I'm so excited to be part of the blog tour for The Impossibility of Us and help spread the love for this special book. Katy Upperman's second novel handles timely themes with honesty and respect while still providing her signature swoony romance. Check out my thoughts on this contemporary young adult novel, order your copy of The Impossibility of Us, and be sure to enter the giveaway below!
The Impossibility of Us
Katy Upperman
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: July 31st 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
The last thing Elise wants is to start her senior year in a new town. But after her brother’s death in Afghanistan, she and her mother move from San Francisco to a sleepy coastal village.
When Elise meets Mati, they quickly discover how much they have in common. Mati is new to town too, visiting the U.S. with his family. Over the course of the summer, their relationship begins to blossom, and what starts out as a friendship becomes so much more.
But as Elise and Mati grow closer, her family becomes more and more uncomfortable with their relationship, and their concerns all center on one fact—Mati is Afghan.
Beautifully written, utterly compelling, and ultimately hopeful, THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF US asks—how brave can you be when your relationship is questioned by everyone you love?
Katy Upperman has done it again. As much as I loved her
debut novel, Kissing Max Holden, The Impossibility of Us has more depth, packs
more of an emotional punch, and made a visceral impact that had me wiping away
tears.
Newly arrived in a small coastal California town in order
to be closer to her niece and her brother’s widow, Elise meets Mati at the
beach. Their tenuous friendship is threatened when Elise learns Mati is from
Afghanistan but her hesitancy turns to acceptance when she remembers her
brother’s compassion and the way he rejected intolerance and ignorance. But
others are not so accepting and Elise finds herself at odds with both her
mother and sister-in-law.
I should accept his invitation. It's rude, stringing him along, but I need to sort through the abundance of questions in my head: what his invitation suggest, who I am to him, who he's becoming to me, and how I'll deal with the impossibility of us.
There were so many aspects of this story that I loved –
and each was executed so well. Elise was down to earth and completely likable.
She was navigating her grief largely on her own since her mother had virtually
checked out and immersed herself in her writing career. And at a time when she
was still figuring out who she was and what she believed, Elise showed real
maturity when questioning her own convictions and then holding firm to them in
the face of opposition. She was a good friend, a loving aunt, and was willing
to speak her mind when she felt wronged. And then there was Mati. It was
impossible not to fall for this sweet, gentle soul. A young man with his own
beliefs and convictions, who had seen and experienced much, and whose family
had expectations that up until now he dared not question. Now in a country where
he is faced with open hostility and suspicion, Mati finds solace in his friendship
with Elise even while trying to reconcile his feelings for her within the
confines of his religion. As an aside, Upperman even made me love Mati’s chapters
written in verse, a format I typically don’t enjoy.
She looks out over the water, face flushed. I have flattered her, and I will never be sorry. She is fragile, and she is valorous, and for me, she is fleeting.
4.5/5 STARS
Katy Upperman is a graduate of Washington State University, a former elementary school teacher, and an insatiable reader. When not writing for young adults, Katy can be found whipping up batches of chocolate chip cookies or exploring the country with her husband and daughter. KISSING MAX HOLDEN is her debut novel; her sophomore novel, THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF US, will be available summer, 2018.
