Pivot Point Hardcover – February 12, 2013

Pivot Point is one of those novels that really sticks with you. I finished it a month or two ago, but find myself thinking about it quite often.When I first picked it up I was worried that the dual timelines would be confusing, but they weren't. I was easily able to follow along with both timelines and while I enjoyed one more than the other, I thought both were extremely well written.I used to absolutely love paranormal YA, but lately it's been so inundated with mediocre and bizarre crap that I've been leaning more towards character driven contemporary stuff instead. Kasie West has done a great job here of writing something that is in the paranormal genre, but is so focused on the characters that the paranormal part is more of a sub-plot instead of being the main focus.Addie is our heroine and she can see the future, sort of. When given a choice, Addie can see where each one will lead and it gives her the opportunity to pick which one she thinks is better. The big choice of this novel is who to live with after her parents divorce - mom inside the paranormal compound, or dad in the 'real' (mundane/normal) world. The majority of the novel follows Addie living out each choice in alternating chapters. Each choice comes with some devastating consequences and following Addie as she figures things out and makes some really tough decisions is actually really fun.I LOVE a book that is so good I can't put it down. I love nothing more than being kept up until 3am finishing a novel, or reading at stoplights and in lines at the store because I HAVE to know what happens next. Pivot Point is one of those books! The pacing is phenominal - I never got bored. I never found myself skimming as I do in so many other books.The end is satisfying, but definitely leaves a lot of questions unanswered and I have to say, I'm REALLY anticipating the sequel to this novel! Great debut novel by a new author! Definitely check this one out!

Review:I’ve heard so much positive regarding this book and the author. Having read one of her books before, I was expecting a light, humorous story with likable characters. I, however, got something different. The story while seemingly at first coming across light, had layers and layers hidden beneath that made it more complicated and serious than initially thought. It also appeared to be a paranormal school based rom-com with jokes and decent humour, but in reality there weren’t a lot of reasons to laugh. And, while I liked the heroine and Trevor, everyone else wasn’t entirely easy to grow fond of or at all, even Addie at times. BUT, all this doesn’t mean that the book wasn’t good, no, it just means I expected one thing, but received something completely different.This vaguely came across as semi dystopian when I first started reading, but I was so glad it most definitely was not, since I’m not overly fond of that genre. And although a secluded super-secret commune for extraordinary people for a background isn’t something that has me jumping for joy, it worked well in this story, because it wasn’t the main focus and there were no conspiracies or evil intentions between the normal world and the community. I liked that, even while the latter was a secret, they coexisted quite successfully. Also, Addie’s relationships were in the foreground and all the paranormal and powers stuff was just the illustrating background and I really enjoyed that relatable and simple focus in the story.The premise is without a doubt quite intriguing, fresh and unpredictable in regards to what will happen and how. Thus, it was quite exciting to follow Addie in determining which path is right for her future. But, even when she knew the outcomes, the choice wasn’t as simple, because both ways had her lose and gain something. In the end, I felt that the decision for either future wasn’t really her choice and it was made for her due to the circumstance. I would have, however, hoped to see her make an objective selection based on what would benefit and be best for her.I also have to mention the love triangle, which wasn’t one in the classical sense of the word. I can’t stand those, but due to the peculiarities of the story, it managed to find a loophole and actually make it work. It was a love triangle that didn’t exist – it was simple and complicated at the same time.The book went by really fast, which was partially due to the altering focus between the two possible futures in each separate chapter. You simply had to read on to find out what would occur in the next. Despite the book flying by, nothing much happened between the first and last chapters. The ending, however, seriously picked up the pace and ended with a bang.The two futures were mostly defined by the romances in each. Both were sweet and cute, despite the boys being complete opposites, but all was not as it seemed on the outside, at least with one of the potential boyfriends. I also loved that despite the two different paths, Addie still met and connected with the guy I was rooting for in the future version that wasn’t theirs.Overall:I don’t know, from one side I enjoyed the story, it was original and felt special, but at the same time there were minor aspects that put me off (Laila for one counts as at least 10 con points – she was irrational, childish and annoying). But then again, the romance was incredibly adorable and I was left wanting more. Ah, just read it and decide for yourself!

You know that moment you finish a book and think 'why the hell did I wait SO LONG TO READ THIS?' - that feeling is exactly how I felt about Pivot Point. It's been sitting on my shelves since shortly after its release, and although it had received glowing reviews from nearly every YA reader I know, I still passed it over for other books on at least a dozen occasions.It was only when I was 'browsing' (aka I have tried 4 or 5 books and they were all rubbish) my shelves for something I knew other people had loved that I decided it was time to get reading Pivot Point - and then I devoured the damn thing.As I'm not a huge fan of paranormal novels as a general rule, I was a bit iffy about that element - sometimes they work for me and other times they don't - but luckily in Pivot Point although it wasn't my favourite part of the story, it works really well. I think the key point is that it's believable - West has plausible explanations for the whole paranormal aspect - how they live, how they can be undetected and not be a flaming dystopian mess.But by far, the stars of the show are the characters. I loved Addie - she's a bookworm which automatically gets bonus points, but she also has a sarcasm that I really enjoyed, a determination that made me admire her, and a loyalty that made me want to be friends with her. In other words, she's the kind of character I'd love to see far more often in YA - she's down to earth, likeable and feels like a real person.Then there are the boys. I'm not a fan-girl when it comes to book boys - I think I've used the phrase 'book boyfriend' a grand total of once, but all I will say is 'oh, Trevor'. I loved him from the first moment he was introduced as a character - quiet but not grumpy, cute but not arrogant, damaged but not angry and the absolute perfect match for Addie. All the while I was reading Pivot Point, I just wanted more of him, especially towards the ending when he has the most heartbreaking line pretty much ever (which I won't add here as it's a bit spoilery).I honestly thought Pivot Point would be just another YA paranormal romance, but it was so much more. There is also a thriller/mystery element which I didn't expect and yet I really really enjoyed it - for me it added an extra level to the whole package that made it just a fabulous read.If Pivot Point is languishing on your shelves waiting for 'one day' - go straight to your bookshelf right now (yes, NOW) and read it - it will definitely be worth your time!

Pivot Point is one of the best and most unique novels I've ever read. It's about a Compound where a lot of people live, but they all have mind powers! How awesome is that? I was drawn in by this story line straight away and I didn't want to put the book down.Addie finds out that her parents are getting a divorce and she must choose who she wants to live with. So since Addie's power is that she can look into the future when she's face with a choice, she decides to see what her life would be like six weeks into the future is she lived with her mum or with her dad.First of all, I adored how the chapters flicked between Addie's two different lives. I loved how at the beginning of each chapter there were words with the leters 'PARA' or 'NORM' to help you distinguish what life of Addie's you were reading about. It was such a unique way of doing it, and I loved it!So lets start of with Addie's life with her mother in the Compound. If Addie stays with her mother, she gets to stay with her best friend. She also starts dating the schools quarterback Duke. But everything doesn't go smoothly in this life. Addie manages to get herself in a bit of trouble by getting involved with her best friends fathers drug dealer, which causes a lot of problems. Her boyfriend is lying to her and Addie suspects that they're using the powers when they're playing normal football teams. And then something horrible happens at the end and I was gobsmacked to find out who was behind everything!Addie's life with her father outside the Compound in Dallas was amazing. It was very interesting getting to see Addie interacting with normal humans and acting like one herself. She was starting a new school and had to make new friends, and then she met Trevor. I knew the second she met Trevor I wanted her to pick this life. He was so cute and sweet, and Addie seemed to help him a lot. I adored seeing those two together! Addie settled into life outside the compound quite easily. It took her a while to get used to all the stuff she hadn't encountered before and learning to act normal, but she managed to do it. But then something horrible and tragic happened at the end of this one, and I just couldn't believe it. I was so distraught (as was Addie).Onto the characters now!I loved Addie! She was such a brilliant character. There were times when I though she was a little naive (PARA), but overall she was an excellent character. She was funny, smart and just amazing. She could have been a better friend in the NORM version of her life and maybe things wouldn't have turned out the way they did, but we'll never know.Laila was an awesome character too! She could erase memories, which makes her even more awesome. She was a fantastic best friend, hilarious, flirty and I just loved her. She was brilliant for Addie.So there were two love interests in this book. First we had Duke. I didn't like Duke at all. He was a jerk, he was cocky and I just never believed that he cared about Addie. He just seemed to come from nowhere and he was suddenly interested in her. I never liked his relationship with Addie at all.And then we have Trevor. I loved Trevor so, so much. He befriended Addie straight away which made me like him right away. And then they had their own little inside jokes and they got closer and closer. Addie and Trevor were perfect together. They were so cute <3The ending of the book kind of left me slightly heartbroken, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get over it in the next book!Overall, this was a very unique and intriguing book. I loved exploring the two possible lives for Addie and I can't wait to see what's in store for her next.

Going to a school where super powers are involved may seem like the coolest thing ever, however Addie's ability puts her in a difficult situation. Her parents are divorcing, and as she can see the future when it comes to seeing the choices that are involved, she uses that to help her to decide who she should live with. Does she stay with her Mum, go to the same school with her friends and the cute quarterback? Or does she move in with her Dad, start fresh at a normal school with people that don't have abilities and make friends with the mysterious hot guy? Which future will be Addie's best choice?My thoughts:I purchased this book myself as it was recommended to me by a friend who had read the ARC of it and said it was amazing. I'm glad that I listened to them and gave it a chance, as it was indeed a really great read.I started off reading this with a friend so we could share our personal views, etc. However, I got really into the book so much that I ended up not stopping the book and getting ahead of my friend.The story is told from the main character's perspective called Addie. She has a special ability of seeing the future when it comes to choices. What an amazing power, you'd think. Addie finds it to be a bit of a bother though because she has to choose to having the better life with either her Mum or her Dad.I really liked how it would go from what would happen if she lived with her Mum, to the life with her Dad. You can see how different things would happen, but also some similar things would occur, and then you can tell that at some point there will be some outcome. Whether it's good or bad, we don't know until nearly the end of the book. At that point, I found myself shocked and honestly felt for Addie in what decision she had to choose. I was literally like "whoa, seriously?!".I really liked all of the characters in this story. Addie is a really strong like-able character (and she admits she likes books - which is a bonus point from me!). Laila her friend comes across as quite a feisty character. Duke is a typical quarter back (good looks, popular, etc). Trevor is a mysterious guy that we want to see more of, and I really liked him. Bobby comes across as quite a douche, and Poison, you can tell in a jerk. So all in all, the characters are described really well and come across as you either liking them or disliking them.At first when I read this book, I was thinking it's probably not recommended for readers who have just lost their parents recently to divorce, but when reading along, it actually didn't come across as harsh. And, to be honest, the divorce factor isn't mentioned as a big of a thing; more like a one off thing near the start.I even really liked the romance in this story. It was sweet, and not too heavy, which was nice.I really like the cover to this book. It's like it's showing one side to Addie, as well as the other side; the different side.I'm so SO glad that there is a planned sequel to this book. I honestly can't wait to read it. It will be interesting to see what the next book entails.I definitely recommend this book to all. So go and get it now!

I saw this book on sale in Canada with a banner above it claiming that the "Pivot Point" is the next big thing. I was intrigued... and finished it as quick as I could because the book IS good! It's engaging, it's twisty, it's well-written (was it just me or did anybody else feel their knees weaken at the descriptions of the teenage kissing scenes?!), the main character is very likable and the whole thing is NOT dystopian! Ah what a breeze of fresh air! It's a romance, a fantasy, a detective story, a page-turner (the last 80% will literally keep you on the edge of your seat!).I was excited for the "Pivot Point" to be a one-off novel, there are too many trilogies etc. nowadays, but after I finished it the first thing I did was to check if there was another one published - and there was -  Split Second (Pivot Point Book 2) .What can I say - this book is fantastic (bear in mind the target audience and don't expect the Pulitzer nomination!). Split Second (Pivot Point Book 2)

So... I freaking loved this book! Having just read Kasie West's contemporary romance The Distance Between Us I knew I really liked her writing style. And Pivot Point sounded awesome so I'm super please that it was!The book alternates with each chapter, each depicting one of the potential futures. It was really easy to follow which was which (also helped by the cute chapter headings) and I found myself equally invested in each. Addie is a really likeable character - and I loved her best friend Laila - their banter back and forth is brilliant. Boywise - I instantly knew who I liked (and willed Addie to feel the same!) But the story isn't just about which boy - much more is going on and the choice Addie has to make is harder than you think...I love this kind of story. It's contemporary which an edge - is it sc-fi/paranormal? Not sure, but I do know I like it! I didn't realise that this was going to be the first in a series - it certainly works as a standalone - but I am really glad to get more. I can't wait for Split Second when it comes out next year!