Book Review: An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Back in January I read The Wife Between Us by this author duo and loved it. It was one of my favorite books this Winter. I was very excited to read An Anonymous Girl and I have to say this book did not disappoint. It was actually one of my favorite book I read this summer (http://whattoreadnextblog.com/2018/09/11/52-top-5-summer-book-picks/) .

An Anonymous Girl is about a psychological experiment gone wrong. I went into this book blind and it was perfect.

This story is about an affair, marriage and the role of manipulation as one participant goes through an experiment. There are plot twists and turns. The whole story keeps you guessing.

My feels: This book is best to go blind. It will surprise you and it will keep you guessing how it will all get resolved.

I give this book 5 stars

I will publish this review on What to Read Next Blog in January closer to publication date.

The psychological thriller genre can become a bit repetitive. The praise received for these stories commonly compares the biggest or best rated stories to the fresh release that falls flat. You hear all the crazy hype and pick up the thriller and find yourself less than thrilled. This happens pretty frequently, especially for those who consider themselves avid readers of this genre. Welp, that is exactly how I felt about The Wife Between Us. There was a decent twist, but I didn’t quite understand the intense praise. I thought it was decent, but found it lacked something. Maybe it was me, maybe it was the story, who the hell knows? I’m tickled pink to report that An Anonymous Girl was the thrill ride I was hoping for with The Wife Between Us. There is no doubt in my mind that this story deserves the praise and rave reviews it has been receiving. If you haven’t put in a request, do it now. Do not wait, do not pass go, do not collect $200, especially do not wait until release. Read this story right now!

If the synopsis doesn’t have your interest peeked, you have no soul. No really, if that didn’t spark something inside you, reach out to your GP and ensure you are human. Because that is one hell of a synopsis. Followed by one hell of a story. Like I am literally having a hard time conveying into words the immensity of this amazingness. And I don't fan girl over many "thrillers".

An Anonymous Girl is a story that I won’t go too deep into details. Why ruin something so damn good? I will tell you these two authors made sure that I had no clue who to trust. There were specific scenes and happenings that had me question the reality of the situation. Is Jessica nuts? Is this study nucking futs? What the frankenfarts is going on in this story?!?! While those are a lot of question and explanation marks, I assure you not knowing what the heck is happening makes it that much more enjoyable and addicting. It was truly a story where I didn’t know if I could trust any single character. The unreliable narrator and supporting characters really send home the psychological thrill in this story.

Hendricks and Pekkanen are pretty much the perfect team if they continue producing home runs like An Anonymous girl. Together these two will Batman and Robin the fuck out of this genre.

NetGalley, I can’t believe I just learned about you around a year ago. How I ever survived before is unclear. I will keep sending those requests if you keep offering titles like An Anonymous Girl before pub date. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now go to NetGalley and request this story. So you can return and send me a ton of thank yous!

It took me a few chapters to get in to this book but once I did it never slowed down. Just when I thought I'd figured out what was going to happen a new twist changed everything. Jessie lies her way in to a survey for compensation and finds herself getting drawn deeper and deeper as the questions get harder and more personal. As more is required for her for more compensation she finds herself in quite the predicament. She needs the money but at what cost? When the study becomes more real life experiments she starts to question the validity of the study and what's being asked of her. Is the infamous Dr. Shields after more than basic information on morality?

An Anonymous Girl is an engrossing story about obsession and power. Those who have power are often cunning and manipulate others who are seen as a means to an end. When money and love are added to the equation the results are devastating.

Jess is a hard working freelance makeup artist. She sees a way to get ahead of her living paycheck to paycheck. It seemed like a simple solution but in life things are not always what they appear to be.

The characters are so well written it is easy to see them as real. The plot is carefully crafted to slowly reveal clues about what is really happening beneath the obvious. This is psychological suspense at its best.

Thank you St Martin's Press for supplying this Advanced Reader's Copy for review. The opinions expressed are completely my own.
#AnAnonymousGirl #NetGalley

Good book. Felt like I knew the characters but many parts had me a bit lost, but the writing was great and I would definitely read more by these authors.

This was such an interesting book! I enjoyed the two different perspectives. Sometimes It can be challenging to flip back and forth from different point of views, but in this book it was very easy to follow along. This was one of those books that I had a hard time putting down to go to work or do anything productive. I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened, and yet I kind of didn't want the book to end! I thought this book had the perfect blend of suspense, without making me feel like I was going to be murdered in my sleep, after reading it right before bed. I can't wait until the author duo's next book comes out!!!!

Another great book by these authors! It drew me in, and kept me guessing! It was paced well and I liked how it ended. A solid read!

Wow! I absolutely love this book. It has everything I look for, suspense, mystery, sex, humor & lots of "oh no"! Jessica Farris think before you leap because Dr. Shields has a study for you. Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen did it again with An Anonymous Girl.
I can't say much because I don't want to spoil this awesome book for other readers. Just read it, absorb it & talk about it with friends. An Anonymous Girl is a cautionary tale!

I received an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

This book was a roller coaster, with 90% spent on the rise, as the anticipation of the big drop grows.
I’m not sure the drop was worth it. This book was incredibly unique, I’ve never read anything like. A psychological test that takes on a strange twist.
I am incredibly impressed by the transformation Jess takes throughout this book. It’s awe inspiring in the weirdest way.
I feel like I’m leaving this story unfinished and unsatisfied. Maybe I’m the odd one out, but I want more answers about a few of the sideline characters, and more about Jess and how she handles the event that ends the story. (Sorry, I’m trying to express this without spoilers! Super difficult).
While I may revise this review as time goes on and I can think on it a little more, as of now I would recommend this book. It’s thrilling and fun, even if not wholly satisfactory to me.

Jess overhears a client discussing a survey she will most likely be passing up, that pays $500, and decides to go in her place. She can’t pass up that kind of cash! From a basic anonymous questionnaire, Jess has been selected to continue the study on morality. As the ‘experimebts’ become more involved and don’t see so random, Jess starts to unravel what exactly she’s gotten herself into.
This psychological thriller hooked me from the beginning and kept me invested and intrigued the whole way through.

I love this book! Anyone who loves a thriller that keeps you guessing until the end will love this one. The start of the book was brilliant and I really loved every part of this book.The storyline is exciting and you never see or expect the numerous twists that are coming up next. I didn’t want to put it down. It was mysterious, intriguing, and thought provoking. It just keeps you wanting more as you try to figure out what’s happening. Great read! Highly recommend. I will be reading more of this author.

Wow! This book isn't what I was expecting. The storyline is unique and you never see the numerous twists which are just around the corner. It's a book you don't want to put down, you want to plow through and devour all in one sitting. I imagine this will be a big hit with book clubs as this book will spark an in-depth discussion on each o the character and as well morals in general. If you have to ask if you can trust someone, then you already know the answer!

I loved this book. Not quite as much as The Wife Between Us—but the authors are a phenomenal duo. I read the entire book in a 24 hour span. If I hadn't, it may have been hard to hold onto all of the details that were layered throughout the story. I definitely enjoyed how the story flipped several times, and the reader wasn't sure who knew what. And the ending was absolutely perfect!!!!!!

I was very excited to read this book after loving "The Wife Between Us", and I was not disappointed! Hendricks and Pekkanen have an amazing knack for creating psychological suspense novels that aren't predictable. This is one of those books that has you thinking about getting back to reading it at those unfortunate times when you have to put it down.

This book was one that kept me rapt from beginning to end. The author(s) were methodical with details that left the reader knowing exactly where we were going and where we were. It was wonderful not to have to flip flop back and say “ what did I miss?”, as in so many books I have read and reviewed lately. A true “page turner.” Written so very well.....intelligently and mesmerizingly. The characters were not easily figured out and they kept the reader wondering and listening. I do not want to spoil this intriguing read with details of the plot, as is my way of reviewing, but this book is one I have to say was one of the best I’ve read in a long time. I am a discriminating and avid reader and reviewer. Excellent! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you SO, SO much to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for my ARC!! I never expected to get a copy of this and was extremely excited to do so. At the same time, I was set up for disappointment as The Wife Between Us was one of the best books I read so far this year. I need not have worried! This storyline is very different from many recent stories I have read and super-fast paced! I liked Jess and kept thinking what would I do in her situation. It is extremely far-fetched, but at the same time it is also believable. The only negative thing I have to say is that the ending is a little too neat and not quite the WOW factor of their first book, but still a fantastic read!! Can't wait to see what's next!!

Wow. This was a mind warping, crazy book. Who knew that even psychologists/therapists could be a little crazy?! This book had me trying to figure it out until the end. I liked that there were definitely 2 ways it could have gone. Great job again for these 2 authors who work so well together. I was lucky enough to get this early from Netgalley.

How. I had high expectations for An Anonymous Girl and I was not disappointed. The twists and turns of this one rivals The Wife Between Us which was one of my top 2018 audio book experiences. I am so looking forward to listening to this because I think the slow burning dread I felt will be ratcheted up in audio. I loved this book!

A tale of manipulation, deception, treachery and perhaps naivety. A story meant for female readers, which I am not. At about the midway point I decided I’ve had enough, as it was a tough read to into, but something engaged, and I went on to the finish. I suspect it is a better book than I can give credit for, it just wasn’t for me.

**Review will be published to blog closer to publication date at the end of Dec 2018**

I chose this book because:

It reminds me so much of the Stanford Prison Experiment. What makes Jess stay? How does the experiment filter into her own life? What is she hiding? What is the mad scientist's obsession? I'm excited to start reading and find out!

Upon reading it:

This novel is told in alternating points of view between Jess and Dr. Shields. Let's start with Jess. I felt like Jess was too paranoid and suspicious from the get go. To be fair, she had good reason to in the end (I don't consider this a spoiler because this can be inferred from the blurb and is hinted at early in the novel), but when the plot developed to the point where she should have become a sympathetic character, instead I was only mildly annoyed by her weakness. Perhaps I would have been more sympathetic toward Jess if she had more confidence in herself at the beginning. To her credit, Jess was a generally confident character, but whenever it came around to the doctor, she treated the doctor as a higher power and aimed to please for no logical reason, putting herself in a vulnerable position. I was turned off by how Jess began to question everything in real life (can also be inferred from blurb), wondering if it was one of Dr. Shields' morality tests. Like, just be a good person regardless?? Perhaps it's unfair of me to judge Jess like that. We all have our flaws, and a person doesn't have to be good to be honest, to be real.

As for Dr. Shields, their voice was purposefully mechanical, which was transparent, but I didn't mind except that I sometimes got confused whenever the doctor said something like "he was told" rather than "I told him" (you know how sometimes you read fast and your brain fills in the next words, so after a quotation you might expect "[someone] said," so when you see "he was told," you prematurely read "he told" or "he said"), as if the doctor was just some psychotic empty shell of a human going through the motions. Perhaps that was the point, to make the doctor seem creepy, but I find antagonists more compelling when they're human too.

I wondered why Dr. Shield took such interest in Jess; Jess' answers to Dr. Shields' morality questions didn't seem all that extraordinary. The doctor conducted a pointed experiment with leading scenarios, tainting the experiments from the get go, so no matter what the results turned out to be, you couldn't reach a conclusive answer from them. Shouldn't any doctor worth their salt know that? There must be something blinding the doctor, and I was intrigued to know what that was.

Part way through the novel, you begin to understand why they're conducting their research, but it's still unclear what the doctor's endgame is. Wanting to uncover and understand this kept me plowing through; it wasn't so much suspense but more like, "Where's the logic? How does it all come together??" There's a mystery in itself!