Switch ~ Carol Snow review

Switch
Harper Teen
September 9, 2008
224 Pages
Hardcover
Amazon

After reading 13 Reasons Why, I felt a need to read lighter books-and one that I could finish quickly. Switch by Carol Snow was my ultimate choice.

Here's a synopsis from the author's site:

Not much happens in Claire Martin’s sleepy little beach town, but that’s okay.
Let her hang out with her best friend, dream about her favorite lifeguard, and
swim on the high school team, and she’ll be happy.

Only one little problem:

Whenever Claire she gets too close to lightning, her spirit shoots into another
girl’s body. Usually she’s back to her old self in no time – but suddenly she
finds herself stuck as someone else: a breathtaking summer visitor who has
caught her crush’s eye.

Will Claire ever figure out how to get back to her old life? And, more importantly, will she want to?

Switch wasn't a book that's going to really change anyone's life or pose any earth shattering questions...but it is a fun litle book (I read it during the course of one day). As the title might suggest, most of the story transpires during Claire's big 'switch' so you dont' get a lot of her life before she switches with Larissa.

While Larissa and Claire are switched you do learn a good bit about both girl's lives-but most of it is pretty superficial. ..A lot of it was pretty predictable stuff (from the rich family Larissa's acting as nanny for to Larissa and her parents to Claire--though saying how would be spoilery).

So, while this book doesn't present anything new and some of the characters seem to be (slightly) formulaic/predictable, there were also well thought out points around the entire 'switching' events and I liked that the book centered on a longer switch but also explained why it was longer.

It would have been possible to just say that the entire switching bodies in general was strange and unpredictable so the long-term switch was just a fluke. That would have detracted from my enjoyment of the book, though, so I'm glad that Ms Snow kept up a consistent reason for why Claire wasn't switching back.

I also quite enjoyed the secondary story surrounding Claire's grandmother and the way it (and she) developed through the book.

Switch wasn't a book that's likely to change your life, but it is a book that you can read when you want to enjoy something that won't take too long to read and won't depreess you either (like I said, I read it after 13 Reasons Why).

7.5/10 (Sorry the review was so long in coming--I have some virus/bug/cold thing that refusues to really go away and seems to be teaming up with my migraines...add in Christmas shopping and, well...)


I'll try to write the Fancy White Trash reivew and schedule it to post tonight! (So you can buy that book with any Christmas/Hannukah/Whatever money you get because it's fantbulous)