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67th out of 301 books
—
1,970 voters
Losing Faith
by
Denise Jaden (Goodreads Author)
A terrible secret. A terrible fate.
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 perfe...more
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 perfe...more
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
September 7th 2010
by Simon Pulse
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There are not enough YA books with cults in them. For serious, cults are fascinating and riveting. Losing Faith by Denise Jaden has a cult, thus making it full of win. It also has: character development, death, high school, home school, kissing and religion. Elements of appeal to me.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
This book was extremely well written and has an intriguing mystery that left me wondering what really happened until the final reveal. Brie is your typical self-involved teen until the night her super religious sister falls off a cliff. Others want to deem it a suicide, but Brie just can't believe that her sister would do that. She starts digging into her sisters last days and everything just becomes more and more confusing. Things also become more and more dangerous for Brie.
As for characters,...more
As for characters,...more
Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com
Brie found her older sister, Faith, irritating with her spiritual outlook on life, but when Faith dies in a fall from a cliff, Brie discovers there was more to her sister than she thought.
As she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her sister, Brie must deal with parents who seem to have forgotten they have another daughter, a boyfriend who betrays her, and a school full of people who no longer want to associate with her.
If that weren't diffi...more
Brie found her older sister, Faith, irritating with her spiritual outlook on life, but when Faith dies in a fall from a cliff, Brie discovers there was more to her sister than she thought.
As she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her sister, Brie must deal with parents who seem to have forgotten they have another daughter, a boyfriend who betrays her, and a school full of people who no longer want to associate with her.
If that weren't diffi...more
2 likes · like · see review
After reading a pretty religious book earlier this week, I decided it was about time to give LOSING FAITH by Denise Jaden a shot. I've been in the mood for some heavy stuff, since my life has been spiraling out of control lately and I need a little something to bring me back down to earth.
Losing Faith by Denise Jaden
Audience: 13+
Rating: 4/5
Recommend?: Yes
LOSING FAITH was a heartbreaking story of family and how you can end up losing a sister because you just can't keep track anymore. Our protagon...more
Losing Faith by Denise Jaden
Audience: 13+
Rating: 4/5
Recommend?: Yes
LOSING FAITH was a heartbreaking story of family and how you can end up losing a sister because you just can't keep track anymore. Our protagon...more
Feb 03, 2011
Brandi Kosiner
added it
Losing Faith is an emotional book with a spoonful of mystery. The characters are likeable and well written, the plot moves along nicely. It kept me interested and I didn't want to put the book down.
Though Losing Faith deals with religion, it never came across to me as preachy. It could have been a real life situation, and I think that Brie examined things and gave fair weight where it was due. Dealing with a cult, of course there is a pinch of truth and then taken to extremes along with a lot...more
Though Losing Faith deals with religion, it never came across to me as preachy. It could have been a real life situation, and I think that Brie examined things and gave fair weight where it was due. Dealing with a cult, of course there is a pinch of truth and then taken to extremes along with a lot...more
Aug 17, 2010
Amber Vilate
added it
I'm really looking forward to reading this! I actually helped out by critiquing a chapter or two, so it's awesome to see this is being published!
2 likes · like · see review
Before this year, I wouldn't have called myself a fan of contemporary YA. I read the odd book and generally enjoyed them, but I considered myself a paranormal writer and that's what I liked to read. Since this year began, I've read five contemporary YA books that I've been unable to put down. I'll pick them up and fly through the pages at breakneck speed. Part of my interest could be that I'm writing my first contemporary YA book, but I think that's only part of it. There is so much quality writ...more
Awesome. I love Alis!
In english... soon
Elegí Losing Faith como una de mis mejores lecturas del 2010 por que este libro muestra una manera real y conmovedora las distintas formas en que cada persona atraviesa la pérdida de un ser querido. Pese a que es un tema complicado y puede sonar triste, la escritora supo manejar el tema con suavidad sin perder objetividad por ello.
También, el aspecto de la religión que se ilustra en el libro, no me pareció una manera de predicar sobre estos temas y lo agra...more
In english... soon
Elegí Losing Faith como una de mis mejores lecturas del 2010 por que este libro muestra una manera real y conmovedora las distintas formas en que cada persona atraviesa la pérdida de un ser querido. Pese a que es un tema complicado y puede sonar triste, la escritora supo manejar el tema con suavidad sin perder objetividad por ello.
También, el aspecto de la religión que se ilustra en el libro, no me pareció una manera de predicar sobre estos temas y lo agra...more
4 likes · like · see review
Is there anything I didn’t like about Losing Faith? Absolutely not! I LOVED this novel! The characters are wonderfully developed and the story is richly layered.
This story is about losing a sibling, but the story has so much going for it that readers will be able to read this and relate whether they’ve experienced a loss or not. The main character, Brie, is an honest character that many will relate to easily. The story focuses on how she deals with Faith’s death, and finding answers, but it als...more
This story is about losing a sibling, but the story has so much going for it that readers will be able to read this and relate whether they’ve experienced a loss or not. The main character, Brie, is an honest character that many will relate to easily. The story focuses on how she deals with Faith’s death, and finding answers, but it als...more
3.5 stars
This book was teetering between okay and good for me. There were some things that I liked and some things that I didn't particularly care for much. The characters were pretty interesting. I liked the way that most of them were done. A couple of the peripheral characters were a little too over the top for me; it was almost as though everyone who experiences the loss of a loved one completely loses all sense of rationality and never regains it. But I thought that the main three characters...more
This book was teetering between okay and good for me. There were some things that I liked and some things that I didn't particularly care for much. The characters were pretty interesting. I liked the way that most of them were done. A couple of the peripheral characters were a little too over the top for me; it was almost as though everyone who experiences the loss of a loved one completely loses all sense of rationality and never regains it. But I thought that the main three characters...more
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...more
She's a tough cookie and instead of wallowing in self-pity, she gets her spunk on and starts investigating. After dumping...more
When I started reading this book, I could NOT put it down. I was hooked from the very first page and I was completely satisfied with this story. I finished it in a day and a half and it was WICKED AWESOME!
When Brie received a phone call from her father while attending a party with her boyfriend, she didn't know what to make of it. The only thing she could make out was the word 'Hospital'. When she arrived at the ER, she could hardly believe the horrible truth. Her sister Faith is dead.
Everything...more
When Brie received a phone call from her father while attending a party with her boyfriend, she didn't know what to make of it. The only thing she could make out was the word 'Hospital'. When she arrived at the ER, she could hardly believe the horrible truth. Her sister Faith is dead.
Everything...more
Brie Jenkins’s world is turned upside down when she learns of her sister’s death. She tries her best to fit the pieces of her life back together but things don't go as planned and everything else in her life starts to unravel around her when whispers of her sister’s death catches her ear. Denise Jaden pulled me into the heartbreaking mindset of Brie and the turmoil clouding her life. Brie's mission to find out what really happened to her sister the night of her death touched on many of the press...more
This book definitely exceeded my expectations. The cover drew me in as do most of the books I read, and believe me, I'm glad it did. This book has a good beginning, a little less exciting middle, but a riveting and exciting end. The end left me flipping trough each page like there was no tomorrow. I loved Brie and Tessa and hated Dustin and Amy from the beginning but with good reason, I'm sure you wouldn't like the situation Dustin and Amy get themselves into either. Alis was an interesting char...more
Intense.
Many shades of intense, in fact.
The beginning is intense due to death. Sudden, violent death. How do you deal when your sister dies? You don't, not really. And the only person reaching out to Brie is her locker neighbor, gothy Tessa Lockbaum. Not her idea of a good friend.
Then the book becomes intense due to the mystery - who is Reena M. Black? (Not to mention, who was the cute boy at Faith's grave?) Brie's sister Faith clearly spent a lot of time with her before her death, which doesn't...more
Many shades of intense, in fact.
The beginning is intense due to death. Sudden, violent death. How do you deal when your sister dies? You don't, not really. And the only person reaching out to Brie is her locker neighbor, gothy Tessa Lockbaum. Not her idea of a good friend.
Then the book becomes intense due to the mystery - who is Reena M. Black? (Not to mention, who was the cute boy at Faith's grave?) Brie's sister Faith clearly spent a lot of time with her before her death, which doesn't...more
I’m not sure what possessed me to check this out from the library, but occasionally, I have a window of time where I am waiting for books I’ve put on hold to come in and so, I am forced to actually go look at the YA area. I frequent a tiny county library and so the YA section is equally tiny. I’m actually at the point where I only look for book spines with the “New” sticker on them. Anyway, I suspect I grabbed this during one of these downtimes. Normally, I steer clear of anything that I think m...more
Losing Faith by Denise Jaden
When Brie’s world falls apart due to the sudden death of her sister, Brie had to deal with the struggle that comes along with facing the face that her sister is gone. Although this is very difficult for Brie, she finds a way to do it. She decides to join her religious “Home Group” secretly; she never talked about it with her parents. Not only Is Brie dealing with the fact that her sister is no longer there, her parents are a complete mess, her friends don’t know wha...more
When Brie’s world falls apart due to the sudden death of her sister, Brie had to deal with the struggle that comes along with facing the face that her sister is gone. Although this is very difficult for Brie, she finds a way to do it. She decides to join her religious “Home Group” secretly; she never talked about it with her parents. Not only Is Brie dealing with the fact that her sister is no longer there, her parents are a complete mess, her friends don’t know wha...more
Losing Faith is a story about love, and loss, and the some times complicated relationships we have with our family and friends. I liked Brie's character. She grew up a lot after her sister's death. She went from being self centered, not having a very close relationship with her sister and finding ways to sneak away to see her popular boyfriend, to a very relatable character, as she looks into finding out what happened to Faith the night she died.
It was heart breaking reading how alone Brie felt...more
It was heart breaking reading how alone Brie felt...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Oct 28, 2010
Melanie Goodman
added it
Denise Jaden, one of The Contemps, shows that she belongs with the group of realistic fiction writers in her debut novel Losing Faith. Jaden’s book explores the aftermath of a sibling’s death, religion gone to the extreme, and touching friendships and romance between characters with impressive psychological depth.
Faith’s sudden fall off a cliff is a mystery, and despite the strained relationship Faith and Brie had in life, Brie can’t let go after Faith’s death. The police claim it was a suicide,...more
Faith’s sudden fall off a cliff is a mystery, and despite the strained relationship Faith and Brie had in life, Brie can’t let go after Faith’s death. The police claim it was a suicide,...more
Losing Faith-by Denise Jaden
a review by Bronwyn Clarke
Losing faith, a complicated and controversial topic diluted into an overall well written novel. It explores how far is too far when it comes to religion and the lengths people will go to for their beliefs. This novel has all it requires to be a bestseller, originality with various incorporated genres packed into one book. Romance, religion, adventure and tragedy all messed into this one novel; it keeps readers occupied and unable to put...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Wow. I wish I had a stronger word to describe this book but Wow is pretty much the first thing I said when I finished it. This young adult book features cults, romance, suspense and mystery, and even death. What do you get when you put all of those subjects into a book? Losing Faith by Denise Jaden is what you get.
When Brie's very religious sister dies, the family is devastated. Faith was the oldest, yet Brie was not very close with her. The police rule her death a suicide, but Brie knows in her...more
When Brie's very religious sister dies, the family is devastated. Faith was the oldest, yet Brie was not very close with her. The police rule her death a suicide, but Brie knows in her...more
Brie and her sister Faith have not been close in awhile, so when Faith dies under mysterious circumstances, Brie is not sure how she should feel. In order to gain closure, Brie starts investigating Faith’s death and uncovers some shocking secrets.
After I finished reading this, I tweeted: “If more contemporary YA was like LOSING FAITH, I’d read more of it.”
Contemporary YA doesn’t make up a lot of my reading. Mostly because I tend to be drawn to high-concept premises, but also because contemp YA...more
After I finished reading this, I tweeted: “If more contemporary YA was like LOSING FAITH, I’d read more of it.”
Contemporary YA doesn’t make up a lot of my reading. Mostly because I tend to be drawn to high-concept premises, but also because contemp YA...more
Even though Brie and her sister are not at all close, Brie cannot help but feel completely lost and distraught after Faith's violent and mysterious death. The sisters may have been close in age, but their personalities were eons apart. As the younger sister, Brie does not even try to live up to the shining example set by her older sister. She is close to having sex with her boyfriend and lies to sneak out of her parents house for parties. Brie is a bit of a wild child in contrast to Faith, who s...more
This book was... WOW..
What did you think the book was about?
Love, Loss, and Faith
Did you feel that the book fulfilled your expectations? Were you disappointed?
YES!!! I was not disappointed at all.
Did the author seem to appear in the book? How? Why? Was the presence of the author disruptive? Or did it seem appropriate/fitting?
I htink she might have been in Pastor Scott, her presence was not disruptive, it was Appropriate and Fitting!
Did you enjoy the book? Why? Why not?
YES!!! I enjoyed it a lot....more
What did you think the book was about?
Love, Loss, and Faith
Did you feel that the book fulfilled your expectations? Were you disappointed?
YES!!! I was not disappointed at all.
Did the author seem to appear in the book? How? Why? Was the presence of the author disruptive? Or did it seem appropriate/fitting?
I htink she might have been in Pastor Scott, her presence was not disruptive, it was Appropriate and Fitting!
Did you enjoy the book? Why? Why not?
YES!!! I enjoyed it a lot....more
When I first received Losing Faith, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was familiar with Denise Jaden's writing so I knew it would be quality work, but I wasn't certain it would be my cup of tea. I imagine I'm well outside the intended audience.
As a mystery lover, a few pages in I was hooked. Losing Faith is centered around a great, believable mystery that builds steadily and has a very tight conclusion. Strong characters with natural voices really brought the story to life. They have serious, ofte...more
As a mystery lover, a few pages in I was hooked. Losing Faith is centered around a great, believable mystery that builds steadily and has a very tight conclusion. Strong characters with natural voices really brought the story to life. They have serious, ofte...more
This book was originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.
Losing Faith by Denise Jaden is a story of life and death, pain and hope, and friendship. Brie hasn't been close to her sister Faith for several years. Their parents are deeply religious, and Faith is a fervent believer as well. Brie is more interested in whether she really wants to spend alone time with her boyfriend than listening to people talk God, and it's caused some tension between family members.
Then Faith...more
Losing Faith by Denise Jaden is a story of life and death, pain and hope, and friendship. Brie hasn't been close to her sister Faith for several years. Their parents are deeply religious, and Faith is a fervent believer as well. Brie is more interested in whether she really wants to spend alone time with her boyfriend than listening to people talk God, and it's caused some tension between family members.
Then Faith...more
My last little review for 2010...
Losing Faith could probably be best described as Realistic YA Fiction. It is the sad story of a young girl who gets caught up in a supposedly harmless youth group at her church. This involvement gets extreme and deadly. The heart of the story is this young girl's sister...Brie. She is determined to find out what really happened to her sister. She is facing this and the sadness and despair of her parents while trying to deal with her feelings about the loss of he...more
Losing Faith has a lot going on in it and Denise Jaden does a wonderful job of tying it all together and presenting it in a wonderful package that keeps you in suspense and keeps you engaged with the characters at the same time.
At first I wasn't sure what I thought of Brie, she seemed a little self-centered. Then I thought back to my high school years and what teenage girl isn't self-centered? Who doesn't want to meet up with their boyfriend at any cost? However Brie's sister, Faith's death real...more
At first I wasn't sure what I thought of Brie, she seemed a little self-centered. Then I thought back to my high school years and what teenage girl isn't self-centered? Who doesn't want to meet up with their boyfriend at any cost? However Brie's sister, Faith's death real...more
3 likes · like · see review
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Denise Jaden enjoys writing craft books for writers and fiction for young adults.
Her first novel for teens, LOSING FAITH, was released from Simon Pulse, fall 2010. The first draft was written in 21 days during NaNoWriMo. NEVER ENOUGH, her second novel, was released July 10, 2012. A companion group of stories--NEVER ENOUGH STORIES is available for free at Smashwords.com. WRITING WITH A HEAVY HEART:...more
More about Denise Jaden...
Her first novel for teens, LOSING FAITH, was released from Simon Pulse, fall 2010. The first draft was written in 21 days during NaNoWriMo. NEVER ENOUGH, her second novel, was released July 10, 2012. A companion group of stories--NEVER ENOUGH STORIES is available for free at Smashwords.com. WRITING WITH A HEAVY HEART:...more
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“What's even more messed up than funerals, is the way people treat you after the funeral. Like you're diseased or something.”
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“Wow, someone woke up on the wrong side of the Midol.”
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Sep 08, 2012 09:19am