Book Review: Torn (A Wicked Saga #2)

About the Book:
Title: Torn (A Wicked Saga #2)
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pub. Date: July 19, 2016
Publisher: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pages: 368
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:

Torn between duty and survival, nothing can be the same.

Everything Ivy Morgan thought she knew has been turned on its head. After being betrayed and then nearly killed by the Prince of the Fae, she’s left bruised and devastated—and with an earth-shattering secret that she must keep at all costs. And if the Order finds out her secret, they’ll kill her.

Then there’s Ren Owens, the sexy, tattooed Elite member of the Order who has been sharing Ivy’s bed and claiming her heart. Their chemistry is smoking hot, but Ivy knows that Ren has always valued his duty to the Order above all else—he could never touch her if he knew the truth. That is, if he let her live at all. Yet how can she live with herself if she lies to him?

But as the Fae Prince begins to close in, intent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld, Ivy is running out of options. If she doesn’t figure out who she can trust—and fast—it’s not only her heart that will be torn apart, but civilization itself. 

Review:

“The whole point of me not getting knocked up with the prince’s baby was to keep the gates closed, but we had to open them. Temporarily.
And we’d need the Order for that.
I had a suspicion baby Jesus was more likely to attend dinner tonight wearing suspenders than getting them on board with opening a gate.” 

I don't think it's any secret that I'm the ultimate JLA fangirl...I've loved every single one of her books, and have read them countless times. I don't even need to read a description of a new book (whether it's an addition to a series or a new book in general) to know that I'm definitely going to read it as soon as I can. This book was certainly no exception! I waited 2 long years for this book to come out, and guys...the wait was more than worth it! I devoured this book and never wanted to stop reading. If I wasn't studying for 2 exams while I was reading this, I would have finished this in one sitting. But alas, I had to do well on my exam (grad school is no joke guys!), so this was read over 2 sittings haha. Anyway...there is so much to love about this book, and I honestly don't know how I'm going to survive a year of waiting for the third (and sadly, final) book in this series.

Jen's writing gets better with every single book she writes. There is just something about her writing that sweeps you away, and keeps you hooked until the very end. The character development in this novel was simply fantastic. Every single character, but Ivy the most, grows stronger and more mature. Obviously, Ivy goes through some tough times in this book, and I loved seeing how much stronger she was at the end. This book makes you feel as if these characters are right there next to you, and you endure every single thing that the character is enduring, facing the tragedies that character is facing, and feeling every single damn emotion the character is feeling. Suffice to say, your emotions go on a roller coaster ride while reading this book. 

“I was not alone in any of this. I was only a little torn, but not broken. “Yeah,” I said. “I’ll be okay.” And I was brave.” 

I loved Ivy in this book (not that I didn't love her before, but I loved her even more in this one). You just want to be her best friend, and I admired her resolve and strength in this book more so than the previous installment. Ivy realized what she needed to do, and even though it meant sacrificing herself, it was how it had to happen. When she is with The Prince...I had shivers running down my spine. To say the Prince has the ultimate ick factor is a massive understatement, and I hated every single second that she had to be in his presence (and what he made her do). He's sick and twisted, and just plain creeptastic. I was hoping that there would be someone there to help her and get her out of the Prince's lair. I'm not going to spoil anything though so you'll have to read to find out just how she gets out of the horrifying situation she's in. Ren...my beautiful Ren...was absolutely wonderful in this one. Granted, he's not in the story as much as Wicked, but this is because this is (and always will be) Ivy's story at heart. But the scenes Ren is in, make you love him even more. The lengths he is willing to go to for Ivy are amazing, and I can't get enough of him.

“Ren exhaled heavily. “God, you’re so annoying.”
“So?” Tink hovered in front of the couch, his wings furiously beating the air. “I’m rubber and you’re glue!”
Ren turned to face the little guy. “What?”
“Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you!”
Ren stared at him and then slowly shook his head as he turned back to me. “It’s like living with a two-year-old with the mental capacity of a fifteen-year-old boy.” 

But you know who my favorite character is?? TINK! I love that little (well maybe not so little anymore...) guy! He had me cracking up and he's the one constant in Ivy's life. You can clearly see how much he truly cares about her, and just wants her to be okay. Tink is Ivy's best friend, and even though he's a little...okay a lot...wacky, he'll always be there to protect her. And Tink and Ren's interaction are pure gold (see quote above)! I can't even begin to tell you how classic and epic their banter is, but it helps to lighten the overall mood of the underlying story. 

I honestly can't wait for the last book to come out, and I highly recommend checking this book (along with Wicked if you haven't already) out right away! This book has a little bit of everything: fairies, an extremely sadistic villain, exciting adventures and action, and an epic plot that is unique and leaves you begging for more. JLA's writing is not to be missed, and every single one of her books gives you the ultimate reading high. Definitely check this out now!

Happy reading :)

~Cassie