☠️🖤 The Dollhouse is a prison Alfred has constructed to recreate childhood memories, how he sees fit. His models are his dolls, the latest being Angel and Bud. They're thrust into his version of reality after Jennifer abducts them from their own front yard when their mother is out of town. Angel expected her mother not to call the entire trip, leaving them with her captors unannounced all weekend; she didn’t expect to still be locked there four months later ✨🖤

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of The Dollhouse by Sara Ennis in exchange for my honest review.

Um. Wow. This was one disturbing book. But oh so good! I was fully invested in the Dollhouse and it was so hard to put down. There were a few times I felt like I wanted to shield my eyes from what was happening but I obviously couldn't. There are many triggers in this book so it definitely won't be for everyone. I'm not triggered easily but this book did effect me. And I was floored several times. I wish I could say more but I don't want to give anything away! Go in blindly and thank me later.

Excellent story! Totally engrossing!. Looking forward to reading more by this author! Could not put this down!

If you’re looking for a book that will make you feel uncomfortable, then The Dollhouse is for you.

A messed up kidnapper with major issues looking to recreate some of his past using “human dolls”? Yeah that’s certainly my cue to read it. The book started off really strong for me and I was hooked straight away. I found the overall story and concept interesting and I appreciated that this was a bit more than a thriller due to some of the graphic content. Again, maybe not for everyone but if you enjoyed The Butterfly Garden then I can see you liking this one. And if you like a creepy setting, unsettling atmosphere and a bit of torture then definitely give this a read. Looking forward to checking out the next book. 3.5⭐️

Let me begin by saying I’m not usually a fan of Horror books and this one falls in that category. I did like it though! i almost feel like I may read the next one as I’m sure this is the first of several. Alfred is truly a sicko that abducts blondes, keeps them in his basement and makes them act out photographs. Weird is not a strong enough word for Alfred. Can Angel, Bud and Olivia get away from Alfred? Read it and find out. #netgalley #saraennis #thedollhouse

This book is action packed, full of suspense and quite a bit of abuse so beware. Things get pretty dark and deranged up in the Dollhouse so don’t say I didn’t warn you. That being said- I could not put it down because I had to see what horrors the characters faced next. Sara does a really good job of blending everything together and giving you a “why” behind the madness which makes this truly one of a kind. I loved the fact that we were able to see all sides of the story and see what Alfred, the children, the FBI and the parents of the children were thinking. It felt like being in the episode of Criminal Minds.

I felt for all the characters, especially Angel. Which seems I am in luck since this is the first of a sequel. I can’t wait to see what sick things Sara’s mind brings to us next! Definitely add this to your TBR if you are looking for something to get you in the Halloween state of mind!

After Peter's daughter Olivia went missing, he made it his life's mission to find her and help other families whose children have also gone missing. When twins Angel and Bud disappear, Peter takes interest in their case. What he can't possibly imagine is that his Olivia is being held captive with Angel and Bud by a disturbed man named Alfred. Alfred calls the children his "dolls" and keeps them in his basement, which he refers to as The Dollhouse. He uses the children to recreate photos of his childhood, and sometimes he inflicts severe punishment when things don't quite go his way. Alfred's partner-in-crime Jennifer is also involved, but she's not nearly as evil as Alfred is. The children take notice that there aren't many photographs left in Alfred's album to recreate. Is their time running out? Will they ever be found?

So many people recommended The Dollhouse to me and it did not disappoint. It was so disturbing and creepy, and I couldn't wait to see how it would end. Part of what made The Dollhouse so disturbing is that the story is something you could imagine seeing on the news in real life. I have heard that there is a sequel in the works and I can't wait to read it! I'd also love to read more about Alfred's childhood and upbringing. I'll definitely check more out by this author in the future!

When Shine leaves her twins, Bud and Angel alone for the weekend, she has no idea they will disappear while she is gone. Tied up, scared, and drugged, they wake up with no idea where they are, or what their kidnapper, Jennifer wants. She tells them they are in the Dollhouse, and soon they meet another doll, Olivia.
At first, they do normal sort of things, like schoolwork, watching movies, and eating dinner together. While Jennifer is rigid, she is somehow also pleasant, but the other adult in the house, Alfred is another story. He has plans for his dolls and thinks nothing of inflicting horrific abuse on them when things don't go his way.
A twisted and dark thriller that had me cringing more than once. Olivia's father, Peter, has not given up looking for her and all I could think was please hurry up before time runs out. Everything is wrapped up in the end, but I did learn that there will be a sequel. If any of these things are triggers, this might not be the book for you. But if not, you'll have to read The Dollhouse to find out which characters make it to the next book. 3.5 stars.

Holey moley! What a fantastic read this turned out to be! I went in with no expectations as the author s new to me, and I was blown away! It's the perfect halloween read I'd say .

Thank you to Sara Ennis and Netgalley for this e-arc of The Dollhouse.

The Dollhouse is the perfect read if you’re looking for something horrifying to read during the spooky season. Seriously. This book is not for the weak of heart.

Angel and Bud Evanston are just a couple of young teens living with their single mom, Shine, in the state of Indiana. One weekend, when their mom decides to take an impromptu trip to Chicago for a few days without her twins, Angel and Bud are kidnapped. Taken to another location, who knows where, Angel and Bud find themselves living in the Dollhouse, a basement where unspeakable acts of horror are the norm.

On the other hand, we meet Peter Baden, who has been searching for his missing daughter, Olivia, for over a year. When he catches wind of the Evanston twin disappearance, Peter begins looking for similarities between the cases. And while things get worse every day in the Dollhouse, Peter does everything he can to find his missing daughter while also trying to support other parents with missing children.

This story was so gut wrenching. I felt sick, I felt abused, I felt angry, I felt sad, I felt utterly hopeless. Sara does an amazing job of pulling the reader into the story and making you see and feel what her characters are suffering. While the story switches between several POVs, the main characters are Angel and Peter. I really loved the overall flow, and the twist near the end was incredibly shocking, and not one that I saw coming, so I loved that! I’m excited to see what’s next in this series!

The Dollhouse is available now wherever books are sold!

TW: Murder, Kidnapping, Torture, Suicide, Psychological Abuse

Wow. What did I just read?? I absolutely loved this book. It reminded me of an episode of CSI. Pure creepiness. It kept me hooked and wanting more. The twists were great. If you haven’t read it yet, what are you doing? Get on it.

I loved the short chapters and how there was multiple POVs. It felt like you were getting the story told from all aspects, even from the outside. I really liked the twins characters.

What a disturbing book. I wish we got more insight into the other "Dolls" but I'm also glad that we didn't spend too much time wondering why Alfred was the way he was; meaning the villain in the story doesn't get to have that much examined about him and instead we focus on those he hurts. Angel is such a fierce and interesting character, her sequel will be interesting.

Thoughts: 4 🌟
If you like Criminal Minds or any of the Law and Order type shows, then you will love this book. You definitely get those vibes from this read. I loved the strong resilient characters. But also you could just feel their pain, their suffering...all the emotion that comes with being held against your will and having bad things happen to you. 😢

I do feel like some people could become confused with all the different points of view and some of the extra characters and time lines.....HOWEVER if you stick with it, you'll understand. Then you feel like a dumbass because you clearly should have figured it out before the end. 🙄 I loved that I was completely surprised by the outcome of this. I also wished that everything with the bad guy resolved a little more...like in the shows I would have liked to see the interrogation, maybe the jail or insanity plea...like something afterward. That person kinda drops out of nowhere at the end.

This book is dark and definitely had my heart racing! Some of the middle dragged a little, but the ending twist is worth the wait! I cannot wait for the sequel!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this!

I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis of this book. This book instantly drew me in, I got to explore through the eyes of our main character and this is always my favorite way to discover these details of the story and, it was done very well in this book. I really enjoyed this book and the plot. This author did amazing. I loved the writing style.

I was amazed by this book, the premise drew me in immediately, the character development was divine, the plot was chilling, and the antagonist was horrifying. There's a pretty major twist to in this that will have your jaw drop to the floor.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that is a Stephen King lover but wants a little more realism in their reads. Three beautiful teenagers: Bud, Angel, and Olivia are being held captive in "The Dollhouse." Their captor Alfred has a dark sense of humor and a knack for torture that comes in burst that they can't expect. Teaming together, the children try to navigate through their new "normal." On the other side of this journey are their parents trying to survive the most unthinkable pain of a child being taken. Peter, Olivia's father, is spreading his resources far and wide to try and find out what connects these missing children. Never giving up hope, he tries to find a break in the case while also comforting the other parents through their process.

I was amazed with this book, just amazed. A few of the instances will make you cringe and feel extreme discomfort but the story is definitely one I enjoyed reading. If you want a good October read, I can't recommend this enough. Thank you Sara Ennis and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads review link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4258749373
Blog link: https://www.instagram.com/whataginger.reads/

Ooh this was twisty. I really enjoyed this one even though it was my first by this author. Thanks for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this one was dark and disturbing from the first page. With the short chapters and many different POVs, I flew through this one. Some of the timelines have me confused and I’m still unsure of that but besides that I thought this book was very well done. I cannot wait for the sequel to see what happens with Angel. This had a twist I didn’t see coming and I love when a twist surprises me.

Overall, I highly recommend 'The Dollhouse,' by Sara Ennis. It is a stay-up-late-to-finish page-turner! The story is well crafted, paced, and plotted. The premise is creepy and unique. We get to see inside the mind of a truly demented individual and learn the why behind his motivations. (And, while heinous things occur, it is not as graphic as it could be - and, for a book involving children, I appreciate that). It is easy to root for the abducted, in that they are innocent children, and the writing is done in a conversational way that would be perfectly in line with how adolescents would think and behave. The twist was fantastic!

So, why four instead of five stars? Because it is good, but the writing is not exquisite. For a psychological thriller that keeps you interested it is definitely good enough but not the well honed literary prose of a master.

Also, I did not like the very, very ending. The way the story wraps up is great. Don't worry! As a reader the ending is handled well. My gripe is the last chapter that sets up the main character for a sequel. It just does not seem necessary and after everything she has gone through I do not want her to go into another dark traumatic place. The afterword gives insight in to the next book and it too sounds interesting. I just do not think it needed a character from this book to make it happen. I would prefer if the book (and next) were stand alone.

Thank you @Netgalley for early access to this ARC in return for an unbiased and voluntary review

The Dollhouse by Sara Ennis
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
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Thank you to @netgalley and Sara Ennis for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts…
Disturbing. I thought some scenes were repetitive and the book was longer than necessary. So, overall if you truly like horror and thriller, you might enjoy this book. However, this wasn’t for me. It was dark and some parts maybe too horrifying for others because of the torture described. I also did not appreciate the ending.