Bruiser

The New York Times bestselling author of Challenger Deep, Neal Shusterman, delivers a suspenseful, eloquent, and thrilling novel that you won't be able to stop thinking about after you've put it down.

Tennyson is not surprised, really, when his family begins to fall apart, or when his twin sister, Brontë, starts dating the misunderstood bully, Brewster (or The Bruiser, as the entire high school calls him). Tennyson is determined to get to the bottom of The Bruiser's reputation, even if it means gearing up for a fight. Brontë, on the other hand, thinks there's something special underneath that tough exterior. And she's right...but neither she nor Tennyson is prepared for the truth of what lies below the surface.

Told through Tennyson, Brontë, and Bruiser's points of view, this dark, twisting novel explores friendship, family, and the sacrifices we make for the people we love.

A Texas Lone Star Reading List selection

A Book Page Top Ten Book of the Year

A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year

A Cooperative Children's Book Center Choice

What happens when caring for someone means taking on their every wound, both physical and emotional?

• A Dark Supernatural Power: Brewster doesn't just feel others' pain—he takes it into his own body. Every cut, bruise, and heartbreak his friends and family suffer becomes his own.
• A High-Stakes Paranormal Romance: Brontë is drawn to the misunderstood boy nobody else will go near, but loving him comes with a price she can't possibly imagine.
• Protective Twin Brother: Tennyson sees only a threat to his sister, Brontë. He's determined to unmask the Bruiser, even if it means starting a fight he's not ready for.
• Dysfunctional Family Secrets: Between the twins' crumbling family and Brewster's life with his abusive uncle, this gripping story explores the dark and complex nature of loyalty and sacrifice.
• A Story About Empathy: A thought-provoking exploration of what it truly means to carry someone else's burdens, perfect for fans of emotional and suspenseful YA fiction.