Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) by Kasie West → Start Date: June 19th, 2013

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Please feel free to join Alexa and I in this buddy read!!

[Alexa]

Another book everyone loved, I hope we love it too LOL

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

I'm so excited! all of my friends gave this GLOWING reviews! I think we'll love it :D

[Angela]

LOVED THIS!

[Vicki]

Okay, I got my book for this read so I'm in for sure! YIPPIE!!! It looks so good and I love the cover!

[Alexa]

Vicki wrote: "Okay, I got my book for this read so I'm in for sure! YIPPIE!!! It looks so good and I love the cover!"

WOOP!! :D

Trisha wrote: "I'm so excited! all of my friends gave this GLOWING reviews! I think we'll love it :D"

I just checked and so have mine, and the average rating is 4.12
looks very promising!!

[Vicki]

Alexa wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Okay, I got my book for this read so I'm in for sure! YIPPIE!!! It looks so good and I love the cover!"

WOOP!! :D

Trisha wrote: "I'm so excited! all of my friends gave this GLOWING ..."

Hopefully we can boost the rating! lOL

[Angela]

Vicki wrote: "Alexa wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Okay, I got my book for this read so I'm in for sure! YIPPIE!!! It looks so good and I love the cover!"

WOOP!! :D

Trisha wrote: "I'm so excited! all of my friends gave..."

Honestly, a few ratings doesn't change much, but every one counts. ;P

[Ally]

I'm going to try and read this with you all if I can fit it in!

[Alexa]

I hope you can squeeze it in and join us Ally!! :D

[Trinity]

It's like you and Vicky went in my head, picked the books I wanted to read the most, and then post them all as buddy reads knowing I can't possibly read them all :D lol

[Vicki]

Haha, Trinity! That's what I do to myself!! Lol

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

lol! This on starts today (how did we do this to ourselves! back to back books! LOL!)

36 chapters + epilogue....

just come back every 5?? :D

[Vicki]

Sure, after 5. Lol I'm SOOOOOOO behind!!!!! Lol

[Vicki]

Just started this one and wondered if anyone has an idea as to why the author is capitalizing words that one normally doesn't: Search, Searching, Persuasive, Persuade, Discernment...Do you think these are abilities that "they" have?

[Vicki]

Okay, I think the author just answered my question. LOL I guess those are their abilities.

[Vicki]

Finished ch. 5 and I feel so bad for Addie. I can't even imagine having to (view spoiler)[decide which parent you want to live with due to divorce! (hide spoiler)]

Addie: I think she is going to be a (view spoiler)[ strong female character. Having the ability to Search might be a difficult one to deal with since she can only use it to help her make a choice. I'm not so sure I'd want to be able to do that. You'd probably have to decide to go with the "better of two evils." (hide spoiler)] No choice in life is going to be perfect.

Just a WEE bit confused so question for up to ch. 6: (view spoiler)[ Is the back and forth visitation between her mom and dad just visitations? At first I thought it was her mother she chose to live with, then I thought it was her father. Then I thought it was back and forth, but now in ch. 6 her dad drills her on questions for her new school. Did I miss something? Who did she choose? (hide spoiler)]

Haha, almost at the end of ch. 6 and I think my question was just answered.

[Angela]

Vicki wrote: "Finished ch. 5 and I feel so bad for Addie. I can't even imagine having to [spoilers removed]

Addie: I think she is going to be a [spoilers removed] No choice in life is going to be perfect.

Jus..."

(view spoiler)[She didn't make a choice yet, Vicki. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Angela (: wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Finished ch. 5 and I feel so bad for Addie. I can't even imagine having to [spoilers removed]

Addie: I think she is going to be a [spoilers removed] No choice in life is going to be..."

Okay, I was just thinking that because (view spoiler)[ now I think she's back at her old school. So are these chapters showing us what she is seeing...or Searching? (hide spoiler)]

[Angela]

Vicki wrote: "Angela (: wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Finished ch. 5 and I feel so bad for Addie. I can't even imagine having to [spoilers removed]

Addie: I think she is going to be a [spoilers removed] No choice in l..."

Yeah. (view spoiler)[Think of it as looking into the future. She's seeing what the future would be like based on the decision she makes. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Angela (: wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Angela (: wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Finished ch. 5 and I feel so bad for Addie. I can't even imagine having to [spoilers removed]

Addie: I think she is going to be a [spoilers removed] ..."

Okay, thanks! That's the conclusion I had come to so she IS (view spoiler)[ Searching. (hide spoiler)] It makes it rather interesting! LOL

[Angela]

Vicki wrote: "Angela (: wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Angela (: wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Finished ch. 5 and I feel so bad for Addie. I can't even imagine having to [spoilers removed]

Addie: I think she is going to be a [..."

She is. I think so too! It's an interesting concept. (:

[Vicki]

Trevor vs. Duke: At this point I have a feeling that (view spoiler)[ Trevor is a more grounded person and that he and Addie have more in common. While Duke might be eye candy, I don't think he's as good a match for her; however, he did say the 5 kiss rule doesn't apply to him so maybe he's not such a player. (hide spoiler)] Guess I'll find out in due time.

[Ally]

Mind if I join you guys?!

[Angela]

Vicki wrote: "Trevor vs. Duke: At this point I have a feeling that [spoilers removed] Guess I'll find out in due time."

I love Trevor. <3 I need a guy like him in my life.

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Ally wrote: "Mind if I join you guys?!"

of course! Jump right in Ally! We'd love more book buddies! :D

[Vicki]

Ally wrote: "Mind if I join you guys?!"

Of course not, Ally! JOIN!!

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

okay, I'm done with first 5 chapters.
I'm not sure which chpters some of the above comments are for, so I haven't clicked them...

I can't lie. Right now I'm trying to decide if I should move my whole family from one side of the US to another. There are so many pro's and con's to doing it, but what I wouldn't give for an Addie in my life. Jeez, I'd LOOOVE to see what this decision means for my kids, especially my oldest.
ho-hum, too bad we're stuck outside of the compount with the <2% brainers LOL! :D

Duke- (view spoiler)[ what is this guy up to?? Hitting a girl in the face with a football. I've never found that to be a good way to flirt....bodily harm...hmmm. I'm going to try to hold off on my a decision about him yet... (hide spoiler)]

Laila - (view spoiler)[ she's cute but woah! I think she might get Addie into trouble! LOL! (hide spoiler)]

her parents - (view spoiler)[ I can't help but wonder if they are splitting up for a different reason. It seemed so odd that they laughed at that really awkward moment - I just couldn't imagine them laughing together about an inside joke at that point. maybe I'm wrong, but it just seemed odd.
I'm so sad for Addie to have to make that choice. Such a tough decision. I remember making it as a child and it was awful...... :( (hide spoiler)]

and Bobby...honestly, that guy kind of sucks.

[Vicki]

Trisha, none of the spoilers will give away anything you haven't read yet except for the one that refers to ch. 6 and message 23 perhaps. Even that's not a big spoiler. But for sure the others are okay to read. I went back and looked at them for you.

[Vicki]

Done with ch. 10. The last two chapters seemed to be parallel with each other. Maybe they have all been that way but I just realized it. LOL (view spoiler)[ So in ch. 9 they are in the Compound and at Laila's house, dying Addie's hair when the "debt collector" knocks on the door. Ch. 10 they are on the phone and Addie's at her father's when the "debt collector" calls. (hide spoiler)] I like how the author shows how the same event can be different contingent upon where Addie is.

I am really disappointed in, more like angry with, Laila's father. It's so wrong of him to (view spoiler)[ make Laila take care of adult business, his business. (hide spoiler)] He should man up! Ugh...

[Ally]

I'm at chapter 8 right now, but forgot to check in at 5 so here I am!

I'm with Vicki. I love how everything is in parallel! Not exactly the same, but they have similar topics I think.

(view spoiler)[
I'm really enjoying this book! And Addie! She's so sarcastic and witty, and I just love the character that Kasie West created. The chapters are quick and the writing flows easily.

I'm loving the world-building as well. For all we know, this could be realistic fiction! LOL anyone live near this area in Texas?? But I love how there are sooo many different abilities that they're able to be classified, but pretty much everyone is different.

The real question is, Duke or Trevor? Right now I'm with Duke. I've only met Trevor once thus far and he hasn't made much of an impression yet. Plus, the Norm world is so boring compared to where Addie's mom lives. Why would you ever leave that?!

(hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Ally wrote: "I'm at chapter 8 right now, but forgot to check in at 5 so here I am! Nothing is really a spoiler yet so tags aren't necessary.

I'm with Vicki. I love how everything is in parallel! Not exactly th..."

Regarding your last paragraph...so true!

I overlooked your spoiler, but I have to disagree at this point. LOL I think that Addie and (view spoiler)[ Trevor are more meant for each other. I think that Duke is definitely hot stuff, but that only gets one so far. Trevor on the other hand has a lot more in common with Addie. He's nice, seems interested in Addie and not just in his own interests, and he is attentive. (hide spoiler)] At least that is how I see it. But I stopped after ch. 10 to read other books, so it might change for me. LOL

[Ally]

Vicki: (RE: the boy debate!)
(view spoiler)[
I totally get where you're coming from. Personality wise, I'm probably the same exact person as Addie (but way more social). And the social aspect is the main reason that I favor Duke a lot more (plus he's described to be hotter- all I can remember about Trevor's description is his "layer of fat". Lovely). But she's anti-social and kind of withdrawn, and Trevor is the same way, so they probably are much better for each other. Plus, from a plot standpoint, Trevor has to be more appealing. Think about it: her mom has her world, her friends, her life. Her dad? An inferior world, no friends, and there must be the better boy so that this is actually a difficult choice, right? If not she'd just pick the compound right away.

So even if it does against MY personal choice, it makes more sense that she'd pick Trevor. There's really no comparison otherwise.
(hide spoiler)]

Also, I don't know if its more obvious in the hard copy, but I'm already at Chapter 8 and I JUST noticed that the Paranormal chapters start with words that contain PARA and the norm chapters start with words that contain NORM. I'm really slow but I love this little touch! Some of the words are really cool, too! Like paralogy!

[Ally]

Through Chapter 10:
(view spoiler)[
I take it back. I'm not that similar to Addie, now that we see her talking more LOL.

I love how there are references to the other stories intertwined at different points. Like the fact that her dad was investigating "Poison" as a norm, and he's the debt collector at Laila's house (right? correct me if that was wrong). And then this quote in the norm section:

At first. And then eventually it's realized that all annoyance and mistrust is actually romantic tension

is clearly talking about Duke in the parallel universe.

Still a Duke fan for me. And I'm subtracting Trevor-points for Addie because he clearly isn't a reader. Not to say Duke is, but this guy clearly has no respect for reading! Rough.
(hide spoiler)]

[Ally]

I just finished the book (oops!). I had a lot of free time tonight and it was just so good!

So, some finishing comments (but I'll jump back in and respond to what you guys are saying as well):

(view spoiler)[
- Okay, so that debate is over. Obviously Trevor is the one. Can't say I'm not disappointed, but didn't we all see that coming? He ended up being a much cooler guy than I expected though, so props on that.
- Again, I'm amazing at how well the two universes were intertwined. I think that leaves a really cool (and humbling) message. Yes, we all may think that we are the center of the universe, and that life revolves around us, but for the most part, those futures stayed the same. We saw them differently because it was told through a changed perspective, but everyone else still did what they were originally going to do. Her life didn't change much of anyone else's on a major scale (aside from saving Laila's life. But let's not forget that she had a near-death experience to Bobby in both).
- It was really ingenius of Addie to figure out how to stop everything from falling apart, and getting the happy ending that she desired.
- I was not expecting such a mystery/thriller/suspense aspect of this, and I enjoyed it a TON. I don't know why I thought this was a dystopian book at first, but I was pleasantly surprised.
- Those words at the beginnings of the chapters still cracked me up.
- The one part I didn't understand was how Duke could control Leila and Addie that whole time. At the football game, and after she knew Duke was a Mood Controller, she knew when her feelings were being messed with. So why could either of them never see it? Addie mentions that fake feelings feel different, so why had she never noticed them?

In any case, great book. It's among my favorites now, without a doubt.
(hide spoiler)]

[Angela]

Ally, I'm happy you loved it! :D

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

10 chapters in!
OMG I absolutely love Trevor

His note (view spoiler)[ in the book! OOOH! So cute!! (hide spoiler)]

but Duke (view spoiler)[ I can't say I have anything bad against him either. (hide spoiler)]

but I think Addie (view spoiler)[ might be a better person as Norm but I think I'll just have to wait to see if that stays true (hide spoiler)]

[Angela]

Trevor is the cutest. <3

Oooh, you'll find out about Addie in the end!

[Vicki]

Thanks for that teaser, Angela. LOL I am still in ch. 15 and reading TOO many books at once! Plus Thursday and Friday are my husband's days off. I am reading as much as I can, but other things take precedence at times...or at least I have to pretend that they do. LOL (JK)

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

I know.....My husband is gone this week in Georgia...so I'm pretty much not sleeping :) lots of time to read! :D

[Angela]

Oh, sorry, Vicki! I'm not sure if you wanted to know that or not. I guess I should have put it under spoiler.

[Angela]

I didn't give very much away though. :D

[Vicki]

Angela (: wrote: "Oh, sorry, Vicki! I'm not sure if you wanted to know that or not. I guess I should have put it under spoiler."

No apology necessary, I was sincere! It didn't give away anything but it let me know that I get to find out something about Addie that I might not expect! I was not being sarcastic!

[Angela]

Oh, okay. (: I can't wait to see what you think of this book! Pivot Point is one of my favorites!

[Vicki]

I'm really LOVING it and I love the parallel chapters. It makes it very unique and interesting. I'm still in favor of Trevor. LOL

[Angela]

Yay! I loved the parallel chapters too! Yes, Trevor. <3

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Oh no!!! I just finished chapter 14.

I can see what's coming.....this...is not going to be good.

[Vicki]

You make me want to pick it back up but I'm trying to read The Immortal Rules lol

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

no no, Immortal Rules first LOL! :D

[Vicki]

Okay, I listen to you always! Lol