The Last Fallen Star (Gifted Clans #1)

by Graci Kim

Now I realize that tears are nothing to be ashamed of. I’d always considered them a flaw—something that made me weak. But now I see that they are a part of who I am—a part of who we all are. They come because we care. It’s a way of saying I love you.

I come from a family of criers. I don't know what it is, but we cry. We cry when we're happy. We cry when we're sad. We cry when we're frustrated... Whoever does our plumbing must not be very good at their job, because our water pipes are clearly not tight enough. But the funniest thing is that when we cry, we pretend to each other (who, if you missed it, is also crying) that we're NOT crying. It's the funniest thing. There we are, watching The Voice, and we get to that scene of the parent in the wings shedding a tear of pride for their child who's singing their heart out on stage. And like a switch, there are all the Kims, bawling in unison. Except Papa Kim quickly wipes the tear away with the back of his hand. "Oh, these allergies are terrible!" he mutters. Mama Kim pretends to look busy on her phone. "These app updates are so annoying, it's making my eyes blurry!" she moans. And the three Kim sisters, trying to look everywhere but at each other. "WHO'S CUTTING ONIONS?!" one of us will shout, while facing the wall. "DON'T THEY KNOW THERE'S A KITCHEN FOR THAT?" Ha! But it's true, folks. Tears are nothing to be ashamed of. They are proof that we feel, that we're alive, and that we care. LET THE WATERWORKS FLOW! <3 Are you a crier, too? Know any prolific sufferers of the Leaky-Bladder Eyeball Problem? (Side note: The Last Fallen Star has been nominated for a 2021 Goodreads Choice Award! If you enjoyed the book and want to vote, I'd love your support! https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-childrens-books-2021)