Well...damn. 

Laurie Faria Stolarz was an author I remember reading YEARS ago, back when I was in high school and I loved her writing so much. To this day, I still think fondly of her "Touch" series and what it meant to be back then. So when I saw that she had a new book coming out I just knew I had to read it. And wow, she reminded me why I loved her books so much. 

In some ways, I knew was able to guess what happened to Jane but in other ways, I was left completely shocked and now my brain just feels heavy and empty. This book really makes you think. It makes you feel. I flew through this and I loved that the chapters was so short because it made me want to keep reading even though I typically don't like books with "past" and "present" type structure. But it obviously makes sense here to do so and while I had a preference in chapters, I still enjoyed this thoroughly. 

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes thriller/mystery type novels but also for anyone who is captivated by abduction stories and wonders about why these things happen to people and how it effects their life. I'm so glad this author is back and I can't wait to read whatever she publishes next!

I love the writing style, I love how we truly doesn't know what happened at the start, like we're piecing the memories together with the main character. It made me feel connected to Jane. While reading, though, I have this feeling that Jane's not really a reliable narrator. I feel like there's something missing and I wasn't wrong. From the synopsis, I kind of guess what the twist (if it's a twist) is going to be but it still wished that what I was thinking was right and I feel for Jane. She's such a tough cookie, this character. Everything that she went through (before) and what she was going through (after) was so horrifying and devastating. I just... I wish what happened to this book won't happen to anyone (but I know for a fact that this happens which makes it a lot sadder).

I like the characters, especially Jane's parents, bless those characters. You could gather that they really love Jane (see the sixth quote below), they just doesn't know how to handle her after what happened to her. I also appreciate Jane's friends. I especially love the addition of Jack - the one character that kind of know what Jane is experiencing.

Overall, I really liked this poignant book. The plot was extremely interesting. This is not only a journey of survival but also of healing.

I wouldn't classify this as a classic thriller. It's definitely more of a character study. I found that it dragged at times, but I really kept pushing through it because I found Jane's voice so utterly captivating. 

And it had a great message about trauma and how you can heal from it.

Jane was your typical seventeen-year-old girl then. Now she stockpiles gallons of water and boxes of Coco Loco brownies in her room. Then she was meeting her friend for breakfast. Now she sleeps in her closet. Then she was supposed to meet the boy she liked at a concert that night. Now can’t tell what was real and what was a lie.

I had no idea when I read the description, that this book was going to be this good. I like how the author doesn’t leave you guessing as to what happened but instead has the chapters go back and forth between ‘then’ and ‘now’. The author also provides a brilliant prologue stating how real this book is. 

Kidnapping is no joke and it happens all the time. As sad as that is, we have to be aware of our surroundings at all times. Jane was taken because she made one little mistake. A mistake that got her kidnapped for seven months. A mistake that will take years to heal from. 

I gave this book five stars because the suspense in this story had me turning the pages nonstop. I wanted to know what happened to Jane and how it affected her, and if she would ever be able to live a normal life again.

While it’s scary to think of someone being kidnapped, especially yourself or someone you love, this book kind stands a literary warning to be cautious. I highly recommend reading this book. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in return for an honest review.

I feel like this one doesn't tread any new ground. It's all expected, largely because Jane's perception of the place she's being held is so unbelievable. A warehouse of kids held captive for no apparent reason, rewarded for eating their food and taking a shower, doesn't make sense. The "surprise reveals" are far more sensible and were exactly what I predicted. The whole thing felt a bit exploitative, focused more on shocking us than in truly presenting a compelling, complex story.

Jane Anonymous is the story of a teen girl, held captive by a man for seven months.  Told in alternating timelines from then (in captivity) to now (free), this is the story of Jane, what she went through, and the struggle to return to her life post-captivity.

<b>Positives:</b> 

1. This book was intensely readable.  It was engaging and made you want to keep reading.  There is a bit of a mystery element in this book, basically answering the question "Why Jane?"  I think having this question makes the book seem to fly by, and really drives the novel.  

2. Jane herself is a sympathetic main character who is easily understandable, even as she goes through struggles that many of us cannot relate to.  She's a poet, a reader, and a good friend, which I think many readers will relate to.

<b>Negatives:</b>  (Note, these are just the things that I didn't particularly like, but you may feel differently.)  

1. The way other characters reacted to Jane was incredibly frustrating.  All of them seemed to expect her to just bounce back and treated her with no grace or gentleness.  There was no understanding, especially on the part of the mom, the officers, her best friend.  Some characters were sympathetic and understanding, but most were treating her like she was dumb or like she hadn't gone through something incredibly traumatic!  And that really rubbed me the wrong way.

2. The writing.  For me, there were a lot of annoying elements of the writing that were really annoying.  The way the author would
Break.
Up.
Sentences.
For.
No.
Reason.
I get she was trying to emphasize the point but it got really repetitive and I felt most of the sentences she used this on did not need to be emphasized like this.  

3.  This is not really a negative but the ending does not wrap up all the questions, which may be a negative for some people.  Just know that the ending is a little open when going in.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel and I recommend it for those looking for a fun, fast read, especially if you're interested in the darker side of humanity.

I never read a book from Laurie Faria Stolarz, it was a complete discover and I really liked it.
The narrative is told from Jane point of view between now and then. It is painful to read the struggle in her, she can't be the same girl anymore. And her relatives won't to see that truth.
I just feel at some point a little lack of speed and the narration lose tension. But this doesn't change the fact that I really like to follow the thought of Jane. 
With thanks to St Martin's Press and Netgally for this reading.

Jane Anonymous nicely creates a mesh of suspenseful kidnapping mystery and reflective representation of mental health associated with such happenings. Told in both past and present timelines, it paints the horrifying isolation of being held captive as well as the hopeful recovery from a traumatic experience. It works well to highlight the protagonist as an individual who knows everything can never be the same again amidst hearing the family and friends' thoughts of constant concern.


SUM IT UP IN POINTS!

➝ YA mystery
➝ seven-months captivity
➝ suspense build-up
➝ interesting plot twist
➝ best friend goals
➝ post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) representation

TRIGGER WARNINGS

➝ abduction
➝ police questioning & implications
➝ sexual assault
➝ panic attacks
➝ anxiety
➝ stockholm syndrome
➝ self-pain infliction
➝ blood & bleeding depiction

JANE ANONYMOUS follows two timelines: one while Jane was captured for 7 months and one after she is back home. While she is captured, she is confused and disoriented, unsure of where she is or why she was taken. Once she's back home, she struggles to adjust to her previous 'normal.'

My favorite part of Laurie Faria Stolarz's latest novel is the voice. Jane's narrative is emotional and compelling, and the tonal shift between her 'then' and 'now' is pitch perfect. While I expected to find myself more drawn to the mystery of her capture, I ended up equally enraptured with her healing journey. Her progress to find her new normal isn't linear. There are many ups and downs, steps forward and steps back. It felt completely realistic.

I also appreciated the relationships between Jane and her parents and Jane and her old friends. You can tell how much her parents want to help but don't quite know how. When it comes to her friends, Jane's primary response is avoidance and mixed emotions, but you get to see her work through those and identify why she's feeling the way she is.

Overall, this was a highly enjoyable thriller that I couldn't put down.

I am a sucker for a good thriller novel. Rarely are young adult thrillers this good. The novel alternates between present-day and while the main character, Jane is in captivity. My heart was racing throughout the entire book. Jane Anonymous is one book that I read in almost one sitting. 

I loved the author's writing style. The entire thing was so entertaining! I felt for the character's so much. The idea of being taken is absolutely crazy to me. How do you even overcome something like that? Not to mention get over it and move on? The book explores these very questions. 

Please, do not pick up this book if you are sensitive to abduction, abuse, etc. At times, it is very hard to read. Mental health is also greatly explored. How life can never go back to how it was before after such intense trauma. The book dealt with anxiety, PTSD, and depression beautifully. I applaud the author very much for this betrayal in young adult fiction. I haven't read such a powerful YA novel in a while as far as mental health goes. 

Jane Anonymous tries to convey hope even in the roughest situations. The cliffhangers are absolutely insane and will have you on the edge of your seat! I still haven't gotten over this story. Jane Anonymous deserves so much more hype. 

The only reason why this one didn't get five stars from me is that it dealt with such an emotional topic. That at times, it did become hard for me to read. Otherwise, it is a beautiful book. Don't be fooled... Jane Anonymous is one dark book. I will be picking up more of the author's books. I loved her writing style. Her characterization was flawless. Jane Anonymous was the thriller that I was looking to read.

"MY NAME IS JANE ANONYMOUS. HELP ME."

What a powerful and compelling read! I think every woman can agree that at some point in their life they have feared being "taken". We've had that moment of contemplation of what would I do in that situation? Would I fight back? Would I give in? Would I be a survivor? Would I tell my story?

Jane is a seventeen year old girl, once a fit and vibrant teen, gossiping about boys with her best friend, and writing her thoughts in her journal. Until one day, she's on her way to work before the store opens to pick up her best friend's birthday present. While there, she's confronted by a young man outside the door. He seems innocent enough, he's in desperate need of a gift for his girlfriend, so she decides to let him in. She had no idea that this decision would turn out to be the biggest regret of her life. "We've all carried our regret around like anchors, struggling not to drown." 

Jane is taken against her will. While confined in captivity, she's given a set of rules she must follow, if she follows these rules, she will be rewarded. It seems simple enough, only Jane is not interested in playing her captor's games. That is until she meets Mason, another victim. Mason says he has been there for months, and he's been traveling through the walls looking for a way out. Mason becomes Jane's guiding light through the dark. Mason visits her almost every night, and without his visits, Jane's not sure she would have survived as long as she has. Days go by and she has not heard from Mason, she begins to worry and fears the worst. Has something happened to Mason? Did he escape without her? As much as she doesn't want to believe it, she knows it's a possibility. She decides to take action, she plans her escape. 

Jane is now home... HOME... home is better than being locked up in captivity, right? Jane is struggling with the idea of this. She no longer identifies with "herself", she only sees Jane, the captive, the survivor. "What if there is no fixing me? What if I'll always be broken?" Her post-traumatic stress has become almost debilitating, spending time with her best friend is only a constant reminder of what's she's lost. For Jane though, the real question is, is it the loss of herself she grieves more, or her captor?

This was a very quick read for me, the short chapters made it easy to keep turning those pages. While the subject matter is very heartbreaking, it's also very poetic in the way it's written. The author lets us believe that Jane is truly telling her story. You almost forget it's a work of fiction, you become so connected to Jane's story. I will be sure to check out Laurie Faria Stolarz's other work. I am very happy to have uncovered this beautifully written piece of work of hers. 

I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Laurie Faria Stolarz for allowing me the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my review.

Great book for YA. Jane speaks to so many situations that teens can relate to. Thank you Ms Stolarz for writing your words through Jane.

At some point in our lives we all see them.

 

The "Missing Person" posters hanging on telephone posts that flap to an unknown breeze as if to call for your momentary attention. The black and white eyes gaze as you read through your morning paper where one picture shows what the missing person would have looked like today and how they looked like at the time of their disappearance.

 

These are the anonymous faces that gaze upon us with muted expressions that are frozen in time. How often do we pass them with unseeing eyes that, upon closer inspection, could be that of your neighbor, former classmate...or that of ourselves.

 

This is the story of Jane Anonymous.

 

She is the voice of millions unknown to us in the world.

 

Her story unfolds like a slow-building song with a building crescendo that we can't ignore. At the first page, you can already hear that distant song composed of a million voices. Be ready for the journey ahead.

 

Eyes opened.

 

 

It is by no means that I lightly write: Laurie Faria Stolarz is an impressive writer. Like Emma Donoghue (the author of Room), Stolarz breaks the glass ceiling of our society and shows that there is a world beyond our safe compounds where others have to hold on with fierce determination to survive in the midst of captivity and despair. Jane Anonymous is a work that reopens your eyes to our world through a staggering journey presented by Jane, a teenage high school girl, who presents a dual narrative of coping with life after her kidnapping in the NOW and overcoming the horrendous situation she was in THEN. 

 

More than a story, Jane Anonymous is a profound experience where Stolarz immersed us in the confounds of Jane's life and how her kidnapping changed her life and those around her. Throughout the work, readers experience Jane's difficulty to, not only escape her kidnapper, but the ghost of who she used to be before she was abducted.

 

This was a heartfelt book that went through a traumatic experience, took us to dark places, and held an underlying element of healing and hope for the future. Jane Anonymous is a work that brims with realism and changes your perspective on life and makes you face the monsters in the shadows of society with a newfound light.

 

 I certainly rate this spectacular read as my first 5 star contemporary fiction of the year!

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and Beatrice from St. Martin’s Press who invited me to check out this book in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


TRIGGER WARNINGS: kidnapping, captivity, manipulation, death of a pet (past), PTSD.

Jane Anonymous - this is the name the girl telling us her story chose to call herself - has been kidnapped the summer before her senior year and held captive for seven months before she was able to escape. 
Three months have passed, but a part of her - the majority of her, truth be told - is still living that nightmare. 
A part of her is still inside that stark white room, unable to claim back any shred of the normalcy she knew before. 
A part of her is still longing for Mason, a boy being held prisoner like she was - the only one being able to comfort her and keeping her sane, even if only thorugh a wall always separating them. She came to expect their daily conversations like a life preserver, a silver lining in a bad situation - she suffered every time he couldn't make it to wall to chat. They exchanged secrets, they told each others about their lives and your heart breaks not only for Jane, but for Mason too because he really had a horrible childhood - still, he always tries to stay positive even in a situation that seems destined to end awfully.
In her escape she was forced to leave him behind, but nobody - not the authorities, not her parents - believes he was there at all and Jane struggles everyday to sort her memories. She also fights them, because certain truths - the possibilities of what could have happened in moments that she has no memory of - are almost scarier than what she lived through. 

Once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down until you reach the last page. 
The writing is captivating and suspenseful bacause the chapters alternate between "then" and "now", usually ending with a cliffhanger that leaves you thirsty for more. 
It's also extremely claustrophobic - and I loved it for that reason: you always live in a state of anxiety: first, when you're expecting the moment Jane will be kidnapped and then all the time she's being held captive. It's not over even when she's back home because, like her, you're always jumping every time somenthing might be suspicious or triggering. 

It's a book that explores trauma and everything related to it: Jane unable to immediately return to a notmal life much to her parents' disappointment, the patience her friends Shelley and Jack demonstrate every time Jane refuses to see them, every habit from the captivity Jane can't seem to get rid of even in her own home. 
I tried to avoid formulating any theory while reading the first half of the book, then I started to suspect how it all went - I wouldn't say it's fairly easy but since the focus is most on the trauma, you can guess who's the "monster" that took Jane and still it'll give you the chills. 

"Jane Anonymous" is going to make you think about the freedom we always take for granted and the consequent trauma when it's taken from us against our will, how it's difficult to return to normalcy especially when others pressure us into it, how everyone deals with trauma in their own way and time and how much therapy is good when you find the right person to talk to.

Aware of the theme of this book, I went into this story with a prepared heart. But, alas, it was to no avail.

As gut-wrenching as it was gripping, Jane Anonymous is one story that’ll get under your skin and get through your heart. It explores trauma – its effects on both the victim and the people around them – healing and hope.

Gutsy main character “Jane” narrates the story, going back and forth between then, which covers the time before and during her seven-month captivity, and now, three months after her return home. She has a compelling voice, honest and raw and vulnerable. It was so easy to empathize with her.

The exploration of trauma and the long and varied road to healing is at the heart of this book.

Jane, at the beginning of the story, was in pieces: isolated, made to question her own experience. All throughout the book, I felt like Jane stood alone. Her parents, even her best friend Shelley, seemed to expect her to just go back to her normal self once she returned home. It could be because they don’t know how to deal with it, but I don’t think they ever understood what Jane has gone through. The only one who was open and willing enough to try was Jack.

Bleak her start may be, Jane ends the book at a hopeful place. I think she started coming to terms with what has happened to her, ready to start healing and take back control of her life.

Though heavy, I enjoyed reading Jane Anonymous. It was fast-paced and suspenseful. The story flowed really well even with all the switches between Jane’s then and now. Stolarz was able to handle trauma with care and sensitivity.

That said, there were a few things that didn’t work for me. Most characters, with the exception of Jane, were two dimensional. You really don’t get to know them much – Jane’s parents, Shelley; “Mason” and Jack were a little bit better but not by much.

Still, overall, this was a good read. Readers of crime and suspense YA thrillers will find something to love in this one. I highly recommend this especially for those who love Courtney Summers’ Sadie and Kathleen Glasgow’s Girl in Pieces.

This book! You guys! Aahhhhhh!

Okay, let me try to speak coherently. This was one of the last books that I read for 2019, and it was probably one of the best books I’ve read all year. I had been trying to branch out a bit more, to break out of my comfortable fantasy genre and read new things. This book was super suspenseful and had a few twists that I genuinely did not see coming.

I really enjoyed the way this book was set up. From the blurb, you know that it is about a girl who was kidnapped, but the author chose to alternate the narrative, switching between her time in captivity and the current day, after she had gotten out. So you know right away that she survived, but you also know just how much she hasn’t healed from the trauma. Plus, there are still a lot of questions about exactly what happened – did she get rescued or did she escape? What happened to the other voices of captives she heard down the hallway? Who is Mason, other than another captive and a voice on the other side of the wall? The captivity part of the story was completely riveting, with all the little details included, like how she used a part from the toilet as a makeshift weapon or how the kidnapper had stocked her room with all her favorite snacks and the toiletries she regularly used. That last bit made my skin crawl just a little, but in a good way. It’s supposed to be creepy!

It’s a suspenseful story, but it’s also a story about learning how to heal from a traumatic event on your own terms. Jane, who was a fascinating character study, has great difficulty relating to anyone once she is back home, from her parents to her best friend. Everyone has their own expectations about how she she be, which is especially hard since Jane doesn’t know herself. I love how part of her own self-prescribed therapy was going back to the animal shelter she used to volunteer at and help a particularly difficult dog learn how to trust humans. I’m a sucker for animals in stories, but having the two of them help each other was truly beautiful.

Also beautiful was Jane’s friendship with Jake, her sort-of boyfriend. He was perfectly willing to give her space and let her know that he was there for her no matter what and no matter how. We all need someone like that in our lives.

Final thoughts: everything about this book was awesome. GoodReads rating: 5 stars

I cannot believe how much I love this book. Although, I should have because Wednesday Books is proving time and time again that they truly understand YA literature. Jane Anonymous is a fantastic crime drama that focuses on healing and surviving trauma. I love this book. It’s perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Sadie. I do hope that Wednesday Books includes trigger warnings. I haven’t experienced any abuse like Jane, but even I was feeling triggered several times. It’s always important when talking about abuse that we remain sensitive to triggers.

An interesting read and a deeply emotional story. That's what this novel is. I was curious about this book because I wanted to know how the author will tackle such topic and how the characters will go through their journey. Safe to say, I was not disappointed.

The writing style of the author is great for this story. Not only did it grip my attention, it also provoked my emotions. As I read, I was able to connect with Jane and her perspective, her thoughts, her trauma, her confusion, her struggle for closure, and her struggle to get back to normalcy. The exploration of trauma was really good and the alternating "THEN" and "NOW" perspectives made it more compelling. As a reader, I saw how Jane's experiences in those seven months affected her life, her personality, her mind, her friends and her family. 

The plot, although it was great, there were some aspects that were kind of predictable to me and there were still some subplots or questions that seemed unanswered for me. It would have been nice to get some answers about those certain things. 

I also feel like the author could expounded more on certain elements. For example, most of the book was Jane recounting her experience and narrating her struggle on trying return to her normal life.It wasn't until the end that we started to see Jane actually healing. I would have liked to see more of that healing process, and how she will overcome or accept her trauma.

Overall, this was a great read! My actual rating: 3.5 stars.

I tend to enjoy when books switch back and forth with POV's or times because you get background story as well as having a story to piece together. However because we know Jane survives, I wish we had a flat before and after as if we were with Jane when it happened and as she escaped instead of hearing about it later. I was still sucked into the story being worried for Jane but not as much as I could have been if I didn't know she was going to escape and live. I prefered reading the "Then" parts of the book to the "Now" and I'm not sure why. I had some guesses about who the kidnapper but I wasn't positive until we are told. All in all, the book was good even if it wasn't my favorite.

This is a pretty interesting journal style book. Jane Anonymous is telling her story through the pages, divided between then and now. You can see what happened before and after she was taken. It feels like a psychological thriller, but told in first person fragments. Pretty interesting story.