Lauren Kate

Teardrop

Briar's Reviews

If you can believe this, I bought Teardrop when it came out... And it's been sitting on my shelf ever since. I kept looking at the book and I wanted to pick it up, but I just never did. It kind of breaks my heart, since this is totally the book I would have loved way back when... But I did finally manage to grab in when I decided it was nostalgia time! And, thankfully, I wasn't disappointed!

Was this my favourite book in the world? No. It was kind of whiny at times, and I know I was supposed to feel bad for the main character... but at times, Eureka was unbearable. A fair amount of the characters frustrated me, but I let that slide since this is a YA fantasy where everything doesn't have to make perfect sense. She acts like how I expect a teenager to act - they are all self centred and their world DOES revolve around them. She was depressed and needed help, and honestly her family could be a bit of a nightmare. Her friends were also very stereotypical, and not in a good way. An African-American friend who was just into sex and a good time? Eh... Felt like a bad stereotype, but high school girls can act like that... A best friend who's into her but also kind of seeing another girl and totally leading them both on? What a jerk! Typical? Totally was at my house school. Boys sucked! So, I'll give it to Lauren Kate... Sadly, it the drama was fairly realistic (sadly, meaning my high school was stereotypical like this one... and I wish that wasn't the sad part).

The plot itself? Eureka being "the chosen one" that will somehow help (or hinder) finding Atlantis? Super cool plot wise! It's a different mythology that I'm pumped to see brought forward in the YA world. Getting to the plot? TOOK FOREVER. It was painful how long it took to getting to the lore, which is why it took many attempts to jump back into this book. I seriously wanted to love it, and at times I did... but at other times, it was too slow (and the unbearable characters made that so much worse).

The book leaves off on a horrible cliffhanger that frustrates me. The book didn't end with some sort of fulfilling statement, it just left lots of unanswered questions. I don't want to come to the end of the book and feel forced to read the sequels. I should have some sort of conclusion that allows me to continue if I want to. Sure, at book two keep the cliffhangers, but not at the intro book. That annoyed me and I just... don't want to keep reading? If I stumble upon the book, sure, but I won't go out of my way. 

Overall, this book was not my favourite. There is a lot of positives - the cover is GORGEOUS, the lore is super cool, and I think Lauren Kate's writing is very addicting. The slow pace, annoying characters, and slow to start lore is what is steering me away from these books.

Two out of five stars.

Neeky Reid

I hate the book so much. A lot of words saying little to absolutely nothing. Eureka this, Diane this in every freaking sentence. I'm so angry that I was cover fished. It was so awful, I can't, I literally cannot go any further.

Ayden

Better than I expected 
Weird romantic situation though I appreciate how much the love triangle could go either way
Author not afraid to murder her characters 
Cool story concept

Elizabeth Neill

I couldn't finish it. Not one of my favorites

Amanda Kordeliski

2.5
The characters are not well fleshed out and the plot is similar to Kate's other series, Fallen. Eureka continually goes against her instincts and puts herself in dangerous situations enough I felt like I was watching a horror movie where everyone knows not to go into the basement but the stupid girl.

I did think the story picked up after the first 100 pages and finished much stronger than it started. All the secondary characters were completely flat except for the fortune teller. I also never really believed the "connection" between her and Ander and what led to her complete obsession with him.

Seventeen-year-old Eureka's life is taking on dark undercurrents that don't make sense . . . Her mother killed in a freak accident. Her best friend, Brooks, behaving like a stranger. And Ander. The boy with eyes like the ocean who is everywhere she goes. Uncovering her mother's legacy - a stone, a locket and an ancient tale of romance and heartbreak - Eureka begins to question everything she thought she knew. Only one thing is certain: everything she loves can be washed away.

Samantha Shepherd 

For a book that tells you not to cry, all I wanted to do was cry. It took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I couldn't stop reading. Thankfully went into this without reading Fallen, since everyone says it is the same. Regardless of that, its a beautiful book, and I can not wait for the second book! Fangirling Ander right now!

Since Eureka's mother drowned, she wishes she were dead too, but after discovering that an ancient book is more than a story Eureka begins to believe that Ander is right about her being involved in strange things--and in danger.

Jessica Williamson

2.75 Stars

Mostly I wonder, why does this book appeal to teens? I was interested because of the world building. It wasn't something I'd read before, I love Atlantis myths, and it was VERY mysterious so I wanted to know what was happening. But for a teenager? I feel like this would be kinda boring.

Most of the action happens toward the end, pacing wasn't great. 

I have questions about Ander that just don't make sense and I'm not sure if it's something that will be addressed in the next book or not. 

And now I want to talk about Rhoda. (view spoiler)[ I feel like if you're going to kill off a character, it should be a character we care about. Like, yeah, it sucks because you see her husband and kids have to deal with it, but we've only really gotten to know her through Eureka's POV. And quite frankly that view of her is that she is a harpy biotch who can't empathize with a teenage girl who lost her mother and a homewrecker to boot. She probably deserves the smite of God she just received. Except I don't think that's what Kate was going for here. I think she wanted us to be upset. And I just don't feel that way after the character was dragged. Also, WTF was the purpose of Cat being there?????  (hide spoiler)]

I have so many questions, so few answers. All of that being said, the book was fine. I didn't love it, didn't hate it. I liked it enough to read the next one and hopefully get some answers. 

Cover 2; Characters 3; Plot 3; Pace 2; Writing 4; Enjoyment 3.

Anna Agarwal

Alexia Cambaling

I will try again some time. Eureka (ugh, what's up with her name?) is so boring and utterly lifeless (no pun intended) that I cannot stand her form more than an hour.

Pamela Alvarado

I'm gonna go and agree with GR ratings here: It was ok, barely.

I've read Fallen, (only Fallen), and I didn't like it. I didn't think the way Lauren Kate writes is for me, so I just refrained from reading the other books. But then I found this one at my local library. 

A girl who can never cry or something bad will happen? Cool!

But I had more than one issue with this book that prevented me from enjoying it.

1. The Insta-Love

Ander has watched Eureka during her whole life. He's learned more things about her than she even knows about herself. I guess, in a weird way, it makes sense he'd be kind of infatuated. 

But on Eureka's side, she's just seen this guy, what, two or three times, and then then fourth or fifth she's decided she loves him? What's this?


2. Adults exist to make Eureka look good
Aside from the morbid fact that every adult woman in this book dies, the other adults are only there so Eureka can complain about no one truly understanding her.

3. Eureka's grief
I think this is a delicate topic, since everyone grieves in their own way. I'd never want to know what it's like to lose your mother. But at my own risk, I dare say I don't think I'd act this way. I'd expect this from mother who has lost their child, because that must be like a whole unique kind of hell. But this... an accident? It seemed a bit excessive at times. Especially because it's just Ander the one who she seems to have any interest in being with; a boy she is sure is stalking him, and not her family, or her friends. In a story like this, you cna't have the character being this bland all the time. I kept waiting for her to do something that would make me really root for her, but it never happened.

4. Eureka has problems
*cough* The mental kind *cough* When she confronts Ander about his stalking habits, and he actually admits to them, going so far to detail some things about even her friends, Eureka is like... Well, he's a stalker, but he's cute. So I'm just gonna go to the police station, pretend I'm interested in getting him arrested, and then find some satisfaction in catching him watching me.

5. The disappointment 1 
When at one point Brooks, Eureka's best friend tells her everything tht is wrong with her, everything we readers want her to realize and would be willing to hit her with, he's dismissed later. So, where did that all go?! 

6. The disappointment 2
Particularly, when shit hits the fan at last, the results are kind of like this:

 

Instead of

 


And as a last note, I did not appreciate the story treating the grand revelation of the curse she has as something THAT grand. I mean, seriously, she was given a book where the girl in the story, cries a whole continent to the ocean. Her significant other's name was Leander. 

Eureka's mother had always told her not to cry, and she remembers this she reads about the girl but doesn't make any connection? 

Wut?

And at considering Leander and Ander all she has to say is: They even had similar names. And continues reading.

*facepalm*

Gretchen Gomez

I am giving this book 3.8 stars.

I feel like this book was the introduction of the saga to come, so I have hope that it will be a great series.

What kind of turned me off was the bad grammar, I have no idea if that had to do with the advanced reader's copy that I received.

Ander is not your typical bad boy that you automatically fall in love with. He does intrigues you into wanting to know more about him though. Knowing that this is a Lauren Kate book, it's so different from her Fallen series which I think is a great thing.

I feel like Ander wasn't really involved in this first book. It does seem that he will be very much involved in the books to come. Have I mentioned that I'm looking forward to the series already? Cause I want to know what's going to happen.

This kind of paranormal is way different from the usual fallen angels, vampires, witches, werewolves, fairies, etc.
I would recommend in giving it a shot.