I have been having great luck with books from my Hoopla account lately. I don’t if it’s because I ran out of Audible credits and have had to use Hoopla or what but I found another goodie… Liar’s Bench by Kim Michele Richardson.
This book is set in the early 70’s. It’s a coming of age book which I always like and most of all, it’s told in first person. First person narrative is always my favorite. This takes place in the south. There is still racial tension. Divorce is more accepted.
I was born in 1965 so I am always curious about the world at the time I was growing up on a small farm in southern Minnesota. Often it makes me more thankful than ever that I had my simple life.
But back to the book. Here’s what Amazon had to say…
“In 1972, on Mudas Summers’ seventeenth birthday, her beloved Mama, Ella, is found hanging from the rafters of their home. Most people in Peckinpaw, Kentucky, assume that Ella’s no-good husband did the deed. Others think Ella grew tired of his abuse and did it herself. Muddy is determined to find out for sure either way, especially once she finds strange papers hidden amongst her mama’s possessions.
But Peckinpaw keeps its secrets buried deep. Muddy’s almost-more-than-friend, Bobby Marshall, knows that better than most. Though he passes for white, one of his ancestors was Frannie Crow, a slave hanged a century ago on nearby Hark Hill Plantation. Adorning the town square is a seat built from Frannie’s gallows. A tribute, a relic–and a caution–it’s known as Liar’s Bench. Now, the answers Muddy seeks soon lead back to Hark Hill, to hatred and corruption that have echoed through the years–and lies she must be brave enough to confront at last.
Kim Michele Richardson’s lush, beautifully written debut is set against a Southern backdrop passing uneasily from bigotry and brutality to hope. With its compelling mystery and complex yet relatable heroine, Liar’s Bench is a story of first love, raw courage, and truths that won’t be denied.”
Amazon readers gave the book 3.9 stars and I am shocked by this. Seriously, I listened to the book in the matter of one day. I read a few of the reviews and people said the book was slow. People said the dialog wasn’t natural. Hmmm. I will admit from time to time I wondered why the author told so much backstory but other than that, I loved it. After thinking on this a bit I wonder if I have read a lot of young adult fiction and others haven’t. This book could fall into that category. Seriously I would give the book 4.5 stars. I would and will recommend it others.
You can find the book HERE on Amazon.
If you are interested in giving Audible a try, you can find it HERE.
I have this book on my kindle but haven’t gotten into it yet. Can’t remember why I even got it, must have been the Southern Vibe. WE live in Fl but are surrounded by Alabama and Georgia.
Have you heard of Libby? It’s an app my sister told me about. You can borrow books and you only need to have a library card from your local library, as that’s where the books are from. It does not cost and I’ve had wonderful luck finding what I want to read. I will check out Hoopla, I haven’t heard of it before. Thanks!