Review - Torn

Reviewer: Rebekah

Title: Torn

Author: Stephanie Guerra

Pages: 263

Genre: Young Adult

Publication Date:April 1st, 2012

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish

Rating: 3.5/5

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.

Main Idea: This is a contemporary story about not judging people by their reputation or race,  being a good friend even when it's not the easy or hard, and loyalty.

We received this in the mail as an ARC just before our Spring Break, so I made sure to pack it up for the beach!


Stella is the kind of girl who doesn't have enemies. She's drama-free, non-confrontational, and committed to her family,friends, education, sports, and just about everything she does. I definitely related to her personality, especially the no-drama part. But, she's not perfect and she's realizing that she can't be.


When crazy fun Ruby becomes her sudden new best friend, Stella changes, for better and worse. But being a friend to a girl like Ruby, a ticking time bomb, comes with major hazards. I loved Ruby's character, even though she's not exactly the kind of girl I normally had classes with in high school. Still, she's ridiculous but good-hearted for the most part.


Some aspects of the story were a little far-fetched, but for the most part, this is a good modern-day tale about finding your friends and finding yourself. Stella is forced to make some decisions and either be one thing or the other, even if that means putting yourself in a position that isn't desirable. 

check it out!

Rebekah