Have you ever wondered what it's like to have a torn family? Many people divorce there spouse these days, and their kids are affected greatly by the change. Bitter Rose is a touching novel about a young girl's family being ripped apart. Melody Carlson did a tremendous job on painting this picture. It's a realistic book about everyday hardships people face, which makes it easier for the reader to connect with the book.

This story, though fiction, documents a seventeen year old girl named Magdela, or Maggie for short. She's a proud Christian and this is her senior year of high school. Both her parents are Spanish, and are also very religious. Staying married is one of their strongest beliefs.

One day Maggie came home after youth group to discover her parents are breaking up. She's willing to go to great lengths just to know what happened behind the scenes. Magdela's family starts need financial help, which forces her to get a job and her faith starts to fade away. Even though she meets some new people, the old people that she loves start to abandon her. Maggie has to gain back control of her life. After all she's practically an adult.

Speaking out to many different people in the world, Bitter Rose is a must read story. Reading this book makes you feel as if you are 17. The emotion is strong, along with the language used in the book. Though there are some mind-boggling words, this not a difficult book to read. There are 22 chapters, and they're easy to follow. You are always left wondering “What's going to happen next?”