Title: Pulse (Pulse Trilogy #1)
Author: Patrick Carman
Release Date: February 26, 2013 (hardcover)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 384
Source: ARC provided by publisher

Overall: 3.5 Stars

Summary:

In the year 2051, who has a pulse?

With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a "pulse," and Dylan has the talent, too.

In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters who are so powerful they can flatten their enemies by uprooting streetlights, throwing boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with her unusual talent, the mind—and the heart—can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she'll have to harness the power of both.

Patrick Carman's Pulse trilogy is a stunning and epic triumph about the power of the mind—and of love. 

My Thoughts: 
The first novel in a new trilogy, Patrick Carman's Pulse is a futuristic thriller with a very cinematic feel! To be honest, I've been thinking about Pulse for days and I'm still not quite sure what to make of it. I had formed certain expectations when I first saw the plot description, but Pulse took me by surprise when I actually started to read the book. It's the kind of novel that begins slowly, but once the pacing picks up, then you're completely hooked.

At first, I had difficulty connecting with the characters and events in the novel because of the writing style. Pulse is written in third person omniscient, so the narration wasn't necessarily focused on Faith all the time. Within the same paragraph, the thoughts and actions of two different characters could be revealed, so I had to carefully read the book in case I missed a pertinent detail. It certainly was a narrative approach which took some getting used to in the beginning. Because the narration didn't seem to linger on the feelings of the characters, I couldn't emotionally attach myself to the storyline as much as I really wanted to; there seemed to be invisible wall and it took awhile for me to break through.

This near-future world which Patrick Carman has envisioned is eerily quite realistic. Natural disasters have forced 90% of the world's population to live in government controlled States. Advanced Tablets and technology have replaced human interaction in many ways, with everything from educational lectures and online shopping done with a simple touch on a screen. Faith Daniels lives in the outskirts with no wish to leave for one of the two American States, despite the government's promises of a better life there. She appears to be an ordinary girl, but on the inside, there's a powerful telekinetic ability– a pulse–just waiting to be unleashed...

Patrick Carman's Pulse is very much an introductory novel, one which leaves you with more questions than answers once you're finished. I really love the concept for Patrick Carman's Pulse, that there are people capable of moving objects with their mind, but the execution was different from what I had originally imagined. Now that all the groundwork has been laid out though, I am confident the series will only get better from here. 

Thanks so much to HarperCollins Canada for providing this review copy! To learn more about Pulse, you can find more information about the book on HarperCollins Canada's website, and don't forget to "like" HCC's Facebook page and follow HCC Frenzy on Twitter!