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. Quoted from Goodreads
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This book is such a fun, unique read. I know I said that about yesterday's book, but it really is. I loved seeing Addie's two different lives as they played out. I really enjoyed watching how so many of the events happened whether she was there or not, but at the same time, how she changed things.
So this book starts in a school for paranormals, and it could have been more of an X-men type read, and there are a few elements of that, but mostly it's a character driven book. It's Addie choosing how she wants to live her life, what secrets she can keep, and who ends up being the most important to her.
First, I loved the concept. I've seen shows (Sliding Doors comes to mind) where one small thing changes the course of a person's life, but never with this paranormal twist. It allows the author to explore what it would be like to have secret abilities and keep them hidden from your friends and not having to hide them. Addie has a great ability. I mean, she's basically a regular girl, but she can get extra insights when she needs them. That being said, it's not without a price. She actually lives both lives, so she ends up with memories of events that never happened, potentially looses good things if both options are wonderful, and in Groundhog Day fashion, sort of has to live the same day twice.
Then there's Addie's relationship with Trevor. I loved it. It was sweet and slow and realistic. At first Addie only wants him for her best friend, and then she begins to realize she wants it to be more. It's also a great contrast to the relationship she gets in her other life. It's not that it's so bad, but it highlights how good Trevor is for her.
Still, it's not just a paranormal chick flick. There's a mystery going on in both lives, that occasionally crosses across Addie's different experiences. I think it's hard enough writing a mystery in one scenario so I have to give Kasie West props for doing it across two. It could have been really easy to give away what was really going on, and while you get different clues in each life, I still didn't expect what happened in the end.
In the end, Addie has to choose which reality she wants, and it's heartbreakingly hopeful. Either choice forces her to give up something she loves, and not just the parent who won't be there. This is a fabulous read--absolutely stunning 4 stars for me. It's unique, and with two plots constantly switching back and forth, keeps you on the edge of your seat turning pages and anticipating the next book in the series.
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