Monday, June 6, 2022

Book Review - The Book Woman's Daughter; Kim Michele Richardson

 

The Book Woman's Daughter; Kim Michele Richardson
Sourcebooks  - 2022

Last year our book group read and discussed The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and most everyone loved the story.  As a result I couldn't wait to read book #2 in the series: The Book Woman's Daughter.

Set in Kentucky (15) years after book #1 ends, Honey Lovett is the (16) year old daughter of Cussy Mary Carter Lovett who worked as a Packhorse Librarian in 1930s Appalachia, delivering books to eager readers upon her mule Junia.  Cussy was a bluet, a blue-skinned woman with a condition called methemoglobinemia. Cussy married a white man and their marriage earned them a prison sentence for miscegenation.  Honey's parents prepared her for what they feared was to come and sent her away with Junia, the mule,  to keep her out of orphanages until she reached adulthood.  As luck would have it Honey is hired to take over her mother's packhorse job and like her mother she is doing something she loves but, not everyone is thrilled when she arrives with the books. 

I thought the author did a good job with this sequel and although this could be read as a standalone, I do recommend that readers try the first book of the series. IMO, the first book gives a lot of good background information about the packhorse library program and the people of Appalachia as well.  This book was a good read with a few nice minor characters but, I liked the first book a bit better. Like the first book this story covered several tough issues: poverty, domestic violence, prejudice and illiteracy.  I thought the ending was satisfying.

NOTE: I borrowed this book from my public library

RATING - 4/5 stars

15 comments:

  1. I've not read either of these books but I've noticed that bloggers who have reviewed either of them seem to have really liked them, so you are in good company with your review.

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    1. It's an example of one of those books I probably would not have been drawn to had it not been for my book group.

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  2. I've got the first book on my stacks and need to get to it soon!

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    1. Hi Nise, Our book group picked book #1 and I was glad they did. I don't think I would have selected it on my own but, a good story. I hope you enjoy it.

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  3. Set in Kentucky, should be very interesting.

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    1. Yes, life was not good for many women in the area back in this time period, I suspect life is still hard in certain areas there today.

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  4. I'm glad the sequel is good too! It's on my summer list. I need to at least skim the ending of the first book to remind me where things left off.

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  5. I have the first book on my TBR and I'm glad to know to the sequel was good if not quite as good as the first book.

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  6. One of the women in my book group recommended the first book, which is on my TBR list. I'm glad to know that the sequel is worthwhile. I'll get to them eventually!

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    1. We read the first for book group-made for a nice discussion too.

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  7. I was just telling my daughter about both of these books. I really want to read this one.

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    1. Helen, I did like the first book better but this was a good follow-up.

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