Pivot Point

Starred review from December 10, 2012
Addie Coleman has an ability anyone would relish. She’s a Searcher who, when faced with a difficult choice, can foresee both outcomes before deciding which she’d rather live out. Since Addie’s parents have just announced they are divorcing and her father will be leaving their secret paranormal Compound, Addie must do her most important Search yet. Debut novelist West cleverly alternates chapters to show readers how Addie’s two very different futures will play out—one with her mother on the Compound; the other with her father in the Normal world. West’s premise is a winner, and Addie is the kind of heroine readers would want as a best friend—loyal, unpretentious, and thoughtful. Two love interests in Addie’s divergent futures make things even more interesting, as does a murder subplot. What truly makes West’s story memorable, however, is Addie’s wry humor (“I’ve been thinking about books where the main character’s parents are going through a divorce. A big theme is rebellion. I think I should give it a try”) and the book’s fascinating exploration of how life can change with one simple choice. Ages 13–up. Agent: Michelle Wolfson, Wolfson Literary Agency.

March 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-Growing up in Compound, a secret facility where people with paranormal abilities reside, Addison Coleman knows no other life until her parents divorce and she has to decide whether to stay with her mother in Compound or move to Texas with her father and live in a world filled with Normals. Addison's talent is that of a Divergent, the ability to see into the future and determine which path she should take. With the help of her best friend, she looks forward six weeks and uncovers not only the chance of finding love in both futures, but also the possibility that danger, secrets, and obsession may destroy the lives of those she cares about the most. West has created an intricately woven story of two possible futures, with chapters that alternate between Addie's choices-to stay or to leave. Initially, the two plotlines are fairly divergent, but as the climax builds, the characters and stories begin to merge and the two worlds overlap. This debut novel, while not breaking new ground in the popular field of paranormal teen fiction, will appeal to those who enjoy the genre, and it is a welcome change from vampires and zombies. It will appeal to readers who enjoyed Libba Bray's The Diviners (Little, Brown, 2012) and Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall (HarperCollins, 2010).-Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2013
Clairvoyant Addison Coleman must choose between two futures and two love interests. Addie has the ability to see potential futures. Her powers are very specific: She can only see her own futures and only what will happen if she makes a decision. When her parents decide to divorce, her father drops a bombshell on her--he intends to leave the secret community that is home to the paranormal and live among the normal people. In order to decide whom she will live with, Addie performs a Search that, in alternating chapters, reveals Addie's two possible futures. The plotting is deft enough that the stories interweave without being repetitive, and both give clues to a mystery Addie's father is investigating that involves dead teenage girls from the Compound. If Addie stays, she will be romanced by handsome quarterback and all-around-most-popular boy in school Duke Rivers. If she leaves, she befriends the thoughtful, witty Trevor--who was quarterback for his school before an injury while playing against Duke's team. Both love interests are developed well, and readers will be able to see Addie with either. The worldbuilding isn't as on point--the Compound raises logistical questions that are glossed over for the sake of the plot's strong pace. Minor missteps are easy to forgive given the underlying suspense of multiple mysteries. West's debut showcases riveting storytelling. (Paranormal romance. 13 & up)

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February 15, 2013
Grades 7-10 What would happen if you could see into the future and then choose the better of two options? Addie Coleman has this ability. She is a Searcher living in the Compound, the southern Texas home of the most gifted individuals in the country. When her parents decide to divorce, with her mother staying in the Compound, and her father opting to live in the normal world, she decides to use her ability to help her choose with whom to live. In alternating chapters, West lays out each scenario. In one Addie stays in the Compound and falls in love with Duke Rivers, the star quarterback. In the other she lives in the normal world with her father and again falls in love, but this time with Trevor, also a quarterback, who has been intentionally injured by Compound players. Obviously, it's a difficult choice, but one she must make. West takes a rather predictable yet intriguing premise and infuses it with a conclusion that will surprise and please the romantic teen reader.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)