Title:  Impossible
Author:  Nancy Werlin
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher:  Speak
Publication Date:  August 11, 2009
Paperback: 384 pages
Where’d I Get It: Library

Synopsis (From Goodreads):  Lucy has nine months to break an ancient curse in order to save both herself and her unborn daughter.

Inspired by the ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this riveting novel combines suspense, fantasy, and romance for an intensely page-turning and masterfully original tale.

Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child’s birth. But Lucy is the first girl who won’t be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents and her childhood friend Zach beside her. Do they have love and strength enough to overcome an age-old evil?

My Thoughts:  I must just be missing something about this book.  Everywhere I go, I see reviews spouting about how this is such a wonderful fantasy novel and a great love story. Hmm.  The synopsis grabbed me…it’s decently written and it tells of a plot that could be magnificent.  Unfortunately, though, I just didn’t feel the story, and the story wasn’t as well written as the synopsis was.  Parents should be aware that this novel has some pretty mature themes in it.  There’s an instance of rape, from which the victim recovers remarkably quickly and seemingly without any emotional disturbance beyond a page or four of pondering, that goes unreported – I’m assuming, based on context, because the family did not want to tarnish the boys reputation after his death.  There’s also underage drinking.  Then there’s the requisite teen love that the author tells us forcibly that exists.  Personally, I don’t see the love between Zach and Lucy. I know it’s there, because the author told me it is, but I don’t -see- it.  The pacing, too, was a bit odd.  Nothing happens except a lot of talk about what should be happening (there’s a lot of dialogue in this novel) for most of the book.  Then BAM – things happen in a rush that’ll make your head spin and leave you going, “What?” I’ll tell you, though, the title is fitting.  Lucy has to plow an ACRE of wet sand and seed it while in LABOR as her “true love” just watches.  Now THAT is Impossible.

Rating: 4 of 10, and one of those is for the cover.  I did love the cover.