Switched by Amanda Hocking

Series: Trylle Trilogy, #1

Genre: Paranormal

Reading Grade: YA

Publication Date: July 2010

Source: Kindle store

Rated: Teen (13+)

Amazon.com

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.

My Review

Switched starts out with a very intriguing problem between Wendy, the protagonist, and her mother, who is completely convinced that her 6-year-old daughter is not her baby, and that she had given birth to a boy, instead. This leads her to try to murder Wendy, which lands her in a state mental institution. Wendy is then raised by her aunt and older brother, moving around constantly, as Wendy becomes something of a problem student in just about every school she attends. She learns to deal with being strange to people, and rarely makes any friends.

Fast forward to her senior year of high school. A new boy in school named Finn can't take his eyes off her. Later, he admits he's a “tracker” from a place called Forening, the land of the Trylle trolls. His job is to track down changeling trolls raised by humans, once they are ready to return to their true home. When she moves there, her new home seems ideal, but only on the surface. Yet, this new life leads Wendy down a path that ultimately answers her most burning questions about who she really is, and why she's different from normal people.

I really love this story and its characters! Hocking gives Wendy a really snarky, sarcastic attitude, which I adored right away. I was constantly asking questions, which Hocking answers in sprinkles throughout the book, so it made me want to keep on reading.

Wendy is an irresponsible teenager, but very likable. Without her I-feel-out-of-place attitude, the story really wouldn't progress. And, although I find Finn a bit boring, he's a good guy. Still, so many awesome characters are in this book, like Matt (Wendy's brother), Rhys and Tove, just to name my top 3 faves. I can't tell you how much I fell in love with Rhys! He is the cutest thing ever, for a teenage boy. The charming characters really sold me on this series.

I also find the back-story on the trolls fascinating, as the book explains how the Trylle society functions, and why they depend so much on their changeling babies. It's such a smart idea. And, in regards to the romance, there is some, but the plot doesn't revolve around it. I will admit that the ending was rushed—I would have liked to have seen the last scene fleshed out more. But, Switched is a great piece of story-telling, and I'm eager to read and review the rest of the books in the Trylle Trilogy.

My score: 4 out of 5 stars