Thank you to Wednesday Books for the ARC of Slingshot by Mercedes Helnwein. All opinions are my own.

While the premise of this book sounded good, the execution wasn't great. I ended up not finishing it because of some of the content in it.

Considering this was supposed to be YA, this book had some mature content that I wouldn't recommend teens reading. There was a lot of swearing in this book, and things like smoking and sexual language in the part that I read. I also was disturbed by the plot of Grace and her teacher.

Overall, I just wouldn't recommend this book.

Not my favorite YA romance ever but I did end up enjoying this! I liked the representation of a unique family dynamic for the main character, I think that will resonate with people. Some parts feel rather adult for a book targeted to young adults but that is personal preference.

Slingshot by Mercedes Helnwein is raw, funny, and full of heart. Grace is such a sharp, sarcastic narrator, and her awkward romance with Wade feels so real. It’s messy in the best way, with all the highs and lows of being a teenager. Perfect for fans of offbeat coming-of-age stories!

This was a debut, so I'll give some grace, but it was not great. There was a lot of stuff that is probably normal for teens to discuss, but I don't remember sex being the entirety of my personality in high school. The characters talked like they were on Dawson's Creek without having the same appeal. I also didn't love the opening with the irrational anger at a teacher getting engaged - again, I'm aware that there are people who behave like this, hormones, etc, that doesn't make it something that I think should be advertised without discussing why it's not okay in a book geared towards teen girls.

What a phenomenal debut. Real, raw, romantic, and revelatory—I felt like I was in such confident hands with this new storyteller, and I can't wait to read whatever she puts out next.

Slingshot by Mercedes Helnwein is a gritty and compelling coming-of-age novel that explores themes of family, rebellion, and identity. The story follows Nata, a teenage girl who is struggling to find her place in the world while dealing with the complexities of her broken family. As she pushes back against the expectations placed on her, Nata begins to uncover truths about herself and her relationships that change her life forever.

The writing is raw and emotional, capturing the messy reality of growing up. Nata is a relatable protagonist, with her flaws and inner conflicts making her feel real and human. The pacing is steady, and while the story deals with heavy issues, it’s also filled with moments of self-discovery and resilience.

I really enjoyed this story, even though at times it was hard to get into, and not a love connection I condone…

Oh the teen angst! This book made me appreciate not being a teenager. I liked the growth of Gracie throughout this book and appreciated her view on life. Not sure if this is a YA book but if not, it should definitely be labeled as one. An entertaining read!

This was such a sweet read and definitely the first of many I will be reading by this author. I found all the characters relatable in their own way. The romance aspect was written so well.

Acidly funny and compulsive readable, this debut is a story about two people finding each other and then screwing it all up. See also: soulmate, stupidity, sex, friendship, bad poetry, very bad decisions and all the indignities of being in love for the first time.

Regrettably, my experience with "Slingshot" by Mercedes Helnwein left much to be desired, as it delved into themes and narrative choices that left me feeling unsettled and disappointed.

From the outset, I found myself grappling with the discomfort of a main character, only fifteen years old, harboring romantic feelings for her teacher. This tired and inappropriate trope felt both overplayed and out of touch with contemporary sensibilities, making it difficult for me to engage with the story on any meaningful level. The uncomfortable dynamic between a teenager and an authority figure overshadowed any potential for genuine connection or emotional depth.

Furthermore, the unrealistic nature of the dialogue compounded my frustration with the narrative. The conversations between the teenage characters delved into topics and discussions that felt jarringly out of place for their age group, stretching the bounds of believability and hindering my ability to suspend disbelief.

Despite my hopes for an enjoyable read, "Slingshot" failed to deliver on its promise. While I acknowledge the author's potential and talent, this particular novel missed the mark for me, leaving me hesitant to explore future works from Helnwein.

Couldn't even get past chapter one, and I'm an enjoyer of bad books. Unfortunately one missed terrible problematic joke and I'm gone. I'm sure it's good if you can ignore that.

This YA contemporary follows Grace as she navigates lust and love, boys and friendships, and figuring out her own identity.

I actually really enjoyed this one and flew through it in less than 24 hours. The plot was so overwhelmingly dramatic that I couldn't help but get sucked into everything going on in Grace's life. I saw some growth in her by the end, but I was honestly unsure if she would ever mature at this school with the people she surrounded herself with. When I was reminded that she and (some of) her friends were only sophomores in high school, I was a little bit thrown out of the story. I feel as though the plot might have been better off occurring in upper high school or even college; it was just a bit weird to imagine a little 15-year-old girl going through everything that she went through. Overall though, I did have a fun time with it and am obsessed with Wade!

CW for sexual content, violence, fighting, blood, abuse, bullying.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC of Slingshot by Mercedes Helnwein.

I really liked this book, but I felt that there were lulls in the story that needed some help.. However I found this to be really enjoyable and entertaining and would recommend.

I was immediately drawn to this book based on the cover and the plot sounded like something I'd enjoy. Despite this, I was uncomfortable by the character's age differences and struggled to make it through this one. While I do appreciate that some of the topics in this book occur in real life and should be talked about, I feel that this read leaned towards glorifying the situations and were handled immaturely.

I immediately DNF’ed this book when I saw the student was in love with her tescher. Thats a big red flag for me.

SLINGSHOT by Mercedes Helnwein is a sweet coming of age debut YA novel! This story is about Gracie, a fifteen year old girl at boarding school, who learns some life lessons of love, friendship and heartbreak. I enjoyed watching messy teens be themselves. The beginning wasn't that great but it got better along the way. Is this book for me? No, because it was unrelatable to me but would I recommend this book yes. Just because I couldn't relate doesn't mean I couldn't see this book for what it was. The author takes great care and effort to show the various ranges of teenage emotion. Being a teenager is a time when you are feeling a lot of big emotions. This book is great for teens that question the awkwardness of growing up and finding your place, while dealing with parents, friends, love and school.

Definitely different from other coming of age in the fact that Grace the main protag is distinctly unlikable. But I like that. You don't have to like her to like the story. She mellows out with the right person but even then her prickly exterior is just part of who she is. I enjoyed the flaws of the characters.

"Slingshot" by Mercedes Helnwein is a poignant coming-of-age novel that explores the raw emotions of adolescence through the eyes of the rebellious, artistic Grace. Set against a backdrop of family struggles and personal challenges, the story captures the essence of growing up, friendship, and self-discovery. Helnwein's evocative prose and deeply relatable characters make "Slingshot" a moving and authentic portrayal of the complexities of youth, leaving a lasting impact on readers as they accompany Grace on her journey of finding her place in the world.

To me, liking the characters in a book is a prerequisite for liking the book itself. I need to invest in their journeys and want to spend time in the narrator’s head. Slingshot utterly failed this first task, making Grace one of the most insufferable main characters I’ve ever stuck with for the length of a book. And yet, I know this was on purpose. I’m struggling to reconcile the difference between an authentic literary choice and a legitimately enjoyable novel.

Grace was the perfect picture of a detached teen. Feeling abandoned by her family, she acts out at school and doesn’t have many friends until she forms an unlikely friendship with a new student after saving him from bullies with a slingshot. She often analyzes her classmates’ behavior, and categorizes them into typical high school archetypes without engaging in this social scene herself.

My main issue with this entire premise is that I would be shocked to find teens that actually behave like this. I admit there are gaps of maturity between grade levels in high school, but I would be hard-pressed to find students that smoke, drink, swear, and talk about sex as much as these kids do. It’s not even a particularly interesting take, either. Much of it is navel-gazing that belongs in a 19th century psychological novel.

I don’t know what a teenage mistake is. Is it being in love with your teacher and actually yelling at him when you find out he’s engaged? Is it normalizing cheating on a guy who you know is treating you well, with someone else who is in a relationship? Is it being so self-centered that you can’t actually conceive of someone else having feelings? I sure don’t think so! If you want to call this a novel about teens making mistakes, go ahead. I’d rather point out the infuriating melodrama that permeates everything about this novel.

And to boot, it has no plot. Grace’s emotions and daily experiences are all that drives the book, which I didn’t find engaging enough to confidently say I’d keep reading it if I didn’t have an ARC to review.

I think this may be the most frustrated I’ve ever been with a book. I genuinely can’t tell if it’s satire. I’m reviewing as though the story is genuine, so I’m giving it 1/5 stars. I can’t in good consciousness recommend anyone read this book.