Katherine’s place is the
same as any woman’s, on the shelf next to the dresses and bolts of
cloth. When she’s sold to a warlock, life grows even bleaker. Her new
owner is as old and rancid as he is cruel, driving her to do the
unthinkable: run.
Nothing prepared her for being on her own. And
she’s definitely unprepared for the warlocks hunting her down. But she
must stay one step ahead because if caught, the best she can hope for is
death.
Katherine has just been sold to a wealthy warlock, due to the potent mix of magic within her blood. In a society where women are but mere possessions, their only worth comes from their ability to bare a son, to carry on the next generation of warlocks. Nigel, Katherine's new owner is cruel, unforgiving and far older than should be legal. Katherine is defiant and won't go down without a fight.
Katherine's mother has always been a secret advocate for revolution, encouraging Katherine to flee the oppression under her new ownership. She enables Katherine to drug the warlock, ensuring she can escape and find the Tarnished hideout. But when she follows her mother's directions, she stumbles upon a young Tarnished male, who comes to her aide against the authorities. Charles works within a group of Tarnished that intervene with women who don't want to be owned. The group live underground and have several tunnel locations in which women and Tarnished alike hide.
Expected to take all of her belongings in her escape, Katherine has left behind a hair ribbon, one that a special person in her life had given her. When the pungent Nigel Crowell uses the ribbon and casts a hex to find her, the entire hideout is on the run. Katherine won't put anyone else in danger, but Charles won't let the young beauty go. The two teens are now on the run, but when one of their own turns against them, will they be able to outrun their pursuant or die trying?
Mine To Tarnish is the novella depicting Katherine's story, of how she came to be as an integral part of the Mine series. The series is set in a magically dystopian world, where women are nothing more than possessions, their only value is how magically potent their blood is, so that they have the potential to bare the next generation of powerful warlocks. Any woman who doesn't comply is Tarnished, which is signified by an intricate web of tattoo's across her face and placed into a life of servitude. It's depressing and oppressive, but females are incredibly resilient and a rebellion is on the cards.
I really enjoy Janeal Falor's style of writing. She's factual and to the point, not wasting time on lengthy descriptions, rather delving straight into the action. I'm really looking forward to the release of Mine To Spell, the second book in the series.
Mine To Tarnish
(Mine: Book 0.5)
Written By Janeal Falor
Expected Publication 02 / 12 / 2013
112 Pages
Thank you to Janeal Falor and YA Book tours for the competition giveaway.
Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town… Until River West comes along. River rents the guest house behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard.
Is River just a crooked smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more?
Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery... Who makes you want to kiss back.
Violet’s already so knee deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.
Violet's grandmother Frankie was a deeply religious woman before she passed, always reminding her about the dangers of the Devil finding her, I just don't think Violet knew how true that would become. Seventeen year old Violet and twin brother Luke White live alone, their parents are artists and fled to Europe more than a year ago, leaving the two teens penniless and left to maintain an enormous property that is on the verge of falling apart. The house built in 1941 and affectionately known as Citizen Kane, is perched on the edge of the ocean. The location hasn't been kind to the old house, and through years of neglect, the house now needs urgent repairs. But when Violet rents out their guest house to River West, life within the seaside town of Echo is about to be turned upside down.
River West came without any personal effects, apart from a sly, sexy smile and a wallet that barely closes. He wants to rent the White's guest house, under the guise that his parents are travelling through South America on an archeology find. Violet can't wait to dash next door to tell best friend Sunshine about the new stranger, the boy who evades personal questions with a shrug and a smile. But there is something about River that doesn't sit quite right.
As the four teens set out into town, they bypass the tunnel housing the local legend of Blue Hoffman, the hermit who allegedly lives deep within the tunnel and keeps missing children. But when River scoffs at the urban myth and drags Sunshine into the tunnel, no one expected Sunshine to emerge wailing, scared as hell. While Sunshine expected River to kiss her, instead she claims she seen Blue... Only River claims not to have seen a thing. Sunshine doesn't believe in ghosts, monsters of fairies, so what was it that she saw? River doesn't seem disturbed, he seems... Amused.
Daniel Leap is the town drunk, always shouting slurred abuse about Violet's family. Violet has become accustomed to his drunken rants, but River is furious, revealing his darker side that Violet has every reason to be wary of... And rightly so. Going to see classic films in the park has always been a favourite of Violet's, with River tagging along to see Casablanca provides a whole new experience. But when he asks to stop by the local cemetery, Violet never expected to be accosted by three vigilante children, searching for the Devil. Their ringleader Jack, claims to be on patrol with makeshift wooden stakes after a girl was supposedly taken by the Devil. Surely it was only a game, but by the way each boy held his stake, their eerie description of the one who took the little girl, left Violet feeling more than uneasy. But when brother Luke verifies the police presence and search parties looking for the girl, the cemetery is overrun by children, all brandishing stakes and on the hunt for the Devil.
Citizen Kane has always felt as though a ghostly presence was attached to the house, but when the group receive a warning via the Ouija board in the attic, that someone is coming, the ominous warning should be taken seriously and they have no idea what's to come. As River and Violet's relationship deepens, Violet confronts the boy who landed on her doorstep, branding him a liar. He convinces children to look for the Devil, he's caused Sunshine's hallucinations, and he admits that he isn't quite normal, He has The Glow. River can make others see things, planting ideas in their head. Within the blink of an eye he can cause mayhem and devastation. River is evil, no matter how much he denies being misunderstood, so why doesn't Violet feel compelled to ask him to leave?
But if Violet thought River was truly evil, she hasn't met Brodie, the boy who really entombs who the Devil is.
I wasn't sure what to expect from Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and I was pleasantly surprised. It reminded me of Anna Dressed in Blood, the same suspense and drama and was also beautifully written. River is a lovable villain, he's delightfully evil. He's a proven liar, but his use of The Glow can compel others, including Violet. When River's past follows the trail of destruction, we're introduced to Neely. Neely is bad tempered and violent but is also the only person that River has been able to rely on. Neely also brings the truth, correcting the lies River has told, and who River truly is.
I found the conversation between a few characters irritating, the use of Brother and Sister within the dialogue was annoying. I personally didn't need reminding of the relationship between siblings, because surely no one ever refers to their sister, as Sister. Regardless, it was entertaining and I'll be continuing with the series.
Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(Between: Book One)
Written By April Genevieve Tucholke
Written By April Genevieve Tucholke
Published 15 / 08 / 2013
368 Pages
Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations long political feud, and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection, and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city, including herself.
Manhattan is set to host the wedding event that will unite two feuding families, pity seventeen year old Aria can't remember Thomas, as she wakes up from an overdose and suffering partial memory loss. Aria Rose is a political darling, living the life of an entitled girl high in the Rose penthouse apartments. The city is now living between two castes, those living above and the needy and magical living below. Global warming has decimated so many cites around the world, but those with wealth and importance are still living in luxury. The depths are now saltwater filled canals, with the rising sea levels eventually predicted to swallow the island.
The union of the Rose and Foster families will ensure Violet Brooks will never be in power. Violet is a dangerous Mystic that believes in fairness and equality for all citizens, and Aria's pending nuptials will ensure Manhattan's safety. There is no doubt that Thomas is handsome, dashing even, but for a couple supposedly in love, why are his touches awkward and kisses chaste? Why does he still feel as though he's a stranger? As Aria's lost memories linger just out of reach, she realises this wedding will happen even without her consent. But when she finds a hidden note reminding her to remember, Aria goes searching for answers to the questions she's afraid of asking.
When Aria escapes her own engagement party for a breath of fresh air, she slips upon her balcony and mere moments from plunging to her death, a figure emerges from the shadows to save her. He disappears as quickly as he appeared, but not before Aria catches a glimpse of a small starburst tattoo on the inside of his wrist. Aria can't confide in either best friend Kiki or her personal servant Davida, who she considers a friend. But the details Aria is being fed just aren't adding up. The strange locket she finds in her purse, the lack of engagement ring, considering she and Thomas are supposed to be in love, and the love letters she finds in her room, posing under the names as Romeo and Juliet. But when Aria sneaks out looking to talk to Thomas, she encounters a group of disgruntled teens down within the depths. Angry that her family have abandoned them, and finds herself bleeding from the thugs inflicted wound. When she's saved by an illegal mystic who has retained his powers, rather than being afraid, she escapes with him towards The Block, where the mystics are contained by the powers that be.
Rebel mystics are illegal, Aria's father hunts them on a daily basis, but deep within the Depths of Manhattan, with an empowered mystic, Aria has never felt safer. She now realises that he wasn't a figment of her imagination, Hunter has now saved her twice. Aria has always known that her father was a dangerous man, but when he's called to retrieve her in the middle of the night, courtesy of Thomas, Aria experiences what a cold blooded killer he truly is. Her father has been an advocate for the torture and draining of the mystics abilities, under the guise of powering the city, but it has always been to keep them weak and to abolish any murmurings of a rebellion. The excess power used to make Stic, the drug Aria supposedly took. It's rumored that the rebels are living in the underground subway tunnels, her father and his team, including reformed mystics Elissa and Patrick, searching the city for access.
Her questions lead her to Lyrica, who resides in a hidden building outside the confines of The Block. A mystic with the ability to shed light on Aria's missing memories. Someone has stolen Aria's memories, known as tampering magic. Aria in fact has never taken Stic, with no trace of mystic energy within her body. Aria is being deceived, as it comes to light that she's undergone a procedure to wipe away a memory that her family clearly want to erase from her life. It's clear that Aria has no one that she can trust, apart from Hunter, but is he too hiding something that has been erased?
Violet Brooks is rallying the unfortunate and mystics alike, demanding to be heard while Aria's father wants her silenced. Her savior will be someone that she least suspected, and as the city plunges into mayhem and rioting, not everyone fighting for the cause will survive.
Mystic City has by far, the most incredible prologue that I've come across, I was instantly submerged into the storyline and couldn't put it down. The plot follows the story of Aria, who is a likable character and although she has been brought up as a political princess in one of the most powerful families in Manhattan, she's street smart and won't fall into the perfect public life that she's forced to endure. More dystopian with a fantasy twist, it's engaging and the forbidden romance that emerges with Hunter isn't part of the typical young adult love triangle, that becomes clear as the storyline progresses. Mystic city has all the components of an awesome dystopian with a fantasy flare, an oppressive ruler, disgruntled citizens and two groups that would rather Manhattan go down in flames, than to submit.
I loved it! Toxic Heart, book two in the Mystic City series can't come soon enough.
Mystic City
(Mystic City: Book One)
Written By Theo Lawrence
Published 09 / 10 / 2012
(Mystic City: Book One)
Written By Theo Lawrence
Published 09 / 10 / 2012
282 Pages
Nerissa Marin hides
among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her
birthright, the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was
murdered. Blending in is her best weapon, until her father's betrayer
confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on
Nerissa's upcoming birthday, the day she comes of age.
Amid
danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy
is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her
defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help
her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa's mortal
enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will
this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her?
Nerissa is a junior, star of the Dover Preparatory field hockey team, orphan and princess to an underwater kingdom, a title she neither wants or cares for. Rissa has spent her life studying humans, and now she finds herself blending and living amongst them, the human's are none the wiser. She is the only living heir to her father's throne, the Gold Court. Once turning seventeen and coming of age, Riss is expected to rule the High Court, but after her father was murdered, her mother having passed when Nerissa was young, the High Court is now taken over by Ehmora, the tyrant ruler of the opposing Ruby Court. But Rissa isn't interested in the politics of Waterfell or the governing body, returning to her spiritual home or her royal duty.
The water calls to Rissa and her kindred,much in the same wat that it attracts surfer, and new boy at school Lotherius, or Lo as he is affectionately known. The Aquarathi don't usually tend to feel emotional connections with humans, and apart from Nissa's bond with best friend and human Jenna, so when she feels an instant connection with Lo, she believes it's due to being on the verge of Dvija. Dvija is the coming of age transition in which the Aquarathi find a mate, and bond with her own kind. But Lo is persistent, and little by little, she begins to experience the raw human emotion, love.
The only family Riss has now are her royal guardians, Echlios who is responsible for her physical development and his mate Soren, who will groom and prepare Riss as the royal High Court heir and their son Speio, who poses as her foster brother. Her time away from her kingdom is a chance to involve herself in ensuring the preservation of the ocean in which the Aquarathi call home, it isn't until she stumbles upon Ehmora, that she realises she is the only hope Waterfell has of becoming a fair and free kingdom again. But when Riss collapses at school, she has no option but to break the carnal rule of the Aquarathi, to tell human best friend Jenna who she really is. Surprisingly, Jenna not only will fiercely keep Rissa's secret, but she may proove to be a greater asset than Riss realised.
As Rissa's relationship develops with Lo, the two become inseparable, speaking long into the night. But Rissa realises that she knows nothing about the boy she seems to be falling for, but soon becomes one of the few people she can trust. Can she tell him what she really is? As her training begins, Rissa's father's warning has never been clearer, to never return to Waterfell, but how can she turn her back on her people, on those who showed their loyal support and trust of her father, a man who Ehmora murdered simply to take over the court. Ehmora wants Riss dead, the only living heir to the Kingdom and sends assassins after her, immersing them within Nissa's trusted allies. But it seems that Ehmora has other plans, these aren't human assassin's and nor are they Aquarathi, they are a mixture of spliced DNA.
The new race of hybrids aren't bound to the Aquarathi laws and undetectable to their keen sense of kindred. Rissa didn't believe it was possible, for inter species breeding, being able to mate and reproduce with a human. Ehmora wants to dominate both land and water and is suspected to be creating a hybrid army. Just in time, as Nerissa suddenly comes into her own, the raw power and strength running through her waterborn being, the new queen has now come of age.
But as she follows the trail hoping to find who has breached her trust, who is working with Ehmora within the network of those working against her, she realises that there are very few people she can trust. It won't be just one who has betrayed her and sometimes It's who you least expect could be working with the enemy. But are they really working towards Nerissa's demise?
Waterfell wasn't a tale of an underwater city, of pretty beings living amongst us, it's the struggle Rissa faces with accepting who she is and what is expected of her. Rissa is a sea monster known as an Aquarathi, born to another planet, but now her people have settled within the deepest parts of our oceans. It was a brilliant concept and the characters were not only engaging, but likable. The storyline was a mixture of what felt like a contemporary young adult, when Nissa struggles with her feelings of being an average teen girl on the verge of becoming a woman, her first crush, a loyal best friend, her overprotective foster brother and where her loyalties lie. I loved the relationship between Riss and best friend Jenna, that true friendship knows no bounds, even when one is another species altogether.
The storyline does touch on sexual content, but keeping it within the confines appropriate for teen readers. It's well written and the plot twists will keep you on your toes. I'm now eagerly awaiting what Amalie has in store for the second in the series. I'm imagining a beautiful underwater world, magically and mystical. Just beautiful.
Waterfell
(Aquarathi: Book One)
Written By Amalie Howard
Expected Publication 29 / 10 / 2013
304 Pages
Thank you Harlequin Australia for the review copy.
But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group’s members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself, or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?
As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim, or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?
Set in Jazz Age London, this alluring sequel to Born of Illusion comes alive with sparkling romance, deadly intrigue, and daring magic.
I’m not sure who to tell you about here because I’m actually two people rolled into one. As a responsible mother of teens, I show one persona to the world. That person is driven, conservative and level headed. But the other part of me just never grew up. She is rebellious, impulsive and curious.
It’s hard being both these people. They’re often at odds.
The mother part of me knows I should put a cap on how many animals we take in. The teen part of me wants to save them all. We have five cats and two dogs. Who do you think is winning?
Even now. The mother part wants to make a meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a tossed salad. The teen part wants to order a pizza, work on my website and check my Facebook.
Luckily, though my two halves don’t always agree, both of us live happily in Portland, Oregon, with a husband and too many animals. And we both love to write and write and write...
You can find Teri hanging out on Twitter Facebook and her Website
Brought to you by Book Nerd Tours
Foreign, or rather unfamiliar, would be the word I would use to describe how I felt. Faintly, I could hear the glimmer of voices surrounding me in this dark haze, caressing my ears like skin against silk. I felt like I was in a cocoon of sorts, protectively enveloped, quietly drifting in some far-off place. I wanted to stay that way forever.
But we all know that what you want never really seems to happen in the real world.
Something’s not right in Mia’s head. The first thing is that her name isn’t Mia. In fact, she has no clue what her name is, who she is. All that she knows is that she’s not like the ones who found her: Dante with his kind blue eyes, Amy with her child-like demeanor, James with his questioning gaze. And Briggs.
The one she cannot decipher no matter how hard she tries.
As Mia tries to fit in with these people, a strange occurrence is amidst outside. And as she finally remembers who she is... Well, let’s just say that things get a little more complicated.
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A little sneak peek of Reap, by the brilliant Christina Channelle
I opened my eyes but had to squeeze them shut against the harsh lights. My lids felt swollen, heavy with fatigue. My eyes burned, tears leaking from their corners.
It was the most uncomfortable of feelings.
I must have been dreaming.
“Hello?”
Although the word seemed alien to me, almost as if I had never heard it before, I instantly understood its meaning. The voice that had spoken was warm, making me feel as if I were suddenly sitting in front of a fireplace, wrapped in a heavy blanket, flames crackling. The heat of the word practically licked my skin.
Again, I tried opening my eyes, this time a bit more cautiously. Blinking, I slowly adjusted to the artificial lights, now able to see.
I found myself staring back into a pair of bright blue eyes, a look of wariness in their depths. For a brief moment I couldn’t look away as I stared up at him. Then he cleared his throat and glanced away, as if uncomfortable with my gaze. With the spell of his eyes broken, it was then that I noticed I was lying on the ground—no, on hardwood floor.
And with not one, but three interested faces peering down at me.
I sat up, then winced at the abruptness of my movement, bringing my hand to the back of my head.
Pain, my mind whispered.
“Careful now.”
I directed my eyes toward the person who had spoken such kind words. It was the first person I had noticed, the one with the blue eyes and the warm voice. His voice was deep and calming, and as I sat there I tried to think of the emotion I should be experiencing. Inhaling softly, I closed my eyes, ignored the painful throb in my head, and waited for the proper term to flutter into my mind.
Gratitude.
“Where did you come from?”
Satisfied I had found the correct word, I opened my eyes again to the voice speaking to me. It was a pleasant voice, reassuring to say the least, and immediately captured my attention.
At that moment, I didn’t notice the black hair atop his head, a striking contrast against his blue eyes that looked like I was staring into an ocean. I didn’t notice that the corners of his eyes crinkled up when he smiled kindly at me, complementing the single dimple in his right cheek. By just looking at him, anyone could tell that he was someone who knew how to laugh. But I didn’t notice any of that.
All those things I would notice later.
I stared at the corner of his lips as he continued to speak, not toward me, but to the others present in the room. “Guys … I don’t think she understands a word I’m saying,” he mumbled softly, as if afraid I’d be insulted at the notion of not comprehending him.
“I like her,” stated the girl kneeling next to him. She looked quite outrageous wearing a short black dress with a black choker wrapped around her neck, pink shiny embezzlements adorning it. Her white-blonde hair was extremely long, almost past her lower back, as the ends brushed the floor. I directed my gaze to her face and found blue eyes staring down at me.
Her eyes were identical to the man’s.
“It’s always the silent ones we should be weary of.” The words themselves were harsh, but as I looked to my right I was greeted by a kind smile with equally kind brown eyes behind wire-framed glasses. They belonged to a man casually sitting on a couch, his shoulder-length dark brown hair tied back. As he continued to stare, he tilted his head to the side as if analyzing a computer software program that wouldn’t work properly.
I guess I was the computer software program.
“James, help me out, will you?” the man with the blue eyes asked calmly. The man on the couch, James, stood up and slowly sauntered over to my side, then both he and the blue-eyed man grabbed my arms and brought me to my feet. I didn’t protest, shuffling alongside them as we entered a kitchen, where they placed me on a wooden chair next to a table.
Sinking down into the hard chair, I averted my eyes downwards and focused on a crack on the wooden table. I knew I was still being stared at, three pairs of eyes boring holes into the crown of my head.
It was difficult not to look up but I managed. I needed a distraction, so I started to trace the crack on the table instead, feeling the texture of the wood as it scraped against my skin.
I find wood to be … quite rough in manner.
“Here you go.” That calming voice spoke once again and I looked up to find a glass of orange juice placed in front of me. It was in that instant that I realized that I was thirsty. I reached for the glass, instinctively bringing the rim to my lips. The juice was cool down my throat.
Refreshing.
This was familiar: the taste of juice in my mouth. Closing my eyes, I licked my lips slowly, trying to memorize this feeling. Perhaps if I stayed like this long enough, I would be brought back to that time of familiarity….
“Yo, Briggs!” James’ voice beamed through the kitchen and I startled, setting the glass on the table, the clanking of the glass hitting the wood almost palpable to my ears. I hadn’t noticed the front door had opened—I believe an apartment building was where we were located—and a new presence had entered the living room. I looked over to where he stood by the stairs, utterly still. Although we were indoors, he wore sunglasses. And even though I couldn’t see his eyes, I knew they stared directly at me, hard as stone.
He didn’t like me.
If the man with the blue eyes was warm like a fire on a cold winter day, this man was like the wood I had just caressed: rough, jagged.
Broken.
A dreamer, Christina Channelle holds two degrees in health sciences but has always had a passion for writing. You will find her reading other young adult novels, or typing up a new story on her computer. When not writing, Christina spends her free time at the movies, listening to music, or eating sushi. She’s a reality TV junkie and has a close relationship with many characters on TV that have been a topic of many heated discussions among friends. She resides in Ontario, Canada.
Never, ever cry...
Eureka Boudreaux's mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago.
But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there:
Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn't,
who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her
cry than anyone has before.
But Ander doesn't know Eureka's
darkest secret: ever since her mother drowned in a freak accident,
Eureka wishes she were dead, too. She has little left that she cares
about, just her oldest friend, Brooks, and a strange inheritance, a
locket, a letter, a mysterious stone, and an ancient book no one
understands. The book contains a haunting tale about a girl who got her
heart broken and cried an entire continent into the sea. Eureka is about
to discover that the ancient tale is more than a story, that Ander
might be telling the truth... And that her life has far darker
undercurrents than she ever imagined. From Lauren Kate comes an epic
saga of heart stopping romance, devastating secrets, and dark magic... A world where everything you love can be washed away.
Eureka Boudreaux can't remember the accident, or why she survived when her mother is presumed to have perished. Now, she's meeting her latest therapist, just one of many who have been hired by Rhoda, Eureka's stepmother, who have tried to coax the seventeen year old into voicing why she's attempted to take her own life. Lethargy and apathy have now replaced her determination to join her mother, but still Eureka continues to retreat from the world. Eureka hasn't allowed herself to cry for her loss, and hasn't shed a single tear since her parents separated, the night her mother warned her not to cry... Ever. Now, living with her distant father, her confrontational stepmother and twin step siblings, Eureka has never felt more lost... Or alone.
When Ander plows into Eureka's truck on an isolated Bayou back road, she never imagined that her life could become any more complex. Overwhelmed, a single tear slips from Eureka's eye... And the storm clouds begin brewing. Ander is a complete mystery, he claims to attend a rival school, has a contact phone number where he doesn't seem to exist, and Eureka can't stop her mind from wandering towards the boy with eyes the colour of the ocean. But for a boy she's supposedly never met before, why does he seem to have a history with Eureka's best friend Brooks? Ander seems to know more about Eureka than he is willing to admit, but who is he?
Each day Eureka relives the pain of losing her mother, especially when her last will and testament is read. Her mother didn't own anything of value, but sentimental items that she has now left in Eureka's care. Her mother has bequeathed her vintage copper locket, having never taken it off until the weekend of her passing. A green leather bound book that seemed to be older than time itself. Written in a foreign hieroglyphics on an ancient parchment and Eureka can't understand a word of it, apparently, neither could her mother. The last item is what her mother had referred to as a Thunderstone, wrapped in a heavy gauze and placed inside a small wooden chest and accompanied by a letter. Her mother asks her not to cry and t leave her pain behind. To hold onto the powerful Thunderstone, to wear her mother's locket to help guide Eureka on her way and to enjoy the ancient book. Eureka only wishes she could relate to her father again, but to show how distressed she is, would only mean stepmother Rhoda would insist Eureka be placed on suicide watch.
With friend Cat in tow, Eureka decides it's time to discover who Ander really is, heading to the rival school, where Ander isn't enrolled. But wherever she turns, he's lurking. The best way to purge Ander from her thoughts, is to spend time with Brooks by heading to the local ocean lake. She hasn't been near a large body of water since her mother passed, but no doubt Brooks would help her through any crisis that arises. But when Brooks is nowhere to be found, Eureka begins to panic. The normally still body of water begins to churn and rise, creating an inland tidal wave that brings his body surging towards shore... Very much alive and now the target of Eureka's fury.
Brooks has taken an unnatural interest in the belongings Eureka's mother has left her, especially the ancient text. Brooks seemingly understanding passages while whispering his delight, forcefully offering to care for the book until Eureka is ready to have it translated, but she won't allow the book to leave her possession. A slightly awkward situation between two friends suddenly switches to passionate kissing, morphing into hurtful and explosive abuse. Brooks has been the one person who has never judged her, who she felt comfortable enough to confide in, and now she's on her own.
Fortune teller Madame Blavatsky is Eureka's last hope, surely a storefront palm, tarot card and tea leaf reader couldn't translate the ancient writings. It's called The Book of Love, and Madame Blavatsky claims the book is a family tome, and rare find that stays within each family line and that Eureka's mother Diana was the last name within a list of family members who have owned the book. Madame will translate the works for a small fee and update Eureka via email. But with knowledge comes power, but compulsion is driving her to seek what her mother has hid.
Eureka is in danger, and from the person she would least suspect and he seems determined to ensure she cries, and nothing seems to be off limits. But as the translation slowly blends together, the fable sounds strangely similar to the situation Eureka finds herself in. The fable tells the story of a young lady who experienced such tremendous heartbreak, that her tears open a fissure to a new world.
Ander is a Seedbearer, who has watched Eureka her entire life. Guardians of Atlantis who will do anything to stop Atlantis being raised... But can he allow Eureka's life to end, the girl he's so desperately fallen for?
Teardrop is a unique concept, a seemingly normal teenage girl being able to raise the lost city of Atlantis with her tears. Eureka's mental health is fragile and not surprisingly, the breakup of her family unit, her father remarrying a woman who only cares for Eureka enough to completely dictate her life and the heartbreaking death of her mother in a freak accident, in which Eureka escaped. She's withdrawn and lives with survivors guilt. Her father now has two small children and unable to relate to his grieving daughter, allowing his new wife to send her to an assortment of therapists. It's no wonder she barely values her own life. Most readers will be able to relate to Eureka's emotional turmoil, the hopeless struggle we all face at some point. But sadly, Eureka is frustratingly naive and helpless.
Throughout the storyline, it's clear that Eureka should be less accepting and question what is going on around her. Why Brooks, a boy she's known her entire life, suddenly seems like a stranger, why he and Ander clearly have a history and why he shows an unhealthy interest in the ancient text her mother left her. As soon as Ander breezes into Eureka's life, Brooks is suddenly romantically interested. As eighty percent of Teardrop surrounds Eureka's daily life, I only wish a less dense, less judgemental and less annoying character was created.
I really enjoyed the last few chapters, where the villain becomes apparent, the truth about Ander is revealed and the catastrophic climax that ensues, the story fillers were intended for teem readers, who will probably inhale the new potential book boyfriend in Ander. I'm undecided whether I would continue the series, based on whether the second installment is held underwater within the lost city, or not. I wasn't a fan of Lauren Kate's Fallen series, but Teardrop isn't too bad at all for it's intended market.
Teardrop
(Teardrop: Book One)
Written By Lauren Kate
Expected Publication 24 / 10 / 2013
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