude made for a most vital book that praised the ability of people who lived in that time and place.
This wonderful book comes highly recommended because of its high lighting of the spirit, the resiliency, and the courage of these women who were able to bring literacy to so many.
Thank you to Kim Michele Richardson, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for a copy of this fantastic story due out May 3, 2022.
April 17, 2022
Awhile back the book "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" was getting rave reviews on Goodreads, so I picked it up on a kindle sale to enjoy as a private read. When I saw that a sequel was being released, I decided to finally read the original book in preparation for delving into this one. I really liked "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" which told the story of Cussy Mary, a Pack Horse Librarian who carried a special gene that made her skin look blue. For this she was sometimes feared and prejudiced; at the same time, she was also valued and much loved by her many grateful book customers.
This book sequel centers upon the character of Honey Lovett, who Cussy Mary raised as her own daughter after a beloved book patron passed away. Honey also carries the "blue" gene, although it only shows up on her hands when she gets emotional. She often wears gloves to conceal it. Honey's adoptive parents have been arrested and are held in separate jails awaiting trial. It is 1953 and a crime for a white person to marry a person of color, which Cussy was considered. Honey is only sixteen, not old enough for the law to let her live on her own without a guardian. Ironically enough, the existing laws would allow her to marry, even if she were younger! It is still a society where women have less rights than men in these hills of Kentucky. The book's theme swirls around Honey's struggle to stay free while her adoptive parents' fate is sorted out. Otherwise, she could be held in an orphan's home until 18 or the House of Reform where she'd have to toil in leg chains until the age of 21.
Honey is self-sufficient and wise beyond her years, and would often accompany her adoptive Mom Cussy on her Pack Horse Librarian book deliveries. In Honey's quest for independence she also scores a job as a traveling librarian, riding the same donkey Junia that squired Cussy to her book patrons.
While there were some charming and emotionally powerful moments in the book, it lacked that special something that the original book had. I found myself skimming through certain sections that didn't quite hold my interest. There seemed to be a lack of heartwarming characters and customers compared to the original book. I managed to finish the book, but wouldn't seek out further sequels.
Thank you to the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
This book sequel centers upon the character of Honey Lovett, who Cussy Mary raised as her own daughter after a beloved book patron passed away. Honey also carries the "blue" gene, although it only shows up on her hands when she gets emotional. She often wears gloves to conceal it. Honey's adoptive parents have been arrested and are held in separate jails awaiting trial. It is 1953 and a crime for a white person to marry a person of color, which Cussy was considered. Honey is only sixteen, not old enough for the law to let her live on her own without a guardian. Ironically enough, the existing laws would allow her to marry, even if she were younger! It is still a society where women have less rights than men in these hills of Kentucky. The book's theme swirls around Honey's struggle to stay free while her adoptive parents' fate is sorted out. Otherwise, she could be held in an orphan's home until 18 or the House of Reform where she'd have to toil in leg chains until the age of 21.
Honey is self-sufficient and wise beyond her years, and would often accompany her adoptive Mom Cussy on her Pack Horse Librarian book deliveries. In Honey's quest for independence she also scores a job as a traveling librarian, riding the same donkey Junia that squired Cussy to her book patrons.
While there were some charming and emotionally powerful moments in the book, it lacked that special something that the original book had. I found myself skimming through certain sections that didn't quite hold my interest. There seemed to be a lack of heartwarming characters and customers compared to the original book. I managed to finish the book, but wouldn't seek out further sequels.
Thank you to the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
May 12, 2022
2.5 stars
What a very lukewarm reading experience!
I really enjoyed the first book but this one feel just too similar. The daughter follows so closely in the footsteps of her adoptive mother that there was nothing new to the story.
There were mention of other female driven initiatives that were revolutionary for the time period. Such as the frontier nursing service, moonlight schools and females working in the mines.
I think there was an opportunity lost to give us a better glimpse into this period, but all we were given is a stubborn donkey and book deliveries.
What a very lukewarm reading experience!
I really enjoyed the first book but this one feel just too similar. The daughter follows so closely in the footsteps of her adoptive mother that there was nothing new to the story.
There were mention of other female driven initiatives that were revolutionary for the time period. Such as the frontier nursing service, moonlight schools and females working in the mines.
I think there was an opportunity lost to give us a better glimpse into this period, but all we were given is a stubborn donkey and book deliveries.
April 17, 2025
I’m officially a convert. Read this book reluctantly after being given a copy by a friend. Didn’t really want to read it because I had DNFd the first book. But I stuck with it, and aside from the last scene with Loretta, which had me spiraling out with memories of my mom, I enjoyed the book very much.
I really liked Honey’s grit and gumption. I liked that she had so many people who cared about her. I liked that she could take care of her business, even against a violent man who hated her.
Thought it was nice the way Richardson found ways to include historically relevant tidbits. Also appreciated the author’s note at the end explaining methemoglobinemia. I’d never heard of this condition before.
I’ll go back and give the first book another try now.
I really liked Honey’s grit and gumption. I liked that she had so many people who cared about her. I liked that she could take care of her business, even against a violent man who hated her.
Thought it was nice the way Richardson found ways to include historically relevant tidbits. Also appreciated the author’s note at the end explaining methemoglobinemia. I’d never heard of this condition before.
I’ll go back and give the first book another try now.
October 3, 2022
The Book Woman’s Daughter is the second historical fiction novel in Kim Michele Richardson’s “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” series. (Spoilers ahead for those who have not read the first book in the series. You've been warned!)
Personally, I enjoyed The Book Woman’s Daughter more than The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, even though both were great stories.
The Book Woman’s Daughter follows Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, daughter of Cussy Mary, as she follows in her mother’s footsteps with the Troublesome Creek public library. (Literally following in her steps, as Honey’s route is the same as Cussy Mary’s.)
Honey is the newest outreach librarian for their branch, and the job proves to be more about survival for her than finding a fulfilling job and making a living.
Although Honey really enjoys her work, which combines her love of reading with the independence of delivering books for patrons in hard-to-reach places outside of town.
During her work duties, Honey reconnects with her beloved Loretta (family friend) and becomes friends with Pearl, the new fire look-out for the Forest Service in the area. My favorite part of the novel is Honey developing into a strong, independent woman, and finding a kindred soul in Pearl, who is fiercely independent herself. I enjoyed their bond, which got stronger throughout the book.
Despite Honey and Pearl facing rampant misogyny (and racism, on Honey’s part, due to her blue skin), they learn to stand up for themselves and fight back against the systemic forces trying to press them both into the ideal mold of a woman.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Book Woman’s Daughter and the return to Troublesome Creek. It is always nice to have characters with such an immense love of reading and libraries at the center of a story, not to mention strong women characters supporting each other.
My one nitpick is that the ending, to me, was very open-ended.
I really hope there is another book in this series! If not, I’ll have to make peace with the ending, which did nicely for the second entry in a series.
Happy reading!
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
Personally, I enjoyed The Book Woman’s Daughter more than The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, even though both were great stories.
The Book Woman’s Daughter follows Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, daughter of Cussy Mary, as she follows in her mother’s footsteps with the Troublesome Creek public library. (Literally following in her steps, as Honey’s route is the same as Cussy Mary’s.)
Honey is the newest outreach librarian for their branch, and the job proves to be more about survival for her than finding a fulfilling job and making a living.
Although Honey really enjoys her work, which combines her love of reading with the independence of delivering books for patrons in hard-to-reach places outside of town.
During her work duties, Honey reconnects with her beloved Loretta (family friend) and becomes friends with Pearl, the new fire look-out for the Forest Service in the area. My favorite part of the novel is Honey developing into a strong, independent woman, and finding a kindred soul in Pearl, who is fiercely independent herself. I enjoyed their bond, which got stronger throughout the book.
Despite Honey and Pearl facing rampant misogyny (and racism, on Honey’s part, due to her blue skin), they learn to stand up for themselves and fight back against the systemic forces trying to press them both into the ideal mold of a woman.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Book Woman’s Daughter and the return to Troublesome Creek. It is always nice to have characters with such an immense love of reading and libraries at the center of a story, not to mention strong women characters supporting each other.
My one nitpick is that the ending, to me, was very open-ended.
I really hope there is another book in this series! If not, I’ll have to make peace with the ending, which did nicely for the second entry in a series.
Happy reading!
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
December 20, 2022
What a beautiful follow up to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. That book not only educated me but caused me to think and feel. I had never heard of the blue people of Kentucky or the pack horse library project.
In this book, Cussy Carter's daughter, Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, is left alone after her parents are arrested after hiding from the law for years. Honey knows that with her parents gone, she faces being sent away, and vows to stay free and carry on her mother's library route.
Like her mother, Honey is strong, fierce, hardworking, loving and kind. She is dedicated to helping not only help people read but to better their lives as well. She, like her mother, is part of a group on strong women who are doing their part to improve lives, give women a voice, and spread literacy.
I couldn't help but root for Honey and be charmed by her spunk. She is an extremely likeable character just like her mother.
I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a fantastic job. I often thought that she sounded like Dolly Parton as she narrated.
Another wonderful book by Richardson.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
In this book, Cussy Carter's daughter, Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, is left alone after her parents are arrested after hiding from the law for years. Honey knows that with her parents gone, she faces being sent away, and vows to stay free and carry on her mother's library route.
Like her mother, Honey is strong, fierce, hardworking, loving and kind. She is dedicated to helping not only help people read but to better their lives as well. She, like her mother, is part of a group on strong women who are doing their part to improve lives, give women a voice, and spread literacy.
I couldn't help but root for Honey and be charmed by her spunk. She is an extremely likeable character just like her mother.
I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a fantastic job. I often thought that she sounded like Dolly Parton as she narrated.
Another wonderful book by Richardson.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
May 7, 2022
The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Richardson
Fantastic! I can’t think of a better word. It saddens me how ignorant people were in Kentucky. Racism because of a hereditary blood disorder methemoglobinemia. A mother and father locked in a prison for wedding and producing a child. A child terrified of hard labor juvenile prison because of the production of their union. The survival of Honey Lovett is fantastic. How she stood for herself each time the ignorant “Christian” folk came at her. How she stood and said no man is going to force her into doing something just to sell her freedom to still be unfree.
Oh so many messages I am this wonderful book! Careful world! As we watch history repeat itself! Let’s stand in unity and not allow a repeat of the dark part of the past.
Fantastic! I can’t think of a better word. It saddens me how ignorant people were in Kentucky. Racism because of a hereditary blood disorder methemoglobinemia. A mother and father locked in a prison for wedding and producing a child. A child terrified of hard labor juvenile prison because of the production of their union. The survival of Honey Lovett is fantastic. How she stood for herself each time the ignorant “Christian” folk came at her. How she stood and said no man is going to force her into doing something just to sell her freedom to still be unfree.
Oh so many messages I am this wonderful book! Careful world! As we watch history repeat itself! Let’s stand in unity and not allow a repeat of the dark part of the past.
nevers-and-not-anymores
September 26, 2022After a day of pondering, I made up my mind. I don't want to read this.
Reason 1: Most reviewers say it is an extension of book one and nothing has changed in Troublesome Creek. I don't want an action replay of the same plot.
Reason 2: The first book, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek didn't grip me to the extent that I would be curious about what comes next.
Reason 3: Hate this book cover. How can a bibliophile stand on books, that too with their shoes on?
To those who want to read this, happy reading! I hope you enjoy Honey's story. 💕
Reason 1: Most reviewers say it is an extension of book one and nothing has changed in Troublesome Creek. I don't want an action replay of the same plot.
Reason 2: The first book, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek didn't grip me to the extent that I would be curious about what comes next.
Reason 3: Hate this book cover. How can a bibliophile stand on books, that too with their shoes on?
To those who want to read this, happy reading! I hope you enjoy Honey's story. 💕
August 6, 2024
5 amazing audiobook stars!
2024 Favourites List! 🏆
Endearing and informative. Gritty and emotional.
This is book 2 in the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series and it was a phenomenal continuation exploring the generational story of one Appalachian family, showcasing the Packhorse Librarian Project. This novel takes place in the backwoods mountains of Kentucky in the 1950’s.
As with book 1, this novel focuses on one unique and captivating family of “Kentucky Blues”, who posses a rare genetic blood disorder that turns their skin blue. The females in this family are pioneers in advocating for literacy and providing books to those who don’t have access.
The Packhorse Library Project is a fascinating and inspiring piece of history that I can’t learn enough about. I am in awe of the lengths that small communities went to in order to provide reading material to hill folk and those who would never have the opportunity to hold a book otherwise.
This novel explores many themes including racism, emancipation, sisterhood, eugenics, friendship, loyalty and equality.
For me, a stand out part of this story (and series) is the animals. Junia is the family mule who works to help deliver books throughout the mountains for the Packhorse Library Project and she has a mind of her own! The relationship between Junia and the main character is so touching. Animals and nature are a big piece of this story.
The narrative is absolutely engrossing! The main characters’ backwoods drawl is done to perfection. Her perspective is eye-opening and endearing. I was 100% invested in her life and situation from the very start to the very end. She is a stand out main character!
Audio rating : 5+ outstanding stars! The audio narrator did a phenomenal job and greatly enhanced my connection and enjoyment. She put me right into the heart of the story. I only wish I would have experienced the first book by audio with this narrator. She delivered the Kentuckian drawl so smoothly, adding immensely to the readers immersion into the story. I highly recommend the audiobook!
Overall, I loved this even more than book 1 (and I loved book 1 A LOT!). A stand out audiobook — one of the best audiobook experiences I’ve ever had!
Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!
2024 Favourites List! 🏆
Endearing and informative. Gritty and emotional.
This is book 2 in the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series and it was a phenomenal continuation exploring the generational story of one Appalachian family, showcasing the Packhorse Librarian Project. This novel takes place in the backwoods mountains of Kentucky in the 1950’s.
As with book 1, this novel focuses on one unique and captivating family of “Kentucky Blues”, who posses a rare genetic blood disorder that turns their skin blue. The females in this family are pioneers in advocating for literacy and providing books to those who don’t have access.
The Packhorse Library Project is a fascinating and inspiring piece of history that I can’t learn enough about. I am in awe of the lengths that small communities went to in order to provide reading material to hill folk and those who would never have the opportunity to hold a book otherwise.
This novel explores many themes including racism, emancipation, sisterhood, eugenics, friendship, loyalty and equality.
For me, a stand out part of this story (and series) is the animals. Junia is the family mule who works to help deliver books throughout the mountains for the Packhorse Library Project and she has a mind of her own! The relationship between Junia and the main character is so touching. Animals and nature are a big piece of this story.
The narrative is absolutely engrossing! The main characters’ backwoods drawl is done to perfection. Her perspective is eye-opening and endearing. I was 100% invested in her life and situation from the very start to the very end. She is a stand out main character!
Audio rating : 5+ outstanding stars! The audio narrator did a phenomenal job and greatly enhanced my connection and enjoyment. She put me right into the heart of the story. I only wish I would have experienced the first book by audio with this narrator. She delivered the Kentuckian drawl so smoothly, adding immensely to the readers immersion into the story. I highly recommend the audiobook!
Overall, I loved this even more than book 1 (and I loved book 1 A LOT!). A stand out audiobook — one of the best audiobook experiences I’ve ever had!
Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!
May 6, 2022
2.5 Stars
This is a sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. Like most sequels, it is a disappointment.
When the parents of sixteen-year-old Honey Lovett are imprisoned for breaking miscegenation laws, Honey’s future is in jeopardy. Wanting to avoid going to an orphans’ home or being sent to the House of Reform, she needs a guardian. When that arrangement is not an option, she decides to seek emancipation which would leave her free and independent. To show she is capable of caring for herself, she follows her mother’s footsteps and becomes an outreach librarian, a job which brings her into contact with new friends and enemies.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek reveals so much about the Blue People of Kentucky, the Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, and life in Appalachian Kentucky. The Book Woman’s Daughter, however, offers few new historical elements; it merely recycles information already known to readers of the first book.
The one addition is female characters in male-dominated jobs: Pearl is a fire tower ranger and Bonnie is a coal miner. Unfortunately, these characters end up seeming like mere plot devices to emphasize the struggles of women living in a world dominated by men. The book’s message is that “’Laws about females never make a lick of sense because they’re made and run by men and meant to keep us in bondage’” so women must be courageous to stand up against injustice and inequality.
There were several elements that irritated me. First there’s the repetition: How many times must we be told that Junia is stubborn and doesn’t like men? How many threatening encounters must Honey have with Perry Gillis once he is clearly identified as her enemy? Then there are the plot holes: The office of Honey’s lawyer is open after 6 p.m. on a Sunday? Honey writes down “the directions for the nurse to find Retta’s home” but doesn’t leave the note and has to return later? Why would the doctor’s wife rely on Honey for books since there is a public library in town? What’s with the pre-occupation with clean clothes: Before spending a night with Doc and his wife, Honey goes home to “’pack clean clothes’” and then tells Doc that she “’packed my clean dress’” but then finds that Doc’s wife laundered and folded her clothes overnight?
Finally, there’s the portrayal of Honey. The author wants her to be a brave heroine so she has Honey save a child. The author wants her to be intelligent so Honey, not her lawyer, first mentions emancipation. But then she is so stupid that she doesn’t tie up Junia, a mule who tends to run away? And after overhearing a conversation which clearly indicates the speakers’ intentions, she wonders “what Gillis and his kin were up to”? Honey’s father gives her a clear answer about dating, but she says, “’I haven’t received permission yet. I might need to call Papa again’’?! She will disobey Gillis and give his wife an “immoral” book, thereby endangering herself and Guyla Belle, but won’t date without permission? What is particularly annoying is that Honey, though she claims she loves books, seldom reads!
Having really liked The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, I looked forward to The Book Woman’s Daughter. However, I found little to enjoy. The narrative arc is obvious from the beginning; the protagonist behaves inconsistently though we are to admire her; and scenes have unnecessary melodramatic flourishes. The first book offers substantial historical information but, other than brief references to Moonlight Schools, Hallie Daggett and female fire lookouts, and the Frontier Nursing Service, the second book tediously repeats historical facts from the first. I think readers might enjoy The Book Woman’s Daughter more if they’ve not read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.
Note: I received a digital galley from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).
This is a sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. Like most sequels, it is a disappointment.
When the parents of sixteen-year-old Honey Lovett are imprisoned for breaking miscegenation laws, Honey’s future is in jeopardy. Wanting to avoid going to an orphans’ home or being sent to the House of Reform, she needs a guardian. When that arrangement is not an option, she decides to seek emancipation which would leave her free and independent. To show she is capable of caring for herself, she follows her mother’s footsteps and becomes an outreach librarian, a job which brings her into contact with new friends and enemies.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek reveals so much about the Blue People of Kentucky, the Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, and life in Appalachian Kentucky. The Book Woman’s Daughter, however, offers few new historical elements; it merely recycles information already known to readers of the first book.
The one addition is female characters in male-dominated jobs: Pearl is a fire tower ranger and Bonnie is a coal miner. Unfortunately, these characters end up seeming like mere plot devices to emphasize the struggles of women living in a world dominated by men. The book’s message is that “’Laws about females never make a lick of sense because they’re made and run by men and meant to keep us in bondage’” so women must be courageous to stand up against injustice and inequality.
There were several elements that irritated me. First there’s the repetition: How many times must we be told that Junia is stubborn and doesn’t like men? How many threatening encounters must Honey have with Perry Gillis once he is clearly identified as her enemy? Then there are the plot holes: The office of Honey’s lawyer is open after 6 p.m. on a Sunday? Honey writes down “the directions for the nurse to find Retta’s home” but doesn’t leave the note and has to return later? Why would the doctor’s wife rely on Honey for books since there is a public library in town? What’s with the pre-occupation with clean clothes: Before spending a night with Doc and his wife, Honey goes home to “’pack clean clothes’” and then tells Doc that she “’packed my clean dress’” but then finds that Doc’s wife laundered and folded her clothes overnight?
Finally, there’s the portrayal of Honey. The author wants her to be a brave heroine so she has Honey save a child. The author wants her to be intelligent so Honey, not her lawyer, first mentions emancipation. But then she is so stupid that she doesn’t tie up Junia, a mule who tends to run away? And after overhearing a conversation which clearly indicates the speakers’ intentions, she wonders “what Gillis and his kin were up to”? Honey’s father gives her a clear answer about dating, but she says, “’I haven’t received permission yet. I might need to call Papa again’’?! She will disobey Gillis and give his wife an “immoral” book, thereby endangering herself and Guyla Belle, but won’t date without permission? What is particularly annoying is that Honey, though she claims she loves books, seldom reads!
Having really liked The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, I looked forward to The Book Woman’s Daughter. However, I found little to enjoy. The narrative arc is obvious from the beginning; the protagonist behaves inconsistently though we are to admire her; and scenes have unnecessary melodramatic flourishes. The first book offers substantial historical information but, other than brief references to Moonlight Schools, Hallie Daggett and female fire lookouts, and the Frontier Nursing Service, the second book tediously repeats historical facts from the first. I think readers might enjoy The Book Woman’s Daughter more if they’ve not read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.
Note: I received a digital galley from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).
May 10, 2022
This was absolutely marvelous!
Read by the fabulous Katie Schorr, (same narrator as the first book), we join the Bookwoman's daughter, Honey, as she struggles to survive on her own in rural Kentucky.
Her parents being jailed, (her dad because he married a blue, {the blue people of Kentucky}, and her mother WAS a blue.) Being that Honey was the resulting child, she was also facing a warrant for her arrest and incarceration. (For being the child of a blue.) The rest of the story recounts Honey's many trials and tribulations becoming a packhorse librarian, just like her mom.
Libraries have a special place in my heart. I grew up in an area with no other children and books became my life. I would hang out on the corner on Tuesday mornings waiting for the bookmobile to come. It brought with it all the tales that made up my early reading life: Agatha Christie, Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Conan Doyle, etc.. Without those books I don't think I would have made it through.
THE BOOK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER is a delight from start to finish! I highly recommend it to those who love stories, for those who love books, and finally to those that provide us with the books we love so much!
Read by the fabulous Katie Schorr, (same narrator as the first book), we join the Bookwoman's daughter, Honey, as she struggles to survive on her own in rural Kentucky.
Her parents being jailed, (her dad because he married a blue, {the blue people of Kentucky}, and her mother WAS a blue.) Being that Honey was the resulting child, she was also facing a warrant for her arrest and incarceration. (For being the child of a blue.) The rest of the story recounts Honey's many trials and tribulations becoming a packhorse librarian, just like her mom.
Libraries have a special place in my heart. I grew up in an area with no other children and books became my life. I would hang out on the corner on Tuesday mornings waiting for the bookmobile to come. It brought with it all the tales that made up my early reading life: Agatha Christie, Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Conan Doyle, etc.. Without those books I don't think I would have made it through.
THE BOOK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER is a delight from start to finish! I highly recommend it to those who love stories, for those who love books, and finally to those that provide us with the books we love so much!
May 18, 2022
4.5 Stars for Book Woman’s Daughter (audiobook) by Kim Michele Richardson read by Katie Schorr.
This is a wonderful sequel. I think the first book was a little more special but this was really good. It was interesting to get to see how this young woman found independence and salvation through delivering books to rural Kentucky like her mother did years before.
This is a wonderful sequel. I think the first book was a little more special but this was really good. It was interesting to get to see how this young woman found independence and salvation through delivering books to rural Kentucky like her mother did years before.
April 25, 2022
I absolutely loved this fascinating sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. Do you remember that cantankerous mule from the first book? Well Junia is back, and Cussy’s daughter now has her own story to tell.
Honey Lovett, the adoptive daughter of our beloved packhorse librarian Cussy Carter Lovett from book #1, is seeking to gain her own independence after her adoptive parents are both incarcerated and her current caregiver passes. She faces unimaginable odds at beating the system that wants to place her in The Kentucky House of Reform until she’s twenty-one. She applies to work as a packhorse librarian same as her mama did. Along her route, honey makes new friends, meets her mama’s patrons, and helps those in need.. one woman who married into the infamous Gillis family, the other currently terrorized by them. Her interfering takes a dark twist as she comes to blows with the Gillis family who hate the Blue people of eastern Kentucky.. Cussy and Honey the last of their kind. Yes you’ll find cruelty and sadness within this story, but there’s also romance, friendship, and a view firsthand of strong women working together to overcome the difficult times of that day. A real treat for historical fiction readers!
*Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Honey Lovett, the adoptive daughter of our beloved packhorse librarian Cussy Carter Lovett from book #1, is seeking to gain her own independence after her adoptive parents are both incarcerated and her current caregiver passes. She faces unimaginable odds at beating the system that wants to place her in The Kentucky House of Reform until she’s twenty-one. She applies to work as a packhorse librarian same as her mama did. Along her route, honey makes new friends, meets her mama’s patrons, and helps those in need.. one woman who married into the infamous Gillis family, the other currently terrorized by them. Her interfering takes a dark twist as she comes to blows with the Gillis family who hate the Blue people of eastern Kentucky.. Cussy and Honey the last of their kind. Yes you’ll find cruelty and sadness within this story, but there’s also romance, friendship, and a view firsthand of strong women working together to overcome the difficult times of that day. A real treat for historical fiction readers!
*Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
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