Member Reviews
“An Anonymous Girl” was a thought-provoking and phenomenal read. It pulled me in from the beginning and wouldn't let go. The chapters are a nice length and alternate between Jessica and the doctor's point of view. This was a fascinating psychological suspense novel with a great storyline, excellent characters, and twists and turns that kept me flipping pages at a rapid pace.
The trouble with hitting it out of the park with the first swing of the bat, you are expected to do so with every succeeding turn at the plate. The authors' first collaboration, The Wife Between Us, held my interest at every blind corner and did not disappoint, despite the fact that this is written in a genre I do not seek out. Here, there are similarities in style with alternating narrators, and it is uncertain at times who is the more unreliable. Given the amount of repetition, however, the length made it a slow read although it held its secrets well and released information at a steady pace. I'll continue reading these authors, but hopefully they'll step it up on the next one.
I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I am seeing amazing views on this book but I honestly could not finish it. I normally love books by this author but it did nothing for me.
Ohmygosh, this book had me hooked! I kept thinking I knew what was going on, and then a new twist was thrown in the mix that had me chimping at the bit. This book was another slam dunk for me.
Seeing how much I loved their prior novel, A Wife Between Us, I couldn't wait to run ahead and gobble up their latest work. It however, is a horse of a different color. Unfurling slowly, this slow burn did not have as much dramatic tension. When a 28 year old makeup stylist applies to a become a paid participant in a research grant, she thinks this is an easy way of supplementing her income. All she has to do is answer written questions honestly and from the heart. Trying to be as accurate as possible, she finds herself in moral quandaries related to giving the most truthful answers. As time goes on, the female doctor administering the study is asking her more and more dubious questions and engaging her outside of test taking allotted times. What is this test all about? Could the doctor have any nefarious intents? The novel does pick up steam about 2/3 of the way through but by that time I had already figured out the ending..Many will enjoy this but a bit too vanilla for my taste.
With a fresh premise, complex characters, and more twists and turns than the road to Hana, this is an extremely satisfying suspense novel!
I loved The Wife Between Us. I loved it's twists and the way it played out. And yet, I love this one even more. The wicked way these two women's minds work is such great fun. I don't know how two people can write on the same wavelength but they do it perfectly.
Jess is s struggling makeup artist who takes the place of a client in a study that will pay much needed money. The study is about morality, so we think, and really, it is in many ways. When Jess realizes the lengths that the doctor will go to set her plan in motion, she needs to be even quicker in her thinking.
I loved how each part dealt us into a deeper struggle and deeper craziness. The characters are all very well fleshed out and you will definitely want to see how it all plays out.
Another wonderful gift from Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. Until the next time, I salute you.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this wonderful book.
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"An Anonymous Girl" build slowly into a page turning thriller. Told alternately by Jessica Farris, a young makeup artist in New York City, and Lydia Shields, a doctor and professor of psychology. Jessica lies her way into a well paying research study conducted by Dr. Shields, who she assumes is a man. As she answers questions on morality and lying, she reveals many details of her life and history. In time, she is chosen for the next phase of the study, with more real world tests and higher pay, but face to face contact with the esteemed psychiatrist. Slowly, she opens her life in these sessions. Alternately, Lydia narrates her chapters and slowly reveals her ultimate goal and mission in this study, which is decidedly personal and not academic. The end result is a psychological chess game of each woman trying to out-think and out play the other in search of answers and escape.
Well written, I would recommend this to readers who enjoy psychological fiction like that of Gillian Flynn, Tana French, or B.A. French.
This is the second book I've read by these authors and it did not disappoint. It sucks you in from almost the very first page. The last 15% of the book I couldn't read fast enough. This is a clever plot that had me guessing and loving every new development and twist. The characters are strong, intelligent and conniving! A must read if you like thrillers that leave you guessing until the end!
This is the 2nd book written these authors and it is another one of those endings that will shock you. This book hooked me in from the very beginning...it was fast-paced and completely engrossing. I had high expectations from their first book, The Wife Between Us, and this did not disappoint. It was a psychological thriller that totally drew you in and I felt like they completely captured the feelings of the main character so well that I felt like I was right there with her. Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was the epitome of a psychological thriller. The twists and turns were great and kept you guessing. The lies and deception, coupled with the trust of others, were all believable. There wasn't a point when I found myself thinking, "No way, I'm not buying it." It was realistic and twisted and great!
I read the Wife Between Us as well, and was not as impressed with that one as I was with this book. This is one that I would definitely recommend. It has me looking forward to future releases from this duo!
I will never take part in a psyshcological study group after reading this story!Jennifer needs some quick cash, and decides to take part in an easy money making idea - answer questions about yourself and your morals as part of a study being held by a famous psychologist, Dr. Shields. Soon, however, the study takes over her life, and she know longer knows who she can trust. Deceit, jealousy, this novel has it all. Well done and hard to put down! Thanks to NetGalley for this fascinating book!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
A book I couldn’t put down and highly recommend. A suspenseful thriller.
Jessica enters a study for money. How hard is it to answer questions and get paid to do it? Things are twisted and deep. Secrets are revealed and secrets are kept. This was a great read!
I really enjoyed this psychological thriller through all the twists and turns and I just couldn’t guess who was the one lying. I did love the two point of views of the same sessions.
It was a bit slow in the middle so I gave it 4 stars because of that.
I'm not sure if I'm supposed to mention these in an ARC but there were a couple inconsistencies:
- in chapter 26, it refers to Tylenol then switches to aspirin a few paragraphs later
- in chapter 10, it says "you bypass the love seat and settle yourself in a char" and then in chapter 12, it says "you also select the love seat again"
Thank you for this ARC.
This book was so good. Kept me guessing until the end. I had no idea who Jessica should trust. The creep factor of how easy someone can ruin someone’s life from just telling their secrets seems so true in today’s world with social media. And how there are those who prey on others weakness because they themselves are weak.
#netgally
#greerhendricks
#sarahpekkanen
#ananonymousgirl
I was absolutely thrilled when I saw this book on Netgalley because I loved the authors' first book, The Wife Between Us. Unfortunately I think I came in to reading this book with extremely high expectations.
This book follows Jessica who enters a study about morality. She is hoping to earn some money from this study. As the study continues and it takes up more of her life she realizes she might be in way over her head.
I can't really say that I particularly liked or cared about any of the main characters. Jessica just seemed so weak to get led into what she did and seemed to blindly follow whatever she was told. Dr. Shields was okay in the beginning but really became annoying with her over the top behavior. Thomas was somewhat of a bumbling idiot.
This was pretty slow for me for the first half. The second half did pick up and my interest did grow but it still didn't leave me amazed at all at the end. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.
I really enjoyed "The Wife Between Us" by Hendricks and Pekkanen last year- "An Anonymous Girl" does not disappoint! Even with the hectic life as a mom of 2 kids and with multiple part time jobs, I still managed to finish this book in less than 2 days.
From the very first page, the story is entertaining and gripping. Lately, I feel like the psychological- mystery- thriller genre can get to be a bit ridiculous, which sometimes makes reading stories like this difficult. Yet, the characters are believable and the progress of the story takes quite a few turns that really move the plot forward and add excitement without being incredulous. I found the main character, Jess, to be refreshing- her choices are what push the story forward- at times I really felt like my own motivations in life are quite similar to hers. Would I have made the choices she made early on in the book? Probably--- and that's what makes it so great.
Lastly, minor details are well-thought out. I'm sure if I re-read this, there would be points I didn't pick up on the first time- makes for good storytelling and something I could imagine picking up to read again someday. Overall, I'm so happy with this book and will be keeping these authors on my 'must-read' list!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This book has really made my day/week/month!
This psychological thriller never really built up the pace and pressure for me. The set up and premise, while massively implausible entregued me and the separate voices worked. However, overall it just didn’t quite deliver.
What would you do for love? Would you tell a lie to protect someone else? And if you love someone would you do anything to maintain that relationship?
An Anonymous Girl was an unexpected delight. This book introduces us to Jess and the flow of the novel starts immediately. Jess's life seems simple on the surface but as you learn more about her you realize peoples lives are not always what they seem. While at times Jess could be viewed as a victim she is also a very strong resilient character.
Dr. Shields is such a narcissist that she does not realize that her very actions are unethical. How ironic considering the fact that her research is centered around ethics and morality. This woman is both smart and beautiful which in this case makes for a very dangerous combination.
These characters are so real in the fact that like real people they are flawed. Sometimes no matter how well you think you know someone you have to remember there are parts of their lives you do not see. Assumptions can be dangerous.
Jessica, a makeup artist, overhears her clients talking about not attending a psychology study being conducted, which the client had signed up for. In need of money, Jessica decides to go the next day and partake in the study thinking all she will need to do is answer some questions and be done. As the questions start becoming more invasive, it feels like the person in charge, Dr. Shields, knows when Jess is lying; pushing her to reveal truths she wouldn’t normally admit. As the study continues, Jess begins to feel that Dr. Shields is being manipulative and might have an ulterior motive causing Jessica to become paranoid. “Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.”
I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.