Search This Blog
2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (11)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (3)
- Georgia (3)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (9)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (4)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (3)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (25)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (2)
- Russia (2)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge
2024 52 Club Reading Challenge
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge
2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge
Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge
Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
And My Hands-Down Favorite Book of This Year Is ...
1:00 AM
(Image from Indiebound)
The new year is barely a week old, so there's a good chance that, in the coming months, Bruiser by Neal Shusterman might be unseated as my favorite read of 2011. Still, there's something to be said for a novel that hooks you from its very first sentence ("If he touches her, I swear I'm going to rip out his guts with my bare hands and send them to his next of kin for lunch" [3]) and keeps you riveted for every single one of its 328 pages. And that something is, "You had me at hello." Not very original, but you get my point: I love this book.
When 15-year-old Brontë Sternberg starts seeing Brewster Rawlins, a kid once voted "Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty," her twin brother's ready to tear the guy apart limb by limb. Tennyson knows he's being overprotective, but really, what does Brontë see in a loser like the Bruiser? Brontë herself can hardly explain the attraction, except that Brewster's different than the other boys at her school. For one thing, he's a stray, and there's nothing she likes more than a good rescue mission. Plus, Brewster seems to have some kind of knack for making her feel better, emotionally and physically. When Tennyson decides to stalk the Bruiser into leaving his sister alone, he comes to a startling realization: Not only does Brewster take Brontë's pain away, but somehow, he suffers for every person he cares about. The ugly scars criss-crossing his body are vivid proof of that.
Even though Tennyson doesn't understand Brewster's "gift," he knows it needs to be protected. But standing up for the Bruiser's not the easiest thing to do. Even for a scrappy lacrosse player like Tennyson. He'll do it, though, because as long as Brewster's around to take the hurt away, the Sternberg home is calm and peaceful. Without Bruiser, Tennyson's happy family would fall apart in an instant. It's only when Brontë and Tennyson realize how addicted they've become to Bruiser's unique kind of drug that they realize they've turned into the worst kind of abusers. Can they face their own emotions in order to spare their new friend? Or will they finish him off with the weight of their pain?
It's hard to summarize this book or to explain why it touched me so completely. Bruiser simply captivated me with its humor and heart. It made me think, it made me sniffle, it made me smile. I loved the characters, the writing, the story, just everything. What else can I say? How about two words: Read it!
(Readalikes: Reminded me of Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis and a little of Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult)
Grade: A-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), violence and mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Bruiser from the generous folks at HarperTeen. Thank you!
10 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
Listening
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
Followin' with Bloglovin'
Followin' with Feedly
-
-
One For the Murphys6 hours ago
-
-
-
First Lines Fridays: November 22, 202410 hours ago
-
-
-
Favorite and go to meals?13 hours ago
-
-
THWIP Thursday for 21 November 202423 hours ago
-
The Listeners1 day ago
-
A Couple of short(ish) reviews1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
A Quiet Teacher by Adam Oyebanji2 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Open for Murder by Mary Angela2 weeks ago
-
-
-
Reading Recap September 20241 month ago
-
Ten Characters Who Redeemed Themselves2 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I3 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus3 months ago
-
Sunday Post4 months ago
-
-
The Music of 2024: Q24 months ago
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ▼ 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
This one sounds intriguing.
ReplyDeleteBruiser is definitely on my list to read. With your glowing recommendation, I'll have to move it closer to the top of the pile!
ReplyDeleteGreat review. This sounds good - and I've enjoyed some of Shusterman's other books, so it's on the pile!
ReplyDeleteI loved this one as well -- the three voices were so distinct and so real!
ReplyDeleteOK, anytime you rate a book in "A" range, I sit up and take notice. You're a notoriously tough grader, Susan! LOL
ReplyDeleteI find that my library has this book and so I'll see about checking it out. Thanks for sharing!
Huh. I haven't heard much about this one, but I'm now officially intrigued. Plus, I've liked much of Neal Shusterman's work.
ReplyDeleteOoooh! If I had to guess my favorite book for 2011 already I would have no idea! There si just so much I want to read and I'm still not sure what I will think. I am looking forward to finding out though!
ReplyDeleteAubrieAnne @ http://www.whosyoureditor.blogspot.com/
I WILL be reading this one this year!
ReplyDeleteIve heard many good words about this one!!
ReplyDeleteJust finished this one. Loved it!! Neil Shusterman is great. Its only January but its my favorite book. The rest I read this year have a lot to live up to.
ReplyDelete