ARC REVIEW: The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek – by Kim Michele Richardson

Title: The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek
Author: Kim Michele Richardson
Genre: Historical Fiction
First published: May 7th 2019
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Finished reading: April 23rd 2019
Pages: 320

“Lots of cures are worse than what they aim to cure.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

I love bookish books and I was intrigued by this story as soon as I first read the blurb. What makes this historical fiction story set in 1936 Kentucky so fascinating is that it’s based on true events. Both the Kentucky Pack Horse Librarians and the blue-skinned people of Kentucky have existed and it’s fascinating to learn more about them. The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek is well researched and gives you a lot of details about the Pack Horse Librarians, created after the Roosevelt’s New Deal Acts. It also gives you insight in the condition of the blue-skinned people of Kentucky, and while some aspects have been altered (dates of the medical research for example), it gives you a general idea of the phenomenon. This story is also about race problematics and racism; the mountain folk discriminating all non-white inhabitants without exception. While it took me a considerably long time to warm up to the writing style, once I finally did I finished the story in one sitting. The driving force behind this story is Cussy Mary, a character that will win over your heart and one that will probably stay with me for a long time. She is what you call a flawed character, but the good parts of her personality really shine through and I loved reading about her, her job and her patrons. A little warning: some scenes are a bit graphic and there are definitely a few devastating and heartbreaking moments included especially in the second half. Make sure to have your tissues close just in case! I personally found The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek a fascinating story and while it had a slow start for me, I soon found myself I couldn’t stop reading. I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction based on true events, loves unique characters and doesn’t mind a tear or two.

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WWW Wednesdays #219 – April 24th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m finally meeting Hercule Poirot again and started the second book The Murder On The Links yesterday… I’m hoping to get through to it soon. I’m also starting Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson in the hope I can finish it in time for Janel’s Instagram @criminallygoodbookclub…

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall (2/5 stars) REVIEW
The Wolf Border was very close to getting me in a slump, and not in a good way. I literally made every possible excuse to not pick up my copy and do something else instead, and it took me considerably longer to finally reach that last page. I even thought about just DNFing it multiple times… In short, I don’t think The Wolf Border and me were ment to be.

2. The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (4/5 stars) REVIEW 26/04
The genre is right up my alley, as I love WWII historical fiction, and I really liked the setting on Guernsey as well since I don’t think I’ve read about the Channel Islands as a setting in stories before. Not only the historical and geographical setting made this story into a success for me, but also the format that is chosen to narrate this story. The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society is an epistolary novel, where the story is told through a series of letters and occasionally telegrams written between a wide variety of different characters. While I admit it took me a little while to keep track of all those different characters, they all added their little touch to the story and I especially loved those letters set in Guernsey.

3. The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (4/5 stars) REVIEW 25/04
…

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I still need to read a final book to complete my O.W.L.s for the Magical readathon… I had a different title picked originally, but I needed a little break from historical fiction so I’ve decided to read These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner instead. I also need to start making a dent in my May NG ARCs as a few are due soon… First up are Romanov by Nadine Brandes and Middlegame by Seanan McGuire. My TBR jar pick is still Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain; that one will definitely have to wait until next month. xD

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WWW Wednesdays #218 – April 17th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m still reading The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall, but that’s mostly because I haven’t been in the mood for it and put it aside to read other titles first. I’m finally continuing with it though and hope to finish it soon. I’m also starting The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, a title I’ve been looking forward to.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Final Betrayal by Patricia Gibney (3/5 stars) REVIEW
I was really hoping to fall in love with this series again, but once again the story failed to hit the mark completely for me… It’s not a bad read, the writing still reads lightning-fast and there are a lot of twists and turns involved, but for me sadly the spark of the first four books was missing. I felt there was almost too much going on in Final Betrayal, with multiple characters and POV switches even within the same character. Instead of adding the characteristic dept and complexity to the plot, I rather found it confusing and almost irritating this time around, especially since you never seem to get to settle down with one character for a little while. I had my doubts about the credibility and wasn’t convinced by the final reveals either… It has convinced me Lottie Parker and me are overdue for a little break and I have decided to step away from the series and leave it for those who still feel the same love for Lottie Parker.

2. How To Walk Away by Katherine Center (4/5 stars) REVIEW 18/04
I think I’ve become an instant fan of Katherine Center‘s writing, and she is a new addition to my short list of contemporary romance writers that make me enjoy the genre. It took a few chapters to warm me up completely to the characters and the situation, but once I did I was hooked. Following the main character as she has to learn to live with the consequences of the accident was both heartbreaking and intriguing, as her struggles and fears are realistically and well described. I could really appreciate this was more of a slowburner romance and instead there is a lot more focus on Margaret’s situation and personal development. The chapters set in Belgium brought back memories of Bruges and made me crave chocolate! The ending of How To Walk Away was without doubt satisfying as well and I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys the genre.

3. Across The Universe by Beth Revis (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 21/04
Despite the romantic cover, this first book of a YA science fiction series set in space is surprisingly light on the romance. There are hints of it now and then, but the main focus is the fact that the story is set on a space ship and the mysterious attacks that take place. And as you might guess, that is a huge bonus for me! The writing is engaging and this story is really easy to read. I liked the setting on the ship and how the story is able to show us the effect of having to live on a ship for generations has on its inhabitants.

4. Little Darlings by Melanie Golding (4/5 stars) REVIEW 19/04
If you enjoy reading psychological thrillers and are looking for a little something different, this could be the perfect read for you. Folklore and fairy tale elements are mixed with suspense and a mental health angle in such a fluid way that really makes the folklore stories come to life… A very interesting mix of genres that will keep you wondering until the very end.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’m hoping to pick up Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson next so I can finish it in time for Janel’s Instagram @criminallygoodbookclub… I also need to start making a dent in my May NG ARCs if I ever want to catch up, so The Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson is up soon. I need to read the last few titles for the #OWLsReadathon2019 challenge as well, and The Murder On The Links by Agatha Christie is up first. That one will also be the first title for the Reading Through The Centuries challenge! My TBR jar pick is still Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain; I don’t think I’ll be able to get to it this month since I have a bunch of other titles I need to get to first.

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