Heroine

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 softball season, she has to find a way to hold on to her spot as the catcher for a team expected to make a historic tournament run. Behind the plate is the only place she’s ever felt comfortable, and the painkillers she’s been prescribed can help her get there. The pills do more than take away pain; they make her feel good. With a new circle of friends—fellow injured athletes, others with just time to kill—Mickey finds peaceful acceptance, and people with whom words come easily, even if it is just the pills loosening her tongue. But as the pressure to be Mickey Catalan heightens, her need increases, and it becomes less about pain and more about want, something that could send her spiraling out of control. Gritty Realistic Fiction: A raw, unflinching look at the American opioid epidemic through the eyes of a teen who had it all. Addiction and Recovery: Follows Mickey’s harrowing journey from a promising sports career to a dependency on prescription pills that becomes about want, not just pain. A Star Athlete’s Fall from Grace: She’s the star catcher of an undefeated softball team. But after a devastating car crash, the only thing holding her together are the painkillers that threaten to tear her life apart. Complex Family and Friendships: As Mickey sinks deeper, her relationships with her best friend, her divorced parents, and a new circle of friends are pushed to the breaking point.