4 Stars

I really enjoy Margarita Montimore’s writing style. After reading Oona Out of Order, I became a fan of how she writes, and this book was no different. The writing immediately pulled me in, and I’m not sure I would have enjoyed the story as much if the writing style hadn't been so engaging. The plot itself felt like a slice-of-life with some mysterious elements, but it was Montimore’s writing that made the story compelling.

The story centers around a prestigious and secretive acting academy that is strict and can expel students at any time. As the story unfolds, there are strange things happening—students undergoing plastic surgery to resemble the main star of the "Dollhouse," and unusual tests being conducted. The mystery kept me guessing, but I felt that the explanation behind it all was unclear by the end.

What didn’t work for me was the pacing of the conclusion. The ending felt rushed, and the shift to a faster pace left me feeling a bit disoriented. The resolution felt underwhelming. Despite this, I would recommend the book to readers who enjoyed titles like Youth Juice or Natural Beauty. While the book isn’t specifically about the beauty industry, it has a similar atmosphere.

I look forward to reading more from Margarita Montimore, as I enjoy the mix of magical realism and science fiction in her work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flat Iron Books for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

For Ramona and her best friend Grace, an invitation to join the Dollhouse Academy is a dream come true. The Academy has created some of the biggest stars in the entertainment industry—entry isn't a guarantee of success, but success at the Academy *is* a guarantee of succeeding outside the Academy.

Meanwhile, Ivy is one of the Dollhouse's biggest success stories. She's been acting with them for almost two decades, since she was a teenager—she knows more of the Dollhouse's secrets than most. And she knows what Romana doesn't want to see—that it might be hard to get into the Dollhouse, but once you're in, it's even harder to get out.

"They make it so easy to stay, surround you with a beautiful town, beautiful people, beautiful words. And once you taste success, you get hungrier for it, and you give away more of yourself to them without even realizing it." (loc. 2688*)

This is a twisty little story with perhaps something of a Black Mirror sense. It's clear early on that something is not quite right, but Ramona doesn't want to listen; initially, at least, she's too desperate for the promise of success. It's clear also that she's struggling at the Dollhouse, and it will take more than the skills she comes in with to deliver on that promise. I love the premise—this is sort of a boarding school story, but the setting is more ambivalent than that, as many of the characters are fully fledged adults. In a way more of a college story, I suppose, as they can (eventually) choose to move elsewhere if they like, though...if they're successful, they generally don't. The Dollhouse sees to that.

There were fewer surprises than I expected, though. The climax in particular feels more whimper than bang, but the "here is how the denizens of the Dollhouse are being controlled" was visible a mile away. Though I kept waiting for some kind of reveal about surveillance tactics, anytime Ramona ran off to have a secret conversation about the Dollhouse being sketchy (or, once, to share all of someone else's secrets with people who had given her no real reason to think they were trustworthy), any sense of danger turned out to be all in my head. I suppose I wanted something both more subtle and less subtle, if that makes any sense!

Ultimately a mixed bag for me. I'm curious to try something else by Montimore—her work seems quite high-concept.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.

The Dollhouse Academy is a departure from previous books by Margarita Montimore as her first psychological thriller. This story centers two young women , Ramona and Grace, who sign with an exclusive acting agency that requires them to live and train at their isolated academy. When mysterious notes begin arriving for one of the two, their mental headspaces are driven in opposing directions and their friendship becomes precarious.

Told mostly from the perspective of Ramona, we also read chapters from the diary of an older actress who has been a huge star of the eponymous Dollhouse Academy. Her journal entries are sporadic throughout, with more towards the end, and are perhaps the only thing that kept me reading this circuitous and slow paced book. They were truly the only pages building tangible suspense.

I could really complain about how this book did not work for me, but I'll leave it at this: it was repetitive, slow, and overly long. I think the idea of this story would make an excellent short story or novella. This might work for you if you like stories about the cost of fame and near realistic science fiction.

Welcome to The Dollhouse 📸
Thank you, Flatiron Books, for the gifted copy of The Dollhouse Academy {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date:  2.11.2025
Pages: 320
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5

I went into The Dollhouse Academy with a completely open mind because, typically, Montimore's books blend themes of reality and magic. I definitely did not anticipate the story that she wrote this time around—it was rife with themes of beauty, self-discovery, friendship, and fame. 

While it wasn't the book for me, some concepts within it appealed to me. I found the idea of an academy devoted to coaching people to be famous fascinating, and there was a touch of the science-fiction element that oddly made sense to me. It cemented my happiness with being out of the public's eye because I can't imagine living the life that some of the characters in this book do. 

Where the book lost me was that it became overly repetitive and seemed to lose its traction a few times. I kept listening, and I loved the open-ended portion of the ending!

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆
The Dollhouse Academy was narrated by the incredibly talented Brittany Pressley and Xe Sands (who has also narrated The Book of Accidents, Pack Up the Moon, and the Wanderers). Both voice actors kept me hooked on the story (even when it lost traction) - but I'm not surprised because I love everything they do. 

Read if you enjoy:
🤷🏽‍♀️ Open endings
🗣️ Alternating POV
🤔 Moral dilemmas
🖤 Dark academia

I recommend reading The Dollhouse Academy if you enjoyed Rouge by Mona Awad.

Loved her last novel but this wasn’t my fave. I didn’t feel like much happened but the premise WAS unique. Not quite sure who I would recommend this one to…. If you liked her previous ones I’d still give this a try.

I found the premise of the story compelling enough to read and see where the story took me; however, it was a modest read. The early friendship between Ramona Holloway and Grace Ludlow was well written and one that I enjoyed the development even as they adjusted to life within The Dollhouse Academy. The desire to become famous actresses/actors is one that has been around forever. For Ramona and Grace be careful what you wish for. The Dollhouse Academy is not what you imagine. The story begins well and the addition of Ivy Gordon’s story is compelling. Things go off track towards the middle. I don’t want to give too much away so I will just say I feel portions of Project Understudy to be a bit farfetched. The ending was flat. I had expected a bit more.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Publishers for the advance copy of “The Dollhouse Academy” by Margarita Montimore.

Thank you Flatiron and MacMillan audio for review copies of one of my most anticipated reads! I am a big fan of Margarita Montimore and The Dollhouse Academy is a new favorite from her. This book, and fantastically narrated audiobook, has all the themes I love: friendship and friendship challenges, boarding school themes, behind the scenes Hollywood (though not Hollywood here per se), and a sense of mystery and well developed unease. I really loved the way the plot was developed, weaving in Ivy's story/diary with Ramona's own story and experience at the Dollhouse Academy. The excellent and consistent pacing, the themes on industry exploitation and the costs of celebrity and fame, and the exploration of Ramona's and Grace's friendship, and feelings of envy blended with true affection, really made this an engrossing read. The elements explored in the mystery part of the story, themes on identity and memory, make for excellent discussion potential as well.

A great read, recommended on audio as the voice acting from personal favorite Brittany Pressley and also from Xe Sands really made this story resonate!

Ivy has been with The Dollhouse Academy for 18 years. She is their star, but she is finally reaching her breaking point. Ramona and her bff Grace are brand new to the Dollhouse and Ivy is their hero. When Grace starts to get threatening messages, and Grace starts a skyrocket to fame, the friendships breaks. It doesn’t mean they aren’t still concerned for each other and what is happening to them.

Dangggggg. This book was a little bit crazy…ok a lot a bit crazy! It’s very hard to give a review without spoiling anything, but dang this book is a ride! I could not stop reading to find out what was actually happening at the dollhouse and what would happen with our three main girls. I could picture every step of this book which is a not my normal reading experience! If you want some crazy, read this one!

Thank you to @flatiron_books for my gifted copy of this book!

I was a huge fan of Oona Out of Order, so I was really excited to read this book. I enjoyed it, but not quite as much as Oona. It reads a bit YA to me, which is not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was expecting. The concept of the story was intriguing, though at times I felt the pace could be a little tighter. All that aside, I think this will be a book that a wide audience will enjoy. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oona Out of Order is one of my favorite books ever, so I was so excited to get approved for an ARC of Montimore's latest work.

Ivy Gordon is the most famous cast member at The Dollhouse Academy. She starts to journal her life and record the secrets of mega secretive, ultra-elitist talent school. Ramona and Grace have been best friends since elementary school. They get the unbelievable opportunity to attend The Dollhouse Academy in hopes of fulfilling their dreams of being actresses, but once the doors close, more shocking things start to happen.

This book was such a unique exploration into the lives of the ultra famous and the psychological toll it takes as well as the celebrity obsession. This was an incredibly compelling premise, but it didn't live up to my (very high) expectations. The first half of this novel was very intriguing, but it fell flat in the second half. With the elements of the plot, I thought the Grace or Ivy plot lines were going to take an ever darker turn. I found the ending very weak. We're all agreeing The Dollhouse Academy and had so much power to get people to stay, but they folded so easily at the end? It just didn't feel like the story connected with how it was built up.

Thank you so much Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy!!

Huge thank you to Flatiron Books for the ARC!

I have read and enjoyed both of Margarita Montimore's previous novels and have been anticipating this release for a long time! Her books are always so unique and quirky, and this one was no exception!

Overall, I thought this was a great story on a surface level but also felt like there were so many important themes on a deeper level. It made me think deeply about our obsession with celebrity culture and the way that they are both idolized and vilified by the public.

Since Montimore's book are usually so 'out of the box', I had hoped for the secrets of TDA to be even MORE insane and crazy, but that is probably a personal issue, LOL. I guess what was happening was truly INSANE. I just wanted a tiny bit more from the story!

I thought the ending was great and wouldn't change anything about that!

THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY is my third book by Margarita Montimore and I admire the breadth of her variety of story-telling. This is a cautionary tale about chasing dreams of fame and fortune at all costs. The story is told in two timelines in the 80s and 90s and follows two young women who decide to enroll in the Dollhouse Academy, a boarding school that every aspiring actress hopes to attend to boost their career. There are many secrets and the women see firsthand the nefarious underbelly of chasing their dreams. The story explores the exploitation of young talent, female friendships, and jealousy in an interesting way.

READ THIS IF YOU:
-Have ever realized your dream isn’t all you thought it would be
-Can’t resist an expose of the lifestyles of the rich & famous
-Have ever been green with envy

Many thanks to Flatiron and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

PUB DATE: February 11, 2025

"The Dollhouse Academy" starts with a compelling premise: it delves into the dark side of fame through the experiences of two young performers selected for a prestigious training program. The first half of the book offers an intriguing glimpse into an entertainment powerhouse reminiscent of Disney or Nickelodeon, capturing the allure and constraints of such institutions. However, the second half didn't live up to the initial promise for me. The villains felt overly exaggerated, and the plot stretched believability, resulting in characters who became increasingly unlikable. While it's a decent quick read, "The Dollhouse Academy" was less gripping than anticipated.

The Dollhouse Academy is a compound training the biggest stars in TV, movies, and music. We learn about the crazy practices employed here via the diary of Ivy, its biggest star, and Ramona, a new recruit. I was immediately sucked into this story, and I read most of the book in one sitting. I was super excited to find out the truth about what was happening, and I expected a shocking twist…but honestly, the ending fell a bit flat for me. It was still a wild ride that, while dark at times, was a fun read. I will continue to read new material from this author (if you haven’t read Oona Out of Order, you must!!!). Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Holy Cannoli that was a non-stop trip on the way to Crazy Town. The price that people who want to/choose to be famous is not pretty nor very glamorous. It looks that way from the outside, but it is all encompassing and I can't even begin to imagine living under that pressure. There's always someone there to knock you off your pedestal. Always someone bigger and brighter, younger and more talented, prettier and more driven. This story gave a behind the scenes look at exactly tbe lengths people both the talent and the people pulling the strings) will go to in order to preserve their lifestyles and remain in the spotlight. Let's just say "Project Understudy" was some dark stuff and if that's what you have to do to remain viable, I'll very happily take my smaller, less complicated life.

I enjoyed Margarita Montimore’s books Oona Out of Order and Acts of Violet so I was looking forward to reading The Dollhouse Academy.
However I feel that life in the Dollhouse Academy is not quite as interesting as I was hoping. Maybe because I have no empathy with Ramona, Grace or Ivy and I couldn’t get invested in their time at the Academy or their lives generally.
I made it halfway through because I really thought something would grab me and draw me in but alas I didn’t feel the grab or the draw and put it down.
I will be buying the book for the library and am sure it will be well read.

Imagine that the old Hollywood studio system was still around, and actors who make a name for themselves in this type of system are so extremely precious that the studio will go to extreme lengths to ensure their investment will be secure.

Ramona and Grace, two friends in their early 20s, have been invited to the studio’s talent development campus. While Ramona, the main character, struggles, Grace becomes anointed as an up and comer and lands better acting gigs. Through diary entries, the reader also learns about Ivy, a successful actress in the system for almost 20 years.

PROS:
*Unique concept
*Appreciated the representation of different families
*The science fiction element was thought-provoking (almost had a John Marrs feel).

CONS:
*As a more character-driven reader, I was disappointed the characters didn’t have more depth. They also felt interchangeable.
*The romance at the end didn’t feel earned.

NEUTRALS:
*Genre mash-up: If you like several genres in one novel (science fiction, contemporary fiction, notably), this one could be a hit for you.

3.5 Rounded Up

The Dollhouse Academy was gripping and interesting on a variety of levels. Beginning the book, I anticipated giving it a higher rating, but felt that, especially as the story progressed, I wanted more description and detail. This may be personal preference, but I would have loved the pacing and building that happened when Grace and Ramona started at the dollhouse to have continued further into the story. I also was left feeling unsatisfied with the romantic subplots and would have loved a more indepth wrap up.

Overall, this was a fun read and highlighted some of the darker sides of fame–even if just the stress and isolation on top of the everything else.

Thank you to Flatiron Books, Margarita Montimore, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions shared are entirely my own.

DNF at 17%. Nothing really annoyed me or bothered me about this book, but I was quite bored.

This is a story about two young women who get a chance at stardom via the Dollhouse Academy. They will be trained and developed to be stars, but they will basically be owned by this company. You can tell some real weird shit is gonna do down.

That weirdness could be of interest to me, but I was not feeling compelled to keep reading *at all* at 17% in. I didn’t really care about Ramona, which made it hard to be invested. But if the synopsis sounds interesting, give it a go.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is the story of Ivy Gordon and Ramona&Grace. Ivy is the most famous actress to have ever come out of the Dollhouse Academy. She's glamorous and rich and famous. But there's more going on. She's also trapped and sad and unable to get out.

Ramona and Grace are best friends. They have dreamt of going to The Dollhouse Academy for as long as they can remember. But once they make it in, things don't go as planned. Friendships fracture, things seem off, there are weird rumors, and even weirder things happening.

The story goes back and forth between Ivy's journal and Ramona until they all intertwine of course. The atmospheric writing coupled with the mysterious plot in this dark academia novel keeps you deeply engaged until the very end.

with gratitude NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to preview this title in exchange for my honest opinion.