"Cuts and Bruises" by Kelly O'Flaherty is a gripping and emotionally charged novel that delves deep into the complexities of family, trauma, and the resilience of the human spirit. The story follows protagonist Lucy as she navigates the aftermath of a tragic accident that leaves her scarred both physically and emotionally. As Lucy struggles to come to terms with her new reality, she must confront the painful memories of her past and find the courage to rebuild her life.

O'Flaherty's writing is raw and honest, capturing the raw intensity of Lucy's emotions as she grapples with feelings of guilt, anger, and self-doubt. Through Lucy's journey of self-discovery and healing, the author explores themes of self-acceptance, forgiveness, and the power of love and support from those around her.

At its core, "Cuts and Bruises" is a story about resilience and the indomitable strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. As Lucy learns to embrace her scars and confront her inner demons, she discovers that true healing comes from within and that with the support of loved ones, she can overcome even the darkest of challenges. With its compelling narrative, well-drawn characters, and powerful message of hope, "Cuts and Bruises" is a poignant and inspiring read that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC of this book, I loved it to pieces. Although I was in the throes of covid-19 when I read this, it was the perfect balance of tragedy and comfort. Both of the characters’ struggles were written and developed beautifully and I really found myself resonating with the characters.

Trigger warnings for self harm, physical abuse and suicide.

This is such a vital rendition of the experiences so many young people have. It’s important to have a good role model when it comes to these kinds of situations, and Cuts & Bruises is a book I definitely needed when I was confronted with similar occurrences in the schoolyard.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s heartfelt, bittersweet, and all-around thought-provoking in its intensity. I loved every page.

Madi

I have read hundreds of YA books about mental health. Both while I was a struggling teen, and now that I work as a youth mental health worker. This one wasn't anything special. I feel like I have read this exact book at least 30 times. I feel really mean saying that because I know how personal books like this are to the authors that write them. But if I wanted to recommend a book about self harming and suicidal ideation to a teen, it would be one that handled the subject matter better.

The two characters had a very unhealthy codependent relationship, which I really don't think was highlighted enough. Keeping such big heavy secrets is not something that should be normalised (or romanticised). It is a very common teen experience, which is exactly why we need to do a better job at letting them know that they don't have to take everything on on their own.

I think in particular keeping secrets about abuse is the most dangerous part of this book. I was waiting for some sort of scene that made it clear that Sam made the wrong decision by not telling anyone (and that Michael shouldn't have asked her to keep the secret), but we never really got it. We saw the consequences of her not telling anyone, but that wasn't explicit enough in my opinion.

I don't like the discussions that were had about medication between Sam and her mother. They are real conversations people have of course, but once again I don't think enough was done to make it clear the mother was incorrect.

Overall, this book was fine. I think every mental health book is important because it has the chance to be the first book about the topic a struggling teen may pick up, and it has the opportunity to change their life. I think a title like cuts and bruises would also help to convince a teen to pick it up.

I didnt end up reading this as I saw some previous mixed reviews. By the name alone this is a very triggering book so make sure you check out TWs

I thought this book is beautifully written and so important. It’s more of a YA genre which is not my preferred genre but the subject matter is so so important to talk about. I would recommend it for any teenager going through something.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for providing me with an ARC copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is one of those books that I wish had been available when I was a teen. 

I think many of us would relate to this book, in one way or another at some point in our lives. 

What if.... 

I knew going into this that it might hit a little too close to home but it was a book I knew I wanted to read.

This might be a difficult read for some but it's one that covers topics that although difficult, should be talked about more.

Please note the trigger warnings of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, death, abuse.

It won't be a book for everyone and not of all ages but a good read overall.

I have experience with depression, people I love who attempted suïcide, people I know who successfully attempted it, and someone I love dearly who was abused by an alcoholic mom. So I expected to feel a lot of emotions reading this book, since it was supposed to come close to home. I felt like I was stumped off, it just felt all so distant, especially at the start. Then I realised that a big part in this is the writing style, making the issues the only character trait of the protagonist(s). This made them very one-dimensional, and left me feeling like I was reading a text book outlining the issues to someone studying to be a social worker instead, attempting to do so through the eyes of the 'client'.

For me this means that, even if I ignore the issues Brittany (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4618624337) already mentioned, this book falls short for me. It is way too stereotyped. I would have loved a book that shows it are not only angsty, artsy, troubled teens having these issues. It are the people (teens or otherwise) who have other interests too. It are the ones who are surrounded by friends too. Etc.

Damn, I wish this book was around when I was younger. I resonated with this story a lot and it's the main reason this book is 5/5 - it's easy to relate to. We all struggle with our mental health at some point and that's okay. This book does an amazing job of putting that point across. It's such a poignant story that everyone needs to read, if it is safe for them to do so.

Cuts and Bruises Review -

[thank you Netgalley for giving me a copy! xx]

TW: self harm, suicide attempt, physical abuse, death

"I was alone.That was the safest way to be." - The story follows Sam, the main character, who spends most of her time sitting in her room drawing and trying to ignore the blade which sat in the drawer not too far from her.

"I made the choice to keep living." - Michael, the love interest, the one who stood next to the rope, before realizing the life that stood before him.

Cuts and Bruises is the story of two struggling teenagers who end up finding each other within the darkness of their minds. While the plot itself was rather slow, the emotion seemed to be the pulling effect to keep the plot moving. The bad and good experiences were written in detail, which made the character's feelings palpable in the book.

Sam's character was intriguing, she wanted everything to end, but at the same time, she wanted everything to begin. Sam did lack personality, which was monotonous at times, but the turmoil in her mind seemed to overshadow the personality hidden within her. Her character was relatable though, and definitely had the tears rolling.

Michael's character felt hollow and had a lack of depth, but that might be because there was no POV from his side. The frustration and anger expressed from the encounters with Michael described the situation he found himself in, which brought in feelings of distress and anxiety. His character brought in a steady and intriguing feeling to the book, balancing out the plot.

"Sometimes, the demons win." - Cuts and Bruises is a story of struggle, the darkness of one's own mind, and how everything can change in a second...

rating: 3/5 ✨

I have to hide this entire review under a spoiler tag because it's difficult to discuss my issues with the narrative without giving away critical plot points. I am clearly in the minority out of others who have read Cuts & Bruises - the Goodreads reviews seem to be glowing - so feel free to take someone else's feedback on board as well before reading.

***SPOILER:
I'm doing bullet points here to try and keep this short(-ish).
-Sam meets Michael mid-suicide attempt. She convinces him (a complete stranger) to not follow through, and he makes her promise not to tell anyone. Then he disappears from school for a couple of weeks, and she doesn't tell anyone. Highly irresponsible but okay - they don't really know each other; Sam is incredibly introverted and alone and doesn't know who she should tell. I guess this is understandable.
-Michael admits to Sam that since his father's death, his mother has become withdrawn and dependent on alcohol, often lashing out at him - both verbally and physically. He attends school with new cuts and bruises weekly, if not daily. It's hard enough to believe that the school never steps in to even ask about these injuries, but Sam is once again asked to keep it a secret. Even as the injuries escalate and it becomes more apparent that Michael is not safe in his own home, no one of importance is looped into the discussion.
-Michael realises that Sam is harming herself but tries to wait for her to feel comfortable enough with him to tell him herself. I do think this could be the right choice - Sam is easily spooked and isolated. If Michael confronted Sam from the beginning, I doubt she would have ever opened up to him. However, when she continues to self-harm, he asks her to listen to music instead and - are you sensing a theme? - doesn't. tell. anyone.
-Sam 'accidentally' goes too far and ends up in the hospital - I'm definitely not blaming Michael, but he is the only person who knew Sam was self-harming, so he was the only one who could have told someone. Sam was lucky enough to survive and to have a supportive family who basically forces her into therapy (though I found her mother's take on antidepressants to be a little medieval). Despite this experience, Sam doesn't seem to sense the irony in keeping Michael's dangerous secrets moving forward.
-Michael's mother escalates. Michael calls Sam, clearly afraid for his life, which leads to an attempted murder-suicide. Not only does Michael's mother die, but Sam's college-aged brother risks his own life to save Michael's, adding another person to the list of those traumatised by these events.
-We are talking about serious abuse, addiction, and mental illness here. I don't think there are any easy solutions, but I do wish O'Flaherty had chosen to model more responsible behaviour rather than suggesting that teenagers should be taking all of this on by themselves. It's hard to know what could have happened differently if Sam or Michael had reached out for help at any time, but it's hard to believe that things could have ended worse.
END SPOILER***

TL;DR there are a lot of dangerous behaviours modelled in this narrative. While I can appreciate the raw emotions and the topics addressed, I wish Sam and Michael made more responsible choices (for each other if they weren't capable of stepping up for themselves) - even once would have been nice.

This book is incredibly powerful and moving. Although it is a YA book, and is written very well for that genre, in my opinion, it is a must read for any adults working with teens and young adults who are depressed or at risk for hurting themselves. The insights that this book offers into what goes on for young people suffering from mental illness is so important. The story is about a 17 year old named Samantha who despite having a fairly "normal" life on the surface, struggles with an immense amount of pain and sadness. She has a very small number of connections at school and in her community, and her family brush off her feelings as being "too negative". When she confides in a friend that she is thinking of harming herself, her friend gives her an ultimatum. Everything changes when she gets to know Michael, a teen from her school who is also considering harming himself. Both teens lean on each other, but with both of them being so fragile emotionally, they fear how much they can really support each other and fear of over burdening the other as well as potentially not doing enough and losing the other person.

This book has the romance (very G rated though - only kissing), the drama, the rule breaking etc that a good YA needs, without taking away from the important message or staying too surface level. While there are references to self-harming (razor, bleeding, hospitalization) and a few particularly scary events, especially in the final chapters, relating to domestic violence, for the most part this book is really not something I would worry too much about being inappropriate. For parents or teachers concerned about the subject matter, I would recommend giving it a pre-read or reading it with the young adult you want to share it with and considering whether or not an individual teen would be mature enough for this, but personally I think 12+ would be fine.

One thing that I really appreciate about this book is that it shows both the strategies that work and the "strategies" or maybe coping mechanisms that don't work. For example, while she eventually confides in her family and Michael, initially Sam hides her self harming from her friends, classmates and family fearing that they would judge her or not understand. Another example, Sam is referred to a psychiatrist and debates lying about her feelings to get over with it quicker, but once she does start going to the doctor she begins to realize how helpful it can be to talk to someone who understands what she might be going through. I also like that the book shows many typical responses to admission of self harm or depression, from a friend saying she just wants attention, to parents telling her to just act less negative, to the principal not keeping things completely confidential, to a boyfriend who totally understands and carefully coaxes her into sharing her fears while building trust. Too often do we tell kids that they need to tell an adult, they need to tell someone, and we will make it better, but realistically, that's not always how things work. Showing that it can be scary and hard to tell someone how you are feeling, it is important and it eventually can make a difference. Being scared off from telling someone after one bad experience does not mean no one is ready to help, it just means that you have to do that really hard thing all over again.

I am so thankful I had the opportunity to read and review this book with the help of Netgalley and the publisher! I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend it!

Samantha is struggling with depression and self-harm after a personal loss. When she comes across a schoolmate about to attempt suicide, she manages to stop him, and the two of them develop a bond while coming to understand one another better.

It's great to see an author writing about mental health issues amongst teenagers. I think this is a worthy book for that reason. However, I did find the characters lacked some depth, and that the portrayal of mental illness was not as nuanced as it could have been. I also think it's a difficult line to tread when you start suggesting teenagers may be able to save each other from their mental illness through the power of love.

I am grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of Cuts and Bruises in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

After her grandmother dies and her only friend moves away, Samantha struggles with depression and self-harm. When she coincidentally stumbles upon a high school classmate, Michael, about to attempt suicide, she manages to talk him out of it, and the two of them form a close bond. While she tries to keep her own struggles a secret from Michael, she begins to learn of the secrets he’s been hiding, as well.

This book dives right into difficult topics without shying away from content that some writers would hesitate to approach. I appreciate the author’s efforts to raise awareness about the prevalence of depression and suicidal thoughts in teenagers, and I feel that there are many young people who will be able to relate to the story and feel seen by these characters.

However, the novel ultimately didn’t live up to the hopes I initially had for it. The characters felt a bit one-dimensional to me, and occasionally the depiction of mental illness felt a bit cliche instead of nuanced. Though I love young adult novels about the complexities of teenage relationships, I couldn’t help but feel that this novel fell into the common trope of “two broken teenagers saving each other.” Though having this trope does not preclude a novel from being great, I worry that with this particular story, it’s dangerous territory. I don’t think I would recommend this novel to a young person struggling with self-harm for fear that they may subconsciously perceive the message that their crush will magically step in to save them (when the message I wish they could receive instead is to confide in a trusted adult or get professional help).

That being said, I do think there is an audience for this book, and it’s easy to see already from other reviews that may people connect with this story. I admire the author for having the courage to write this.

Thank you to Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cuts and Bruises is a special book, plain and simple.
It's a book where instead of fighting mythical creatures, you witness the characters fighting very real demons.

I don't think this could have been written this beautifully if it wasn't done by a Survivor. O'Flaherty describes the pain and anguish and constant internal struggles flawlessly, which also makes it sad knowing she has struggled as well. To some, this book will be odd; too detailed or too dark. I honestly hope most find it that way because it means you haven't experienced it yourself. But to some, like me, who have history of self-harm or suicidal ideation or battles with depression, this story is there to make you feel less lonely.

This story is raw. I would encourage readers to review the trigger warnings presented by the author and really evaluate your own mental health before reading. Although it is raw, O'Flaherty writes in an effortless manner. And anyone who can throw in a line about "Bruce Willis hard at work saving Christmas from Severus Snape," is a hero in my world.

Thank you Kelly O'Flaherty, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers, and NetGalley, for providing me an eARC and physical ARC of this story. It will be treasured for a lifetime.

Cuts and Bruises is an intimate, raw and devastatingly beautiful story of mental health, delicate friendship and first romances.
Many Thanks to NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overview:
Life is monotonous for 16 year old Samantha. The only thing that makes her feel alive, that she exists, is the blade she drags across her skin. With the death of her grandmother, a best friend who has moved and ceases to care, she is gripped by the darkness of her mind more and more each day.

One evening while attempting to clear her head she is drawn to the graveyard and stumbles across her classmate Michael with a no one behind him. With careful works, she convinces him to l4eave it behind and a tentative friendship filled with secrets between them forms.

Review:

Before I start- Content and trigger warnings will apply to this story, particularly self-ham, suicide ideation and abuse. If you feel you cannot read this, or feel it may be too much please take a step back. I loved the introduction which specifically states this point- it’s okay not to feel you can read this, and this will not be for everyone, however I wanted to give my honest opinions having read it.


Plot and World building- I was immediately immersed into this world and the plot. The initial introduction to Samantha and her chaotic thoughts and spiral into how she finds the world is something I can heavily relate to having had a close family member extremely similar situations and circumstances and this book completely helped to break the stigma a lot of people see when writing about such topics. It was done in such a raw, honest way I felt appreciative- but I can admit I did personally have to take a step back.

The plot overall was well planned and executed, I was immersed from page 1. The pacing was quite slow initially but quite honestly, it needed it for you to fully understand Samantha and her mentality.

Characters
Samantha is a beautifully unique, mentally struggling and beautifully complex character and knowing so many teenagers are thinking and feeling the same way makes me so, so grateful this character exists. She genuinely has so much complexity I loved every aspect of her and her development throughout with her struggles was done delicately, but in a way that allowed the true.

Michael was astounding- his story, his ability to both comfort and support Samantha whilst struggling himself and their bond is just astounding. I was close to tears by the end.

The side characters throughout are all unique and have a part to play. Samantha’s family in particular struck a chord with me as I could see the love and general family arguments whilst she hid her struggles and I felt so heartbroken but happy as the story progressed and their interactions.

Final Thoughts,
I finished the final page with a heavy heart, tears on my face and a yearning to read this again as soon as I finished- beautifully poignant and elegantly executed. I can’t explain how much I loved this book- and I pray if you pick it up you do too.

Warning: A story about depression, self harm and suicide.

Sam is struggling with life. Friendships are almost nonexistent, emotions are all over the place and the only place she finds any solace is in her drawing. When she meets Michael she realises that she’s not the only one struggling with demons. As their friendship develops, they begin to open up to one another, but can they ever be truly honest?

Although this book deals with some hard hitting issues, it does so beautifully and sensitively. The author has drawn on her own experiences and this provides the book with a sense of realism and truth. A very though provoking but emotional read.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this because I felt this was the kind of book that we needed to have in our collection, and I wasn't disappointed. Poignant, emotional, and at times, brutal, this is not as easy, fluffy read. Depression and mental health feature heavily here as it should, and both Sam and Michael will crash into your heart and stay there. Fans of Niven's All the Bright Places will love this. Definitely an important, relevant read, this is a worthy addition to any YA collection.

This book was riveting, loaded with raw and strong emotions that were sometimes too tough to read. Cuts and Bruises certainly gave me a new perspective on the struggle of people with depression with their own coping mechanisms, whether it be a tendency for self-harm or isolation from people. especially to the ones who matter the most.

Truth be told, I admire Samantha's bravery. Things were not always so good for her, but I am glad that she finally found Michael. They were like the missing puzzle pieces that finally gave light to their lives. Michael on the other hand was just so brave in withstanding the pain that he experienced from his mother. Both of their experiences and thoughts throughout the book undoubtedly made me cry on multiple occasions.

I highly appreciate that the author put her experience with mental health into this book. It is evident that she really knew from experience what she was writing about, how Samantha and Michael felt real and brought the readers on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. A must-read for all! (check TW first!)

Huge thanks to Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I can’t believe this is a debut novel. Cuts and Bruises is an incredibly heartbreaking story about two teenagers battling with their inner demons and family struggles. Especially the main character Sam is highly relatable and realistically written, and I saw a lot of myself in her.
I feel like the relationship between the two protagonists happened a bit too quickly, but I like the messages sent by the book.
Readers should definitely check out the trigger warnings for this one though.