A solid 4 star read! I flew through this book for several reasons. I love short chapters, the writing was really engaging and suspenseful, and I liked Jane's voice. The plot is a very well-used one, but I thought the author handled it really well - the whole time I was excited to find out why Jane was taken / what her kidnapper wanted / how she escaped. The bit with Mason was interesting, and I did like that there were additional elements that made this story different - the audio to make it seem like there were others locked up, the trauma Jane dealt with in the "present," and just the overall story. Definitely enjoyed this one.

4 Stars

Poor Jane! This book was both sad and creepy. It was also really good. I liked the back and forth between now and then although toward the end it got more confusing because they were such similar pov. I really wish it would have shown her adopting Lemon or Brave but in my ending she got both!

Although I enjoyed Stolarz's writing, I found myself annoyed a lot while reading this. The story alternates between now and then, which I found effective in holding my attention. Jane is a teenage girl who was taken and held captive for seven months. She chooses to write about her experience as a form of therapy. The plot was predictable but the story flowed. What got me irritated was how Jane's mom and best friend, Shelley, treated her and expected her to act. It seemed selfish and I didn't like any of the parts with them in it.

While I wished there was more suspense and thrills, I did enjoy the writing and would read a book by Stolarz again.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

A bit boring to begin with but an interesting story. The . characters are the run of the mill and they aren't too unique. The language is sometimes confusing to understand. I just couldn't get into it.

Jane Anonymous is a very brave, strong girl who must somehow learn to trust again. Her old carefree life is gone. She laments that her recent abduction caused so many people, including her parents, grief and turmoil, but she is barely managing to hold on to her own sanity as she battles her fears and trust issues every second of the day.

This is an outstanding novel about abduction, Stockholm syndrome, overcoming self-blame in abuse situations, and finding the right fit when it comes to choosing counseling. Jane's road back to recovery was hampered by several bad encounters with medical staff and police detectives, who could not understand or would not listen to the signs she was giving. You sense a lack of sensitivity on the professionals' parts - probably due to a lack of proper training or a lack of empathy.

It is difficult to review this novel without spoilers, so read no further if you want to retain the element of surprise when you read this superb story. I found it interesting that the author showed a smidgen of compassion for the "Monster" abductor. Our society contributes to the creation of such "monsters" when we turn a blind eye and allow children to be abused and neglected. Violence is always harmful to any human psyche and can become learned behaviour. My heart broke for young Mason, who was locked in a dark basement as a child and (was potentially?) beaten with a baseball bat by his abusive, alcoholic father. That "baseball bat attack" conversation rang so true that I wondered whether it had actually happened - but at an earlier time in Mason's life. Jane's "Monster" abductor, like so many others out there, believed that he was in love with her, but he lacked the social skills or mental stability to approach Jane in the usual, accepted manner. I appreciated this humane approach: too many authors adopt a lynch-mob mentality which lowers the tone of a story. Some of us humans are way more messed up than others.

Jane's relationship during her captivity with Mason, in their joint battle against the Monster, was sweetly heartbreaking. I could truly understood why she grieved for him when she finally escaped. Apart from the Stockholm syndrome aspect, Mason was probably experiencing the happiest moments of his own life during those stolen hours. in captivity. I kept thinking that we failed poor Mason and those like him by not being more vigilant on his behalf during his own period of childhood neglect and abuse.. I don't think that the "twist", such as it was, is hard to guess, but it was still a very painful reveal, in so many ways.

I highly recommend this beautifully written, fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat suspenseful novel. I read it in one day: you simply can't put this book down! My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Our broken pieces are what make us whole."

Jane Anonymous switches back and forth between the past and present as 17-year-old protagonist "Jane" returns home after being held captive for seven months. As Jane attempts to accept and face her traumatic experience, she also learns to find comfort in the small and large kindnesses of the few around her (including #1 character friend, Jack, [we love you, Jack]) who are able to relay an attitude of understanding and patience.

The shifts between the "Then" and "Now" of Jane's life are masterfully developed and placed to piece together her experience as a captive and her self months later as she struggles to find the closure and answers she needs to face what happened to her. The book is beautifully written, and relays the issues explored within (e.g. significant trauma) with the sensitivity and compassion they deserve.

A haunting story of a seventeen year old girl who was kidnapped for seven months. Her life is changed forever. Jane can't identify with the girl she was before she was abducted. She can't even relate to her parents or any therapist. Her best friend, who she relied on every day of captivity mentally, is no longer welcome in her new free life. Jane Anonymous is how she refers to herself, she is writing down her story for her own therapy. The isolation of being locked away for months not knowing if it was day or night, fed through a cat door, altered her psychologically. Jane doesn't know how to relate to those around her they want things to be how they were before she was kidnapped. That can never be her world again. She deals with PTSD and stays in her room and at times curled up in her closet as those around her struggle to help. What a great book I very much enjoyed the journey through the perils of her story. Thank you NetGalley, Laurie Stolarz and the publishers for allowing me to read this excellently written book a story I'll remember.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this 1.7.20 release. After seven months in captivity, Jane struggles to come to terms with her kidnapping and to assimilate back into her old life. The story alternates between the past and present, and features well-developed characters. Recommended for grades 7+.

“Maybe my words will somehow help save some poor soul from making the same mistakes I did. Your truly, Jane Anonymous”

There are so many things that can make a book special and stand-out, Jane Anonymous had so many different aspects to it that made it so interesting it’s kind of baffling.

To start with the narrator. The formatting of the book is really satisfying. Her name is Jane Anonymous, which obviously isn’t her name, and she’s writing about her experience of being kidnapped and held captive for seven months. She doesn’t share her name, city, school name, or anything specific. It’s really interesting to read a narrator who addresses the reader and also blatantly tells you that she’s not going to tell you everything. She’s an unreliable narrator who tells you so and then tells you to suck it up.

Needless to say, she was awesome. As a narrator, Jane is also very tactile. She’s very concerned with the feel of things, also the smell of things. The descriptions were detailed, but not length, which made the book very readable.

The book really uses these things to keep the reader guessing at all times. The fact that the book is broken up into chapters of NOW and THEN, alternating with no real pattern is part of that. I really liked this since I found both timelines really interesting and I loved seeing how they intersected.

In terms of being a thriller and its suspense, this book was hard to put down! There were some moments where I was just genuinely freaked out and wanted to turn on all the lights. This book plays on some of my biggest fears so I definitely got the chills. And as for mystery and twists? Yep to both! There is a big twist and yes, I saw it coming, but it didn’t make it any less satisfying when I found out I was right.

And just saying, for a thriller/mystery/I don't know how to categorize this book., it was an incredibly emotional ride. This book is dealing with really heavy trauma and how that affects not just the person who experienced it, but the people surrounding them. Some of these chapter are heart-breaking and were tough to get through. It was definitely a book I poured myself into.

I also really liked reading about Jane’s time after coming home and how that was a struggle for her. I just thought that a lot of interesting stuff was happening with the writing and the bits of poetry laced throughout was fun to analyze. Basically, this book has something for everyone.

TL;DR: A suspenseful unveiling into a young girl’s mind and her determination to not be a victim. I loved it for it’s mystery, writing, and twists. I couldn’t put it down and I hope you enjoy!

Jane was 17-years-old when she was kidnapped when running an errand one morning. She was held captive for 7 months. Told from both then and now perspectives, Jane describes her captivity and her attempts at returning to life.

Wow! This was a solid thriller with some unique plot elements. Jane Anonymous will be a huge hit with high school students who flock to "missing girl" stories, and this one won't disappoint. It seemed to end a little bit abruptly, hence the 4 stars instead of 5.

Jane Anonymous by Laurie Faria Stolarz is a Young Adult thriller about a girl who was abducted, told from her in the present as she recounts what happened before and after her kidnapping. Jane is a bit of an angsty protagonist and might not be likable for some. She redacts her true name and other important information and pushes away all the people she used to care about, and doesn't want to work with therapists to make her life better.

However, the story she tells is fascinating and horrifying. She is kidnapped by a man on a normal rainy day, and is taken to a room with white walls, filled with everything she might need and a game that she can play with her kidnapper in exchange for rewards. She befriends a fellow prisoner and together they create a plot to escape, but not everything is as it seems and she still has no idea who took her and what he wants with her.

Information is given to the reader slowly throughout the book, leaving you wanting more. The book is well written and flows quickly, and I devoured this in only a few sittings. Jane goes on a journey of self discovery and a confrontation of the facts surrounding her months away. I loved the suspense and the format of the story and thoroughly enjoyed the conclusion, even though I was left wanting more.

The only part I didn't like was mentioned earlier. I didn't like how Jane was very unwilling to work with her therapists. Granted some of them seemed to be nutjobs, but I am tired of young adult books portraying the therapists as the bad guys and that the kid is always right, even when all they need is someone to talk to. Yes, you should find a therapist that works for you and you're not guaranteed to click with everyone, but you also have to work with them in order for any progress to be made.

Book: Jane Anonymous
Author: Laurie Faria Stolarz
Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC.

I really enjoyed this one. Both this title and author weren’t on my radar until a couple of weeks ago, but it was so worth it. I don’t know why more people aren’t talking about this book. It is so heartfelt and emotional that it was very hard to put this one down. I really do wish that more people were aware of this title.

So, this is the story of Jane who was kidnapped while she was picking up her best friend’s birthday party. The story weaves between now and then. Jane is writing this story in order to explore what really happened to her and as a way to heal. What I liked about this was we got to see just how difficult it can be to move on from a very difficult situation and how it can just be hard to get back to a normal life. Laurie does an amazing job at capturing not only the pain of the point of view character, but those around her. it just makes for a very real and hard hitting story, which is something that I love in my contemporaries.

I love books that make me feel and this one most certainly does. I had so many emotions running through my mind as I reading it. It just made me want to keep flipping through the book to find out what was going to happen. Even though this is first person point of view, we don’t have the whole story at once. We have to keep reading to find out just what really went down. Not only that, but we get to experience Jane’s emotions.

I guess what really pulled me into this one was just how hard hitting and real the story felt. It just made it very difficult to put the book down and move onto something else. I just love the feelings that I got. That is a sign of a very engaging and well done book. I’ve read kidnapping stories before, but none of them made me feel this way.

The struggle, the pain, all of it feel so real. It makes you really stop and think about the world. I strongly recommend this title-it comes out soon if you were wondering.

This book will be released on January 7, 2020.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/9H_sVFZlAB0

I don't know what I was expecting from this book, but I do know it gave me more than I expected.

This is my first read by author Laurie Faria Stolarz and I'm guessing it won't be my last, luckily she has an awesome backlist for me to catch up on.

Jane Anonymous is essentially the diary of a teenage girl in the United States who is writing about her experience of being abducted and held captive. The perspective is always Jane's (not her real name, but we never learn that because she wants to keep her identity hidden), but flips between NOW and THEN.

Then begins on the day Jane was taken. Did the series of random events she experienced that day lead to her abduction, for example, she didn't go running like she had planned, or would it have happened no matter what because of a man determined?

The thrilling aspect is reading about Jane's abduction, it's so real and chilling. Like a desperate phone call to her parents that will literally wrench your heart apart. Learning, along with Jane, about the situation she is in, where she is, who has taken her, and who else have they taken. She's in a room stocked with her favorite clothing, shampoo, and snacks. This room is tailored to her in every way. And she's given a list of rules to follow, if she does well, she can be rewarded with a prize. If she disobeys, won't be so easy.

A journey of trying to keep sane when you're trapped alone in a room without human interaction except for hearing screams from others and the passing of a food tray through a cat door.

And we also read about the NOW, when Jane has made it out of captivity and is trying to re-acclimate to life outside. What even is normal anymore? Relationships are harder, it's hard to trust anyone, let alone herself and what she knows.

An excellent read that will keep you flipping pages quickly!

This book was completely riveting and utterly terrifying. I could not put it down. Especially at the beginning of the story, I was tense and nervous and had trouble sleeping after reading this.

Jane is a typical teenager, until one day she is abucted by a stranger and held captive in a locked room. For months, she is locked away and controlled by her captor with no hope of escape. Eventually, she does find a way to escape, and this book switches back and forth between her time in captivity ("then") and what her life is like after escaping (:now").

While the "then" sections of the story contain the most action and suspense, I was equally as intrigued by the "now" sections chronicling Jane's life after she is back home. It's easy to assume that a kidnapee would be happy and excited to return to freedom and regular life after months in captivity. But Jane's story illustrates that it is not so simple. Jane struggles to know where she fits into her old life and even desires to go back to the room where she was kept and the friend that she met there. I thought it was fascinating and heartbreaking to read about Jane's internal struggles and the struggles of others in her life to understand her point of view.

I was happy that the book did not wrap up in a perfect bow at the end, because that is not how stories like this end in real life. I would have liked perhaps just a tiny bit more closure on a few things, but I understand why the author ended the book like she did.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available on January 7, 2020!

JANE ANONYMOUS is a book that combines legitimate thrills and mystery with a very realistic take on trauma. There are two narratives within the book, the first being what happened to Jane during her captivity and what is happening to her after she has returned home after her escape, and both are heart wrenching. For me the more compelling timeline was the post-captivity, as Stolarz very honestly shows that just because Jane is home again and safe, that doesn't mean that her life hasn't been completely changed and that she is the same person she was before. I thought that her reactions to the world around her and the people within it were pretty spot on, and thought that the portrayals of trauma and PTSD were honest, and therefore very hard to read. Her time in captivity was also well done, showing how she slowly starts to change and how the experience slowly affects her, though I did figure out one of the major twists of this time period pretty early on. That said, it was still an engrossing read even if I knew what was coming.

JANE ANONYMOUS is an important book because it shows what happens after a victim comes home. Too often do stories associate rescue with happy endings, and I'm happy to see the acknowledgment that this isn't always the case.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
This should be a 4.5 for me. The basis of the book is that Jane is kidnapped and then 7 months later she is home. The book goes back and forth between her time in captivity and her life now. Which I think is what really sucked me in. Even though we know she survives, reading about her in captivity is still emotional and there were times I forgot she was even home.

Stolarz's writing about the trauma effects hit home. Not just how it hit Jane, but also her family. Trauma is a funny thing. If it doesn't happen to you, its hard to relate to it. Case in point, Jane's parents. They can't relate. Her mom wants to forget those 7 months ever happened. I get it. As a mother, I get it. You can't bear to think of your child going through anything horrifying without you being there to protect them. The pain of those thoughts can destroy a person. So, as a defensive method...you make like it didn't happen. It never works though as it only widens the gap between Jane and her mom.
They did have Jane in therapy but the therapist was not qualified to handle her case and it wound up doing more harm than good.
Its a tough read, but a good one!

Jane Anonymous is a story with duel timelines, about a young woman who is taken, kept, and then escapes her captor. It's a story of survival and trying to let go of a past that haunts you deeply every single day. Several things about this book made me quite sad, as, I think, it was supposed to. But in a hope-for-humanity sort of way. Jane is able to survive and overcome this horrible, terrible, nasty thing that happened to her. And somehow stay the awesome person she was before being taken. There isn't any sexual assault, so if you are triggered by that sort of thing, you may be off the hook here. The story is still nerve-wrecking even without it.

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

Jane Anonymous comes out 1.7.20.

4.5/5 Stars

Oh gosh. I really wanted to love this one - I adore a good kidnapping story and some female heroism. I have PTSD myself, and I always love a strong lady who learns how to manage. But this sort of went belly-up 1/4 of the way through and never quite recovered for me. Sometimes, it's because I am 30 years old and the book is not meant for me. But honestly this one I think wouldn't have worked for me 15 years ago, either.

Jane Anonymous is a story about a kidnapped young woman, held captive for seven months before escaping, and now working through her trauma to put her life back together and move forward.

Despite some faults within, the plot and the structure of the back and forth (Then and Now) really worked for this novel. The decisions about when and where to switch were executed well, and I was constantly pulled through the story. I know people would disagree because of the topic, but I found this to be a really easy read. The style is very much Young Adult—almost too much at times when compared to the subject matter—and the detached way Jane tells her Now versus the suspenseful way she relays the Then is pretty well done. Compelling in its own way.

That being said, there was an awful lot of melodrama mixed in with the symptoms and the trouble of properly expressing the post-traumatic stress disorder. Some was handled well, and some seemed overwrought and heavy with the hand of the author. Included in that, I offer up the dropping of declarative sentences at the end of nearly every chapter, which steadily grew into a mountain of hard, clenched fists.

There was also a lack of characterization, especially with anyone other than Jane. Her parents, her best friend, a woman she knows from an animal shelter, and her therapist were rather empty people...only there and present when needed for something directly related to Jane in that moment. They were only ever who Jane told us they were.

The idea that Jane could write a book about her experiences as a form of self-therapy and even hope to remain anonymous when even people in her town will recognize her face as "that girl who went missing" is very nearly ludicrous. If she plans on publishing it, then the anonymity is barely held back by a single thread...one Google search and she's found out. If she's not planning on publishing it, then why remain anonymous? Just in case? Mmm.

Nonetheless—it is compelling despite these broad-stroke flaws. However, my main issue was the twist. From the moment the twist was being set up, it was completely obvious what would be revealed later on. The premise behind the twist was just downright silly. Come on! Seriously? I had to push that aside again and again to continue. Luckily, the overall suspense and interest to see how the two storylines converged kept me in the book until the end.

This was such a great book and had a really unique twist that made me second guess how I felt about one of the characters.

Jane was a typical high school senior who happened to trust the wrong person. It was a mistake that could have easily been made by anyone, and led to her being held captive for months. During that time the only person she had to talk to was Mason, another captive. He helped her push through the turmoil and survive in an otherwise helpless situation. When she finally escapes, she is faced with trying to find a new normal all while wondering what happened to Mason and the other captives.

I really liked that this book went back and forth from Jane’s time in captivity (before) to the present day where she was navigating her way through life after she escaped. I really felt for her and couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would’ve been like to be in her shoes. Trying to make sense of it all wasn’t easy and writing it down was a way for her to heal on her own terms. When the truth was revealed, I was shocked, but seeing it through her eyes gave me a better understanding of how she felt and how easy it was for her to be misled.

Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3065766820