I got an advanced reading copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. This was a truly unique book that was incredibly engaging. I had a very, very hard time putting it down and was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next! This is definitely a paranormal YA book that is different from everything else out there.

Addie lives in a secret complex of people who all have a mental ability they can use. Some are telekinetic, some can influence emotions, but Addie is different...she is a Searcher. As a Searcher she can search out the results of a decision she makes. So when Addies parents announce they are getting into a divorce it is definitely something Addie needs to Search out. Addie decides to search out both future options; leaving the complex and living with her dad or staying in the complex and living with her mom. The story alternates between the reality where Addie lives with her dad and the one where she lives with her mom.

This book blew me away. I mean the idea of a secret society of paranormal individuals isnt all that unique, but Addies power is. Imagine having the ability to search out both branches of a vital decision...wouldnt that be awesome? You could check things out like career path, what boy you should date, or...well....just anything. The book is also put together in a very creative way; each chapter features a word and definition. The words with para in them are the chapters where Addie stays at the paranormal complex with her mom. The words with norm in them are the chapters where Addies leaves the paranormal community to live with her dad.

You would think being able to search out your choices would be wonderful but West also explores the downside of this. What if while you were searching you saw someone do a really bad thing. Well if you dont choose that path, then they wont take that bad action...but you are still going to know that they would have done it given a chance...and this colors your opinion of them even though they never actually did anything. Its crazy things like that and the way they are explored that make this an excellent book.

Addie is a pretty down to earth character. She was very believable and very easy to relate to. Both paths she searches out have good things and bad things that happen. But the way everything turns out was awesome and surprising and heartbreaking. I mean what if either choice ends up being devastating? I guess that would be just like real life sometimes then, huh?

This ended up being a seriously emotional book for me. I just got so wrapped up in the story and so sucked into Addies character. I felt so bad about some of the decisions she had to make. Seriously, I havent had a book pull me in and twist me up this much for quite some time.

The book ends spectacularly and in a way that totally matches the tone of the story. It was a very well written and engaging read. I am absolutely dying to know what happens next.

Overall a wonderful, wonderful read. I think everyone should read this book. Not only does it totally redeem the YA paranormal genre, it gives the reader a lot of food for thought. It is an engaging book, that is unique and creative, and impossible to put down. I cannot wait to see what West comes up with next. This book is highly recommended to everyone.

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Summary:
Addie's parents are getting a divorce. This is an unfortunate event that happens often in a child's life, but Addie's situation is a little different. She lives in the Compound. The Compound is a special place where paranormals live. Addie's mother is going to stay on the Compound and continue with the paranormal lifestyle, whereas Addie's father is going to move out of the Compound and live a normal life. Addie has to make a decision on which parent to live with and which lifestyle she would want to adopt. For a normal child, this would be a difficult decision that would be made with only the current information. For Addie, she has the ability to look through each possible future and make a decision based upon which future seems to fit her best. The majority of the book is based upon looking out into that future and what decisions would be made in each area.

My thoughts:
I actually was worried about this book when I picked it up. Based upon the premise, I was wondering how we would keep track of the present reality with the projected future realities. It was not nearly as difficult as I expected. The paranormal aspect of life is a minimal part of this book. It's like the sprinkle on top of a genuine YA novel cupcake. In each situation, Addie lives a teenage life complete with friends, love interests, and angst. She makes decisions that may or may not change overall outcomes. She has men in her life that do really great things for her. The YA romance in both scenarios is a key component of each story line/life; however, I think that may be true for most of the teenage girls within my classes. Eventually, Addie does have to make a decision. It provides a satisfying conclusion even though you know everything that may happen. I'm curious how book 2 is going to go.

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