Torn by Stephanie Guerra - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

May 12, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

3of5 stars

Stella's senior year takes a turn away from her boring, good girl routine when she meets Ruby, the new bad girl in town. Always a good student, responsible at home caring for her younger brother and sister while their single mom works long hours Stella and Ruby seem an odd match, but within days Ruby has Stella sneaking out at night, lying to her mother and dating college boys.
Set in South Bend, home of Norte Dame Ruby decides college boys are too immature and begins dating an older m...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss

Initial Thoughts: This is yet another book I'm conflicted about. On one hand, Stella shows tremendous growth throughout the novel, there's a great familial element with a wonderful mother-daughter relationship, and Ruby was definitely an interesting character. But from the description, I was expecting something more, something darker.

What I liked: I liked Stella. She is a half Mexican girl who came from a rough upbringing in a community full of well to do white people. But she never let the raci...more Initial Thoughts: This is yet another book I'm conflicted about. On one hand, Stella shows tremendous growth throughout the novel, there's a great familial element with a wonderful mother-daughter relationship, and Ruby was definitely an interesting character. But from the description, I was expecting something more, something darker.

What I liked: I liked Stella. She is a half Mexican girl who came from a rough upbringing in a community full of well to do white people. But she never let the racial divide stop her and never apologized for being different. She has a steady group of friends dating back to elementary school. She wasn't too boring and bland like some heroines are, yet she wasn't too far off her rocker either. When the book starts out she is a little worried about her reputation and what other people think of her, but by the end Stella shows some maturity in that department and doesn't measure her self-worth against her popularity.

Stella's relationship with her mother was heartwarming. The pair struggled a little with taking care of the two younger children, especially after Stella's father, a cocaine addict, skipped town on them. You could tell there was a bond forged from trust and loyalty between Stella and her mother, and I loved how her mom still tried to be as involved as she could, even though she worked a crazy amount of hours.

I adored Ruby. She makes a grand entrance on page one and doesn't stop from there. She doesn't care what other people think of her, she a little impulsive, but mostly calculated, and she never turns away from an adventure. She smokes and drinks a little too much, but it didn't seem out of place. Everything about her just worked -- from her going to bars and dating older men and doing drugs on the roof of her house. It was just perfectly Ruby.

What I didn't like: There was a lot of showing rather than telling. Especially when it came to Stella's boyfriend, Mike. We barely even saw him, and I'm still not really sure why Stella even liked him. They really had nothing in common and it turns out he's pretty racist. And a wimp. Also, when there were passages of time where not much happened, we kind of get a pile of info dumped into our laps about Stella's and Ruby's friendship. I'd rather be shown how close they were instead of being told.

There was a lot of slut-shaming going on in this book. I really, REALLY, hate that, and eventually I'm going to get around to writing a post about why slut-shaming is so dangerous. I don't know how many times the word 'slut' and 'whore' was used -- even from Stella herself! -- about girls, from girls. It's disgusting.

Now that I think of it, there's a lot of judging going on in this book. Whether it's the popular girls bullying Ruby, the boys betting on 'who gets to nail her first,' Stella judging Ruby for dating an older guy, or Mike lying about Stella and saying she's Spanish and not Mexican. None of it really sat well with me.

Finally, there's some weird sex stuff in the book. Ruby partakes in sex where there's some pain. And Stella totally wigs out. I get that Stella freaks over Ruby dating a 30 year old, but that should have been the end of it. I would have been fine if the sex thing was left out, and Stella freaked over the age difference ONLY. Instead, Stella was calling Kenneth, Ruby, and everyone else who likes a little pain with their pleasure, sadistic sexual deviant freaks. That is not okay. I'm sorry. But no. No. No one should be judged for how they like their sex. No one should feel ashamed for liking BDSM, no one should feel ashamed for liking vanilla sex, no one should be shamed for being a virgin, no one should be shamed for getting it in daily. I've had enough of that.

Final words: Now that I've really though about it, the bad outweighed the good with this one. I liked the characters for the most part, but the author's judgments seemed to bleed into the book, and it just didn't sit well with me. I'm not okay with bullying, or slut-shaming, or girls attacking girls for whatever reason. The story was a little bland, and honestly did not hold up against all the negatives in the book.(less)

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Dec 13, 2012 Esther Shaindel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-debut-author-challenge

Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com/2...

I love the way Stella's descent into madness is so vividly and realistically portrayed. It's gradual, one little thing at a time, so it feels natural, and I felt the whole time like I was watching it happen. Ruby is definitely a fun character to read about, but she also pulls at your heartstrings quite a bit. Stella's home life also plays on your emotions, and the way she balances everything adds to the complexity of the s...more

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Aug 20, 2012 LoveyabooksForever rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 bo...more 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.

The Story ...

Stella, a young woman that usually stays out of trouble. She is secure and content with her social life. She has her life planned college, friends, etc. but all changes when Ruby comes stumbling in to Stella's high school definitely changing her life plan.

Stella is immediately intrigued by this newcomer who has attitude and clearly fire in her. She is impulsive and very expressive sure to mess up Stella's life plan. Torn isn’t about finding out what’s right and wrong, it’s about , making the right decision and follow your heat. When Ruby is out of control and makes decisions that Stella knows will doom her, Stella fights her inner sub-conscience and wants to help her new friend.

My thoughts ...

Overall this story is about friendship and doing the right thing. As a debut novel it has it's imperfections and it felt a little rushed at the end but I absolutely loved this story. We don't see many multicultural books out there and this will truly represent that minority.

I was intrigued by the story and recommend it to anyone looking for a book you won't be able to put down.
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Jul 07, 2012 Nina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic, netgalley, ya, reviewed

(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 o...more (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!(less)

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Jun 30, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-arc, ya, friendship

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 hi...more 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.
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Jun 03, 2012 cupcake rated it 3 of 5 stars

Torn is an excellent example of a book that is excellent up until its final act, when it all falls apart.

Stella Chavis is a high school senior, seemingly content with her friends, family and future. Yes, she still suffers lingering affects of her father's behavior and abandonment of his family. And, yes, she has had the same friends since kindergarten, and she sometimes resents having to take care of her younger sister and brother. But life, for the most part, is good for Stella.

Until, in a fren...more

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May 26, 2012 cecilia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have been really jonesin’ for some straight-up YA contemporary reads for a long while now, and when I find a gem like TORN that literally speaks to my soul, I cannot help but sing high praises. TORN takes readers on a rocky ride as Stella figures out whether keeping up with Ruby is a good idea – or stop her new wild-and-crazy friend from some very bad decisions. How old is too old as far as boyfriends go? How high is too high to jump for your friends? How close is too close to your family to h...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Lucie rated it 4 of 5 stars

After reading the summary, my attention was captured and my interest piqued. Immediately, I felt that I would treat myself and my intuition was not wrong ... I swallowed this book in one day!

However, the story was not the one I was expecting. I do not know how to describe this feeling because the outcome, the characters and the plot were good and definitively well written. But the story is special, perhaps a little too realistic. That's what disturbed me and thrilled me at the same time...

Indeed...more
After reading the summary, my attention was captured and my interest piqued. Immediately, I felt that I would treat myself and my intuition was not wrong ... I swallowed this book in one day!

However, the story was not the one I was expecting. I do not know how to describe this feeling because the outcome, the characters and the plot were good and definitively well written. But the story is special, perhaps a little too realistic. That's what disturbed me and thrilled me at the same time...

Indeed, the author has found the right words to portray the tedium and monotony of Stella's life and the complexity of her family's dynamic. It's so ordinary that it gives an impression of reality. As if it could have been us instead of the characters that live the events. So, the appearance of Ruby spices up the scenary. The reader is on alert. He feel that the story will slip into deep troubles and he remains pending, suspended to the author's pen...

Doing drugs and the banality of the act for teenagers. The fear of others, of changes that can lead people to become vicious, wicked by simple jealousy or envy. Toxic friends. The difficulty of discovering and to love somebody with its strengths and weaknesses and accept it as it is. The insecurity of everyday life face of devious, pervert people.

Sometimes I had chills, recognizing that situations in which Ruby and Stella are found sometimes are not just fiction. Always this realism that can bother... I wanted to shake these girls for their unconsciousness, then I remembered mine, when I was in high school. I think that's why I got hooked by the book: it's a story that can happen to everybody.

By cons, the bitches who are busted red-handed during the graduation ceremony, this is too much. The final scenes are unnecessary and lacks of the realism that hovered over the major part of the novel. Despite this blunder, "Torn" is a pleasant discovery.
I will carefully wait for the next novel by Stephanie Guerra to see if she continues to surprise me.

Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...(less)

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Jun 18, 2012 Maxie rated it 4 of 5 stars

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. Gu...more 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(less)

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Feb 15, 2012 Kayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, realistic-fiction-challenge, ebook, 2012, netgalley

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....more 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.
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Mar 17, 2012 kb rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: oh-my-galleys, 4ever-young-adult

One of my first Galleys!... And I'm just a bit disappointed how despite of its interestingly cooked up plot of good girl-bad girl best friendship coupled with older-guy romance on the side and racial issues, I'm still giving it a "Just okay" rating. The writing wasn't very bad but sometimes Stella Chavez's, the protagonist, voice just made me want to turn off my computer altogether. She's this nice Catholic girl who seems to have been blessed with so much decisiveness that she just couldn't help...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Mar *How I see it reviews* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, arc-or-galley, chicklit, read-in-english, psychological, ya

** 4.5 stars **

my review:
Stepanie Guerra created a book lots of teenage girls will love. Even though it's not the genre I like best, I loved this book, and want to read more by the author, Stephanie Guerra.
The main character in this book, Stella, really is a good girl, but will she turn into a good girl gone bad? She is someone I'dlove to be friends with! She takes care of her brother and sister, and acts as if she is an adult, but never complains to others how much her life sucks. Then there c...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Lacey rated it 3 of 5 stars

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...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Ryan Rice rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-reads

Unlike other readers who questioned whether the title Torn was appropriate for this book, I would say the title is dead-on accurate. No, not because of the internal conflicts Stella faces, but because although this book is engaging, there is something just not right about it. In other words, I’m torn over how to feel about the book.

Yes, the characters are engaging. However, Stella is almost too perfectly flawed; Ruby is almost too self-absorbedly clichéd; Gina is too stereotypically uninvolved;...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Lindsay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, strong-characters

Stella Chavez has never done a bad thing in her life. She makes straight As, is devoted to playing soccer, and helps take care of her two younger siblings at home as her single mother works two jobs. She vows to never be like her drug addict dad, who left her family when she was young, and left her mother to raise three kids. But deep down she wishes for some kind of different reality and her wish is granted the morning when the new student Ruby Caroline storms into her classroom. Ruby Caroline...more Stella Chavez has never done a bad thing in her life. She makes straight As, is devoted to playing soccer, and helps take care of her two younger siblings at home as her single mother works two jobs. She vows to never be like her drug addict dad, who left her family when she was young, and left her mother to raise three kids. But deep down she wishes for some kind of different reality and her wish is granted the morning when the new student Ruby Caroline storms into her classroom. Ruby Caroline is the exact opposite of Stella and Stella is immediately drawn to her. Ruby seeks Stella out and they soon develop a friendship despite the harsh rumors circulating the school about Ruby and eventually Stella. Through her friendship with Ruby, Stella is introduced to the world of dating college guys, sneaking out, lying, and substance abuse. Stella mostly keeps her good girl image but being around Ruby opens her eyes to the truth and the past. It isn’t until Ruby crosses the line with her bad habits that Stella realizes how out of control Ruby is. How can she help someone that doesn’t want to be helped?

Torn by Stephanie Guerra is a beautifully written and captivating novel. Both Stella and Ruby evolve as characters throughout the novel and strengthen into better people. As the name of the novel suggests, Stella recognizes that she is torn between her old life and the new exciting one laid before her. Her battle and struggle was perfectly constructed and showed how much detailed thought was put into writing the novel.

One negative aspect about the novel was that the ending felt rushed. The reconciliation seemed forced in an attempt to end the novel and settle things up. Another problem was some of the grammatical punctuation. Sometimes dialogue was in quotations but for the majority of the book it wasn’t. I don’t know if my copy just contained that error since it was an electronic copy and not a hardcopy.

Despite the sporadic dialogue punctuations and rushed ending, Torn is a wonderful read that will take readers on an emotional journey.

I was provided with a copy of Torn by the publisher Marshall Cavendish through NetGalley.(less)

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Sep 13, 2012 Bonnie Rae rated it 3 of 5 stars

Torn was a good YA contemporary read. It was refreshing since I've been reading a lot of sci/fi and paranormals.

The author does a really good job with character building. I felt the world building was a little weak, but that's okay since the story is a character driven story, not a world driven one.

I loved the friendship between Stella and Ruby. I mean, all of us at one time or another in our lives have had that "wild" friend. There were times when I was so worried for Ruby that I wanted to sk...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Medeia Sharif rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, 2012-debut-challenge

Stella Chavez leads a clean life with good friends, soccer practices, excellent grades, and college dreams. When new girl Ruby comes into her life she’s torn. Ruby is a “bad girl” who’s into drugs, partying, and older men. By befriending her, Stella pushes away her friends and makes enemies. Stella is wondering if her old friends were true to her or if Ruby is sending her down the wrong path. She also tries to squash Ruby’s self-destructive streak, but that might mean losing her friendship, whic...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Rose rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, realistic-fiction, netgalley, coming-of-age, contemporary, arc-or-galley, debut-author-challenge-2012, pretty-cover, tough-subjects

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, relatio...more 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.(less)

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Apr 25, 2012 Mitchii rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, realistic-fiction, young-adult, romance, 2012-reads

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. S...more 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.(less)

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Jul 05, 2012 Marybeth (Manhattan Reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, ebook

I wasn't sure what to expect when I got this book, but there was so much hype from it that I couldn't wait to start reading it. And when I finally did, I won't lie, I was a little let down.

Stella is the all-American good girl. She has friends that she's known most of her life and a loving family - for the most part. The effects of her father's abandonment still lingers in the air, but aside from having to take care of her siblings, for the most part, everything is how it should be.

And when Ruby...more I wasn't sure what to expect when I got this book, but there was so much hype from it that I couldn't wait to start reading it. And when I finally did, I won't lie, I was a little let down.

Stella is the all-American good girl. She has friends that she's known most of her life and a loving family - for the most part. The effects of her father's abandonment still lingers in the air, but aside from having to take care of her siblings, for the most part, everything is how it should be.

And when Ruby enters the picture, things begin to change. From the moment Ruby walks into Stella life she makes sure to rock her world. Ruby takes Stella away from her very quiet life and introduces her to the world of drinking, college boys, and living a little wild. But, soon Stella realizes that as long as she holds on to Ruby, she will slowly lose those around her, including herself.

Guerra did her best to show Stella's transition, and her rationalization for why she was doing what she did, but I felt like the story needed...something. Throughout the whole book I kept thinking something big was going to go on and that the reader's would make a big discovery, but it almost played out a little too well. There were no surprises and there was no....anything. In fact, I almost feel like near the end Guerra got really tired of writing and just finished with what she had.

Personally, I neither hated this book nor loved it completely. It was a quick and easy read, but it leaves the reader wishing there was more. Or, at least it did for me.

The character of Stella developed and change the way she would, but I sometimes felt that she went from being very plain and with no emotions, to just a little bit out there, and back again. And I felt like Guerra was trying to show how out-there-ish Ruby is, but I didn't like the way things finished.

And I especially didn't like the way things between Stella and Mike worked out.

It was beautifully written and Guerra showed wide range of characters, but she didn't really develop them as well as she should. I don't know how to describe it really, but I would not suggests buying this book. Library or from a friend for sure. (less)

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Feb 24, 2012 Hannah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-contemporary

Stella Chavez is your ordinary high school senior girl. Get good grades, remain friendly with everyone, have a potential boyfriend and keep a spot on the soccer team. It’s a world that Stella has gradually become a part of, where her Latino blood and drug user father have been hidden deep in her past. Then Stella meets new girl Ruby, who is all fire and attitude. Ruby introduces Stella to a whole new world beyond high school - college boys, non-existent parents just to name a few. Soon Stella fi...more Stella Chavez is your ordinary high school senior girl. Get good grades, remain friendly with everyone, have a potential boyfriend and keep a spot on the soccer team. It’s a world that Stella has gradually become a part of, where her Latino blood and drug user father have been hidden deep in her past. Then Stella meets new girl Ruby, who is all fire and attitude. Ruby introduces Stella to a whole new world beyond high school - college boys, non-existent parents just to name a few. Soon Stella finds herself caught between the thrill of hanging out with Ruby and the people that she’s leaving behind, and whether or not it’s all worth it for friendship.

I loved this book. It was like nothing I’ve read before; mainly because Stephanie has created such a realistic novel that you just jump in and relate to everything that is going on. Stella is an ordinary character with her own problems, just like everyone else. As she’s growing up, she starts to challenge parts of her life, especially when introduced to Ruby, who shakes things up a bit. I think what I enjoyed most was when Ruby first decides to befriend Stella and asks her to do things like cutting school, or driving to Chicago, Stella doesn’t automatically think, “What will my friends think of me?” She thinks more about herself and what she believes in, rather than what others expect of her, and make her decisions that way. She’s a loyal friend, even to Ruby who she’s only just met. Stella’s not a perfect character, and that’s one of the qualities that makes this such a good read. You want to strangle her at times; you want to strangle her old friends for not sticking up for Stella more. It’s those emotions that make you connect with a book that makes it enjoyable.

Torn isn’t about finding out what’s right and wrong, it’s about making judgements and decisions yourself and what friendship really means. Ruby becomes out of control and makes decisions that Stella knows are wrong, but how do you tell that to some-one who’s never had to restrain herself before? It starts off innocently enough - meeting college boys and the occasional lie about where she’s really going to be. Then it progresses into more - stealing from department stores to drug use. All things that Stella knows are wrong. That Ruby knows is wrong.

The ending fell a little flat for me, and it was all over too quickly with quite a twee Mean Girls style finish, although it was a good laugh. I would have liked to see more on the romance front, especially what happened with Mike, who turned from having a major role in the book to being sidelined completely. However this book was one read I’m looking forward to having on my shelf for real. It was guenine, moving and very touching and real in today’s world where to a girl, who your friends are means everything.
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Mar 28, 2012 Amanda (GoodChoiceReading) rated it 4 of 5 stars

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. The...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Shane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-books

-for EY Mag

Estelle Chavez is a smart girl with a lot going for her. Well, a lot of ‘normal’ stuff that is. She’s athletic, a helpful daughter to a overworked mother, and a caring older sister making sure her siblings are on the right path. She’s just an all around goody goody, until wild child Ruby Caroline walks into her life and sort of pulls Stella into this new world she had never experienced before.

Stephanie Guerra‘s ‘Torn‘ pits stability against the unfamiliar. Two teens, both with family...more

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Jun 25, 2012 The Cover Contessa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-and-r-r, own, 2012-releases

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 almos...more 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/
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Mar 15, 2012 Charlotte rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, 100-books-in-a-year-challenge-2012

This book followed Stella, a normal girl who lived in Illinois. She befriends the new girl, Ruby, who is wild and a complete polar opposite of Stella who is a good-girl with good grades. She quickly finds herself in a tough situation when Ruby begins dating a older guy. Stella is unsure what to do (you may say she's torn, haha..) and finds herself struggling about whether to ignore it or try to take action.

This book was very real. It had great description and very developed characters. I could g...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Kerrie rated it 4 of 5 stars

As soon as I saw the description for Torn I knew it was something I HAD to read, I instantly thought of the brilliant film Thirteen and many times during the story I was liking it to Thirteen, in many ways they are similar but where as Thirteen was mean't to shock, Torn was just the old tale of falling in with a different crowd.

The story is about Stella your typical good girl, A grade student going through her last year at high school, life for Stella is very routine until Ruby bursts into her...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Anncleire rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: maggio-2012, netgalley, real-life

“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 scelt...more “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...(less)

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Apr 03, 2012 Bookworm1858 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012, netgalley, ya-read

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...more 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.(less)

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Mar 14, 2012 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don't normally read a lot of contemporary fiction, but I'm glad I took the chance on this one!
This story is about two friends trying to get through their last year at high-school, and helping each other deal with the road-bumps they each face.

This story might just sound like a typical teenager's life, or it might shock you - Either way, it will open your eyes to just how real the world can be. Stella is a good girl, she helps her mum look after her two siblings and does all the chores around t...more

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