Did you read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek; if so, how do they compare?

The Book Woman's Daughter is a sequel to Richardson's earlier work, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. Did you read the first book, and if so, how do they compare?

It's been a while since I read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, and I was concerned about reading this sequel without first refreshing myself. But this book can definitely stand alone, and much of the previous book came back to me as I was reading this one. I enjoyed both books very much, and thought this one held up well. I especially liked learning about the Midnight Schools, something new to me.

Yes I read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek - I felt it was one of the best, true historical fiction novels I had read in a long, long time as far as depicting a place in time that little is know about by the average reader. I felt the characters in that novel were so real and so full of compassion and life and were battling trials that most people today could not comprehend nor be able to hold up against. When I saw there was a sequel to that first book I had my doubts that the sequel could possibly live up to the same standards - that it could not possibly be filled with such emotion, hatred and love and such strong characters as the original novel. Boy - was I wrong!! The second book was as - if not more amazing as the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. I devoured it totally!!!

I did read it and it was a book that held me to the end. I have to admit this book was hard to stick with. It didn’t have the pace of the first book. I don’t recommend it as a stand alone book. However, the aurhor filled in the background pretty well for the reader who hasn’t read the first book.

I read and enjoyed Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. I was not familiar with the Pack Horse Library Project before reading it. I am delighted to follow the characters introduced in that book, and learn more of that time period.

I had not read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek when I received The Book Woman’s Daughter, so I read it before reading its sequel. I liked both books fairly well, but thought the first book was a better novel. While the second book was enjoyable, I thought it dealt with too many “hot button” issues to make its point as forcefully.

Yes, I read Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, and was happy to find this sequel. I found this book to be a little less interesting story than the first. It seemed like the writing was less compact and detailed. That said, I was happy to review what had happened to characters I met in the first book.

Yes, I read both recently, I love them both. They can be read as a set of two, but they can also be read as separately.

Yes, I read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek which is what prompted me to request this book. I didn’t find this second book quite as engrossing as the first. I think part of that was because the first book really was historical fiction and gave lots of information about the librarian program and also about the “blues”. I feel the second book was more fiction than historical fiction and focused more on the storyline.

Yes, I read and enjoyed the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. That was the first I heard about the "blue people". I enjoyed the sequel but didn't think it was as compelling as the first.

Yes, I read both books. The first one has been out on loan to different friends continually since I read it and had just been returned when I received this one. At first I found it less enthralling but soon was once again submerged in the plot. I liked it but feel you needed to have read the first book to get the full impact of Honey’s dilemma.

I did read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek with my book club. It was a book we all enjoyed and found historically enlightening. We had little knowledge of the blue skinned people of Kentucky, nor the Pack Horse librarians. Knowing the background, I found The Book Woman's Daughter to be more of page turner. I connected immediately to Honey and was rooting for her success on every page. I couldn't wait to read the next chapter of her journey to Emancipation. I found the power of the women, books, and man's nature to be enlightened - riveting!

I did read the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and I loved it. While I liked the sequel, it just didn't grab me like the first one.

The Book Woman's Daughter is a sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, but it is not necessary to read one before the other. The themes are different. While the Book Woman deals with the dangers Cussy faces while she delivers books to her patrons and the racial fears, hatred and distrust caused by her blue skin color, The Bok Woman's Daughter is concerned with Honey's pursuit of her independence and the other examples of women in unusual and forward looking careers.

I read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. Like many others, it was so good I requested the latest one. It was not as good and I was disappointed. Two reasons for me, I prefer to read about the earlier time frame and, second, this one was too slow. I wonder if Richardson only had a novella's worth of material and worked to fill it in, making it repetitive and no drama.

I have read both novels and have a great appreciation for Kim Michele Richardson as an author, researcher, and historian, as well as a champion for the underprivileged and discriminated in society. This talented author writes from the heart and her stories are presented as if an older generation has lovingly passed them down to continue a familiarity with their proud Kentucky heritage. I do believe that the 2nd novel can stand-alone, but the storyline is greatly enhanced having experienced introductions to her characters and the emotional plot of the original tale.

I read the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so informative and heartwarming and I couldn't put it down. I felt the Book Woman's Daughter was a little slow moving. I appreciated all the information the author gave in her notes at the end; Women coal miners, frontier nurses, fire watchers and pack horse librarians. I believe her writing in engaging, colorful and paints a true picture of Appalachia. The book is timely in so many ways. For example: Book banning. Her Mama always said, "You grow readers, expand minds, if you let them choose, but you go banning a book, you stunt the whole community." I appreciate all the author did to point out what women have gone through in the past.

I was fortunate enough to also receive and read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek through BookBrowse's First Impressions Book Club Discussion. I loved it and recommended it to all of my reading friends at the time. I wasn't sure how The Book Woman's Daughter would compare, but am happy to say that it didn't let me down and is just as good as "Troublesome Creek."

Yes I read both and thought them both very good. They reminded me of my Aunt Tissie who stayed in eastern Kentucky and taught when the rest of the family moved north.

I read the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and had been eagerly waiting for and looking forward to the sequel. It was just as fascinating and well written as the first book. It could be read on it's own as it also provided some incredible detail of the time period. The challenges that Honey faced on such a young age and the strength she had in facing them and finding a path through it was amazing. It was also a reminder of how limited the choices were for women that she had to face a choice between being sent to an orphanage and hard labor or marrying at a very young age and also facing hard labor! The only thing I did not like about this book is that I felt it did not do as good of a job of really giving you a sense of connection with Honey as a person in the same way that the author did in the first book about her mother. It felt a bit more one dimensional to me for some reason.

Yes, I did read it and that was the main reason I wanted to read the sequel.Both were enjoyable.

I loved the 1st book, Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, so I was excited to receive the ARC of The Book Woman's Daughter. I rate both of them a solid 5 stars. I recommended the 1st one to my book club and it was our favorite book that year. When I told them about the sequel, they are eager to read it also. The women in the book are brave in facing the hardships in their lives. I like historical fiction and felt I learned a lot about the people's lives during that time. I enjoyed the relationships that Honey develops and her drive for Emancipation. The varied use of plants was an interesting part of the book. For instance, I found myself looking up information on Leather breeches, Ramps and eyebright. I was surprised at information I found about the Kentucky House of Reform.

I read both books and I did enjoy both. I thought however the first book and the detail provided about the pack horse librarians and the history of the Blues was more to my liking as it provided a rich history of family, education and the strong women who stived to make life better in Appalachia. The second book was very good but I would have loved more detail on the improvement in opportunities for the Pack Horse Librarians and woman in Appalachia in general 20 years later. Kim Michele Richardson has done a very good job with portraying the sad life for so many women and Blues but also shows the strength and sense of community so many had. I would suggest they are read in order as it enhances the story of Cussy and all she accomplished and provides the background for Honey.

I did read the 1st book and also had my book club read it. Collectively we enjoyed it and found the history of the Pack Horse library interesting and none of us had heard of the Blues. Book Woman's Daughter was o.k. but kind of dragged for me. It did reinforce for me the poverty in Appalachia and lack of education available to those people that hunger to learn.

I believe I liked the Troublesome Creek book best. It was the original book. This last book was good, but I believe the first was a bit better. This second book seemed to be, to me, more wordy - a couple places in the book I was saying - 'ok - lets move on now'. The first book explained the blue skinned people and the horse book routes - which was very interesting - then this follow up book had less to explain - it dealt more with the family, which for me was less interesting.