Review: Split Second by Kasie West

At this point in my reading career, I am utterly convinced that Kasie West writes books just for me. No one can dissuade me that she goes to her desk at the end of her day and says, “Now, what amazingly cute story can I write to make Steph Sinclair explode into a confetti parade of happiness?” The thing is, after reading a grand total of three of her books in one year, she has never failed me on this front. The humor is spot on, the characters are entirely lovable, and I know without a doubt when reading one of her books my feels are in good hands.

I was surprised to find that Split Second not only is told from Addie’s point of view, but her best friend Laila’s as well. This worried me because I obviously was going into this book looking for three things: Addie and Trevor, Trevor and Trevor. I had imaginary conversations with West about this (as one usually does with their favorite authors).

Me: Seriously, though, Laila is cool, but TREVOR.

West: I got your feels, yo.

Me: Yes, but…

West: Don’t worry. The story will be so sweet, it’ll melt your teeth down to their core.

Me: In that case, please be on the lookout for my dental bill.

I was initially concerned that I wouldn’t like Laila’s narration passages as much as Addie’s, but it turns out I was just as as interested in hers because West evenly distributed plot twists and romance to both heroines. What I didn’t expect was to find Laila’s character so much more complex than I originally thought from Pivot Point. We get an opportunity to really understand her family life and why she tries to control everything. She’s a very relatable character, though at times frustrating, particularly when it comes to her feels for Conner. By the way, prepare to swoon, guys, because Conner and Laila’s chemistry does not disappoint. I couldn’t decide what I wanted more: More scenes of Conner and Laila or Addie and Trevor. I swear I ran out of SHIPPING tape with these couples.

What I really love about Kasie’s books are how effortlessly her dialogue comes. And this is where I once again tell you Kasie wrote this book JUST FOR ME. This is not your everyday “Hey, I’m trying to be funny, watch me make a joke” humor. For example, my husband would never get this book because he prefers his humor more lively and story-like. Split Second has an obvious, dry humor feel to it where the characters are hilarious without attempting to make a joke.

“How does it feel to know that even though you have an advanced mind, the girl you love wants me?”

Not only is it their dialogue, but it’s their “too cool for school” mannerisms and ability to still maintain that AND make me laugh at the same time, that make this book so perfect. It’s like watching The Road Runner running from Wile E. Coyote in the episode where it’s possible he might actually get eaten this time. But you aren’t really worried because he’s The Road Runner, and then something like this happens:

I’m not even sure if that makes any sense, but Kasie’s books just send me to my ultimate happy place. What more can a reader ask for? Oh yeah! Swoony characters. Split Second does not disappoint in that department. I actually was a little shocked at how much I had forgotten from Pivot Point. Not the important details, but the minor ones. However, that turned out to be a moot point since Addie also doesn’t remember what happened. It’s a little genius when you think about it because enough of the story is recapped for you to fall in love with Trevor and Addie again, but at the same time, not too much to annoy someone who has decided to marathon the series. So when we I ran into Trevor being his oh-so-adorbs self doing things like this, swooning was not a problem. Trust me.

“So then I can probably do this.” Ever so slowly he brought his lips to mine. Even though I saw it coming, it still took my breath away when our lips touched.

Of course, the critic in me can’t shut up to save her life, so I do have a few things I wanted more of.

– I would have loved to see more of a resolution with Laila and her family. What happens to her brother and father?

– I’m unsure how I feel about The Compound issue. On one hand, I love how Addie is just a normal girl, solving only problems she is able to solve. She’s no Mary Sue with a boat load of powers, ready to conquer any and everything. There’s only one other YA novel I read this year that did that (Dualed by Elsie Chapman) and it’s refreshing. But on the other hand, something’s got to give. I can’t believe that things will go on and The Compound will do whatever without consequences. Even though Split Second is the final book in this series, it just doesn’t feel finished to me. Of course, this could be just my way of pleading to the universe for Kasie West to write another Pivot Point novel.

– [spoiler]I really wanted to know if Addie’s new powers were from her encounter with Billy or if that was her natural development. It was pertinent to the story, but I really wanted to know. Also, will The Compound never know her or Laila’s advanced ability? Does Addie plan to hide from The Compound forever, while her mother works for them like a good worker bee despite knowing their plans involved locking up her daughter???[/spoiler]

Overall, Split Second is a solid follow-up to Pivot Point. It’s fresh, fun and addictive. I’d recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone simply looking for a fun read. Plus, any book that gives me the following feels is okay in my book. Thanks for the cavities, Kasie!

*ARC was provided by the publisher (thanks, Harper!) and despite me giving favorable reviews to all of Kasie West’s books so far, no one has paid me for my services. Such is my life, alas.