This took a turn I absolutely was not expecting! I really enjoyed the first half of the book but was a bit disappointed by the rest. The author's note at the end is well worth a read, as it explains the true story behind the book.

I really tried several tries to get into this book. Out just wasn't for me. I wasn't drawn to the protagonist and felt that the plot was weak.

I started out really enjoying this book, but it lost me when it turned paranormal. Thanks for letting me check it out!

Oh my gosh, this was a great story and what a different turn it took. At the beginning I thought this book was just going to be another story about unwed mother and being sent to a home run by nuns. Well, did that ever change about chapter two or three. Great story about how Bessie "Annie" changed her life around!!! Sometimes revenge is just what is needed when it comes to "bad" men. Enjoy. I couldn't stop reading.

After several attempts into reading this story I had to unfortunately walk away. The plot and characters did not grip me and since I did not finish this book I do not feel comfortable in providing a review for it.

A dizzying plot tells the tale of an incredibly independent woman. It is an engrossing story.
Many thanks to SparkPress and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The lives of Diamond Bessie follows a young woman throughout her life, from being a young mother forced into prostitution to marrying a man who shows his true colours too late.

This was a really good novel. I really enjoyed the plot and I thought the transition between real world and paranormal was done at a very good point in the story and was done in a really interesting and understandable way. I enjoyed the resolution a lot especially as it wasn’t one that I could see happening. The characters were all multi dimensional and enjoyable to read and the book itself was well written and easy to follow.

4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this copy to review

In The Lives of Diamond Bessie, we are following Annie, a young woman in 1860 with an empty coin purse. After meeting a wealthy man name Abe, she changes her name to Bessie, meeting Abe and becomes adorned in luxurious clothing and jewels. Although Abe has an influx of wealth, he lacks the decency of treating her like a human.
Bessie’s ghost remains, fueled by revenge, rage and betrayal.
This is a great work for readers interested in a ghost story, without the commonplace horror influence.

Wonderful read for those who enjoy historical fiction. This story is set at a time when women had little or no rights, and not many options for living on their own. Without the support of a man (father, brother, husband), women had no respectable means of supporting themselves, and yet they were judged harshly for the supporting themselves in the only way available to them. Really thought provoking.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Lives of Diamond Bessie by Jody Hadlock was a super entertaining read (I finished it all in one go). A debut novel inspired by the true life story of Annie Moore, aka Diamond Bessie. A young Irish girl in America, who was forced into prostitution in the 1860s. I found it to be well written and well paced. The plot was engaging and kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed the twist halfway through and the added bit of supernatural. There were a couple of minor issues I had. I thought the first half of the book was stronger in the storytelling, and I wasn't a fan of the ending and that a certain character didn't get their comeuppance. Overall, though, this was a strong debut for this author and I look forward to seeing what she has up her sleeve next.

**ARC Via NetGalley**

I'm such a fan of stories putting strong women from the past in the spotlight! It was great reading about Bessie, and the way she could mostly only rely on herself, and made choices for herself. She made such hard decisions after being pregnant out of wedlock. We share her choices, her dillemas, her broken heart, her regrets, etc. It was really impactful, I love following women's stories. I also love how prostitution in the 1800's, early 1900' is always described as a big sorority. I know it's out of necessity, but I really like the sisterhood feeling.

The fact that it's inspired from a real person always makes it even better. Of course, in the second part of the book, it can't really be truthful, but it was nice. The twist halfway kind of surprised me, I didn't expect Bessie to stay behind, and I enjoyed going with Jody Hadlock's flow. She is a woman who was wronged, and who fought with everything she could. Great inspiring story!

I only regret that the trial part was so long. It is very detailed, and I found it a little boring from time to time, which led me to skimming a bit to the end.

Still, it was a fantastic historical fiction, exactly as I love them, and I can only recommend it to everyone who loves the genre, and/or strong women stories. Such a great find on Netgalley!

Interesting story based on a real woman who had to survive heartbreak, family rejection, and the prospect of life on the street.

I am shocked to not see this story getting more attention. I was totally immersed in the historical setting and I was even more impressed when I found out it was based on a true story. It has some good plot points and interesting twists that I don’t typically find with this genre. The author wrote such an unique character with Bessie and I think that’s what helped keep me invested. I will definitely tell anyone who likes historical stories with some mystery/thriller elements that they should pick this book up.

This one took a while for me to get through. The pacing was just too slow for me and it was hard to keep my attention. The story of Diamond Bessie was interesting though and it had me looking up more info on her once I’d finished the book.

This book held promise but it wasn't fully realized. I loved the historical fiction and the settings and the character of Annie/Bessie and I was really excited about the women's rights tie in, but then the whole thing turned into something else and it was abrupt and halting and it didn't feel true. It was like two different books trying to be forced into one. The writer took a wrong turn and got lost.

Based on actual events, this historical mystery is perfect for true crime lovers.

Annie Moore is only 16 when she is sent away to a convent to give birth to her illegitimate baby. When the baby is taken to an orphanage, Annie makes the difficult decision to run away and to try to find some sort of work that will allow her to regain custody of her infant daughter. Unfortunately, opportunities for a woman like her are few and far between and she is taken in by a house of prostitution and soon begins working there. As the years go by, Annie changes her name to Bessie and moves up in the hierarchy, working in fancy brothels and attended by a more wealthy clientele. She's making her way in a difficult situation but longs to return to respectable society.

As it so often happens, Bessie's ultimate downfall is a man. Although what happened to her is not unique, the way the author tells her story is wholly engaging and a compelling tale of what women suffered before women's rights were a thing.

I really enjoyed the way the story shifted after Bessie is betrayed by her new husband and it did indeed remind me of The Lovely Bones with that point of view though I typically am not into any paranormal. The characters in Bessie's inner circle were interesting, but the way the author wrote about Bessie was so endearing that I felt such empathy for her. This was a fast read that I consumed in a matter of hours in one sitting as I could not wait to find out how it ended. The best part of the conclusion was the author's notes about the real people and historical records at the back of the book.

This is definitely a book that I will recommend and thank you to NetGalley and Spark Press for this e-book ARC to read and review.

3.5 stars rounded up. I was totally engrossed in this unique tale in the first half, not wanting to put it down. The second half takes an odd turn to paranormal while introducing many new characters which made it a tad more tedious to read. Wish I had realized before the end that Bessie was a real person and the book was based on real events, I think I would have enjoyed it even more. All in all, it's certainly a good debut that I recommend it you have a taste for historical fiction with a pinch of paranormal sprinkled in.

5 Stars

This was a great, really quick historical read. Don't get me wrong - it was sad. I felt every emotion Bessie did as she overcame the different steps and hardships in her life.

It's very similar to The Scandalous Life of Sasha Torte, in the way that it's a historical memoir with many embellishments (I know Sasha was a fictional character but she's real to me). I came into this knowing nothing about Bessie, or the American climate at that time period but came out feeling like I'd read the news articles and highlights of her life in real time.

The writing is description but not overly wordy, it's a really accessible read despite the time period described. The scenery and setting came secondary to the main character's thoughts and feelings - not in a critical sense but in the way it's very obvious a story about a girl than it is a story about girls in that time. I absolutely loved the nod to historical events at the time and seeing historical clippings/headlines through the work.

The content is somewhat heavy, I don't recommend this for children/ya as ultimately there is descriptions of sex work.
I came into the book knowing nothing about this infamous historical figure but I came out enthralled and read the entire afterword (which is very rare for me) to find what gave Joy her inspiration.

Pregnant out of wedlock, sixteen-year-old Annie Moore is sent to live at a convent for fallen women. When the nuns take her baby, Annie escapes, determined to find a way to be reunited with her daughter. But few rights or opportunities are available to a woman in the 1860s, and after failing to find a respectable job, she resorts to prostitution in order to survive.

Usually, I'm a fan of historical fiction, especially when it involves women. But I just had a hard time caring about this story. It was well written, that was not an issue, I just could not care about Bessie because she irritated me.
She made rash decisions, some for very selfish reasons, and ended up just as you would expect her to.

Interesting read but unfortunately not for me.

Thanks to @netgalley, SparkPress, and Jody Hadlock for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

The Lives of Diamond Bessie reads like a book report about historical figures - more of an unemotional summary than an immersive story. The characters feel shallow, moving from one event to the next without a real emotional connection.

Bessie lived an interesting life, but I wish she was capable of taking advice from just one person or even just some critical thinking. Instead, she moves from one situation to the next with little planning, usually assuming her looks will get her to where she needs to be. Bessie is also pretty selfish most of the time. She uses others as needed and drops' friends' when they stop being useful. Despite all the help she receives from others, Bessie is not one to reach out a hand to others.

I wasn't expecting the shift from historical/biographical fiction to paranormal about halfway through. I'm usually on board for a fantasy twist, but this was too inconsistent for me and created more plot holes than interest.

Despite being described as 'set against the backdrop of the burgeoning women's rights movement', this doesn't seem to have been a significant theme in the narrative and could have been done better. Overall, The Lives of Diamond Bessie is pretty average, and while I wish the emotions and events were explored more, it does tell an interesting story about real people.