Deborah Lynn Jacobs

Certainly this was a fast read, as I finished this in just under half an hour. It wasn't too bad, and the writing was believable. I figured that as I am similar to not just one, but both characters I would enjoy it more than I did. Gwen is a "Watcher" (You know seeing as "Watcher" was capitalized I was hoping for something a little better than what she turned out to be.), which means she watches people, figures out their traits and body language etc. etc. This is exactly what I do. Adrian is the one who goes out and pretends to the whole world changing his "face" from time to time (not his literal face, it's more like his way of being and the way he carries himself), and I do this too, only I'm not a player. All in all this book was simply OK, so I'm giving it 2 stars on the goodreads scale where 2 stars equals OK.… (more)

“Okay, let’s say you’re right,” I say, “We’re shifting between multiple copies of ourselves. Is that why I have two sets of memories? The memories I carry with me when I shift, and the memories of the body I’ve shifted into?”

“Exactly,” Luke says.

I shiver. “We’re like ghost, possessing our own bodies for a time and moving on.” (92)

Stranded at a party because everyone, including her best friend Jen, is drunk, Kathleen calls her brother to pick her up. The weather conditions are fierce – snow settling on the icy roads. Nick is involved in a devastating car accident that takes his life. Kathleen blames herself and in her moment of anger and blame isolates herself from Jen and anyone else once close to her. Kathleen’s mother begins to drink while her father pretends as though nothing is wrong.

Or, in another reality…

Kathleen is still stranded at the party and Nick is still dead, but instead of her mother drinking she has been throwing herself in to community efforts to help prevent drunk driving and various other causes. Jen is still Kathleen’s best friend, and life moves on.
The only thing that each of the realities have in common is a boy named Luke, whose first interaction with Kathleen is at Nick’s funeral. Kathleen doesn’t know where he came from but instantly feels a connection. Plus, he seems to be the only one who has memories of his own alternate realities. Maybe he can help her find the one where her brother is still alive.

What drew me into this book was the notion of alternate universes. I don’t think that I’m a very big fan of time travel novels, although I guess the concept of realities all existing simultaneously is similar in fashion. I’m looking over the notes that I made about this novel and I’m not quite sure where I was going with it. I wrote something along the lines of follow up with Rogers (Carl Rogers, a brilliant theorist and therapist back in the 60’s I wanna say. He devised the notion of person-centered therapy and was best known for his work with schizophrenics. Rogers believed that we must emerge ourselves into the schizophrenic reality to communicate with them, rather than try to force them into our reality. But you see, even though I made this notation, I am not quite sure why?)

I enjoyed this book and think that a lot of teens will like it as well. Kathleen is a very empathetic character. I truly wanted her to find her brother but understood the dilemma of what that might mean in all of the other realities.… (more)

Reviewed by Karin Perry for TeensReadToo.com

Gwen, a self-conscious 11th-grader, has been having a recurring dream; one of a handsome and mysterious stranger walking down the hallway of her school. He stands in the doorway of her English class wearing a long leather duster and sunglasses. She can't believe it when the dream comes true and Adrian walks into her life. Immediately she sees through his act.

Adrian acts like a tough guy; full of confidence and charm, but inside he is full of doubt. He has been moved around by his parents so many times that he has never had an opportunity to form friendships--and reintroducing himself to new student populations is getting old. Once he meets Gwen, his life changes in unimaginable ways.

When Gwen and Adrian begin to come in contact with each other more often, by eating at the same lunch table "against Gwen's will" and sharing classes, Gwen's occasional prophetic dreams turn into daytime visions. These visions show her impending disasters. Adrian also benefits from contact with Gwen. Gwen unlocks the ability, hidden within Adrian's mind, to read other people's thoughts. As long as they are around each other, they are mentally linked. Once they realize what is going on, they begin to use these powers to their advantage. Manipulating each other for their own benefit causes a lot of tension and mistrust between the two.

POWERS is told from the alternating points of view of Adrian and Gwen. The small chapters make it possible to read this book in short sittings. The story begins with Gwen, the unpopular, chunky underdog, looking like the more likeable character, and Adrian playing the unfeeling user. However, for me, Adrian was the better character. He really comes through in the end and puts everything together so he and Gwen can be together.… (more)