You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the digital galley of this book.
Daya Wijesinghe uses bruises to feel in control of emotions she’d rather keep tampered down. After her parents death in a car accident she survived, Daya isn’t sure how to be in the world. Skateboarding provides an outlet, and the bruises is produces feel good. When a friend introduces her to the world of Roller Derby, she’s convinced that these bruises will be much bigger, and as a full contact sport, she’ll be able to knock some people around, too. But the sport has rules, and team is at the center of every practice, interaction, and bout. Daya’s been a loner, but she’ll find community she didn’t know she needed and maybe, she’ll find more healthy ways of coping than hurting herself, too.
I devoured this one in just over a day and really enjoyed this book. It was billed as Whip It! meets We Are Okay, and between roller derby, brown girls, and queer folks, I was SOLD. I love the characterization and exploration of trauma and physical pain as an outlet and tool of control. It’s often explored via cutting, but the bruising Daya craves is another way that the trauma manifests itself. I love Daya’s friends, and even though I didn’t like Kat, jammer of Daya’s team all the time, I really appreciated her layers, backstory, and journey to healing as well. She and her sister, Shanti, play big roles in Daya’s life during this coming of age and healing from trauma stage, and they are opposite sides of the same coin, a full representation of the different ways people are strong and how they deal with their emotions.
It’s a deep book, and it’s heavy, too, but it’s full of friendship, roller derby, and heart. I highly recommend it if you’re into queer YA that isn’t quite so white-washed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Self harm
emotional
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
Minor: Death of parent
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Grief, Car accident
Moderate: Emotional abuse
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you play roller derby you'll know the author doesn't, but like it's not a terribly caricaturized depiction.
Content warning for unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Content warning for unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Self harm, Grief, Death of parent
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Bruised continued my love of Boteju's books from Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens. It's a book about discovering roller derby, new communities, and pieces of ourselves. Daya is still reeling from the grief of losing her parents. As readers we get to know them through memories and snippets. The ways her dad pushed her to box and to be tough. All the times she didn't understand her mother and her silences. Overall, I think the characters are my favorite element in Bruised.
Daya is used to being strong, to knowing that when we're strong we won't break. That we can bruise, but it will never break us. She believes that shouldering through the pain is the only way to persevere. Believing that weakness is a source only of vulnerability and pain, Daya must learn that we don't have to take every bruise. There's a well of pain, guilt, and sadness within her. And it can't always be solved with fists and anger.
Bruised continued my love of Boteju's books from Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens. It's a book about discovering roller derby, new communities, and pieces of ourselves. Daya is still reeling from the grief of losing her parents. As readers we get to know them through memories and snippets. The ways her dad pushed her to box and to be tough. All the times she didn't understand her mother and her silences. Overall, I think the characters are my favorite element in Bruised.
Daya is used to being strong, to knowing that when we're strong we won't break. That we can bruise, but it will never break us. She believes that shouldering through the pain is the only way to persevere. Believing that weakness is a source only of vulnerability and pain, Daya must learn that we don't have to take every bruise. There's a well of pain, guilt, and sadness within her. And it can't always be solved with fists and anger.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Grief
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Car accident, Death of parent
Minor: Transphobia
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Grief, Car accident