The Possible by Tara Altebrando is very interesting. I didn't love it as much as some of her other titles but I thought the subject was very interesting. Kaylee learns a lot about herself in this book. I found the ending to be a bit disappointing as well.

I really wanted to love this but just couldn't get into the writing or characters for too much of the book. I read one of her other books - The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life - which also had super whiny self-centered annoying main character. She writes a type, doesn't she?

I'm a big Tara Altebrando fan, but this one fell short for me. I found it confusing, and characters very dislikeable.

The Possible is meant to be twisty, but ends up confusing. Does the main character really have telekinetic powers? Is she responsible for a terrible crime? This might be more compelling if the main character was more interesting or made fewer poor decisions.

See my review on The Hub:

http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2017/10/16/qp2018-nominees-round-2/

Middle schoolers and high schoolers will enjoy The Possible. It has possible romance, possible national fame for Kaylee, the possibilities of “poltergeist activity or telekinetic power” and the possiblitiey of justice for the underdog.

I didn’t really enjoy reading this book.

Spoiler:
I guess my biggest problem with this book was some of it was unbelievable. I just could not get my head around the story when the unbelievable things happened. One issue was the fact that the reporter would talk to an underage girl without her parents' consent and then the parents would consent to the whole idea of the podcast. At the beginning of the book, the parents seemed like they were reliable characters, but when they did this, they became unbelievable to me. They did redeem themselves in the end. ( Old woman reading a YA book). The unbelievable part that sealed the deal for me was the court scene. I realize that our justice system is a mess, but I do not think they would allow the fiasco that is described in the book. I think even teens would have issues with this part.

Not a bad premise at all but ultimately The Possible was real slog to get through and I just couldn't dedicate any more time to it, so it was DNF for me. Altebrando has some nice ideas but the writing left a lot to be desired for me. Purchased for collections but definitely not something I would recommend to casual readers.

Thank you for allowing me to read this early release so I can review. This book was worth the time just needed a bit more "something" to make it stand out

THE POSSIBLE, by Tara Altebrando, Bloomsbury USA Childrens, June 6, 2017, Hardcover, $17.99 (young adult)

If you’re the type of reader who likes psychological suspense, The Possible, by Tara Altebrando, is a good choice.

The Possible follows Kaylee, a softball player who’s just going about her normal life when a reporter shows up at her door with life-altering questions. It’s been 13 years since Kaylee moved in with her adoptive parents. Kaylee’s biological mother, Crystal, had once made a name for herself, claiming she had telekinetic ability. That “ability” continued to haunt her when she got a life sentence for killing Kaylee’s little brother in a fit of telekinetic rage.

Kaylee doesn’t think about any of that anymore. At least she didn’t. Then that reporter had to come and start asking questions. The woman wants to interview Kaylee for a podcast about Crystal. She wants to know if the whole telekinesis thing is a hoax. If Crystal does have some kind of special powers, does that mean Kaylee has them, too?

Kaylee’s first impulse — and certainly that of her parents — is to say no to the interview. But then, some strange things have happened to Kaylee over the years… Against her better judgment, Kaylee agrees to talk.

If you’ve ever listened to the Serial podcast, then The Possible will quite possibly appeal to you. Much of The Possible has the same flow, and as the podcasts start to air in the book, you can’t help but think that author Tara Altebrando is a fan of the original.

The difference in The Possible is that you see the story unfold in real-time. You also see the unintended consequences as each episode airs, and you realize that digging for answers sometimes uncovers things best left hidden.

The Possible doesn’t feel like your typical YA novel, and that’s not a bad thing. The fact that it’s unique makes it stronger. There were time, however, when I struggled with the characters. I really wanted to like Kaylee throughout, but there were times that I just wondered at her naivety. And I truthfully never really cared for her “love interest.”

There are enough twists and turns in The Possible to keep me going. Alterbrando’s pacing is strong and her ability to set up tension works well with this style of book.

Loved this book!! I loved the concept of this Serial like podcast investigating into this girl's past!! It was really cool!!

Kaylee has lived with her adoptive parents since her birth mother was sentenced to life in prison for killing her brother. She doesn’t dwell on that portion of her life, but when a podcast producer appears on her doorstep and lets her know that she will be basing her next series of episodes on her mother’s telekinetic powers, Kaylee’s life is turned upside down. Are all of the unexplainable events from her past clues to her own powers? Will Kaylee’s friendships survive her new celebrity status?

The Possible is a new stand-alone novel that is easy to fall into and quick to finish. The short length of the book will encourage reluctant readers to give it a try and it will also allow voracious readers to finish it in one sitting. Altebrando leads the reader along an exploratory storyline that keeps everyone guessing until the last few pages. A fun read that will appeal to most readers.

What a fun, fresh, and unique novel! I was hooked in from the very beginning and enjoyed the characters and their quirks!

In 2016 I picked up The Leaving by Tara Altebrando with the purpose of instantly reading it. That didn't end up happening. I tried a few times but I don't think I was in the mood for aliens or whatever was abducting kids. I have been doing this thing lately for newer authors where I will pick up their second book(as long as it's not a series) and I will read that book and if I end up liking their work I will go back and pick up their first book. I decided to do that with The Possible because it sounded really interesting with the whole telekinesis thing. Matilda, HELLO! Matilda was actually referenced quite a lot in this book and it makes me sad because this book doesn't deserve to use that name. While the overall concept of the book sounded really good, the follow through and the authors way of going about the story just didn't produce something that was as great as I had hoped for.

Plot:
Telekinesis, murder and adoption. In that order. Then a podcast, birth mother and a horrible tantrum from an already grown up girl. Yep, that sums it up.

If you would like more detail... Kaylee is an adopted girl. She knows she is the daughter of the once famous Crystal. Crystal was famous as a teenage for having telekinetic powers that a reporter somehow managed to catch on camera. Things for Crystal obviously didn't go so well because flash forward and she is currently in jail for the murder of her two year old son, Jack. Kaylee was four when this happened and ended up in a really great foster home.

Now, a woman who does a podcast for crimes and such finds Kaylee and hounds her to join in on the podcast that will be about her mother. Kaylee was told no by her parents and her friends told her she was being stupid but she still did it anyways.

Kaylee ends up down a path of destruction that begins with her trying to figure out if she has the same powers her mother allegedly has. Add some weird love interest and that is pretty much the plot.

Characters:
Kaylee
Podcast Lady
Best girl friend
Best guy friend
Foster Parents
Crystal - Birth Mother

Kaylee is one of those characters that you just can't connect with or like. She puts herself in these situations and the way she reacts to certain things just makes her entirely unlike-able. She pushes everyone away but still expects them to be there for her. I want to say she has some left over mental trauma from her mother killing her brother but it honestly seems like more than that considering she lived all those years with her foster family like a normal kid. I felt that Kaylee was a very naive person and because of that that made her very pliable.

Podcast Lady was a horrible person, at first. It seemed like she was only out to exploit Kaylee, and she was, but she did kind of make up for her crap in the end.

Best girl friend was meh. She was actually kind of mean. I know Kaylee was a poor friend but Best Girl Friend was horrible first. Sometimes you just really need to accept your best friends plans and help them out no matter how inane it might seem. You don't get the BEST FRIEND title by not being there for the bad stuff as well as the good stuff.

Best guy friend was a much better friend and Kaylee used him to her advantage. He got sick of it but at least he stuck around longer. And then he was there in the end when Kaylee needed him the most.

The Foster Parents were your every day John and Jane. They wanted to protect their daughter but all Kaylee wanted to so was rebel and treat everyone like crap. They were entirely too understanding if you ask me.

Crystal... Ew. She was just nasty all around. I got this uneducated bully vibe from her even though she has had plenty of jail time to fix her flaws. She also turned out to be a horrible liar and manipulator, big shock there.

World Building:
There wasn't really any world building needed as it was a contemporary setting but I did appreciate how the author described the prison Crystal was in. I have never been in a prison, I don't even think I have even been NEAR one, so it was pretty helpful for visualization purposes. The author was also pretty good at writing the whole high school scene. Her sense of description is very good and that matters so much because almost all readers like to visualize things for themselves.

In the end... WHOA. I was really not expecting that ending. Yeah, I kind of saw the whole romance thing but Kaylee's mother and her foster mother? That was nuts! I am glad it ended with the bad person not getting her way but I really hope that Kaylee can heal and move on with her life as a normal functioning person. Also, I still have no idea what happened with the little brother. Nothing about that was solved or proven and I think that was a pretty major plot point.

Overall, I gave the book 3/5 stars.

i enjoyed this book! such an interesting premise and the story just sucks you in. i hope there's a sequel!

Free e-book provided by publisher for honest review.
I really enjoyed The Leaving, the author's previous YA title, and was excited to have a chance to read The Possible. Intriguing book summary that had me at hello.
From the get go this book walks the line of realistic teen girl story in high school, and sci-fi fantasy of is it possible that telekinesis exists, as demonstrated by Kay's birth mother. A Serial-like podcaster comes knocking on Kay's door to ask her to be a part this season's podcast topic which is all about her birth mother, Crystal, her teen powers and murder trial later in life.

It was a great story. Some parts lagged a little but the reader feels compelled to keep going to find the resolution, just like the real life listeners of Serial.

I had a difficult time connecting with the main protagonist, Kaylee, in this story. So much so that I just could go further than 17% into the story. Granted, this isn't a long book. But when Kaylee never once considered any of the advice given to her, nor did she once think of anyone else but herself, I was done. And typically, I have absolutely NO problem reading teen stories and relating to the immature emotions and angst. I sometimes go looking for it just to relive my fun teen years. But I can only take so much selfishness before I've gotta bail. Sorry...

I am a supper big fan of anything paranormal. I'm especially into telepaths. The Possible explored the world of telekinesis and extra mind abilities.

The whole time I was reading this book I was wondering if it was going to turn more urban fantasy and give me some more paranormal aspects or if it was going to shy back and stay more contemporary. To me, it needed to go one way or the other and I was sadly stuck in the middle.

The writing was totally contemporary and worked well in that genre but I had hoped for more with the story. I guess it was because I'm used to a strange paranormal ending for something like this and not the weird spiteful mother in prison.

I gave the book three stars because it kept my attention and I finished it in one day.

This review was written by Confessions of an Ex-Ballerina http://www.exballerina.com it will go live on 6-13

I liked this, but I think it's more of a 3.5 star rating. Don't get me wrong, I liked the story and I'm a fan of Altebrando's writing, but I think I made the biggest, most fundamental mistake a reader can make . . . I kept comparing it to her previous novel, "The Leaving," which I absolutely loved. Like I said, I enjoyed this, and one of the things I enjoy most about Altebrando's brand of storytelling is that even it seems outrageous it's not outside the realm of possibility, which can make her stories that much more frightening. For some reason, I had a harder time connecting to this one and while I certainly enjoyed it, I didn't fall in love with it. That said - it's definitely still worth a purchase because I do think there's a strong readership for this one, especially for those new to Altebrando's style of writing (honestly, if I hadn't read "The Leaving" first, I probably would have been crazy enthused for this one!). Also - strong, compelling, well written, and most importantly, interesting, thrillers can be hard to come by in YA and I think that Altebrando does a fantastic job with this genre. All-in-all, definitely worthy of a place in YA collections and in the hands of readers looking for an intriguing mystery to obsess over.

3 stars

Review date: June 9, 2017
Review link: http://dulivre.blogspot.com/2017/06/book-review-possible.html

Plot: Last year, I was lucky to read The Leaving and absolutely loved the mystery. While The Possible sounded a lot different, I was excited to see what mystery Altebrando could weave. Kaylee had been hiding a secret from literally everyone, she had been adopted and her birth mother was imprisoned for killing her infant brother. Things got weird when a podcast contacted Kaylee to do a local exposee on the crime and highlighted a possible paranormal connection. I thoroughly enjoyed how Altebrando kept me on my toes, she constantly made me doubt what direction I thought the book was taking. Around the 3/4ths mark, Altebrando started throwing in theories and plot twists that didn't hold much weight given that they was introduced so late in the novel. It was a pretty solid novel until that point, and that was because the red herrings became too obvious and took me out of the mystery.

Character: I'm sure Kaylee will polarize a lot of readers, personally she came off too strong. Kaylee saw the world through the lens of an 80's high school movie; there were the jocks, the ditzes, the nerds, and none of them were cool enough to exist in her realm. She had her sights on a boy to whom she had never spoken and knew that he would ask her to prom and they would get their happy ending, despite the fact that said boy was already in a committed relationship. Besides that, the secondary characters were very much in the background; they only existed when Kaylee chose to acknowledge them. Altebrando made a statement about Kaylee's perspective, but I believe that it was too late and too brief to make the character self-aware.

Worldbuilding: Kaylee viewed everyone as stereotypes, which was how I read the city and its people. One aspect I really clung to was the podcast culture. The podcast that Kaylee was featured on, The Possible, was very similar to NPR/This American Life's Serial and I was fascinated by how that culture was presented in The Possible.

Short N Sweet: The Possible introduced an interesting premise with twists and turns at every corner, maybe there were too many twists and turns.

Interesting concept, but it didn't really grab me. My students would probably enjoy it though