Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

I’ve never read a book I didn’t like by Neal Shusterman, and this book is more of the same. He does such a great job mixing just a little bit of mystery and magic into an otherwise normal book. With Bruiser it’s the same thing. What starts out as your typical girl meets bad boy, girl’s brother doesn’t want her to date bad boy kind of story quickly turns into much more. You don’t have to get very far into the book before you realize there’s something different about this bad boy.

Tennyson doesn’t like Bruiser, like most of the school he think’s he’s a troubled loser. However, Tennyson’s twin sister Bronte sees something more in Bruiser. Turns out she’s right. It soon becomes apparent that when Bruiser let’s himself get close to someone, he ends up taking on their pain as well. From skinned knuckles to break-up sadness, Bruiser gets it all.

While Bruiser’s strange ability is a big part of the story, there is much more. The family stories of boy Bruiser and the twins are both interesting enough to not be overwhelmed by the special powers part of the story. Tennyson and Bronte’s parents are going through a rough divorce, while Bruiser and his little brother, Cody, live with an abusive uncle. The family issues and the relationship between the twins and Bruiser would be enough of a story for any book, by adding Bruiser’s powers, it takes the story to another level. Told in the alternating POV of Tennyson, Bronte, Bruiser, and Cody, Shusterman has worked a lot of different voices into the book and each one stands out as it’s own. All four of them are likable, but not without faults.

Give this book a shot, and if you like it then try Unwind (sequel coming soon, and a movie!), The Skinjacker Trilogy, and Downsiders.