Content warnings for this book: substance abuse, bodily waste, pregnancy and difficulty conceiving

Having read this The Female of the Species, I can say that I like McGinnis's direct, uncompromising style. She doesn't exaggerate or dramatize, nor does she sugarcoat. If it weren't for that, I'd probably have way more trouble sitting through a book about sports and drug abuse, which are both topics outside my wheelhouse.

Another point for McGinnis - she's good at writing characters that do terrible things but remain sympathetic. ( )

Full review and more here!

New anti-drug campaign from this book: "Don't do drugs if you still want to love puppies."

Recommended: Maybe, for certain people/reasons
For people who have no sympathy for addicts, for people who blame the addict for their addiction, for people who might be starting that slide into addiction themselves and need a non-threatening dose of reality

Thoughts:
The subject matter makes this an obviously compelling read. The first chapter sets you up to know how bad things get, and the following can be hard to read since you know the inevitable that will happen. Similar to the way it felt reading [b:A Girl Like That|29451548|A Girl Like That|Tanaz Bhathena|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493218503i/29451548._SY75_.jpg|49725568] actually, except this one didn't really resonate with me as much.

I'll be honest, the reason I didn't get as much behind our MC as usual is probably because I could not relate to her AT ALL. I hate that her name is Mickey, and for a trivial thing, that just irked me every time I had to read it. I have no interest in or knowledge of softball, and competitive sports don't pull me in so much. And for whatever other reasons, I just didn't like her much.

That said, the depiction of drug use here is so realistic, primarily in the thoughts and mentality that can allow someone to get deeper and deeper without realizing it's a problem until something drastic happens. The "It's a prescription" defense, the "it's not like I'm doing [some drug that's more hardcore than theirs] so it's not that bad" reasoning... it's painful to watch.

Still... for me this book won't stick with me, I think. Besides the clever name and cover. I'd probably have it in my classroom because it's a good resource for kids taking on more than they can handle. Oh also, it was really gross at some points. Heads up on that. ( )

WOW! This book was like no book I have ever read before in a good way. It was about a young girl, Mickey, who became addicted to drugs after a car accident. The story is written through Mickey's perspective where she explains her thoughts and feelings about life and the decisions she is making. At the beginning of the book, she is sober and just taking the medication that was prescribed by her doctor, but as the book progresses she keeps defending why she is taking and using the drugs. The change in mindset over her life choices is quite powerful. It really gave me a different perspective of drug addiction and drug use, which is prevalent in our society today. It would be a great conversation starter for high school students. I would not suggest this book for students below 9th grade.
This book is a heavy topic, but written in a very readable and relatable way. Mickey and the other characters in the book are very likable and as the reader you want to root for them. You want Mickey to make different choices than she is making, but can also understand why she thinks she has to do what she is doing. It also speaks to the many pressures that are placed on the youth of the world today. ( )

Mickey is a captivating character that I was rooting for, even as her decisions became more questionable and driven by trauma and addiction. McGinnis made a wise decision in including a mother in the medical field, and a step-mother who also knew the signs of addiction and dependency from personal experience.

I would recommend that teachers/classroom libraries have this book, but also need to be willing and available to unpack the decisions and options that Mickey faced. At times I hoped to hear from Josie or Luther, but Heroine is impactful regardless. ( )

This is very different from what I usually read but it was so good and so SAD. Like the author really does a great job of making you feel what Mickey is going through. This book is very triggering though so be sure to read the TW’s! ( )