Latest Read: Pivot Point

Here are the basics ...
Pivot Point (#1) by Kasie West
Publication date: Feb. 12, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Category: Young Adult - Paranormal
Source: Borrowed from library

Summary: Addison Coleman is a Searcher and whenever she's faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. 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 and she meets Trevor, a cute artist who understands her. In the other, Addie is pursued by the hottest guy in school. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. (Adapted goodreads.com)

My thoughts…

The good: What would you do if you could see the effects of every choice you made? Would you choose to see the possibilities or leave it all to fate? This is something Addie has to deal with on a regular basis. She and her family are part of a secret paranormal compound in which all of its inhabitants have special mental capabilities. Her mother can influence people, her dad is a human lie detector, her best friend can erase memories and Addie can see her own future. When faced with a decision, if she chooses to, she lives out each potential future (referred to as a "Search" and could be anything from the next hour of her life to the next month) and choose the best path for herself based on what she's seen. To an outsider watching her, time will pass like it's only been a few minutes. But for Addie, it will feel like it's truly happening and that a month, for example, has passed by. This concept allowed the author to do something really fun and original with the storytelling. Addie searches her future when her parents drop the bomb that they're getting divorced and she has to decide who she wants to live with. From the moment her search begins, the chapters alternate between what would happen if stayed with her mom on the compound or left with her dad to live in the outside world among the "Norms".

Addie is an easy protagonist to root for. She loves books, has an awesome best friend, is funny and a little self-deprecating but at the same time has a strong sense of self. She's someone I could picture hanging out with. The two paths she's faced with both have their ups and downs. On one hand, if she stays with her mom, the star quarterback of the football team starts pursuing her and against her better judgement, she's interested. If she leaves with her father, she gets to attend a normal high school and meets Trevor (!), a cute, sweet guy who she immediately connects with. If you couldn't tell already, I'm a little partial to the life that includes Trevor. They had the conversations, the banter, the swoon. I loved them together. But what made the futures interesting is how many of the details overlapped or how each future revealed a new clue. It's up to the reader to connect all the dots. Because Addie's search becomes more than just deciding who to live with. Her father gets sucked into a murder case and there's  mystery and drama. I was flipping through the book and did not want to stop until I reached the end.

(No) reservations: This is a really minor thing to mention but each ability has a name. Her mom is a Persuasive and her best friend is an Eraser. Addie's ability is Divergence. And I don't know about you but I hear that word and immediately think of Divergent. Using that term took me out of the moment for a second as I read and I kind of wish a different name had been given to Addie's powers.

Do I recommend?: Yes! I really enjoyed the characters, the plot and how the author chose to tell this story. It's a quick read and if you decide to pick it up, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Happy reading!