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The Changelings
(Changelings #1)
by
Izzy’s family has just moved to the most boring town in the country. But as time goes on, strange things start to happen; odd piles of stones appear around Izzy’s house, and her little sister Hen comes home full of stories about the witch next door.
Then, Hen disappears into the woods. She’s been whisked away to the land of Faerie, and it’s up to Izzy to save her. Joined t ...more
Then, Hen disappears into the woods. She’s been whisked away to the land of Faerie, and it’s up to Izzy to save her. Joined t ...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
September 6th 2016
by Sourcebooks Young Readers
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Start your review of The Changelings (Changelings, #1)

Izzy's family just moved to Everton, a boring little town with nothing to do besides visit the local market, the Jiggly Goat. While waiting for her mother to pay for groceries, Izzy overhears the cashier say their new neighbor, Marion Malloy, is a witch. Izzy spends her afternoons spying on Mrs. Malloy, always careful to keep her distance, until the day her younger sister is lured into the forest behind Mrs. Malloy's house by a strange song. When her little sister goes missing and it appears Mrs
...more

May 25, 2016
Mare
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
like-it,
fantasy,
fairy,
read-it-again,
childrens,
read-in-english,
2016-read,
netgalley,
arc
4.5 stars
After reading the description I thought this will be a light children read I would rate with 4 stars but when I couldn't put it down after reading the first half of the book I knew it will suprise me more until the end. I can't wait for this book to be published so I can buy it for my niece, I am sure she will love it, since Izzy is so much like her. Now, I realise that these kind of books usually have boys as a protagonist, so it was one more pleasant suprise for me.
Even if it's not y ...more
After reading the description I thought this will be a light children read I would rate with 4 stars but when I couldn't put it down after reading the first half of the book I knew it will suprise me more until the end. I can't wait for this book to be published so I can buy it for my niece, I am sure she will love it, since Izzy is so much like her. Now, I realise that these kind of books usually have boys as a protagonist, so it was one more pleasant suprise for me.
Even if it's not y ...more

The Changelings is charming! Perfect for readers who love stories full of magic, adventure, mystery and fairies, topped off with a satisfying and very happy ending. (And who doesn't?)
Soontornvat’s debut sparkles and delights.
...more
Soontornvat’s debut sparkles and delights.
...more

I was disappointed. This started off in the first few chapters as being a modern story about changlings (children who are switched at birth by fairies).
And there was a cool lady next door who knew about fairies because she was a changeling herself.
Izzy's sister gets kidnapped by the fairies and so the two set off to rescue Hen. And that could have been a great story. But instead Mariam gets cast aside early on and Izzy continues the story with a bunch of other people and have to journey to Ava ...more
And there was a cool lady next door who knew about fairies because she was a changeling herself.
Izzy's sister gets kidnapped by the fairies and so the two set off to rescue Hen. And that could have been a great story. But instead Mariam gets cast aside early on and Izzy continues the story with a bunch of other people and have to journey to Ava ...more

This is a wonderful fantasy from a debut author. It has everything you want in MG fantasy: whimsy, adventure, twists and turns, strong well-developed characters, and many surprises! Each chapter has strong action and usually ends in suspense or some other cliffhanger, which makes it in-putdownable!
I highly recommend this. I can't quite match it with any other books I've read other than to say pieces of it remind me of Fablehaven, Alice in Wonderland, and the Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles. ...more
I highly recommend this. I can't quite match it with any other books I've read other than to say pieces of it remind me of Fablehaven, Alice in Wonderland, and the Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles. ...more

Check out my other reviews, discussions and link ups at Fantasy of the Silver Dragon.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I really liked how the story started off in the modern world, but with Izzy's fascination for faerie tales and folklore. Their next door neighbor is an old woman who is said to be a witch, and knows even more about the Fae than Izzy does.
And then Hen is stolen awa ...more
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I really liked how the story started off in the modern world, but with Izzy's fascination for faerie tales and folklore. Their next door neighbor is an old woman who is said to be a witch, and knows even more about the Fae than Izzy does.
And then Hen is stolen awa ...more

I received a digital copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Izzy and Hen are forced to move to their grandmother's old house in the most boring town in the universe, where their next-door neighbour is probably a witch. When Hen goes missing however, Izzy finds out that sometimes it pays to make friends with your (possibly witchy) neighbours.
f you enjoy your standard down-the-rabbit-hole stories based in Celtic folklore then this will scratch your itch. The beginn ...more
Ten Second Synopsis:
Izzy and Hen are forced to move to their grandmother's old house in the most boring town in the universe, where their next-door neighbour is probably a witch. When Hen goes missing however, Izzy finds out that sometimes it pays to make friends with your (possibly witchy) neighbours.
f you enjoy your standard down-the-rabbit-hole stories based in Celtic folklore then this will scratch your itch. The beginn ...more

I received this book through Goodreads giveaway for an honest review.
***Review may contain spoilers***
5 Stars. I really enjoyed this book. It was a super fun read.
It's a fairly light-hearted kids book about a group of misfits who save the fairy world from an evil queen. Although the plot is not all that new or unique, it really didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. The characters are very likable and I always love retellings of good fairy tales. It has some nice plot twists toward the e ...more
***Review may contain spoilers***
5 Stars. I really enjoyed this book. It was a super fun read.
It's a fairly light-hearted kids book about a group of misfits who save the fairy world from an evil queen. Although the plot is not all that new or unique, it really didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. The characters are very likable and I always love retellings of good fairy tales. It has some nice plot twists toward the e ...more

The Changelings by Christina Soontornvat is a delightful children's story that will keep kids reading until the end. The story is filled with magical creatures, fantasy, adventure, a witch that kidnaps one of the sisters and the other is off to track her down, and an evil Queen. The book draws the reader into another world where strange is normal. Kids will find this fascinating, probably a little more than I did since reading as an adult one looses some of the silliness. The book is funny with
...more

I received this book from Goodreads.
What a wonderful family oriented read!
The Changelings is full of wonder, danger, adventure, magic, loyalty, and one very hard decision at the end.
It is loosely based off of well known fairy tales, some hard to spot. I had a blast while reading this book as I came across familiar themes from other tales.
There was a few things that were left unanswered. My biggest curiosity was the parents reaction when the children came back. I would have loved to have read abo ...more
What a wonderful family oriented read!
The Changelings is full of wonder, danger, adventure, magic, loyalty, and one very hard decision at the end.
It is loosely based off of well known fairy tales, some hard to spot. I had a blast while reading this book as I came across familiar themes from other tales.
There was a few things that were left unanswered. My biggest curiosity was the parents reaction when the children came back. I would have loved to have read abo ...more

This is a very clever and entertaining middle grade read. I enjoyed the characters and story line and I would definitely recommend it to students. Whimsical and charming. The adventure includes witches, fairies, shape-shifters, magic, and makes for great fantasy.
Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a digital copy to read in exchange for a review. I will be looking for the upcoming children's book by this author. ...more
Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a digital copy to read in exchange for a review. I will be looking for the upcoming children's book by this author. ...more

This was my featured Juvenile Fantasy for my Elementary school visits prior to SRP 2017.
Girl discovers door to another world, goes there to rescue her sister. Meets magical friends, travels, discovers things about herself.
Pretty run-of-the-mill world building, but loved the character work of the different changelings, and the questiness. A great introduction to the genre.
The scary monsters were particularly notable as unusual. :)
Girl discovers door to another world, goes there to rescue her sister. Meets magical friends, travels, discovers things about herself.
Pretty run-of-the-mill world building, but loved the character work of the different changelings, and the questiness. A great introduction to the genre.
The scary monsters were particularly notable as unusual. :)

A cute book suitable for tweens and young teens. If your kids like Harry Potter, they'll probably like 'Changelings.' Very well developed characters, a richly described world, and just a hint of the spookiness of faerie. Does have some violence.
...more

Fairytales and stories of the land of Faerie - that's all they are, right? They're just stories. They're exciting and sometimes scary. They're full of joys and sorrows meant to entertain - right? Yes, that's true, except when it's not. It's true except for the fact that Hen disappears - there and gone - while skipping into the wood and Izzy knows she's got to be the one to find her.
The Faerie world and the Human world used to be a lot closer. They used to depend on each other for balance, beauty ...more
The Faerie world and the Human world used to be a lot closer. They used to depend on each other for balance, beauty ...more

Aug 05, 2018
Liz
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
fans of Narnia, Labyrinth, fairy tales, and stories of that sort
I was really at a loss for how to rate this book. It had a few flaws like any other book, and one that specifically irked me; but then, so do "Neruomancer" and "Snow Crash." I usually use the five-star rating for my all-time favorites, but maybe I should loosen up. In any case, the fact that almost none of this book's flaws bothered me, it had a unique voice despite being a midgrade fantasy and the author's debut novel, which she wrote while also being a mother of two young kids, I think that ac
...more

This is a charming middle grade novel. Izzy has never felt that she fit in. Now that her family has moved, she feels isolated with only the company of her 7 year old sister, Hen. When Hen disappears into the woods following the sound of a haunting tune, Izzy finds herself drawn into the faerie world. In order to save her sister, she acquires the most astounding group of reluctant allies. I will definitely share this title with my students. I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange
...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

I enjoy reading books that my middle-grade granddaughter likes or might like. (Then, discussing and bonding over the plot with her.) Thus, when I noticed this author's book in a Goodreads Giveaway I entered & was fortunate enough to have won a copy. WOW, the story was AMAZING! Not having read much about fairies, I was surprised and delighted with this endearing story. And, it was nice to see a girl in an adventure role.
...more

This was a fast-paced adventure fantasy that I enjoyed. I liked the exploration of the relationship between the sisters. I liked Izzy finding friends among the Changelings. There is continuous action that keeps you flipping the pages. While I thought the story was nicely self-contained, I'm not displeased to hear a sequel will be out this fall.
Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy, which I acquired many moons ago and have just now shamefacedly read. ...more
Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy, which I acquired many moons ago and have just now shamefacedly read. ...more

I was pleasantly surprised with this read! A great debut from Christina Soontornvat and if this is what we have to look forward to from her, I am all in!
This is a great read with tons of twists and turns that keep you longing to read the next chapter. Such great writing that kept you on the edge of your seat and wondering what was going to happen next. I think this one id going to be a big hit with young readers as well and I can't wait to share it with my daughter!
...more
This is a great read with tons of twists and turns that keep you longing to read the next chapter. Such great writing that kept you on the edge of your seat and wondering what was going to happen next. I think this one id going to be a big hit with young readers as well and I can't wait to share it with my daughter!
...more

After trying (but not succeeding) to read The Continent (Keira Drake's Continent, that is) and Vassa in the Night, I am very glad that this book is at least doable.
I mean, it's fine, really. It's nothing life-changing, it doesn't have any spectacular plottwists or anything like that. It's just a straightforward Faerie story about changelings and the land of Faerie with several of the tropes you can imagine - although there's no iron involved and the food is fine too. And, honestly, after my prev ...more
I mean, it's fine, really. It's nothing life-changing, it doesn't have any spectacular plottwists or anything like that. It's just a straightforward Faerie story about changelings and the land of Faerie with several of the tropes you can imagine - although there's no iron involved and the food is fine too. And, honestly, after my prev ...more

Sisterhood, and Family
This book was a pleasant surprise across the board. No, I wasn't surprised that it was well written, or even that it was nicely paced, with a careful mix of action, exposition, whimsy, world building, and plot development. I wasn't even surprised that the heroine was as engaging, thoughtful and stouthearted as she turned out to be, or that the tale was loaded with quirky and interesting supporting characters.
No, I was surprised by how well the faerie angle was handled, and ...more
This book was a pleasant surprise across the board. No, I wasn't surprised that it was well written, or even that it was nicely paced, with a careful mix of action, exposition, whimsy, world building, and plot development. I wasn't even surprised that the heroine was as engaging, thoughtful and stouthearted as she turned out to be, or that the tale was loaded with quirky and interesting supporting characters.
No, I was surprised by how well the faerie angle was handled, and ...more

This story was one I didn't think I would really enjoy. It opened up with two sisters squabbling and that just gets old and not really something I want to hand over to my children. However, even though the eldest, Izzy has an attitude, one that is similar to my own twelve year old--hence my hesitancy to endorse that kind of character, I quickly realized that this story was more that meets the eye.
This story brings in a lot of the fairy tale we know about with a twist on them that is really fasc ...more
This story brings in a lot of the fairy tale we know about with a twist on them that is really fasc ...more

Talk about an adventure. I couldn't stop reading the book and stayed up so late my eyes hurt to keep reading. There was no slow beginning like a lot of books. You end up getting hooked on the characters and their lives within the first 20 pages. By page 50 you can't stop reading.
This book is amazing for adults and youth alike. For anyone that loves fairy tales in the aspect of actual fairies. I would warn you to start reading early on a day you have nothing planned because once you start you won ...more
This book is amazing for adults and youth alike. For anyone that loves fairy tales in the aspect of actual fairies. I would warn you to start reading early on a day you have nothing planned because once you start you won ...more
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Christina Soontornvat grew up behind the counter of her parents’ Thai restaurant in a small Texas town with her nose stuck in a book. She is very proud of both her Thai and her Texan roots, and makes regular trips to both Weatherford and Bangkok to see her beloved family members (and eat lots and lots of Thai food!). Christina is the author of the fantasy middle grade series, The Changelings, and
...more
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Changelings
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