Book review - Time Of Our Lives
- Sprinkles & Sparkles
- Jul 11, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 11, 2020
11.07.20
Sprinkles & Sparkles
Shiza Zia
Time of Our Lives is written by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, who met in highschool, fell in love, and eventually started writing Young Adult contemporary together. This book is their latest release; April 2020.
One can only imagine how well written this novel is, considering that it’s written by two people who fell in love after their highschool days and is about 2 people who (possibly) fall in love whilst touring their potential colleges.
“Time of our lives” is quick paced, beautifully written and has surprising emotional depth. It focuses on Fitz Holton, who stays in the past, and Juniper Ramirez, who's eagerly waiting to see what the future holds for her. The duo met on a college tour. They couldn’t be more contradictory with each other’s decisions and thoughts, yet they felt a connection right away.
Fitz doesn't intend on going to college anywhere that's far from home, in order to take care of his mother who's been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. He feels compelled to take care of his mother's health and happiness, even if that means he’ll be sacrificing his future. Juniper, on the other hand, is the eldest child in a large family. Her only goal is to get out of her hometown, away from her dominating family and have a full college experience.
So, “Do you think a guy who dreads forgetting the past and a girl who’s focused on the future could, you know, be friends?”, or perhaps something even more?
Time of our lives is a thought- provoking, gripping novel, which beautifully portrays the conflict of living in the past as well as in the future, through a dual POV, all with a tinge of humour and intellect. It teaches us a profound lesson; family is priority, however that doesn't mean that one's own self isn't important.
I’d recommend this book to any- and everyone, but especially to those who are about to graduate, or are waiting to go to university in these unfortunate circumstances. A compassionate story about growing up and growing apart, all whilst keeping peace with circumstances and situations.
“Change can be wonderful, and wonderful doesn't need to last to be worthwhile.”
“Everything we’ll leave behind when we finish high-school will hurt in a way I hadn’t predicted. But the edge of the pain blunts when I remember everything exhilarating to come.”
The good news is that you don’t have to deal with delayed online deliveries or wait for bookshops to open. You can get your hands on a free ebook by clicking on the link below. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. Do let me know how you like this book by sending me an email or commenting below. Happy reading!
SPOILER ALERT --- READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
Here are some of my favourite quotes from Time Of Our Lives:
“Worrying is like my primary recreational activity...It's like I have a job description written on my birth certificate.”
“If we could reduce everybody's essence into enduring physical objects, we would. But we’re only pretending the memorials we erect could possibly embody those we’ve lost. Memory and memorial may share a linguistic root, but they’re estranged brothers, not twins.”
“It’s right now that has the potential of being extraordinary.”
“Memory is who we are, it’s everything. Everything we love, everything we fear, everything we think is important or necessary or exciting. The compilation of experiences that constitute a person.”
“Memory is part of who we are. It’s just not everything.”
“The only people who never get frustrated are the people who don't care.”
“It's funny how places can feel completely different depending on who you're with, or who you’re not.”
“I can’t live my life wishing things were as they’d been, missing a home that’s no longer there.”
“Sometimes honesty in families is worse, sometimes it doesn't end with everyone coming together, commiserating or celebrating or understanding each other.”
“Just because one person doesn't remember something doesn't mean that the memory is gone.”
Comments