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The Exchange
A time travel student exchange program goes awry when a group of 21st century teens discover love and friendship across time.
Ari hates the Institute and everything it stands for. But to save her father's job, she's agreed to help host a time traveling exchange student. She only has to behave for 3 months while he's here, then off he goes back to 1903 where he came from. Easy peasy, right? There's just one problem. The more time Ari spends with James the harder she falls for him.
Ari hates the Institute and everything it stands for. But to save her father's job, she's agreed to help host a time traveling exchange student. She only has to behave for 3 months while he's here, then off he goes back to 1903 where he came from. Easy peasy, right? There's just one problem. The more time Ari spends with James the harder she falls for him.
262 pages, Paperback
Published September 7, 2018
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 16, 2019
When I requested this book on Netgalley, I was mostly interested in the time traveling part and the phrase that this was for the lovers of the Ruby Red series from Kerstin Gier. I was therefore very excited to start reading, but I have to admit that now I've finished the book I see a lot of potential and great elements, but a sometimes sloppy execution.
Let me start with the things I did like. Firstly that is the writing style. Like a true Young Adult the book is written in nicely flowing and easy and quick to read English. I could devour the pages and finish the entire book in one day without much effort. It was, when it comes to that, a very pleasant reading experience.
I also really liked the mystery woven into the story. It started a little late, but it was exciting and the more mystery slipped into the story, the more invested I started to feel. It was the mystery part that made sure I didn't grow bored or lost interest completely. But, sadly enough, I also feel like the mystery part of the story didn't really get a satisfying ending. It doesn't feel solved. And that what was there, felt really rushed lacking the drama that could have been there. It feels like the book stopped in the middle of it and I was actually really looking forward to what came after.
But the mystery wasn't the only thing that could have been so much more. The characters and romance could too. Not once during the story did I really feel chemistry between the main characters. I don't feel like they really bonded or connected, which has partly to do with the fact that I don't really feel like I know them. We've been told a lot about them and who they are, but we've seen not that much of it and I never felt like coming close to these characters. Even now, at the end of the story, I still don't feel like I know what they see in each other, why they love each other. And I know there are a million forms of love, but this didn't feel like one of them.
It's certainly not a bad book and it's entertaining at times, but with some more editing, expanding and rewriting I think the book could have been a lot more and maybe even epic. Because the plot, the idea, the writing and the premise are truly amazing.
Let me start with the things I did like. Firstly that is the writing style. Like a true Young Adult the book is written in nicely flowing and easy and quick to read English. I could devour the pages and finish the entire book in one day without much effort. It was, when it comes to that, a very pleasant reading experience.
I also really liked the mystery woven into the story. It started a little late, but it was exciting and the more mystery slipped into the story, the more invested I started to feel. It was the mystery part that made sure I didn't grow bored or lost interest completely. But, sadly enough, I also feel like the mystery part of the story didn't really get a satisfying ending. It doesn't feel solved. And that what was there, felt really rushed lacking the drama that could have been there. It feels like the book stopped in the middle of it and I was actually really looking forward to what came after.
But the mystery wasn't the only thing that could have been so much more. The characters and romance could too. Not once during the story did I really feel chemistry between the main characters. I don't feel like they really bonded or connected, which has partly to do with the fact that I don't really feel like I know them. We've been told a lot about them and who they are, but we've seen not that much of it and I never felt like coming close to these characters. Even now, at the end of the story, I still don't feel like I know what they see in each other, why they love each other. And I know there are a million forms of love, but this didn't feel like one of them.
It's certainly not a bad book and it's entertaining at times, but with some more editing, expanding and rewriting I think the book could have been a lot more and maybe even epic. Because the plot, the idea, the writing and the premise are truly amazing.
July 26, 2019
I am always up for time travel so this was a great fit. I would have given it more stars if it hadn't ended so abruptly with no resolution. Still good, quick, engaging read.
August 16, 2019
Ari is a problem child- she knows it, no need to beat around the bush. Ari is always trying to sabotage her father’s work and has basically been banned from anywhere said work is kept. But she does it for good reason- her father works for The Institute, the group of sketchy, sleaze-ball scientists who run the Exchange Program and bring people from the past to their time for research and learning purposes… or so they let people think.
James is a farmer from 1903, eager to leave his daily life behind in search of something new and exciting. Jumping at the chance to be apart of the Exchange, James gets paired up in 2030 with Ari as his guide, much to her displeasure. Ari thinks she can deal with the Institute for James’ three month exchange, then send him back on his merry way to his old life. Except James has no intention of going back.
As James tries to convince Ari to help him stay in the future- as Ari’s dislike of the program could give him a chance at a life in 2030- they begin to uncover the truth of the Exchange Program and the horror of why each exchange is chosen. The Exchange is a gripping, compelling stand-alone read that brings a new twist to time-travel romance, and the consequences of trying to conquer time.
I went into this book loving the premise and the storyline, but I wished I could have loved it just a tiny bit more. The synopsis and the cover drew me in right away, promising a romance time travel fiction- which it was. And while I enjoyed this story and do not regret reading it for one second, I wish the writing had just been a little less… flaky? Like at any second the story could change it’s mind and go from time-travel romance to thriller to contemporary to an unfinished work. While I love multiple cross-genres and an open ending in some books, in this one I just didn’t feel it, but it made for a fairly light read.
It started with a great hook and developed into some amazing world building. The tone of the story pulled me in right away, and I loved learning about the setting of 2030 as the story began. The characters each were completely unique, and I liked reading the thoughts of multiple POVs, as well as how each character has different experiences from the time their originating from. It provided the reader with some insight on how life in other time periods was like, and it was super hilarious to watch them learn about the future.
I thoroughly enjoyed the time travel in this story, and the mystery that goes along with the forces of time and the butterfly effect. There were also some interesting secrets that were kept from the characters, and the readers (we did not find anything out until they did), that kept the story interesting, and I honestly would not have expected most of them at all. Kudos to the writer for that (I pride myself in being a good guesser of secret plot points, but maybe I’m tooting my own horn a bit 🤷🏻♀️.)
But, if I’m justifying my rating here, I would not have read this story if it weren’t for the time travel. It made the story interesting and pulled the entire plot along. Sure, the characters were fun and unique, but they didn’t really go anywhere during this story, nor did they have a believable ending. The ending was cute, but I did not think the climax was necessarily believable, and it seemed things just fell into place for these characters.
Also, maybe I should put a WARNING: insta-love label up there. I get infatuation, but this was not that. Maybe I could blame the YA genre for the lack of romantic tension but I just wish the characters developed and grew more in this story, because they had such a promising beginning to move from.
Overall, The Exchange was entertaining and an easy read. It’s perfect for the younger spectrum of YA fiction, no doubt. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to older YA or adult readers, who enjoy the build up and turbulence of a realistic story. This was a smooth ride, perfect for those wanting their story to be happily ever after.
James is a farmer from 1903, eager to leave his daily life behind in search of something new and exciting. Jumping at the chance to be apart of the Exchange, James gets paired up in 2030 with Ari as his guide, much to her displeasure. Ari thinks she can deal with the Institute for James’ three month exchange, then send him back on his merry way to his old life. Except James has no intention of going back.
As James tries to convince Ari to help him stay in the future- as Ari’s dislike of the program could give him a chance at a life in 2030- they begin to uncover the truth of the Exchange Program and the horror of why each exchange is chosen. The Exchange is a gripping, compelling stand-alone read that brings a new twist to time-travel romance, and the consequences of trying to conquer time.
“You can’t just let it happen because you’re afraid to say anything. History is full of moments where people stopped injustice by standing up to the bigger party. That could be us.”
I went into this book loving the premise and the storyline, but I wished I could have loved it just a tiny bit more. The synopsis and the cover drew me in right away, promising a romance time travel fiction- which it was. And while I enjoyed this story and do not regret reading it for one second, I wish the writing had just been a little less… flaky? Like at any second the story could change it’s mind and go from time-travel romance to thriller to contemporary to an unfinished work. While I love multiple cross-genres and an open ending in some books, in this one I just didn’t feel it, but it made for a fairly light read.
It started with a great hook and developed into some amazing world building. The tone of the story pulled me in right away, and I loved learning about the setting of 2030 as the story began. The characters each were completely unique, and I liked reading the thoughts of multiple POVs, as well as how each character has different experiences from the time their originating from. It provided the reader with some insight on how life in other time periods was like, and it was super hilarious to watch them learn about the future.
I thoroughly enjoyed the time travel in this story, and the mystery that goes along with the forces of time and the butterfly effect. There were also some interesting secrets that were kept from the characters, and the readers (we did not find anything out until they did), that kept the story interesting, and I honestly would not have expected most of them at all. Kudos to the writer for that (I pride myself in being a good guesser of secret plot points, but maybe I’m tooting my own horn a bit 🤷🏻♀️.)
“I think sometimes people believe the best in something when it’s too hard to think about the worst.”
But, if I’m justifying my rating here, I would not have read this story if it weren’t for the time travel. It made the story interesting and pulled the entire plot along. Sure, the characters were fun and unique, but they didn’t really go anywhere during this story, nor did they have a believable ending. The ending was cute, but I did not think the climax was necessarily believable, and it seemed things just fell into place for these characters.
Also, maybe I should put a WARNING: insta-love label up there. I get infatuation, but this was not that. Maybe I could blame the YA genre for the lack of romantic tension but I just wish the characters developed and grew more in this story, because they had such a promising beginning to move from.
Overall, The Exchange was entertaining and an easy read. It’s perfect for the younger spectrum of YA fiction, no doubt. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to older YA or adult readers, who enjoy the build up and turbulence of a realistic story. This was a smooth ride, perfect for those wanting their story to be happily ever after.
April 15, 2020
Audio book review
This is my first audio by the author and narrator. What caught my attention was the time travel . This was a very well written story , the flow was fantastic and straightforward. The characters were easy to like and they had a spark between them. Even though most time travel has people going to the past , this one had a nice exchange of the hero coming to the future .
Heroine is Ari. Hero is James.
James is the one that comes to the future but at the time Ari hates it ..... it’s because of her father. He likes to experiment and Ari hates it with a passion .
James is from 1903 and when he is brought forward to today he can’t believe his mind . Ari and James are paired up to Ari annoyance . Ari thinks after 3 months James will look forward to going back to his time , but James wants to stay put .
Grab it and see what Ari father is really doing in the exchange program.
Kalinda Little Performance was good. . Her voice is good and smooth. It’s my first time listening to her
This is my first audio by the author and narrator. What caught my attention was the time travel . This was a very well written story , the flow was fantastic and straightforward. The characters were easy to like and they had a spark between them. Even though most time travel has people going to the past , this one had a nice exchange of the hero coming to the future .
Heroine is Ari. Hero is James.
James is the one that comes to the future but at the time Ari hates it ..... it’s because of her father. He likes to experiment and Ari hates it with a passion .
James is from 1903 and when he is brought forward to today he can’t believe his mind . Ari and James are paired up to Ari annoyance . Ari thinks after 3 months James will look forward to going back to his time , but James wants to stay put .
Grab it and see what Ari father is really doing in the exchange program.
Kalinda Little Performance was good. . Her voice is good and smooth. It’s my first time listening to her
April 4, 2020
The Exchange is a fun but shallow teen romance with time travel elements. The idea of a time travel exchange programme is a good one, but the book never really quite gets into the nuances of how that would affect the time travellers, just opting to show them marvelling over the internet and not, you know, having deeply entrenched beliefs due to their upbringing and knowledge of the world. If you don't expect too much in the way of theme or reason, this is entertaining enough. The writing could be better - I spotted a fair few mistakes, plus the language used is often clunky - but it's certainly pacey. Unfortunately, it ends without any resolution whatsoever, and with no hint of a sequel, which makes the whole thing feel a bit pointless...
December 2, 2018
This YA historical fiction novel takes place in Oregon and dives into topics of time travel, friendship, society, and high school. I loved how this was such a fun and quick read. The characters were well-thought out and the writing style kept me on my toes. If you like historical fiction or YA, I would highly recommend checking this out!
Thank you @m.f_lorson for providing me a free copy of your book in exchange for sharing an image of your book! This has no effect on my opinion, review or rating.
Thank you @m.f_lorson for providing me a free copy of your book in exchange for sharing an image of your book! This has no effect on my opinion, review or rating.
July 15, 2019
The author left a lot of questions about what happens to the major issues that are brought up throughout the book unanswered. There could have been so much more to this book. I gave it three stars because the story itself was good but the ending, I feel, came too soon because the story had a lot of loose ends that needed to be explained. As well as letting the reader know how they could have turned out. It could open up the opportunity for a second book, but the story as a stand alone needed more.
August 30, 2019
I really enjoyed this unique, original concept and there were some interesting twists and turns. Overall though it felt too short and underdeveloped and I really hated the inclusion of the Larabeth storyline - felt like such a cliche and wasn't very girls-supporting-girls-friendly.
October 21, 2019
*e-arc received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
I really enjoyed reading this book. The idea behind this book was one that I was very interested in and it did meet most of my expectations. I have seen other individuals who have read this book talk about how the book was full of tropes and it is bust actually really enjoyed them and saw them coming. Overall this book was very good and was written and developed well and that makes me want to read more from this author.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The idea behind this book was one that I was very interested in and it did meet most of my expectations. I have seen other individuals who have read this book talk about how the book was full of tropes and it is bust actually really enjoyed them and saw them coming. Overall this book was very good and was written and developed well and that makes me want to read more from this author.
January 19, 2020
Read more reviews at thebookbloglife
I loved the concept of this book, I mean who wouldn’t want to read about an exchange program that involved time travel. I really wanted this book to blow me away but unfortunately I wanted more from both the plot and the characters. I think The Exchange would have scored more stars if there had been more of resolution at the end and I didn’t have as many questions as I did when I got to the end. I’m not sure whether there is going to be another book in the series, but I think there should be, I think there is so much more that could happen to these characters, and I would be really interested in finding out what happens next.
Overall I really enjoyed the characters that were in The Exchange. I do wish that they were a little more developed, I think that some of them were extremely superficial. Their backstories were never really delved into and I don’t think we got to see the big picture for any of them, plus I really struggled with the character’s voice. I kinda wished that they had been more distinct especially with James and the fact that he was from a completely wrong time. I felt like there was a trick missed with the fact that he spoke like most off the other people within this story.
I think the best bit of The Exchange was the mystery element that seemed to present itself and how the Institute really did business. I would have loved for this to have taken up more of the story than some of the other filler like content. I loved the concept of exchanges, and I think there was a lot of potential for it to go a lot further than what it does. I do hope there’s going to be another book so that I can find out what happens next.
I think the bad thing about The Exchange is how rushed the storyline feels and how the ending just feels a little unfinished. I also think the way that the story twists and turns could be better, we never really end up finding out what was happening and why things happened. I struggled with the voices of the different characters and I wanted for there to be more of a reason for the exchanges to be happening because I actually couldn’t see the reason for the time travel.
I would recommend The Exchange especially if there is another book planned because I think that most of the problems I had with this book would be solved by having another story to learn more about the characters and the world they are.
Read more reviews at thebookbloglife
I loved the concept of this book, I mean who wouldn’t want to read about an exchange program that involved time travel. I really wanted this book to blow me away but unfortunately I wanted more from both the plot and the characters. I think The Exchange would have scored more stars if there had been more of resolution at the end and I didn’t have as many questions as I did when I got to the end. I’m not sure whether there is going to be another book in the series, but I think there should be, I think there is so much more that could happen to these characters, and I would be really interested in finding out what happens next.
Overall I really enjoyed the characters that were in The Exchange. I do wish that they were a little more developed, I think that some of them were extremely superficial. Their backstories were never really delved into and I don’t think we got to see the big picture for any of them, plus I really struggled with the character’s voice. I kinda wished that they had been more distinct especially with James and the fact that he was from a completely wrong time. I felt like there was a trick missed with the fact that he spoke like most off the other people within this story.
I think the best bit of The Exchange was the mystery element that seemed to present itself and how the Institute really did business. I would have loved for this to have taken up more of the story than some of the other filler like content. I loved the concept of exchanges, and I think there was a lot of potential for it to go a lot further than what it does. I do hope there’s going to be another book so that I can find out what happens next.
I think the bad thing about The Exchange is how rushed the storyline feels and how the ending just feels a little unfinished. I also think the way that the story twists and turns could be better, we never really end up finding out what was happening and why things happened. I struggled with the voices of the different characters and I wanted for there to be more of a reason for the exchanges to be happening because I actually couldn’t see the reason for the time travel.
I would recommend The Exchange especially if there is another book planned because I think that most of the problems I had with this book would be solved by having another story to learn more about the characters and the world they are.
Read more reviews at thebookbloglife
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews