Pivot Point

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