Member Reviews
Not as great as all the hype, in my opinion - bit formulaic & draggy in parts but worth the read. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity!
This book was great! I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I enjoyed her first book. In fact, the best part is that I still can’t figure out what happened at the end of the book. Is Jessica good or bad? I look forward to more books by this duo.
4.5 stars
I reserve 5 star reviews for very few books... those that I will remember for the rest of my life. An Anonymous Girl is not one of those, but it's very close. It was gripping and fast and creepy and crazy and such fun to read. I found myself thinking about the book when not able to read, wishing I could pick it back up to find out what happens next. It centers on Jessica, a young woman who participates in a research study on morality being administered by a psychiatry professor. I don't want to give away details, but what happens next is a whirlwind of epic proportions. Though you have to suspend reality quite often, it was still a great read.
Wow! This book blew me away! An Annonymous Girl is a well crafted thriller filled with twists and turns! Jessica signs on as Sunject 52 in a study on morality and gets drawn into the tangled web of a marriage gone wrong. Is it a question of morality if you’re lying to save some else? Will the truth set you free?
Well, what can I say? This book certainly packed in all the twists and turns that it could. A young woman agrees to become the subject of a complex psychological experiment, and winds up being drawn into a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with a highly disturbed individual. An interesting enough premise, and one I was excited to dive into. If the goal of 'AN ANONYMOUS GIRL' was to keep the reader unsure and unsettled, much like the main character, then it succeeded. But, for me, the overall effect was only mildly satisfying. Like 'THE WIFE BETWEEN US', the other book by this pair of authors, there were plenty of moments and questions that kept me turning the pages, and wondering what would happen next, but ultimately it felt more like 'car-wreck curiosity' than genuine interest. I felt little attachment to any single character in the book other than the hapless and clueless Noah, who connects with the main character just as her life is about to become very, very complicated. Everyone else seemed like co-conspirators in their own undoing, not in manner than made them sympathetic and human, but exasperating and at times tedious. After the umpteenth twist, I began to anticipate the next one, and was less shocked, or even engaged by them. And by the Epilogue, I sighed in exasperation. I was intrigued by the first book by this collaboration of authors, and was curious about this second book. I am not sure I'll be moved to try a third. I remain a fan of Sarah Pekkanen's though. Looking forward to her next solo effort.
Once again the talented writing duo of Greer Hendricks
& Sarah Pekkanen deliver a satisfying thriller. Enigmatic and compelling, An Anonymous Girl weaves a taut story of betrayal and suspense, as delicate and ready to shatter as a wineglass poised on the edge of a table. Told in dual narratives AAG takes you gently by the hand and leads you exactly where it wants to go, right up to its final conclusion. Go ahead. Surrender to it.
What would you do if you became involved in something you thought was harmless, but the further you got you realized you couldn’t get out? That’s where Jessica finds herself after becoming a part of an anonymous study on morality issues.
This book kept me interested from the beginning until the end. I don’t always have a lot of time to read, but this book made me want to find time so that I could see what happens! Read this book, it is so good!
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to Netgalley.com and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review.
Hendricks and Pekkanen have, for all intents and purposes, perfected the two person narrative. The tension is palpable. The suspense is unnerving. The twist will knock you sideways. A stunning story with morality and ethics, or lack thereof, at it's center. Nothing is what it seems on the surface.
You'll think twice about joining any sort of research study after this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book.
I realize I'm in the minority here, but this just didn't work for me as well as I wanted it to. The premise sounded interesting and, really, it started out pretty well. But I had a hard time believing these characters. This was definitely a plot-driven (and not character-driven) novel; however, I wanted to feel the struggle between the two main characters in a more visceral way. Instead, the villain seemed rather one-dimensional and too omniscient.
I will say, though, this is a fast read and moves along at a brisk enough pace to keep you intrigued. I see that the majority of readers really dug this one, so my advice would be to check it out for yourself. It might just be that I've read too many books in this genre over the last couple of years, and now I'm getting nit-picky, hoping to find ones that knock my socks off.
Bottom line: not a bad book, but lacking character depth for me. But go ahead and give it a try.
Thank you NetGalley for my ARC. Definitely a psychological thriller and I will think twice before participating in a study after this. A cat and mouse game the whole time. Keeps you wondering what is going on till the very end. Only drawback is the chapters are usually one of three characters but I found that I would have to read a couple sentences in each chapter to figure out which character was speaking.
Gripping! I love how the author made Jessica so vulnerable, yet relatable. I felt as though I could understand the moments that led her to be so entwined with Dr. Shields. I couldn't put it down!
4 Stars.
Completely Intriguing and Totally Unexpected!
Jessica is a makeup artist in New York City. After hearing about a paid ethics and morality case study, Jessica jumps at the chance to participate even going so far as to take a spot from a client of hers, who canceled last minute. Is it a choice Jessica will live to regret?
Jessica is Subject 52. As a part of the study, questions are posed at a computer terminal: “Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?”; “Describe a time in your life when you cheated?” Her answer are such that little does she know, at the end of the two sessions, she is the only subject left. Her answers are intriguing and unsettling. Dr. Shields, who is in charge of the study sees something in Jessica and hopes that she will not fail in her role... her doing so would be less than ideal. For both of them.
“An Anonymous Girl” is book that took me by complete surprise - the premise was a breath of fresh air - it was unexpected and honestly it made me feel, well, dirty, slimey and scared, if I’m telling you the whole truth and nothing but the truth (ha ha, get it, I mean this book is about morality and ethics, right?!). It gets under your skin and makes you wonder how you would answer the questions posed and makes you fearful, terrified even, when you realize what Dr. Shields has in mind for Subject 52 (and no, I’m not going there, in case you were hoping I’d give you a clue!). This is a fast-paced crazy novel whose twists and turns made for a heart stopping novel. I highly recommend it for mystery / suspense lovers. It’ll keep you on your toes for sure.
This was another fabulous buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley, Goodreads and Twitter.
*Will be published on Amazon upon release.
Equally gripping to their first team effort, with a subtle suspense thatbh9lds to the very end. Highly recommend to fans of psychological suspense.
This book was excellent! So many twists and turns. I couldn’t figure it out until the end! Love these authors! I cannot wait for them to write another book!
This was a full 5 star rating for me! I loved this book!
First off I would like to start by thanking Netgalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
28 year old Jessica Farris is a makeup artist struggling to make ends meet in New York City when she overhears one of her clients talking to a friend about blowing off a study seeking women aged 18-32 for a study in morality. Seeing as how her very wealthy client seems to have no real interest in going Jess decides to go in her place. She could really use the five hundred dollars and what harm could it cause? Little does Jess know just how much her life will change by doing this one, little thing. Jessica is thrilled when she is not only accepted into the study but has intrigued the psych professor Dr. Shields so much the doctor wants to continue the study with her and not only that, she wants to pay her much, much more. Sure, some of the assignments seem a bit strange but Jess begins to feel such a strong connection to Dr. Shields she seems so kind and understanding., so willing to listen to all of Jessica's secrets, In fact it is required. Jessica also finds herself very intrigued by the stylish, cool Doctor.
What Jessica doesn't know is that Dr.Shields psych psych professor is very intrigued by her. Lydia Shields has her own agenda and she most certainly does not have Jess' best interest at heart. This captivating physiological thriller is told from the point of view of both Jess and Dr. Shields as their twisted relationship grows and more secrets are revealed about both women we find ourselves falling deeper and deeper on each woman's spell.
I love a good thriller and I have read a lot of fantastic ones this year but I would put this right up there with my favorite thriller of the year thus far "The Woman in the WIndow by AJ Finn. If you read and liked that then you will love this! I will be recommending this book to everyone of my thriller/mystery loving friends!
Because I loved the first book by this writing duo, when I saw they had another book coming, I had to have it. Thank you for the digital ARC for a honest review. The cover of the book is very attractive and would definitely draw my attention when I walked in the book store. Fair warning: this is one you won’t want to put down until you’ve finished every delicious morsel! So many twists & turns that you almost need to backtrack to be sure you just read the words right! ! I This was a true surprise, with the twists and turns!!
This book is a thriller and hooked me right from the beginning. Jessica Farris is a makeup artist who needs money, so she decides to sign up for a psychology study with Dr. Shields. She thinks it will be a quick survey, she can collect her money and be on her way, but things get personal quickly, and she is left feeling very uncomfortable. This psychological thriller won't disappoint!
Given the massive hit that was the first novel these two co-authored, The Wife Between Us, there must have been so much pressure when penning their follow up. However, I am happy to report that The Anonymous Girl more than surpassed my expectations and totally blew me away. Another game of cat & mouse - but who is playing? What starts out as a study on morality and ethics quickly escalates - and will have the reader and the characters asking questions!
Don't miss this one in January - it's bound to be a huge hit!
I received an ARC from Netgalley, and while I enjoyed the book and the ending, it didn’t keep my attention as much as I had hoped. It was a good read but I didn’t feel the gripping, page-turning interest as I had in “The Wife Between Us”. But it was still an interesting storyline and I wouldn’t have guessed the ending!
I enjoyed the twists of The Wife Between Us, so I was excited to see that Hendricks and Pekanen had another book. It delivered in the same category of dark and suspenseful. Early on I was drawn into the story. I was so curious about this mysterious study Dr. Shields was conducting. Somewhere in the middle, though, things seemed to slow down. There was still more to be revealed, but it felt unnecessarily drawn out. I was a little disappointed by the time I finished, but I still think overall it was a pretty enjoyable read.