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Losing Leah
Some bonds can’t be broken.
Ten years after the tragic disappearance of her twin sister Leah, sixteen-year-old Mia Klein still struggles to exist within a family that has never fully recovered. Deep in the dark recesses of her mind lies an overwhelming shadow, taunting Mia with mind-splitting headaches that she tries to hide in an effort to appear okay.
Leah Klein's life as she knew it ended the day she was taken, thrust into a world of abuse and fear by a disturbed captor―"Mother," as she insists on being called. Ten years later, any recollections of her former life are nothing more than fleeting memories, except for those about her twin sister, Mia.
As Leah tries to gain the courage to escape, Mia's headaches grow worse. Soon, both sisters will discover that their fates are linked in ways they never realized.
Ten years after the tragic disappearance of her twin sister Leah, sixteen-year-old Mia Klein still struggles to exist within a family that has never fully recovered. Deep in the dark recesses of her mind lies an overwhelming shadow, taunting Mia with mind-splitting headaches that she tries to hide in an effort to appear okay.
Leah Klein's life as she knew it ended the day she was taken, thrust into a world of abuse and fear by a disturbed captor―"Mother," as she insists on being called. Ten years later, any recollections of her former life are nothing more than fleeting memories, except for those about her twin sister, Mia.
As Leah tries to gain the courage to escape, Mia's headaches grow worse. Soon, both sisters will discover that their fates are linked in ways they never realized.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 20, 2018
33 people are currently reading
2257 people want to read
About the author
Tiffany King
41 books1,796 followersUSA Today Bestselling author Tiffany King is a lifelong reading fanatic who is now living her dream as a writer, weaving Young Adult and New Adult romance tales for others to enjoy. She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iphone and ipad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, zombies and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.
You can connect with Tiffany on her webpage at authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com
Twitter-@AuthorTiffany
Facebook-Author Tiffany King
You can connect with Tiffany on her webpage at authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com
Twitter-@AuthorTiffany
Facebook-Author Tiffany King
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
August 19, 2018
A wonderful book about horrible things. An engrossing read with all the hell's bells and whistles: cool pacing, multiple POVs, lots of emotional entanglements, illustration of humans being fragile beings and triggers: abuse, kidnapping, horrible relationships...
Q:
I wouldn’t allow myself to think about the times in the past I hadn’t made it. My energy and focus were better spent moving forward. (c)
Q:
We were identical in every way, including our tastes in food. Where one of us ended, the other began. She was the other half of me, until in one instant, she wasn’t. She was gone, along with my life as I knew it. Nothing was ever the same after she disappeared. (c)
Q:
I wasn’t ready to wake up yet. Not after the dream I’d had. The sun warming my skin. Gentle, flower-scented breeze playing with my hair. I missed it already. … For now, the last remnants of my dreamtime escape would have to be tucked away in the back of my mind to be savored later. (c)
Q:
I fought the foreignness of my surroundings until eventually I lost every speck of my former identity. (c)
Q:
Patience was a virtue forced on me. (c)
Q:
Hugs from Mother were a treat and few and far between. A warm tingle spread throughout my body. Making her happy was my one and only goal. I treasured these moments. They were my reward for being good. (c)
Q:
Books fed my dreams at night and gave me the freedom of imagination. (c)
Q:
I learned long ago that Mother became angry if I asked for things like toys, books, or music. Instead she wanted the gratification of providing all my worldly possessions for me. What I liked was never even a consideration. (c)
Q:
Without the effects of the pills, I could wait all night if that’s what it took. (c)
Q:
Tonight I would start the process of becoming someone else. (c)
Q:
It felt triumphant. Like when I aced a test. (c)
Q:
The fact that we had gotten away with Principal Trout seeing us all buck naked and me going batshit crazy seemed to pump them up even more. (c)
Q:
His gentle concern for my well-being was comforting, like eating chocolate when you were stressed out. … All they seemed to care about was that we’d pulled off the ultimate stunt. (c)
Q:
I think we’re all a little bit crazy. Some of us are just better at hiding it. (c)
Q:
Ten years of lost affection were made up for in one instant as I conveyed what his words meant to me. I’d been all alone in an ocean of turbulent water for so long. It was as if someone had suddenly thrown me a life preserver. Jacob was that life preserver. He returned the hug without shame. Neither of us cared that we were in the middle of some crappy mall parking lot, standing in the center of a dying tree farm. For that brief moment we weren’t a broken family. We were a unit. (c)
Q:
… in search of the perfect tree that needed a home. This would be our Charlie Brown moment. (c)
Q:
Anyone that spoke to me wore sympathy like a badge. For years the one thing I craved most, other than sunshine, was human interaction, different people to talk to, opportunities to make friends, but I never imagined everyone would pity me. I hated it. (c)
Q:
Those books had helped me keep Mia alive in my head. (c)
Q:
I felt like an emotional roller coaster, going from fear and wanting to hide back in my room to acute disappointment and genuine heartache. (c)
Q:
It felt symbolic. I could literally see the outside, brilliant sunshine, perfect green grass, and yet once again it was just beyond my grasp. (c)
Q:
I once dated a girl who literally lived off celery and five cheese cubes a day. I once offered her a single bite of my cheeseburger and you would have thought I pushed her into a vat of chocolate. (c)
Q:
Hugging was still so new to me that each one felt different from the last. This one felt like a promise of hope and strength. It was as if she were trying to pass on the emotional weapons I would need to survive. (c)
Q:
I stood in the middle of the roof with my arms spread out. The wind was stronger than it was on the ground. It blew through my hair, whipping it around my face, and pulled and tugged at my body. I tilted my head back so the sun could soak my face with its bright rays. This is what freedom felt like. I wished I could bottle the feeling. I would carry it with me forever. …
Somehow he had figured out how to show me the world without actually stepping foot into it. It was my opportunity to try the world on for size before I was forced to jump in. He had given me the best gift I had ever received.(c)
Q:
I wouldn’t allow myself to think about the times in the past I hadn’t made it. My energy and focus were better spent moving forward. (c)
Q:
We were identical in every way, including our tastes in food. Where one of us ended, the other began. She was the other half of me, until in one instant, she wasn’t. She was gone, along with my life as I knew it. Nothing was ever the same after she disappeared. (c)
Q:
I wasn’t ready to wake up yet. Not after the dream I’d had. The sun warming my skin. Gentle, flower-scented breeze playing with my hair. I missed it already. … For now, the last remnants of my dreamtime escape would have to be tucked away in the back of my mind to be savored later. (c)
Q:
I fought the foreignness of my surroundings until eventually I lost every speck of my former identity. (c)
Q:
Patience was a virtue forced on me. (c)
Q:
Hugs from Mother were a treat and few and far between. A warm tingle spread throughout my body. Making her happy was my one and only goal. I treasured these moments. They were my reward for being good. (c)
Q:
Books fed my dreams at night and gave me the freedom of imagination. (c)
Q:
I learned long ago that Mother became angry if I asked for things like toys, books, or music. Instead she wanted the gratification of providing all my worldly possessions for me. What I liked was never even a consideration. (c)
Q:
Without the effects of the pills, I could wait all night if that’s what it took. (c)
Q:
Tonight I would start the process of becoming someone else. (c)
Q:
It felt triumphant. Like when I aced a test. (c)
Q:
The fact that we had gotten away with Principal Trout seeing us all buck naked and me going batshit crazy seemed to pump them up even more. (c)
Q:
His gentle concern for my well-being was comforting, like eating chocolate when you were stressed out. … All they seemed to care about was that we’d pulled off the ultimate stunt. (c)
Q:
I think we’re all a little bit crazy. Some of us are just better at hiding it. (c)
Q:
Ten years of lost affection were made up for in one instant as I conveyed what his words meant to me. I’d been all alone in an ocean of turbulent water for so long. It was as if someone had suddenly thrown me a life preserver. Jacob was that life preserver. He returned the hug without shame. Neither of us cared that we were in the middle of some crappy mall parking lot, standing in the center of a dying tree farm. For that brief moment we weren’t a broken family. We were a unit. (c)
Q:
… in search of the perfect tree that needed a home. This would be our Charlie Brown moment. (c)
Q:
Anyone that spoke to me wore sympathy like a badge. For years the one thing I craved most, other than sunshine, was human interaction, different people to talk to, opportunities to make friends, but I never imagined everyone would pity me. I hated it. (c)
Q:
Those books had helped me keep Mia alive in my head. (c)
Q:
I felt like an emotional roller coaster, going from fear and wanting to hide back in my room to acute disappointment and genuine heartache. (c)
Q:
It felt symbolic. I could literally see the outside, brilliant sunshine, perfect green grass, and yet once again it was just beyond my grasp. (c)
Q:
I once dated a girl who literally lived off celery and five cheese cubes a day. I once offered her a single bite of my cheeseburger and you would have thought I pushed her into a vat of chocolate. (c)
Q:
Hugging was still so new to me that each one felt different from the last. This one felt like a promise of hope and strength. It was as if she were trying to pass on the emotional weapons I would need to survive. (c)
Q:
I stood in the middle of the roof with my arms spread out. The wind was stronger than it was on the ground. It blew through my hair, whipping it around my face, and pulled and tugged at my body. I tilted my head back so the sun could soak my face with its bright rays. This is what freedom felt like. I wished I could bottle the feeling. I would carry it with me forever. …
Somehow he had figured out how to show me the world without actually stepping foot into it. It was my opportunity to try the world on for size before I was forced to jump in. He had given me the best gift I had ever received.(c)
January 18, 2018
So good! This book kept twisting and turning! It had me guessing until the very end!
April 4, 2023
Reread upgraded from 2 to 4 stars
At age six, Leah is kidnapped. Ten years later, still living in the basement of her abductor, she misses her twin most of all. Mia believes her twin died and has never stopped grieving. Her parents and brother walk around like zombies, never getting over the loss. The twins still share a connection, that may either save them or destroy them.
Anybody who looks at my Goodreads books can tell I love reading stories about kidnapped children and teens, so I was super excited to preorder LOSING LEAH. I finished the book in one sitting, a few short hours. When I guessed one of the twists on the first page, I had a feeling I’d be disappointed in the ending.
I did enjoy reading LOSING LEAH, but better books with kidnapping storylines exist. Try GOOD AS GONE by Amy Gentry, THE LOST AND THE FOUND by Cat Clarke, I STOP SOMEWHERE by TE Carter, AFTERMATH by Clara Kensie, WE NOW RETURN YO REGULAR LIFE by Martin Wilson, HERE LIES DANIEL TATE by Cristin Terrill, THE STRANGER GAME by Cylin Busby, AFTERWARD by Jennifer Matthieu, AMY CHELSIE STACIE DEE by Mary G Thompson, THE LEAVING by Tara Altebrando, NEVER MISSING or NEVER FOUND by Amanda Panitch.
BIG SPOILERS BELOW
I thought the twins would be revealed as dissociative identity disorder (once called Multiple Personality Disorder). Close enough, Leah never existed. Mia was the kidnapped girl and she hallucinated a twin to help her survive. Savvy readers will pick up on the clues early on.
The second twist was that Mia’s new friends were also hallucinations, which made no sense because she was seeing a psychiatrist and should have been on antipsychotics.
Some of the reasons LOSING LEAH didn’t work for me:
-Tiffany King sacrificed authenticity for drama and it didn’t work for me. Bullying exists, but teenagers aren’t sociopaths. They have empathy and I didn’t buy into the level of bullying from almost everyone Mia received. Her protective brother wouldn’t have tolerated it.
-Mia had a friend from before she was kidnapped. They say hello once and we never see Amber again.
-The story just stopped with Mia improving, but without resolution.
I’m glad I read LOSING LEAH, but if I didn’t enjoy kidnapped stories, I probably wouldn’t be.
At age six, Leah is kidnapped. Ten years later, still living in the basement of her abductor, she misses her twin most of all. Mia believes her twin died and has never stopped grieving. Her parents and brother walk around like zombies, never getting over the loss. The twins still share a connection, that may either save them or destroy them.
Anybody who looks at my Goodreads books can tell I love reading stories about kidnapped children and teens, so I was super excited to preorder LOSING LEAH. I finished the book in one sitting, a few short hours. When I guessed one of the twists on the first page, I had a feeling I’d be disappointed in the ending.
I did enjoy reading LOSING LEAH, but better books with kidnapping storylines exist. Try GOOD AS GONE by Amy Gentry, THE LOST AND THE FOUND by Cat Clarke, I STOP SOMEWHERE by TE Carter, AFTERMATH by Clara Kensie, WE NOW RETURN YO REGULAR LIFE by Martin Wilson, HERE LIES DANIEL TATE by Cristin Terrill, THE STRANGER GAME by Cylin Busby, AFTERWARD by Jennifer Matthieu, AMY CHELSIE STACIE DEE by Mary G Thompson, THE LEAVING by Tara Altebrando, NEVER MISSING or NEVER FOUND by Amanda Panitch.
BIG SPOILERS BELOW
I thought the twins would be revealed as dissociative identity disorder (once called Multiple Personality Disorder). Close enough, Leah never existed. Mia was the kidnapped girl and she hallucinated a twin to help her survive. Savvy readers will pick up on the clues early on.
The second twist was that Mia’s new friends were also hallucinations, which made no sense because she was seeing a psychiatrist and should have been on antipsychotics.
Some of the reasons LOSING LEAH didn’t work for me:
-Tiffany King sacrificed authenticity for drama and it didn’t work for me. Bullying exists, but teenagers aren’t sociopaths. They have empathy and I didn’t buy into the level of bullying from almost everyone Mia received. Her protective brother wouldn’t have tolerated it.
-Mia had a friend from before she was kidnapped. They say hello once and we never see Amber again.
-The story just stopped with Mia improving, but without resolution.
I’m glad I read LOSING LEAH, but if I didn’t enjoy kidnapped stories, I probably wouldn’t be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2018
Тиффани Кинг "Теряя Лею"
5 из 10
Жанр: YA, триллер, драма
POV: 2 POV, от первого лица
Геометрия чувств: нет
Отличительные черты: тема психического здоровья и адаптации молодой девушки после похищения, парочка интересных поворотов
РЕЦЕНЗИЯ:
Книга неплохая, правда, но вся соль в том, что я ожидала чего-то другого. И в этом только моя вина, сама не знаю, почему я ожидала напряженного детектива с кучей загадок и секретов. Поэтому сразу возьмите на заметку - «Теряя Лею» не детектив, это триллер, мрачная драма с неожиданными поворотами в сюжете. И в самой большей степени это именно драма. Но также, в сюжете слишком много дыр.
Это история о девочке, которую похитили в возрасте 6 лет и все 10 лет держали в небольшом закрытом помещении. Все это время выжить ей помогали воспоминания о сестре-близнеце, представления о ее жизни и надежда когда-нибудь вновь увидеться. Мия же, казалось бы, живет идеальной жизнью, но на самом деле их семья сломана и раздроблена. И даже спустя столько лет связь между ними все еще не потеряна.
Этот роман неплох, чтобы скоротать время, если ни над чем не задумываться. Он даже может удивить пару раз. Но если начать копать, то можно знатно пару раз споткнуться.
СПОЙЛЕРЫ.
Я надеялась, что «обе» личности Леи будут раскрыты, что автор покажет нам раздвоение личности. Но по факту, одна личность ушла, сразу же как в ней отпала необходимость.
Галлюцинации с друзьями тоже не особо логичны. Ведь Мии прописали таблетки и она регулярно их пила.
Что с Эмбер? Почему после возвращения Мии ее показали лишь ОДИН раз и то, настолько мимолетно, что можно и не заметить.
Финал крутой, почему-то напомнил одну из моих любимых детективных дораму «Закрой глаза, когда он придет» в этот момент, но увы, не в исполнении данного автора. Как я и говорила, если бы тема личностей была бы раскрыта раньше, то это было бы мега, а так ну классно, но по фиг.
По итогу, детектива не ждите, на нелогичности закройте глаза, тогда роман весьма и ничего.
5 из 10
Жанр: YA, триллер, драма
POV: 2 POV, от первого лица
Геометрия чувств: нет
Отличительные черты: тема психического здоровья и адаптации молодой девушки после похищения, парочка интересных поворотов
РЕЦЕНЗИЯ:
Книга неплохая, правда, но вся соль в том, что я ожидала чего-то другого. И в этом только моя вина, сама не знаю, почему я ожидала напряженного детектива с кучей загадок и секретов. Поэтому сразу возьмите на заметку - «Теряя Лею» не детектив, это триллер, мрачная драма с неожиданными поворотами в сюжете. И в самой большей степени это именно драма. Но также, в сюжете слишком много дыр.
Это история о девочке, которую похитили в возрасте 6 лет и все 10 лет держали в небольшом закрытом помещении. Все это время выжить ей помогали воспоминания о сестре-близнеце, представления о ее жизни и надежда когда-нибудь вновь увидеться. Мия же, казалось бы, живет идеальной жизнью, но на самом деле их семья сломана и раздроблена. И даже спустя столько лет связь между ними все еще не потеряна.
Этот роман неплох, чтобы скоротать время, если ни над чем не задумываться. Он даже может удивить пару раз. Но если начать копать, то можно знатно пару раз споткнуться.
СПОЙЛЕРЫ.
Я надеялась, что «обе» личности Леи будут раскрыты, что автор покажет нам раздвоение личности. Но по факту, одна личность ушла, сразу же как в ней отпала необходимость.
Галлюцинации с друзьями тоже не особо логичны. Ведь Мии прописали таблетки и она регулярно их пила.
Что с Эмбер? Почему после возвращения Мии ее показали лишь ОДИН раз и то, настолько мимолетно, что можно и не заметить.
Финал крутой, почему-то напомнил одну из моих любимых детективных дораму «Закрой глаза, когда он придет» в этот момент, но увы, не в исполнении данного автора. Как я и говорила, если бы тема личностей была бы раскрыта раньше, то это было бы мега, а так ну классно, но по фиг.
По итогу, детектива не ждите, на нелогичности закройте глаза, тогда роман весьма и ничего.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2019
MY RATING⇢ 3.2 STARS | GRADE C+
FEATURING⇢
Child Kidnapping
Aftermath Of Her Kidnapping
Twisted and Twisty
Mental Illness
High School Bullying
Overwhelmingly Sad
MY THOUGHTS⇢
I'll admit the title is what initially drew me to this book...I'm a sucker for a book that has a character with my name. This book had me completely, I was unsettled while reading Leah's POV...I kept picturing Mother (her kidnapper) to look like the Mom from the Goonies because she was pure evil just like Mama Fratelli.
Then came the first twist and I was like, okay...that threw me for a loop, but moving on...then came the second one, and I was...not buying it. Overall, it felt like some elements were being done as a ploy to achieve a gotcha kind of moment and it became too problematic to believe.
I wanted a happy ending for these characters...and I didn't feel like I got it...and that's all I'm going to say about this since it is almost impossible to say how I feel about this book, without giving away spoilers.
THE BREAKDOWN⇢
Plot⇢ 3/5
Characters⇢ 4/5
The Feels⇢ 3.3/5
Pacing⇢ 3.5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 3.8/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 3/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 3.5/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 3.5/5
Originality⇢ 3/5
Ending⇢ 1.5/5 Cliffhanger⇢ ???
_____
Book Cover⇢ It's all right...
Setting⇢ Somewhere with a warmer climate...I don't think a city is mentioned at all.
Source⇢ Kindle eBook (Library)
Length⇢ 312 pages
FEATURING⇢
Child Kidnapping
Aftermath Of Her Kidnapping
Twisted and Twisty
Mental Illness
High School Bullying
Overwhelmingly Sad
MY THOUGHTS⇢
I'll admit the title is what initially drew me to this book...I'm a sucker for a book that has a character with my name. This book had me completely, I was unsettled while reading Leah's POV...I kept picturing Mother (her kidnapper) to look like the Mom from the Goonies because she was pure evil just like Mama Fratelli.
Then came the first twist and I was like, okay...that threw me for a loop, but moving on...then came the second one, and I was...not buying it. Overall, it felt like some elements were being done as a ploy to achieve a gotcha kind of moment and it became too problematic to believe.
I wanted a happy ending for these characters...and I didn't feel like I got it...and that's all I'm going to say about this since it is almost impossible to say how I feel about this book, without giving away spoilers.
THE BREAKDOWN⇢
Plot⇢ 3/5
Characters⇢ 4/5
The Feels⇢ 3.3/5
Pacing⇢ 3.5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 3.8/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 3/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 3.5/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 3.5/5
Originality⇢ 3/5
Ending⇢ 1.5/5 Cliffhanger⇢ ???
_____
Book Cover⇢ It's all right...
Setting⇢ Somewhere with a warmer climate...I don't think a city is mentioned at all.
Source⇢ Kindle eBook (Library)
Length⇢ 312 pages
December 7, 2018
This is one of the weirdest book I've read so far!
The whole story was just confusing and made me extremely uncomfortable. I wouldn't say the book is 100% original, because it had kind of the same concepts of other books I read this year, one is: Losing Brave and the other one is: I Am Her Revenge.
Why I didn't give this book 1 star is because: 1) the story was kind of gripping and I finished it in less than 24 hours and 2) I enjoyed the writing style.
The whole story was just confusing and made me extremely uncomfortable. I wouldn't say the book is 100% original, because it had kind of the same concepts of other books I read this year, one is: Losing Brave and the other one is: I Am Her Revenge.
Why I didn't give this book 1 star is because: 1) the story was kind of gripping and I finished it in less than 24 hours and 2) I enjoyed the writing style.
January 4, 2025
The ending was good and there were twists. I would recommend!
February 8, 2020
5 out of 10
I liked the plot-twists (for the first time, when it repeated twice and I lost my excitement) and psychological part, but wanted more of triller and after-crime stuff.
May 20, 2018
That was a gripping read!
Albeit a confusing ending
Part 1 of the book was actually the most exciting. Happy that I guessed the mystery! The following few until the end was more of seeking answers to what actually happened. However, the ending was pretty mind boggling to me. So is she still sane?
P.S This could have been a potential book if not for some lingering doubts and questions.
Albeit a confusing ending
Part 1 of the book was actually the most exciting. Happy that I guessed the mystery! The following few until the end was more of seeking answers to what actually happened. However, the ending was pretty mind boggling to me. So is she still sane?
P.S This could have been a potential book if not for some lingering doubts and questions.
October 22, 2025
Wow, what a heartbreaking book. The twists in the were incredible, probably the best I’ve ever read. The story or Mia & Leah are going to stick with me for a while.
February 17, 2018
Losing Leah is told in two POVs, Leah and her twin Mia. Mia was abducted when the twins were six years old by a woman who has held her captive in a basement for ten years. Mia has been told that she has a sun sensitivity disease and her parents abandoned her because of it and this nurse adopted her. During Mia’s chapters, we witness physical and emotional abuse which are tough to read and realistic but to readers who have never suffered abuse, we don’t learn anything new. I’ve never been abused but I have a very basic idea of the affects of abuse by watching TV and reading books. This book doesn’t add anything new to the narrative and that’s a shame because it’s a missed opportunity to dig deep into the mind and lives of the abused.
During Leah’s chapters, we are told that her parents have been affected by the loss of their child but we never see the parents. There’s actually a reason why we don’t see the parents but it’s weak. Leah has a boyfriend and a best friend but their presence does not impact the plot. Leah suffers from debilitating headaches and seeing shadows but once again, I didn’t understand the significance. Leah’s chapters could have been a discussion on how abduction affects a family but once again-missed opportunity.
Mia is rescued and reunited with her family but while she’s in the hospital, she meets a boy-of course she does. I don’t understand why authors feel the need to write a romance. Mia had a very strong relationship with her brother and I would have much rather the focus been on that or even a female patient living the same nightmare but no. At one point, Mia is release from the hospital but she has to return for therapy but she never goes to see the love interest even though she claims he helped her. I won’t say why but her psychologist SUX.
After a month or so in the hospital, Mia goes home and immediately returns to school-WHAT!!! This book is 320 pages so as you can surmise, the pacing is BANANAS!!! Of course people are staring at her and calling her names but that’s the extent of her experience. I won’t say more because it’s a spoiler but I’ll say that Mia’s brother who goes to the same school also SUX because he never checks up on her and meets her new friends. It’s not her brother’s fault, it’s the authors fault for writing big plot holes.
This book was trying to do too many things. First of all it’s pegged as a thriller/mystery but it lacked intensity. The main characters are abused and suffering loss and have absent parents. The main character is rescued and there’s a romance and she goes back to school. The author should have chosen a couple of event of focus and develop them or WRITE A LONGER BOOK TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE EVENTS. This book was too big for this author. She had a good idea to write a thriller about an abused/abducted girl but she didn’t know how to execute it.
I haven’t read a lot of books about abuse but if you are looking for a slightly better book about physical and emotional abuse, read List of Cages by Robin Roe. If you are looking for a good thriller, read Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas, Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro or The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.
During Leah’s chapters, we are told that her parents have been affected by the loss of their child but we never see the parents. There’s actually a reason why we don’t see the parents but it’s weak. Leah has a boyfriend and a best friend but their presence does not impact the plot. Leah suffers from debilitating headaches and seeing shadows but once again, I didn’t understand the significance. Leah’s chapters could have been a discussion on how abduction affects a family but once again-missed opportunity.
Mia is rescued and reunited with her family but while she’s in the hospital, she meets a boy-of course she does. I don’t understand why authors feel the need to write a romance. Mia had a very strong relationship with her brother and I would have much rather the focus been on that or even a female patient living the same nightmare but no. At one point, Mia is release from the hospital but she has to return for therapy but she never goes to see the love interest even though she claims he helped her. I won’t say why but her psychologist SUX.
After a month or so in the hospital, Mia goes home and immediately returns to school-WHAT!!! This book is 320 pages so as you can surmise, the pacing is BANANAS!!! Of course people are staring at her and calling her names but that’s the extent of her experience. I won’t say more because it’s a spoiler but I’ll say that Mia’s brother who goes to the same school also SUX because he never checks up on her and meets her new friends. It’s not her brother’s fault, it’s the authors fault for writing big plot holes.
This book was trying to do too many things. First of all it’s pegged as a thriller/mystery but it lacked intensity. The main characters are abused and suffering loss and have absent parents. The main character is rescued and there’s a romance and she goes back to school. The author should have chosen a couple of event of focus and develop them or WRITE A LONGER BOOK TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE EVENTS. This book was too big for this author. She had a good idea to write a thriller about an abused/abducted girl but she didn’t know how to execute it.
I haven’t read a lot of books about abuse but if you are looking for a slightly better book about physical and emotional abuse, read List of Cages by Robin Roe. If you are looking for a good thriller, read Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas, Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro or The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.
March 7, 2018
Absolutely captivating....Tiffany King's very best work. I couldn't put it down--full of twists and turns, gorgeous prose and an intriguing and realistic story. A MUST READ!
April 21, 2018
Losing Leah is an inside look at mental and physical abuse, coping mechanisms, and the bond shared by twins. While I thought I knew what I was getting into when I started reading, I quickly found myself reading a different story than what was advertised.
Established young adult author, Tiffany King, tackles the realm of possibility when Leah is kidnapped at age six from her own front yard. The reader finds themselves alternating between chapters told from Mia's perspective and Leah's perspective as they both deal with Leah's kidnapping. An observant reader won't be fooled by the subtle (or not-so-subtle) hints throughout the first few chapters of what's really happening in Part One. Part Two reads like a high school mela-drama, complete with "that one girl who's always horrible" and "the brother's hunky best friend" characters. Part Three is a rushed attempt at a quasi-happy ending that leaves the reader feeling forced into a plot they can't agree with.
If you're looking for an engaging read with simple twists and turns, some very bland dialogue, and characters who don't change very much from the beginning of the story to the dismal ending, then this is the book you've been searching for.
That's not really fair, because it is a captivating read once you get past chapter 3, but the plot is predictable and the characters aren't exactly likeable. Mother is flat as a villain, despite the fact that the set-up of the character is amazing! Mom is unbelievable as a crutch in this entire scenario. Dad is a cop-out character who feels forced and out of place throughout his entire appearance. Jacob is highly protective and believable as an older brother, which makes certain aspects of the plot implausible. Teens are cruel, but they're also empathetic; the bullying in this book is just outlandish and ridiculous, as is the dialogue.
I would recommend this book as an easy read to anyone looking for something to introduce them to the genres of mystery, suspense, and young adult. It's a good book for getting your feet wet, but you won't learn to swim from reading it.
Established young adult author, Tiffany King, tackles the realm of possibility when Leah is kidnapped at age six from her own front yard. The reader finds themselves alternating between chapters told from Mia's perspective and Leah's perspective as they both deal with Leah's kidnapping. An observant reader won't be fooled by the subtle (or not-so-subtle) hints throughout the first few chapters of what's really happening in Part One. Part Two reads like a high school mela-drama, complete with "that one girl who's always horrible" and "the brother's hunky best friend" characters. Part Three is a rushed attempt at a quasi-happy ending that leaves the reader feeling forced into a plot they can't agree with.
If you're looking for an engaging read with simple twists and turns, some very bland dialogue, and characters who don't change very much from the beginning of the story to the dismal ending, then this is the book you've been searching for.
That's not really fair, because it is a captivating read once you get past chapter 3, but the plot is predictable and the characters aren't exactly likeable. Mother is flat as a villain, despite the fact that the set-up of the character is amazing! Mom is unbelievable as a crutch in this entire scenario. Dad is a cop-out character who feels forced and out of place throughout his entire appearance. Jacob is highly protective and believable as an older brother, which makes certain aspects of the plot implausible. Teens are cruel, but they're also empathetic; the bullying in this book is just outlandish and ridiculous, as is the dialogue.
I would recommend this book as an easy read to anyone looking for something to introduce them to the genres of mystery, suspense, and young adult. It's a good book for getting your feet wet, but you won't learn to swim from reading it.
November 10, 2018
2.5 stars because MEH. The first part of this book was well done but it lost me after the first "twist" came out. I felt like this could have been a really good take on abuse and kidnapping, but it cheapened it by trying to go for "mind-bending".
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 times 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.
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
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 times 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.
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
February 13, 2018
LOSING LEAH wasn't at all the book I was expecting. It is filled with twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Ten years after it happened, Mia Klein is still struggling with the disappearance of her twin sister Leah. Her family is broken and she suffers from devastating headaches. Still she tries to pretend that everything is okay to her best friend Amber and her boyfriend Luke. She is keeping up her A average and dating a football star. Everything should be great.
Meanwhile, Leah is living in a dark basement under the control of a woman she has been taught to call Mother. Mother is volatile. Leah never knows what she can do to keep from experiencing brutal punishments. While Mother might be nice and give her treats and books to read, other times she can't be pleased and Leah is punished. Mother keeps Leah on the edge of starvation and deliberately weak. When Leah secretly begins exercising to gain strength and possibly escape, she knows that the punishments will be brutal if Mother finds out. Leah manages to escape but things are not at all what they appear to be.
There are twists after twists in this well-written and engaging thriller. Mia and Leah are both fascinating characters dealing with an unimaginable situation as best they can. I couldn't put this book down. The writing was engaging. The characters were compelling. And the twists and turns kept me going to the startling conclusion.
Meanwhile, Leah is living in a dark basement under the control of a woman she has been taught to call Mother. Mother is volatile. Leah never knows what she can do to keep from experiencing brutal punishments. While Mother might be nice and give her treats and books to read, other times she can't be pleased and Leah is punished. Mother keeps Leah on the edge of starvation and deliberately weak. When Leah secretly begins exercising to gain strength and possibly escape, she knows that the punishments will be brutal if Mother finds out. Leah manages to escape but things are not at all what they appear to be.
There are twists after twists in this well-written and engaging thriller. Mia and Leah are both fascinating characters dealing with an unimaginable situation as best they can. I couldn't put this book down. The writing was engaging. The characters were compelling. And the twists and turns kept me going to the startling conclusion.
July 24, 2017
More coherent words to come, but what a deliciously fantastic mind-eff THAT was!
January 20, 2019
Wow! Amazing! What a wonderful book - would highly recommend
August 4, 2018
this book had a big plot twists in it and I would definitely suggest it to anyone who likes thrillers.
April 14, 2018
Trauma forces humans to do all sorts of things in order to survive. In this psychological thriller about a sixteen-year-old girl kidnapped ten years ago, readers watch as Leah Klein endures unspeakable horrors from the woman who took her, lied to her about her health, and now keeps her imprisoned in a basement, supposedly to protect her. But Leah wants more than this limited life, and when she tries to strengthen her body, the woman she calls Mother punishes her so severely that she almost dies. Meanwhile, Leah's twin sister, Mia, has led a fairly normal life but with parents who barely seem to notice her and live in the past. Recently, though, Mia has started experiencing severe headaches and black-outs and noticing darkness creeping in her vision. When Leah manages to escape from Mother, the story twists in some unexpected ways. It's clear that she isn't recovered enough to attend high school, and her notoriety seems to bring unwanted attention from her classmates. I'm torn about how I feel toward this book. In some ways I felt manipulated, but in others, I appreciated the author's acknowledgement of how deeply trauma can affect someone and how the brain helps that person cope with something so unimaginable. I liked her brother, Jacob, and his friend, Kevin, but I wondered how Leah has managed to be familiar with certain ideas and lingo after being so sheltered while other things were foreign to her. Just how deeply can certain memories, even how to play checkers or the taste of ice cream, be buried in someone's brain? While parts of the book are well written, other parts left me with several questions.
July 19, 2020
I'd like to call this an all-encompassing book- I don't write many reviews but this book stayed with me. The story is a unique one and offers so much more than any other kidnapping story I've read. Losing Leah could arguably have a sequel although T.King does wrap up the story well. It actually gives you quite the satisfied but curious feeling at the end.
Losing Leah offers much more than experiences of the time she spends as a victim, and raises and answers questions about the human experience. It was all-around brilliant. I would've liked a little more about the events when she was taken though... Don't expect much of this.
**** Spoiler alert!!!! ****
I predicted part of what happens but not all of it (since it continues afterwards), the twist or revelation, since I'd read a few similar novels recently. But this goes beyond that twist- it doesn't end there!!! There's more here than in books with similar premises of abduction. Even after she runs and is rescued you might wonder if it's in her mind or not. I was glad that it had a bittersweet ending. Once you get to the end you want more somehow, for Leah and Mia and to see how much Leah helps- and is a setback to- Mia in the long run, of course. 5 stars!!!!! And Tiffany King, please write a sequel!!!!
Losing Leah offers much more than experiences of the time she spends as a victim, and raises and answers questions about the human experience. It was all-around brilliant. I would've liked a little more about the events when she was taken though... Don't expect much of this.
**** Spoiler alert!!!! ****
I predicted part of what happens but not all of it (since it continues afterwards), the twist or revelation, since I'd read a few similar novels recently. But this goes beyond that twist- it doesn't end there!!! There's more here than in books with similar premises of abduction. Even after she runs and is rescued you might wonder if it's in her mind or not. I was glad that it had a bittersweet ending. Once you get to the end you want more somehow, for Leah and Mia and to see how much Leah helps- and is a setback to- Mia in the long run, of course. 5 stars!!!!! And Tiffany King, please write a sequel!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2017
Absolutely amazing book. A wonderful new look into the way Tiffany King's mind works. While unlike anything she's written previously, Losing Leah still showcases the way King is able to completely pull in her readers with her vivid descriptions and realistic characters. You'll be left with wide eyes and a jaw on the floor after you finish this one.
May 4, 2018
Losing Leah was okay for me. I think I was disappointed in some aspects that came to light through the story. It was definitely hard to read through some of the different parts and many parts weren't really addressed, even though they came up in the story again and again.
April 20, 2018
This book was amazing!
May 2, 2018
I can't figure out what other reviewers mean about all the twists and turns and the 'thriller' aspects of this book. I found it a straight up YA fiction read and a bit slow. The book is well written but I didn't find the MC or the story that compelling.
I appreciate all the emotion and effort a writer puts into a book so it is hard for me to give a low rating. However, there are just too many great books out there for me to recommend this one.
I do like the cover art.
I appreciate all the emotion and effort a writer puts into a book so it is hard for me to give a low rating. However, there are just too many great books out there for me to recommend this one.
I do like the cover art.
May 9, 2019
3.5 stars
Losing Leah took a turn I wasn't expecting. I liked how I was able to journey through the sisters lives during and after the kidnapping. I didn't want to stop reading. I did find it getting tedious towards the end. I have to question that ending. I didn't see the purpose. All in all, I was entertained and thoroughly taken aback by the twists. A fun, albeit somewhat emotional read.
Losing Leah took a turn I wasn't expecting. I liked how I was able to journey through the sisters lives during and after the kidnapping. I didn't want to stop reading. I did find it getting tedious towards the end. I have to question that ending. I didn't see the purpose. All in all, I was entertained and thoroughly taken aback by the twists. A fun, albeit somewhat emotional read.
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November 6, 2018awesome
September 22, 2021
Underrated book. Super underrated. Good representation of the mental illness, love it❤️
August 14, 2018
3.75 stars.
I didn’t expect the twist in part one. I also didn’t expect the twist in part 2, although I probably should have seen it coming. The book is well written and the ending is left open for interpretation which I appreciate. I think the author left a few vital things unanswered, but overall I enjoyed it.
I didn’t expect the twist in part one. I also didn’t expect the twist in part 2, although I probably should have seen it coming. The book is well written and the ending is left open for interpretation which I appreciate. I think the author left a few vital things unanswered, but overall I enjoyed it.
August 19, 2018
I’m sorry but what even was this book. I read this in one sitting and I’m still sitting here thoroughly confused about what I just read. This took me on a wild ride and I did not see the twists and turns coming at all. The plot twists have still got me confused. I loved Gunner and his “Be Brave” sign goodbye scene. I also loved the book buying scene, where her mum secretly grabbed all the books she showed interest in but chose not to get. I’m discovering that I really love the mystery genre of YA and I’m here for it. The ending still has me questioning everything so who knows how I will ever move past the mind boggle that is this book
“I think we’re all a little bit crazy. Some of us are just better at hiding it”
“I think we’re all a little bit crazy. Some of us are just better at hiding it”
July 18, 2018
Wow. This was an incredible suspense story!! I loved the twist in this book! It totally caught me off guard and I never would have thought of it myself. I really like the characters in this book, and Leah and Mia’s characters were developed amazingly. I loved the pace of this book and I really liked the story overall. A nice read that was extremely suspenseful but still had me on the edge of my seat!
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