The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek | 
pickOne of my most anticipated reads. I m not disappointed, same time not completely satisfied as well. It is about a blue skinned pack horse librarian ! Interesting concept, well written plot but at times I felt story got diverted from main stream, cos of too much information. The way doctor is portrayed in this book is confusing. Still it is worth reading as the story line is fast paced & packed with historical facts. 3.5⭐️#bookspin of #August
Slowly working my way through the #alphabetgame by @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
I cannot pick just one #LetterB
I adore both of these books so much.😍
I just recommended the tagged to a friend. A close second would be Beartown. #letterB #alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
Tagging @wideeyedreader and anyone else who wants to play.
This is my current read and #bookspin choice of August. Just started to read.
I could think of my last read The Boy in the Black suit my fav books, The book thief & Before the coffee gets cold for the #LetterB #Alphabetgame
pick👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 book dump 5/5
Loved it. From beginning to end. 💚💚💚
so-so3⭐️ While I enjoyed the idea of this book, I had a hard time with the pacing and development of the book. There was ultimately very little character development in the book and each chapter was like a short scene in life sometimes having absolutely no connection with the next scene. I wanted more depth. That said, I do think that the author was successful in describing the hard lives that faced not only people of color but the mountain folk too.
Had to bail on this one. I read through Chapter 5 and just couldn‘t get into it.
pickInteresting!
pickA heart wrenching story that touched on love of books, harshness of the Kentucky backwoods, and townsfolk overcoming prejudice for their beloved book woman. A book about a woman who has a rare disease that turns her skin blue and how she pushed through prejudices to share her love of literature and reading to those that needed it most!
panCussy is one of the blue skinned people of Kentucky. She works as one of the Pack Librarians supported by the New Deal. This is her story.
This style felt very slice of life. Lots of interesting 2nd characters and historical context, but ultimately disappointing. Lots of threads that got dropped. A predictable ending that felt unearned. The last 10% kind of felt like overkill in the number of traumatic events. I hate time skips. 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
March was a tough choice but this is a book I am still thinking about even though I read it in early March. I also learned a lot as I had had never heard of the blue people of Kentucky or the genetic disorder that effected them.
#2022readingbracket
pickThis broke my heart and/or enraged me every 20 or so pages but it was beautifully written, Cussy is a wonderful charactor, and I loved it. The narration was A+.
@TheAromaofBooks This was my #BookSpin for March.
bailedUnfortunately adding this one to my DNF list. I just couldn't get into it for some reason
Perfect night to just snuggle up and read. Fancy had to make sure her current favorite toy the rainbow llama was close by. #dogsoflitsy
Has anyone read this one?
I'm halfway through listening to this. It's beautifully written but it's making my heart ache. I never do this but I'm thinking of checking the end to see if all ends well for Cussy. 😬
pickI finish this lovely book last night. I had never heard of the blue people of Kentucky or the Pack Horse Librarians. They were melded together beautifully. Cussy Mary‘s story demonstrates the brutality, poverty, bigotry, and ignorance of the time with touches of love, kindness, and hope. Loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Room in the Attic by Louise Douglas and the Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson were such great reads. I learned a lot about the pack horse librarians and blue people of Kentucky from Richardson‘s book. I had no idea!
I‘ve been reading mostly romance and fun YA for the last 6 months in an attempt to “keep my spirits up” and not have to double down on meds because of, well, life. Didn‘t even finish the first chapter before the tears. This may not be the book for me right now unless someone tells me otherwise.
Not a fan. Finished it for my book club, but if I had been reading it on my own it would have been a DNF. The audiobook wasn‘t bad though.
Had a slow reading month, but I managed to finish 5. I'm also in the process of finishing two more. I wish this slump would go away! Only one, The resort, was a bookspin pick. #Bookspin #doublespin @TheAromaofBooks
1. The tagged book is a fictionalized account of real subjects in the history of eastern Kentucky.
2. I have never been to Kentucky, but if I traveled there, I'd like to see the Lost River Cave, the Louisville Mega Cavern, the Creation Museum, and the Ark Encounter.
#ROADTRIPUSA2022 @megnews
pickI found this an intriguing piece of historical fiction based on the lives of the “blue“ people of rural Kentucky, who due to a recessive gene had blue skin and were therefore marginalized. It interweaves this story with that of the “pack horse librarians,“ which I confess I found even more interesting: people (mostly women) who followed a regular route with packs and a mule to deliver books and magazines to people who otherwise had no access.
The end #SheSaid. I had mixed feelings reading this end…it felt like she wasn‘t sure if was going for a happy ending or a realistic ending…and like it flip flopped back and forth to me.😬 I was all in for the happy ending, which built, as she managed to kill off a bunch of characters at the same time, and then undo the happy ending too, but then reverse that a bit also. How did you all feel by this ending? Will you be tempted to read the sequel?
pickThe most beautiful and accurate book about my beloved home, I have ever read. Well I live an hour away just across the state line but still these are my people. My own great grandfather was from that county died in the mines at age 40, my own grandmother was born in a coal camp. Another form of Slavery that no one talks about and very few are even aware of. The Forgotten Americans, my only complaint is The Reader mispronounced Appalachian
so-soI just finished this for #SheSaid and it was a struggle for me. The writing is good, though I felt sometimes the dialect slipped a bit. I feel like every time something good happened the backlash was severe. Any tiny bit of hope was just mercilessly crushed. And there were some threads I felt didn‘t get resolved properly. I don‘t plan to read the sequel, but I understand why some love this book.
pickThis starts out really strong. And I'm going to just stop there and let you make your own opinions.
#SheSaid with @Riveted_Reader_Melissa
Final discussion on Sunday. 🤐
#BookSpinBingo square 3
@TheAromaofBooks
Hello #SheSaid
How is everyone this week? How is the book going for you? I‘m enjoying the stories of the book people on her trail still and want more of their individual stories, I‘m also appreciating how the author is laying out racism & prejudice & colorism as a problem that can‘t be “cured” by medicine…because it‘s a problem with the hater (hatefulness) not the hated (their color). Any thoughts you want to share?
pickFinished this one up early for December's #SheSaid. I enjoyed the story a lot! I learned some history that was brand new to me. And while the writing felt uneven and a lot of it was predictable, I still really enjoyed it. @Riveted_Reader_Melissa
Hello #SheSaid. I hope the weekend is treating you well.
How are you making out with this book and section, thoughts, anything you want to discuss?
Hello #SheSaid! What I difference from our last read. For historical academic to historical fiction.
I personally am really enjoying this so far, despite the pain and hardships of this life on the mountain full of dangers from mining, the elements, and (as always) other people. But how can I not root for a book woman and her ornery and protective mule.
How are you fairing so far?
so-soThis was interesting. I enjoyed the emphasis on reading and how much it impacts people. The emphasis on being white made me a little uncomfortable, and I felt the racial slurs at the end were unnecessary. I also felt like the ending was a lot in very few pages, very rushed. But the true stories behind this are fascinating (blue people, book women).
Our next selection is on sale in the US on Amazon (thanks for the tip @BarbaraTheBibliophage ). I always try my library first, but if you can‘t get it there 2.99 on kindle or free if you have prime. #SheSaid
Lots of updates today #SheSaid, but first the most important one….the schedule for our next book. So pick up your copy or put in your library holds we are heading into Troublesome Creek this holiday season.
Thoughts on this one… trying to decide what to read next!
#Boots
#GratefulHarvest
pickWhat a gorgeous book! I couldn't put it down, and the ending didn't disappoint. You just can't help but adore the protagonist, from beginning to end. And, I also learned a bit of Kentucky history, which is always a fabulous bonus. 👌
#wintercosy @puddlejumper Reading goals: finish at least five books this winter! Starting with this one. :)
pickI gave this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️ on Goodreads
pickI didn't know about the existence of the Blue People in the Appalachians until I read this book. Some interesting science behind their appearance and history behind where they came from. The story is charming but painful at times.
For fans of librarians, mules and Appalachian literature.
