Between 2.5 and 3 stars. I honestly just love a short thriller, short chapters and fast phased, what more can you ask for? I think its probably hard to write a thriller that is not predictable, however, I did enjoy it and I would recommend it for anyone who asked! I would also love to read more of the authors work as I fell in love with her writing style and communication.

Lisa Unger's The Doll's House is a creepy short story combining elements of both suspense and the supernatural. It's due to be released in the fall, just when we're all in the mood for a good scary story. This definitely fits the bill.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really like how fast-paced a novella can be, and this one did not disappoint. The story moved quickly but still had lots of back stories for the characters. I enjoyed switching back and forth between the mother's and daughter's perspective. It did take a chapter or two to get used to the switching while using first-person narrative.

It was definitely a little suspenseful and spooky at parts, but I think there could have been more suspense added. I really love how spooky the cover looks, so it had me thinking there would be lots of creepy scenes. It would be interesting to see this story fleshed out further as a full novel. I'd definitely read it!

The Doll House
Lisa Unger
Pub: 9/12/24
4☆

Synopsis:
When Jules first meets the handsome artist Kirin, she’s still mourning her husband’s death, but a fairytale romance soon sweeps her off her feet. Now she and her daughter Scout are moving out of the city and into Kirin’s once-lonely mansion. He’s thoughtfully updated and adapted the home to match their personalities. But Scout is determined to keep her father’s memory alive by rejecting the new life her mother and Kirin have spun for her.

Scout’s sullenness begins to fade, though, when she finds a beautiful handmade doll in one of the many empty rooms in the house. Kirin says that the doll belonged to his late sister and he’d like Scout to have it. Scout’s hopeful for a connection over their shared grief, but as she grows more curious about Kirin’s sister, she can’t escape the feeling that a danger lurks in the house…and its gaze is fixed on her mother.

My Thoughts:
The Doll House was a quick and atmospheric read. Even though it’s a short story (<100 pages), it didn’t really read like one. Unger managed to keep me entertained, creeped out, and guessing to the end.

What I enjoyed;
👻 Creepy Tale
👻 Multiple POV
👻 Atmospheric Setting
👻 Haunting Short Story

This is the perfect teaser to get you in the mood for spooky season.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Doll's House.

This was a formulaic, very predictable story about a widow and her teenage daughter moving into the home of the widow's future new husband.

Naturally, the new hubby, Kirin, is hot, and has a lot of money, and seems nice on the outside but on the inside he's a psycho.

I enjoyed the supernatural elements of the story but there was nothing new I hadn't read before in better novels.

I’m always excited to read something new by Lisa Unger! I thought this story might be too creepy/scary but it was just the right amount of creepy!

When Jules and Scout move into her new husband’s beautiful mansion, things are not what they seem. This was such a quick easy atmospheric read! I could picture the mansion, beautiful garden and even those creepy dolls!

Written by a talented author, this story kept me guessing …unanswered questions…family and friends…secrets….murder…mayhem…the main character and her daughter move in with the mom’s boyfriend…chaos ensues…thanks Netgalley.

Excellent quick read for in between books and perfect for the upcoming spooky season too! A tad predictable, but looking forward to reading more of Lisa Ungers books!

some novellas make me feel like the story is underdeveloped because you don’t get enough depth from the characters. i felt like this one did a great job making me understand the two main characters points of view And a ming me enough in the story to make me care about it in a short amount of time. it was the right amount of creepy and a great, quick read!

This was so good. . It was interesting to see how this was written as a succinct short story, packing the characters, suspense and plot into this shortened form, and beautifully done. . Everything about it was perfect, dollhouse size. Im sorry it was a story because I would have loved it as a novel. I wasn’t ready for it to end. A gem of perfection.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was a short story and a quick, tightly paced one. I enjoyed it, although it didn't really feel anything new or original.

Jules and her daughter Scout move in with Jules' new boyfriend Kirin a year after her husband dies. Apparently, by suicide. Kirin is a doll maker whose work has appeared in movies. He's wealthy and takes them in after they decide on a fresh start. We get both Jules and Scout's points of view, which add to the suspense. A rich guy inviting in a widowed mom and her teen to his mansion, nothing can go wrong, amirite? Scout starts at a private school and makes new friends, including "Racer." [I am not making this up. I thought CoHo was the queen of cringe names] and Penelope. Apparently, Racer's dad used to be involved with Kirin's sister Emma, who went missing. The plot took off right away, but it was a little ridiculous and unbelievable. I should have known something would be creepy with these dolls.

3.5 stars, rounded down, available Sept 12.

Lisa Unger knocks it out of the park yet again with this absolutely fantastic novella! It was SOOO good! Definitely did not expect that awesome, creepy ending! Highly recommend to all thriller lovers!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lisa Unger's The Doll's House is a captivating short story that effectively blends elements of suspense and the supernatural. The narrative follows Jules, a grieving widow, and her daughter Scout as they navigate a new chapter in their lives within a technologically advanced residence owned by Jules' boyfriend, Kirin.

The story's atmosphere is undeniably eerie, with a particular emphasis on the uncanny resemblance between a doll crafted by Kirin and his missing sister. Scout's growing apprehension towards Kirin adds depth to the plot, creating a sense of unease for the reader.

While the pace of the story is engaging, certain plot developments may be predictable for some readers. Nevertheless, the overall atmosphere and the characters' gradual descent into unease are well-crafted.

The Doll's House is a suitable choice for those seeking a brief yet chilling read.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital review copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Doll’s House by Lisa Unger due to be published September 12, 2024.
I am a big fan of Lisa Unger and have read many of her novels, but this was my first short story by her!
Jules doesn’t expect to find love a second time but does when she meets Kirin. She and her teenager, Scout, are moving into Kirin’s mansion. When Scout finds a doll belonging to Kirin’s late sister in the house and he gives it to her, she is hopeful that they might be happy here. But she can’t help but think there is danger lurking in the house. Are Jules and Scout safe here?
This is not usually the genre I read – a thriller with some fantasy and horror thrown in, but overall the book was pretty good and kept me interested. Lots of creepiness in many of the characters and a few surprises thrown in to keep me interested!
#NetGalley #LisaUnger #AmazonOriginalStories #TheDollsHouse

'A widowed mother, ready to give love another chance, moves into her fiancé’s old family home with her teenage daughter. But as they try to build a future together, the past refuses to let go in this haunting short story from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger.'

A short story by Unger? Yasss please. Fun, fast and creepy as hell, The Doll’s House riddled me with chill bumps.

If you’re looking for a quick and spooky read, grab it!

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this arc in exchange for review!

Pub date: 9.12.2024.

Excellent short story - perfect pallette cleanser.

If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read in the thriller genre this is a great option!

The plot follows Scout who moves home and school to live with her mom’s new boyfriend. She definitely isn’t thrilled about the prospect despite the fact she’ll be living in a modern tech focused mansion with her new wealthy family.

Scout and her mom are both still grieving the sudden death of her father, there’s a lot to unpack here as we watch the strain on their relationship, how they process their grief and find a way to move on whilst navigating a new man in their lives.

I enjoyed the creepy vibes of the dolls, the snarky AI home feature, the mysterious girl wandering the property and the hard to discern driver.

My favourite part was Scout, watching her find her confidence and determination to protect her mother whilst mending their relationship. I also enjoyed her new friendship group and potential love interest.

I’d definitely love to hear more from these characters!

Thank you to Lisa Unger, Amazon original stories and NetGalley for the EARC!

Publish date: September 12th 2024

Thank you netgalley for thjs ARC and letting me read this short story the title and cover really caught my eye and im a fan of lisas work this short story was fast paced and it had a great set of characters and i loved the storyline regarding them moving into a new house and i feel as since the story was short kind of showing that one of the characters was a little sus from the jump really fit with the story and i was okay with that it follows a daughter who does not want to move and start a brand new life and the daughter feels some type of way to her moms new partner since her dad passed away and she starts to see that he has this prestigious title at her new school etc but when she finds out his sister went missing and no body was found she decides to try to get down to the bottom of it i think the dolls and the other stuff was a cool concept and when she finds a suspicious doll that looks like the missing sister of him she gets really suspicious and that takes on a little page turner short story and we find out more about certain people and what they are capable of.... Lisa is so great at writing thrillers so when i found out she had a short story coming out i HAD to read it!

This was an intriguing short story. It captured my attention and kept it all the way to the end. Lisa Unger is an author you can rely on for a good story.

Thank you NetGalley ,Amazon Original Stories and Lisa Unger for this Arc in exchange for an honest review!


I started this short story and ended up finishing it in one sitting! It's perfect for Halloween! The multiple POVs and eerie elements create a chilling atmosphere that kept me hooked. Jules’s move into her boyfriend Kirin’s high-tech home leads to unsettling discoveries, especially a lifelike doll made by Kirin. The story is thrilling and well worth a read.

I love Lisa Unger's books and her short stories are just as good. "The Doll's House" was a very quick, intriguing short story and I would like to have more, lol.