Lisa Unger has been a fave for years, and with this new short story, I remember why. Suspenseful. Dramatic. Dark. Add in some futuristic technology and a potentially psycho-ish plot, who knows what's really behind the doll's eyes. I wish this were longer because it really captured my attention. It could've easily been a full-length novel.

This was a well thought-out short story with enough depth and closure to satisfy this reader!

Following the death of her husband, Jules quickly falls for Kirin who sweeps her off her feet with a whirlwind romance and marriage. Jules daughter Scout however is no fan of this new man in her mom’s life. To complicate things further, it also means Scout must now leave her friends and school behind when they move into Kirin’s mansion.

And things still aren’t adding up for Scout regarding Kirin. Now more than ever, she has serious doubts that he can be trusted.

This book is classified as horror. For me, it was more just a short story with an eerie element to it. So have no fear my fellow scaredy-cats! You can get through these one with ease. (Just as I did)!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories

The Dolls House is a short novella about Jules and her daughter Scout. They move in to Kirin's mansion to start a new life. Scout is not happy about moving away from her family home after the death of her father. But who would be? I don't want to give too much away.

A creepy read and a very fast one at 98 pages long. I really enjoyed this short story. It had me flicking the pages of my Kindle until the end.

I enjoyed the AI Vivi. She was the home feature like a google home assistant. The creepy dolls and the paranormal aspect of the story. I would recommend reading this one if you are a fan of creepy stories and want something quick to read that is also enjoyable.

Thank you Amazon short stories and Netgalley for an early copy of this book.

First I would like to thank Netgalley for offering this book as an "available instantly" ARC. This is my first review for Netgalley. When I saw a Lisa Unger book was available instantly AND it was a short story.. I couldn't possibly say no.

Lisa Unger built the mother daughter relationship between Jules and Scout masterfully. Scout was very relatable. If you've ever been in the situation where your parent gets a new partner, like I have been, you will see how well Unger describes and features that relationship between Scout and Kirin, her mother's new companion.

Scout was written very deeply for a novella length short story. The literature flips back and forth, alternating between the perspective of Jules and Scout. Lisa Unger has written some fantastic short fiction and this entry is no exception. It kept me on the edge of my seat and even though I read it on my kindle, it was definitely a page turner, or however you want to describe an e-reader.

Since it is short fiction I won't get into the plot, but if your looking for a thrilling short story I highly recommend. The only problem I had with this story is I wish it was a full length novel. It accomplished what it needed to in a very short time. I will be checking out Lisa Ungers backlist to get her full novel experience.

What a creepy little read! I've never read anything by Lisa Unger, but this story makes me want to pick up more by her. I liked the use of dual POVs because it allowed for more exploration of the setting and themes than would have been available through just a single one. I would have loved to have seen if there were something more sinister lurking it Kirin's other creations, though.

I love a good short read. However, the way the author wrote this made me want a full book. I have so many questions that need answered. I enjoyed this so much. It was quick to reel me in and honestly I did not see the ending at all. I have never read anything by the author and I will now be reading all her books.

Quick little creepy read! Perfect for a commute or evening by the fireplace. Second chances at love are never easy or expected. Wealth and privilege are not a guarantee of bliss. When a mother and daughter find themselves inside an AI run mansion of secrets, the past haunts them and no one is safe.

This quick novella by Lisa Ungar will 100% get you ready for the upcoming spooky season! This story follows Jules (mom) and Scout (angsty teenager), as they overcome the loss of their husband/father and attempt to move on with Jules’ new love, Kirin. Can Scout overcome her anger and despair to allow her mom to move on to a new love? There’s way more to it than that guys, like seriously. The whole time I was reading it, it took me back to an episode of Charmed (circa 1997) and I swore I knew how it would play out. Was I disappointed when it didn’t? A smidge. But it kept the book less sci-fi/paranormal and more practical- mostly! Absolutely recommend this to anyone and everyone!!

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this amazing ARC! The opinions and rating are my own and have not been biased in any way!

Once again, Lisa Unger offers readers an entertaining, expertly crafted and compelling story with The Doll's House. This eerie thriller arrives in time for Halloween, featuring a young widow's fresh romance with the seemingly perfect man. Unger's modern gothic short story offers a fresh take on familiar themes. We want the relationship to be everything Jules and her daughter Scout need to flourish in their new life with puppet artist, Kirin. If he and his spectacular home seems too good to be true, we could be wrong, couldn't we?

This reviewer absolutely loved this story. Jules is relatable and worthy of our empathy. (Plus, dolls and puppets are awesome!) A recommended read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews.com at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

This is a short but sweet mystery that kept me engaged throughout. Unger masterfully creates an atmosphere of suspense and unease, weaving together the seemingly innocent with a dark, underlying menace.

The characters are well-drawn, especially considering the short format, and the pacing is just right—building tension with each page until the chilling conclusion. Unger's writing is vivid and evocative, making it easy to picture the unsettling world she creates. It’s perfect for spooky season, offering just the right amount of creepiness to get you in the mood for Halloween.

Overall, "The Doll's House" is a haunting and thought-provoking read that lingers in the mind long after you've finished it. It’s a perfect choice for readers who enjoy suspenseful, dark tales with a psychological twist. Highly recommended for a quick, spine-tingling read!

A widowed mother Jules moves into her artist fiancé Kirin’s old family mansion with her teenage daughter Scout. Scout finds a beautiful handmade doll belonging to Kirins late sister Emma and he gives the doll to Scout. Scout becomes curious about Emma and her disappearance years ago.
The story incorporates old tradition of doll making with technology. The story is about motherhood and childhood, grief and loss, hard choices and how memory haunts us.
This is a short story. It’s a perfect spooky story. I loved the creepiness. The characters were well developed and the story had an atmospheric setting. It had an emotional aspect with a mother daughter grieving the loss of a husband/father. There’s a mystery involving a missing girl.
Thank you #lisa Unger , #netgalley

“A good mother is only as happy as her unhappiest child. There is nothing more painful than when your child is hurting.” Ugh. This pulled on my mama heart.

This was a fun, twisty, paranormal short story. It honestly felt like an episode of Black Mirror. I enjoyed the setting in an old manor-style home with modern amenities including a seriously impressive AI/security system. There is another fun use of a futuristic technology system that MC Jules’ daughter,
Scout, utilizes. As a psych major, I could really go all in and analyze this story and its characters and discuss so many psychological disorders, but alas I wouldn’t want to spoil it. Read this one! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

This was a good short story. I feel like this could have definitely been a novel, the premise could have expanded alot. But for the purpose of a short story, I liked it overall.

An enjoyable short scary story if a little bit predictable

I really enjoyed the middle of the story but was hoping for a little bit more from the ending

A really good short story with plenty of tension!

Jules has been a widow for a while when she meets Kirin. When they become engaged, Jules and her daughter, Scout move into his family mansion.

Scout has a bit of an atitude about the relationship and being forced to move from her home. But she finds a doll in the lovely room they have made for her and when Kirin tells her it was his sisters, a sister who is missing, Scout smells a mystery and it isn’t a good one.

I enjoyed this story very much!


NetGalley/ Amazon September 12, 2024

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the early release of Lisa Unger's newest short story "The Doll's House". I think this spooky short story will be great for the fall and spooky season. It was fast paced and short. I don't necessarily love supernatural elements in stories and books and this does have somewhat of that element in there. I did not love this but I did not hate it either. I think a lot of people will enjoy this one for the upcoming spooky season it just was not exactly for me. I will still recommend this to readers and fans of Lisa Unger.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC of the book. I enjoyed the story and the character development. I was engaged from the very beginning. As a fan of horror/thrillers, I loved this story. The mystery and intrigue was there and I found myself staying up late to finish chapters. This is a book that's great for the fall season.

This was such a fast read and I really enjoyed it. I actually was sort of bummed that it wasn't longer because I wanted to keep reading! It wrapped up so nicely and had the perfect amount of detail for such a short story. The only reason this wasn't a 5 star read for me is because it did feel predictable. I guess I hoped for a little more of a shock factor to it. Overall, still such a good read and would recommend to anyone needing a short story that still will hook them. Nothing too graphic in my opinion, I wouldn't worry about trigger warnings. It's about what you'd expect with a thriller novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Originals for the ARC of The Doll’s House by Lisa Unger.

This short story by Unger was absolutely amazing. It was such a quick and fun read, and I couldn’t put it down.

Leslie is a widower after her husband takes his life, leaving her and her teenage daughter Scout to start over. A short time later, Leslie meets Kirin and she couldn’t imagine a more perfect scenario.

Kirin is an artist who is not only gorgeous and famous, but seems to want the best for Leslie and Scout. Leslie sells her apartment and she Scout move to Kirin‘s mansion . Kirin has a dark past filled with his own family secrets, and a sister, Emma, who went missing several years ago. They believe that she took her own life but never got the real answers they needed. Both Emma and Kirin were tortured artists; and he used her disappearance to perfect his craft.

After a short time in Kirin’s home things don’t seem to be adding up. Scout has her own views on the situation and when she meets new friends, they help her shed some light on the potential dangers of her new home.

Scout is determined to find out what happened to Emma and protect her mother at all costs.

Pub Date: September 12, 2024
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Creepy! This short story has all the complexities of a full length novel. Jules didn’t expect to fall in love again after being widowed. But she sold her apartment and she is taking her reluctant teen daughter, Scout, to live with her new fiancé, Kirin. They arrive at his home and Scout is appalled at the magnificent estate. Kirin is a successful artist who makes dolls and puppets and his mansion is a smart house run entirely by Vivi. But all is not as it seems in this palace where everyone is being watched. This is the perfect little sinister story to read during spooky season! Thank you Netgalley, Amazon Original Stories and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This novella will be released on September 12, 2024