Pivot Point (Pivot Point, #1)

Jan 10, 2013 Blythe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: highly-anticipating-2013, hurry-up, i-need-this-book, i-want-it-right-now, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, 2012-favorites, brb-biting-my-nails, clever-plot-twists, deserves-the-hype, didn-t-see-that-coming, exceeded-my-expectations, favorites, freaking-brilliant, gimme-the-next-book, evil-cliffhanger, hand-me-some-tissues, i-e-i-will-always-love-you, i-totally-saw-that-coming, i-will-have-children-with-this-book, kindle, love-triangle, loved-it, mind-blowing-ending, netgalley-edelweiss-arc, swoooon, this-book-and-i-are-eloping, read-reviewed, 2013-favorites

I don't think of myself as the type of reader and reviewer who gives every book they love the full, five stars. There are some, if not most books I give four stars to that I say I love, and most if not all of the books I give 4.5 stars to are ones I say I love. But I tend to save five stars for books that are practically flawless to me; for books that, no matter how many minutes, hours, days, etc., I spend trying to find something that I didn't like about it, I still come up with nothing.

Pivot...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Emily May rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, 2013, sci-fi, love-triangle

3.5 stars
This book was exactly what I needed to read right now. After a series of books focusing on the depressing, the gory, the serious and various roads leading to the apocalypse, Pivot Point is a refreshingly bright novel brimming with fun. From the light-hearted and hilarious dialogue between the characters, to the sheer likeability of the protagonist - Addie - who doesn't bog down the novel with melodrama and angst but leads us through a story that is completely enjoyable and practically...more

3.5 stars
This book was exactly what I needed to read right now. After a series of books focusing on the depressing, the gory, the serious and various roads leading to the apocalypse, Pivot Point is a refreshingly bright novel brimming with fun. From the light-hearted and hilarious dialogue between the characters, to the sheer likeability of the protagonist - Addie - who doesn't bog down the novel with melodrama and angst but leads us through a story that is completely enjoyable and practically unputdownable. I've always been a fan of a good dark tale of mystery and angst but there are sometimes when I require a read which is made up of mostly laughs, fluff and fun fun fun! But this book isn't without some heartbreak, especially towards the end, and yet I think it's all the more meaningful because the rest of the book isn't a drama-fest.

In Pivot Point, there are people secretly living amongst us with special abilities. These abilities range from lie-detecting skills to full mind-reading to precognition. Addie falls into this latter category... sort of. When faced with a specific choice, she can "search" the future and find out what her life would look like on each path and make a decision based on this. Sounds awesome! Who could ever make a wrong decision with that ability, right? But, of course, things are not quite so simple.

When Addie's parents announce that they are getting a divorce, they want Addie to decide whether to stay with her mother in the Compound where people with supernatural abilities (including her best friend) live, or to move to Dallas, Texas with her father and live amongst normal people. Addie searches each possible future to decide which outcome will be most beneficial - and discovers that her decision will not be quite as simple as she'd imagined. Two different lives, two different parents, two different boys. And while my initial reaction to yet another YA love triangle was to roll my eyes, I really do think this is quite a unique approach to it and I finished the book with every intention of picking up the sequel.

I also really liked the choice of supernatural element in this book because it opened the story up for a wider range of character-types and an exploration into how they deal with their individual abilities. Vampires are just fine but they all tend to play by the same set of rules, whereas in Pivot Point, each of them faces a very different set of challenges that comes along with being who they are. One thing that was touched upon - and I'd like to read even more about - is Addie's relationship with her parents and the way their abilities affect her. Her mother can influence people to do what she wants and her father can tell if someone is lying - so, as she confesses at one point, she does what her mother says and never lies to her father because she doesn't want them to use their abilities on her.

My only major criticism of this book is Laila, who I think behaves in a very questionable way sometimes and makes a pretty awful best friend. Who pushes their friend off a stage to make them stumble into a guy she wants them to be with? I'm willing to somewhat overlook this because the author has introduced us to some of Laila's background and I know she's had a hard time - I think with some more character development in the upcoming books we will be able to understand Laila better. And no one likes a faultless character, anyway.

Pivot Point, on the whole, is a great debut and a very fun book. If you like your sci-fi light and laugh-out-loud funny, this should be an instant favourite.(less)

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Mar 04, 2013 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone looking for a story which hasn't been done a thousand times before

Shelves: young-adult

Two Paths - One Choice.

photo d86c5e5c-6476-40c8-8733-1568b7757efa_zps01622687.jpg

3.5 stars (but the ending was 5 stars, so hurry up book 2!).

Poor Addie. I have a hard time trying to figure out which restaurant to go to or which movie to watch when given a choice. If you told me to pick between two paths which would lead my life in complete opposite directions, yet both paths might come with their own set of problems...forget it. I would probably end up having a nervous breakdown.

3 second basic story concept : Addie's parents are getting a divorce. A...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, favourite-boys, sci-fi-favourites, science-fiction, romance, 2013-favourites

Call me a cynic, but I wasn’t expecting this to be nearly as good as it was. Pivot Point is the very definition of a pleasant surprise.

With an original premise and simple (but engaging) plot, it is not difficult to fully immerse in West’s debut novel. From the very first chapters it is evident that this author has a natural flair for writing. Her sentences are not flowery or coated in extravagant metaphors and similes, but, rather, straightforward and humorous, in the best possible way. In West’...more Call me a cynic, but I wasn’t expecting this to be nearly as good as it was. Pivot Point is the very definition of a pleasant surprise.

With an original premise and simple (but engaging) plot, it is not difficult to fully immerse in West’s debut novel. From the very first chapters it is evident that this author has a natural flair for writing. Her sentences are not flowery or coated in extravagant metaphors and similes, but, rather, straightforward and humorous, in the best possible way. In West’s alternate world, we have a paranormal community full of Erasers, Discerners, those who are Telekinetic, and those who are Clairvoyant, all of which are housed at the Compound, far from the oblivious eyes of Normals. There is mind control, body control and everything in between. Kasie West pulls it off marvellously, whilst giving the story a very distinct and wonderfully unexpected contemporary edge.

Our main character, Addie Coleman, is a special sort of Clairvoyant. Her ability to Search allows her to live out two potential futures based on a decision, and once the Search is complete, she is able to make the right choice. When her parents announce their divorce and ask Addie which parent she wishes to live with – her mother at the Compound or her father in the Normal world – Addie uses her ability to Search six weeks into each future. With this, West expertly weaves together two parallel storylines, two potential lives for Addie, and gives us a realistic taste of both paths. We meet different personalities, support different romances, and watch as Addie hides her true identity in one existence and questions it in the other. Miraculously, despite the overlap of situations and characters between the two paths, there is no confusion in the storytelling. Pivot Point is thought-out and carefully paced, and West handles writing the twin stories side-by-side with ease.

This is, to some extents, more of a character-driven book, with the diverse personalities and brilliant dialogue compromising for any weaknesses in the worldbuilding and/or plot. Admittedly, little takes place during the course of the novel – little that is obviously significant, at least – and the climax is missing that important tension because of it. Despite that, however, there is never a dull moment and West’s writing never fails to engage, regardless of what is or isn’t happening in the story. The character-building is superb, with a consistent and likeable protagonist leading the way. Addie, in both potential futures, is delightful young woman with a knack for planning and organisation (I approve!) and an ever-present sense of subtle humour. Witty one-liners are carefully embedded in the right places, making this book very much a pleasingly entertaining read.

There is, of course, a romance. Or two romances, I should say, with a different love interest in each life. We have two seemingly likeable football players, one that is ‘normal’ and one that is gifted with an ability. It is interesting to watch them both play out, to watch as one potential romance slowly transforms into something negative, whilst the other, in the alternate path, changes into something positive. I liked it, is all I’m going to say. I am also incredibly satisfied with the very end of the novel, although it makes me extremely curious about the direction of the story in the sequel. At this point, I cannot predict the next step, and that in itself is thrilling.

(This review also appears on my blog)(less)

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Dec 30, 2012 fяσzєη rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-or-edelweiss, covergasm, 2013-faves, all-time-faves, amazing-authors, badass-heroines, believable-romance, books-i-want-to-marry, creatively-original, deserves-the-hype, dickhead-heroes, faves, heroes-i-adore, heroines-i-adore, hilarious, its-so-fluffy-im-gonna-die, love-triangles, made-me-smile, my-emotions-i-cannot

This review is also available over at my blog.

_____________________

You know that feeling where you read a book that you were really really excited for, and at first you're worried that it might not live up to your high expectations, but then after you read it further and finish it, you realize that it not only lived up to your expectations, but exceeded them?

I just love that feeling. And it was exactly what I felt with Pivot Point. <3

In the world of this book there are humans with special min...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Maja rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: annoying-love-triangle, arc-2012, failed-to-impress, i-have-superpowers, reviewed-in-2012, ya, harper-teen

3.5 stars because I'm feeling especially generous today.

First, let me get one very important fact out of the way: technically, Pivot Point is practically flawless. There's nothing in it that bothered me or set my teeth on edge, but while I was reading it, I couldn't help but think of how much better it could have been. Because it's true: there were so many ways to tell this story and Kasie West chose the least interesting one. But I should start from the beginning.

Addie grew up in a top secre...more 3.5 stars because I'm feeling especially generous today.

First, let me get one very important fact out of the way: technically, Pivot Point is practically flawless. There's nothing in it that bothered me or set my teeth on edge, but while I was reading it, I couldn't help but think of how much better it could have been. Because it's true: there were so many ways to tell this story and Kasie West chose the least interesting one. But I should start from the beginning.

Addie grew up in a top secret paranormal community. She is a Divergent, a Clarvoyant of sorts, her mother is a Persuasive and her father a Discerner, a human lie detector as Addie likes to call him. Every single kid in Addie's school has some kind of mental ability, and they learn to develop the ones they don't have in school. Everything in her walled neighborhood is diffrent from the outside world, from their technology to the way they play sports.

When Addison's parents announce they're having a divorce and leave it to her to choose whether she wants to stay with her mother or go live among the Norms with her father, she Searches both futures hoping it would help her decide. Each choice brings with it a series of complications and a lot of hurt. Unfortunately for Addie, everything she sees in a Search feels completely real to her, no different from things that actually happened, so when she falls for a different boy in each of her possible futures, she comes out of it caring about them both.

Addie's choice becomes a bit more complicated when her best friend Leila gets into trouble because of her telepathic drug-addicted father, and Addie is the only one who knows exactly what's going to happen and when.
Above all, I was sorely disappointed by how much Pivot Point focused on the romance. Although it didn't turn out that way in the end, through most of the book, Addie's choice seemed to depend entirely on the boy she wanted to be with more. One of her futures held Duke, a telekinetic quarterback and the most popular boy in Addie's paranormal school. The other future held Trevor, also a quarterback, but an injured one and a Norm. I have to give it to West, this is one of the most original and inventive love triangles I've ever come across because she managed to write a situation in which a herione had to choose between to boys, but there was no love triangle angst because she had relationships with them in two different futures.

Although the narrative structure is almost textbook perfect, I didn't like how West handled the middle part. Pivot Point disappointed me in more ways than I can count, but the last part made up for at least some of it. A great premise ruined by poor execution... I see so much of this lately that I'm tempted to find a name for it, something memorable that will serve as a warning and allow me to write one-word reviews in the future.

(less)

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Feb 28, 2013 Steph Sinclair rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Sci-Fi fans looking for something with a contemporary feel

Shelves: 2013-release, young-adult, harpercollins, cool-author, print-arc, thirteeners, 2-am-or-later, 2013-reads, 2013-favorite, awesome, best-characters, didn-t-disappoint, i-didn-t-see-that-coming, i-need-the-next-book-like-yesterday, i-really-enjoyed-it, oh-yeah-baby, original-and-creative, pretty-covers, pure-win, signed-book, smart-heroine, so-glad-i-read-this, surprised-me, strong-heroine

Pivot Point, I'm not quite sure what you are... but I think I kinda loved it. I have this issue where I feel the need to categorize things. I can't explain it, I guess that's just the way my brain works. Pivot Point was really an enigma for me because I just couldn't tell what genre it would fall in. From the blurb, it clearly screams sci-fi, but when you start reading it feels so contemporary. And that was a very, very pleasant surprise because the novel kept me guessing from beginning to end.

A...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, paranormal

para·nor·mal: adj. not scientifically explainable : supernatural
-Merriam-Webster

Meet Addison, or preferably Addie; ~~Clairvoyant~~ Divergent. Addie has the unique and thought-provoking ability of being able to see both sides of the coin. In other words, when she has a decision to make, she can see the future of each choice and pick the one that's best. Fascinating, no? But what happens when you don't want either future you foresee? This plot revolves around Addie's venture into two futures after sh...more

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May 06, 2013 Lauren (Sugar & Snark) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-loved-lately, authors-to-watch, ya

I had a sneaking suspicion that I might hate this book and when I found out it was set in a secret high school for teenagers with special abilities. (Like the movie Sky High lol!) I was thinking “Oh crap! Abort, abort!!”

I don’t think I have really enjoy a paranormal book set in high school since Vampire Academy and I must admit I was expecting this book to be something more along the lines of The Time Travellers Wife. But this book is nothing like anything I have read before. WOW!

Addie lives in...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Lucia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal

4.5 STARS

My Addison:

My Trevor:

My Duke:

"When I read, I feel emotion all on my own. Emotion no living person is making me feel. To me, it islmost seems more real, because I know that those characters can't influence me with any power. S I like to remind myself that I can feel without anyone manipulating me...."

Pivot Point is YA paranormal story about people with special mental abilities. Addison with mum as Persuasive (able to persuade other people to do what she wants) and dad as Discenser (a h...more

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Jan 17, 2013 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: edelweiss, arc

Pivot Point was a wonderfully fast paced and exciting read. I was mesmerized from the first page. While it didn’t’ leave off on a cliffhanger, it’s going to be torture waiting for the next installment!

Addison is a girl with special powers living in a city held secret from the outside world; a city where other “paranormals” live and perfect their abilities. Addison has the ability to search her future and see the outcome of a path she takes. She doesn’t use her ability all the time, so when her p...more Pivot Point was a wonderfully fast paced and exciting read. I was mesmerized from the first page. While it didn’t’ leave off on a cliffhanger, it’s going to be torture waiting for the next installment!

Addison is a girl with special powers living in a city held secret from the outside world; a city where other “paranormals” live and perfect their abilities. Addison has the ability to search her future and see the outcome of a path she takes. She doesn’t use her ability all the time, so when her parents announce they’re getting a divorce, she has quite a shock. Addie is now faced with two choices: stay with her mom inside the Compound or go live with her dad in the outside with the “Norms.” Being this is such a huge decision, she performs a search to see what decision to make. Laid out before her are two very different possible futures. If she stays with her mother, she stays with what she knows and has the opportunity to expand and perfect her powers. Addie also sees the star quarterback of her school, Duke, in that future. If Addie goes with her father, she gets to experience life on the outside, without all the facades and illusions, but life in the real. This is a future where she meets, and becomes close to Trevor, the introspective and sweet “Norm” boy. Both were potentially swoon worthy romances! Here’s a tempting sample (I’ll keep it anonymous):

His lips tickle my neck as they move along it. Is he trying to drive me crazy?.....His lips come to rest against the soft spot below my ear. I can no longer think straight. It’s then I realize I have a fistful of the back of his shirt. I clutch it tighter. He must consider this encouragement because he takes my face in his hands and presses his lips to mine.*

*sigh*

I find time travel or time altering themes are often difficult to follow and wrap your brain around. Kasie West did an excellent job keeping it simple and refrained from bogging down the plot with unnecessary details. Yet, I think she gave me enough to make the story interesting, and hold my attention.

Each reality is played out in alternating chapters, and I soon found a reality and romance I was partial to. No, I’m not going to tell you which. ;) I found myself becoming impatient for the reality I was rooting for when the story would switch to the other reality. Although, those chapters shed light on the story and gave information I wouldn’t have had otherwise, so they were interesting, too. I must add that there’s some danger and mystery that add to the overall thrill in Pivot Point, and I thought it rounded out the story nicely.

This was an impressive debut from Kasie West, and now I can’t wait to get me hands on the next one! It better turn out the way I want it!!

*Quote taken from an uncorrected proof and may change in the final copy.

A copy was provided by HarperTeen through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Mitch rated it 2 of 5 stars

I sense a disturbing new trend in young adult books of borrowing high concept ideas from other genres, slapping it over your typical relationship drama like a crude veneer, and passing it off as the innovative new thing - and I don't like it. Case in point, Pivot Point, which takes the common enough science fiction idea of alternate futures serving as sort of a life lesson or teaching moment and turns it on its head with all angst, all the time. Believe me, I totally get the appeal of an ability...more I sense a disturbing new trend in young adult books of borrowing high concept ideas from other genres, slapping it over your typical relationship drama like a crude veneer, and passing it off as the innovative new thing - and I don't like it. Case in point, Pivot Point, which takes the common enough science fiction idea of alternate futures serving as sort of a life lesson or teaching moment and turns it on its head with all angst, all the time. Believe me, I totally get the appeal of an ability that lets a person see the consequences of a life changing decision before making it, and if this book was actually about two possible futures stemming from one crucial choice, it would've garnered a much higher rating from me. Instead, what I feel I got is the equivalent of seeing the consequences of ordering onion rings instead of fries for lunch - well, not exactly, but close enough - because nothing really important happens to differentiate the two possible futures until the end, and even then the choice is far more angst driven than life shattering, so I was just bored the whole time because I guess I for one just don't see the appeal of second guessing everything, not when there's really no life lesson involved.

Even the reason why Addie, the super special narrator who has the ability to see the consequences of her decisions, needs to make this choice is set up really lamely and feels almost trite. I was rolling my eyes as Mom and Dad sit together on the couch and break the news of their divorce to her, she thinks about it for awhile, then uses her special ability to see which future she prefers - umm, what is this? Do people with powers not suffer from the emotional fallout of parents divorcing like the rest of us normal human beings? Does anyone respond to a line like 'sorry honey but your dad and I haven't had a working relationship in years even though you've never noticed but we're telling you now and by the way we're divorcing' with 'oh ok how strange but now let me think about which one of you I want to live with' - really? I don’t know, but the first half of the book just feels artificial and disconnected from reality, and the entire time I’m left wishing Addie had a sibling or somebody who could've put the divorce in perspective and kept the story emotionally grounded. Of course, that didn't happen, so I ended up having to trudge through alternating chapters between one of Addie's possible futures with her father and another with her mother and needless to say, there's really just no plot to speak of because until almost the very end there really is not much difference between these two alternate realities and the emotions coming off of Addie and her parents don't feel realistic at all. Do I care that in one reality she ends up with fellow superhuman Duke and in the other reality she has a thing for normal person Trevor? Why should I when the only consequences of this 'monumental' choice until the twist ending is having to make new friends versus keeping the same old ones and needing to talk to the best friend by phone instead of in person?

Besides the dull, weird, and absent parents and the illusion of choice when there’s no meaningful difference between the two realities besides one twist ending, the writing didn’t work for me either. Because what I said about the high concept being used as a crude veneer is absolutely true - just look at Addie’s descriptions of Duke and her ‘I secretly like him but I know he’s a player and just using me but whatever’ attitude - *head desk*. Ok, I know I’m supposed to give Addie a pass because of what’s revealed about Duke and his abilities, but from how their relationship is written (like a bad rom com even if the dialogue actually kind of works), I don’t think I can. Not when she could be so much better than a walking cliche. And not when the relationship pointlessly spans half the book without Addie really figuring out whether there's any consequence to her picking one parent to live with over the other. Where's the consequences of the supposed life altering decision? What's Addie supposed to learn from these two parallel realities? Then, there’s Addie’s best friend Laila who’s a total ingrate and all around terrible friend basically and Trevor, who is at least written realistically (compared to Duke) - and sympathetic and likable to boot - but I don’t know, I guess in order for the ending to work I have to have cared about Addie and Trevor - and I didn’t.

Anyway, maybe it would’ve helped had the superhuman aspect not been a complete bore, but that’s another part of the let down for me. Personally, the appeal of people with superpowers is either like X-Men where they serve as an allegory against discrimination, or like Spider-man where we have something as awesome as Stan Lee’s iconic ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ line, but Pivot Point on the other hand is nothing of the sort. The superpowers are used as more of a joke - telekinetic football!! - and while Kasie West tries to use how different Addie and her fellow superhumans are compared to the ‘Norms’ as a major plot point - it’s just so shallow to the point I really didn’t care about Addie as the superhuman trying to adjust in this ‘Norm’ town. Plus, the actual point of the book, certain characters misusing their superpowers, gets buried beneath chapter after chapter of just Addie going about the most ordinary and dull high school stuff that doesn’t really show why one future is preferable to the other, so much so the climax really didn’t fit well with the rest of the book. Yeah, I think it’s clever how certain things revealed in one possible reality sort of parallels other events in the other reality, simply because the really big events have been ongoing since even before Addie uses her ability, but no matter how much West tries to plant hints and clues like the murdered girls leading up to revealing the big villain, I think she tries too hard adding in a random crazy (because turns out the ending is completely tangential to the whole point of the Search) and making Addie seem like she’s making this big sacrifice out of a possible future and it didn’t work for me.

I guess I expected something monumental to happen at the end of the book, something that could’ve justified spending so much time on Addie’s daily life in these two different realities. What actually happens though is a disappointing, crazy villain type moment that not only didn’t fit with the rest of the book but I don’t even get the feeling Addie learns anything about using her powers or us ‘Norms’ from the experience. So, sorry Pivot Point, but you completely missed the whole point of the concept. Meh.(less)

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Feb 12, 2013 Kimberly Sabatini rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mg-ya

I'll be honest. Most of the time I know what's going to happen in a book. Maybe not the smallest details, but the big picture is usually there--I'm a good predictor. If the writing is really good--and most of the time it is--it doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. But from time to time, I like it when I'm stumped, frantic and half-crazed, wondering where this novel is going to end. PIVOT POINT by Kasie West took me there and I loved it!!!

Addison Coleman's life is one big "What if" a...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: february-releases

Last day to enter to win a signed ARC! (US) http://somelikeitparanormall.blogspot...

Addie lives in a paranormal compound hidden from the normal population. Her best friend Leila can erase memories, her mom can influence people, and her dad is a lie detector. Addie has a unique power where she can see the different outcomes of a choice in her life. She can only look into her own future and she usually doesn't look further than a few hours or days. Too many extra memories to deal with. The farthes...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Whitney (Vivid Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: edelweiss, favorites

Everything about this book was perfect. The only bad thing I can say about this book is that I wish it were longer!

After reading the synopsis, I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy Pivot Point or not. I thought it was going to be lots of drama and the plot sounded a bit confusing. And when I first started it and seen how each chapter switches back and forth, it did make me a bit hesitate. However once I got into it, I really loved reading her Search about both futures!

What I was expecting going...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Ariana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Can someone please come and erase my memory such that I can fall in love again with this story in 2014?

I really have a hard time believing that I will be able to sit still and wait a whole year for my favorite part of this story. I am even scared. I saw Addie fall in love 2 times (and I loved both love stories – well, one more than the other) and now I expect the next ‘beginning’ to be just as sweet.
I know, this is not the way to start my review, but how do you expect me to focus on writing whe...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Rayne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, 2012-favorites, love-triangle, my-kind-of-guy, mystery, paranormal, school-life, romance, sci-fi, what-a-jackass-or-creep, you-go-girl, young-adult, 2013-feb

Many, many thanks to Harper Teen for my arc!

Review originally posted at http://www.mycutebookshelf.com/2013/0...

I think we can all agree on the fact that there's very little originality to the YA Paranormal Romance genre as of lately. Release after release, it seems we are being fed the same recycled concepts, the same overused plots and protagonists, and, more annoyingly still, the same romance over and over. When I first read of Pivot Point, I knew originality would definitely not be an issue...more Many, many thanks to Harper Teen for my arc!

Review originally posted at http://www.mycutebookshelf.com/2013/0...

I think we can all agree on the fact that there's very little originality to the YA Paranormal Romance genre as of lately. Release after release, it seems we are being fed the same recycled concepts, the same overused plots and protagonists, and, more annoyingly still, the same romance over and over. When I first read of Pivot Point, I knew originality would definitely not be an issue. But could a debut author manage to make such an ambitious and complicated concept work? The answer, I am glad to say, is hell yeah.

This novel takes familiar concepts, like supernatural abilities, societies dedicated to their development and the secrecy of a whole community, and presents them in a new way through the narration of a particular girl with attitude, spunk, intelligence, her own standards and ideals and an amazing concept of self-worth that puts to shame all of today's most revered YA heroines. Seeing this new and strange world through Abbie's eyes was nothing short of exciting, incredibly engaging and endlessly fascinating. Her genuine, honest and realistic voice was very easy to get invested in. Her pain was real, all of her emotions relatable and her actions always admirable. I was rooting for this girl from the get-go and she did not disappoint. Her relationships with the characters around her were so well-constructed and completely realistic. There's a lot of depth to this character and that, in turn, adds a whole lot of profundity to the situation that takes center stage in the plot.

The rest of the characters were rounded and well-developed, but there was a little lack of development when it came to the parents and those who were not immediately related to the love triangle. But the two love interests were nicely fleshed-out. I had a soft-spot for one of them in particular - (the other I severely disliked) - but all this simply points to the wonderful characterization that West gave to her characters. And finally! A love triangle that is not annoying and actually serves a purpose! The romantic involvement between the characters was smartly developed and actually contributed greatly to the plot and the character development. The romance progressed realistically, no insta-love here, which was amazing. My only qualm with the romance is that it dominated the plot almost entirely. The climax was a little to abrupt because the novel greatly focuses on the romance for the better part and the moving plot of the novel doesn't come into play for real until almost the end. Still, Pivot Point has mystery, intrigue, action, humor and clever and nicely executed plot twists from beginning to end. I won't elaborate to avoid spoilers, but getting to experience two realities at the same time was as amazing in execution as it sounds as a concept, at least in this novel, and that ending will undoubtedly leave you breathless.

This novel is engaging, original and very easy to get lost in. Addie is one of the most likable protagonists I've read about in quite a while and the romance in this one was truly heartbreaking. This is one fantastic and well-executed novel, with a smart plot, great characterization, tension, fast-pace and a great construction of a world with a supernatural possibility. I definitely recommend this novel and I simply cannot wait for the sequel. (less)

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Nov 28, 2012 Mrs.Heise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dac2013-debut-author, releases-in-february, conf-ncte-alan-2012, michelles-authors, all-time-favorites

Amazing, fresh, entertaining...all the things I want in a great debut book.

Full review originally posted on Heise Reads & Recommends

I loved this book so much. It's fresh and original and unexpected. It's an amazing book that was entertaining and engaging. It has characters I wanted to be friends with, lines of text that I read repeatedly because I wanted to soak up and remember them, a uniquely original world built upon a science fiction/supernatural base that reads like a contemporary, a l...more Amazing, fresh, entertaining...all the things I want in a great debut book.

Full review originally posted on Heise Reads & Recommends

I loved this book so much. It's fresh and original and unexpected. It's an amazing book that was entertaining and engaging. It has characters I wanted to be friends with, lines of text that I read repeatedly because I wanted to soak up and remember them, a uniquely original world built upon a science fiction/supernatural base that reads like a contemporary, a layered storyline being told of two divergent paths that are interrelated, twists that kept me on my reader toes, and a writing voice that I connected with and felt comforted by and made me want to keep spending time enveloped in this prose. PIVOT POINT is the debut novel by Kasie West (who is repped by Michelle Wolfson, the same agent as Kiersten White and Daisy Whitney, whose new books I also love), and it is one that I think teens are going to love. I know I did. This is the kind of book that left me still thinking about it the next day wondering what was happening in those character's lives next and wanting to go back and reread it again right away.

One of the details Kasie West included that I really loved in PIVOT POINT was the way that Addie loves books so much, and all kinds of books, but real paper books. There are many times throughout the story it comes up, and it made me happy to read it each time. Addison also has the kind of personality that I love in my main characters - a little bit spunky and sassy, with an intelligence and caring behind all she does. Her attitude is great, and there were many moments throughout where I laughed out loud at something she said. In regards to gym class in a new school: "Nobody should be forced to do physical exercise on Mondays." Him: "My bookcase is all yours." Her: "I've just decided those are my five favorite words in the world." And many, many more that I wanted to hold onto to remember on another day. *All lines quoted from an uncorrected proof.

Another element that is incredibly strong is the twistedness of the plot and the way the two directions the story goes are interwoven together. The links are there to see how it might go with either choice in the same situations, and the alternating chapters stop at just the right point every time. There is a history to this world that is intriguing and fully thought out, but that still seems to have more to discover. There is also a depth to this story that delves into the true repercussions of choices we make and the path to get to what we may want might not always be easy. It's about figuring out who is meaningful and necessary in her life, and what she can do to keep them there. And I can't talk about this book without mentioning the boys. Duke and Trevor both have their charms, and they were written in such a way as to make the reader adore both of them, and not be sure which way you want the story to go yourself. Which is exactly how we should be feeling because that's how Addie would be feeling. I also claim this book has one of the best first kiss scenes ever, but everything stays clean enough that I could hand it to my middle school students without a concern. In fact, I think they'll love it, too.

This is the kind of book that leaves you contemplating at the end because either choice has its good sides and its bad, so it's hard to know which one you'd want the character to choose. It does end with a definite decision and ending; however, I found out there will be a sequel, so I'm very excited to get to spend more time with these characters in this world and read more of this fresh voice in YA. Please go get PIVOT POINT in February, or preorder it now, and read Kasie West's debut novel. You won't be sorry. (less)

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Feb 18, 2013 Juhina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: harper, 2013, edelweiss, ebook, review-books

Addison Coleman is a divergent, or the more accustomed to term "Clairvoyant". She lives inside a compound with other people with powers like her. That is the para world she has always known. However when her parents drop the bomb that is any child's nightmare, a divorce, she has to decide who she is going to live with. Her mother, in the para world, or her father, who will be moving to the "Norm" world. Which is the world where us "normal" little beings live in right now. So what does Addie do?...more Addison Coleman is a divergent, or the more accustomed to term "Clairvoyant". She lives inside a compound with other people with powers like her. That is the para world she has always known. However when her parents drop the bomb that is any child's nightmare, a divorce, she has to decide who she is going to live with. Her mother, in the para world, or her father, who will be moving to the "Norm" world. Which is the world where us "normal" little beings live in right now. So what does Addie do? she uses her power whenever she is faced with a hard decision, this one in particular she looks 6 weeks ahead into the outcomes of both paths.

This plot.. this genius plot, in my opinion, allowed Kasie West to create a dual and parallel (time-wise) reality where the chapters interchange between the Para and Norm world and follow Addie. I honestly felt like I was reading two novels.. one that is purely contemporary (Norm world) while the other is contemporary with a hint of paranormal (Para world). I loved how they were mostly independent of each other, but you still get glimpses of both worlds when the schools play against each other and you meet characters and see them through the eyes of the other world.

In terms of world building and just what is more appealing to me, I preferred the Norm world. If you ever pick up the book you'll know why in the end, but from the beginning that was the reality I preferred. We have Trevor, the sweeter than honey (oh yea I went there) cowboy who was the star quarterback of his school until his injury, as well as the group of friends he hangs out with and Addie gets introduced to. I just loved Trevor and found him to be a great and layered character. As for the Para world, Addie starts hanging out with Duke, the cocky quarterback at her school; her life no different than it really was before. She has her best friend to hang out with, and now, the all mighty, Duke. In terms of character depth and world building, I believe the Norm world was superior over the Para world.

Now, you are probably wondering what is the whole point of this book? well, what I can say is that the decision that Addie will make, moving to the Norm or staying in the Para world, could result in dangerous situations, one more dangerous and lethal than the other. I kept on reading this book nonstop because I couldn't put it down, not because of this decision she has to make. I was sucked into both worlds and enjoyed every minute of it. Addie, was a great female protagonist; She was independent, confident, and just fun to read about. I squealed when I found out that there is a sequel to this novel and I can't wait for it. I just need to point out how beautiful the cover is. I need this book in my life for the writing (you're awesome Kasie) and also for this beautiful cover.

*goes off to buy a copy at the bookstore* (less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Ashley (Nose Graze) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites, arc, e-arc

Pivot Point by Kasie West - One little choice can make all the difference

BookNook — Young Adult book reviews

If there is any book in the world that can give you a book orgasm, it's this one.

Pivot Point is not just one of my favourite books. Screw favourite book of the month, or favourite book of the year. Screw favourite paranormal or favourite science fiction. This is at THE TOP. As in favourite book ever. As in the best book I have EVER read. Pivot Point was always really good, but when I got to the ending, my mind was completely blown, and this book soared to the...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Rachel (Read. Write. Ramble.) rated it 5 of 5 stars

OH. MY. GOSH.

THIS BOOK. THISBOOKTHISBOOKTHISBOOKTHISBOOK.

I cannot even handle how freaking EPIC this book is. I was not prepared to become absolutely obsessed with this book, BUT OH WHOOPS I BECAME OBSESSED ANYWAY.

*calms down slightly* Okay, I need to stop fangirling for a second so I can explain to you guys just how amazing this book is.

Addie is a Searcher, which means that when she's faced with two choices, she can search the future to see both outcomes. The chapters of the book alternate bet...more OH. MY. GOSH.

THIS BOOK. THISBOOKTHISBOOKTHISBOOKTHISBOOK.

I cannot even handle how freaking EPIC this book is. I was not prepared to become absolutely obsessed with this book, BUT OH WHOOPS I BECAME OBSESSED ANYWAY.

*calms down slightly* Okay, I need to stop fangirling for a second so I can explain to you guys just how amazing this book is.

Addie is a Searcher, which means that when she's faced with two choices, she can search the future to see both outcomes. The chapters of the book alternate between a chapter about one possible outcome and a chapter about the other possible outcome. It's a very complicated and potentially difficult way to tell a story, but Kasie West NAILED IT. At first, I thought this format would make the book confusing and hard to follow, but it wasn't. Not at all. I had no trouble keeping up, and I was incredibly impressed with Kasie West's storytelling.

The main character, Addie, was someone I wasn't sure I was going to like at first. But once I got a few pages into the book, I realized that I really liked her. She doesn't fit into any kind of category that's typical for a protagonist of a YA book. She's just...normal. When I was reading about her, I felt like I was reading about a normal teenage girl. I understood all of her actions--even if I didn't always agree with them--and nothing about her annoyed me or made me dislike her. She was a protagonist who I became emotionally invested in, and I loved reading from her point of view.

I'd say the second most important character in Pivot Point is Laila, Addie's best friend. What can I even say about Laila? I love her! She's not a sidekick or the comic relief or a side character. She's an actual main character with layers and character development and her own story. It was so refreshing to read about a best friend who was treated as someone extremely important in the book, even more important than the Cute Boys.

Ahh, the boys. Yes, there are two. One of them is a [BLEEP] who I disliked pretty much since the first few pages. The other one is someone I grew to love as the story went on, and I just have SO MANY TREVOR FEELS. <3 Both guys were compelling characters who surprised me in countless ways throughout the book, and I loved getting to know each of them, even though I may not have liked one of them. :P They were both really cool characters with lots of secrets that Addie gradually uncovers as the book goes on. At first, I wasn't sure how well romance would fit in with a book like this, but I was proven wrong. The romance fit perfectly in Pivot Point, and Addie's relationships with these two guys proved to be very important to the plot.

This book was so complex and CRAZY. There are so many plot twists flung at you as you're reading, and you can never know what to expect next. Pivot Point was an addicting read that I couldn't help but finish in a matter of hours. It was so well-written and simply amazing. Kasie West is a genius.

Also, hey, that ending? Yeah, I'm not really cool with that. I need the sequel NOW please.

You can find more of my rambling at readwriteramble.blogspot.com(less)

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Mar 11, 2013 Attila Cthulhuson rated it 1 of 5 stars

First the good: The two paths Addison can take and how they overlap is very well done and interesting. But even that wasn't enough to bump it up to two stars for me since Goodreads has that as "ok" for some reason. Because there was a lot which drove me crazy about this book.

Here were my major annoyances:

There's only two paths. I get it's a simplicity thing, but every action changed should yield a ton of paths. I'd like that explained better. Addison says one change can change a lot, but why are...more First the good: The two paths Addison can take and how they overlap is very well done and interesting. But even that wasn't enough to bump it up to two stars for me since Goodreads has that as "ok" for some reason. Because there was a lot which drove me crazy about this book.

Here were my major annoyances:

There's only two paths. I get it's a simplicity thing, but every action changed should yield a ton of paths. I'd like that explained better. Addison says one change can change a lot, but why are there only two paths? Seriously, if I missed the explanation, feel free to let me know. 'cause I don't get it.

Addie is a snob. She gets better, but I get tired of hearing how crappy and pathetic the "Norms'" technology is. However, the Compound's attitude towards the outside pisses me off majorly. Here you have a group of people who can train themselves to naturally heal, and some of which can heal others, as well as all this technology to make life easier and better. Yet they sit on it, scoffing at Norms for not having it, while not sharing it with the world, or at least selling it to the world. You're telling me the Compound can convince Norms that there is a super-private secret prep school off somewhere which is totally in their football league and worth competing with and recruiting players from and but is otherwise completely not worth looking into yet they can’t figure out a way to get a member of the Compound to share or sell tech with the outside? Priorities are odd there, it seems. Every time it mentions Norms with scars or ailments or the crappier tech in the regular world, all I’m thinking is the Compound inhabitants are assholes.

And how everyone has their abilities and how they work is so random. I thought it was genetic? But (view spoiler) can figure out how to train everyone to be uber? And everyone can heal themselves to a degree, regardless of paranormal power, Healing being one of them? And some can Persuade to a degree regardless of their main ability? But not everyone can do everything? And everyone takes (ill-defined) training classes even for things they aren't a natural at, implying they can learn other things which again, I thought were genetic? This makes no sense.

Speaking of school-related stuff that makes no sense, (view spoiler)

Reading the book as an interesting story and for the interweaving plot lines were interesting, but as science fiction it was a failure for me. The fact that I spent a large amount of the time saying "God, the Compound people are dicks" didn't help.(less)

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Feb 05, 2013 Suz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2013, ya-book-exchange-wishlist-2013

Pivot Point is a wonderfully compelling and highly engaging novel. Definitely a head spinner, it will suck reader's into the story, leaving them gasping at every twist and turn. Kasie West has written a stunning new young adult debut novel, that is sure to entertain and wow fans of the genre. Filled with murder, mystery, suspense, and intrigue, Pivot Point will leave reader's speechless with its captivating premise and amazing brilliance.

West pens a novel dripping with so much originality and...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Ilze rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, young-adult, 2013-release

I was so excited to pick this one up, and I am so glad that it met my expectations. It is an awesome young adult novel, and I totally loved it.

description

"When I read, I feel emotion all on my own. Emotion no living person is making me feel."

There is a secret part in the world - the Compound, where people with abilities live. Addison Coleman lives there, her ability is called Divergence, which means extending in different directions from a common point. In other words, whenever Addie is faced with a choi...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Linda Lewis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-paranormal

I'll start by saying I don't usually read YA, but it's books like Pivot Point that make me think I should.

I loved Addie, the smart and sassy main character. Faced with the choice of which parent she will live with after they divorce, she uses her Ability to search her future with each of them. It soon becomes evident she will also have to make a choice between the guys she falls in love with in each of these futures. In the end, the choice, though not quite the one I expected she would have to m...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Alicia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi, paranormal, edelweiss, book-of-the-month, own-kindle

Got it from Edelweiss. Thank you, HarperCollins!

4.5 stars

We featured this book as our January book of the month on my blog. The joint review/discussion about it is here: http://www.fantasyfloozies.com/2013/0...

My primary issues with the book that I didn't get a chance to state on my blog were: (1) After Addie performed the Search and saw that there was a series of murders in both timelines, her choices failed to take into account the lives of the murdered girls. She made zero attempt to save the...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Hayden Casey marked it as own-it-to-read

I know I'm going to love this book. I mean, that cover model TOTALLY looks like Emma Stone. Who is my favorite actress.

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Mar 14, 2013 Kim (Book Swoon) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-debut-author-challege, 2013-reading-challege, favorites

Pivot Point by Kasie West is an exceptionally well done debut novel. To me, it had all the right elements needed to make a really great book; a unique story line, just the right mix of paranormal and romance, a cast of characters that you end up really caring about, and a killer ending. If you're a Young Adult fan looking for something new to enjoy, and want something with a unique twist, I think you’ll really like this truly original tale.

Addie lives with her parents in a secret community for t...more Pivot Point by Kasie West is an exceptionally well done debut novel. To me, it had all the right elements needed to make a really great book; a unique story line, just the right mix of paranormal and romance, a cast of characters that you end up really caring about, and a killer ending. If you're a Young Adult fan looking for something new to enjoy, and want something with a unique twist, I think you’ll really like this truly original tale.

Addie lives with her parents in a secret community for those gifted with paranormal abilities, and goes to High School to learn how to control and enhance those powers. As a Searcher, Addie has the power not only to see into her future, but she can see more than one possible outcome.

Little does Addie know that her life is about to change. Her parents have just announced their divorce and ask Addie to decided who she wants to live with. If she chooses her father, she will have to leave her home at the paranormal compound and live outside with the "Norms," if she chooses her mom she can live at the compound, hang out with her best friend Laila, and still go to the same High School.Okay, here’s where things really begin to get interesting in Pivot Point. Addie decides to use her abilities as a searcher to live out two of her alternating lives for six weeks. By the end of the six week search, Addie shouldn't have any problems deciding which future is the best. Right? Wrong!

Ms. West takes us on a six week journey with Addison as she lives basically lives two different lives. In one life, she leaves the paranormal compound to go and live with her Dad in Normville (Dallas, Texas) and at the local high school, she met Trevor, who is not only cute and artistic, but seems to understand her feelings more than anyone else. In the other alternate life, Addie gets to live with her mom, and go to school with her best friend Laila. She even ends up being pursued by the school’s hottie quarterback, Duke. Things only get more confusing when her dad gets involved solving a murder case at the paranormal compound, and a series of dangerous events involving Trevor, Duke, and Laila, begin to occur. How can Addie choose a path when both hold potential for love, loss, and heartache?

I really enjoyed how the story in Pivot Point slowly unfolded, each chapter alternating between Addie’s two futures. What was so brilliant to me was how Ms. West began to overlap the characters and interweave the storyline so that both eventually tied into one another. I really was impressed with Pivot Point; the awesome alternating storyline, it’s characters, and oh man, that ending!

(less)

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Mar 18, 2013 Alise (Readers in Wonderland) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

_________________________________
Pivot Point Review
_________________________________
Full formatting of this review at link above.

This was absolutely fantastic.

Could you imagine the burden you would carry on your shoulder if you happened to make a wrong decision in life? A decision that may end up costing someone their life?

Addie understands that pressure, because she can see the future, only her own, though. When presented with two choices, Addie has the option to Search the future to see the...more _________________________________
Pivot Point Review
_________________________________
Full formatting of this review at link above.

This was absolutely fantastic.

Could you imagine the burden you would carry on your shoulder if you happened to make a wrong decision in life? A decision that may end up costing someone their life?

Addie understands that pressure, because she can see the future, only her own, though. When presented with two choices, Addie has the option to Search the future to see the outcomes. Sounds like it might come in handy, but could you handle always seeing the other choice-the one you didn't make? Is there such a thing as too much knowledge?

I didn't have any expectations when first starting PIVOT POINT, I really didn't know what to expect. Needless to say, I wasn't thinking I was going to get my heart torn in two different directions repeatedly. I became emotionally invested with Addie and both of her lives, each moment more precious than the last because you know there will be only one outcome.

Addie is told the news of her parent's divorce. Her parents are making her choose between them because Addie can Search and see which outcome is preferable. So begins our journey into two alternate futures, both containing happiness and both containing horror, and only one can be chosen. Knowing this, as readers, is heartbreaking,

“Sometimes I feel like I'm slowly floating away. I'm constantly looking for something to grab on to so I don't lose myself.”

Excellently written supporting characters are abound, some shrouded in mystery-and some with motives clear as day. The diversity is refreshing, each character relatable in their own way. The mystery was chilling, its effects taking a toll on the characters without us knowing. This meaning, we knew only what Addie knew-which wasn't a lot, and only make the suspense worse.

Really, my only complaint with this was that it was hard to follow at times. We are, after all, living in two different stories, two different lives, and that alone made it confusing. This isn't a book you'll want to put down for a few days and then come back-you won't want to anyway. I was hooked from the beginning, and each page only made me fall harder.

I will be reading the sequel, because after that ending-who wouldn't?
I suggest this to fans of YA who are looking for something fresh and different in the genre.(less)

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Mar 21, 2013 Warnie B. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, science-fiction, plano-public-libraries, read-in-2013, mystery

Kuh! Let me just get my breath back... Whew!

Totally wasn't expecting a whole lot from this book. Something about the premise interested me just enough to put it on hold at the library, but I kind of assumed it would end up being all about "omg, which boy can I not live without because we're in love 4 EVA!!!" and would therefore very much disappoint me. And for awhile it did seem like that's where the story was going. And then NO, that's not really it at all!

Oh, and also, at first I was a little...more

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Young Adult Reads: Signed ARC of Pivot Point by Kasie West (US)	1	6	Nov 24, 2012 09:37am
Fantasy and YA Ad...: GIVEAWAY - Signed ARC of Pivot Point by Kasie West (US)	1	6	Nov 24, 2012 09:11am

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