I'm disappointed that despite chronicling years of horrific alcohol abuse, Zalckais denies suffering from alcoholism. She insists that she's an abuser, not an addict. What's the difference? If you can't control your drinking, it doesn't matter if you drink every day or once a year. It is what it is. ( )

Reviewed by Taylor Rector for TeensReadToo.com

SMASHED is a chilling novel of female alcohol addiction. For Koren Zailckas, it started at age fourteen, and from her first drink of Southern Comfort she was addicted. Koren later joins a college sonority, which just gives her more of a reason to get really drunk -- and more people to do it with!

The writing isn't the most brilliant that I have ever read but the story is definitely good. Most alcohol addiction books are about a male, so this is a great book to read if you want to learn about this subject -- or even if you are just a curious reader.

There is not a lot that you can say about this book without giving the whole thing away! Even though she drinks excessively, Koren never goes to rehab or actually goes to an AA meeting! And unlike James Frey's embellished novel of drug and alcohol addiction, this one is the truth. ( )

This was my 3rd quarter book. 342 pages read.

Koren Zailckas shares the struggles she faced through her childhood in her autobiographic story called “Smashed.” This story takes place in a small city in Boston where at the age 14, she had her first taste of alcohol. This all started because she felt alone after her best friend Natalie moved away. She felt lost and turned to alcohol to take away her pain. In this story she discusses the many struggles that teens and herself faced. Many teens find themselves dealing with situations where they face peer pressure and end up taking the wrong path because of trying to fit in.
Many people turn to drugs and alcohol when dealing with pain because they feel that’s the way to get rid of it. Once Natalie moved away, Koren’s life went down hill. She had no friends and at school, she found herself trying to fit in. She would ease drop and invite herself into peoples conversations hoping she’d be invited to parties. She would lie and act like she drank and partied all the time. A lot of teens run into situations in their lives where they try to become someone that they’re not in order to fit in and become popular. It is sad to say because in situations like that is when one can lose people that truly care for them because they decided to take the wrong path.
Out of control behavior means nothing but trouble. After finding new friends, Koren’s life became a disaster. Her grades started to drop from all the partying. Drinking had now become party of her daily life. Her relationship with her parents got ruined. They no longer had any control over her. For college she moved to New York where she attended Syracuse University. There, she joined a sorority which was a bad idea because that just brought her to more partying. She had a advertising job where she hosted parties and events at clubs. By this time, her partying and alcohol problem had taken over her life. She eventually was rapped when she was 19, and after that she became a promiscuous girl. She lost many of friends because she would hook up with their boyfriends. She was having sex with many guys and a lot of times would wake up in random apartments. She had many blackouts where she couldn’t remember what had happened the previous night. Her life was going no where until one night she had drank so much that she was rushed to the hospital to get her stomach pumped. She then realized she had a problem.
Koren realized that it’s never too late to change. Koren knew that she had a problem but she didn’t call herself an alcoholic because she said that being an alcoholic was a genetic disease. By this time she was 23. She ended up calling a rehab where she was treated. There she talked about why she drank, she mentioned that drinking helped her become an outgoing person and gave her the confidence that she needed. Eventually after time, she became a sober person and continued on with her life. She managed to get her life together and continued on with the right path.
I really enjoyed this story because I felt that it hit home. Many people my age struggle with depression where they turn to alcohol or drugs. A lot of people face dilemmas where they do anything in order to fit in with their peers. I also feel that teens who do this are confused and are fooling themselves because they try and pretend to be someone who they are not. Many people start drinking at a young age thinking that nothing will happen to them and just see alcohol as a social event. They don’t realize the harm that alcohol can cause. I felt that Koren is a strong women to be able to publish a book from her past. I feel that many people who read this story may get a lot out of it. They may realize what can happen to them if they take the path that she did. By publishing this book, I believe Koren has touched many peoples hearts.
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I didn't finish this. I felt I've lived it, so I don't need to read it. ( )

A young girl recaps her experiences with alcohol from middle school through college. She tells about the ups and downs she shares with alcohol as she goes through life's struggles. ( )