Creepy and slightly twisted, this book is perfect for people who enjoyed Gone Girl and books in that genre.

The twists and turns of this YA thriller build slowly as Payton tries to both carry on with her life and find out what happened to her twin sister who disappeared a year ago, even as she feels like she's falling apart. I confess I looked ahead to the end; I couldn't stand the growing tension. But then I went back and read the whole book, as I watched details unfold to the surprising climax. Recommended for teens who like thrillers and stories set in small towns in the south of the US.

Such an intense, exciting, & suspenseful read that will leave readers with the feeling that no matter how good the next book they read is, it will have no chance of being as good.

Almost a year has passed since Payton Brave’s twin sister went missing and there are still no clues as to what happened. Payton fears she is losing her memories of Dylan and will do anything she can to hold on to that piece of her. Even though she was with her sister when she disappeared, she has no memory of what happened. Payton was always the popular one while Dylan didn’t care for things like that, now Payton is taking on Dylan’s characteristics and setting herself as an outsider in the only way she knows to keep her sister alive for herself. She grows closer to her sister’s boyfriend, Cole and starts wondering how she will survive with the feelings building inside of her. As more girls similar in appearance to Dylan go missing, the case takes on a new life and Payton starts her own investigation to find out what happened to her sister and if she is in danger also.

As I was reading Losing Brave, I had two thoughts as to how the story might go. And even though I figured out the chain of events before they unfolded, it didn’t bother me, which is a very unusual thing to happen. It didn’t make the story predictable, it just made the characters act as they should have and I was following along in sync with the characters. I want to confess something, when I first saw this book and read about it I thought it looked interesting but almost didn’t read it. I thought Bailee Madison was just another actress trying to use her fame and name to get a book out there without knowing anything about writing or telling a story in this way. Good grief am I happy I didn’t stay with that train of thought; this book was so good I feel certain it will make my best of the year list and it is only the beginning of January. This story was especially good for me because I am an identical twin just like Payton and Dylan. I remember doing some of the things they did that only twins can get away with and can see what happened in the story actually happening, and it is scary. The back and forth between what was happening in the present and what happened when Dylan disappeared was played out well, just enough of the past to give the present timeline the credit it needed for everything to make sense. I recommend this book to teens, young adults, and adults alike that love a story full of twists, turns and characters that will dive deep within and tug at your heartstrings.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Payton, introduced at the beginning of the story, is not the most likable character, but my opinion of her changed as she continued to grow and change. At first, I thought she was a shallow socialite, only concerned with her mentions on Twitter. As she continues to grow, she searches for friendships with more depth than the ones she currently keeps only to benefit her social climb. She even starts to defend Dylan’s old friends against the social elite who outcast them. This transformation is what makes her a likable character by the end of the story.

Besides the character development, the book does a good job maintaining the suspense as the characters search for Dylan’s kidnapper. I really liked the inclusion of a clearly identified “villain” to play the prime suspect in the kidnapping only to surprise the reader with an unexpected twist near the end of the novel. Very subtle allusions to the truth are left for the reader, simultaneously being covered up by the blatantly obvious connections and clues pointing to the “villain” in the story. The build-up and conclusion to the story were very satisfying!

This story was an easy page-turner! I would add this novel to my classroom library and would recommend to students who are interested in mystery and/or crime stories.

I didn't finish at 5%. The accents and improper grammar made me cringe.

Not at all what I expected. Losing Brave examines what it's like to be twins, and does so in a unique and engaging manner. How do you go on living when one half of you is gone?

Losing Brave was even better than I had hoped. One of the best novels of the year, and one you won't want to miss.