Book Tour Review; Torn Together by Emlyn Chand

Author: Emlyn Chand
Publisher: Evolved Publishing
Published: August 15th 2012
Pages: 258
Format:E-book
Source:: Complimentary Copy from Author
Add It: Goodreads, Amazon UK, Amazon US

Summary:

When it comes to review writing, there are some books that are so easy to reflect on that the words come easily and naturally without much thought, and then there are the books on the other side of the spectrum, which are extremely difficult to write about. As a reviewer, you want to give your readers enough information about the book without spoiling the experience for them, but you also want to give them honest information so that if they pick up the book because of you, they’re not foiled by your words. Without that being a challenging enough feat as it is, you sometimes then get the added complication of a book like Torn Together which leaves you with so many mixed emotions that you’re not entirely sure where to begin, let alone what to include within the review. Therefore, for once, I have decided to scrap the way I normally do reviews, and to simply write this in the best way I can right now.

Before I started reading Torn Together, I was actually a little torn myself. Generally speaking, I get a little nervous when it comes to reading romance novels as I’m extremely picky with how I like my romance. Most of the time, I prefer it when the romance is a sub-plot to a much larger story. You may ask then, why did I bother even attempting to read Torn Together? The answer is easy; I wanted to try something new. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and using my blog as a branch to do it. Fortunately, after having completed this book, I am so glad that I took the leap because Torn Together is a book that I truly enjoyed and am incredibly happy that I read.

Emlyn Chand’s writing style took me a small while to get used to – or just reverting back to a kindle after many paperback’s could have been the problem – but once I was used to the style, I found myself enjoying the book. It was creative, unique, and imaginative, and in all honesty, I devoured every single page in the book with ease and anticipation. Chand takes you out of your daily life and pulls you first into the mundane life of Oxford, Michigan, before flying out of your comfort zone and landing you in New Delhi, India. I loved this part of the book. Embracing new cultures is something that I have always enjoyed – some of my favourite films are foreign films as they encapsulate different cultures incredibly well – and witnessing Daly’s transformation in this city was a part of the book that really spoke to me. I could really imagine the place due to Chand’s impeccable description, and felt it was the perfect setting for the story.

When it comes to romance, insta-love is really something that I struggle to get my head around and I feel it is important to add this in here because Torn Together is an insta-love story. The reason I dislike this style of romance is because I enjoy reading how the relationship develops over time, I like feeling like I, too, am falling head over heels for the other guy and while it was disappointing that I never truly felt that in this book, and while it was actually the only major problem I had with the book, I soon found myself truly affected by this relationship – my heart beating in tune with their relationship completely. Honestly, for me to still truly love a book that has insta-love at its centre is quite astonishing, but I would mention that if you’re also not a fan of this style, while this book may not be for you, I would recommend you read it but also to stick with it. Don’t give up halfway through, you’ll be rewarded if you continue.

All of the characters in this book were riveting. They all had interesting personalities and were all really well written. I loved that they all went on their own personal journeys throughout the story and that it wasn’t just one story changing. Chand has a way of bringing the right emotions throughout and due to this I found myself connecting with and empathising with the characters on the page as though they were real people in my life. There were many times when I cheered in happiness or wished to reach through my reading device and hug them for one reason or another.

Aside from the insta-love romance, the plot of this book was incredibly riveting and powerful. The final messages of the story were deep and full of intensity. I found myself rippling through the last few chapters of the book, my mind wanting to devour the information in my hands as the plot finally came to a close. There were many different sub-plots interlinking throughout the book but it was when the story finally ended that it was clear the biggest sub-plot of them all was actually the main relationship. This story was not about the insta-love, it was about familial love and friendships. It was about not taking life around you for granted but opening your eyes and making note of what was around you and just holding it and treasuring it for dear life. It was about moving on, staying strong, but never forgetting. A book that takes you on an incredible journey.

Overall, Torn Together is a book that I would highly recommend to others. It is inspirational, full of creativity, and holds such deep and powerful words that it is hard not to enjoy every single moment of it. It is one of those books that has an ending which makes you reflect on the rest of your book and changes how you interpret the rest of it. It is an enjoyable read and one that I doubt you will regret reading about. Unfortunately, the insta-love did almost make me stop reading as it got a little bit unbearable in the middle but I was incredibly glad that I decided to continue reading and I hope that if you do the same, that you will too. This is an incredibly powerful book that I feel you would be missing out not to read.

** I received this copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. **

Faye

About the Book – About the Author – Prizes!!!

About the book: Life, love, and an unforgettable trip to India–readers call “Torn Together” an emotional roller coaster ride. What’s all the fuss about? Grab your mother, daughter, sister, or closest friend, and get reading. Make sure to keep a box of Kleenex handy! Get Torn Together through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo Books.

About the author: Emlyn Chand emerged from the womb with a fountain pen clutched in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm Novel Publicity. Best known for her Young Adult novels, she is also developing a small, but devoted, following to her children’s book series and is beginning to dabble in other genres as well. Emlyn enjoys connecting with readers and is available via almost every social media site in existence. Visit EmlynChand.com for more info. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky! Connect with Emlyn on her website, Facebook, GoodReads, or Twitter.

About the prizes: Who doesn’t love prizes? You could win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or an autographed copy of Torn Together! Here’s what you need to do…

1. Enter the Rafflecopter contest
2. Leave a comment on my blog.

That’s it! One random commenter during this tour will win the first gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win–the full list of participating bloggers can be found here. The other two prizes will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Torn Together tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway