This book from start to finish had me intrigued. This is a must read .

I have read many books that are about kidnapping, abduction and being a slave. (sexual or otherwise) Not many have been what happens after. After you escape and have to learn to be yourself and live in the real world again. That is the plot behind 'Baby Doll'
Lily was abducted when she was a young teenager. kept for 8 years and gave birth to a little girl. One day she is able to escape and finds her way home.
That is where we find her, learning to be herself, dealing with what she endured and trying to find her way back to the person she was. We get to see how it effected her friends and her family. Good read, did find some spots to be a bit slow but all in all good.

Wow! This is an amazing book!

This is the story of Lily who disappeared when she was 16. It has now been 8 years, and everyone thinks she is dead. She has actually been held captive in one room all those years, and she gets an unexpected chance to escape. What happens next is riveting.

I loved this book. You know it is really good when just a couple chapters in I was already checking for other books by the same author. I highly recommend this book to others. It will quickly become a favorite. I will definitely read the author's next book.

New twist on a familiar story similar to the plot of Room. Interesting read. Recommended for those who enjoy true crime.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

I get a lot of my book recommendations from BookTubers that I watch, and this one came from PeruseProject. I feel like we have a lot of similar tastes in books and as this was a book club pick for her, I figured I'd give it a try. This is marketed as a book "for fans of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train" but as someone who has never read those books (I have seen the movies, however), I can't say whether or not this book is similar to those. Comparing the movies to this book, though, I can definitely say this is not like either The Girl on the Train or Gone Girl. I think that my expectations were probably set a bit too high for this book because I was definitely let down while reading. It wasn't a completely terrible book, but it just wasn't the book I thought it would be.

Plot:
This book starts at the end of an 8 year kidnapping. Lily has been held in a cabin basement for over three thousand days and one day, her captor leaves the door unlocked. Scared that this may be another test, she tentatively steps out of the basement to find that she's alone and can escape. She wraps up her daughter and makes a run for it, finally free after all these years. After she makes it home, the book continues on with what happens to her, her twin sister, her mother, and her captor as they all deal with Lily's return. I don't exactly know what I expected from this book, if I'm being honest, but it wasn't what I got. You get several different points of view and get to see how Lily's return affects the people in her life and that alone was enough to make me dread continue reading. I'm not a fan of multiple POV books, and this was one where I feel like it could have been kept to maybe two points of view- Lily's and the captor, Rick's. It felt like there was a lot going on but at the same time that there wasn't really anything going on, if that makes sense? You're basically watching lives unfold with maybe two "twists" that are thrown in there for what felt like dramatic effect. This book definitely had a telling rather than showing problem where there was a lot of "this happened then this and then this" and I found myself getting quite bored fairly early on. I also had some serious problems with how the characters acted throughout and never really understood why some things happened as they just didn't feel right for the book. I think that this would be a good book for someone who enjoys thrillers that lean more towards the aftermath rather than focusing on the actual event itself, especially because this one could be considered pretty graphic. So all in all, the plot wasn't what I was looking for but I could see where others might enjoy it.

Characters:
Boy oh boy did I not enjoy any of the characters in this book. Abby was probably one of the worst characters I've ever read about, if I'm being honest. While I don't have a twin and have not experienced one of my siblings being kidnapped for eight years, what she did while Lily was gone was just beyond comprehension for me. No spoilers, but I was just constantly annoyed by her character. She was impulsive and destructive and didn't seem to care what happened to people around her as long as she could do what she wanted at the time. This holds true up until the very end of the book and I can safely say that she annoyed me until the last page. I did like that she finally realized that she needed help and was able to admit that to herself, but that wasn't enough to redeem her character for me. The parts about Eve, Lilly and Abby's mother, were all about her infidelity and sometimes about her trying to take care of her girls. I didn't understand why the author chose to hyper fixate on the fact that Eve was basically sleeping around and cheated on her husband all throughout the book, but it was definitely a negative for me. Again, she did finally see what she was doing and decided to start taking care of herself and her family more, but she just didn't win any Mother of the Year awards from me. Granted, I can sort of see why these things were written about, because these characters were going through the loss of a loved one and were trying to basically cope as best as they could. So while I may not agree, I can understand and see where the actions came from, however awful they were. When it came to Rick, Lily's captor, I just found myself disgusted with him. He was so creepy and constantly talked about how he kidnapped a 16 year old girl (Lily) because he loved her. Just...no. But he was well-written and definitely gave off the appropriate creeper vibe, so snaps to Hollie Overton for doing a good job with that one. Now, I have no experience with being kidnapped, so I cannot say whether or not Lily's actions were "accurate," but I constantly found myself questioning some of the things she did. When asked to give the name of her captor, she insisted on taking the police to him instead. This was a huge red flag to me as I do not feel that someone who had been held hostage in a basement for eight years and was raped and tortured would be so quick to want to see her captor face to face. She also hugged a lot of people and was touched quite a bit and again, I don't feel like someone who had been experiencing some pretty graphic abuse for such a long period of time would want to be touched in any way. Sky, her daughter, did seem to have some pretty "authentic" reactions such as separation anxiety and fear of crowds/large spaces, but Lily's reactions just didn't feel right to me. Again, I cannot say what the "proper" reaction would be, but it just didn't seem like a lot of her actions or decisions were that of someone trying to recover from such severe trauma. Unfortunately, all of these characters really missed the mark with me.

Writing:
I believe I stated above that I felt this book was a case of telling and not showing. Granted, this isn't a fantasy story with unicorns and magic, but I would have liked to see a bit more rather than just have been told. It did feel very "real" in the sense that you could see this happening in a real world scenario and the characters felt like they were "real" enough, but that may be the only plus I can think of. The writing in general I did enjoy and I would probably pick up another book by the author just because I found her writing rather easy to just sit down and fly through. The size of this book was great at 281 pages, so it's definitely one that you could easily read in one or two sittings. It doesn't read like a psychological thriller to me personally, as the only potential "thrill" in this book has to do with Abby and what in the world she could possibly do next. You're reading about how this family is now adjusting to having their loved one back that they thought they lost and seeing how Lily and Sky are reacting to the outside world after being locked in a basement for so long. At best, it was okay, but I did enjoy how easy it was to read.

While this may not have been the psychological thriller I was looking for, it may have the potential to satisfy someone elses craving for a more calm mystery/thriller. Baby Doll would probably be good for someone looking for a book with some heavy family drama and a small bit of thrill when it comes to what may or may not happen to both Lily and her kidnapper. It was alright, but definitely missed the mark for me, unfortunately.

Not at all boring. Well written and enticing. Different perspective from the norm

This book had a great premise and an enticing blurb which describes it as a good book for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. Those are big shoes to fill and unfortunately unfair and inaccurate comparisons. Whoever decides what goes into a book's blurb does a disservice to the author and loses credibility with the reader when the description doesn't accurately portray the literary product.

This book is not a suspenseful thriller but instead documents the aftermath of what Lily and her family go through after she escapes. There are strong similarities between this book's plot and Room (the popular book by Emma Donoghue) but Baby Doll is a much lighter version. The only tension and suspenseful energy happened right at the beginning when Lily escapes. After that it's a family drama, tangled romantic relationships and weak dialogue.

The story is narrated by four people: Lily, her twin sister Abby, their mother Eve and Rick, the man who abducted Lily. That's a lot of different perspectives but they weren't insightful or intriguing. The one perspective that was missing was little Sky's - a huge missed opportunity to see the effects of the confinement and subsequent freedom through the eyes of a child who has never experienced it.

A big issue for me was a lack of connection to the characters. I couldn't sympathize with Lily or her twin sister Abby (whose ability to add F-bombs into most of her sentences and make most situations about herself is astounding). I questioned many of their choices (especially how both were able to get away with disregarding police procedure) as well as how easily and quickly Lily and Sky recovered from their years of terror. They seemed to spring back with a new haircut and a trip to the mall. Um, wha?? It wasn't realistic and felt too superficial. Add in the abundant 'telling instead of showing' aspect with uninspired, one-dimensional characters and unconvincing dialogue and you can see why I gave this book a low rating.

This was a quick read but it had an overly dramatic 'movie-of-the-week' feel to it and a lack of tension-filled build-up in its plot. I realize I'm in the minority with my review with many other people rating it five stars. This just wasn't a book for me.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Redhook Books and NetGalley for providing the complimentary ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was an intense thriller that initially reminded me of The Room but then veered off in a different direction to address what happens when a young woman and her daughter escape from her abductor and the aftermath that follows both her family (mother, twin sister, old boyfriend) as well as her captor. Precise prose and breakneck speed of the plot make this novel one that won't soon be forgotten!

I feel as if this book deserves more than the blurb gives it credit for. I went into this expecting the next big hit, thrills and suspense and something just, more. It is compared to other suspensful reads, and the premise was intriguing. What I found instead was a perfectly interesting book that lived up to a completely different hype.

It follows the more mundane drama surrounding a family who has had to live through tragic, life changing events. I really loved how it gave appropriate care not just to Lily and her daughter, but to the changes this brings to the rest of the family as well. Surviving was, in reality the first step. Getting back to reality was a whole different challenge, and those who have been forced to live with the fear and unknowing are in their own way just as traumatized and changed by the kidnapping. The author doesn't downplay their problems, yet doesn't discredit the real issues Lily was and is forced to face.

Her captor was without a doubt a monster, and it makes you worry to send your kids off into the real world. That was maybe one of the most suspenseful parts, knowing how close to the truth that might have been. The bond between the family was an interesting dynamic, and the path the author took with that gave a little more depth to the story, bringing you in a little closer to the characters.

Overall, I thought Babydoll was unique, and absolutely worth the time spent reading it. I think it was about so much more than the blurb implied, however, and was more of a drama than a suspense. ~ George, 3.5 Stars

I was sent a copy of this book through Netgalley.

I have read several books that involve kidnapping, but this was definitely stands out. First off, I never want to hear "Baby Doll" again, as it seriously gives me the chills everything I read it throughout this book.

This starts off with Lily and her daughter escaping from eight years of captivity. Then the story follows their life after they are free. I think there were too many different POV, and I wished it would have stayed with Lily and Rick. Those were the most intense chapters and the ones I looked forward to the most.

The author did a good job with the twists and turns to make this stand out from others of its kinds. I really was not expecting the ending at all.

Overall, it was enjoyable, but I did find myself skipping some of the POVs.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Redhood Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lily was abducted when she was sixteen and has been held captive for eight years in a cabin basement. During this time, she has given birth to a daughter. One fateful night, Lily realizes that he has forgotten to lock the door, or is this another test? Lily wakes her daughter and flees into the night. Overton's story is what happens next.

The book has no real surprises or plot twists; there is nothing shocking, are no revelations, and the writing is average at best. She could have done much more with the characters—especially Lily given that she was held captive for so long and experienced horrific abuse and neglect. She would need intense therapy to overcome the incredible trauma endured, but that is not the angle that Overton took with Lily's story, even though it mostly takes place after she returns home.

The opening few chapters are the best in the book. There was definitely a hook, and my criticisms aside, there's some good writing in these beginning chapters.

Please stop trying to hook people by mentioning Gone Girl and Girl on the Train when marketing your book. If anything, this is closer to Room, but again, you should just not do these comparisons when a book is sub par to all of the books mentioned in this paragraph.

This book sucked me in from the start. I like that it focuses on "life after" instead of detailing the horrors. There were several twists that I didn't see coming and it is rare to find a book that can surprise me like that. I really enjoyed this and recommend it.

This was a great book. The main character is held captive for years and forced to raise her children in captivity. The main character was very likeable and it was easy to root for her and wish for her escape to freedom. The author added just enough suspense and twists and I found this book very hard to put down. I would definitely recommend this book to any reader who enjoys the psychological thriller genre.

Baby Doll by Hollie Overton is her debut novel. She did great!

First, I'd like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story is reminiscent of Emma Donahue's "Room" (which I enjoyed), but with a lot more twists.

After 8 years in captivity, 24 year-old Lily Riser escapes from the basement room where she has been held, beaten, raped, and tortured. She picks up her 6-year old daughter Sky and runs out into the night. What she finds amazes her. She is not too far from home, and so she appears on her mothers doorstep. This is where the story really begins. Lily comes home to a very different world. In her absence, her father has died from a broken heart, her mother Eve has turned to sex with strangers to give her comfort, her twin sister Abby turned to drugs and suicide attempts to ease her pain, and Lily's boyfriend turned to Abby, who is now carrying his child. Trying to sweep everything aside to make sure she and her daughter remain safe, Lily concentrates on making sure her kidnapper/abuser is punished.

The story is told through the eyes of the four main characters: Lily, Eve, Abby, and Rick. It shows how the kidnapping affected their lives, and how Lily's return changes them again. Lily at 16 was a mild-mannered girl, at 24 she has become a strong young mother, fighting for her family. Eve, everyone's favorite Mom became a shattered and broken woman, who now rises back up to care for both of her daughters and her new grand-daughter. Abby was always the troubled twin, and felt the guilt of Lily's kidnapping. Now she will do anything she can to make sure Lily never leaves them again. Rick, the antagonist/kidnapper, is a supposed pillar of the community, but is really a manipulative man, with plans that never end. He can't believe that he made a mistake that would allow Lily to escape, and he can't believe how people are turning against him.

It is the story of twin sisters whose bond can crack, but never truly break. It is a story of family, of struggles, and of strength. It is the story about turning one's life around.

There is some criticism about the writing, but I didn't see it. The story was engrossing, and progressed so well, it was the only thing that mattered. I found it to be a very compelling, fast read, a real page-turner. It pulled me in from the first page, and held me.

Definitely enjoyed it.

So many twists and turns on this you will think you are on an emotional roller coaster! This is one of those books you do not want to put down and will finish in one sitting if you have the time (hint there!)
Hollie is a very emotional writer which is completely understandable given the book is loosely based on her childhood. You want to cry with her, you want to punish her captors, you want to rejoice at times. Absolutely enthralling read!

Baby Doll by Hollie Overton starts off with a bang and you'll be reading rapidly to discover what the end of the book will bring. Lily has been held captive for eight years but finally gets the chance to escape. She has a 6 year old daughter who has never seen the outdoors and she is determined to get her out of their captivity. This plot is reminiscent of Room by Emma Donoghue but has enough variances that you do not feel as though you are re-reading the same story. The ending especially has a twist that most readers won't see coming. A rapid read that will have you losing sleep as you race to the finish. Enjoy!

Babydoll was described as perfect for fans of Gone GIrl and Girl on the Train. This is probably one of the worst marketing ideas ever! It isn't remotely like either of those books, and anyone picking it up for that fact alone will be very disappointed. Once you get that idea out of your head, I think you will thoroughly enjoy Baby Doll by Hollie Overton.

It's not your typical mystery/thriller in the way that the story is told. Most books are all about the crime and solving the case, and in that sense Baby Doll breaks ALL the rules!

The book starts from Lily who has been kidnapped, and held captive for 8 years. We get a small glimpse into what it was like for her family, living with the aftermath and uncertaintity. Within just a few short chapters, we fast forward to Lily breaking free and finding her way home, where her elated family quickly calls the police who question her about who took her and where she was, what happened to her, etc.

This story is so much more about Lily as she acclimates to life outside of captivity, How much has changed in the world, with her family and her loved ones, and even herself. It's about her struggles and how she handles them. We do deal a bit with her captor, and the prosecution of the police against him, but that really isn't the main focus here in this story.. This is the story of Lily, as well as her family, her mother and her sister.

This isn't a fast paced, page turning read in the traditional sense. You won't be afraid or jump at the tiniest noise. But it is quite a quick read that you can't help but get hooked on because your invested in these characters. This was a solid 3 star read for me, up until the ending which bumped it way up to a 4 star for me.

While this was not the book I thought it would be based on the marketing, it was still an enjoyable read. If you don't like really intense or scary books, and you prefer stories with great character development versus police procedural and forensics, then this book will be perfect for you!

Great book filled with a lot of mystery and suspense. Also enough surprises to keep,you guessing.

This deals with some difficult issues and told a great story. I really liked it and wanted to see what was going to happen next

My Review: 5/5
After reading a number of books that were good, but not "oh my gosh that book was so awesome", I tumbled across Baby Doll in my huge TBR list on Netgalley.  It had the elements that automatically drew me in: being kidnapped and twins. 
It starts out with Lily escaping a 'prison'.  The prison meaning a deranged man's basement where she was held captive for the past six years.  He makes a mistake, one that is in Lily's favor, by forgetting to lock the door behind him.  She instantly seeks the opportunity, grabs her daughter (Sky) and literally runs for her life....only to realize she is literally only a couple of miles from her home!  Let me repeat, for SIX years, she was held captive only a couple of miles from her home, her family, her LIFE!  Oh wow. 
But this book is much more about her escape or when she was held captive.  It is about Lily's recovery and learning to cope.  The reunion with her mother and her twin sister, Abby, was so heartfelt and touching.  I can't begin to fathom what they were feeling after moving on the best they could with their lives after Lily's disappearance only to learn she was alive and safe!  It was their acceptance, the bond of the family that was so amazing to me. 
I love stories about twins, and the bond they share.  I am so intrigued by their unbreakable bond and the insight into each other.  Lily and Abby are no different.  Abby knew all along Lily was alive, and never stopped believing her return was going to happen.  Although her life takes turns she didn't expect, it was the unexplainable bond she had with Lily that kept her going.  This book has so many twists and turns, some left me with my mouth just gaping open!!  It was Abby's strength, tenacity, and love for her sister that made me absolutely love her!  As a side note, I read an article by the author describing her inspiration for the book.  Knowing she is a twin, and understands the bonds they share makes it all the better. 
This story was told from different POV: Lily, Abby, their mom, and Rick (the evil human being behind Lily's kidnapping).  Of course I absolutely love when books are told like this, it especially worked for Baby Doll.  I learned to love the women and completely despise Rick.  His point of view allows us to see just how evil, manipulating, and downright terrifying he is.
This book got me out of my little slump.  I read it in a day and absolutely loved it!  Highly, highly recommend!
***Thank you very much to Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.