I received a copy of The Doll House in exchange for an honest review

Phoebe Morgan is on hell of a writer. She has a talent here for creating characters that you can relate to even when they become slightly annoying. We know what's happening to Corinne, but no one believes her, and let's be honest, if we were telling people things like this were happening, who'd believe us? Are these the ravings of a woman slowly losing her mind? What's going on with her sister Ashley? Is her husband having an affair? These plot lines add to the underlying tension of the novel, and then you have this creepy third person who appears truly insane. It's clear she and her mom are following someone but who? The thing is, this type of novel has been done before, but Doll House holds its cards close to the vest. It's not an easy novel to figure out and no matter how much I tried to figure how all these things were connected, I wasn't sure I was right at all.

Clearly this a slow burning tale of revenge, but why? There are a lot of secrets holding the plot together, but the how and the why aren't easy to come by. With this book, the tension, and the questions slowly build, and I found myself liking this book a lot. Sure, the sisters appear whiny, and may grate on your nerves a little, but that's what they're supposed to do. We're supposed to view them as crazy, and even a little needy. For what the book is supposed to be, they work extremely well. Each character has a job to do and they all do it well. The Doll House is a novel that pulls you along slowly while gaining momentum until the conclusion. Some people reading this may figure out what's going on way before the end, but it's a lot of fun getting there.

Keep in mind, this is Morgan's debut novel, but it doesn't feel like a debut. There's never a lull in the action, and you feel sorry for Corinne and Ashley because you know what they're going through, and wish someone would believe them. This is a perfect Psychological Thriller because you never see what's coming. There's a creepiness just under the surface that I loved. The reasoning behind it just seems random, and then you find there's a much darker secret just under the surface. It's that creepiness that I loved the most. The Doll House is an excellent book that adds a lot to the thriller genre while treading familiar ground. This isn't a bad thing at all and it's a strong, addicting debut.

Loved the Cover.

The Book is a multiple POV with one of the POV starting in the past. It was a little annoying and disorienting with so many but the climax was better for it.

The suspense was intense but enough so that it did not become annoying made me give up the book in any point.

The characters are very well written and put together. The mystery and the mind playing was what kept me in the book.

This was a super creepy book about two sisters, Corinne and Ashley. Both of them are married, Ashley copes with three kids and Corinne is hellbent on having children. Their father, who passed away a few months ago, is a famous architect. He build them a doll house when they were small that was an exact replica of the house in which they lived.

When pieces from that doll house start showing up at Corinne's home and office, she thinks that she's going crazy. Trying to find the doll house and who is doing this to her is driving her husband crazy. Little does anyone know, someone is also honing in on Ashley's life as well.

My heartbeat was definitely high as I sped through this book, loving it, and without the ability or want to put it down.

Thanks to HQ Digital and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I'm not sure why, but I was unable to find this book on any of the sites that I usually post reviews. That includes Amazon and B&N.

A great debut, a twisty, atmospheric tale of family, secrets, stalking, revenge and deceit. This book has it all and I thoroughly enjoyed every page.

*I got a free ARC copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

DNF @ 40%
I wanted to like this book, I really did. The summary sounded amazing and I loved the cover. But the plot, though interesting at first, got boring quick and for a mystery it's definitely not a page-turner. The switching POVs every chapter is annoying (there are at least three characters in the POV mix) AND there are constant flashbacks which only adds to the choppiness, in my opinion. The characters aren't very interesting (except for Lucy, I kind of liked her) and eventually it simply got to the point where moving onto the next chapter became a chore. I feel bad because I was given a free copy, but, well...the publishers wanted an honest review and this is my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this book.
From chapter one I was hooked. Very well written. Good choice of characters. Spooky and disturbing.
The only downside for me was the ending.
It’s has left me with unanswered questions.
4* review from me.

The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan is a well-written psychological thriller that is dark, creepy, crazy, and twisted. A great strong story that starts out a bit slow but picks up in the end. This one will definitely keep you intrigued!

Corrine is on her last gasp chance of IVF as funded by her older sister Ashley. As she waits for the results pieces of a doll's House begin to be left for her, at first in innocuous places but then closer and closer to home. Meanwhile her sister Ashley is struggling with her own family life. Her husband is never home and is increasingly secretive, and then there are late night silent calls. Someone is messing with their lives and they have no idea why.

Creepy and suspenseful this is one of those books you don't want to put down. It benefits from two likeable protagonists who react in a realistic way - with terror! There's some nice twists and red herrings to keep the story flowing but not so much so that it gets silly. A quick and enjoyable read, it's a great novel to sink into on a cold evening.

3.5 Stars - Well, this story is about two sisters, Ashley and Corinne. When they were children, their father bought them a doll house with all the toys. Their father is dead for a year now, Ashley is married and have three kids and she struggles with them. She is tired, her husband is absent most of the time and he claims it’s because of his job and Ashley receives strange phone calls. Her sister, Corinne, lives with her boyfriend. She receives some of the toys from their doll house but when she asked her mother where is the doll house, she can’t find it!!

Well, it was one of the predictable stories that I’ve read so far. I mean I read 35% and I guessed what’s going on and I was sure about it and at the end, I was right. But I should say the writing was compelling and I liked the characters. The couples in this story were the ones that I prefer in all the stories. But the ending is the other thing that I really didn’t like.

Told in multiple POV, both in 1st and 3rd person. It’s a stand-alone novel. All in all, I enjoyed it and hope you like it as well.

Thanks to Phoebe Morgan, Netgalley and HQ Digital for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.

I really enjoyed the book. I was kept guessing for the entire book, even to the last page. If you want a book that you don't want to put down then this is for you

I received a free electronic copy of The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan for my honest review.

The Doll house is a thrilling read that will leave readers clinging to the edge of their seats. This is Corinne’s last chance to have a baby. She finds a tiny part of a doll house outside her house and thinks it is a sign. More pieces start to show up (pieces of her childhood dollhouse) then Corinne realizes that someone has been inside her house. This is a who is watching thriller for sure.

I always love a thriller but what a book this turned out to be. I stormed through this in one weekend, feeling both desperate to get to the final page and not wanting it to end.

Corinne and her partner, Dominic are desperate to have a baby, but when pieces of her childhood doll house start turning up at her home, Corinne becomes terrified that she might be in danger.

Halfway through I had convinced myself that I knew exactly how it was going to end, then later realised how wrong I was. The characters were so well written, and felt so real. It’s the perfect no-fluff thriller for anyone who’s a fan of the genre.

I have given it 5 stars.

Honestly, this is probably the best psychological thriller I have read all year! It truly surpassed all of my expectations and from the writing style, you would never have guessed it was a debut novel.

The Doll House switches between different character's POV and there is also an unknown character telling their side too but who is this mysterious character? Ah you will just have to buy it to find out won't you? Their presence however, adds to the spine chilling tension that Phoebe Morgan builds up nicely throughout the novel. Creating a creepy and nerve wrecking atmosphere that is sure to keep every reader on the edge of their seat. She has this uncanny ability to pull the reader in to her twisty, turny read that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat and your nerves feeling frayed around the edges and just when you think you have worked it out, BOOM ! The ending throws you for a loop, bringing all of the clues together in one dramatic ending.

I couldn't put it down and I don't think you will either.

Corinne and boyfriend Dominic are going through the trials and tribulations of IVF when Corinne begins to find items from her childhood doll house mysteriously turning up in her home and workplace. Her mother tells her the doll house is safely stored away inside her attic, along with her deceased husband's other possessions, but when Corinne sneaks into the attic whilst staying over at her mum's, she can't find the doll house or anything else belonging to her late father. Where is it and why did her mother lie?

I really enjoyed this fabulous psychological thriller. I loved how the tension gradually built into a marvellous, shattering crescendo when the truth finally became known. The only reality Corinne had ever known suddenly and inexplicably comes crashing down around her and even sister Ashley doesn't escape the repercussions. The book shifts back and forth between characters and it works exceptionally well. There's an unnamed person giving their perspective too and it all gets deliciously mysterious!

My only criticism would be the author's obvious lack of research into childminding and yes, I'm an ex-childminder myself. A person must undergo rigorous background and health checks to be licensed and insured in the UK. It's not a job anyone can do. June, the childminder in the book, was portrayed as an older woman with health issues. She was openly swallowing pills and complaining of creaking joints to Ashley, whose child was in her care. Any sane parent would grab their child and swiftly do an Unsain Bolt with a rocket up their backside! Babysitters do not have to be OFSTED registered and inspected; childminders do. For purposes of authenticity and respect towards legitimate and hardworking childminders, June should have been described as a babysitter.

So why have I overlooked my one gripe and given this book a top rating? That's easy to answer - this is a mighty fine debut from Phoebe Morgan. The writing is excellent, the characters are all fully developed and empathetic, the plot is suspenseful and the pacing is spot on. There's so much to love about this book. I was totally absorbed in the lives of these people. Enough said.

The Doll House is a chilling debut by author Phoebe Morgan. Corinne and her boyfriend, Dominic, have been trying, and failing, to get pregnant. After many failed IVF attempts, pieces of a doll house begin appearing at their London flat. Corinne notices that they look identical to bits of her childhood doll house, and begins to worry that someone is watching her.

The Doll House is written from multiple points of view, though Corinne is the main focus of the story. Also within the book are flashbacks, which are the main source of the creep factor for most of the novel. The changes in point of view not only add to the suspense, but also give the reader a break from Corinne’s mind. I feel that if the book had been entirely written through Corinne’s eyes, I may have felt like I was going a bit insane myself.

Corinne is a hot mess of a character, although she believes her emotions and racing thoughts are caused by the hormones required for her IVF treatments. She begins doubting herself as everyone around her continues to tell her she is imagining things; those couldn’t possibly be pieces of her old doll house. “I have started to doubt myself, more and more, double-check my own thoughts almost before I think them. I hate it.” Well, Corinne, I love it! The best part of a psychological thriller is that the narrator thinks they’re going crazy, whether they really are or not.

Ashely, Corinne’s sister, is a mom of three: a rebellious teen daughter, an eight-year-old son, and a toddler who cries incessantly. To top that off, she’s almost always on her own because her husband, James, is always working. When Ashley begins receiving mysterious phone calls, she wonders what her husband is doing on those late nights.

While I found the events of Morgan’s novel to be a bit slow at times, it wasn’t long before the pace quickened and I found myself devouring it again. The last bit of the book was so fast-paced and made my heart race like mad! I expected The Doll House to be a bit creepier throughout more of the novel. However, when I finished reading, I realized what was most disturbing about the better part of the novel was how subtle it was. Nothing was “in your face”, so to speak. Morgan uses such eerily vivid imagery that everything about her novel seems tangible. Over time, events of the novel started to piece together little by little. I pieced together some things fairly early on, but other details I was a bit wrong about. I definitely did not see the twist coming!

If you are looking for a great October read, or just really enjoy a good psychological thriller, this one is for you!

The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan is her debut thriller.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher HQ Digital, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a suspenseful tale of a family unaware of a past transgression.  Richard Hawes, a well-known and respected architect, and his wife Mathilde had two daughters, Corinne and Ashley.

Corinne and her boyfriend Dominic are attempting IVF (for the fourth time).  They so desperately want a child, but Corrine fears it may not happen.  She is a bundle of nerves. Dominic is a journalist who is doing a feature piece on an old mansion that is in the process of being restored, but he may not have the stomach to write the truth. 

Ashley is now married to James, and is the mother of three children.  Her eldest daughter is going through the trials of being a teenager, her middle boy is a normal rambunctious child, and her youngest can’t seem to sleep through the night.  On top of her busy home-life, she tries to maintain a part-time job with the help of an elderly babysitter.  Now she thinks James may be having an affair, because he’s never home to help with the kids. 

It has been a rough year for everyone.  Their beloved father died, and the anniversary of his death looms near.  Their mother moved to a smaller house, and doesn’t seem to be coping.  Ashley’s suspicions of her husband's infidelity are growing firmer, and she wants to confront James.  Meanwhile, Corinne is receiving pieces of the doll house that her father had made for them when they were just kids.  She doesn’t know who is leaving them for her to find, but she is frightened.  Her mother refuses to answer her questions, and Dominic doesn’t seem to believe her, chalking it up to stress and hormones.

The past is about to rear its ugly head.

Told from the perspectives of Corinne, Ashley and occasionally Dominic, the author adds a fourth voice.  An unknown observer tells the strange tale of her childhood, and a mother that may be a little unhinged.  Revenge is such an ugly word.

This book was amazing.  Really enjoyed the roller coaster ride.  One of those books you don’t want to set down.  Even told by so many different characters, nothing got lost. Everything ran smoothly right to the “bitter” end.  The characters were deep, and their emotions and thoughts all rang true (although Corinne could have used a little more backbone).  The writing was excellent!

Definitely looking for more from this budding author!

My eyes were glazing over as I read this. Too many things to keep track of and nothing makes sense.

Amazing book, I do love a good psychological thriller and this one surely didn't disappoint. Each page has you wanting more, each chapter ending making you want the read the next. Brilliant read, highly recommended.

The description for this book was excellent but I'm afraid I couldn't get into it

Find the first half of the book getting no where. Then the story showed lots of signs of improving.
It was slow and think it was for readers who are younger than mid seventies. Some of the thrillers are getting very weird,and must be hard to keep thinking of exciting stories to write. Did not like reading about a child being drugged .
But thanks for giving me the opportunity to read this book, to me every book is a gem.