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aca0721's review against another edition
Not enjoying the plot, dislike main character and hate the whole 'in love with teacher trope'.
indigoivee's review against another edition
4.0
Let me preference this review by saying that the book’s description far surpasses the brilliance of the actual book.
Ugh! I don’t even know where to fucking beginning. I loved every single inch and crevice of this book okay? From her friendship to her eventual romance to her heartbreak with Wade. To the god is a fucking woman icon Beth. To sleaze bag, Derek. To Grace fucking Welles.
I devoured this book and the raw honesty of growing up and doing your own thing and being mean and being unhinged.
I know I’m 23 but I fucks with this 15 year old psycho.
Ugh! I don’t even know where to fucking beginning. I loved every single inch and crevice of this book okay? From her friendship to her eventual romance to her heartbreak with Wade. To the god is a fucking woman icon Beth. To sleaze bag, Derek. To Grace fucking Welles.
I devoured this book and the raw honesty of growing up and doing your own thing and being mean and being unhinged.
I know I’m 23 but I fucks with this 15 year old psycho.
_laurabb_'s review against another edition
4.0
I related to this book in a very specific and intimate way and so I immediately related to these less than functional teens. However, instead of playing out the usual tired conversations or tropes with dysfunctional teens the author has a very specific story they want to tell and guides you through it seamlessly.
At the start of this book you see the world as the main character does - like the movies say it is: this jock is the bully, this nerd is the good guy and the main character is an outcast. And along the journey the author unfolds how far more complex the world is and empathetically teaches her characters how they can be 180 degrees wrong about someone, something or somewhere… and that’s okay.
I learnt a lot and I think this book has a really important message about self-discovery, learning to bravely air the unsaid and allowing yourself to grow. It’s also pretty funny as the dialogue is very accessible.
This book has a really specific tone and message, and though I laughed and loved it all, it’s probably not for everyone. It’s not tastelessly crass in my opinion, but I’d just be wary.
A sweet, but realistic view of community and all types of love. With a clear message of inspiration for those who believe in healthy relationships, I wouldn’t recommend to everyone but I do wish everyone would read it.
Even if it’s just so I can talk at you (yes AT you not with you) about how wonderful the symmetry in the storytelling is. I mean it’s ability to be simple yet profound made it’s efficacy astounding.
At the start of this book you see the world as the main character does - like the movies say it is: this jock is the bully, this nerd is the good guy and the main character is an outcast. And along the journey the author unfolds how far more complex the world is and empathetically teaches her characters how they can be 180 degrees wrong about someone, something or somewhere… and that’s okay.
I learnt a lot and I think this book has a really important message about self-discovery, learning to bravely air the unsaid and allowing yourself to grow. It’s also pretty funny as the dialogue is very accessible.
This book has a really specific tone and message, and though I laughed and loved it all, it’s probably not for everyone. It’s not tastelessly crass in my opinion, but I’d just be wary.
A sweet, but realistic view of community and all types of love. With a clear message of inspiration for those who believe in healthy relationships, I wouldn’t recommend to everyone but I do wish everyone would read it.
Even if it’s just so I can talk at you (yes AT you not with you) about how wonderful the symmetry in the storytelling is. I mean it’s ability to be simple yet profound made it’s efficacy astounding.
ameserole's review against another edition
2.0
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, huh, well... Slingshot was definitely a frustrating read for me. In it, you will meet Gracie and Wade. In the beginning, I loved Wade because he was completely and utterly adorable. Yet, there was so much about him we didn't know because Gracie was self-centered and shallow. She was completely horrible to anyone and everyone. Plus, I also got crazy psycho vibes from her throughout the book.
Wade was no different once we got to see little bits and pieces. Or maybe it's just me and I wouldn't trust anyone if they said they really really liked or loved me after knowing me for an hour. Or a day. Seems oddly suspicious.
Other than that, the romance was okay and all the secrets at the end were okay. BUT, and this is a huge but guys, the ending was all sorts of underwhelming. Why the letter? Why not respond? Why ghost to begin with? Nothing was making sense and I was just so done with Gracie and Wade. I hope they find happiness with someone or something else.
Oh, huh, well... Slingshot was definitely a frustrating read for me. In it, you will meet Gracie and Wade. In the beginning, I loved Wade because he was completely and utterly adorable. Yet, there was so much about him we didn't know because Gracie was self-centered and shallow. She was completely horrible to anyone and everyone. Plus, I also got crazy psycho vibes from her throughout the book.
Wade was no different once we got to see little bits and pieces. Or maybe it's just me and I wouldn't trust anyone if they said they really really liked or loved me after knowing me for an hour. Or a day. Seems oddly suspicious.
Other than that, the romance was okay and all the secrets at the end were okay. BUT, and this is a huge but guys, the ending was all sorts of underwhelming. Why the letter? Why not respond? Why ghost to begin with? Nothing was making sense and I was just so done with Gracie and Wade. I hope they find happiness with someone or something else.
lauren_soderberg's review against another edition
4.0
Mercedes Helnwein’s Slingshot is a searing coming-of-age story that has as much humor as it does heartache.
Grace Welles is comfortably numb. Stuck at a boarding school and nursing a crush on her science teacher, she embraces her loneliness fiercely. One day, she happens to save the new kid from getting beat up, and ends up securing a best friend, whether she wants him around or not. Wade Scholfield seems unbothered by Grace’s acerbity, and seems too nice to be real. And, as he continues to be her friend in spite of her moodiness and rude comments? Grace realizes that he just might be the most important person in her life. So when she breaks his heart, for no particular reason, she finally has to grapple with who she is and why she does the things she does.
I’ll be honest when I say that Slingshot was a difficult read for me. And not because it wasn’t brilliantly plotted or because it had one-dimensional characters. That wasn’t the problem at all; rather, it was because it’s real. Brutally so. Grace is not initially a “likable” character. You don’t really understand why she does the things she does, and it’s frustrating to be inside her head for most of the novel. But there’s an immense amount of growth that happens throughout the narrative arc, and the Grace at the end of the story is someone I’d want to know. Wade himself is a bit of a cypher, though his bond with Grace feels heartbreakingly real. But I found some of his behavior to be a bit befuddling, especially toward the end of the book.
My one major criticism with the novel is how the ending is left pretty open-ended. Without spoiling any plot points, I’ll just say that I mostly understand why Helnwein ended it how she ended it, but I was left feeling a little dissatisfied. But overall, this is a wonderful debut and I’m excited to see what Helnwein writes next.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Grace Welles is comfortably numb. Stuck at a boarding school and nursing a crush on her science teacher, she embraces her loneliness fiercely. One day, she happens to save the new kid from getting beat up, and ends up securing a best friend, whether she wants him around or not. Wade Scholfield seems unbothered by Grace’s acerbity, and seems too nice to be real. And, as he continues to be her friend in spite of her moodiness and rude comments? Grace realizes that he just might be the most important person in her life. So when she breaks his heart, for no particular reason, she finally has to grapple with who she is and why she does the things she does.
I’ll be honest when I say that Slingshot was a difficult read for me. And not because it wasn’t brilliantly plotted or because it had one-dimensional characters. That wasn’t the problem at all; rather, it was because it’s real. Brutally so. Grace is not initially a “likable” character. You don’t really understand why she does the things she does, and it’s frustrating to be inside her head for most of the novel. But there’s an immense amount of growth that happens throughout the narrative arc, and the Grace at the end of the story is someone I’d want to know. Wade himself is a bit of a cypher, though his bond with Grace feels heartbreakingly real. But I found some of his behavior to be a bit befuddling, especially toward the end of the book.
My one major criticism with the novel is how the ending is left pretty open-ended. Without spoiling any plot points, I’ll just say that I mostly understand why Helnwein ended it how she ended it, but I was left feeling a little dissatisfied. But overall, this is a wonderful debut and I’m excited to see what Helnwein writes next.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
kimberleyrose's review against another edition
I absolutely hated the main character and just could not get into the book at all.
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
8bluebutterfly8's review against another edition
1.0
DNF @ 30%
I wanted to stop reading this pretty much as soon as I began this book. Literally every five minutes I would think to myself why am I even still reading this book. I pretty much always finish books even if I am not enjoying them because I like to know the ending. I found Grace to be really annoying and didn't find reading from her perspective enjoyable at all. I also found it really weird that this 15 year old thought her teacher was her soulmate and was super upset over him getting engaged. I hate stopping to read a book partway through but there is no way I can get through this book without falling into a reading slump.
I wanted to stop reading this pretty much as soon as I began this book. Literally every five minutes I would think to myself why am I even still reading this book. I pretty much always finish books even if I am not enjoying them because I like to know the ending. I found Grace to be really annoying and didn't find reading from her perspective enjoyable at all. I also found it really weird that this 15 year old thought her teacher was her soulmate and was super upset over him getting engaged. I hate stopping to read a book partway through but there is no way I can get through this book without falling into a reading slump.
jaklyn_heath_reads's review against another edition
1.0
*I did not finish this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This book was not for me. I can see the appeal for YA readers but I could not connect with the main character- I found her highly melodramatic and unlikeable. I didn’t find the opening scenes relatable or believeable and just couldn’t get into this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This book was not for me. I can see the appeal for YA readers but I could not connect with the main character- I found her highly melodramatic and unlikeable. I didn’t find the opening scenes relatable or believeable and just couldn’t get into this one.