Waiting On Wednesday- Bruised

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

I'm so very excited to be doing this week's  Waiting on Wednesday here. Today, I will be talking about the upcoming book Bruised by Sarah Skilton. 

BRUISED
When Imogen, a sixteen-year-old black belt in Tae Kwon Do, freezes during a holdup at a local diner, the gunman is shot and killed by the police, and she blames herself for his death. 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.

Release Date: March 5, 2013
Pages: 288
Add it via: Goodreads

Bruised is a novel I am REALLY looking forward to predominately because of the subject matter: martial arts. There really isn't any young adult novels with a martial arts theme. Yes, there are heroes and heroines who possess great fighting and combat skills, but there are not any stories that focus on the actual life of someone who experiences the daily life of taking class and being in that ~zone.

When I was a freshman in high school, I was bullied rather badly (my head was slammed into a locker). I hated feeling so powerless. I hated having to change my routes to class because I was afraid. I hated having to change my math class and hated having to go to the Dean...but I did all of this because I did not know what else to do. During the summer before sophomore year, I thought the problem was resolved, but then I saw one of the bully's friends and they made some comments to me that scared me. I was not even in school and I was feeling afraid! So, my mother convinced me to enroll in karate (my dad was also supportive because he loved the martial arts!). At first I was freaked out by the tradition of it all (bowing! uniforms! all that kneeling!), not to mention I was a 15 year old girl. Most of the people in my class were children, not teenagers, and it was kind of overwhelming. However, I ended up finding my place. I moved up the ranks rather quickly and was a red belt within a year (which allowed me to start assisting). I earned a brown belt in less than 2 years and my black belt in 5 years. I also competed in tournaments and won trophies, but none of that was as important as gaining the skills and self-confidence I desperately needed.

I feel like every person, especially women, should know how to defend themselves. People need to make smarter choices and by being prepared, they can do so easily. I just know Bruised will reignite these discussions and hopefully encourage young adults (and anyone!) to enroll in self-defense classes. I personally cannot wait to read this book!

What are YOU waiting on this week?