Reviews

Swap by Mariah Montoya

platinumwarlock's review

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

readwithlys's review

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Swap is a YA sci-fi dystopian novel that follows Lily and Michael, as they realize that the fantastical AI world (Zurithia) that they will have the chance to enter at age 18 isn’t all that it seems to be, and all of humanity is in danger. In Zurithia they are promised magic, no more pain or disabilities, all their wildest dreams met, and most of all that they will be together.  Meanwhile, and AI bot with swap with them and take care of their physical body. This started as a way to help the terminally ill live out their last days peacefully, but slowly over time became more or less a mandatory part of your 18th birthday. When Michael discovers that in Zurithia everyone is locked in their own corner of reality separately, he tries to warn Lily before her swap at her 18th birthday. Lily and Michael find themselves fighting back from both inside and outside the simulation, desperately trying to find their way back to each other and realizing that the truth behind Zurithia is deeper and more sinister than they ever imagined. 

This is the type of book that could break a reading slump. I thought the pacing was great, with plot twists and reveals that were not only truly surprising but also came at just the right time to keep me needing to know what happens next. It hooked me in quickly and kept me hooked the whole time. The ending somehow felt like a resolution and a cliffhanger all in one. I’m not sure if this is going to be a series but I would love to see more of these characters! 

Speaking of characters, I thought all the characters in this story were well done and felt like real people. Multiple different types of relationships were explored, from romantic relationships to friendships and complicated family dynamics. By the end of the book, I was definitely feeling the found family vibes. There is also representation of sign language and the deaf/hard of hearing community through Lily who is deaf, and Michael who took the time to learn sign language to communicate with her in a way that is most comfortable for her. Others in her life communicate with her via painful silver ears that her mother forces her to wear, which allow her to hear but also record everything that she and those around her say. 

This book  met all my expectations, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a well-paced dystopian with great characters and family/friend/relationship dynamics.

styxreads's review

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adventurous medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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