SWITCHED

Self-publishing phenom Hocking's first traditionally published outing will appeal to teen readers looking for a paranormal-romance fix.

Seventeen-year-old Wendy Everly has always been a misfit. Though raised in privilege, the mental and physical scars inflicted by her mother, coupled with her own sense of not belonging to the family and life she was born into, have left Wendy struggling to find her place in the world. Bouncing around from town to town, school to school, the only thing consistent in Wendy’s life is a penchant for trouble. But just before her 18th birthday, everything changes. Found by a handsome “tracker,” Wendy learns the truth about who and what she truly is and journeys “home” to the mother and the world she never knew existed. 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.

Details of Wendy's daily life tend to obscure the mounting tensions between good and evil, but there’s enough forbidden love and adventure to hook readers and leave them wanting more.