What do you think?
Rate this book
The Tear Collector
Not yet published
Expected 14 Oct 25Set after the end of the world, this darkly fantastical climate change tale explores hope, memory, and what really makes a monster.
Climate change culminated in the Flood, an enormous wave that wiped out entire countries. Malka and her younger brother Ezra survived and now live with Dr. Jonas Hollman on the Island, the only piece of land left on Earth. Scavenging useful things from the shoreline under the watchful eye of the Island’s sinister leader Mr. Gray, Malka and her family get by. Barely.
But an illness called the Sorrow is changing people into monsters when their memories of the Mainland grow too sad…and Ezra is the latest to get sick. Desperate not to lose her brother, Malka throws herself into helping “Uncle� Jonas with his research to find a cure.
Then her family’s dismal lives are turned upside down by the mysterious Olivia, who crashes a plane on the beach. More people are out there, she says. The world ¾±²õ²Ô’t lost forever. To save Ezra and the other Islanders, Malka will have to uncover the secrets of her flooded world—and the lies even the people she loves have told her about the true nature of the Sorrow.
R.M. Romero tackles our fear and anxiety surrounding climate change and weaves it through with hope in this beautifully told adventure that will resonate with readers young and old.
Climate change culminated in the Flood, an enormous wave that wiped out entire countries. Malka and her younger brother Ezra survived and now live with Dr. Jonas Hollman on the Island, the only piece of land left on Earth. Scavenging useful things from the shoreline under the watchful eye of the Island’s sinister leader Mr. Gray, Malka and her family get by. Barely.
But an illness called the Sorrow is changing people into monsters when their memories of the Mainland grow too sad…and Ezra is the latest to get sick. Desperate not to lose her brother, Malka throws herself into helping “Uncle� Jonas with his research to find a cure.
Then her family’s dismal lives are turned upside down by the mysterious Olivia, who crashes a plane on the beach. More people are out there, she says. The world ¾±²õ²Ô’t lost forever. To save Ezra and the other Islanders, Malka will have to uncover the secrets of her flooded world—and the lies even the people she loves have told her about the true nature of the Sorrow.
R.M. Romero tackles our fear and anxiety surrounding climate change and weaves it through with hope in this beautifully told adventure that will resonate with readers young and old.
- GenresMiddle GradeFantasy
Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 14, 2025
126 people want to read
About the author
R.M. Romero
7Ìýbooks417ÌýfollowersR. M. Romero is a Jewish Latina and author of fairy tales for children and adults. She lives in Miami Beach with her cat Henry VIII and spends her summers helping to maintain Jewish cemeteries in Poland.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 16, 2025
A cli-fi fairy tale about hope, monsters, and what happens after the end of the world starring ride-or-die siblings Malka (three feral kittens in a dress) and Ezra (a cinnamon roll too pure for the apocalypse he’s living through).
(Content warnings: Child endangerment, kidnapping, natural disaster)
(Content warnings: Child endangerment, kidnapping, natural disaster)
May 8, 2025
*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 unlikable. 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 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 unlikable. 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.
January 7, 2025
Urgent, dreamy, and darkly lyrical as the very best fairy tales. THE TEAR COLLECTOR is timely cli-fi and timeless fantasy rolled into a heart-wrenching adventure unlike any other. Everyone needs to read this.
May 17, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
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.
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.
February 15, 2025
This novel was so beautifully written, and an incredible read for middle graders interested in climate fiction, fantasy, and heart-wrenching (but action-packed) stories with unforgettable characters.
March 15, 2025
Tragic circumstances but filled with hope. Powerful!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.