This book covers such a difficult topic and does it well. It was fast paced and enjoyable. Definitely not one for young readers .

This is the story about an 18 year old high school track star named Lindsey, who is about to graduate high school and has a bright future ahead of her until she kicks the winning goal of the championship game, collapses on the field, and wakes up in the hospital in a body that she does not recognize. It's a dark twisted retelling of the "Freaky Friday" story, except the body that the main character inhabits happens to be that of 14 year old Annabeth, who is a teen runaway turned sex trafficking victim that is addicted to heroin. Yea, that fun story just got really serious and dark, huh? Well, somehow the author has a way of making light of this very bizarre situation while bringing awareness to the very seriousness and reality of sex trafficking victims that has become a major problem in today's society. This was a very quick and easy read*, but due to the content, I would recommend it to teens 16 and up because of the questions and discussions that could arise from reading it. I'm giving it a 3 star rating because although it was very easy to read and follow, it sort of caught me off guard throwing in the humor among such a serious situation. Also, without giving away any spoilers, the way the ending was left open for a possible sequel just didn't seem like the right fit in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me a free ARC for my honest review.

This was an emotional read. It kept my interest the entire read. It’s a unique story with an interesting premise.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced e-reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I picked up this book, knowing little more about it than it partakes of the character-wakes-up-in-the-body-of-a-stranger-who-died-at-the-same-time story trope. Fine, I thought. I’m a fan of Drop Dead Diva. I’m game.

Our viewpoint character is Lindsey, college-bound high school soccer star, articulate, self-confident, with an awesome father and super best friend. In other words, a golden girl with a golden future. After collapsing at the end of a crucial soccer game, she wakes up in the hospital in a much younger body, beaten to a pulp. As the story unfolds, Lindsey goes through the expected motions of trying to convince her father that this bruised, unwanted fourteen year old is really her, while fending off a smelly, repulsively dependent girl who claims to be her roommate.

The story flows seamlessly from “Freaky Friday” to darker themes. It doesn’t take long for Lindsey to realize that her new body is that of a teenage runaway sex worker and the man who assaulted her was the pimp she’d been desperate to get away from. As Lindsey comes to understand the realities of her new identity, she also finds the courage to speak up for exploited girls like her. What begins as a light-hearted identity-swap story grows, as its narrator grows, into a mature, challenging, and transformative novel. One of the things I liked most about Lindsey’s growth was her acceptance that her new life will be different: she’ll have to repeat high school, albeit from a more mature perspective; soccer will be out of the physical capabilities of her new body, but not track and field or perhaps something else. And the geeky younger boy who idolized her infuriatingly might just turn out to be her new romance.

Although the body-swapping is technically a fantasy element, the story itself has a mainstream sensibility; nevertheless, fans of Young Adult fantasy will find the character development and meaty topics rewarding. Highly recommended.

I truly think it is very to get lost in an idea of a story, that it affects the execution of the story. I really wanted to like this book, but it was not my favorite. It got very hard to follow and confusing at times.

Wow! Stop what you are doing and go get this book! Right now! It is that good. I don’t summarize books - there are people who do that for a living. But I will tell you this. I wasn’t sure I would like this book when I first started reading it. Body trading. Drug Lords. Sex slaves?! Before the end of the first few chapters, I was hooked. It’s not at all what I expected. I was so hooked on this book, I couldn’t put it down. It was a perfect COVID distractor. Fascinating. Don’t miss it.

I was given an electronic version of this book by the publisher, but the opinions are my own.

I didn't love this one. It had a great premise, but so much of the execution of it was confusing or full of plot holes or left unfinished. I *still* like the idea behind the book, but it just seems like the author needed more time to work out how it was going to happen and the necessary world-building to make it plausible.

Sadly my phone which I was using to read this book screen had broken and so sadly I couldn't finish the book because it was past the archive date and I couldn't download it onto a different device. I only got a chapter or so read but the storyline was hooking, I really wished I could of finished this book.

Senior high school student Lindsey Anderson wakes up in the hospital. The last thing she remembers is making the winning goal of the soccer game. She then realizes her hand doesn’t look like her hand. Why? Annabeth Shepherd is in the hospital. She was rescued from a severe beating by her pimp Toni. She and Lindsey both died. When the doctors brought Annabeth back to life, Lindsey finds hat she — her consciousness is in Annabeth’s body. Lindsey tries to convince the doctors that she is Lindsey not Annabeth. The doctors tell her that she is just confused. When a friend of Annabeth comes to see her, Lindsey is rude to her. She doesn’t understand who Annabeth was but will. Who tells her? Lindsey must discover what she did with her pimp’s money. She also must try to convince her dad and best friend who she really is. Will she be able to do that?

The novel is action-packed with twists and turns that aren’t expected. The author has written a story about sex trafficking and drug addiction. I liked the approach that the author took in her writing. It’s a serious subject that doesn’t get much written about in this type of fiction. It’s serious but not heavy in the treatment of the subject. It’s a book that should be read and discussed.

This book kept my interest and I enjoyed the tension and suspense. Very emotionally pulling book. Couldn't help but feel for the main character.

Not myself today by Muriel Ellis Pritchett - publishing on 24 Sept 2020

I would like to thank the publisher, author and Netgalley for trusting me with an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

High school soccer star Lindsey Anderson was at the top of her game with graduation approaching and a full rider soccer scholarship offer in her hand. Then she drops dead on the soccer field, only to wake up in the body of a teenage sex trafficking victim named Annabeth. No one believes who she really is, not even her dad. Chased by her new body’s drug dealing pimp and rabid parapsychologists out to dissect her. Lindsey searches to get her body and life back before graduation day. Can her BFF Rachel and the high school nerdy boy she detests help save her life?

I really enjoyed this book; kind of like a new “Freaky Friday” for those of us who can remember that far back. In my opinion this book is fundamentally about second chances Both Lindsey and Annabeth are polar opposites of one another; becoming one person almost. Lindsey was stronger mentally also as she knew how to sort the problems that Annabeth had gotten herself into dealing with stolen money and the threat of violence from her pimp. Lindsey sought out her friends and family to try proving she is trapped in another persons body. This part was especially emotional when it came to her dad. I can’t say too much more or I would risk leaving spoilers which I do not want to do.

I have been reading a lot of Teen/YA books recently which in some cases are better than everyday adult books. Not Myself Today is one of those books.

Highly recommend.

I thought that this was a very compelling read. This book was really quite unique and I felt that it had an interesting AND important story to tell. That being said, this is not a book that will be easy read for everyone. At times I almost felt that the story was fighting with itself over what it truly wanted to be. That, paired with with what I thought was a lack of depth made this a good read but not a great one. I truly think a lot of potential was just never tapped into.

Lindsey, a senior in high school, doesn't realize when she wakes up in a hospital that her spirit has entered the body of a 14-year-old who died in the ER at the same time as she did. Her body could not be resuscitated, but the body of Annabeth's was resuscitated with her in it. Annabeth is a prostitute and drug abuser who is running away from Tony, the man who prostituted her. Lindsey cannot convince anyone of who she really is and has to run from Tony before he kills her for good.

I think teens will enjoy this Young Adult book. There is a lot of action with humor thrown in. I can see it becoming a movie in the future.

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟.5
Content Rating: 16+
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Thriller
Published: September 24, 2020, by Black Rose Writing


One-minute high school senior Lindsey Anderson was running down the soccer field, scoring the winning goal and celebrating with her teammates, and then nothing.

"As my eyes slowly focused, I flinched at the sight of my trembling hand and gulped. This hand wasn't mine."

Not Myself Today is a young adult book with a paranormal twist, written by Muriel Ellis Pritchett. It is a fast-pasted book that grabbed me from the beginning, however, for me, the writing was a bit off, and the dialogue felt forced. The concept of body-swapping in this book is an intriguing one. Not Myself Today highlights the differences between advantaged and disadvantaged teens. However, the sobering subject of sex trafficking, for me, was an even more important message.

Lindsey Anderson is leading the perfect life. She is a Senior Female Athlete of the Year and has a full-ride soccer scholarship to her dream college. After scoring the winning goal in the state soccer championship, she collapses and wakes up in the body of a 14-year-old sex-trafficking victim.

"That hideous, gray-faced girl in the mirror looked half-dead. Had she been in an accident? Had someone beat her up? She was NOT me."

Lindsey spends most of the book trying to convince her dad, her best friend Rachel, and Justin, a 15-year-old child genius who claims Lindsey is the love of his life, that she is not Annabeth Shepard, a 14-year-old prostitute. She spends the other half running from her drug-dealing pimp, who is trying to kill her.

I thought the story was well developed, and the pacing was good. When examining the parts of the book, there is a lot to like, and I felt that each element approached was well put, but when added together, sadly, the sum of the parts was lesser than their individual elements. I was also confused by the need to put a romantic aspect into this book and felt it just didn't fit. The ending fell a bit short for me; it ended a bit too cleanly but, at the same time, leaving an opening for a possible sequel.

The characters, for the most part, are well developed. Ms. Pritchett gives the reader small glimpses into Annabeth Shepard and her best friend Neeley's dismal lives, but I would have liked to get to know them better. Now onto the character of Lindsey, who, through most of this book, I disliked. She was shallow, unempathetic, and very judgmental toward Annabeth and downright ugly toward Neeley.

I did like the idea of this story, a young adult book interwoven with paranormal and thriller aspects. Be prepared to suspend belief, and you will enjoy Not Myself Today. I respected how the book talked candidly about sex trafficking and how important it is for our society to recognize this growing worldwide problem. I also must warn the reader that this book contains forced drug use, drug use, violence toward women, prostitution, and underage sex.

* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. *


** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley, Black Rose Writing, and Muriel Ellis Pritchett. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **

A YA body swapping story with a chase from drugs, pimps and parapsychologists? Sign me up! I wasn’t sure what to expect at first but I really enjoyed this is fun rollicking romp of a story.

Lindsey is the all star athlete from a good home, with great friends, about to graduate with a full ride to Stanford, when she drops dead after winning a football match. Only she’s not dead dead as she wakes up in a strange, unrecognisable body. Can she convince everyone she’s really Lindsey instead of the drug addicted Annabeth that stole money from the pimp that was trafficking her?

The book is very easy to read. Lindsey is super cool, strong and brave. Even though she is constantly being chased and shot at by the bad guys, she takes it all in her stride and tries to make sense of her new life. The scenes with her dad are very sad and touching, I love her friends Rachel and Justin and how they come to her aid. The author also does a good job of highlighting the very sensitive and horrible issue of child sex trafficking and the many guises it can take. I don’t know if this is going to be a series but I would love to read more. It is definitely YA but in a great way - even though it touches on some heavy issues, it is still a light fun read. The paranormal element is a very minor part for those that might be a bit dubious about that genre. Easy 4 stars for me and highly recommended.

Lindsey Anderson was in an accident during football
Rachel was her best friend
When she had an accident she changed with another girl called Annabeth
I received an ARC

"Not Myself Today" is a paranormal thriller, sex trafficking, death, and young teenage drama. Muriel Ellis Pritchett's writing style is geared towards the YA audience and offered multiple difficult conversation topics that are relevant today.
The story involves Lindsay Anderson, an 18-year old senior all-star soccer athlete that lives with her widowed physician father. Annabeth Shepard is a 14-year-old runaway and sex trafficking victim that somehow dies on the same night, but only one is brought back to life in the other girl's body.
Lindsey is playing in the high school state championship game and is heading off to Standford on a soccer scholarship. During a climactic point in the game, Lindsay kicks the game-winning goal. The only thing she remembers is kicking the goal and being raised onto her teammates' shoulders in celebration and blacks out. She wakes up in a hospital bed with the body of Annabeth Shepard, a 14-year old sex trafficking victim.
Little does she know that Annabeth ran away from her pimp and was beaten and ended up in the same ER as Lindsay.
The author does not give details of how Lindsay and Annabeth switched bodies. Only the facts of Annabeth's back story are given from the findings that Lindsey stumbles upon. Lindsay tries to convince her father, the multiple physicians in the hospital of who she really is while trying to remain out of danger. Annabeth's pimp and his muscle men are searching for Annabeth to finish the job they started - killing her. Throughout the exciting events that occur do you learn a little more about Annabeth's sad story. The forced drug use, physical abuse she endured surviving the lonely streets of Atlanta.
This was the first book I've read by Pritchett and normally I would not seek paranormal thriller genres. The characters were intriguing and I wish there were a little more details on the events that lead up to Lindsay & Annabeth's body swap. Since it isn't a normal occurrence that two individuals would swap bodies and have one victim survive...or did they both survive? The ending did offer the opportunity for a sequel which I will be interested in reading to merge the two stories together.

I received an advanced e-copy of this book from the publisher, Black Rose Writing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Popular high school soccer star Lindsey suffers a catastrophic accident at her soccer game and wakes up in the hospital. Immediately she recognizes something is not right. As things start to unfold, she realizes that she has awoken in the wrong body. A body that could not be any different than her own. The body of a teenage sex trafficking victim with a horrendous back story.
Throughout the book she tries to convince others of her true identity, including her father who will have no part of her. Because of the dealings of her “new body,” she finds herself in trouble with the local pimp/drug dealer. She must settle her new debts to ensure she stays alive.
This book had some thrilling moments, but overall was lacking for me. It was worth finishing but, again, the ending was lacking for me. It does cover some difficult topics including trafficking, molestation, abuse, and drug use.


Thank you for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

Imagine waking up in a hospital, bruised and beaten, with no memories, and in a body that’s not your own. That’s what happened to our protagonist in this story, which was like mash up of Freaky Friday, with a coming of age story and walking a mile in someone else’s shoes. Literally.

When I came across Not Myself Today, my first thought was ‘what an interesting concept!’ And that continued throughout my reading of this book.

It takes a little suspending of belief, but once I set that aside I found the story to be a quick, fun read and a great way to spend a sunny afternoon just chilling in my hammock.

I especially enjoyed how the author was able to weave together the sci-fi and action/adventure while also highlighting the differences between privileged and disadvantaged teens in a relatable way, and how our preconceived notions of those who are different are almost always wrong.

Thank you to Muriel Ellis Pritchett, Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting book. At the beginning, I wasn't impressed with the characters, Lindsey was a little flat and had little sympathy for others. She was kind of unlikable at points. As the story progressed though, I grew to care about her and the situation. The ending was a little too pat, but overall a good book.