Thank you to Netgalley and Cursed Dragon Publishing for this arc!

In Porcelain: Shadows of Hysteria, we follow three main characters. A brother and sister, Gabrielle and Michael, and Michael's new love interest, Cole. There are two minor characters we meet who are important to Gabrielle, Peter (a longtime friend) and Cinder, who is her college roommate. As the story progresses, we learn that there is something deeply troubling following Michael, and especially Gabrielle, around since they were kids. At nine, Gabrielle woke up from a blackout to find both her mother and father brutally murdered, her covered in blood, and her favorite porcelain doll lying not too far away. Another instance of death happens multiple times in Gabrielle's life, and she can't help but wonder, is she crazy enough to do these murders while blacked out? Or is it possible it's been the porcelain doll this whole time?

This book started off strong, in my opinion in the opening scene for Gabrielle. It was an uncomfortable and honest testament to what it feels like to want to fit in and that glaringly toxic culture of boys just being boys. The blackouts and flashbacks really help mold the idea that she is a broken and flawed character working on herself to become something stronger, if only she could get passed the mental hurdles, she gives herself and relinquish her own obsession with the porcelain doll. She held a lot of retrospection towards herself when it came to whether the doll really was to blame for the murders or if it was herself that was capable of doing so. It showed a lot of character development and growth and how she used Peter and his mental illness as a reflection of what she could accomplish for herself. Gabrielle's friends Peter and Cinder both equally try to help her, whether that is logically or by feeding into her ideas that the doll maybe possessed. The conflict that happens between the three of them as they try and figure out next steps in what can potentially help Gabrielle feels grounded and frantic, as it would in any horror film or scenario.

The progression of the idea of a possession of the doll and the backstory of how the doll became attached to nine-year-old Gabrielle was incredibly well mastered. In the beginning, it danced effectively on the idea that maybe Gabrielle, from the trauma she endured, used the doll as a psychological buffer for her crimes. As the story progressed, however, we saw that the doll really seemed to be the true culprit behind all the murders just to stay with the little girl who took it out of the locked basement. The twists and turns inside the last few chapters was a true mind-mending moment that truly portrayed how trauma can hold a lasting impression on someone and how our minds warp and reshape reality to make it more bearable.

I was hoping to enjoy this book by the end of it. I was so close to DNFing it numerous times but stuck it out just in case I ended up finally getting into it.

Unfortunately, I found a lot of it to do nothing but demonize schizophrenia and DID. It’s common for horror movies/novels to do so with these illnesses but it’s getting quite draining to constantly read and watch them being used as a plot line. Especially as a schizophrenic.

Any time we start incorporating dolls into an already horrific story, you know stuff is about to hit the fan. All the blood, dead bodies and murder.... because of a porcelain doll? So wild and so addictive, the story is sure to blow it out of the water.

I love a creepy doll story and there were definitely multiple moments throughout that did creep me out, but I was definitely wanting more horror, where this was more of a psychological thriller.

Gabrielle wakes up one morning to find a man whom she has just met dead and covered in blood in his room, she is clutching her porcelain doll and can’t remember a thing that happened.

We go back into her and her brothers past and learn of the trauma they went through and gain insight into other deaths that have occurred, surrounding Gabrielle - is it her killing these men, is it the doll or is there something else going on?

There’s too much relationship drama and a semi “love” story also going on in this book and these storyline’s just didn’t really add much to the story and instead took away from the horror and thrills.

Thank-you NetGalley, Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing and Jesse for a Digital Advanced Readers Copy, in exchange for an honest review.

dolls have always seemed really creepy to me for some reason so this book was perfectly chilling for me. I loved it and read it in one sitting

This is a gripping, spine-chilling horror/thriller that hooked me from start to finish. I couldn’t resist reading this book about a doll who is a possible murderer. The book is a psychological horror and it caught my interest right away. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley.

As if a Porcelain doll is not scary enough, a python had to be added to the plot.

It all starts with Gabby finishing the night at a guy's place. A night that she'd rather forget.
Instead she forgot how she got back to his house the following day. She only remembers waking up in a bloodbath and Joe is not alive anymore.

Apparently is not the first time that Gabby sees herself in this kind of predicament.
Her brother Michael has been there for her all her life but this time there's other challenges.
One of them being Michael's new relationship with the detective that is responsible for investigating the case.

Both siblings also share an obsession for a porcelain doll.
Gabby blames the doll for everything that happened in her life.
Michael believes that the doll is a coping mechanism.

But how much power does the doll really have?

I'd say Porcelain is more of a thriller book with hints of horror.
Not only this book explores subjects like mental health and complicated relationships, it will also give you chills.

This book is trying to tackle a lot of issues. There's potential demonic possession of a doll, or a cursed doll; mental illness; child abuse; several murders; bigotry in the work place; some romance between with two different couples; and a custody battle. Sprague does a descent job of trying to nurture each issue but it's just too much. I wanted to read this for the doll stuff and it was just overshadowed. There's too much focus on one character's bisexuality which was just boring and not a big deal. There is good representation for schizophrenia and mental health overall. Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy.

This was a haunting and creepy story, definitely psychological horror. I really enjoyed it, there's the classic question of is it the main character doing the killing or was it the doll. This really worked for me, I would definitely recommend this book and we'll read more from this author.

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. It starts with the protagonist, Gabrielle, in an extremely uneasy situation, stuck alone with a guy she really shouldn't have gone home with. Then he's dead and her childhood doll is there soaked in blood and she can't remember what happened. It's a repeat of how her parents died, and her foster father. The book reminds me of a slumber party story we used to tell back in the early 80s and it had a lot of promise, but I don't feel like it quite delivered.

This is a creepy story that I enjoyed. The characters are interesting and unique. The ending was unexpected which was nice. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Jesse Sprague, Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this book.

The story follows Gabrielle a college student who’s trying to figure out her past and her fragmented associated memories, especially her vivid memory of her clutching a porcelain doll while covered in blood. What happened that faithful night? Why is happening again? Who’s the killer?

I woke up at three in the morning and decided to start this novel. I don’t think this was a wise move on my part as I’m sitting here and dreading moving and seeing the only porcelain doll I own. This was a quick fast-paced 300 pages novel filled with psychological horror and suspense. I definitely suggest you check out the trigger warnings beforehand as there are sensitive subjects. This twists and turns kept me on edge and I cannot wait for book two.

This isn’t a genre I typically read, but wow! That creepy porcelain doll had my nerves on edge from the start!

One of the things I enjoyed most about this chilling story is how vulnerable Gabrielle, the main character, is. Right away, you notice her discomfort during a date that doesn’t go as she expects. Still, she tries to go along with it, convincing herself it’s "normal" for a guy to bring her to his place right away. Gabrielle’s struggle to believe she’s normal and not crazy is palpable, even as a broken porcelain doll starts speaking to her in an unnervingly creepy manner.

The dynamic between Gabrielle and her brother, Michael, is like a precarious yet beautiful dance. The novel alternates between two points of view: Gabrielle's and Detective Cole’s. Cole, who is dating Michael, complicates the story even further. Despite Gabrielle’s mental instability, I found her perspective the most compelling—especially toward the end. Her interactions with Peter, the boy she loves who is also broken, are heartbreaking. Watching these two damaged characters try to love each other is both tragic and moving.

Jesse Sprague is a masterful writer who keeps you hooked the more you read, and I love that.

Don’t go into this expecting just a horror novel or a psychological thriller—this book is so much more. I highly recommend picking it up.

Gabrielle is a college student trying to figure out how to have a normal-ish life, after having so many tragic events follow her from childhood. As the book opens, she is on a date with a guy named Joe and from an outside perspective, it isn't going incredibly well, but she is trying to convince herself this is all "normal" and it happens to everyone. However, after an uncomfortable night, she returns to her own apartment and tries to put the incident behind her.

On the other hand, her brother Michael is on the verge of a budding new relationship and everything is still fragile and tenuous, We soon find out, the love interest is a detective with the police and Gabrielle is found at the scene of a crime, covered in blood and close to catatonic. It becomes a trip down the psychological rabbit hole as we try to uncover whether Gabrielle or a mysterious doll from her childhood is the one committing the heinous crimes.

This book is not without it's flaws and although I do not fully understand some of the mental disorders this book tries to highlight, I feel as though the people around Gabrielle, are not "good" for her in a lot of different ways. When it comes to "the doll" nearly no one supports her in trying to get rid of it. It's an aspect of the book I did not understand. I also did not understand why no one seemed to focus on the fact this girl is significantly mentally ill and they just try to brush it off. But overall I was fairly intrigued and flew through the book. I did think it was going to be far more spooky and supernatural than it was.

Chills, Thrills and Twists make this story truly riveting and utterly terrifying.
I loved it and found the book impossible to put down.
Packed with interesting characters and shocking revelations it is absolutely terrifying!
Highly Recommended.

Porcelain was my first introduction to author Jesse Sprague. And as far as introductions go, it was an impressive one. I’ve been a fan of the idea of creepy doll stories ever since I saw the Living Doll episode of The Twilight Zone as a kid, so I was happy to jump right into this one. While the book ended up being quite different than I originally expected, it was still quite the ride. Sprague did a wonderful job of letting us into Gabrielle’ s head. And I have to say it’s an uncomfortable place to be. Heck just the opening scene alone, experiencing her thought process, was enough make me feel unfordable to say the least. The mystery around the doll and the way Gabrielle’s past gets revealed were well done. However, I must say that if you are hoping for closure at the end you’ll be disappointed. By the end you’ll still be left with a number of loose threads, but that’s because this is only the first book in the series. So now the wait begins for book 2. I’d like to thank Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Porcelain.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2KLU87673UKU4/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Gabrielle just wants to live like every other college girl: dress pretty, go out, maybe even have a boyfriend. But her past continues to haunt her, no matter how far she tries to run from it. As a child, she suffered immense trauma after witnessing the death of her parents—though between the blackout, the fact that she was alone in the house when it happened, and the presence of a certain porcelain doll, many (herself included) are convinced that she had a hand in this death. And when a similar event occurs at the home of a college boy who took advantage on her, it seems like the past is coming back to haunt her. As if that wasn't complicated enough, one of the officers on the case is Cole: Gabrielle's brother's new boyfriend.

The narrative shifts between Gabrielle and Cole as the case unwinds. On one side of the story is the frightened teen, convinced that she has somehow awoken something malevolent in the porcelain doll that still occupies a space on her bookshelf. As she tries to navigate the police's inquiries, she dares to pursue a relationship with Peter: a childhood friend with mental health struggles of his own. Meanwhile, Cole has troubles of his own, even beyond the fact that his boyfriend's little sister may be a murderer. His new relationship could also compromise his battle for custody of his young daughter, Isa. Before long, he has to choose whether to fight for Gabrielle and sacrifice his relationship with Michael, or fight to stay with Michael and leave the investigation. As the truth begins to come clear, another victim falls at the "doll's" hands, and Gabrielle's memories turn up surprising details.

Porcelain dares to walk a very difficult line in its involvement of real mental health struggles, and blending those with tinges of the paranormal is complex at the best of times. By and large, the book is compassionate but realistic about these struggles, while also being honest about what it's like to live with them and try to look after one's mental health. While it sometimes seems to play with and subvert the old tropes of mental illness being mistaken for demonic possession, it also leans into them in at times. The result is a waveform of tense, compelling scenes offset by (at least for this reader) discomfort with how the story may be falling into old traps. The fact that this is "Book 1" of a series makes me hopeful that this is a slow burn, and that what feels off-kilter may be elevated in future volumes.

Porcelain by Jesse Sprague is a gripping, spine-chilling horror/thriller that hooked me from start to finish. This book delivers just the right amount of spooky vibes, centred around a truly creepy vintage porcelain doll. Who doesn’t love a story with a hauntingly eerie doll at its core? I absolutely loved it!

The story follows Gabrielle, whose traumatic past is steeped in blood. Ten years ago, she woke up covered in blood beside her murdered parents, convinced her porcelain doll was the killer—but also clinging to the belief it was only protecting her. Now, after years of therapy and medications, Gabrielle is ready to rebuild her life and start fresh at the University of Washington. But when a horrifying blackout leaves her next to another bloody corpse—again with her doll at the scene—she’s left questioning whether she’s a killer or if the doll is truly alive.

I particularly enjoyed the addition of Cole’s perspective, the homicide detective investigating the case, and Gabrielle’s brother’s new boyfriend. Initially, I wasn’t sure why his personal life needed to be explored, but as the story progressed, his point of view added a meaningful and emotional layer to the narrative. It was refreshing to hear from his perspective instead of just Gabrielle’s, which gave the story even more depth.

As the plot unfolded, I found myself completely engrossed. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the end, and I was thoroughly satisfied with the conclusion. The themes in this book are what truly make it stand out—it explores the fragility of mental health, the impact of trauma, and the lengths people will go to to protect those they love. These elements made for a thought-provoking and compelling read.
That said, I want to note that this book deals with heavy themes, including child sexual abuse, so please check the content warnings before diving in if this might be a trigger for you.

If you’re looking for a creepy, unputdownable Horror/thriller to read over the holidays, Porcelain is an excellent choice. The eerie doll, the suspenseful plot, and the emotional depth combine to create a hauntingly unforgettable story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing for providing me with an e-book ARC in exchange for my honest review.

✨B O O K R E V I E W✨

Porcelain by Jesse Sprague
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy pub day @jessespragueauthor !! I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy of her new book Porcelain and let me tell you, I am HOOKED.

“Ten years ago, Gabrielle woke up from a blackout covered in blood next to her brutally murdered parents. Certain that her porcelain doll was the killer, she nevertheless clung to it, because it was only protecting her. Wasn’t it?

After years of therapy, living in institutions, and lots of medication, Gabrielle has made enough progress to enroll at the University of Washington. She just wants to be normal. A doll is just a doll, after all.

But when she’s sexually pressured at a date’s house, she blacks out again and wakes up next to her date’s bloody corpse-with her doll. Worse, her brother’s new boyfriend is the homicide detective on the case. Despite her brother’s faith in her, she’s left seeing two possibilities-either she’s a killer, or her doll is.”

If you know anything about me, you know that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and this creepy thriller kept those good vibes going! I was scared, I was confused, I was excited. I felt like I was right there with the main character. I found it was in a similar vein as the third Conjuring movie and How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix, so if either of those were your jam, this book is for you! Overall, it was a really fun ride and I’m thankful I got to be a part of it!

a good creepy story about a murderous cursed doll.? Say no more! Devoured this one. Highly recommend!