Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Title: Pivot Point
Author: Kasie West
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Category: Science Fiction, Fantasy
Release date: February 12th, 2013
Pages: 352 (ARC)
Rating: 5 out of 5
Source: Publisher
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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.

When Addie is forced to choose between parents- between completely separate lives- she's forced to use her abilities to search the outcome of both futures in order to choose the one that suits her most.  If she stays with her mom in the Compound, she'll remain with her best friend, her knowledge expanding to its potential.  If she chooses to go with her dad, she will have to learn everything there is about the normal world, where people are average and don't have abilities or advanced minds.  Pivot Point proves that seeing the future doesn't always make your choice easier.

The main thing that I loved about this book was that every other chapter took place in our world and the world that Addie grew up in.  Being able to see both paths and knowing that Addie still has to claim one at the end is the most interesting part of the story.  I have to say that definitely prefer the path that lead Addie to the Norm world.  She seemed to be in a good place for the most part, and while things were still going well in the Compound, I couldn't help but fall for Trevor, the ex-quarterback of her new Norm school.  He proves to be more of a true friend to Addie than anyone else had ever been.

For the situations that Addie was thrown into, I'd say that she was easily able to remain very likable and level-headed.  All of the characters play their roles perfectly, giving the readers the right emotions at the right times.  Addie has been thrown into this completely unfamiliar place with less advanced technology, but she fits in well with Trevor's crowd.  The fact that she can't tell anyone about her real upbringing proves to be a bit of an issue, especially when something comes up that interferes with both of the paths she's given.  In each world, she grows incredibly close to characters she never imagined to, and that may or may not cause problems in the long run.

Overall, the story, the characters and the writing were incredible.  This debut had me hooked, and I can't wait for more from this author.  Luckily, I hear that Kasie West will have a contemporary romance coming out this summer, titled The Distance Between Us, which is perfect because there were definitely moments that made me swoon in Pivot Point!