I don't see the appeal. Gracie is too immature and doesn't "grow" until the very end of the book.

The book starts with her crush on her science teacher. A crush she believes is requited until she meets her teacher's fiancée. Grace then causes a scene in front of the clueless teacher.

The new school year starts and she has the same teacher. She is still resentful that he does not love her back and decides to cut class. She has her slingshot with her because, to hear her tell it, it is kind of a childhood safety blanket. This is lucky because new boy Wade runs past her trying to escape a beating. When Wade is cornered, she flings gravel at the tormentors until they relent.

For reasons I cannot comprehend, it becomes obvious that Wade likes Grace. Grace however, works extra hard to keep the walls around her in place. We are supposed to be understanding because her views on love are based on her parents' relationship and her experience with her former teacher. I do not buy this. Everyone needs at least one person and Grace keeps everyone out.

I'm not going to go into much details, but during break she makes a stupid mistake that has consequences: one of the consequences is predictable, but the other requires major suspension of disbelief.

The climax is a mess. The resolution is ... I just can't with the resolution.

I appreciate that NetGalley and the publisher granted me early access to the book in exchange for an honest review. I started the book a couple of times, and was only able to finish it by plowing through the audiobook at 3x speed. Even then I only continued reading because I was keeping my friends abreast of my suffering throughout the day.

Although a bit over the top on the teen angst and dramatics for my reading taste, as someone who graduated high school not too long ago, I can definitely attest to the fact that said drama and angst are accurate to what being a teenager feels like. Our protagonist made me want to kick a wall on occasion, but who doesn’t want to kick walls when thinking of their fifteen year old self being annoying? Although I had a hard time really getting into this story (mostly because said main character was unbearably angsty for the first half of the book and then again for the last third) it was still fairly good. The storyline felt messy, but I think that was the intention because that’s what being a young teenager feels like sometimes. Overall it was a good coming of age novel that might help remind us that we all make (or made) questionable decisions in our youth, and that’s okay.

This wasn't enjoyable at all. Absolutely every single character was underdeveloped and the whole plot ended up boring. I wasn't comfortable reading about the main characters love interest and that could've been handeled better. What started as even interesting story quickly turned into a mess of a plot.

This is a solid book that is funny and endearing and unique. It is an enjoyable YA romance that has some twists and turns along the way. If you like YA this is a must-read. Mercedes Helnwein is a very talented writer whose book is engaging and a great read.

3 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is an ok Young Adult Contemporary Romance set in a mid-tier boarding school in Florida. Grace is a 15 year out outcast who believes her science teacher is her soulmate. When she finds out he's engaged, her heart shatters. She then sees one of the popular bullies and his minions beating up a boy and she shoots a rock with her slingshot and hits the bully in the face. The boy, Wade, and Grace run off and escape. So begins the relationship between Grace and Wade. It starts as friendship and Grace begins to see the world differently and open herself up. It slowly builds to a sweet romance. But, they both have secrets they are keeping from each other and eventually Grace unintentionally crushes Wade's heart. Can either of them survive the heartache?

The beginning of the book when Grace goes on and on about her crush on her teacher was awkward and uncomfortable to read. That part when on far too long. Grace was hard to like in the beginning. There's a difference between being shy and introspective and just down right rude. Grace is just plain rude. Wade is a fun-loving character that brings out the best in Grace, but he's a one-dimensional character. We only see him by how he affects Grace, not as a full-fledge character.

While this is a typical teenage love story, everything is exaggerated and overly-dramatic (although, really, is it possible for a teenager love story to not be dramatic?) Anyway, it was a quick, fun read and I enjoyed the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. All opinions are my own.

Lots of issues with this one, seems like an inappropriate book for YA readers. The language is rough (character repeatedly says her ears have been “raped”), sex at too young ages with no regard to safety, and strange teacher/student relationships. And I’m not conservative in the least! Just an odd book that I can’t recommend.

That was... a letdown. There were parts that were intriguing, but not enough to make me like this book. The characters were whiney and self-absorbed, and the book just ended with no real wrap up. It was just- over. Not worth the read.

I found this book to be unexpectedly touching; it was the kind of read that broke my heart a little and stuck with me for a few days afterwards. I think it tells a really unique and necessary story, and I think some of the conflict faced by the protagonist is more true to life than one would imagine. Sure, her home life is dramatic and unlikely, with a loving but (likely mentally ill) self-deluding mother and a father with another family, but it introduces themes like defining oneself in relation to parents, learning how to set boundaries in relationships, breaking unhealthy cycles in a family, and the pain of having to parent a parent. The love story is also ultimately a story about growing up and growing fully into oneself, living boldly and with vulnerability. This is all classic YA, but the setting, narrative voice, and context feel utterly new.

It seems like responses to this book are divided. I have read and considered several of the critical reviews, and in my opinion the moralizing reactions are undeserved. The dramatics of the protagonist are just that - dramatics - and there is no hint of inappropriate behavior from the teacher she has a crush on. The context for the one incidence of underage sex is believable enough, and not glorified in any way - by the end, the protagonist sees that the popular girl whom she idolized (and who talked about casual sex) doesn’t have all the answers, like she used to think. It’s also a major enough plot point that it was necessary to the narrative, and didn’t feel gratuitous to me. I did think hard about this before reviewing because of the strong feelings around the topic.

My main complaint with this novel is maybe a lack of racial and gender diversity, and the limited racial awareness on the part of the white protagonist. I was a little disappointed at this given that the story takes place in Florida. The protagonist comments on class differences at her school (she and her mother are low-income, her father pays for the school) but is kind of in her own little bubble. I know she’s young and that’s kind of the point, but still.

Slingshot is Mercedes Helnwein's debut novel about a 15-year-old teenager named Grace and how she finds her first love and all that comes with it. Grace is the product of a secret and long-standing extramarital affair. Her mother is delusional, and her dad is pretty much absent. She attends a boarding school in Florida.

Honestly, I did not like Grace and could not relate to her. The first thing that put me off was her obsession with her teacher. I thought she acted delusional like her mother, mainly when she was in shock after finding out he had a serious girlfriend. Plus, she was straightforward disrespectful (verging on crazy) with her teacher.

I enjoyed reading about the development of her friendship with Wade, who I liked much better as a person. Wade is edgy but has good intentions. He does not like bullies at all. The problem is how Wade deals with them. I guess he does not have a good example at home.

And please, do not make me start on Derek, who I found disgusting. He reminded me of the jocks of my high school's class. However, I concede that he had a soft hidden side. Grace's friendship with him was a puzzle to me, considering her relationship with Wade.

I liked reading Slingshot, but I did not love it. It has too much teenage anguish, toxic relationships, betrayal, bullies, sarcasm, and abuse. Of course, these subjects are real and need to be dealt with in stories,. But it was too much of a bad thing for my taste. I would have liked more redeeming elements. Finally, the ending was realistic but rushed. I think the author could have elaborated more about Wade's home situation in previous chapters. For these reasons, I rate Slingshot 3 stars.

SLINGSHOT by Mercedes Helnwein is a firecracker of a debut. This YA contemporary is set inside a shoddy boarding school in Florida, where Gracie is a committed loner, avoiding any kind of social activity other than talking to her biology professor. She surprises herself when she saves a new student from being attacked by the popular boys, but it’s not some altruistic act. Gracie hates the popular boys. Wade, the transfer, is now determined to be Gracie’s friend, and their relationship begins to evolve until they’re hopelessly, irrevocably in love with one another, the kind of love where all that’s left is to lose.

This book has a fresh perspective and voice that readers are either going to love or hate. Gracie is tough. She’s terrible at apologizing, has a massive chip on her shoulder, and is generally mean. In fact, she’s probably her own worst enemy. That being said, her attitude is a means to cope with life and to protect herself from it. For some, this could make her difficult to read, but for me, it made her utterly human, even when her behavior was frustrating. I would’ve liked to see her undergo a bigger change in the end, but in real life, most of us don’t wake up one day monumentally different. It happens slowly, over time.

Besides that, the ending in general left a bit to be desired. Not a single plotline was tied up nicely with a bow, except for maybe the one with Mr. Sorrentino. At minimum, we do know the characters are going to be okay, and in a way, this outcome is poetic as it matches Gracie’s own journey and again, real life. However, I was so emotionally invested in the novel that I needed a bit more to feel fully satisfied. There seems to be so much story left to be told, and I want to know more about where all the characters land, particularly Wade, Derek, Gracie, and her mom. I’d love to read a sequel.

That being said, if you’re looking for a contemporary romance that will make you ache for days with surprising plot twists and complex characters, you should definitely read SLINGSHOT. I couldn’t put this book down, so much so that I stayed up all night reading it. I had to find out what was going to happen, and days later, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.

Some of the content is mature, so I’d recommend it for an older YA group.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Slingshot
A Novel

By: Mercedes Helnwein

St Martin's Press

Wednesday Books

Teens and YA

Publish Date 27 April 2021

#Slingshot#NetGalley

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I gave this book 3.5 stars. My first thoughts were why is this book titled Slingshot because there isn't much mentioned about it. The only thing I can think of is that is how the two main characters met. Gracie is from Florida and lives with her mom while her dad lives in California with his other family. Gracie's mom and dad aren't' married. They aren't very rich but he sends her to a broading High School for her to get the best education. She is a riot.

Wade is the boy that she meets by her slingshot. He is a likes to cause problems.

They learn about each other and have great time until something happens to cause issues with their relationship.

I was starting to get a little bored with Gracie's attitude and the typical high school drama. It did end pretty good .

This was a DNF for me.

I cannot say that Grace was very likable, but I was intrigued by her. I just couldn't get past the obsession with her teacher. I thought it would ebb, but it went on a bit too long for my liking.

A modern day "Catcher in the Rye," but from the female standpoint. Cynical and a little bonkers, this is an emo-esque coming of age story that reminded me of movies like “Empire Records” and “My So Called Life.” An honest and sometimes painfully realistic look at teen life, without censorship!

Gracie lives a not so charmed life at a boarding school in Florida and pretty much keeps to herself, that is until Wade comes crashing into her life. The self-proclaimed hater of relationships finds herself building a friendship with rebel Wade, and who knows, maybe she won’t be able to stop herself from really falling in love.

This book can come across as a little overzealous in its proclamation to buck against the system, but I really enjoyed the overall world loathing and angsty rambling that Gracie applies to every situation. She really is the female version of Holden Caulfield. This is a truthful glimpse inside teen emotion, trauma, and the craziness that comes with trying to figure out life. A thought-provoking and refreshing change up to what I usually read!

I struggled with feeling much empathy for the main character, but I couldn't help but like Grace (despite herself). Plus, she's an SP fan which got me through the 90's and beyond! Good story, especially that it was fairly realistic.

DNF at 5%

I'm so sorry, but I just can't read this. You couldn't pay me to read it. I already don't like it, and from the sound of the synopsis, it's not going to get any better. I'm so sorry, I hope someone likes it, but it's not my thing.

Boarding school stories are my absolute favorite, so needless to say, I was excited to dive into this book. The first thing you need to know is that this is not going to be the sort of “jolly hockey sticks” sort of boarding school tale. Gone are the ivy covered dorms of New England or… original England. They have been replaced by a third-tier school in Florida, where most of the students end up because they don’t have anywhere else to go.

Grace is a fascinating protagonist. Her brutal honesty might come across as shocking, but it’s understandable, considering her circumstances. Grace is the secret child of a wealthy married man. He pays for her tuition, while her mother maintains the startlingly naïve position that they are eventually going to be a happy family together. Grace’s lack of friendship is mostly for emotional self-preservation, but it’s also practical: there’s no one she has anything in common with at the school.

The content, especially the sexual experimentation and bullying, might raise a few eyebrows, but as a boarding school alumna, I assure you that it is accurate. Teens are figuring out who they are and as they establish themselves in the world, there are bound to be some bumps along the way. Teens are impulsive; they don’t think things through, and they often do things that seem counterintuitive to adults. But their brains are still developing, and it always makes sense to them at the time, whether or not they realize the faulty logic in hindsight.

I would recommend Slingshot. Grace’s acerbic personality is relatable and easy to identify with, and this made her character arc that much more satisfying. I suspect that Grace would roll her eyes at such an assertion, so I won’t say any more on the matter. This book is an amazing debut, and I look forward to reading more from Helnwein in the future.

I received an ARC of this book from Wednesday Book/NetGalley

The cover was what caught my attention first, but the story really won me over. If you like John Green, Rainbow Rowell and Sally Rooney....this book is for you! This isn't the picture perfect sweet romance story, it's much more realistic. I did feel that the story fell a bit flat at times, and I had a difficult time finding the main character Gracie likeable. She's pretty rude and melodramatic. Wade is definitely what saves this book and makes it an enjoyable read. He's a bit cheesy but soooo sweet, kind, loveable and deserves the world!

<b> Thank you to NetGalley and the author for kindly providing me with an eArc, in return for an honest review. </b>

Mercedes Helnwein completely captures the voice of a teenage girl in her novel, Slingshot. I have so many highlighted sections of this book - words and thoughts that just perfectly captured feelings I could vividly call to light while reading.

It all starts for Grace when she falls in love for the first time. It's circumstances are not ideal as it's with Mr. Sorrentino, her biology teacher. But they have a connection! Or rather, Grace feels that they do and this information fully catches Mr. Sorrentino off guard. This smack with reality where Grace is told her feelings aren't reciprocated in any way, shape, or form, throws her through a loop. The whole book Grace is kind of scrambling to understand herself and figure out who she is. Isn't that just exactly how those high school years are?

So from her one-sided relationship with her teacher, Grace lands herself into a surprise friendship with a new boy at school, Wade. Wade puzzles her. Grace is normally rather off-putting, she's not very friendly and so she doesn't often deal with anyone coming back for more conversation with her. But Wade is rather persistent and Grace realizes that having a friend is far better than being lonely and isolated.

There are a SLEW of mistakes made in this book, by any and all characters. It's just so perfectly juvenile. Not the writing or the plot, just the decisions the characters make. They're messy and they're emotional and they're exactly how teenagers are supposed to be.

This is a great coming-of-age story that focuses on self-esteem, self-awareness, personal growth, AND how we affect the relationships we have. Grace's voice will leave you a little bit in love with her. She's witty and smart, and doesn't think past the words coming out of her mouth. Sometimes that works out okay and sometimes not so much.

After hearing some unsettling things about this book, I decided I would not be reviewing it, hence the one star. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC, but I am going to pass on this opportunity.

This book was not great. The main character was very hard to love. I was uncomfortable with the fact that she was so in love with her teacher. I also didn't love that the characters were only 15, it felt weird reading about them doing all they did at that age. This book was just meh for me.