BRUISER

Shusterman’s latest is an unlikely love story. Twins Tennyson and Brontë—both parents teach literature, force feed their children vocabulary words and fight incessantly—don’t have much in common, but when Brontë starts dating the Bruiser, they find themselves pulled into something unimaginable. Because if Brew loves you, he’ll steal your pain—heartache, as well as bruises and broken bones. He has always held himself apart to keep himself safe, but the price is unimaginable loneliness. Brontë has always had her eye out for things and people in need, while Tennyson thrives on his anger, but Brew’s power turns everything around. It flattens emotions, because none of the bad stuff ever hurts and life is lived in mental padding. Told in four voices—Tennyson and Brontë, Brew and his younger brother, Cody—this is a wrenching but ultimately redemptive look at how pain defines us and how love, whether familial, romantic or friendly, demands sacrifice and brings gifts of its own. Once again, Shusterman spins a fantastic tale that sheds light on everyday life. (Science fiction. 12 & up)