Pivot Point (Pivot Point, #1)

by Kasie West

[Leah]

When I was offered the chance to review Pivot Point by Kasie West, I said yes immediately because the blurb was so intriguing! I loved the idea of a novel that was split into two, that Addie’s ability meant she could see the paths her life could take depending on her decision. (That is just a super cool ability – you could see your mistakes before you make them and, ergo, not make them.) I was so excited to dive into the novel, and see just how it was written, how it was laid out, etc, and I wasn’t disappointed at all. It was quite a tense novel – as secrets kept coming out, and as the novel moved towards its conclusion I had no idea at all where the novel was going to go, and I admit, I was worried!

Pivot Point is basically split into two. It starts just before Addie looks into her future, and then it diverges into both paths Addie could possibly take when her parents announce their divorce – does she stay with her Mom and best friend Laila and end up with the hottest guy in school or does she risk going with her Dad and living the “Norm” life, which will see her meet the cute Trevor? Neither life is perfect, but it is one incident in particular that will make up Addie’s mind… For good. I loved how the book alternated between chapters between Addie’s life with the Paras and her Mom, and the life with her Dad and the Norms. It meant that we got to see both outcomes, and it definitely ratcheted up the tension as it became clear just what was occurring in both lives. Neither was the real, obvious winner, although I personally preferred Addie’s life in the Norm world, with her Dad.

Pivot Point had me hooked from the first page, it took me a couple of days to read as I was ill, but when I got into it, I really got into it and finished the majority of it in a day. It was really, really good. I don’t read as much paranormal books as some people do, but I read a few and mostly pick and choose the ones I know I will enjoy, and this was certainly one of them. Kasie West is such a clever writer and managed to make me panic so much. I pretty much spent the last 50 pages fearing for everyone’s lives because I just wasn’t sure exactly who was in danger and who exactly the bad guy was! Of the two “realms”, if you will, I definitely favoured the Norm world. The only good thing about the Para world for me, was Laila, and even she had her failures, though it is debateable over whether it was her fault or not. The Norm world called to me, and I preferred the Addie in the Norm world to the Addie in the Para world, she seemed more settled to me, and I adored Trevor. He really made the book for me.

The novel was quite heartbreaking. I knew something major had to occur to force Addie’s decision, and I knew it wouldn’t be pleasant and it surprised me where West went with it. It sort of made me sad. I’m so looking forward to Split Second, the second book in the series (and hopefully not last!), and I will be buying it as soon as it’s out, to see where Addie’s life takes her next and it seems as if we’ll be able to get to know Laila a bit more in the second novel, as if she might even had her own POV, which will be interesting. I may even warm back up to her again, we will see. I definitely recommend Pivot Point, it was such an enjoyable quick read, with some wonderful, outstanding characters, and a very clever back story. Kasie West is a wondeful storyteller and I can’t wait to dive into her other novels, she’s fantastic and this book is fantastic, too!