Torn

Interesting to have a female soldier as the lead character. Ellie is a medic in the British army fighting in Afghanistan who learns the hard way to be on the lookout on her first day when she has a shower in an enclosed courtyard and looks up to see 3 male soldiers on the roof watching her! She has to not only cope with the war and the injuries people suffer ( as a medic) but also a very aggressive bunk mate in her patrol leader Heidi who thinks she is useless. As well there is the prospect as she patrols the desert streets that the wary people she sees around her might actually be out to kill her (not just the obvious rebels and enemy.)
It turns out the 3 men watching are all in her patrol and they soon come to rely on each other in a show more crisis and the first day's events are forgotten. I thought the part where she helps one who steps on a mine a little unrealistic. There is also the supernatural/strangely unexplained phenomenon of a girl who keeps reappearing and disappearing in Ellie's vision - is she an omen of death to come? As well as that there is a budding romance between her and a US superior officer. Different and fairly engaging story - has suspense and action in it and from memory, swearing is censored. show less

Torn has a strong female protagonist, lots of action, a little romance, and a few mysteries that need to be solved, including one surrounding a young girl dressed in blue that keeps showing up right before someone dies. It wrapped up a little too neatly for my liking, but had a few twists and turns along the way that made it interesting. The audio-book was well done, considering the female reader had to do a ton of male voices and several different accents. Recommended.

Striking and vivid this book seamlessly blends war accounts with fantasy in this riveting young adult novel. British medic, Ellie, gets more than she ever bargained for when she finds herself arriving at her new military base, not only is she in constant threat of danger but she has to have the capability and level-headedness to save the lives of her fellow soldiers. As if that weren't enough to shoulder, she soon finds herself seeing a young Afghan girl in the warzone. Ellie thinks her eyes are playing tricks on her, how can this girl survive the firestorms, landmines, and bullets? She soon realizes that this girl may be a bad omen, whereever she is, death follows; or is that just superstition?

Girl and boy teens alike will enjoy this show more read. It's gory, bloody, horrific, romantic, thrilling, etc. It's got something for everyone!

I received this novel for free from Librarything in return for my honest, unbiased opinion. show less

A seemingly realistic portrait of war further complicated by a group called The Young Martyrs, The Taliban, a secret cache of weapons, and a mysterious young girl with haunting green eyes and jet black hair that appears at curious moments and disappears when her demise appears certain. Ellie Nielsen, a British Medic and her group join American Navy Seals to solve a mystery of sorts during wartime in Afghanistan. The haunting young girl in the blue dress is the daughter of an American journalist and Afghani father...moreover, she is the granddaughter of a high-ranking American military man, General McCollum.

As the military group nears a decimated village that destroyed civilians, buildings, and the life as they knew it...the Navy Seals show more and British armed troop realize that other factors must be at work to consciously destroy an unarmed village. That's when the body of the American journalist is found with incriminating evidence that solves the tactical and international mystery. In all of this chaos, a budding romance is brewing between the young British medic, Ellie, and the handsome Navy Seal, Ben. Can there love survive this?

Torn is full of intrigue and suspense...yet lulls us into complicated mess of international tension. Saskia Maarieveld is great at reading the text and giving us different voices for the characters. show less

A female army medic, Elinor, is just an adult when she finds herself in Afghanistan working to protect her unit. Nothing is certain in war and Elinor questions everything from friendship to the orders of her superiors. Whom to trust is rarely clear and how to bring stability into her own life, let alone a battlefield, is a challenge to Elinor. This action-filled book will appeal to young adults who are interested in the military or other cultures. Along with Elinor's struggles, there is a ghost story and mystery that pull the reader into the story.
This review refers to the Recorded Books audiobook narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. The category of "Fantasy" provided by Recorded Books is very much in error and may deter some show more readers.
***spoiler alert*** The ending was a bit too tidy, however this may appeal to some readers. show less

I enjoyed this story. It was not really extensive but it was well written. The author was able to be descriptive enough to bring the reader (listener) into the story and onto the front line. At times it was slow. Most people think of something much faster pace when it comes to a war story, but it really did not take much away from it. I would recommend if you are looking for quick and enjoyable read (listen).

*I received this audiobook free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Ellie is a young British medic sent to Afghanistan as part of the British forces there. While there she sees the effects of this military action on herself, her fellow soldiers and the people of that country. She also sees a mysterious young girl who appears before tragedy strikes. In an effort to learn more about this girl, she and members of her team, accompanied by U.S. Navy Seals, delve into a mystery that surrounds the missing daughter of the U.S. general in charge of the war effort in that country who married a man from Afghanistan, her children, missing arms and children banded together to fight all evil. It is also a love story between Ellie and one of the Seals, but the emphasis is on the mysteries that they must solve, making show more it an excellent story. show less