Torn to Pieces

January 1, 2009
Gr 8-11-Anne, 17, is used to her eccentric mother's comings and goings; after all, the woman is a biographer who must travel to interview the subjects of her books. Anne is used to her mother pulling up roots and moving the two of them and her grandparents to a new town. She is definitely used to having few friends and fewer boyfriends. All that changes when two new boys show an unusual interest in her. A phone message from her mother leads her to thousands of dollars stashed inside a hollowed-out book, and then her mother doesn't return from one of her trips. When Anne calls the woman's cell, the number has been disconnected, and there is no record of her at the hotel where she was supposedly staying. As the teen begins to unravel the mystery of her mother's identity, she discovers that all she has ever known has been a fabrication. Fast-paced and exciting, this book is a perfect choice for fans of Caroline Cooney's "The Face on the Milk Carton" series (Random). The complicated plot takes a little deciphering to figure out, but persistent readers will be rewarded for their efforts. Anne is an articulate and intelligent heroine, and readers will identify with her sense of social isolation as they live vicariously through her courage and tenacity."Heather M. Campbell, formerly at Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2008
Grades 8-11 Anne has never really liked the fact that her mother travels so much for work, but she gets by, thanks to her nearby grandparents, and enjoys the benefits of her moms ample salary. Besides, her mom always makes it back for the important things. But whenher mothermisses Annes birthday andher cell phone gets disconnected, Anne starts to worry, and with good reason. Soon, the life she thought she had is crumbling in front of her eyes and she is sucked into a world of long-held secrets, government agencies, double crosses, and dangerous men. Annes moms shocking past has caught up with her, and Anne discovers that no one in her life is who she thought they were. Readers may want to be aware that as she investigates the complex deception her mother has constructed, Anne encounters violence on several occasions, including a disturbing scene of attempted rape and potential incest. This teen thriller is slow to start but builds to a gripping conclusion with a final twist that will shock and satisfy teen readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)