Review: Switched

Switched (Trylle Trilogy #1) by Amanda Hocking
Release Date ~ January 3, 2012
MacMillan ~ St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN13:  9781250006318
ARC received from: Raincoast Books for review

Goodreads Synopsis:

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.

Combine relatively unknown (or at least, uncommon) mythology, REALLY hot (but forbidden) romance and chemistry, and an exciting new world for an intoxicating series that MUST BE READ.

I figured I wouldn't be that interested, and that Switched wouldn't be that different or intriguing. But it was! So, so good and I'm completely hooked on these books. And I'm so very happy that the next books are coming out soon so I can read them! This little book here has just stolen my heart and become a new favourite <3 I'm literally giddy with excitement in anticipation of the next two books (February and April 2012)!

1. Wendy as a complicated character:
   Wendy is delightfully well-developed and elaborate. She is flawed, yet maintains many positive qualities that make her a sympathetic and amiable character. I quickly became attached to her and her goodwill, and was rooting for her all the way through. She also seems to exhibit the beginnings of mature development, and admired her overall for her loyalty and determination.
2. Swoon-worthy romance:
   I wasn't too sure about Finn at first, and similarly to Wendy it took me a while to become attached to him. But by the end, I was completely infatuated and couldn't help swooning over every page he made an appearance. Incredibly well-developed, so that it doesn't feel like instant love at all, but a gradual trust-worthiness which is carefully developed.
3. Struggle between love and duty:
   The Antigone complex. I've used this before in reviews, but it's one of my favourite plot struggles and the story of Antigone is one of my favourites. Wendy ends up torn between her sense of duty and responsibility for the position she's born into and her longing to be free to make her own decisions for her life and stand up for those she cares about (remember how I said I admired her?)
4. Creative use of mythology:
   I adore reading stories that make use of traditional mythology but ones that are less common than the typical vampires/werewolves/faeries storylines. I think youreally get to see a greater degree of creativity on Amanda's part, because it isn't something that's talked about as much as others.

The one thing I didn't love at first is how sudden you're thrown into the story and the action begins right away- and it can feel rather disconcerting when it happens so suddenly. The sudden changes occur so early on in the book that I didn't care simply because I wasn't invested in the story or with the character yet. But you quickly become accustomed to it, and easily find yourself involved in the story so this was a rather minor hitch in a phenomenal story.

OH! And it's only $6.50 to buy off The Book Depository! Such a steal :) YOU WANT THIS BOOK! *peer pressure*