Losing Leah by Tiffany King-- Could've Been Powerful, But It Went Too Hard For Mind-Bending

Losing Leah

Ten years ago, Leah was abducted from her front yard.  While her twin sister Mia is living in the aftermath of that loss, Leah has been living in a hell brought on to her by her captor.

While Leah suffers from mental and physical abuse and is edging towards escape, Mia suffers from debilitating headaches that are turning into all-out hallucinations and delusions.  All these things escalate until something has to give.  Will these twins figure out how connected they really are??

It pains me to review books like this for 2 reasons:

1- it didn't live up to my expectations and
2- there is a mega-twist a little over a 3rd of the way through that completely changes what the book is-- and how do I review that without major MAJOR spoilers??

Here's the thing:  I LOVED the first 3rd of the book. It was intense and heartbreaking-- but mostly unputdownable.  After that big twist though??? It took me FOREVER to finish this book.  It dragged and dragged and the whole feel of the book changed.  It almost felt like it was written by 2 different people because that's how different it all felt.

The other thing that I wasn't feeling:  I think Tiffany King had an opportunity here to write a really powerful book, but she instead went for the mind-fuck.  We all know I love a good mind-fuck, but I just didn't think it was necessary here.  And it Just. Kept. Happening.

This author didn't just want to trick you once, she wanted to trick you a bunch of time and end it with that vague creepy feeling where you don't know what the heck is going on.  Normally I like that, but with this subject??  I don't think it works.  You can't play with child abuse like this.  It's not dark and creepy, it's disgusting and worth serious attention.

This could've been a legit kidnapping/child abuse book that made IMPACT.  Instead, I think it was cheapened with the multiple twists & gotchas.

OVERALL: I loved the beginning of the book, but it lost me after the twist.  I thought such a serious subject should be taken seriously and not cheapened with shock-factor.  

Date Published: 3/20/2018
How I got this book: Thank you to Macmillan for sending me an advanced copy to read and honestly review
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends



Add it to your To-Read List!!

My Rating: 2.5/5

Character: Leah Klein
Book: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

• Oliver isn't recovering from the trauma that Leah is, but he still has to transition back into the life that was stolen from him-- as well as everyone around him has to readjust.  Leah would totally relate to a lot of the feelings going on in this book.