4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me, I'll tell you to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books for this Advanced Reader Copy.

Alice and her mom are heading to some small town where Alice's mom will be a live-in nurse to a rich elderly lady. While there, she wakes up to a young girl nicknamed Fizz resting in her bed when she wakes up. When Alice wakes up seeing Fizz, she has been transported to another time or place. Alice is convinced Fizz is a ghost. Fizz is convinced that Alice is the ghost.

In Fizz's world, there's a dollhouse that her mother has been slowly adding new items to. Alice notices that the dollhouse is an exact replica of the house she and her mother are staying in (and also Fizz's house). Alice finds the dollhouse in her own world behind a locked door in the attic. What she notices in both worlds is that the dolls appear to be replicas of the people in Fizz's world, with the addition of an Alice doll.

While I didn't find this book at all creepy as described, I was intrigued by the story and wanted to know the outcome of the mystery. Who was the ghost? Was the dollhouse magic? How did other characters in the story tie in? I think this would be a great story for a middle grade student who likes mysteries and magic.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book NetGalley! It a cute spooky book. I find the whole time I just really felt for Alice.. my heart broke for her a bit but I loved that there was like a spooky element to this book but not overboard. It was cute.. thank you so much again!

An isolated manor house, a possibly haunted dollhouse, and one girl who doesn't know what is real, where is real, or if she is real.

This proved so much less horrifying but so much more intriguing than I imagined it would be. I was initially drawn to this story for the Gothic elements it hinted at containing but the multiple mysteries are what kept me hooked. There were some unanticipated reveals and a great eerie tone delivered throughout. I could not guess what direction the story would go in but was really pleased by the ingenuity of what was delivered and the open-ended conclusion means there is hopefully a sequel to come at some point too.

This was a delightfully creepy little story, with light horror and mystery elements all wrapped up in a creaky old house. While THE DOLLHOUSE isn't scary, per say, Cotter has captured an extremely eerie atmosphere that gave me goosebumps as I read ... especially at night. I still keep thinking about the sound of that train whistle, breaking through the storm.

DOLLHOUSE follows Alice, a girl who temporarily moves into a decrepit mansion with her mother as her parents prepare to divorce. Not only is her family life crumbling, but once inside the house, Alice is plagued with strange dreams, maybe-ghosts, and a bizarre connection to the replica dollhouse in the mansion's attic.

There really was so much to love about this book. The writing, the characters, the haunting quality behind every page. It's exactly the kind of spooky tale I adored when I was a MG-aged reader! But the pace does drag and become a touch repetitive, especially in the middle; and I think my biggest issue was the resolution itself. It just ... didn't make a whole lot of sense to me? Obviously it's difficult to discuss without spoilers, but it all felt rather convenient and melodramatic, while still leaving several logic gaps I couldn't wrap my head around.

So while it didn't knock my socks off, I do think DOLLHOUSE will find its audience, and I'm excited to see what Charis Cotter writes in the future!

The Dollhouse is a wonderfully atmospheric read, which blends seamlessly the ghostly with everyday life.
Our main character is Alice, a young girl whose parents are talking about getting a divorce. Alice is obviously in a state of upheaval, so it takes some time to establish what is happening and what is a reaction to those events. When her mother takes Alice to her new job - caring for the elderly recluse Mrs Bishop - Alice is struck by the strangeness of the home she has come to, but she puts her initial unease down to the lingering effects of the concussion she received in a train crash on the way down.
Mrs Bishop is suitably cantankerous, and Alice - understandably - is curious about this rambling home she has been brought to. When she discovers secret passages and locked rooms, of course she wants to know more.
The first part of the book sets up the characters well. There then felt to be a rather lengthy period where Alice is experiencing strange events linked to the dollhouse she finds in the locked attic. This part of the book was slow, and it seemed quite obvious what was happening. However, as we move further along it started to feel rather more ominous, and there was a noticeable creepiness to some of the events taking place.
All in all this was rather predictable in parts, but it was genuinely entertaining and well written. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this before publication.

The book was really great and creepy! When I first saw it, I had immediately fell in love with the cover art and premise of the story and it kept me on my toes, It's a really great mystery thriller and its always interesting to see how it plays out with the characters and events.

This is a fabulous and engaging read for both kids who love the darker more macabre stories and adults alike who enjoy a good spooky middle grade.

I absolutely loved the blurring reality that was woven throughout this whole book, you're constantly wondering throughout if what's happening to Alice is real or a product of her imagination coupled with her recent concussion.

I found the friendships in this book completely charming, Lily was one of my favourite characters and the scenes with her and Alice were some of my favourites. People may underestimate her because of her innocence but she can still get up to plenty of fun and mischief when she wants to! I was really pleased to hear about the author's inspiration for the character of Lily and that they did some research and beta reading to make sure she was accurately portrayed.

Although there was a spooky undercurrent running throughout the whole story, the last quarter really amped it up. Perhaps not for any children who are anxious about death or have recently experienced loss as the threat of death is quite viscerally felt through the pages. Not to say that there isn't plenty of hope and strength to combat this, however.

Mrs. Bishop was also one of my favourite characters. I really enjoy friendship dynamics between old grouchy characters and the plucky young kid that comes to shake up their routine a bit. And to remind them of their younger selves.
I imagine she was quite fun to write.

I was a little surprised with how the topic of divorce and possibility of parents moving onto other partners was dealt with in this book. Although I don't think kids should be sheltered from it as so many experience this at Alice's age or even younger - I do feel, however, that it was perhaps that it was a bit too rushed of a discussion.
It wasn't the main theme of the book, but I still think it's important for kids going through the same thing that these topics aren't just dealt with on the surface. This was only a small aspect, though, so I don't believe it detracts enjoyment from the overall reading experience.

This is a really great spooky read that I'd recommend to slightly older middle grade readers. Even adults. It encompasses so much, family, friendship, grief, mystery and of course the curiosity of childhood.

This is a lovely, beautifully written middle-grade ghost story, filled with all the chills, and atmospheric vibes. I thought this book was spot on with the level of ghost interaction for this age group, and felt it was really more about the the human spirt.

Alice, a young girl must face her family issues as her parents decide they are divorcing, Her mother makes a decision that they will spend the summer caring for an elderly woman who is lives in a Victorian home.
The mystery ensues when Alice is visited by a ghost on her first night in the house and like a good Nancy Drew detective she is determined to find out what the story is and why the ghost roams the house,

With all the homes splendour, we embark on a journey along with Alice, who longs to be back at her own home spending the summer with her friends.

Alice learns about the true meaning of friendship when she meets Lilly who has special needs. I thought this was a nice touch to see someone with special needs represented in a youth book.

The tension is built when the owner of the home expresses how she is not a fan of children and expects Alice to comply with order and respect to the home. The dollhouse soon found in the attic becomes the setting for mystery and the ghost story that ensues,

I think this is a delightful read and the author provided great visual imagery, to make me feel that I was in the home and seeing the antiques which are most cherished by Mrs. Bishop the owner. This is a light ghost story about human interaction.

Thank you to the publisher Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the advanced e-copy for a review.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC!

Alice doesn't understand why her parents can't quit fighting so they can go on vacation together. Her dad is never home and her mother packs them up to take a caregiving job to an eccentric, ornery old lady. On their way there, the train crashes right outside of the old lady's mansion and Alice smacks her head pretty good. The house is strange and unusual. A girl visits Alice when she goes to sleep and tells her that Alice is the ghost. Then one day, Alice finds the dollhouse upstairs. This dollhouse is the exact replica of the house itself, and inside is an exact replica of the little girl that visits her...

I instantly loved the cover of this book, and while youth novels aren't my cup of tea, I decided to try this ghost story and I'm glad I did. The language of Alice is more mature that I thought it was going to be, which made this book a lot easier to read as an adult-this doesn't mean that it's not suitable for children, just that it didn't read superficially. I also really enjoyed the story itself, and the ending did have a twist that I tried to convince myself wasn't happening. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes a quick ghost story at almost any age.



Rate: 4/5

Fiction, horror, ghost story

Author: Charis Cotter

Pages: 360

This was a proper middle grade horror with just the right amount of suspense sprinkled throughout. Watching Alice navigate the mystery of the house she and her move move into to assist the woman who own the house. After discovering an exact copy of the house as a dollhouse Alice if forced to confront that there is more than meets the eye and she must find the answers before it is too late.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The plot was superb, mysterious, and creepy. Not knowing what is reality and what isn’t keeps you intrigued. Some parts as an adult reader I was able to guess, but there is a lot of mystery still to uncover and I imagine the target audience of middle-grade readers won’t ‘get it’ as quickly!

The interwoven lives of the characters and events were brilliant, the concept of being back in time as a ‘ghost’ in the past was really inventive. The writing style and pacing worked really well, building an eerie and atmospheric feel with moments of menace and discontent.

Alice is a fun character, her wild imagination gets her carried away but when she realises that actually her imagination and the real world are blending, she understands that she can’t tell the adults in her life the full extent of what is happening to her as they won’t believe her. The turmoil of the changes happening in her life with her parents separating, being moving away, then obtaining a head injury, and living in a haunted house, is a lot for anyone to cope with! Her character really grows and develops as a young person. She shows great empathy for others and a lot of sass. I enjoyed that she experienced a full range of senses in her dreams, the sounds, the smells, the feel of fabrics, the little details that were important to the story.

I had a fun time trying to figure out what was happening, how the dollhouse and dreams worked together, how the past affected the future. Really interesting and fun.

I don’t normally comment on other reviews but I do just want to add… this is a middle-grade book, it has been written for kids. Those that have said it wasn’t scary enough for them – of course…you are an adult! Those that have said it is too scary and that kids won’t be able to sleep, then I suggest your child is too young and it is your personal choice if you don’t want them to read it, as a mother and librarian I think this book is spot on for readers aged 9-12! (Rant over, lol).

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books for the e-arc to review.

Full review to come on Instagram closer to Pub Day. Thank you to the publisher Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books, author Charis Cotter, and NetGalley for a review copy.

*thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books and Charis Cotter for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*


3 stars.

Overall this was a good read. From the very beginning I had guessed what had happened but that didn't ruin the story for me because while is guessed the main part, I discovered that there were man details I hadn't figured out.

I did find about 20% of it dragged, somewhere around the middle of it. But by the 70% mark, it had captured my interest again.

I wouldn't class this as creepy as it's stated. I actually forgot it was ment to be. I am keeping in mind that this is a middle grade age range story but even so, it wasn't creepy at all. Mysterious yes. Creepy, no.

I'm glad I got to read this. I found it to be well written for the most part and a great story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Dollhouse is a story about a girl named Alice and her mother. After leaving her husband, Alice's mother takes her to a small town where they will be living in a haunted house that is kept in perfect order while her mother cares for the house's rich elderly woman. When Alice finds a Dollhouse in the attic that is an exact replica of the house she is pretty creeped out. The mystery gets spooking when Alice starts to wake up at night next to a little girl that looks like one of the dolls in the Dollhouse. Alice is determined to figure out what is going on with the Dollhouse and the elderly woman who owns it.

This is an interesting take on your typical haunted house trope. There are definitely some pretty eerie, unsettling moments throughout the story. I found these elements to be a little too unsettling for very young readers and not unsettling enough for adults. The atmosphere is definitely a creepy one with the spooky dollhouse. The pacing was done well and the characters had enough going for them to make them relatable. I would say this is more of a mystery with some spooky elements. It was a decent plot but I found that while I did enjoy it, I did not love it.

I think children that are a bit older and enjoy ghost stories and other spooky stories will enjoy this. I definitely wouldn't read this to young or sensitive children before bed unless you want them up all night! I think people who enjoy mysteries will also enjoy this book, preferably younger mystery readers.

**This book was given to me from NetGallery for an honest review**

I really enjoyed this book! For some reason, I love books with creepy atmosphere and secret passageways and dolls, and this book gave me all of this! I would say that I liked this book, but I did not love it! It had all the elements of a creepy story, but it did not creep me out like I thought it would reading the description.

This is not to say that I did not enjoy it. There were some amazing things going for this book. It just did not go where I thought it was going and that is alright.

I did really enjoy the dream sequences that the main character Alice has and the way that everytime she goes to the place in her dreams. They had a timeline that fit really well in the places that they were put. The characters were all amazing and the way that they parallel Alice's life and the dream life worked really well to make all the characters fun and relatable to read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is feeling lost and not knowing where they are going in life and of course for anyone who loves doll houses

I really enjoyed this story. It’s a good introduction to middle school scat books. The storyline was great and I loved the characters

This is a perfect introduction for children to spooky stories. The Dollhouse is a slow burn, eerie tale that is generally lighthearted but peppers in plenty of mystery and weirdness. It also contains vivid scene-setting and I love the atmosphere created in this classic 'haunted house' tale.

Alice's world is falling apart. Her parents are getting a divorce, and they've cancelled their yearly cottage trip -- the one thing that gets Alice through the school year. Instead, Alice and her mom are heading to some small town where Alice's mom will be a live-in nurse to a rich elderly lady.

The house is huge, imposing and spooky, and everything inside is meticulously kept and perfect -- not a fun place to spend the summer. Things start to get weird when Alice finds a dollhouse in the attic that's an exact replica of the house she's living in. Then she wakes up to find a girl asleep next to her in her bed -- a girl who looks a lot like one of the dolls from the dollhouse . . .

When the dollhouse starts to change when Alice isn't looking, she knows she has to solve the mystery. Who are the girls in the dollhouse? What happened to them? And what is their connection to the mean and mysterious woman who owns the house?- Goodreads

I really wanted to like this book. I love creepy middle school books but the thing about this one is it bordered the down right disrespect of a child, their mental health and physical health and also a lack of trust in children. Alice is constantly saying something is wrong, something is off, especially with the elderly lady and everyone brushes it off. What happened at the end was so disturbing. I was completely turned off.

Do not get me wrong. This book is a conversation starter. So if you have a child that reads this there may be a few questions. Shoot if you read it you may have a conversation with your child. I think the book could have been much more creepier and should have focused more on the horror part of it.

Overall,

2 Pickles

4.5/5

I really enjoyed this story! A lot more than I expected to!

12 year old Alice's mum gets sick of her dad's shite and packs them both off in a train to go care for an old lady in a big old creepy house. When Alice falls asleep in her bed there, she wakes up to a girl sleeping beside her - it must have been just a dream, but it felt so real? After some exploring, Alice finds a giant dollhouse in the attic that's an exact replica of the house she's staying in, and every time she falls asleep, she seems to fall into this dollhouse world in the past with the girl in her bed. What's happening to her? Is it magic or is she losing her mind??

This story kept me intrigued the whole way through. I am a huge wuss when it comes to scary stories and it definitely had some creepy moments! I'm definitely glad I didn't read this as the sensitive child I was, and if my 9 yo read this, she'd have nightmares for years! As an adult though, I really liked the read. I was compelled to find out what was happening. I can really vividly imagine this as an awesome and pretty creepy movie. It probably won't be for everyone, but I really liked the weird and freaky climax scenes.

The whole idea of "if I go to sleep, I might actually die" though is 100% NOT something I'd give to a kid to read, so I'm not sure really who the target audience is meant to be... maybe kids made of tougher stuff than me and mine lol.

As an aside, I got such Biff and Chip nostalgia from this, with the replica dollhouse and dolls found in the attic. If you know, you know. Possibly showing my age as an 80s/90s kid there!

I do agree with another reviewer about feeling a bit iffy about the portrayal of the girls with developmental delay/disability in this story. I understand from the author's note that they were inspired by a real life person, in consultation with her mother, so I guess she tried to do things the right way there. But the whole idealising of the disabled girls as blissfully happy felt a bit off to me. It felt a bit like an able bodied person using the disabled as their "inspiration" rather than seeing them as a fully rounded person with challenges and complexity, a feeling only compounded by the whole "guardian angel" thing.

Aside from that, I did really enjoy this read, I found it unique and compelling.

“The Doll House” – What an intriguing read!

Memorable characters with complexity to the storyline, while keeping the curiosity of the reader with each developing chapter.

I would love to hear there is a sequel in the works as there is so much I am still curious about surrounding the mysterious dollhouse. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and In the meantime, I will be devouring her other titles!

A sincere thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Tundra Books for providing me an advance copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this story and leave my review voluntarily.