Review: Split Second (Kasie West)

Title: Split Second
Series: Pivot Point, Book 2
Author: Kasie West
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Contemporary
Told: First Person (Addie & Laila), Past Tense
Content Rating: Teen (sensuality, some violence, minor language)
Format Read: ARC (friend)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
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.

*          *          *

Writing: Easy to follow and so much fun to read. Kasie is one of my favorite authors first and foremost for her writing style - anything she writes, I will devour.

Setting: There are two "worlds" - the Compound, where those with powers (Paras) live in secret, and the "Normal" rest of the world (for this book, mainly Texas). We spend pretty equal amounts of time in both areas. The Compound is supposed to have much more advanced technology than the Norm world, and while quite a few "advanced" things are hinted at and used, it otherwise felt just like the Norm world.

Story: The beginning of the story leaned heavily on the previous book, Pivot Point, which made it a bit of a confusing start for me. I'm a love'm and forget'm kind of reader (not by choice, mind you), and since I read the first book a year ago I could barely remember the characters' names, let alone all the details of the two plot lines Pivot Point followed. So while I felt that many things in the beginning of Split Second connected back to Pivot Point, I couldn't recall how. As Split Second progressed, though, the story diverted from past hints into a whole new plot, and I was able to follow along - and get sucked into - the exciting (and romantic) happenings. By the last third I literally couldn't put the book down, and I did not see that twist at the end! So while it began a little confusing, it was overall an amazing and tense story that wrapped up beautifully.

Characters: Sweet and sure Addie is back - and not so sure of anything anymore. She doesn't know who to trust as it seems that everyone around her is lying or keeping secrets. But she perseveres to find the answers of what's happening to her, and where (and with whom) she belongs. Trevor is the sweet and highly intuitive romantic interest that I came to know and love in Pivot Point. He doesn't remember anything from the previous book (since it only happened in Addie's mind), but this only made him even better and more swoon-worthy. I didn't think much of Laila in Pivot Point, but I absolutely adored her here! She was spunky and snarky and put up a strong front to hide the vulnerable mess that she was. And she was so good with Connor - although I never quite wrapped my head around Connor by himself. I loved what he was supposed to be, though, so it all worked out.

Romantic Relationships: The best part of the story. They were both just so sweet and adorable and perfect.

Series: This is Book 2 in the Pivot Point duology. Pivot Point (Book 1) was originally meant to be a standalone. Split Second picks up shortly after Pivot Point ends, and you definitely need to have read PP to understand a lot of what happens in SS. You can find my review of Pivot Point here.

Conclusion: Wasn't the utter perfection of Pivot Point, but pretty darn close. Both relationships were just perfect and fraught with many aww moments - Top 3 favorite bookish relationships, no contest. And that ending! I did not see it coming. I look forward to revisiting the pair together very soon, and definitely recommend reading the duology together.

Rating: 

4.5 of 5 Scribbles