ISBN: 9781728242590
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Publication Date: 05/3/2022
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 5 Stars + (ARC)
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek!
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 books to 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.
Praise
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
"Steeped in an intimate knowledge of the traditions and lore of the region and written with a loving eye to the natural beauty of the landscape, The Book Woman's Daughter is a brilliant and compelling narrative - a powerful portrait of the courageous women who fought against ignorance, misogyny, and racial prejudice."
― William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of This Tender Land and Lightning Strike
"A mesmerizing and beautifully rendered Appalachian tale of strong women, bravery, and resilience, told through the eyes of a new heroine reminiscent of Harper Lee's own Scout Finch." ― Ron Rash, New York Times bestselling author of One Foot in Eden and Serena
"Kim Michele Richardson's The Book Woman's Daughter sets us deep inside Kentucky's rugged Appalachia in the early 1950s and gives us Honey Mary-Angeline Lovett, a sixteen-year-old as fierce and brave as her mama, Cussy Mary. Their world is cruel with its prejudice, and Richardson is not afraid to peel back its ugliness and take us there. But, like the best writers in not only this generation but the ones past, Richardson gifts us readers with something extraordinary, a way back."
― Bren McClain, multi-award-winning author of One Good Mama Bone
"The Book Woman's Daughter combines themes of sisterhood and justice with vivid depictions of the Kentucky landscape, making it a good choice for book groups and readers of historical women's fiction."
― Booklist
"Richardson excels in her descriptions of the people and places of rural Kentucky. Fans will be delighted to find Cussy's daughter is just as plucky as her mother."
― Publishers Weekly
"In Kim Michele Richardson's beautifully and authentically rendered The Book Woman's Daughter she once again paints a stunning portrait of the raw, somber beauty of Appalachia, the strong resolve of remarkable women living in a world dominated by men, and the power of books and sisterhood to prevail in the harshest circumstances. A critical and profoundly important read for our time. Badassery womanhood at its best!"
― Sara Gruen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Water for Elephants
"Fierce, beautiful and inspirational, Kim Michele Richardson has created a powerful tale about brave extraordinary heroines who are downright haunting and unforgettable."
― Abbott Kahler, New York Times bestselling author (as Karen Abbott) of The Ghosts of Eden Park
VIEW MY 2019 Q&A with the Author of THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK
Read My Reviews
Both New York Times Bestsellers!
My Review
Southern master storyteller Kim Richardson wowed us with The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, featuring the driven Cussy Mary Lovett, the blue-skinned Kentucky woman who went on to head up the Pack Horse Library in the 1930s.
She returns with her latest New York Times bestseller follow-up, THE BOOK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER featuring the sixteen-year-old Honey Lovett, the daughter. Honey is just as tenacious as her mom and finds strength in books to help overcome her obstacles in this rural world of injustices.
The parents are imprisoned due to the methemoglobinemia and Honey is left to fend for herself. She is an old soul and is mature for her age. She must find a way to hold on to her independence or be sent away.
When carefully laid plans do not work out due to some evil men, Honey finds a way to take up the traveling librarian job once held by her mother, even riding the same faithful mule, Junia. She also has to convince her lawyer Bob Morgan to represent her in a bid for legal emancipation.
A gripping tale, rich in history, character, literary, and vivid descriptions of the Kentucky landscape. The misogyny and racial prejudice will infuriate you. All the while, you will be rooting for Honey, her family, and these victims.
Brave, fearless, and powerful — readers will enjoy the heroines, sisterhood, mothers/daughters, and the LOVE of books.
Kim is a gifted and talented author who knows Kentucky, the people, and its history like no other. She was born to tell this story, and no one could have penned it with its unique delivery. I am in awe of her craft and passion.
THE BOOK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER is a must-read book for every home library! I hope we hear more from Honey and her mom down the road to catch up. Cover Love.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, the author, and NetGalley for an ARC digital and print signed paperback copy to read, review, and enjoy!
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 05/03/2022
About the Author
The NEW YORK TIMES, LOS ANGELES TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Kim Michele Richardson is an multiple-award winning author and has written four works of historical fiction, and a bestselling memoir, The Unbreakable Child.
Her latest critically acclaimed novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek has earned a 2019 LibraryReads Best Book, Indie Next, SIBA, Forbes Best Historical Novel, 2020 PBS Readers Choice, 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 real life, remarkable "blue people" of Kentucky, and the fierce, brave Packhorse Librarians who used the power of literacy to overcome bigotry, and fear during the Great Depression. The novel is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms.
Her forthcoming fifth novel, a stand-alone and sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek will be published May 7, 2022. Kim Michele lives with her family in Kentucky and is the founder of Shy Rabbit. WEBSITE
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