Book Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

SUMMARY: 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.


OPINION:

Brilliant and stunning in execution, Pivot Point blends two separate story lines in a way that ties together in a completely breathtaking manner. With a witty, sarcastic protagonist, and a well developed and lively cast of characters, this book is as captivating as it is entertaining. West does an amazing job of layering the paranormal elements over the realistic and contemporary ones, and smoothing everything out in the most seamless of ways.

Addie is an incredibly relatable character, a girl with a good head on her shoulders, yet who still makes mistakes. Though certainly having an advantage with her ability to see different outcomes, this doesn’t solve everything for her or make her life totally easy. The ways she’s come to rely on her ability are clear, but more clear is how she doesn’t want to become reliant on it. West navigates this back and forth in a great way, using to build both Addie’s character and the story. Addie is an awesome character, a girl who is quick on the draw, perceptive, and brave in those quiet ways that speak so much. With some hugely difficult decisions to make along the way, and two distinct character arcs for each “what if” story line that also are blended together in some ways, Addie is a stunningly done character I fully rooted for.

While there are two different boys pitched in this book, one specific to each story line, Trevor totally stole my heart. He is kind and gentle, yet it’s clear, from things that come up throughout the book, that he hasn’t always been this way. He’s that broken hero kind of guy who sees Addie for who she really is. Though he obviously doesn’t know she has an paranormal ability, he also doesn’t expect more from her than she can offer. There is an easy rapport between these two overall, though they are certainly not without their hurdles along the way.

I utterly loved the plot of this one, unable to put it down. This is one of those books I snuck pages where I could, and didn’t stop thinking about it for weeks after I’d finished. There is a mystery element built into this book which drives the plot, but also doesn’t take away the focus from the characters, and Addie’s journey especially. What stunned me the most, though, with this book is how well West carries this mystery through each "what if" story line, and also weaves it together between the two. With the decision hinted at in the premise always lingering, and often times no easy decision seemingly available, West doesn't hold back on any front.

The writing adds to all the ways this book is amazing, so rich in voice and solid in execution. This is one of those books that is beautifully written, yet the writing doesn’t take the focus from thee story itself. Emotionally engaging, relatable, and intense, this one has a softness mixed with a gentle romance and humor. Pivot Point is a knockout debut from a truly talented and promising author.

Details:

Source: ARC receued from author for giveaway + honest review 

Reading level: Ages 13 and up 

Hardcover: 352 pages 

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: February 12, 2013