Switched by Amanda Hocking

“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 finds out her mother might've been telling the truth. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of…” From Goodreads

So… I’ll whole heartedly admit that this is another case of the book cover being too good to walk away from; seriously this book has haunted me for months because of how pretty the book cover is. And when I found it in a charity shop for £2.50 and it looked like it had never even been read I couldn’t resist. Wendy Everly is 17 years old and a bit of an outcast. She’s never really fit in anywhere, not even her own family. And let me tell you before I write this review that I actually liked the book. I liked it even though I know I shouldn’t, but this review is mainly going to air my bad opinions of it.



If, before you even grow up and hit puberty, your dad kills himself and then your mum tries to kill you and you’re basically raised by your over protective big brother and your too shiny happy aunt you think you would end up a bit messed up. But Wendy just comes across as a normal teenager. She feels like she doesn’t really fit in and yadayadayada but there’s no real signs of any trauma in her life except for when she goes to visit her ‘mum’ in the mental hospital and even then it’s only for a little bit.

The next thing is that Finn, the love interest, obviously starts of as this really boring stalker dude who creeps her out, and then the next minute she feels this really intense connection and wishes she had chosen to run away with him and what not. WHAT? Yeah that totally made sense. Then when she does leave she doesn’t even give that much of a crap about the family she did leave behind, she only care at like 2 different points. And if she had so much trauma about her other mother you think she would try and make an effort with her new one even though her new one is a bit of a bitch, but no she’s happy for her real mum not to give a shit.

I think the bits I liked were when she was away with the Trylle, because at least that was interesting, but I think I was more interested in their society and in their powers then any of the actual characters. In fact my favourite characters were the only two character’s with any personality Ryan (I think that was his name, but I don’t really remember) and Tove. Tove because he was manic and Ryan because he was fun.

Everyone else you are told what their personality is like but you don’t really experience. And of course Finn is the typical love interest. Very wooden, has no life other than protecting Wendy. I think I will read the series still because I’m interested in seeing how these characters develop, if they develop, but mainly what happens to the world and everything, because that’s the part I found most interesting.

So all in all I have too many reasons not to like this book, but it's a guilty pleasure.

-Iona