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Addictarium
While Addictarium's special eBook edition is expurgated to an extent, it is NOT fully censored, and is NOT suitable for juniors. To purchase a fully censored children's edition, you can buy the Parts I-IV censored on the author's page. It is expurgated, with particular scene removal for this special eBook edition--ONLY!
What happens when your safe haven becomes a sanitarium?
When photography student, wild child, and self-anointed "creative, nomadic Spirit," Danielle Martino finds herself curled in a ball on the cold tile floors of her filthy rank bathroom in the tiny studio she rents with her fiancé and partner-in-crime, she knows it's time to quit abusing heroin. Severely impaired and already partially blind from the infection that the poisoned bag has caused, she is forced to hitch a greyhound bus to New York, and to abandon her care-free, American-bohemian, drug infested life-style.
Upon her arrival to Manhattan, she is immediately admitted to Bellevue Hospital while withdrawing from heroin, and the severely draining reality of coming off of drugs. Several weeks of eye-surgeries later, she has to deal with the fact that part of her eyesight is never coming back. It is then that she is placed in New York City's notorious therapeutic community, Safe Haven Village--the quintessential rehab for felons, addicts, homeless patrons, and the mentally ill.
A year following, we begin to witness Danielle's reckless plight into the phase 2 commitment of the program, dubbed The "Re-Entry Unit," or "The Village," as Danielle likes to call it, because "it is a freak-show by every definition of the word," and Danielle comes to find out the first year of treatment, titled "The Boot Camp Phase" has nothing on re-entry's bizarre "palace of panic!" She is recklessly plucked and thrown into the Queens, New York program, where she impulsively--and, desperately--commits to only graduating and leaving the program, after she finishes school, and seeks employment, but with a facility that closer resembles a homeless shelter or mental ward this bold and candid story highlights in the starkest of lights, why it is so difficult for addicts to gain the recovery they seek, when they do finally decide to "put the drug down."
From the beginning drama ensues, when her closest confidante and companion, Karen Frodge, is pimped out and eventually back on the needle. Another pair of comrades seduce Danielle into a dysfunctional sexual, triangular relationship, where all three are set to lose, while she finds herself jamming 7 hits of acid down her throat, stabbing herself in the leg while doped up and panic-stricken, and chronically relying on other substances to mask her addiction to heroin. We watch Danielle go from suicide worship, "neurotica," and masochistic-and-habitual self destruction, to finally--at last, a legit fight for recovery, in this "house of broken souls."
Danielle who was also dumped and discarded of by her fiancé of six years, on the day of her third eye surgery--to continue his own reckless lifestyle of sex, drugs and partying--ends up in the seat of counselor; Angel Rodriguez.
Enter more chaos.
Angel is a Latin, Brooklyn-bred counselor, 20 years her senior, and immediately, Danielle is attracted to him. But when he ends up her very own counselor, it becomes obssession for both...
What happens when your safe haven becomes a sanitarium?
When photography student, wild child, and self-anointed "creative, nomadic Spirit," Danielle Martino finds herself curled in a ball on the cold tile floors of her filthy rank bathroom in the tiny studio she rents with her fiancé and partner-in-crime, she knows it's time to quit abusing heroin. Severely impaired and already partially blind from the infection that the poisoned bag has caused, she is forced to hitch a greyhound bus to New York, and to abandon her care-free, American-bohemian, drug infested life-style.
Upon her arrival to Manhattan, she is immediately admitted to Bellevue Hospital while withdrawing from heroin, and the severely draining reality of coming off of drugs. Several weeks of eye-surgeries later, she has to deal with the fact that part of her eyesight is never coming back. It is then that she is placed in New York City's notorious therapeutic community, Safe Haven Village--the quintessential rehab for felons, addicts, homeless patrons, and the mentally ill.
A year following, we begin to witness Danielle's reckless plight into the phase 2 commitment of the program, dubbed The "Re-Entry Unit," or "The Village," as Danielle likes to call it, because "it is a freak-show by every definition of the word," and Danielle comes to find out the first year of treatment, titled "The Boot Camp Phase" has nothing on re-entry's bizarre "palace of panic!" She is recklessly plucked and thrown into the Queens, New York program, where she impulsively--and, desperately--commits to only graduating and leaving the program, after she finishes school, and seeks employment, but with a facility that closer resembles a homeless shelter or mental ward this bold and candid story highlights in the starkest of lights, why it is so difficult for addicts to gain the recovery they seek, when they do finally decide to "put the drug down."
From the beginning drama ensues, when her closest confidante and companion, Karen Frodge, is pimped out and eventually back on the needle. Another pair of comrades seduce Danielle into a dysfunctional sexual, triangular relationship, where all three are set to lose, while she finds herself jamming 7 hits of acid down her throat, stabbing herself in the leg while doped up and panic-stricken, and chronically relying on other substances to mask her addiction to heroin. We watch Danielle go from suicide worship, "neurotica," and masochistic-and-habitual self destruction, to finally--at last, a legit fight for recovery, in this "house of broken souls."
Danielle who was also dumped and discarded of by her fiancé of six years, on the day of her third eye surgery--to continue his own reckless lifestyle of sex, drugs and partying--ends up in the seat of counselor; Angel Rodriguez.
Enter more chaos.
Angel is a Latin, Brooklyn-bred counselor, 20 years her senior, and immediately, Danielle is attracted to him. But when he ends up her very own counselor, it becomes obssession for both...
423 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2016
189 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Nicole D'Settēmi
15 books70 followers
Nicole D’Settēmi
is a 36-year-old novelist, poet, and visual pop-artist from Niagara Falls, New York. Born in a tiny town bordering Canada only five minutes from the legendary falls, Nicole says she had an eye for beauty at a young age, which included poetry.
She has lived in five regions nationally, including South Florida and New York City, and has always been a self-described poetic, nomadic, creative soul and enthusiast of a variety of artistic mediums, but considers creative writing her number one form of art and feels everything else is just an extension of that passion.
In April of 2010, Nicole lost 95% of her eyesight in her right eye, due to injecting a poisoned bag of heroin, and was shipped to Manhattan’s Bellevue hospital 1,600 miles away from her city at the time, where she had been attending an Art Institute for PhotoJournalism. She was forced to drop her college courses half-way through to her degree, as she began a new, sober life in New York City.
Today, Nicole and her fiance, run what has become a fully operative creative services & marketing firm for authors, artists and the like, and Nicole is the founder & editor of several literary and creative lifestyle publications, in both print & digital formats. Nicole has published a handful of poetry chapbooks, diary excerpts and memoirs with a slew of additional works planned for release from early 2019 on.
Nicole has appeared on the cover of Sexy Glam, International Music Magazine, FLAIM, FWM Magazine, Soul Central, and inside various other publications, highlighting her artistic evolution, poetry series', and memoirs. In 2017, breakawaydaily.com awarded her with the visionary award in arts, and her book received critical acclaim from them as "a must read for all." Nicole is also re-publishing Addictarium: War Stories Chronices, Pt. 1 in paperback this fall, through Prodigy Gold Books!
She has lived in five regions nationally, including South Florida and New York City, and has always been a self-described poetic, nomadic, creative soul and enthusiast of a variety of artistic mediums, but considers creative writing her number one form of art and feels everything else is just an extension of that passion.
In April of 2010, Nicole lost 95% of her eyesight in her right eye, due to injecting a poisoned bag of heroin, and was shipped to Manhattan’s Bellevue hospital 1,600 miles away from her city at the time, where she had been attending an Art Institute for PhotoJournalism. She was forced to drop her college courses half-way through to her degree, as she began a new, sober life in New York City.
Today, Nicole and her fiance, run what has become a fully operative creative services & marketing firm for authors, artists and the like, and Nicole is the founder & editor of several literary and creative lifestyle publications, in both print & digital formats. Nicole has published a handful of poetry chapbooks, diary excerpts and memoirs with a slew of additional works planned for release from early 2019 on.
Nicole has appeared on the cover of Sexy Glam, International Music Magazine, FLAIM, FWM Magazine, Soul Central, and inside various other publications, highlighting her artistic evolution, poetry series', and memoirs. In 2017, breakawaydaily.com awarded her with the visionary award in arts, and her book received critical acclaim from them as "a must read for all." Nicole is also re-publishing Addictarium: War Stories Chronices, Pt. 1 in paperback this fall, through Prodigy Gold Books!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 13, 2017
Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the author for free in exchange for an honest review, in no way my opinion about the book was affected by this. I judge the books only not the authors.
Triggers: self harm, rape, mental illnesses (although not stated explicitly)
If you have not read this book yet just pick it and do it right now.
This is the best autobiography/fiction book that I have read so far that touches so delicate matters in such a raw way. I loved everything about it.
The writing style is ''addictive'', so vivid and quirky and it teleports you into the author's world without you even realizing it.
For those of you not familiar with what it is like to be a drug addict this is the best book to start with. It describes the addiction in such a great way with no covers no hidden truths is all there naked and exposed the cruel reality those people are having to face each day of they life. The struggles, the pain both emotional and physical, the feeling of being alone and afraid to lose it all. Is all there all the feelings you could ever possibly imagine are there gathered in one place there to hurt you to stab you and bring awareness of what is going on in those peoples' lives while being on acid or heroin or some other chemical.
I really appreciated the fact that Nicole engaged in topics that are tickling your brain forcing it work and think. To be honest I felt connection with her as I myself used to self-harm and I really do know this dark awful unwelcoming place. Thrust me it is a place you would not want to explore ever and she is representing it in such an intelligent way. I love her I love the book everything was perfect from the very beginning till the very end.
An addictive masterpiece I would say!
I do not want to spoil anything if the book however here are some quotes/passages that really hit me:
"He didn't let his surroundings affect him negatively, but altered them to his liking, rather. He believed in the power of illusion, relied on it for survival, emotionally otherwise.''
"My life is a funeral." I replied evenly.
"Our generation The lost children"
''We had been brainwashed by ourselves, and our inability to want to be ourselves, our minds now conditioned to believe that if we bought the newest technology, followed the latest trends, owned the most expensive cars and homes and appliances, we would be accepted and no longer have to worry about tending to the conditioning of our own individuality. It was so much easier for people to sacrifice individuality, by identifying with culture, and its ten thousand branches, what was in at the moment.''
This book deserves 10 stars!
About the author
297268_264173186929252_7591732_n
Author Nicole D'Settēmi is a 33 year old writer, currently living in upstate New York. She has lived in five regions nationally, including South Florida and New York City. She has always been a self-described "poetic, nomadic, creative soul," and is an enthusiast of a variety of artistic mediums, but considers writing her number one form of art, and feels everything else is just an extension of that passion and creative outlet.
Nicole was raised in Niagara Falls, a tiny town bordering Canada, and can remember being as young as six, when writing her first lyrical, and philosophical poems. She specifically pin-points two pieces during those years, titled "If I Ruled the World," and "If the World Ended.” She also points out being selected at 6, for the "Young Authors Club," which was a city-wide project.
Nicole won two city-wide essay contests between the ages 9-11, which was when she received her first word processor, and then typewriter. By 12 she started a fan-club and newsletter for her childhood hero, as well as penning letters to over 30 pen-pals internationally. She also had a poem named "And So It Begins" published which was written at 12.
Though Nicole (who was an honor student) rebelled by 15, and was incidentally expelled from school, she still wrote habitually. She once showed her “alternative-school” teacher a poem titled: "That's Life," which she penned at 14. He was so impressed with the piece; he had it faxed to every school in the city.
At 16 Nicole was uprooted from her small town and moved to Boca Raton, where she felt displaced and started to deal with depression. Hereditarily, mental illness and substance abuse ran rapid in her family tree, and by 20 she experimented with a plethora of chemical substances. By 23, she became addicted to shooting heroin, and was engaged to her co-conspirator and partner-in-crime. She attended an art school for photo journalism, but withdrew half-way through the year, due to a devastating addiction to injecting various drugs.
"Addictarium" was written while she spent two years in a therapeutic community for seriously addicted, and mentally ill, patrons. The book outlines many of the experiences she went through in the second phase of treatment, which she dubbed "the village," because of its extreme and eccentric melting pot of personalities.
During her tenure at Daytop, Nicole separated with her fiancé, and while in her stay at the recovery program in Queens New York, met her current fiancé, who was initially her substance abuse counselor. The book is also highly reflective of their relationship and its roots. Nicole credits the Latin, Brooklyn-bred counselor, 18 years her senior, with "saving her from herself.”
Nicole can now be found residing in the Poughkeepsie area with her fiancé, Miguel. They are both artists, and run a modest side business creatively assisting those in need of artistic direction digitally. Nicole is currently planning to eventually pen a prequel to Addictarium. She is also outlining a third individual novel, Narssitopia, which she claims will be a "psycho-dramatic thriller."
A big thanks to Booktasters and Nicole for this opportunity!
Triggers: self harm, rape, mental illnesses (although not stated explicitly)
If you have not read this book yet just pick it and do it right now.
This is the best autobiography/fiction book that I have read so far that touches so delicate matters in such a raw way. I loved everything about it.
The writing style is ''addictive'', so vivid and quirky and it teleports you into the author's world without you even realizing it.
For those of you not familiar with what it is like to be a drug addict this is the best book to start with. It describes the addiction in such a great way with no covers no hidden truths is all there naked and exposed the cruel reality those people are having to face each day of they life. The struggles, the pain both emotional and physical, the feeling of being alone and afraid to lose it all. Is all there all the feelings you could ever possibly imagine are there gathered in one place there to hurt you to stab you and bring awareness of what is going on in those peoples' lives while being on acid or heroin or some other chemical.
I really appreciated the fact that Nicole engaged in topics that are tickling your brain forcing it work and think. To be honest I felt connection with her as I myself used to self-harm and I really do know this dark awful unwelcoming place. Thrust me it is a place you would not want to explore ever and she is representing it in such an intelligent way. I love her I love the book everything was perfect from the very beginning till the very end.
An addictive masterpiece I would say!
I do not want to spoil anything if the book however here are some quotes/passages that really hit me:
"He didn't let his surroundings affect him negatively, but altered them to his liking, rather. He believed in the power of illusion, relied on it for survival, emotionally otherwise.''
"My life is a funeral." I replied evenly.
"Our generation The lost children"
''We had been brainwashed by ourselves, and our inability to want to be ourselves, our minds now conditioned to believe that if we bought the newest technology, followed the latest trends, owned the most expensive cars and homes and appliances, we would be accepted and no longer have to worry about tending to the conditioning of our own individuality. It was so much easier for people to sacrifice individuality, by identifying with culture, and its ten thousand branches, what was in at the moment.''
This book deserves 10 stars!
About the author
297268_264173186929252_7591732_n
Author Nicole D'Settēmi is a 33 year old writer, currently living in upstate New York. She has lived in five regions nationally, including South Florida and New York City. She has always been a self-described "poetic, nomadic, creative soul," and is an enthusiast of a variety of artistic mediums, but considers writing her number one form of art, and feels everything else is just an extension of that passion and creative outlet.
Nicole was raised in Niagara Falls, a tiny town bordering Canada, and can remember being as young as six, when writing her first lyrical, and philosophical poems. She specifically pin-points two pieces during those years, titled "If I Ruled the World," and "If the World Ended.” She also points out being selected at 6, for the "Young Authors Club," which was a city-wide project.
Nicole won two city-wide essay contests between the ages 9-11, which was when she received her first word processor, and then typewriter. By 12 she started a fan-club and newsletter for her childhood hero, as well as penning letters to over 30 pen-pals internationally. She also had a poem named "And So It Begins" published which was written at 12.
Though Nicole (who was an honor student) rebelled by 15, and was incidentally expelled from school, she still wrote habitually. She once showed her “alternative-school” teacher a poem titled: "That's Life," which she penned at 14. He was so impressed with the piece; he had it faxed to every school in the city.
At 16 Nicole was uprooted from her small town and moved to Boca Raton, where she felt displaced and started to deal with depression. Hereditarily, mental illness and substance abuse ran rapid in her family tree, and by 20 she experimented with a plethora of chemical substances. By 23, she became addicted to shooting heroin, and was engaged to her co-conspirator and partner-in-crime. She attended an art school for photo journalism, but withdrew half-way through the year, due to a devastating addiction to injecting various drugs.
"Addictarium" was written while she spent two years in a therapeutic community for seriously addicted, and mentally ill, patrons. The book outlines many of the experiences she went through in the second phase of treatment, which she dubbed "the village," because of its extreme and eccentric melting pot of personalities.
During her tenure at Daytop, Nicole separated with her fiancé, and while in her stay at the recovery program in Queens New York, met her current fiancé, who was initially her substance abuse counselor. The book is also highly reflective of their relationship and its roots. Nicole credits the Latin, Brooklyn-bred counselor, 18 years her senior, with "saving her from herself.”
Nicole can now be found residing in the Poughkeepsie area with her fiancé, Miguel. They are both artists, and run a modest side business creatively assisting those in need of artistic direction digitally. Nicole is currently planning to eventually pen a prequel to Addictarium. She is also outlining a third individual novel, Narssitopia, which she claims will be a "psycho-dramatic thriller."
A big thanks to Booktasters and Nicole for this opportunity!
October 5, 2016
Sad but true
I have read many addiction books but never have I read a book that defines truth as well as this book did.
The author did not hide behind a screen when she details the story of Danielle. It was sad, abusive and raw.
Every character was finely detailed in their actions and defined perfectly.
Great read.
I have read many addiction books but never have I read a book that defines truth as well as this book did.
The author did not hide behind a screen when she details the story of Danielle. It was sad, abusive and raw.
Every character was finely detailed in their actions and defined perfectly.
Great read.
October 7, 2017
This is the story of Danielle, an heroin addict and her journey from her addiction to her struggles towards recovery.
It is said that you have to hit rock bottom before you can start to surface.
That is the truth of Danielle's life. Losing her eye to her addiction, she goes to a treatment facility in New York City and then to a shelter which she calls as Village. This book is a raw portrayal of the life of an addict and the constant fight with herself and her environment to get better.
The author Nicole D'Settemi has written this book from her heart with no holds barred. It is raw, it is real, it is gritty, it shakes the very core of one's being. Nicole has written the story of an addict in a very realistic manner, her day to day desires, her constant fight to avoid her addiction, her relapse, her hitting the bottom of the barrel, her looking at death, and then the kick of her basic survival instinct to live and her flight towards her freedom.
The author has also added a backdrop of love story, with Danielle falling in love with her counselor Angel, which is both symbiotic and parasitic. As Danielle says,
"I learned that if I feel loved, really loved, I would stop searching for other things to fill me. Every person's struggle is different, every person's awakening is, as well"
This also describes the love she shares with Angel, it helped her to love herself and the break-up helped her to find her freedom and achieve new heights.
The author is extremely talented, she has also written her own poetry which describes Danielle's passion and determination to fight her addiction.
I present the last lines which are so beautiful and so true...
"Goodbye Heroin, I am saying goodbye
I want to live, So it's you who must die"
Nicole's prose is sometimes so real that it is difficult to grasp, there is a lot of trigger issues self abuse and sexual abuse, which might be difficult to read but they add to the honesty of the story.
I end the review with the lines from the book which describes the freedom from any addiction
"For those who can break free to conquer it, defeat it, it's like being able to breathe again after holding your breath for a very long time. It is like filling your lungs with air after death death, suffocation."
Ms. Nicole, you have the real talent, you made me hold my breath and turn pages just to find out if Danielle makes it. There are times when I wanted to take a break, but I could not as I had to finish the story. Some stories are so real, they have this eerie quality in them that no matter how much you want to stop reading, you have to continue reading. I just did not realize when I moved from just looking at Danielle's story to rooting for Danielle's success.
This is the beauty of the author Ms. Nicole D'Settemi's writing... It just pulls you in and you are lost...
It is said that you have to hit rock bottom before you can start to surface.
That is the truth of Danielle's life. Losing her eye to her addiction, she goes to a treatment facility in New York City and then to a shelter which she calls as Village. This book is a raw portrayal of the life of an addict and the constant fight with herself and her environment to get better.
The author Nicole D'Settemi has written this book from her heart with no holds barred. It is raw, it is real, it is gritty, it shakes the very core of one's being. Nicole has written the story of an addict in a very realistic manner, her day to day desires, her constant fight to avoid her addiction, her relapse, her hitting the bottom of the barrel, her looking at death, and then the kick of her basic survival instinct to live and her flight towards her freedom.
The author has also added a backdrop of love story, with Danielle falling in love with her counselor Angel, which is both symbiotic and parasitic. As Danielle says,
"I learned that if I feel loved, really loved, I would stop searching for other things to fill me. Every person's struggle is different, every person's awakening is, as well"
This also describes the love she shares with Angel, it helped her to love herself and the break-up helped her to find her freedom and achieve new heights.
The author is extremely talented, she has also written her own poetry which describes Danielle's passion and determination to fight her addiction.
I present the last lines which are so beautiful and so true...
"Goodbye Heroin, I am saying goodbye
I want to live, So it's you who must die"
Nicole's prose is sometimes so real that it is difficult to grasp, there is a lot of trigger issues self abuse and sexual abuse, which might be difficult to read but they add to the honesty of the story.
I end the review with the lines from the book which describes the freedom from any addiction
"For those who can break free to conquer it, defeat it, it's like being able to breathe again after holding your breath for a very long time. It is like filling your lungs with air after death death, suffocation."
Ms. Nicole, you have the real talent, you made me hold my breath and turn pages just to find out if Danielle makes it. There are times when I wanted to take a break, but I could not as I had to finish the story. Some stories are so real, they have this eerie quality in them that no matter how much you want to stop reading, you have to continue reading. I just did not realize when I moved from just looking at Danielle's story to rooting for Danielle's success.
This is the beauty of the author Ms. Nicole D'Settemi's writing... It just pulls you in and you are lost...
August 8, 2018
ADDICTARIUM: ASYLUM OF ANARCHY (WAR STORIES CHRONICLES, I)
This is my first and most dear piece of published literature, aside from some additions to/of my THICK poetry collection. Although I rated my book, I would prefer to explain to the rating system. What I provided was a rating based on the energy poured into my first memoir. --I spent five years penning, editing, and publishing this novel. My biggest goal was to expose the frightening reality of what drug abusers must face through the gut-wrenching addiction, and then the quest for sobriety. It is draining and difficult, and I was desperate to get the message across; it's possible, but with will, with raw determination. I wanted to grow, to expand and mature as a human, as a writer, as a woman, as a citizen, but none of that was possible on heroin.
Addictarium takes you through a series of events that occurred whilst I was locked away in an asylum for the addicted, more or less, and spent two years trying to break the reigns from many addictions, alongside my then-so-precious heroin. I began to HATE heroin more than I loved it, which is when I entered Daytop Village (or the "Addictarium") after losing eyesight in my right eye. As an artist and actual visionary (all definitions of the word), I couldn't bear the thought of no sight.
While I didn't expect my road to recovery to be filled with even more trauma and harder life lessons, it was, and perhaps for the best. I can only hope that my novel is placed in the hands of every addict who needs that nudge, that shove in the right direction. Here, you will see my ultimate break-down emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, and then my true recovery from everything I abused and thought I needed. Today I am proud to share the truth, no matter how brutal.
Enjoy this little tale, of an often sad, melancholy, lonely road, but one that ends with just a glimmer of hope!
This is my first and most dear piece of published literature, aside from some additions to/of my THICK poetry collection. Although I rated my book, I would prefer to explain to the rating system. What I provided was a rating based on the energy poured into my first memoir. --I spent five years penning, editing, and publishing this novel. My biggest goal was to expose the frightening reality of what drug abusers must face through the gut-wrenching addiction, and then the quest for sobriety. It is draining and difficult, and I was desperate to get the message across; it's possible, but with will, with raw determination. I wanted to grow, to expand and mature as a human, as a writer, as a woman, as a citizen, but none of that was possible on heroin.
Addictarium takes you through a series of events that occurred whilst I was locked away in an asylum for the addicted, more or less, and spent two years trying to break the reigns from many addictions, alongside my then-so-precious heroin. I began to HATE heroin more than I loved it, which is when I entered Daytop Village (or the "Addictarium") after losing eyesight in my right eye. As an artist and actual visionary (all definitions of the word), I couldn't bear the thought of no sight.
While I didn't expect my road to recovery to be filled with even more trauma and harder life lessons, it was, and perhaps for the best. I can only hope that my novel is placed in the hands of every addict who needs that nudge, that shove in the right direction. Here, you will see my ultimate break-down emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, and then my true recovery from everything I abused and thought I needed. Today I am proud to share the truth, no matter how brutal.
Enjoy this little tale, of an often sad, melancholy, lonely road, but one that ends with just a glimmer of hope!
May 31, 2017
I`ve racked my brain trying to come up with a stellar review that doesn`t sound clichéd or too close in proximity of those having already reviewed ``Addictarium`` but it is, and unfortunately, inevitable. So, I`m basing this review on 2 factors: One, that I`ve gotten to know the author personally; and secondly, for the energy and confidence she put into the making of this book.
Though a Fictional memoir, many parts, which I felt were embellished to enhance the stamina of this book, allowed me to reflect in real time and that`s what I admired about the book. From the beginning to end, MC Danielle Martino has you not at ``Hello`` but at ``My name is Danielle and I have a story to tell``.
Though the story of a recovering heroin addict there is a whole other story buried underneath pertaining to survival, hope, hunger, desire, all entwined with the will to live a normal life as a normal person which almost seems impossible, particularly with the array of eclectic characters – who all seem to have issues of their own – constantly surrounding Danielle`s world with some tending to pull her back rather than pushing her forward. True, there were some instances in the book that had me cheering for Danielle, but at the same time, wanting to wring her neck or just slap some sense into her. But what I`ve gathered over the years of having crossed those struggling with an addiction of some sort is that their actions are always justifiable and it`s up to them to declare that they have a problem, not us.
Aside from the substance abuse with acid and weed to – and I assume – channel the craving of heroin, D`Settēmi takes the reader on an emotional, and at times, witty journey through a sort of ``trial & tribulations`` so that we could grasp first-hand what addiction does and is capable of doing with or without treatment. There are many highs and many lows throughout the book which balances for a great story. Though mildly explicit in nature due to rape and other sexcapades, it is quite an eye-opener for those who have never struggled with an addiction [including myself] so therefore the recommendation to read will be most unavoidable.
Though I`ve refrained from entailing **spoilers** to the book in this review, only because I`d rather other readers make their own assessments, I will say that I was bothered by the excessive use of commas ( , ) which at times had me pausing, then reading, then pausing; other than that, ``Addictarium`` was well written, thought out and told to the greatest of its ability.
Though a Fictional memoir, many parts, which I felt were embellished to enhance the stamina of this book, allowed me to reflect in real time and that`s what I admired about the book. From the beginning to end, MC Danielle Martino has you not at ``Hello`` but at ``My name is Danielle and I have a story to tell``.
Though the story of a recovering heroin addict there is a whole other story buried underneath pertaining to survival, hope, hunger, desire, all entwined with the will to live a normal life as a normal person which almost seems impossible, particularly with the array of eclectic characters – who all seem to have issues of their own – constantly surrounding Danielle`s world with some tending to pull her back rather than pushing her forward. True, there were some instances in the book that had me cheering for Danielle, but at the same time, wanting to wring her neck or just slap some sense into her. But what I`ve gathered over the years of having crossed those struggling with an addiction of some sort is that their actions are always justifiable and it`s up to them to declare that they have a problem, not us.
Aside from the substance abuse with acid and weed to – and I assume – channel the craving of heroin, D`Settēmi takes the reader on an emotional, and at times, witty journey through a sort of ``trial & tribulations`` so that we could grasp first-hand what addiction does and is capable of doing with or without treatment. There are many highs and many lows throughout the book which balances for a great story. Though mildly explicit in nature due to rape and other sexcapades, it is quite an eye-opener for those who have never struggled with an addiction [including myself] so therefore the recommendation to read will be most unavoidable.
Though I`ve refrained from entailing **spoilers** to the book in this review, only because I`d rather other readers make their own assessments, I will say that I was bothered by the excessive use of commas ( , ) which at times had me pausing, then reading, then pausing; other than that, ``Addictarium`` was well written, thought out and told to the greatest of its ability.
September 13, 2016
I had a hard time reading this book. It is a difficult story that is being told. Even with the author stating it is fiction based upon experience, it is still a painful story. The main character is Danielle. She has been in rehab for a year and is now in the part acclimating her return to society. The book opens with Danielle continuing drug use and getting involved in all sorts of situations. There is a counselor there who she has a crush on. She gets assigned to this counselor and finds that they love each other. I have to say that I found Angel, the counselor, to be a manipulative person. At no point did I feel he loved Danielle. I think he was excited by her and her exploits. I feel he emotionally abused her. Toward the end of the book he tells her something that totally made me question how many times he did this. How many girls did he use? It made me sad for Danielle. There are other characters in the book and the author writes them well.
The author did an amazing job with showing the life of a drug addict. I have read other books where I was told it and the book is always better when we are shown. She delves into addiction and you witness the many faces of it. I think toward the end when we witness Danielle finally looking inside herself, the author is at her best. I wanted to cheer! I thought it was the most honest, from the heart, part of the book.
Now for the warnings. There is drug and alcohol abuse, which I shouldn't need to point out. There is sexual activity and for those who have rape as a trigger, there is an explicit rape scene. I wish I had been ready for that. There is adult language. Danielle self harms, (the author portrays that very well). The book has some editing issues and would benefit from an editor.
I would recommend the book to those who work, or want to work, with substance abusers and to those who try to understand them.
I would like to thank @BookTasters for introducing me to this title. I would like to thank the author for providing me an ecopy of the book for review purposes. I chose to purchase the book to compare the editing and also to be able to add it to my library. The opinions expressed in the review are my honest thoughts and feelings. I received no compensation for my review.
The author included some original poetry in the book. I think she is talented and hope she is considering a poetry book in the future.
The author did an amazing job with showing the life of a drug addict. I have read other books where I was told it and the book is always better when we are shown. She delves into addiction and you witness the many faces of it. I think toward the end when we witness Danielle finally looking inside herself, the author is at her best. I wanted to cheer! I thought it was the most honest, from the heart, part of the book.
Now for the warnings. There is drug and alcohol abuse, which I shouldn't need to point out. There is sexual activity and for those who have rape as a trigger, there is an explicit rape scene. I wish I had been ready for that. There is adult language. Danielle self harms, (the author portrays that very well). The book has some editing issues and would benefit from an editor.
I would recommend the book to those who work, or want to work, with substance abusers and to those who try to understand them.
I would like to thank @BookTasters for introducing me to this title. I would like to thank the author for providing me an ecopy of the book for review purposes. I chose to purchase the book to compare the editing and also to be able to add it to my library. The opinions expressed in the review are my honest thoughts and feelings. I received no compensation for my review.
The author included some original poetry in the book. I think she is talented and hope she is considering a poetry book in the future.
November 28, 2016
Wеll, I must ѕtаrt оff thіѕ review by аdmіttіng that before reading this bооk I hаd nо іdеа about thе dаrk world I wаѕ аbоut tо еntеr as I turned іtѕ раgеѕ. I ѕuрроѕе that mау ѕоund a bit nаіvе fоr ѕоmе but it’s truе, thаt’ѕ not tо say I dоn’t undеrѕtаnd an аddісtіvе personality, I do, аnуоnе саn have an аddісtіоn to аnу number of things, but the wоrld оf drugѕ wаѕ nеw tо mе. Sооn after I ѕtаrtеd reading thіѕ bооk, I wаѕ literally clinging tо еvеrу раgе аnd rеаdіng аt thе whirlwind ѕрееd of the drug-сrаzеd mаnіас’ѕ daily lіfе Dаnіеllе dеѕсrіbеѕ in hеr сhарtеrѕ.
This vеrу frank and partly fісtіоnаl journey ѕtаrtѕ аt thе vеrу bеgіnnіng, аѕ wе lеаrn hоw muсh іndulgеd Dаnіеllе is drug usage. She recalls feeling hіghеr thаn the New York ѕkу scrapers іn аn еріѕоdе ѕhе hаd еаrlу оn іn thе bооk. Thаt is bаrеlу nothing аѕ уоu read оn. Hеr tееnаgе уеаrѕ were, I ѕuрроѕе typical fоr many, ѕhе was rebellious and оftеn experimented with various drugѕ and аlсоhоl. Sооn however, her еxреrіmеntаtіоn wіth іnсrеаѕіng mоrе роtеnt drugѕ bесаmе a heroin аddісtіоn whісh was tо іnfluеnсе hеr life fоr mаnу уеаrѕ.
Thrоughоut thе book, hеr wоrld is an eye-opener. Hеr оbѕеѕѕіоn wіth heroin оvеrtаkеѕ her еxіѕtеnсе, аnd despite mаnаgіng tо stop tаkіng it аt vаrіоuѕ tіmеѕ, her lіfе ѕееmѕ to be оnе оf соntіnuаl struggle juѕt to ѕurvіvе. Whіlе Dаnіеllе always ѕееmѕ to hаvе hеr bасk against thе wаll, I muѕt ѕау thаt she is, іf nоthіng еlѕе, rеѕіlіеnt. Dаnіеllе is quite talented and naturally gifted in not only writing but a lot of other things too and that said, it always seemed strange how she was capable of аttrасting all thе wrоng all the time. Her relationship with Angel is also very twisted and unhealthy.
As wе travel lіfе’ѕ jоurnеу wіth hеr, thеrе are nо holds bаrrеd, еvеrуthіng is lаіd оut іn frоnt of uѕ. Thоugh sometimes еxрlісіt аnd graphic, wе gеt tо witness thе lоvе, violence, tragedies and despair thrоugh Dаnіеllе’ѕ eyes. At ѕоmе роіnt іt wаѕ so gruеlіng, I fіnd mуѕеlf wоndеrіng, hоw саn one survive so muсh?
Bу thе еnd of this truly miserable story, I was аlmоѕt ѕhаttеrеd. And I swear there wеrе times аnd ѕсеnеѕ іn thе book whеn I wаѕ mаkіng my own adrenalised dramatic muѕіс іn mу mind, аѕ the author tооk mе оn her long jоurnеу to hell аnd kерt me wіth her throughout thе hоrrіblе оrdеаl. Onе саn only ѕуmраthіѕе with hеr, bесаuѕе аddісtіоn grabbed hеr vеrу еаrlу іn lіfе. Aѕ іѕ аlwауѕ thе саѕе, people are еаѕіlу іntrоduсеd іntо thе rоllеrсоаѕtеr wоrld of drugѕ, but thе wау Dаnіеllе ѕtrugglеd to get оut еnrаgеd mе.
October 12, 2016
Danielle Martino is our heroin(e) and addict. Her thought processes, decisions and vulnerabilities are bared as the main character in Nicole D'Settemi's Addictarium.
The novel outlines life at The Village, an addiction treatment facility in New York, where it seems that everyone is doing anything but getting better. Drugs, sex, death, scandal and toxic, twisted relationships are at the core of Danielle's tale and D'Settemi ensures it is at the forefront for her readers. Danielle is verbose about her fascination with death, how it impacts her, how she bathes in all things dark. While Danielle is the Princess of Darkness, she is a magnet for people, especially the wrong type. Her relationships all have a vile undertone to them, even the one with her Angel.
The journey you're taken on through Danielle's eyes is tumultuous at times, calm at others and you find yourself rooting for her. I desperately wanted her to get better, to quit making stupid mistakes, to see herself as her positive qualities: talented, a natural leader, friendly, and empathetic. However, as is expected with an addict, every choice was predictable and, yet, still heartbreaking. Riding through those emotional waves with Danielle made it easy to keep reading, to turn the page hoping for a different outcome, a better decision, or (frankly) death.
D'Settemi has written a novel that beautifully captures the true struggle of the addicted and she should be applauded for not shying away from disturbing scenes, as there are quite a few triggers in this book.
Ideally, this novel would have gone through an additional editing cycle for common homonyms, mechanics and flow. Hence the three stars.
Overall, Addictarium is a quick, easy ready while being insightful to a lifestyle where many of us would not dare tread.
The novel outlines life at The Village, an addiction treatment facility in New York, where it seems that everyone is doing anything but getting better. Drugs, sex, death, scandal and toxic, twisted relationships are at the core of Danielle's tale and D'Settemi ensures it is at the forefront for her readers. Danielle is verbose about her fascination with death, how it impacts her, how she bathes in all things dark. While Danielle is the Princess of Darkness, she is a magnet for people, especially the wrong type. Her relationships all have a vile undertone to them, even the one with her Angel.
The journey you're taken on through Danielle's eyes is tumultuous at times, calm at others and you find yourself rooting for her. I desperately wanted her to get better, to quit making stupid mistakes, to see herself as her positive qualities: talented, a natural leader, friendly, and empathetic. However, as is expected with an addict, every choice was predictable and, yet, still heartbreaking. Riding through those emotional waves with Danielle made it easy to keep reading, to turn the page hoping for a different outcome, a better decision, or (frankly) death.
D'Settemi has written a novel that beautifully captures the true struggle of the addicted and she should be applauded for not shying away from disturbing scenes, as there are quite a few triggers in this book.
Ideally, this novel would have gone through an additional editing cycle for common homonyms, mechanics and flow. Hence the three stars.
Overall, Addictarium is a quick, easy ready while being insightful to a lifestyle where many of us would not dare tread.
September 27, 2016
The storyline of this book was well thought out and written. The main character Danielle's lifestyle, learning curves and struggles are real for so many people. The beautiful but unhealthy love both her and Angel felt for each other was genuine but needy and crippling. Still it shows the need for love we all have. Addiction is bondage not easily escaped no matter how strong the desire is. The author did a good job in portraying the trials that an addict faces when surrounded by temptations including people and how knowing what's right and doing it isn't easy. This book didn't disappoint.
December 26, 2016
The book Is well-written and well thought out. Any previous reviews about errors seem either inaccurate or the book has gone through an additional cycle of editing by the author--as I've found none.
Addictarium is NOT for the weak or queasy. This story is quite gritty, and gets to the base of why people use. It is also philosophical--which is different from most memoirs. The author did a great job.
Addictarium is NOT for the weak or queasy. This story is quite gritty, and gets to the base of why people use. It is also philosophical--which is different from most memoirs. The author did a great job.
July 21, 2018
Good but long
I liked the book but felt it to be too long and it didnt grip me as much as other books on heroin abuse have before. The characters were well written and the poems very good and a nice addition.
I liked the book but felt it to be too long and it didnt grip me as much as other books on heroin abuse have before. The characters were well written and the poems very good and a nice addition.
March 22, 2019
Spoilers: Nicole D'Settemi's Addictarium is different from your typical novel about drug addiction. Most of the novels focus on the addict, how they got started, and why they turned to drugs. The Reader will learn about their addiction and how it destroyed the addict and their friends and family. Then there will be the obligatory near-death rock bottom moment when the addict realizes that they need help and enter recovery where they then emerge a better stronger person who now vows to live a clean drug free life.
Well Addictarium is not that kind of book. Nicole D'Settemi's disturbing and at times confusing book begins where most books about addiction ends. It's not so much about the addiction as it is about the recovery from it and what happens when the people who are assigned to help the addict recover are worse than they are.
Danielle Martino is a heroin addict. The prologue and first chapter speed through her addiction where she moves from overachiever upper middle class student to troubled, sick, and paranoid addict in the space of a few paragraphs.
There are some pretty graphic moments such as when she turns to prostitution to feed her addiction or the effects turn her partially blind before she decides to seek recovery.
Mostly, D'Settemi focuses on Danielle's discovery of The Village, an upscale rehabilitation center which promises compassionate care to its patients. Finding nothing to lose except her addiction, Danielle checks in.
Most of the book deals with the power struggles Danielle has with the counselors and other patients as well as her longing to return to heroin. Many of the patients have hang ups of their own. After Danielle breaks up with her boyfriend on the outside and her best friend leaves, she becomes involved with Sasha, a female patient in a romance that is emotional, moving, but at the same time tense and borderline obsessive. Things get even more heated when Sasha leaves and the feelings of abandonment consume Danielle to the point where she wants to start using again.
As bad as the patients are, the staff of the Village are just as disturbing. There are many restrictions and rules which the patients question but are ordered to follow. Many of the counselors treat the patients with contempt and disdain rather than real concern for their well-being and recovery. Compassionate care apparently doesn’t really exist in this nightmare rehab dojo.
Of particular notice are the behaviors of two counselors. One, Nehemiah takes advantage of female patients before he gets fired for having a sex and drugs ring on the side. There are also other staff members who break boundaries with the patients.
While Nehemiah and some of the others are clear jerks, even the most helpful can be the most harmful. Danielle becomes obsessively infatuated with her primary counselor Angel. She thinks about him when he isn't around. She constantly worries about what he would think. He is trying to help her recover from her addiction but she confuses his concern for love.
Rather than let her down gently, Angel encourages her behavior to the point that after he leaves his position, the two embark on an affair. There are some genuinely sweet moments where Danielle wants to give up and Angel encourages her to keep going.
However, they are tempered with the realization that their romance began when Angel was Danielle's counselor and that while Danielle pursued him, she was mentally ill. Angel should have resisted. It was on him to end it. Every time they are together, this Reader wants to scream “Dude! Boundaries!”
Also while he is more tender than Nehemiah, Angel is still using her in his own way and comes off no better than he is. He does not respect the counselor-patient link and believes that he is doing right by becoming involved with her. She needs someone to take care of her and he needs someone to take care of. It makes you wonder if they would still be together, if she recovers and he isn't her caregiver.
With patients,staff, and counselors looking out for themselves it's no wonder that Danielle has a hard time with her recovery. It is also no surprise when she is given a bag of heroin and succumbs once more to her addiction finding no acceptance in sobriety.
There are parts in the narrative that are confusing possibly purposely so. Characters overlap. The setting moves from the Village to the streets without any meaningful transition. It's hard to follow the actions of the plot when the setting and characters are lost.
This makes Danielle comes across as an Unreliable Narrator which could possibly be the point. Do the other patients have emotional problems or does Danielle see them that way? Are the staff really that cold or is Danielle resisting their attempts to help them justifying it in her head that they never wanted to help? Nehemiah was fired but was he a pervert or did Danielle believe patient's gossip and innuendo that he was? What about Angel? Did he really overstep his boundaries as a counselor or did Danielle believe he did?
Because of the confusion within Danielle's narration, the ending where she returns to therapy is ambiguous. Will she finally recover or will she fall into the same pattern and regress? The only one who can answer those questions is Danielle herself.
Well Addictarium is not that kind of book. Nicole D'Settemi's disturbing and at times confusing book begins where most books about addiction ends. It's not so much about the addiction as it is about the recovery from it and what happens when the people who are assigned to help the addict recover are worse than they are.
Danielle Martino is a heroin addict. The prologue and first chapter speed through her addiction where she moves from overachiever upper middle class student to troubled, sick, and paranoid addict in the space of a few paragraphs.
There are some pretty graphic moments such as when she turns to prostitution to feed her addiction or the effects turn her partially blind before she decides to seek recovery.
Mostly, D'Settemi focuses on Danielle's discovery of The Village, an upscale rehabilitation center which promises compassionate care to its patients. Finding nothing to lose except her addiction, Danielle checks in.
Most of the book deals with the power struggles Danielle has with the counselors and other patients as well as her longing to return to heroin. Many of the patients have hang ups of their own. After Danielle breaks up with her boyfriend on the outside and her best friend leaves, she becomes involved with Sasha, a female patient in a romance that is emotional, moving, but at the same time tense and borderline obsessive. Things get even more heated when Sasha leaves and the feelings of abandonment consume Danielle to the point where she wants to start using again.
As bad as the patients are, the staff of the Village are just as disturbing. There are many restrictions and rules which the patients question but are ordered to follow. Many of the counselors treat the patients with contempt and disdain rather than real concern for their well-being and recovery. Compassionate care apparently doesn’t really exist in this nightmare rehab dojo.
Of particular notice are the behaviors of two counselors. One, Nehemiah takes advantage of female patients before he gets fired for having a sex and drugs ring on the side. There are also other staff members who break boundaries with the patients.
While Nehemiah and some of the others are clear jerks, even the most helpful can be the most harmful. Danielle becomes obsessively infatuated with her primary counselor Angel. She thinks about him when he isn't around. She constantly worries about what he would think. He is trying to help her recover from her addiction but she confuses his concern for love.
Rather than let her down gently, Angel encourages her behavior to the point that after he leaves his position, the two embark on an affair. There are some genuinely sweet moments where Danielle wants to give up and Angel encourages her to keep going.
However, they are tempered with the realization that their romance began when Angel was Danielle's counselor and that while Danielle pursued him, she was mentally ill. Angel should have resisted. It was on him to end it. Every time they are together, this Reader wants to scream “Dude! Boundaries!”
Also while he is more tender than Nehemiah, Angel is still using her in his own way and comes off no better than he is. He does not respect the counselor-patient link and believes that he is doing right by becoming involved with her. She needs someone to take care of her and he needs someone to take care of. It makes you wonder if they would still be together, if she recovers and he isn't her caregiver.
With patients,staff, and counselors looking out for themselves it's no wonder that Danielle has a hard time with her recovery. It is also no surprise when she is given a bag of heroin and succumbs once more to her addiction finding no acceptance in sobriety.
There are parts in the narrative that are confusing possibly purposely so. Characters overlap. The setting moves from the Village to the streets without any meaningful transition. It's hard to follow the actions of the plot when the setting and characters are lost.
This makes Danielle comes across as an Unreliable Narrator which could possibly be the point. Do the other patients have emotional problems or does Danielle see them that way? Are the staff really that cold or is Danielle resisting their attempts to help them justifying it in her head that they never wanted to help? Nehemiah was fired but was he a pervert or did Danielle believe patient's gossip and innuendo that he was? What about Angel? Did he really overstep his boundaries as a counselor or did Danielle believe he did?
Because of the confusion within Danielle's narration, the ending where she returns to therapy is ambiguous. Will she finally recover or will she fall into the same pattern and regress? The only one who can answer those questions is Danielle herself.
December 16, 2016
What can I say? Addictarium is just fucking bad ass.
The book is centered around the life of Danielle Martino—a girl who is living in a rehab with a bunch of other “crazies” as she describes them. They are off-the-wall and insane! Every character is described to make you go to yourself “wait I know someone exactly like that!”
A lot of people talked about the main point of the book on here, but nobody pointed out the other characters. So this is a major spoiler alert!!!
In the “addictarium,” we read about:
-Danielle, of course. The main character who is dark, but very bright. She is a young punk rocker personality, and it’s very clear she is trying to learn and find her way throughout the book, but seems to always fall down. The cool thing is she gets back up NO MATTER WHAT. Danielle is a little self-indulgent at times, but I still liked her. She is witty, sexy, crazy, with a sarcastic dry personality at times, but also quite magnetic.
-Karen Frodge who is Danielle’s best friend. Karen is a socially awkward and desperately lonely, would-have-been intellectual, but for the fact that her father destroyed the family, and now she bounces around institutions, usually homeless and desolate. She ends up falling in love with her pimp, Lion, who destroys her relationship with Danielle and everyone else.
-Lion is your typical predator. He finds the girls, who are both way younger and tries to talk them into letting him pimp them out, because they are both broke with 0 resources. Karen falls for it, and for him, and ends up relapsing on heroin with him, and abandoning the program which devastates Danielle. He is egotistical, and mean, and one of the biggest antagonists, in the book.
-August is an eccentric hipster. She loves to seduce everyone it seems, and Danielle describes her as having the sexuality of Marlene Dietrich. Very androgynous, and also a very charismatic and charming tom-boy. She and Danielle trip on acid together several times, and August is one of the best written characters. She is a rap-metal poetry performer, and just so colorful and off-the-wall.
-Jason White. He is a “Casanova” as Danielle labels him, who is sleeping with both Danielle and August. Danielle only finds out later on, but seems to not be terribly affected by it or surprised. Jason is a hipster who grew up in the harlem projects with an egocentric mother, and no father. He is odd, perverted, and seems to tag women inferior. He becomes infatuated with both Danielle and August for different reasons, Danielle’s death obsession is intriguing to him. She describes their relationship as “completely sado-masochistic.”
-Angel Rodriguez who is another fav character. Angel is the counselor Danielle falls in love with. It seems she is deeply tied to him for all sorts of psychological reasons, and vice versa. He is an artist also, and he and Danielle create art work together, which is when they start to fall in love. Angel is likable, even though it seems he sort of manipulates Danielle at times. He still seems to genuinely care for her, and he is protective and paternal a lot.
-Castita Castillo is Danielle’s costa rican roommate. She is tough and crass, but she has a soft spot for Danielle. She begins going “gothic” as her and Danielle become closer, and they both begin to obsess over suicide. They also love to do art together, and find themselves becoming more intimate as the pages turn. In several scenes, Danielle discusses her feelings for Castita as “indefinable,” and they do become physically/sexually intimate in one scene briefly.
-Nehemiah Sinclair is Angels best friend in the community, and another counselor. He is angry that the entire facility has changed hands and believes racism is driving them to make changes. Danielle bumps heads with him, due to his paranoia, and her obsession with Angel. He warns Angel to keep his distance from her, dubbing her the “Safe Haven Temptress.”
-Sasha Konolova is the Russian beauty that Danielle ends up using heroin with. They both get into trouble, but Sasha is removed from the program, while Danielle stays. Sasha and Danielle are an interesting duo, and this is sort of when the book gets sad; neither girl can come to grips with their pasts completely, and they seem to be able to only get into more trouble together. Sasha also uses her looks to get everything she wants, and Danielle admits to being both repelled and intrigued by this ability.
There are others, but these are the main and most memorable ones. Addictarium is very interesting, and I would say It’s worth the read for anyone in recovery, and otherwise.
The book is centered around the life of Danielle Martino—a girl who is living in a rehab with a bunch of other “crazies” as she describes them. They are off-the-wall and insane! Every character is described to make you go to yourself “wait I know someone exactly like that!”
A lot of people talked about the main point of the book on here, but nobody pointed out the other characters. So this is a major spoiler alert!!!
In the “addictarium,” we read about:
-Danielle, of course. The main character who is dark, but very bright. She is a young punk rocker personality, and it’s very clear she is trying to learn and find her way throughout the book, but seems to always fall down. The cool thing is she gets back up NO MATTER WHAT. Danielle is a little self-indulgent at times, but I still liked her. She is witty, sexy, crazy, with a sarcastic dry personality at times, but also quite magnetic.
-Karen Frodge who is Danielle’s best friend. Karen is a socially awkward and desperately lonely, would-have-been intellectual, but for the fact that her father destroyed the family, and now she bounces around institutions, usually homeless and desolate. She ends up falling in love with her pimp, Lion, who destroys her relationship with Danielle and everyone else.
-Lion is your typical predator. He finds the girls, who are both way younger and tries to talk them into letting him pimp them out, because they are both broke with 0 resources. Karen falls for it, and for him, and ends up relapsing on heroin with him, and abandoning the program which devastates Danielle. He is egotistical, and mean, and one of the biggest antagonists, in the book.
-August is an eccentric hipster. She loves to seduce everyone it seems, and Danielle describes her as having the sexuality of Marlene Dietrich. Very androgynous, and also a very charismatic and charming tom-boy. She and Danielle trip on acid together several times, and August is one of the best written characters. She is a rap-metal poetry performer, and just so colorful and off-the-wall.
-Jason White. He is a “Casanova” as Danielle labels him, who is sleeping with both Danielle and August. Danielle only finds out later on, but seems to not be terribly affected by it or surprised. Jason is a hipster who grew up in the harlem projects with an egocentric mother, and no father. He is odd, perverted, and seems to tag women inferior. He becomes infatuated with both Danielle and August for different reasons, Danielle’s death obsession is intriguing to him. She describes their relationship as “completely sado-masochistic.”
-Angel Rodriguez who is another fav character. Angel is the counselor Danielle falls in love with. It seems she is deeply tied to him for all sorts of psychological reasons, and vice versa. He is an artist also, and he and Danielle create art work together, which is when they start to fall in love. Angel is likable, even though it seems he sort of manipulates Danielle at times. He still seems to genuinely care for her, and he is protective and paternal a lot.
-Castita Castillo is Danielle’s costa rican roommate. She is tough and crass, but she has a soft spot for Danielle. She begins going “gothic” as her and Danielle become closer, and they both begin to obsess over suicide. They also love to do art together, and find themselves becoming more intimate as the pages turn. In several scenes, Danielle discusses her feelings for Castita as “indefinable,” and they do become physically/sexually intimate in one scene briefly.
-Nehemiah Sinclair is Angels best friend in the community, and another counselor. He is angry that the entire facility has changed hands and believes racism is driving them to make changes. Danielle bumps heads with him, due to his paranoia, and her obsession with Angel. He warns Angel to keep his distance from her, dubbing her the “Safe Haven Temptress.”
-Sasha Konolova is the Russian beauty that Danielle ends up using heroin with. They both get into trouble, but Sasha is removed from the program, while Danielle stays. Sasha and Danielle are an interesting duo, and this is sort of when the book gets sad; neither girl can come to grips with their pasts completely, and they seem to be able to only get into more trouble together. Sasha also uses her looks to get everything she wants, and Danielle admits to being both repelled and intrigued by this ability.
There are others, but these are the main and most memorable ones. Addictarium is very interesting, and I would say It’s worth the read for anyone in recovery, and otherwise.
September 15, 2016
First of all, my jaw was dropping. I've read a lot of her work and she never fails.
>>>>>...spark of satisfaction in knowing my secret. Something about the fact that my leg had just been sliced, none of these guys knowing it, made me feel empowered. <<<<< this.
I loved this. I'm so happy. I had to take it slowly so I could savor the way the author strings words together, not just skim the surface. I felt like I needed to hug her awkwardly or shake her hand when I finished. Just the way her language changes when she realizes about "Angel" in the office. It's perfect. When I did finish, I thought it was amazing and I wanted more, and the end of part II hurt! I just want everyone to know that I could NOT stop reading. I made myself a sleepless zombie the next day at work by reading the whole thing at night...and re reading...and reading again. The first time was to absorb the whole picture, the second time was to place it into a timeline of real life, and the third time was to just enjoy the language and the structure and how the author fit everything together. I feel as though that's the hardest part of writing, is the structure, and how to fit everything together and intertwine stories, and the fact that she did that seamlessly really speaks to her talent. You know how hard it is to reassemble all the threads of the story, over and over again? But I didn't even have to think about it with her!
I LOVE this. and I consciously slowed myself down when I saw I was getting to the end because I didn't want it to be over. Instantly, I wanted more. The author made me care what happened to Castita and with Danielle and Angel. The way her language changes when she's feeling sexual is amazing as well. She doesn't rely on the flowery phrases that I usually fall back on. She just put it out there 'my c*** was throbbing' and smacks the reader in the face with an 'oh shit yea that's real' moment they can relate to. I felt like the interactions with "Angel" were the most mesmerizing and the parts I wanted more of, either cause I can identify with the rising tension and confusion as she wrote it, or because her personal passion for him/for those moments shows through from real life, so maybe she subconsciously channeled it? She drew those scenes out so slowly and I sat there waiting for them to kiss, or throw themselves at each other over the desk....and the fact that I wanted that to happen for these two 'characters' means she really fleshed them out.
The highs and lows.....in the short pages of part III.....Nicole's ability to capture passion is incredible, both good and bad forms, I was so happy at the beginning, and then she took it down and made shit so real. She forces readers to see the ugliness. Holy s***.
Sara Martin
Creative Writer
[Please Note: updating Sara's profiles. Unfortunately the writer was tragically taken from us recently. She was an avid writer AND reader, and had been on the unofficial assembly team for "Addictarium."]
>>>>>...spark of satisfaction in knowing my secret. Something about the fact that my leg had just been sliced, none of these guys knowing it, made me feel empowered. <<<<< this.
I loved this. I'm so happy. I had to take it slowly so I could savor the way the author strings words together, not just skim the surface. I felt like I needed to hug her awkwardly or shake her hand when I finished. Just the way her language changes when she realizes about "Angel" in the office. It's perfect. When I did finish, I thought it was amazing and I wanted more, and the end of part II hurt! I just want everyone to know that I could NOT stop reading. I made myself a sleepless zombie the next day at work by reading the whole thing at night...and re reading...and reading again. The first time was to absorb the whole picture, the second time was to place it into a timeline of real life, and the third time was to just enjoy the language and the structure and how the author fit everything together. I feel as though that's the hardest part of writing, is the structure, and how to fit everything together and intertwine stories, and the fact that she did that seamlessly really speaks to her talent. You know how hard it is to reassemble all the threads of the story, over and over again? But I didn't even have to think about it with her!
I LOVE this. and I consciously slowed myself down when I saw I was getting to the end because I didn't want it to be over. Instantly, I wanted more. The author made me care what happened to Castita and with Danielle and Angel. The way her language changes when she's feeling sexual is amazing as well. She doesn't rely on the flowery phrases that I usually fall back on. She just put it out there 'my c*** was throbbing' and smacks the reader in the face with an 'oh shit yea that's real' moment they can relate to. I felt like the interactions with "Angel" were the most mesmerizing and the parts I wanted more of, either cause I can identify with the rising tension and confusion as she wrote it, or because her personal passion for him/for those moments shows through from real life, so maybe she subconsciously channeled it? She drew those scenes out so slowly and I sat there waiting for them to kiss, or throw themselves at each other over the desk....and the fact that I wanted that to happen for these two 'characters' means she really fleshed them out.
The highs and lows.....in the short pages of part III.....Nicole's ability to capture passion is incredible, both good and bad forms, I was so happy at the beginning, and then she took it down and made shit so real. She forces readers to see the ugliness. Holy s***.
Sara Martin
Creative Writer
[Please Note: updating Sara's profiles. Unfortunately the writer was tragically taken from us recently. She was an avid writer AND reader, and had been on the unofficial assembly team for "Addictarium."]
July 19, 2017
Addictarium is a story that we all do not want to know, or hear about. But it is there and here and a reality. This content tells us that addiction and abuse and chasing the happiness we all feel we deserve, doesn’t always happen.This book is scary and mean and raw. There is violence against women and other atrocities. This is no day pass to D-land. In life there are only two certainties, death and taxes. Danielle knows this.
The title alone is enough to bring up that awkward uncomfortability. Oh Danielle what a barrel of monkeys you open in this tell all autobiographical fiction that has come from your gut. I come from a family of abuse. Hell, every family has secrets and shames and realities we don’t want to pay attention to and even atone for the sins of the past, present, and future. Substance abuse, alcohol abuse, and mental illness, all are abusive behaviors and actions which shadow the sunny side of life. These are the real people who are a part of every family in America. These are the Wilie Lomans of life, the paced, the tried and the true
These are shell people who surround Danielle. No one is complete. Users. Abusers. Losers. Broken. Abused. Abusing. Incomplete. Sad. Everyday people with a common goal to be clean, wrapped up in the Americana Dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Danielle is a part of a crowd that everyone watches. The pretty people, the socials, the in crowd. This novel is part Bright Lights, Big City, part No One Gets Out of Here Alive, part Warhol’s Factory, part Edie Sedgewick. Danielle is someone you want to know, someone you have to know. Someone we all know about.
Her prose is raw and intruding at times, absolutely uncomfortable. I am not sure if Danielle deserves the label of almost caustic or corrosive, but it is there.
By the time I finished, I wanted the back story. I needed to know just why it all went bad for her. There is always a trigger, perhaps Miss D’Settemi will let us know in a prequel.
Spoiler alert, there were a few typos, but hell my book has them. This naked and raw portrayal of a woman on the edge of overdosing or surviving is poignant and necessary. And unfortunately, all too common in our society today.
The title alone is enough to bring up that awkward uncomfortability. Oh Danielle what a barrel of monkeys you open in this tell all autobiographical fiction that has come from your gut. I come from a family of abuse. Hell, every family has secrets and shames and realities we don’t want to pay attention to and even atone for the sins of the past, present, and future. Substance abuse, alcohol abuse, and mental illness, all are abusive behaviors and actions which shadow the sunny side of life. These are the real people who are a part of every family in America. These are the Wilie Lomans of life, the paced, the tried and the true
These are shell people who surround Danielle. No one is complete. Users. Abusers. Losers. Broken. Abused. Abusing. Incomplete. Sad. Everyday people with a common goal to be clean, wrapped up in the Americana Dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Danielle is a part of a crowd that everyone watches. The pretty people, the socials, the in crowd. This novel is part Bright Lights, Big City, part No One Gets Out of Here Alive, part Warhol’s Factory, part Edie Sedgewick. Danielle is someone you want to know, someone you have to know. Someone we all know about.
Her prose is raw and intruding at times, absolutely uncomfortable. I am not sure if Danielle deserves the label of almost caustic or corrosive, but it is there.
By the time I finished, I wanted the back story. I needed to know just why it all went bad for her. There is always a trigger, perhaps Miss D’Settemi will let us know in a prequel.
Spoiler alert, there were a few typos, but hell my book has them. This naked and raw portrayal of a woman on the edge of overdosing or surviving is poignant and necessary. And unfortunately, all too common in our society today.
September 19, 2016
Addictarium reads like a movie playing before your eyes. It is dramatic and poetic, and full of themes. It has themes revolving around heroin and drug abusers psychological disturbances, from love, sex addiction and obsession, to a very interesting portrayal of self mutilation.
The book opens with a girl named Danielle Martino struggling in her second year of sobriety as she commits to staying in a 2 year in-house rehab. The second part of the program is suppose to be when she is clean and sober, and getting back to a normal life. But she doesn't. At least not right away. Instead, while she abstains from shooting heroin, she still engages in multiple other risky behaviors and habits.
The narrator has also been abandoned by her fiancé of many years, because he wanted to keep shooting drugs. Danielle almost went blind from shooting bad heroin, so she refuses to touch a needle, but that doesn't stop her fiancé from doing so. When he leaves she unravels more, becoming dark and cynical, as she engages in saddo-masochistic relationships and sex, swallows acid, slices herself, and then when all else is proved not to be the cure, ends up in an obsessive relationship with her Substance Abuse Counselor.
What I Loved about Addictarium is it is honest and real. There isn't this ridiculous cliche of taking off to rehab and being amazing immediately following. The author has this odd ability to write very gritty material that still flows really beautifully. Even when the narrator is at her worst, you can't help but empathize, she seems to be very introspective and has insight that is impressive. I have read many memoirs, but most read the same. In some way or another.
This was different. It wasn't just a memoir, it was a story, a psychological revelation, and a tale about love and obsession. Her ability to write is poetic, and I like the poetry included in the book too.
HIGHLY recommended to artists, drug abusers, recovery specialists, erotica fans (it's not erotica but it is erotic), and those interested in personality disorders.
The book opens with a girl named Danielle Martino struggling in her second year of sobriety as she commits to staying in a 2 year in-house rehab. The second part of the program is suppose to be when she is clean and sober, and getting back to a normal life. But she doesn't. At least not right away. Instead, while she abstains from shooting heroin, she still engages in multiple other risky behaviors and habits.
The narrator has also been abandoned by her fiancé of many years, because he wanted to keep shooting drugs. Danielle almost went blind from shooting bad heroin, so she refuses to touch a needle, but that doesn't stop her fiancé from doing so. When he leaves she unravels more, becoming dark and cynical, as she engages in saddo-masochistic relationships and sex, swallows acid, slices herself, and then when all else is proved not to be the cure, ends up in an obsessive relationship with her Substance Abuse Counselor.
What I Loved about Addictarium is it is honest and real. There isn't this ridiculous cliche of taking off to rehab and being amazing immediately following. The author has this odd ability to write very gritty material that still flows really beautifully. Even when the narrator is at her worst, you can't help but empathize, she seems to be very introspective and has insight that is impressive. I have read many memoirs, but most read the same. In some way or another.
This was different. It wasn't just a memoir, it was a story, a psychological revelation, and a tale about love and obsession. Her ability to write is poetic, and I like the poetry included in the book too.
HIGHLY recommended to artists, drug abusers, recovery specialists, erotica fans (it's not erotica but it is erotic), and those interested in personality disorders.
September 27, 2017
This story is about the life of a young woman named Danielle Martino. It reads very much like a journal. Danielle is a recovering heroin addict, who is part of a program at a place called Safe Haven, a home for people trying to kick their drug habits. While trying to get clean, Danielle still attempts to enjoy the night life New York City has to offer. Sometimes, this leads her to dark places, where she crosses paths with people from the wrong crowd. The author does a very good job of describing Danielle’s experiences, from ordinary conversations to graphic and violent encounters. Even when Danielle makes mistakes, I still found myself rooting for her to succeed. Danielle is no different from the rest of us: she just wants to feel loved. All of the characters are interesting, and they feel like real people. This story will definitely make you look at addiction in a different way.
September 16, 2017
Dark, emotional and wonderful, in a slightly twisted way.
I have to say, I was not sure about this story when I started reading it. I felt a bit "dirty" and tainted as I turned each page. And as I continued on, it pulled me further into the world of the author, as if I were becoming an addict myself.
It didn't take long to realized what a wonderful work this story is. I felt the emotions and dark nuances of each wild and yet exciting event. I could feel the heat of the dangerous world of drugs and addiction. Along with the immense struggles of overcoming such a thing. Yet it didn't end in withdrawals , unless you counting wanting more from this author as such.
An easy five stars.
I have to say, I was not sure about this story when I started reading it. I felt a bit "dirty" and tainted as I turned each page. And as I continued on, it pulled me further into the world of the author, as if I were becoming an addict myself.
It didn't take long to realized what a wonderful work this story is. I felt the emotions and dark nuances of each wild and yet exciting event. I could feel the heat of the dangerous world of drugs and addiction. Along with the immense struggles of overcoming such a thing. Yet it didn't end in withdrawals , unless you counting wanting more from this author as such.
An easy five stars.
May 12, 2018
Absolutely AweMazing!
Nicole paints a story like no other. Her prose-like style of writing is engaging and will take you on a wild “trip” through addiction and also her mind at the same time. The speech “Danielle” makes at the end of the book to the community hits home in so many ways and I couldn’t have described the feeling any better. Addiction is like drowning and you keep trying to come up for air but...you either sink or swim.
Nicole paints a story like no other. Her prose-like style of writing is engaging and will take you on a wild “trip” through addiction and also her mind at the same time. The speech “Danielle” makes at the end of the book to the community hits home in so many ways and I couldn’t have described the feeling any better. Addiction is like drowning and you keep trying to come up for air but...you either sink or swim.
November 30, 2016
Revealing, educative and exciting
Addictarium brings out a honest revelation of the life, experience and mind of an addict. coming directly from the mouth of a recovering addict.
The book is both insightful and educative for both youths and adults alike as a preventive tool for addiction.
A must read
Addictarium brings out a honest revelation of the life, experience and mind of an addict. coming directly from the mouth of a recovering addict.
The book is both insightful and educative for both youths and adults alike as a preventive tool for addiction.
A must read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2016
Real.
Honest.
Bold.
Honest.
Bold.
December 16, 2016
Addictarium took me on a joyride through hell. It's deep, profane, explicit, raw, real and unique.
November 27, 2018
One of the hardest reviews I have done to date.
Not because of the style of writing, not because of the structure, not because I wasn’t glued to the book wanting to know what happened next.
It was the self- destruction I couldn’t face.
Addictions come in many forms, for Danielle Martino it was drugs, people, situations.
You take someone clearly talented-an artist, a poet & put them in a world they don’t understand, a world in which they want to rebel, refuse to conform, challenging society & their own destiny for no reason, not really. Sometimes there are no reasons, who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin.
A statement rang true for me-There is no need to cultivate your own identity because it is planted & supplied for you.
Danielle Martino starts off in a rehab facility-the Village-numerous characters come into play here. You are there to get ‘clean’ to get better, but with like minded people all struggling all fighting the same battle, a little tab of LSD now & again won’t hurt will it?
This character has an extremely distorted sense of reality, is in need of salvation but she doesn’t know what from, the salvation comes in the form of a counsellor at the village-Angel. And to her that is truly what he was, an angel. He would be the one try to get her out of the darkness.
August is an interesting character-a friend of Danielle’s but wasn’t always-even at her lowest Danielle sparked something in others. A quiet confidence that people saw as a threat, and in women this meant they wanted to challenge you, to have the upper hand. Danielle described August as an actress portraying to the world what she really wanted to be. And she wore the mask well.
There is a hint of sabotage throughout, even when this girl is almost broken, people still crave a reaction from her, good or bad, it doesn’t matter, such is the aura she has surrounding her.
If you like Alice in Wonderland you’ll love this. Read as she tumbles down a rabbit hole, it’s just a different girl.
The thoughts of death, suicide, severe & acute anxiety, drowning in her own thoughts as she is swallowed up by the battle for her own mind.
In a sense it seems like watching-Like she has stepped out of the room & is watching her life unfold in front of her without any real control.
I would urge you to read this book, it is extremely well written, it is raw, it sparks emotions & a deeper understanding in what it’s like to have compassion & empathy for another human being. The characters in it are all too real, some comical, likable-the book isn’t all doom & gloom.
Everyone has had these thoughts-What am I here for? Is there something more, a higher power that I don’t understand, what is my purpose?
Some of us just channel it differently.
Do fairy tales happen? Of course not, this is real life. This book is real life. Laid bare.
Not because of the style of writing, not because of the structure, not because I wasn’t glued to the book wanting to know what happened next.
It was the self- destruction I couldn’t face.
Addictions come in many forms, for Danielle Martino it was drugs, people, situations.
You take someone clearly talented-an artist, a poet & put them in a world they don’t understand, a world in which they want to rebel, refuse to conform, challenging society & their own destiny for no reason, not really. Sometimes there are no reasons, who needs reasons when you’ve got heroin.
A statement rang true for me-There is no need to cultivate your own identity because it is planted & supplied for you.
Danielle Martino starts off in a rehab facility-the Village-numerous characters come into play here. You are there to get ‘clean’ to get better, but with like minded people all struggling all fighting the same battle, a little tab of LSD now & again won’t hurt will it?
This character has an extremely distorted sense of reality, is in need of salvation but she doesn’t know what from, the salvation comes in the form of a counsellor at the village-Angel. And to her that is truly what he was, an angel. He would be the one try to get her out of the darkness.
August is an interesting character-a friend of Danielle’s but wasn’t always-even at her lowest Danielle sparked something in others. A quiet confidence that people saw as a threat, and in women this meant they wanted to challenge you, to have the upper hand. Danielle described August as an actress portraying to the world what she really wanted to be. And she wore the mask well.
There is a hint of sabotage throughout, even when this girl is almost broken, people still crave a reaction from her, good or bad, it doesn’t matter, such is the aura she has surrounding her.
If you like Alice in Wonderland you’ll love this. Read as she tumbles down a rabbit hole, it’s just a different girl.
The thoughts of death, suicide, severe & acute anxiety, drowning in her own thoughts as she is swallowed up by the battle for her own mind.
In a sense it seems like watching-Like she has stepped out of the room & is watching her life unfold in front of her without any real control.
I would urge you to read this book, it is extremely well written, it is raw, it sparks emotions & a deeper understanding in what it’s like to have compassion & empathy for another human being. The characters in it are all too real, some comical, likable-the book isn’t all doom & gloom.
Everyone has had these thoughts-What am I here for? Is there something more, a higher power that I don’t understand, what is my purpose?
Some of us just channel it differently.
Do fairy tales happen? Of course not, this is real life. This book is real life. Laid bare.
December 14, 2016
Addictarium is the incredibly explicit and realistic tale of a young girl in a treatment facility in New York City. She has started going blind, and takes off to rehab, with one eye being saved from the infection. It is then that she realizes she has to quit abusing heroin for good.
What the protagonist doesn't know is that the treatment facility she is going to is more like a drug boot camp recovery center. She completes 1 year in what she says is an "upstate facility," and then she is sent to live with a huge group of addicts in their second year of recovery in a shelter in Queens, NYC.
The Village (as she says) is insane, and more like a mental ward. Danielle Martino seems the type to be destroyed in this environment, because she is vulnerable, young, alone, confused, resentful and broken--quite honestly. She falls into the hands of a counselor named Angel, who she says both saves and destroys her. Their love is intense and passionate, and also obsessive. It is clear that Angel is infatuated with her due to her strong sexual charisma, and strangeness. The married man enters a torrid affair with this "protégé," who is 20 years younger, and they both cross lines they try very hard to resist.
We also watch Danielle go through a series of events and changes, and the book is incredibly well-written with a stark light on the flaws of the human condition. Danielle is both sinner and saint, devil and angel, genius and crackpot. She is quirky, self-aware, insightful, odd, and sometimes very egocentric. She is devastated though, even more, when Angel is arrested one day on the property and taken out in cuffs. At this point Danielle relapses, and we witness some of the most strongly written work in these chapters. The author’s explanation for Danielle’s actions is perfect in an attempt to help us come to grips with an addictive personality type, and what drives them to keep using and destroying themselves.
I just want to add a disclaimer that I was provided a copy of the book for review purposes only. In NO WAY did I guarantee any sort of review, my opinions are not biased, I did NOT receive compensation, and I absolutely 100% provided this based on my own feelings from reading it.
If you don’t have Addictarium, I would highly suggest getting it. It’s some of the best writing I’ve read by an independent self-published author, and I applaud her for her efforts.
Now just for some warnings:
There is a very explicit scene of date rape, which she lightly touches on in her disclaimer. There is a lot of foul language, and other very descriptive sexual encounters. There is heavy drug abuse in certain chapters, and could definitely be a trigger for an addict. There were a couple grammar issues, but nothing too serious.
Over-all I had a great experience reading this and definitely recommend it.
What the protagonist doesn't know is that the treatment facility she is going to is more like a drug boot camp recovery center. She completes 1 year in what she says is an "upstate facility," and then she is sent to live with a huge group of addicts in their second year of recovery in a shelter in Queens, NYC.
The Village (as she says) is insane, and more like a mental ward. Danielle Martino seems the type to be destroyed in this environment, because she is vulnerable, young, alone, confused, resentful and broken--quite honestly. She falls into the hands of a counselor named Angel, who she says both saves and destroys her. Their love is intense and passionate, and also obsessive. It is clear that Angel is infatuated with her due to her strong sexual charisma, and strangeness. The married man enters a torrid affair with this "protégé," who is 20 years younger, and they both cross lines they try very hard to resist.
We also watch Danielle go through a series of events and changes, and the book is incredibly well-written with a stark light on the flaws of the human condition. Danielle is both sinner and saint, devil and angel, genius and crackpot. She is quirky, self-aware, insightful, odd, and sometimes very egocentric. She is devastated though, even more, when Angel is arrested one day on the property and taken out in cuffs. At this point Danielle relapses, and we witness some of the most strongly written work in these chapters. The author’s explanation for Danielle’s actions is perfect in an attempt to help us come to grips with an addictive personality type, and what drives them to keep using and destroying themselves.
I just want to add a disclaimer that I was provided a copy of the book for review purposes only. In NO WAY did I guarantee any sort of review, my opinions are not biased, I did NOT receive compensation, and I absolutely 100% provided this based on my own feelings from reading it.
If you don’t have Addictarium, I would highly suggest getting it. It’s some of the best writing I’ve read by an independent self-published author, and I applaud her for her efforts.
Now just for some warnings:
There is a very explicit scene of date rape, which she lightly touches on in her disclaimer. There is a lot of foul language, and other very descriptive sexual encounters. There is heavy drug abuse in certain chapters, and could definitely be a trigger for an addict. There were a couple grammar issues, but nothing too serious.
Over-all I had a great experience reading this and definitely recommend it.
August 3, 2018
Nicole D' Settēmi uses Danielle Martino's story of heroin addiction in order to reveal to the everyday reader the struggles faced by addicts on their journeys to recovery. This very graphic novel tells a truly painful story and yet I found myself unable to put it down. "Addictarium : Recovery From Heroin, in the Asylum of Anarchy" is raw, dark and compelling. There's not much I can say about this book without being repetitive or a huge spoiler so I'm just going to leave it at the fact that this book is truly a must read!
September 12, 2018
So, I actually started out by reading a poetry book from the author. Poetry is one of my favorite things to read, but I was definitely apprehensive, but being a huge fan of her poetry collections, when I read the premise of this, it did sort of interest me.
I am really glad I gave this a shot. It's a fantastic read on addiction, but really, so much more than that. the book focuses on a young woman who is seemingly popular, likable, creative, sort of street? But, she is also very damaged, moody and obviously in recovery. She is in a 2-year treatment center and finishing up the last, at the start of the book. Throughout it, we go through her journey for one year, with an intimate look at the lives of many of the people around her as well. I loved that it wasn't just all about her, it was about a lot of people....changing perspectives, peoples misfortunes, and great story-telling. A journey yes, but also lessons learned, addiction and the many faces of it, her recovery and sometimes not recovering while flourishing others. There is a lot of mental illness, self-harm, toxic people, poor relationships, in addition to the basis of the book, and the addiction.
I am really glad I gave this a shot. It's a fantastic read on addiction, but really, so much more than that. the book focuses on a young woman who is seemingly popular, likable, creative, sort of street? But, she is also very damaged, moody and obviously in recovery. She is in a 2-year treatment center and finishing up the last, at the start of the book. Throughout it, we go through her journey for one year, with an intimate look at the lives of many of the people around her as well. I loved that it wasn't just all about her, it was about a lot of people....changing perspectives, peoples misfortunes, and great story-telling. A journey yes, but also lessons learned, addiction and the many faces of it, her recovery and sometimes not recovering while flourishing others. There is a lot of mental illness, self-harm, toxic people, poor relationships, in addition to the basis of the book, and the addiction.
July 28, 2018
Addictarium was recommended to me by a friend who read it and was obsessed with it. This was about a year or so ago. Julie (my neighbor) had been raving over it for awhile. I have tbh, at first I didn't know it would work for me. The cover, the blurb, it felt something maybe too fem (am I allowed to say that today?). I just wasn't sure it was my cup of tee, we'll say.
Anyway, to the point, I read and very much enjoyed this book. I don't know how to explain it's appeal but only that it is incredibly well written top notch story-telling. Unlike most bios or books of that nature, this book is still a STORY within itself. It's reflective of her life and drug use and addiction and all that jazz, but weaved through are other addicts wins and losses, her own love story with an older man working at the center, etc. and that made it special and unique. A very nice job and gifted writer, I will look forward to more from this author in the future. Thanks Nicole!
Anyway, to the point, I read and very much enjoyed this book. I don't know how to explain it's appeal but only that it is incredibly well written top notch story-telling. Unlike most bios or books of that nature, this book is still a STORY within itself. It's reflective of her life and drug use and addiction and all that jazz, but weaved through are other addicts wins and losses, her own love story with an older man working at the center, etc. and that made it special and unique. A very nice job and gifted writer, I will look forward to more from this author in the future. Thanks Nicole!
September 7, 2017
Addictarium : Asylum of Anarchy (The War Stories Chronicles, I) by Nicole D'Settēmi for me is without a doubt a five star read
I enjoyed this book as it was REAL. This book is brutally honest and it is so refreshing to read.
I found myself looking forward in anticipation to the next scene. The story flowed very well and at the end I wanted more. This book had me gripped right from the start and there are many twists and turns. I did not want to put it down. I definitely want to follow this author.
This book can be enjoyed time and time again.I highly recommend it.
Will definitely recommend to all friends and family
I enjoyed this book as it was REAL. This book is brutally honest and it is so refreshing to read.
I found myself looking forward in anticipation to the next scene. The story flowed very well and at the end I wanted more. This book had me gripped right from the start and there are many twists and turns. I did not want to put it down. I definitely want to follow this author.
This book can be enjoyed time and time again.I highly recommend it.
Will definitely recommend to all friends and family
January 13, 2017
Addictarium
Addictarium is Danielle's journey of being an addict. The highs, lows, joy, pain. This book helps to understand what goes on in the mind of an addict. Compelling story with great writing.
Addictarium is Danielle's journey of being an addict. The highs, lows, joy, pain. This book helps to understand what goes on in the mind of an addict. Compelling story with great writing.
September 3, 2018
Welcome to ‘The Village’, the site where phase two of a long term recovery project for addicts, occurs. The rehabilitation project’s long term nature is supposed to help addicts on in the road to recovery only everyone at The Village seems to have stalled.
Danielle Martino is past-heroin addict who came to the program voluntarily after she lost 95% percent of her eyesight in one eye due to shooting a bad batch of heroin. The book, Addictarium, follows Danielle’s life in the The Village as she tries to move past her addiction to heroin, while navigating friendships, relationships both sexual and romantic, her obsession with death, her love for art, her addiction to other drugs, the hatred of other village residents and her own psyche.
The author writes Addictarium through a devastating, real-world view. She addresses a number of topics such as addiction, suicide, toxic relationships, self-esteem issues, rape, medication for mental issues, anorexia, the effect of both good and bad therapy and the power of personal choice.
The characters here are textured. They have many layers but it does take some thought and maybe some re-readings to really peel back all the layers of the characters. Most of the characters we are introduced too are all broken or hurt in some way. And because of this, the relationships formed between these characters whether one of friendship or enmity, are very complicated. These are people who are in a state of flux. They are either in the process of becoming something or sliding back to who they were and possibly degrading. Often they take one step forward and hold that position for a month and then slide back two, or ten, in a single night.
The author writes them very richly and somehow manages to create characters that are distinct and vivid but all still have that similar underlying “something” that makes them a resident at The Village.
The setting in Addicitarium is also very well-written. The author manages to capture the feel of a place that has well used for some time along with its complement of workers that have managed to achieve as much of state of lethargy as one can in a place that always has new and interesting variations.
The writing in the book is absolutely poetical at times and then a clunky set of words with crop up randomly. It did take some time for me to get engaged in this book as the first few chapter transitions were rather abrupt and it seemed more like the author was chronicling a series of events rather than telling a story. However the chapters do begin to transition smoothly later and the book’s plot also picks up.
Altogether Addictarium is an interesting and unforgettable read. Personally, it isn’t my cup of tea but it does provide some fantastic insight about the rough road to addiction recovery. There are times when the book can bring you to tears, times when the roil of emotions presented are so raw and real, it’s almost difficult to read. Addictarium is a journey. Half the time it’s a road-trip from hell and the other half is the vacation you’ll never forget because it’s so profound, so impactful. Addictarium is a journey; not just to who you are but to who you want to be.
Danielle Martino is past-heroin addict who came to the program voluntarily after she lost 95% percent of her eyesight in one eye due to shooting a bad batch of heroin. The book, Addictarium, follows Danielle’s life in the The Village as she tries to move past her addiction to heroin, while navigating friendships, relationships both sexual and romantic, her obsession with death, her love for art, her addiction to other drugs, the hatred of other village residents and her own psyche.
The author writes Addictarium through a devastating, real-world view. She addresses a number of topics such as addiction, suicide, toxic relationships, self-esteem issues, rape, medication for mental issues, anorexia, the effect of both good and bad therapy and the power of personal choice.
The characters here are textured. They have many layers but it does take some thought and maybe some re-readings to really peel back all the layers of the characters. Most of the characters we are introduced too are all broken or hurt in some way. And because of this, the relationships formed between these characters whether one of friendship or enmity, are very complicated. These are people who are in a state of flux. They are either in the process of becoming something or sliding back to who they were and possibly degrading. Often they take one step forward and hold that position for a month and then slide back two, or ten, in a single night.
The author writes them very richly and somehow manages to create characters that are distinct and vivid but all still have that similar underlying “something” that makes them a resident at The Village.
The setting in Addicitarium is also very well-written. The author manages to capture the feel of a place that has well used for some time along with its complement of workers that have managed to achieve as much of state of lethargy as one can in a place that always has new and interesting variations.
The writing in the book is absolutely poetical at times and then a clunky set of words with crop up randomly. It did take some time for me to get engaged in this book as the first few chapter transitions were rather abrupt and it seemed more like the author was chronicling a series of events rather than telling a story. However the chapters do begin to transition smoothly later and the book’s plot also picks up.
Altogether Addictarium is an interesting and unforgettable read. Personally, it isn’t my cup of tea but it does provide some fantastic insight about the rough road to addiction recovery. There are times when the book can bring you to tears, times when the roil of emotions presented are so raw and real, it’s almost difficult to read. Addictarium is a journey. Half the time it’s a road-trip from hell and the other half is the vacation you’ll never forget because it’s so profound, so impactful. Addictarium is a journey; not just to who you are but to who you want to be.
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