If you liked the Book woman of Troublesome Creek you will adore this follow up. It mostly centers on the daughter of the book woman who is suddenly alone after her parents are arrested and sent to jail for their mixed marriage. Cussy is a Blue and her husband is white. A violation of Kentucky law. Although the author created these characters their lives are based on real life Kentucky people. Shocking story of how mistreated minor children were. And equally shocking how mistreated women were. Honey and her troubles will tug at your heartstrings. The book ends a bit abruptly but it seems clear that the author plans to write more about Honey and eastern Kentucky. I can’t wait! This book was provided to me through NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for my honest review.

The Book Woman's Daughter is a stand-alone sequel to Richardson's The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. I may have enjoyed The Book Woman's Daughter even more than The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. An ode to the power of books and literacy. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

THE BOOK WOMAN’S DAUGHTER opens with Honey Lovett’s parents sending her to live with their family friend, Retta, in Troublesome, because they are being arrested for violating the despicable anti-miscegenation law and face an upcoming trial. See, Honey and her adoptive mother Cussy (the original Book Woman), are the last of the true blue-skinned people of Kentucky. ⁣
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Honey is only 16, and could be sent to the Reform School until she is 21 if her parents lose their trial. So, Honey heads off to Troublesome on her mother’s trusty mule, Junia.⁣
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Shortly after arriving in Troublesome Honey meets the dynamic 19-year-old Pearl, who has been hired by the State as the town fire lookout. It is a joy reading about the growth of their friendship into one as close as sisters.⁣
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Honey is hired as a librarian assistant for the recently revived Library Outreach program, a facsimile of the Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project that her mother was a part of. And just like her mother before her, Honey captures the hearts of her patrons. ⁣
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But, like her mother, Honey also faces hatred and threats by the abusive husband of one of her patrons. Unfortunately, the Sheriff is his cousin. ⁣
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Honey’s bravery and fortitude in the face of great adversity is inspiring. ⁣
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The lawyer that Honey’s parents hired for her, Bob Morgan, is a true gentleman and a capable lawyer. But unforeseen obstacles arise and it will take Bob, Honey, and all of Honey’s supporters to ensure she may keep her freedom. ⁣
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This is a gem of a story. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy to enjoy.
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Thank you, @bookmarked @sourcebooks @netgalley for the free e-galley.

Having only been a moderate fan of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, I was surprised to find that I enjoyed this book far more than the first one. It is possible that this was because I had a familiarity with the territory, but I also think that Richardson put a lot of care into keeping the stakes high in this one, and she added more heartwarming characters that helped to support the main character, Honey, in her many trials. Honey's adopted parents are in prison for miscegenation, and she is a minor who is in serious danger of being sent to the horrible House of Reform if she doesn't have another guardian. Honey takes a job as a traveling book woman, too, and helps anyone that she can, and there are plenty of people who need it. As Honey works to be granted her emancipation, she befriends many lovely people in her community. A compelling read, there is enough at stake always to keep the reader from wanting to put the book down, but then it is uplifting and leaves a warm feeling because of these relationships.

Having recently finished “The Book Woman’s Daughter” by Kim Michele Richardson, I am happy to have had the chance for the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy; thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark! A second thank you is included in this review as I also was sent a physical copy from a recent Goodreads Giveaway!

This is a satisfying sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, as the prejudice and drama continue with Honey Mary-Angeline Lovett’s story. The pride and dignity of this young woman shine strong as she does her best to overcome the obstacles in her path. Although the drama was constant for Honey; alone and without the support of her family, she found it instead from friends who knew and cared for her; and from the strength she gathered from within.

Learning more information is always one of my favorite parts of reading, and having a physical copy of this book was truly a gift. As well as the e-copy, the back of this story was filled with a wonderful Author’s Note, a variety of images, and even more history! I enjoyed the well researched details and moments I spent being back in the hollers of eastern Kentucky again, meeting more beloved book patrons, furry (and even feathered) friends.


“Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.”
- As long as you have the books, you’ll always have that light.”

Being a “blue” in Kentucky was always going to be hard for Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, but when her mom and dad were sent to jail for having a mixed race marriage, Honey was left all alone.

At 16 years old, Honey goes back to Troublesome Creek where her mother had been the packhorse librarian. Honey has to fight for her freedom or risk going to a reform school. She takes up her mother’s old route and meets lots of people along the way….most will help her but not all. Honey finds that strong women help each other out and that books can change a person’s life.

It was great revisiting this setting. I loved all of the characters and getting to see how Honey deals with being a “blue” and a female on her own. I will forever pick up books set in Troublesome Creek.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was so excited to jump into this book! I loved the first book and getting to know the characters and the town. And this newest installment did not disappoint! I was thrown right back into Troublesome, but several years later. We get to visit our favorite characters and we get to make new friends too. Even though years have passed, some things haven't changed and Cussy Mary's daughter has to face the same bigotry that she had to face. But Honey has some great friends to help her along the way. There were aspects of the book that made it feel like an epilogue to the first book, the ease at which everything is familiar, but this second book revolves more around women's rights and sisterhood and women standing up for and supporting each other. This is a cozy read for a rainy weekend that continues to educate us about the past but it still so relatable to the present.
Thank you NetGalley for my digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

This was SUCH a good book! As the author says in the afterward, The Book Woman’s Daughter is both a stand-alone and a sequel. I think I liked it even more than the first one! Honey Lovett is part ”Blue,” due to a genetic haemoglobin mutation that renders the blood brown and skin blue. She’s also fighting a misogynist and racist system that has jailed her parents and forced her to fend increasingly for herself. Set in 1950s rural Kentucky with wonderful characters and an evocative setting, we watch Honey become even more of a strong and determined young woman as the novel progresses. Highly recommended! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A worthy follow-up to the first book, and a lovely tribute to the women of Appalachia. The story again features packhorse librarians, but this time also examines the roles of female fire tower watchers and traveling nurses. The novel celebrates the power of words and community, and the ability of both to overcome adversity.

Dang, it!! I loved and was a big fan of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. I did a Q & A with the 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.

The Book Woman’s Daughter follows Honey as she fights for her independence after her parents are unjustly imprisoned. Just like her previous book, the author introduces several strong female characters who come to depend on the books that Honey delivers as a packhorse librarian. If you loved The Book Woman, I think you’ll enjoy this follow up as well!

I'm not sure what took me so long to read the first of these books, but once I did I was dying to see what happened next. I jumped on the chance to read this and I think I liked it even more than the first. Honey was easy to root for, and I was hooked to see what she would get into next. I was happy to see some of the old characters come around again in new ways. This book is hopeful and inspiring and I always love reading about Appalachia, though I'm not from KY, it's close enough to WV to feel like I'm reading about home.

I'm so glad that the story of the Pack Horse Librarians continued on with Honey. I loved The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and this is a wonderful sequel. I love that historical fiction gives me the opportunity to learn about people, places, and times in history that I might never have considered without learning about it through a fabulous story.

While I love the characters (most of them as some are easy to hate), what I love most about this book is knowing that books and literacy truly are life-changing! Be sure to read the author's note at the end.

This book was gorgeous. Beautiful. So emotional. It was possibly better than the first book, THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK...

You meet Cussie's daughter, Honey, in this book. After Honey's parents are taken away and thrown into prison for marrying she has to run for her freedom. Run and try and escape a children's prison. Living in the 1950s was a hard time in Arkansas. Probably all over this country, but for sure in Arkansas during this time and even earlier years.

Honey goes to her only family Retta to stay but when Retta becomes ill and passes she has to leave and find a new place. Her mother's family home is where she goes and decides to live. All she goes through and does for one so young will break your heart. Even through a few laughs and a bit of breath holding you will root for Honey to make it. She has to prove she is able to care for herself to stay free. Living in the state of Arkansas as a female back then you had no life. You either belonged to a man or men told you what to do and when to do it. In this book you will meet a few women who stand together. Who try to help each other. Though Honey is only a child of sixteen she can only be free of she marries. Which is a joke because that means having a husband to tell her what to do and when to do it. It had to be hard living back then. Much like the way some men want things now....

Honey does everything she can to win her freedom. To be able to live on her own and keep her house without a man. To do her job as the Bookwoman and take care of the people on her route. She finds a few obstacles along the way that are almost more than she can endure. The hatred of a man who beats his wife. A social worker who wants to lock "It' up. The unlawful lawman. The drunk who sold his aunt's home out from under her. Men who thought nothing of hitting women. It was what they were for ya know. And on top of that Honey is the last of the Blue People. That is another mark against her.

There are a lot of good people too. The doctor who helps her as much as he can and his wife too. The lawyer who helps her and her parents. The girl in the watch tower who becomes her best friend. The nurse who helps her. So many good and decent people who you will like. They outweigh the horrible ones that hurt Honey at every turn. Not only Honey but all women in their way. The coal miners who treat a hard working woman like she is nothing just because she needs the job so bad. Claim she is taking the job away from a man. Good grief...

This is a very emotional story. At least it was for me. I cried sad tears and happy tears. I laughed in a few places and felt horror in others. I felt like I was with Honey when she visited the prison and had to leave so fast. I felt her love for the mountain people and getting the books to them. It's really a feeling book. The words just flow and make you feel like you are right there. This author has written a truly great book. From the first book to the last page in this book you learn a lot about the traveling library and the people of the Appalachia Mountains. Life was hard but for the most part the people are good and kind and smart... A few bad but mostly good.

Thank you #NetGalley, #KimMicheleRichardson, #SourceBooksLandmark for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

5/5 HUGE stars and a very high recommendation.

A friend recommended The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek to me last year and I absolutely loved that book. I was so excited to read the sequel, The Book Woman's Daughter, and do I dare say this one was better? I think so! I loved this book as well. The characters and story were fantastic. I laughed and I cried and I couldn't put this book down. Well done! I highly recommend The Book Woman's Daughter!
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

THE BOOK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER by Kim Michele Richardson (The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek) is set in rural Kentucky in 1953. The story centers around 16-year-old Honey Mary-Angeline Lovett whose parents are jailed due to the miscegenation laws prohibiting mixed race marriages. The local social worker wants to send Honey to reform school until she is 21, but Honey manages to ride her faithful mule named Junia into the next county and find family friends who help a lawyer establish guardianship. The adventures and hardships continue, however. I found it particularly moving to think about the plight of women and girls at that time ("Laws written by men don't protect females much") – especially with this week's news from the Supreme Court. Richardson probes the hypocrisy of patriarchal, bigoted edicts which punish people for loving each other and which would allow Honey to become a child bride rather than grant her status as an independent person ("sure takes a lot of men to decide one li'l girl's best interests"). In addition, she references Hallie Daggert, the first (1913) female fire lookout for the Forest Service, plus the plight of poor widows and abused wives, through empathetic characters (Pearl, Bonnie, and Guyla Belle) who become Honey's friends. There is plenty of adventure and a bit of mystery woven into this excellent work of historical fiction. THE BOOK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER contains a book group guide and was chosen as a Library Reads selection this month.

Richardson's characters clearly love books and at one point Honey reflects upon her mother's work as a Pack Librarian for the WPA: "Mama always said, You grow readers, expand minds, if you let them choose, but you go banning a read, you stunt the whole community." Our Library has set up a display about banned books and the Freedom to Read.

I thought the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek was sad!! This fired me up and went straight to my heart. I loved reading about Honey just as much as I loved Cussy Mary’s story. This had me on my toes. I was kinda scared to continue reading cause I knew more bad stuff would happen before the “happy ending”. Even then I didn’t get as much closure as I wanted concerning Cussy Mary and Jackson (that’s why only 4 stars).

Can be read as a standalone or sequel (I think you appreciate this more after reading the first one).

Always check content warnings.

Based on the title it probably won't come as a surprise to too many people that <b>The Book Woman's Daughter</b>by Kim Michele Richardson is the sequel to her original novel <i>The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.</i>    I heartily enjoyed the first in this series and was eager to lay my hands upon this sequel, which could also be read as a standalone.  I remember my surprise at learning about the blue people of Kentucky, about Pellagra, and about The Pack Horse Library Project none of which I'd ever heard of and was delighted to find these learnings bound inside a most enjoyable story.    This time around my learnings were more about the miscegenation laws, about fire towers and how they were used to keep lookout for fires in the forests, and more about Appalachian life in the 1950's.   Central to the original book was Cussy and the sequel had her daughter Honey as its protagonist.    

Honey wanted only to be allowed to lead the life of a normal teenager but thanks to the the miscegenation laws mixed marriages were deemed a crime.   Given Cussy was a blue and Jackson a white man, Honey's parents were charged and imprisoned leaving 16 year old Honey virtually alone in the world. 
Thus she was forced to grow up quickly, keep house and take on a job as an Assistant Outreach Librarian like her mother before her.   Thankfully she loved books so the job suited her to a tee.   On her routes delivering books she encountered many locals, some of whom were delightful and fiercely protective of Honey, and others who were downright evil.      Some of her adventures and misadventures could be attributed to the discrimination she  suffered on account of the medical condition which caused her blue skin.   

When Honey went to court seeking her emancipation the Social Service workers offered the below as their reason for denying her request.  I was astonished by their attitudes.

<blockquote><i> “Honey Mary-Angeline Lovett, the sixteen-year-old minor child, is now orphaned after her parents were jailed for miscegenation laws after violating the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and God. We feel it is in the best interest of the state to protect its people against harm and immoral indecency. This girl,” she spat out, “has lived with the Blue heathens, criminals, and has continued to live a sinful, criminal life and is to be remanded to the House of Reform immediately<i></blockquote>  

The so called "sin and criminal life" was essentially their  marriage - a loving couple raising their daughter with love and care -  was starkly juxtaposed with others who openly commit crimes yet escaped punishment because they were related to the Sheriff, a crooked and dishonest man.

Despite a number of rotten characters who displayed some  sinister behaviours,  it was primarily a feel good book.  Honey was a likeable character, smart, honest and kind. Whilst I probably preferred the first in the series this one was very well done and I thank Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.

The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson was a great follow-up to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. The sequel follows Honey Lovett, the daughter of the book woman, who takes over her mother's old packhorse library route in Appalachia. This would make a great book club read. I loved the characters and the story about strong women overcoming obstacles. It was an easy and enjoyable read.

Readers will be swept back to the hollers of Kentucky where book woman Cussy Mary and her husband have been raising their adopted daughter, Honey, until the law catches up to them and imprisons the pair for marrying because of Cussy’s blue skin. Honey is still a minor in need of a guardian or else she’ll end up in the care of the state until she’s an adult. She takes up her mama’s old book route with the faithful mule Junia, delivering to the remote cabins and facing many of the same obstacles as Cussy did. Honey knows she must fight to stay free — and to free her parents — and she works hard to secure her emancipation and live on her own terms, when the law is against her every step of the way.
This is a lovely, inspiring story rich in well-researched details that I know fans of the first book, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, will love. (It's not absolutely necessary but I definitely recommend reading that book first!)

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Book Woman’s Daughter was released on May 3, 2022.