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Heroine
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An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A captivating and powerful exploration of the opioid crisis—the deadliest drug epidemic in American history—through the eyes of a college-bound softball star. Edgar Award-winning author Mindy McGinnis delivers a visceral and necessary novel about addiction, family, friendship, and hope.
When a car crash sidelines Mickey just before softbal ...more
When a car crash sidelines Mickey just before softbal ...more
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Hardcover, 419 pages
Published
March 12th 2019
by Katherine Tegen Books
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Elizabeth R
I think the author is implying she has a lot of social anxiety.
Roque Fan
yes, definitely
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Showing 1-30

Start your review of Heroine

I am not a wasted person. I am not prowling the streets. I am not an addict. I am a girl spinning her locker combination. I am a girl who got a B on her math test. I am a girl who has two holes on the inside of her arm, but they do not tell the whole story of me.
This book left me feeling hollow. By this I mean that it hit me so hard in so many different ways that I now feel emptied out. Saying it is "sad" is not enough. "Horrifying" is closer to the truth, but that seems too sensational.
W...more

Four addicted, compelling, tragic stars!
Mindy McGinnis is one of the most amazing writers and storyteller, grabs your heart, steals a huge Parton it by creating her realistic, flawed, natural characters. As soon as you take back your heart, you feel like so many things, especially your perceptions about life, family, friends already change with it.
The first few pages of the book like a ticking bomb about to explode! So you start to turn pages quickly to reach the spot at the beginning.
At this b ...more
Mindy McGinnis is one of the most amazing writers and storyteller, grabs your heart, steals a huge Parton it by creating her realistic, flawed, natural characters. As soon as you take back your heart, you feel like so many things, especially your perceptions about life, family, friends already change with it.
The first few pages of the book like a ticking bomb about to explode! So you start to turn pages quickly to reach the spot at the beginning.
At this b ...more

"When I wake up, all my friends are dead."
This book is pain. You know what you're in for right from the start, the prologue makes sure of that. It all starts with pain medication after an accident. From there on, you will watch the main character bury herself in a grave of pills, needles, lies and betrayal, so deep she might never get out. 95% of the book is a downward spiral. And the things is, you just don't know if she can dig herself out again. If you have read a McGinnis novel before, you k ...more
This book is pain. You know what you're in for right from the start, the prologue makes sure of that. It all starts with pain medication after an accident. From there on, you will watch the main character bury herself in a grave of pills, needles, lies and betrayal, so deep she might never get out. 95% of the book is a downward spiral. And the things is, you just don't know if she can dig herself out again. If you have read a McGinnis novel before, you k ...more

4/14/19 - Upped my rating to 5 stars (from 4) because of how much this has stuck with me in the months since I read it. It's completely informed my perception of addiction portrayal in everything I've read since, and so far it's standing out as a favorite of the year.
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This was uncomfortable to read and I hated what was happening at times, but I have been discussing this book with people I know who with addiction recovery, which has really helped me process my feeling ...more
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This was uncomfortable to read and I hated what was happening at times, but I have been discussing this book with people I know who with addiction recovery, which has really helped me process my feeling ...more

I did not watch my friends die.
I did not leave their bodies cooling in a basement.
I am not an addict.

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾 ...more

I'm doing it so that my teammates aren't exchanging worried looks when I limp past them in the hallway. Yes, I manage to tell myself as I sink my teeth into a bread stick, I'm not taking Oxy because it makes me feel good.
I'm taking it for other people.
This is a matter of taste.
This was marketed a bit as a suspense book and it really really isn't; it's more of a contemporary. At this point in my life, in terms of contemporary I look almost entirely for books I see as providing hope, some kin ...more

Review to come when my heart doesn't hurt so much.
...more

tw: addiction, substance abuse (heroine, oxy). Heroine is REALLY GRAPHIC and I urge you NOT TO READ THIS if you’re not in a good place.
(ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a honest review)
I honestly don't know if I have the words right now. This was... heartbreaking, raw, sad and yet hopeful ?
Heroine tells the story of Mickey, a softball player, who gets into a car accident. An “innocent” prescription of Oxycontin makes Mickey want to “chase the dragon” meaning she wants to feel again th ...more
(ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a honest review)
I honestly don't know if I have the words right now. This was... heartbreaking, raw, sad and yet hopeful ?
Heroine tells the story of Mickey, a softball player, who gets into a car accident. An “innocent” prescription of Oxycontin makes Mickey want to “chase the dragon” meaning she wants to feel again th ...more

3.5 stars
This wasn’t a favorite, but in the end it still hit me like a truck. Not everyone can write about very hard topics like Mindy McGinnis does. She just knows where and when to hit you. And she always leaves a mark.
This wasn’t a favorite, but in the end it still hit me like a truck. Not everyone can write about very hard topics like Mindy McGinnis does. She just knows where and when to hit you. And she always leaves a mark.
Mom would blame herself for not seeing it. Dad would feel guilty for not being here to notice. [...] Coach would be done with me, since our school has a zero-tolerance drug policy. I imagine the harsh cutoff of Mom’s laughter when I tell her, the collapse of each face as they...more

4.5 stars
I've read three books by this author and once again, I am impressed with her writing talent. Addiction is a topic that has been explored in many fiction books, but yet after reading this book, I felt like it was covered it in a way that was unique but also very realistic. A worthwhile read for sure.
High school senior Mickey is determined to have a standout softball season this year. The better she plays, the more likely she will receive scholarship offers for college. But a car accident ...more
I've read three books by this author and once again, I am impressed with her writing talent. Addiction is a topic that has been explored in many fiction books, but yet after reading this book, I felt like it was covered it in a way that was unique but also very realistic. A worthwhile read for sure.
High school senior Mickey is determined to have a standout softball season this year. The better she plays, the more likely she will receive scholarship offers for college. But a car accident ...more

Wow wow wow. If you're in a good and healthy mental state please read this book. It's so eye opening and heart breaking.
...more

This review originally appeared on Novel Ink.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Content warnings: addiction; opioid addiction; extensive drug use (opioid pills, heroin), described in detail; overdose; withdrawal; death; car accident; needles; vomiting
**Please use caution going into this review and/or this book if you are a recovered or recovering addict. This book contains content that could be e ...more
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Content warnings: addiction; opioid addiction; extensive drug use (opioid pills, heroin), described in detail; overdose; withdrawal; death; car accident; needles; vomiting
**Please use caution going into this review and/or this book if you are a recovered or recovering addict. This book contains content that could be e ...more

4 stars
Mindy McGinnis is one of the most versatile and consistently amazing writers I know of.
All of her books are stunning and range from a little dark to SUPER DARK, all while being some of the best teen literature I’ve ever read.
Somehow, she effortlessly gets to the root of something with a narrative style that fits the story, and her latest novel, Heroine, was no exception to this streak of consistently great books.
Honestly? Heroine is the darkest, scariest book Mindy’s written that I’ve ...more
Mindy McGinnis is one of the most versatile and consistently amazing writers I know of.
All of her books are stunning and range from a little dark to SUPER DARK, all while being some of the best teen literature I’ve ever read.
Somehow, she effortlessly gets to the root of something with a narrative style that fits the story, and her latest novel, Heroine, was no exception to this streak of consistently great books.
Honestly? Heroine is the darkest, scariest book Mindy’s written that I’ve ...more

Oh goodness this book was powerful. It’s a true testament to the opioid crisis here in America and it proves that addiction doesn’t always look the way that we think it does. What I do know is that this book is going to stay with me for a while. My heart truly goes out to Mickey and her family. This book definitely doesn’t have a feel good tone or even a happy ending so if that’s what you’re looking for then stay away from this book. It’s real, it’s gritty and I felt her want and need in her add
...more

I started this novel this afternoon and haven’t put it down.
Mickey was such a complex character and such a good protagonist to bring the story to life. The author’s acknowledgements also show she put her time into researching this topic.
This is a heavy book,make no mistake. There are no punches pulled in the first chapter but it’s a book definitely worth reading. The brutal honesty opens yours eyes to the reality for a lot of people.
Mickey was such a complex character and such a good protagonist to bring the story to life. The author’s acknowledgements also show she put her time into researching this topic.
This is a heavy book,make no mistake. There are no punches pulled in the first chapter but it’s a book definitely worth reading. The brutal honesty opens yours eyes to the reality for a lot of people.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

It's 3.5 stars, but I'm rounding up.
It's dark and I'm driving exactly the speed limit, because I am a good girl. I am a student athlete and the catcher for an undefeated softball team and a senior who needs to get a good night's sleep before her last league game.....
I am not an addict.
I have a LOT of thoughts on this one, but I need to say this one first, and say it very loudly: Mickey's mother is one of my all time favorite fictional moms. I LOVE HER.
Don't worry I'll say it again, I'm sure. ...more
It's dark and I'm driving exactly the speed limit, because I am a good girl. I am a student athlete and the catcher for an undefeated softball team and a senior who needs to get a good night's sleep before her last league game.....
I am not an addict.
I have a LOT of thoughts on this one, but I need to say this one first, and say it very loudly: Mickey's mother is one of my all time favorite fictional moms. I LOVE HER.
Don't worry I'll say it again, I'm sure. ...more

“You’re still my hero, Mickey Catalan,” Lydia says.
“Heroine,” I correct her.
“Yeah, fucking irony, right?”
2.5 stars
Me, writing a review a day after I finish it? Impossible. This never happens, except I'm currently looking for ways to procrastinate writing an essay while still seeming productive, so here we are!
The truth about Heroine is that it's by no means a bad story. It's written in a tone that's harsh and unapologetic, which I admire Mindy McGinnis for. I know this is a common theme in he ...more
“Heroine,” I correct her.
“Yeah, fucking irony, right?”
2.5 stars
Me, writing a review a day after I finish it? Impossible. This never happens, except I'm currently looking for ways to procrastinate writing an essay while still seeming productive, so here we are!
The truth about Heroine is that it's by no means a bad story. It's written in a tone that's harsh and unapologetic, which I admire Mindy McGinnis for. I know this is a common theme in he ...more

I admit to myself that I am a heroin user, while also updating in my mind what that actually means. I am not a wasted person. I am not prowling the streets. I am not an addict. I am a girl spinning her locker combination. I am a girl who got a B on her math test. I am a girl who has two holes on the inside of her arm, but they do not tell the whole story of me.
📚 Series: No, Standalone.
📚 Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
📚 POV: Frist person.
📚 Cliffhanger: No.
⚠ Content Warnings: Graphic ...more

Star Rating: 3.5 Stars
I admit to myself that I am a heroin user, while also updating in my mind what that actually means. I am not a wasted person. I am not prowling the streets. I am not an addict. I am a girl spinning her locker combination. I am a girl who got a B on her math test. I am a girl who has two holes on the inside of her arm, but they do not tell the whole story of me.
Holy crap, this book is ROUGH. This book opens up with a trigger warning and it is real. This book is graphic, inte ...more
I admit to myself that I am a heroin user, while also updating in my mind what that actually means. I am not a wasted person. I am not prowling the streets. I am not an addict. I am a girl spinning her locker combination. I am a girl who got a B on her math test. I am a girl who has two holes on the inside of her arm, but they do not tell the whole story of me.
Holy crap, this book is ROUGH. This book opens up with a trigger warning and it is real. This book is graphic, inte ...more

“I’m exhausted in all the ways I’m supposed to be strong.”
One word: MISERABLE.
I expect more, really. Last year I read female of the species and it was so good so I definitely picked this up with a lot of expectation and that might be the downfall of my own making.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad book, it’s not even a ‘meh’. I just think Mickey doesn’t have that much personality for me to really get invested in her suffering. Oh I do sympathize with her for sure. And the author did a good j ...more
One word: MISERABLE.
I expect more, really. Last year I read female of the species and it was so good so I definitely picked this up with a lot of expectation and that might be the downfall of my own making.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad book, it’s not even a ‘meh’. I just think Mickey doesn’t have that much personality for me to really get invested in her suffering. Oh I do sympathize with her for sure. And the author did a good j ...more

2.5 stars.
Heroine was an underwhelming book. With the premise of an athlete spiraling into the world of drug abuse, it should've invoked strong feelings of how someone can be fine one day but everything goes south when they start taking drugs. Except, it wasn't.
Being that Heroine tackles drug abuse and how it affects the individual taking the drug and the people around them, I was expecting more from it. And what I got, as a result, was a story that feels... adequate. It's a shame because I want ...more
Heroine was an underwhelming book. With the premise of an athlete spiraling into the world of drug abuse, it should've invoked strong feelings of how someone can be fine one day but everything goes south when they start taking drugs. Except, it wasn't.
Being that Heroine tackles drug abuse and how it affects the individual taking the drug and the people around them, I was expecting more from it. And what I got, as a result, was a story that feels... adequate. It's a shame because I want ...more

Woooo this was a lot! I probably wouldn’t have picked it up if it wasn’t for a challenge, (check out the reading vlog here: https://youtu.be/fulfL7aE4vA ) but I’m not upset I did. Heroine is a dark and gritty look at the realities of opioid abuse and drug addiction, and how a normal teen can descend into a very dark place in the wake of trauma.
When Mickey sustains a severe leg injury in a car crash, she is prescribed strong painkillers at the start of a long route to recovery. She is a competit ...more
When Mickey sustains a severe leg injury in a car crash, she is prescribed strong painkillers at the start of a long route to recovery. She is a competit ...more

Mar 02, 2019
h o l l i s
added it
Shelves:
contemporary,
drugs-or-addiction,
family-focused,
grief-or-loss,
finished-in-march-2019,
ya,
sportsy,
2019-reads,
arc,
dark
Never let it be said that McGinnis takes the easy way out in her books. Each one, at least those that I've read, handles something different and, usually, very dark. HEROINE tackles the opioid crisis through the lens of an injured sports star who is desperate to return to her previous incarnation as strong, capable, and on the fast track.
I could absolutely appreciate (whilst also being mostly terrified) of this downward spiral and the desperation that Mickey was driven to just to dull the pain, ...more
I could absolutely appreciate (whilst also being mostly terrified) of this downward spiral and the desperation that Mickey was driven to just to dull the pain, ...more

Mickey fractures her hip just a few months before senior year softball season. After one prescription of OxyContin, she’s hooked. Good thing she has it under control. She’s not an addict like Josie, the girl who gives her pills. She can stop any time she wants. Mickey just needs to be ready for spring training. She’d never crush and snort the pills. Until she does. She’d never mix them with water and shoot them into her veins. Until she does. She’d never switch to heroin. She can stop any time s
...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Orland Park Publi...: January 2021 Teen Book Club: Heroine by Mindy McGinnis | 1 | 2 | Dec 28, 2020 10:57AM | |
Transforming novel; Must read! | 1 | 4 | Mar 07, 2020 06:35PM | |
Green Ribbon Book...: Heroine SPOILERS | 2 | 13 | Aug 22, 2019 01:50AM | |
Green Ribbon Book...: Heroine NON-SPOILER | 1 | 3 | Jul 24, 2019 04:46PM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: Heroine by Mindy McGinnis - Starting 10th June 2019 | 15 | 14 | Jun 21, 2019 01:58AM | |
Play Book Tag: Heroine by Mindy McGinnis - 5 Stars | 2 | 16 | May 02, 2019 06:11AM |






Mindy McGinnis is an Edgar Award-winning novelist who writes across multiple genres, including post-apocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy.
While her settings may change, you can always count on Mindy’s books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at humanity and the world around us. ...more
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“all her brain is overrun by agony, every nerve she has singing a song that has no lyrics. Pain can come in a quick rush, fading off into something bearable after that initial peak. But pain that endures doesn’t give you that break, the moment of air that you need before you’re pulled back under.”
—
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“heroine: a woman of heroic spirit; the principal female person who figures in a
remarkable action”
—
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More quotes…
remarkable action”