Series: Teardrop, Book One
Publisher: RandomHouse
Format: ARC
Published: 24th October 2013
Number of Pages: 464
Book: For Review*
Genre: Dark Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mythical, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, YA
Recommended Age: 13+
Contains:Swearing, Death, Alcohol and Suicide References
No Drug References
Author's Site: Lauren Kate
Never, ever cry…
Seventeen-year-old Eureka won’t let anyone close enough to feel her pain.
After her mother was killed in a freak accident, the things she used to love hold no meaning. She wants to escape, but one thing holds her back: Ander, the boy who is everywhere she goes, whose turquoise eyes are like the ocean.
And then Eureka uncovers an ancient tale of romance and heartbreak, about a girl who cried an entire continent into the sea. Suddenly her mother’s death and Ander’s appearance seem connected, and her life takes on dark undercurrents that don’t make sense.
Can everything you love be washed away?
Review:“Never, ever cry again…"
Ever since she was a little girl, Eureka Boudreaux's mother has been told that she can never, ever cry - no matter what.
But now Eureka’s mother Diana is gone, killed in a freak accident, and Eureka feels as dead as her mother. She feels broken, empty, and secretly wishes she'd died alongside her mother.
And everywhere Eureka goes, there's Ander. Ander, the mysterious boy who knows all kinds of things that he shouldn't know. The boy who is the first person since the accident to worm his way past her defences, the boy who brings her closer to tears than she ever has been in her life.
And then, at the reading of her mother's will, Eureka is left an old book in a language no one she knows can read. And Ander carries on following her, warning her, protecting her...
Behind the secrets and confusion lies an ancient story, one that ended in pain and death. Can Eureka escape fate? Or will everything she's ever loved just... wash away…?
I must say, I really did enjoy the Fallen series. And therefore I just knew I needed Teardrop - ASAP. I was even more intrigued once I read about the concept behind the book. I've got to admit, I preferred Teardrop. I just adored the uniqueness of the mythology and found myself one-hundred-percent hooked from the beginning.
I also couldn't help seeing the similarities between Luce from the Fallenseries and Eureka. Both are pretty damaged, drawn to the mysterious types, have weird pasts/destinies... For some reason, this kind of muddied my feelings towards Eureka for a while. But I do prefer her to Luce, I think. Even though Eureka is so very broken and distant, you can still feel her pain. Anyone who's ever lost someone close to them will be able to relate to Eureka and what she feels for her dead mother. So even though there were times when I could literally smack the back of Eureka's head, I still found her a compelling and thoroughly interesting character, albeit not always overly loveable.Then there’s Ander... I'm not entirely sure what to make of him. I didn't love him or hate him. He did the whole stalker thing, which I'm not a fan of (hello: felony?) but he was doing it for a reason, unlike certain other characters. I just don't think he was really in it enough for me to get a proper read (no pun intended). There was also the whole sorta insta-love – on Eureka's side, at least. It was more understandable for Ander. I'm really interested to see where the two of them are going...
As for the other characters, I absolutely loved her best friend Cat: she was brilliant! And Eureka's younger siblings were too cute!
But I've got to admit, the whole best-friend-being-in-love-with-female-protagonist-causing-a-love-triangle is beginning to really bug me. It's just so, so overused now. I mean, why can't a boy and girl be friends without one being in love with the other or one being gay? Seriously: people of opposite genders can really just be friends! I know, I was shocked by this too…. Ok, sorry for the rant. It’s not even overly justified here, because the before-mentioned love triangle wasn't what it first appeared to be... The plot: well, I found it damn near impossible to tell where the book was taking me. I may have guessed a few twists, but I was just so drawn in by the story. It may have started kind of slow following the prologue, but it added to the suspense, the mystery.
And there's no denying that Kate's writing is amazing – both in Teardrop and in her other books. I must say, I loved the kind of pained-angsty feel to the writing – it really fitted in with Eureka's personality. However, perhaps due to the third person and Eureka's withdrawn emotions, I did find it a little hard to really connect with her... The subtle(ish) religious undertones bugged me a bit, too. As someone who isn't overly religious, I do get a little annoyed when religion is thrown in so often – although again, I guess it's to be expected given the mythology and setting... But distance and religion aside, it's really hard to fault Kate's beautiful writing.
Especially any of the bits that referred to the Book of Love and the love story within. I mean, the mythology in Kate's book is one of the most unique I've ever come across. It's just so freaking cool! Seriously cool! Seriously! And after that ending... well, I can't wait to see what happens next!
All in all, I loved Teardrop. The story and mythology were both so utterly unique, the writing beautiful and the characters interesting. Whilst certain aspects did bug me a little, I am desperately awaiting the second books – my mild annoyances were completelyovershadowed by the bits I really like about this book.
Star Rating:
3¾ Out of 5
3¾ Out of 5
Read this book if you liked:
Fallen by Lauren Kate
Happy Reading
Megan
* This book was received from RandomHouse in exchange for an honest review
** Quotes used are from a proof copy and may have been changed in the finished book