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Torn by Amber Lehman Closet Case Press
book review by Laura Miller Edwards
"I really wasn't concerned. What happened had happened for a purpose; I wasn't expecting a boyfriend out of the arrangement. Had I, then maybe it would have mattered to me to know the names and faces of all those before me. As it stood now, I was fine with it."
In Torn, Amber Lehman explores the dangerous and confusing terrain of what it is to be a teen today along with all of the accompanying emotions. When Krista moves from Ohio to California, she expects some changes, but when she feels an attraction to her new friend, Carrie, after an especially personal game of truth or dare, she begins to question all she thought she knew. Yet, it's her increasingly intimate friendship with Brandon, an attractive gay teen that causes her to ask the toughest questions and that ultimately changes her life in ways she never could have expected.
Torn is sexy fun with a warm tenderness at its core and an honesty that will appeal to the young adult reader. The book deals with common topics of interest among teens, including gay and lesbian issues, the use of drugs or alcohol, and those all too common feelings of insecurity that all young adults experience. Lehman handles her characters with care, portraying both teens who attend Bible studies and late-night parties with depth and fairness. The writing is fast-paced and scene-driven, keeping the story moving with dialogue and action. The story is mysterious, taking the reader through the various stages of friendships and relationships and ending with a surprising twist.