Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .
Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.
In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.
Publisher: Harperteen
Date Published: February 4, 2013
Pages: 352
Genres: Young adult, fantasy, romance.
This is the first book in the Pivot Point series and there are two books out thus far. I'm a little picky with young adult novels and it takes me forever to begin reading them. This definitely exceeded my expectations.
This novel has an interesting setup of a secret compound with inhabitants that have diverse mind capabilities. The compound, that I picture as a dome for some reason, had a controlled environment to provide the perfect atmosphere for the development of the mind abilities. For example the amount of sunlight filtered.
We read through Addison Coleman's point of view. She was a junior at the compound and she has the ability of divergence. She could see different paths of her future. Although she did not see her parents' divorce. She was faced with the decision of either living with her mom at the compound or her dad out in the normal world. So, of course she used her abilities. We then go on to see two possible futures unfolding. In one future, she dates Duke and in the other she meets the norm Trevor.
There are quite the variety of powers. There is Laila, Addie's best friend, who can erase memories, Duke a telekinetic, Addie's mother who can use persuasion, Addie's father who is a human lie detector and heaps more. There were only abilities of the mind, no flying or turning into the hulk here.
In the beginning I didn't feel like Addie's personality seemed real. She was a goody two-shoes who didn't like breaking rules, always told the truth, and did what ever her parents wanted. Then I realized if I had her parents I would most likely be the same, although with a pinch of more rebellion. What is the point of lying when you will be found out and what's the point in rebelling when your mother will persuade you to agree with her?
I liked how there was also the self discovery of the character. When Addie leaves the compound she questions who she is without her powers. How could she hide apart of herself in the normal world? She even states that she's not interesting without her gifts. I liked how she rediscovered herself and how she evolved as the story progressed. The novel also shows how one decision can make such a huge difference in both the decision maker's life as well as the people around them.
The two different paths are seen in alternating chapters. It was an interesting way to read and not confusing as I expected. Mrs. West did assimilate the two paths well. The information was released in the two different futures so the reader could connect them and attempt to solve the mystery. I truly enjoyed this. Thankfully no scenes were repeated and there was just one character's POV. I did however feel as if the writing did not fully grasp my attention. I actually got up to go on my laptop to surf the web. I still recommend this book
