There were so many good stories in this book. I felt connected to each woman, save for a couple of shorter chapters. There were many authors I looked up in hopes of finding their full memoirs.

This was a hard book to read. Not because it wasn’t well done, in fact I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of writing with each story, but because it is so sad. These women, like so many in our prison system, need help, ideally long before they get into a prison writing workshop (not that that isn’t great for them, but if they could be reached earlier, it would be better). I have so much more empathy for inmates after reading this book, which is why I think everyone should read it, especially those people who don’t understand the circumstances and environments that can lead a person down the wrong path. None of these women make excuses, they all own what they did, but I can certainly see how they got to that point.

This book of intensely personal essays written by women who are/were incarcerated for a range of crimes should be required reading for anyone curious about our prison system, who prisoners are and how they got there. I was moved, disgusted, and awed from the first page to the last.

Such an incredible book driven by those that are pushing for these women in prison to free their souls and truly understand their lives through writing and journaling. There is such a mix of emotions when reading each of the women's short memoirs; abuse of all kinds, neglect, rape, and being forced into lives that no one should have to endure. I feel for all these women and was so heartbroken by the few stories where the woman was at her breaking point of abuse and killed their husband/bf, ended up in prison, leaving behind parentless children. A person can only take so much. The writing program that they are part of, I really hope it gives them a sense of friendship and can heal because, that is what they need.