Hadley is not happy with her new life - new stepfather, stepbrother, house in the country. She wishes that things could go back to the way they were, wishes she knew her real father. Shortly after arriving at the house Hadley finds a mysterious dollhouse with 3 dolls and a glass eye. Weird things start happening - she meets the old lady who lives about the garage and this lady makes new dolls for the dollhouse that look just like her family. The old dolls disappear. Then, while holding the eye, Hadley rashly wishes that her stepfather and stepbrother were not around and that her real father was - and she gets that wish. But wishes have a way of coming true in unexpected ways and Hadley is not pleased with the results.

Intermingled with this story is the back story of the original family that lived in the house and the bargain that girl made with a kobold.

I liked the book - very creepy but in the last 20 pages or so it turned sour for me. The original girl's bargain was a bit gruesome and the ending was unexpected and unsatisfying. Maybe a sequel??? Kids will probably love it... me not so much.

Creepy middle grade read. Hadley is not happy about moving in a new house with her stepdad and stepbrother. Even worse, her mother never seems to have time anymore. When she finds a creepy dollhouse, Hadley makes a wish. But soon, Hadley realizes the horrible truth behind the house and that she might not really want what she wished for.

Twelve year-old Hadley is not thrilled with her mother's decisions. Since she married Ed, whose 6 year-old son, Isaac, is nosy and allergic to everything, means Hadley's constantly chasing him away from her stuff AND her entire way of eating has changed to accommodate Isaac. They've moved out of their apartment and away from her friends to live in this huge, dilapidated house, away from everything, because her mom and Ed got it cheap. Her mother even broke her promise to send Hadley to summer camp with her best friend, to go on a family road trip instead. And worst of all, her mother seems to have no time for her anymore. The only neighbor her age is a bug-obsessed kid named Gabe; at least the tenant, an older woman named Althea, treats her like a granddaughter.

Hadley discovers an old dollhouse with a doll family, and wishes her family were perfect, just like the dolls. But you should always be careful with wishes...

Doll's Eye is creeptastic and perfect for middle grade horror fans that are ready for some more scares in their reading. Hadley is well thought-out and written, and her supporting characters will keep readers turning pages. Wacky former neighbor Grace is a delight, a scary movie staple as the person who's in tune with the spirit world. The unexpected ending will get some strong reactions - Doll's Eye is a great book to give to Goosebumps fans who are ready to go next level.

Give this to your Mary Downing Hahn fans and tell them between The Doll's Eye and Took (by Hahn), they'll be looking at their dolls (or their siblings' dolls) with a very different set of eyes.

Hadley isn't thrilled to be moved from her home in the city to a large, spooky house in the coutry. Her new stepfather, Ed, is okay, but his son Isaac is young, annoying, and allergic to everything, so they can't have peanut butter or wheat products in the house. There is a nice but somewhat creepy older lady, Althea, living in an apartment above the garage. Hadley finds a dollhouse in the attic, along with a doll's eye, and it starts granting her wishes. First, Ed and Isaac disappear, then her father (whom she had never met) show up, and lives up to her mother's description of "not nice". Bad things continue to happen, and even though she seeks help from her mother's friend in the city and a neighbor boy, Gabe, the creepiness continues. Some chapters are from the point of view of a little girl who lived in the house far in the past, and show how she set up the circumstances that Hadley is facing.
Strengths: Creepy dolls, demons, and alternate realities. Good, creepy stuff! Hadley is not a whiny character who is completely unhappy with her new family situation, which I liked. The fact that she sort of missed Isaac when he was gone made her more sympathetic. Her wishes were not very purposeful and mean-- just the sort of thing a child might wish after having to eat a soy butter and rice bread sandwich too many times!
Weaknesses: The ending felt very unfinished to me. There's usually something a bit more upbeat at the end of these creepy stories, and the characters are able to put the evil spirits to rest, but not so much in this book! I also didn't quite get why the snakes and bugs were proliferating-- they even show up on the cover, so some explanation would have been good.
What I really think: This is what I expected The Secret of Goldenrod to be! A little less creepy than Frozen Charlotte, but still deliciously spine tingling. Definitely purchasing.

'The Doll's Eye' is deliciously creepy. Its tale of caution ('be careful what you wish for') is familiar, reminiscent of 'The Monkey's Paw'. Yet the story is fresh and original enough to keep me guessing about what might happen in the end. The creepy old house, the mysterious old 'granny', and the strange dollhouse will certainly thrill young readers. I will be looking for this book at publication time to add to our school library.

Hadley doesn't like the house they've moved to, doesn't like the fact that her mother has remarried and doesn't like her new little brother or father. There's nothing wrong with them. She just liked her friends at home and having her mother all to herself. She wishes it could go back to that.

Roaring Brook Press and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It will be published February 28th.

What Hadley doesn't know is that her house has a kobold. The housekeeper tells her the story of such a house demon and says if you catch it, you can ask for a wish. The problem is that you will have to pay for it in an undetermined way. There's also the catch that you have to wish in just the right way or you might get what you wished for but not what you wanted. If you don't believe that, just read this story.

When she wishes half of the family away, she wants them back. But she doesn't know how to get them back.

With a mix of fantasy and legend, the author taunts you with horror. I wished for many things when I was young and I'm glad I didn't get them. This poor girl got her wish and couldn't unwish it. You won't forget this one easily if you read it. Don't let a child who has nightmares read it. It'll make it worse.

It's quite refreshing to see more authors putting stock in children's minds being able to handle creepy stories. And The Doll's Eye has tons of creepiness and outright chilling moments. This is an amazing book, and I want the sequel NOW. I usually revile cliffhangers, but this one was done right.
Spectacular writing; great story. A+