Exclusive Excerpt: Bruised by Sarah Skilton
Today we are thrilled to have Sarah Skilton stopping by to reveal an excerpt from her debut novel, Bruised, coming out March 5th from Abrams/Amulet Books!
We’ve already gushed about how much we adore the cover, and now that we’ve read this powerful debut, we can assure you that this book is not just a pretty package! Bruised is a gripping, realistic story with striking writing and an unforgettable main character.
Scroll down for a sample of this wonderful novel!
About the book:
Imogen is a high school black belt who freezes up at an armed robbery. When the image you have of yourself is shattered, how do you make it whole again?
Bruised by Sarah Skilton
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Before the shooting, she believed that her black belt made her stronger than everyone else — more responsible, more capable.
But now her sense of self has been challenged and she must rebuild her life, a process that includes redefining her relationship with her family and navigating first love with the boy who was at the diner with her during the shootout.
With action, romance, and a complex heroine, Bruised introduces a vibrant new voice to the young adult world — full of dark humor and hard truths.
STARRED REVIEW
“Offering psychological drama and an introduction to martial-arts code of behavior, the book has a meaningful message about power, control, and the internal bruises carried by victims.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Her story is compelling, and readers will stick with her as new insights bring about a believable shift in her behavior…This distinctive debut will be appreciated by fans of contemporary fiction.”
—Kirkus Reviews
About the author:
Sarah Skilton lives in California with her magician husband and their son. She’s a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a fact that came in handy while writing her martial arts-themed contemporary YA debut, BRUISED.
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EXCERPT:
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Okay. I have to be honest. I’ve seen this cover around and honestly didn’t think much of the picking this book up (not because the cover is bad at ALL, but just because I didn’t think it was going to be a book that interested me). WRONG. I’m completely sold after that short snippet, and if I had taken the time to actually read the synopsis before getting all judge-y I would have realized a long time ago this book needs to be on my list. So glad you guys remedied this situation, I can’t wait to it now!
OMG that’s it? I was totally into that excerpt… great first page. Can’t wait until it comes out
I’d never heard of this before, but it sounds amazing. Love this teaser!
I didn’t know that much about black belts until I read the excerpt. I can only imagine how your confidence would be shaken if when it mattered the most you froze up. I have not seen this one around but it sounds really good. Thanks for sharing the excerpt. I know now that I won’t be getting my 12 level Black Belt anytime soon!
Thank you so much for hosting this excerpt. I’m delighted to see that it’s reaching people who aren’t familiar with the book. What more could I hope for?
Thanks again!!
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing this wonderful excerpt! We look forward to the release of BRUISED!
Oh I’ve always wanted to learn a martial art and so this makes it more interesting. Couple that with the blurb and the excerpt… I’m hooked. Yep, I do think I need to read this one.
This is really not my normal kind of read, but I do love this excerpt, and it sounds like you really love it, so I’m going to check it out when it comes out.
This actually sounds super awesome! I have heard people talking about Bruised, but never really looked into it because of the cover!
This sounds like such an interesting idea for a book. I can imagine freezing up, even if I was trained in self defense, and I’m sure I’d feel really guilty. I really want to read this. Glad you loved it!