Another day, another review! This book was called Body Swap by Sylvia McNicoll and it was sent to us by Dundurn Press to read and give our honest review.
Synopsis: A fatal collision — who’s to blame? Two bodies, two souls switch in search of justice.
When fifteen-year-old Hallie gets knocked flying by a Hurricane SUV, her life ends without her ever having kissed a boy. At an otherworldly carnival, she meets and argues with the eighty-two-year-old driver, Susan. Both return to life, only with one catch — they’ve swapped bodies.
Now Hallie has wrinkled skin and achy joints while Susan deals with a forehead zit and a crush on a guy who’s a player. Hallie faces a life in a long-term care residence. Susan gets picked up for shoplifting.
As they struggle with technology, medications, and each other’s fashion foibles, they start to understand and maybe even like each other. But can they work together to prove that a defect in the Hurricane caused the deadly crash? Or will their time run out?
This book was pretty good. It gave me huge Freaky Friday vibes except with older and younger characters. I think that Hallie and Susan were not fans of each other off the start and I mean who can blame them considering they both ended up in this purgatory-like place because of the accident they were in with each other. Also, it was set in Burlington, Ontario which is in Canada so that is a plus for me as a Canadian book blogger :).
As the story continues, they are forced to learn and grow together as they try and find a way to get their bodies back. Susan doesn’t always want to go back to her old, brittle body but wants what is best for Hallie because she is a kind and caring woman. Hallie learns what it is like to be an elderly person and how they can be treated with little to no respect at times.
A big part of this book is about spending more time with the people around you and less time on our devices. I can honestly say that when I was reading this book, I spent very little time on my phone as I couldn’t peel away from the book.
Hardeep’s character was great. He was the depiction of a young boy who is in love for the first time and will do anything for the girl of his dreams. It made me remember how it was like to feel that way at such a young age. He was such a gentleman compared to Chael (“the player”).
I would recommend this book to anyone who liked YA fiction and enjoyed the Freaky Friday movie.
Book Rating: 4/5
You can buy this book on Amazon or Dundurn Press and find it on Goodreads.
Disclaimer: This book was sent to us in physical format by Dundurn Press to read and give an honest review.