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Alison Hayes Series #1
Intoxic
When Alison Hayes walks into her storm-darkened trailer the afternoon of her sixteenth birthday, she has no idea that it will be the beginning of a year like no other. Her mother has lost her job, again, the most stable man they’ve ever had in their lives is looking for the nearest exit, and her best friend is dating the prom queen. She can’t remember the last time anything good had happened to her. If the rails still passed through the town, she would definitely be on the wrong side, always looking across to everyone else, it seemed, who had it so much better than she. Dirty. Trash. The words have followed her through her life in her tattered, rust-stained jeans. She longs to understand her mother--who is lost and broken, driven by her addictions, by her losses--and to reconcile the memory of MOTHER before with MOTHER now. In the chaos of their one acre in the world, Alison strives for sanity, forging a path through the wreckage into the light. She is alone and must learn to stand alone, or she will be swept by the same undercurrents of self-defeat that took her mother so many years ago. During these worst of times, she discovers her own strength and determination and a powerful drive to do something better.
- GenresFiction
262 pages, Paperback
Published May 3, 2018
6 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
About the author
Angie Gallion
8 books39 followersAngie Gallion has been a stage actor, an anti-money laundering investigator, a photographer, and a paralegal. She has lived in Illinois, California, Missouri, and Georgia and has traveled to Greece, the Dominican Republic, Scotland, and Ireland. She dreams of traveling when her children are grown, and she and her husband can set out into the world. She is currently rooted outside of Atlanta Georgia with her husband, their children, and their two French Bulldogs.
Angie’s writings often deal with personal growth through tragedy or trauma. She explores complex relationships, often set against the backdrop of addiction or mental illness. Her first novel, Intoxic, was the 2016 bronze medalist in the Readers Favorite for General Fiction. That book was a twenty-five-year adventure in self-doubt and hesitation.
Angie’s writings often deal with personal growth through tragedy or trauma. She explores complex relationships, often set against the backdrop of addiction or mental illness. Her first novel, Intoxic, was the 2016 bronze medalist in the Readers Favorite for General Fiction. That book was a twenty-five-year adventure in self-doubt and hesitation.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 24, 2018
Author of Intoxic, Angie Gallion, has created a memorable character who'll stay with you long after you've turned the last page of this remarkable novel. Better make that a cast of characters. From the plucky narrator, 16-year-old Alison Hayes, to her alcoholic mother Alice and mom's assorted boyfriends, to Alison's steadfast friend Dylan and his family, all bring something special to this gripping and moving coming-of-age tale.
Gallion wraps her story in beautiful deft prose and delivers it in a delightful narrative voice. You get a real sense of place, with her wonderful descriptions of the landscape. Plus bonus horses! I particularly enjoyed the way she crafts her language to depict the changing of the seasons as Alison's difficult journey shifts from one challenging incident to the next. There are plenty of exciting and confronting moments, lots of real heart in the mouth stuff. The author writes with insight, compassion and understanding without being preachy.
For a debut novel, this is a winner on all counts.
I highly recommend Intoxic to readers of all ages and I look forward to more from Angie Gallion.
Gallion wraps her story in beautiful deft prose and delivers it in a delightful narrative voice. You get a real sense of place, with her wonderful descriptions of the landscape. Plus bonus horses! I particularly enjoyed the way she crafts her language to depict the changing of the seasons as Alison's difficult journey shifts from one challenging incident to the next. There are plenty of exciting and confronting moments, lots of real heart in the mouth stuff. The author writes with insight, compassion and understanding without being preachy.
For a debut novel, this is a winner on all counts.
I highly recommend Intoxic to readers of all ages and I look forward to more from Angie Gallion.
September 10, 2017
‘She is never sober, never not high, never not impaired. I hate her so much.’
Illinois born author Angie Gallion received her BA in English and wrote her first draft of this book INTOXIC in a creative writing class at Eastern Illinois University. Her love of theater propelled her to California for a while (Angie is a very beautiful woman whose presence on stage or film should have been a crowning achievement!) and now she lives in Georgia with her family where she is rising in the Indie Publishing world, aiding other authors by reviewing their works on her own website. As she so appropriately phrases it, ‘ I have been a lifelong writer, but in a private fashion.’
Angie has produced a series she has titled The Allison Hayes Journey and form her own sources she shares the overall view of the entire series – ‘Growing up is hard to do, even in the best of times, but for Alison Hayes, growing up feels impossible. Her broken mother has left her to figure it out mostly on her own, and Alison’s anger and frustration at being one of the Have-nots, the biggest of the have-nots, is almost more than she can tolerate. Walk with Alison as she begins her journey in Intoxic from chaos toward calm, walk with her through her first adult year and feel her transformation in Purgus as she faces the most difficult decision of her young life, travel with her as she strives to find a balance between regret and responsibility through the canyon of her youth and join her as she prepares for flight in Icara.’ And as she adds in Who is Allison Hayes, ‘Alison Hayes is just a girl. Alison Hayes is fighting. Alison Hayes is frightened. Alison Hayes is angry. . . and confused. Alison Hayes is running from and to. Alison Hayes is flying . . .and falling . . . and trying again. Alison Hayes is your daughter . . .. your sister. . . your friend . . . your wife. Alison Hayes is you. Alison Hayes is me.’ The names of each of the three books in the series are obvious.
The plot synopsis of this first installment in Allison’s journey – INTOXIC – follows: ‘When Alison Hayes walks into her storm-darkened trailer the afternoon of her sixteenth birthday, she has no idea that it will be the beginning of a year like no other. Her mother has lost her job, again, the most stable man they’ve ever had in their lives is looking for the nearest exit, and her best friend is dating the prom queen. She can’t remember the last time anything good had happened to her. If the rails still passed through the town, she would definitely be on the wrong side, always looking across to everyone else, it seemed, who had it so much better than she. Dirty. Trash. The words have followed her through her life in her tattered, rust-stained jeans. She longs to understand her mother--who is lost and broken, driven by her addictions, by her losses--and to reconcile the memory of MOTHER before with MOTHER now. In the chaos of their one acre in the world, Alison strives for sanity, forging a path through the wreckage into the light. She is alone and must learn to stand alone, or she will be swept by the same undercurrents of self-defeat that took her mother so many years ago. During these worst of times, she discovers her own strength and determination and a powerful drive to do something better.’
This is strong writing from an author on the rise. Her love of theatrics aids the development of this tale of abuse, addiction, family strain and coming of age under duress. Yet she allows her Allison to gaze at her tormented life and say things like ‘The kindest people in my life have always been strangers.’ Fine insight, fine writing from a welcome new voice.
Illinois born author Angie Gallion received her BA in English and wrote her first draft of this book INTOXIC in a creative writing class at Eastern Illinois University. Her love of theater propelled her to California for a while (Angie is a very beautiful woman whose presence on stage or film should have been a crowning achievement!) and now she lives in Georgia with her family where she is rising in the Indie Publishing world, aiding other authors by reviewing their works on her own website. As she so appropriately phrases it, ‘ I have been a lifelong writer, but in a private fashion.’
Angie has produced a series she has titled The Allison Hayes Journey and form her own sources she shares the overall view of the entire series – ‘Growing up is hard to do, even in the best of times, but for Alison Hayes, growing up feels impossible. Her broken mother has left her to figure it out mostly on her own, and Alison’s anger and frustration at being one of the Have-nots, the biggest of the have-nots, is almost more than she can tolerate. Walk with Alison as she begins her journey in Intoxic from chaos toward calm, walk with her through her first adult year and feel her transformation in Purgus as she faces the most difficult decision of her young life, travel with her as she strives to find a balance between regret and responsibility through the canyon of her youth and join her as she prepares for flight in Icara.’ And as she adds in Who is Allison Hayes, ‘Alison Hayes is just a girl. Alison Hayes is fighting. Alison Hayes is frightened. Alison Hayes is angry. . . and confused. Alison Hayes is running from and to. Alison Hayes is flying . . .and falling . . . and trying again. Alison Hayes is your daughter . . .. your sister. . . your friend . . . your wife. Alison Hayes is you. Alison Hayes is me.’ The names of each of the three books in the series are obvious.
The plot synopsis of this first installment in Allison’s journey – INTOXIC – follows: ‘When Alison Hayes walks into her storm-darkened trailer the afternoon of her sixteenth birthday, she has no idea that it will be the beginning of a year like no other. Her mother has lost her job, again, the most stable man they’ve ever had in their lives is looking for the nearest exit, and her best friend is dating the prom queen. She can’t remember the last time anything good had happened to her. If the rails still passed through the town, she would definitely be on the wrong side, always looking across to everyone else, it seemed, who had it so much better than she. Dirty. Trash. The words have followed her through her life in her tattered, rust-stained jeans. She longs to understand her mother--who is lost and broken, driven by her addictions, by her losses--and to reconcile the memory of MOTHER before with MOTHER now. In the chaos of their one acre in the world, Alison strives for sanity, forging a path through the wreckage into the light. She is alone and must learn to stand alone, or she will be swept by the same undercurrents of self-defeat that took her mother so many years ago. During these worst of times, she discovers her own strength and determination and a powerful drive to do something better.’
This is strong writing from an author on the rise. Her love of theatrics aids the development of this tale of abuse, addiction, family strain and coming of age under duress. Yet she allows her Allison to gaze at her tormented life and say things like ‘The kindest people in my life have always been strangers.’ Fine insight, fine writing from a welcome new voice.
December 28, 2016
Just finished reading ‘Intoxic’ a debut novel by Angie Gallion. I won a print copy of this book on Goodreads.com, and want to say a big thank you to Angie and Goodreads for putting this book in my hands. If emotional roller coasters are something you enjoy reading then this would be the book for you. A sixteen year old girl living in a trailer with a drunken, drug addled single mother who does not have a very good gauge for choosing the right man, has to find a way to make sense of her life...even though she considers herself poor white trailer trash. This read is like reading the deepest darkest secrets from a young girl's diary. It is tragic, thought provoking, disturbing, and quite frankly emotionally draining. After closing this book I had to sit with my thoughts for quite some time and reflect on my past 60 years and where I am in my life and what I have gone through to get to where I am today. This is a book that will stick in my heart and my mind for quite some time and I am so very glad to have had the opportunity to read this beautiful melodic, descriptive, poetic prose. There is a second novel that continues the story of Alison Hayes titled ‘Purgus’ and I am anxious to get my hands on a copy of this book and follow Alison on her life journey and endeavors. I highly recommend this book, but beware, it does touch on some very sensitive issues (cutting, rape, alcoholism and drug abuse) to name a few . It’s just a really excellent well written read.
Synopsis: From back cover: “When Alison Hayes walks into her storm-darkened trailer the afternoon of her sixteenth birthday, she has no idea that it will be the beginning of a year like no other. Her mother has lost her job, again, the most stable man they’ve ever had in their lives is looking for the nearest exit, and her best friend is dating the prom queen. She can’t remember the last time anything good had happened to her. If the rails still passed through the town, she would definitely be on the wrong side, always looking across to everyone else, it seemed, who had it so much better than she.
Dirty. Trash. The words have followed her through her life in her tattered, rust-stained jeans. She longs to understand her mother--who is lost and broken, driven by her addictions, by her losses--and to reconcile the memory of MOTHER before with MOTHER now.
In the chaos of their one acre in the world, Alison strives for sanity, forging a path through the wreckage into the light. She is alone and must learn to stand alone, or she will be swept by the same undercurrents of self-defeat that took her mother so many years ago. During these worst of times, she discovers her own strength and determination and a powerful drive to do something better.”
Synopsis: From back cover: “When Alison Hayes walks into her storm-darkened trailer the afternoon of her sixteenth birthday, she has no idea that it will be the beginning of a year like no other. Her mother has lost her job, again, the most stable man they’ve ever had in their lives is looking for the nearest exit, and her best friend is dating the prom queen. She can’t remember the last time anything good had happened to her. If the rails still passed through the town, she would definitely be on the wrong side, always looking across to everyone else, it seemed, who had it so much better than she.
Dirty. Trash. The words have followed her through her life in her tattered, rust-stained jeans. She longs to understand her mother--who is lost and broken, driven by her addictions, by her losses--and to reconcile the memory of MOTHER before with MOTHER now.
In the chaos of their one acre in the world, Alison strives for sanity, forging a path through the wreckage into the light. She is alone and must learn to stand alone, or she will be swept by the same undercurrents of self-defeat that took her mother so many years ago. During these worst of times, she discovers her own strength and determination and a powerful drive to do something better.”
March 23, 2017
Reviewed by Sarah Rollins of Readers Favorite
Angie Gallon’s Intoxic is an intoxicating coming of age story that will appeal to many! The main character, Alison, is sixteen years old, with all the challenges of that age group – love, family, peer groups, school and more. The thing is, most of us could understand these challenges, and it makes for a teen style story. However, this author takes the story further, and as a reader I was completely engaged in the character herself, as we feel her struggles with her home life and her mother, as well as her esteem and confidence. That internal struggle of whether you are meant to live the same life as your parents or find a different path is one that many young kids or teens will identify with quickly.
Angie Gallon’s style is a definite page turner. Her characters are real and authentic, and her style of writing is easy and comfortable. Intoxic is written in the world of Alison, and you find yourself trapped inside her head, and longing for a positive outcome for this troubled but smart and heartfelt young woman. This is the first book in a potentially strong series of novels, and the way the author leaves the book is both satisfying, but also cleverly leaving the reader seeking to know more about Alison’s plight and what she may face next as she faces the next stage in her life. Without a doubt, the author has found her niche with this character and this storyline, and I would recommend this book to any reader, and hope to see more from this series.
Angie Gallon’s Intoxic is an intoxicating coming of age story that will appeal to many! The main character, Alison, is sixteen years old, with all the challenges of that age group – love, family, peer groups, school and more. The thing is, most of us could understand these challenges, and it makes for a teen style story. However, this author takes the story further, and as a reader I was completely engaged in the character herself, as we feel her struggles with her home life and her mother, as well as her esteem and confidence. That internal struggle of whether you are meant to live the same life as your parents or find a different path is one that many young kids or teens will identify with quickly.
Angie Gallon’s style is a definite page turner. Her characters are real and authentic, and her style of writing is easy and comfortable. Intoxic is written in the world of Alison, and you find yourself trapped inside her head, and longing for a positive outcome for this troubled but smart and heartfelt young woman. This is the first book in a potentially strong series of novels, and the way the author leaves the book is both satisfying, but also cleverly leaving the reader seeking to know more about Alison’s plight and what she may face next as she faces the next stage in her life. Without a doubt, the author has found her niche with this character and this storyline, and I would recommend this book to any reader, and hope to see more from this series.
March 6, 2017
There are many good books that you read or listen to, truly enjoy, and forget the next day. That book is not one of them. It is a slow story about normal people, quite dark and sad, but it didn't leave me with a bad feeling. Bad things exists, we can't deny it, but sometimes good people are born from the ashes of a ruined life.
Listening to the audio version was a pleasure. I loved the calm and clear voice of the reader, and she was good with different voices and situations. I normally prefer the audio version of a book, and this time I didn't regret it!
This audiobook was provided at no cost from the author, narrator or publisher throug Audiobook Blast, in exchange for an onest and unbiased review
Listening to the audio version was a pleasure. I loved the calm and clear voice of the reader, and she was good with different voices and situations. I normally prefer the audio version of a book, and this time I didn't regret it!
This audiobook was provided at no cost from the author, narrator or publisher throug Audiobook Blast, in exchange for an onest and unbiased review
November 10, 2016
intoxic
: Angie Gallion
I want to say, I recommended this book to our high school librarian yesterday and it has been ordered.
A book of fiction that is so well written the listener will feel if they are listening to someones memoir. The characters come to life and you either love or hate most of them. I kept my fingers crossed and hoping the young protagonist would overcome the hand she was dealt. I will look for more from this author.
The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed. Jennifer Reilly brought each character off of the page and into the world.
"I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator."
: Angie Gallion
I want to say, I recommended this book to our high school librarian yesterday and it has been ordered.
A book of fiction that is so well written the listener will feel if they are listening to someones memoir. The characters come to life and you either love or hate most of them. I kept my fingers crossed and hoping the young protagonist would overcome the hand she was dealt. I will look for more from this author.
The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed. Jennifer Reilly brought each character off of the page and into the world.
"I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator."
August 4, 2016
Fantastic read!
This is a wonderful novel. Very well written, it is a coming of age story that engages you from the first word to the last word. Definitely recommend.
This is a wonderful novel. Very well written, it is a coming of age story that engages you from the first word to the last word. Definitely recommend.
August 26, 2016
Addictive
I am addicted to this story. There has to be a sequel! The characters come to life by the author's descriptive words. Well written Angie!
I am addicted to this story. There has to be a sequel! The characters come to life by the author's descriptive words. Well written Angie!
February 9, 2023
Such a gut punch. I want to cry for Alison after every page I read. Very well written. I can’t wait to finish her story in the next few books.
October 19, 2017
This stunning coming-of-age novel introduces the indomitable Alison Hayes, a 16-year-old girl living with her alcoholic mother in a trailer park in small-town Illinois. Wise beyond her years, forced into adult responsibility too soon, but a lonely little girl inside, Alison shepherds her mother through cycles of recovery and relapse while striving to pass the milestones of normal adolescence: a job, a high school degree, a crush on the perfect-seeming neighbor boy who owns a horse farm. She also copes with the aftermath of sexual assault.
This summary may sound depressing, but although Intoxic has many moments of painful truth, the tears it elicits are cathartic, and the honesty and courage of Alison as she matures will inspire you. Rarely have I read a story so accurate about the complexity of loving and hating an abusive mother (and Alison's mother, while she is more tragic than malicious, is so neglectful that I must put her in this category). Most fiction about parental trauma follows a simplistic narrative arc from anger, to understanding, to forgiveness. Alison spirals through these perspectives, and back again, multiple times throughout the book and its sequels. She does not settle on a single verdict on her mother and herself, but rather, starts learning to hold all of these contradictions together.
I was especially moved by Alison's pervasive sense of difference from her peers. Besides the stigma of relative poverty, she is isolated by the lack of freedom to enjoy her youth. She has to worry about paying the bills when other kids are playing sports and picking out prom dresses. Nothing can distract from the mission of becoming independent of her dysfunctional mother and leaving the small town that knows their shameful secrets. This was very true to the experience of having a mentally ill or addicted parent.
The first book ends with a crisis that produces both grief and liberation for young Alison, and a mystery to be resolved in the sequel. You will root for her all the way. I swear I shouted at my Kindle reader a couple of times, "No, Alison, don't do that!" knowing she would have to repeat some of her mother's mistakes, but also having faith that she would rise again. What gives one damaged person the drive to learn and heal, while another sinks beneath the waves of depression and addiction? Intoxic will not answer that question (perhaps no one can) but if you've been on that journey, you'll find a friend and companion in this determined young woman.
This summary may sound depressing, but although Intoxic has many moments of painful truth, the tears it elicits are cathartic, and the honesty and courage of Alison as she matures will inspire you. Rarely have I read a story so accurate about the complexity of loving and hating an abusive mother (and Alison's mother, while she is more tragic than malicious, is so neglectful that I must put her in this category). Most fiction about parental trauma follows a simplistic narrative arc from anger, to understanding, to forgiveness. Alison spirals through these perspectives, and back again, multiple times throughout the book and its sequels. She does not settle on a single verdict on her mother and herself, but rather, starts learning to hold all of these contradictions together.
I was especially moved by Alison's pervasive sense of difference from her peers. Besides the stigma of relative poverty, she is isolated by the lack of freedom to enjoy her youth. She has to worry about paying the bills when other kids are playing sports and picking out prom dresses. Nothing can distract from the mission of becoming independent of her dysfunctional mother and leaving the small town that knows their shameful secrets. This was very true to the experience of having a mentally ill or addicted parent.
The first book ends with a crisis that produces both grief and liberation for young Alison, and a mystery to be resolved in the sequel. You will root for her all the way. I swear I shouted at my Kindle reader a couple of times, "No, Alison, don't do that!" knowing she would have to repeat some of her mother's mistakes, but also having faith that she would rise again. What gives one damaged person the drive to learn and heal, while another sinks beneath the waves of depression and addiction? Intoxic will not answer that question (perhaps no one can) but if you've been on that journey, you'll find a friend and companion in this determined young woman.
September 15, 2017
What a powerful story! I rarely say this about a book but this one actually emotionally gutted me; it was so dark, disturbing and almost impossible to read at times due to all the events happening to the young protagonist Ali, yet so incredibly riveting and powerful, and I couldn’t help but admire Ali’s strength.
Told from a first person POV, it tells a story of a young girl whose mother is battling alcoholism. Or, not really battling but living it, completely ignoring the crumbling effects her lifestyle has on her only daughter’s life. Utter neglect and constant emotional torture are what comes to mind while reading about a fifteen-year-old teenager who, by some twisted turn of events, happens to become the only responsible adult in this dysfunctional family. The spectrum of emotions that replace each other in Ali’s mind with yet another disappointment, another loss of job, another forgotten birthday, another new man appearing in her mother’s life who is much worse than the previous one was, is truly heartbreaking. The icing on the cake for me was this little girl thinking - on Christmas Eve - that she would have rather lived with her mother’s very first boyfriend who sexually assaulted her constantly, solely because at least she knew what to expect from him.
Yet, despite all the emotional and physical abuse, Ali’s willpower and resilience are truly worth admiration. The persistence with which she set her mind on getting out of this swamp of a life sends an incredibly powerful message to the readers, and till the very end, I rooted for Ali to get her “happily ever after” that she undoubtedly deserved. Read this book; it’s one of those stories that should be on everyone’s must-read list.
Told from a first person POV, it tells a story of a young girl whose mother is battling alcoholism. Or, not really battling but living it, completely ignoring the crumbling effects her lifestyle has on her only daughter’s life. Utter neglect and constant emotional torture are what comes to mind while reading about a fifteen-year-old teenager who, by some twisted turn of events, happens to become the only responsible adult in this dysfunctional family. The spectrum of emotions that replace each other in Ali’s mind with yet another disappointment, another loss of job, another forgotten birthday, another new man appearing in her mother’s life who is much worse than the previous one was, is truly heartbreaking. The icing on the cake for me was this little girl thinking - on Christmas Eve - that she would have rather lived with her mother’s very first boyfriend who sexually assaulted her constantly, solely because at least she knew what to expect from him.
Yet, despite all the emotional and physical abuse, Ali’s willpower and resilience are truly worth admiration. The persistence with which she set her mind on getting out of this swamp of a life sends an incredibly powerful message to the readers, and till the very end, I rooted for Ali to get her “happily ever after” that she undoubtedly deserved. Read this book; it’s one of those stories that should be on everyone’s must-read list.
October 31, 2016
This is a heartfelt first novel which reads more like a memoir than a work of fiction. The reader vividly experiences the pain and angst of 16-year-old Allison as she struggles to fit in with a hostile school environment and an indifferent community, where she never feels good enough, where she is a "have not" surrounded by "haves."
Allison is forced to grow up quickly, to be the adult in her love/hate relationship with her irresponsible, alcoholic mother, who can't manage to hold a job and bounces from man to man. Allison carries the weight of her mother's sins, which contribute to her own feelings of self-loathing and unworthiness. It's one step forward, two steps back for the pair, and there are days when Allison doesn't know where her next meal is coming from, or how they're going to keep the lights on in their trailer.
It's heartbreaking to see Allison sometimes fall into some of the same self-destructive behaviors she learned from her mother, her main role model, but you'll root for her to pull herself back from the edge of despair and strive to overcome the lousy hand life has dealt her. I'm looking forward to reading about the next chapter in Allison's journey.
Allison is forced to grow up quickly, to be the adult in her love/hate relationship with her irresponsible, alcoholic mother, who can't manage to hold a job and bounces from man to man. Allison carries the weight of her mother's sins, which contribute to her own feelings of self-loathing and unworthiness. It's one step forward, two steps back for the pair, and there are days when Allison doesn't know where her next meal is coming from, or how they're going to keep the lights on in their trailer.
It's heartbreaking to see Allison sometimes fall into some of the same self-destructive behaviors she learned from her mother, her main role model, but you'll root for her to pull herself back from the edge of despair and strive to overcome the lousy hand life has dealt her. I'm looking forward to reading about the next chapter in Allison's journey.
August 14, 2016
I . . . gosh, I hope I can put into words my feelings about this book. Okay, here goes: first, I see a little bit of everyone I know, all age groups, including myself, in the events that take place. It's a chilling, yet tender story of a sixteen-year-old who is trying to hold it together while her mom breaks apart. Angie's stark and realistic portrayal of a drug-addled mom and her many beaus, the love between mother and daughter that is tenuous at most times, but a bond nonetheless . . . it's just so beautifully written. The style is thought provoking and honest. I have not read a book like this, and I've read thousands, in my life. I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a literary and compelling story. Best wishes to the author.
September 14, 2017
Intoxic (Alison Hayes Book 1) written by Angie Gallion. I must say this book kept me reading it from cover to cover, I could not put it down till the last page it is an excellent book best one I’ve read since Before the Rain Falls. It is a five star for sure. This teenage girls life is not easy and her mother is doing nothing to help its heartbreaking and enlightening its also cold and inevitable. I would recommend this not only to young readers but to readers of all ages Alison is strong girl and inspiring in a lot of ways.
I’m am looking forward to reading Book 2 and will do so as soon as I purchase it this is a really great novel and the author keeps it real. Good Read!!
I’m am looking forward to reading Book 2 and will do so as soon as I purchase it this is a really great novel and the author keeps it real. Good Read!!
October 29, 2017
I sat down with Intoxic and quickly got caught up in the life of Alison Hayes. In this fast-paced first person fiction, one event crashes into another in a cascade that feels hard to believe at first, except that the reality is when things go bad, it can sometimes come in a continuous stream. A lot of Alison’s bad has to do with the circumstances of her life, and in that respect, Intoxic is as much a story about class and gender as it is about addiction, sexual abuse, normal teen-age longings, and possibly even mental illness. And then when I reached the last page, Alison clearly had a whole ‘nother story to tell. Looking forward to Purgus, the next book in the series
January 10, 2017
This is an excellent book! I couldn't put it down and read it in one day. I immediately downloaded her second book, Purgus, and read it the next day! Great author!
February 19, 2023
Man….poor Alison. This book is an emotional rollercoaster in its truest form. The ups (if you want to call them that) and downs are gut wrenching. Every time it seems like things may be looking up for Alison she is hit with something much more devastating. The fact that any 16 year old girl has to live this way is unfathomable but the reality is that it happens every single day. In the end of the book Alison says “the kindest people in my life have always been strangers” and that struck a nerve with me. How awful of a life it must be if the kindest people you know are strangers. Her mother Alice is a devil in disguise and does nothing but keep her bound to the chains that is her life. Alison grasps onto every good thing that her mother does which makes the constant let downs even worse and that much more emotionally draining.
This book is beautifully written and I can’t wait to read book 2 in this series. The reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because I feel like there were a few things that weren’t addressed that should have been for instance, her job, Mr. Billups’s gift to them and how her mom must have known about the job extra money etc. I will definitely come back and adjust this rating if it all comes out in the rest of the series.
Overall a great emotionally challenging read!
This book is beautifully written and I can’t wait to read book 2 in this series. The reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because I feel like there were a few things that weren’t addressed that should have been for instance, her job, Mr. Billups’s gift to them and how her mom must have known about the job extra money etc. I will definitely come back and adjust this rating if it all comes out in the rest of the series.
Overall a great emotionally challenging read!
May 28, 2023
This is one of those books that you'll hug to your chest at the end. Alison is intelligent and insightful. Her life and her struggles are vividly painted. The reader understands her, worries for her, and deeply empathizes with her. I can't wait to dive into Purgus, the sequel, because I can't get enough of Alison!
September 8, 2018
Upon entering the myopic world of Alison Hayes, one is cautioned by the cluttered yet lonely existence of this troubled teenager. You are quickly enveloped into the cold, bitter rural Illinois setting that only gets more frigid inside Alison's trailer that she shares with her mother and whomever has won her "companion of the month" club. Alison's relationship with her mother is the central theme of the book as you ride a slow emotional roller coaster with more unexpected, terrifying twists and turns without the thrill and excitement...only the terror of a tormented, unloved child. Angie Gallion does an incredible job introducing you to Alison Hayes without trying to win you over. She gives Alison great depth of character who doesn't always do the right thing-- adolescence in a "normal" setting is difficult, but add a single alcoholic mother struggling to keep a man, a job, pay rent and utilities, while raising a teenage daughter whom she resents and you tumble face first into Alison's tragic world. Gallion teaches without lecturing the reader about how isolated Alison feels in her mother's troubled shadow. The mother-daughter relationship is always complicated and more complex as the child transitions from adolescent to adult. Gallion easily navigates these turbulent waters with woeful tales that seem to get worse with shocking consequences. Each character is richly described in a natural way that makes you feel you've met them before. Gallion's "keep 'em guessing" technique really grips the reader and forces you, like Alison, to know the mystery of her parent's history. Alison's mother weaponizes that mystery to torture her only daughter-- who often feels like the mistake her mother regrets more than her present failed relationship. Gallion's ability to set a scene with graphic descriptions enhances the story-- vivid telling of one's shoe crunching through the icy grass and leaving your foot wet and cold! I love how Gallion laced the word "dirty" throughout the book. It was the thread that seemed to tie the book together-- Alison always felt she was viewed by outsiders and, even her few friends, as dirty. A great word that a depressed, unloved teenager would embrace as their identity. I had a hard time putting this book down though I cringed at nearly every scene with her mother like a rubbernecking motorist passing by an accident-- I had to look! That's where Gallion hooks you and makes you want to know and read more about the complexities of female adolescence born in the womb of a self-centered, self-absorbed sot that biology calls a mother though Alison knows better.
April 11, 2017
Struggles
15 year old Alison takes care of herself in this very well written debut novel. Fast paced as we span a little over a year of her life with her mother who drinks and brings home men. Her best friend is always there for her but he has the perfect life, how can he really understand. Because of the drinking Alison doesn't know which Mother she will face each day. Her Mother was so perfect when Alison was in kindergarten and a room mother for her class. What happened? Wonderful story, leaves questions that I can't wait to read the next novel in the series. Really enjoyed the book!!!
15 year old Alison takes care of herself in this very well written debut novel. Fast paced as we span a little over a year of her life with her mother who drinks and brings home men. Her best friend is always there for her but he has the perfect life, how can he really understand. Because of the drinking Alison doesn't know which Mother she will face each day. Her Mother was so perfect when Alison was in kindergarten and a room mother for her class. What happened? Wonderful story, leaves questions that I can't wait to read the next novel in the series. Really enjoyed the book!!!
April 5, 2018
Just finished Angie Gallion’s Intoxic. I don't know if this novel is autobiographical, but Angie sure knows how to get into the mind of a 17 year old girl. The main character, Alison, has so many cards stacked against her this mother's heart wanted to snatch her right out of there and give her a decent home. I can't wait to see what her future holds in books two and three!
February 5, 2019
What a great read! Angie Gallion did a great job creating the challenging world of the teenage protagonist, Alison Hayes! As the cover describes, Alison is going through the worst of times, yet she battles through and discovers her own strength!! I can't wait to read book 2!
March 22, 2018
This book drew me in and captured my attention. I'm ready to start book 2!
February 9, 2021
Excellent! The whole series is AMAZING!!!!
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