I read this book in a day and cannot recommend it enough. The story was interesting, the characters were realistic, and just so much of this story kept me on the edge of my seat. I love seeing the events unfold regarding the main character's kidnapping and how she tries to adapt back into society after what happened. to her. If I had one complaint, I felt like some of the parts where Jane was in captivity were a little dull in terms of descriptions and stuff such as that, but that is something that is kind of understandable in a scenario like that one.
Overall, this is a book that will have you bitting your nails and holding your breathe in suspense. If you like books about love, survival, bravery, and getting through tough situations, then this is the book for you.

Fantastic! I loved it!

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.

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.

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 (from her kidnapping forward) 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.

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.

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.

I run.
Because I can’t sleep.
Because Memory can’t catch me if I keep a fast pace.
Because my parents’ door is closed, but Night can’t shut me out.
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.


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.

“What do you feel most nervous about?”
“Facing the truth, I guess.”
“The truth about . . .”
“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.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning sucked me in but I lose the interest pretty quickly after that. I think these are hard stories to write especially that this happens to people.

Wow what a fantastic story a book I could not put down a story that kept me turning the pages.An author I will be following.# netgalley #st.martinspress,

Jane Anonymous is a super compelling YA thriller that I couldn’t put down. The way it lets readers into the mind of a kidnapping victim – while still keeping some key secrets from us – was extremely engaging and enjoyable. I love a well-executed twist, too. Thanks for the chance to read this great book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of Jane Anonymous.

I really had trouble connecting to Jane and everything she was going through. The story was well written and a quick read. I did enjoy the twist at the end that was a surprise.

God this was a great novel,the writing and characters were so good. I really enjoyed reading this one and was on the edge of my seat through reading it.

Jane, Anonymous is a solid YA book, though it didn't quite grab me until close to the end. There were several points, up to about the 3/4 mark, that I thought I would set it aside and mark as 'DNF'. The writing is clear, and Stolarz does a good job keeping straight the timelines, which could've easily been confusing if done with less skill. The idea is also a great one, diving into the psyche of a young woman who has returned home after seven months living in captivity. However, what I imagine is meant to be the "twist" was evident to me almost immediately. Maybe because of that, it wasn't until after the twist is revealed to Jane that I felt at all invested in her story. Once she realizes the truth, it became interesting to me-- how would she reconcile her relationship, her memories, her feelings, et cetera?

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!!!

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.
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.

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.

Some parts of her story, kept in warehouse with several (we still have no idea how many more captives there were) 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.

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.
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.

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!)

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.

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.

I’m so thankful to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing this remarkable, fantastic book in exchange my honest review.

Hello, I will posting this review to my blog, Instagram, and Goodreads on January 2nd, 2020. I will add the links when they are live. Thank you!

From the beginning of the first chapter, this book pulls you in. It's gripping, heartbreaking, and talks about an issue that happens more than we would like to think. I loved everything about this book and am excited to share my thoughts with you.

The book begins with a prologue from the main character, Jane. She talks about this being about her days being captive and that this will be her outlet to tell her story. I enjoyed the aspect of this being like a memoir. It's easy to feel connected with Jane because of it. There are also two different time periods: Then and Now. It helps to bring it all together.

Jane has a hard time dealing with what happened to her. She has to struggle with being paranoid of those around her and figuring out what normal is. It's hard to adjust and at times she makes her room feel like the room she was held captive in. People don't know how to talk to her after it all, including her friends. You just feel bad over and over again for Jane.

I enjoyed seeing the friendship rekindle between Jane and Jack. They were close to dating before she went missing. He gives her space and little by little she starts to open up to him. It was really sweet and those were my favorite moments of the book.

The plot is thrilling and it was hard to set it down for just a few minutes. I needed to know what happened and who the kidnapper was. There are a couple plot twists and one is quite major. I didn't see it coming! Once you find out about it, it's hard not to feel how Jane feels and you question everything you read.

Overall, I loved this book and its been hard not to think about it constantly. This author does a good job of making you feel so many ways. If you are a fan of YA Contemporary/Thrillers, I would highly suggest you check this one out!

Another great story by the amazing Laurie Faria Stolarz but I'm not to surprised I love everything she writes. Jane Anonymous is a terrific story that will have you flying through each chapter. I couldn't put this one down and can't wait to recommend this to our teen readers. GREAT STORY AND GREAT CHARACTERS!!!!

WOW, this book was SO good. I read it literally in several hours. Jane is kidnapped by a guy and held captive for 7 months. She lives these months in a small room stocked with all her favorite foods, products she uses at home, and oddly clothes in her size. Her captor never really makes himself known except to giver he meals and rewards when she, follows the rules he gives her. She is befriended by a fellow captive, Mason, who crawls through the air ducts looking for an escape route. Mason talks to her and helps her through her hard and lonely times by sticking his hand through the hole in the wall to hold hers. The book alternates between now and then (during her captivity). IT is really intense, heartbreaking and sad. Jane, back with her parents, after she escapes, has a hard time readjusting to her old life and friends. A beautifully written story of a kidnapping of a teenage girl and her life during and after this time. Definitely do not miss this book! Well worth your time!! LOVED IT! Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of JANE ANONYMOUS by Laurie Faria Stolarz in exchange for my honest review.***

4.5 STARS

As a form of therapy, JANE ANONYMOUS, not her real name, writes about her seven months in captivity and the difficult transition back home.

I enjoy abduction stories and had already preordered JANE ANONYMOUS when I saw the ARC on NetGalley. I couldn’t wait to devour Laurie Faria Stolarz’s story. I immediately knew JANE ANONYMOUS was fresh take on the kidnapping sub genre.

Jane tells her story in Then and Now chapters, chronicling her abduction from early days to release and her painful reentry into her old life. New normal doesn’t begin to describe how different Jane’s life feels. Everyone who loves Jane is changed and wants to help, but she pushes them away to avoid frequent anxiety attacks.

While in captivity, Jane learns others are also held captive, including Mason, who visits through heating vents and offers comfort and vows to free her.

JANE ANONYMOUS drips raw pain with tiny glimpses of hope sprinkled within yet never feels heavy or depressing, a tribute to Stolarz’s writing. I did not want JANE ANONYMOUS to end and hope Stolarz has a sequel in the works,