Author: Kelly Loy Gilbert
Genre: YA Contemporary
Release Date: 03.09.21
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars
SYNOPSIS: “All Beth wants is for her tight-knit circle of friends — Grace Nakamura, Brandon Lin, Sunny Chen, and Jason Tsou — to stay together. With her family splintered and her future a question mark, these friends are all she has — even if she sometimes wonders if she truly fits in with them. Besides, she’s certain she’ll never be able to tell Jason how she really feels about him, so friendship will have to be enough.
Then Beth witnesses a private act of violence in Jason’s home, and the whole group is shaken. Beth and her friends make a pact to do whatever it takes to protect Jason, no matter the sacrifice. But when even their fierce loyalty isn’t enough to stop Jason from making a life-altering choice, Beth must decide how far she’s willing to go for him—and how much of herself she’s willing to give up.”
Today I’m so excited to be participating in the When We Were Infinite blog tour! This story wrecked me emotionally and kept me up reading until 3am. It was that addicting and heartbreaking. I was so completely absorbed in these characters and their hurt that I had to see the story to the end, all in one sitting. The raw emotions and difficult topics of this book left me an emotional wreck and wishing I could reach into the story and hug them all.
So, first, this is not an easy read. This is not a fluffy romance to make you swoon. It is an emotionally gripping, powerhouse of a book that was written incredibly. It’s a difficult read, but one that is also so important. After finishing When We Were Infinite I felt completely overwhelmed with emotions (and tears). The emotions in this book were powerful beyond what I can explain. The writing and story weave these feelings together masterfully. I truly think it would be impossible to get through this book without crying.
A few of the things that I really loved in this story were the characters, discussion of college, and depiction of emotions. The main friend group felt like a strong found family, which I adored. Their weekly traditions and life together seemed so warm and welcoming. Their bond was beautifully written and it felt incredibly authentic. Within this friend group, there was a heavy discussion of college and planning for the future. As a high school senior, myself, I loved this honest conversation. Seeing Beth’s fears and the conversations about colleges with her friends made me feel less alone in my worries. I thought the written depiction of these fears and how they can impact you was brilliant, emotional, and achingly honest.
This was just…wow. An incredible and emotional story that I’ll be thinking about for a long time. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes emotional reads, found families, and crying their eyes out.
With that being said, before reading this book I greatly encourage you to review the content warnings (seen below) before reading. It is an incredible novel that deals with difficult topics, which I’ve listed below for your consideration.
CONTENT WARNINGS: abuse, racism, mental health struggles, panic attacks, and attempted suicide.
About The Author
Kelly Loy Gilbert believes deeply in the power of stories to illuminate a shared humanity and give voice to complex, broken people. She is the author of Conviction, a William C. Morris Award finalist, and Picture Us in the Light, and lives in the SF Bay Area. She would be thrilled to hear from you on Twitter @KellyLoyGilbert or at KellyLoyGilbert.com.
Thank you so much to the publisher for including me on the book tour for such an incredible and emotional story! When We Were Infinite hits the shelves on March 9th and I highly recommend grabbing a copy (along with a box of tissues).
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