An excellent read! The premise was great and the characters were strong. A delight.

Excellent YA novel about perception and perhaps the life that one desires not quite measuring up if acquired.

"And it occurred to me, standing there in that bleak, cavernous space, that nobody is ever just one thing: villain or hero, dirtbag or prince. If the multiverse was about choices, and all possible choices were being made, then we might be all those things and everything in between."

I received a free e-copy through NetGalley from the publishers at Curiosity Quills Press. The whole time I was reading this book, I was thinking it sounded exactly like something my friend Roberta at Offbeat YA would like. Then I looked closer and saw that it was a Curiosity Quills Press book, and I knew she would! I highly recommend reading her review, since she’s much more qualified to speak about this genre than I am.

When Jacobus and his friend Connor discover a massive switch inside an old red house, they feel compelled to pull it and see what happens. At first, they think nothing has changed, but when Jacobus gets home, he realizes that he and Connor have been transported into an alternate world. It’s almost exactly like the old one with a few unsettling differences, and Jacobus continues seeking out switches and catapulting himself into alternate worlds as he tries to get home.

This is almost a totally new genre for me. I don’t read a lot of science fiction (unless it says Christopher Pike on the cover), and I don’t believe I’ve ever read a book that directly engages multiple worlds theory. I can’t speak to whether this is an original interpretation of the idea or not, but I can say that the writing itself is quite good and that the Hills do a nice job keeping the science on a level that’s accessible to the average reader. I never felt like I was in so far I couldn’t understand, although occasionally it seems like there are a few too many concepts introduced to really do them justice. There’s only about a paragraph on entanglement before Jacobus’s inner monologue moves on to other things, and I would have liked to see the novel try to tackle one or two of those in more depth.

The characters are good; they’re more interesting and unique than a lot of mainstream fiction, and while I don’t have a lot of strong feelings about Jacobus (that happens with narrators), I really like his companions. Gordon and Mose are clever and brave, and Jemma is strong and coolheaded. For some reason, Gordon’s attachment to his catcher’s uniform really struck a chord with me. He’s been traveling through worlds for an incomprehensible amount of time; I’d want something that made me feel protected too, and it does a lot to demonstrate the characters’ vulnerability. Of all of them, he was my favorite. I never could resist a smart character.

The only problem I had with the novel is, I think, inherent in its type. I get tired quickly of a universe where anything can happen, and I like my stories with more limitations. Things are defined, in part, by their limitations, and things are less interesting when anything can happen. I also got weary of all the scenery changes as the characters hopped worlds, and I could have done with one or two fewer of those. It’s hard to establish a setting when the characters are constantly moving on (a lot like a road trip novel, and you know how I feel about those), and without a consistent setting, it’s difficult to feel grounded in the novel. I feel like the Hills try to counteract this with consistent characters and the similarities among the worlds that keep resurfacing, and it works to some extent. I never felt like I was in a totally nonsense-reality like Alice in Wonderland, but it wasn’t quite to my tastes either.

This isn’t the the kind of book where everything is wrapped up neatly at the end, and there are many questions left unanswered. The book has thematic closure though, and more than that, it’s a rather smart novel that intelligently entertains a lot of interesting concepts. I’m okay with some open-endedness that leaves room for the authors to return to this world, should they ever want to. As far as forays into science fiction go, I think The Switch falls on the better end.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

From the prologue, this book seemed like something that would pull me right in. However, I was left slightly disappointed by the writing. It didn't end up sucking me in quite like I thought, and I was left bored at times. I do think this book is intended for a younger YA audience.

*thank you to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

1.5 stars.
Ohh. Try as I did, I just didnt enjoy this. The description sounded great though so I was pretty excited to find out I was given a copy to review and for that I am thankful. But unfortunately, It just wasnt for me. I dont think that there was anything wrong with it, It just didn't hold my attention. I really like the cover though and while I didnt enjoy it, I would recommend it to people who love Ya, sci-fi, time travel, and alternative worlds. I do want to give this another try at some stage and see if I get a different feel for it.

Great Book!!! Keep me on the edge of my seat the whole time! I can’t wait to read more!!

This book is so original and unpredictable and I value that alot, since it is not the typical story that we are used to in the genre. I had some problems with the scientific part of the book and some of its explanations to the events were a bit flat to me, I would have liked to know more about the characters, I feel I haven't been able to connect with any of them and that makes my rating go down a bit . I don't usually read sci-fi, since I usually have problems with it, but this is a good one within the genre, so I think I would recommend it, but only for sci-fi lovers who believe they read it all :)

3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Jacobus Rose's life isn't perfect and he sometimes feels that he was born into the wrong world. One day Jacobus and his best friend Connor stumble upon a strange house with only a very big switch and a lightbulb on a chain that doesn't seem to be connected to any power. The both decide to flip the switch to see what will happen. Jacobus learns that he has unwillingly become a traveler in alternate realities of his life. Jacobus gathers some new friends and fellow travelers along the way and together they must discover and flip switches in other strange multiverses in an attempt to return home.

The switch takes you on an expedition through parallel universes. I enjoyed this novel and the unique realities in which the travelers explored while learning more about themselves and the true meaning of home.

Appealing for all age groups!

At 45, I am definitely not the target audience for a YA book, however, I have to say I was gripped from the Prologue.

The style of writing is such that the book would engage any age group and the premise considers questions that we all grapple with, regardless of our experience or maturity.

I loved the cover, the layout, the balance between description and speech, the compelling storyline; all of which were reminiscent of reading the Unraveling series by Elizabeth Norris, although the stories are not the same.

As a language teacher, I know how few students these days love to read, but I can guarantee with some certainty that any student of any ability would find this book absolutely fascinating.