Teardrop

Teardrop starts with a car accident.

In this accident, Eureka loses her mother and her best friend. She’s supposed to die too, but doesn’t, because of a mysterious stranger. She’s blocked this all from her mind, and the only thing therapy has gotten her is really pissed off at her step-mum. We snoop into a useless therapy session with a useless therapist and then Eureka leaves and promptly gets into another car accident.

If I were Eureka, I’d lose my mind. Much like Eureka, car accidents mean devastating loss, and every time I drive it is in complete terror of another one. Just me, I guess. Sooo, she gets hit by this hot guy and freaks out a little, and cries a single tear.

ALMOST.

Hot guy scoops up the tear and puts it in his eye, because that’s not creepy at all.

Then they are in love. Only they can’t tell each other, because, ugh, who falls in love at first sight? (Seriously, OMG, stop it). That sets the tone of the book pretty well.

Eureka isn’t all that bad.

Honestly, if you get past how cheesy she is with Ander or “new” Brooks, she’s a pretty real teen. She’s suffered a trauma, she’s dealing with it, and while I don’t subscribe to her theory that all therapists are useless, she’s behaving in a completely realistic way for a girl whose lost someone she loved passionately and has to readjust to life. On top of that, she also lives with the stigma of a suicide attempt (I DO NOT ENDORSE THIS), and I think that the discussion of that depth of depression is something we don’t see in fiction. And should. Because it’s real.

I actually really enjoyed the bits of Eureka’s life when she wasn’t being a lovesick puppet. She was broken and beautiful and needing a friend very much. But here’s the thing. Eureka isn’t alone. She has her family, who supports her the best they know how. And she’s got Cat. Cat is actually fabulous.

I really really really love the myth of Atlantis. So I’ve got to ask, why does all the fiction about it lead to disappointment?

Okay, so lets talk about Atlantis as its presented in this book. I’ll be as brief and vague as possible.

Atlantis is sunk (obviously, that’s what it does). It got underwater because two lovers ran off on their other lover-peoples and their boat sunk and they got separated and as far as I can tell, someone cried it under the sea? In order to get Atlantis to come back to the surface, it has to be cried to the surface. And when someone from the proper line cries, it causes a monsoon? Honestly not sure how that’s going to work out.

In short, Eureka is Kida and this is a weird Atlantis story. I don’t think the story is going anywhere really interesting? I’m basically just seeing more love triangle and less Atlantis in the future and I’m not really excited about that.

First of all, this week is solely dedicated to this series, meaning on Friday there will be the 2nd book covered and on Sunday the short story. I remember I was ecstatic when I heard that Lauren Kate would be writing new series, and I got the first book and short novella as soon as they were published. However, I do not know why I didn’t start it, waiting for the book to be published first. And as I got the second book only this week, I’m proudly reading and reviewing them on my blog. I enjoyed this book. I admit not on 5 leaves, but I enjoyed it immensely. I liked the characters, but what I really loved was the plot. The idea of the book is fantastic and even though I’m a big fallen fan, I think these books will become author’s trump card. But I still need to read the second book to know for sure. As always I got swept up in the writing and I was shouting “another 5 minutes” every time I was asked to a dinner table by my granny. The author’s language is fantastic as well as her ability to showcase raw feelings. I was not a bystander, but I lived in Eureka in the book. The idea of the book of Love was great and I liked how the fate intervened between the Atlantis and Eureka.

Maybe it’s me, but if we compare Luce’s (Fallen) and Eureka’s origins, Eureka’s was quite predictable, what do I mean? Well, in fallen series Luce being an angle was a shock for me, I apologize to anyone who hasn’t read fallen series and I just spoilt you a major secret. But that what I mean, with Eureka for her lineage revelation was just a confirmation of all my ideas gathered along reading. There were many issues that made me doubt the sensibility of some of the characters, one is definitely Reka’s Dad. What the hell was wrong with the man? Couldn’t he stand up to his wife? But then again I will leave many other issues untouched, as I want you to read them for yourself.

If you haven’t read this book I would advise you to start it right away. It’s fascinating and you can’t stop reading once you’re hooked. Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below!

So....I do kinda crush hard on Lauren Kate, after she wrote the "Fallen" series....I've been putting off reading "Teardrop" in fear that I wouldn't like the story, or...I don't know really, but I'm glad that I did finally manage to get around to reading it.

I'll be honest in saying that the beginning, did drag, slightly too long for me, but nevertheless, it didn't have an impact on my thoughts of the story.

I was a tad scared too, after reading some of the reviews of this, but each to their own, and we are all entitled to our own opinion, whether others like it or not....

Eureka became numb after the loss of her mother in a "freak" storm, that created a spontaneous tidal wave...having lost her mother, he father re-married to a woman, who to Eureka, seems to be filling in her "mother" role too much, too quickly.

Having feeling like she has no support system to turn to and, adhering to her mother wishes not to ever cry again, what more could go wrong to this girl....

I will be honest in saying, so totally got on my nerves....and I tried to like her character, but I'm stuck on the fence about this one at the moment, maybe she can rectify that in the next book?...

well....a storm is brewing and in crashes Anders....literally....

Cat is a the funny onion of the quadruplet of teens, who seems to be a real fire cracker and can lighten any sombre mood up.

Brooks is Eureka's best friend, now I did want to like this character, but he irritated me a tad, which we kinda understand towards to end better, so I am willing to give him a chance to re-deem himself in the second instalment.

Left with what her mother left her in her will, a locket, letter, stone, and an ancient book, Eureka is against the clock and must figure out why her mother left her all this stuff. She will have to figure out what these things do.

Unfortunately for her she learns a hard lesson, that everyone around her is not who they seem to be and things are definitely about to get stranger for Eureka.

Who will she choose?

Who will be there for her?

Already an ardent fan of bestselling author {of the Fallen series and additional novel The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove}, I was immensely excited upon encountering Lauren Kate's new novel; which is the first in a *new* series!! The exquisitely beautiful cover evokes all imaginative thoughts as to tempt and entice you inside the pages of this striking Young Adult novel. `Can everything you love really be washed away?' Contained within this thought-provoking, deeply meaningful story is such sincerity that you can relate and connect to the character's story, for this tale professes truism from the very heart and soul.

`...that person you love can physically leave you but what will always remain within, are those deep feelings and overpowering emotions connected to that person. {Reminiscent of the string that is attached to a rib of Rochester's with the other end being securely fastened to the rib of Jane Eyre's}.'

This novel touched me inwardly and the consequential words moved my mind, so as to evoke such understated visions and images that are personal to each individual reader. Having lost someone whom I loved I was able to draw from this book warmth, hope and an acute connection with the main character Eureka. That person I loved and lost still remains nestled within a corner of my heart for all time, even as life continues and one contemplates rallying again. A quote that expresses this insinuation perfectly is ~

"Sirius Black: It's cruel that I got to spend so much time with James and Lily, and you so little. But know this; the ones that love us never really leave us. And you can always find them in here.
[Puts his hand to Harry's heart]"

- This is when Sirius Black talks to Harry, at the end of Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban film 3.

17-year-old Eureka forms a bubble around her and detaches herself from all emotion that is suppressed within, so as to `supposedly' protect her. By doing this she shuts everyone out, as thoughts of her mother's tragic death and such a great loss are too painful to dwell upon. The emotional scars run deep within as too does the excruciating pain, instilling a desire within her for escape from such crushing agony that weighs down upon her so heavily. One thing holds Eureka back - a young boy called Ander who is everywhere she goes and whose turquoise eyes are like the ocean. Her mother's death and the boy Ander suddenly seem connected, as Eureka uncovers an ancient tale about a girl who cried an entire continent into the sea. This romantic tale of heartbreak, loss and overpowering emotions caused by grief, takes you on an epic journey of self-discovery when it comes to matters of the heart.

Out of all the books I have read by Lauren Kate, Teardrop has to be the most powerfully effecting, stirring and memorable that she has written to date. This truly touching, scintillating story kept me glued to the pages throughout, immersed mind and soul within an explosive tale of mind-blowing epicness! Words cannot express how impressed I am by this haunting love story, which I am extremely pleased to have had the opportunity to read {having won a beautiful signed ARC through a Goodreads, first-read book giveaway!!!}. If you haven't read any of Lauren Kate's YA books yet then I strongly urge that you seek them out, for you are in for a real treat with Teardrop being the beginning of something very exciting to come...

I am never disappointed with any Lauren Kate book I read. This book was phenomenal! It had me entranced from beginning to end and left me wanting to know what happens.

I really loved the whole idea of this amazing story! I have always been fascinated by the stories of Atlantis. So when I read the blurb on this book, I knew I had to read it. Even if it didn't mention anything about Atlantis, just the idea of someone crying a continent into the sea? Now that deserves a read!

Eureka is such a strong person. I don't know what I would do if I lost one of my parents. I don't think that I would have gone as far as Eureka did by trying to commit suicide though. It seems everyone is against her, making her try to forget she lost her mom just a few months prior to the events taking place. Her step-mom is total witch, and that is putting it mildly. I was a step-parent for 10 years (still consider myself one now), and I didn't treat the kids the way she treats Reka. She tells her what to do and how to be, and seems to make all the decisions with her regarding her life without consulting her husband. Now maybe I was a cool step-parent, but I always made sure I cleared things that affected the kids with my ex first, just because they simply were not mine.

Brooks, he seemed like a cool guy. He was fun, laid back and understanding. He had a thing for Eureka but didn't push the subject with her. He also was understanding with her about her mom. Since they grew up together, they were like family. It wasn't until the middle of the book where I started to not like him. (You'll have to read it to find out why).

Ander was a mystery. He always seemed to be there where Eureka was, but no one ever saw him watching. I admit, the watching thing is pretty creepy, but there is a good explanation for it in the book. I would love to meet someone like Ander, especially with the eyes like turquoise. He's also quite passionate about things, which is another plus for me.

There were some aspects that I didn't quite like. For one, Eureka kept pushing people away. Okay, so her mom died, I understand, but when someone is trying to help you, you would think that you would want it. You would want someone to lean on for support. She just didn't seem to trust anyone enough for that, especially her dad. There was also the fact that her twins brother and sister are four years old but acted like they were a bit older at some points in the book and then they acted like an actual four year old in other parts (I have a four year old, so I know the difference). Also, everyone is pushing for Eureka to forget about her mom, even her shrink. I don't know if that's how shrink's really are, but you would think that they would want you to embrace what happened so you can move on, not forget about it, and especially forget about someone you love, someone who brought you into the world.

Because of some of the things I didn't like I decided to give this a 4 star rating out of 5. I do highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mythology and fantasy. Even if you haven't read anything by Lauren Kate in the past, you should read this! I think this will make you a huge fan!

Summary (may contain spoilers):
Eureka doesn't ever cry. Even when her mother was killed in an accident, meant to kill both of them, she has kept herself from crying. Now she is living with the father, stepmother, and half siblings, and trying to fit in. Unfortunately, she is not succeeding very well. She just can't seem to get along with her stepmother. The grief is overwhelming leading her to an attempted suicide. After this, she is sent to more psychologists then she knows what to do with. Her best friends are the only ones that aren't treating her oddly. Enter Ander, a mysterious new boy in school. Eureka instantly falls in love with him. She is obsessed and that obsession seems to draw her attention away from some of the issues going on in her life. Will he help her or will he be the one that forces her to cry and begin the "something bad" that is destined if a teardrop falls from Eureka?

My thoughts:
Honestly, I'm tired of the insta-love of a paranormal person. I like paranormal adventures and romance novels. I read a ton of them (probably close to 15 a month), but why does everyone have to fall in love at first sight (stalk)? Because of this insta-love, I don't feel like I really know Ander. I understand that he is supposed to be mysterious, but mysterious does not mean so underdeveloped that I don't know if I care about him at all. I'm hoping that his character will be built up in the second book.
The best part of this book is Kate's world building. She describes the bayou in such full detail that you can sink into the scenery and relish each part. All details are provided and the setting really sucked me in. I've never been to Louisiana and I'm happy that Kate doesn't assume that I know what things will be like because I have seen New Orleans on television. The heat of the novel is really brought through with the descriptions of the setting versus the description of the romance.
Overall, I am looking forward to reading the second installment and traveling back to the small Louisiana town that I feel at home in. I'm looking forward to learning more about Ander and the mythology of the teardrop.

When I selected "Teardrop", I selected because of the summary about a girl whose tears could awaken Atlantis. Sure, it is paranormal but Atlantis themes are not as common for me to read so I figured I'd try it.

I didn't realize that it was written by the same writer as the Fallen series which I didn't particularly care for but Lauren Kate's first book of what appears to be a new series surprised me in how much I liked it.

Eureka Boudreaux is a senior from Evangeline. She had two good friends named Cat and Brooks. Her parents are divorced and her father has remarried a woman named Rhoda and they have twins named William and Claire. Eureka has recently lost her mother to a rogue wave in which Eureka survived but is having problems recovering from.

It is a weird thing with me that even if the story can sag, if the lead character is interesting to me, I can over look it and Eureka was very interesting in that she's truly struggling with the death of her beloved mother, a stepmother who means well but is overbearing, a father who wants to keep the peace, and finally, her promise to her mother to never cry.

After an accident with a strange boy, the mystery of Eureka's mother's order to never cry begins to come clear.

"Teardrop" isn't so much the adventure but the start of the adventure. Through most of the novel, the reader becomes familiar with Eureka herself. Some side characters are throwaways (ex: Sheriffs and police who are given names but not much else) but others give a nice flavor (Eureka's Uncle Beau is a good example).

The end is a little chaotic and one incident at the end is a bit "huh?" but I have a feeling that in the second book, that "huh?" moment will have a repercussion.

I think this book could be read by readers from 12 and up without much issue. I could have passed on the romance but it took a long time to get to it so I have a hope that it won't be the whole focus of the series, which is a roundabout way of saying that I look forward to the next book.

I just finished Teardrop by Lauren Kate and I really enjoyed the story.

I really liked getting the background for Eureka, Brooks, Ander and Cat. I enjoyed the interwoven legend of the Lost City of Atlantis. Which by the way is one of my favorite "places" to explore in my mind.

The story was really a background to these characters and a promise of what is to come. I am eager to read Waterfall the next book in this series.

I do recommend this book. It was a good read/listen.

Bestselling author Lauren Kate has a way of taking readers on a wild ride through her books, and she's accomplished that once again in TEARDROP.

Written for a younger audience but something that readers of all ages will enjoy, Teardrop takes us into the complicated life that belongs to a young girl named Eureka. her life filled with sadness and sorrow, Eureka is determined to make it through the challenges she faces while much of her life and what's happening around her seems to be driving her towards insanity.

Along her way she meets Ander, a boy who knows things that can help her either understand her destiny and importance or be the final piece that sends her over the edge.

The action is dramatic and very well written, causing the reader to travel with the character through the adventure, danger and the answers to questions that seem almost impossible to believe.

Definitely a book that will leave you wanting more, Teardrop delivers on what is the beginning of a powerful new series.

Lauren Kate has created an amazing new reality in Teardrop. A reality where magic is real and myths and legends begin to come true. Eureka doesn't think she's anything special. Just a girl whose mother died a strange and horrible death. Her mother's inheritance is nothing like she expected. Not that she wanted money or anything, but her mother's gifts seem strange and otherworldly. Then the strange boy that has been following her seems to know more about them than she does herself.

Book one of the Teardrop series is a lot of world building. It tends to move along a little slow at times but the people are brought to life along with the world and it's legends in a beautfiul way. Eureka is a confused teenager - and Lauren Kate shows us all sides of this, along with her family and friends to really bring us into her world. It was a fantastic start to the series with quite a bang and cliffhanger for the ending.

I'll be keeping my eye out for book two. When I checked out Goodreads to look for an expected publication date, I stumbled on a #0.5 - a short 50ish page story that I picked up right away. I really want to know more now! Look for that review soon and for book two as soon as I can get it.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

After the fatal accident that claimed her mother's life, Diana, Eureka Boudreaux was never the same. The death of her mother was just the beginning of many shocking and unwanted truths that would continue to unfold for this seventeen-year-old.

Even though normalcy played a part in Eureka's life: living with her biological father, her step mother, and half siblings, attending Evangeline High, and having a best friend, was just a mask hiding what has been lying beneath the surface of her true life: deep, dark secrets.

But thank goodness for Brooks--Eureka's best friend--he has always been there for her. They've known each other for years, and not only that, but he's also easy on the eyes. But so is Ander: a handsome, mysterious boy that always seems to show up when Eureka most expects him to and when she doesn't. As if she didn't already have enough issues to deal with already: grieving over the death of her mother, being forced to see Miss Laundry, the psychiatrist her father and step mother have forced her to see, quitting the cross-country team, putting up with Rhoda, her "stepmonster" as she likes to call her. And not to forget--the lapis lazuli pendant shaped into a triangle and the Book of Love that was given to her during the reading of her mother's will.

It is clear as the Caribbean waters, that Eureka must keep herself from drowning in her own reality while keeping everyone else from drowning with her. This Louisiana beauty must learn how to keep a good, clear head on her shoulders, suppress her emotions, and be very wise to continue to seek the truth about who she really is. Who Brooks and Ander really are. And what kind of fate awaits her, and what to do about it.

These are the words that always haunt Eureka's mind: "Never, Ever Cry...."

********

Breathtakingly beautiful is what came to my mind after I finished reading Teardrop--the first book in the Teardrop Trilogy by: Lauren Kate. Before I continue, let me just add this: after reading the Fallen Series, I was apprehensive to read Teardrop, in fear that it would not live up to my heart's desire the way Fallen, Torment, Passion, and Rapture did, but boy was I pleasantly wrong! In fact, the characters and plot have taken my heart captive to a far away place in the depths of the endless ocean where Eureka, Brooks, Ander, and the truth about Eureka stays hidden--for now, anyway.

Lauren Kate has a wonderful and romantic imagination, expressing her words into compelling, easy-to-read prose that stays at a perfect pace while reading her lovely stories. How I delight in her books! As for me, I give Teardrop *FIVE STARS* and as for Lauren Kate: I give her *5 STARS* as well*

WELL DONE, ONCE AGAIN LAUREN KATE!!!

~Sincerely, Miss J~

I loved this book! This book has been amazing, and I have been reading it for three days before I finished and I loved it the whole time. There were some words that I had to look up because I had no idea what they were,, but I like that i'm not just reading a fantasy or fiction story, but I am learning some things. I am pretty sure this was on my older brother's(who's going into high school) reading list for the summer, and I'm reading it! I just enjoyed it the whole time. I recommend this to middle schoolers and up. Thank you Lauren Kate, for your amazing book, I can't wait to read more.

Eureka's mother dies in a freak accident that leaves Eureka feeling depressed and occasionally suicidal. She's withdrawn and moody & is struggling in her new life without her mother. Then, she meets a boy named Ander who shows up out of nowhere and coinciding with his appearance is danger, mystery, and adventure.

Along the way, Eureka learns some things about her mother that she hadn't ever known. Among those things is a legend that has passed down for years that may or may not be connected to Eureka.

This was such a fun story & I thought it was so interesting and entertaining! I absolutely loved the Epilogue told from Brooks' (Eureka's friend) point of view, it was brilliant!! I cannot wait for the second book in this series!

Eureka (which is an ironic name), has experienced one of the biggest tragedies that a young girl could face, the death of a loved one. Slightly broken and confused, she must learn to survive in a world where everything is not as it seems and her fate appears to be out of her hands. While trying to decipher clues that reveal her destiny, she will also face danger, experience love and betrayal. Not to mention, her tears have consequences. You have everything that makes this an enjoyable read…..the paranormal (the myth of Atlantis), teenage love, mystery and death. And while I did enjoy this novel, it took a minute for me to get use to Kate’s writing style. I have seen her novels in the past, but never read one. This was my first Lauren Kate novel and there were times that it seemed a little slow and a little too descriptive. But that didn’t detour me and I ended up enjoying the story. I would recommend this read to those who enjoy young adult paranormal novels.

I’ve read Lauren Kate’s Fallen series and absolutely loved it so I thought that I would like this series just as much....but I didn’t. The first 380 pages of this book had me wondering where the story was going and it didn’t really go anywhere until the last 40 pages. I’m sorry to say that I was disappointed, but I’ll still read the sequel to see how the story ends.

How in the world did I miss reviewing this awesome book? It's become a favorite with our teen patrons. I have read it more than a few times and every time I seem to pick up a little more. It's a really neat concept in that the heroine must never cry lest she alerts her location to those who took her mother's life because her tears can actually bring complete destruction. A fast read with romance, mystery, excitement, danger, and all the great stuff that makes for a delightful read. Saying too much will give away the great ending so I'll leave it at that ... hopefully, it peaked your curiosity and you'll give it a chance.

This fantastic and unique story caught my attention from the first page and unfolded a mystical story that held me until the end. The characters Eureka, Ander and the power of the Zephyr etc., all fascinated me. The rescue scene from the wave, so romantic. Beautifully romantic yet terrible. As much of the book's detail was. I found the mythical tales very appealing as will younger girls. Ander's song like so many other magical things had a strange elusive luster to it. This story was rich. I adore the love story said to have brought about the fall of Atlantis. All this story's secrets, so dark and dangerous, try to protect the return of Atlantis at all costs. I love this story, and girls of various ages must read it at all cost!

This is a quite imaginative fantasy that even an old curmudgeon like me could appreciate. The plot revolves around the legend of the lost continent of Atlantis and whether or not it might possibly reappear. Central to this possibility is the main character, Eureka, who seems to have the power to either bring Atlantis back or leave it under the sea. Two young boys on opposing sides of the Atlantis returning issue are vying for their sides as well as the attentions (affections) of Eureka. It seems that if Atlantis reappears it will cause worldwide flooding which complicates the issue. This is the first in a series but I felt engaged in what will happen in future books and so I feel that young adult readers will also have their curiosities piqued.

Teardrop was actually one of my most anticipated reads this year. I first found out about Lauren Kate's new young adult series at New York Comic Con 2012. So it's fitting that I read this book a few days before New York Comic Con 2013. I remember talking to the employees at Random House's booth, and gushing about how much I loved the Fallen series. They then informed me that she was working on a new young adult book due out later next year. To say I was excited would be an understatement. I had the pleasure of finally meeting Lauren Kate at BEA earlier this year, and I told her how excited I was to read something new from her. Unfortunately I had to wait a few months before I could finally read Teardrop because I wanted to wait until closer to the release date. But once I finally sat down and read Teardrop, it was definitely well worth the wait!

I wouldn't say that I'm not a crier, but at the same time while I am emotional, I don't really cry too often. I can't imagine never crying. And to not cry after losing a parent, even if the emotions are inside of you that's tough. So quickly while starting Teardrop, I realized that Eureka was a tough chick. But I also realized that she's human. Early on you discover about her suicide attempt. And honestly suicide is heavy and it's deep. It's not something that can be written lightly. I think it was written well, and not in bad taste. The suicide attempt occurred a few months before the novel started, and you see the consequences of Eureka's actions. Sometimes in a book something serious can occur, and it's swept under a rug and not dealt with.

The size of the book kind of intimidated me at first because I am a slow reader. But once you start reading, it flows so well that you don't even realize how many pages it actually is. The scenes transition really well one after the other. I didn't once feel like a scene was filler, or just something to make the book longer.

The relationships with the characters was something that I enjoyed as well. At first I really disliked Rhoda, Eureka's stepmother. Actually I still don't think I like her after finishing the book, but she's one of those characters that you just aren't supposed to like. But you are supposed to see their purpose. Eureka loves her half siblings, but blames Rhoda for her parents divorce. Eureka's siblings William and Claire are really adorable, but sometimes I didn't think they quite acted their age. They seemed very knowledgeable for four year olds.

And of course there is a love triangle. When I first figured out that there would be a love triangle, I actually groaned. And when it became obvious that one of the people in this love triangle was Eureka's best friend I rolled my eyes. I asked myself, Why does the best friend have to be in love with her? It's so cliche. And it makes it seem like guys and girls can't be friends. But then I took a step back, and I started to analyze it. First I remembered that as someone who is closer to their 30s, and is not the intended audience for this book I have to remember my teenage years. Often times older readers of young adult books tend to forget who exactly is the target audience. Yes, while an older audience may enjoy reading young adult books, we're not who the author has in mind while writing. Then I kept reading and slowly my inhibitions about this went away. Eureka's best friend, Brooks is just too hard not to like. I found myself being more pro Brooks, than Ander. Eureka and Brooks really works for me.

When it comes to Ander, it actually was hard for me to like him. His appearances are so sporadic that you doubt you can trust him. I was suspicious. He's so vague. But not in the way that it's intriguing. Its frustrating. There is definitely more character development with Brooks, than Ander. But at the same time in the scenes that he does have with Eureka, there is chemistry.

The magical aspect of the book was written really well. Sometimes I have issues following along with the paranormal aspect in novels. I find myself having to reread certain parts to get a clear picture of the scenery or what is going on. But that wasn't the case with Teardrop. I could picture scenes vividly in my head, and enjoyed imagining the visuals. And the ending just leaves you wanting the next book. You want to continue on Eureka's journey to see what's next.

Reviewed by Sana @ Step Into Fiction

Teardrop was actually one of my most anticipated reads this year. I first found out about Lauren Kate's new young adult series at New York Comic Con 2012. So it's fitting that I read this book a few days before New York Comic Con 2013. I remember talking to the employees at Random House's booth, and gushing about how much I loved the Fallen series. They then informed me that she was working on a new young adult book due out later next year. To say I was excited would be an understatement. I had the pleasure of finally meeting Lauren Kate at BEA earlier this year, and I told her how excited I was to read something new from her. Unfortunately I had to wait a few months before I could finally read Teardrop because I wanted to wait until closer to the release date. But once I finally sat down and read Teardrop, it was definitely well worth the wait!

I wouldn't say that I'm not a crier, but at the same time while I am emotional, I don't really cry too often. I can't imagine never crying. And to not cry after losing a parent, even if the emotions are inside of you that's tough. So quickly while starting Teardrop, I realized that Eureka was a tough chick. But I also realized that she's human. Early on you discover about her suicide attempt. And honestly suicide is heavy and it's deep. It's not something that can be written lightly. I think it was written well, and not in bad taste. The suicide attempt occurred a few months before the novel started, and you see the consequences of Eureka's actions. Sometimes in a book something serious can occur, and it's swept under a rug and not dealt with.

The size of the book kind of intimidated me at first because I am a slow reader. But once you start reading, it flows so well that you don't even realize how many pages it actually is. The scenes transition really well one after the other. I didn't once feel like a scene was filler, or just something to make the book longer.

The relationships with the characters was something that I enjoyed as well. At first I really disliked Rhoda, Eureka's stepmother. Actually I still don't think I like her after finishing the book, but she's one of those characters that you just aren't supposed to like. But you are supposed to see their purpose. Eureka loves her half siblings, but blames Rhoda for her parents divorce. Eureka's siblings William and Claire are really adorable, but sometimes I didn't think they quite acted their age. They seemed very knowledgeable for four year olds.

And of course there is a love triangle. When I first figured out that there would be a love triangle, I actually groaned. And when it became obvious that one of the people in this love triangle was Eureka's best friend I rolled my eyes. I asked myself, Why does the best friend have to be in love with her? It's so cliche. And it makes it seem like guys and girls can't be friends. But then I took a step back, and I started to analyze it. First I remembered that as someone who is closer to their 30s, and is not the intended audience for this book I have to remember my teenage years. Often times older readers of young adult books tend to forget who exactly is the target audience. Yes, while an older audience may enjoy reading young adult books, we're not who the author has in mind while writing. Then I kept reading and slowly my inhibitions about this went away. Eureka's best friend, Brooks is just too hard not to like. I found myself being more pro Brooks, than Ander. Eureka and Brooks really works for me.

When it comes to Ander, it actually was hard for me to like him. His appearances are so sporadic that you doubt you can trust him. I was suspicious. He's so vague. But not in the way that it's intriguing. Its frustrating. There is definitely more character development with Brooks, than Ander. But at the same time in the scenes that he does have with Eureka, there is chemistry.

The magical aspect of the book was written really well. Sometimes I have issues following along with the paranormal aspect in novels. I find myself having to reread certain parts to get a clear picture of the scenery or what is going on. But that wasn't the case with Teardrop. I could picture scenes vividly in my head, and enjoyed imagining the visuals. And the ending just leaves you wanting the next book. You want to continue on Eureka's journey to see what's next.

Reviewed by Sana @ Step Into Fiction

Oh, dang! Eureka is never allowed to cry because the instant she cries the world might be destroyed. Her mom spent years making sure that Eureka knows she is not allowed to cry. I am going to ruin this for everyone with a single thought. The moment Eureka was born she would have cried. She is a hungry baby, and she would have cried. She has a poopie diaper, and she would have cried. Babies cry, and there is no stopping them. This thought automatically made the book bad for me. Then you learn there had been previous women that could have fulfilled this prophecy, so this book just never should have happened.

Don't you just hate common sense? Yes, little Eureka cried long ago.

I kept looking for words like "upon puberty" the power of the tearline, blah, blah, blah. It didn't happen.

I classify this as another book that was dragged out to make a trilogy. It was long, boring and very little went on. We discover Eureka has powers, power relics, and a slow reveal was made of a book that she inherited from her mom. There was a poor attempt at a love triangle. One potential love was a stalker, anti-Atlantean, and the other was a friend, who morphed into an evil Atlantean.

Speed up the pace and come up with something to cover the big blunder with the tears.

Eureka Boudreaux was warned by her mother a long time ago not to cry. And she has not, even when she survives a car crash that took her mother’s life. But Eureka can’t find any reason to continue her life. The only thing keeping her going is her best friends Cat and Brooks and memories of her mother.

Then enters Ander, who has been chosen to stalk her and supposed to kill her but has fallen in love with her. Of course Reka is instantly drawn to him, which doesn’t help since Brooks seems to have done a 180 and now acts like he is betraying her.

I liked the concept of this book. The Atlantean myth has great potential. I loved the different characters in that part of the story. It was slowly given out to the reader which did keep me reading to find out what was going to happen next.

My biggest complaint is the whole insta-love and love triangle. I swear this is the theme of every young adult book out there. Give it up, stalking a person is not insta-love, usually it ends up with someone dying in real life. I’m also so tired of HAVING to have a love triangle. I do understand its point and purpose in this story, but really, give it up all ready. Everyone keeps beating a dead horse with this idea.

Even after my complaints, I did like this story. It has an interesting idea with Atlantis and the different characters. The ending felt a little rushed and wrapped up but this book is part of a trilogy so I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Shawn Kovacich
Author and Creator of numerous books and DVD's.

This was my first experience with a Lauren Kate novel, and I actually really enjoyed it. It wasn't the best thing I've read or anything but nevertheless it was a fun read. I've pre-ordered the book a while ago when I heard someone say its about Atlantis, so the day it arrived I was already reading it. I think I started reading Teardrop with high expectation due to the myth the book portrayed so when I was half way through the book some things went downhill for me. However, the book is addictive and mysterious and I couldn't put it down.

The one thing I had a big issue was the name. Eureka. Ander was fine, it was just Eureka that irked me while reading. First I didn't know how to pronounce it, and because of that I sometimes forgot her name. And this hardly ever happens in books with me. But I liked that it was unique and original. I am so curious why her mother named her that, which I hope will be revealed in the next book. The thing with Eureka's character was that it was flat. The character development never increased or decreased it just stayed the same, only in the last chapter did she slightly improve. It also annoyed me how she spoke to her therapists and her family, I get that she a mental illness after her mother died - but does she really need to act like that?

The second thing I liked and also didn't was the world. I liked that it was about The Lost City of Atlantis and the myth really intrigues me but there was hardly any explanations to Eureka and how she is linked to Atlantis. Another thing was that there was hardly any description of the surrounding areas that Eureka finds herself in, they're just... there and I couldn't really picture anything in my head. I feel like the ending was spot on for everything, it was described well, there was action and finally Eureka realises what she is capable of.

I liked the relationships development in the book. There was plenty of drama and questions I needed answers to. There were some cliche parts such as the whole step mother - daughter relationship, the cliches at school and so on. And I liked all the characters, but they all lacked character development. But I enjoyed Ander, he intrigued and I was hooked on him from the moment I met him. Brooks was strange in a way, I actually didn't like him at all, even before the weird possession thing he went through. He is one of those characters that you try to like but never succeed although I really liked Cat, I loved all chapters she was in. They were hilarious.

With all that stated, the plot twists made me want to read on and figure out Eureka's destiny. I'm looking forward to the next book and I'm probably gonna die waiting for it since it comes out next year. If you like reading about myths or if you're looking to start a new series, then I recommend reading Teardrop!

You can find more of my YA reviews on [...] :)

Teardrop (Teardrop #1)by Lauren Kate

PJV Quickie: Lauren Kate is a talented author, her writing is solid, full of unique descriptions that set the scene and enhance the plot. Her latest novel TEARDROP was very similar to her other series, FALLEN in the style and feeling, but Lauren Kate did a much better job with TEARDROP in the crafting and implementation. I enjoyed reading TEARDROP even though I had some serious issues with it at some points, but I do look forward to the next in the series.

Review: A unique concept drives this series. Eureka is from a small town in Louisiana, where she has been instructed by her mother never to cry. After her mother's death, Eureka has to bottle up all of her grief and face the world with a stony, almost emotionless persona. This gets her into a lot of trouble with her family, her father and new stepmom and their children. They think she is not adjusted.

The novels are written in the third person point of view, but they carry Eureka's frame of mind, her detachment, but the underlying emotion that is bottling up. It made for a very different type of novel that kept you at arms length from the characters, which I wasn't used to. I'm used to jumping in and loving all over these great characters. It wasn't this way for Eureka though. Then we are introduced to her best friend Brooks, whom has a mad crush on her - but again is at that arms-length position, from both Eureka and me as a reader. I wanted to root for him, but just when you sort of like him something happens.

Finally there is Ander. Whom we get a glimpse of at the beginning of the novel, so we know he is off-the-charts weird factor. And their introduction is again bizarre. I understand he was HOT, but this guy, yeah the believability of this guy and the love factor was a bit creeptastic.

But, the thing about Lauren Kate's writing, all this creepy, off-the-charts weird stuff that is happening she wraps it up in the angsty, well-written, descriptive novel and makes it work. It was enjoyable to read, even though I wanted to throttle the characters at times and question the plot as it veered this way and that. Some of what Kate introduced was ridiculously stereotypical, the mean girl, jealous would-be boyfriend stealer, the silly outgoing friend, the doting would-be boyfriend best-friend and the creepy stalker paranormal hottie love interest, but yes it did make the book enjoyable to read. The underlying story was unique, yet the implementation played on the usual Young Adult tropes, so yes the book was good, but it didn't blow me away.

Finally, being a resident of Southern Louisiana, I do have to say that I noticed some setting faux-pas. It happens a lot though with authors that write about the region. They might visit a lot, but you don't get it until you've lived it and New Iberia is one interesting place, very unique, with their own sayings and doings.

Overall a competent novel, a series that I expect to keep up with. It is not one of the greatest things I've read, but there was nothing glaringly wrong with it. I feel I'm always harder on novels that are in the middle for me, because there is nothing to rave about, but there is something to talk smack about.

Recommendations: This is recommended for young adult readers that enjoy a good paranormal love-triangle in their mix. This is your typical young adult novel, so if you are into that sort of thing, you'll love this one. Fans of authors like Kami Garcia and Melissa Marr should really enjoy. There is a bit of violence and some romantic interludes, so this is recommend for a 13+ audience.

In Short: Eureka's world is turned upside when her unexpectedly dies in a strange accident. Eureka doesn't remember much about what happened. She is forced to move in with her father, stepmother and their young twins. Rhoda (stepmother) insists Eureka spend some time with a counselor. Not real surprising considering the death of her mother, then her subsequent suicide attempt. Then to add gasoline to the fire, Ander, a mysterious teen, runs into her Jeep and changes her life forever.

"Teardrop" is different than many teen fantasy books I have read so far. The plot is intriguing and creative, once you get past the "boy meets girl." Luckily and thankfully, the writer doesn't spend a whole lot of time on the romance aspect. There is more attention on the mystery in the plot.

If I were younger, I think this would have been a 5 star book for me. BUT I think it would be tricky for teens to read. Eureka, our main character, has a lot of unhealthy attitudes and negative thoughts (suicide attempt for one thing) that I wouldn't necessarily want my kid to be subjected to.

Eureka’s novel can be summarized in one word: cry.

As for the real review, Teardrop is a solid novel. By solid novel, I mean Lauren Kate’s writing is somehow all the same. Kate’s novels all are in third-person, with the same kind of detached feel to it all. It’s as if everything is coming from an objective lens. We’re just watching this lens go through Eureka’s life, which is really unsettling.

In other words, everyone has their own opinion on Lauren Kate’s writing style. It’s not exactly my cup of tea, but for someone else, it’s absolutely perfect.

If I were Eureka, I probably would be creeped out by Ander on SO many levels. Honestly, this random guy shows up from nowhere and you’re nice to him? You let the idea of a cute boy outweigh the fact that he’s a random creeper? Come on, Eureka! Where’s the eureka moment where you realize that random boys who come out of thin air are not to be bothered with. Also, I think he’s just not that crushable.

It’s a cool idea, the idea of Atlantis. I’ve read countless YA books, although I haven’t read one until now dealing with Atlantis. Glorious. Watery. Wet. I wish I had gotten more background and insight on Eureka’s ancestor’s connection to Atlantis instead of her very personal, intimate, occasionally annoying life.

This is one of those times where you can’t judge a book by its cover. By its phenomenal cover, I thought Teardrop was the next Divergent. Unfortunately, looks aren’t always the most foretelling, as you can for sure tell. There goes that book.

So Lauren Kate, great job. Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to read the sequel.

First thing, a quick word about the cover..... beautiful! Just so pretty, gorgeous colours with a pretty girl with WATER FOR A DRESS, that's cool and I love the hints of a city in the background. A gorgeous cover that grabs your attention and makes you want to pick it up. Question is, do the contents match the outside? Well.............

...... after reading many reviews and people opinions on this books it seems to be a marmite book (You either love it or hate it..... I LOVE marmite by the way, totally random fact!). I can honestly say that while I didn't LOVE it, I did enjoy it. Yeah, it has it's faults but overall it's completely readable, if not completely believable or mind blowing.

The 'heroine' of the tale is Eureka Boudreaux, with the daftest name ever..... imagine the kids taking the mickey out of you if you had that name, you know 'You Reeker' and so forth...... she was told by her mother to never cry but never knew the real reason for that warning until she meets Ander, a 'Seedbearer' whose ancestors fled the sinking city of Atlantis. It turns out that Eureka's tears will raise Atlantis from the depths and free it's inhabitants, both good and bad.

The idea is sound and the idea of one girls tears destroying the world could be a really good, if given the right background and treated correctly. With a book like this you really need to have a good back story as to why things are the way they are and this book doesn't give it solid enough background, it skates around it, giving you clues but it's not solid at all as you just a vague impression of the Seedbearers background and the Atlantis back story. I needed so much more for it to be believable for me but it's often the case that authors don't give you too much information in the first book of the series and leave the major back story elements for the second book, problem is that this book needed them now not later. Vague, vague vague and that bugs me!

AGAIN, we have a wet and wimpy heroine who couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag, AGAIN we have the dead parent and surprise, surprise it's her mother, AGAIN we have the gorgeous best male friend who's just a friend but in love with her and AGAIN we have the mysterious handsome boy with the strange past...... SIGH! Anyone else getting a bit bored with this constant formula? It's not just Lauren Kate that falls for this formulaic mess and everyone seems to be writing using this formula in YA and it's getting beyond a joke!

I mean, c'mon with everything Eureka has been through you want her to be a fighter, she lost her mother is a freak accident that nearly killed her too, she's living with a father who doesn't understand her and a stepmother who doesn't want to understand her, she has too very young siblings who adore her and two of the best friends a girl could have but all she wants to do is collapse in on herself and not fight for the life she deserves. She has everything going for her but she just doesn't grab as a character and she's hard to care about. The other characters completely outshine her in every way, even the four-year olds have more character than she does. Saying that though even Ander isn't as interesting as he should be and he has the horrible stalker thing going on that Edward in Twilight had and that bugs me too! Authors.... it is NOT okay to have guys with stalker tendencies like this, it makes girls think it's ok and normal for guys to do this and it's not true, it's not normal behaviour... creepy and just WRONG! Rant over...... Ander is constantly watching her and has been given the job of killing Eureka to prevent her ever crying and raising Atlantis BUT...... surprise, surprise he falls for her instead and chooses her over the world (huh? You do know that if the world does end she will die along with everyone else? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!). The two shining characters, who aren't in it enough by the way, are Cat and Brooks - the two best friends, both are brimming with character and are so interesting. Cat's is the only coloured girl in the whole school and she is more than boy crazy, she's interesting but we don't hear enough about her and the same is true for Brooks although his part is going to grow a whole lot in the next book due to what happens to him halfway through this book, he's handsome and charming and has really genuine affection for Eureka that gives him a depth that Eureka seems to lack. The choice of his character to have what happens happen to him of all characters is a great move as it is genuinely quite shocking.

I have plenty of unanswered questions after reading this and am hoping that Lauren Kate will take the time to answer them and not leave them hanging, which she has done previously in the Fallen series as some of them NEEEEEED answering. Things like 'How did Eureka's mum find out about the tears?' She obviously knew seeing as she told Eureka to never cry and was in possession of the book locket and thunderstone so she must have known so why did she never warn Eureka is the were that close? Simple questions, easily answered but constantly ignored.

Is it a mind-blowing? Nope.

Is it interesting? It has interesting elements but it depends on the author following through the current back story with the next book.

Is it enjoyable to read? Well, I didn't fall asleep reading it and I was interested in picking it up every night so yes, it's enjoyable but it won't knock your socks off or anything.

Is is well written? There's nothing wrong with the style of writing or the context of it, it's just the content that can be lacking and lacklustre.

Would you recommend it? I wouldn't say to someone that you just HAVE to read it as it's amazing but I wouldn't say don't read it as it's crap, it's not it's just all a bit blah...... it's okay, readable if you like paranormal YA but nothing particularly new or anything. Innocuous enough but nothing that makes it stand out in the crowd which is a shame as the idea could be such a brilliant one :(

Did reading Teardrop #0.5: Last Day Of Love first help or hinder the view of this book? Neither really, it did help with a better understanding of Ander and his back story of becoming a Seedbearer of Atlantean ancestry but it didn't add to the Teardrop story a great deal. A nice additional story but nothing that is essential to the overall series.

Overall opinion....... ummmmmmmmm! Don't know if I will stick with the series or not, I am curious about what will happen next but I'm not going to lose any sleep if I never know, we'll see what happen when Book 2 comes out.

THE STORY:
TEARDROP tells the tale of how Atlantis fell and the one girl who can bring it back into reality. But don't go thinking that the return of Atlantis could be a good thing. Far from it. There are those who desperately want to bring Atlantis back, and those who will do anything to prevent it's rising. Caught in the middle is Eureka, a girl who is just trying to make it day-to-day after her mother's death. What Eureka doesn't realize is that there is a very good reason why her mother told her to never, ever cry. The rise of Atlantis, while it sounds good, could actually mean the destruction of the world as she knows it.

At the core of TEARDROP is a love story. And the love, jealousy and heartbreak is what caused the fall of Atlantis. A girl was engaged to marry the king, but then fell in love with his brother, and they ran away together. But they didn't make it away before tragedy struck. And the tears of one girl sunk the entirety of Atlantis to the bottom of the sea.

What's interesting is how this origin story parallels, but then also intersects with the present. I'm not really sure if that makes any sense. It's like one moment the past and present are mirroring each other, and then all of a sudden the past and present clash. It's kind of confusing sometimes because so much happens in TEARDROP. There is a complexity to the story that keeps you engaged, but also makes you go "Huh?".

The story does start out kind of slow and feels drawn out, but it's definitely worth it to tough it out, because the story gets much, much better once Eureka receives her inheritance.

THE CAST:
The Guys: Of course, there is a love triangle, so there are two guys to talk about. I'll start with Ander, since he's the first one we meet in the story. In the prologue, we know that Ander has feelings for Eureka and has been, for lack of a better work, stalker her her whole life, but then we find out that he's with the people who want to kill her. Basically, although he loves her, he has to kill her, and that torments him. Then fast-forward to the present, he's still following her around, but he's apparently not with the baddies anymore. But there is always the question of is he just playing her or is he sincere? I'm still not really sure if I like him or not.

Then we have Eureka's best friend Brooks. He's always been there for her and has been her rock in her times of trouble. But then all of a sudden he starts acting totally unlike himself. Being mean and spiteful one moment, then being his usual caring and concerned self. I don't want to give too much away about what happened to him, so I'll just say that after being hit by a huge, unnatural wave something bad has taken him over and Eureka is determined to help him. I don't usually root for the best friend, but I really liked Brooks, so for now, I'm Team Brooks.

The Girl: Eureka is a broken person after losing her mother. She has no real interests anymore, and only has two friends left, but she has kept her promise to her mother. She hasn't cried, not once. What she really doesn't need is the fate of the world on her shoulders, but that's what she got when Ander entered her life claiming her life was in danger. I kind of had a love/hate thing going with Eureka. In the beginning, she's kind of a downer. I can understand being sad that your mother is dead, but there is a point where reading so much depression and sadness becomes exhausting. It wasn't until toward the end, when she starts finding herself again and accepting her new reality, that I really started to like her. She became strong again.

THE VILLAIN:
The baddies are actually all Atlantean in origin. There is Ander's family. They are on the side of preventing the rise of Atlantis at any cost. They are actually very horrible, and their thinking is that the only way to prevent the rising is to kill all those that are descended from the woman who first sunk Atlantis, and anyone who gets in their way of accomplishing that. It doesn't matter if they are men, women, or children. There is a particularly graphic death scene that just flies at you out of nowhere. You think that they will just do some threatening and posturing, but then BAM, nope. It's very cringe-worthy.

The other side of the coin is the King of Atlantis. He wants Atlantis to rise at any cost. Any cost. Not much is known about him yet, but he is very real, and he is out for blood.

THE ROMANCE:
As I mentioned before, there are love triangles in TEARDROP. That's not really a surprise since Lauren Kate is famous for her love triangles. But I should probably mention that there is not one, but two love triangles in this book. There is the epic story that's the origin of it all, between the King of Atlantis, his brother, and the girl they both want. Then there is the one that could bring about the destruction of our world, between Ander, Brooks, and Eureka. The interesting thing is that Eureka's situation mirrors the original tale, and not just how you would think. It's about who they are and how they relate to the first triangle. I'm really looking forward to seeing more about how they are all connected.

I have to say that I think Ander got more of a chance with Eureka in TEARDROP than Brooks. Brooks just ran out of time too quickly to get the chance to really even tell Eureka how he feels about her, much less anything else. So I would really like to see more between Eureka and Brooks. I mean, Ander is okay, even with his stalker tendencies, but at this point I really want to see Brooks win the girl.

THE ACTION:
It should be pretty obvious that most of the action in TEARDROP takes place either in or on the water. The opening scene in the prologue starts everything off. Ander and his family are preparing a huge wave to crash into Eureka's mother's car to kill them. Then there are a bunch of unnatural waves happening where they never have before, and storms and flooding like they've never seen. The one scene toward the end of the book, takes place almost completely underwater, thanks to Eureka's Thunderstone. But that end scene is really freaky for me because I can't swim, so just the thought of being stuck underwater, even with a Thunderstone, freaks me out. The entire book is definitely a very watery adventure. I'm really looking forward to seeing where it takes us.

This was an interesting fantasy/paranormal/mythology novel, but to be honest, it wasn’t what I expected at all. Having read the prequel, I thought there would be more explanations of Ander and his family, but readers are left with little more knowledge in this full novel than they received in the prequel, and I really wanted to know more, especially since the entire mythology aspect completely floored me. I wasn’t expecting it, and it didn’t even register in my mind until close to the big reveal, even though there are clues woven throughout the novel. And yet, some of those clues really left me scratching my head at the time of their revelation. Perhaps that is because the novel itself is just so secretive.

I knew going in that there were going to be many secrets in this book, but I felt like there were just too many. I like to have some semblance of what’s going on in my novels, but I didn’t feel like I was any closer to the truth as I read Teardrop because it’s all so secretive. For instance, the entire story surrounding Eureka’s mother and her instruction to never cry went completely over my head—I remember actually thinking, “why is this here?” as I was reading through the novel; I thought it was a random inclusion and it didn’t make sense to me at the time because it didn't mesh with anything else happening around the randomly inserted scene. And then I found out that it was the crux of the entire novel. I mean, this is called Teardrop, after all, but in this case, I feel like that should have been played up a bit more. Perhaps I just missed out on the other explanations and clues earlier on in the novel. It could be reader error, who knows.

Regardless, though, this was a decent read. Though a bit choppy here and there, by the end of the story I was drawn in and dying to know what would happen next, realistic or not. While this novel is not on the same par as Kate’s Fallen Series, I will say that it’s a good read for those looking for something completely different. Just know that not all your questions are going to be answered in this first novel.

Though hardly revolutionary to the YA genre, this is a surprisingly fast-paced novel. Though I have certainly heard of Kate's popular Fallen series, this book marks my first experience with Kate's novels. I am a sucker for Atlantis books, so this premise caught my attention. And it is definitely one of the more unique takes on the Lost City than I have read in adult fiction.

Eureka is seventeen, a senior, and understandably miserable after the recent death of her mother. But, she keeps her emotions tightly reined in - other than her suicide attempt. Still, she never breaks down and cries - per her mother's instructions. The only thing that pushes Eureka through her suddenly desolate life is solving the mystery that her mother left to her in her will - a book in an ancient language, a locked locket and a gauze-wrapped stone. If only the book had stuck more closely to this part of the story!

Unfortunately, the bulk of the book is your typical Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)-esque love triangle. Eureka is loved by lifelong friend, Brooks, and this new, mysterious stranger (and also lifelong stalker), Ander. To be honest, though, it is hard to see why anyone loves Eureka quite so much. Especially since she cannot even manage a conversation civilly. And watch out, step"monsters"! This book hardly paints divorced and blended families well! But, I must admit, the Atlantis parts - as few as they are - have me somewhat hooked. The Louisiana setting adds a fun element to the story, too. Maybe in the sequel, the characters will become more likable.

This story was interesting and enjoyable, and the characters were relatable. I also liked the mythology aspects of it.

I might have given this 5 stars if I read it in a different format. However, I listened to it during my commute to/from work (as I often do to make my drive go by faster ;) ). The person reading the story has a pleasant voice and did a great job...most of the time. However, half the time she was speaking, she sounded like she had retainers in her mouth. This was often distracting and sometimes took away from the author's story, which is too bad. That was also the first time I ever encountered that particular issue with an audiobook reader. I would recommend this story in any other format.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

This one took me a little while to get into and until almost the very end, it remained that way. Close to the end was were it really grabbed me. I think most of Lauren Kate's books were like this to me. Despite that, I think I enjoyed this one.

This was a really good book! :)
The only thing that bugged me about it was that I would catch myself skimming through the pages, because I guess I wanted something interesting to happen, and EVERYTHING that I wanted to happen, happened right at the end!!!

The action, adventure, mystery being solved, my question from like 300 pages ago being answered, and the romance? Everything happened in the last 2 chapters!! Which was good, at least all of my questions were answered :) And no, I am not going to spoil it ;)

The cover (oh that beautiful cover c: and the author of this book were the things that caught my attention, I mean the author of the Fallen series??? Of course I was going to read it!! So I did, and I honestly wanted to love this book more, but there was more conversations and situations happening more than anything.

Even though, this book was likeable and not what I expected, I am still looking forward to the second book, I know everything is going to heat up there :) Getting excited!!!

You can definitely see the maturation of Lauren Kate's writing in the first book of her new series.The characters are well developed, as are their relationships. This is a great novel. The plot is well conceived and executed. I gave it 4 stars as the door is left open at the end. I think all novels should stand on their own, not require a full trilogy to be complete. I'm hooked.

I was more than pleasantly surprised by this book. Having read the Divergent and Hunger games series which were entertaining but flawed, I didn't have many expectations for another YA trilogy type book. Luckily, this one exceeded expectations.

The book is a page turner that you really never want to put down. I found it to take risks and expose the characters far more often than your average young adult book. Familiar senses of loss are handled in a brutally honest fashion yet the entertainment factor remains. I got far more out of Teardrop than I was expecting.

Teardrop is a little more intense than its contemporaries. I wouldn't call it inappropriate by any means, but there are some kids who might be off put by it. Nonetheless, this was a very impressive book.

Eureka never cries… Never as she was warned by her mother to never cry. It was when she was really young but it stuck with her and she has never cried since – not even when her mother died in an accident that was supposed to claim her life too. Now struggling with school, friends, parents and a step mother, Eureka’s life is that of a typical teenager except for the numerous appointments with psychologists that she has to keep up with. But Things change suddenly as her best friend Brooks starts acting strangely and a mysterious boy called Ander enters her life.

Frankly speaking, I had zero expectation from this book. I had given up reading Fallen about halfway through as I was way too frustrated with Luce’s obsession with the jerk Daniel. Also, the language and narrative didn’t really help. When I came across Teardrop, I was first caught by its cover which I think is absolutely mesmerising. I decided to give this one a try thinking that since the author has a whole series under her belt now, she must have matured a bit over each book.

Eureka is a teenager living with survivor’s guilt. It is something hard to handle, I will grant you that and cut her some slack. But her never ending whining got on my nerves. Also, for a girl with near death experience, she is extremely shallow. There is this one place where she is describing her aunt as her mother ‘gone wrong’ as her mother was beautiful. I wanted to literally smack her at that point. There are many other similar instances when her shallow character is narrated in a way that makes you wonder if the author thinks that we are all as shallow to end up liking Eureka. Then enter Ander – and it is like ‘Fallen’ happening all over again. Eureka is all consumed by the thoughts of this ‘hot stranger’ who she falls for almost immediately and starts stalking and is soon obsessed about. (Well, after the first chapter of the book we do know that Ander can compete with her in those departments.) I cannot help but wonder if the author knows about healthy relationships where two people meet – get to know each other – go on dates – then fall in love? – The kind of relationship that doesn’t involve obsessing about strangers and stalking??

The overall pace of the book is well slow. Not much happens till the very end. And when it does, the whole climax seems to be rushed. The one thing that I did like about this book is that the plot had a lot of potential. Though not much happened in this instalment, the references of Atlantis and the not so subtle hints about Ander and Eureka’s heritage is quite interesting. Also, the author’s style of writing has improved a bit from her style in Fallen.

Overall, I did make it through this book only because I had picked it up with zero expectation. I am not sure whether I will be picking up the next book in the series – only time will tell that. Pick this one up if you are a Lauren Kate fan or have no expectations other than acquiring a pretty cover for your collection.

This was an extremely cute story, I'm stuck waiting for the sequel, the story left off with a huge cliff-hanger which stinks but the book was so good that I can stand waiting for another if it's going to be just as good. This was a cool story, and while the protagonist was a bit dramatic at times, I found myself liking the story regardless. I'm really looking forward to the sequel.

Teardrop (Teardrop Trilogy)
By: Lauren Kate
Category: Children's Books
The adventure that sparkles and shines within these pages is well worth you breaking out a cup of hot chocolate and curling up in your favorite chair so you can read all night.
The Teardrop Trilogy is terrific and will delight your senses.

Ok, so when I read something so disappointing I feel compelled to share with other potential readers. Teardrop was, unfortunately, one of those books.
Like so many other readers, I was captivated by the stunning cover art of this book. Man that photography was amazing with the dress. Then I read the cover sleeve. Its a fantasy about Atlantis in our modern world. Ok what's not to like? So I gave it a try. From page one I was shocked by the poor quality of the writing style and absolutely dullness of the entire plot.
(contains *some* spoilers - not much)
The book opens up by the author TELLING (not showing, as an author myself I'm compelled to notice writing flaws and they irritate me excessively) through the POV of some kid (Ander) we don't even know that much about. Not only was this mental monologue boring and loaded with unnecessary backstory, it was rather confusing from a reader's stand point. It was a lazy information dump that took away from so much from the story itself.
Then there was the protagonist we meet later on. (Eureka? Seriously? I mean I get YA names can be a little out there but I found this one irritating and an attempt to sound "cool") Personally, I couldn't stand Eureka's character and overall demeanor. There wasn't much likeable about her. Yes, I get the whole survivor's guilt thing. But her snottyness just made it difficult for me to sympathize with her. It takes FOREVER to reach any action or relevance to the plot in this story. Its slow moving to say the very least. Personally, I didn't care about her friends, what was going through her head, or her boy love. I just wanted to get to the real meat. And of course when she meets Ander its the typical girl-meets-boy sappiness, not to mention just somewhat creepy and gross when he does the whole tear in the eye thing.
I eventually got so fed up I could no longer continue reading, From a reader's stand point, if an author is going to pull me along by a thread to get to ANY good stuff in the book, assuming its there, I do not feel it worth my time. Lauren Kate has thoroughly convinced me never to pick up another book by her again.
After

The premise was interesting, and the story was entertaining. My problem was: I didn't relate to, connect with, or particularly like any of the main characters. The romance was pretty instant with Ander, but not consistent to one guy or the other as she seems to have sparks with both him and Brooks at some point or another. I liked how Atlantis was brought into the story. The story as a whole was entertaining. I just wish I had that something with one or any of the characters, but it just wasn't there, and that makes it hard to really get into a story. So, will I read the next book? Probably not, but hey, I never say never

I fell asleep more than once reading TEARDROP, which was a shame because I LOVED Lauren Kate's FALLEN series. But TEARDROP got better as it went along and I plan to read the next one when it comes out. I'm just curious enough.

I felt like the main character has been done before, and better. She seemed to be knowingly obtuse when the truth was staring her in the face, and that just got annoying. The pace was fairly slow, and while there was chemistry between the two male love interests, there was very little build-up. They would have a moment and then it would end. No progression. Just "that was fun, bye." So it was a bit of a flat line emotionally.

It's an interesting twist that the main character can't cry, especially for this genre. It takes the whole stoicism of many of the female characters who don't bat an eyelash at the craziness around them to a whole other level. But...it was kind of hard to believe.

Certainly curious where Lauren Kate will take it. It's a new world/myth to explore in this genre.

Teardrop is a take on the story of Atlantis though it takes a while for that to become apparent as Eureka’s mother kept this part of her life secret. It’s a great concept especially since Eureka was previously a fairly typical teen. And while Eureka does have some unlikable tendencies they are understandable given her situation and are balanced with her compassion for her younger siblings. Unfortunately, Lauren Kate tries to force a love triangle here. Note to authors: Not every young adult title needs a love triangle.

Wow! This book is wonderful! It kept me wanting to read more and more until the end! I love the romance! I can't wait until the next book comes out! If you haven't read this book, you need to this year! It's fantastic!

Lauren Kate was one of the first authors I discovered after discovering the paranormal genre, and I completely devoured her Fallen series as soon as they were released. So you can see why I would be excited to dive into something else written by her. Teardrop sounded absolutely amazing; however, I’m so completely torn with it because, no matter how much I wanted to love it - I didn’t it.

Eureka is a teenage girl who was told never to cry by her dead mother. She never understood the reason behind the warning but since that day she’s never shed a single tear. It’s not until a book is given to Eureka does she start to unravel the secrets of her destiny.

I really liked the idea of this story, I thought it unique and refreshing, however all of that is swallowed up by the rest of the story, a story that in all, doesn’t really stand out from any other paranormal story out there right now. The story is slow paced and not put together very well, it’s jumpy in parts and also there’s far too much telling and descriptions. Often the story jumps from the Eureka thinking about a past moment or something a character did in the past – but she’s talking about it for a page or two, or even longer. It takes you away from the story far too much and because it happens so much, I ended up skimming them parts. It wasn’t until about a third of the way through the story, that I still had absolutely no idea what was going on. Apart from the mysterious book, Ander’s strange encounters with Eureka and Brooks’ involvement – not much happens. By the time Eureka finally figures out the big secret, it’s safe to say I’d completely lost all interest in the story.

In a way I’m disappointed I didn’t like this book but I don’t blame the author at all, I understand that not all books are for everyone and just because I didn’t enjoy this one from Lauren Kate, it does not mean that I’ll stay clear of her other books in the future – because I won’t. Lauren Kate’s Fallen series will always remain a favourite of mine and I’ll look forward to seeing more from her in the future.

I remember reading this book a while ago, hoping to enjoy yet another great story like the Fallen series. However, with this book, I was not really impressed nor motivated to read. I felt like the chemistry between Eureka and Ander was meh. Personally, it was difficult to finish reading the book because it just felt like it dragged the entire time until near the end where you are left at your cliche. I am a little wary about picking up the second book for this series since the first one did not catch my interest at all sadly. It was not as memorable compared to Fallen. I felt like it was more forgettable if anything.

I love this author from her Fallen series. Similar to the Fallen series, the main character doesn't know what is so special about herself, but the details are spun very well, and the plot developed nicely, yet not too predictably, with enough tragedy to make for a very enjoyable read.

Interesting premise. Loved the concept. Maybe because this was a YA, it didn't draw me in like other books, but again, I got this to read as part of my two-person book club, and I would recommend this book to my friend's daughter.

Another enchanting book by Lauren Kate. As soon as I opened the book I was off. I was intrigued by the story and wanted to know how it's going to unravel and become what? I have an idea. But can't wait to read the next novel Waterfall

I had real hopes for Teardrop – despite all the bad reviews. I enjoyed the Fallen series despite all it’s negative criticism, so I thought I should give it chance. But sadly, I was disappointed. This wasn’t an amazing read – but it wasn’t awful.
Pretty cover, great grabbing synopsis – everything indicates a possible amazing read. Though there was insta love, some poor character development and motives and I personally think there was a poor portrayal of myths and legends.
First off – I did like the plot idea. It had all the possibilities for twists and turns, flexibility and dramatic climax’s. Though it was poorly carried out. There was hardly any twists, the story stayed fairly stream lined and predictable – like a computerized game of chess. And the climax was as gripping as a sack of unwashed potatoes.
The only character that was developed well was the main character (). Straight from the beginning, we get an understanding of who she is, her personal demons, her motives, her undeniable goal of keeping her emotions under lock and key is clear – and works well with her, uh, “curse”. Though everyone else is a little flat. Even her close friend; as eccentric as Cat is, we have no idea why she is even friends with (). How did their relationship form with someone so emotionally unavailable? Even before her mothers’ death, she is somewhat withdrawn. Same goes with other bestie (). This is just some of the plotholes I have within the relationships of Teardrop. More includes weird hatred between Rhoda and (), and what the hell is up with her dad? So much is just unexplained, illogical and not clear.
And to hell with the insta love in this book. How does this emotionally unavailable girl, at her lowest of lowest points of stony unavailability, fall insanely in love with the boy she’s come to know as her wired stalker? Well, we can assume in some part that this “love” is formed from their descendants; who also happen to instantly fall in love at first sight – which we learn from the mythical/legend side of things. Ugh.
The mythical legend of Atlantis is what this story is based around, and we grasp this from a translated fable her mother leaves her with after she dies. This is a really poor modern version of events, in my opinion. I used to love the story of Atlantis as a child – and this book has turned it into something corny and overly dark/evil at the same time. Just torture me more, Kate?
Even though I liked Fallen, I did not enjoy his book nearly as much. What’s sadder is that I can see some similarities between Teardrop and Fallen, such as basing a love story from mythical legends. I believe this was carried out much better in Fallen, and Kate is leaving out some important aspect in Teardrop. Such as mystery, logical connections with the legend and twists that actually suit what is trying to be told.

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