The Book Woman's Daughter

This was so close to a 5 for me - but I think that had more to do with the narration than anything else. Katie Schorr is divine and her southern accent, indignation, laughter, and levity was perfect for this book. This book is a sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek but can also be read as a standalone. Honey Lovett is the daughter of the infamous blue skinned Kentucky packhorse librarian. At 16 her parents are imprisoned and Honey finds herself in a pickle. If she is caught she will be sent away to the children's workhouse, but what will she have to do to remain free? Well for starters she is going to have to go back to Troublesome Creek and rely on the people her mama used to serve. In the process she will reconnect with some folks who are almost as close as family, and make new friends. Set in the beautiful Kentucky mountains this book is full of adventure, bigotry, abuse, friendship, and justice. A wonderful listen. 

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

A fascinating look at the Pack Horse Library Project that gave library access to some of the poorest and more illiterate US citizens in the Appalachian hills. Cussy Mary Carter has found her purpose in life as a pack horse librarian. She's helping her pa by bringing in income, plus she's starting to get more friendly with folks who use to look the other way or ignore her. Although Cussy isn't black, she's colored. She's the last of her kind, the blue skinned people of Kentucky. People treat her as an oddity, but now that she is their book woman; they begrudgingly get to know her as she looks out for them and gives them more than books - hope. The only problem is her pa wants her to get married because he knows he won't live long; with his lung condition from toiling away in the mines. Cussy can't work as a married woman, so she aims to stay single for as long as possible. Wonderful historical fiction about a little known WPA program and a little known people.