The main character of Nancy Werlin’s latest novel, seventeen-year-old Lucy Scarborough, happens to be a pregnant teenager, but this shockingly original hybrid of fantasy and psychological thriller is like no pregnant-teen-story you’ve ever read. Besides dealing with the same problems as any young mother-to-be, Lucy also has to contend with the conditions of an age-old curse that landed her in this situation in the first place. See, in Lucy’s family, all the women get pregnant as teens, give birth to daughters, and then promptly go insane. The daughter grows up and the cycle starts all over again. This is all due to the fact that one of Lucy’s ancestors refused to return the romantic affections of the evil Elfin King, and he in turn cursed her and all her future generations with schizophrenic madness that kicks in during late adolescence. There is only one way to break the curse: perform the three impossible tasks described in the balled Scarborough Fair. For hundreds of years, no Scarborough woman has been able to solve the puzzle. But this is the twenty-first century, and with the help of the Internet, a supportive family and a solid boyfriend who believes in her, Lucy may just be the first Scarborough with a real shot at banishing the Elfin King forever. This perfect blend of contemporary teen angst, romance, and myth had me racing through the pages to find out if Lucy beat the clock on going crazy while simultaneously Googling the lyrics to Scarborough Fair to see if I had any better luck at solving the riddle. And the climax, well, you’ll just have to see for yourself, but it literally gave me goosebumps. (For the record, evil fairies scare me!!) But you shouldn’t be afraid to look for this impossibly good book at your local library or bookstore.
On my TBR list. Looks absolutely fabulous — and I’m completely scared of evil fairies, too. Will read with all lights on!
Great review, this book sounds great! I’ll be sure to pick it up when it comes out.
=D
It sounds great! But now I’m left waiting (and drooling at the great plots, may I add!) for all these books to come out. Please, oh please wait a little longer to post your reviews of unreleased books? I’m sooo jealous.
I’m the library assistant in a junior high library, and I wanted to say I’m thrilled I found your blog! Your reviews are helping me compile an awesome book order for this school year. I really appreciate it.
Jen, I am so very glad you enjoyed it!
Nancy
I think that this sounds like a very good book to read =] it will help me to understand things that i don’t know about and things that have never happen to me. I will learn a lot just by reading this book!
I just finished it, its amazing. I love it!
It was amazing. And from the posts above, that I read before I read the book, I read Impossible with most of the lights out. It really made the novel… It was a good surrounding to read it in. I also thought the Elfin Knight ballad was really intriguing. But, yeah, who knew that is all that an elf would think about…
After reading the review I went out and checkout out the book from my library. This was seriously a fantastic book and I would recommend it to anyone!!!
I read this book in about 2 days, its absolutley amazing. It’s scary, intense, and romantic at the same time. I’d deffinitley recommend it to anyone!
I kind of wanted to know more about the historical side of the story…I don’t know.
I don’t recommend the audiobook; I think that might’ve been why I didn’t like it.
I KNOW THE SONG THIS IS BASED OF AND IF THIS IS ANYTHING LIKE THE SONG IT WILL BE GOOD