Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

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I received this book for free from HarperCollins Canada in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Pivot Point by Kasie WestPivot Point by Kasie West
Series: Pivot Point #1
on February 12th 2013
Genres: Paranormal, YA
Source: HarperCollins Canada
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four-stars

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.

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 she was asked to pick between staying in the paranormal compound, or going with her dad in the normal world.

Told in dual reality perspective, reality one keeps us in the compound where life with abilities is the norm. From telekinesis to lie detectors, living with knowing someone may currently be manipulating your mood is the way of life for these people. Stories where characters have superhuman abilities have often been favourites of mine. We all wished, at one point or other, that we were able to move things with our mind, or know what another person is thinking, so this reality had me hooked from the start. Learning what everyone could do, as well as their advanced technology promised limitless entertainment. This future has a less than likeable love interest, however. If this was a triangle, he would have been the bad boy. His personality clashes with Addie’s and I never trusted him for a minute. This is how he was meant to come off, though, so I am not saying this with negativity. It has a purpose in the story and it is not for us to fall for a jerk–Phew! This reality also involves a creep with a menacing ability who we learn early on is bad news, giving the story a bit of a dangerous vibe.

nor·mal: adj. conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern
-Merriam-Webster

Reality two takes us to the normal world where Addie has to learn our present ways of life which lacks the technology that she is used to in her compound. She also becomes the new kid at the Norm school. This was my personal favourite reality. I love seeing how someone adapts to a new surrounding, including who they meet and connect with. Plus the love interest in this future is a definite sweetheart. They start out as friends, and her intention of never becoming more than consequently makes us long for them even more, not to mention magnifying their chemistry. They have an easy way about them that makes their relationship completely down to earth and genuine. This reality also involves the football team trying to figure out the mystery behind these seeming unrandom injuries that have been incurred by their teammates.

Screwed: adj. Having to choose a bad path to avoid a worst one
-Quoted from the uncorrected proof

The gist of the story: What side do you choose, when you want neither?

In the end, Addie has to make a very difficult choice of what she came to understand is deciding which is the lesser evil. This gives the ending an emotionally gripping edge. However, I did have a small qualm with the logic behind the decision. Knowing your future, wouldn’t you be able to change it? Perhaps no matter what she does the end result will be the same, but one must follow the logic that if every choice creates two alternate futures, then no future is definite; she could modify additional choices along the way which should, in turn, modify how each future culminates. With this said, I’m not sure I completely agree with the decision that she eventually makes. With such an intricate concept, it seems a little simplistic that it has to be definite A, or definite B. This is why playing with time in any way is tricky with over-analyzing minds such as mine!

No doubt a unique read, Pivot Point encompasses a lot of plot characteristics that turns this could-be cliché into an enticing novel. With two stories in one, there is no time to get bored. These two alternatives each have a love interest, each have interesting secondary characters, each with different dilemmas and mysteries of their own. What makes it even more interesting is that, as one reality happens, the events of the other still come about, but without Addie in its direct path. I found this gave it a very neat spin as, even tough we get two different reality perspectives, they’re intertwined together to give us one complete story.

With plenty of romance, friendship, and paranormal abilities, Pivot Point is a refreshingly original read that is sure to delight any fan of the genre.

four-stars

4 Hot Espressos

Review: Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye

Posted by on 02/11/2013 • 19 Comments

Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye Shari A. Brady Genre: YA Contemporary Publication date: June 11th 2012

Before my older sister Francesca died, I worked at the bakery and wrote songs, but now I write lists. Lists like ten reasons why it’s my fault Francesca’s dead, or five reasons why I should try and win Howie back, or one reason why I need to stop lying to everyone, including myself.

Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye is an extraordinary novel about one family’s struggle to make sense of their world after losing a family member to addiction. Through sixteen-year-old Carmella’s eyes, we witness the courage and strength it takes to overcome the consequences of grief, guilt and co-dependency. WIth conviction and determination, Carmella shows us what can happen when…

Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four Tour Kick-off + Giveaway

Posted by on 02/11/2013 • 1 Comment

Today I’m kicking off the Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four blog tour that will run from Feb 11th to Feb 23rd! Let me introduce the book, show you a sneak peek, and you can enter the fabulous tour grand prize!

Phoebe Pope and the Year of Four Nya Jade Series: A Shapers Novel #1 Publication date: October 30th 2012by Dreamwell Publishing

The students of Green Lane Academy roam their halls unaware that below their manicured campus exists a prestigious school of an entirely different kind . . .

Sixteen-year-old Phoebe Pope has enrolled at the Campus Below: a spy academy for shape-shifters hidden deep beneath the grounds of a boarding school whose humans unknowingly protect it. There, thanks to a carefully planned schedule, she leads a double…

Xpresso Weekly: Stacking the Shelves (42)

Posted by on 02/10/2013 • 60 Comments

Xpresso Weekly is my edition of Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga’s Reviews featuring the books I got this week, and I also mention blog news/happenings of the past week. This week at Xpresso Reads

Howdy! So we just got one heck of a major snowstorm! I survived!! Though I’m pretty much trapped in my house! O.O Yep, fun times. Ok so–are you from or close enough to get to Boston? Because if so, mark your calendars for August 17th! Me and Amy of Book Loving Mom are planning a book blogger meet-up dinner and bookswap. If you’re interested, join the event’s Facebook Group! Lastly, don’t miss the latest giveaway on the blog to win a copy of Quantum Drop!

New at Xpresso Book Tours

— Book Blitz Sign Up:…

Fresh Batch (February 10th – 16th)

Posted by on 02/09/2013 • 11 Comments

Exclusively titled for Xpresso Reads, Fresh Batch features the hottest releases of this upcoming week.

Flavor of the week:

Pivot Point Kasie West Series: Pivot Point #1Publication date: February 12th 2013by HarperTeen

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….

Book Girls Don’t Cry: Book Hype!

Posted by on 02/08/2013 • 67 Comments

Inspired by Book Buzzers, Book Girls Don’t Cry is a weekly feature where we each discuss/vent/advise on the chosen weekly bookish topic. Don’t miss Jenni on Mondays, and Amy on Saturdays:  

Book Hype: A pro or a con?

We were all, at one time or other, taken over by book hype. A book that is raved about, that has so many fantastic reviews, that you dive into it with such high expectations. And then the crash is hard and fast! I’m sure most of you have a book in mind already, eh?

When book hype is a bad thing:

 –The coulda shoulda woulda

Did I enjoy this book? Barf! No. I was left incredibly let down when, after all the brouhaha, it ended  up being NOT epic. NOT better…

Booking up Boston Blogger Meet Up – August, 2013

Posted by on 02/08/2013 • 24 Comments

Get ready, lovelies! Book Bloggers will be booking it up in Boston in August, 2013! 

Amy (Book Loving Mom) and myself are organizing a book blogger meetup in Boston, MA on August 17th, 2013. It’s going to be a dinner and book swap (optional), where you can meet some fellow bloggers and maybe pick up some new books and ARCs! We are super excited to be doing this and we hope there’s a great turnout. You do not need to be from Boston–heck I’m Canadian and all 😉 –Anyone who’s able to drive, bike, or take a plane ride, we want you there!

Not all the details have been decided yet–exact location and exact time etc,–but if you’re interested, even if you’re not 100% sure you can come, join…

Quantum Drop Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

Posted by on 02/07/2013 • 9 Comments

Dropping by Xpresso Reads today is the Quantum Drop blog tour hosted by Hachette Children’s UK. I have Saci Lloyd over for an interview and you can win this pretty! Not heard of Quantum Drop

Quantum Drop Saci Lloyd Genre: YA Science FictionPublication date: February 7th 2013by Hodder Children’s Books

Anthony Griffin is an ordinary kid caught up in a dangerous world. The boundaries between real and virtual are more and more blurred, and when Anthony’s girlfriend is taken out in a gang hit, he has to venture into the underground world of the Drop to flush out her killer and bring him to justice.

This is the story of a boy whose girl is worth more than money.

Interview with Saci Lloyd

Q. What can you…