Book Review: Heroine by Mindy McGinnis

Title: Heroine
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Release Date: March 12, 2019
Pages: 432
Format: e-ARC
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary

          

When a car crash sidelines Mickey just before softball season, she has to find a way to hold on to her spot as the catcher for a team expected to make a historic tournament run. Behind the plate is the only place she’s ever felt comfortable, and the painkillers she’s been prescribed can help her get there. The pills do more than take away pain; they make her feel good.With a new circle of friends—fellow injured athletes, others with just time to kill—Mickey finds peaceful acceptance, and people with whom words come easily, even if it is just the pills loosening her tongue.But as the pressure to be Mickey Catalan heightens, her need increases, and it becomes less about pain and more about want, something that could send her spiraling out of control.

As I am sitting here reflecting on what I just read, all I can say is that my body feels numb. It is one thing to prepare yourself for a read that presents a hard topic but it is another to actually take a few days to ingest a story that comes from someone's prior experiences and one that is full of raw emotion and depth. 

Mickey's life is softball. This is what she has known growing up and when she stands behind the plate she is ready to catch whatever comes her way. However, with a car accident that leaves her softball career on the line, her option to take way the pain becomes a wanting more than a need, Mickey will take a risk that will change her life. 

The pressure of being the best in her sport especially for someone's team is something I can empathize with. Coming from a swimming background and being on realms where how I swam affected the overall result of my team's results really play a mental impact on my ability to do better but also fall harder when I failed. However, when adding another element that is addiction this becomes a story of survival. One that I cannot begin to imagine. 

Like mentioned above, this story was pure, raw emotion. I remember only being able to read a few chapters at a time because of how real it felt. Even now there is a slight chill running down my back thinking what Mickey was going through. Yes there were moments of joy but there were more moments of a girl struggling to deal with the fact that she might lose herself without realizing that she was already lost. 

What was very crucial to the story was how important the roles of the secondary characters were to the overall depth of the story. They each had their own stories, their own reasons for using, and their own pain they wanted to hide away from. There were definitely many emotions felt with these characters and they allowed the main character to be more human. 

Mindy McGinnis brought a raw, emotional story that made me feel broken but in a way that made me aware. She brought a character from somewhere personal and gave a story that has left an impact. This is an important read for everyone. Check it out. 

Happy Reading!