See Jane Run by Hannah Jayne

Standalone. Sourcebooks Fire. (Jan. 2014) NetGalley
I know who you are.

When Riley first gets the postcard tucked into her bag, she thinks it's a joke. Then she finds a birth certificate for a girl named Jane Elizabeth O'Leary hidden inside her baby book.

Riley's parents have always been pretty overprotective. What if it wasn't for her safety...but fear of her finding out their secret? What have they been hiding? The more Riley digs for answers, the more questions she has.

The only way to know the truth? Find out what happened to Jane O'Leary.



I have to give major props to the author for keeping me on my toes with See Jane Run. Everything started coming in all at once and Jane's world was turned upside down. I could not figure out who Riley could trust and who she could not for the life of me. The twists and turns from this book were spot on, making me question every character and moment that passed by. 

There were a few things that I would have liked to be different. I completely loved the mystery in this story but it might have been too much at moments. I wouldn't call it unrealistic but it felt confusing sometimes. There was a lot going on and that could be either fantastic or detrimental based on how the reader takes it all in. Riley could be too dramatic too. She cried a lot but her reaction to her situation seems very realistic when I think of what I would do in the same situation. Riley even commented that she was being overly paranoid and it felt that way at times as the reader so I have mixed feeling about her reaction to the things happening to her. 

The friendship in the story could have been better. I wish that Riley and her best friend Shelby would have had more moments together. I wanted Shelby to be involved more in the investigation and to have had her back. Riley should have opened up to her best friend and let her help her out. The person who seemed to replace Shelby in the partner in crime character was J.D. who ended up being a mystery in himself. I liked their moments together. I smiled a lot when Rile and J.D. were together. He provided a calmer side to the hyper aware Riley.

My feelings about See Jane Run are really a tossup. I loved everything that was thrown at Riley because it made my mind go running off with questions about what the truth was. On the other hand maybe it was too dramatic and maybe there needed to be more focus on characters other than Riley. Also, the overprotective parents were too much... They would have driven me nuts if I was their kid. So this was a really great read in some ways but in other ways it could have been better. For the main story at least this was a great mystery that kept me guessing.

Comments

  1. I'm excited to read this one! It sounds right up my alley. I don't mind when the mystery overshadows other elements of the story as long as the mystery is THAT good. Glad to hear it kept you on your toes the whole way through.

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    1. The mystery really drives this story and if you keep that in mind you'll love the book.

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  2. I love a book that has a lot of twist and turns and will keep me interested and on my toes. I am a little sad to see that the friendship aspect of the book isn't as nicely formed as I would hope, but this still sounds like a very interesting read. Great review!

    Kay @ It's a Book Life

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    1. I think I was being a little nitpicky about the two best friends but it would have been really nice if there was an actual relationship that could care about the two.

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  3. Unpredictable plots are the best, it's like watching a really good horror movie :) I love being surprised so this one sounds fun. Sounds like the characters need some work, though.

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    1. I just read a review of a different book by the same author and it's as you described it - great plot but the characters could have used some work.

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  4. It's hard when you don't have clear-cut feelings about a book, eh? I've read, like 3 books in a row and I couldn't even decide what to rate them! Very hard. I've seen See Jane Run around a bit, and I'd like to read it. I'm not so keen on whiny characters though. Ew. I kind of get the need to strangle someone...which isn't very nice of me.

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    1. Haha (: I've felt the same way with characters before. They need to get a grip and stop complaining! Riley wasn't too whiny or anything. She just felt too dramatic at times.

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  5. I have to say that I am intrigued by the mystery in this book and I want to read the book just to find out what happens and why. I agree with you that if the parents are extremely overprotective that part will probably be too much for me. :) Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I almost forgot to mention the parents too but they were ridiculous but that also helped drive the mystery very well.

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  6. I love a good mystery, but over the top drama not so much. ::sigh::

    Anna from Shout with Emaginette

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