Torn

Torn (Tryelle Trilogy #2) 

Author: Amanda Hocking
Review By: Courtney
Published By: St. Martin's Press
Date: February 28th 2012
Genre: YA / Urban Fantasy
Pages: 324 pages


When Wendy Everly first discovers the truth about herself—that she’s a changeling switched at birth—she knows her life will never be the same. Now she’s about to learn that there’s more to the story…

She shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined—and they’ll stop at nothing to lure her to their side. With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to master her magical powers—and marry an equally powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who’s strictly off limits…and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.

Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must decide her fate. If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything, and everybody, she’s ever wanted…in both worlds.




In the first book we are left off on Wendy leaving the Trylle kingdom and heading back home. The whole month before the next one came out I was going crazy trying to think what she is going to do because she needs to mater her powers and I was hoping that she would. Did my wish come true?? Well as soon as this book came out I had to buy it and well things were unsuspected.

We learned in Switched that Wendy was a troll and that there was a kingdom that was waiting for her to become their princess and all the powers she will behold. Only she was doubtful and childish, and frankly didn't have any confidence in herself. She fell in love with her tracker (Finn) when its not allowed. She didn't want to play by their rules and learn to be proper. She just wanted to go home.

Already in the beginning I was thrown into a whirl wind of chaos. There are a few things that I had no idea was lurking just a page ahead. I didn't know how crazy it was about to get, and that it did. Loki and his "friends" show up and take Wendy, Rhys, and Matt to the Vittra Kingdom. I really enjoyed this part of the book because we get to learn more about the Vittra and their ways and why they want Wendy :) which I will never tell of course. But also how Loki becomes more than a side character. He grabs a top spot in this book as a main character and becomes the epic bad boy, who is curious of Wendy and is conflicted to help her and his King. We also meet the King Oren and his wife Sara, The king has a surprising secret that is well BIG and he has been waiting years to tell it. We get a lot of back story that is well needed from the Vittra and Loki. We also learn a lot about the Vittra when they were allies with the Trylle.

Of course she does escape from there with some help from her friends, and that's where things will start to slow down a bit, but things do happen its just mostly a time in the book for information that you know is gonna be needed for the final book. We meet some new characters like Duncan, Wendy's new body guard. and we learn more about Tove and his powers. He is very special and you will grow to really like him. I love that he can see peoples auras and after I finished I immediately went online to see what the colors truly meant, I was that engaged into this book that I wanted to know more.

We get the chance to learn more about the Vittra powers and Wendy's father as well as the politics of the Trylle. I really did enjoy reading this book, It did not take long and it was a light and easy read. I really enjoyed reading about Wendy gaining more of her power, sometimes it was quite funny reading about her and Tove trying to figure it all out. I was quite upset when her mother tells her she has to marry, but in a way I understand that Elora needs the people to trust in Wendy. In the first book I enjoyed Finn but in this one I extremely disliked him. There are characters in this book you will love and some you will hate. Just like in any kingdom story's there are people to trust around you and some you cannot. Luckily Wendy has some great friends by her side.

Wendy is completely confused with Finn and the way he treats her, and she is scared of Loki.  What I really enjoyed is that Wendy listens to her heart and not what others tell her. Her will to fight becomes stronger and she begins to become a leader right before us. Elora and Wendy finally become close, but is it to late? Will Loki hurt her in the end or help, will Finn allow himself to betray the rules and even put Wendy at risk of losing the crown. Does Tove...well Tove is just a trusting character nothing I could question about him :)

For anyone who doubts this trilogy it is a nice read, it is a urban fantasy about magic and Trylle (Trolls). But all in all a great escape from today's reality. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, for I would read this book a million times and recommend to anyone who has never read urban fantasy before. I would recommend reading Switched first, but that is not necessary, Amanda is great at summing up what happened in the first book, but not in a boring stretched out way, and it is very easy to catch up :)