January Book of the Month: Pivot Point by Kasie West

This year, we've started a new feature—a book of the month buddy read. Each month we pick a book, and Kenya and I both read it. Then we discuss it in an instant message chat and post an edited version of the chat here.

Our January BotM was Pivot Point. Yes, yes, I know it's February now! We'll try to post the BotM argument discussion during the designated month, but we won't always have time for a proper argument discussion before the month's end.

You can read more about our book of the month feature here. And feel free to read along in the future!

Pivot Point
by Kasie West

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.

The Characters
Alicia: What did you think of Addie? And Trevor and Duke?
Addie’s best friend Laila was a throwaway character. Same old outgoing chick who gets into trouble.
Kenya: This is true. She was the cliché I'm-going-to-push-you-to-date-guys best friend. I get that these girls are out there. I'm exactly like this with my friends. But I'd like to see a new best friend character type.
Alicia: So . . . you're a cliché?
Kenya: Yes. But a HOT SEXY CLICHÉ!
Alicia: I don't think clichés can be hot and sexy. “An expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect.”
Kenya: They definitely can. I'm living proof!
Alicia: I'm so turned on.
Kenya: *flicks on gay porn . . .
Alicia: I'm gonna need you to get over the gay porn.
Kenya: Not happening. It's my new love.
Alicia: So what did we think of Addie? She was relatively rational, and you know my YA pet peeve is irrational heroines. So that's a plus for me.
Kenya: To me, she seemed like two completely different people in each path. She runs from Duke in one path, but she's rushing after Trevor in the other.
Alicia: Yeah, but she pursued Trevor as a friend, and it just turned into something more. I actually think that was indicative of the same character trait that made her run from Duke. She didn't want to admit her feelings for Trevor. I also think that, when she was with Duke, she was kind of overshadowed by the popular kids. I liked her better when she was with Trevor.
Kenya: :-o @ overshadowed by popular kids. Good point. Duke was cliché for me.
Alicia: Yes!
Kenya: But I didn't finish the book so . . .
Alicia: There was a little twist with his ending, but it fit within his cliché desire to be the popular guy. I thought her relationship with Trevor was cute. How they started with jokingly passing notes about zombie-killing. Seems like something I'd do.
Kenya: I absolutely loved the zombie killing stuff! That was the best part of the book.

The Plot
Kenya: Truthfully, I stopped at Chapter 15 and still am not sure what the book is about. My assumption of the plot: A girl checks out two future paths to decide which parent to live with after a divorce.
*shrugs and continues watching gay porn
Alicia: I think it was about a lot. In one future, her dad was investigating a murder that seemed to relate to this one guy in particular, and in the other future her best friend kept running into that guy. And it kind of all blew up at the end. I really enjoyed how the plots wove together. Very Sliding Doors.
Kenya: It really is fascinating. (Gay porn, I mean.)
Alicia: I'm just ignoring you now.
And after the search was over, the choice she had to make was so hard because both futures had major downsides. It was a little heartbreaking. I had serious feels!
Kenya: You know what I hated? Addie was so mean to her mom, but not her dad.
Alicia: We're not discussing characters anymore! Stop trying to contribute when you didn’t do your homework! You get an F at reading.
Kenya: Fine! :-/

Favorite Line or Scene
Alicia: So . . . I didn't know we were going to do the fave line thing, so I didn't highlight any good ones on my Kindle.
Kenya: You suck! Let me get my iPad out. I always highlight. It is called Close Reading. As a writer you should be Close Reading.
Alicia: As a writer, you should be kissing my behind. And I think it’s only Close Reading if you actually finish the book.
Kenya: :-o
Alicia: Okay, I have one thing highlighted that I thought was cute, but I dunno if it's my fave. When Duke is trying to get with Addie, and she says they have nothing in common: "We're like magnets, Addie,” he calls after me.
Kenya: :-( You would pick that.
Alicia: I don't like your attitude.
Kenya: Here is my favorite scene: "You sound happy. Why are you happy?" Laila asks.
I start to put away my laundry. "Because I'm going out with Trevor and his friends on Friday."
Alicia: Are you going to type out the entire scene? ’Cause I'm bored right now.
Is this going to take long?
See how much I typed, and you haven't finished yet.
*bored
Kenya: "Aw, I'm like a proud mother bird watching my daughter fly from the nest. Fly, little bird, fly. Oh no! Don't fall. No, that's the ground. Addie, watch out for the ground. Man, tough luck. You'd better come back home."
Done.
(impatient a-hole)
Alicia: Oh, yeah, that was awesome. That definitely gets the best-line award!
Kenya: *returns to gay porn

World-Building
Alicia: World-building?
Kenya: Not bad. Decent. She didn't drag on and drop info dumps. She slipped in valuable info at great times.
Alicia: Yeah, I thought it was integrated well. And right away, she introduced the mental ability to change other people’s perceptions of their surroundings. The mental superpowers were cool.
Kenya: For example: Duke talks to her and says, "Are you a Naturalist? Do you want us to merge with Normal society?" Great slip in without boring me.
Alicia: It seemed realistic—like there could really be a compound where these psychologically advanced people hang out. Good example. I may increase your reading grade to a D.

Would you take it to bed with you?
Alicia: Well, I adored it. I thought it was so unique and fun, and the ending blew me away. So yes! I'm excited to get my hands on the sequel. I want to know what happens with Addie and her love interests because that was left open-ended after she chose one of the future paths.
Kenya: Yes. I would take it to bed with me, but only to prop under my feet as I read something else. I believe the writing and world rocked! But this book just wasn't my thing. I love dark, edgy, action-packed scenes or hot sensual scenes. This simply wasn't for me, but I believe that others will devour it.
Alicia: “Sensual scenes”? Dude, it's YA.
Kenya: Which guy did she pick?
Alicia: I'm not telling you that. If you had done your reading, you’d know the answer.