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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Book: Bruiser
Genre: YA
Type: Audiobook.
Book rating: ☆☆☆☆•5
Narration rating: ☆☆☆☆•5
Review
So I was really excited about reading another Neal Shusterman book, his writing tends to be unforgettable.
I wasn't disappointed at all....phew!
Loved this book, loved the characters, loved the story, loved it!!
Someone (I don't know who sorry) described Neal Shusterman as the Tim Burton of YA books, and that is a really good call.
If you have never read a Shusterman book before, firstly WHAT ?!?!?!
What he does in his books is a little like a college professer in class, he leaves you thinking "what would I do?"
Class......"If you could legally abort your child after the age of 13, just by signing a piece of paper that is legally binding, and that said child,now 15 years old pissed you off BIG TIME one night, would you sign it......what about in anger? would you"............DISCUSS........
^^^That above is what it is like reading Unwind, one of my all time favourite YA books, I haven't met anyone that read it and went mehh, and if you say "that" scene to them, they just nod and shudder, ..........do it, read it.
In Bruiser, we meet Brewster "Bruiser" Rawlins, he is the boy at school you avoid, who never smiles, who never talks, who never looks you in the eye.
We also meet Tennyson and Brontè, twins from a loving stable family.
And lastly we meet Cody, Brewsters little brother.
There is a reason for Brewster (brew for short) being so stand offish, he cannot get close to anyone, otherwise it could literally kill him.
If you had the chance to take someone's pain away would you do it? Where would this end? Bruises, cuts, broken bones?? And who would this stop at, just people you cared for? Just your family? .............DISCUSS. ....
Brontè starts to go out with Brewster, much to her brothers dismay, after all he was voted the person most likely to get the death penalty!
However, a friendship arises between them all and everything is fine, until one day Brontè cuts her hand quite badly...........and then it is gone, and Brewster shows up with a sliced hand!
With a F'd up life living with his abusive uncle, this book shows us all 4 lives as they intermingle with each other, as it is told in 4 POV's one of them being in verse.
Read this book, or something by Neal Shusterman, you will not be disappointed!
4•5☆
Genre: YA
Type: Audiobook.
Book rating: ☆☆☆☆•5
Narration rating: ☆☆☆☆•5
Review
So I was really excited about reading another Neal Shusterman book, his writing tends to be unforgettable.
I wasn't disappointed at all....phew!
Loved this book, loved the characters, loved the story, loved it!!
Someone (I don't know who sorry) described Neal Shusterman as the Tim Burton of YA books, and that is a really good call.
If you have never read a Shusterman book before, firstly WHAT ?!?!?!
What he does in his books is a little like a college professer in class, he leaves you thinking "what would I do?"
Class......"If you could legally abort your child after the age of 13, just by signing a piece of paper that is legally binding, and that said child,now 15 years old pissed you off BIG TIME one night, would you sign it......what about in anger? would you"............DISCUSS........
^^^That above is what it is like reading Unwind, one of my all time favourite YA books, I haven't met anyone that read it and went mehh, and if you say "that" scene to them, they just nod and shudder, ..........do it, read it.
In Bruiser, we meet Brewster "Bruiser" Rawlins, he is the boy at school you avoid, who never smiles, who never talks, who never looks you in the eye.
We also meet Tennyson and Brontè, twins from a loving stable family.
And lastly we meet Cody, Brewsters little brother.
There is a reason for Brewster (brew for short) being so stand offish, he cannot get close to anyone, otherwise it could literally kill him.
If you had the chance to take someone's pain away would you do it? Where would this end? Bruises, cuts, broken bones?? And who would this stop at, just people you cared for? Just your family? .............DISCUSS. ....
Brontè starts to go out with Brewster, much to her brothers dismay, after all he was voted the person most likely to get the death penalty!
However, a friendship arises between them all and everything is fine, until one day Brontè cuts her hand quite badly...........and then it is gone, and Brewster shows up with a sliced hand!
With a F'd up life living with his abusive uncle, this book shows us all 4 lives as they intermingle with each other, as it is told in 4 POV's one of them being in verse.
Read this book, or something by Neal Shusterman, you will not be disappointed!
4•5☆
I really, really wanted to love it, but it was too depressing for me, and it was a tad difficult to read the book as Tennyson and Brönte were difficult characters, and to be in their heads was kind of weird as the book is in their POV (and also in Brew and Cody's) lol. I really, really liked the story, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. I'd read more of this author's work, though, because his books seem intriguing!
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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: Child abuse
Neal Shusterman amazes me. His stories feel so real, even when they are so unreal. Really enjoyed this one.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
This is a good book for a quick read on a trip. I liked it, but didn't love it.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2/7/18 - ON SALE for $3.99:
http://amzn.to/2BLxOMH
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
3.5 stars
First of all, this book might just have the best first chapter I've ever read in my life.
Secondly . . . this book is weird. I'm talking The Talented Mr. Ripley weird.
And like THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, it's better that you go into reading BRUISER knowing as little as possible.
That being said, one of the main characters is the victim of child abuse, so if that's one of your triggers, you have been warned. The abuse isn't pointless, it's a catalyst, so while, yes, it was painful--such subjects should always be painful--it was tolerable.
Moving on.
I've read several other Shusterman books, and I've never more than just gotten through them. I find his writing to be too . . . disheartening, maybe? They've all had an overwhelming sense of melancholy that dragged me down into the doldrums.
And I avoid books like that, b/c for me, the doldrums don't end just b/c the book does--don't misunderstand, I don't only like light and fluffy books. But there's a difference between telling a story with painful elements, and telling a story in which the entire tone is pain and suffering.
Shusterman's other books have been the latter. Too depressing.
BRUISER . . . not as much.
While Brewster is a wretchedly unfortunate individual, Tennyson is snarkily hilarious enough to counter it, and Cody's child-like exuberance also tips the balance.
So while the story plays out, spiraling further and further toward the inevitable conclusion--life cannot continue in the previous manner; there has to be change--the characters are fantastic enough to stave off the gloom, and wonder-of-wonders, the books ends with hope.
I love books that end with hope. Recommended. Ish.
First of all, this book might just have the best first chapter I've ever read in my life.
Secondly . . . this book is weird. I'm talking The Talented Mr. Ripley weird.
And like THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, it's better that you go into reading BRUISER knowing as little as possible.
That being said, one of the main characters is the victim of child abuse, so if that's one of your triggers, you have been warned. The abuse isn't pointless, it's a catalyst, so while, yes, it was painful--such subjects should always be painful--it was tolerable.
Moving on.
I've read several other Shusterman books, and I've never more than just gotten through them. I find his writing to be too . . . disheartening, maybe? They've all had an overwhelming sense of melancholy that dragged me down into the doldrums.
And I avoid books like that, b/c for me, the doldrums don't end just b/c the book does--don't misunderstand, I don't only like light and fluffy books. But there's a difference between telling a story with painful elements, and telling a story in which the entire tone is pain and suffering.
Shusterman's other books have been the latter. Too depressing.
BRUISER . . . not as much.
While Brewster is a wretchedly unfortunate individual, Tennyson is snarkily hilarious enough to counter it, and Cody's child-like exuberance also tips the balance.
So while the story plays out, spiraling further and further toward the inevitable conclusion--life cannot continue in the previous manner; there has to be change--the characters are fantastic enough to stave off the gloom, and wonder-of-wonders, the books ends with hope.
I love books that end with hope. Recommended. Ish.
http://amzn.to/2BLxOMH
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
3.5 stars
First of all, this book might just have the best first chapter I've ever read in my life.
Secondly . . . this book is weird. I'm talking The Talented Mr. Ripley weird.
And like THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, it's better that you go into reading BRUISER knowing as little as possible.
That being said, one of the main characters is the victim of child abuse, so if that's one of your triggers, you have been warned. The abuse isn't pointless, it's a catalyst, so while, yes, it was painful--such subjects should always be painful--it was tolerable.
Moving on.
I've read several other Shusterman books, and I've never more than just gotten through them. I find his writing to be too . . . disheartening, maybe? They've all had an overwhelming sense of melancholy that dragged me down into the doldrums.
And I avoid books like that, b/c for me, the doldrums don't end just b/c the book does--don't misunderstand, I don't only like light and fluffy books. But there's a difference between telling a story with painful elements, and telling a story in which the entire tone is pain and suffering.
Shusterman's other books have been the latter. Too depressing.
BRUISER . . . not as much.
While Brewster is a wretchedly unfortunate individual, Tennyson is snarkily hilarious enough to counter it, and Cody's child-like exuberance also tips the balance.
So while the story plays out, spiraling further and further toward the inevitable conclusion--life cannot continue in the previous manner; there has to be change--the characters are fantastic enough to stave off the gloom, and wonder-of-wonders, the books ends with hope.
I love books that end with hope. Recommended. Ish.
First of all, this book might just have the best first chapter I've ever read in my life.
Secondly . . . this book is weird. I'm talking The Talented Mr. Ripley weird.
And like THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, it's better that you go into reading BRUISER knowing as little as possible.
That being said, one of the main characters is the victim of child abuse, so if that's one of your triggers, you have been warned. The abuse isn't pointless, it's a catalyst, so while, yes, it was painful--such subjects should always be painful--it was tolerable.
Moving on.
I've read several other Shusterman books, and I've never more than just gotten through them. I find his writing to be too . . . disheartening, maybe? They've all had an overwhelming sense of melancholy that dragged me down into the doldrums.
And I avoid books like that, b/c for me, the doldrums don't end just b/c the book does--don't misunderstand, I don't only like light and fluffy books. But there's a difference between telling a story with painful elements, and telling a story in which the entire tone is pain and suffering.
Shusterman's other books have been the latter. Too depressing.
BRUISER . . . not as much.
While Brewster is a wretchedly unfortunate individual, Tennyson is snarkily hilarious enough to counter it, and Cody's child-like exuberance also tips the balance.
So while the story plays out, spiraling further and further toward the inevitable conclusion--life cannot continue in the previous manner; there has to be change--the characters are fantastic enough to stave off the gloom, and wonder-of-wonders, the books ends with hope.
I love books that end with hope. Recommended. Ish.
Interesting premise, but I was prepared for a different ending.
Engaging plot and interesting idea for the book.
The kid brother sometimes got really frustrating to listen but he’s just a kid.
The kid brother sometimes got really frustrating to listen but he’s just a kid.