How does someone heal from unthinkable trauma? What happens when they are given their life back? Jana Anonymous works to answer these questions in a thoughtful and careful way. Even though the reader doesn't know Jane's real name or what town she is from, you will feel for her story. You'll care for Jane and want her to be OK. But what is OK? She's been through a lot. How is she supposed to heal? Can she heal?

This book was terrifying. Not only because it CAN happen, but because it HAS happened. Well written, chilling, and inspiring all at once.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Jane Anonymous had me hooked from the moment I read the synopsis. Then I read the prologue and I literally couldn’t put this book down until I finished it. I devoured it in one sitting.
I was crying within the first ten percent of this book, which might not say much because I cry at the drop of a hat since having a baby, but still. I was sucked into this story, chewed up, and spit out in the final pages. I really liked the way this story was told. Jane Anonymous is telling us her story. She is writing everything down as a way to work through what she experienced. I thought this was brilliant because we feel what she’s feeling. We get invested in everything the way she does, and our whole world is rocked when we learn certain bits of information. I really liked the ‘anonymous’ aspect of the story. It takes place in ‘Suburb City/Town, New England State’ which is not a real place, but I thought it was a really interesting way to keep the story focused completely on Jane and her experiences. As someone who grew up in New England, I liked that the small town northern setting was there even if no actual places were named.
Jane is experiencing some serious PTSD. We follow her as she tells us her story in alternating chapters of now and then. I thought this was done well to add more suspense to an already excellent story. Then there’s the mystery of how she got from then to now.
This story was absolutely incredible. It had characters I alternated between loving and hating. There was the best friend that I loved at first and then hated and then loved again by the end of the book. Then her parents, I wanted to hate them at times, but also imagining how I would feel if something like this happened to my daughter, I couldn’t fathom how I would react. I think they were doing their best, and eventually, I ended up liking them.
Overall, I’m obsessed with this book. It may just be a new favorite. The writing was paced just right to keep me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved Jane and having her tell this story was an excellent choice. I will be shouting about this book from the rooftops for the next forever.

This book was so creepy in the most unexpected way.

I honestly can’t explain to you what made me choose this book. I love reading light-hearted books with cheesy romance. A book about a girl who was kidnapped has never been on my reading list before. And of course, when I read that she had been kidnapped, my mind immediately went to rape and other horrifying things. So why choose this book? I think this book chose me.

Like I said before, this book was creepy, but not in the way I had expected. Instead of being creepy in the way she was treated in captivity, it was creepy the way she WASN’T treated. It made readers question what was going to come next. Some chapters had my heart pounding because I was afraid of what could POTENTIALLY happen. The other thing that freaked me out was the way Jane was kidnapped. She was trying to be a nice human being, and I think I would’ve done the same in her shoes.

I really liked this book, especially how it switched back in forth between captivity and freedom. It was interesting to read about Jane and her recovery. I hope that you will decide to read this book and enjoy it as much as I did!

Thank you so much NetGalley for letting me read Jane Anonymous.

This book, man. There is so much to say. This book was raw and real, with no happily ever after or moments of relief. It handles extremely tough themes such as survivalism, Stockholm Syndrome, suicide and mental health.

While the main character is the crux of the story, her family, friends and even captor are painted so vividly with flaws and strengths. There are times when I had to walk away and take a breath because the pain felt and described is so deep, but there are also times I felt such joy and warmth from how hard everyone was TRYING. No, there’s no bow on the ending. But it didn’t need it. It was perfect the way it was.

Jane Anonymous is told in alternating timelines, from then, when Jane was kidnapped and held for 7 months, and now, as she tries to pick up the pieces of her life. Jane's friends Shelly and Jack are trying really hard to let her know that they're available whenever she needs.

It's clear Jane is suffering from PTSD and as she starts this story, she's doing her best to stay out of therapy, which is a really bad idea because the sooner sufferers get help, the more likely that they can turn it all around and not be a lifelong sufferer. I would say something along the lines of "I don't know why her mother didn't force her to keep trying new therapists until she found one that clicked" but...her mother was useless. She's pushy and overbearing and she's not really supportive of Jane's wants. She herself should have marched into therapy after her daughter was taken, to deal with her issues. At the very least, she should have gotten herself in therapy much sooner than she does because she's horrible at knowing to give Jane what she needs, and I'm thankful for her father for helping as much as he's able in that regard.

As you can tell, I really hated her mother, and I think that tainted how much I could have liked this book. I figured out what others are calling the twist fairly early on in the book, but I don't think knowing that makes you want to read it less. Jane Anonymous is a well-written, solid story with good characters, it was moving and heartbreaking, but there's light, humor, and hope as well.

Jane Anonymous
By Laurie Faria Stolarz
St. Martin's Press
Wednesday Books
Published January 2020
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review


Seven months.

That’s how long I was kept captive.

Locked in a room with a bed, refrigerator, and adjoining bathroom, I was instructed to eat, bathe, and behave. I received meals, laundered clothes, and toiletries through a cat door, never knowing if it was day or night. The last time I saw the face of my abductor was when he dragged me fighting from the trunk of his car. And when I finally escaped, I prayed I’d never see him again.

This is a story of a girl that was taken. This is also a story of how the girl not only survives this horrible nightmare, but how she keeps on surviving when the nightmare is over.

This YA thriller was great, if you keep the perspective of who the intended audience is: young adults (teens). Although this thriller didn’t necessarily surprise me with its intended plot twists (as someone who has read countless thrillers, I could spot the plot twists a mile away), I still thought it was an entertaining read. And if I am analyzing this book through the lens of what its intended audience is supposed to be (NOT at 33 year old woman) then I would have to say that the plot twists are thoughtful and would be surprising to a young adult or teenager.

What I liked most about this story, however, is how it addressed trauma and the aftermath of emotions after a traumatic event. As someone who has experienced both trauma and PTSD, I can say that the author covered these subjects with sensitivity and thoughtfulness as well as accuracy (in my personal experience). It isn’t easy to handle big emotions in a trauma exposed brain and everyone approaches healing in their own time and in their own way. No two trauma journeys are the same. What the author has shown in Jane is how trauma changes the way we think, act, behave, treat relationships, and all around cope. By displaying both healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms, the author brings authenticity to the struggles Jane and her family and friends all go through due to Jane’s kidnapping and disappearance. Becoming a more trauma informed society is such an important topic, and Im glad Stolarz has the talent and the guts to tell this hard story and bring light to this tough issue.

I really enjoyed Stolarz’s voice and writing style. This is new author for me, but she is definitely on my radar now. Teens and adults alike will enjoy going on this thrilling journey with Jane.

LOVED this book! Can't wait to recommend to my teen book club when we do horror/thriller. Kept me on my toes the whole time- and I never saw the twist coming. I love the way the timeline works- you find out about Jane's story little by little from both her present situation and what happened to her in the past. Couldn't put this down!

An emotional roller coaster from start to finish, you are taken on a ride that draws you in from the start, compels you to keep turning as the story unfolds and spits you back out at the end.
Complex characters and an original thought provoking plot, make this a must read novel.

You guys, this book. First off, I read it like it was my job. I couldn't put it down and when I DID have to (like, to do my actual job), I kept thinking about it and wondering what the next chapter would bring.

I like the new trend of showing what life is like after a traumatic event. Jane's kidnapping and time in captivity is obviously horrible, but her life doesn't magically snap back into place once she manages to return to her normal existence. Her time away has completely changed her and it's hard for her to relate to her parents or old friends.

This was a hard book to read in a lot of ways, but it's not as harrowing as it could be. I kept rooting for Jane, and I kept rooting for her parents and her friends to find a way back to her.

Highly recommended.

Everyone needs to read this book! From the first couple of pages I could not stop reading. The story line is incredible! I don’t want to say too much but go in blind.

So good!

I feel like this was so good I should just be able to tell people to read it. But I guess you will want to know why.

It grabbed me from the first few pages. I was engrossed by her kidnapping story. And I rooted hard for her trying to move on after.

It was sweet. It was sad (yes, I possibly shed a tear it two). I believed this story. I felt like I was truly reading the journal of a kidnapping victim. I got so aggravated with her mother. I fell in love with Jack. I wasn't just reading a story...I was there.

I want to thank the publisher and net galley for the advance copy. This truly didn't impact this review.

Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz is a YA novel that is nothing short of a revelation. This is a new author for me, but certainly one who will be on my radar in the future.

This is the story of an abduction, told from the perspective of Jane (not her real name), the abductee, in the timelines of 'then' and 'now'. Journaling her thoughts as a means to deal with the trauma endured, Jane shares with us her richly detailed memories from the point of abduction through her seven months in captivity, as well as the aftermath of trying to resume normalcy in a world that will never again be the same. The author succeeds in drawing Jane in such a way that it feels almost as if we have crawled into her skin and are experiencing her innermost thoughts at the most primal level. This is characterization at its very best, and you will be virtually propelled through this immersive and emotional read.

This is a compelling and powerful narrative that I found to be utterly addictive, and I woukd not hesitate to recommend it to anyone, particularly those who have previously overlooked the YA genre. This one is a stand out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this wonderful ARC.

I recieved this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start off by saying what a huge fan of the author I am. I love her novels. I have the majority, if not all (I need to check on the "all" part). But I've enjoyed each and every one of the them. This is no different.

Jane Anonymous is a story about a girl who was kidnapped and held hostage for 7 months. Yes, 7 months. She was held until she finally escaped. The novel is not just set in the kidnapping though. "Jane" is writing her novel and goes to the past and current (past kidnapping, current dealing with life after). I loved the way it was told because you realize how each event in her past relates to her current and why she is the way she is now.

Before you read this book though, plan to have plenty of time to read it because it is a binge book for sure. Amazing. Just amazing!

Absolutely chilling. This left me feeling so uncertain and just... broken at the same time. “Jane”, both the book and the character is someone who I will not forget and who will be lingering around my mind for a long time. An extraordinary book that just floored me. It was hard to get through but just wow.

Wow! This was so well-written, I actually felt fear and panic as I read many of Jane’s entries. What I really like is that there is no tying up of all the loose ends. Jane isn’t fixed. She remains beautifully broken and perfectly imperfect. I think the novel could give hope to people who are suffering from trauma. I’m thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my review.

Jane Anonymous
A Novel

by Laurie Faria Stolarz


St. Martin's Press

Wednesday Books

Teens & YA

Pub Date 07 Jan 2020



I am reviewing a copy of Jane Anonymous through St.Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books and Netgalley:


She was held captive for seven months. She was locked in a room with a bed, refrigerator and adjoining bathroom. She was told to eat, to bathe and behave. She received her meals, her toiletries and her clean laundry through a cat door. She never knew whether it was day or night. The last time Jane had seen the face of her abductor was when she dragged fighting from trunk of his car, and when she finally escaped, she prayed she would never see him again.


She is home now, and everyone is expecting it to be like it was before I left. What they don’t understand is such that dining out and shopping trips can’t heal what’s broken inside me. I barely leave my bedroom. Therapists are clueless and condescending. So I start my own form of therapy—by writing about my experience awakens uncomfortable memories, ones that should’ve stayed buried. How far will I have to go to uncover the truth of what happened, and will it break me forever?



I give this powerfully written young adult novel five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

To be as transparent as possible, I’ve got to admit that I’m not one for thrillers at all. I don’t seek them out (except during the spooky time of year) and I don’t read a lot of them to really compare and contrast this to what’s already available in the genre. However, the premise of this sounded super intriguing and I wanted to give it a try.

The story itself is really amazing. Obviously you can tell from the premise that it’s going to be really really hard hitting. There’s lots of trauma, anxiety, physical/mental abuse, and just a lot of bad crap happening. It wasn’t as descriptive of the trauma Jane dealt with but it was enough that some moments seriously gave me pause, but not so much that I would have to stop because I became uncomfortable. I shotgun read this in like five hours. It flew by, tbh.

It’s told in alternating times of past vs. present which I felt like really rounded the story out well and let you really gain a good understanding of the trauma that Jane went through. It wasn’t rushed at all and I felt like the author did a good job at presenting her kidnapping, captivity, escape, and subsequent return to ‘normal’ life. Despite all this, I just felt like something was missing. I just kept waiting and waiting for the ‘wow factor’ to just smack me upside the head and it never came.

The characters are great! I mean, the guy Jane had a crush on pre-kidnapping and her therapist at the end are the ONLY good people in the story. Her parents and even her best friend were kind of assholes. I mean, I GET that they were traumatized in their own way but I really disliked how they took her trauma to elevate their own. It always seemed like they were more worried about their feelings than Jane’s and that pissed me off so much. Like, this poor girl was held in captivity for almost a year, escapes in a really brutal way, and now you’re pissy because she has anxiety about going out and socializing? Like, wtf man!

Speaking of which, Jane does make some really stupid decisions post-escape that rubbed me the wrong way. This is going to sound so judgy but I truly do not mean it that way; if I had just been kidnapped and held in captivity for almost a year, there’s no way in hell I’d be randomly going off on my own without telling someone, and Jane did this several times! Each time I just wanted to reach into the book and smack her!

The ‘twist’ of who the kidnapper turned out to be was a bit of a let down. Like I said, I don’t really read many thrillers or mysteries for that matter so I was kind of disappointed that I figured out who the kidnapper was before it was revealed on page. Again, I was expecting a lot and didn’t get it.

All in all, it was a good book! It wasn’t great. It wasn’t this big life changing story. It had the potential to be really amazing but for me it was just okay.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Wow. This was a really well book. It is definitely a heavy subject, and may be difficult for some people to read about, but it was done very well.
This is the aftermath, the PTSD. Her journaling about being a survivor of captivity. The before and after. Heavy.

Jane Anonymous was a difficult read. Don't get me wrong, it was an excellent book, well written and well executed, but the subject matter was intense. We meet Jane "after" her captivity and learn about what she went through in flashbacks. It was a page turner I couldn't put down and the back and forth of "then" and "now" entries added some wonderful elements of suspense. This is the kind of book I would recommend to my book club because it is the type of story that demands discussion. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense or young adult books, and to book club groups.