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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query pivot point. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query pivot point. Sort by date Show all posts

Monday, April 8, 2013

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Title: Pivot Point
Author: Kasie West
Format Acquired: Hardcover
Publication Date: February 12, 2013
Publishing House: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780062117373
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

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 to a dangerous game that threatens everything she hold 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.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Pivot Point had such an interesting summary but as much as I wanted to like it, I thought that it fell flat on some points. 

It's got an interesting concept, Addie being able to see the paths she can take when faced with a choice. She's got a form of clairvoyance that's specific only to things that will affect her and that's basically all the story was about. Addie's parents are getting a divorce and she has to choose between her mother who will stay in the Compound - home for all the people with powers of course - and her father who wants to venture into the human world. She delves into the future to see what choice to take.

Personally, I had a hard time getting through the first half of the book. I found Addie to be a bit clingy and mildly annoying and her best friend Leila was only slightly entertaining. The book alternates between the Addie who chose to stay with her mom and the Addie who chose to leave with her dad. It was only during the second half of the book that things got more interesting, but not really by much. All the talk about murdered girls and a killer within the compound seemed forced and they didn't even have to work much to find out who the killer was. I just wish that maybe the whole mystery killer part had been fleshed out a little bit more.

As for the love interests, Addie gets one on each side. You have Duke - the school quarterback with telekinesis as his power who just so happens to have his eye on Addie and a strange interest in her powers. Next up is Trevor - a normal boy who was his school's ex-quarterback due to sustained injuries of strange origin. Can I just mention that he can draw? Plus points for that particular talent. I wasn't exactly surprised to see that Trevor had a nasty ex-girlfriend that Addie had to put with - why does there always have to be a mean ex-girlfriend?

A few things that I did like about Pivot Point were the abilities and how they're not set in stone and that it's possible to actually learn a few tricks along the way in conjunction with your own powers - like Leila who has the ability to compel others can learn to do telepathy or something. I also liked the romantic moments of both delves and Addie's growth as a character, she had some pretty tough choices to make in the end, but story wise I thought it was a bit weak and I was constantly looking for something bigger to happen. I kind of got that seeing into the future isn't exactly a good thing and knowing the choices you can make and how it will affect others is a definite burden - so kudos to Addie for not going crazy even if her powers are limited to herself alone.

I felt like there was so much more that the author could have explored instead of just focusing on Addie and her problems but aside from that, Pivot Point had a solid ending and at the same time set things up for a next book. Would I recommend this series? Why not? If you're looking for an easy read where people get interesting powers you might want to pick this one up.


Rating:
                         

Monday, March 3, 2014

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Split Second by Kasie West

Title: Split Second
Author: Kasie West
Format Acquired: ARC
Publication Date: February 11 2014
Publishing House: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780062117380
Source of Copy: Requested from publisher

Summary:

Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can't believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She's always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time too...but not without a price.

When Addie's dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He's a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie's memories...once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don't want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school - but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot...and a future that could change everything.



(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads;)

Review:

Split Second is the sequel to Pivot Point which I reviewed here. It's actually better if you read that first.

With the way things ended in the first book, it's not surprising that Addie wants a break from it all by spending time away from the Compound with her dad who has situated himself neatly in the Norm world.

It's not all rest and relaxation in the Norm world. Not when Addie meets Trevor - who is so familiar to her but she can't tell where she's seen him before. It also doesn't help that Addie's dad is lying to her and that Laila may have just dropped a bomb on her. You know, about Addie writing about events in a past search and having Laila erase it and asking her to restore it at another date. That bomb. Also don't forget to add to that the meddling Compound agents who have their eye set on Addie and have suspicions of her loyalty to her people.

And that my friends, is where I have to raise an eyebrow. Or two. Because I know the people who run the Compound are crazy paranoid creeps and all but seriously? I'm not going to go into detail to avoid spoilers but the amount of effort they put into stalking each and every person who've left the Compound is totally unbelievable. I get secret societies are crazy and you know, secret, but actually concocting elaborate schemes to determine a person's loyalty? Hah. I don't get why anyone would expend resources and man-power and time to do that. Crazy.

The book also alternates between Laila and Addie's point of views and I did like how their voices were easily distinguishable - Laila is more brash, more flirty while Addie is more timid and a worrier and an all around nice girl. The one problem with alternating POVs is that I feel like I didn't get to spend enough time with both characters which is why Laila's relationship with Connor felt a little....rushed. Eh.

How is this as a sequel to Pivot Point? It's okay, it certainly gives readers a view into how restrictive the Compound is and Addie and Laila have certainly gone through some character growth which is good. I'm just curious though, is this the end of the series? Because there were a lot of things left unresolved like Laila's family and Addie's mom and believe or not I'm kind of curious about what's in store for Duke.

Also I just want to say that Kasie West writes the cutest, fluffiest most adorable contemporary novels ever. Check out her The Distance Between Us (July 2013) which Michelle reviewed HERE and On the Fence (July 2014). Too cute. I cry.


Rating:


                          

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge


We're participating in the 2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge hosted by Megan Likes Books & Auntie Spinelli Reads. We'll be updating this list frequently to showcase our reviews that qualify for the challenge.

January
1. Tiger's Destiny by Coulleen Houck
2. Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr
3. Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
4. Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
5. Ties to the Blood Moon by Robin P. Waldrop
6. Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
7. Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
8. The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
9. Sanctum by Sarah Fine
10. Black City by Elizabeth Richards

February
1. Mystic City by Theo Lawrence
2. Auracle by Gina Rosati
3. Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout
4. Splintered by A.G. Howard
5. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
6. Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
7. Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton
8. Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama
9. Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini
10. A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest
11. Everbound by Brodi Ashton
12. The Holders by Juliana Scott
13. Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton

March
1. Prophecy by Ellen Oh
2. The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett
3. Boundless by Cynthia Hand
4. Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger
5. City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Foster

April
1. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
2. Pivot Point by Kasie West
3. Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger
4. Possess by Gretchen McNeil
5. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
6. Crash by Lisa McMann
7. Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowen
8. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
9. Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon
10. Wake by Amanda Hocking

May
1. Crux by Julie Reece
2. A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso
3. Dark Star by Bethany Frenette
4. Greta and the Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs
5. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
6. Tides by Betsy Cornwell

June
1. The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke
2. Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz
3. Velveteen by Daniel Marks
4. Insomnia by J.R. Johansson
5. Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield
6. Asunder by Jodi Meadows

July
1. Arcadia Awakens by Kai Meyer
2. Renagade by J.A. Souders
3. The Rules by Stacey Kade
4. Born of Illusion by Teri Brown
5. Timeless by Alexandra Monir
6. The Collector by Victoria Scott
7. Ink by Amanda Sun
8. Ashes on the Waves by Mary Lindsey
9. Parallel by Lauren Miller

August
1. The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan
2. Dark Light, The by Sara Walsh
3. Reboot by Amy Tintera
4. Oathbreaker's Shadow, The by Amy McCulloch
5. Tidal by Amanda Hocking

September
1. A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard
2. Into Darkness Peering by Amber Gilchrist
3. Oppression by Jessica Therrien
4. Rush by Eve Silver
5. Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
6. Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout
7. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
8. Elegy by Amanda Hocking
9. The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

October
1. Nameless by Lili St. Crow
2. Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland
3. Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
4. The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton



2013 Debut Author Challenge




Hey guys, we're joining the 2013 Debut Author Challenge hosted by Hobbitsies. We'll be further updating this list to showcase the reviews we've done to qualify for the challenge.

January:
1. Altered by Jennifer Rush
2. An Infidel in Paradise by S.J. Laidlaw

February
1. Splintered by A.G. Howard
2. The Holders by Julianna Scott

March:
1. Prophecy by Ellen Oh
2. Dualed by Elsie Chapman
3. The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett
4. Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger
5. City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Foster
6. Playing Nice by Rebekah Crane

April
1. Taken by Erin Bowman
2. How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Doktorski
3. Pivot Point by Kasie West
4. Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger
5. The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise

May
1. A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso
2. The Fire Horse Girl by Kay Honeyman

June
1. Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross
2. Insomnia  by J.R. Johansson 

July
1. Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza
2. The Collector by Victoria Scott
3. Ink by Amanda Sun

August
1. The Beautiful and The Cursed by Page Morgan
2. Prodigal by Rektok Ross
3. That Time I Joined the Circus by J. J. Howard
4. Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick
5. Reboot by Amy Tintera
6. Oathbreaker's Shadow, The by Amy McCulloch




Saturday, April 13, 2013

Stacking the Shelves #22 + The Sunday Post #17 + In Our Mailbox #4

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba over at the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. This special post will provide a recap for posts that have been written for the week (April 7- 13, 2013).

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday



Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme first initiated by Tynga. This weekly segment will showcase the books/galleys/ARCs we've acquired/purchased/borrowed within the week.

Nicole


 (From left to right)
1. Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly
2. Fragments by Dan Wells
(From left to right, top to bottom)
1. Oppression by Jessica Therrien
2. Fracture by Megan Miranda
3. Tangled Tides by Karen Hooper
4. Legacy of the Clockwork Key
5. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
 
Michelle

 
(From left to right, top to bottom)
1. Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz
2. When We Wake by Karen Healey
3. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
4. Fuse by Julianna Baggott [reviewed by Michelle here]
 
eARC
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
(Much thanks for the invite, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt x NetGalley!)


In Our Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren. This features all the things that we have received in our literal mailbox.

Michelle
 
A signed bookmark of J. A. Souder's Renegade + a short and sweet note from Annabelle of Sparkles and Lightning
 
How was your week?



Tuesday, January 1, 2013

YA+MG Time Travel Reading Challenge


We're participating in the YA + MG Time Travel Reading Challenge hosted by Fragments of Life, and Oops! I Read A Book Again. This post will be frequently updated to showcase the reviews that qualify for the challenge.

January
1. Tiger's Destiny by Colleen Houck
2. Advantage Erin by Kris Kreisman

February

March

April
1. Pivot Point by Kasie West

May

June
1. Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher

July
1. Timeless by Alexandra Monir

August

September
1. Rush by Eve Silver

Friday, March 22, 2013

Stacking the Shelves #19 + The Sunday Post #14

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba over at the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. This special post will provide a recap for posts that have been written for the week (March 18-23, 2013).

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday




Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme first initiated by Tynga. This weekly segment will showcase the books/galleys/ARCs we've acquired/purchased/borrowed within the week.




Purchased Books:


Nicole
(From left to right, top to bottom)


1. Scent of Magic by Maria Snyder

2. Dualed by Elsie Chapman
3. Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans
4. The Lives We Lost by Megan Crewe
5. Angelfall by Susan Ee
6. Pivot Point by Kasie West
7. City of A Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster
8. Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff



(From left to right)


1. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

2. Prodigy by Marie Lu



(From left to right, top to bottom)


1. Mila 2.0 by Debra Briza

2. Adaptation by Malinda Lo
3. Asunder by Jodi Meadows
4. Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson
5. Mind Games by Kiersten White
6. Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger
7. Rift by Andrea Cremer
8. Pantomime by Laura Lam


Michelle

(From left to right, top to bottom)
1. A Dangerous Dress by Julia Holden
2. Angelfall by Susan Ee
3. City of A Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster
4. Dualed by Elsie Chapman
5. Crash by Lisa McMann



(From left to right)
1. The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson
2. Shadowlands by Kate Brian
3. The Book of Blood and Shadow



The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen


We're back, yay! :D It's our last summer since we're graduating next year. Nicole is busy with her OJT, and Michelle is stuck with whatever shenanigans she's up to.



We'll be catching up with our blogging schedules, so you may notice more posts.