The Doll's House {short story}

This was a such a fun little short story! Lisa Unger can really weave a story with just a few short lines. I loved the mystery - the creepy dolls and Vivi. I liked the idea of how small this academy and area felt - because everything was a bit exclusive. I liked how light and respectfully some really tough mental health things were tackled. Quick and creepy, this was a fun and perfect fall read!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

A wonderful new short story by Lisa Unger. I thought it was really well done and very very creepy. Perfect for reading during Halloween. Full review to come.

Full review: So I swear, Unger does well with her short stories, I find her long-form stuff hit or miss though. This was a definite hit for me though. "The Doll's House" follows Jules and her teen daughter, Scout (that name....sigh). Jules is a widow and struggled for years after the early death of her husband, who was a successful novelist. When Jules meets Kirin (seriously, these names) she gets swept off her feet and feels taken care of, for the first time in her life. However, something dark seems to be going on in Kirin's home and Scout does not trust him.

I liked the slow show more reveals that Unger does with both Jules and Scout. Both mother and daughter are hiding a fair bit and it helps with the ever feeling of dread that builds throughout the short story. Kirin feels very blank to me at times, but I think that was by design. The other characters we get, the driver, Kirin's assistant, the kids at Scout's school, were very well developed. This whole story gave me a dark Halloween ABC Special that I would have watched as a pre-teen.

The flow was great and the setting of the home and grounds was too. We get some technology bursts here and there that feel very Black Mirror at times I thought.

The ending was great. I guessed already at some of the things, but there was one twist I didn't see coming. show less

This was a messed up story! I was able to guess what was going to happen, quite early, but that did not keep me from enjoying this story. I loved the paranormal and artificial intelligence aspects to this story, both added to the overall creepy feeling. I loved the ending; and I cannot wait to read more of Lisa Unger's work in the future.

I recently read "The Doll's House," a chilling short story by Lisa Unger that kept me on the edge of my seat. The story follows a mother beginning a new life with her teenage daughter after losing her husband. Things take a mysterious turn when they move into a state-of-the-art smart house with the new husband. The blend of modern technology and eerie occurrences had me hooked from the start. Lisa Unger is a master at weaving spooky tales with a hint of the supernatural, and this story was no exception.

Thank you to the author and Amazon Original Stories for the advance copy provided via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions shared are entirely my own.

#TheDollsHouse #lisaunger #Netgalley #amazonoriginalstories #amazonpublishing show more #kindleunlimited show less

I wished this story wasn't a short story. It was such an amazing thriller. Has that gothic, manor, and soon-to-be new wife vibe in it. Reminds me of Rebecca and Victoria Holt's novels. Despite that it's a short story I am impressed in the amount of depth included in it. I can see this story being modified into a full-length book.

First I would like to thank Netgalley for offering this book as an "available instantly" ARC. This is my first review for Netgalley. When I saw a Lisa Unger book was available instantly AND it was a short story.. I couldn't possibly say no.

Lisa Unger built the mother daughter relationship between Jules and Scout masterfully. Scout was very relatable. If you've ever been in the situation where your parent gets a new partner, like I have been, you will see how well Unger describes and features that relationship between Scout and Kirin, her mother's new companion.

Scout was written very deeply for a novella length short story. The literature flips back and forth, alternating between the perspective of Jules and Scout. Lisa Unger has written show more some fantastic short fiction and this entry is no exception. It kept me on the edge of my seat and even though I read it on my kindle, it was definitely a page turner, or however you want to describe an e-reader.

Since it is short fiction I won't get into the plot, but if your looking for a thrilling short story I highly recommend. The only problem I had with this story is I wish it was a full length novel. It accomplished what it needed to in a very short time. I will be checking out Lisa Ungers backlist to get her full novel experience. show less

Jules was widowed a year ago. She has recently found new love with Kirin and moves in his grandiose house with her daughter Scout. There is something ominous about the house,a smart home with a user interface titled Vivi. There's also an old mystery. Years ago Kirin's sister Emma disappeared without a trace.

The atmosphere is inauspicious and lingering. The story has gothic horror vibes. I don't usually enjoy short stories, but this was a good one.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for a copy of this book.