Girl Walks Out of a Bar

Book 46 is Girl Walks Out of a Bar by Lisa F. Smith.

This book is the kind of autobiography that makes you sad, angry and shocked.

Sad because she was set up to fail from childhood and through genetics.
Angry because no one else saw it and people actually encouraged it.
Shocked because you'd think someone would die before getting this far.

Maybe addicts are just people who haven't managed to kill themselves yet because their bodies have a high tolerance for abuse. That makes me sad.

4 bottles of wine out of 5.

Should I read this? If you enjoy rubbernecking then yes. I do so it was finished within the same day I started it.
What did I learn? There are high functioning addicts out there and you may never guess it. Disturbing and sad.

Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener

Book 45 of 2017 is Agatha Raisin and the Potted Gardener which is book 3 of the Agatha Raisin Mysteries by M.C. Beaton.

Book 3 in the series continues in the same sleepy village with the same neighbours and dramas that Agatha has become part of.

This mystery wasn't too hard to solve but the character growth is fun to read.

So as not to ruin this or any prior books in the series, I won't say too much more.

4 murdered gardens out of 5.

Should I read this? Again, if you like a Ms Marple style murder mystery.
What did I learn? A nice series that breaks up some of the more serious things I read, is a good idea.

Maisie Dobbs

Book 44 of 2015 is Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear.

I've missed the BBC for a while now since leaving Australia and reading this was like reconnecting with a BBC crime drama.

This is well written and engaging. Maisie is loveable and tough. You can respect her and relate to her. At least as a woman.

I can't wait to read the rest of the series but it won't be straight away. I will wait a while to read this in a decent and considered way, just like Maisie would.


4 proper considerations out of 5.

Should I read this? Yes, it is worth the time if you like British drama.
What did I learn? I don't have to miss the BBC if I can read British fiction.

A Room of One's Own

Book 19 of 2014 is Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own.

I've only read a couple of Virginia Woolf books and I love the way she writes. She is a born story teller who paints pictures with words. Now I know that she writes like a "woman-manly." Or was it a "man-womanly"? Either way, it makes her voice unique in a crowd where she is a minority.

This book/essay/speech is one of the most relevant (yes, even now) books that I woman can read.

Of late, life has had me wondering where I belong and what the whole damn point of it is. Belonging is important but it is more than that. The feeling was more about how I belong in a world where I can not see anyone like me. That was my mistake.

There may not be people who look like me everywhere but there are people who think like me, both men and women. This book was like taking a giant sigh after a very long week ends. She said it perfectly.

It is only 112 pages and if you can't do that then at least read the last chapter. She is brilliant. Just that.

I give it 5 revelations without bitterness out of 5.

Should I read this? Women should. Secure men should. Others will not be impressed that someone let her out of the kitchen.
What did I learn? “I need not hate any man; he cannot hurt me. I need not flatter any man; he has nothing to give me.”