Review to come in 9 days on blog/other places.

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

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👻 I loved seeing both the POV of the mom and the daughter. If it was just the daughter... well I would have DNF-ed the book SO FAST. I mean, nothing against Scout, she is 100% a teen, but she just got on my nerves. So I am happy that we also got to balance it with Jules/the mom, and get some insights on why mom made these decisions. We learn that not everything is as it seems, that mom really cares, but she had to make some tough decisions and also made the decision to shield Scout from her father's depressions/mental health.
👻 The dolls! So many dolls. You know, I would have said HECK nope to it all, but apparently both Scout and Jules aren't that scared of dolls. I would for the life of everything NEVER marry someone who makes dolls. I am terrified of them.
👻 Vivi, the house AI/bot, was well written and made some moments much tenser. She controls the house. She only listens to one person. You know the deal with that in horror stuff like this.
👻 Seeing a ghost haunt the gardens. But is she an evil or a good ghost?
👻 Finding out about that ghost, but also get some other hints that something is NOT right at the estate. Something is wrong with Kirin. That was a lot of fun to read!
👻 The ending, and then specifically the last bit of it. That scared the jeepers out of me.
👻 I love that Scout found her people so soon.

💀 But it was just too rushed. If you didn't think about the time it is fine, but as soon as you think that it was only merely 2-3 days that is when the story collapses for me. It just doesn't make sense for everything to happen so quickly. It just loses the build-up if you think about that time elapsed. Scout's friendship just feels weird then, the possible romance between Racer feels like a love at first sight. Why is everything found so quickly? It just goes too fast. So I think that should have been better. Even if that meant adding a few more pages, or I don't know, a time skip of a month with a small bit of a recap on spooky things that happened. That would have worked.
💀 Again, Scout was a true teen, but at times I wanted to yeet her in the nearest garbage mountain. Bye.
💀 I am not sure how I felt that Jules suddenly saw Doug (her dead husband). That just made it weird, especially when she started talking to him. I am still not sure if it is because of the whack on her head, or something else. Again, with a bit longer time line it may have worked out. Now it was just weird.

But in overall, again don't think about the short time line, it was a good spooky read with several thrills. I would still recommend it.

A fun twisted little short story. Felt a little bit like it was trying to accomplish more than it had time for, but overall it was an enjoyable and quick read

Perfect short story for fall, the right about of suspense mixed with a side of scary. Some short stories feel incomplete and this is not one of them. Enjoy this quick read from Lisa Unger!

Short, sweet and creepy a perfect combination for fall. Jules and Scout are moving in with Jules new boyfriend in a huge house. Kirin Jules new boyfriend has made his house perfect for Jules and scout. I was immediately sucked in to this story. I love creepy books and this was just perfect for spooky season!

Lisa Unger is a master at suspense and this book was no different!

After the hard and sudden loss of her husband, Jules never thought she would find love again, but it fell into her lap like it was meant to be.

Now, Jules and her daughter, Scout, are moving into her new man, Kirin’s, house, but maybe everything isn’t as perfect as it seems

While this book was super short, the pacing was intense and I loved it. I could not put this book down until I got to the end.

Perfect for spooky season and a great introduction to a wonderful author!

Thoroughly enjoyed this short story. such a fun spooky read for fall time and October. I loved the haunted house vibe especially

Jules, a widowed mother, moves into her fiance's old family mansion with her teenage daughter, Scout.
Ready to give love another chance they quickly discover that danger lurks around every corner.
A quick and creepy read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for an arc of this short story in exchange for my honest review.

Jules, a widow, and her teenage daughter Scout move in with Jules' rich and handsome boyfriend Kirin, an artist, into his palatial family home.

This is an enjoyable short story by Lisa Unger, a little bit psychological horror, a little bit of a mystery involving Kirin's missing sister, along with a smattering of teenage angst on the part of Scout. It felt like there was too much crammed into such a short book and it was a little predictable. I think I would've liked it more if it was longer and edgier. There are many many 4 and 5 star reviews so I'm definitely an outlier on this one.

My thanks to Amazon Original Stories via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novella. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: September 12, 2024

This chilling short story kept me on the edge of my seat. This is a quick read and perfect for 'spooky season'. This book will make you think twice about dolls and AI.

I was hooked from the very first page and read this in one sitting. I was able to guess the outcome, but that didn't take away at how creepy and sometimes terrifying this book was.

This was a nice little mystery. It had some much appreciated spooky feels. I feel this is a great read for spooky season. It's short and sweet...or scary!

I will never not be afraid of Ai and lifelike dolls. Although this story was short it was terrifying. As soon as I read the words “you have all access to the house” I knew nothing good was going to happen. Lisa Unger did a great job with this short thriller. Just enough for a good old creepy feel but not to terrifying.

I really enjoyed The Doll's House. It was a suspenseful and spooky read.

I was hooked immediately, and I read it in one sitting. I loved the concept, and while it was a great short story, it could have been an even better novel. I actually didn't want it to end.

I highly recommend.

4 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley, Amazon Original Stories, and Lisa Unger for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!!

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.

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.