Book Review: The Infinite Moment of Us by{ Lauren Myracle

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The Infinite Moment of Us
By:  Lauren Myracle
Published:  August 27, 2013
Publisher:  Amulet Books
Source:  Publisher:


GR's Summary:

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.

My Take on this Journey:

Wren Grey and Charlie Parker are seniors at South View High School in Atlanta, Georgia.  It is the end of the school year, and they have shared glances with one another, but Charlie knows that if he wants more he has to just do it, cause it's now or never!  Wren Gray is a beauty, an honor student, and an altogether good person.  She is book smart, yet gullible, and a people pleaser, especially when it comes to her mother and father.  Wren is an only child, living out the preconceived life that her parents have planned for her.  They tell her what she wants, and what she likes, even if she really doesn't think it's something that she wants or likes, and she willingly obliges.  She is a sheltered, only child.  Wren is accepted into Emory University.  A prestigious University that Wren has received a scholarship to go to.  Wren's mother works there and couldn't be happier.  Two weeks after Wren receives this news she realizes it's not what she wants, and gets a deferment, without her parents knowledge.  Wren convinces herself that she is the only one that can change her circumstances, in the fight for power, with her parents.  Though tentative and unsure of how to go about it, she trudges ahead into the den of disaster.  What she get's back, she doesn't deserve.  Her parents are selfish and antiquated!  All she wants is to join the Peace Corps, project unity in Guatemala, and help in a government program by volunteering her time for one year.  She wants to be her own person, and live by making a difference in the lives of children by teaching them English.  "She always wanted to save the World."

Charlie Parker has had a tough life.  When he was three years old, his mother use to lock him in the garage for hours on end in the sweltering heat all alone while she looked for "work."  They were very poor.  Someone eventually called CPS, and he was picked up and placed in the Foster System.  He was first in St. Joseph's Facility, and eventually placed in homes one after the other.  He always tried to be as self-reliant as possible, though he was desperate for love, nurturing, and acknowledgment.  He was finally placed with a family that had another foster boy named Dev, who was paralyzed.  Eventually, Charlie grew to care very much for him, and considered him his brother.  Charlie was a shy and quiet guy, an honor student, with beautiful auburn hair and matching auburn eyes that were filled with loneliness.  He was lost and lonely, but tried to bury it where no one could ever see it, deep within.  The only person Charlie has ever confided in was Starrla, a girl with a slew of problems and abuse, like himself, and she turns into a stalker.

Charlie finally gets the courage to talk to his dream girl Wren, and a relationship of obsession, intensity, insecurities, communication problems, emotional dependence is brought upon both of them for their own reasons.  Charlie has had a crush of love for her since day one.  Wren has been attracted to Charlie but didn't ever have a boyfriend, and didn't know what to do.  Wren's best friend, Tessa Haviland, who is flirty, fun, and boy crazy, helps push the relationship with her now boy toy, the infamous and rich P.G. Barbee.  Though Charlie doesn't feel he is worthy of  "the perfect Wren,"  he goes for it, and she says yes!

Wren and Charlie have a summer romance that is off the charts.  Wren has set goals for the summer, and she fulfills them at Charlie's expense.  She becomes a bit too needy, and with her new found strength comes a lot of selfishness.  She ends up wanting Charlie to give up his dreams to follow her.  Pretty typical of first love, I guess, but immature at the same time.  Though they both care for each other wildly, and lustfully, just like everyone does with first love, they have quite a lot of growing up to do.  Wren believes in soul mates, stars, and destiny, and eventually changes Charlie's thinking, though he starts out skeptical.  This book was slow in developing, and the end was rushed.  Maybe there will be a sequel.  I didn't care for the open ended cliffhanger of sorts. 

I liked the book, and Ms. Myracle has a nice writing style, that I enjoyed.  I would say that this is a little steamier than the usual YA novels that I have read.  It had some great scenes that were believable, and some others that were maybe not so believable.  I would have liked to see more character growth in Wren, though she was a good character.  If you look at both characters, and take them for what they were lacking in there lives, then I think you can understand why they were the way they were.

I give The Infinite Moment of Us, by Lauren Myracle, 3 1/2 Sad, Lonely,  Emerging, Soul Searching, Lust Filled-New Love, Independent Stars!    

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About the Author:

Lauren Myracle is the author of numerous young adult novels. She was born in 1969 in North Carolina. Lauren Myracle holds an MA in English from Colorado State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. she has written many novels, including the famous IM books, ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r.

Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for the year 2004. It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." Her middle-grade novel, Eleven, came out 2004, followed by its YA sequels (Twelve, Thirteen, Thirteen Plus One) .

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