REVIEW: Bruised by Sarah Skilton

Jen's Review

Bruised
by Sarah Skilton
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Release Date: March 5th, 2013

When I first found out about Bruised by Sarah Skilton, it didn't catch my attention very much, at all. It was only when I saw rave reviews for this book by some of my most trusted blogger friends (ehem, Keertana and Maja) that I knew I had to read it. And thank goodness for their accurate opinions on this book, because after finishing Bruised, I've come to the conclusion that this book is a new favorite for 2013. Honestly, if you look at my status updates on Goodreads for this book, pretty much every single one says, "I love this book. SO MUCH." Because in all seriousness, Bruised is a traumatizing story about a girl who witnesses the shooting of a gunman-- and blames it on herself for not preventing it. A gritty yet heartwarming contemporary, Bruised hit me in all the right places.

Firstly, I just need to mention that this book reminded me a lot of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Why? It's similar in the ways of a girl who endures a traumatizing experience in which she needs to go through the healing process by forcing herself to remember. But there is that difference between these two books; what made me love Bruised so much more was the addition of Tae Kwan Do. It makes it infinitely more fascinating to read about. Not only does our main character Imogen struggle to recover from the witness of the shooting, she also comes to terms with her Tae Kwan Do training, and it plays a huge part in the story. First of all, I've never read a book that's remotely related to martial arts, and second, Skilton makes it sound freaking bad-ass. This unique sport that's been weaved into the story kept me on my toes for sure.

Another quality of this book that I fell in love with was Imogen, and the strong character development. Imogen's voice is darkly humorous and sarcastic-- and she's not very likable at first. But it's the little things that go through her mind that I learned to love and empathize with. Her bravery, courage, and her acceptance towards other people is just amazing. She grows as a character, too, and it's like watching a new door open, ready for possibilities. Aside from Imogen herself though, we have Imogen's family, who play a huge role in the story. Hunter, the man-whore of a brother was hilarious, but also deeply caring. The way that Imogen's issues affect Hunter and his reactions are completely realistic. Imogen's family and Imogen herself are endearing characters that I learned to admire by the end of the book.

And of course, there's the romance. Oh goodness. Can we just take a moment to applaud Skilton's skills to write a completely.. Beautifully violent romance? Ricky Alvarez, the love interest, happens to also be an eye-witness of the shooting that Imogen was at, and their bonding over the experience is intense and intricate at the same time. And by violent romance, I mean that Imogen constantly wants to fight someone because of the event she had to witness (this will make more sense once you read it, I promise!), and it's really memorable, to say the least. But Ricky's understanding nature and tender feelings were just. I can't-- I FELT ALL THE FEELS. That is all.

My final message to you all: pick up this book. I'M BEGGING YOU. Bruised is without a doubt, a page-turner with strands of emotion, love, growth, and acceptance braided throughout the pages. I couldn't have asked for a better-written debut from Sarah Skilton, and I am glad to say that this surprising story that touched my heart will surely touch yours as well.

5 teacups for Bruised!