OUR INFINITE FATES was a journey through life times that filled me with love and warmth and tore my heart out and left it cold and beating on the cobblestones, forevermore. A story of two souls fated to fall in love and ruin each other in every reincarnation, this book was truly a testament to just how far love can go. For family, for sisters, for soulmates. Steven has an incredibly evocative writing style, every line was beautifully crafted and the language use made the overall reading experience part of the beauty of this story. I was only left wanting in the flashback scenes, where we were so briefly with Evelyn and Arden in their past lives, and I wish this could have been an adult novel to allow for that further development but I understand why it needed to be YA and how this story will glow for young adults. Evelyn’s constant empathy in a cruel world is admirable and a valuable lesson. The twist was not even on my radar, and only the sudden plot jump into an action packed few chapters left me a bit disjointed. But overall an incredibly enjoyable experience and I would recommend this read to literally everyone. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘢”

I got Every Exquisite Thing by Laura Stevens in the Locked Library box back in 2023 and it was the first time I’d read one of her books.

I completely fell in love, it was my first 5 star read of 2023 and for the past year I’ve been recommending it to everyone and anyone who would listen to me.

I’ve been so desperate to read Our Infinite Fates ever since it was announced and boy oh boy was I right to be excited for it!

It was beautiful and hurt me right in the feels. I find Laura’s books so easy to read and always want to be friends with the main characters. Our Infinite Fates was no different and never in a million years would I have been able to predict what was going to happen - the ending made my jaw hit the floor!

I finished it about 2 weeks ago and have been thinking about it pretty much every day since. Just thinking about it again now is making me feel emotional and I cannot wait for my 3 pre-ordered special edition copies to arrive in the new year 🙊

Here’s to my final 5 star read of 2024, and what a way to go out! Thank you Laura for writing such beautiful books 🩷

I think this book is going to emotionally wreck me. I say this as someone who is only 10% of the way in and started crying at the poem. The author does an amazing job at hinting at the suspense/secret while pulling enough back story to make you believe that they love each other.

I’m impressed with the writing and I believe the next 90% is going to be just as good.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a lot of influence from the Invisible life of Addie LaRue and other books that talk about lifetimes, I did not find anything that makes it unique for me. Halfway through I was loosing interest at the constant Why, When and What and no visible action was taken place or any hints about the issue until there were aproximately 40 pages left in the book, leaving a rushed ending.

I did not feel any dept in the characters, it was difficult to connect with them, it felt like a description of what the characters were experiencing but it was only 1 moment at every chapter. Certain events for me felt so Simplistic and childish and too brief not leaving me with any long lasting impact.

Other than that, I did like the ending of both main characters.

"and hadn't i always known this? that to be human was to love and love and love, knowing it could only end in tragedy? [...] to love was to live, and to live was to die."


(rambling and possibly oversharing review, please hold)

after experiencing what was probably my worst academic semester and final ever, i found myself back home, in the us, yearning for something comforting to read and somehow i ended up with this book that made me question my entire existence because of how goddamn fantastic it is. mind you, this is not a new time favorite, not a perfect book by any mean, but i think my poor boyfriend has had enough of me randomly dissociated for two days now every time i think about a goddamn quote from this.

my overall opinion is that this book absolutely succeeded in doing what it promised to do. i can definitely see the parallel with addie larue (a favorite of mine), who was criticized for being too limited to the "western world", this book does feel incredibly refreshing for the amount of places it took us (not very original destinations, but still amazing to read about nonetheless). its absolute winning point is that laura steven cares about what she writes and how she writes it. every plot of this book, cliché it might be, serves a purpose. it's one of the recurrent problems i have seen with romances lately is that they tend to be long for no reason, but this book is not one of them. i love the way steven intertwined the "soft" moments with the stakes of the story; there were numerous occasions where i gasped out loud at the progression of the plot, and overall the story maintained a constant tension that pushes me to continue reading when i was supposed to do other things. the ending was indeed quite expected, but i like it very much nonetheless.

the thing about this book is that it has fulfilled my deep desire for a traditionally published fiction to have the angst that i have known so well in the vietnamese kpop wattpad community circa 2017 (yes, i know). like what do you mean enemies to lovers across lifetime??? what do you mean "i need to kill you so we can both continue to love each other in another one??? like??? amazing concept, chief's kiss. i wonder if laura steven engaged with "good" fanfiction by any means because i feel like the elements i like about this are those that i have worshipped and/or written myself when i was still on wattpad. and that brings me to how laura steven portrayed "love" in this book because OH MY GAWDDDDD help me the more i think about evelyn and arden the more i want to rip my hair out. the yearning the angst the desperation and the love in the heart of it all sent me into the state of crying screaming throwing up especially for the second half. it was definitely quite cheesy sometimes (like the author wanted to write a specific line) but much of it was incredibly poetic.

because besides from their individual love story, laura steven's narrative weaves a poem of the love that exists in every corner of the world, through the threads that link family, friends, strangers and lovers, those that link each individual to the space and the world they exist and live in. i must admit that i might take away more from this book from others (as i said, not a perfect book) because i just went through some very important changes in my life, and i pushed me to reflect on a lot of relationships in my life, particularly with my partner. ig this has somewhat comforted me in the idea that love, no matter how painful it is, is and will always be a part of every living human being, and at the end, it would be all worth it. (a lot of cheese yuck)

in conclusion: please give this book a try if you are 1. a loveless romantic 2. someone who believes in love no matter the circumstance and 3. a rascal who was on wattpad vietnam, specifically in the kpop shipping fandom, circa 2017-2021, and yearns to find the same angst :)))

bottom-line: i quite possible went insane over some passages of this, especially the last 25% or so bc what.

many thanks to st. martins press and netgalley for providing me with this e-arc in exchange of my honest review. this review is only posted bc of the end of the boycott. my thoughts are my own and only mine. quote at the beginning is from the arc and might be subjected to change upon publication.

Two souls fated to fall in love and kill each other over and over throughout centuries—this book’s premise (and the Addie LaRue comp) sounded perfect on paper and immediately grabbed me. I know I’m an outlier here but unfortunately, the execution just fell flat for me.

This story is narrated in the present timeline, as well as each timeline the two characters existed in, in reverse. While I appreciated the effort and creativity it took to create these multiple existences and weave them together, the story just dragged. I was bored and a good chunk of the present timeline just felt silly to me. Somehow we’re just expected to accept that the two MCs are soulmates and in love, but there was zero connection/chemistry between them in any of the timelines. We’re kept wondering what the Big Secret is throughout the book, but when finally revealed it was a huge letdown.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing this ARC.

our infinite fates follows two souls as they reincarnate through the centuries and oh how did this book did a number on me. i adored the structure, in which present time alternates between past lives going further and further back to the root of these characters first encounter. but that plot twist was the last thing i expected, making my jaw drop, and i adored the cast of characters supporting our MCs. however, it didn't truly shock me till about 75% of the way through. still, i loved it regardless and am so excited to get my hands on a physical copy here soon! (4.5★)

This book has one of the most intriguing premises I've ever read. It follows two lovers whose souls are tethered. They reincarnate through the centuries, all over the globe, but are doomed by a deadly curse: one soul kills the other in every lifetime. This sounded incredible and I eagerly picked it up. What I liked: the idea, the settings, the mother and sister characters. Unfortunately, the pacing and lack of depth didn't work for me. I still recommend this one, however, because it's such a fantastic idea and I think people will like that. Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy!

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven is a romantic, yet fraught tale of two souls who find each other through every life, and yet whose lives end prematurely every time, never making it to their 18th birthday.

Arden and Evelyn are such compelling characters, and the mystery of their curse made it impossible to put Our Infinite Fates down as I desperately wanted answers, just as much as Evelyn did from one life to the next. Arden is the only one who knows why they keep coming back and why they both must die before they reach 18, but refuses to tell Evelyn which is both frustrating and intriguing through the course of the book. There is also a myterious woman who makes the odd sinister appearance that had so many theories and questions running through my head with each chapter. The tension and mystery is written so well and makes this a page-turning read, easy to just sit down with and not stop until the conclusion to get these answers.

It was impossible not to love Evelyn and Arden throughout each of their lives, where they remain both the same people and yet vastly different in the lives they possess from incarnation to incarnation. One thing that remains the same no matter the lives they lead is the draw they have to one another and the love they are unable to deny despite the betrayal of their interactions. Each life was fascinating to read about and I loved the glimpses given of various lives and their meetings, interspersed with their present lives. The present life provides a deeper glimpse into both characters in that it is the overarching story and therefore provides more time with them, and also generates all kinds of feelings for them in the reader based on the events taking place. It also introduces other characters that are so hard not to love, such as Evelyn's younger sister who is battling cancer and relying on her marrow donation to potentially survive the disease. The stakes are high, and yet her 18th birthday is looming, leaving her uncertain if she will have the chance to save her sister first.

Everything comes to a head by the end of the book and answers are given to all of the questions, though the fact that it kept me guessing right until the end made for a great read. I very much enjoyed Our Infinite Fates all together and could not get enough of it, from start to finish. I almost wish there was more, but at the same time I feel like it was the perfect length as far as keeping the reader's attention and not becoming too long. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to read more from the author.

I thought this book has a really interesting premise. And for the most part it was done well. I just felt like the pacing dragged and I stopped caring about their past lives about halfway through. They didn’t really add anything to the plot; we already knew they were in love from the beginning of the story and the flashbacks were just supposed to reinforce that I guess but they got repetitive. I also felt like the twist at the end was a total tonal shift and came out of left field. I’m also one of the few who didn’t really like the Addie la rue book and this book has often been compared to that one, so if you enjoyed it you’ll probably enjoy this.
I think the story just fell a little flat for me and there was more that could have been done

Our Infinite Fates tells the story of soulmates fated to kill each other before they turn 18 in each of their lives. It’s a tale that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, a love story intertwined with a tragic inevitability. I’ve never felt so personally connected to a book.

The writing is absolutely beautiful, and it resonates deeply with so many of the feelings I’ve had about my own husband. It made the experience even more emotional for me. I’ve highlighted countless passages, and I know I’ll revisit them over the years, feeling just as moved as I do now.

As you follow Evelyn and Arden through countless lives, witnessing the challenges and moments they share, it’s impossible not to feel for them and hope that, just once, fate will be wrong. With each life, you come to understand the strength of their bond—the way they are drawn to each other no matter the time, place, or form they take. Their connection transcends nationality, gender, and even death itself, making them the truest of soulmates.

While I adored this book because it resonated so personally with me, I understand it may not be for everyone. That said, I would highly recommend it to fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue or anyone who believes in—or is curious about—the idea of soulmates. For me, what made this book so powerful was how deeply relatable it felt.

"I love you, and I have loved you, and I will love you."

I really hate to say this - but this was a really disappointing read for me. Not to say it was a horrible book by any means, it started off really great, but going in with such high expectations, this really fell flat for me. The premise of this story was really interesting (though it reminded me much of one of the short stories in Olivie Blake’s “Januaries”) & it started off on a great note, however it did drag on for a bit too long in the middle in my opinion. Then, the end unfortunately ruined the story for me. It wasn’t at all where I thought the story was going & I was left wanting more than what we were given. I’m so bummed this didn’t turn out how I hoped it would! Perhaps just not a good fit for me as a reader.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the eARC!

Infinite Fates is a sweeping young adult romance set across history with an ambitious premise: the main characters reincarnate over and over and one of them always kills the other before they turn 18.
At first the structure of the story is hard to believe because the reader hasn't gotten to know the characters yet. As the story continues and the flashbacks go further back in time, the push-pull of their romance and their conflict get filled out. I liked that they main characters have been in various cultures and identities (swapping gender, too), and the setting of each lifetime feels well researched and developed. I stated before that the premise is ambitious, so it was wonderful to see the work put in to making every part of the book feel developed and feel present.

I will not be reviewing this book on my website, GoodReads, or Amazon. I am definitely not the author's target audience, and I choose not to submit a negative review.

I chose Our Infinite Fates on Netgalley because it was billed as YA Fantasy. I like YA because I expect it to be relatively clean and avoid most controversial subjects. I was greatly disappointed in this book. It is basically a lesson in indoctrination, and that it is meant for YA audiences is unsettling, to say the least. If Netgalley had correctly billed this, I would never have picked it up. I was glad to see that it is tagged as LGBTQ on Goodreads.

The premise is wonderful. This could have been one of my favorite books if the author hadn't relentlessly shoved her personal social views on her audience. Pointless and frequent swearing appears throughout the book. The parenting skills of the mother are non-existent. What mother would be completely OK with her child dropping out of school and having sleepovers with her boyfriend, saying she did the same thing when she was young? I just don't understand what the author is trying to do with this book (other than indoctrinating a YA audience). It is a fantasy, and I understand that, but the woke elements rendered the book unbelievable.

It also seems like an early draft. The beginning is fraught with incoherent sentences. "It also very made little sense..." is one such line. If this were written without the woke ideology on every page, I would have loved it.

Arden and Evelyn’s love literally transcends time and appearance. Actual soulmates. They are the definition of to be loved by a poet. Probably the most beautiful prose I’ve ever read, with amazing metaphors and similes. Had me actually sobbing.

I’m so happy I got to read this early. Ever since reading The Seven Deaths of the Saint, Addie LaRue, watching Death’s Game and See You in My 19th Life, I’ve been waiting for something that combines all of those elements, and this does it perfectly. I basically wanted to write this book and Lauren did it first. The whole time, front to back, I was like this is awesome. The last act really solidified the 5 star. I seriously believe this could become the next big thing.

I loved the idea of this. The execution was just not it. Maybe it’s not for me, but this was nothing like the comp titles. The constant timeline switching was too much to be fully invested in the characters. The plot twist at the end had me scratching my head.

This book is described as The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue meets This Is How We Lose the Time War, and while I can see some similarities, I wouldn’t go into this book expecting it to deliver on both. This novel stand out with its unique concept and heavy dose of angst, it felt beautifully poetic and capture the complexities of love and human experience.

At its core, it explores love and its dilemma, happiness and vulnerability and how it can manifest itself through a lover, a sibling, a parent and how it stays with you and transcends time. It was a great way to take a closer, and perhaps over-thought, look at how love shapes our existence. Yes, I adore the two books this one is compared to, and I enjoyed Our Infinite Fates, but there were things that was a miss and didn’t meet some of my expectations.

The story follows seventeen years old Evelyn in her present life, carrying the memories of thousands of past lives. In each one, she knows that on her eighteenth birthday, she will die — because Arden, a soul linked to hers, finds her in every life to end it. This time, Evelyn is determined to break the cycle, not just for herself but because without her, she can’t save her sister.

I loved how the story slowly unfolded, revealing different versions of the main characters over time through flashbacks. I also really appreciated the idea that souls aren’t bound to one gender — that a soul could be a woman in one timeline and a man in another. This concept added a compelling layer to the story. However, after a while, the story started to feel repetitive. I understand it’s meant to be a cat-and-mouse game, but every flashback seemed to replay the same scene: Arden coming to kill Evelyn. I really wanted more backstory about their love — how they kept falling for each other across centuries. That would’ve made the tragedy hit harder since the entire premise revolves around their endless cycle of love and loss.

For most of the story, the focus was on the killing — the chase, the tension, and Evelyn’s fear as she realized what was coming. I wish we’d seen more of how they interacted during different periods of history, how those moments shaped them, and what made their bond and love so important and unique in the present. I wanted to feel connected to them, to really root for their relationship. That way, the goodbyes would have felt more emotional and heartbreaking, especially when we finally learned the reason behind their vicious cycle. I think that’s why it felt repetitive — there wasn’t much new information or growth for the characters and showing more of their story could’ve balanced it out and made everything hit a lot harder.

Then we got to the final part, the last flashback, and it was so good honestly! The action and the big revelation really delivered in suspenseful way — it was fast-paced and exciting, but definitely needed a bit more structure and buildup to make it even more impactful. That said, it stayed solid right up to the last line, which I thought was a great way to close the story.

3.5 stars / 5

3.5 stars (rounded up)

Our Infinite Fates is a beautifully written and heart-wrenching YA love story about two people caught in a terrible bargain made long, long ago.

I admit that I was first drawn to this because of the comparisons to Addie LaRue and while there are some elements that I loved and some really wonderful lines about what it means to be human and to love knowing that endings are inevitable, I do feel like the last third of the story fell a bit flat with how everything resolved. Perhaps it was the pacing, or the the buildup only to have the solution seem so easy and simple, but I did feel a bit let down by the ending to Evelyn and Arden’s story.

Although I do have to say I absolutely adored the Epilogue because Edinburgh will always have a special place in my heart and it felt like the perfect setting for the two characters to meet each other again. I would definitely recommend this for anything who loves fated destinies and love stories that defy time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for proving an eArc in exchange for a honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

Our Infinite Fates is a story of star crossed lovers Evelyn and Arden doomed to kill each other before their 18th birthday only to be respawned and have to do it all over again. This book is a slow burn, sci fi romance with a very wild twist that I did not expect at all.

The pacing was very slow in the beginning, and even though interesting, as others have stated, the past lives do seem repetitive and I wasn’t sure if their inclusion added anything. Additionally, while a very interesting concept, the gender fluidity did get confusing for me to keep straight across the lives. There is one explicit scene and scattered sexual longings throughout the book that made me wonder if this book weren’t better suited for an adult audience rather than YA.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There were some very good moments here. A few lines that have stuck in my head that were gorgeously written. The flashbacks all over the world drew me in.

But otherwise, it was fine.

I think the main issue I have is that I didn’t believe the love story. These characters have interacted with each other for over a thousand years, but we only ever catch small glimpses of their previous lives before we as the reader are brought back to the present timeline. Because of this, it feels like we didn’t have enough time with them together.

I did love the discussion Evelyn had with Arden, about their gender identity and how it feels to be born someone different in each life.

I wasn’t in love with the answer to the mystery, or how the issue of it was resolved either. Arden keeps this secret because he feels it will hurt Evelyn, but once they find out they thinks of a solution within minutes that he somehow never considered in over a thousand years?

The author clearly has creative ideas and a lot to say, and while I didn’t love this, I am looking forward to what she thinks of next.