I waited to review this book because I was one of Rita's beta readers, and because I'm a terrible judge of YA fiction. I don't like simple plot lines, so most YA doesn't interest me. However, and this is a big however, Tears is not simple. While there aren't as many subplots as you'd see in adult fiction, Tears has a lot to say in the white space. Originally, I worried might be "beyond" younger readers but I was wrong.

My daughter (13) read Tears after it arrived Friday afternoon. By Saturday morning she'd finished. Saturday evening, she picked it up to read one more time. She related to Lelea, saying she felt as though she were traveling through the story with her. She also liked the message that Tears gives. And yes, she did understand the subtext and totally got what was in the white space.

For those of you that haven't read Tears, I sound like I've lost my mind, but you'll understand if you read it. I recommend that you do. It is a beautiful story that encourages readers to embrace what makes us different. ( )