A fantastic fantasy sci fi with climate change themes; great and complex characters and great concept for this world. Probably one of the best middle grade books of the year. The whole story was enthralling from start to finish

*Thank you Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I loved The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero, but unfortunately this book was not for me. I enjoyed the setting. The descriptions of the hotel and island, where the characters lived, was very compelling. I also enjoyed the sibling dynamic between Malka and Ezra. It was sweet. Ezra and Olivia were well-developed and interesting. They were my favorite characters. The plot was also intriguing with a surprising twist.

However, I thought Malka was obnoxious and rude to everyone in the book. I think it is unfortunate that Romero made one of her main characters, Malka, so unlikeable. I also didn't like the fact that she had her cuss because she is a child. Another aspect I disliked was the use of "they/them" for the sorrowful ones. I found it confusing because it was only referring to one person at a time.

Overall, The Tear Collector was not a bad book, but sadly, it didn't work for me. If the premise sounds interesting to you, then go ahead and try it. You might enjoy it more than I did.

I loved reading this book it was well written and definitely recommend reading it. The Tear Collector by R M Romero has a great plot that makes you keep wanting more.

A heart wrenching story about resilience, love, and fighting for a better future that is incredibly timely.

Special Thanks to Netgally & Publishers

What a special little story! I appreciated the author's relentlessness towards climate change, as well as the necessarily of the message: Even in dire straits, hope is something to believe in. This book has the same feel as A Tale of Unfortunate Events, what with the misty island and rain-soaked old homes and plucky little orphans who are both the sweetest of souls and the spunkiest of spitfires. However,I think where the book falls quite flat for me *is* the characters themselves. They're not *bad* by any means but they are kind bland in comparison