Guest Review-Teardrop by Lauren Kate, reviewed by Cara

Hi guys. I have an amazing friend. She’s called Cara and she agreed to review Teardrop for me after I a)had too many books to get through and b)fell out of love with Lauren Kate after Passion.

Title: Teardrop

 Author: Lauren Kate

Series:   Teardrop #1

Published:  22 October 2013 by Random House

Length: 441 pages

Source: publisher

Summary : 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: ‘Teardrop’ is set in New Iberia, Louisiana. The protagonist, a 17 year old girl named Eureka, is trying to cope with the recent death of her mother, who died in a freak wave created by a group of people called the seedbearers. They wanted to kill eureka but she doesn’t remember a thing. Cue attractive male hero; who must fight against his upbringing to save the girl he loves.

 Lauren Kate is a fantastic author, however I have found most of her books quite sluggish to begin with and often it is difficult to identify with the characters until at least a quarter of the way into the book. In teardrop however she jumps straight in with the description of a boy, who is waiting in a boat only a little way away from the Seven Mile Bridge, whose poetic view of the murder that is about to take place helps to define the tone of the book. Ander explains that he has been stalking the girl in the car for most of her life; he also explains the seedbearers’ plot to kill her. I really enjoyed his narration of events and it was a shame to lose his insight but in the second chapter and for the duration of the book we get to see the story unfold through Eureka’s eyes. I thought the plot was pretty typical of Lauren Kate; however it was narrated beautifully with lots of intricate details allowing the setting to appear before me. I thought that Eureka was really well written if a little repetitive at times. [BIG SPOILER HIGHLIGHT TO REVEAL] The best friend turned love interest follows almost every possible stereo type until our dear friend Ander reappears to explain the latest plot twists, involving an ancient storybook, a murder and a couple of car crashes. Not forgetting the all important best friend being possessed by an ancient king. [/END SPOILER] Altogether a rather well paced book which, though at times was gripping, was prone to slow, prolonged scenes concerning blooming romances between Eureka and male characters. I loved the plot twists and thought the touches of magic were incorporated nicely into the plot, making it a very enjoyable read!

Overall:  4/5

Links: | Goodreads | Author website |