Impossible by Nancy Werlin

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Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She must be a true love of mine.

This is a ballad you are maybe familiar with. It has been written in many versions, and sung by many people. But do the words sound quite right? There is a little change. This is the version the Scarborough women have been singing for generations. For years, they have been under a curse. Mother after mother has fallen into madness after the birth of her daughter because they were unable to complete the impossible tasks in the ballad Scarborough Fair. All this because of the Elfin Knight whose affections were refused by a girl named Fenella Scarborough. Impossible is the story of the girl who refuses to be overcome and resolves to complete the tasks for herself, her daughter, and her one true love. But will she be able to or will the Elfin Knight claim her as his forevermore?

Lucy Scarborough has always lived with her foster parents because her birth mother, Miranda, is completely mad, and has been since Lucy's birth. When Lucy becomes pregnant under difficult circumstances, she finds a journal and a letter written by her mother before she was even born. This letter seems like complete madness. A curse? An Elfin Knight? These things are impossible. But piece by piece things start to make sense, and Lucy finds herself fighting to complete the three tasks required by the Knight to escape being his mistress until the birth of her granddaughter. She starts off determined and confident, but doubt begins to overcome her and she wonders if she will be able to finish what she started. If generations of her ancestors couldn't, why should she be able to? But Lucy has one thing those women didn't have, she has Zach. Zach is so in love with Lucy and just as determined as she is to defeat this curse. Will their love be enough to loosen the impossibly tight grip this evil has on Lucy?

I picked up Impossible partially because of the ballad Scarborough Fair, which I have prepared for a vocal performance, and partially because of a friend who loved it. I will make sure to follow her recommendations from now on because this book was wonderful. Wonderful story, wonderfully written. It kept me on edge constantly and was a fantastic combination of realistic fiction and fairy tale love story. I couldn't put it down! I definitely recommend this book to older teenagers who enjoy a hint of fantasy in books.

Nancy Werlin is an award winning author who has written many novels for young adults. Impossible has won many awards and was nominated for the ALA Book List Top Ten. For more information on Nancy Werlin, Impossible, and her other works please visit nancywerlin.com.

Delay

Hey there!
I've been on vacation for the past while with no internet.
I hope to have a review up by this evening!

Blog Hopping Post July 2-5

My Name is Rachel and I started blogging because I have always loved reading and now I actually get to do something with it. Family members have been trying to get me to start a website or a blog for a long time and I finally decided to try it out and I love it!

I will be out of town for 2 weeks but I hope to get some more reviews up (my notebook and book stash are going with me!) when I get back.
When I get back I am also going to start reading Mayne Attraction by Ann Mauren. I will be posting an interview and review around late July.

The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliott

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Eugenie de Boncoeur is a spoiled, orphaned young aristocrat living in France at the start of the French Revolution. While her maid, Hortense, has a passion for politics and loves attending the National Assembly, Eugenie would rather spend her days with dresses, lemonade in cafes and pate de guimauve, her favorite treat. What she doesn't know is that her guardian, thinking he is doing what's best, has promised her hand in marriage to Raoul Goullet, also known as Le Fantome, who has sworn to kill her father and destroy his family. As the Revolution becomes more and more dangerous, Eugenie's guardian sends her to a convent thinking she will be safe there and hoping she will learn how to be a proper wife for Le Fantome. But when that convent is attacked and Eugenie finds herself with no home to go to and no one to depend on but her brother, Armand, she must give up her spoiled tendencies and try to survive. But it seems that no matter where she goes, even when she flees to England to seek the help of the brother of her deceased mother, the pale assassin that is Le Fantome never seems far away. Eugenie must decide who she can trust, if anyone. Will romance and loyalty keep her from making that decision?

I have always loved historical fiction, and one of my favorite time periods is the 17oos, so when I saw The Pale Assassin I just knew it would be right up my alley. I was not disappointed. The book was historically accurate while remaining a good work of fiction. The characters were developed nicely, and their actions were not too predictable. Speaking of predictable, this novel was not. I was pleasantly surprised several times. I do wish the story was less about the French Revolution and more about Eugenie's story, but I still enjoyed this novel very much and I was very disappointed when it ended. I look forward to reading the sequel, The Traitor's Smile.

Patricia Elliott lives in England as has traveled all over the world. A sequel to The Pale Assassin is soon to be available. For more information on The Pale Assassin, Patricia Elliott, and her other works, please visit www.patriciaelliott.co.uk.