Teens Read and Write: LOSING FAITH by Denise Jaden / Review + Giveaway

by Denise Jaden

Teen Fiction

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When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but. As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

Brie's world falls apart quickly which gives a nice - okay maybe not nice but dramatic - kickstart to the plot of LOSING FAITH. Between her sister's death, her parents emotionally checking out and her boyfriend and best friend hitting her with a mega-betrayal, life sucks. Sure she could roll over and play dead but that isn't our heroine's way, and that's what I like about her.

She's a tough cookie and instead of wallowing in self-pity, she gets her spunk on and starts investigating. After dumping her rotten boyfriend and crappy best girlfriend - smart girl - she unravels the lies surrounding her sister's death and the crazy machinations of a fanatical religious cult.

She makes new friends in the quirky goth Tessa and sweet natured home-schooled guy, Alis, whose family has a dark connection to Faith and her mysterious death. On their sometimes humorous sleuthing adventures they find out what really happened to Faith and Brie goes on a journey of self-discovery.

The writing is solid - Jaden captures the teen voice well. Brie comes across as strong, struggling, intelligent - not perfect but real. The plot stays steady, the romance runs a more slow/tender trend and the religious cult aspect adds a fresh angle. As the end approaches the tension rises and excitement builds for the dramatic climax.

LOSING FAITH gives you a lot of realistic emotional bang for your buck - grief, loss, betrayal, humor, self-discovery, friendship, budding romance - driven by memorable characters and a unique premise. Denise Jaden's debut is an well-written emotional contemporary adventure that mystery fans will enjoy.

Check out the two videos below - the LOSING FAITH book trailer and Denise discussing the novel. Now about that giveaway...

::Giveaway Details::