The Twin's Daughter (Lauren Baratz-Logsted) Review

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (September 1, 2010)
Hardcover: 304 pages
Book from Publisher

From Goodreads. Lucy Sexton is stunned when a disheveled woman appears at the door one day... a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lucy's own beautiful mother. It turns out the two women are identical twins, separated at birth, and raised in dramatically different circumstances. Lucy's mother quickly resolves to give her less fortunate sister the kind of life she has never known. And the transformation in Aunt Helen is indeed remarkable. But when Helen begins to imitate her sister in every way, even Lucy isn't sure at times which twin is which. Can Helen really be trusted, or does her sweet face mask a chilling agenda?

Filled with shocking twists and turns, The Twin's Daughter is an engrossing gothic novel of betrayal, jealousy, and treacherous secrets that will keep you guessing to the very end.

Review
THE TWIN'S DAUGHTER, by Lauren Baratz-Logsted, absolutely blew me away. At the beginning of the book, I was not sure if I would be too invested in this young girl and her hoity-toity lifestyle, but when Aunt Helen appeared, I was captivated.

I do not think I have ever read a book that tossed me for a loop so many times than this one. I fell in step along with Lucy not being able to trust anyone who she thought was close to her. As a fourteen year old, she was fascinated with her long-lost aunt who was doing anything and everything to fit into the mold of her well-off twin. I was suspicious of her intentions to be too much like Aliese but when a terrible tragedy struck, I immediately sided with Lucy in her deductions of what happened. As the story continued, my suspicions were once again raised as her family structure was slowly crumbling.

Lucy was a great character to experience. She was tenacious, and reminded me of Elizabeth Bennett (from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice). She was well off, but she stayed honest to herself and always asked questions and spoke her mind freely. I adored the friendship between Lucy and Kit. I always knew of his intentions for her, but Lucy's ever-active brain unknowingly brushed him aside.

Overall, this was a fantastic book. There was romance, intrigue, mystery, and high volumes of suspense that will keep you reading until the final page.

For more info, check out Lauren Baratz-Logsted's website