Make a Home Out of You

by Ginelle Testa

For readers of Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp comes an unflinching coming-of-age addiction memoir about one woman’s journey to overcome her destructive roots to discover her road to recovery.

Born to an abusive mother and a drug-dealer father, Ginelle Testa is not exactly set up for success—and her early years are just as troubled as one might expect. By the end of her thirteenth year, she’s started experimenting with alcohol and drugs, has fallen prey to anorexia, and has been sexually assaulted. And that’s only the beginning of her spiral down into addiction and disordered eating.

As Ginelle progresses into young adulthood, she hits several substance-related bottoms. In her senior year of college, after blacking out and ending up naked in her dorm’s community shower, she goes to Alcoholics Anonymous and gets sober. But steering clear of drugs and alcohol, she discovers, is not a cure-all—she still has a long way to go before she can truly heal.

Raw, relatable, and powerful, Testa’s is a riveting tale of climbing up from rock bottom—and learning to make a home in oneself instead of in substances and other people.

Genres: Biography Memoir, Nonfiction

296 pages, Paperback

Published September 3, 2024

About the author

Ginelle Testa (she/they) is a writer originally from Hudson, NH. She has an MS in digital marketing and design from Brandeis University and a BA in sociology from Rivier University, and has been featured in Insider, Byrdie, Tiny Buddha, and other places. She’s a queer person in recovery. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys doing restorative yoga, playing video games, and thrifting eclectic clothes. Ginelle lives in Boston, MA.

Reviews

[Jamie Wu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up coz I wanted a memoir, and it looked super new in the used books section. I had no expectations going into it and I quite enjoyed it. It is a coming-of-age memoir documenting a teenage girl overcoming her devastating family background. Here is why I liked it:
1. She was so brave to bring her story forward to the world. There were so many ongoing themes displayed in one kid in the span of her teenage life: parental abuse, sexual abuse, substance use, addiction, body image. All were scary yet so real.
2. I felt connected to the author: I felt a sense of pride and joy when she finally became sober, learnt how to say no and set boundaries. She also had a supportive nana who she came out to, and I found that relationship really sweet and heart-warming

Here are some things I didn't like as much:
1. The themes were very much recurring, it was like she fucked up at her friend's party, then felt bad but the next day she would go hook up with someone else. I felt helpless for her the first few times, but it just became a lot (made me empathize her less at times)

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

In full disclosure, Ginelle is my friend. We have only met once in real life for an Earth Day event she organized back in 2012. We have remained Facebook friends ever since. This amazing soul has a light within her that radiates.
I found her memoir to be one that was hard to put down. She is a brave one to put it all out there.
Messy life? Yeah. But you root for her all the way.
More than her life, the story as she lets it unfold on paper is well-penned by the hand of a gifted storyteller. Sometimes, I wondered if a character or action was going to have a reason and, just as I had the thought, sure enough, there was a rhyme and reason played out in good time.
The story flowed. I wanted to keep reading. The pace was just right.
And, yes, I was satisfied with the ending. Of course, the ending was just the end of the book, not her life. She's got much more living to be done. And her light will continue to shine.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make a Home Out of You is a coming of age memoir, sharing the deep and dark memories of the author's difficult adolescence. From her mother's part-absentee part-abusive parenting style to her early introduction to sex, drugs and alcohol, Ginelle combats trauma with addiction and attachment issues with unhealthy sexual relationships. Ginelle discovers AA and other similar groups while still in college, and speaks candidly about her journey through these programs, from painfully uncomfortable first impressions to leaving and coming back to beginning to work with a sponsor and really committing to the program. She shows readers that these programs can and do work, if you are fully ready to embrace them, and if you find the right group for you (ie. women's only, young adults, etc.) Throughout the memoir Ginelle also works with therapists and meditation specialists emphasizing the importance of working through addictions and trauma in many different ways, because one process may not be enough to truly heal. That being said, she ends the book somewhat abruptly, without all of the ends tied up nicely, because addiction is a life long battle, and no matter how long the story kept going, there would be no perfect happy ending, just a work in progress. There was enough closure, but it also leaves the reader wondering what happens next? This memoir is well written, easy to follow and makes connecting with the author feel natural. Definitely one you should check out!

Thanks to @booksforwardpr for sending me a copy of this awesome book, and for organizing another great #booktour!

[River · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hugged Make a Home out of You when I finished it. First of all, the memoir is enthralling right off the bat, and never ceases to be so. It never drags. No detail is ever arbitrary. The horrors that alcohol, sex, and drugs put Ginelle through are aching, but even through these maladaptive behaviors you see the intelligence, capability, and lovability in the author. You root for her. You sympathize. You cringe. You say "oh, honey..." you grip the book and hope she makes it out triumphant in the end. You bite your lip, tense, hoping this time she makes a healthy decision.
In this book, you get an understanding of one young woman's journey toward healing, and a glimpse into the way an addict percieves the world, what trauma does to a person. You come away believing in strength and healing, and wanting to reach out to this woman for a hug. To say "I am so proud of you," and "thank you for sharing your story with the world." You close the book, you hug it to your chest...

[Dawn (bookscatsandbingeing)]

MAKE A HOME OUT OF YOU
Ginelle Testa

Thank you @booksforwardpr for my early review copy. These thoughts are my own. *note- I do not rate memoirs.

Ginelle’s story is an unflinching and often heartbreaking look at life with multiple addictions. Starting at age 13 with webcamming to seek love and attention sadly lacking in a home with addiction and little attention and continuing on to drinking and drugs in high school along with body image and disordered eating issues, Ginelle’s life is laid bare. Several times while reading I audibly said, nooo Ginelle. That is not to say I judged her but to empathize with what life dealt her. Following her path with recovery, engaging in painful relationships and navigating her way to healthy ones, and the self discovery of someone dealing with questioning in LGBTQIA + was remarkable. She shows enormous resilience and strength and her story needs to be heard by all.
Highly recommend.

[H.B. Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for people looking for inspiration around recovery - drugs, alcohol, and sex and love. I thought this might have had more about food addiction issues, but maybe that was one too many recovery journeys to put in one book. I appreciated how vulnerable the author is in revealing the troubling aspects of their childhood and early growing up. It's challenging to read about someone getting an A in destroying themselves, and it also demonstrates the scale of change she went through in turning their life around.
I was amused to read an oral sex scene on page 5 and wondered when the story would come back around to this opening moment (page 272).
I'm impressed that for as many obstacles as the author experienced to have a successful life, she not only survived but appears to be thriving!

[Lauren Smallcomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make a Home Out of You is a captivating memoir as Ginelle's raw humanity shines through chapter after chapter. My story doesn't look a lot like the author's and yet I could feel her longings as if they were mine. The path she took in a subconscious attempt to manage her pain and trauma made all the sense in the world as she strung her story together for us readers. What a gift to show how trauma causes maladaptive behaviors and addiction of all kinds- through the power of story. Instead of a step-by-step self-help book, Ginelle offers us her heart, turned inside-out, so we too can find our way to make a home out of ourselves.

[Liz Kinchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make a Home Out of You is a heartbreaking and deeply inspiring life story. Ginelle travels from the depth of multiple addictions into the stability of self-awareness and commitment to being a whole person. Told with raw honesty, this book is a gift to all of us regardless of the type or degree of addictions we may have, showing us how to find true emotional home – peace and stability - within ourselves rather than in external conditions and people. This book is at once challenging, absorbing, beautifully written, and ultimately encouraging.

[Ariel Luzz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ginelle’s, Make A Home Out Of You was a difficult book to put down. I was hooked by the first two chapters, and wanted to know more. I was captivated by her choices. How did she get into this mess? Why did she respond to that text? What is going to happen next?
Watching her heal and recover truly made me so happy for her. A great but heartbreaking read.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a heartbreaking memoir and I applaud the author for sharing so many real and raw moments in it. It’s hard reading about many traumatic events and mistakes, but the ending was inspirational and I hope the author continues sharing her story with others.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book and am inspired by her memoir. From birth to adulthood the author faced unknown and life consuming challenges. The opportunities to make choices were slim but worth taking your chance as a rider to share her journey.

[Jessica Roach · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly honest, insightful memoir about searching for comfort through various avenues before eventually finding it in herself. Touches on adolescence, parental abuse, friendships, relationships, and drug use and how the author, Ginelle, learns to navigate them.

[Joanna C · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a beautiful story about finding yourself and trying to leave harmful behaviors.

[K.P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

an emotional and powerful story.

[stylelover · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brave book by an even braver writer!

[Justinstaysreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I am so incredibly proud of my amazing internet friend. I was lucky enough to serve as one of her beta readers. I am beyond privileged to know her very personally and receive an ARC. The amount of parallels, and similarities are nothing short of a miracle. The entire premise of “making a home out of you” is the unquenchable desperation to feel loved and valued in another persons arm. It is deeply raw and painful remembering the lengths I went similar to Ginelle, to find love that was anything but that. She is a strong, beautiful, and courageous woman who ripped her heart out on these pages. Profoundly moved and truly speechless not just because of our kinship, but because of the complexity in our shared experiences.

Will be released in 9/2024. Everyone who wants a closer and intimate depiction of addiction needs to grab this one.

[Stacey Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to read this prior to release in a work capacity, and I appreciated how much I felt I had in common with the author based on what appears to be a mutual experience growing up with body representation in media and 90s diet culture. It is a very raw and vulnerable memoir that endears you to the author, but also showcases the power in owning your own story. Content warnings should be noted in case some readers might struggle with the topics covered, but I also deeply appreciate the honesty in what youth can truly experience. It highlights why it's so important to empower them with knowledge and support as they find themselves with the realities of the world, rather than bury our heads in the sand and assume they only live the ideals.

[Nik's Nook · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. I finished this book in less than two days! It's been awhile since I've felt so accomplished. 😊

2. Memoirs are always tough to judge because they are someone pouring their hearts out.

But I'll try...

Ginelle had a bit of a rough life growing up. Because of it, she turned to alcohol, drugs, and sex to ease the pain. Her house never felt like a home, so she was always looking to make a home out of someone else.

Noticing how her life was spiraling out of her control, she joins AA and SLAA to take back control and make a home out of herself.

I think we all have stories to tell, and Ginelle's was an important one. I believe that this book will find a home with many struggling with the issues she struggled with.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir is a brutally honest look behind the scenes of a long, hard struggle with addictions, low self esteem and a search for self-worth. Childhood abuse and trauma manifest in a life that spirals down into a dumpster fire of epic proportions. But, the word that came to mind when I got to the end was COURAGEOUS. Not only did this author have enough courage to take on her own demons and fight back, but she wrote down some of her most embarrassing and shameful moments and published them in a book for all of us to read. How many of us would have the guts to do that? There is a real message of hope here, and if you struggle with any of these things, then this book will show you that there is a way out. This was a great read despite the difficult subject matter!

[Liora Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for Ginelle's memoir. Truthfully, I couldn't put it down. It took effort to stop reading long enough to tend to my "real life" responsibilities. Her stories of surviving trauma, working through recovery, and navigating (un)healthy relationships hit home. I appreciated hearing another millennial talk about the toxicity of 2000s diet culture, the sexual misconduct that pre-teens were exposed to thanks to early internet use, and especially the truth behind being a young professional trying to make something of your career and burning out in the process.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heartbreaking but beautifully written memoir.

Thank you to the author for an advanced reader copy. My review is my own.

Please be sure to note trigger warnings before reading.

It’s a memoir about one woman’s journey from self-neglect to self-care. I am so proud of Ginelle for sharing her story and making the life changes she’s made. This book is incredible and I hope everyone will read it.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could hardly set Testa’s riveting memoir down!

A raw and honest portrait of unhealed trauma and its ripple effect on a young life. With an intense yearning for things, people, and vices, the author earned a heap of battle scars on the journey to self love and acceptance. This story reminds us that love starts at home, and that home resides within.

[Jacy Lavoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Incredible. I couldn’t put this book down and finished reading in 24 hours. The author details her struggles with different addictions in high school through college and beyond. The authors ability to be both vulnerable and honest as she recounts her life experiences made the book so captivating. I highly recommend the read!

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of triumph. I was captivated by the ups and downs of each event throughout the authors life. Its interesting to me to hear about others experiences at similar ages. I was on the edge of my seat for the whole book and read it in one day.

[PaigesStacked · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first memoir I've ever read and I didn't know what to expect. Very well written.
Incredibly relatable. I finished this in two sittings, it kept me wanting more. Make a Home Out of You is raw, emotional, and a bit of an awakening journey that I feel like many people share.

[Andrea Columber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so amazing. To read what Ginelle has powered through and overcame is just astounding. I could not put the book down!

[Alison Liang · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one hit a little too close to home. A beautiful and vulnerable story, full of honesty 💌 happy she is doing well now.