Lawbreaking Ladies by Erika Owen was an exciting read.

I appreciated that Owen's did not set out to glorify these women, but just to tell small parts of their stories.

Each section had its strengths. My favourite was by far the pirate section, Growing up in the Bahamas, I was always fascinated reading and learning about pirates, but especially females. Of all the pirates mentioned I only knew two of them, so this section was great because it gives me more female pirates to look up and research.

Gambling is a subject I do not often find interesting, and while I enjoyed these stories I was not as swayed by them. I think this is just due to the subject matter and less about the women mentioned,

Overall, a really great book. I would love to read more about many of these women. You learn so much about history by reading some of these stories. Some subjects and facts are horrifying and others kind of silly, but still interesting to read about.

I received an eARC from Tiller Press through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

This book was an enjoyable read. The author did a great job telling the stories of all 50 women, making each more interesting than the last. Some of the women did horrible things, but others were inspiring in the ways they challenged the constructs of their time. I appreciated the candid comments throughout from the author, particularly explaining the choice to use the term 'sex workers' instead of using outdated terms. Overall, the book was well-researched, entertaining, engaging, and a great read for Woman's History Month!

This was an easy, entertaining read. I had heard of some of the women featured in the book, but many of their stories were new to me. The bios were very brief, but detailed enough to suit the format and written in a cozy, dishy style that I found fun and engaging. And the illustrations were just delightful.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC copy for me review.

I love history and true crime that is why I picked you this book. I liked learning about the different ladies but there were times I was a little bored. Maybe it was the format I was reading on and I will be picking this book up again.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tiller Press for this free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is available 3/23/21.

Pirates! Outlaws! Madams! Serial killers! Gamblers!

Lawbreaking Ladies features fifty stories of historical women who fit the above descriptions. This felt a lot like an adultier version of "Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls" in that they stories were quick snapshots of the lives of these ladies and what they were known for. In a world inundated with stories about men in these categories (except madams haha) it was refreshing and interesting to read about women out doing the things no one wanted or expected them to do. Many of the women featured fell into these various "professions" because they wanted something different for their lives or out of desperation. There is quite a wide variety as well--from women who lived fast and died young to elderly grandmothers selling illegal alcohol out of their homes (that was one of my favorites). Some of these women are clear sources of inspiration for their trailblazing and defiant acts while others...I definitely wouldn't want to emulate.

To be clear, while many of these stories are told with fondness and clear respect for some of these women, Owen is still clear that during the times these women were active, they were indeed breaking the law to some extent...even if the laws were dumb. Also, to be clear, there is no romanticization of serial killers in this book. Murdering people is bad.

The main thing I struggled with, which is really not against the author, was that with many of the stories, there is obviously not enough information available or left, so we are left with what are most likely tall tales and legends. Still interesting, but I like facts.

If you like juicy tidbits about historical figures (especially women) this is for you! There were also some pretty great illustrations by Alexander Wright.

This was fun and quick read. 50 stories of interesting women from history that you likely have not heard of. If you’re a fan of history and/or true crime, go for it.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I liked this book. It was a perfect "purse book" - the chapters are easy to read while in a waiting room or on public transportation. There was a lot of ladies in this book that I had never heard of, and the details given about them made them very real - it was not just a list of things they did. I also liked that although every woman in the book broke the law, not all of them were "bad" ladies. All in all, I thought it was a good mix of ladies picked, and a good read.

Perfectly fine book, but nothing too interesting as a lot of the stories are based on conjecture. No citations in the text of the book, which annoys me.

I received this book for free in exchange for a review, but the opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the concept. The writing was entertaining. I liked the topic. Something was missing though, I found myself zoning out often.

This is a collection of 50 stories about lawbreaking women in the 1800s to early 1900s. Some of the crimes are small and not really a crime in this day and age and the stories are only 3 or so pages long. It was a quick, droll read. I would have preferred to read these stories with a bit of research to them.

A fun and informative introduction to 50 interesting women in history!

Erika Owen has put together a wonderful list of 50 lawbreaking women in history. She takes a very loose view on "lawbreaking", including actual criminals as well as women who refused to follow social conventions of their time. Some of these women are to be admired for their bravery; others, not so much.

I enjoyed the wide variety of women and their crimes. We got snippets of many different lives and time periods through their stories.

3.5 of 5.0 Stars This is kind of a change of pace, reading about women from history who made it in a man’s world by taking up a life of crime. I’ve read a few of this type of book, but I’m not familiar with this author. She writes this collection of stories about 50 women who made a living through crime, beginning back in about the 1500s, to the mid 1900s. Some are the more popularly known, my favorites are some of the little or unknowns. I read these type of books to learn about new people in crime from history that I’ve not read about before. Or, at least have forgotten about until I get my memory refreshed, which sometimes happens. These women are split into categories, which are: Pirates; Gamblers; Bootleggers; Serial Killers; Madams; Outlaws, Gunslingers & Bandits; and lastly, Fraudsters, lots to enjoy here.

I found a few favorites among the new ones to me, as I’m sure you may too. This was quite an enjoyable read for me, I’d go through a few at a time, depending on the length, in between binge watching true crime on the new Discovery+ channel. I’ve been having a great time with that, especially the no commercials version. I’m still on my free week trial. The 50 women made a perfect breaktime read. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Erika Owen, and the publisher.

Personal point: I have a guilty pleasure for true crime, criminology, crime history, and similar subjects.
This book is a brilliant guide (sometimes colorful and outrageous) of female pirates, fraudsters, gamblers, bootleggers, serial killers, madams, and outlaws in this illustrated book of lawbreaking and notorious women throughout the ages.
Something I want to point out is how much I appreciate that each chapter on each woman was not only kept short (enough to be insightful, but also brief enough you want to explore), but each woman was divided into sections by what kind of criminal each woman was. It was easier to keep track of who was who without it being confusing.
Illustrations are awesome!

Thank you NetGalley and Tiller Press for the ARC for my honest review.

I loved this book! So cool to compile all of these amazing (and sometimes terrible) women! The author has several different types of stories from pirates to serial killers to saints! If you're looking to enrich your history of badass women this book is for you! The author also adds images as well to supplement the text! Loved it all!

LawBreaking Ladies is a collection of ladies through history who broke the law in one way or another. We have killers, gamblers, and thieves galore, telling how they played a part and not just men were criminals through the ages.

This was a fun little collection if you like little tidbits and facts, especially if you’re interested in women’s history from a lawbreaking perspective. It does cover quite an array of crimes and women, so there’s a little bit of something for everyone to learn from and find something new or interesting to them.

I did find it unfortunate how short the blurbs were about everyone though. Each was only a page to three long, so there’s not a lot of in-depth information about the women we’re introduced to. It is a good starting point for where to continue your research if you find someone you’re interested in learning more about though. Basically a really fun little coffee-table book to flip through where you’re feeling up for it.

"It's just as important to know the fact from the fiction, as well as how fiction was inspired by fact." "[Here are] fifty little known and legendary women [daring, defiant and dangerous] who made history for their lawbreaking ways from the fifteenth century all the way to the mid-1900s." "Women [the fairer sex] were usually not the first suspects police considered...juries often found it hard to imagine women committing murders, robberies, and other illegal acts...women involved in criminal activities often managed to escape authorities, arrests and convictions based on their perceived charm and looks."

Jacquotte "Back from the Dead Red" Delahaye, turning to piracy for a steady income, plundered in the Caribbean. When other pirate crews put a price on her head, she faked her death and continued to pillage disguised as a man. Anne Bonny was a redheaded Irish pirate. She was reckless, cursing all the while, and was ready to execute any feats to achieve her end game. Sentenced to death, her claim of "pregnancy" helped gain her freedom. Was she really pregnant?

The gambling world of the Wild West attracted women since brothels could serve as gaming dens. Madams might deal the cards. The game Faro, a game of chance, was wildly popular. In the mid-1800s, Maria Gertrudis Barcelo purchased a hotel and casino. "While a minor fine for running an illegal gambling den may have made her a lawbreaking lady, she had a huge, charitable heart." Her hotel and casino were a "recreational hub" for anyone and everyone-no social class, wealth or race restrictions. In 1849, Eleanor Dumont (Madame Mustache) was a known gambler in San Francisco. "By societal standards, [gambling was] not a career a woman should have pursued. Eleanor was undeterred. When someone ran out of money at her table, she would buy them a glass of milk or treat them to champagne."

People were willing to risk jail time or massive fines during the years of Prohibition to keep the liquor flowing. Until the age of 90, Maggie Bailey sold booze out of her kitchen. Maggie was only prosecuted once, in the 1940s. "She would enter a courtroom in her signature dress and apron, topped with a grandmotherly head of gray hair...she stated that bootlegging 'kept her alive...kept her young." She, herself, was a teetotaler!

Elizabeth Bathory was "one of history's most prolific serial killers according to the Guinness World Records". "Elizabeth fought to maintain her looks after becoming a mother, and she believed that the best way to do this was by ingesting the blood of young women". Elizabeth was a vampire.

"Plenty of ladies fell into the category of 'outlaw' 'gunslinger' or 'bandit'." Mary Fields (Stagecoach Mary), however, was not an outlaw. As an emancipated slave, she would become the second woman, but the first African American woman to be employed by the United States Postal Service. Her route was in Cascade, Montana. "Her stature, gun-toting confidence, and tendency to wear men's clothing helped her protect the stagecoach, a job she held for 8 years."

"Lawbreaking Ladies: 50 Remarkable Stories of Criminal Women Throughout History" by Erika Owen is a well researched true crime read. The short vignettes will whet one's appetite to explore additional readings on many of these trailblazing women, some admirable, some not so much. This was a fascinating read I highly recommend.

Thank you Tiller Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a series of short vignettes about women throughout history who were definitely NOT well-behaved! The stories encompass pirates, brothel owners, robbers, serial killers . I'm not sure what age group this book is written for; there is a glossary of terms at the beginning of each section but the crimes are fairly detailed and don't seem to be "sanitized" for a younger audience.

I found many of the stories interesting, but others were very light in details and because many of the cases are in the same time period and overlap with the same individuals, some of the stories were not particularly interesting or distinctive. 3 stars.

4/5 stars.

Lawbreaking Ladies includes stories about 50~ lawbreaking women in history who may or may have not been forgotten in history. The stories were easy to read, summarising the backgrounds of the women featured and delivering information about their crimes in a clear and succinct way. For a lot of these stories I wanted to learn more about them, which goes to show how fascinating these women were, though I know that for a lot of them their was bereft information in history about them and only so much that can be found - and for that I am glad I got to read at least an overview of what they were like.

Overall, it was an informative read and I look forward to looking into and learning more about the women featured in this book.

This book was really interesting and enlightening. I loved learning about these women! As a woman who really tries to help other women, I found these stories about women who broke the mold so inspiring! I especially loved the pirates. I thought the book was well-written, engaging, and hit just the right balance between story telling and facts. I feel like this is the type of book that really draws the reader in and helps the reader stand in the protagonist's shoes. I was also surprised at the number of women in this book who were new to me; I consider myself well-informed on women's issues and women's history, and many of these women were unheard of for me prior to reading this novel. Overall, I think anyone who needs a little inspiration will enjoy this book. I liked the writing style of the book, and I others with a searching, open heart will like the style as well. Overall, a great addition to any bookshelf!

Author Erika Owen brings readers 50 profiles on fascinating lawbreaking women throughout history and their impact.  These include female pirates, serial killers, con-women, outlaws and madams. Most of the time our descriptions of women in history are cleaned up to make them look like innocent role models, but not this one 

For lovers of true crime, or the less-known ladies of history, this is a great guide. The descriptions are short and sweet, making it easy to blow through this book in an afternoon, or take it in one story at a time. 

Lawbreaking Ladies is available March 16, 2021.