Torn

by Stephanie Guerra

Stella Chavez is your classic good girl: straight As, clean-cut boyfriends, and soccer trophies . You’d never guess that Stella’s dad was a drug addict who walked out when she was a kid. Or that inside, Stella wishes for something more.

New girl Ruby Caroline seems like Stella’s polar opposite: cursing, smoking, and teetering in sky-high heels . But with Ruby, Stella gets a taste of another world—a world in which parents act like roommates, college men are way more interesting than high school boys, and there is nothing that shouldn’t be tried once.

It’s not long before Stella finds herself torn: between the best friend she’s ever had and the friends she’s known forever, between her family and her own independence, between who she was and who she wants to be.

But Ruby has a darker side, a side she doesn’t show anyone—not even Stella. As Stella watches her friend slowly unravel, she will have to search deep inside herself for the strength to be a true friend, even if it means committing the ultimate betrayal.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Teen, Friendship

263 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2012

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standing up for yourself and the ones around you should be easy. Right? Ha! No, not in high school. A place filled with pressure, meanness, divisions, rumors, and risks. A world where standing up for yourself or speaking your mind can put everything at risk.

Torn by Stephanie Guerra is a hard edged story filled with friendship, loneliness, family, and the power of loyalty presented in a clear cut, realistic tone and language. This is the story of Stella Chavez, a well liked senior on the soccer team with good grades who never gets in trouble, until the day Ruby Caroline hit town and turned her world upside down with one click of her high heeled toe. Ruby Caroline instantly attracts attention, glares, and rumors in her new school with her beauty and outspoken ways. Ruby and Stella spark up a friendship that becomes the talk of the school. As the fun adventures escalate into darker dangers filled with men, drugs, and sex, Stella must face some hard decisions between old friends and new; responsibility at home versus finding her own path; and providing a helping hand or betraying a trust.

Ms. Guerra paints a pretty realistic and common picture of high school life with sports, boys, parties, cliques, friends and rumors. Ruby and Stella’s friendship causes a rift and tension with Stella’s “old” friends—Christine and Beth. Unfortunately, I felt no connection with Beth, Christine or any of the girls at school with Stella. Readers were not shown any real emotional connection or interactions with Christine or Beth before Ruby arrived. So when the trouble started at school between Stella and her friends, I guess you could say I didn’t feel all that torn about it.

At home, Stella is half of a team. Since Stella’s Dad left, Stella has been helping her Mom raise her siblings and run the house. In our world, single parent homes are common and the norm, so children have to adopt duties and responsibility at home at such a young age. This emotional conflict in Stella’s life will ring true and hit home for many readers. How can Stella leave her Mom and go off to college? The suffocating power and guilt of such a decision jumped off the pages. The guilt of wanting to leave and the desire to go versus her loyalty to her family tore through Stella and my heart!

For me though, the real magic and strength of this story was the friendship and bond between Stella and Ruby. Readers will definitely get to see what these girls are made out of through their sadness, pain, and struggles. Stella and Ruby’s strength to stand up for themselves and each other will inspire you. Two characters that will keep you guessing until the end! One minute I am in awe of their courage and the very next minute in fear for their safety! Ruby’s relationship with an older man kept me on edge the whole time. I do not want to spoil or reveal too much about Ruby and Stella’s past or secrets, but just know their stories touched my heart with fear, pain, and hope.

There is a lot going on in these pages. At times, it felt like too much. Some subjects felt thrown in rather than addressed. But the topics are pivotal and powerful ones that readers will recognize and identify with in their own lives—the power of a rumor, bullying, religion, sex, drugs, gangs, self image, and so much more. Stella and Ruby will look and sound familiar to readers with struggles so common in teenagers’ lives today. Stella and Ruby might just show readers how the strength of friendship and loyalty can help us get through it all. With friends and trust, anything is possible.

Torn is a strong book with powerful messages for young readers.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephanie Guerra's "Torn" is a young adult novel that I have to commend for taking on a lot of tough issues in the life of a multicultural teen falling into the wrong crowds and learning what it means to rise above the adversity and become more settled into herself. It's also a book I think will have a lot of people talking about the issues within it, for good reason, because quite many of these issues are relevant problems that a teen faces - including peer pressure, bullying, drug-use, relationship development and relationship abuse, racism (particularly in the case of multicultural and minority teens), among other dimensions. But my concern with "Torn" is that while some of these issues are beautifully shown with ample opportunities for the protagonist to step up to the plate and stand her ground, I'm not sure if it was handled evenly on all of those spectrums. Perhaps, in retrospect, they could've been delved into a little more for proper closure.

Still, I think "Torn" standing on its own did stir quite a bit in me to consider the larger story at hand. In retrospect, I liked reading it, though I consider it with some caveats.

Stella is a young woman who isn't likely to stumble into trouble, and she seems secure in her social circles and life - being a part of a knit clique of girls and wanting to go to college in the future, though having fears about being able to get into a good school and affording it considering her family circumstances. All this changes when Ruby comes barging in as the new girl at Stella's high school (and she makes quite the entrance!)

It becomes evident that Ruby's part of the larger thread that starts unraveling Stella's supposedly secure world - making Stella question her group of friends, her capacity to build a loving personal relationship, and wanting to shape her own future. But the further that things get along, Stella realizes that Ruby has her fair share of issues as well, and some of them are quite shockingly asserted. Stella realizes that she has to step it up in order to help Ruby, as well as herself, find stable ground in the mix of their relationships and attitudes.

Stella is probably the most developed member of the collective cast of characters - the rest feel more like they fill the backdrop upon the canvas of events that take place in the novel, and I wish that the backing character development was strong than what it was. I wish that more time could've been placed into the ethics and resolution of some of the issues tackled here, but I think the audience that "Torn" is aimed for will see the moral dilemmas and be able to take the messages in this novel for what they are, and hopefully be able to think about them in terms of where Stella stumbles and where she holds her own and grows from the experience.

Overall, I would say this is certainly a novel worth the read from the perspective of a multicultural teen's coming of age. There are quite a bit of shock factors to consider, but in the end, it's worth seeing them in context and being able to take consideration of them even beyond the dimensions this novel covers. I just wish it had been a little more even in is presentation, and that the ending had had a bit more conclusive resolution.

Overall score: 3/5

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Marshall Cavendish.

[kb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a little disappointed how despite of its interesting plot of good girl-bad girl best friendship coupled with older-guy romance on the side and racial issues, this still fell short. The writing wasn't bad but sometimes the voices just made me want to close the book altogether. There were also too many underlying stories that went unsolved—and that ending? What was that?

Note: I received a copy via Net Galley.

[usagi ☆ミ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars.

A solid YA debut to be sure, but even though this book goes into the “tough stuff” (as the sub-genre of contemporary YA lit has been now dubbed), it goes surprisingly into the darker areas of sexual behavior/lifestyles and yet it lacks a lot of heart. While this is a cautionary tale (you probably don’t want to end up as another Dolores Haze), I just felt it lacked a lot in terms of actual emotional connection where it needed to be the most. “Torn” is an engrossing read, but in the end, fails to deliver where it’s needed most.

Perhaps it was the passive tone taken by Stella as she narrates us through her misadventures through her last year of high school with newcomer Ruby, but I just wasn’t feeling any kind of emotional connection. And ideally, I should have – I too am a single-parented child, though I don’t have any siblings, and my mother still works very hard (ridiculously so) to provide for the family. I also am fatherless, though that is by choice. I should have connected with Stella emotionally and identified with her at least on those very basic similar levels, but I think because Guerra only really went into details about how Stella felt about her father (and only significantly at the end of the book), I lacked that connection. While she had some flares of rage at the fact that she’s had to become a second mother to her younger siblings while her mother works her tail off to make sure they’re provided for, it wasn’t nearly enough as it should have been, realistically. I know that I’ve felt some similar feelings in terms of single parenting and loneliness, and they were oceans compared to the mere puddles that Guerra tapped. This is one area where I feel that Guerra had HUGE untapped potential, but perhaps in order to advance the main arc with Stella and Ruby, she might have scrapped it. I’m not sure what happened there, but it definitely needed another draft in terms of the character building department in order to make Stella a believable teen with those feelings.

Stella narrates with incredible passivity, even when angry. That’s what amazed me the most – the most explosive parts of the book still felt incredibly watered down, and I think maybe a POV switch might have remedied this (between her and Ruby).

The world was believable, otherwise. It was just Stella’s reactions and how she lived her life that made it a little too easy for me to read.

As for the characters, aside from Stella, it’s a balance between typical high school mean girls (Stella’s kind-of-ex-friends and the stereotypical artsy/rebellious/etc new girl with absent parent syndrome who doesn’t want to fit in in terms of Ruby. While Ruby was eventually punched up enough to be larger than life (and ended up as my favorite character when all was said and done), it took well into half of the book for that to happen. Hell, it took the first third of the book for me to really start getting interested at all. That shouldn’t happen. Authors: remember that your hook should ideally be in your first sentence. Failing that, your first paragraph or chapter. But I was well into a third of this book before the hook finally sank in.

What was a delightful surprise was the path Guerra took with Ruby in terms of her relationship with Kenneth – in terms of a sexually based lifestyle. Blood sport and knifeplay are very quietly talked about in our culture as a whole, but I found it interesting that while so much of the rest of the novel was bland, Guerra chose to talk about blood sport/knifeplay and make it more horrifying over the fact that Ruby was, even consensually, being taken advantage of by Kenneth, an adult. Then again, movies with sex get R ratings while people can be beheaded and it can get an PG-13 rating. That says loads about where we are with American culture right now. While taking advantage of people in relationships is not cool, had Ruby been an adult and still consenting, the knifeplay bit wouldn’t have really bothered me. But because she wasn’t, it did, and I think that’s what Guerra was really trying to do to make the whole relationship with Kenneth really hit home. And it worked. Yet at the same time, that too was a really deep ocean she could have tapped but didn’t – or at least, not as much as she could have. She could have taken it really over the top in terms of Ruby, Kenneth and their sexual peccadilloes, but chose not to, and I’m still baffled as to what stayed her hand, once again losing a potentially very high emotional connection with the audience.

So all in all, this is a very difficult book to parse out. While most of it was so very bland and so much of it was stuff we’ve had covered before, there was some serious brave new world territory struck by Guerra in terms of sex and teens. And I have to commend her for that. So, 3.5/5 stars. Had it not been so glazed over all the time, it might have gotten a higher score.

Final verdict? I think there are enough “stranger danger” and “tough stuff” books out there, but just for the teens dealing with sex bit, it’s worth the read. “Torn” is out April 3rd, 2012 through Marshall Cavendish in North America, so be sure to check it out then.

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this ebook via Net Galley for an honest review.
Estella Chavez is a clean cut girl: straight A student, plays soccer, clean cut boyfriends. She comes from a broken home where her father left due to drug use. Ruby is Stella's opposite: cursing, smoking, cutting school, dating college and older men, wearing high heels, who believes there isn't anything that shouldn't be tried once. Stella suddenly finds herself torn between her new friendship with Ruby and the friends she has known almost all her life. Stella watches Ruby slowly unravel and eventually has to make a decision to interfere, even though it might cost her their friendship.
When I first started reading the book, I really liked it. It moved well. I quickly became acquainted with Stella and her life, understanding her relationship with her mother, sister, brother and the father who no longer is part of her life. Guerra created realistic characters. Stella being the typical middle of the road high-school girl, while Ruby is that make-up wearing, school cutting, smoking, outcast rocker type.
When Stella becomes friends with Ruby, she changes. We see her seeking more independence. She tries new things, such as dating a college guy named Mike, and is willing to step outside of her circle of comfort. Stella's friends quickly show their unhappiness with her pulling away, but Stella can't seem to stop herself. We watch her struggle with the push and pull of keeping her old friends while making new ones. We watch her become acquainted with a real relationship and all the turns it might take.
Ruby is a force that pulls Stella into another world. Some would say she's a bad influence, but really Stella freely makes her own decisions to do those things she has never done before.
The book is peppered with references to G-d and how Stella's relationship with G-d affects her decisions.
About half way through the book, the story reaches it's pinnacle and then quickly starts to deflate. The ending is nothing short of boring and unrealistic, in my opinion. Guerra took an otherwise engrossing, contemporary, realistic young adult story and blew it up with conclusion that is disappointing. Guerra leaves us with a completely open ending to a book that has no sequel. There is no resolution to the problems the characters encountered during the story.
I give this book 3/5 stars. Thank you Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book.
My review can also be found on the following sites:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/torn-...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761...
http://thecovercontessa.blogspot.com/

[Andrea King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stella was a good girl until she met Ruby. Soon, she finds herself doing new and exciting things. Then Stella starts doing things that aren’t exciting, they’re dangerous. I was really torn (haha, see what I did there?) about how to rate this one. On the one hand, it had an interesting plot and plenty of action, but on the other it had a moderate religious undertone and unlikable characters.

Stella was sort of on the bland side. She was nice to everyone, had a solid group of friends, wasn’t too popular or unpopular, played sports and took care of her younger siblings while mom worked hard to support the family. She was just your average teenage girl. I didn’t really care about her right away, though I eventually did. Ruby was kind of a cliché: absentee parents led her to drugs, she stayed up all night, didn’t care what anyone thought of her… She was a tough chick in the fast lane. All of the male characters were one-dimensional to me and I never really cared about any of them, though I did outright dislike one (which was the point).

At the heart of the novel was the friendship between Stella and Ruby. When Ruby started to get out of control and do things that made Stella uncomfortable, should Stella have dumped her new friend, or stuck around for the long haul? I waffled over each choice myself. You can’t just dump your friends when they start doing things you disagree with. But you also can’t stand around and let them do things that may harm themselves. How much do you owe them and how much do you owe yourself? It was a tough choice and I couldn’t decide which way Ruby should go.

The dialogue didn’t jump out at me or impress me in any way. It was just standard teen stuff. There was zero sexy hotness though there was sex. It wasn’t described during the acts but after and it was… kinky. There was a much older man and it involved blood. There were drugs and alcohol in spades. Another thing I need to mention is the religion. It’s not discussed in the blurb, but it ought to be known that religion plays a moderate part in Torn.

The cover is just bland. Between the pale colors, the pretty but average looking girl and the plain font for the title, the cover is unremarkable.

The sum up: An okay look at how far we go for our friends. It lacked the emotional punch I would have liked.

As reviewed on www.thebusybibliophile.com.

[Amy Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: Torn by Stephanie Guerra
Published by Marshall Cavendish
Pub Date May 15, 2012
263 pages
**This review is based on an uncorrected digital proof received through NetGalley**

In her debut novel, Torn, Stephanie Guerra shares the story of an unlikely friendship between Ruby Caroline, a badass redhead out of Utah, and Stella Chavez, a soccer champ who has lived in South Bend, Indiana for all 17 years of her life. Stella is both terrified and fascinated by Ruby. She’s beautiful, brave, and more hip and “advanced” than just about anyone Stella has ever known. For Stella, Ruby is a lot like chocolate: tempting, addictive, and bad for your health in large quantities. After one lunch together, Stella and Ruby become inseparable. They go on what Ruby refers to as “adventures” that include things like trysts with the college boys from Notre Dame, and flirtations with an even older guy, aka the “Silver Fox.”

For Stella, Ruby is such a refreshing break from her normally structured and responsible life where she goes to several AP classes, dates the nice guys, and goes home to take care of the house and her siblings while her mother works double shifts as a waitress. However, as Ruby’s behavior becomes more erratic, Stella starts questioning her loyalty to an increasingly stressful friendship. Is Ruby fun or just a sociopath?

So, what did I think? Honestly, I didn’t think the writing in Torn was as strong as it could have been in spots, but so many of the observations were spot on, and I ended up reading the whole thing in one afternoon because I couldn’t put it down. Guerra’s snippets about the catty tactics of high school girls, and the sleazy older guys who try to pick them on kept making me laugh, and sigh in recognition.

I rarely comment on covers, but I’ve got to say that I don’t think the cover or title give a good idea of what the book is about. If I hadn’t read the summary on NetGalley, I don’t think I would have picked this up in the bookstore.

What really hooked me was the main character, Stella Chavez. She’s so strong, thoughtful, spunky and all around amazing, it’s impossible not to fall in love with her. Don’t be put off by the generic title and the wimpy-looking girl on the cover.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Torn was an excellent realistic teen read. We've all been there before, people trying to bring us to the "dark side". Everyone loves to gossip and start rumors on one another, even if most is not even real people still have it in the back of their mind. And that is what happened to Stella.


Stella Chavez is your average student, good grades, sort of a jock in high school, and gets along with majority of the school. But truth is her dad was a major drug user and ended up leaving his family behind. Now Stella is picking up the pieces and helps her mother, whom works double shifts as a waitress, take care of her younger siblings Marcus and Jackie.

Then comes Ruby who is new and you can tell first hand that she takes nothing from no one. She loves speaking her mind, dating much older guys, and smoking. Ruby has hidden secrets that you will find out that will blow your mind. Before too long, Stella and Ruby start hanging out. People at school start questioning why she is spending so much time with Ruby that she is a "whore" and been with half the college campus. Stella ends up meeting Mike from Ruby, who's age difference is just two years, but to everyone in high school that's just nuts. But how far will Ruby go and what age limit does she stop at? Ruby and Stella have their differences and Stella's social life is taking a downfall due to rumors. Stella's life is at stake, college applications need to be filled out, soccer is not much of a priority anymore, and girl's at school are planning something terrible at the end of graduation. Will she lose a friend, by going behind her back to help Ruby?


I highly recommend this book, it is a wonderful book that most people have experience or will experience in their life. This book kind of reminded me of the "Mean Girl" scene. Teenagers can be vicious and in Torn you definitely see this. This is a great fast paced read that I could not put down. I liked the way the author wrote, very easy to follow and makes you want to keep turning the pages.

[Amanda (Good Choice Reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Torn was an engrossing read, but I can’t say I enjoyed it. It certainly captivated me, I couldn’t put it down, but “enjoyed” would not be the right word. But don’t take that as negativity, because Torn was certainly worth the read.

Ruby’s story is a train wreck you can’t look away from, told through Stella’s eyes. Stella has things going on in her own life but in this situation, they paled in comparison to what Ruby was going through. Or rather, what Ruby was putting herself through. These girls were hauntingly naïve—both of them—and it disturbs me to think that there are actually things like this going on out there. It was painfully realistic. I applaud Guerra for that. And now I can’t stop thinking about the fact that the world is a train wreck you really can’t look away from.

I thought the way the girls handled the bullying was a nice touch. Ruby was a lot of things—wild, self-destructive--but her impulsiveness was calculated and her retaliations were effective.

My only complaint about the book was the way it jumped lumps of time. Days or weeks would go by and Stella would tell us what happened in those weeks. Rather than seeing her relationship build with Ruby, we’re told about it later. Rather than seeing her relationship build with Mike, we’re told about it later. It made me feel a bit disconnected from the story.

There were moments in this story that disgusted me, but I think they were supposed to. Torn definitely made its mark, and I would recommend it.

[Farah Hanani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review on blog: Tumbling In Books

Stella Chavek was pulled towards Ruby as soon she sets her eyes on her. OK. That was a weird way to start a review but seriously. Ruby is this wild girl who breaks all kinds of rule and make her own. Stella is the opposite. Keeping up a good 3.8 GPA and dates clean cuts boys, she needed to get away from her organized self and Ruby was the perfect escape.

Now, this book isn’t the all swoony type. Torn is more to friendship. Stella and Ruby’s oppositeness is what keeps their friendship together. Stella is loyal and really hardworking. She helps her mom at home as her siblings are useless at cleaning up the house. But I hate the fact that she follows what Ruby saids so much. That she let Ruby pushes her.

Ruby is a mysterious person. Ruby doesn’t let anyone in except Stella. Ruby is full of rumours. Ruby got the kids in her school curious about her. But when her image was tainted, she unfortunately bring Stella down with her. But Ruby isn’t all this bad image. She has her loyal moments towards Stella too.

Ruby and Stella’s relationship is something I adore in Torn. Overall, it was a pretty enjoyable read.

[Ais · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stella & Ruby are two entirely different people.

Stella is a goody two shoes type. She avoids fights , drama and confrontation She sticks to the rules, her curfew ,does her homework, her chores, goes to football practice and looks after her siblings.

Ruby is the opposite. Shes loud , bold and boisterous. She doesn't care about what people think of her. Shes given no rules to adhere to. Her life ends up being an unregulated melee of trouble, alcohol and drugs.

Yet these two girls end up becoming best friends.

When Ruby begins to date a much older man , Stella's alarm bells ring loud in her head. Whenever she questions Ruby about Ken she is shot down. Ruby drinks more, does drugs and has physical wounds on her body.

Can Stella get through to Ruby and can Ruby get out in time?

Low Mark due to the drag in the plot. It just seemed to be the same lines over and over. Plus the ending was on the disappointing end of the scale.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally like reading about friendships and good girl/bad girl themes, but this novel was a little boring for me. It had some interesting ideas, like college guys dating high school girls, and a creepy older man, but these things just weren't enough to carry the novel to the end. I think the author should have explored these things in more depth. Also the characters, while likable, weren't entirely believable. The main character was too sure of herself, which is to be admired, but she acted like a grownup in certain situations. Her best friend was too wild and crazy, and she seemed too confident to fall for the tricks of a skeezy older guy. Overall there were some interesting ideas, but I thought it just fell flat.

An ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.

[LILLY WILLFAHRT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephanie Guerra wrote a compelling YA novel and Torn is a book everyone needs to read. I found this book at my Jr. High library and automatically fell in love with it. Estelle lives in a small town called South Bend, everything in her life is fine and dandy until Ruby Caroline comes to town. Ruby gets Estelle in to lots of trouble with her classmates and almost got her in trouble with the law.

Estelle Chavez is living life to the fullest. She has good grades, amazing friends, a great boyfriend, and is consumed by soccer. Her future is already sprawled out in front of her until a spunky girl by the name of Ruby Caroline comes to her small town of South Bend. Ruby stirs up a lot of attention on her first day at Stella’s High School. Estelle becomes close friends with this red headed rebel and steps out of her comfort zone and tries new things you would have never thought she would have done.

Torn ended with a bang, Ruby and Stella resolved their feud and took down the High School bullies. My favorite part of the story was when Ruby first walked in to Stella's English class, she walked in like she owned the place (Guerra).She had so much confidence and class and didn’t really care about what other people think. I wish I had half as much confidence as Ruby Caroline did. I also loved the scene where Ruby came back to help Stella even though they were in a fight (Guerra). That’s what true friends are for, they are always there to back you up no matter what.

This story should be read by many people. It is a short story so you can fly through it pretty quick. I would recommend it to others in Jr. High or High School to read this. It is a love story in more than one way. There is love between Stella’s family, her friends, and her boyfriend. It is adventurous, comedic, and a romantic narrative. I would definitely recommend anybody and everybody to read Torn, by Stephanie Guerra.

[Stephanie Duerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this young adult book, written 13 years ago. All my issues with it stem from my own expectations, not the book itself. For its time, it included surprising social commentary, which I found impressive, though I wish it had been woven in more subtly. However, some moments felt questionable .The pacing was uneven—parts were slow and boring, making it hard to stay engaged. By the end, I was dragging myself through the pages. The main character was a letdown; I expected her to evolve into an entertaining, rebellious "bad girl," but she remained a bit of a wet blanket at times other times stood up for what she believed in and her friend. The bullying scenes were particularly triggering .Overall, the book was both what I expected and not at all what I anticipated. I liked it in some ways, but I didn’t love it. I’m disappointed this is the author’s only book.

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

First thoughts:

It was an enjoyable read, there were moments that were inspiring but there were moments where I didn’t agree with the characters line of thinking. There were definitely moments in this book where I wanted to knock some sense into them and then moments I wanted to hug them and tell them everything was alright. I’ll admit this wasn’t a book that made me cry but it did manage to stir some of those uncomfortable feelings.

Plot:

This book held all the key elements, the end was concluded if not a bit rushed. The sub-plots were minimum but essential to the overall storyline. I do wish that some of the sub-plots were explored more; I think if the author could have done that we the reader would have learned even more about the characters. The action was average, there wasn’t a ton but there wasn’t little either, it was in a way balanced and perfect for this book. The story itself did feel lengthy and I had no trouble reading this book, this was essentially a fast read for me. But the ending like I said was conclusive but I felt that the author rushed it; it needed a smoother conclusion, the climax was solved too quickly; it needed a more drawn out resolution.

Characters:

The characters each had their own personalities, some more than others. The main character Stella was weak at times and annoying but I guess when you go from a certain life style to another it can do some damage to a person and takes some adjustment. As for Stella’s best friends Ruby she was the character I really enjoyed the most, she was a firecracker and a half, she had enough flare and spunk for all of the characters. Though she isn’t someone who I would essentially allow to be my role model she is one I would enjoy to meet. As for some of the minor characters they were okay but at times fell flat.

Transformation of the Character:

The main characters did transform some more than others. Stella for instance changed minimally but enough that the reader was able to see it. As for Ruby hers was more noticeable and enjoyable. I loved seeing all the transforming and the steps it took to get the end result. Though there were some transformations I didn’t enjoy I believe that they were true to the character, life isn’t all neat and tidy there will always be those jagged edges. And I won’t reveal which character but there was one surprising transformation that I didn’t see coming, it was so amazing and unexpected.

Description:

There wasn’t too much description; the author did a good job on describing the scenes and characters, I wasn’t left empty handed. I actually thought the description was really what allowed the reader to connect better with the characters to sympathize with and understand them better. I really enjoyed that the author made some strong statements in a simple matter; it was like I was being educated on a serious issue without feeling the pressure that these issues can sometimes cause. It wasn’t one of those books that made you feel uncomfortable and self-conscious.

Style:

The author’s choice to write this story in first person and only from one point of view was good, it left the element of curiosity, I believe if she would have given us Ruby’s POV this whole story wouldn’t be worth reading. I mean what’s the point of reading when you already know what’s happening? Also I liked how this author chose to be more descriptive at times and then at others more dialogue formed, the author chose to keep the reader distant at times and then up close and personal at others; definitely a fun experience.

Quote of the book:

""I don't think you're weak." Mom gave me a curious look. "Believe me, I am. And it's only when you realize how weak you are that you can even start to be strong.""

Goodreads Summary:

Stella Chavez is your classic good girl: straight as, clean-cut boyfriends, and soccer trophies. You’d never guess that Stella’s dad was a drug addict who walked out when she was a kid or that inside, Stella wishes for something more.

New girl Ruby Caroline seems like Stella’s polar opposite: cursing, smoking, and teetering in sky-high heels. But with Ruby, Stella gets a taste of another world—a world in which parents act like roommates, college men are way more interesting than high school boys, and there is nothing that shouldn’t be tried once.

It’s not long before Stella finds herself torn: between the best friend she’s ever had and the friends she’s known forever, between her family and her own independence, between who she was and who she wants to be.

But Ruby has a darker side, a side she doesn’t show anyone—not even Stella. As Stella watches her friend slowly unravel, she will have to search deep inside herself for the strength to be a true friend, even if it means committing the ultimate betrayal.

Last Thoughts:

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy realistic like readings and who want to be educated more on internal struggles, it was a way to learn the mind of a person and to see another’s POV. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who is a romance reader, the romance was very different in this book and there wasn’t any of that gooey kind, it was all jagged edges and dark. I enjoyed this book, it was worth the time to read but it just wasn’t all that I thought it was going to be, I guess that’s my fault for drawing expectations about a book, it sets you up for some form of disappointment. But I did enjoy it and would read more books by this author if given the opportunity.

[Wally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid story read years ago.

When Ruby makes a dramatic entrance to her new high school, complaining about the strict dress code and the power-hungry administrators, all heads turn. Most take an immediate dislike to her wild, unconventional streak, but Ruby takes a liking to Stella, a classic good girl, and the feeling is mutual. As they become friends, Stella grounds Ruby a bit, and Ruby expands Stella’s horizons. Stella even learns to exercise some independence from her tight-knit family, and finds herself drifting away from friends she’s known for years.

[Leena Ward · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book barely interesting and not even close to relatable. Ruby was my hesitant favorite character since no other was even likable. Since I don't feel like reviewing this book in full, I'll only touch on the part that annoyed me the most. The knifeplay. The only reason this was wrong was because Ruby was not yet a consenting adult.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cliched coming of age book

[Gabriella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haven't forgotten this book after I read it years ago, one of my favorites.

[Kahina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover :

A Latina girl, a torn piece of paper.. Well, this sort of cover fits the contain but I don’t like it that much. It would have been much alive..

The story :

Stella was liked by everybody at her school. She had two best friends and she lived the tranquil quiet life. One day, there was Ruby. She started to hang out with Stella. They started to like each other and they became friends.

It’s a so-normal story told this way but Ruby’s arrival was like a bomb. In fact, Ruby isn’t the kind of girl you’d love to hang out with. She had a slut reputation. She smoked, drunk, did drugs, even stole. So at first glance, nobody liked her. Except Stella!
As a result, Stella, too, became the enemy of everybody.

So the story went on this way. There was some big bad adventures. No love stories; except for that crappy boy, Mike who has been with Stella.
One of the bad adventures was with Kenneth. An around forty years old guy, dating high school girls to whom he lies. I’m not going to spoil on that part anyway.

I’ll also say that Stella’s family was super sympathetic with Ruby. They welcomed her and made her feel like one of them.

The writing style was casually good. There weren’t any boring chapters or pointless details.

In this book, I found some awesome/stupid things that made me like it more and more. Like :

- It mentioned a boy named Matt Sanders. Like Matt Sanders, the singer from Avenged Sevenfold. (I think I don’t need to say I so like him! <3)

- There was also a Mary Ann Lopez = Marie-Ann Calhoun, an American violinist. I must admit she’s the sexiest violinist I have ever seen.

- Stella talked about her brother, Marcus, playing Grand Theft Auto. My favorite video game so far. <3

- Two (weird, stupid) expressions I usually use :

“ Nice weather we’re having, ” Like when you want to change the subject or don't want to repeat something.

“ Well, what do you want? A medal? ”

Its end wasn't that emotional but as we say in french “ Tout est bien qui fini bien. ” The important is that this all ended up well!

The characters :

The only characters i'll talk about will be Stella and Ruby. I like them both. But i kind of prefer Ruby.

Stella, She’s a Latina but I don’t want to think it’s her in the cover since I imagine her more beautiful than that.

She’s not even eighteen and she already went through a lot. From her Dad’s addiction to drugs, to college application problems and couple stuff. In fact, she went out with Mike, a guy from college. He was sweet and affective at first but then, he became stupid. I’m glad she dumped him.

Stella knew how to see the good in Ruby. She became her friend and didn’t listen to people warning her. She also was a great friend, she did all she could to save Ruby from lots of trouble.

I like Stella also because she listens to heavy metal and she doesn’t find depression glamorous. xD

Ruby, Ruby is a crazy, wild, rebel girl! She lives like no tomorrow. She just doesn’t care! When she arrived at Mishawaka High, I thought she would surely be enemy with Stella or she would act like her friend to get her in some trouble, mainly because she seemed too sweet with Stella’s mother. But in fact, she was really a true friend. Like you wouldn’t find now. And this attraction to Stella’s mother was, I guess, surely coming from her lack of parental affection.

It’s true she was judged for her behavior from most people but they didn’t know what she went through. Even Stella was a little bit judgmental toward her at some point. But when she knew all about Ruby, she regretted it.

Ruby has a big heart. She’s just too “high” to think about the consequences of what she does. Nevertheless, at the end, she figured out she was wrong.

To conclude, this was a nice read. I'm glad i got it on NetGalley. I advise you to read it if you're somehow a fan of realistic fiction. In fact, this wasn't only a realistic fiction, it was more of a life lesson. It teaches you not to judge, to trust, to forgive and also to be more aware of what you're doing and of its consequences.

This review is also available here.

[Anncleire · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Torn” è rimasto per diverso tempo sul mio pc a vegetare, perché come al solito avevo dimenticato la trama ed ero presa da altro. Quando finalmente mi sono decisa a leggere ci sono rimasta malissimo perché mi aspettavo di meglio.

Stella Chavez è una brava ragazza ma quando arriva nella sua classe di inglese Ruby Caroline tutto cambia. Le due diventano inseparabili e Ruby mostrerà alla protagonista un po’ del lato oscuro, che cosa vuol dire essere libera. Stella si ritrova a dover fare delle scelte, a schierarsi e a dover capire che cosa è giusto e cosa è sbagliato. Ma soprattutto dovrà prendere una decisione difficile, anche se questo vuol dire perdere la fiducia della sua amica.

La trama sembrava interessante, visto che ruota intorno al “Torn” del titolo ma mi sono scoperta incredibilmente delusa quando la storia si è completamente ripiegata su sé stessa senza evolvere verso una vera consistenza. Si perché effettivamente non si capisce il senso della storia, che si conclude nel mezzo de nulla. Stella racconta l’incontro con Ruby e l’evoluzione della loro amicizia in prima persona, soffermandosi sulla sua situazione familiare, ma chiudendosi essenzialmente in sé stessa. Tutti i suoi slanci sono condizionati dall’altra ragazza, compresa la sua storia d’amore con
Mike, questo universitario con cui sta insieme per diverso tempo e che invece si scoprirà assolutamente pessimo. Ma soprattutto lasciando indietro Christine e Beth le sue amiche storiche, perché si sente preda di chissà di quale blocca da cui vuole sfuggire. Ma è essenzialmente un’ingenua e una persona incapace di prendere una reale decisione. All’inizio del libro ci si presenta come una brava ragazza, capace di affrontare qualsiasi cosa, che aiuta la sua famiglia ad andare avanti, il padre infatti li ha abbandonati e lei aiuta la madre con la sorella e il fratellino più piccoli. Ma nel frattempo perde concezione di sé e di quello che vuole, di quali sono le scelte giuste da prendere. E ovviamente si ritrova invischiata in una situazione da cui non sa uscire.
Ruby invece è una forza della natura, ottimista, dedita al vizio, ma capace di godersi la vita e dare buoni consigli e di essere un sostegno vero per Stella. L’ultima arrivata, desiderata per il suo aspetto fisico da ogni ragazzo della scuola, invidiata e odiata da ogni ragazza della scuola, Ruby è controversa ma capace di agire. È un personaggio molto più interessante di quello di Stella e le due si uniscono per creare una storia comune. Ciò che mi ha colpito davvero è come queste due ragazze diventino amiche, di quelle che puoi chiamare nei momenti di bisogno anche quando non sai dove sbattere la testa, di quelle che prendono e partono senza fare domande, di quelle che ti difendono a prescindere anche se tra di voi ci cono dei problemi. E nonostante tutto ci sono l’una per l’altra. Fanno squadra, sono loro due contro il resto del mondo e in qualche modo sopravvivono, o quanto meno provano a lottare e a cercare di tirarne fuori le gambe.
Perché l’adolescenza non è mai semplice, perché entrambe lottano contro pregiudizi, contro la droga, contro sé stesse e altre ragazze che credono di poter giudicare dall’esterno senza conoscere neanche mezza riga della loro situazione.

Il particolare da non dimenticare? Una camicia blu…

Poco da dire “Torn” è un libro che parla di vita vera, di quella che puoi vivere in qualunque parte del mondo, perché non servono lustrini e meraviglie per raccontare una storia intrisa di sentimenti autentici che arrivano dritti al cuore. Nonostante gli evidenti problemi di trama poco efficace e protagonista non pienamente all’altezza, il libro è interessante.
Buona lettura guys!

Ringrazio Netgalley e Marshall Cavendish per avermi concesso la possibilità di leggere questo libro in anteprima in cambio di una mia recensione.

Recensione sul mio blog:

http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Many thanks to Marshall Cavendish for allowing me to view this through NetGalley!)

This is one of the books that I bet I can read over and over again without ever getting bored. The characters were so realistic for me. The story went on smoothly and I ended up liking it so much. Though I liked it so much, I just don't feel that the problem is that much "problem". I mean, alright, high school is really bitchy sometimes and in real life, that gets to be depressing. Having a friend who dates an older guy under not-so-good circumstances can be depressing too especially when you're trying to help that person realize what's real from ideal. I just felt like its impact on me is not that much. It didn't give me one of those "it hit me" moments. But still, I liked it a lot because of a lot of things.

First, I liked Ruby and Stella's friendship. At first, I was skeptical about the two of them. Really? They'll just hang out immediately and that's it? But as the story goes on, I felt their friendship. Seriously, what they had is a really good one. Though sometimes, Ruby scares me too when she did some things with Stella.

Second, I like Ruby and Stella apart. Stella is such an honest person. I like reading from her POV. I felt like I'm some kind of her confidante with everything going through her life. I like how she decided to hang-out with Ruby even though she already had friends especially when Ruby and Stella's friends are the extreme opposites. But I kept wishing she'd still save her friendship with Christine and Beth even though she's with Ruby. Though I guess that's kind of impossible in the first part. Ruby is one of those characters I truly love. Yes, she's frank and is kind of wild. But that's how she is. I guess we all have that kind of friend in some ways, you know. I just like how she says things at the right time. Though what she does sometimes is really crazy!

Third, I like Stella's family. Even though her dad is such a loser, her family still made it through. Her Mom's a really strong one and God-fearing also. I like it that way! I bet not all Moms would be able to do that. Even though Stella always think that Jackie and Marcus still can't take care of theirselves, I like the way they showed Stella that courage and determination on the commencement day. I also like how Jackie pull it off. Like she was some kind of an adult already when she was just what, 12 or 13?

Last but not the least, I liked how God is like in the center on every short coming they had. I'm a Catholic so I believe in God. I like how God's intervention shall be the answer to Stella's problem with Ruby. It makes me feel like Ruby will be really fine.

Likes aside, I dislike some things too. I dislike the high school girls. Goodness, can there be really that kind of people in the real world? I also dislike Mike in some ways, he's inconsistent for me. I also dislike Ruby's relationship with Kenneth. Don't get me wrong. I'm not being judgmental. I know some couples who have a really long age-gap. But Ruby's relationship with Kenneth does not really attract me in any way. And God knows, if I was Stella, I'd do what she did.

I really liked this story. I liked how it started and how it ended. Though I still have a few questions as to what happen to Kenneth, what happen to the bitchy high school girls, and what happen to Ruby and Stella after graduation? Well, I guess, I have to think that they'll make it through their new beginnings.

With a dynamic force of realistic problems, anyone can pretty much enjoy this teenage book. You'll dislike some characters but I'm sure that you'll enjoy the story as well as the lead's POV is really realistic. This is such an enjoyable and light read, I hope you read it too!

[Mitchii · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

**Thanks Netgalley and Marshall Cavendish for the eARC**

Torn is a bit different from what I expected. But it was cool that it wasn’t what I initially anticipated. For starters, for a short novel (my copy has 236 pages) it dealt with a lot of issues, and most of it, I must say were subtly executed. I’m not sure if I was impressed that it tried to tackle a lot of themes but for most parts I’m surprisingly contended with the outcome.

Stella is a good girl, good in academics and also athletic. She’s also part of the good crowd. But everything changed when Ruby, her complete opposite barged into her life. I thought it’s a story of a good girl gone bad that needs saving. What I didn’t anticipated that it was Stella that will do the saving. So I find that really new, really nice. At first when Ruby was dragging Stella I thought I got it all figured it out. Then as the story progressed, Stella, even though she also has baggage of her own still adamant on helping people around her. People that she cares about. I really liked her attitude of standing up for what she believes in. When she and Mike are still dating, and Mike wanted Stella to meet his parents, he told her that he lied to them telling that she’s Spanish (when she’s actually Mexican.) I loved that she didn’t allow to be controlled and most of all, not hiding her ethnicity. It is part of who we are, no matter what our race is. There were several times that she insisted to Mike what she firmly believes in. I was really impressed that finally a young girl, a teenage girl who knows where to draw the line. They’re still teenager, and I completely and one hundred percent agree that there’s nothing wrong with falling in love. But it’s wrong when you allow it to dictate your life. There’s something called balance.

Like I said there are few issues slightly touched in this book like drugs, bullying, pre-marital sex, gang, ephebophilia (on Ruby’s case) family problem (slight racial discrimination issue) and even religion (I’m not a Catholic but I respect everyone’s beliefs) to simple teen problems like college applications. Glad to say it wasn’t overpowering and I give it to the author on how she put them together. But what one of the biggest and I would say concern was Ruby’s relationship with an older guy named Kenneth. There’s a hint of sexual relationship between her friend and the old guy (and I think a pain inflicted one.) Not that I wanted more of it but until Stella confronted Kenneth (and even though she doesn’t trust him; I also doubted him) that was only then that me, as a reader, found out how toxic their relationship was. So I find it a little abrupt. Ruby—and although sometimes I find her really nice especially as her friend—has lot of issues. That Kenneth thing is just one of them then there’s drugs, I think she also has family problem of her own too. I just find that novel too Ruby-centric. I don’t particularly hate her but I’m not really that fond of her. Though I was really pleased that everything works out in the end.

Finally, I don’t completely agree with what her mother said about unable to save people from themselves. You can try though, for me, you can help them save themselves. But yes, in a way it’s still completely up to them (if they want to be saved.)

Torn was a nice read. This is a not a teen romance book, it is more of a slice of life. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. Because it was—is and we can learn a thing or two from Stella.

[Maxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Torn author Stephanie Guerra

Separate into pieces with ragged edges is what commonly comes to mind when the word torn enters a conversation or viewed.

My view of this book Torn by Ms. Guerra comes from a different mindset other than what may be considered stereotypical.

Torn by Stephanie Guerra is a book for middle grade teens to young adults about love, respect, loyalty and being true to yourself. You will be “torn” as you share in the experiences woven within the story. In Torn the author Ms. Guerra taps into the depths of issues present in families across all cultures. This talented author deals with issues eloquently without being too high brow that may turn off young readers.

I was drawn into the story as a result of Ms Guerra's smooth, realistic writing style and character development. Her depictions of teen life especially from the vantage point of girls without fathers or positive male role models so believable. Ms. Guerra dealt with the issues of working mothers who are financially supporting their families single handedly while making sure to provide their children with the emotional stability; I found this heartwarming. The element of stability is critical in guiding teens into becoming responsible adults. The contrast between the relationship Stella had with her mother in comparison to the interactions between Ruby and her mother was realistic, honest and down to earth. Ms. Guerra application of the chief elements of a story creates an enriching and enjoyable read which a reader can easily slip into a role as a background character observing the events as they unfold in Torn from all angles.

Stella Chavez learns some truths about dealing with members of the opposite gender thanks to her relationship with Ruby. Thanks to Ruby, Stella opinions of herself as a person and a woman of color change into a more self assured person. Now Stella is a young woman with confidence and a new appreciation of who she is and her appearance.

Ruby is a complex teen who has a special perception of the relationships between men and women that are uncharacteristic for a girl of her age group. She is troubled and Stella's friendship adds a sense of stability to her life. Ruby had to be in control calling the shots to make her own decisions. I applauded Ruby's no nonsense approach to peer issues and for having the tenacity to avoid getting caught up in the foolishness commonly present in middle and high schools. Ruby had her own mind and made her own decisions whether they are conventional or controversial. A song “Control” by Janet Jackson comes to my mind when I think about Ruby.


Ms. Guerra's development of the personalities of the main and secondary were complex yet easy to understand and relate to.

I recommend Torn to educators and mentors of young people especially young girls to encourage and provide insight of concerns that appear in the lives of today's teens. Torn is a book with touching, meaningful messages and it may serve as a bridge for young readers in understanding that those struggling events growing up into adulthood are suppose to be challenging. I can easily envision class discussions centering around the pros and cons of trust, true friendship, drugs, peer pressure, absences of parental/guardian involvement. It sheds light on how to cope and maneuver successfully through high school with as few battle scars as possible.

I hope the youth reading Torn can detect the hidden messages embedded in it.

Book provided by Netgalley

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://shesgotbooksonhermind.blogspot...

Stella Chavez has always been the good girl who never attracted attention. She is on the soccer team so she does have a jock boyfriend but other than that she's not popular but she's not a total loser too. Her mother works tirelessly to feed her and her younger brother and sister that she has had to raise when she is gone. Her brother is a gaming addict and she makes sure he doesn't just eat junk food all day. She needs to make sure her sister doesn't hang out with the wrong people and be with someone in a gang. She wouldn't have to do this if her father was around. She can remember her father being loving but there was also that split personality that came in with drugs. He ended up in the end leaving the family to fend for themselves.

Insert new girl Ruby who's a wild child, uses and abuses men, drinks, curses, and does anything she wants to. It's not like her mother is going to do anything about her. She doesn't even seem to care. With Ruby, Stella can be someone else completely. She's been with the same friend's since kindergarten and they are boring and safe. With Ruby she gets to experience life a whole nother way. But what happens when her friend crosses the line with a man who is older than your average High School boy or even college boy. She has always been in control until now. Will she able to help her friend get away from him before she gets seriously hurt or will she fade away out of her life like her father?

First of all a round of applause for a Hispanic who wrote a story with a Hispanic as a main character. *Applause* I know there are other books where that happens like Matt de la Pena writing the amazing story of Danny in Mexican Whiteboy but I don't usually come across a YA book where the main character is anything other than white. It's not a bad thing because those books are great but it's nice to have some diversity. And then she incorporated her being Catholic so that made me happy as well.

Everyone thinks Stella is so nice and safe in the beginning but she must have some wild child in her to want to be friends with Ruby. Either that or she's a follower. She drank too already. More out of courtesy in the beginning but later on... At least she had a line that she didn't cross. Ruby on the other hand got handed into her by a smooth talker who's a thirty four year old man with gray hair. In the beginning she would make guys chase her and I was as dumbfounded as Stella when I saw her change. I thought this book was absolutely brilliant. Very engaging. I loved Stella and even Ruby even though she bugged me because she was just... everywhere. She's not the greatest person. Let me leave it at that. Awesome book and highly recommended.

[Rabiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.in/20...

Torn was quite an emotional contemporary, featuring some of the more harsher truths and reality of high school life. It was a short but very powerful read. I found myself enamoured with the story, and I couldn't stop reading from start to finish.
I've had this one in my pile for a very long time, but I have no idea why it took so long for me to get to it. I guess it was just the other books which were upcoming, and various other commitments that took time away from reading this one. However, when this was finally going to expire, I knew I had to read it before it went away. I'm certainly glad I managed to read it because the story drew me in and had a very unique premise.

I really liked both Stella and Ruby's characters. I would have obviously liked Stella, because she's the reasonable one with a conscience and you could really empathize with her character, but the person I was surprised to like was Ruby. Initially, I hated her. As their friendship grew on, however, I started to see the bond that these two girls had. I could also see Ruby's genial nature, as well as her dream of having a family like Stella has, and the person hidden behind that confident and ruthless façade starts to come out, which I began to like. Her character does show growth throughout the course of this novel, and it's great to see how much she's changed from the beginning to end.

In terms of romance, I thought that Stella's relationship with Mike was really good (don't even get me started on Ruby's relationships... I don't even want to go there). I really didn't like the drifting apart thing though– that really dragged on way too long in my opinion and besides, I actually liked Mike. I thought Stella was a teeny bit annoying, especially with her reactions to Mike's feedback on her essay (although I completely think her reaction to a later thing with his parents was what I would have done!), and I thought that their relationship could have been a strong one, but things go haywire after a while and don't turn out the way you plan.
I thought the ending of the book was great. Not only was it hilarious and brilliant from Ruby's character, but I also thought that it concluded the book nicely without actually tying up every loose end. It left some parts to the reader's imagination, and I enjoyed that aspect of it.

Overall, Torn was a great contemporary which I loved diving into. This one made me laugh as well as allowed me to gain more perspective on several issues that teens tackle today. Stephanie Guerra is an amazing talent and I'll be on the lookout for more from her!

[Clementine · Rating 3 out of 5]

For seventeen-year-old Stella Chavez, life revolves around taking care of her younger siblings while her mother works two jobs to support them. Stella is a model student, good soccer player, and has a fairly bright future. She feels like something is missing, though, and when she meets new-girl Ruby Caroline, she’s immediately drawn to her. Ruby is Stella’s opposite, at least when it comes to behavior, and it isn’t long before Stella finds herself torn between her old life and her new friendship with the self-destructive Ruby.

Stephanie Guerra’s debut novel is a moving, authentic take on the complexities of female friendship. It’s an accessible, memorable read that will appeal to many teen readers. Surprising, edgy, and unflinchingly real, this book deserves some attention.

Although the basic premise of Guerra’s novel is one that has been done before, it’s rare that it’s done as well as this one is. What is unique about Guerra’s story is that both her protagonist and the so-called bad-girl are remarkably well-drawn. Both Stella and Ruby are fully-formed characters. Both girls have appealing qualities to their personalities as well as legitimate, authentic flaws. Ruby doesn’t fall into the mean-girl trope, and Stella doesn’t become a total Mary-Sue. Guerra manages to walk the line with both girls, and the novel is all the stronger for it.

The novel’s willingness to tackle tough subjects without getting overly preachy or melodramatic helps make the story’s rather far-fetched plot points seem more realistic and even plausible, given the situation. While Ruby’s actions become increasingly hard to watch (both for Stella and the reader), there’s never a moment that rings false. Guerra isn’t afraid to show the ugly side of people, and readers will resonate with this honesty.

Of course, the novel isn’t without its faults. The novel’s climax and resolution feel a little rushed and a little too convenient, respectively. The too-neat ending feels almost tacked-on after the book allowed its characters to go to such dark places. In all honesty, the novel’s ending sacrifices some of the book’s emotional impact, which was a disappointment. Savvy, sophisticated readers are more likely to pick up on this, though, and it won’t bother everyone.

All in all, a very promising debut. Guerra is one to watch–and this is a book that belongs on library shelves. Definitely for older teens, but worth adding to a collection.

Torn is out now.

Torn by Stephanie Guerra. Marshall Cavendish: 2012. Electronic galley accepted for review via NetGalley.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason, I had gotten the impression that this book was about a girl in an abusive relationship, torn between the love she feels for the sweet boyfriend and the intense emotional and physical pain he inflicts upon her. It is definitely about strong internal conflicts but romance is only part of the plot.

Main character Stella assumed some adult responsibilities early on in life when her drug-addicted father abandoned the family; as the eldest child, she stepped up to help her mother look after her two siblings. She seems like the typical good girl with good grades, friendly to people, and a spot on the soccer team. During her senior year, she meets new girl Ruby Caroline, a brash, exciting girl and Stella finds herself caught up in Ruby's orbit even as the danger gathers.

How is Ruby trouble? Oh, let me count the ways.
1. She is possessive of Stella, alienating the pair from the rest of the school population
2. No real adult supervision or caring, allowing her to do pretty much whatever she wants.
3. Messed-up ideas about relationships
4. A penchant for older men
5. Her drug consumption. Let's talk about that a little.

I may be, no, I am a bit sheltered and I was absolutely overwhelmed by the consumption of alcohol and other drugs in this book. First because it's far beyond my ken, nothing at all resembling my high school experience. But also because of Stella's family history. I had an alcoholic family member who died before I was even born and that combined with school education against drugs has been more than sufficient to keep me away from all of it. But Stella drinks a lot even as she draw a line at the "harder" drugs like heroin and Ruby is constantly seeking a new thrill through various drugs.

In addition those, we have Stella in a pretty serious relationship, struggles over her Mexican heritage, family conflict. and her applications to colleges (or rather application to one college). I didn't feel that they received proper attention as the magnet that is Ruby drew most of the attention. She was a compelling character who popped on the page even as I saw some of her negative influences on Stella. Ruby herself is incredibly lost and the book does not neatly wrap everything up although there are optimistic hopes that these two young ladies will be able to work it out.

Overall: The sparkling Ruby helped keep me engaged in the plot even through frustrating parts and the ending was highly amusing if tonally a little different from the rest of the book.

[Andrea P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on Cozy Up With A Good Read

This was a great contemporary novel that definitely feels like a real life situation. What I really enjoyed about this book was that it was focused on the relationship between the two girls rather than having a romance aspect to it.

Stephanie does a great job of writing the relationship between Stella and Ruby. She really focuses on the difference between the two girls. The differences is really what makes the friendship work in this story. They both need to rely on each other for different things. I definitely felt like Ruby was a character that helped Stella see things in a different light. I connected a lot with Stella and what she went through (minus the home issues). But I can definitely see a lot of teenagers connecting with this story in different ways.

I did wish there was a little more to the relationship between Stella and Mike. I felt like that part of the story fell flat for me. But I do understand it wasn't supposed to be a large part because the book is about the friendship between Stella and Ruby, but I thought there could be a little more with how long they supposedly dated, there were only very little glimpses.

I really wanted to learn more about Ruby and her background. This was something that was quickly mentioned and though I can understand there isn't much to talk about I was hoping for a little more feeling from Ruby. There was a lot more detail to Stella's life than Ruby's, and I found Ruby to be an interesting character that I wanted more of her life.

Despite these few problems, I did really enjoy this book and I flew through it. I really wanted to know what was going to happen next with these characters, and what kind of trouble would find them this time (because trust me, these two definitely get themselves into situations.)

I'm torn with how I feel about the ending, in a way I love that it closed a lot of things off that happened in the book, but it still left me with quite a few questions about the characters' future (especially Stella's). But all in all, I really enjoyed this book, a nice quick read, and definitely think this is a great book for teenagers today.

[Danie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Torn was hard for me to read and review. I think I had such high hopes for this, and it didn't live up to them. Don't get me wrong, I really liked certain parts of this, but after I finished, I wanted more from Stella, more from Ruby, and ultimately, more from the book overall.

Stella Chavez is the girl in school who floats around, from group to group. She's not, to use her words, "top-tier popular," like the cheerleaders, but she's well-liked. Until Ruby Caroline moved to town and chooses Stella randomly to befriend. Ruby is the girl in school who stays on the outside, the one that everyone is fascinated by but afraid to actually talk to her. Although they make an unlikely pair, they become best friends. Torn is the story of their friendship, and how far a best friend has to go in order to protect their other half.

Let me just state that I have a best friend very similar to Ruby, so I totally understand Stella's point-of-view throughout. She wants to help Ruby, but doesn't want to interfere, and she needs to decide where to draw the line between watching her friend being lied to and minding her own business. It's a hard place to be in, and I think Stephanie Guerra really hit the nail on the head with the thought process and emotions from being in that situation.

I think the premise behind Torn was fantastic. I had actually seen this on Goodreads a couple months ago (I think, maybe less) and wanted desperately to read it. It has the makings of a great book dealing with a lot of really important issues in our society right now - drugs and drinking, abusive relationships, bullying, the list goes on and on. And for the most part, Stephanie Guerra really did well with showcasing all of those issues, but not letting them go overboard.

Unfortunately, the ending of the story felt a little too quick for me, and that's what makes me so iffy about Torn. It just felt like the last 10 or so pages were rushed just to reach a conclusion. I would have much rather seen the story unfold at it's own pace, even if it made the book a little longer.


More reviews can be found on my blog, Booktacular