Book Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West (no spoilers)

Book: Pivot Point
Author: Kasie West
Series: Pivot Point #1
Publication: February 12th, 2013
Source: Local Library
Read: January 6-9th, 2014
Summary (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.

My Thoughts:
This book was beautiful, absolutely  beautiful. Kasie West's debut was a book I have seen all over the blogosphere and every review I had read raved about this novel. Yet I didn't pick up Pivot Point until my sister told me how much she thought I would enjoy it. I finished a novel and with no other book sitting around started Pivot Point.

I instantly fell in love with Addison Coleman and her life in the compound where every person has an ability. Addison just happens to be a searcher meaning faced with a choice she can see how her future will turn on depending on the choice she makes. Addison is faced with the ultimate decision in Pivot Point. Her parents have announced that they are getting divorced and she has to choose whether to live with her mom and the life she is used to in the compound or to live with her dad outside the compound with the "Norms" or the people without abilities. At first Addie thinks the decision will be easy, but her search will prove that neither option will be an easy decision.

The way the book is set up adds to the uniqueness of the plot. The chapters switched back and forth between Addie's life in the normal world and Addie's life in the compound. I think the author really played with my emotions well because there was a life I was particularly drawn to and still am. The author took the life I liked and made it the life I would never want for Addie.  She really proved to me that the choice for Addie was not easy. Even after all the bad things happened I was still wishing for Addie to be with one guy in the story.

The characters in this story were amazing. It starts off with Addie and her best friend Lailia. Lailia and Addie have been best friends forever so of course the fact that Addie might be leaving doesn't settle well with Lailia. Their friendship is the kind of friendship I would always have liked to have. They understand each other and push each other to try new things. In the end no matter what happens they would there for each other. It was fun to see their friendship develop. Then there is Duke the star quarter back. I didn't dislike Duke, but there was always something about him I was uncomfortable with. Duke's friend Bobby is the one I totally disliked and I understood why at the end. Then there are Addie's friends in the normal world. Trevor was an excellent character. I loved the way he was so shy, but yet he subtly found ways to hang out with Addison. Then there was his friend Rowan who was the exact opposite.

Addie was a complicated character. You could clearly see how the decision would change Addie. She changed so much throughout this novel. I really connected to her and how many choices she had to make. Her love story was amazing in this novel. I did have a favorite guy, but I won't tell you which one if you can't tell from above. I loved how different each relationship was because it really showed how different her life would be depending on the choice she made. I think each relationship had its strengths as well as its weakness as they are human after all and no relationship is perfect. Pivot Point also showed how a relationship can change the guys Addie was with whether it was for good or for bad is for you to find out when you read the novel.

Kasie West created a novel that swayed me as the reader towards one life and made me side with one Addison over the other. I said to my sister that it was almost like they were really twins like the cover shows. I think every step of this novel was amazing. I loved how much her two lives intermixed. I think that the intermixing will be an important element in the second novel Split Second. I really want Addie to have her happy ending probably because I'm a romantic at heart. Kasie West twisted my emotions and changed the novel in a way I wouldn't have wanted, but complicated the novel so there was room for a second novel. She also gave a cliffhanger ending that has me wondering the possibilities for Split Second.  The ending literally had me shaking waiting to turn the page and find out what happens. Sometimes I forgot she was in a search and thought it was real life. I can't wait to read the second novel. Pivot Point was everything I expected and more.

Pivot Point is a new and exciting adventure. I invite you to hop on and be prepared for a crazy ride.