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Torn (Torn Trilogy #1)

by Erica O'Rourke (Goodreads Author)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 1,053 ratings · 175 reviews

Everyone has secrets.
Even best friends.

Swirling black descends like ravens, large enough to block the glow of the streetlights. A dull roar starts like a train on the ‘L’, a far-away rumbling that grows louder as it pulls closer, until it’s directly overhead and you feel it in your chest, except this doesn’t pass you by. Verity, white-faced and eyes blazing, shouts through...more

Kindle Edition, 321 pages

Published June 28th 2011 by Kensington Books

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Apr 24, 2012 Jenelle rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: not-at-my-library, embarrassed-to-admit-i-ve-read, urban-fantasy, wont-finish-series, ya, read-in-2011, lowered-expectation-love

I guess I should have looked more closely to see that the 4 star rating only came from 200 and some readers, but c'mon people, where are your standards?

A great looking cover (even if the girl does have a slightly droopy eye which is charmingly realistic instead of photo-shopped to the Uncanny Valley), does not mean a great book.

Neither does the tension of two out-of-her-league hot guys, competing for the perpetually nerdy/clumsy/under-appreciated/unconsciously attractive shy girl who is determ...more I guess I should have looked more closely to see that the 4 star rating only came from 200 and some readers, but c'mon people, where are your standards?

A great looking cover (even if the girl does have a slightly droopy eye which is charmingly realistic instead of photo-shopped to the Uncanny Valley), does not mean a great book.

Neither does the tension of two out-of-her-league hot guys, competing for the perpetually nerdy/clumsy/under-appreciated/unconsciously attractive shy girl who is determined to be a reckless, impulsive Nancy Drew Supergirl.

Especially when that 'tension' is pretty non-existent... unless you count all the arguing, which reads simply like arguing, not thinly veiled flirtation or even attraction.

Don't tell me it was the drawl. Seriously?

Wait. It was because they were both over 20, isn't it? I admit, not many YA novels venture to let a jail-bait high schooler hook up with an older, dangerous, *experienced* hot guy, let alone two. She must be pretty amazing to be that tempting-- I mean, character's keep saying it, but there really isn't much proof it's actually true. Luckily, the guys fail to live up to their descriptions as well, so as long as your standards are sufficiently mediocre, and all you need is a little lustful kissy-face to stir your tender teenage longings, than this lackluster love triangle may have been intoxicating enough to muster up the 4 stars.

Certainly it wasn't the story. I mean, the first 11 chapters were so. slow. Blah, blah, blah-- useless, repetitive dialogue on top of inconsistent details and gaping plot holes. Yeah, and what was with the paranormal element in all this? It is just so...vague. I guess that's how the flat, lifeless characters accept it all so readily: they don't need any more justification than the author happens to hint at. Lucky them.

Really, it's all so vastly pointless-- the characters, the story-- the whole bland mess of it. I can't even force myself to care about it, but I made myself finish it, the 4 stars giving me false hope the book would somehow be redeemed by the end. See? I got suckered into it too.

(less)

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Nov 26, 2011 Angela Fristoe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-books

Okay, so from the blurb it sounds like the book is going to open with some action, right? Well it doesn't, because guess what? The first half of the blurb happens before the book even starts! Yeah, how exciting. I don't even care that this wonderful friend is dead, because I never even meet her.

This though, is the least of the problems I had with Torn. I'd like to start with something positive and I'm finding it hard. That's not to say the book was horrible. It wasn't. It was just okay. I receiv...more Okay, so from the blurb it sounds like the book is going to open with some action, right? Well it doesn't, because guess what? The first half of the blurb happens before the book even starts! Yeah, how exciting. I don't even care that this wonderful friend is dead, because I never even meet her.

This though, is the least of the problems I had with Torn. I'd like to start with something positive and I'm finding it hard. That's not to say the book was horrible. It wasn't. It was just okay. I received this from a LibraryThings give away and it's taken me almost a month to read it. I finally forced myself to take it to the gym and read on the treadmill, just so I could finally get it out of the way.

There were so many things I wanted to like about it, but I just couldn't. So, starting there, the first thing was the cover. The cover put me off, right away. I know I shouldn't judge the book by the cover, and in this case I truly didn't. I hate the cover. The girl looks boring, and pasty, and I hate the weird part in her bangs. And what was up with the cloth wrapped around her head? The blurb is what made me want to read this book, and I hope that the next book in the series has a better cover, because this one didn't do the book any favors.

Moving on from the superficial...

The characters, oh how they drove me nuts. Mo, or Mouse as random people call her, is supposed to be nice. Yes, nice. We're told multiple times throughout the novel that she is nice one, while Verity is the energetic, pretty, vibrant, friendly, outgoing, special one. The problem with nice is that it's boring and we never really see Mo do anything or even say anything that would label her as super nice. She has very few interactions with people her own age, other than her love interests. She doesn't seem like the nice type. She's mildly rude to her mom, her uncle, her lawyer, the police and even her love interests, and only hangs out with another friend because she doesn't want people to talk about her not being nice and normal.

Luc is the first love interest to appear, and oh what a tangled mess she gets into with him right away. He's weird, and is pretending to be a doctor, and he might have been dating her dead friend Verity. But what's so bad about that? It's perfectly normal, and nice of course, to lust after your dead friend's boyfriend at her funeral, right? (See why I don't buy the whole, Mo is sooo nice aspect?) For the first half of the book, Luc is weird, annoying, frustrating and filled with a superiority complex. Nothing appealing at all about him, yet apparently he's hot and that is enough for Mo. The second half he gets a bit better, although he becomes a bit boring and predictable then. O'Rourke, it seemed, couldn't decide who Luc was. One moment he's talking as if he were an old fashioned, middle aged man, and the next he's using the word ain't. Considering the sometimes unusual (not is a good way) vocabulary O'Rourke chooses to use instead of a well placed common noun or verb, I'm thinking she was often pulling words from the dictionary just to sound smart. Maybe this is what happened to Luc.

I did like Colin. He was independent, distrustful of everyone, even Mo, and he seemed to have a believable attitude to the world he was living in. Too bad O'Rourke had to ruin his consistency by having him fall for Mo. Considering he's a few years older, and obviously has more maturity from his life experiences than Mo, I couldn't figure out why she appealed to him in the least. The kiss between them was steamy though and I'll give O'Rourke props for that.

The plot dragged. Seriously dragged. Like cut the first hundred pages of Mo flip flopping between lusting for Luc and then trying to focus on her dead friend's death all while lusting after Luc just to remind us that Mo is a mature high schooler who doesn't want to be trapped in her hometown forever (Oh, sucks to be you, Colin, who will never leave his hometown. He's SOL in the sequel.)

The action, once it starts in the last few chapters, is confusing and lacking specific details. The magic blasted into her, the magic blazed around them. The nebula consumed her. Let the nebula consume her. (Yes, that nebula consumed her twice within two pages!) There was also something about lines and they were actually an infinity of worlds and lives that crisscrossed, and they were beautiful. I wished I could have visualized what O'Rourke was seeing as she wrote the final scene, but alas, she didn't give me any details!

This is obviously part of a series, but sadly I will not bother picking up the next book. I value my time too much to be bothered spending another month of my life struggling to be interested in these characters and a magical world that I have to create on my own.

You can find other reviews by my on my blog Turning the Pages (less)

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Feb 01, 2013 Cathy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In most fantasy books, there's a hero (or heroine). Someone with a hidden destiny, great powers, etc. Well, that girl gets killed off before the book begins. I honestly love that idea, but I did't love this book.

We start in a Chicago hospital emergency room. The savior's best friend Mo (who survived the bad-guy attack), is coming to terms with the idea that Verity (did her name annoy anyone else? Truth. Okay, we get it.) is dead. Mo is an ordinary, shy girl with no powers. We know she is ordinar...more In most fantasy books, there's a hero (or heroine). Someone with a hidden destiny, great powers, etc. Well, that girl gets killed off before the book begins. I honestly love that idea, but I did't love this book.

We start in a Chicago hospital emergency room. The savior's best friend Mo (who survived the bad-guy attack), is coming to terms with the idea that Verity (did her name annoy anyone else? Truth. Okay, we get it.) is dead. Mo is an ordinary, shy girl with no powers. We know she is ordinary because she has brown hair (Verity was a blond) and her nickname is Mouse. Still, "ordinary" is pushing it. Mo's family is in the Mob, but she (somehow) doesn't know that, even though her father is in prison and her uncle is obviously a Goodfella. At the hospital, a hot Southern guy named Luc in a lab coat tells her to keep quiet about what she saw during the attack and "everything will go back to normal." Except she won't and it won't, because this is a YA fantasy novel.

Mo swears vengeance on her friend's killers. This is something that would only happen in a book. What 17 year old girl in real life would do that? Any relationship between Mo and her Mom and Uncle Billy is completely absent in this story. Newsflash: your daughter (niece) was nearly killed in a violent attack that left her best (only?) friend ripped apart on the pavement. She held her hand while the kid bled out. Maybe you should talk to her about it? Or send her to a counselor? Or do ANYTHING? I know that this is not written to appeal to my age group, but come on!

Anyway, Uncle Billy hires an (illegal) gun-toting bodyguard (can we be honest and say, hit man?) to shadow Mo to keep her safe. Colin is 22, hot, in an earthy sort of way, cranky, and fiercely protective of Mo. (He is Jacob to Luc's Edward.) Luc is an Arc (magic-user) who was supposed to help Verity save magic by keep the "Torrent" from happening. Luc is emotionally distant, literally pops in out of thin air and never really tells Mo what's going on, although he is fiercely possessive. (Like I said, Edward.) Mo will take Verity's place, although she has no powers and can't stay out of trouble. (and so, she is Bella, though not as clumsy.)

Will Mo save the day? Which hunky guy (who has appeared out of nowhere) will she choose? Why do so many of these books remind me of Twilight? The only real surprise is that Ms. O'Rourke wraps up the Torrent storyline in this book. I expected her to draw it out to fill the next few books. The last few chapters seemed rushed. The identity of the big-bad person was obvious from the start. I don't know what's left to fill more books, but I, for one, don't care.(less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Zoey Ivashkov rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The blurb sounds freaking great, so I decided to check this book out. I mean who doesn't like two hot guys competing and mystery/paranormal theme, right?

Well, when I started reading this book, I was like wow this is really good. I had high expectations. VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS. I really thought it was gonna be so good.

SPOILER ALERT!!!
When I found out what it was all about- magic PLAIN MAGIC, I just skimmed through it.

It's just so plain. I love the Harry Potter books which was about Witches and W...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Svenja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-sterne

"Die Erwählte" ist der erste Teil einer Trilogie. Und ehrlich gesagt verstehe ich nicht so ganz, warum im Moment nur noch Trilogien auf den Büchermarkt kommen. Kann man denn nicht mehr eine Geschichte mit einem Buch abschließen? Das Buch kann ja auch ruhig ein wenig dicker sein. ;)

Ich finde, "Die Erwählte" hätte auch nach diesem Buch enden können. Es ist ein abgeschlossenes Ende und ich weiß auch nicht, was in den nächsten beiden Büchern passieren soll. Aber ich lass mich überraschen.

Der Anfang...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: telling-my-students-to-read

Amazing story! I was drawn to this book by her eyes on the cover. The main character, Mo, is a "normal" girl living in Chicago and attending Catholic school. Her family is involved in the mob, although that does not have too much effect on her life (in the beginning of the story). I like that she is not a total outcast/ underdog like the protagonist in many paranormal series.. I also like that she is self-reliant and resourceful on her own (no magic, no guy).
It is the typical pattern of magical...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Freya Josephine Gottlieb rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a very decent YA urban fantasy novel.

I think I read it with too many expectations because I heard it was amazing, and then when I finished it I was a little dissapointed, but it was all in all a very good read. I'm not a teen anymore but I still read YA because I enjoy it so much, and I've noticed that when I read YA what really makes me like a book or not is how well I like the protagonist and how much I can relate to him or her.

I didn't like Mouse so much. I loved the magic, the worl...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Franzi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cover:
Das Cover von "Die Erwählte" finde ich wirklich sehr schön. Das war auch der Grund, warum ich das Buch haben wollte. Erst beim dritten Mal hinsehen ist mir auch erst der Mann auf dem Cover aufgefallen xD Ich dachte wirklich das nur die Frau abgebildet ist.

Charaktere:
Von den Charakteren in dem Buch war ich leider etwas enttäuscht. Die Hauptprotagonistin Maura Fitzgerald oder auch nur „Mo“ genannt hat mich in keinster Weise überzeugt. Sie ist eher hilflos … und unentschlossen. Sie weiß nicht...more Cover:
Das Cover von "Die Erwählte" finde ich wirklich sehr schön. Das war auch der Grund, warum ich das Buch haben wollte. Erst beim dritten Mal hinsehen ist mir auch erst der Mann auf dem Cover aufgefallen xD Ich dachte wirklich das nur die Frau abgebildet ist.

Charaktere:
Von den Charakteren in dem Buch war ich leider etwas enttäuscht. Die Hauptprotagonistin Maura Fitzgerald oder auch nur „Mo“ genannt hat mich in keinster Weise überzeugt. Sie ist eher hilflos … und unentschlossen. Sie weiß nicht was sie will und wie ihr Leben verlaufen soll.

Ständig versucht sie so zu sein wie Verity und es kommt öfter die Frage. "Was würde Verity machen?" das ging mir einfach auf die nerven. So still wie sie anfangs beschrieben wird ist sie nicht aber ihr fehlt die Durchsetzungskraft und ich würde sie sofort als schwach einschätzen.
Erst als sie so gegen Ende ihrem Onkel Billy die Stirn bietet, ändert sich einiges. Sie hat am Ende mehr Selbstbewusstsein und vertrauen in sich selber. Sie weiß zwar nicht was sie mit Luc und Colin machen soll aber dafür gibt es ja den nächsten Teil ;)

Luc ist ganz gut dargestellt ... ein bisschen arrogant, verführerisch und mit einer menge Geheimnisse. Das fand ich sehr gut. Das er Mo beschützt und sich dann immer wieder über sie aufregt, war auch ganz witzig aber am Ende war er schon süß.

Colin mochte ich von Anfang an. Ein großer, gut aussehender Bodyguard mit einer Waffe und so einer geheimnisvollen Aura? Wer kann da wiederstehen. Ich bin der Meinung in dem ganzen Buch wurde er am besten dargestellt. Er fand Mo anfangs nervig aber machte sich dann immer mehr sorgen, bis er sie sogar wirklich gern hat ... es ist nichts Verwirrendes an ihm und auch vom Charakter her mag ich ihn. Er ärger Mo gerne aber beschützt sie. Sie streiten öfter und er ist witzig. Was will man mehr. Man merkt schon das Er mir besser gefällt als Luc ^^ ich bin mir aber sicher das Mo am ende der Reihe mit Luc zusammen ist :( Das ist doch immer so :o

Wen ich auch überhaupt nicht mochte, ist Varity. Sie ging mir schon auf die Nerven, was sicher eher an Mo ihrer Sicht von ihr liegt. Sie ist ja ach so perfekt und kann alles und jeder liebt sie ... bla bla bla. Es mag sein das Sie wirklich Mo's beste Freundin war aber sie hatte immerhin ein riesen Geheimnis.

Mo ihre Mutter war etwas seltsam ... ihr Onkel ist der typische Mafiaboss und Evangeline die Tante von Varity ist griesgrämig und erinnert mich ein bisschen an meine Tante ... bis auf das Ende.

Geschichte:
Mo's beste Freundin Varity wird von seltsamen Kreaturen ermordet. Mo will herausfinden, wer es war und die Täter zur Strecke bringen. Als sie dann Luc kennenlernt, wird sie misstrauisch und versucht alles herauszufinden und landet schließlich in einer Welt voller Magie. Sie wusste vorher nicht das Es überhaupt Menschen unter ihnen gab, die die Begabung im Umgang mit Magie hatten. Die Bögen, wie sie sich nenne, können eine der Linien anzapfen. Eine Feuer-, Erd-, Wasser- oder Luftlinie. Die Flachen, sind Menschen, die über keinerlei magische Begabung verfügen. Mo gehört eigentlich zu ihnen doch durch Varitys Ring kann sie die Magie beeinflussen und wird zu dem Gefäß. Sie nimmt Varitys Platz in der Prophezeiung ein. Luc allgemein Gesehene finde ich das die Geschichte durchaus Potenzial hat aber leider ist sie nicht ganz so gut umgesetzt. Das Buch ist an manchen stellen etwas langweilig. Mit den Charakteren kann ich mich nicht 100 prozentig anfreunden und es ist ziemlich verwirrend. Erst versteht man überhaupt nichts. Wer ist Luc? Was kann er? Was war Varitys Geheimnis? Was bewirkt ihr Ring? Eine Prophezeiung? Und, und, und. Man bekommt zwar seine verdienten Antworten aber diese dann auch plötzlich in geballter Form und man muss sich alles merken. Unklar bleibt aber trotzdem noch einiges und ich bin bis zum Schluss etwas verwirrt gewesen weil einiges ungenau war.

Fazit:
Ich war richtig neugierig auf das Buch. Das Cover und der Klappentext klangen gut aber leider wurde ich etwas enttäuscht. Es gab, wenn ich mich recht entsinne, keine Unstimmigkeiten aber es war mir einfach zu viel Drumherumgerede eh man mal ein bisschen durchgesehen hat. Den zweiten Teil werde ich mir trotzdem holen, weil die Geschichte an sich ja keine schlechte Idee war :) Ich bin gespannt, wie es weiter gehen wird.(less)

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Jul 19, 2012 Kuno rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Erica O’Rourke – Die Erwählte – Der Weg in die Dunkelheit

Produktinformationen:
Autor: Erica O’Rourke
Titel: Die Erwählte
Untertitel: Der Weg in die Dunkelheit
Originaltitel:
Verlag: Blanvalet
Sprache: Deutsch
Kosten: 9,99€
Seitenanzahl:
Art: Taschenbuch
ISBN: 978-3-
Genre: Fiction, Liebe,
Meine Altersempfehlung:

Erster Satz:
Ich erwachte bei dem Geruch von Lysol pünktlich zum Weltuntergang.

Rückentext:
ZWEI MÄNNER,
ZWEI WELTEN.
EINE ENTSCHEIDUNG.
Die unscheinbare Mo Fitzgerald, Nichte eines hochrangigen Mafiab...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-loaned

Mo wakes up in the hospital after a horrific attack in which her BFF Verity dies. At first she doesn't remember anything from that night except these dark figures. She gets caught up in a world of Magic, deception, and fate. Mo's family is in the Mob business but she's chosen her whole life to believe that the neighborhood rumors were lies, Verity's world is one of magic and prophecy, and because of that one night it all collides and Mo is stuck in the middle. I actually thought that Mo's life w...more

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May 15, 2012 L.j. Duett rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: just-okay

First, about the Cover.

I liked it. The girl's bangs are a bit weird but I feel as if I'm looking at an actual person, someone with character rather than just the same girl thats on every other single YA book out there. This image sticks out.

Also, Torn's plot held such promise. Instead of taking the usual YA book formula and creating the main character with all the power/ability/destiny, O'Rourke went and killed that person off. No joke, the one with the destiny was dead from the start of this...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was a very pleasant surprise!! I don't read a ton of paranormal, but I picked up this book on the advice of someone whose taste I trust, even if the cover or back blurb doesn't capture me at first. I flew through it in a few hours, and downloaded the sequel to my Kindle as soon as I finished. I loved how Mo isn't the chosen one, but is thrust into a situation in which she makes the choice to act like it. The love triangle....SWOON. Most YA paranormal books have some sort of love triang...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Chrystal Grcevich rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone looking for a good novel to keep them occupied for an afternoon

Recommended to Chrystal by: Won the sequel on Goodreads

This book was great! Sure, the plot is predictable in places, it's a light read, the scenario is unlikely (nerdy girl gets two hot guys??), but I find it so refreshing to have these things once in awhile. The purpose of a fantasy book is to be fun and extreme. I like the concept! Why not make it grandiose? Kudos to the author for taking the road less followed. I love to read about the not-so-likely heroes and heroines because it brings the impossible down a notch or two. Maura is a good girl who...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Jami rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book. Seriously. I haven't given many 5 star ratings to new, contemporary books, but this is one that really deserves it.

I'm not a huge fan of love triangle stories because it's so hard to show the two choices in a way that makes them both equally appealing. (If one's a clear winner over the other, the one who's debating looks stupid. And even if they're both equally good, the chooser too often comes off as flighty.)

HOWEVER, the author did a great job here. She portrayed both men we...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, review-copy, young-adult, hate-to-admit-i-read

Torn, hmmm... I liked it. Maura is a typical teenager. She would rather go unnoticed, and doesn't feel particularly special aside from her mobster-connected family and her beautiful best friend. Both of which tend to push her further into the shadows. But, her backseat life changes when she is thrown into the dangerous and magical secret life of her murdered best friend. Tiptoeing between this magical battle her friend left for her and the local mob her uncle runs with, Maura must decide what ro...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Meagan Catherine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have heard some people say that the cover didn't really pull them in. For me the cover had absolutely nothing to do with me picking up this book. I have an advanced review copy. It is green and simply says "Torn" on the cover. I grabbed this book simply because the title caught my attention. Simple yet powerful, I was curious to see what this book was really about.

From the very first few pages I was hooked! Mo's loss and quest for revenge paired with her growing (and often confusing) feelings...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Kale rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mo has been groomed to be a good girl. Quiet, accepting, never talking back, she's been taught not to think not to act. Her demure state becomes the basis for her biggest regret, the night her best friend Verity is murdered in front of her.

Mo wakes in the hospital and finds herself the only lead to the grisly attack but the ambush wasn't normal. She can't exactly tell the police and her family about the unnatural element of Verity's death. Unfortunately the events are being blamed on Mo and her...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a real page-turner (obviously, since I read this in a few hours!). Not only was I desperately curious to know what had happened to Verity, Mo's BFF, but I was also drawn in by the side plots. I really didn't know who Mo should trust, and more importantly, who she should LOVE.

Wow, Erica O'Rourke, you have crafted a delicious love triangle here. There was none of that one-of-these-boys-is-the-clear-winner. When the book ended, I was really glad about who she chose....but I also REALLY...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Stacey Pagan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am under the impression that this novel will be a trilogy and I might be a “Thirty Something” but there is nothing like a great YA novel! A YA novel that has this thirty-something year old wanting MORE! I had never heard of Erica O’Rourke, but she is now on the top of my “to watch out for” list for certain!

Mo has been dealt a hand of cards that your average teenage girl would not normally be able to handle. Her daddy is in prison, her mother is a workaholic to keep a roof over Mo’s head and fo...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Katelyn *Constantly-Dreaming* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favorites

'Two guys. Two worlds. Two destinies... One choice.'
-- let's be real, it had me at 'Two guys.'

In the very first page of this book, we find Mo in the hospital, having barely survived an attack that took the life of her best friend in the entire world, Verity. Remembering only pieces of the evening, she sets out to avenge Verity's death, and finds herself thrown into a world she never knew existed. One that even her best friend was keeping secret from her.

I felt bad for Mo in the beginning - bei...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Nerissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Maura “Mo” Fitzgerald has just gone through what could be considered the worse day of her life, she just witnessed her best friend, Verity’s murder and finds herself laying in a hospital bed. Her life will never be the same again. Mo has been surrounding by secrets her entire life; she just didn’t realize it until now. Her world begins to fall apart as the one constant she knows has been violently ripped away from her. Mo struggles with dealing with her best friend’s death, wanting to seek reven...more Maura “Mo” Fitzgerald has just gone through what could be considered the worse day of her life, she just witnessed her best friend, Verity’s murder and finds herself laying in a hospital bed. Her life will never be the same again. Mo has been surrounding by secrets her entire life; she just didn’t realize it until now. Her world begins to fall apart as the one constant she knows has been violently ripped away from her. Mo struggles with dealing with her best friend’s death, wanting to seek revenge and trying to find out who she is.

I loved that Mo was an ordinary girl that was dropped into a magical world and there was nothing extraordinary about her, she was just “Mo” a shy, 17 yr old girl who has lost her best friend. This book has magic, deceit, and romance. It’s about a girl who has to get over her insecurity issues in order to seek the revenge that she so desperately wants. Everything Mo does she reverts back to the question what would Verity do. She has lived so much of her life in the shadows, and is trying to set her own path.

The title of the book is excellent and very fitting for the story as Maura is torn between two worlds and two guys. The love interest tension is very high and believable but I’m not sure how I feel about Colin. Luc I could completely see the relationship; the struggle to choose whether or not they should fight what they feel. But, with Colin I’m not so sure I knew when it shifted from friends to something more, it almost seemed forced. But, don’t let this derail you, this book is definitely worth picking up.

This story was unique with its mob references and the magical world built around the four elements, fire, water, earth, and air. I love the author’s use of flashbacks; they transport you from the here and now to the past in an instant without any difficulty or choppiness in the reading. This story was fascinating and full of suspense; with each page that I turned I was eagerly waiting to find out what piece of the puzzle Mo would discover next. I really enjoyed this story and would give it 4 stars.

Mo’s journey isn’t over, it’s just the beginning and I am eager to see where the author takes us next. The next book in the series will be released in February 2012.

(less)

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Jul 09, 2011 Brittany rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Maura “Mo” Fitzgerald sees herself as a nice, quiet, boring Catholic school girl, except for the fact that her dad’s in jail, her Uncle Billy might be associated with the Mob, and her best friend Verity was murdered right in front of her eyes. She craves justice for Verity’s murder, but the tall, black-clad, monstrous looking killers might not even be human—how can she fight something she can’t even understand? Her search is complicated by a relentless police detective, a gruff and sexy bodyguar...more

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Jul 08, 2011 Ryann Murphy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The striking cover draws you in, but it's the story that will keep you from putting it down. 17-year-old Maura "Mo" Fitzgerald wakes up in the hospital and finds out that the same brutal attack that put her there also killed her best friend, Verity. As the secrets emerge about that terrible night, her family and the friend she thought she knew, Mo encounters two very different boys: one who was sent to protect her and one who wants her to help save the world.

Mo's world is very real, even mixed w...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'd not read or heard of Erica O'Rourke before reading this book but she is an excellent writer. The book begins with Maura, or Mo in the hospital after an attack she can't describe. She was with her best friend, Verity, when they were attacked and Verity was killed. Turns out, Verity had some magical secrets and a fateful place in the world of magic.

Maura's family has deep roots in the mob. Because of this attack, it appears that someone is trying to reach Uncle Billy via Mo. He stations a body...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Muffin~ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At first I like the idea of the book.
You can't take away the book if you started to read! This book is something new and I like how you are torn between the human and magic world. I like touch of crime in the book.
I also think the characters are great, because everybody is not a bit like the others.
So is Luc a really different character than colin or Mo or her uncle!
Great combo!
But I think as a fantasy book the book is lacking at magical stuff. Too less information about magic...a lack of happe...more

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Aug 28, 2011 Dee Bibb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Title: Torn
Author: Erica O’Rourke
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.

Erica O’Rourke did a fabulous job with this darkly, exciting novel about Mo Fitzgerald who is torn between two guys and worlds she doesn’t begin to understand. Torn is definitely addictive. You cannot put it down once you begin. The only thought is to get back and see what is happening next.

Mo Fitzgerald is a normal seventeen year old about to be senior in high school who is a witness to her best friend, Verity being murdered...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: meh, romance, fantasy, paranormal, fiction, young-adult, drama

What I liked about this book was that it was told from the perspective if the "chosen one" ended up being killed, and another had to take his/her place. Mo is the substitute for her friend Verity, who happened to be The Vessel (aka the chosen one) to keep all the magic in check. Only she died, and someone had to replace her ASAP. It kind of reminded me if Harry died, and Neville taking his place (thanks, DHP2 for giving me inspiration!).
Other than that though, the book was rather....lame.The wri...more

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Jun 09, 2013 Venus rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

2.5 stars. I didn't dislike this book, but well, I didn't much care for it, either. It may deserve three stars, but it was just okay for me. I love fantasy, I love magic--especially the four elements. But this magical story thread felt more like a plot fixture than an immersive new world. It's tough to do magic well in a contemporary setting. I didn't like Mo as a character, either. Usually, when you're stuck inside someone's head, you need to like 'em. One thing I'll say though is that this boo...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Grace rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

This book was sent to me from Kensington, and I had been hearing so much good things about it, it was creating quite the buzz. I have a hard time writing this review because I honestly can't say one way or another wether I liked the book or not. There were things about the book that I liked, such as: the magic, the boys, the love triangle, and the complete like-ability of the main character "Mo". When it came down to discussing the magic and the "lines" that the book is centered around, it got t...more

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May 11, 2012 Tiffany Mahaffy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, paperback

This description really does not do the book justice. I mean yes it is eye catching and it does draw you in but once you have read the book and sit back to think about it, it's kind of more than that. This book and I had a bit of a slow start. Maybe it was just me but let me tell you, you need that part. I needed that part abd even though at the time I felt it was slow, looking back and reflecting upon it it wasn't all that slow. More so it was just a lot of information and little things collec...more This description really does not do the book justice. I mean yes it is eye catching and it does draw you in but once you have read the book and sit back to think about it, it's kind of more than that. This book and I had a bit of a slow start. Maybe it was just me but let me tell you, you need that part. I needed that part abd even though at the time I felt it was slow, looking back and reflecting upon it it wasn't all that slow. More so it was just a lot of information and little things collected together. Once that was done the book took off like a rocket and just kept going.

Maura aka Mo was a great protagonist. I must admit I had my doubts when I started to read but she changed that opinion in a hurry. To start off with she is a shy, quiet girl that does what she is told and doesn't talk back or do anything unexpected and despite the fact that I should have known better I didn't expect any big change. Well she proved me wrong. No she couldn't fight all ninja style out of the blue or have all sorts of crazy hidden secrets but she did have a super strong will under everything. Years of doing what you are told is right and not what you want can really build up some pressure. When Mo steps outside of what she knows and walks the path unknown she becomes the kind of person you want to read.

"I'm not a golden retriever," I snapped. "You don't pat me
on the head and tell me to stay..." - Mo

I will say yes there is a love triangle but it was done well. Wasn't exactly a main focus in the book either and I really enjoyed reading about it as it progressed. Normally however the choices are as different as night and day. With this book they really aren't. Plain and simple the guys just come from two different ways of life and see things differently. Luc comes from a world that Mo never would have dreamed of but when he walks into her life she knows that he knows more than he is telling her, or letting on. There is no immediate connection but Luc has a way of making you want to kiss him and kick him at the same time. Colin is seriously who I was voting on. I mean if I were there I would just steal him away. You don't really learn much about him or where he comes from but you know her cares. As much as he doesn't want to admit it he does.

"It's too complicated. Everything about you is complicated. Your
age and your uncle, you and Verity and Luc and..." - Colin

The unique part of this story is how Mo comes into play. More so the role that she ends up playing and her determination to complete something that was actually never meant for her. Most novels like this it ends up that it was always their destiny to complete but Mo is a serious exception. I really don't want to give too much away about what is actually going on. Not easy to tell you all the awesome ways that the story goes without giving something away... So I will leave you with what I have told you.

Overall I seriously enjoyed this book. I ended up staying up way past the time my body told me it was time to go to sleep just to finish it off. I think the biggest thing is in the last third you just don't want to stop because you don't want to miss what is going to happen... I hope that makes sense. If you are looking for a book that has a different kind of love triangle and an awesome MC look no further. I am personally picking up the next book ASAP and going to be first in line for Bound!
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Has anyone read this series?	2	4	Jun 07, 2013 07:50am
Colin or Luc?	9	7	Oct 30, 2012 10:48am
Luc or Colin?	7	29	Dec 18, 2011 06:37am

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About Erica O'Rourke

I write books about girls who make their own fate and fall for boys they shouldn't.

I live outside Chicago. I like to travel but I'll never really leave this city.

I prefer cookies to cake (even cupcakes), television to movies, and autumn to all the other seasons.

I like sushi, naps, coffee, and driving stick shift.

I hate fish, emoticons, bridges, and talking about myself.

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Quotes from Torn

“People spot a big black lens, and they worry about what they're doing, or how their hair looks. Nobody see the person holding the camera.” — 53 people liked it

“Justice is about making them pay for [her] pain. Revenge is making them pay for yours.” — 29 people liked it

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Torn (Torn Trilogy #1)

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