Today’s Bookanista recommendation is
Nancy’s Werlin‘s modern day fairytale, Impossible
From Goodreads –Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that she is the latest recipient of a generations-old family curse that requires her to complete three seemingly impossible tasks or risk falling into madness and passing the curse on to the next generation. Unlike her ancestors, though, Lucy has family, friends, and other modern resources to help her out. But will it be enough to conquer this age-old evil? A beautifully wrought modern fairy tale from master storyteller and award-winning author Nancy Werlin. Inspired by the classic folk ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this is a wonderfully riveting and haunting novel of suspense, romance, and fantasy.
One day about two years ago, the super nice girl who works in the new/used bookstore I frequented back when I lived in Washington raved about Impossible so enthusiastically, I ending up buying a copy of the book due to a weird sense of obligation — I guess because I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Since then, Impossible has been been sitting on my bookshelf, untouched. The summary’s mention of the folk ballad combined with Goodreads whispers of elves and evil faeries and other such nonsense did not appeal to me much at all — until the other day, that is. I found myself feeling a bit of contemporary YA fatigue (shocking, I know) and picked up Impossible on a whim. A few nights later, I had the following conversation with my husband…
“Dude,” I said, slipping my bookmark into the center pages of Impossible. “I am having, like, a physical reaction to this book.”
Hubby pulled his attention from the TV to blast me with a dubious look. “Uh… What does that mean, exactly?”
“Well, my heart, for example. It’s all aflutter. And my stomach… It’s full of dreadful nerves. I feel so anxious and excited and afraid for these characters. This book is so good!”
“Oh, yeah? What’s it about?”
“Well… You’re probably going to think it sounds absurd when I explain it.”
“Try me.”
“Okay…” I searched for the right words, words that would communicate the awesomeness of Impossible. “There’s this girl,” I began, “Her name is Lucy, and she is so likable and relatable. Sadly, she is raped and ends up pregnant and finds out that her family is cursed by an Elfin Knight. Over the last several hundred years, every woman in her family — including Lucy’s mother — has ended up pregnant at eighteen, had a baby girl, and then gone crazy. Like, literally. Of course Lucy is freaked out, but she has these great, supportive foster parents and this amazing guy, Zach. Together, they figure out that they might be able to break the curse and defeat the evil Elfin Knight if Lucy can complete three seemingly impossible tasks named in this folk ballad that her nutty, bag lady mom sings all the time. Lucy is supposed to make this seamless shirt and sow this seaside land, all before the baby is born.”
Hubby stared at me with one judgmental eyebrow raised. “Okay, you’re right. That does sound absurd.”
“No! Maybe I’m not doing the story justice. It’s such a lovely, romantic book, and the curse, it’s this mystery that has to be unraveled. And Zach! He’s just so sweet and supportive and adorable. And then there’s the writing. It’s amazing. Seriously… why didn’t I read this book sooner?!”
“Don’t know,” Hubby said, turning his attention back to the TV. “Hey, look… Duck Dynasty is on.”
So, I might have difficulties expressing how much I enjoyed Impossible, but truly, this book is fantastic. It’s a surreal sort of fairytale with a contemporary setting and wonderful, likeable characters. If you read Impossible solely to meet Zach, you will not be disappointed. Recommend!
Don’t forget to check out what my fellow Bookanistas are up to:
Tracy Banghart is tantalized by TOUCHED by Corrine Jackson
Corrine Jackson is wowed by WAIT FOR YOU
Stasia Ward Kehoe delves into THE RITHMATIST by Brandon Sanderson
Have you read Impossible? Thoughts? Do you have a favorite modern fairytale?
katyupperman.com 
Oh my gosh, I’m totally laughing at the Duck Dynasty comment right now. 😛 That sounds like something Todd (my hubby) would say in a similar sort of scenario. I’ve totally heard of this story, and I’ve seen it on the shelf at the bookstore a number of times, but still haven’t read it. The premise was definitely intriguing, but you’ve won me over with this review. Thanks! 🙂
Glad to have won you over with my weird review, Jaime. 🙂 Aren’t husbands fun? IMPOSSIBLE was definitely a different book than I’d anticipated… I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. Nancy Werlin’s writing is lovely, and Zach… Loved him!
Ha! I could totally see my husband reacting the same way, when I try to describe why I love a book. Once in a great while he’ll ask me what a book is about, if he sees me frantically flipping pages and snarling at the kids to back off. Then I figure it’s good time to practice twitter pitches and I try to tell him two sentences, ’cause by three I’ve lost him!
What intrigues me about this one are the supportive foster parents and the crazy mom!
Margo, Lucy’s family dynamic is definitely unique. It was fun and refreshing to read about a teen girl who has (foster) parents who love and trust and support her, despite the very crazy circumstance of a family curse. I hope you get a chance to read this one. 🙂
This is the first I’ve heard of this book, but your review has totally convinced me to add it to my TBR! How refreshing for a fairytale heroine to have a support system! 🙂
Yes! Lucy’s support system made the whole story for me — Zach especially. I hope you get a chance to read this one. 🙂
Hahaha your convo with your hubby is hilarious and I think we should start a group for Husbands of YA Writers 😀 My hubby has the same type of comments…And I just added that book to my TBR: You won me over ❤
Yay! I hope you love IMPOSSIBLE as much as I did. And yes, my husband would definitely benefit from some my-wife-reads-and-writes-YA commiserating. 😉
Hahahaha your husband’s last comment! LOL!!! I saw IMPOSSIBLE in the used section of the local bookstore the other day and picked it up. I then kept fingering the pages,wondering why I was so intent on trying to read this….maybe it was the same week YOU were reading this? 😉 LOL. I need to go to the library and pick this one up (eventually). I just have a pile of books by my bedside and bought THE CATASTROPHIC HISTORY OF YOU & ME (it will arrive at my apt. the day it is released-wheeeee!!!), so yeah….maybe in 3-4 weeks? LOL 😛 So glad you loved this one so much, Katy! xo
P.S. I also reviewed a great book today on my blog 🙂
I’ll definitely check out your review, and yes, please do give IMPOSSIBLE a read. I thought it was a lovely, lovely book!
LOL at the convo with your hubby! I read IMPOSSIBLE several summers back. It’s a good one. Glad you liked it!
Thanks, Meredith! Something tells me my husband and I aren’t the only couple who has chats like this one. 🙂
This sounds like a lot of conversations at my house. I got a good chuckle over this post. AND I’m adding it to my list. This books sounds strangely wonderful. I’m intrigued by folk and fairy tales but find I don’t read many. Thanks for this recommendation!
“Strangely wonderful” is a great way to describe IMPOSSIBLE. I’ve not read anything quite like it before. I hope you enjoy it… Definitely let me know what you think. 🙂
Katy, you’re so awesome, I sure have missed you and your posts. Glad I’m back to blogging and catching up on posts like these 🙂 Also, Impossible sounds out of the ordinary and rather strange but from your raving, a good type of strange. Thanks for putting the book on my radar!
Aww, thanks, lady! Glad to hear you’re back to blogging… looking forward to checking out your posts. I hope you get a chance to check out IMPOSSIBLE!