Bruised

Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens felt like a hug. It was anxiety inducing, but lovingly so! Bruised felt like the loving callout on shitty coping skills. I had to pause a few times to have emotions (and to screech when my girls FINALLY got to kiss, oh my god). I'm glad I learned of Boteju when her first book came out so I was already prepared to get this one as soon as it hit the shelves.

This book cracked my heart open in the best way possible. Everything was handled with so much care, and it's so obvious how much the author loves these characters that you just can't help loving them too. I might have shed a few tears reading it, happy or sad, I couldn't tell you, I don't know myself. But the exploration of grief, self-harm and self-discovery was beautiful, as was Daya slowly opening herself up to people.

Minus 1 star because I had a hard time getting into this book at the beginning and for the sentences “This is why I don't hang out with chicks. So damn sensitive.” which really threw me out of it. Like wow, I thought Daya was grieving, not rude and sexist!