Torn
Amanda Hocking
St. Martin’s, Feb 28 2012, $8.99
ISBN: 9781250006325

Seventeen year old Wendy Everly flees her Trylle princess obligations in Forening, Minnesota as their chosen one heir (see Switched) to return home with Rhys Dahl. Grateful her legal guardian Aunt Maggie is away searching for her in Oregon, she somewhat explains to her older “brother” Matt that Rhys is his biological sibling, instead of her.

Finn Holmes the tracker, who collected her a month ago, arrives to take Wendy back to her biological mom Queen Elora. The monarch sends tracker Duncan Janssen to retrieve the runaway princess. Finn and Duncan leave without Wendy. Matt and Rhys scream just before Kyra and Loki of the Vittra kidnap her. She, Matt and Rhys are transported to Ondarike the Vittra stronghold. She soon learns why the Vittra interest in her rivals that of the Trylle.

The second Trylle fantasy (see Switched) is a superb young adult thriller starring a wonderful confused teenager with parental issues that makes Oedipus appear normal. Filled with spins and one great twist, fans will relish the further misadventures of the royal troll changeling as she begins to understand her “mother” was right calling her a monster as she knows you can’t go home when you don’t know which home is yours.

Harriet Klausner