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Editorial Reviews
Switched - the first book in the Trylle Trilogy...
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.
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.
Related Reviews
Not my typical reading, but enjoyable light reading!
Hey!
Switched was one interesting book. I loved the story. Every new development was exciting and fun and left me wanting more. The whole plot line is supposed to be a mystery, and I don't want to spoil it for anyone so I'll make this a little vague.
Wendy is a teenager who has, as she puts it, anger-management issues. She also has odd eating habits, odd hair, and an odd way of getting what she wants. Most people think this has to do with what happened to her when she was younger, because her mother tried to kill her as a child. Throughout the book, Wendy is thus struggling with the knowledge that she is hard to deal with, cold, and distant with people. And now that she's moved to ANOTHER new town, ANOTHER new school, with ANOTHER new house, she has promised her brother she's going to try to make this place work and not get in as much trouble. She tries making friends, and so is connected with two boys, one being her love interest with a secret, Finn.
My favorite elements in this story were:
- The Chosen Paranormal Element: I don't want to give away what Wendy is, but it's super rare to read a story about them. It was very cool to see something new and different come out in a story, instead of the same old vampires, werewolves, or fairies (Don't get me wrong, I like some of those, but...they get tiresome after the hundred or so novels you read about them).
- Wendy's Emotional Damage: I think this was dealt with both with subtlety and finesse. You can really believe that Wendy has been emotionally hurt, and that her life has been extremely impacted by that damage.
- Wendy's Tough-Girl Personality: No damsel-in-distress here. No matter what is happening, whether she has an annoying popular chick giving her grief, two kidnappers trying to subdue and capture her, or an all-out battle engaged around her, Wendy is always trying to find a way to at least help take out the bad guys. Wendy doesn't wait around to be saved, she gives it everything she's got to save herself.
- The Romantic Interest: NO LOVE TRIANGLE!! YAY!!! I am beyond sick of love triangles. She loves one guy, that guy loves her, they have issues that make sense, and the teen angst doesn't go on forever. Wendy doesn't just whine over the fact that their romance seems impossible, she goes out and tries to get the man she loves anyway.
- The Quirky Viewpoint: This author has an interesting way of looking at things. There are several lines in this book that I find completely perfect, which is rare in any book. I love her point of view and would continue reading just to hear more of the way Amanda sees the world.
What I Didn't Like:
- The Ending: It sucked! It was a cliff hanger, nothing had been really settled, Wendy was doing something both stupid and annoying, and it left me unsatisfied and listless. Fortunately there's a sequel. Unfortunately, there's a sequel to that sequel, and it isn't out yet.
- The Runaway Syndrome: Seriously, it's a 257 page book and yet Wendy manages to run away from home four times, not to mention running away from the situations and conversations she dislikes about six times. About the only thing Wendy doesn't run away from is a fight, which isn't always a good thing.
- The Powers: While they sound really awesome, and seemed really cool, they weren't really integrated into the storyline very much. Neither were they fully explained. I was very disappointed not to see these used more in the story, and Wendy's powers never got to grow at all either. Very early in the story they discover one of Wendy's powers, talk about how she has to train it for the rest of the book, but never seem to get around to the actual training. Maybe Amanda Hacking tackles this issue in the next book in the series.
Anyway, that's what I thought of Switched. It was a beautiful story, that I adored. I would have given it five stars if the ending hadn't been so disappointing. The rest of the book had me completely mesmerized, but the last chapter just didn't deliver. Even a cliff hanger can be alright, but the ending just left me vaguely annoyed. While I still want to read the next book, that ending stunted my desire a little bit, which was just too bad. The rest of the book had been thrilling and exhilarating, and I couldn't wait to see what was next. Now, I want to know what happens but I'm not so die-hard HAVE to know as I was before.
Hope that helps and have a great day!
Luv ya,
Tashi :)
Switched was one interesting book. I loved the story. Every new development was exciting and fun and left me wanting more. The whole plot line is supposed to be a mystery, and I don't want to spoil it for anyone so I'll make this a little vague.
Wendy is a teenager who has, as she puts it, anger-management issues. She also has odd eating habits, odd hair, and an odd way of getting what she wants. Most people think this has to do with what happened to her when she was younger, because her mother tried to kill her as a child. Throughout the book, Wendy is thus struggling with the knowledge that she is hard to deal with, cold, and distant with people. And now that she's moved to ANOTHER new town, ANOTHER new school, with ANOTHER new house, she has promised her brother she's going to try to make this place work and not get in as much trouble. She tries making friends, and so is connected with two boys, one being her love interest with a secret, Finn.
My favorite elements in this story were:
- The Chosen Paranormal Element: I don't want to give away what Wendy is, but it's super rare to read a story about them. It was very cool to see something new and different come out in a story, instead of the same old vampires, werewolves, or fairies (Don't get me wrong, I like some of those, but...they get tiresome after the hundred or so novels you read about them).
- Wendy's Emotional Damage: I think this was dealt with both with subtlety and finesse. You can really believe that Wendy has been emotionally hurt, and that her life has been extremely impacted by that damage.
- Wendy's Tough-Girl Personality: No damsel-in-distress here. No matter what is happening, whether she has an annoying popular chick giving her grief, two kidnappers trying to subdue and capture her, or an all-out battle engaged around her, Wendy is always trying to find a way to at least help take out the bad guys. Wendy doesn't wait around to be saved, she gives it everything she's got to save herself.
- The Romantic Interest: NO LOVE TRIANGLE!! YAY!!! I am beyond sick of love triangles. She loves one guy, that guy loves her, they have issues that make sense, and the teen angst doesn't go on forever. Wendy doesn't just whine over the fact that their romance seems impossible, she goes out and tries to get the man she loves anyway.
- The Quirky Viewpoint: This author has an interesting way of looking at things. There are several lines in this book that I find completely perfect, which is rare in any book. I love her point of view and would continue reading just to hear more of the way Amanda sees the world.
What I Didn't Like:
- The Ending: It sucked! It was a cliff hanger, nothing had been really settled, Wendy was doing something both stupid and annoying, and it left me unsatisfied and listless. Fortunately there's a sequel. Unfortunately, there's a sequel to that sequel, and it isn't out yet.
- The Runaway Syndrome: Seriously, it's a 257 page book and yet Wendy manages to run away from home four times, not to mention running away from the situations and conversations she dislikes about six times. About the only thing Wendy doesn't run away from is a fight, which isn't always a good thing.
- The Powers: While they sound really awesome, and seemed really cool, they weren't really integrated into the storyline very much. Neither were they fully explained. I was very disappointed not to see these used more in the story, and Wendy's powers never got to grow at all either. Very early in the story they discover one of Wendy's powers, talk about how she has to train it for the rest of the book, but never seem to get around to the actual training. Maybe Amanda Hacking tackles this issue in the next book in the series.
Anyway, that's what I thought of Switched. It was a beautiful story, that I adored. I would have given it five stars if the ending hadn't been so disappointing. The rest of the book had me completely mesmerized, but the last chapter just didn't deliver. Even a cliff hanger can be alright, but the ending just left me vaguely annoyed. While I still want to read the next book, that ending stunted my desire a little bit, which was just too bad. The rest of the book had been thrilling and exhilarating, and I couldn't wait to see what was next. Now, I want to know what happens but I'm not so die-hard HAVE to know as I was before.
Hope that helps and have a great day!
Luv ya,
Tashi :)
I had seen this book every now and then but was not familiar with it nor was I familiar with the author at all. And the first thing I usually do is read the reviews and see if it is worth a buy - and of course reading a sample of it on my Kindle. This was worth the buy and the a good read. I know she has a vampire series as well, but this one was really great - take a break from the vampire genre.
In a nutshell, Wendy feels that she does not belong - in fact her own mother felt the same way that she nearly killed her daughter. After she receives a visit, to her bedroom at night no less, from the newer student at her school (Finn Holmes) she finds that there is a reason she feels she doesn't belong and the things that seem to happen when she's around...
Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you - gonna have to read and find out.
I am not really a fan of books written in the first person, with the exception of one (White Oleander, Great book by the way!) this one I actually didn't mind at all. I didn't care for Twilight (sorry Twilight fans) simply because I couldn't care for the character because she was...to put it simply...annoying. That's just me though!
I do like how she developed her characters, even the ones that don't have such a big part in the story.
I did spot a few errors, but not enough to completely annoy me - but then I'm not a true grammar person. I will be getting the next book fairly soon (I read the excerpt and I have to know what happens with Wendy). Highly recommended.
In a nutshell, Wendy feels that she does not belong - in fact her own mother felt the same way that she nearly killed her daughter. After she receives a visit, to her bedroom at night no less, from the newer student at her school (Finn Holmes) she finds that there is a reason she feels she doesn't belong and the things that seem to happen when she's around...
Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you - gonna have to read and find out.
I am not really a fan of books written in the first person, with the exception of one (White Oleander, Great book by the way!) this one I actually didn't mind at all. I didn't care for Twilight (sorry Twilight fans) simply because I couldn't care for the character because she was...to put it simply...annoying. That's just me though!
I do like how she developed her characters, even the ones that don't have such a big part in the story.
I did spot a few errors, but not enough to completely annoy me - but then I'm not a true grammar person. I will be getting the next book fairly soon (I read the excerpt and I have to know what happens with Wendy). Highly recommended.
You know when you want to slap the heroine that something is terribly wrong...
That's exactly what I wanted to do throughout the entire book: slap and kill Wendy Everly. She is what made the book not work for me. The writing was neither here nor there but somewhere in the middle. The plot was ok. The secondary characters were a heck of a lot more interesting then Wendy was. It's depressing that we didn't get to learn that much about them. Overall everything was ok but "Weak Wendy" killed any enjoyment for me.
Let me just say that I have never been more angry, ashamed and frustrated towards a heroine ever. I read a lot of books so that is quite a statement. I have read books were the heroines are selfish, unusual cruel, crude but somehow this was much worse. All these heroines either grow into better people near the end of the book or they do something respectable. It is possible to be bratty, annoying, and rude but still gain the respect of the reader. "Weak Wendy" did none of this. From the beginning she whines and complains about the state of her life, but refuses to make an effort to change anything. She doesn't have any hobbies, likes or interest. This made her a rather flat character. So what's different about this unmotivated angsty teenager? "Weak Wendy" is a troll princess. When she was six years old her mother tried to murder her. That's all that is distinctive about her character. Everything else is forgotten about or unimportant.
"Weak Wendy" has powers that are revealed within in the first 20 pgs but they fall to the backburner as the true plot emerges. "Weak Wendy" has always felt out of place, she gets into fights because she's impulsive and her hair sucks. Pity this girl reader her life is very hard!! And near the beginning I really did. The book starts off with "Weak Wendy" using her mind control abilities to deter a teacher from sending her to the principal's office. This is immoral behavior is rendered ok because she doesn't want to disappoint her family. Fine...it's an awful thing to do but I got over it. "Weak Wendy" notices a weird but slightly attractive kid staring obsessively at her. This kid's name is Finn and he's recently moved to the town just like "Weak Wendy". Nothing exciting happens for the next 30 pgs or so and then BAM what's on the back cover is revealed "Weak Wendy" is a trylle (troll) changeling. Finn is a tracker who has come to bring her back to the Troll World. "Weak Wendy" responds appropriately with dismay and goes to visit her fake mother for answers. This is really the only time where I felt some positive emotion towards "Weak Wendy"; it was probably the best part of the book. Alas it all goes downhill from there.
"Weak Wendy" decides not go with Finn because she loves her fake brother (he was awesome by the way) and fake aunt but ends up going anyway because of the danger. The danger in the book known as the Vittra (fellow troll tribe) are given no depth and while reading I actually forgot about them. What unfolds next is about 200 pgs of "Weak Wendy" rejecting her duties and whining about her life. She makes no attempt to assimilate into troll society or learn more about her situation. Because of this I could feel no empathy towards her. She doesn't seem to care that much about what's going on except for her growing attraction to Finn, so as a result I really didn't care. What was truly tragic about this is that the world seemed so rich and interesting but we don't really get to learn about it. The powers, which she used on the first page, and seemed promising, are promptly forgotten about so she can ogle over Finn. I will say that I LIKED FINN. But I wanted him to die a horrible death by the middle of the book just so "Weak Wendy" would frigging grow up. She was so myopic that it was ridiculous.
Sadly she remains a petulant child. She whines about being a troll princess every couple pages. Tough get over it. The fact that she had only been there for 2 weeks and had met very few people voids her complaints. She whines about not fitting in. You're the freaking princess DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. She whines about the rules of the society she becomes a part of. YOU'RE THE PRINCESS... WHEN YOU'RE QUEEN YOU CAN CHANGE THEM! She whines about Finn. Face palm. Face palm. Face palm. She whines about missing her family. WRITE A LETTER! She whines about how she has no relationship with her mother. "Weak Wendy" never once sought out her mother, never attempted to bond, and never even had an actual conversation with her.... Don't whine if you don't attempt to change anything. She whines about not knowing about the culture. This really frustrated me. There has to be a library or a collection of history books or something where she can find answers to her questions. She doesn't even try. How can you whine about what's going on when you don't even know??? She whines about her lack of manners. Fix them you foolish girl. She whines about her confusion over her powers. DO SOMETHING. The point of this rant is to illustrate how "Weak Wendy" whines about anything and everything.
The real kicker though is that she does not change. She doesn't even get to save the day in the final battle. Instead she has to be saved by others. This wouldn't be annoying if "Weak Wendy" had done something heroic in course of the book. But she didn't. Instead the kickass secondary characters upstage her. Further more instead of showing some leadership after the disaster she leaves and goes back to her fake home. Despite the fact that there is probably still a threat to her safety. Despite the fact that she has a kingdom and responsibilities. She gets to run away from her responsibilities because she doesn't like them.......... WELCOME TO LIFE "WEAK WENDY"!!!!! You aren't going to like everything but that doesn't mean you can just forego your responsibilities and give up. It's a horrible message and the fact that the book ends this way...BLECK.I have never been so frustrated and pained while reading a story.
I'm not sure why there were spelling mistakes, grammar errors, and missing words in a book that was published but I took it as a good sign. Hopefully this isn't the final version and the character "Weak Wendy" can be redone.
I gave it a shot, but this book is truly, shockingly bad. A shame, too, because the general concept was intriguing: a mother attempts to kill her six-year-old daughter, hysterically claiming the girl is a monster. The problems in the execution are myriad. The characters are paper-thin and insufferable, the dialogue is horrendous, and, on the level of the prose, the author is worse than Stephenie Meyer. Hocking seems not to have a full grasp of the English language, and her style is extremely unpolished. It's no wonder she's so prolific; she seems not to have paused over a single sentence in the book, relating images as they come half-formed into her mind.
Consider the following excerpt, a typical description: "Her short brown pixie cut spiked up all over. Her skirt was short and her black leather jacket went down to her calves. A wind came up, blowing back her coat a bit, and she reminded me of some kind of action star, like she should be in The Matrix."
First of all, does the prose not just make you want to break something? Second, if the garment goes down to your calves, it's not a jacket: it's a coat. The most aggravating thing, though, is that the author has put no original thought whatsoever into this character, or attempted to even describe it uniquely. Here she has stolen an image from another work and, by way of description, given the name of the source. I hesitate to call Amanda Hocking a writer at all. The rest of the book is much the same. Please don't buy it.
Consider the following excerpt, a typical description: "Her short brown pixie cut spiked up all over. Her skirt was short and her black leather jacket went down to her calves. A wind came up, blowing back her coat a bit, and she reminded me of some kind of action star, like she should be in The Matrix."
First of all, does the prose not just make you want to break something? Second, if the garment goes down to your calves, it's not a jacket: it's a coat. The most aggravating thing, though, is that the author has put no original thought whatsoever into this character, or attempted to even describe it uniquely. Here she has stolen an image from another work and, by way of description, given the name of the source. I hesitate to call Amanda Hocking a writer at all. The rest of the book is much the same. Please don't buy it.
Not polished enough for a published novel
I selected this book based on the reviews of others and was disappointed in the quality of the writing and editing. The overall plot was interesting but the dialog was choppy, there were blatant grammatical errors and typos. At one point in the book, a section is even repeated in error.
The author has a good imagination and the work has potential. However, it appears this was self published by the author and could really use a good editor to tighten it up.
In addition, I found I was frustrated by all the negative characters and was longing for deeper character building and relationships. The beginning showed more promise but I found it difficult to work through the rest of the book. At the very end of the book, there is a rush to completion as the author has Wendy rapidly jump to some life changing decisions that are not well supported by the rest of the book.
The work is obviously written by a young author with little experience. While I would find the writing amazing in a community writing class, it is not polished enough for a published piece. I will keep an eye on the author and hope she will sign on with a publisher who can give her writing the guidance and direction it needs.
The author has a good imagination and the work has potential. However, it appears this was self published by the author and could really use a good editor to tighten it up.
In addition, I found I was frustrated by all the negative characters and was longing for deeper character building and relationships. The beginning showed more promise but I found it difficult to work through the rest of the book. At the very end of the book, there is a rush to completion as the author has Wendy rapidly jump to some life changing decisions that are not well supported by the rest of the book.
The work is obviously written by a young author with little experience. While I would find the writing amazing in a community writing class, it is not polished enough for a published piece. I will keep an eye on the author and hope she will sign on with a publisher who can give her writing the guidance and direction it needs.
Spend your 99 cents on a cell phone app instead.
`Switched' by Amanda Hocking caught my eye due to its high position on Amazon Kindle's bestsellers and it's awesome price of 99 cents. Without knowing a thing about the book other than the brief synopsis I read before I downloaded the story, and the overwhelming number of positive reviews, I figured it would be an awesome quick read.
`Switched' is about Wendy Everly, a girl who lives with her aunt and brother in an attempt to control the chaos of her life. Her mother, Kim, tried to kill her on her 6th birthday, and since then her life has been a downward spiral of changing homes and failed friendships. Within this backdrop we discover that Wendy has some peculiar abilities, and is given an opportunity by a mysterious boy, Finn, to move once again to a new place where she can finally fit in. However, if she decides to make the move she will have to leave behind her brother and aunt, the only two people who have ever cared about her.
I've only revealed the first 20 pages or so and it sounds like a decent story line right? However, once the story begins to progress you discover that it doesn't go anywhere. The plot never advances, the characters are underdeveloped, the conversation is so far away from colloquial it seems as if the `speaker' is rummaging through a thesaurus before deciding on each word choice, and the romantic elements in the story make you cringe with the overwhelming amount of cheesiness. I suppose if you're into the new `supernatural teen romance' genre that is emerging, this book could be for you. But for anyone that is not familiar with this genre, stay clear of this book. Wendy experiences '0' change throughout the book and the story ends literally and figuratively exactly where it began.
I was astonished to see how many positive reviews this book received, and I understand that Hocking is not attempting to write a literary masterpiece that is applauded by college English professors, but to me, the story was barely enjoyable. My 99 cents would have been better spent on the `Fruit Ninja" app for my iPhone.
On a bookshelf with 5 shelves... shelf 5 being the highest and best, it doesn't even make it to the shelf.
`Switched' is about Wendy Everly, a girl who lives with her aunt and brother in an attempt to control the chaos of her life. Her mother, Kim, tried to kill her on her 6th birthday, and since then her life has been a downward spiral of changing homes and failed friendships. Within this backdrop we discover that Wendy has some peculiar abilities, and is given an opportunity by a mysterious boy, Finn, to move once again to a new place where she can finally fit in. However, if she decides to make the move she will have to leave behind her brother and aunt, the only two people who have ever cared about her.
I've only revealed the first 20 pages or so and it sounds like a decent story line right? However, once the story begins to progress you discover that it doesn't go anywhere. The plot never advances, the characters are underdeveloped, the conversation is so far away from colloquial it seems as if the `speaker' is rummaging through a thesaurus before deciding on each word choice, and the romantic elements in the story make you cringe with the overwhelming amount of cheesiness. I suppose if you're into the new `supernatural teen romance' genre that is emerging, this book could be for you. But for anyone that is not familiar with this genre, stay clear of this book. Wendy experiences '0' change throughout the book and the story ends literally and figuratively exactly where it began.
I was astonished to see how many positive reviews this book received, and I understand that Hocking is not attempting to write a literary masterpiece that is applauded by college English professors, but to me, the story was barely enjoyable. My 99 cents would have been better spent on the `Fruit Ninja" app for my iPhone.
On a bookshelf with 5 shelves... shelf 5 being the highest and best, it doesn't even make it to the shelf.
Unfortunately, because it's a trilogy...
I am now compelled to read the rest of them, and under duress, I will.
I enjoyed the concept of this story, and it had so much potential. But reading it made me feel like I was reading a really desperately wanna-be version of Twilight. I am not sure if this is what the author was going for - was she trying to appeal to the Twilight fans by creating this angsty teen character who didn't quite fit in her whole life... until she meets a boy who suddenly can't live without, but is bad for her? Maybe it is just me, but I felt this way the entire time I was reading it - I drew too many parallels, and felt it was not very original.
Aside from the typos and poor editing, I did really want to like this book, and there were times when I found myself more engrossed than I thought I could get. I found myself enjoying Wendy and Finn's moments together, and really do want to know what becomes of them.... but I could not escape the feeling that a teenager really was writing the book. In contrast, when reading Twilight, Bella's intelligence was clearly expressed in the narration, making it a challenging and engrossing read. This writing style just annoyed me more than anything. In particular, I am referring to the gratuitous use of foul language - used far too often and at inappropriate times. I thought that the point the author wanted to get across could have been more appropriately expressed with decent vocabulary than the use of the profanity.
Anyhow, I don't often write these reviews, but I really wanted to post my opinion of this read. Thanks for reading.
I enjoyed the concept of this story, and it had so much potential. But reading it made me feel like I was reading a really desperately wanna-be version of Twilight. I am not sure if this is what the author was going for - was she trying to appeal to the Twilight fans by creating this angsty teen character who didn't quite fit in her whole life... until she meets a boy who suddenly can't live without, but is bad for her? Maybe it is just me, but I felt this way the entire time I was reading it - I drew too many parallels, and felt it was not very original.
Aside from the typos and poor editing, I did really want to like this book, and there were times when I found myself more engrossed than I thought I could get. I found myself enjoying Wendy and Finn's moments together, and really do want to know what becomes of them.... but I could not escape the feeling that a teenager really was writing the book. In contrast, when reading Twilight, Bella's intelligence was clearly expressed in the narration, making it a challenging and engrossing read. This writing style just annoyed me more than anything. In particular, I am referring to the gratuitous use of foul language - used far too often and at inappropriate times. I thought that the point the author wanted to get across could have been more appropriately expressed with decent vocabulary than the use of the profanity.
Anyhow, I don't often write these reviews, but I really wanted to post my opinion of this read. Thanks for reading.
I had thought from the overwhelming positive reviews that book was a good read. I guess when you're desperately seeking the next "it" series to read like I have been, you've set some bars really low. After the massive trend of "twilight" like series, only a few could be deemed notable. The book is well written, but it's missing elements. The main character is vague and down right annoying. Everything about her is muddled! Everything rides on the main character for the reader to enjoy the book. I couldn't place her. She was volitile and she was weak in her sense of loyalty. I knew she was going to be a disappointment go figure why the reviews for the last book faltered. She ruined it for me and no I won't be reading the rest of the series!
Reading is like breathing to me, a necessity and almost a non-stop pastime of mine. I love to read anything and everything, particularly fiction. All genres and all styles, including many books that target the young adult audience. I bought this book based on the overwhelmingly good reviews and the great price. I was so disappointed. The writing is beyond bad and quite childish. The characters are underdeveloped and their actions make little sense. I hate to leave such a bad review but this book was not even worth the .99 cents I paid for it. Save your dollar for something else--there are so many better books in this genre that have much more admirable leading ladies and writing styles!
It's too bad that Amanda Hocking (or her publisher) did not take the time to read the ebook version of this story before they made it available for purchase. Even though the premise of the story is very intriguing I spent some time trying to decipher words that were mispelled and sentences that had words placed in an incorrect order. The result was that I would begin to lose myself in the book and then be jerked out of it as I tried to decode what she was attempting to say. The poor editing is insulting.
In a time when there is so much technology available to correct mispellings perhaps this author has forgotten one of the basic rules of editing, when you think your material is finished - read it out loud. This process would have immediately shown Ms. Hocking where the editing problems occurred.
I have read the reviews of other readers about the 2nd and 3rd parts of this trilogy and I am truly hesitant to spend my money on Ms. Hocking's books as they all seem to have these same deficits. I certainly will not begin any other series by this author. I would be very interested if the material was corrected. In the meantime, I will look for other books that are more polished - there are certainly tons of them out there.
In a time when there is so much technology available to correct mispellings perhaps this author has forgotten one of the basic rules of editing, when you think your material is finished - read it out loud. This process would have immediately shown Ms. Hocking where the editing problems occurred.
I have read the reviews of other readers about the 2nd and 3rd parts of this trilogy and I am truly hesitant to spend my money on Ms. Hocking's books as they all seem to have these same deficits. I certainly will not begin any other series by this author. I would be very interested if the material was corrected. In the meantime, I will look for other books that are more polished - there are certainly tons of them out there.
Spoiled bratty main character ruined the story
I normally enjoy YA fiction and have no problem with books with typos (get over it, people). However, this story revolves around a cranky sullen girl which ultimately, ruined the story for me. Wendy had a hard life in the beginning, but for the past 10 years has been raised by a devoted brother and loving Aunt in a comfortable home yet she veils herself in a petulant "poor me" attitude and acts like such a jerk that she keeps getting kicked out of school, forcing the family to move like 6 times in 2 years. She's on her last ditch effort at graduating and meets a boy who she hates then loves and when he doesn't immediately like her in return she acts childish and rude. Obviously deeper story at work here, but she is so focused on herself it doesn't matter that he's got a job to do and her life is in danger. She puts everyone around her at risk in an effort to force the boy to admit he loves her, and of course he loves her, because she's wonderful. Eh? She has powers she uses in the beginning to callously manipulate people but in a critical action scene she does nothing to help herself or those she supposedly cares about. I don't even care what the hook is, reading through a whole book and enduring a character with nothing to offer was too much to ask. Too bad because the writer is very talented, I only finished on the merits of the backstory and surrounding characters; it's just unfortunate she pinned her trilogy on such an awful girl.
*Will contain slight spoilers*
After reading the reviews of this book, I was fairly disappointed in what I got. This book reads like a rough draft. Ignoring the grammatical errors scattered across the pages, the plot feels forced. There's a lot more telling than showing going on in this story, and we're just supposed to accept what we're told and move on. In general, Wendy does what the reader is expected to do: nods her head and accepts what she's told as the truth.
The romance between her and Finn is quite literally out of nowhere: there's very little lead-in aside from the fact that he's dark and mysterious and happens to be a part of the world to which Wendy truly belongs. And from the beginning of this "romance," Wendy is constantly having her breath stolen by Finn, who she can't be with and who conveniently won't return her affections until they are forced apart. I hate to say it, but the romance in this book reminded me of that found in Twilight, and Wendy's constant self-deprication and inexplicable need to be with a boy who is practically a stranger (and was, in essence, stalking her) falls right in line with Bella Swan. If that was your cup of tea, then maybe this book is for you. But if, like me, you need a little more substance to your fairytale, might I suggest Holly Black's "Tithe" and the rest of her modern fairytale series?
Overall, the book gets 2 stars simply because it had just enough to it to keep me reading. It was a good way to unwind after studying for hours on end, but I wouldn't recommend it to an avid reader or fan of modern fairytales.
After reading the reviews of this book, I was fairly disappointed in what I got. This book reads like a rough draft. Ignoring the grammatical errors scattered across the pages, the plot feels forced. There's a lot more telling than showing going on in this story, and we're just supposed to accept what we're told and move on. In general, Wendy does what the reader is expected to do: nods her head and accepts what she's told as the truth.
The romance between her and Finn is quite literally out of nowhere: there's very little lead-in aside from the fact that he's dark and mysterious and happens to be a part of the world to which Wendy truly belongs. And from the beginning of this "romance," Wendy is constantly having her breath stolen by Finn, who she can't be with and who conveniently won't return her affections until they are forced apart. I hate to say it, but the romance in this book reminded me of that found in Twilight, and Wendy's constant self-deprication and inexplicable need to be with a boy who is practically a stranger (and was, in essence, stalking her) falls right in line with Bella Swan. If that was your cup of tea, then maybe this book is for you. But if, like me, you need a little more substance to your fairytale, might I suggest Holly Black's "Tithe" and the rest of her modern fairytale series?
Overall, the book gets 2 stars simply because it had just enough to it to keep me reading. It was a good way to unwind after studying for hours on end, but I wouldn't recommend it to an avid reader or fan of modern fairytales.
A copy editor is a wonderful thing...
This book was poorly written, and poorly edited. I should not be distracted by glaring spelling errors, malapropisms and grammar that sometimes makes sentences unreadable. The story itself had a lot of potential, but needed more depth and really needed to show more and tell less.
Hooked until just before the end...
I wanted to love the book, I really did. But ultimately the ending left me disappointed. The opening chapters were excellent, I got engaged with the characters and the plot; the middle of the book was excellent as the conflict was introduced and tension built; but then I felt cheated by the ending. Now, I understand that the book was number one in a trilogy, but for me I was left in two minds at the end over whether I wanted to actually buy and read book two. Why?
The main character in the book, Wendy, is a mostly well written flawed character who obviously has potential that even she does not yet realize, and on the whole Switched does a good job of making that clear. But then, somewhere near the very end, Wendy suddenly throws everything away and for me does something completely irrational and out of character (I am deliberately staying away from plot spoilers here). This results in a weak book ending and a sense of frustration. Thankfully the copy of the book I had (kindle edition) had an excerpt from the second book in the series and it was clear there is a continuation of the unfinished saga. For me, it is this excerpt that encourages me to buy the second book, not solely the quality of the first book on its own merits. It's almost as if the second book should be a part of the first.
In conclusion, I'm not wanting to be too critical here; it was, like I said, mostly a very good read. Switched is a book that is written by a young and talented author who I am sure will only get better over time. I look forward to completing the series and being able to recommend it to all readers.
The main character in the book, Wendy, is a mostly well written flawed character who obviously has potential that even she does not yet realize, and on the whole Switched does a good job of making that clear. But then, somewhere near the very end, Wendy suddenly throws everything away and for me does something completely irrational and out of character (I am deliberately staying away from plot spoilers here). This results in a weak book ending and a sense of frustration. Thankfully the copy of the book I had (kindle edition) had an excerpt from the second book in the series and it was clear there is a continuation of the unfinished saga. For me, it is this excerpt that encourages me to buy the second book, not solely the quality of the first book on its own merits. It's almost as if the second book should be a part of the first.
In conclusion, I'm not wanting to be too critical here; it was, like I said, mostly a very good read. Switched is a book that is written by a young and talented author who I am sure will only get better over time. I look forward to completing the series and being able to recommend it to all readers.
Why do badly-written books sell?
I don't have room here to adequately describe all the flaws in this book. They seem to be the standard kind you find in the books of novice writers: simplistic plot twists, poor dialogue, bad evocation of setting and place. Terribly written action sequences. Lack of skill in creating a sense of anticipation and mystery, with information revealed too slowly, the main character strangely unaware of obvious things. There is something to it that keeps you reading. It is an interesting concept at least, though not at all an original one. But there is so much lacking in the execution that it isn't enough to save the book.
I'm curious as to where she'll be in a few years, with more hard work. Clearly she'll be fine financially. She is not alone either, with a lot of lazy, simplistic novels making their way into bestseller top tens. But readers who enjoy depth and subtlety won't be the ones buying them.
I'm curious as to where she'll be in a few years, with more hard work. Clearly she'll be fine financially. She is not alone either, with a lot of lazy, simplistic novels making their way into bestseller top tens. But readers who enjoy depth and subtlety won't be the ones buying them.
Please get an editor Amanda!!!
Terrible writing! I have been reading lots of young adult novels over the past couple of years. I've NEVER been as disappointed at a trilogy as I am now. Hocking's writing style was awful...she doesn't leave much to the readers' imagination. I don't know why she felt that she needed to explain the smallest details as if she were writing to an audience of idiots. Unfortunatelly for me, I became too interested in the plot and could't stop at book no. 1. I read all three books hoping the writing would improve, but I was wrong. It really didn't. The worst part about the book were all the grammatical errors! I hope to God that Hocking didn't pay an actual editor to review her books! Of she did, the owe her a refund. The grammatical errors are school girl mistakes. There are so many errors, I couldn't keep count!
good enough idea, poorly written
I was browsing around for a Kindle book and happened upon this series. I downloaded the first one and read it pretty quickly. I understand that it's a young adult novel, but the writing is really poor. I think the author is in her mid-twenties, but it reads like a 14 year old wrote it. It doesn't flow well, and a lot of the dialogue is stilted and cheesy. Writing FOR teens doesn't mean you have to write LIKE a teen. It turned me off of a story I probably otherwise would have enjoyed if better written.
Too much like the Princess Diaries
*contains spoilers*
I don't care about grammar mistakes and I don't care about lack of character growth or literary trinkets. I read to be entertained.
The problem with Switched were more about the content of the story. The pacing wasn't quick enough and not enough things happened. The start was promising but as soon as we delve into the meat of the story it gets coma inducingly boring. Mundane details.
Two things that would've made it better: Better villains which would generate some more tension and suspense plus a more compelling race/superpower than trolls.
The fact that she's a troll and there's society of trolls and they all have superpowers, those details just fell flat. They weren't written interesting enough for me to care. The word "troll" could be interchangeable with another any other word like "muckduck" or "singbeens" because they were so generic. They're trolls but they're not the stereotypical trolls we picture, in fact they're completely different except some superficial (bad hair, no shoes). I'd honestly rather see vampires and I hate vampires but at least they're distinct.
There's some action in the end but it's too late to save the book.
The romance I too hated.
And I hate to do this, but it's inevitable. I got Switched at the same time I got The Hunger Games. Hunger Games just completely highlighted Switched's flaws.
Reading Switched I had to make an effort, it's like moving through quicksand reading that book. With Hunger Games it's like you're on a slide, you don't have to make an effort you just relax, have fun and enjoy the ride.
Also some more diverse settings would've helped. After the initial Wendy, school/home phase of the first part it's Troll Valley Lodge. Boring.
I do feel bad about the book because the author is Amanda Hocking.
She's an awesome Tweeter and the story of how she self-published is amazing and inspiring.
But I just didn't like her book.
I don't care about grammar mistakes and I don't care about lack of character growth or literary trinkets. I read to be entertained.
The problem with Switched were more about the content of the story. The pacing wasn't quick enough and not enough things happened. The start was promising but as soon as we delve into the meat of the story it gets coma inducingly boring. Mundane details.
Two things that would've made it better: Better villains which would generate some more tension and suspense plus a more compelling race/superpower than trolls.
The fact that she's a troll and there's society of trolls and they all have superpowers, those details just fell flat. They weren't written interesting enough for me to care. The word "troll" could be interchangeable with another any other word like "muckduck" or "singbeens" because they were so generic. They're trolls but they're not the stereotypical trolls we picture, in fact they're completely different except some superficial (bad hair, no shoes). I'd honestly rather see vampires and I hate vampires but at least they're distinct.
There's some action in the end but it's too late to save the book.
The romance I too hated.
And I hate to do this, but it's inevitable. I got Switched at the same time I got The Hunger Games. Hunger Games just completely highlighted Switched's flaws.
Reading Switched I had to make an effort, it's like moving through quicksand reading that book. With Hunger Games it's like you're on a slide, you don't have to make an effort you just relax, have fun and enjoy the ride.
Also some more diverse settings would've helped. After the initial Wendy, school/home phase of the first part it's Troll Valley Lodge. Boring.
I do feel bad about the book because the author is Amanda Hocking.
She's an awesome Tweeter and the story of how she self-published is amazing and inspiring.
But I just didn't like her book.
Most of the reviews in the 2 to 3 star rating range got it right: its poorly written and reads like a rough draft. This problem is further compounded by the fact that this book is a cheap knockoff of the Twilight series. From the multi-class love triangle, to the battle between good and evil vampires (or trolls in this case), the major plot points seem to be ripped from the pages of this book's biggest inspiration.
Its an okay light read, but dont expect anything you havent read before. For the .99 cents i paid for my copy in the kindle store, it was worth about $.65
Its an okay light read, but dont expect anything you havent read before. For the .99 cents i paid for my copy in the kindle store, it was worth about $.65
I read all three volumes so that says something in the plus column. In the minus column, the writing was simplistic. Short concise sentences. Very little character development. Minimal plot development. Imagery left almost entirely up to the reader to supply. I wouldn't recommend this author to anyone over the age of 10.
I really enjoyed the trilogy, I am an adult but love these supernatural teen romance novels so I enjoyed it. My only issue is that the characters interaction is kind of, well, weird. For example the main romance develops at lightning speed! Wendy, the main character, after having JUST meet Finn her romantic interest starts using terms such at "always" as in "he alwyas does this" or "everytime we get together" even though in the time line they have only met twice. this happens alot through out all three books.
I think in the authors head the romance had exsisted much longer then it did in the book and so its a bit off.
Also did not one edit this book? I'm no stickler for grammer but there are very obviouse mistakes and if I am paying for a book the least you can do is edit it!
But other then that I really did enjoy the books as light romantic fair.
Ruby
I think in the authors head the romance had exsisted much longer then it did in the book and so its a bit off.
Also did not one edit this book? I'm no stickler for grammer but there are very obviouse mistakes and if I am paying for a book the least you can do is edit it!
But other then that I really did enjoy the books as light romantic fair.
Ruby
after reading so many positive reviews I was shocked by the poor quality of this book. The story was drab and the same as any other fantasy novel. Girl has a horrid life then becomes a troll pincess lol. Seriously? The reading level was easily 6th grade reading level. Girl falls for a badass she can't have. Switch trolls for vampires and it becomes very similar to vampire academy. She even runs away likein VA. She falls for the person training her like in VA. At least VA doesnt have awakard dialouge and awful spelling/grammar errors. I am not perfect but wow this was poor quality. I would buy the 2nd novel just to laugh.
Ok, so I never write reviews first off. I got a kindle back in October and downloaded a bunch of books that I thought looked interesting. I liked the title of this book and had read some of the reviews so I felt confident in downloading it. What is wrong with you people who are giving this book 5 star ratings?!?!?! This book is HORRIBLY written! It reads like a journal entry of a person with absolutely NO personality! Unfortunately it is not just this book. This seems to just be the style of this author. I downloaded a few other books from her, Switched, being one of them and it has the same "dry toast" feel to it. I really wanted to like these books! I tried to keep going to see if the books got better, but unfortunately all I did was waste time I will never get back. It doesn't get any better. When you have lines in a book like Alice: "How old are you?" Jack: "How old are you?" you know it's bad. And what is up with explaining what an isosceles triangle is? Give me a break... Maybe I am just a little old for this author or something, but I couldn't stomach to finish any of the books by her. My advice to anyone older than 13, DON'T BOTHER!!!(I personally wouldn't even subject my 13 year old to this, but to each his own.)
Why is everyone crazy about this book?
With all the 4 and 5 star ratings, I thought for sure I had found a winner. I love reading series and was excited about this one....until I read a few chapters into it. Then I wanted my .99 back.
Started out interesting but went downhill quickly. No real plot or strong female lead, just a girl pining over a guy, even willing to leave her family behind to do it. She ends up with money hungry people who are basically con artists, they yell at her all the time and never tell her what is going on in any given situation- and she takes it all from them as long as the guy she's crushing on pays her even the slightest bit of attention.
The most underdeveloped characters I have had the displeasure of reading in a loooong time. No plot advancement, no lesson learned, nothing.
Started out interesting but went downhill quickly. No real plot or strong female lead, just a girl pining over a guy, even willing to leave her family behind to do it. She ends up with money hungry people who are basically con artists, they yell at her all the time and never tell her what is going on in any given situation- and she takes it all from them as long as the guy she's crushing on pays her even the slightest bit of attention.
The most underdeveloped characters I have had the displeasure of reading in a loooong time. No plot advancement, no lesson learned, nothing.
Concept: Brilliant. Execution: Horrendous.
It had such promise in the beginning! I was almost expecting Matrix-depth twists and turns, but it turned out to be a Twilight-esque teen girl love story. *sadface* Trolls! With their own special super-powers! Living amongst us. Then the main character starts yearning. And I started puking. C'mon! Realism was completely compromised with that story line. *sigh*
turning trolls into trylles is kind of like making vampires sparkle: some people think it's brilliant and others find that it ruins a perfectly good storytelling tradition. i am by no means a fantasy purist...that being said, this book just didn't do it for me. i found the plot too rushed, the love story almost sickeningly shallow, and the writing only decent. it read too much like a very dull person's diary entry and i found i sympathized more with the crazy mother who tried to kill her than the main character. the main reason this story really disappoints isn't any of that though...the fact that this idea actually had potential but the author seems like she submitted a first draft for internet publishing is what really bothers me. with a real editor and some serious plot reworking, this story could actually deserve the amazing reviews it has bafflingly been given. instead, i found myself mentally rewriting the story as i read because of awkward wording...that's not usually what an author aims for.
Here's proof that chimps can be authors
Yuck.....and fire the editor. By the time you struggle thru this shallow plotted slaughter of the English language you realize that the characters are too bland to even hate. Wish I had my .99 back.
Intresting concept, but ultimately disappoints
I will start my first review off by saying that I have a guilty pleasure. I love quick reads about paranormal romance. That bing said, after I first bought my Kindle I downloaded a few books I hadn't gotten the chance to read, and at $0.99 I couldn't really say no to reading this book. I mean, a late fee from a library cost more than the amount I paid for this book. I didn't go into this book thinking it was going to be the next Great American Novel, but I had some expectations. I will give Ms. Hocking this: I find the ideas of a modern troll royal society interesting. I thought it was quite creative given the overload of books about werewolves, vampires, angels and whatever else can hook teens' attention these days.
When I first started the page, it honestly took an effort to keep going. The beginning seemed contrived and not that interesting. I find that difficult to say considering the first few pages of the book are about a mother trying to kill her six-year-old daughter, but Ms. Hocking made the story so boring I didn't really want to continue past the first chapter. Throughout the entire story I didn't really see the plot going anywhere.
Here are just two of the problems I had with the book: the characters and the prose.
I find the characters at the onset of the book to be paper-thin, dreadful and without any clear purpose except to cause the main character some sort of grief so she can continue her "who is me" attitude towards everything. I think the worst character in the entire novel is actually Wendy Everly. Throughout the entire novel I wanted to slap her in the face for being an insolent brat. She is probably one of the most annoying character I have ever encountered and is quite possibly more disappointing than Bella Swan from the Twilight series. At no point in the book is Wendy Everly ever likable. Simply put, she's volatile and annoying. I also find that few of the characters are ever developed and are simply there for convenience for the plot to move forward, if there were an discernible plot to follow for a huge portion of the novel. For example, the character of Finn seemed to only be put in the book to act as a love interest and arm candy and lack any real development.
The thought of the prose in this book makes me want to cringe. It is on base with the flowery, vomit-inducing prose we would see in the Twilight novels by Stephanie Meyer. I was almost unable to stomach it, but I prevailed through the novel hoping it would get better. The author seems to lack originality in her descriptions. I seem to remember her describing one of her characters in the terms of the Matrix as opposed to coming up with her own unique description and characterization. The romantic elements of the novel make it feel like Wendy fumbled through a thesaurus to find enough words to describe Finn as "hot." Ms. Hocking seems to lack a full grasp of the English language and stumbles throughout the novel as if most things were half-formed in her mind and she was in such a rush to get it on paper and she didn't bother to edit it. I'm not one to kick someone when they're down, so I'll completely skip over the abhorrent editing that went into this book.
Honestly, the only time that I would recommend this book to others would be for a quick airport read during a delay.
When I first started the page, it honestly took an effort to keep going. The beginning seemed contrived and not that interesting. I find that difficult to say considering the first few pages of the book are about a mother trying to kill her six-year-old daughter, but Ms. Hocking made the story so boring I didn't really want to continue past the first chapter. Throughout the entire story I didn't really see the plot going anywhere.
Here are just two of the problems I had with the book: the characters and the prose.
I find the characters at the onset of the book to be paper-thin, dreadful and without any clear purpose except to cause the main character some sort of grief so she can continue her "who is me" attitude towards everything. I think the worst character in the entire novel is actually Wendy Everly. Throughout the entire novel I wanted to slap her in the face for being an insolent brat. She is probably one of the most annoying character I have ever encountered and is quite possibly more disappointing than Bella Swan from the Twilight series. At no point in the book is Wendy Everly ever likable. Simply put, she's volatile and annoying. I also find that few of the characters are ever developed and are simply there for convenience for the plot to move forward, if there were an discernible plot to follow for a huge portion of the novel. For example, the character of Finn seemed to only be put in the book to act as a love interest and arm candy and lack any real development.
The thought of the prose in this book makes me want to cringe. It is on base with the flowery, vomit-inducing prose we would see in the Twilight novels by Stephanie Meyer. I was almost unable to stomach it, but I prevailed through the novel hoping it would get better. The author seems to lack originality in her descriptions. I seem to remember her describing one of her characters in the terms of the Matrix as opposed to coming up with her own unique description and characterization. The romantic elements of the novel make it feel like Wendy fumbled through a thesaurus to find enough words to describe Finn as "hot." Ms. Hocking seems to lack a full grasp of the English language and stumbles throughout the novel as if most things were half-formed in her mind and she was in such a rush to get it on paper and she didn't bother to edit it. I'm not one to kick someone when they're down, so I'll completely skip over the abhorrent editing that went into this book.
Honestly, the only time that I would recommend this book to others would be for a quick airport read during a delay.
Loved the Trylle Trilogy!! I have a monthly budget that I try to keep for my kindle purchases. It was mid month & I was almost maxed out. So I thought I would try "Switched" I think it was .99 cents. It had been "recommended" by Amazon. I was so pleased. The series was so creative & the characters so touching. I liked them immediately. I love the twilight series & the Sookie Stackhouse series & now the Trylle Trilogy is with them. Now I need to give it a little time so I can read them again. I plan on reading Amanda's other series soon. Although, It has a lot tho live up too. :)
I did read an article about the author & how she doesn't have a publisher. But she has found a way to have her books available on Kindle & because of this the prices are much lower. Now I'm not sure how accurate this is but if it is I'm so glad there are other avenue's for amazing author's to get their books available to people like me.
I did read an article about the author & how she doesn't have a publisher. But she has found a way to have her books available on Kindle & because of this the prices are much lower. Now I'm not sure how accurate this is but if it is I'm so glad there are other avenue's for amazing author's to get their books available to people like me.
This book was my first experience with Amanda Hocking. I have to say that after reading this book I think she will become one of my favorite authors! This book was amazing. I went into it not knowing any spoilers as to what mythical creature Wendy was going to end up being. I think that was the best way to approach this book because I was completely surprised when I found out what Wendy actually is! I won't go into the story too much because I don't want to accidentally spoil it for anyone. I will say that this book really pulled at my heartstrings! I felt bad for Wendy and what she was having to deal with. I can't wait to read "Torn" and see what happens next with Wendy and how her life turns out after the strange turn it has taken! And of course I can't wait to see what happens with some of the other characters Finn in particular) as well.
I would highly recommend this book! It was hard for me to put down and I can't wait to dive into more of Amanda Hocking's enchanting stories!
I would highly recommend this book! It was hard for me to put down and I can't wait to dive into more of Amanda Hocking's enchanting stories!
I've never given a book 1 star before, but the story didn't actually go anywhere. The ending just stopped, and the book was full of cliches. I didnt actually like any of the characters enough to keep reading. But I read the whole thing just to make sure it didn't end with a bang. It didn't. :(
I'm not usually a fan of Romeo and Juliet stories but I'm hoping that since this is a trilogy it won't go the way of Shakespeare. I liked the story, this was my first changling story and I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't anything super amazing, but it had a good story and I liked the characters.
I'm hoping that Wendy's family plays a part in this because it broke my heart about her human family (you'll know why when you read it, don't want to spoil it). I was a little surprised to see how Wendy's real mother was cold to her. I'm not sure how this plays out later, but it was hard to see. Wendy was promised a place she'd finally fit in but she realizes she just might not fit in there either.
I'm going to try out the second book, I like the premise of this one. While it wasn't anything amazing, it was still entertaining.
I'm hoping that Wendy's family plays a part in this because it broke my heart about her human family (you'll know why when you read it, don't want to spoil it). I was a little surprised to see how Wendy's real mother was cold to her. I'm not sure how this plays out later, but it was hard to see. Wendy was promised a place she'd finally fit in but she realizes she just might not fit in there either.
I'm going to try out the second book, I like the premise of this one. While it wasn't anything amazing, it was still entertaining.
Love the Trolls; with a caveat:
Like everyone else I bought this book to see what all the hype was about and this is a Jekyll and Hyde read. Seriously, the first 47% of the book I was barely hanging in there, kinda bored with what was going on, and thinking the writing was amateurish and not well-transitioned. Then, BANG! Another writing style entirely takes over and I am: hooked on trolls! I would say the romantic tension in this book has a great deal to do with it's success and also the interesting premise; who in the world writes about trolls in a modern day context...that was cool. It was a three star the first half (barely) and a five star the remainder. It's SO worth .99 cents! And congratulations to Hocking for going for it!
It was good but most of the book seemed to be of Wendy complaining about various things. It was pretty good but I won't be getting the second book partly because I think this series really could fit into one book and the author decided to drag it out unnecessarily into three which seems asinine to me. The cliffhanger didn't leave me interested in picking up the second book and was really abrupt, like the author suddenly ran out of pages and decided what she had would do it. The descriptions of the Trylle could have been good but left me confused.
Despite that I did enjoy the book to a degree though I felt like the book took too much time to read than what it was really was worth. I'm hoping Amanda Hocking will improve on better developing her characters and refining her plots. MOst of the book was spent with Wendy just hanging out in the palace. Wendy was strong-willed but I felt as if it was sometimes pushed too far making her seem whiny and irrational.
I wouldn't go to the trouble of buying the book despite its low price because the time isn't worth it unless you're looking for a frivolous, mindless read.
Despite that I did enjoy the book to a degree though I felt like the book took too much time to read than what it was really was worth. I'm hoping Amanda Hocking will improve on better developing her characters and refining her plots. MOst of the book was spent with Wendy just hanging out in the palace. Wendy was strong-willed but I felt as if it was sometimes pushed too far making her seem whiny and irrational.
I wouldn't go to the trouble of buying the book despite its low price because the time isn't worth it unless you're looking for a frivolous, mindless read.
This book pulled me in and kept my attention, however, I saw at least one typo and several problems with grammar. This can easily be fixed with a good editor though. Now, as for the story, it isn't as smooth as it should be. For 1, Elora pisses me the hell off and not in a good way. Not too mention Wendy already had one psycho mom, but two!? And both dads dead?! Cmon, cut the kid a break! Plus, you can't jump someone's ass if they haven't, in anyway, been taught the lesson first, it's just wrong! #2, Wendy left her family and that was it, how sad. I am glad I didn't actually buy this book; $.99 cents for Switched is a fair price.
It isn't something I would pick off the shelf at the bookstore......
I felt that this book was good, and definatly wouldn't let me put it down. I got the sample on the kindle to try it out, and I have to say that it was good. However, toward the book, I felt like Wendy was a little young for her age. The way she acts to me is more like a 13 year-old, not near a 17 and 3/4 to me. So thus, I felt the book was unbalanced for me with a character set like that. Except, I guess I would recomend it to the ages 9 to 12, but any younger, or to much older, I wouldm't recomend it to you.......
This book was just okay. It got quite boring in the middle and I didn't care for the abrupt ending. I realize that this is part of a trilogy, but I still expected a better ending that didn't leave so many unresolved issues.
For the first time ever I couldn't even finish a book... Usually no matter how bad they are I can plow through but this time.... ugh! The characters are flat and have almost no personality or logic, the story line is boring and it is over all poorly written. 99 cents was too much to pay.
I teach middle school and read a lot of literature for young adults. I enjoyed this trilogy. The characterization and plot are both well developed. All three books held my attention. I do feel that the author could have chosen more appropriate content in order to capture the middle school audience. I can't recommend the books to my students because of random foul language that could have been easily omitted and sexual references that could have been tweaked to make the book more age appropriate for my students. If the books are intended for high school students, I feel they can handle the content, but I felt some of the writing was contrived. Overall, I enjoyed the books.
Really only OK, nothing special
This book had received so many good reviews I was surprised to find myself so disappointed with it. In general I didn't hate the book. I thought the idea was decent though it certainly could have used a good bit of fine tuning. The characters we just OK. Some had more depth than others, but none really stood out. The writing was only OK as well. It was a very predictable story line, particularly once you get past the first few chapters. So much of the story was revealed very quickly in the beginning. Almost to the point of being rushed. The rest of the book was filled with the poutings of the overly self involved heroine. It just didn't come off as a "finished" piece as much as a first attempt. I found a number of simple errors throughout the book that just irritated (duplicate words, missed words, etc). It definitely could have benefited from the eyes of an editor in more ways than one. Honestly, it made me feel like I was reading a sample from the Fiction Workshop I had in college. Overall I'm not entirely sorry I read it but I'm very glad I only paid .99 for it as it wasn't worth any more than that.
Nothing special and in desperate need of an editor
This is the type of thing that I usually enjoy, but I was distracted by the many typos and errors. The story is okay, but it didn't encourage me to rush off and get the second in the series. Thankfully it's a quick read. I just found much of the story unbelievable. I usually enjoy the unbelievable, but this was more like fan-fiction.
Like most of the people who picked up this book, I was just looking for a quick cheap read that could keep me moderately interested. What I found was almost as bad as twilight. The plot was predictable and similar about 10 other teen fantasy novels (see holly black's Tithe, melissa marr's Wicked Lovely etc). The characters were less than undeveloped-- a romance was started between two charcaters who hardly knew each other. and on top of all of that, none of the characters had a true sense of voice that was different from any of the other characters. If you're looking for a good fantasy book, this is not it. If you're someone with an actual brain and a desire to read original fantasy books, you might want to try A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (also availible in kindle).
I usually like pretty much everything I read. This series however, was just painful. I only really finished it because I bought it. The characters are rushed and so shallow that by the end of the series you don't even know the main character. The whole series jumps around so much, I felt there were times that there was no way the characters should have gotten from point a to point be. There was absolutely no depth to this story. O bought them when they were on sale for 2.99, which is really all they are worth. Lots of typos also, lie the publisher didn't even care enough about the series to prof read it
Fun, easy read, made me anxious to continue when it ended.
I am a huge reader, I always have been. I read a little bit of anything and everything, including non-fiction. I tripped over this book while I was wandering through Amazon and thought it looked interesting. I was right! I enjoyed this book. I liked the mix of reality and fantasy. I enjoyed that Hocking's fantasy characters aren't the usual Fae - elven, fairy, witch. It made it unique. It was a quick read, I finished it in a few uninterrupted hours. Hocking makes her heroine real. I work frequently with "discontented" teens and dis-functional families. Wendy is a lot like so many kids I see. She feels lost in her life, then the "cool" stuff happens and funny; she is still lost. Hocking successfully puts a twist on a fairy tale come true. It is well done and if I can get my daughter to read anything but Gossip Girl books I think she would enjoy it too.
I have a hard time finding new authors. In large part because i am scared i am going hate the stuff. BUT i have to say Amanda Hocking is probably one of my new favorite authors. The twists and turns this book took, reguarding the different types of people, was facinating. It was creative and I found it hard to put it down. There were just a few typos but I know how that is. So Amanda Hocking now has a new fan, and i can not wait to read the rest of her books.
A couple of interesting ideas buried under bad writing
In the first chapter of Switched, there's an exchange between the main character, Wendy Everly, and her mother which goes approximately as follows:
Wendy: Chocolate?
Mother: Yes, Wendy, you like chocolate.
Wendy: No, I don't! I hate chocolate! I'm not going to eat it, and you can't make me!
Mother: Wendy!
Wendy: No, no, no! It's my birthday, and I don't want chocolate!
Mother: You don't want chocolate?
At which point, Wendy's mother tries to kill Wendy with a cake knife.
Okay, so the above conversation is from Wendy's sixth birthday party, and one probably doesn't expect much in the way of scintillating dialogue between a tantrum-throwing six-year-old and her mother.
However, although the majority of the book takes place when Wendy is seventeen, it all sounds about the same as it did when she was six. The dialogue is flat and usually goes nowhere, there's virtually no emotional depth to any of the characters, and on the occasions when something intriguing (like the attempted cake-knife murder) does happen, it tends to fly in out of left field, last just long enough for you to think "Ooh! THAT'S interesting," and then disappear under bland, cookie-cutter depictions of angst.
It's too bad, because I thought there were some really neat concepts in here -- the book's reasons for the tradition of changelings, for instance, and the motivations of Wendy's mother in trying to kill her own six-year-old daughter -- which could have made for a fascinating and unusual story. Unfortunately, they're largely skimmed over in favor of poorly-written cliches.
Wendy: Chocolate?
Mother: Yes, Wendy, you like chocolate.
Wendy: No, I don't! I hate chocolate! I'm not going to eat it, and you can't make me!
Mother: Wendy!
Wendy: No, no, no! It's my birthday, and I don't want chocolate!
Mother: You don't want chocolate?
At which point, Wendy's mother tries to kill Wendy with a cake knife.
Okay, so the above conversation is from Wendy's sixth birthday party, and one probably doesn't expect much in the way of scintillating dialogue between a tantrum-throwing six-year-old and her mother.
However, although the majority of the book takes place when Wendy is seventeen, it all sounds about the same as it did when she was six. The dialogue is flat and usually goes nowhere, there's virtually no emotional depth to any of the characters, and on the occasions when something intriguing (like the attempted cake-knife murder) does happen, it tends to fly in out of left field, last just long enough for you to think "Ooh! THAT'S interesting," and then disappear under bland, cookie-cutter depictions of angst.
It's too bad, because I thought there were some really neat concepts in here -- the book's reasons for the tradition of changelings, for instance, and the motivations of Wendy's mother in trying to kill her own six-year-old daughter -- which could have made for a fascinating and unusual story. Unfortunately, they're largely skimmed over in favor of poorly-written cliches.
can we use another word besides "foxy"
if an author needs to use the word "foxy" more than twice in a book, it should tell you something.
I was ready to have a nice, casual read with this book. Unfortunately, the writing is so terrible I couldn't enjoy it. The language itself could have been composed by a seventh-grader, and in fact seems to have been. The characters were one-dimensional, the plot was obvious and boring.
Usually when I read the first of a series I will go ahead with the rest of the series, even if I'm not really in love with it, just to see what happens. With this book, I really don't care what happens. All I care about is being able to read something by an author who can write well.
Usually when I read the first of a series I will go ahead with the rest of the series, even if I'm not really in love with it, just to see what happens. With this book, I really don't care what happens. All I care about is being able to read something by an author who can write well.
I usually don't write reviews but this book griped me and kept me stuck on the sofa for 2 days seeing as right after I finished book 1 I bought book 2 on my kindle. The story line was gripping the emotion and passion was amazing. Even though this is a teen book, I'm a mother of 3 in my 30's and I felt like it's one of the best love stories I've read in a long time. The World that's created is amazing, not your typical fantasy world but so much more!I'm waiting for the 3rd book and almost sad that it will be the last in this series as I feel like the characters in the books are people I know! Would so love to see this turned into a movie!
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Hocking's three-part Trylle series, of which Switched is number one, is about a girl who has a miserable existance. Her childhood is filled with little oddities that don't make much sense, and her mother, who refers to her as a "monster" goes so far as to try to stab her to death at her own birthday party. Switched is so much a coming of age tale - with a twist - as Wendy soon discovers that she has another life waiting for her discovery and that she is so much more than an angst filled teenager stuck in high school.
I won't give away any more, as part of the joy of reading this book is discovering - right along with Wendy - just what in the heck is wrong with her and why she has all these odd little habits, abilities and thoughts.
This is not a literary masterpiece for your college Women's Literature 101 class. It was not intended to be so. It is not filled with symbolism and fodder for critical discussion. It IS, however, fun, light reading that will keep your attention. It is a sweet story. Hocking has captured a believable and realistic teenage heroine. She's captured appropriate action, adventure, and even romantic tension. For those reviewers who say the teenage angst is overblown...I would disagree. I work with teenagers for a living and the internal and external dialogue is actually quite realistic for the age group. Perphaps not ALL teens think this way, but the ones I work with quite often do. Many teens - especially girls with abusive backgrounds and lack of a stable parent figure like Wendy - DO think and act this way, althought many of them would be hard pressed to publically admit it.
I've given Switched four stars, not because it isn't excellent, but because I save my five star reviews for books that are out of this world wonderful or books that really speak to me emotionally. This one is excellent, but it is not the definition of perfect. There are a few typos, but they are easily overlooked.
Overall, excellent book. Excellent and believable plot. An overall wonderfully creative and engaging book. Nice job, Amanda - I'm off to purchase #2 in the series and I am looking forward to discovering more.