A Story of Addiction (The Memoir Series Book 1) - Memoirs Aren't Fairytales

This was a real, in-depth look at drug addiction and just how much it can take over and ruin a person's life. The things that Nicole went through were terrible, scary and astonishing, I'm actually surprised she made it through. Drugs are no joke, and this memoir explored how one decision changes the course of a life. A must read!

A brilliant book. Very well written, riveting, page turning and intense. This book tells a story that will stay with you. I can't wait for the sequel and other books by this very promising new writer!

This book was an absolute train wreck but it had my attention from the moment I started it! You get to see how this woman's life gets ruined by a substance and can't help but feel sorry and sad for her, and her addiction.

This is a fictional account of addiction. I found the the store description of the book silent on this bit of information, a point, which when coupled with the fact that the word "memoir" is in the title of the work itself, lead me to believe that this book was a memoir. Regardless, the book held my attention enough to the end and I finished the book. However, I probably wouldn't have picked this book up in the first place knowing that it was a non-addict's fictional account of heavy drug use.

This book is just word for word unreal. It portrays how the drug is in the inner city and it is so detailed it was so aching to my stomach, but it a way where I could not put this book down! I definatly suggest it to anyone who is interested in reading about such a story!

Amazing read!

I downloaded the sample yesterday and had to finish it. I could not put it down. Ii haven't been this taken with a book in a long time and I read a lot. Wow I can't wait for the next book..she's a great author.

The book is well written and it's a great story. I thought the book was a real memior until I started reading reviews and found out it was fiction. Like I said its a great book and well written to the point I had cried a few times feeling this girls pain. Then to find out its fiction was kinda a slap in the face. I think if your going to write a book and it's fiction you shouldn't have memior in the title. I loved the book I'm just a lil insaulted that I thought I was reading a real memior about a girl who lived threw hell and watched everyone around her die I felt the pain for sure but it should state somewhere that it is not a real story. My heart was breaking every sad word she had said and now to find out its not a real story im just very disapointed. She did a great job at capturing an addicts life and putting it in a story but maybe she should write about things she can some what relate to, or things that arent labled a memior. Like a story of a girl going threw hard times at school with bullies and hard family life not drug addiction. It could be highly insulting.

PAGE TURNER...couldn't put it down! Honest, vivid and heart wrenching. Scenes are descriptive and raw, leaving you feeling as though you are living Cole's life with her. Can't wait for the sequel!!!

I too thought it was a memoir. Far from it. It is the author's impersonation of a memoir. I think all the friends at her high school must have reviewed it. I read a sample and thought it showed promise so I purchased it.
I found myself pushing to keep reading. At about the 25% mark I just couldn't take it any more. I felt I had wasted enough of my life. It just didn't ring true.

I read the first book and enjoyed it, so I was happy to see a sequel. The book was okay,not great,but the ending was AWFUL. my advice - consider skipping the last chapter and definitely skip the epilogue! it was terrible!!!!! it was written like the character was a young child not a grown women. The ending was shallow, fake and meaningless. it ruined the whole book.
The author should republish minus the epilogue. Not sure why its gotten such good reviews, unless everyone skipped the ending. ugh,I hate it when authors take the 'hollywood" way out

Plot summary: Well, in high school I had a beer at a party, and then my boyfriend sexually abused me, and then I dropped out of high school, and then I got addicted to alcohol, and then I ran away from my family, and then I moved into a crappy apartment and got a crappy job, and then I started arguing with my roommate, and then I started using heavier drugs, and then my other roommate died of a drug OD, and then the restaurant customers were mean to me, and then I had no money and couldn't afford to eat, and then my boss fired me for not sleeping with him, and then I was living on the street, and then I started using cocaine, and then I started having sex for drugs, and then my prostitute friend got pregnant and left the baby in a trash can, and then I started using heroin again, and then my family stopped talking to me again, and then the cops arrested my pimp and I was homeless again, and the I went into withdrawl again...(at this point, I skipped ahead another 100 pages)...and then I was starving to death again, and then my brother announced he was gay, and then I nearly died from an OD again, and then my pimp beat me up again, and then my brother tried to help me but he was shot and killed, and then I got arrested again, etc.
But you know how it ends? "My story's not over yet!" Yes, really.

I enjoyed the book but the ending isn't credible; it's tied up too neatly with a bow. Anyone who gives up a dealer, especially one tied to organized crime, is not going to survive. She's way too self-righeous, fingering others to weasel her way out of doing real time. Hey, don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

Too much graphic descriptions of sex for me to recommend this book to anyone and too much profanity, but the life of a junkie isn't pretty. I thought from the title this might have something to do with fairy tales, but it didn't.

wants to be like the glass (etc.) series.
not even close. boring boring boring.
gratuitous sex and violence, no character development.
worth every penny of the 'free' price.
NOT recommended.

I decided that I had to read this book, not only because the subject matter was of personal interest to me, but because I wanted to see if the author knew what she was talking about...a friend sent it to me, and...

I started reading. I kept reading. I got sucked in, and couldn't put it down. The whole time I was reading, one part of my brain was engaged in how gruesomely entertaining Nicole's story was, and the other was how gruesomely accurate the depiction of addiction was. My first thought after finishing the very last sentence was, "Wow."

My second thought was that every single Addictions Therapist or Counselor who has not experienced an addiction of their own should be mandated to read Nicole's story. Here's the catch. This is a work of fiction, technically. "Nicole" doesn't exist. But the reality is that there are thousands and thousands of men and women like Nicole.

Some people will avoid this book because it will make them uncomfortable. That's ok. But if you want to know what addiction really is like, if you want to understand how someone smart, talented, and seeming to have it all ends up living on the streets, then you must read it. If you want to hear the story of thousands of young people in the U.S., read this book. If you want to know the faces of the hundreds of people I have worked with over the past 11+ years, read this book. If you know and love someone who has an addiction, read this book. Marni Mann has created a masterpiece.

Having read many books about addiction, I wondered what would make this one different and more absorbing than the rest. Right from the start, I found the difference immediately. Ms. Mann possesses a gift for creating characters and situations that kept me riveted to her book. This author paints a vivid picture of a young woman so heavily addicted to hard-core drugs that she has no love or feelings for anyone or anything else except her drug of choice. Instead of making me grow attached to the main characters in her book, I was drawn in by how their innate personalities disappeared when ruled by their addictions. With her exceptional ability for detail,Ms. Mann taught me so much more than I ever knew about a world that no human being ever wants to enter. Yet, I know this world truly exists, and I learned so much about those who enter this alternate universe. The author understands how families react in hopeless situations; i.e., trying to help, becoming confused, attempting to fix the situation with unconditional love, resigning themselves and coping by turning away from their loved one.

Ms. Mann kept me turning page after page to find out what could possibly take place next. A lot happens in this book. However, the story flows without becoming choppy or sloppy. This author has a unique style which I personally find exciting. I have closed many books before finishing them because they just do not hold my interest , but definitely not this one. I look forward to reading more books by Ms. Mann.

Yes, this is a page-turner. However, the train wreck I was curious to follow was not the uninspired story of Nicole, but the homework level style of the narrative that never broke through. I wondered, "When will the writer pick her pen up off the paper and think?" Where to start? So many conveniences - a brother always showing up out of nowhere. So many undeveloped, 2-dimensional characters - the protagonist is no exception. I think the shock of this Frankenstein addict's behavior is a distraction from simply shallow storytelling. As someone else wrote, it's obvious the writer has done no elbow deep dirty work. Her feet are not wet in the world she tries to create. She has created a cardboard version of that world albeit. It reads as if she has copied and pasted bits and pieces from other people's life stories and forgotten an emotional narrative throughline - other than the protagonist's weakness under pressure and uncanny ability to get a lot of people killed, not because of her addiction, but because she is stupid. Even before the rape, her values were questionable, so she's not made some great life shift. As a writer who puts in thousands of hours cultivating a world, and as a friend who has held the hands of a number of severely addicted people, I find this book insulting - not enlightening - and I'm sorry so many 5-star reviewers walk away thinking this is worthy.

It has taken me a while to put my thoughts together in order to write a review for this book. What is there to say about such a realistic look into the life of a heroin addict? Nicole Brown lives through a traumatic experience in college, and that sets off a spiral of bad decisions. She and her best friend Eric move to escape, but ultimately become submerged in the life of drugs.

Throughout Memoirs Aren't Fairytales, the reader gets the dark, harsh truth of drugs. Chronicling Nicole and Eric's steps from different drugs and ultimately landing with heroin was such a real-life portrayal.

As the story progresses, so does Nicole's downhill spiral. Nicole loses so much and so many people in her life that I begged her to get help as I was reading. With every promise she made to the people who loved her, I was cheering her on, knowing that was the time she would get well. I wanted her to make the right decisions.

This book is definitely like no other book I have ever read about addiction. I was right beside Nicole in the drug dealers' houses, the rehab stints, the illegal activities, every aspect of her life. Marni's storytelling is one word: phenomenal. I cried while reading this book. They were tears of sadness, hope, and sympathy for Nicole's actions.

Along with the strong theme, this book contains a powerful cast of both primary and secondary characters that have stayed with me. I cannot wait to begin the sequel.

What a beautiful, moving story that I am so glad I read!

With one taste, the love that once flowed through Nicole's veins turns into cravings. Tracks mark the passing of time, and heroin's grip gets tighter. It holds her hand through deaths and prostitution, but her addiction keeps her in the darkness. When her family tries to strike a match to help light her way, Nicole must choose between a life she can hardly remember, or a love for heroin she'll never forget.

*
This book is not one that is to be read lightly. Do not go into this book and expect everything to make sense or somehow be ok. Because that is not the truth. That is not real.

Memoirs Aren't Fairytales is a hard book to read. It's a hard book to understand. Because it is real. Is is so Damn real.

Everyone knows at least one person, who knows a person who knows a person, or maybe you are that person. It doesn't matter, in some way everyone will be touched by addiction. And it hurts.

I don't have first hand knowledge. I was never allowed around the junkies long enough to experience what is broadcasted in this book. But that doesn't mean I don't know. That doesn't mean I didn't see some shit.

I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I opened this book. I didn't fully understand what I was getting myself into. I don't regret reading.

I can't really say anything about Memoirs Aren't Fairytales, except this is a book you have to experience to believe.

My stomach would turn at some of the events described. My arms would itch with invisible tracks every time it was mentioned. My heart would ache for this lost girl.

This book is not for the faint of heart. It takes someone who will not judge, who will not scream, who will listen to the story being told.

Because this book is a story. It's a story about a girl who loses her way of life. Who fell into the trap many other people do.

Memoirs Aren't Fairytales opened my eyes to the world I've always known existed, only it pulled me in deep. So deep for a while I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy reading. For a while I wasn't sure if I liked reading about druggies and prostitutes. But I opened my mind, and I allowed myself to see Nicole for what she is. A lost soul. Someone who needs help.

I pray she gets it.

The ending jarred me. And I now need to read the second book. Because I need to know what happens. I need to know that Nicole makes the right choice for her. I need to continue the journey we started. Because after reading, I feel like I went through everything with Nicole at my side.

Not many authors can make their books that believable, especially one of this nature. And for that. I have to love this book

Memoirs Aren’t Fairytales: A Story of Addiction (The Memoir #1)
Scars from a Memoir (The Memoirs #2) by Marni Mann
5 stars!!!!

“Am I a runaway train, or am I the track?”

This was a duet that I needed to review straightaway, I just feel that if I get my thoughts and emotions down while I am still coming to terms with what I have just read it will have more of an emotional impact. These books seriously touched me, having never been around drugs or even having an inclination to try any I have never fully understood the novelty or the pull that these chemicals have on the addicts that so easily become consumed by them. But the thing about these two books is that it not only draws attention to the addict, but also the effects that addiction has on family, friends and strangers. This is definitely no fairy tale, this is the story of a woman’s desperate decline into the pits of hell and I lived and breathed it, warts and all.

“I was chasing something. And damn it felt so effing good.”

What starts out as the recreational use of weed soon turns into other more “heavy” drugs, like coke and ultimately heroin. What initially is perceived as a “pick me up” soon becomes a dependency and so the spiral begins. But what I loved about this book is that you were inside the head of Nicole, what Marni Mann delivered was an addicts reasoning’s and thought processes and for someone like me who was totally oblivious to anything surrounding this lifestyle it gave me an insight into why people tragically descend down this route. While I don’t condone in any shape of form what Nicole did, I finally appreciated the effects that drugs have on your ability to think straight, to make rational decisions and to actually see what was presented in front of the mirror. An addict didn’t see an addict. An addict only saw their next high, that short burst of relief from the troubles they carried. A temporary blindfold on their misery all the while it only being a smokescreen for the ingrained issues they had and ultimately, only making those issues increase tenfold by adding more issues on top of issues that were already there.

“Today I was sober, but tomorrow wasn’t here yet.”

Drug addiction is like a vortex, a force so powerful that you are forever caught up in its vicious cycle, a vortex that is desperately difficult to break out of. But the first step is recognising the addiction and more often than not it takes hitting rock bottom to see it. Some people get that rock bottom, others die before they get there, but it takes incredible strength and courage to fight and the fight is never over, this is made painfully clear throughout this duet.

“But heroin was my air. It had a hold of me like we were chained together. And those shackles weren’t just around my wrists, they were tied around my brain too.”

Nicole aka Cole, was a girl that had a great life ahead of her, she was a fantastic student, had a loving family and was living the teenage dream, until one night...one night that forever changed her and one night that ultimately led to her decline down the darkest routes of addiction. It is this one event that ultimately decimated her life and that of her family. Nicole was a victim, but the effects of that one night made her a victim for the next ten years. That one night made her friends and family victims in more ways than one. Her relocation to Boston was supposed to be a new start, a way to exorcise her demons, but Boston had demons of its own, only these demons had far more destructive consequences. This is the harrowing story of Nicole and I defy anyone not to be touched and totally consumed by her story.

“I could make up a story to cover the last eight years, but the scars on my arms told the truth. So did my ankles, the skin between my toes, even the veins that had burst on my breasts. I was like that board my dad used to tack papers to in his office. Eventually, the cork fell apart because it had too many holes, and my Dad got a new one. Did my battle wounds really prove I was a survivor? Or was I too damaged to be glued back together?”

Nicole’s voice rang true, Marni Mann brought Nicole to life and I was soon consumed by her distressing, disturbing and horrifying experiences at the hands of heroin. A drug so powerful and all-consuming that life became a trick to get that next trip. The degrading situations she finds herself in are just one of the side effects together with demeaning herself daily just to get what she always perceived she needed more than food, clothes on her back and a roof over her head. The lengths to which friends and family will go to, to help, and then their desperate and heart breaking realisation that tough love is the only love. I can’t explain how touching and heart breaking this story was. I cried a river, not only for Nicole, but her brother, her mum and dad and her friends.

“It’s not a mess, Cole. It’s a beautiful mess.”

Every possible emotion is evoked painfully word by word, situation by situation as Marni Mann viscerally portrays life as an addict. Even though I have no experience, I felt as if I was living in the drug havens of Boston. Every character was so real, I could see them, I could hear them and I could smell them. I was totally transported to the pits of hell and for someone as naïve as me it was a world that I never knew existed. It was eye opening, so realistic

Nicole does hit rock bottom and she is one of the ones that are lucky enough to survive the fall, but the climb back out is equally as painful. Book two concentrates on that climb, the pitfalls and the past that never leaves you alone. The consequences, both physical and mental and the after affects and devastation that addiction leaves behind. Nicole does find love, so there is an uplifting element, but a love that will always have the past in the background, a love filled with understanding and protective measures to avoid relapse. Nothing about this duet is pretty, it is raw, it is gritty it is so realistic. It just hurt so bad. I understand there is a YA version of this duet, I implore all parents to make their kids read it, it is enough to put them off for life. If one life is saved, then the research and experiences that this author penned onto paper would be worth it.

“I’ll always be a recovering heroin addict, but heroin no longer owns me.”

These two books now complete my Marni Mann collection; I can now say I have read all her books. These two books were her first and as a debut I cannot relay how impressive and how well put together this duet was. The attention to details, the realism and the no holds barred ugliness really cements this as an unforgettable story.

“My memoir is no damn fairytale. But my story isn’t over yet.”

I am still distraught, I thought this review would be cathartic, but that pain shows no sign of abating. This story moved me, it touched me on so many levels, I will never forget Nicole, and when my kids are old enough to understand they will be reading this series too. I am so emotional right now.

“Good-bye, Boston.”

This memoir is not really fresh or revealing it's pretty much the same tired terrain covered by better writers who had decades of debauchery to pull from and all those years of experience writing too. With this said, I assume this book is written by a woman who is still fairly young and she's been fairly brutal here. She's far more likable than the others as a writers and as a junkie who knows how to expose the ugly truth with an oddly ironic self deprecation.
She clearly went through some horrible experiences before and after the addiction began and it a mot difficult to see how he would fall prey to drugs. Her enthusiasm for getting high is actually amusing and there are a few parts of the text you may laugh out loud when you read them.
I read a lot of books and lean towards classics and great bios, which I assume this isn't considered. But I read it in a couple sittings and I think it will hang with me because Nicole is tenacious and tragic. I am not going to expect much from the sequels, but I will likely read them. Marni Mann should keep writing and challenge herself in new ways. She has a gift. She can use that to see the world in a million new ways.

This book was recommended to me as a “dark and twisty” read, and while it can be construed as dark, it wasn’t what I was after.

However, it is a well written book, that takes a deep look into addiction. Heroine is a big deal these days, and I found myself wondering if this was how Kara felt. She OD’d the September after we graduated high school.

I’m not sure if this book is fiction, or somewhat autobiographical, but I enjoyed it. And I think I’ll read the second one as well.

This is not for those who’re recently recovering from addiction, I think the early part of this book, where it covers all the “feel good” of drugs would be difficult.

Memoirs Aren't Fairytales: A Story of Addiction (The Memoir Series) is one of the most gut-wrenching pieces I've read regarding the consequences of addiction. This author certainly doesn't sugar-coat the filth, the despair and the guilt that travels hand-in-hand with drug addiction.

Wrong choices were made by Nicole at an early age, but she and fellow users all believed they were stronger than the "dragon," heroin that soon consumes their lives. Pot smoking isn't enough to escape bad memories and empty feelings, so they quickly find the allure of heroin, preferring the "nod" to the here and now. From petty stealing to prostitution to prison, no steps are left out in this telling of personal loss. "Anything for a taste of the dragon" wraps up the downward spiral for the main characters.

What is more chilling than the graphic descriptions of drug use is the gapping lack of self-feeling. The deterioration of the body is evident - rotting teeth, weight loss, etc., but it's the detachment of the mind that is the worst of heroin's effects. Friends overdose and die, loved ones are shot to death, babies are miscarried, acquaintences are beat up - all without registering on the drug's inner mental meter.

This should be mandatory reading for anyone experimenting with drugs, but also for those dealing with addicts. This dark piece of work will stay with you long after the last page is read.

I can't say enough about this book. Actually about the series. It is mind blowing! Hit hard and hit home with me because it is set in my hometown of Boston and because I am a recovering heroin addict. The story and characters are so believable. I really felt like I personally knew Nicole. I don't want to give anything away. These books will take you through every emotion possible. I highly suggest this series.

I bought this under the assumption that it was a memoir. I have read many memoirs and fiction stories about addiction, but this was a disappointment. The entire read was inauthentic and poorly written. I felt the writer set a stereotypical, hard to relate setting of "daughter of rich parents gone wrong." Also the cliches are innumerable and incredibly obvious, for instance: "I remembered seeing a movie with a little boy and a little girl. The details were vague, but I think they were running through fields of grass and the little girl said, 'Dear God, make me a bird. So I could fly far. Far far away from here'." Sound familiar? And this is copyright 2011 so it isn't as though Forest Gump wasn't infamous at that point. Alas, the cliches don't end there. The girl's drug dealer is named Jesus (with Latin pronunciation) but that the man is still referred to as the religious icon. The main character, Nicole, wants to be a school teacher. In the midst of her addiction, she goes into a library and comes upon a reading group of children. A little boy gets caught on a word and then asks: "What does believe mean?" And, the real kicker to add to the drama, she finds out her investment tycoon brother is gay *gasp* such a shocker!

I didn't bother reading beyond chapter fourteen, the ending is already predictable enough. Buy at your own risk, readers.

Nicole and her friend Eric decide to leave their hometown and move to Boston. Once they get to Boston things aren’t any easier. Nicole’s life goes downward from there when she starts using drugs. Once she gets a taste of drugs it turns into a very strong addiction. Nicole’s family tries to help her get clean but Nicole has to decide whether she wants to get help.

I thought this was a good read and it is a story of addiction. I haven’t read anything like this before and I was drawn to this story from the very beginning. Nicole life takes a drastic turn when drugs enter the picture and it becomes an addiction she can’t easily shake. Nicole has to be the one to decide whether to keep down this path or to accept the help that is given to her. I can’t wait to read more from this author!!

This was such a powerful story. It is about Nicole, a 23 year old girl who becomes addicted to heroin and her journey through all the pain that goes with being an addict.

I have had addicts as friends and this is an excellent portrayal of what happens and can happen to you. With drugs you either keep using, die, or go to jail.

Nicole had so many horrible things happen to her I could not begin to list them and it was all related to the heroin.

What is amazing is, with all the horrible things that happened to her, she did not quit using. She promised herself many times and promised ones she loved but it never panned out.

There is not much else to say because I would be spoiling a lot and you really need to read this to get the full effect. There is a sequel but it is a good stand alone.

The storytelling is like no other book I have ever read. The characters are powerful, unique, and real. The pacing was perfect. The emotions ran high and could be felt in your stomach and your heart. There was so much suspense with each passing sentence it was hard to put the book down. I wanted Nicole to to get sober and be happy. I felt what her family did as they watched their little girl become someone else.

When I finished this book, there were so many emotions in me. I could not wait to read the next book. I also had to read the next book right away because I had to find out what happened to Nicole. Reading this book was like watching a really bad news story. It takes your breath away and makes you hope whoever was affected will pull through.

Nicole is stuck in my head. I feel like I know her and I want to reach out and help her.

If you have had addiction issues, I think there are triggers here so I would not read it. For the sober people, read it and take it as a warning. This is what is going on in our world today and you cannot turn a blind eye to it.

I received a copy of this book for an honest review.

This novel isn't a true story, but honestly, I thought Nicole Brown was someone I could have known personally. That's how well it was written.

Marni Mann will blow you away with her ability to reach out and grab you from the very first chapter, until the last page of the book. I was up WAY past my normal bed time every night, struggling to stay awake but craving more of this story.

Nicole Brown and her friend Eric decide one day that they are heading to Boston after spending their entire lives in "The Hole" of Maine. I grew up in Maine myself and that couldn't be more accurate. I already felt her pain. Lo and behold, the first scene has them smoking weed, which really focuses in on the fact that Nicole thought weed was a completely harmless drug. That it is, but the urge to try everything once was too strong for her.

She ends up trying all sorts of things such as E, cocaine, and eventually her favorite, heroin. As her life slowly spirals out of control, you find out she was raped in college and never recovered from it. It explains why she wanted so badly to lose herself and be numb to everything. And she succeeded in doing that.

This book is graphic and raw. That's what makes it so realistic and believable. It's not for the faint of heart. It will have you extremely angry every time Nicole makes a wrong decision, but will also leave you with the emotions of watching someone descent into darkness.

I'm currently reading book two of this short series and I can't wait to see what happens to Nicole.

I'm not even sure where to begin my review. This is one of those books that will touch you right down to your core. And hours after turning the last page, I still can't seem to forget about Nicole and her story.

While I've never suffered from drug addiction, I have known many who have, and Mann does an remarkably excellent job in portraying the life and feelings of an addict.

I found myself relating to the darkness of Nicole's life, because we've all had life experiences we would rather not remember, just like Nicole. Some of us deal with that darkness by resorting to drugs. Some with shopping. Some with therapy. I would wager that anyone who picks this book up will see something of themselves in Nicole. And that is both powerful... and scary. Memoirs Aren't Fairytales reminds us that addicts are people. Not monsters. But people who chose a different path than us. People who once had dreams and aspirations just like us. People who simply... got lost along the way.

Nicole's story held me hostage from the very first line. With every turn of the page, I wished, and hoped that she would find her way back to "normal." Back to the way her life should be. Memoirs Aren't Fairytales is a tough read because it's raw and very, very real. There aren't many people whose lives haven't in some way been touched by drugs. We all know someone, or know someone who knows someone who is an addict.

This book is a must read for everyone. Bravo Marni Mann on a debut novel that I'll never forget. Ever.

I enjoyed this book. She doesn't hold back with what she felt and thought during active addiction. As a recovering addict (and also from Boston, didn't know she was from there) it is pretty accurate. Unfortunately, what an outsider may view as too horrible and deem fiction, is the reality of addiction. It brings us to dark places and as long as we have our drug of choice an addict can adapt and become comfortable in those depths. Mann captures this when she moves thru all of this while keeping labor focused on staying high at all costs. I can't wait to read the next book.

Nicole and her friend Eric decide to leave their hometown and move to Boston. Once they get to Boston things aren’t any easier. Nicole’s life goes downward from there when she starts using drugs. Once she gets a taste of drugs it turns into a very strong addiction. Nicole’s family tries to help her get clean but Nicole has to decide whether she wants to get help.

I thought this was a good read and it is a story of addiction. I haven’t read anything like this before and I was drawn to this story from the very beginning. Nicole life takes a drastic turn when drugs enter the picture and it becomes an addiction she can’t easily shake. Nicole has to be the one to decide whether to keep down this path or to accept the help that is given to her. I can’t wait to read more from this author!!

This was such a powerful story. It is about Nicole, a 23 year old girl who becomes addicted to heroin and her journey through all the pain that goes with being an addict.

I have had addicts as friends and this is an excellent portrayal of what happens and can happen to you. With drugs you either keep using, die, or go to jail.

Nicole had so many horrible things happen to her I could not begin to list them and it was all related to the heroin.

What is amazing is, with all the horrible things that happened to her, she did not quit using. She promised herself many times and promised ones she loved but it never panned out.

There is not much else to say because I would be spoiling a lot and you really need to read this to get the full effect. There is a sequel but it is a good stand alone.

The storytelling is like no other book I have ever read. The characters are powerful, unique, and real. The pacing was perfect. The emotions ran high and could be felt in your stomach and your heart. There was so much suspense with each passing sentence it was hard to put the book down. I wanted Nicole to to get sober and be happy. I felt what her family did as they watched their little girl become someone else.

When I finished this book, there were so many emotions in me. I could not wait to read the next book. I also had to read the next book right away because I had to find out what happened to Nicole. Reading this book was like watching a really bad news story. It takes your breath away and makes you hope whoever was affected will pull through.

Nicole is stuck in my head. I feel like I know her and I want to reach out and help her.

If you have had addiction issues, I think there are triggers here so I would not read it. For the sober people, read it and take it as a warning. This is what is going on in our world today and you cannot turn a blind eye to it.

I received a copy of this book for an honest review.

This novel isn't a true story, but honestly, I thought Nicole Brown was someone I could have known personally. That's how well it was written.

Marni Mann will blow you away with her ability to reach out and grab you from the very first chapter, until the last page of the book. I was up WAY past my normal bed time every night, struggling to stay awake but craving more of this story.

Nicole Brown and her friend Eric decide one day that they are heading to Boston after spending their entire lives in "The Hole" of Maine. I grew up in Maine myself and that couldn't be more accurate. I already felt her pain. Lo and behold, the first scene has them smoking weed, which really focuses in on the fact that Nicole thought weed was a completely harmless drug. That it is, but the urge to try everything once was too strong for her.

She ends up trying all sorts of things such as E, cocaine, and eventually her favorite, heroin. As her life slowly spirals out of control, you find out she was raped in college and never recovered from it. It explains why she wanted so badly to lose herself and be numb to everything. And she succeeded in doing that.

This book is graphic and raw. That's what makes it so realistic and believable. It's not for the faint of heart. It will have you extremely angry every time Nicole makes a wrong decision, but will also leave you with the emotions of watching someone descent into darkness.

I'm currently reading book two of this short series and I can't wait to see what happens to Nicole.

I'm not even sure where to begin my review. This is one of those books that will touch you right down to your core. And hours after turning the last page, I still can't seem to forget about Nicole and her story.

While I've never suffered from drug addiction, I have known many who have, and Mann does an remarkably excellent job in portraying the life and feelings of an addict.

I found myself relating to the darkness of Nicole's life, because we've all had life experiences we would rather not remember, just like Nicole. Some of us deal with that darkness by resorting to drugs. Some with shopping. Some with therapy. I would wager that anyone who picks this book up will see something of themselves in Nicole. And that is both powerful... and scary. Memoirs Aren't Fairytales reminds us that addicts are people. Not monsters. But people who chose a different path than us. People who once had dreams and aspirations just like us. People who simply... got lost along the way.

Nicole's story held me hostage from the very first line. With every turn of the page, I wished, and hoped that she would find her way back to "normal." Back to the way her life should be. Memoirs Aren't Fairytales is a tough read because it's raw and very, very real. There aren't many people whose lives haven't in some way been touched by drugs. We all know someone, or know someone who knows someone who is an addict.

This book is a must read for everyone. Bravo Marni Mann on a debut novel that I'll never forget. Ever.

I enjoyed this book. She doesn't hold back with what she felt and thought during active addiction. As a recovering addict (and also from Boston, didn't know she was from there) it is pretty accurate. Unfortunately, what an outsider may view as too horrible and deem fiction, is the reality of addiction. It brings us to dark places and as long as we have our drug of choice an addict can adapt and become comfortable in those depths. Mann captures this when she moves thru all of this while keeping labor focused on staying high at all costs. I can't wait to read the next book.

As a recovering addict, substance abuse therapist, and author of the addiction-based novel Stray, I looked at this novel through a unique lense.

So many addiction stories are either trite, cliche, or oozing with melo-drama. This novel had none of that, and comes highly recommended by this reader.

The main character Nicole is a realistic portrayal of how a recreational drug-user slowly slips deep into heroin addiction. And she gets to enjoy all the lovely side-dishes served with living a life dedicated to getting and staying high, and not getting sick.

The group of characters and circumstances Nicole encounters may all be fiction, but they are happening as described in real life. Probably within a few football fields from where you are reading this review. I've met a ton of addicts in my time, and the story represents them well.

The portrayal of the mind of an addict is what I think is the highlight of the novel. The way Nicole rationalizes, or more often, dismisses the effects of drug use, but stays focused on 'shooting moves' and getting by is portrayed brilliantly. The novel did run on at times, but I believe this is needed to truly follow an addicts path.

Treatment center romance and hospital trips and family scams and everyday wondering how to get by and stay high. The novel accurately described all of this in an engaging manner, and with a true human face to Nicole, so that we realize we are dealing with a girl who had the same dreams all of use do.

Great story.

Wow just wow, can I just say that over and over again and have it be my review. I am realy at a loss of words on how to review this book. It was such an intense, emotional read and the beauty of it is that it could be so real. I was completley engrossed into this story from start to finish and I could not bring myself to put it down. My favourite thing about this book is the author does not hold back or sugarcoat anything and because of this the story feels so damn real. 5 Stars really isn't enough for this book!

I won this book from GoodReads First Reads.This book had me drugged just like the characters in this book.I couldn't put the book down even though the book is not about a happy fairytale I loved it. I felt sad, weaken, ugly, high, pain, cravings, withdrawals. I felt bad for her but at the same time I didn't. Just wished she would have stopped using drugs and get straight before so many horrible things happened. It was a perfect book to teach people not to trust no one. People say there are your friends because of some sort of benefit. When you really need help no one comes to help you. Highly Recommend this book to everyone. I promise you will feel just as high as the characters when there in there own little world. Like the author said in the book "don't mess with Heroine its like a terrorist."

I'm not the sort who likes any plot points spilled in a review so I'll stick solely to my feelings regarding MEMOIRS AREN'T FAIRYTALES. I was at once humbled by the story-telling skill but also saddened at the understanding of just how real this story is, despite its fiction. The details and meandering pathway of our young protagonist are so powerful and disheartening simply because of their authenticity. Just when I didn't think things could get any more surprising or go further south for her, I was left teetering by a phrase, by a detail, by a plot movement.

Well written, demanding of its audience, this is a powerful novel of hope versus despair. We feel for the characters even though the narrative style is a kind of `arms-length' sort. It's analogous, perhaps to a modern news report, one that avoids editorializing as it tells us the horrible story of a dead child or a mother abused. But it works here. All the emotion and heartache is right there between the lines, splashed not on the page, but on our own psyche - as we read it, and as we walk away afterwards... changed by having read this story.

The synopsis is so dark, so gripping, that I decided to try it out and if I couldn't finish it I wouldn't beat myself up.

I couldn't put it down. In less than 72 hours I completely read the book. I don't have any experience with addiction, neither myself nor my family members, but that didn't stop me from being engrossed with this book. It was written in such a real, lifelike manner that at times I would force myself to put the book down and remind myself that this was merely a story and it was not my life.

I felt for Nicole. I wanted to cry as I read the first time she tried heroin. I felt sick as I read the times she had to sell her body to simply get the drugs that she needed to survive. This book was such a page turner. It was amazing, sad, and gave me a huge wake up call on how truly tragic that addiction and drugs can be on one's life.

Other than Ellen Hopkins' Crank books, I haven't read any addiction books (mostly because I didn't think I would find them interesting; I attempted Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and it didn't go well, lol). I'm so glad that I read this one on a whim, because this was a real page-turner. Many a night I stayed up much longer than I should have, reading this book, because it was so hard to put down and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. It's also interesting, because it's often hard to enjoy a book whose main character you vehemently dislike, but despite disliking Nicole a lot, I still very much enjoyed reading about her experiences.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story, or anyone who is interested in addiction stories. Dark, but very good. I'd love to find more books like it.

Very thorough and very real. The author was able to tell a story that any addict, myself included, could read and see themselves in the story so many times. I loved the rawness and hope that it spreads awareness for all the victims drugs react havoc on and destroying lives. I just value the writers brutal honesty in her story and look forward, as always, to the next from Marni Mann.

A different read for me. This was out of my comfort zone but Marni Mann is one talented author who brings readers to their knees. The story of Nicole is heartbreaking and I was always cheering her on to get clean and get her life together. "Memoirs Aren't Fairytales" is raw and a one of a kind read.

Recently I had the opportunity to read this book and I must admit that I had a hard time putting it down. Ms. Mann did an incredible job of showing exactly what addiction does to not only your mind and your body, but to the friends and family members that addict. Her ability to put the feelings and emotions of the addict down on paper in such a way that you could imagine what they were seeing or tasting was excellent. It was very obvious that Ms. Mann did quite a bit of research into this book.

This is a great book for any person who has wondered what the fuse is about addiction, or for someone who has a loved one suffering from it. It will give you great insight into how the mind works and why they say the things they do.

I look forward to reading the sequel!

Memoirs Aren't Fairytales completely took me by storm. I have no idea what it feels like to do any of those drugs and live the life that Nicole did but Marni described it in such vivid detail that I feel like I have a pretty good idea. It was hard to relate to because Nicole made choices based on a junky brain and that is what kept the story honest. If I could relate, this book would lose all credibility. Huge kudos to Marni!

This is a crazy story about a girl spiraling into heroin addiction. This is probably the most detailed account and an addict's life I've ever read. It is absolutely disgusting what this drug does to people. I couldn't stop reading. Just when you think Nicole has hit rock bottom, nope… way more horrible things happen. There is a book 2, so I'm anxious to see what the next chapter in her life holds.

I kept hoping for a happy ever after. What I got was the reality of addiction-loss, heartache, death, and destruction. It's obvious Mann did her homework and researched the struggles and desolation of those afflicted by this horrible disease. Loved to hate it, because there's nothing to love about the sadness contained within the pages. Anxious to read the second book.

This was a great book and reminds me of the struggle that I was going through at one time in my life. It was a great reminder of that lifestyle and not EVER wanting to go back to it. I am and have been happily sober for 2 years now and have an amazingly beautiful baby boy named Tristan that I owe much of my grattitude towards. He has helped me see the light and enduring the struggle of the additction, and has helped me push through it, so I can be sober and provide a child hood he much deserves. Rather than having a drug addict for a mother. I would recommend this book to anyone that struggles with addiction.

This gripping, gritty, and dark novel told through the eyes of a young addict has your attention from page one. Mrs. Mann writes from the depths of her soul and you can feel her love for this book on every page. As a person who has dealt with addiction on various levels, my guts churned as I turned the pages.

Nichole, the narrator, is a young girl who leaves home with her best friend in an effort to find something better and leave their pasts behind them in their home town of Bangor, Maine. They head to Boston and find something better....a serious, hard, and life changing drug: Heroin. This is a journey through the eyes of an addict who lives and breathes to feel the rush of the drug through the vein. She embarks on the "adventure" of the high and chases it the entire book. Nichole's life in Boston is a roller coaster ride of highs and lows, loss, and tragedy. Yet, through it all as a reader you find hope in the way Nichole sees and rationalizes things and you root for her to get out and change her life.

As a mother of a very young daughter, reading this book was a wake up call as to how easy it is to be lured into a life of drugs and what one is willing to do for those drugs. It was a terrifying eye opener and I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to be scared straight. This book is not for wimps, the detail of how hard life is on the streets and when you are in the throws of addiction is enough to make you sick right along with the various characters. Mrs. Mann's attention to detail in this book is so in depth that you feel like you are in the dirty hotel rooms with Nichole chasing your own dragon.

Memoirs Aren't Fairytales: A Story of Addiction was a delicious debut novel from Marni Mann and I only hope there are many more in her future.

3.5 stars. This was a different kind of read for me. When I first started this book I almost quit reading it. Every papragraph was a drug use and I really didn't care for the way it was written, however I am glad that I continued to read it and by the end I was glad that I did read it.

I have to say this book is beautiful written. She goes into every detail Cole is feeling. It's like the events are happening to you. I haven't read a book that capture my mind and heart like this one in a while. I loved it. I don't usually read these types of books but this one has risen my standards. I would recommend it all the way. Two thumbs up to the writer.

This book had me hooked from page one. It was truly a page turner. Very well written. Mann got the reader so involved in the characters lives, it actually felt as if you knew them personally. At times it was very raw, and I must say not for the faint of heart. That did not take away from the story. It was told, as I am sure things happen with junkies and not sugar coated in the least . I can't wait to read more books by this author.

Open your heart and bury the bile that will rise from your thoat while reading this. I really cant say how i feel of the selfishness, these people have, they are on a daily cycle of me,me,me,drugs,drugs,drugs, no empathy for themselves, their families or their friends and family lost to Ods and violence. It's a very hard story to read

I chose this rating because this book had my attention from beginning to end. What the character Nicole went through really hit home to me. I to had an addiction problem to heroin and I never would have thought there was a life without using drugs. Drugs ruled my life and took over my very being. I have been through a lot during my addiction and I am surprised that I am here today to talk about it. Addiction brought me to prison 4 times, rehabs 6 times, and I almost lost my life. I was on life support for a month and a half and today I have medical problems due to this but by the grace of God I am alive.

I have read a lot of novels on addiction and none made the reality of the disease as strong as this one. What I really liked about this book was the progression of Nicole's addiction: What started out as recreational/college drug use ended up a whole different ball game. It was eye-opening to see Nicole's thoughts go from thinking she was above the world of junkies to becoming one. I don't want to say much more because I don't want to ruin it for anyone else who hasn't read yet it, but I can't stress enough how interesting it is to read about Nicole's dive into darkness and her justification for every step.

I gave this book four stars mainly because of the ending - which turned a page turner into a bit of a fairytale. She had me at five stars up until the carefully crafted, and packaged, finale. Her characters were engaging and she made me want to know what would happen next, but the ending was too Hollywood and predictable.

Addiction can happen to anyone. The book is dark, very dark, but that is what addiction is. Pure darkness. Marni Mann has a way of describing the situations that Nicole, the main character, gets herself into just to get a high that makes your skin crawl at every step of the way. The drug takes over her life- the way she acts, the way she thinks, everything. It becomes her. The book describes an addicts journey, pain, humiliation, struggles, regrets and everything in between. The book also describes the family's search for answers, pain, and what they will do to help their loved one. There was a sentence in the book that really stuck out: after Nicole's father hugs her..."The knot that had formed in the back of my throat wasn't because he said it. It was that he was saying it to Cole (Nicole), not me. " It is such a simple sentence, but you can tell Marni spent a lot of time in exactly how she wanted this to come across. Drugs turn the addict into someone else. The addict knows this, the family doesn't. The family still tries to talk to the person they know, but that person is long gone. There was also a paragraph in the book between Nicole & her mom that brought tears to my eyes. The love between a mother & daughter is indescribable & Marni described it perfectly. The ending is probably the best ending of a book I have ever read. It left me with tears in my eyes and goose bumps. I can not wait until Marni's next book. I do pray for all of the Nicole's in the world & all of their families each & every day.

I purchased this book thinking it was indeed a memoir. It is not. It is a work of fiction and a badly written one at that. It is just bad at every level -- poor plot lines, silly characters and over the top in every conceivable way.

In short, this book is pointless.

Not many people really understand addiction. With my mom recently passing away from a drug addiction this book helped me realize things from her point of view. Marni Mann did an awesome job. I couldn't stop reading. I downloaded it on my phone so every where I went I was reading. Anyway, anyone who is an addict or knows an addict should read this book. For sure one of my favorites.

This book was awesome. I read it so fast I could not put it down. the things Nichols went through and the losses in her life were shocking. very nicely written story it kept me interested from start to finish. this book was definitely not a fairytale. once u start reading u will not be able to put this book down. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone I know.

I could not put this book down for a minute. The story covers the main character's journey through life as an addict and not in a biography type of way either, like I expected. It really is just a novel, and the characters' all have their own story and connection to each other. Many surprises take place and I felt many heartaches and shock as I connected emotionally with the character. Must read!

Rough! If you've no understanding of what it is to be a drug addict this book will clue you in in a heartbeat. For a first novel Marni Mann does a wonderful job by sucking you right into the life of the character from the first page. It is gritty. Not for anyone who is squeamish about reading about the harsh realities of a life that so many are living and that so many of us have never been touched by. Educational for anyone that thinks it can't happen to them or that it can't be that bad.

I purchased this book thinking it was indeed a memoir. It is not. It is a work of fiction and a badly written one at that. It is just bad at every level -- poor plot lines, silly characters and over the top in every conceivable way.

In short, this book is pointless.

Not many people really understand addiction. With my mom recently passing away from a drug addiction this book helped me realize things from her point of view. Marni Mann did an awesome job. I couldn't stop reading. I downloaded it on my phone so every where I went I was reading. Anyway, anyone who is an addict or knows an addict should read this book. For sure one of my favorites.

This book was awesome. I read it so fast I could not put it down. the things Nichols went through and the losses in her life were shocking. very nicely written story it kept me interested from start to finish. this book was definitely not a fairytale. once u start reading u will not be able to put this book down. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone I know.

I could not put this book down for a minute. The story covers the main character's journey through life as an addict and not in a biography type of way either, like I expected. It really is just a novel, and the characters' all have their own story and connection to each other. Many surprises take place and I felt many heartaches and shock as I connected emotionally with the character. Must read!

Rough! If you've no understanding of what it is to be a drug addict this book will clue you in in a heartbeat. For a first novel Marni Mann does a wonderful job by sucking you right into the life of the character from the first page. It is gritty. Not for anyone who is squeamish about reading about the harsh realities of a life that so many are living and that so many of us have never been touched by. Educational for anyone that thinks it can't happen to them or that it can't be that bad.

Epic book! My baby's father was addicte to heroin, which ulimately took his life at 24 and this book made me understand why it was so difficult for him and let me see the situation in his perspective. Can't wait to read the second one!

I cannot remember the last time I was this riveted by a book. It had so much realism and flowed so naturally that I could not put it down. Every plot turn was a surprise that twisted my emotions and kept me on edge wondering what could possibly happen next. This is a book that, even though I am done reading, I am not done thinking about. Never a dull moment, it is exceptionally well written and addicting to read.

I thought this book was amazing. I read it in two days. I usually prefer memoirs and this is little misleading making it sound like one but it is not. Even so, this book was VERY good and I would highly recommend it.

This book was addicting! I read it in 2 days... and I worked 16 hours in those two days. I just could not get this character out of my head. AMAZING! If you have any interest in addiction, this book lays out a very clear perspective from an addicts point of view.

Absolutley fabulous book. It was deep, heart wrenching. I wanted to help Nicole every step of the way with the demons she was battling. I was well written and I learned things I never wanted to know about drugs.

What an amazing book! I can not say enough how awesome this was! As a recovering addict myself, I was able to really "feel" what the writer was saying. It is touching and gripping from start to finish! I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.

I read the sample and was tired of it..all about people getting loaded on whatever. I am sure it was headed to some great indepth stories about worse drug use. The underside and seedy side of life most people already know exsists, who wants to bask in that? If anyone has someone they love, fall into addiction, it is truly a tragedy.

Well, I did it...I popped my Marni Mann Cherry with this wonderfully written book about addiction and the price you pay for it, when constantly searching for that feeling you experienced with your first hit.

Eric and Nicole friends since Kindergarten have decided to move from the looser town they have grown up in, to become bigger and better than anyone who ever stays in their little town... Boston it is.

This story is a very emotional ride that will totally make you understand the battles that people are going through every single day with some form of addiction and how they will 'score' their next fix.

I could not turn the pages fast enough to finish this one! It is not a romance book, there is no love at first site and there isnt a romantic wedding at the end with 2.5 kids and a white picket fence. The book is a raw and intense read that certainly makes you think twice about judging someone who is facing an addiction!

Off to read book 2 now!!!

Very thorough and very real. The author was able to tell a story that any addict, myself included, could read and see themselves in the story so many times. I loved the rawness and hope that it spreads awareness for all the victims drugs react havoc on and destroying lives. I just value the writers brutal honesty in her story and look forward, as always, to the next from Marni Mann.

Neil said there's a little part of it in everyone.

Layne said if you let yourself go...you'd be doing like me.

Nobody is above addiction, which is why this book is both powerful and frightening.