Torn by Stephanie Guerra - Revision history

Sue at 11:17, 22 April 2018

2018-04-22T11:17:04Z

Sue at 14:36, 2 February 2015

2015-02-02T14:36:04Z

Sue at 15:22, 2 June 2012

2012-06-02T15:22:39Z

Sue at 18:03, 8 March 2012

2012-03-08T18:03:15Z

Sue at 17:56, 8 March 2012

2012-03-08T17:56:12Z

Sue: Created page with "{{infobox |title=Torn |author=Stephanie Guerra |reviewer=Robert James |genre=Teens |rating=4.5 |buy=Yes |borrow=Yes |isbn=9780761462729 |paperback= |hardback=0761462724 |audi..."

2012-03-08T17:55:52Z

Created page with "{{infobox |title=Torn |author=Stephanie Guerra |reviewer=Robert James |genre=Teens |rating=4.5 |buy=Yes |borrow=Yes |isbn=9780761462729 |paperback= |hardback=0761462724 |audi..."

New review

{{infobox
|title=Torn
|author=Stephanie Guerra
|reviewer=Robert James
|genre=Teens
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=9780761462729
|paperback=
|hardback=0761462724
|audiobook=
|ebook=B007FXRWPQ
|pages=144
|publisher=Marshall Cavendish
|date=April 2012
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0761462724</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0761462724</amazonus>
|website=http://www.stephanieguerra.com
|video=
|summary=Strong debut novel focusing on the new friendship between two very different teens. Intense in places but always gripping.
}}
Stella Chavez is a fairly ordinary girl until she meets Ruby Caroline. She gets pretty good grades, has friends she's grown up with, and is a soccer star. New girl Ruby, on the other hand, is trouble with a capital T, right from the moment she storms into her first class wearing a band-aid of a skirt and swearing like a trooper. There's something about Ruby, though, that draws Stella to her, and the pair quickly become inseparable. But as Ruby's behaviour gets more and more erratic, and she's drawn into bad habits and an unsuitable relationship, can Stella save her friend - or will she get dragged down with her?

This is a fairly short but seriously intense read, with a couple of extremely strong scenes which are amongst the most gruelling I've ever read in a YA novel. It also benefits from some absolutely superb characters. Narrator Stella is wonderful - a realistically mixed-up 17 year old, struggling with the pressures of school, applying to college, a new boyfriend, an absent father and a beguiling new friend in Ruby. Ruby herself is just as good - far from being a stereotypical screwed up teenager, she's well-rounded, her relationship with her mother is particularly interesting, and I love the way she bonds with Stella's family. Speaking of Stella's family, I also developed a huge soft spot for both her hard-working mother and her younger sister Jackie. Every character, though, was very realistic - as was the novel as a whole - and as a modern coming-of-age story this ranks up there with the best of them.

Guerra's writing style is really readable and it's a fast-paced book which had me completely gripped. If I'm being hyper-critical the ending seems a little bit rushed (although I was partly sore because I didn't really want it to end at all!) - but it is very, very good and as a debut novel shows an incredible amount of promise for Stephanie Guerra. Oh, one brief warning - while I'm convinced teens will absolutely devour this, their parents may want to steer well clear unless they want some sleepless nights!

Extremely strong recommendation, I can't wait to get my hands on Guerra's next book!

My favourite teen novel of the year so far, [[Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt]] also deals with some tough issues and is a wonderful read.

{{amazontext|amazon=0761462724}}
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← Older revision		Revision as of 18:03, 8 March 2012
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		+	This review was kindly given to us by the ever-generous [http://yayeahyeah.blogspot.com/ Ya Yeah Yeah].
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-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title=Torn
 |author=Stephanie Guerra
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 |publisher=Marshall Cavendish
 |date=April 2012
 |website=http://www.stephanieguerra.com
 |summary=Strong debut novel focusing on the new friendship between two very different teens. Intense in places but always gripping. Stephanie Guerra popped into Bookbag Towers to [[The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stephanie Guerra|chat to us]].
 }}
 Stella Chavez is a fairly ordinary girl until she meets Ruby Caroline. She gets pretty good grades, has friends she's grown up with, and is a soccer star. New girl Ruby, on the other hand, is trouble with a capital T, right from the moment she storms into her first class wearing a band-aid of a skirt and swearing like a trooper. There's something about Ruby, though, that draws Stella to her, and the pair quickly become inseparable. But as Ruby's behaviour gets more and more erratic, and she's drawn into bad habits and an unsuitable relationship, can Stella save her friend - or will she get dragged down with her?

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 |borrow=Yes
 |isbn=9780761462729
 |pages=144
 |publisher=Marshall Cavendish
@@ Line 32: / Line 28: @@
 {{amazontext|amazon=0761462724}}
 This review was kindly given to us by the ever-generous [http://yayeahyeah.blogspot.com/ Ya Yeah Yeah].

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 |date=April 2012
 |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0761462724</amazonuk>
-|amazonus=<amazonus>0761462724</amazonus>
+|amazonus=<amazonus>B007FXRWPQ</amazonus>
 |website=http://www.stephanieguerra.com
 |video=