Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Book: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Series: Pivot Point #1

Released: February 12, 2013

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 320 (Kindle)

Rating: 5

 

Goodreads 

 

From Goodreads:

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

 I've mentioned before that I tend to lean more towards sci-fi/future/dystopian books more than contemporary, but I'm quickly coming to love contemporary more and more. I've read some fantastic contemporary books lately, and this one is no exception. Added bonus? Some fantasy elements which I really LOVED. 

I don't know what took me so long to read this one. I bought it at the end of last year, and sat there and looked at it for weeks on my kindle screen, always choosing to read another book. Finally I decided that I wanted to read it, and now I can't figure out WHY I waited so long. 

Addie is the star of our book. She's a paranormal high school student, with the ability to see or "search" into the future based on decisions she makes. So when her parents announce they are getting a divorce, it should take a simple search into her future to decide which parent she wants to live with, right? Stay with her mom and her best friend in the Compound, or leave and enter the Norm world with her dad. Turns out her decision is not that simple.

 

In one potential outcome, Addie remains at the top secret super Compound with her mom and her best friend Laila (who has memory modification abilities). She starts dating Duke (telekinesis), the hot, all-star quarterback.

In the other potential outcome, Addie moves to Dallas with her dad, and starts at regular high school where no one has even heard of people with super powers. Here she meets Trevor, a super nice and cute boy she wants to make her new best friend.

 

90% of this book switches back and forth between the two potential outcomes. What makes it so interesting, is that Addie is truly living these situations. She'll remember everything from the other outcome while living the one she chooses. While the setting does alternate, I really appreciated that West uses words and definitions to keep each world straight, highlighting which one Addie is currently in.

 

What particularly draws you in, is the characters. Addie is a totally likeable and I was immediately invested in her as our main character. She's funny, kind, and while she doesn't love football (IN TEXAS! This is not okay. It's our state sport...), she has lots of other redeeming qualities, like a love for all books.

 

Hahaha. Sorry, not sorry. :)

I love the addition of the super powers the characters have inside the Compound. It's not over-the-top physical abilities, but mental. Which is totally awesome. Telekinesis? Check! Persuasive Abilities? Check! Mood Control? Check! Memory Modification? Check! Lie Detecting? Check! But they aren't the only characters in the book. It's hard not to love Trevor. He's sweet, nice and just an all around good guy (because, duh, he's a Texan). 

 

I found myself more invested in the NORM story line than the one inside the Compound. Not that it wasn't interesting. While I liked Duke, it was hard not to root for Trevor. I actually found myself switching my preferred OTP throughout the book.

 

One of my favorite things about the book was how there were still elements that intertwined to create the overall mystery that happens throughout the book. While I don't particularly love big mystery books, I love ones that have a slight mystery element (when they aren't the main focus of the book). I love trying to figure out the overall picture (which is also probably why I'm currently OBSESSED with Veronica Mars. For real. I can't stop. It's put a major dent in my reading time), and I liked trying to fit the pieces together from both outcomes to figure out what was going to happen.

OB. SESSED.

I would have loved to see more world-building, and I'm hoping there will be more in the second book, Split Second, but it didn't bother me too much, and definitely  not enough to change my rating. Overall I really LOVED this book, and can't wait for February 11th when the next book comes out.

 

PS. This is today's (1/25) kindle daily deal, so go snag it on amazon for $1.99 right now! You won't be sorry!