Title: The Infinite Moment of Us
Author: Lauren Myracle
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release Date: August 27th, 2013
Interest: Author / Contemp
Source: NetGalley
Summary (From Goodreads):
For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, so does an uncomfortable realization: Pleasing her parents once overlapped with pleasing herself, but now… not so much. Wren needs to honor her own desires, but how can she if she doesn’t even know what they are?
Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. A gentle boy with a troubled past, Charlie has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie—at least not the sort of guy Charlie believes himself to be.
And yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide. But souls are complicated, as are the bodies that house them…
Sexy, romantic, and oh-so-true to life, this is an unforgettable look at first love from one of young adult fiction’s greatest writers.
The Infinite Moment of Us is a beautiful, real love story. But really, Lauren Myracle has written more than a love story. She’s written a story about finding yourself and allowing others to care. It’s a story of discoveries: life, love, and self.
I’m really picky about third person point of view, but the third person in this really worked. Lauren Myracle wrote this from both Wren’s and Charlie’s points of view so we can get a full picture of their story. I finished reading The Infinite Moment of Us feeling like I knew both characters really well. I knew all the ins and outs of the story. Even the ending, which I know will probably upset some readers, left me feeling happy because I still had an idea about what the “real” ending is.
The Infinite Moment of Us is sexually mature and not one I would hand to middle school readers. The sexuality is handled well though. It’s steamy, but it’s also authentic. It didn’t strike me as being sexy to be titillating. It does take up a large part of the story, but like I said earlier, the story is more than about sex. And let’s be honest, these are high school seniors; they’re hormonally driven. I have seniors this year and have already pre-ordered a copy of this to share with my students because I love it so much. If I had freshman I would still share this with them, but with the warning about its mature content.
This is a relatively short review, but it’s difficult to put my love for this into words. I read Forever by Judy Blume when I first discovered YA and am so excited to have read a sort of updated version of it. I’m really looking forward to discussing this with my seniors this year.
Book Pairings: Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Forever by Judy Blume
