Jane Anonymous

Five I found a new author who is gifted, brilliant and develops amazing characters, I couldn’t put down this book, disconnected with outside world, stayed focused, jumped up and down at some parts and created a new term as “three dimensional reading”, because every suffering, every traumatic experience, every scared moments, every fight of Jane truly resonated with me stars!!!<br /> <br /> The one thing I really like about the books make your emotions all over the place as they shake you to the core and help you connect with other lives. <br /><br />For so long a book didn’t function as a sledgehammer to smash my heart into million tiny pieces as like this book did to me. Jane’s emotional, heart wrenching, terrifying survival journey was remarkably told. Even a heartless person could be affected from what she’s been through. <br /> <br />She’s been kidnapped, put in car trunk at the beginning of the story and by moving back and forth between her captivated time and PTSD time (present time), we learn more about her traumatic experience.<br /><br /> Some parts of her story, kept in warehouse with several (we still have no idea how many captives were there) people and her connection with the other captive Mason by only hearing his voice and holding his hand reminds us of OA series. But don’t worry, I’m not gonna give spoiler but in this story, an evil professor didn’t kidnap few extraordinary talents to make trials on their bodies. This is only Jane’s story who gathers all strength to escape from the place and throughout her captivation time, she develops a special relationship with Mason. Her inner voices belong to her mother, her best friend force her keep going. <br /> <br /> She finally succeeds to escape from her cage but we see her new life she sentences herself to live in her own mental cage by keeping away from her loved ones and turns her own bedroom into her cell. <br />This book is about testing yourself and your survival skills. It’s also about when you lost a great part of your innocence and mental health how you can collect your pieces to create new and tough version of yourself. It’s brave, it’s mind-bending! It’s not sunshine and flowers reading! Wear your big girl shoes before accept to enter Jane’s world.<br /> <br /> And THERE IS A BIG FREAKING TWIST brings the most poetic ending to this book! You didn’t see it coming. (Okay actually I did it! I hate myself to doubt everything which helps me to solve all the twists and lost the fun of it. But it is still a great and life-changing, sucker-punch kind of surprise!) <br />I loved to see the inner fight of her Jane, her mood swings, ups and downs, antisocial behaviors but finally gathering herself to take big steps to save herself from her inner cage. Because the fight she gave against herself at the present time was even more damaging and challenging than escaping from her captor.<br /><br /> Highly recommend this inspirational, realistic, mind-bending, capturing, amazing book to all the people who have enough power to fight against her inner cages prevented them to move on with their lives and who love tormented but not broken soul stories.<br /><br />I’m so thankful to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing this remarkable, fantastic book in exchange my honest review.<br /><br /><a href="https://niluferozmekik.com/" rel="nofollow noopener">blog</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/nilylovestoread/" rel="nofollow noopener">instagram</a><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/nilufer.ozmekik" rel="nofollow noopener">facebook</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/NiluferOzmekik" rel="nofollow noopener">twitter</a>

Jane Anonymous has always been the typical girl next door. <br><br>She is 17-years old and lives in a suburban New England town with her family. She is archetypal of that girl we all know; that girl who maybe we are.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1578359866ra/28727438.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>That is until the day she gets abducted while out running an early morning errand. <br><br>Subsequently, Jane is held in captivity for seven excruciating months.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1457241691ra/18337494.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>This is her story, following <i>Then</i> and <i>Now</i> timelines until the two perspectives finally merge. <br><br>The narrative itself is definitely more <i>stream of consciousness</i> then I tend to enjoy, but I'll tell you what, in this case, it didn't bother me.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1578359661ra/28727426.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>I actually feel like it was a smart choice by the author, as it made the conveyance of this wild tale seem that much more real. <br><br>It feels like a friend telling you about a horrific thing that happened to them, versus an author creating a fictional story.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1589497653ra/29477419.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>When I say 'horrific thing', I mean it. This book is not for sensitive Readers. <br><br>The violence perpetrated against Jane, being stripped of her freedom and her sense of safety, amongst other traumas, was hard to read. <br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1570132473ra/28240203.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Her efforts toward recovery were equally heavy and disturbing. <br><br>In some ways, I think that was even more difficult to read, her struggles to try to adapt back to the life she had before.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1578266105ra/28717593.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Severe trauma, feeling broken and the pathways to recovery are all covered within these pages. I think if this book is read at the right time, by the right person, it could really mean a lot to them.<br><br>Hard-hitting for its entirety, if you can stomach it, I think the message of hope that ultimately shines through is worth the effort. <br><br>It was that way for me, at least. Although my heart was a little battered and bruised at the end, it was worth it.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1578359661ra/28727425.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate it!

<b>Don't be put off by the subject matter: this is a must read book for people who enjoy psychological, introspective, path-to-healing storylines. More people should be reading this spectacularly well-written novel.</b><br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1617072675ra/31094222.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>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.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1617072675ra/31094221.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>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.<br><br>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. <br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1617072675ra/31094225.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br>My heart broke for young Mason (the boy in the next cell), 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. <br><br>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.<br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1617073480ra/31094239.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br>Jane's relationship during her captivity with Mason, in their joint battle against the Monster, was sweetly heartbreaking. I could truly understand 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.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1617072675ra/31094223.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>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.

This is a weird one for me to review. It was extremely entertaining and gripping, and I definitely feel like it accomplished what it set out to accomplish, but there were times when this felt a little... exploitative to me? I am definitely the odd man out on this one as all of the other reviews of this are glowing, so maybe I went into it with the wrong mindset, but there were definitely times where I felt like handling the topic sensitively took a backseat in favor of entertainment value. And it just felt.. odd. I did still enjoy reading this one and I would say to pick it up if it interests you, but definitely tread with caution if you're sensitive to any of the topics covered in this book.<br /><br />TW: abduction, being held captive, death of an animal (in the past), emotional manipulation<br /><br /><i>Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for this review! I discussed this book in more detail in this video on my BookTube channel:</i> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwKy4GwyoTc&amp;t=310s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwKy4...</a>

<b>3.5 stars<br /><br /><i>Jane Anonymous is a compulsively readable YA psychological thriller about a 17-year-old girl who is trying to cope after escaping 7 months of captivity. </i></b><br /><br />The narrative is told from Jane’s point of view, and shifts between “Now” and “Then.” In “Now” she writes about the aftermath of her kidnapping. While she has returned home, she is no longer the carefree girl who worried about trivial things. Everyone, from her mother to her friends, wants her to go back to being the Jane they loved. Jane struggles, as she doesn’t know who is anymore. She beings writing about what she experienced to help her heal and details her time being held by her kidnapper in “Then.”<br /><br />From the very beginning, I couldn’t put this book down. It is very easy to read--I read it over the course of a day. I figured out early on who took Jane, but not the full why. This is more of a character study than a thriller. Some elements didn’t fully work for me, but I acknowledge that I am not the intended audience. At a certain point, the narrative loses tension and becomes a bit repetitive. <b>While I didn’t love all parts, I found Jane’s voice captivating. I also appreciated the author’s message about trauma and healing. </b><br /><br />I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a dramatic and engrossing YA thriller about a girl who is abducted and the aftermath. I listened to this as an audiobook and was so intrigued to find out why she had been kidnapped in the first place and what events unfolded to bring her back home. <br /><br />Although I figured out the big twist ahead of time, I didn't think that detracted from the book overall. Jane kind of grated on me, but I gave her some compassion because the trauma she had endured wasn't anything I could begin to comprehend. I didn't offer that same grace to her parents though, they should have known from the start that she needed intensive counseling and help for her PTSD, and that takes a special kind of counselor, not the one that she was seeing. <br /><br />For the most part, this is a fast-moving book that moves back and forth between Jane's kidnapping and time in captivity and the present day as she is trying to cope with returning home and back to her life. If you're looking for an engrossing thriller, this is definitely one to check out. <br /><br />

<b>Fantastic! I loved it!</b><br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1566150549ra/28011875.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Jane Anonymous is abducted after stopping at the boutique where she works to pick up her best friends birthday gift that she had forgotten to bring home. The store is closed but the guy looks nice, he is handsome and seems genuine about it being his 1 year anniversary with his girlfriend, so she lets him in. He gets her with chloroform after she turns around to wrap up his gift.<br><br>The story is told from the ten months after the day she was abducted when she is back at home. She was held for over seven months and she is trying to come to terms with what happened. She came back in pieces as she describes it (PTSD in psychological terms), but she refuses to talk to the psychologists she tried because of different issues, one used candles that smelled like the ones her captor “the monster” used, another treated her like she was crazy.<br><br>So Jane decides to write about her experience as a form of therapy, both her time in captivity and since she got home. So the book goes back and forth, then (the day she was taken) to now (present). As Jane tries to understand everything that happened to her and work through her trauma, we as readers are finding out what happened in the order it happened and also finding out how it is affecting her now that she is at home.<br><br>As you would expect, Jane is having trouble adjusting at home. She went through various types of physical and mental torture while in captivity, though I won’t give any spoilers as to what those were but to say it wasn’t a standard kidnapping. The book had my emotions going all over the place, I was feeling for Jane so much. <br><br>I felt so bad for her when she was free but trying to recreate her own room to be more like the room in captivity. She knew it is better being free, but almost feels safer in that room where nobody can get her or talk to her. I cried throughout half of the book because it was heart wrenching. <br><br><b> <i> <blockquote>I run. <br>Because I can’t sleep. <br>Because Memory can’t catch me if I keep a fast pace. <br>Because my parents’ door is closed, but Night can’t shut me out. <br>Because I’m not supposed to be out at this hour, especially after everything, especially all alone—and so it feels a little like power.</blockquote> </i> </b><br><br>As Jane gets further in her story and continues to struggle with being at home, her Mother tries to get her back to normal by forcing her to go out or to see her friends. Her Mom can’t heal until Jane heals, which puts more pressure on Jane. Jane struggles with her feelings for Mason who was one of the other people held captive and was able to cut a small hole in the wall so they could hold hands. Her struggles with the reasons for why “the monster” took her were hardest of all.<br><br><b> <i> <blockquote>“What do you feel most nervous about?” <br>“Facing the truth, I guess.” <br>“The truth about . . .” <br>“What happened when I was taken.” I study her face, trying to figure out if she knows my story, if she saw it on the news or read it in the papers.</blockquote> </i> </b><br><br>I voluntarily read &amp; reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.<br> <br><a href="https://www.ilikebooksbest.com" rel="nofollow noopener">Blog</a>|<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/wennel" rel="nofollow noopener">Goodreads</a>|<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ilikebooksbest" rel="nofollow noopener">Facebook</a>|<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ilikebooksbest" rel="nofollow noopener">Instagram</a>|<a href="https://www.twitter.com/wendysu020202" rel="nofollow noopener">Twitter</a>|<a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/1895823057" rel="nofollow noopener">BookBub</a>

After sitting on this review for almost a week, I'm going to keep it brief. I'd like to state that I'm not a teenager, and therefore not the target audience, so some of the issues I had with this book might not be the case for the YA crowd. The writing is easy to get caught up in, and the format and storytelling style make it difficult to put this book down once you've begun. The author has a way with keeping the reader glued, and that's no small feat. My problems likely stem from having read too many psychological thrillers, and I found the twist obvious in the first quarter of the book. There's a really small cast of characters, and it's a twist that I've read several times before, but if you haven't experienced it, then it might really grab you. I do wish <i>Jane Anonymous</i> had focused slightly more on the trauma and mental health issues depicted in this novel, rather than the "mystery" behind who took Jane, but again its personal preference. If you're looking for a fast paced read where the pages fly by, definitely give this one a try. <br /><br /><i>*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.</i>

I know that my reviews today are beginning to be repetitive, but I literally couldn't put this one down. <br /><br />Laurie Faria Stolarz's Jane is a memorable protagonist as she recounts the seven months she was held captive and the aftermath in which she tries to rebuild her life by writing her story. The chapters alternate between "THEN" and "NOW" and highlight Jane's struggle to accept the traumatic event that she survived. <br /><br /><br />I have no idea why I like "kidnapping" stories so much, but something about Jane kept me from looking away. All I know is that I cannot stop thinking about this book. <br /><br /><br /><i> Thanks to Beatrice Jason of St. Martin's Press who invited me to check out an egalley of this upcoming title on Netgalley. </i><br /><br />Goodreads review published 07/01/20<br />Publication Date 07/01/20

I haven't been so emotionally connected to a character in a really long time. It's like I felt everything she felt. The publisher synopsis describes this book as gripping and I agree completely as I started reading the book in the afternoon and was done before I went to bed. <br /><br />I'm going to keep the synopsis of the book short and simple. Jane Anonymous is a teenager when she is kidnapped. Seven months later she is back living at her house with her parents. So what happened while she was held captive? Well, the story is going to alternate between Jane during the time period she went missing and Jane in the present time in which she is trying to process everything that happened.<br /><br />I think the author was smart in letting the reader know right from the beginning that Jane somehow makes it back home. I don't think I emotionally could have handled this story if it was told in chronological order as it would have been too tense for me. As is, even knowing she somehow survives, the parts when she is held captive are still nerve wracking. And even though Jane's life has obviously been impacted and you are witnessing her dealing with the aftermath, it almost feels like you get a bit of relief when the writing alternates to the present time. How the author wrote this story was well-thought out and effective.<br /><br />I'm not kidding when I say, I honestly felt in tune with Jane and just felt everything she was feeling. And that's what makes this story such an incredible read. It's pretty amazing how you can feel so connected to a character despite the fact you haven't had a similar life experience.<br /><br />I'm trying not to overly hype this book because maybe this won't be such a moving reading experience for all readers. I loved it though and am placing it among my favorite YA fiction reads. I think if you enjoy that genre, give this one a try as at the very least it is a quick read. I think it is also important to note that when compared to other books I have read recently dealing with crimes against a woman, this story probably goes into the least amount of graphic detail. I'm not saying this book is for everyone, but maybe a wider audience would be able to handle reading this novel. <br /><br />Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advance copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.<br /><br /><br />