Losing Brave

Payton Brave's twin sister, Dylan, has been missing for more than a year. So has Payton's memory.Amid the turmoil of her sister’s disappearance, Payton feels lost as the one left behind. Her mental state wrought and reckless, she tumbles from the graces of popularity to the outskirts of high school society, where she attracts a rag-tag group of friends-and a troubling romance with her sister’s boyfriend, Cole.Though Payton remembers nothing of the day Dylan disappeared, she must pry into her own mind when another missing girl’s body is recovered from a nearby lake, the victim’s features eerily similar to Dylan’s. The further Payton presses into the recesses of her memory, the more danger surrounds her. The darkness around her sister’s disappearance grows and the truth becomes more and more unbearable.What she finds might just cost Payton her life.Losing Brave: Is written by award-winning actress Bailee Madison (Once Upon a Time, Bridge to Terabithia) and Reader’s Choice Award Finalist Stefne Miller Features forbidden romance, intense action, and high-stakes sacrificeReviewSuspense builds as a family's tragedy unfolds in this engrossing and touching novel. Almost a year before the story begins, Payton Brave's twin sister Dylan mysteriously disappears. Although Payton was with Dylan the day her sister vanished, she cannot remember what happened. Coauthors Madison and Miller strategically peel back the many layers of the mystery, slowly revealing just enough to keep readers hooked. Though close, the twins were opposite in many ways. Payton is part of the 'in' crowd; Dylan never cared about being popular. Once Dylan disappeared, Payton began to question her own choices. Her life as one of Cornwell High's 'It Girls' seems more effort than she can manage. Her mortician stepfather, doctor mother, and elderly Nana are loving, but the family members are locked in their individual battles to move forward without knowing what happened to Dylan. As Payton distances herself from her friends and family and even her name (she rechristens herself Poe after the macabre writer), she grows closer to Dylan's crowd of school outcasts. She also finds herself becoming more dependent on Dylan's boyfriend Cole. She's conflicted by her attraction to him, but she needs Cole, as he is the only one willing to help her search for the person who took her sister. As Poe moves closer to finding the assailant, she puts herself in danger. VERDICT A suspenseful thriller with heart and an unexpected twist. Highly recommended. Cindy Wall, Southington Library and Museum, CT -- School Library JournalIts been a year since Payton's twin sister, Dylan, disappeared from a bus station bathroom. Despite her best efforts, Payton still hasn't been able to recall anything that happened the day Dylan vanished, and lately she's been struggling to keep up her perfect popular-girl persona. When another girl goes missing, new information is unearthed about Dylan's disappearance, and Payton is determined to get to the bottom of it. As she unravels the secrets surrounding Dylan and others in their small town, Payton finds herself going down a darker and more dangerous path than she could have ever imagined. Though the pacing starts slow, it accelerates as more and more clues mount. Despite the pacing problems, Madison (an established actress) and Miller are able to realistically portray southern culture, especially of life in a small town. The characters--and, of course, the twist at the end--make this book one that fans of mystery and drama will definitely enjoy. -- Amanda Shepard -- Booklist'If you love mystery, suspense, a touch of romance, and a plot that will keep you guessing from the start, pick up Losing Brave. It's a great read for all ages!' -- Candace Cameron Bure, actress and author'I was on the edge of my seat with each twist and turn, and the ending blew me away. Pick up Losing Brave and prepare yourself for a late night of reading,