Torn: A Review

Hello all,

It's been many moons since my last post, but today, I have a review of the book Torn by Ashley S. Morgan.

Into Tristan and Isolde/ Romeo and Juliet-like things? Then this one may just be for you....

Picture and description from Torn website and used for review purposes only

Isadora Rivers feels trapped. Her small town high school is suffocating her.
Another day of wannabe gangsters, dumb jocks, and Barbie clones, and she'll just lose it.
Her keen emotional sensitivity is to blame. She sees through all of the poser behavior to
the pain and insecurity simmering just below the surface, and it's overwhelming. She feels
like she's literally drowning in other people's emotions.

This same sensitivity, however, makes her a great actress. Suffocating or not, her high school
is one of the top arts schools in the country. Acting is not only her passion, but it also looks
like her way out. If she can just score the lead role in the school play, she might get herself
noticed by a Hollywood agent. But she's got a strong reckless streak, and it keeps getting
her in trouble and jeopardizing her chances.

Riding her bike at top speed, she swerves in front of a car and nearly gets hit. The driver,
Tristan Blake, turns out to be the mysterious new boy at school. He's rebellious, broody,
and wise beyond his years. He's also devastatingly gorgeous. From the moment their
eyes meet, Isadora is irresistibly drawn to him. But as soon as he enters her life, things go
horribly wrong. She begins having disturbing visions full of unimaginable glamour and
unbearable darkness. He knows things about her he shouldn't. And he's somehow so
familiar. As he at turns pulls her close, and then pushes her away, Isadora feels like her
heart is being twisted and torn.

She soon discovers that her whole future is in jeopardy, and her only hope is to stay away
from Tristan. But how can she turn away from the only boy she has ever loved? As a harrowing
event looms closer, one that threatens to rip apart her psyche, Isadora must reach deep inside
herself and find the strength to change her own destiny. But is she strong enough to do it?

The Genre:

This book would be a flash-forward, fated love, can they fix what's coming semi-psychic using romantic, with a little bit of theater, YA. Wow, was that confusing to you too? It's not when you read it, but I thought I'd make sure I included everything. 

The Cover:

I think this a fairly okay cover. As this is a self-published title, I can say that I've seen a lot worse, but I think overall, this cover works for the story being told.

The Plot:

This books deals with fate, love, drama, and flash forwards, and when I started reading it, part of me felt like I already knew what was to come, but in some ways, I was pleasantly surprised. Morgan could have gone stereotypical with this story, but she didn't. She took a couple of edgy steps in the futures of these two lovebirds that made the story feel more original. Isadora could seem overly dramatic in parts to some, but that didn't bother me because I saw the dramatics as being appealing to a younger reading audience. With that being said, I did say Morgan went a little edgy with drugs and uh-oh situations, so take from that what you will. (I would have liked it at 15, that I can say.)

The Romantic Element:

There was some back and forth of will they get together, will they not, but not to the level that tension-aficionados would be clamoring for. This book was more about how the future meets the present than a traditional love story plot. Tristan was cute though, and you could feel some teenage angst.

Overall:

I think this book was entertaining and worth the the $2.99 price tag. To the older YA readers (like myself), there may be predictable bits, but the slight edginess keeps you reading until the end. To the younger, more traditional YA readers, you'll like this one if it's near your age group. This book has more than enough to keep you going, and for a breezy, kind of quick read, this one won't disappoint.

Where to find it:

Amazon Kindle

Torn Website

Goodreads

So what do you all think? Up your alley? Let me know below!