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The Switch Up #1
The Switch Up
WILLA
Drama queen
Fashion guru
Spontaneous
Looks like Alice
ALICE
Bookworm
Allergic to fashion
Planner
Looks like Willa
LAX Departure Lounge. Two girls board the same flight to London as complete strangers. When the plane touches down, it’s the beginning of the craziest plan ever. Can Willa and Alice really swap lives for the summer?
Things are going to get complicated...
The first in a fun new series, this summer read is The Parent Trap meets Freaky Friday and is perfect for fans of GEEK GIRL and SUPER AWKWARD.
Drama queen
Fashion guru
Spontaneous
Looks like Alice
ALICE
Bookworm
Allergic to fashion
Planner
Looks like Willa
LAX Departure Lounge. Two girls board the same flight to London as complete strangers. When the plane touches down, it’s the beginning of the craziest plan ever. Can Willa and Alice really swap lives for the summer?
Things are going to get complicated...
The first in a fun new series, this summer read is The Parent Trap meets Freaky Friday and is perfect for fans of GEEK GIRL and SUPER AWKWARD.
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2019
11 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Katy Cannon
22 books45 followersKaty was born in Abu Dhabi, grew up in Wales, went to university in Lancaster, spent a few years splitting her time between London, Hertfordshire, and an assortment of hotels across the world. She now lives in a little market town not far from Cambridge. She has a husband, two children, a goldfish, and far too many notebooks.
Katy likes to write stories about the importance of friends and family, and especially those friends who become family. She considers herself most fortunate to have been blessed with an abundance of all three.
As a teenager, Katy was constantly in trouble for reading when she should have been doing something else. These days, she mostly gets in trouble for dreaming up new stories when she should be writing the ones she’s already working on.
Katy’s debut YA novel, LOVE, LIES & LEMON PIES, has been translated into eight languages. Her next book, AND THEN WE RAN, will be released in April 2017.
Katy is represented by Gemma Cooper at The Bent Agency.
Katy likes to write stories about the importance of friends and family, and especially those friends who become family. She considers herself most fortunate to have been blessed with an abundance of all three.
As a teenager, Katy was constantly in trouble for reading when she should have been doing something else. These days, she mostly gets in trouble for dreaming up new stories when she should be writing the ones she’s already working on.
Katy’s debut YA novel, LOVE, LIES & LEMON PIES, has been translated into eight languages. Her next book, AND THEN WE RAN, will be released in April 2017.
Katy is represented by Gemma Cooper at The Bent Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 15, 2019
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review*
Nice ya chick lit for passing time. Nothing extraordinary yet a good one. Loved the idea of two girl bored with their life switching places.
It was an easy read and it took me little time to get through, but it was nothing that made me get too emotional. So if you are looking for something nice and light, this is your book.
Nice ya chick lit for passing time. Nothing extraordinary yet a good one. Loved the idea of two girl bored with their life switching places.
It was an easy read and it took me little time to get through, but it was nothing that made me get too emotional. So if you are looking for something nice and light, this is your book.
June 5, 2019
Katy Cannon is my go-to author for contemporary YA with a solid heart of gold. I loved her previous books 'Love, Lies and Lemon Pies', as well as 'Secrets, Schemes and Sewing Machines'.
Katy's latest book 'The Switch Up', was high on my list of titles I was looking forward to being published this year. It is the perfect summer read for either sitting with on the beach or reading during some downtime on a city break. I devoured it in one sitting and am now desperately hoping that there will be a sequel.
'The Switch Up' follows in the same vein as Freaky Friday and The Parent Trap. It features two girls, Alice and Willa, who on the spur of the moment, decide that they will swap lives for the summer. Willa ends up in London and Alice in Italy, pretending to everyone around them that they are someone else. The book alternates between the two girls as they face new adventures, make new friends and ultimately learn some big lessons about themselves.
Alice was my favourite of the two because I seemed to identify with her more. She likes to please people, she likes to feel in control of things around her and she likes to have everything planned out. Spontaneity is not something that is normally associated with her but when she has a chance meeting with Willa at the airport, she is convinced to swap places and ends up spending the summer in Italy with Willa's Aunt Sofia and her foster children. There are lots of layers to Alice's story and I thought that Katy Cannon handled this with a deft touch. She highlights some of the stresses and insecurities that Alice has been dealing with, while also allowing her to blossom and grow in confidence.
Willa ends up in London with Alice's potential stepmother Margo. She meets a friend of Alice's called Hal, who helps her to hide her real identity. Willa is extremely confident and outgoing but she too has secret worries and fears, as well as family problems to face up to. I enjoyed seeing her become more aware of others around her and their feelings, as she discovers some painful truths about herself.
'The Switch Up' was a sparkling read which I thoroughly enjoyed. Katy's storytelling is exceptional and her books are the perfect reads for young teens. The story explores common issues such as family, identity and friendship, while also weaving in light touches of romance. While I was reading, I could almost feel the sun on my face and the sand in my toes. A superb contemporary YA that was enormous fun to read.
Katy's latest book 'The Switch Up', was high on my list of titles I was looking forward to being published this year. It is the perfect summer read for either sitting with on the beach or reading during some downtime on a city break. I devoured it in one sitting and am now desperately hoping that there will be a sequel.
'The Switch Up' follows in the same vein as Freaky Friday and The Parent Trap. It features two girls, Alice and Willa, who on the spur of the moment, decide that they will swap lives for the summer. Willa ends up in London and Alice in Italy, pretending to everyone around them that they are someone else. The book alternates between the two girls as they face new adventures, make new friends and ultimately learn some big lessons about themselves.
Alice was my favourite of the two because I seemed to identify with her more. She likes to please people, she likes to feel in control of things around her and she likes to have everything planned out. Spontaneity is not something that is normally associated with her but when she has a chance meeting with Willa at the airport, she is convinced to swap places and ends up spending the summer in Italy with Willa's Aunt Sofia and her foster children. There are lots of layers to Alice's story and I thought that Katy Cannon handled this with a deft touch. She highlights some of the stresses and insecurities that Alice has been dealing with, while also allowing her to blossom and grow in confidence.
Willa ends up in London with Alice's potential stepmother Margo. She meets a friend of Alice's called Hal, who helps her to hide her real identity. Willa is extremely confident and outgoing but she too has secret worries and fears, as well as family problems to face up to. I enjoyed seeing her become more aware of others around her and their feelings, as she discovers some painful truths about herself.
'The Switch Up' was a sparkling read which I thoroughly enjoyed. Katy's storytelling is exceptional and her books are the perfect reads for young teens. The story explores common issues such as family, identity and friendship, while also weaving in light touches of romance. While I was reading, I could almost feel the sun on my face and the sand in my toes. A superb contemporary YA that was enormous fun to read.
January 2, 2022
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Two girls bound for London from LAX decide to pull off the biggest prank ever. Willa Andrews and Alice Wright have never met before, but when they are put together in the Unaccompanied Minors lounge, abandoned by the parents for the summer and sent to stay with people they've never met, they hatch a plan. For the three weeks they are going to be away from home, they'll swap lives, and be the other person. Alice wished she could stay with her father in Australia, rather than being shipped off to London to stay with his 'friend' (girlfriend), and Willa wants more than anything to be in London, at her acting course, rather than on a farm in Italy. It sounds like the perfect plan, and somehow, they pull it off. But the longer they spend with the people they meet, the harder it is to lie and keep up the facade. And what will happen when the truth, inevitably, comes out?
This is a book that I've tried to read about three times now, and every other time I only managed to get about a third of the way through before moving on to something else. However, I decided to start 2022 focusing on old ARCs, and persevered through The Switch Up, and it's sequel, quite quickly. This was an okay book. It's definitely one focused on more of the younger side of YA, and I reckon kids in years 7-9 would love it. Out of the two characters, Alice was my favourite. I think she has a similar personality to what I had as a teen, whereas Willa was too much of an extrovert and very dramatic for my liking. I did feel really sorry for them, feeling abandoned by their parents for the summer, when they were going through changing and challenging times in their lives. I enjoyed the book, but I think the amount of lying to others and lack of planning annoyed me a little too much, so I only gave this book 3 stars. If you enjoyed The Parent Trap or Freaky Friday, this is probably a book for you.
Two girls bound for London from LAX decide to pull off the biggest prank ever. Willa Andrews and Alice Wright have never met before, but when they are put together in the Unaccompanied Minors lounge, abandoned by the parents for the summer and sent to stay with people they've never met, they hatch a plan. For the three weeks they are going to be away from home, they'll swap lives, and be the other person. Alice wished she could stay with her father in Australia, rather than being shipped off to London to stay with his 'friend' (girlfriend), and Willa wants more than anything to be in London, at her acting course, rather than on a farm in Italy. It sounds like the perfect plan, and somehow, they pull it off. But the longer they spend with the people they meet, the harder it is to lie and keep up the facade. And what will happen when the truth, inevitably, comes out?
This is a book that I've tried to read about three times now, and every other time I only managed to get about a third of the way through before moving on to something else. However, I decided to start 2022 focusing on old ARCs, and persevered through The Switch Up, and it's sequel, quite quickly. This was an okay book. It's definitely one focused on more of the younger side of YA, and I reckon kids in years 7-9 would love it. Out of the two characters, Alice was my favourite. I think she has a similar personality to what I had as a teen, whereas Willa was too much of an extrovert and very dramatic for my liking. I did feel really sorry for them, feeling abandoned by their parents for the summer, when they were going through changing and challenging times in their lives. I enjoyed the book, but I think the amount of lying to others and lack of planning annoyed me a little too much, so I only gave this book 3 stars. If you enjoyed The Parent Trap or Freaky Friday, this is probably a book for you.
July 4, 2020
It was a fun and easy read. I really liked Willa and Alice, i mean yes they did do some stupid stuff but manage to fix it and at the same time grow as characters.
July 22, 2019
Two girls, Alice and Willa, are unsatisfied with their summer vacation plans made for them. So they decided to switch summer plans. One in Italy, one in London. Both flying away from their realities. But even if they are far away, life eventually catches them.
June 9, 2019
This might be a new favourite series! I loved the girls so much, how different Alice and Willa were but also the way that became friends so quickly. They have nothing in common except a
very similar appearance and the fact that they're so desperate to get away from their current plans for the summer, but by switching summers and keeping in contact in order to keep up the ruse, they become proper friends.
I loved the way it changed the girls too. It pushed them both out of their comfort zones and made them do things differently to the way they have always done. With Alice it's an obvious change. To pretend to be Willa she has to be more outgoing and has to dress completely differently. For Willa, she has to contain her enthusiasm more and think about the people around her more. It was so interesting to see how this effects their personalities as they change and grow over the course of the book.
Learning it's a sequel is interesting. I don't know where they have to go now, but I'm sure Cannon will come up with more adventures for them. I just hope they involve more hijinks and pretending to be one another!
very similar appearance and the fact that they're so desperate to get away from their current plans for the summer, but by switching summers and keeping in contact in order to keep up the ruse, they become proper friends.
I loved the way it changed the girls too. It pushed them both out of their comfort zones and made them do things differently to the way they have always done. With Alice it's an obvious change. To pretend to be Willa she has to be more outgoing and has to dress completely differently. For Willa, she has to contain her enthusiasm more and think about the people around her more. It was so interesting to see how this effects their personalities as they change and grow over the course of the book.
Learning it's a sequel is interesting. I don't know where they have to go now, but I'm sure Cannon will come up with more adventures for them. I just hope they involve more hijinks and pretending to be one another!
June 14, 2019
I enjoyed this, but it wasn’t my favourite read. It was interesting but nothing new or original, the characters were nice, but it just seemed a rehash of popular switch movies and books. The characters felt a little immature at times, it’s a fun read, but overall I wasn’t blown away.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
August 19, 2021
a rly good chill (kind of cringy) 'tween' book. even though it was a bit young for me, i rly enjoyed it and it was a nice change to murder mysteries lol
February 10, 2022
It was a fun story but felt like just the same story with different characters to books I have read before.
May 11, 2019
This follows two girls called Alice and Willa with rather similar faces, who meet in an airport lounge and hatch a plan to switch identities for the summer to escape having to stay with people they very much do not want to. I really liked both girls (I particularly related to Alice), and loved that the dual narrative allowed me to see both their perspectives and summers. I also loved the friendships they form; most notably with each other of course, but also with the absolutely wonderful people they meet whilst pretending to be each other (Luca was my particular fave, but I was also very fond of Mabel and Hal) I also really liked the humour within the book as it made me chuckle a lot, and I thought the London and Italy settings were so fun to read about (especially Italy- the descriptions were gorgeous!). finally, I thought the way both girls developed throughout the book was wonderful, and it was lovely to see them change and learn as things went on. The perfect book for a sunny day, or even one when you need a splash of metaphorical sunshine to brighten life up. 4.5/5
May 9, 2019
Willa is forced by her parents to go to Italy to stay with a relative despite having her summer planned to be in London on a theatre course.
Her mum is an actress in LA while her dad is away shooting in Edinburgh.
Meanwhile at the airport, she meets Alice and the pair get mistaken for sisters. Leading Willa and Alice to talking about their plans and hatching the idea to swap places for the next few weeks.
Alice lost her mum to cancer but her marine biologist dad is away working sending her to stay with his girlfriend in London.
As the story progresses, the pair swap info online alike they swapped possessions and keep on impersonating the other they're playing.
Alice's friend Hal recognizes Willa isn't her so she ropes him in to her plan meanwhile Alice visits the waterfall her mum told her about while her dad or rather Willa's dad turns up randomly...their game is up.
The location choices were great who wouldn't want to be in Italy or London two of the greatest cities in the world to explore and especially how the girls families didn't recognise the girls were different was shocking but understandable after so many years apart.
Like a modern parent trap this book was super fun and keeps you on your toes reading on in eager suspense about each girls summer and the outcome it'll be good or bad.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
Her mum is an actress in LA while her dad is away shooting in Edinburgh.
Meanwhile at the airport, she meets Alice and the pair get mistaken for sisters. Leading Willa and Alice to talking about their plans and hatching the idea to swap places for the next few weeks.
Alice lost her mum to cancer but her marine biologist dad is away working sending her to stay with his girlfriend in London.
As the story progresses, the pair swap info online alike they swapped possessions and keep on impersonating the other they're playing.
Alice's friend Hal recognizes Willa isn't her so she ropes him in to her plan meanwhile Alice visits the waterfall her mum told her about while her dad or rather Willa's dad turns up randomly...their game is up.
The location choices were great who wouldn't want to be in Italy or London two of the greatest cities in the world to explore and especially how the girls families didn't recognise the girls were different was shocking but understandable after so many years apart.
Like a modern parent trap this book was super fun and keeps you on your toes reading on in eager suspense about each girls summer and the outcome it'll be good or bad.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
May 29, 2019
So. Much. Fun.
June 8, 2019
First and foremost, this was such a fun read that had me longing for summer and wanting to get away and go on holiday. This was my first trip into a Katy Cannon book and it really didn't disappoint. I was whisked away on this crazy adventure, which let's be honest none of us (even myself at 25) would have the guts to do. Also, as I love the movie Freaky Friday I was instantly hooked in by the premise of this novel.
Yes, the swapping lives trope has been done countless times but I felt that in The Switch Up there was a unique twist. It didn't feel like a copy of anything else and I really did enjoy the whole concept within the book. The plot was easy enough to follow, but was a little bit predictable. However, this didn't deter me from enjoying it. I absolutely loved the dual POV narrative between Alice and Willa. This was, in my opinion, the best way to tell their story and it was just great to get to know both characters equally. Both girls had totally different personalities and I loved getting into both of their heads. If this was done from a single POV narrative I don't feel like the story would have had as much appeal.
Can we also talk about the settings for a moment? Both were just as gorgeous as the other and I loved being taken to London for one chapter and then Italy the next. As someone who is a big fan of London and who lived there for a while the descriptions of the capital took me back to my time there and I found myself starting to reminisce. It is amazing when a book does that to me and I just adored it. Italy, well I have never been there before but just by reading The Switch Up I know I have to go in the very near future. From the descriptions it sounds beautiful, and I did feel at times like I was there. The descriptions of both settings were very vivid and this just added to the whole vibe of the book.
Alice and Willa were both really interesting characters with equally as intriguing personalities. However, it did take me a while to warm up to Willa. When I first met her I found her to the your typical 'spoiled brat' and I did start to worry if I would like her in the long run. I didn't need to worry, mind you, as as the story progressed I found myself getting to know her more and more and you do start to realise that under the facade is a pretty normal teenage girl. With Alice, well I saw a lot of myself in her. I too am a bookworm and a careful planner and I just related to her a lot despite the age difference. It was a joy to see her come out of her shell throughout the book and have her develop into a more confident young woman.
The Switch Up was an amusing, beautifully written clean teen read. It, in my opinion, is the perfect book to accompany you on your summer holiday this year or if you aren't going on holiday it is the perfect book to chill out with in your garden on a sunny day.
Yes, the swapping lives trope has been done countless times but I felt that in The Switch Up there was a unique twist. It didn't feel like a copy of anything else and I really did enjoy the whole concept within the book. The plot was easy enough to follow, but was a little bit predictable. However, this didn't deter me from enjoying it. I absolutely loved the dual POV narrative between Alice and Willa. This was, in my opinion, the best way to tell their story and it was just great to get to know both characters equally. Both girls had totally different personalities and I loved getting into both of their heads. If this was done from a single POV narrative I don't feel like the story would have had as much appeal.
Can we also talk about the settings for a moment? Both were just as gorgeous as the other and I loved being taken to London for one chapter and then Italy the next. As someone who is a big fan of London and who lived there for a while the descriptions of the capital took me back to my time there and I found myself starting to reminisce. It is amazing when a book does that to me and I just adored it. Italy, well I have never been there before but just by reading The Switch Up I know I have to go in the very near future. From the descriptions it sounds beautiful, and I did feel at times like I was there. The descriptions of both settings were very vivid and this just added to the whole vibe of the book.
Alice and Willa were both really interesting characters with equally as intriguing personalities. However, it did take me a while to warm up to Willa. When I first met her I found her to the your typical 'spoiled brat' and I did start to worry if I would like her in the long run. I didn't need to worry, mind you, as as the story progressed I found myself getting to know her more and more and you do start to realise that under the facade is a pretty normal teenage girl. With Alice, well I saw a lot of myself in her. I too am a bookworm and a careful planner and I just related to her a lot despite the age difference. It was a joy to see her come out of her shell throughout the book and have her develop into a more confident young woman.
The Switch Up was an amusing, beautifully written clean teen read. It, in my opinion, is the perfect book to accompany you on your summer holiday this year or if you aren't going on holiday it is the perfect book to chill out with in your garden on a sunny day.
September 28, 2019
Oh my god, did Luca and Alice make me cry. On public transport.
I loved the journey these girls went on, and the bonds they made in their switch. I thought the characters were great and you could see both girls grow as people.
The thing that cost this book it’s fifth star, however, is the similarity of Alice and Willa. They could fool passport control (with its fingerprint and iris scanners) but the people who knew them wouldn’t be fooled? How alike are they? I was so confused because it sounded like those stories of people meeting their doppelgängers on planes (which is awesome!) but then there seemed to be a growing list of differences in appearance and I didn’t like having to try to work out how that could possibly happen. My only real complaint was how that worked.
I loved the journey these girls went on, and the bonds they made in their switch. I thought the characters were great and you could see both girls grow as people.
The thing that cost this book it’s fifth star, however, is the similarity of Alice and Willa. They could fool passport control (with its fingerprint and iris scanners) but the people who knew them wouldn’t be fooled? How alike are they? I was so confused because it sounded like those stories of people meeting their doppelgängers on planes (which is awesome!) but then there seemed to be a growing list of differences in appearance and I didn’t like having to try to work out how that could possibly happen. My only real complaint was how that worked.
January 17, 2020
The Switch Up is a fun teen read (i.e. young YA) I'm sure a lot of girls will enjoy. Personally, I enjoyed Willa's narrative a lot more than Alice's - the London setting was more compelling to me, and Willa's more light-hearted voice was more fun to read.
I also felt that the second half of the book was much more engaging than the first half, which I struggled with a little. I especially enjoyed the messages exchanged by Willa and Alice and how their friendship developed despite the fact that they spend very little time in the book co-present.
I also felt that the second half of the book was much more engaging than the first half, which I struggled with a little. I especially enjoyed the messages exchanged by Willa and Alice and how their friendship developed despite the fact that they spend very little time in the book co-present.
January 23, 2023
3.5 Stars
Sometimes all you want on a holiday is a cute, sweet read, and I am very happy to say I got that. It was sweet, and fun. Super easy to read. Plus, I love a good life-swap children’s or teen book. As a child I ADORED the original Parent Trap (the OG one, not Lindsay Lohan) so naturally this was right down my alley.
I don’t think it was anything special as there wasn’t a lot of meat to it, but it was still a really good time. I have the next one lined up and ready to go!
Sometimes all you want on a holiday is a cute, sweet read, and I am very happy to say I got that. It was sweet, and fun. Super easy to read. Plus, I love a good life-swap children’s or teen book. As a child I ADORED the original Parent Trap (the OG one, not Lindsay Lohan) so naturally this was right down my alley.
I don’t think it was anything special as there wasn’t a lot of meat to it, but it was still a really good time. I have the next one lined up and ready to go!
May 18, 2020
I had so much fun reading this book, especially after all the depressing books I’ve been reading recently.
This book was so entertaining and enjoyable and I loved all the characters. It definitely reminded me of The Parent Trap so now I want to rewatch that film.
I now want to read the sequel, even though I have no idea what the sequel could be about because I felt like the ending of this book kind of wrapped everything up perfectly.
This book was so entertaining and enjoyable and I loved all the characters. It definitely reminded me of The Parent Trap so now I want to rewatch that film.
I now want to read the sequel, even though I have no idea what the sequel could be about because I felt like the ending of this book kind of wrapped everything up perfectly.
June 22, 2019
Fun summer read about two girls who are doppelgängers and have entirely different personalities swapping places for the summer. With echoes of The parent Trap and Freaky Friday this is light, and fun-hearted read. Thoroughly enjoyed.
June 24, 2020
This was really sweet and a bit of a laugh. It was a bit young for me but I have been feeling a bit slumpy at the moment and this was the perfect thing for it. It totally reminded me of the parent trap and it was just a load of fun.
July 21, 2022
So amazing 🤩 didn’t want it to end. Can’t wait to read the next edition already 😍😍😍😍🥰🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍
It created a lovely Summer vibe, makes me feel I’m on holiday…oh wait, I was on holiday when reading this 🏝🏝
Five stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It created a lovely Summer vibe, makes me feel I’m on holiday…oh wait, I was on holiday when reading this 🏝🏝
Five stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 23, 2024
Un livre plein de suspense et très agréable à lire ! Entre une été en Italie, et un été à Londres ; on est directement plongés dans l’histoire de deux inconnues qui deviennent des amies inséparables. Je recommande ce livre et pour les plus curieux, il y a le deuxième tome.
May 2, 2019
3.5 rounded up. A little far-fetched and the start felt a bit rushed, but the story had heart and it's a pretty good younger teen / middle grade adventure for fans of The Parent Trap!
April 2, 2021
great book and interesting as well as being hilarious
August 2, 2021
I would recommend this book to anyone and that at the end is the best
June 23, 2022
A cute, refreshing summer read!
November 20, 2022
Stereotypical contrast and great example of walking in eachother's shoes. Truly amusing.
December 23, 2022
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS IVE READ I WISHED ALICE DATED THE ITALIAN GUY
January 26, 2024
Histoire simple mais vraiment sympa
May 29, 2024
Pick it up for a breezy unwinding vacation and tit bits to increase your TBR!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews