Amanda Hocking's Novels: Switched & Torn

I would not usually review two books, even though they are by the same author, together but I felt it was appropriate with the first two books in the Trylle series by Amanda Hocking. On their own I would not rate them high, as a trilogy, I am enjoying the adventure. I am also interested in how the series will conclude. I admit, I am not impatiently waiting for the third book, Ascend, to come out like I did other books in other series, but I will buy it so I can have the desired closure with the characters.

The series, as far as I can tell, is unique in that it is about Trylle, or trolls. The premise of the books, the tradition of changelings, reminded me of other fae stories I have read. Some of the names were fae as well. I wonder if the trolls are a subset of fairy in the fae world.

The books have the easy pace ya books are known for. I feel that the Trylle series also achieves this easy reading pace because it is simple, in a good way. We are being given a story and the author is focused on that story, no major subplots, glimpses into what the enemy may be doing, or anything distracting from what Wendy is involved in. Hocking has done a good job with her characters. I definitely have my opinions on each one and ideas where those characters may end up in the end (or I hope where they will end up). One thing I noticed in this series is that the characters describe how they look to themselves. I know this is something authors do to paint a picture but I guess I do not see myself walking and telling myself what my hair would look like, or look in the mirror and describe myself to myself.  

Switched and Torn are also riddled with teenage angst, the challenges and choices of first time love, and decisions that are not thought all the way through to what the consequences might be. I would recommend this series to the ya age-group, parents of them, and fans of the supernatural looking for something new to read. I would also recommend reading all three together (or like me, as close to that as you can).