Switched (Trylle) [Paperback]

Amanda Hocking (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 3, 2012 | Series: Trylle (Book 1)

Amanda Hocking is an indie publishing sensation whose self-published novels have sold millions of copies all over the world, and Switched is the book that started the phenomenon.  Prepare to be enchanted…

When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right.  She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.

Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her.  Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit.  But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth:  Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.   

Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening.  And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…

As a special gift to readers, this book contains a new, never-before-published bonus story, “The Vittra Attacks,” set in the magical world of the Trylle.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Vampire and werewolf lovers beware; this trilogy opener offers readers a new take on an unexpected breed of mystical beings. Readers who can suspend preconceived notions and open themselves up to this new interpretation are in for a midwinter version of a good beach read.” –Kirkus Reviews

“This is The Princess Diaries meets Twilight, and Hocking hits all the commercial high notes…Switched is escapist fantasy; it isn’t the specificity of the world that matters here; it’s the accessibility…What teenager hasn’t felt like a freak, a changeling in his or her own family?  Who doesn’t fantasize about being transformed from ordinary to extraordinary, of being whisked way to another life where the very things that are irritants in the “regular world” turn out to reveal our specialness?” –New York Times Book Review

“Wendy is a flawed antihero, which helps differentiate her from the throng of paranormal-romance heroines, and the potential for development, both dramatic and romantic, should make readers anxious for the next installment of the Trylle trilogy.” –Booklist

“Switched is written so wonderfully that it’ is not hard to imagine you are in this fantastic world!  Readers will love the exhilarating roller-coaster ride of Wendy’s life as she adapts to…a frightening and exciting life.” –Romantic Times BOOKreviews

“You can't beat the storyline for Switched, the book that starts off the series with a bang: When Wendy Everly was a little girl, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to end her life. Now Wendy is starting to wonder whether there might have been something to her mom's paranoia after all. Enter Finn Holmes—the mysterious, sexy guardian who's been watching over Wendy until she was old enough to learn the truth about her supernatural origins—and the revelation of a hidden world full of mysteries, dangers, and untapped powers that Wendy never knew she had.” –MTV.com

“The romance is smoldering, the action is suspenseful, and the characters are quirky, likeable, and original. Amanda Hocking has a gift for storytelling that will grip readers and keep them wanting more…Entrancing.” –Library Thing

“Started Switched last night. I don't like this book because it made me stay up too late last night to keep reading and made me skip my dance class this morning so I can finish it!” --BookCrossing

"I started reading Switched in the evening one night and stayed up until 3 a.m. because I didn't want to put it down. I had to be at work the next day and all I could think about was going home and finishing the book. Yes, it's THAT good." --A Tale of Many Reviews

 "Switched is paranormal YA with a fresh twist.  It has a more deliberate pace than other YA fantasy...and more emotional thrills.  I really appreciated the realistic development of the love story, and the characters feel well developed.  Recommended." --I'd So Rather Be Reading

“I ate this book up I could barely put it down before bed, and was also trying to sneak time in my busy morning to read some extra sentences. This was an awesome first book in a series that I'm dying to read. Amanda please write the next one soon. I'm dying!!” –Midnight Glace Reviews

“I LOVED this book!  The characters are quite likable…and there is never a dull moment.  I highly suggest you take a look at this book if you want to read some fantasy that leaves you panting for the next installment.” –The Light Under The Covers

 "Filled with action, suspense, and romance...I found the story completely fascinating." --A True Reality Blog

“Amanda Hocking is like a breath of fresh air in the young adult paranormal market. I’ve read countless books about vampires, werewolves and faeries, but never one about trolls…Switched was an impressive start to a series that was chock-full of excitement, adventure and attitude.” –That Bookish Girl Blog

“Switched has more intrigue and hidden secrets than the average YA book.” –Read My Mind

“An addicting, easy to digest book that can be devoured in an afternoon.” –Feeding My Book Addiction

“I absolutely loooooveeed Switched.  From the first pages I found myself totally caught up stealing moments to read this book.  Visually I 'saw'  this book so well in my head. Just an awesome read that makes you feel for the characters.” –Novels On The Run Reviews

About the Author

Amanda Hocking is the USA Today bestselling author of the Trylle trilogy and six additional self-published novels.  After selling over a million copies of her books, primarily in eBook format, she is widely considered the exemplar of self-publishing success in the digital age. 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Original edition (January 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1250006317
• ISBN-13: 978-1250006318
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (769 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,470 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Amanda Hocking is a lifelong Minnesotan obsessed with John Hughes and Jim Henson. In between making collages and drinking too much Red Bull, she writes young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

Her New York Times best-selling series the Trylle Trilogy has been optioned for films. She has nine other young adult books now, including Wake, the first book in her brand new series, Watersong, and the second book in the series, Lullaby, will be out November 27, 2012.

To learn more you can follow her on Twitter - http://twitter.com/amanda_hocking or visit her blog: http://amandahocking.blogspot.com/ or find out news at her Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/amandahockingfans, and her Website http://www.worldofamandahocking.com/

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

768 of 794 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Not my typical reading, but enjoyable light reading! November 26, 2010

By Madeline000

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Hocking has an uncanny ability to write fascinating little stories that are compellingly addicting. Her books are not my typical reading fare - I tend more toward the adult mysteries and suspense type of thing - however ever since I picked up Hocking's My Blood Approves series, I've been strangely addicted to her work. The Trylle series is no exception. Now, I may not fall in the typical readership for Hocking's books, but because I work as a Probation Officer for teenagers, I tend to read a lot of YA fiction to keep "in touch" with what my kids enjoy.

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.

152 of 169 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Fantasy! December 30, 2010

By LilLaTLuv

Format:Paperback

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 :)

145 of 173 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars You know when you want to slap the heroine that something is terribly wrong... September 12, 2010

By M. Burns

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

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.