Member Reviews

Dark academia, friendship, and mysterious threatening messages? Sounds awesome! Narrated by Brittany Pressley and Xe Sands? Yes, please.

This might be a good fit if you're interested in:
- the cost of fame
- mysterious medical testing
- the highs and lows of long-term friendship

The cover, synopsis, and narrators of this audiobook had me intrigued. Unfortunately it didn't work for me. It didn't grab my attention or have me emotionally invested in any of the characters. The Dollhouse Academy was listed as women's fiction on NetGalley and had some mysterious vibes, but it turned out to be a little more sci-fi in my opinion. While I think the story could have been a more powerful and engaging, I know most of my opinion is a personal issue. I'm learning Hollywood and fame stories don't often work for me, and I've never been into techy/medical tropes.

I will say Brittany Pressley and Xe Sands were terrific as always. If you are interested in a story like this, the audiobook is a great option!

Rating: This wasn't for me, but the audio production was solid. (2)

Was this review helpful?

Wow! Valley of the Dolls meets the Disney/Nickelodeon tween exploitation machine…and then things get sinister! This is a complex and page-turning story of the drive for fame and fortune. It provides a look at the ugly business side and cost of said fame. While the most nasty elements may be fiction, I wonder how many celebrities can relate…

Was this review helpful?

This started off slightly slow and confusing for me. I wasn’t really grasping that the Dollhouse Academy was basically a content mill or hype house… but “historical?” cause it’s the 80s and 90s (I’m assuming this was done so the characters couldn’t use their smartphones to do research).
There’s A LOT going on throughout this book. A mistreated child star, one girl born in a cult and raised by her gay uncles, basically another orphan girl (I never truly grasped Gracie’s storyline besides that she was the best friend). There’s medical experimentation, conspiracy theories, mental gymnastics, creepy headmistresses, and neat ambiance on the grounds of this academy.
This all makes it sound like I didn’t enjoy The Dollhouse Academy, but I definitely DID. It’s a good confusion and the narration is done excellently. It’s dark academia but make it theater camp vibes. It’s a story of friendships and love and when it feels cookie cutter and unrealistic, you remember where you are and fall back in. I’m tempted to pick it up again in physical form and see what I take away with my eyeballs vs my ears.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Wow. I didn’t expect this to turn out like that!
This book mixes some definite stepford wives vibes with creepiness all around.
Great characters and character development. Held my interest to where I finished it in a day and a half. Great narration.
This was such a creative book. Had a great storyline and concept. Plenty of suspense and wondering where things would go. Sad moments as well. And a tiny bit of futuristic sci fi thrown in.
Great book. Definitely read it! Or listen to it. You won’t be disappointed.

Was this review helpful?

"The Dollhouse Academy" mixes up allure not unlike the dark academia trend with the classic thriller vibe that wouldn't have felt out of place in days of black and white to the early color film era. It isn't a novel that depends on being revolutionary. Like a classic, it feeds off of the execution and how it uses the concept.

The story is told in two perspectives. The first is the diary of the star that started it all as the media empire was born and the slow stitching of her into the world. The second follows an aspiring newcomer and her best friend as they join the elite training program formed from the success of the other's legacy. The later is a struggle between the traditional pulls of show business and the murky secrets that are preparing to burst.

Early on there is a nod to how controlling studios were in the early days. The book doesn't hide it's inspiration. It asks instead how someone might achieve that same type of control in a way they could spin as acceptable in a later time. It's not a secret that the entertainment industry can be insidious in nature and how many young stars come out with the need for at least three therapists and five lawyers. To frame the institution as so plainly evil could make the narrative feel like it's rehashing old news for some. For me it created that pocket of possibility that the best psychological thrillers have. By including an element that is a hard known reality it leads to more questioning. In a way it feels timeless in a similar way to the Academy's set and costume design description.

Where it is truly clever is in its choices -- including an ending that is divisive even in this one reader. It is either incredibly daring or woefully anticlimactic. The more I sit with it the more I'm willing to applaud the risk the author took. Some books may have chosen to follow a character like Grace and explore in a Hitchcock-esque tribute the depth and cross of sanity, ambition, and vanity. They might have used the element of jealousy to fuel the entire believably element.

Instead we follow Ramona and in doing so almost push this book into literary genre territory as she struggles with facing her own failings and personal growth as much as stretching for fame. Even though she is receiving threats and we experience the testing through her, in some ways her narrative is the most steadfast. Even mundane.

Admittedly, "The Dollhouse Academy" might not be as pulse-pumping as if it had taken more traditional twists. There were times I did hope it would reach those levels. Outside of the threats and medical testing, the obstacles Ramona faced and her classes didn't seem excessively beyond what I'd expect a competitive training world to be. It never really built up the tension that would drive her to those first decision for me. I did keep waiting for that true edging in terror moment that never quite came. if it had pushed a little harder somewhere I could see this title skyrocketing.

Overall it is something I respected more than I felt. The dual narration was distinctive yet complimentary even without two different narrators in the audiobook version I listened to. That is harder than it seems in an era of multiple timelines being more common. There was a surprisingly healthy relationship when so many are very toxic in this type of genre. The choice to highlight the dark things happening instead of the spiral of madness was bold. I just don't think it's going hit in the way the author is hoping.

Was this review helpful?

What price fame? This cannot be answered truly; however, this book has me thinking about that concept. How far would one go to become famous? Ramona Halloway and Grace Ludlow are lifelong friends who have been accepted into the Dollhouse Academy and are ready to realize the dreams. Instead, they find the darker side, including jealousy, pills, medical tests and alienation from each other. This compelling novel weaves sci fi aspects seamlessly into the storyline and provides food for thought long after it is over. The narration by Brittany Pressley and Xe Sands was compelling and had me listening all day long.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

After reading "Oona Out of Order", I was intrigued to see Margarita Montimore delve into a dark academia thriller with "The Dollhouse Academy", and I’m thrilled to say it was quite the ride! Montimore has a knack for weaving a sci-fi twist into her storytelling, and this book was no exception. The characters, particularly Ramona, were incredibly relatable and well-crafted. The tension Montimore built throughout the novel was pitch-perfect, keeping me hooked until the very end.

As for the narration, Brittany Pressley is at the top of her game, as usual. I’ve never listened to anything narrated by Xe Sands before, but I really enjoyed her chapters too! She brought such emotion to the narration, making Ivy’s chapters feel less like reading and more like she was having a conversation with you. If you’re looking for an atmospheric thriller with a unique edge, "The Dollhouse Academy" is not to be missed!

Thank you to Margarita Montimore, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for sending me the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC audiobook for review. This book was fabulous!! I loved this author’s first book, Oona Out of Order, so I knew when I read the synopsis that this book would be for me. Really want to get ahead in show business? You need to get into the Dollhouse Academy! They can ⭐️MAKE YOUR CAREER!⭐️ But is the Dollhouse Academy as great as it seems? Ramona and Grace have just been accepted into the academy and Grace is rising to the top of stardom. But there are medical exams, special pills they have to take, is this all just for their health and to be at peak performance or something more sinister going on? Ramona is worried about her friend Grace when she can’t reach her anymore. This book was so good I couldn’t put it down!!

Was this review helpful?

3.5 rounded up.
I listened to Oona out of Order on Audiobook and this was just as easy to listen to. I’d say this is a very different book from Oona out of Order and saw other reviews wanting more of a love story. I felt like the love story was meant to be a side part and fit in well, without making it the focus. This was an interesting book - it gave me Mister Magic and Mickey Mouse Club vibes. The story seems more sci-fi than just thriller. It does paint a good picture of game and wanting to be famous. I felt like Ivy’s sections were a little boring and dragged on.

Was this review helpful?

Huge thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

I want to start by saying that the audiobook production itself was amazing. I loved both narrators and appreciated that they had easily distinguishable voices, so I could always easily decipher who was talking! 5/5 on the audiobook production!

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!

Was this review helpful?

THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY is my third book by Margarita Montimore and I admire the breadth of her variety of story-telling. While this is a very different type of book from her previous magical realism stories, I found it entertaining as well.

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.

Brittany Presley and Xe Sands did a fantastic job with the narration and brought the story to life in a compelling 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 Macmillan audio and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

If, like me, you loved Oona Out of Order and expect a similar magical realism vibe, you’ll quickly discover that THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY is not that book. It is, however, a scintillating, dark examination of the price of fame that had me captivated from the start.

Ramona and Grace are best friends dreaming of stardom. When they receive an invite to the Dollhouse Academy, an exclusive entertainment boarding school and talent development program, they eagerly accept. The Dollhouse is famous for creating some of the most successful talent and programming in the entertainment industry, including their idol, Ivy Gordon. But things are not as idyllic as they initially appear. Something sinister seems to be happening behind the scenes and more than careers are at risk.

Margarita Montimore spins a tale of friendship, jealousy, and the willingness to sacrifice in order to chase dreams. It is twisted and compelling and creatively menacing.

The audiobook is narrated by Brittany Pressley and Xe Sands who bring Ramona and Ivy to life and add depth to the story. Both deliver the full range of emotions experienced by the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?