An interesting look behind the scenes of a secretive entertainment conglomerate, and what people are willing to go through to be famous. Told through two perspectives, current day Ramona (who was newly admitted with her friend Grace), and the diary of Ivy (the mega star) this book is filled with mystery, love, joy, heartbreak, and dread. It really give a wide range of emotions in a single story. This book will keep you enthralled until the end.

The audiobook narrators did an amazing job. Having Grace and Ivy with different voices really aided the story's delivery.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!

Best friends Ramona and Grace get a lucky break and their dreams come true when they are both invited to attend the Dollhouse Academy, an elite and mysterious boarding school that trains and manages superstar actors, singers, and performers. Attending the Dollhouse together has always been Ramona and Grace’s dream, but soon jealousy and tensions arise when Ramona struggles under the intense training and Grace excels on the fast track to stardom. Soon the girls will find that the mentorship, methods, and legacy of the Dollhouse Academy are not all as they seem.

This story had such an interesting premise! I was hooked right off the bat, and the twists and turns had me on the edge on my seat. I seriously spent an entire day cleaning my house just so I could be listening to this audiobook the whole time! Personally I think the reveals could have leaned even more to the extreme to have a bigger impact, but the writing was well done and captured Ivey and Ramona’s emotional responses believably.

The structure and narrative POV switches between Ivey and Ramona were well done and easy to follow. Ivey’s journal entries built up the suspense without giving too much away which I thought worked really well!

My only qualm was that the ending seemed a bit rushed, or as though it pulled its final punch. There was such a big buildup to the end that I was expecting something big, but then…. Things got tied up a bit too quickly.

Nonetheless, The Dollhouse Academy was still a hit for me, and the narration of the audio was excellent. I’d recommend this to folks who appreciate dark academia and are intrigued by those culty social media factory documentaries.

This is a mystery/sci-fi book about an acting academy that might be up to something nefarious. While this wasn't necessarily my cup of tea, I did appreciate the narration in the audio book. The narrator gave every character an independent voice and did a fantastic job. That said, the book was really long and seemed to circle around the ending.

The book follows two young women who want to get into the Dollhouse Academy. One of them is the child of the foster care system and the other was raised by her gay uncles, who run a retro movie house in New York City. Both girls write. sing, and perform. They get into the Dollhouse Academy, which is in upstate New York and run by a woman who wants to harken back to the studio system. One of the girls hits it big right away and the other struggles, while she receives mysterious notes about the Academy not being what it looks like.

Like I said, the sci-fi part of the this book was a little odd to me and left me with more questions than answers, but overall, it was fairly enjoyable. If you like mystery with some sci-fi thrown in, you will like this book. There are also some really great pop culture references.

Rating: 5

The Dollhouse Academy showcases the dark underbelly of television, going to great and, frankly disturbing, lengths to keep their stars in their possession.

From the very beginning, I knew this book had the potential to be my new favorite mystery. The characters are all flawed, and their narcissistic, jealous natures breed the tense atmosphere of the academy. The interactions between these characters were some of my favorite parts.

The friendship between Ramona, our main narrator, and Grace, her dry-humored best friend, was a huge focal point and that added a lot to the story. The dynamic shifts we witness throughout the book as they each achieve different levels of success, forcing Ramona to form other close relationships (cough cough, Mason) gives the plot a perfect arc.

Speaking of Mason, his character did seem a little bit two-dimensional to me. But, as he was a side character and far from being a focal point of the story, it didn’t take away from anything. His character definitely served as Ramona’s safe space amid the Dollhouse Academy’s f*ckery. Because of that purpose, I found myself at my calmest alongside Ramona.

As for Ivy’s plotline, learning the history of the Dollhouse Academy and the secrets it holds through Ivy’s diary was so well-formatted. Now, because I listened to the audiobook, I think the voice actor played a huge role in my perception of its execution. However, that doesn’t mean the diary entries are subpar without Xe Sands’ assistance.

I only have one con.
The ending was not nearly as satisfying as I had hoped. Throughout the book, I came up with predictions as to how all the loose ends might wrap up and was underwhelmed at how it did. Without getting into specifics, I felt Ramona and Grace could have easily had an ending with a sense of closure.
Clearly, the ending didn’t ruin the book. It was only minorly disappointing because of how much I enjoyed the first 98%.

Audiobook specific:
These voice actors need a raise. They did such an incredible job and I’m deeply impressed by the range they showed in this book alone. From a variety of different accents to the slight tone changes per scene, it was flawlessly executed.

Media I was reminded of:
UnReal (Showing the dark side of television)
Nerve (Mostly because of the pace and sci-fi essence)
Level 16 (If you know, you know)

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for allowing me access to this book (sincerely). All opinions are my own.

Wow, chapter one had me hooked! Right out of the gate, this book pulls you into the glitzy, cutthroat world of being a child star, where dreams of stardom come with a serious dark side. I would say The Dollhouse Academy is a psychological thriller with a sprinkle of dark academia vibes, and it all felt refreshingly different.

The story flips between POVs and two narrators: Ivy Gordon, a child star with a seemingly perfect life, and Ramona, an aspiring actress with her bestie Grace, dreaming of fame. Ivy is everything Ramona wants to be or so she thinks. But let’s just say, life in the spotlight isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. Ivy’s world is all about the price of fame, while Ramona’s is all about chasing it. Both make you question what’s real and is it worth it.
And then we have Mason? Well, I spent half the book wondering if this guy is a friend, foe, or maybe even something more. I’m not sure I exactly got my answer but I ended up being satisfied.

The narration is a standout. XE Sands (a personal favorite of mine) and the second narrator Brittany Pressley. They bring both characters to life, making the dual POVs even more engaging.

This book is clever, twisty, and just plain fun to unravel. It’s not your typical thriller, and that’s what makes it such a great read. Margarita Montimore is a new-to-me author (even though I own her wildly popular book ‘Iona, Out of Order’). I definitely moved it up on my TBR.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a unique premise,I think you would enjoy The Dollhouse Academy.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and Margarita Montimore for the advance listen copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

It’s a yes for me!🖤

DeAnn
@deannsdailydrop

THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY
Margarita Montimore

Ivy wanted nothing more than to be chosen to attend THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY. A school for aspiring entertainers. At THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY they are trained in many aspects of entertainment and are molded to become the next big stars. They learn what to eat, what to say, how to look, how to behave, what they can do, what they should do, and what they must never do.

Ivy thought that once she attended the academy her life would be set, her aspirations acquired and fame would be like her new best friend. What she didn't know is what the academy would require of her, would demand of her and she didn't know she would hardly recognize herself once it was all over.


Ivy is looking back at her time in THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY and reevaluating it's impact on her life, on her career, and on her future. Some of her memories are wonderful and inspiring while others are downright horrific.

We follow Ivy through diary entries. And get to experience what it feels like behind the stage curtains at THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY.

This is a situation where a friend tells you..."I read this book and it was so dark. It scared me to death." And you pick up the book and realize it's nothing compared to the darkness that you usually consume. In fact it's closer to rainbows and sunshine than dark clouds and rain.

I think the author was trying to portray the dark side of Hollywood. It came across as diet fatigue and cult heads similar to cheerleading squad captains. THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY just wasn't dark enough, wasn't scary enough, just wasn't enough.

There are more than a handful of winning titles coming out in the early part of the year that I would persuade you to put this one on the backburner or skip it altogether.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy! I'm sorry this one didn't work for me!

THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY...⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for an ALC! I really enjoyed this. It felt sinister and mildly creepy but still had those elements of a boarding school setting with dorms and classes which I always really enjoy. I liked the characters and appreciated the two different voice actors in the audiobook. Well done!

Ramona Halloway is a 22 year old who has been granted entry into the elite Dollhouse Academy, a boarding school for wannabe actors and actresses that streamlines their stars into television and movies after a grueling education program. Having idolized the television show that started the Dollhouse Academy, Ramona couldn't be more excited and ready to embrace her new life, learning everything she needs to become like her favorite star, Ivy Gordon, who is an actress on "In the Dollhouse". Life at the academy isn't all as it seems though as students break down mentally, physcial and mental exams are all day affairs, and as Ramona's best friend gets a starring role on the tv show they both idolize.

I think this didn't work for me because I might not like reading about actors. I am not one to crave the spotlight like actors do, so some of the things they have to do for training gave me secondhand cringe. I really wanted to like the characters in the story, but most of them chose the life they had, so it was hard to relate when they would complain about their circumstances, or the opposite, something heinous would happen and the person would shrug it off as the "cost of fame." The absolute nonchalance some characters showed was rather heartless.

I also didn't feel like there was much of a mystery here to solve. As the reveals were being made, I didn't feel surprised by any of them. Perhaps the twists have been done too many times? Not original enough? There was not any idea here that I felt really made the story feel fresh. So many poor choices were made by our two leads as well that I really wanted to shake them. I had no empathy for them and their circumstances as they made the poor decisions that got them there.

This might be a book that would appeal to someone who is not a typical thriller reader who also likes some light speculative fiction elements in their stories.

It’s 1999 and two best friends and burgeoning actresses, Ramona and Grace, believe their dreams have come true when they’re selected to join the most popular TV empire in the world. Should I say they’re joining the cast, the cohort, the freshman class? I’m still a bit confused about what Dollhouse Academy actually is. In any case, their dream becomes a nightmare as Grace skyrockets to fame and Ramona starts to uncover some very nefarious dealings (involving death threats, memory replacement, and cloning) that suggest Grace’s, and others’, very lives are at stake in the Dollhouse.

Throughout the book, the POV alternates between Ramona and the Dollhouse’s biggest star, Ivy. Ivy’s story is told through old diary entries, leaving the reader generally unaware of her current (1999) state until near the end. In the audiobook, different narrators are used for Ramona and Ivy, which helps us to distinguish whose chapter it is right away. The narrator for Ramona does an excellent job with a variety of characters and accents. Unfortunately, I found the narrator for Ivy almost unlistenable. She employs a quiet, almost slurred vocal fry that I guess is supposed to convey the meandering and musing tone of a diary, but was in fact really difficult for me to follow.

The setting and characters give off a dramatic yet unserious YA vibe as our female protagonists sob, puke, and pee themselves through the first half of the book (and read VC Andrews). Fortunately, they are all granted some character development and muster up enough fighting spirit to redeem themselves as the storyline darkens and deepens. I really enjoyed the friendship between Ramona and Grace, which felt authentic and included cute realistic details like leaving each other their favorite candy by way of apology. I was less invested in the other relationships and characters, which I think is what the author intended. As they are introduced, we become more paranoid and skeptical – what is the point of boring Jude? Is he a minder/babysitter to keep Ramona out of trouble or for discovering too much? What kind of “counselor” is Gavin, who seemingly provides academic advising as well as psychological therapy and also doles out pills? Why does Ramona see Mason as some brooding Darcy type, despite him giving us nothing?
Overall, the book is a bit silly but enjoyable for what it is. Although I didn’t feel like I was the target audience, setting the book in the late 90s was fun for me as an elder millennial who was almost the age Ramona and Grace were at the time.
Minor spoiler ahead:
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I do think we missed out on a big twist that could have made the book a lot more interesting, if one of our main characters in 1999 turned out to be a different person from whose story we had been reading all along.

I think this book would be great for fans of serial high school dramas like Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars, or maybe romance readers who are interested in dipping their toes into some approachable dark academia or sci-fi.
Thank you to Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio for providing this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

If you want an honest and no holds back review then here it is! It took a minute to get into this book, the beginning threw me off because it wasn’t quite clear who it was beginning with. As the story continued and the voices became more defined for each character the better the story got. Being able to switch between the current new people in the dollhouse academy and the one who had been there for awhile allowed the games and manipulation to become clearer and clearer. The twist that comes at the end is good. I would love a sequel to see where it goes after this!

Oh and the readers voice on the audio book is actually quite pleasant which is refreshing!

I received an ARC audiobook from NetGalley. I haven’t read a book with this premise before so it was an exciting read I was really looking forward to. I enjoyed this book; but the ending did fall a bit flat for me. It’s hard to explain without a spoiler, but I thought something would be different once a decision was made. I did enjoy the narrators and felt they did a good job with a variety of characters, including both male and female and one with an accent. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Best friends, Ramona and Grace, manage an invite to the exclusive Dollhouse Academy after gaining notice for skits they perform at Ramona’s family theater. The Dollhouse Academy is a demanding and perhaps dangerous school where talent is honed in search of that lucky break, a spot on a TV series up to mentorship by the Director herself. Between the grueling schedule, unrelenting classes, ominous messages, and strange medical appointments is this training or a prison? This is told from two POV’s: Grace as well as her idol, Ivy, who is a legend at the Dollhouse Academy. As secrets unravel each woman must make crucial decisions as they learn what is really happening and it threatens their livelihoods, if not their lives. There is a superficial feel to the setting and relationships that I felt was purposeful. After all, if something seems too good to be true…. What compelled me to continue reading was the gradual reveal of the extremes the Dollhouse Academy went with their resources. There is an important message here about fame, career, and relationships. Is what you want worth the sacrifices that may be demanded of you? There were a couple of portions that could have been edited down to keep the momentum high in my opinion, but other readers may benefit from staying steeped in this illustrious world a bit longer. The narrators, Brittany Pressley and Xe Sands were outstanding selections and really added to these characters. This is the kind of shocking story that will appeal to those who enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at celebrity life.

I was drawn to this book by the “dark academia” description, but I was not overly wowed by this book. It was interesting, but I would say that I liked it, not loved it. The premise: 2 young women dream of joining the Dollhouse Academy, a boarding school/talent incubator for performers. After their dream is realized one quickly achieves great success while the other struggles. Slowly, some of the methods employed by the school are questioned—and this is where I felt that this book fell short. The twists were just not especially significant, there were not enough suspenseful moments, and I felt that very little came as a surprise. The narration by Brittany Presley was excellent and the audiobook was enjoyable. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

This was wild! I enjoyed the strong culty vibes and how the story pushed the characters to consider what they would do for fame. It felt like a campy hollywood story and a cult, body horror, story all mixed up in one. Very intriguing!

I am a big fan of Margarita Montimore's previous two novels and was so excited to get an early copy of the audiobook of this one!

I really enjoyed this book -- I loved how unsettling and creepy it felt, and the way that the details of the Dollhouse Academy itself were revealed. I loved the very end too.

I loved seeing how Ramona and Grace's friendship took the natural ebbs and flows that a friendship does but in such a heightened environment.

I love Margarita Montimore's writing and enjoyed the world building within the Dollhouse Academy itself.

I loved the audio of this one -- the narrators were great and I would definitely listen to more narrated by them!

I am excited to see what Margarita Montimore writes in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

I chose this title because I adored Oona Out of Order and this one didn't disappoint even though they were nothing alike. Kudos to the author for killing this genre. which like her previous book touches on sci-fi but also a mystery thriller. This novel goes behind the scenes of what people who wish for stardom have to give up and change about themselves to reach their goals.

Ivy has worked for the Dollhouse for most of her adult life and starts to want out but they won't let her leave. She starts writing a diary about all the things the public doesn't know about including the weird medical supplements and testing done on her throughout her career and her need to get out before they completely erase who she used to be.
Ramona and Grace have gotten a once in a lifetime opportunity to attend the Dollhouse Academy which brings them a little closer to stardom. Ramona starts receiving threatening letters and takes it as a mean joke to scare here away, because the Dollhouse is about competition and that becomes more apparent as Grace's career skyrockets leaving Ramona behind. The price of fame may be too much for them to pay.

The Dollhouse Academy revolves around Ivy Gordon a child actor that finds her way to the Dollhouse Academy and becomes a star on the hit show Into the Dollhouse. While living there Ivy is put under the microscope by differnt doctors that are running all sorts of test and perscribing drugs to keep her compliant. Ramona Halloway and her best friend, Grace Ludlow, grew up idolizing Ivy. Now they have both recieved letters that invite them to the Dollhouse Academy to try out for roles for Into the Dollhouse. Ramona and Grace are soon seperated and Grace is not who she was before. Ramona is struggling to find where she fits in at the Dollhouse Academy and who to trust since she is getting threating notes telling her to leave. Will Ramona open her eyes to what is really going on at the Dollhouse Academy before it is too late? This was a good book with a lot of twists and turns. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for letting me have an advanced copy of this audio book.

As someone who loves sharp, biting fiction about female athletes and artists, I had high hopes for this one. However, this was not what I expected or ultimately wanted. It wasn't exactly bad, but it was slow paced and pretty boring. The characters were just flat. I was hoping to bratty mean girls or a complex examination of coming of age. Instead I was reading about a group of very average people and I just didn't care.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

SO SO GOOD. So compelling and interesting. Fast paced and great audio, too!

The Dollhouse Academy dives deep into human nature, yet captures popular culture perfectly, while ultimately proposing some ideas that definitely make you think.

Thanks to Ramona and Grace, we’re welcomed to The Dollhouse Academy and the dreams they help fulfill. However, it’s not that simple and the darker side reveals itself. The honeymoon is quickly over and all that glitters is definitely not gold.

Advanced listener copy provided by Macmillan Audio but all opinions are my own.

This book immediately hooked me and I could not put it down. I binge-read it in two days and stayed up until 2 AM to finish it. There were so many elements of this book that I loved. The nostalgia from the 80s/90s, the female characters who had depth, as well as intrigue, mystery, and the suspense of the plot! I loved the elements of sci-fi that were included and the author had me loving and hating the characters throughout their arcs. I've heard people compare this book to Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars but it's so much better than either of those shows. This one is definitely worthy of a spot on your bookshelf.