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Addiction
New York Times Bestselling Author of Ugly and Mistrust.
Meth, crank, ice, glass, fire, tina, chalk, crystal or crystal meth.
Whatever you call it, it's the same thing. Addictive.
Drugs ruin people's lives.
I should know, they destroyed mine.
I'm Hannah and I got hooked on ice. What started as a trickle, ended with a tsunami washing everything away; my family, my life.
I'm not sure you're ready to read my story; it's real and confronting.
Open the book, read the pages and see how easy it is for anyone to get addicted.
Ice affects all types of people. It doesn't discriminate.
It will SCREW. YOU. UP.
*Drug abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and emotional conditioning. Recommended for 16+ Contains distressing content. It will cause you anger, frustration and you'll want to hurt some characters.
Meth, crank, ice, glass, fire, tina, chalk, crystal or crystal meth.
Whatever you call it, it's the same thing. Addictive.
Drugs ruin people's lives.
I should know, they destroyed mine.
I'm Hannah and I got hooked on ice. What started as a trickle, ended with a tsunami washing everything away; my family, my life.
I'm not sure you're ready to read my story; it's real and confronting.
Open the book, read the pages and see how easy it is for anyone to get addicted.
Ice affects all types of people. It doesn't discriminate.
It will SCREW. YOU. UP.
*Drug abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and emotional conditioning. Recommended for 16+ Contains distressing content. It will cause you anger, frustration and you'll want to hurt some characters.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 24, 2018
705 people are currently reading
1044 people want to read
About the author
Margaret McHeyzer
51 books1,180 followersNEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR OF UGLY AND MISTRUST
I’m a two-time New York Times bestselling author for my stand-alone books Ugly and Mistrust. To date I’ve published over 30 books!
I’m first generation Australian born and live in Sydney with my husband, two daughters and my rescue-dog, Kingston!
I love to write stories to connect my readers to my strong, courageous characters…with some spice sprinkled between the pages.
The characters I write about can pop into my mind anytime and anywhere. From the shower, to washing dishes, playing with my puppy or even in my dreams. My characters can sometimes be intrusive, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thank you for taking this journey with me and I truly hope you love reading my stories as much as I love writing them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
July 17, 2018
The tagline should be considered a warning !
I'm NOT addicted
I DON'T have a problem
I can STOP at any time
And thus is the story of destruction of an innocent teenager at the hands of Ice, Meth, Tina, Glass, Crystal! I knew the book would tear me and hurt me, but some harsh truths need to be faced in order to shield your loved ones from the dark lies prevalent in the society. Ignorance is definitely not bliss. We need to be alert and vigilant for our loved ones, because this epidemic is growing, spreading & devouring people left, right and center.
I instantly fell in love with Hannah, who is a high achiever, good student and a protected daughter. She's sunshine and laughter ; Health and happiness. Her family and friends love and support her, Her teachers encourage her, her ambitions high & future bright. She's loving life, enjoy8ng her school, hanging out with friends. A typical teen .
Unfortunately A devil sets his sights on this precious petal and decides to crush it with a drop of his venom slipped innocuously into her drink. Such powerful is it's hold, despite unconditional love and support from her parents, friends, teachers, seemingly aware and intelligent Hannah is pulled viciously into its grasp and down the quicksand she goes, lost.....untraceable!!
I want that feeling. That endorphin high, so high I could fly past the clouds to the edge of infinity. Yes! That’s what it was. A combination of euphoric sex, mixed with sensual overdose. God, this is insane, but I can’t wait for it to happen again.
The clutches of sexy Edgar just trap the poor girl, he imprisons her with his charm and fake security, alienates her from her family and friends and from this point on, her body is his for the taking!!
I can’t understand why this is happening, I’ve never been the type who likes being the center of attention , but something is building. It’s screaming at me to let all my self-control go and be free. This feeling is euphoric and sexy.
The beast inside is hungry, it needs to be fed.
Hell! What am I doing? My sanity is slipping. My mind is being invaded by something dangerous, yet addictive. I shouldn’t be doing this, but I can’t help but feel intoxicated by my own sensuality.
Being a mom, this book hit me hard and made me cry many a times. I so wanted to slap some sense into Hannah, cause I could see the Devil, she COULDN'T !. I could sense his nefarious intentions and she COULDN'T ! I could see her spiralling and she COULDN'T! What would it take for her to open her eyes and see how far down had she fallen in the rabbit hole. Where was the Rock Bottom!!.
Omg the frustration, the angst, the helplessness I felt while reading it, I wouldn't wish it upon any parent and this is happening every day to so many kids, brothers, sisters, parents, friends, families. The situation seems hopeless and futile. But like Mendes's did, hold on to their hand a little more longer and pull them out. ( and I'm crying now !!😭😭)
"I’m a drug addict for life, regardless how many years of sobriety I have. But i wanna tell you how easy it is to fall prey to and become a victim of something you were never looking for.”
The story by itself is very honest and stark. Its not glorified or embellished. Margaret has adopted a very brutal and cruel tone, which just packs more power to the punch in the gut. These kinds of books are needed, they're essential and mandatory. Should be in school curriculums and every young person made to read such books to open their eyes to the evils and heinous intentions of these bottom dwelling dredges of society like Zac(since reformed) and Edgar Zaro. It's like sweeping the tide back in the sea kind of a mammoth task, but every bit helps, every child saved is a life redeemed.
The first task is to accept, then support, then talk about it with experts.
“My name is Hannah Rose Mendes, and I’m a drug addict.”
4.5 "Warrior Hannah" stars
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I'm NOT addicted
I DON'T have a problem
I can STOP at any time
And thus is the story of destruction of an innocent teenager at the hands of Ice, Meth, Tina, Glass, Crystal! I knew the book would tear me and hurt me, but some harsh truths need to be faced in order to shield your loved ones from the dark lies prevalent in the society. Ignorance is definitely not bliss. We need to be alert and vigilant for our loved ones, because this epidemic is growing, spreading & devouring people left, right and center.
I instantly fell in love with Hannah, who is a high achiever, good student and a protected daughter. She's sunshine and laughter ; Health and happiness. Her family and friends love and support her, Her teachers encourage her, her ambitions high & future bright. She's loving life, enjoy8ng her school, hanging out with friends. A typical teen .
Unfortunately A devil sets his sights on this precious petal and decides to crush it with a drop of his venom slipped innocuously into her drink. Such powerful is it's hold, despite unconditional love and support from her parents, friends, teachers, seemingly aware and intelligent Hannah is pulled viciously into its grasp and down the quicksand she goes, lost.....untraceable!!
I want that feeling. That endorphin high, so high I could fly past the clouds to the edge of infinity. Yes! That’s what it was. A combination of euphoric sex, mixed with sensual overdose. God, this is insane, but I can’t wait for it to happen again.
The clutches of sexy Edgar just trap the poor girl, he imprisons her with his charm and fake security, alienates her from her family and friends and from this point on, her body is his for the taking!!
I can’t understand why this is happening, I’ve never been the type who likes being the center of attention , but something is building. It’s screaming at me to let all my self-control go and be free. This feeling is euphoric and sexy.
The beast inside is hungry, it needs to be fed.
Hell! What am I doing? My sanity is slipping. My mind is being invaded by something dangerous, yet addictive. I shouldn’t be doing this, but I can’t help but feel intoxicated by my own sensuality.
Being a mom, this book hit me hard and made me cry many a times. I so wanted to slap some sense into Hannah, cause I could see the Devil, she COULDN'T !. I could sense his nefarious intentions and she COULDN'T ! I could see her spiralling and she COULDN'T! What would it take for her to open her eyes and see how far down had she fallen in the rabbit hole. Where was the Rock Bottom!!.
Omg the frustration, the angst, the helplessness I felt while reading it, I wouldn't wish it upon any parent and this is happening every day to so many kids, brothers, sisters, parents, friends, families. The situation seems hopeless and futile. But like Mendes's did, hold on to their hand a little more longer and pull them out. ( and I'm crying now !!😭😭)
"I’m a drug addict for life, regardless how many years of sobriety I have. But i wanna tell you how easy it is to fall prey to and become a victim of something you were never looking for.”
The story by itself is very honest and stark. Its not glorified or embellished. Margaret has adopted a very brutal and cruel tone, which just packs more power to the punch in the gut. These kinds of books are needed, they're essential and mandatory. Should be in school curriculums and every young person made to read such books to open their eyes to the evils and heinous intentions of these bottom dwelling dredges of society like Zac(since reformed) and Edgar Zaro. It's like sweeping the tide back in the sea kind of a mammoth task, but every bit helps, every child saved is a life redeemed.
The first task is to accept, then support, then talk about it with experts.
“My name is Hannah Rose Mendes, and I’m a drug addict.”
4.5 "Warrior Hannah" stars
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July 10, 2018
Addiction
by Margaret McHeyzer
4.5 Stars
When I saw that Margaret McHeyzer was writing this book, I knew immediately that I would read it. There is something about addiction books that I love. They are raw, sad, emotionally disturbing. This book did not disappoint!
17-year-old Hannah has her life all figured out. Study hard, go to school every day, get accepted to college and become the elementary school teacher she’s always wanted to become.
When her BFF Kristen invites her to her parent’s anniversary party, Hannah’s life changed from that day forward.
Zac isn’t who Hannah thought he would be. To not stand up for her, to let a stranger talk to her like what had just happened… Nope, moving on and dropping Zac. When a guy doesn’t take care of the girl he’s with, there is no need to go any further.
So why oh why does she keep thinking about the rude talking, drug dealer Edgar.
Edgar is slime. He is a scumbag. He is the lowest of all low on the human chain. Predator waiting to strike out at his next victim. He has set his target and is going in… Full strength ready to stake his claim on this young, girl next door, innocent Hannah.
It’s not a pretty story. It’s not a cookie cutter book. It’s not a love at first sight, get married, have kids story.
It’s a story of addiction and what a person goes through after that first hit. Following the chase for the next hit.
Seeking that high that feels so good.
Even though you are not an addict…You can quit at any time.
Well done Margaret McHeyzer on telling us Hannah’s story. Well written, flowed perfectly, emotional journey. My only thought while reading this story was, where did Zac go? Was he trying to help, did he tell anyone about their meeting, was he in on this too? Other than that, I totally enjoyed reading Addiction!!!
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by Margaret McHeyzer
4.5 Stars
When I saw that Margaret McHeyzer was writing this book, I knew immediately that I would read it. There is something about addiction books that I love. They are raw, sad, emotionally disturbing. This book did not disappoint!
17-year-old Hannah has her life all figured out. Study hard, go to school every day, get accepted to college and become the elementary school teacher she’s always wanted to become.
When her BFF Kristen invites her to her parent’s anniversary party, Hannah’s life changed from that day forward.
Zac isn’t who Hannah thought he would be. To not stand up for her, to let a stranger talk to her like what had just happened… Nope, moving on and dropping Zac. When a guy doesn’t take care of the girl he’s with, there is no need to go any further.
So why oh why does she keep thinking about the rude talking, drug dealer Edgar.
Edgar is slime. He is a scumbag. He is the lowest of all low on the human chain. Predator waiting to strike out at his next victim. He has set his target and is going in… Full strength ready to stake his claim on this young, girl next door, innocent Hannah.
It’s not a pretty story. It’s not a cookie cutter book. It’s not a love at first sight, get married, have kids story.
It’s a story of addiction and what a person goes through after that first hit. Following the chase for the next hit.
Seeking that high that feels so good.
Even though you are not an addict…You can quit at any time.
Well done Margaret McHeyzer on telling us Hannah’s story. Well written, flowed perfectly, emotional journey. My only thought while reading this story was, where did Zac go? Was he trying to help, did he tell anyone about their meeting, was he in on this too? Other than that, I totally enjoyed reading Addiction!!!
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July 12, 2018
Right, I am not even sure where to start with this book but I going say it is one of my top reads for 2018.
It is raw, It is heartbreaking. but a story that must be told.
Margaret always writes about hard subjects and this one no different.
I not sure how I am feeling after this book I loved it don’t get me wrong but I feel like I been through the ringer with Hannah’s story. I really connected with her I understood her I have never touched drugs and never will be it was like I could relate to her like I was right there with her I just wanted to hug her and try and help her.. I cried for her.
I would say Hannah was very naive, she was not stupid, She was brought up in a well stable family had great friends never wanted for anything. She just fell for the wrong person even though she knew he was wrong for her. She knew it. However, Edgar just kept on at her till she went on a date with him and that was all it took for him to sink his claws in I HATED HIM he was manipulative he made her Believe things that are not true... I need to stop do not want spoilers.
Again, this author delivers another great read that you feel everything the character is going through and you just want to hug her. This book has all the feels I did not cry as much as I normally do with Margaret’s books but I was emotional in parts and so annoyed at other parts I had tears running down my face.
It is raw, It is heartbreaking. but a story that must be told.
Margaret always writes about hard subjects and this one no different.
I not sure how I am feeling after this book I loved it don’t get me wrong but I feel like I been through the ringer with Hannah’s story. I really connected with her I understood her I have never touched drugs and never will be it was like I could relate to her like I was right there with her I just wanted to hug her and try and help her.. I cried for her.
I would say Hannah was very naive, she was not stupid, She was brought up in a well stable family had great friends never wanted for anything. She just fell for the wrong person even though she knew he was wrong for her. She knew it. However, Edgar just kept on at her till she went on a date with him and that was all it took for him to sink his claws in I HATED HIM he was manipulative he made her Believe things that are not true... I need to stop do not want spoilers.
Again, this author delivers another great read that you feel everything the character is going through and you just want to hug her. This book has all the feels I did not cry as much as I normally do with Margaret’s books but I was emotional in parts and so annoyed at other parts I had tears running down my face.
July 23, 2018
Wowzers. This is an epic read. If you've read any of this authors books you know she has her own unique way to grab the readers attention. She certainly did with this story. The author knows how to strip a book down so the feelings and emotions absorb into the reader.
This is an intense read. I felt as if the author pulled my heart out and put it through the wringer. I seriously was broken reading this. I'm not going to go into the storyline. I feel that you NEED to read this. Feel the story.
This is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of the year.
This is an intense read. I felt as if the author pulled my heart out and put it through the wringer. I seriously was broken reading this. I'm not going to go into the storyline. I feel that you NEED to read this. Feel the story.
This is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of the year.
July 31, 2019
I really didn't like this book.
Hannah is a good girl who falls into a really creepy, controlling relationship with a drug dealer who becomes obsessed with her. This was the first part of the story that really didn't work for me. Hannah is a smart girl with a loving family and good friends. When creepy Edgar starts following her around and insisting she ride in his car, I couldn't believe she wouldn't have said something about it. Or called the police.
But no. She starts 'feeling things' for this guy who is essentially stalking her. And her best friend, despite noticing she's acting weird and disappearing a lot, doesn't even do anything about it, apparently too wrapped up in her own new boyfriend. Then Hannah goes on a date with Mr. Creepy just to get him off her back. And he drugs her and she becomes a sex maniac. In this scene, I was sure he'd dosed her with Ecstasy, but apparently liquid meth is even better at making you horny for a guy you barely know and don't like to the point of tearing your clothes off and basically raping him. Despite being a virgin with no experience.
The whole Edgar-Hannah relationship was unbelievable. Any modern girl would be far too savvy and clued up to fall for his brand of bullshit. It only becomes believable once he's got Hannah hooked on meth and dependent on him to supply it. And once she's there, he starts using her for all kinds of other things that she doesn't fully understand because her brain is so fried from the meth.
The rest of the book follows Hannah through her addiction and the delusions it gives her. It doesn't shy away from the terrible things she does and says to people, or the things she does to herself. And this part of the book was at least a little more realistic than the earlier part.
Overall, this was probably a fairly realistic portrait of meth addiction, but the way Hannah fell into it did not feel realistic at all. It's far more likely that a girl like Hannah would have been given a taste of it at a party or some other gathering of people her own age. The way Edgar pursued her and groomed her just felt so wrong, and her reaction to it made no sense.
So I won't be recommending this one. It seems I'm in the minority - this book has a lot of great reviews from other reviewers - but I'm sticking with my assessment.
Hannah is a good girl who falls into a really creepy, controlling relationship with a drug dealer who becomes obsessed with her. This was the first part of the story that really didn't work for me. Hannah is a smart girl with a loving family and good friends. When creepy Edgar starts following her around and insisting she ride in his car, I couldn't believe she wouldn't have said something about it. Or called the police.
But no. She starts 'feeling things' for this guy who is essentially stalking her. And her best friend, despite noticing she's acting weird and disappearing a lot, doesn't even do anything about it, apparently too wrapped up in her own new boyfriend. Then Hannah goes on a date with Mr. Creepy just to get him off her back. And he drugs her and she becomes a sex maniac. In this scene, I was sure he'd dosed her with Ecstasy, but apparently liquid meth is even better at making you horny for a guy you barely know and don't like to the point of tearing your clothes off and basically raping him. Despite being a virgin with no experience.
The whole Edgar-Hannah relationship was unbelievable. Any modern girl would be far too savvy and clued up to fall for his brand of bullshit. It only becomes believable once he's got Hannah hooked on meth and dependent on him to supply it. And once she's there, he starts using her for all kinds of other things that she doesn't fully understand because her brain is so fried from the meth.
The rest of the book follows Hannah through her addiction and the delusions it gives her. It doesn't shy away from the terrible things she does and says to people, or the things she does to herself. And this part of the book was at least a little more realistic than the earlier part.
Overall, this was probably a fairly realistic portrait of meth addiction, but the way Hannah fell into it did not feel realistic at all. It's far more likely that a girl like Hannah would have been given a taste of it at a party or some other gathering of people her own age. The way Edgar pursued her and groomed her just felt so wrong, and her reaction to it made no sense.
So I won't be recommending this one. It seems I'm in the minority - this book has a lot of great reviews from other reviewers - but I'm sticking with my assessment.
December 25, 2025
This book hit me hard. As a psych nurse, I’ve seen addiction up close. I’ve watched it take hold of people, strip them of everything they were, and turn them into someone their own family barely recognizes. I’ve seen it destroy lives, not just of those using but of everyone around them. And yet, Addiction still shook me to my core.
The story follows a teenage girl who starts using meth, thinking she’s in control. At first, it’s just an escape, something that makes her feel good, numbs the pain, helps her forget. But addiction doesn’t work like that. Before she knows it, she’s not the one making the choices anymore, the drug is. Her life spirals fast, and the person she used to be fades away. What makes this book so powerful is the way McHeyzer brings addiction to life as its own character, a voice inside her head that manipulates, deceives, and controls her every move. It’s terrifyingly accurate.
The whole time I was reading, I couldn’t stop thinking about my friend. She’s in deep right now. She lies, she denies, she swears she’s fine, but I know she’s not. I know where this road leads. And I’m terrified. Every time my phone rings, I brace myself for the worst. I keep wondering when, not if, but when I’ll get that call telling me she didn’t make it. That’s what addiction does. It doesn’t just kill the addict; it slowly tortures everyone who loves them.
And that’s the real message of this book. Addiction doesn’t just steal one life, it leaves a trail of wreckage behind it. Families, friends, people who would give anything to save the person they love, but can’t. Because addiction is stronger than love. Stronger than reason. Stronger than anything, until the person using decides to fight back. And even then, it’s a battle most don’t win.
If you’ve ever loved someone struggling with addiction, this book will break you. If you haven’t, Addiction will show you a world you can’t ignore. It’s not an easy read, but it’s an important one.
This book is going to stay with me for a long time.
The story follows a teenage girl who starts using meth, thinking she’s in control. At first, it’s just an escape, something that makes her feel good, numbs the pain, helps her forget. But addiction doesn’t work like that. Before she knows it, she’s not the one making the choices anymore, the drug is. Her life spirals fast, and the person she used to be fades away. What makes this book so powerful is the way McHeyzer brings addiction to life as its own character, a voice inside her head that manipulates, deceives, and controls her every move. It’s terrifyingly accurate.
The whole time I was reading, I couldn’t stop thinking about my friend. She’s in deep right now. She lies, she denies, she swears she’s fine, but I know she’s not. I know where this road leads. And I’m terrified. Every time my phone rings, I brace myself for the worst. I keep wondering when, not if, but when I’ll get that call telling me she didn’t make it. That’s what addiction does. It doesn’t just kill the addict; it slowly tortures everyone who loves them.
And that’s the real message of this book. Addiction doesn’t just steal one life, it leaves a trail of wreckage behind it. Families, friends, people who would give anything to save the person they love, but can’t. Because addiction is stronger than love. Stronger than reason. Stronger than anything, until the person using decides to fight back. And even then, it’s a battle most don’t win.
If you’ve ever loved someone struggling with addiction, this book will break you. If you haven’t, Addiction will show you a world you can’t ignore. It’s not an easy read, but it’s an important one.
This book is going to stay with me for a long time.
July 29, 2018
I read this book in 3.5 hours. I ignored my family. I didn’t eat dinner and when I had to pee I held it. I couldn’t put this book down. Hannah’s story is addicting. I had to know what happened and how it ended. I had to finish reading it before I could do anything else.
Addiction is raw and powerful. It’s emotional. Eye opening. The insight that we have inside a drug addicts mind is real. I was scared to continue reading it but at the same time I knew I had to continue.
Hannah could be anyone. Your daughter. Your best friend. Your girlfriend. Your niece. Your granddaughter. Anyone. She’s the girl next door. Sweet. Nice. Pretty. Someone who is respectful. Responsible. Makes straight A’s and has goals.
Her biggest mistake is falling for a guy who was going to be her destruction. Her ruin. Sucking the life from her like a leech. Stripping her bare until there was no more Hannah but a ghost. A skeleton.
Hannah’s story is hard to read. Extremely hard. I think everyone who has teenage daughters need to read this. Their daughters need to read this. They need to be made aware of the real life issues out there. This isn’t glossed over. It’s a story with real meaning and it needs to be read by everyone. I’m so glad I read it and you will be too.
Addiction is raw and powerful. It’s emotional. Eye opening. The insight that we have inside a drug addicts mind is real. I was scared to continue reading it but at the same time I knew I had to continue.
Hannah could be anyone. Your daughter. Your best friend. Your girlfriend. Your niece. Your granddaughter. Anyone. She’s the girl next door. Sweet. Nice. Pretty. Someone who is respectful. Responsible. Makes straight A’s and has goals.
Her biggest mistake is falling for a guy who was going to be her destruction. Her ruin. Sucking the life from her like a leech. Stripping her bare until there was no more Hannah but a ghost. A skeleton.
Hannah’s story is hard to read. Extremely hard. I think everyone who has teenage daughters need to read this. Their daughters need to read this. They need to be made aware of the real life issues out there. This isn’t glossed over. It’s a story with real meaning and it needs to be read by everyone. I’m so glad I read it and you will be too.
July 9, 2018
"For you, I'd walk to the end of the earth, and still have the strength to kill anyone who'd hurt you. But when you're hurting yourself, that breaks not only heart, by my soul."
"I'm trying," I say in a small voice. More to myself than to Mom.
I am no stranger to these types of books. Memoirs Aren't Fairytales by Marni Mann blew me away with how raw it was. Saving Beck by Courtney Cole blew me away entirely with it's authenticity, so books like Addiction really pique my interest and typically grab my attention at the get go.
I'm always so intrigued on how these events happen. The befores, the durings, and the afters. The whys and the hows and whats. They rock me every single time. Seeing it all play out for you and witnessing the crashes, I just really love the uneasiness and un-comfortableness that I feel from reading those type of books. Addicted did not disappoint in any of those fields.
"Edgar is my light. Before him I was trapped in darkness, but he flicked a match, and suddenly, the world became good, not bad anymore."
The author shows how it happens and how quick it can happen. I really liked that. There was no timeline jumping that was excessive or overly done and the author did a really great job at delving into the mind of Hannah. Reading this book through her POV really brings a whole new light to the drugs. You get to witness her brain process, the lies, the stealing, the manipulating, all through Hannah's POV and to me that was done in an exceptional manner and most definitely beneficial to this story.
I had an issue with the book and that issue was Zac. Mainly where he went. He just...vanished. He plays a huge role in the first 25% of the book but where does he go to after that? Did he really have zero concern or care when it came to Hannah?
I really enjoyed the ending and the way Hannah's story tied up. Usually I am not satisfied because it's like their journey just...stops. But knowing how Hannah went on, even after everything that happened, and what she learned from it was really respected in my opinion.
This book is not easy. And I don't say that lightly because I have read quite a few books that cover this topic and each one is grittier than the next. This is the real world, in your face, no faltering in Hannah's story. It's all in this book for you. Right in your face.
"I'm trying," I say in a small voice. More to myself than to Mom.
I am no stranger to these types of books. Memoirs Aren't Fairytales by Marni Mann blew me away with how raw it was. Saving Beck by Courtney Cole blew me away entirely with it's authenticity, so books like Addiction really pique my interest and typically grab my attention at the get go.
I'm always so intrigued on how these events happen. The befores, the durings, and the afters. The whys and the hows and whats. They rock me every single time. Seeing it all play out for you and witnessing the crashes, I just really love the uneasiness and un-comfortableness that I feel from reading those type of books. Addicted did not disappoint in any of those fields.
"Edgar is my light. Before him I was trapped in darkness, but he flicked a match, and suddenly, the world became good, not bad anymore."
The author shows how it happens and how quick it can happen. I really liked that. There was no timeline jumping that was excessive or overly done and the author did a really great job at delving into the mind of Hannah. Reading this book through her POV really brings a whole new light to the drugs. You get to witness her brain process, the lies, the stealing, the manipulating, all through Hannah's POV and to me that was done in an exceptional manner and most definitely beneficial to this story.
I had an issue with the book and that issue was Zac. Mainly where he went. He just...vanished. He plays a huge role in the first 25% of the book but where does he go to after that? Did he really have zero concern or care when it came to Hannah?
I really enjoyed the ending and the way Hannah's story tied up. Usually I am not satisfied because it's like their journey just...stops. But knowing how Hannah went on, even after everything that happened, and what she learned from it was really respected in my opinion.
This book is not easy. And I don't say that lightly because I have read quite a few books that cover this topic and each one is grittier than the next. This is the real world, in your face, no faltering in Hannah's story. It's all in this book for you. Right in your face.
July 30, 2018
4 * Drugs are not the answer, they're the cause. " estrelas
Mais um livro que leio sobre esse tema esse ano e mais um livro que eu gosto.
Acho que esse assunto é super complicado e delicado de falar, e a autora abordou de um modo tão real/ natural.
Drogas podem acontecer para qualquer um. Drogas não tem idade, não tem sexo, não tem etnia... Elas simplesmente acontecem sem nem nos darmos conta.
Mais um livro pesado sobre esse assunto real que vale a leitura.
Mais um livro que leio sobre esse tema esse ano e mais um livro que eu gosto.
Acho que esse assunto é super complicado e delicado de falar, e a autora abordou de um modo tão real/ natural.
Drogas podem acontecer para qualquer um. Drogas não tem idade, não tem sexo, não tem etnia... Elas simplesmente acontecem sem nem nos darmos conta.
Mais um livro pesado sobre esse assunto real que vale a leitura.
July 12, 2018
Raw, emotional, heartbreaking and so true to real life. That how I describe Addiction.
Hannah, girl next door, the world is her oyster. A grade student, loved by everyone. She is strong willed and has a "don't mess with me" additude but it is all of these qualities that catch the eye of Edgar.
Edgar, Edgar, Edgar. How do I describe him. He's suave, good looking, smooth talker, statuesque but all of that only goes so far and as he become more cemented into Hannah's life his true colours show.
The biggest shame this is not how you think other people see you, but it's how you see yourself
Addiction takes you on a journey into the life and mind of a true drug addict. It's told purely from Hannah's POV and the dark depths in which she travelled. IT'S NOT PRETTY. It's not Romance. It's true life. At times I just wanted to grab ahold of her and try a talk some sense into her. She was so young and naive and when a monster has his eye on you, you are not safe.
Become a warrior and make a difference
McHeyzer has done a fantastic job in bringing us a story that will hit home to so many. It opens our eyes into just what a drug addict goes through and gives us an insight into their thought process. The epilogue was outstanding and was a perfect ending for and emotional read.
Hannah, girl next door, the world is her oyster. A grade student, loved by everyone. She is strong willed and has a "don't mess with me" additude but it is all of these qualities that catch the eye of Edgar.
Edgar, Edgar, Edgar. How do I describe him. He's suave, good looking, smooth talker, statuesque but all of that only goes so far and as he become more cemented into Hannah's life his true colours show.
The biggest shame this is not how you think other people see you, but it's how you see yourself
Addiction takes you on a journey into the life and mind of a true drug addict. It's told purely from Hannah's POV and the dark depths in which she travelled. IT'S NOT PRETTY. It's not Romance. It's true life. At times I just wanted to grab ahold of her and try a talk some sense into her. She was so young and naive and when a monster has his eye on you, you are not safe.
Become a warrior and make a difference
McHeyzer has done a fantastic job in bringing us a story that will hit home to so many. It opens our eyes into just what a drug addict goes through and gives us an insight into their thought process. The epilogue was outstanding and was a perfect ending for and emotional read.
February 22, 2020
Wow this was really intense. Even though I’ve read a fair few books involving drug abuse this messed with my head and genuinely shocked me in parts.
It shows you that literally anybody can be pulled in and become addicted and even though Hannah’s story is fictional is still hits hard.
It shows you that literally anybody can be pulled in and become addicted and even though Hannah’s story is fictional is still hits hard.
February 4, 2024
4.5⭐️!
I binged this book and oh my god. I randomly borrowed this on kindle unlimited thinking it was going to be a clichè 3 star read. This was SO much more than I could’ve imagined. This is a harrowing emotional read. It’s so real and raw and tells an honest story about how drugs can change even the best of people.
This book was definitely hard to read at times and I loved how it didn’t shy away from the tougher and confronting parts of addiction.
We see Hannah at 17, fall in love with a drug dealer and we watch as she gets hooked on drugs, destroys her life, ruins all her relationships and becomes entirely dependant on her pimp and drugs.
There were so many times I wanted to smack Hannah and shake her, all while feeling so incredibly sorry for her. This book brought out so many emotions.
While this is labeled as YA I definitely think the age rating the author gave (16+) is definitely accurate and warranted. Look up trigger warnings before reading.
I binged this book and oh my god. I randomly borrowed this on kindle unlimited thinking it was going to be a clichè 3 star read. This was SO much more than I could’ve imagined. This is a harrowing emotional read. It’s so real and raw and tells an honest story about how drugs can change even the best of people.
This book was definitely hard to read at times and I loved how it didn’t shy away from the tougher and confronting parts of addiction.
We see Hannah at 17, fall in love with a drug dealer and we watch as she gets hooked on drugs, destroys her life, ruins all her relationships and becomes entirely dependant on her pimp and drugs.
There were so many times I wanted to smack Hannah and shake her, all while feeling so incredibly sorry for her. This book brought out so many emotions.
While this is labeled as YA I definitely think the age rating the author gave (16+) is definitely accurate and warranted. Look up trigger warnings before reading.
March 30, 2020
The only good thing about this book is the cover, and even then, it isn’t that good. This book can certainly be judged by its cover: cliche, unoriginal, bland. I wish I’d just stopped at the cover and hadn’t subjected myself to almost 400 pages of this.
Firstly, I should’ve known how this book would go when they had a prologue to state that you SHOULD dislike the protagonist. I’ve read my fair share of anti-hero stories, and none of them ever have a disclaimer like the one in this book. These anti-heroes always have some saving characteristic to keep them going, or something that makes them interesting to read about. I have honestly never read about someone so unlikeable, and I have a read a lot of villain narratives. I have honestly never read about a main character so naive, and I mainly read young adult. I have never read about a character so stupid, and you get the picture. If I’m supposed to dislike this girl, then who in the book do I root for? There certainly aren’t any other developed, likeable characters. I’ve forgotten the name of every single one and I only read this a few hours ago. Everything Hannah did grated on me. Everything. I couldn’t wait for her downfall. I didn’t have to wait long. Two weeks. Two weeks and she was a full blown meth addict. I wish that was an exaggeration..
The drug was almost sci-fi, how it completely controlled her and morphed her into a sex-crazed lunatic. The author has obviously never taken a drug in their lives. I’ll be shocked if they’d had alcohol. Some of the descriptions made me cringe.
One part went beyond cringe and actually creeped me out (and it was nothing to do with the dark subject); it was the cop. I cannot believe a cop would accuse her of lying about being abused. His literal reasoning was that he’d met her parents. What? Once before? And that’s enough to judge if they’re abusive or not? How does he possibly know what goes on behind closed doors? This was the only part of the entire book where I agreed with stupid Hannah. But that didn’t last long. By the end, she’s in a relationship with him. On how many levels is that wrong? He was obviously supposed to be the good guy. But what kind of good guy preys on a drug addicted teenager? Even if they got together when she was older and clean, I just can’t get over that this was supposed to be some epic romance. He also gaslighted her into staying clean. What a good guy. She’d have been better off with Edgar, at least he was in prison, where the cop should’ve been too.
It took me so long to finish this. But if I finished Vain by Amelie Fisher, then I can finish this. It may be just as bad. It’s certainly got the shocking high ratings, just like the prior book. What am I missing with these awful books? Are people just too generous? Someone please enlighten me on what they actually enjoyed about this?
With books like this, I’d normally say they’re good for a quick read, but this book doesn’t have that going for it. It’s long. So long. Did I mention boring already? Don’t read this if you want an accurate...or any...portrayal of drug addiction. I think most of the other reviewers are high.
Firstly, I should’ve known how this book would go when they had a prologue to state that you SHOULD dislike the protagonist. I’ve read my fair share of anti-hero stories, and none of them ever have a disclaimer like the one in this book. These anti-heroes always have some saving characteristic to keep them going, or something that makes them interesting to read about. I have honestly never read about someone so unlikeable, and I have a read a lot of villain narratives. I have honestly never read about a main character so naive, and I mainly read young adult. I have never read about a character so stupid, and you get the picture. If I’m supposed to dislike this girl, then who in the book do I root for? There certainly aren’t any other developed, likeable characters. I’ve forgotten the name of every single one and I only read this a few hours ago. Everything Hannah did grated on me. Everything. I couldn’t wait for her downfall. I didn’t have to wait long. Two weeks. Two weeks and she was a full blown meth addict. I wish that was an exaggeration..
The drug was almost sci-fi, how it completely controlled her and morphed her into a sex-crazed lunatic. The author has obviously never taken a drug in their lives. I’ll be shocked if they’d had alcohol. Some of the descriptions made me cringe.
One part went beyond cringe and actually creeped me out (and it was nothing to do with the dark subject); it was the cop. I cannot believe a cop would accuse her of lying about being abused. His literal reasoning was that he’d met her parents. What? Once before? And that’s enough to judge if they’re abusive or not? How does he possibly know what goes on behind closed doors? This was the only part of the entire book where I agreed with stupid Hannah. But that didn’t last long. By the end, she’s in a relationship with him. On how many levels is that wrong? He was obviously supposed to be the good guy. But what kind of good guy preys on a drug addicted teenager? Even if they got together when she was older and clean, I just can’t get over that this was supposed to be some epic romance. He also gaslighted her into staying clean. What a good guy. She’d have been better off with Edgar, at least he was in prison, where the cop should’ve been too.
It took me so long to finish this. But if I finished Vain by Amelie Fisher, then I can finish this. It may be just as bad. It’s certainly got the shocking high ratings, just like the prior book. What am I missing with these awful books? Are people just too generous? Someone please enlighten me on what they actually enjoyed about this?
With books like this, I’d normally say they’re good for a quick read, but this book doesn’t have that going for it. It’s long. So long. Did I mention boring already? Don’t read this if you want an accurate...or any...portrayal of drug addiction. I think most of the other reviewers are high.
July 23, 2018
Wow!! I don’t even know where to start with this review. I have started over more than a few times already. Ok, I am going to make this short.
Hannah was a model student. A best friend. A exceptional daughter. Someone who dreamed of a future. One to mold students as a teacher. She didn’t party. She was even called a nerd. And all it took was six months for her to hit rock bottom. As an addict. Meth was her salvation. Her enemy. Her everything. There were only two things she thought about about the moment she had her first hit. One, how she was going to get her next. And two, the man who supposedly loved her. That was her new life. The one that she thought was a better one. That is what ice does to someone. It brings out the delusions. It makes you chase the next high. No matter who or what gets in the way.
That is all I can really say about Hannah’s journey. This is not a romance. It does not involve hearts and flowers. It involves pipes and hotels. It’s not an easy read. I read the warnings. I had to read it anyway. I have not been an addict myself but I have had family and friends go through some of the same experiences. It’s so hard to witness. Even harder to get them to want to help themselves.
Overall...I love that Margaret writes books that need to be written. The stories need to be told. They are real. They are important. I have two daughters and you know what I did today? I talked to them about drugs and alcohol. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, drugs do not discriminate. They are everywhere. They can grab and hold on to anyone. Like I said, I have seen it. I had my own experiences with a few drugs in my high school days. It was over twenty years ago when something bad happened to myself and I still will not drink wine because of it. It stays with you. Forever.
P.S I am in love with this cover!
Quotes:
“I can’t leave you alone. You’re mine,” he says.
“What? I’m not yours, I’m not anyone’s. I’m my own person.”
He’s making my body sing, sparking alive as a hazardous fire rips through me, risking my sanity and safety.
“For you, I’d walk to the end of the earth, and still have the strength to kill anyone who’d hurt you. But when you’re hurting yourself, that breaks not only my heart, but my soul.”
Hannah was a model student. A best friend. A exceptional daughter. Someone who dreamed of a future. One to mold students as a teacher. She didn’t party. She was even called a nerd. And all it took was six months for her to hit rock bottom. As an addict. Meth was her salvation. Her enemy. Her everything. There were only two things she thought about about the moment she had her first hit. One, how she was going to get her next. And two, the man who supposedly loved her. That was her new life. The one that she thought was a better one. That is what ice does to someone. It brings out the delusions. It makes you chase the next high. No matter who or what gets in the way.
That is all I can really say about Hannah’s journey. This is not a romance. It does not involve hearts and flowers. It involves pipes and hotels. It’s not an easy read. I read the warnings. I had to read it anyway. I have not been an addict myself but I have had family and friends go through some of the same experiences. It’s so hard to witness. Even harder to get them to want to help themselves.
Overall...I love that Margaret writes books that need to be written. The stories need to be told. They are real. They are important. I have two daughters and you know what I did today? I talked to them about drugs and alcohol. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, drugs do not discriminate. They are everywhere. They can grab and hold on to anyone. Like I said, I have seen it. I had my own experiences with a few drugs in my high school days. It was over twenty years ago when something bad happened to myself and I still will not drink wine because of it. It stays with you. Forever.
P.S I am in love with this cover!
Quotes:
“I can’t leave you alone. You’re mine,” he says.
“What? I’m not yours, I’m not anyone’s. I’m my own person.”
He’s making my body sing, sparking alive as a hazardous fire rips through me, risking my sanity and safety.
“For you, I’d walk to the end of the earth, and still have the strength to kill anyone who’d hurt you. But when you’re hurting yourself, that breaks not only my heart, but my soul.”
July 26, 2018
This is not your runoff the mill YA/NA story whatsoever. It isn't cute or sassy or sexy or fun. It is raw, real, heartbreaking, emotional and a kindle throwing read. You will love and hate these characters. They will tear themselves apart, while you are on your knees praying for their salvation.
Addiction is a fictionalized telling of the life of young woman finishing high school. She has goals and ambitions, she has a loving family and friends. She is from Anytown, USA. She could be your sister, daughter, friend, niece. We find this beautiful, bright girl fall prey to a man with promises. These promises come with his quiet ability to hook her on crystal meth to feed his evil intentions. This book IS someone's truth.
Margaret McHeyzer does not hold back in this book. Through Hannah we see the horrid spiral that a life with crystal meth does. It happens so fast and furiously; her reality is severely altered, lies, upon lies, anger and hate along with the harsh physical changes. Hannah's story is ugly, but she had a few people left on her side that were determined to see her through.
This new to me author has completely blown my mind with her incredible ability to take such a severe subject and one where our society confronts on a daily basis and write this graphic tale of the gravity of this addiction. #everyonemustread
Addiction is a fictionalized telling of the life of young woman finishing high school. She has goals and ambitions, she has a loving family and friends. She is from Anytown, USA. She could be your sister, daughter, friend, niece. We find this beautiful, bright girl fall prey to a man with promises. These promises come with his quiet ability to hook her on crystal meth to feed his evil intentions. This book IS someone's truth.
Margaret McHeyzer does not hold back in this book. Through Hannah we see the horrid spiral that a life with crystal meth does. It happens so fast and furiously; her reality is severely altered, lies, upon lies, anger and hate along with the harsh physical changes. Hannah's story is ugly, but she had a few people left on her side that were determined to see her through.
This new to me author has completely blown my mind with her incredible ability to take such a severe subject and one where our society confronts on a daily basis and write this graphic tale of the gravity of this addiction. #everyonemustread
July 15, 2018
It’s really important to know and understand all the feelings this girl is going to make you have.
Otherwise, you will hate her. You won’t want to be her, or feel sympathy for her. You’ll want to shake her and slap her and tell her to wake up because she is so wrong. I don’t know how many times I said to myself “oh my god, you stupid little girl!”
I think Margaret does an amazing job portraying someone with a drug addiction. The ups and downs, extreme highs and lows.
I don’t want to say too much about the actual plot and spoil it but I am surprised with how it ended. It could have gone either way and I would have liked more.
Eye opening page-turner for sure!
Otherwise, you will hate her. You won’t want to be her, or feel sympathy for her. You’ll want to shake her and slap her and tell her to wake up because she is so wrong. I don’t know how many times I said to myself “oh my god, you stupid little girl!”
I think Margaret does an amazing job portraying someone with a drug addiction. The ups and downs, extreme highs and lows.
I don’t want to say too much about the actual plot and spoil it but I am surprised with how it ended. It could have gone either way and I would have liked more.
Eye opening page-turner for sure!
August 15, 2019
"For you, I'd walk to the end of the earth, and still have the strength to kill anyone who'd hurt you. But when you're hurting yourself, that breaks not only heart, by my soul."
"I'm trying," I say in a small voice. More to myself than to Mom.
This book has a powerful message, the truth about ADDICTION...
Hannah fate was in the hands of predator, manipulated, and played..
This story is hard to read, but is example how drugs can take over your life......
"I'm trying," I say in a small voice. More to myself than to Mom.
This book has a powerful message, the truth about ADDICTION...
Hannah fate was in the hands of predator, manipulated, and played..
This story is hard to read, but is example how drugs can take over your life......
July 27, 2018
A lot of research has gone into this book, what an eye opener it was I was captivated through the whole story, it's a heartbreaking read about a girl who has everything to live for but unfortunately gets in with the wrong crowd and becomes addicted to ice, it takes you through the journey of withdrawal, it's such an amazing read and highly recommended.
Want to read
August 29, 2018Expected publication July 24, 2018
July 27, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog All the Ups and Downs).
There was something about the book blurb that caught my attention. I've always been fascinated with how people get addicted to drugs and why. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to read Addiction by Margaret McHeyzer. It did not disappoint.
The pacing was fantastic although it does start out a little slow at first. When I first started reading Addiction, it sounded like every other cliched teen book - Girl sees hot guy. Hot guy sees hot girl. Both agree to a date. However, a few chapters in, this was anything but another cliched teen book! I was hooked on Addiction, and I couldn't stop reading!
The plot line has been done many times, I must admit. However, the way Margaret McHeyzer writes this story makes it feel different from many of the other books about drugs and addiction I've read. I wouldn't say there are really any plot twists, but this isn't a book I'd expect plot twists from. This book feels very raw and very real. Addiction drives the point home that anyone from any walk of life can become addicted to drugs. Hannah's journey will make you feel all kinds of emotions. There were times I was wondering why Hannah did the things she did and made the decisions she made. McHeyzer does a great job of answering these questions in the forward, so be sure to read that and not skip it!
The world building felt very realistic to me. I've never been addicted to drugs, so I can't speak from any first hand experience, but from what I've read and seen about drug addicts, Addiction seems to hit the nail on the head with everything. It's easy to see how drugs and addiction can affect anyone no matter their circumstances. Hannah's world felt very real and very scary to me. I was afraid for Hannah a lot of the time. Everything that happened in Addiction could easily happen to anyone, and that is scary!
I felt that all the characters in Addiction by Margaret McHeyzer were written very well and were fleshed out enough to be believable. I loved Hannah. There were times that she made me angry with her decisions and actions, but I had to remind myself that she was a 17 year old girl and that drugs had a very strong pull on her. I was scared a lot of the time for Hannah as I stated previously. There were times I wanted to just protect Hannah. Hannah could be anyone. Hannah could be anyone's best friend, sister, cousin, daughter, etc. Hannah felt very real. Although I hated Edgar for what he did to Hannah and how he treated her, I thought he was a great character. I loved how evil he was. He felt so real and so villainous. Every scene he was in, I just wanted to grab Hannah and run away from him. He was written as a bad guy so perfectly. I loved to hate him. Even the minor and supporting characters were very well written.
Drug abuse is the main theme of this book, obviously. There are also themes of sex, rape, violence, control, and strong emotional abuse. There is also swearing throughout the book. All these themes really do help to show what drug abuse is like.
All in all, Addiction by Margaret McHeyzer is a very interesting read. It is a very dark book, but it focuses on drug abuse, so that's to be expected. The plot and characters are very well written. I would definitely recommend Addiction to those aged 16+.
(I was provided an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review).
There was something about the book blurb that caught my attention. I've always been fascinated with how people get addicted to drugs and why. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to read Addiction by Margaret McHeyzer. It did not disappoint.
The pacing was fantastic although it does start out a little slow at first. When I first started reading Addiction, it sounded like every other cliched teen book - Girl sees hot guy. Hot guy sees hot girl. Both agree to a date. However, a few chapters in, this was anything but another cliched teen book! I was hooked on Addiction, and I couldn't stop reading!
The plot line has been done many times, I must admit. However, the way Margaret McHeyzer writes this story makes it feel different from many of the other books about drugs and addiction I've read. I wouldn't say there are really any plot twists, but this isn't a book I'd expect plot twists from. This book feels very raw and very real. Addiction drives the point home that anyone from any walk of life can become addicted to drugs. Hannah's journey will make you feel all kinds of emotions. There were times I was wondering why Hannah did the things she did and made the decisions she made. McHeyzer does a great job of answering these questions in the forward, so be sure to read that and not skip it!
The world building felt very realistic to me. I've never been addicted to drugs, so I can't speak from any first hand experience, but from what I've read and seen about drug addicts, Addiction seems to hit the nail on the head with everything. It's easy to see how drugs and addiction can affect anyone no matter their circumstances. Hannah's world felt very real and very scary to me. I was afraid for Hannah a lot of the time. Everything that happened in Addiction could easily happen to anyone, and that is scary!
I felt that all the characters in Addiction by Margaret McHeyzer were written very well and were fleshed out enough to be believable. I loved Hannah. There were times that she made me angry with her decisions and actions, but I had to remind myself that she was a 17 year old girl and that drugs had a very strong pull on her. I was scared a lot of the time for Hannah as I stated previously. There were times I wanted to just protect Hannah. Hannah could be anyone. Hannah could be anyone's best friend, sister, cousin, daughter, etc. Hannah felt very real. Although I hated Edgar for what he did to Hannah and how he treated her, I thought he was a great character. I loved how evil he was. He felt so real and so villainous. Every scene he was in, I just wanted to grab Hannah and run away from him. He was written as a bad guy so perfectly. I loved to hate him. Even the minor and supporting characters were very well written.
Drug abuse is the main theme of this book, obviously. There are also themes of sex, rape, violence, control, and strong emotional abuse. There is also swearing throughout the book. All these themes really do help to show what drug abuse is like.
All in all, Addiction by Margaret McHeyzer is a very interesting read. It is a very dark book, but it focuses on drug abuse, so that's to be expected. The plot and characters are very well written. I would definitely recommend Addiction to those aged 16+.
(I was provided an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review).
August 10, 2022
Oh my god. Dnf it like, what, 40%? Idk. I seriously don’t care. This book was horrid, just from what I did read. I mean, “perfect girl” has her whole life planned out. Age 17. Goes out once with her bsf’s 21yo cousin who has a past with stealing and drug dealing.
She leaves him after what wasn’t even a date, and this creepy 28 year old dude is literally obsessed with her, stalks her, has a bodyguard placed outside her home, and is so controlling. He doesn’t “no” for an answer and a ton of other crap that is just so disgusting. Then he gives her 2-3 glasses of champagne, which definitely has something in it, and then has sex with her. I do not care if drunk and intoxicated Hannah kept saying she wanted it, she was drunk and intoxicated. So, to put it simply, it’s rape. And he didn’t even wear a condom, knows she isn’t on birth control, but thinks it’s fine bc he gave her a morning-after pill. Not to mention this dude really exposed her parents secrets in less than two minutes. Her dad is addicted to gambling. Her mom is having an affair with someone at her work.
Now, this information shouldn’t even be trusted, considering it’s coming from a multi-millionaire drug dealer who ruins people, lives, and families. Like, he apparently has connections to the police, so Hannah literally can’t turn to anyone to safe her. If she would have just told her parents or even just her bsf Kristen, then maybe she won’t become a meth addict.
If you actually enjoyed this book, I’m sorry, you seem like a terrible person. There are so many other books that better depict addiction.
So, rape, a pedophile, and a “perfect girl” who has a major downfall with meth!! Perfect combination for a book that should be more realistic for the sake of actual addicts. A multi-millionaire being obsessed with someone is rare, and the way this whole book-that I read- is written is just awful. Like, it moves so quickly, it’s just one thing right after another, the characters are so underdeveloped, and literally the only decent person was Brad. Why? Because he tried to warn Hannah abt what trouble she was getting herself into by going out with Zac (the bsf’s cousin I mentioned).
Then there’s the fact that the author put a note before the book began that the mc will do stuff that the reader will hate her for, but like, she does stupid things even before she got addicted. I didn’t even make it that far.
This book was a waste of money and time I’ll never get back, so I urge you, if you’re thinking about reading it: don’t. If you want to read a book that talks about addiction, then find another book. I understand what the author is trying to accomplish here, but they failed, to say the least.
I’ll admit, this review is definitely harsh, but I’d rather be upfront about it, so that someone won’t be wasting their time and money.
She leaves him after what wasn’t even a date, and this creepy 28 year old dude is literally obsessed with her, stalks her, has a bodyguard placed outside her home, and is so controlling. He doesn’t “no” for an answer and a ton of other crap that is just so disgusting. Then he gives her 2-3 glasses of champagne, which definitely has something in it, and then has sex with her. I do not care if drunk and intoxicated Hannah kept saying she wanted it, she was drunk and intoxicated. So, to put it simply, it’s rape. And he didn’t even wear a condom, knows she isn’t on birth control, but thinks it’s fine bc he gave her a morning-after pill. Not to mention this dude really exposed her parents secrets in less than two minutes. Her dad is addicted to gambling. Her mom is having an affair with someone at her work.
Now, this information shouldn’t even be trusted, considering it’s coming from a multi-millionaire drug dealer who ruins people, lives, and families. Like, he apparently has connections to the police, so Hannah literally can’t turn to anyone to safe her. If she would have just told her parents or even just her bsf Kristen, then maybe she won’t become a meth addict.
If you actually enjoyed this book, I’m sorry, you seem like a terrible person. There are so many other books that better depict addiction.
So, rape, a pedophile, and a “perfect girl” who has a major downfall with meth!! Perfect combination for a book that should be more realistic for the sake of actual addicts. A multi-millionaire being obsessed with someone is rare, and the way this whole book-that I read- is written is just awful. Like, it moves so quickly, it’s just one thing right after another, the characters are so underdeveloped, and literally the only decent person was Brad. Why? Because he tried to warn Hannah abt what trouble she was getting herself into by going out with Zac (the bsf’s cousin I mentioned).
Then there’s the fact that the author put a note before the book began that the mc will do stuff that the reader will hate her for, but like, she does stupid things even before she got addicted. I didn’t even make it that far.
This book was a waste of money and time I’ll never get back, so I urge you, if you’re thinking about reading it: don’t. If you want to read a book that talks about addiction, then find another book. I understand what the author is trying to accomplish here, but they failed, to say the least.
I’ll admit, this review is definitely harsh, but I’d rather be upfront about it, so that someone won’t be wasting their time and money.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2020
4.5 Stars for Addiction
If Addiction was an autobiography it would be the Go Ask Alice of the current times.
The magnificent destruction that plays out within the pages of Addiction is soul crushing, mind numbing and will severely impact your entire being.
Hannah is perfectly scripted. Young, a bit sheltered, modest, a hardworking student who loves her family and her friends. She is a character that leaves the reader with a good feeling, a feeling of likability.
The confusion and turmoil that Hannah feels is at times a bit confusing while at the same time stirs feelings of lust and intrigue. As a reader, you want to scold yourself for the betrayal you feel in both your mind and body, but you don't. You read on because mirroring the title of this book Addiction is addicting. A story that once you start you can't put down.
I can't put into words what it was about this story that gripped my entire being with such a urgent force. Was it the spiral downward or perhaps the allure of Edgar? I honestly can't figure out why I was drawn to such catastrophic collapse of a human being.
Since I mentioned Edgar I should probably tell you a little about this evil, sadistic, alluring and torturous character. It is his physical attributes, or perhaps the confidence he exudes. Maybe it's his overwhelming sexuality. It could be all of these things and more. Edgar is a character that seeps into your mind and bleeds into your soul. You want to hate him. You don't want to be shocked by his actions. You want to believe his words with every fiber of your mind, and you do, until you don't.
This story is complex, compelling, heartbreaking and gut wrenching. It will fuck with your mind. You beg, plead and hope for the characters. You scream no in your mind and pray that the characters hear you as you slowly spiral down to the darkest of places. Blood, death, lies, pain and addiction will have you holding your breath and praying to whatever it is you believe in that eventually the darkness will fade away in a fog and a sliver of light will lead you back to where you belong.
Read the warning the author wrote and than read it again. This book contains extremely realistic situations that some may find excessively upsetting and disturbing. If after considering how far your willing to extend yourself, dive in and hold on tight because I promise you, you will not believe your eyes.
If Addiction was an autobiography it would be the Go Ask Alice of the current times.
The magnificent destruction that plays out within the pages of Addiction is soul crushing, mind numbing and will severely impact your entire being.
Hannah is perfectly scripted. Young, a bit sheltered, modest, a hardworking student who loves her family and her friends. She is a character that leaves the reader with a good feeling, a feeling of likability.
The confusion and turmoil that Hannah feels is at times a bit confusing while at the same time stirs feelings of lust and intrigue. As a reader, you want to scold yourself for the betrayal you feel in both your mind and body, but you don't. You read on because mirroring the title of this book Addiction is addicting. A story that once you start you can't put down.
I can't put into words what it was about this story that gripped my entire being with such a urgent force. Was it the spiral downward or perhaps the allure of Edgar? I honestly can't figure out why I was drawn to such catastrophic collapse of a human being.
Since I mentioned Edgar I should probably tell you a little about this evil, sadistic, alluring and torturous character. It is his physical attributes, or perhaps the confidence he exudes. Maybe it's his overwhelming sexuality. It could be all of these things and more. Edgar is a character that seeps into your mind and bleeds into your soul. You want to hate him. You don't want to be shocked by his actions. You want to believe his words with every fiber of your mind, and you do, until you don't.
This story is complex, compelling, heartbreaking and gut wrenching. It will fuck with your mind. You beg, plead and hope for the characters. You scream no in your mind and pray that the characters hear you as you slowly spiral down to the darkest of places. Blood, death, lies, pain and addiction will have you holding your breath and praying to whatever it is you believe in that eventually the darkness will fade away in a fog and a sliver of light will lead you back to where you belong.
Read the warning the author wrote and than read it again. This book contains extremely realistic situations that some may find excessively upsetting and disturbing. If after considering how far your willing to extend yourself, dive in and hold on tight because I promise you, you will not believe your eyes.
July 24, 2018
I received an ARC of this book from the author and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Margaret McHeyzer!
Margaret McHeyzer is brave. She is courageous and she is a warrior. She tackles the subjects authors are scared about attacking. She tackles the subjects readers aren’t sure they want to read about, but SHOULD read about. What people NEED to read about.
This book was about drug addiction. More specifically, meth addiction. The modern day crisis. This book was both so relevant, yet felt surreal as you read it. It will give you chills and make your jaw drop. McHeyzer is extremely talented, and was able to capture the loss of self of an addict. How a regular, smart girl, got pulled into the black hole.
This book is heavy. I thought I was good with heavy books, but this one really did make me uncomfortable. I had to take a break half way through. I had the luxury of stepping out of the world, and it really put in perspective that people in Hannah’s shoes don’t have that luxury. My heart was racing for the entire book. At some points I was physically shaking, not wanting to know the rest, because I didn’t want it to get worse, but, I owed it to Hannah to hear her out. To hear her full story. To show her that I had faith in her.
McHeyzer also put forth the prejudices towards drug addicts in this book. The people who only see a dumb person seeking the next high. She also shows us the compassionate side of people. The people who want to help. The people who persistently push to get these people out of their dark hole. The people who believe these people CAN get better.
I love where Margaret McHeyzer took it at the end. I found that it was elegant, and the right ending for this story. I think McHeyzer’s books should be read by everyone around the world. Why? They are universal. They talk about important hush-hush subjects. The things you want to sweep under the rug; abuse, rape, self-harm, and now drug addiction. I just want to applaud McHeyzer in her efforts to make a difference. Even just by opening people’s eyes to the truth. To the reality of the world we live in. These can things affect anyone - no exception.
My final words are : You are not alone out there.
Margaret McHeyzer is brave. She is courageous and she is a warrior. She tackles the subjects authors are scared about attacking. She tackles the subjects readers aren’t sure they want to read about, but SHOULD read about. What people NEED to read about.
This book was about drug addiction. More specifically, meth addiction. The modern day crisis. This book was both so relevant, yet felt surreal as you read it. It will give you chills and make your jaw drop. McHeyzer is extremely talented, and was able to capture the loss of self of an addict. How a regular, smart girl, got pulled into the black hole.
This book is heavy. I thought I was good with heavy books, but this one really did make me uncomfortable. I had to take a break half way through. I had the luxury of stepping out of the world, and it really put in perspective that people in Hannah’s shoes don’t have that luxury. My heart was racing for the entire book. At some points I was physically shaking, not wanting to know the rest, because I didn’t want it to get worse, but, I owed it to Hannah to hear her out. To hear her full story. To show her that I had faith in her.
McHeyzer also put forth the prejudices towards drug addicts in this book. The people who only see a dumb person seeking the next high. She also shows us the compassionate side of people. The people who want to help. The people who persistently push to get these people out of their dark hole. The people who believe these people CAN get better.
I love where Margaret McHeyzer took it at the end. I found that it was elegant, and the right ending for this story. I think McHeyzer’s books should be read by everyone around the world. Why? They are universal. They talk about important hush-hush subjects. The things you want to sweep under the rug; abuse, rape, self-harm, and now drug addiction. I just want to applaud McHeyzer in her efforts to make a difference. Even just by opening people’s eyes to the truth. To the reality of the world we live in. These can things affect anyone - no exception.
My final words are : You are not alone out there.
July 11, 2018
WOOOOWZER!!! What can I say about this book that can honestly do it justice. If you haven’t read any of Margaret Mcheyzer’s books before you are in for one very emotional read, if you have read her books before nothing she has written can prepare you for Hannah’s story.
I was completely addicted to this book. Once I started I just couldn’t put it down as I was so invested in it. Hannah’s story felt so real and believable. You know sometimes when you read a book or watch a movie it feels like it’s just too over the top and not believable, well I never felt like that with this book.
This book will have you going through a mix of emotions from hating and feeling sorry for Hannah, than wanting to punch her in the face for what she is doing to herself and the ones she loves, to wanting to hug her and protect her.
Addiction is about a 17 year old girl named Hannah, who gets mixed up with the wrong person which causes her life to spiral out of control and getting addicted to Meth.
Hannah thought she had her life all sorted out, go to college and get a job at an elementary school. Never did she think going to her best friend Kristen’s parents 30th anniversary would set off a chain reaction that would turn her life upside down.
Hannah believes she is in love with the local drug dealer Edgar, who gets her addicted to Meth and doing horrible things for it. Edgar is a very manipulative puppeteer that will say and do anything to get what he wants, and what he wants is Hannah.
With the love and support from her family Hannah is able to get clean after a long and treacherous journey, and be able to help aware the younger generations with her story.
Margaret you are one hell of a FANTASTIC writer, please do not ever stop as your words will be sadly missed. You are always pushing your readers with this heavy emotional reads and that is why we love you. The subjects you write about are believable as they are happening everyday to someone in the world.
I was completely addicted to this book. Once I started I just couldn’t put it down as I was so invested in it. Hannah’s story felt so real and believable. You know sometimes when you read a book or watch a movie it feels like it’s just too over the top and not believable, well I never felt like that with this book.
This book will have you going through a mix of emotions from hating and feeling sorry for Hannah, than wanting to punch her in the face for what she is doing to herself and the ones she loves, to wanting to hug her and protect her.
Addiction is about a 17 year old girl named Hannah, who gets mixed up with the wrong person which causes her life to spiral out of control and getting addicted to Meth.
Hannah thought she had her life all sorted out, go to college and get a job at an elementary school. Never did she think going to her best friend Kristen’s parents 30th anniversary would set off a chain reaction that would turn her life upside down.
Hannah believes she is in love with the local drug dealer Edgar, who gets her addicted to Meth and doing horrible things for it. Edgar is a very manipulative puppeteer that will say and do anything to get what he wants, and what he wants is Hannah.
With the love and support from her family Hannah is able to get clean after a long and treacherous journey, and be able to help aware the younger generations with her story.
Margaret you are one hell of a FANTASTIC writer, please do not ever stop as your words will be sadly missed. You are always pushing your readers with this heavy emotional reads and that is why we love you. The subjects you write about are believable as they are happening everyday to someone in the world.
July 23, 2018
4.5 Stars
Hannah is a 17 year old who was raised in a normal family, is a typically good girl and has her future planned out. She’s invited by her best friend to a party and just like that, Hannah’s carefully planned out life is irrevocably changed. At the party she meets Edgar. She is immediately drawn to him. Edgar is not a good man. You will hate him and most likely want to strangle him with your bare hands. He does terrible, damaging things and sets out to destroy Hannah. She is not oblivious to the dangers he presents, but she is incapable of resisting him. His allure is too powerful as are the drugs he introduces her to. Hannah is not always an easy character to love and you will often have the urge to shake her and make he see how dangerous the path she is on is. That’s the point, addiction is hard to see for the people battling it. Hannah doesn’t consider herself an addict. She’s convinced she can stop anytime, except she doesn’t...she can’t.
This is a hard book to read and puts you through an emotional ringer, but is a story that needs to be told. I don’t read very many stories about drug addiction, but this one has an extremely authentic feel to it. You are traveling along the road to addiction along with Hannah and it is scary how easy it can be to fall prey to it.
Hannah is a 17 year old who was raised in a normal family, is a typically good girl and has her future planned out. She’s invited by her best friend to a party and just like that, Hannah’s carefully planned out life is irrevocably changed. At the party she meets Edgar. She is immediately drawn to him. Edgar is not a good man. You will hate him and most likely want to strangle him with your bare hands. He does terrible, damaging things and sets out to destroy Hannah. She is not oblivious to the dangers he presents, but she is incapable of resisting him. His allure is too powerful as are the drugs he introduces her to. Hannah is not always an easy character to love and you will often have the urge to shake her and make he see how dangerous the path she is on is. That’s the point, addiction is hard to see for the people battling it. Hannah doesn’t consider herself an addict. She’s convinced she can stop anytime, except she doesn’t...she can’t.
This is a hard book to read and puts you through an emotional ringer, but is a story that needs to be told. I don’t read very many stories about drug addiction, but this one has an extremely authentic feel to it. You are traveling along the road to addiction along with Hannah and it is scary how easy it can be to fall prey to it.
July 23, 2018
Whilst I love Margaret McHeyzer's book, I entered this one with slight trepidation. She never shies away from difficult issues and this was no exception. 'Addiction' is not an easy read. It is raw, gritty, emotive and powerful. It is difficult, frustrating and most of the time leaves a bad taste in your mouth but it is one that once begun, has to be finished.
'Addiction' is a powerful and insightful look into the hold that drug addiction has over people who use. How it very quickly spirals from recreational use to full on addiction and the consequences of this. For my, I never really understood the impact that addiction has on people who use and this gave me an insight that forced me to face and rethink the constructs I hold about addicts. Drug use does some horrendous things to a person on a physical, mental and emotional level. Hannah's story is a powerful one: one where she has to reach rock bottom before she can rebuild her life. One where, as the reader, you will want to shake her, throw your kindle across the room, weep for her and her family and will her to get the help she needs.
This was an incredible read from an incredibly talented author - everyone who has judged addicts without a proper understanding needs to read this as does every young person out there. It has a powerful message that all need to understand.
***Reviewed for LBM Book Blog***
'Addiction' is a powerful and insightful look into the hold that drug addiction has over people who use. How it very quickly spirals from recreational use to full on addiction and the consequences of this. For my, I never really understood the impact that addiction has on people who use and this gave me an insight that forced me to face and rethink the constructs I hold about addicts. Drug use does some horrendous things to a person on a physical, mental and emotional level. Hannah's story is a powerful one: one where she has to reach rock bottom before she can rebuild her life. One where, as the reader, you will want to shake her, throw your kindle across the room, weep for her and her family and will her to get the help she needs.
This was an incredible read from an incredibly talented author - everyone who has judged addicts without a proper understanding needs to read this as does every young person out there. It has a powerful message that all need to understand.
***Reviewed for LBM Book Blog***
July 20, 2018
This book and it is very raw, emotional and heartbreaking about real life actions/habits.
Hannah is your typical teenage girl, that knows what she wants in life and knows what she has to do to get there. She is also very strong willed and really does know right from wrong but like any "normal" person/kid she caves.
Edgar is good looking, smooth talking and goes after what he wants no matter what. When he enters Hannah's life she knows she should avoid him but he pushes himself into almost every aspect of her life and that is when his true colors start to show.
This book has so many ups and downs that not many people are even willing to talk or read about. However, I would highly recommend everyone reading this book because it is a true eye opener that all need to see/read.
*I had the honor of reading an ARC**
Hannah is your typical teenage girl, that knows what she wants in life and knows what she has to do to get there. She is also very strong willed and really does know right from wrong but like any "normal" person/kid she caves.
Edgar is good looking, smooth talking and goes after what he wants no matter what. When he enters Hannah's life she knows she should avoid him but he pushes himself into almost every aspect of her life and that is when his true colors start to show.
This book has so many ups and downs that not many people are even willing to talk or read about. However, I would highly recommend everyone reading this book because it is a true eye opener that all need to see/read.
*I had the honor of reading an ARC**
May 2, 2022
This book was raw and it was real and sadly I related to most of it... however, I'm so glad I read it. Hannah's story was a punch in the gut but it feels good to know these stories are being told. Addiction must be talked about more.
Margaret McHeyzer did a wonderful job portraying addiction in this story. Although the beginning was a tiny but unrealistic, that got overshadowed by how amazing this story was.
A story of hope that I highly recommend to anyone struggling with addiction or who wants to learn more.
Margaret McHeyzer did a wonderful job portraying addiction in this story. Although the beginning was a tiny but unrealistic, that got overshadowed by how amazing this story was.
A story of hope that I highly recommend to anyone struggling with addiction or who wants to learn more.
December 29, 2020
Wow. I’m not sure I can give this one enough justice. This was in my TBR pile for quite some time. I knew it was going to be heavy. And much like the author tells you up front, there were so many times that I absolutely detested the main character. But the book was enthralling—in part because one can imagine that this is a true story. A story that can happen over and over again; to the boy or girl down the street. To your cousin. Fiction that is so easy to believe it’s real. Amazing.
July 24, 2018
I devoured this story. These characters really spoke to me. Highly recommend this book
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