Member Reviews

I thoroughly enjoyed this short, palate cleanser of a story. I loved the play on the title of the book and creepy concept that belies the dolls and the characters created. It was also very contemporary with the technological aspects of the story which made it up to date and added to the creep factor. It was a fully developed story with an atmospheric feel that made for easy reading. I'd look forward to another story this from Lisa!

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This was such a good, fast-paced read that drew me in instantly. I do wish it was longer with more character building but overall well worth reading.

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I liked this short, fast-paced, and creepy thriller that's told from the perspective of a widowed mother Jules, and her teenage daughter Scout. They move into a somewhat secluded mansion with Jules' new boyfriend Kirin and strange things begin to happen. This is a great book for fans of horror/thriller looking for a quick read.

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This novella is an absolute gem and a must-have for any horror fan's collection.

The story follows Jules, a widow struggling to rebuild her life alongside her teenage daughter, Scout, after the devastating loss of her husband. When Jules meets Kirin, love takes them by surprise, and she soon decides to move with Scout into Kirin's old family home. However, that moves takes a dark turn when Scout stumbles upon a doll in a mysterious room, unraveling a chilling mystery that could spell disaster for both mother and daughter.

From the very first page, a sense of looming dread and tension infuses throughout the novella, pulling the reader into its grip. The suspense never lets up, making this a thrilling short read from start to finish. The narrative is tightly woven, and it’s packed with action and atmosphere, The characters, themes, and setting are rich enough to warrant deeper exploration, in a full novel particularly as the pacing towards the end felt a little rushed, leaving me craving more.

One standout aspect of the novella is Scout. She’s an incredibly cool and relatable character, whose voice really shines. Told through alternating POVs of Jules and Scout, the narrative balances the mature struggles of Jules with the youthful, sometimes rebellious, but deeply perceptive outlook of Scout. The author captures the challenges of Scout's adolescence—particularly when struggling with moving to a new home and school—with authenticity, and Scout's journey feels very real.

The setting of the story is another highlight, especially with the introduction of the smart house's personality, Vivi, which adds a quirky and unexpected twist to the plot. I won’t spoil this part for you, but trust me—Vivi's involvement is as eerie as it is entertaining.

The Doll's House is a short but wild read, offering thrills, suspense, and a great balance of horror and heart. While I wished for a bit more breathing room in the story, especially toward the climax, it still delivers a satisfying, edge-of-your-seat experience that horror enthusiasts will adore.

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To start off the forthcoming spooky season, read this short story by Lisa Unger. Lisa immerses you in a novel that is not only frightening but also explores deeper themes of love, self-identity, mental health, and mother-daughter relationships in just 98 pages.


Thank you NetGalley!!

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a decent thriller that I enjoyed but I must say that it was still a bit TOO SCARY (and creepy) for my personal taste. However with that being said, I will openly admit that yes I am a wimp. However, as I have disclosed in other reviews, I can usually read much scarier content than what I can watch on movies or tv. I am not sure why this is though.

I will also say that even though this book scared the crap out of me, I think part of that shows just how good of a writer Lisa Unger is. I don't think this book would be that scary if Lisa Unger was a bad writer. So even though this book was too scary for my personal taste, I somehow still enjoyed the story, and for that Lisa Unger can get 5 stars. However, because I was scared a bit too much I am personally only going to rate this book 3 stars. I would still read more by Lisa Unger in the future though.

Many thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

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I enjoyed this book even though it was a bit hard to believe. The characters were believable and I really liked the main character. There was just enough teen angst to make the book relatable.

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This was short, a bit predictable but a good time. It blended technology with some subtle gothic elements and I really enjoyed it. I couldn’t help but think this would’ve been so much better as a full length novel though. I think the author could’ve explored the story and the characters a lot more this way, but this was still good enough for a short time.

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A quick short read excellent for the upcoming spooky season! Although this wasn't one that kept me guessing and was pretty easy to figure out what was going to happen next, it was still interesting to see where it was going. If things seem too good to be true, then they probably are.

Thank you to Netgalley, Amazon Original Series, and Lisa Unger for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date for The Doll's House is September 12, 2024

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I recently read "The Doll's House," a chilling short story by Lisa Unger that kept me on the edge of my seat. The story follows a mother beginning a new life with her teenage daughter after losing her husband. Things take a mysterious turn when they move into a state-of-the-art smart house with the new husband. The blend of modern technology and eerie occurrences had me hooked from the start. Lisa Unger is a master at weaving spooky tales with a hint of the supernatural, and this story was no exception.

Thank you to the author and Amazon Original Stories for the advance copy provided via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions shared are entirely my own.

#TheDollsHouse #lisaunger #Netgalley #amazonoriginalstories #amazonpublishing #kindleunlimited

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This was a short, creepy read that's perfect for the spooky season but can definitely be read at other times too. It was the right level of scary for me and didn't have any gore, which is always a plus. It's not a twisty, surprising kind of story, but the overall atmosphere made me feel jumpy - in a good way.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

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Starting to like short stories. It was easy and fast to read. Always love books that read fast. I do have to say, this book is not what i expected. Expected something to happen with the doll. Also expected it to be more creepy/scary, but that wasn't really the case for me. But i still enjoyed reading it, it was still a nice story and the suspense was still there. Just not what i expected. Liked the ending, sounds like there is more coming. Not sure if that's the case. But the possibility is certainly there.

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This was just what I needed! A short, fast-paced thriller. This was perfect for starting off the spooky season reads! It had me really on edge and really invested in the story with this doll and the house. Read this book…. But don’t read it at night!

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3 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not bad, not awesome. Fun, short read for the spooky season! I wish it could’ve been a full length novel though.

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My thanks to Amazon Originals, Lisa Unger and Netgalley.
I've not read too many of Lisa Unger books. Hell, I may have only read 2 others by her! But, I've enjoyed everything of hers that I've read. This novella was slightly different. Not in the enjoyment level, just in the maybe wanting more level? I'm actually unsure about that!
First off..Doll houses.....only creepy when dolls are actually added!
Second off.....fucking dolls!
Third off..... Dude who creates dolls!
So, great concept, Lisa fucking Unger! You managed to make my skin crawl!
Also, I'm giving this 3.5 stars rounded down. Only because...DOLLS.
Honestly? I'm 60 years old and have only once owned a doll. She was a ballerina that I thought was from my dad, but turned out it was a lie from my grandma. I'm still clueless about why I don't like dolls! Lol!
Just kidding. Not clueless on that front.

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🔎 Review Time!

The Doll's House

@launger
@amazonpublishing

My Rating:
🌟 4/5

👀Read if you like
Dolls
Dual POVs
Short Stories

When Jules first meets the handsome artist Kirin, she’s still mourning her husband’s death, but a fairytale romance soon sweeps her off her feet. Now she and her daughter Scout are moving out of the city and into Kirin’s once-lonely mansion. He’s thoughtfully updated and adapted the home to match their personalities. But Scout is determined to keep her father’s memory alive by rejecting the new life her mother and Kirin have spun for her.

Scout’s sullenness begins to fade, though, when she finds a beautiful handmade doll in one of the many empty rooms in the house. Kirin says that the doll belonged to his late sister and he’d like Scout to have it. Scout’s hopeful for a connection over their shared grief, but as she grows more curious about Kirin’s sister, she can’t escape the feeling that a danger lurks in the house…and its gaze is fixed on her mother.



🔎 My review
I love Lisa's books and was excited to see this short story on NetGalley. Even though this short story is only 98 pages long (which makes it easy to read in one sit) it was action packed with Spooky/Supernatural vibes. I highly recommend reading this if you haven't already.

#books #bookreviews #bookstagrammer #bookworm #bookstagram #bookobsessed #spooky #shortstory #amazonoriginal #lisaunger #TheDollsHouse #NetGalley

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Thrilling and edge of my seat. I did not see what was coming. This book was all I expected and more!

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Jules new boyfriend seemed almost too good to be true. Handsome, rich, successful, and sensitive to her needs, she was happy to move into his home with her teenage daughter. Kirin had prepared his home with them in mind. Things started feeling 'off' though and it was soon apparent things weren't what they seemed.

This is an entertaining book. I loved the creepy ending

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It was a pretty good read. I liked the characters and the creepy dolls. The story started out strong but was very predictable. I wish we could have had a deep dive into the characters development. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if it were a full length book so that we could have gotten the things that were missing from the story, it felt too rushed at the end. But if you are looking for good, easy and fast read book that’s also a little creepy then I recommend checking this one out!

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was so creepy! I am in my short story phase and this short story delivered. I think it was the perfect amount of suspenseful and spooky. This will make a great spooky season read for sure.

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