I thought the romance was very sweet and done well.

The mix of roller derby and a sweet romance really balanced everything out well and you really care about Daya’s journey. This book does cover some tough subjects like self-harm, emotional abuse, and grief, and I definitely went through a few tissues at one point, but overall the book didn’t feel too heavy or depressing. I like stories that will get me smiling one minute, and tearing up the next and that’s what this book did. One of my goals for 2021 is to read more YA and this is the kind of YA that I like. Can Shanti show Daya that there are other ways to be strong? But Daya does not count on falling for a girl who is sweet and kind named Shanti. When Daya sees just how tough roller derby women are, and the kind of bruises she could get playing, Daya desperately wants to make the team. She has to stay strong and when the pain and grief inside becomes too much, she hurts herself doing sporting activities.

She can’t deal with her grief, and has no outlet for her pain, so she pushes it down almost to the point of being in a zombie like state to just get through her day. The title of this book Bruised, actually comes from the main character, Daya, self-harming. I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed and this was the enjoyable book I was hoping for. When I heard about Bruised, I knew it was a must read 2021 book for me. I’ve always been fascinated by the sport and thought the fast paced feel and excitement would translate well into a book. I have wanted a queer roller derby book for a couple of years now.

Bruised by Tanya Boteju