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The Underground River
The Underground River: A Novel | Martha Conway
21 posts | 11 read | 11 to read
Set aboard a nineteenth century riverboat theater, this is the moving, page-turning story of a charmingly frank and naive seamstress who is blackmailed into saving runaways on the Underground Railroad, jeopardizing her freedom, her livelihood, and a new love. Its 1838, and May Bedloe works as a seamstress for her cousin, the famous actress Comfort Vertueuntil their steamboat sinks on the Ohio River. Though they both survive, both must find new employment. Comfort is hired to give lectures by noted abolitionist, Flora Howard, and May finds work on a small flatboat, Hugo and Helenas Floating Theatre, as it cruises the border between the northern states and the southern slave-holding states. May becomes indispensable to Hugo and his troupe, and all goes well until she sees her cousin again. Comfort and Mrs. Howard are also traveling down the Ohio River, speaking out against slavery at the many riverside towns. May owes Mrs. Howard a debt she cannot repay, and Mrs. Howard uses the opportunity to enlist May in her network of shadowy characters who ferry babies given up by their slave mothers across the river to freedom. Lying has never come easy to May, but now she is compelled to break the law, deceive all her new-found friends, and deflect the rising suspicions of Dr. Early who captures runaways and sells them back to their southern masters. As Mays secrets become more tangled and harder to keep, the Floating Theatre readies for its biggest performance yet. Mays predicament could mean doom for all her friends on board, including her beloved Hugo, unless she can figure out a way to trap those who know her best.
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review
LogiKitty
Mehso-so

It was interesting enough to get through, but not much really happened that made me feel thoroughly compelled to keep going. Not the best audiobook I could have chosen, but I started getting better at imagining!

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LogiKitty

My very first audiobook ☺️ I don't really like listening to books because I feel like I can't remember details as easily, but I'm giving it a go! #audiobook #firstaudiobook

BookishMarginalia I‘m very visual and it took a lot of practice but now I love listening to audiobooks — it also expands my available reading time considerably! 6y
LogiKitty @BookishMarginalia super true! That's what I've been thinking. I need to practice and think about all the extra time I get in reading! 6y
VeganCleopatra I agree, it takes practice! I used to dislike audiobooks but now I love them and love that it helps free up time for other things at the same time. 6y
2 likes3 comments
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megnews
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Mehso-so

And so my journey on The Underground River ends. Although there was a bit of a setup for a sequel so we‘ll see. It took exactly halfway through the book for involvement in the Underground Railroad to begin. The next quarter was really slow which took me awhile to get through. Ending had more action and held my interest again. Between a pick and a so-so for me. #historicalfiction #undergroundrailroad #cle #clevelandauthor #theatre #ohioriver

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megnews
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megnews
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I seem to be on a roll with #bookswithmaps recently.

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GypsyKat
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There were both on my TBR list and they‘re also both on sale right now. 👍 #BookSale #Kindle #BookHaul

67 likes1 stack add
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Cinfhen
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#GetMovin Still on my TBR and gifted to me by the lovely @BarbaraTheBibliophage 🤗This story is set on the Ohio #River and involves a secret slave rescue operation. Low Litsy ratings have scared me off but it has lots of high ratings on Amazon. I‘m putting it on my list for June🤞🏼🤞🏼

Mdargusch That sounds good! I will be waiting for your review 👍🏼 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Yeah! That‘s def rated pretty low. I‘d call it a borrow book! I‘m curious to hear what you think. 7y
110 likes2 comments
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ElishaLovesBooks
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Pickpick

Finished this over the weekend. This book was a pretty happy accident, I was looking for a different book and I thought the book I wanted was this one.🤔😱Takes place in 1838 on the Ohio River. May, the main character, ends up helping slaves escape from Kentucky into Ohio using a rowboat that‘s part of the traveling theatre she‘s a part of. May is very direct, causing her no end of difficulty, especially as a young, single woman during this time.

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ElishaLovesBooks
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This book is calling my name. . . Even though I have so many other library books I should read first! Sometimes a book just has to be read when it wants to be read!

ElishaLovesBooks Whoops! Apparently, I thought this was a different book- but so far it seems good! I really mean to put on on hold 7y
52 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsibeau
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Looong day in the lab🔬 on a Saturday 😞. Now I‘m happy in bed with a book and Reese just wants whatever I‘m eating. Don‘t worry she got some as payment for staying still for the pic.

Tamra 😻 7y
Bookzombie 💕🐶 7y
MallenNC Cute girl! 🐶 7y
Aleksandra Omg you have a pittie too!! My favorite breed 😍 I‘ll have to get my Charlie to take a pic with my books too😂 that‘ll be almost near impossible since he‘s always on the go 7y
77 likes4 comments
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Amanda91
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Mehso-so

This novel follows a riverboat theatre troupe as they navigate the border between free and slave states in 1838. While the characters were believable and the perspective unique, the plot ultimately left too much action until the end. It felt like the promise of the theatre setting was unfulfilled. This was sent by PageHabit, so I had the author's annotations included as well.

3 likes1 stack add
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Cinfhen
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Not only did I get to hang out with an awesome group of people today but I left the #PhillyMeetUp with lots of goodies courtesy of the amazing @BarbaraTheBibliophage & @MicheleinPhilly #LittensAreTheBest

DebinHawaii Very cool! It looks like you all had fun! So great to see everyone in the pics! 💜📚👍😀 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage You found my sneaky note! It was such a fun day, wasn't it? 7y
Cinfhen Yes!!!! I was so surprised @BarbaraTheBibliophage 😘😘😘Hope we get to meet up again 🙌🏻I'm ready for the #LitsyDestinationMeetUp @DebinHawaii 🌸🌴🌺 7y
BookBabe @Cinfhen @DebinHawaii Omg, YESSS! I am so on board for that! 😁🙌🏻🌴🌺 7y
TrishB Looks fab 😀💜 7y
95 likes5 comments
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tracy.anne8
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Mehso-so

The best part of this book was the last about 75 pages or so. Otherwise, it felt like it was a book about a whole lot of nothing. I hate saying that but I almost dnf several times during this book and it's probably why it took me so long to finish. I'm hoping my next #pagehabit book is better. #historicalfiction

litmuggle I'm glad I just read all these bad reviews, I can't read slow books so I was about to waste my money. 7y
16 likes1 comment
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tracy.anne8
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My first #24in48 is done. I may not have reached 24 hours but I reached my goal of 12 hours and I'm pretty proud of myself. I managed to finish one book from almost start to finish, start a new one and read about 100 pages in another I am reading. This was fun. I'm looking forward to the next one! @24in48

GypsyKat Great job! 👏👏👏 7y
tracy.anne8 @GypsyKat Thank you! I just saw yours. Great job to you as well! 7y
GypsyKat @tracy_anne8 Thank you! 😊 7y
21 likes3 comments
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tracy.anne8
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Here is my #tbr for the #24in48. I hope to finish at least one if not both of the top 2 and start the bottom. Not a big pile in my defense, the bottom book is huge.

Avanders Oh man I sooo want to read the Stephenson book! 7y
BooksForYears I had no idea that DODO was so huge! 7y
tracy.anne8 @Avanders It looks so good! I can't wait to start it. Hopefully you get to read it soon! 7y
tracy.anne8 @BooksForYears I didn't either until it came in the mail but I like big books and I can't deny😆. (Sorry I couldn't help myself🤷) 7y
Laalaleighh Oooh. Looking forward to your DODO review! 7y
17 likes5 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
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Mehso-so

The Underground River by Martha Conway was in my June Historical Fiction subscription from PageHabit. I also love the idea of receiving "insider" annotations from the author, and these are included via Post-It notes and a short letter. I found the book a slow read, like a boat that's fighting it's way out of the mud. 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 because nothing annoyed me, even though that seems a bit pitiful. Full review at www.TheBibliophage.com

tracy.anne8 I'm sorry the book was only so-so. I'm only 34 pages in right now. Hopefully next month's book won't be as slow. 7y
93 likes1 comment
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tracy.anne8
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Getting to spend part of my day at the social security office so I thought I would bring this along. I'm excited to read all the author's note on this. #historicalfiction #mypagehabit #pagehabit

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tracy.anne8
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Here is my July #tbr pile. I know I posted Discovery of Witches and City of Dreams last month but June was a slow reading month for me so I'm hoping to finish them this month along with #mypagehabit book, The Underground River. That one is my #julymostanticipated. The last one just looks like fun and I would like to get to that one soon. #sizzlinsummerbooks #jubilantjuly

Texreader I've read and loved the top two. Enjoy!!! 7y
tracy.anne8 @Texreader I am! Thank you! 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Loved the middle two. Just posting my review of the PageHabit book. 7y
24 likes3 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
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Time for a morning cuppa and book is priceless. I'm lucky to have it as often as I do. Just picked this mug up yesterday and love it! I often stop at libraries I don't belong to because they have sale tables. This one doesn't, but I love the saying on the mug!

Still working on #mypagehabit book also. #supportyourlocallibrary #bookish #happybibliophage #bookblogger

BooksForYears Yay for repping the Hershey Library! 🙌🙌 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @BooksForYears I also picked up info about their sale. May give it a try this year! 7y
BooksForYears @BarbaraTheBibliophage I've gone the past 2 years, and it's wonderful! Quite like a Black Friday sale, if you go on Saturday. 7y
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BarbaraTheBibliophage Great to know - thanks! 7y
Zelma Great find. that is an awesome mug! 👍 7y
minkyb ❤️❤️❤️❤️ 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Zelma I need all the help taking reality away that I can get. Especially with the news this week! (I say that every week ...) 7y
122 likes7 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
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I am beyond excited about my first box from PageHabit. Love the annotations from the author and the donations to kids without books. #mypagehabit #iregretnothing #happybibliophage #bookmail

tracy.anne8 Yeah you got!🙌 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @tracy_anne8 I know! Work tomorrow will be torture! 7y
Books88 Love the Frank Zappa bag! 7y
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BarbaraTheBibliophage @AJBowers Absolutely! And there's a little enamel pin that says "Read More Books." 7y
kspenmoll Looks wonderful!!! 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @kspenmoll Not at all as personal as the box I received from you! 💕 7y
BriKie I got the Literary Fiction box. What genre is yours? 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @BriKie Mine is Historical Fiction. I'll be curious to hear what you think! 7y
BriKie @BarbaraTheBibliophage did you see there is a PageHabit Book Club on FB to discuss the books at? 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @BriKie I joined but haven't been there much. Have you? 7y
BriKie I just did. Doesn't look like there's much happening yet tho. 7y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @BriKie Makes sense if we're all just getting our boxes! 7y
tracy.anne8 @BarbaraTheBibliophage Oh I understand that! 7y
101 likes1 stack add13 comments
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tracy.anne8
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I'm so excited for this box! It includes a new historical fiction w/ sticky notes in it from the author, a little bag, a pin that says read more, a letter from the author & a bookmark w/ the quote "Never put off till tomorrow, the book you can read today"-Holbrook Jackson. One of the best parts is that they donate a book w/ every box & they tell you where it was sent. They were donated to Zambia Africa this box. #pagehabit #bookbox #mypagehabit

BarbaraTheBibliophage I am ever so anxious to get my box! I subscribed to the historical fiction as well. 👏🏻👏🏻 7y
tracy.anne8 @BarbaraTheBibliophage I hope you get it soon! The book looks interesting! 7y
10 likes2 comments