The “honest, introspective, and harrowing” ( Kirkus Reviews ) true story of a young female cop who almost loses everything in a downward spiral of addiction—a career she loved, colleagues who respected her, and the island that was once her personal paradise—before finally seeking redemption.
As a beautiful, ambitious, and fearless young woman, Allison Moore had everything going for She had been the star student of her recruit class and was quickly promoted to vice cop at the Maui Police Department, while earning the respect of her colleagues and a stellar reputation. But when a doomed love affair with another cop led Allison to seek desperate escape, her life took a sudden and violent plunge.
Using her position of authority and skills of manipulation, Allison hid her addiction from her lover and her department for as long as possible. She fabricated an elaborate story that she had cancer and needed to seek treatment on the mainland, while actually traveling to get a steady supply of meth from a brutal Seattle drug dealer. When her intensifying dependence on meth put her at the mercy of the ruthless dealer, he made her a prisoner in his house, subjecting her to unthinkable physical and sexual abuse, and monitoring her every move through a web of hidden surveillance cameras.
Astounding, gripping, and astonishingly candid, Shards spares no detail of Allison’s horrific experiences and the tangle of addiction and betrayal that cost her nearly everything.
A book that pulls no punches. Some reviews have given this book a bad review because they think that Alli was not a very good person--lying, deceptive, manipulative, etc. But Alli's point in writing the book was to tell how horrible drug addiction, especially to crystal meth, is, and how horribly it makes a person act. She never pretends to be a "good" person but sincerely reveals her weaknesses and faults that led her to drug addiction and then the repulsive behavior that results from this addiction. She is ashamed of her behavior.
Most people could never be so bluntly honest; they would make excuses. This book deserves a 5-star rating simply for its honesty.
This book is probably the best that I have ever read that clearly describes the horror of drug addiction and how easily it can happen with one experience. It explains how meth addicts can act so differently from any other kind of drug addicts because of the different location in the brain that is affected by meth in a way that makes meth addiction much more dangerous. It also shows how people can accept horrible abuse just for the next hit.
But there are other underlying themes. Alli comes from a family of addicts, abusing alcohol and drugs. She comes from a family of emotional abusers and dysfunctional relationships which led her to bad relationships with boyfriends and a suicide attempt as a teenager. Her early drug experiences came from a need to bury emotional pain that she could not confront and led ultimately to more serious addiction. And the straw that broke the camel's back was her overachieving drive in order to suppress feelings that she had no means of dealing with and also to give herself self-esteem. Her overachievement led her to amazing success in her police career, and then with equal determination, to her ability to procure drugs to maintain her habit much after most people would have given up and ended in treatment, and finally to her amazing decision to instantly give up drugs and throw away her last dose before entering rehab. And I believe this overachievement has also led to this remarkable book. I expect to see great things from this woman.
With all those factors against her, I think we can wonder if any of us could have avoided what she went through and we can be amazed at how she was able to conquer this addiction. Nobody can help but admire her determination to fight off each craving. The PTSD symptoms such as hallucinations, the desires to hate and murder the dealer who abused her and imprisoned her in his house, and the extreme fear of encountering her drug dealer who hacked her phone and computer records--and even her mother's address--all demonstrate her ongoing battle which might never end.
An excellent book, readable, emotional, intense, but fulfilling at the end. an impossible life with impossible chance of escape... for a woman who believes in making the impossible possible.
I found this book in the library, while I was high. I am an author as well to my own memoir of meth addiction. I struggle today fight the good fight. I instantly connected with the lady, living a double life , getting by lying , not wanting to be found out. I need help I realize reading this book I'm on the right path , PTSD counseling and EMDR therapy. I gave this book a four because it was a easy read and emotionally I felt her pain which reflected on my life and woes of such unfortunate self lies we create time after time. eventually those lesson we haven't come true with ourselves will come again not to destroy or harm but more than to be released and be free from such secrets ,fear , pain, things we have stuffed down years ago.. I facing now the damages 20 plus years ago I had be bestowed with..my daughter , my addiction, my future my story, will continue. I hope to see it have a better ending..
EASILY one of the greatest memoirs I’ve ever read. It was terrifying to see this bright, successful young woman go down such a dark path after that first line of meth. That’s all it took. Just one time. The lengths Allison went to in order to feed her addiction.. The sacrifices she made, the lies she told, the people she hurt: It was both shocking & horrifying. She endured things no one should ever have to experience, and it was all so that she could stay high. But she crawled out of that dark hole with the support of her family and those around her, and began to overcome her demons. As someone who’s over 3 years sober, I really enjoy reading novels like this. It merely solidifies my decision and reminds me how lucky I am to be free from my vices.
Anyone who's ever had an addiction, not just to methamphetamine, can relate to this book. I feel miss Moore was honest and forthcoming. I apprentice that she brought to light the PTSD that can come from addiction... I guess I just expected more from the ending
A disturbing chronicle of the downward spiral of meth addiction. I had to read some parts peeking through my fingers, others wiping tears out of my eyes.
At age fifteen, Allison tried to commit suicide. She shares the outer forces which led up to the day she drove off a cliff in Tijiras Canyon.
After becoming an officer, Allison became involved with a married fellow officer, Keawe. Ten months into the affair, Allison becomes pregnant. She and Keawe decide to terminate the pregnancy. Keawe never knew it was twins she was carrying. Allison become depressed about her situation with Keawe.
Allison is promoted to the Narcotics Department. During one of her busts, out of curiosity, keeps a small amount of meth seized. She tries meth for the first time and had the urge to clean her apartment. She did not sleep, went to work, had not eaten in three days, and was not tired.
Her addiction becomes worse and her co-workers are concerned. Her boss jokingly says to her one day, that she looked sick as if she were dying. Allison took this opportunity to make this lie a truth and answered, “yes.” She told him that she was dying from cancer to cover up her appearance. This gave her an out for receiving sick leave for doctor appointments. But Allison not realizing her boss had spoken to anyone, her fellow officers donated sick leave to her. The lies became bigger and she eventually wound up living with a drug dealer. And that was not the end of her troubles.
Allison gives an in-the-face account of her training as a Maui Police Officer. She shares her promotion to the Narcotics Division, gives a straight forward account of her addiction, rehab, and a grueling account of abuse at the hands of the drug dealer.
Allison’s book regarding her journey from police officer to drug addict and back is well worth the read. I recommend this book to non-fiction readers. It will very well hold your interest until the end. It definitely held mine.
I received this book free from Touchstone Publishing through the Net Galley Reviewer Program, for an unbiased review.
I've never read a book about a drug addict before. It's pretty crazy how trying a drug only once, can get you hooked. But I guess if a drug is that powerful.... This was an interesting read, but the author wasn't a very good person. I realize that drugs can make you not think about anyone or anything but the drug, but she lied about terrible things, which made me less sympathetic to what she went through. She also seemed a little callous at times, saying how one guy she knew is probably dead, and how another person drinks so she doesn't want to associate herself with that person. Some parts of the book I didn't like: How the book never went back to the prologue. It seemed like something that would be talked about later on based on the way it was written, and either I missed it, or they never went back to it. How the whole final act of the book, seemed to go by pretty quickly. It seemed as though she went to rehab, went to jail, all in a chapter or two. The fact I never found out what happened with that dealer she met. Maybe she never decided to find out, but if I had someone in my life that knew where my family lived, and was a crazy person, I would make sure he was far away forever after I got help. But, for all of that, I have to admit it was a compelling read. I had to keep reading to see how her journey ended.
I couldn't put this memoir down. It's about a police officer in Hawaii who becomes addicted to meth and tells her department she has cancer to excuse her absences and appearance. Then she's held captive by a meth dealer.
This is very well written thanks to the assistance of a professional writer. It wasn't until after I put the book down that I started to have doubts about the story. By the nature of the memoir, we get one side of the story here. I mean, she scammed people for money by claiming to have cancer and forging medical notes, and I applaud her confessing this, but those are big events to only have her side of the story. But it's a memoir, not a biography, so she's not being fact checked.
In any case, I enjoyed the read and I even enjoyed mentally picking apart the holes in her story. When it comes to sobriety, honesty is the best policy. Moore may not show much remorse, and I'm not sure she's being totally honest, but she's certainly made a big start with this memoir. I wish her the best of luck.
I actually just read this book for the second time. I read it again b/c I knew how it ended and I knew it was so awful that it was almost unbelievable, so I almost dared it to be different. This is a sad, quite disturbing memoir of a girl that had the same problems I think a lot of us have, but obviously she dealt with them in a way I could never actually imagine and gets hooked on drugs, lies, a double life, and hits the bottom pit of hell. I sympathize with Allie b/c I think we all have good and bad in us. We all make terrible choices, but most of the time they do not ruin our lives. I think she is lucky to be alive and I am happy she was able to tell her story. I can't hate someone that is flawed and made mistakes. She is not a terrible person, but her choices were poor and I am sure she is suffering the consequences but hope that someone else may feel hope about their life. If this girl can turn this story around, anything you are fighting has a chance for a 360!
Shards: A Young Vice Cop Investigates Her Darkest Case of Meth Addiction - Her Own by Allison Moore with Nancy Woodruff is a poignant, heartbreaking and tragic memoir. The searing intensity of her desperation makes me fighting for a deep breath of fresh air. I can only empathize with her struggle, fear and hopelessness but at times, there is this gnawing ache in my stomach to just lunge at her and stop her from continuing.
While the narration is quite strong and engrossing, the language is uncouth and appears a bit uncivilized. May be, that goes with the nature of the book. The foul language and the situations described in the book would make it unsuitable for many people. But if you are willing to bear that and hear her out, it makes for an absorbing read.
Shards is a story written by someone who has lived through hell. Reading this book is a great way to get someone to fear using meth, because Allison (the Author) tells her story of how meth destroyed her life in a matter of a couple years. This book is also a good book to read if you're looking for one. This book starts slow but quickly spirals down into a story of suffering. The author does a great job of putting the reader through her shoes, of how everything fell apart, and makes you feel sorry for what Allison had to go through.
This is an interesting story about a young woman who has seemingly everything going for her. Beauty, brains, and strength enough to begin working up the ladder of success as a vice cop in Hawaii. Like the slogan about meth warns, "Not even once" because that flood of dopamine is just too hard for some to resist. The book is harrowing, and I learned some new things. Give it a read! Oh! And if you end up liking this read, "High Achiever" by Tiffany Jenkins. You will not be disappointed.
This book was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! I am a recovering addict myself and I could relate to alot of the feelings of guilt, shame, regrets etc.... I was BLOWN AWAY by her honesty and how real she is... I highly recommend this book to anyone who is in recovery or still active in their addiction it will change your word for the better... THANK YOU ALLISON MOORE!!!!
This book is such a tell of truth of what drugs can do to a person. You can have the best life, best job and yet drugs find a way to creep into your life. At first, just to seem to he'll but then to treat you down. This book tells what horror a woman went through that no one could ever imagine. I can only thank her for sharing her story!
Usually not the style of writing I enjoy, but it was an interesting look into drug addiction. I wish Allison Moore the best as she continues with recovery.
Once reading the summary, I was drawn to the book. It's an interesting subject matter and it's something that affects everyone of every race, culture, and status.
I loved the author's writing style. The words, sentence structure, created such harmony the story flowed so easily. I was so engrossed in the book that I finished it in a couple of days only because I had other things I had to do.
The character felt real and I liked her as a person. She was driven, motivated, a survivor, goal oriented, and hardworking. It gave insight into how meth pulls you in and your hooked. Allison's lucky to be alive because of the lifestyle and choices she made all in the name of addiction (whether it was her workaholic nature, codependence/obsession with her married boyfriend, or the drugs).
Unfortunately, the reality is often different than Allison's. Many don't survive, can't get clean, or have no support, etc.
At the end of the book, Allison offers an apology to the Police Department. I wonder how that was accepted and whether those relationships will ever be repaired. It would also be interesting to know whether or not Allison's sober and whether she has reunited with her married boyfriend.
A tough story about a skilled and dedicated officer who went down in flames. If she had reached out for help, early in her addiction, far less damage would have been done. But that's not how meth works: It takes all there is.
She brought up an issue that is probably far too common for police officers everywhere, that there is huge pressure not to admit you have problems. If you do so, you will be pulled out of the squad car, everybody will know it, and your reputation is ruined. In her case, she knew she was in big trouble, but tried to hide it. With disastrous results.
At the community college where I teach math, a Criminal Justice student committed suicide just a few days ago. I did not know him, but acquaintances that did were stunned: No one saw this coming. At least Allison Moore did not take that option (even though she wrote that she was tempted) and she has a hard road in front of her. I hope she does well.
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've read a lot of memoirs, especially ones that deal with addiction and recovery. Shards tells the story of a cop who lost everything due to meth. It suffers from the same thing that a lot of the addiction memoirs tend to: not enough focus on the recovery. We get a lot of info on how Allison got addicted and the horrors she experienced but about 1% of the story was about where she was now. Allison shows the dark side of addiction quite well and is honest with how far down it can take a person and the terrible things that people will do when they want their next fix. I was just hoping for a little more of the where is she now and a little less of the horrors that were.
Allison Moore will touch lives with her personal story of drug addiction. No one starts out to be addict; it's not a goal in life. Allison is no exception. She had plans, dreams and goals. Through her story, readers get a personal look at the devastation that illegal drug use can cause. What started out as a little bump now and then turned her life into shards, broken pieces that nearly took her life. Written in a straight forward, no holds barred recount of hitting rock bottom and trying to make the upward climb.
Great book, but such a sad story. I kept getting caught up in the book and I would forget that it was a true story. I hope this may help prevent anyone who may want try drugs. It's incredible how drugs will overpower you and bring you to the brink of self destruction!! I am glad that after all the horrendous things she faced that she has found a reason to live and stay sober. I am just so livid that this dealer got away with all the horrific things he did to her and all the other countless women. I just hope that he gets what he deserves ten fold!!
A sad story about a narcotics officer who becomes addicted to crystal meth. At times I felt I should have been more angry at some of the things she did and said but I found myself feeling sorry for her, addiction is a sad reality. It was interesting how she found ways to get the drugs and was able to pull it off for so long. Some parts seemed so unreal that if it were fiction I would have thought "oh come on there is no way...". That is why I prefer to read non-fiction when it's about addiction or mental illness. The truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.
This was absolutely wonderful. A Great book, but a very sad story. I kept getting caught up in the book and I would forget that it was a true story. I hope this may help prevent anyone who may want try drugs. It's incredible how drugs will overpower you and bring you to the brink of self destruction!! I am glad that after all the horrendous things she faced that she has found a reason to live and stay sober. I am just so livid that this dealer got away with all the horrific things he did to her and all the other countless women. I just really hope that he gets what he deserves!!
Heard Alli speak at local bookstore Bookworks and found her to be sincere and well spoken. Several of her amazing family members were also there to support her. Read the book in 2 sittings, it is well-written and accomplishes what the authors intended. My heart goes out to Alli and her lovely mom as they walk in recovery. Thank you for your courage in telling this important and meaningful story.