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Breaking Good: A Memoir
An evocative, insightful, and unflinchingly raw odyssey of addiction, recovery, and the criminal underworld of Waikiki.
When the drug habit Nikki thought she’d kicked ends her brief stint at the University of Hawaii, she starts flipping her stash to make ends meet. Before she knows it, she’s an up-and-coming player in Waikiki’s drug trade, the new “it girl” on the scene who can always get you what you need to keep the party going.
But every party winds down eventually, and Nikki soon finds herself face to face with the consequences, her life threatened by her “colleagues” and her freedom threatened by law enforcement. With nowhere left to run, her past finally catches up with her, forcing her to confront the trauma that set her down this road so many years ago.
From the suburbs of New Jersey to Hawaii’s tropical shores and back again, Breaking Good takes a frank, insightful, and darkly funny look at addiction, the trauma at its core, and the long, winding road to healing and redemption.
When the drug habit Nikki thought she’d kicked ends her brief stint at the University of Hawaii, she starts flipping her stash to make ends meet. Before she knows it, she’s an up-and-coming player in Waikiki’s drug trade, the new “it girl” on the scene who can always get you what you need to keep the party going.
But every party winds down eventually, and Nikki soon finds herself face to face with the consequences, her life threatened by her “colleagues” and her freedom threatened by law enforcement. With nowhere left to run, her past finally catches up with her, forcing her to confront the trauma that set her down this road so many years ago.
From the suburbs of New Jersey to Hawaii’s tropical shores and back again, Breaking Good takes a frank, insightful, and darkly funny look at addiction, the trauma at its core, and the long, winding road to healing and redemption.
304 pages, Paperback
Published January 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 27, 2026
This is one of the best memoirs I’ve read. Mammano’s story shows how her trauma impacted every stage of her life. It’s amazing that she recovered and has built a different life. This is a great story for anyone who likes to read about women overcoming great challenges.
November 8, 2025
I read a lot of books on addiction and recovery, and this book, especially the first part, is quite harrowing.
it was a challenge to like Nikki. She seemed completely oblivious of the harm she was casually doing to herself as well as other people. She has zero self-awareness, yet she kept trying to treat the boys (she befriended) as some kind of surrogate mother, all the while pumping them full of drugs. She kept feeding their habit, but making sure she fed them food - junk food, but still.....
The middle part of this book was slow going. Yes, I know, we needed to understand her trauma, but it was very slow. Having said that, I typically don't like the "once upon a time" part of memoirs, and that's my personal taste as they seem to go on endlessly.
The recovery was interesting, and i do applaud Nikki for her honesty and for her resilience.
it was a challenge to like Nikki. She seemed completely oblivious of the harm she was casually doing to herself as well as other people. She has zero self-awareness, yet she kept trying to treat the boys (she befriended) as some kind of surrogate mother, all the while pumping them full of drugs. She kept feeding their habit, but making sure she fed them food - junk food, but still.....
The middle part of this book was slow going. Yes, I know, we needed to understand her trauma, but it was very slow. Having said that, I typically don't like the "once upon a time" part of memoirs, and that's my personal taste as they seem to go on endlessly.
The recovery was interesting, and i do applaud Nikki for her honesty and for her resilience.
January 23, 2026
I had no idea what to expect when I was recommended to read this book. Right from the prologue, I was invested in Nikki. Her writing is brutally honest and didn’t pull any punches. I wanted to know how she wound up in such dire and desperate circumstances, living a life I couldn’t even begin to wrap my head around.
Nikki takes you on her journey starting with her wild experiences as a drug dealer in Waikiki, then bringing the reader back to her childhood to understand her path into descent. She then unflinchingly reveals her darkest days, before ending with the author putting in the hard work of ownership and healing.
I have no experience in the world she inhabited, but I related to her on a deeply human level. This book is so beautifully written and shows such a strength of character, as Nikki doesn’t try to sugarcoat the reality of a life very intensely lived. Everyone needs to read this book to understand that life is so much more complex than just the labels we slap on other people. Dig deeper and look harder, because people’s stories need to be heard and there is light to be found even in the darkness.
Nikki takes you on her journey starting with her wild experiences as a drug dealer in Waikiki, then bringing the reader back to her childhood to understand her path into descent. She then unflinchingly reveals her darkest days, before ending with the author putting in the hard work of ownership and healing.
I have no experience in the world she inhabited, but I related to her on a deeply human level. This book is so beautifully written and shows such a strength of character, as Nikki doesn’t try to sugarcoat the reality of a life very intensely lived. Everyone needs to read this book to understand that life is so much more complex than just the labels we slap on other people. Dig deeper and look harder, because people’s stories need to be heard and there is light to be found even in the darkness.
November 8, 2025
Breaking Good is an incredible story--one of vulnerability, trauma, self discovery, humility and resilience. At times, I had to put the book down as I felt so much sadness for this girl and the trauma she endured--how could anyone go through so much at such a young age? And yet, she did AND somehow found the will power to keep going. I admire Nikki's courage--telling her heartbreaking story in the hopes that others will find their own way out of darkness. I couldn't help but cry multiple times while reading--maybe because I could relate, in some small way, to some of the family dynamics. Maybe because I found myself cheering for her to get better and feeling relief when she did. Maybe because I have children of my own.
This book is a must-read.
This book is a must-read.
February 17, 2026
Wow, wow, wow! This book is a wild ride of a real person who lived to tell the tale. I’m so impressed with how she navigates the full spectrum of deep addiction, recovery, rebuilding, renewal and finding her truth. It’s painful at times, entertaining most of the time and has so much heart you just want to give the author a HUGE hug when you finish. Nikki Mammano has dared to lay it all out, even the deepest darkest moments. So honest and full of so much h heart. A must read. And for someone who also spent childhood in a “rock n roll trans am” NJ town, this was very real for me. I was heartbroken reading some of the stuff that happened to her while I was living just a few miles away. Nikki, you are a treasure
November 4, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is an incredible book with raw emotion and honesty. The ups and downs of Nikki's life make for a heartbreaking yet enlightening story.
It's very well written. The book truly shows how childhood trauma can destroy one's life but with therapy and courage, one can overcome the most impossible things like addiction.
This is an incredible book with raw emotion and honesty. The ups and downs of Nikki's life make for a heartbreaking yet enlightening story.
It's very well written. The book truly shows how childhood trauma can destroy one's life but with therapy and courage, one can overcome the most impossible things like addiction.
November 16, 2025
I couldn’t put this book down. Yes, the author shares many difficult moments from her childhood—and the life that unfolded because of them—but I found myself rooting for her along the way. This is a story filled with pain, courage, vulnerability, and strength. It’s a powerful reminder that our life story is never fully written. At any point, we have the capacity to choose differently and begin again.
March 15, 2026
If you have not read this book, run to get it! Breaking Good needs to be read by anyone who has ever dealt with trauma, judgment, denial, addiction, but most importantly, helps people understand others' struggles and helps us to be empathetic. This story of incredible resilience makes my social worker heart sing. If everyone in the world could read this book, we'd have a more loving, inclusive and compassionate society.
March 29, 2026
What a story! This book is incredibly well written and insightful. I read it over the weekend and could not put it down. I can describe it as a wild journey of emotions. It was raw, honest, and even darkly humorous at times....and I needed that little bit of humor from the author to get through some of the traumatic parts she describes. Mamanno persevered through so much. It really is an incredible story of human inner strength and survival, healing, and redemption.
February 25, 2026
You are more than the sum of your parts. This book defines the phrase, “Where there is a will, there is a way.”
I was immediately drawn in by the writing and could not put this book down! The main character has been through so much and just continues to defy odds and persevere. It’s emotional, raw and real.
I was immediately drawn in by the writing and could not put this book down! The main character has been through so much and just continues to defy odds and persevere. It’s emotional, raw and real.
February 16, 2026
I was beyond moved from the moment I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The strength and courage the author must have overcome to be able to publish this book is incredible. It's a MUST read! and I thank Nikki for sharing this something so brave and real.
January 28, 2026
Wow! I was immediately invested from page 1! Nikki is relatable and you find yourself celebrating her victories and understanding her defeats.
April 29, 2026
Well written, could have helped with some time line markers (dates…) one hell if a life to come out of sober
May 6, 2026
FANTASTIC BOOK ABOUT ADDICTION!!!!! Absolutely loved it!
February 17, 2026
Nikki has a remarkable way with words, guiding readers through the literary journey of her complicated life. The events and experiences in the book are written so vividly that it’s easy to feel the Hawaiian breeze in the opening chapters or hear the lively chatter of the “mom group” in the later ones. Readers will also appreciate the book’s thoughtful structure, strong character development, and clear, easy-to-follow narrative.
The first part feels almost surreal—a young girl rising to become a drug kingpin in paradise. The second part is the most difficult and emotionally powerful, exploring Nikki’s childhood and formative years. These chapters provide deeper insight into the experiences that shaped her and help explain some of the choices she made earlier in life.
The third section examines the American justice system and the harsh realities of prison life, revealing how difficult it is to survive within that system, even with the best intentions. The final part focuses on the ongoing, often painful work of learning to love oneself. It may be the most challenging section to read, as it honestly portrays the ups and downs of therapy, strained family communication, and the lasting impact of Nikki’s conscious and unconscious decisions on both herself and her loved ones.
For someone who has endured so much, Nikki’s voice remains filled with gratitude and kindness. As a reader, you can’t help but root for her.
The first part feels almost surreal—a young girl rising to become a drug kingpin in paradise. The second part is the most difficult and emotionally powerful, exploring Nikki’s childhood and formative years. These chapters provide deeper insight into the experiences that shaped her and help explain some of the choices she made earlier in life.
The third section examines the American justice system and the harsh realities of prison life, revealing how difficult it is to survive within that system, even with the best intentions. The final part focuses on the ongoing, often painful work of learning to love oneself. It may be the most challenging section to read, as it honestly portrays the ups and downs of therapy, strained family communication, and the lasting impact of Nikki’s conscious and unconscious decisions on both herself and her loved ones.
For someone who has endured so much, Nikki’s voice remains filled with gratitude and kindness. As a reader, you can’t help but root for her.
April 20, 2026
Such a compelling read! Mammano’s narrative has you hanging on, waiting for the other shoe to drop at any moment. You are rooting for her at every twist and turn, even when she’s breaking the law, because she’s the hero of her life story.
March 17, 2026
Breaking Good is one of those memoirs that grabs you from page one and doesn’t ever let go. Nikki Mammano traces her life from New Jersey to the sun-drenched but shadowy streets of Waikiki. The result is a fresh, raw, and often funny story of addiction and redemption.
What stood out most to me was the author's voice, which is authentic and compelling. Mammano is unflinchingly honest about the ugliest parts of her past, from drug dealing in Waikiki’s underworld, to cycles of trauma and the chaos of addiction. Yet, despite the darkness, Mammano writes with a self-effacing humor that keeps the reader rooting for her and wanting to know more. Mammano turns what could have simply been a "rock-bottom and rehab" memoir into a book that details the painstaking journey, familiar to many of us, about learning to own your personal truth, no matter how painful or messy.
If you like memoirs that read like a novel and that leave you with an inspirational sense of hard-won hope, Breaking Good deserves a spot on your TBR. It’s gripping, uncomfortable in all the necessary ways, and ultimately very beautifully human.
What stood out most to me was the author's voice, which is authentic and compelling. Mammano is unflinchingly honest about the ugliest parts of her past, from drug dealing in Waikiki’s underworld, to cycles of trauma and the chaos of addiction. Yet, despite the darkness, Mammano writes with a self-effacing humor that keeps the reader rooting for her and wanting to know more. Mammano turns what could have simply been a "rock-bottom and rehab" memoir into a book that details the painstaking journey, familiar to many of us, about learning to own your personal truth, no matter how painful or messy.
If you like memoirs that read like a novel and that leave you with an inspirational sense of hard-won hope, Breaking Good deserves a spot on your TBR. It’s gripping, uncomfortable in all the necessary ways, and ultimately very beautifully human.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews