Review: Swapped By A Kiss by Luisa Plaja

Title: Swapped By A Kiss

Author: Luisa Plaja

Published: Corgi Children's (29th April 2010)

No. of Pages: 343

Grade Rating: A-

Rachel hates her life and everyone in it - she even has suspicions that her on/off boyfriend David might not be entirely trustworthy. However, when David invites her to a music festival in England featuring their friend's band, she jumps at the chance for an overseas adventure. Hoping to surprise David, Rachel arrives at the festival early, where she runs into a nasty surprise of her own - she sees David kissing their friend Jo. Distraught, Rachel runs off, wishing she could leave her life behind...the next thing she knows, she's back with David. But not as herself...She's now in Jo's body! Can she keep the swap a secret from David until she can work out exactly what's going on and get her revenge? Over the course of a very weird weekend, Rachel puts herself in someone else's shoes and finds that her own maybe weren't as uncomfortable as she'd always thought. But can she ever be herself again?

Swapped By A Kiss is the third book by Luisa Plaja but the second book in the 'Kiss' series-the first one being Split By A Kiss. This book was fun, original and refreshing, with an awesome setting of a festival. Luisa has written an enjoyable sequel that fans of Freaky Friday will love!

When I found out that there was a sequel to one of my most-loved books of 2009, I jumped at the chance of reading it. Swapped By A Kiss was a fantastic book that moved away from the protagonist of the last book: Jo and focused on her fiery, feisty friend Rachel. I expect nothing less than amazing when I read Luisa's books and that's what I get every time! I really liked how this time, the setting was England and how the American characters reacted to it as if it was a parallel universe. Swapped was full of laughs and embarrasingly relatable moments-I loved it!

My opinion of the characters changed as well. In the last book, I didn't really know very much about Rachel and consequently didn't seem to like her. In this novel, the spotlight is focused on her and how she reacts when she see's her best friend kissing her boyfriend. We get to see a softer, more emotional side of Rachel whilst also learning about her back story which involved a few twists and turns in itself! There is a always an element of surprise lurking somewhere near the end of the books which I always can't wait to discover.

I also really liked Tori more in Swapped. She ditched her position as one of Chelsea Cook's minions and we also saw a different side of her. I really liked the alternating chapters between Jo and Rachel. Jo's chapters were more uncommon and written as diary entries (which were hilarious) whilst Rachel's took up most of the book.

All in all, I adored it and I'm currently craving more in the way of the 'Kiss' books-I can't wait to see how the story develops between all of the characters. If I'm being brutally honest, Split is still my favourite but then again, only by the tiniest percentage. Thank you for this amazingness Luisa!