Thank you Macmillan Audio, partner for the ALCs of The Dollhouse Academy & Girl Falling, in exchange for my honest reviews.
I enjoyed the previous books of both these authors & have been quite eager for their new releases…& I was not disappointed.
THE DOLLHOUSE ACADEMY by Margarita Montimore
Published: February 11, 2025, Macmillan Audio
Summary:
From the national bestselling author of Oona Out of Order, a novel about two best friends and aspiring actresses who join The Dollhouse Academy, where stars are made and dangerous secrets are hidden
Ivy Gordon is living a borrowed life on borrowed time. For the past eighteen years, she has been the most famous star at the Dollhouse Academy, the ultra-secretive, elite boarding school and talent incubator that every aspiring performer dreams of attending. But now, at age thirty-four, she is tired of pretending everything is fine. In secret diary entries, Ivy begins to reveal the sordid truth of her life at the strange medical exams, mysterious supplements, and something unspeakable that’s left Ivy terrified and feeling like a prisoner. As she forces herself to confront the most painful parts of her past, she begins to realize that something truly sinister might be powering the Dollhouse’s success.
Ramona Halloway and her best friend, Grace Ludlow, grew up idolizing Ivy. Now both twenty-two, neither has made much headway in showbiz, until a lucky break grants them entry to the Dollhouse. They’re enchanted by the picturesque campus and the chance to perform alongside their idols—though nothing prepares them for the fiercely competitive training bootcamp. When Ramona begins to receive anonymous, threatening messages, it’s easy to dismiss them as a prank from a rival. Her bigger concern is Grace’s skyrocketing success, while Ramona falls ever further behind. But the messages grow more unsettling, as does life at the Dollhouse. Can Ramona overcome her jealousy and resentment to figure out what’s really going on? And can Ivy finally find her voice, before another young performer follows her catastrophic path to stardom?
With dark academia twists and enormous heart, The Dollhouse Academy is a novel about the complexities of friendship, our desire to be seen and understood, and the true cost of making our dreams a reality.
My thoughts:
I always love a good dark academia story and this one checked all the boxes and then some. The dual-timeline pulled me in immediately, making me wonder where the story was headed and the suspense builds with its atmospheric setting and hints of an apocalyptic edge to it.
Audio thoughts:
This one was narrated by two of my favorites – Brittney Pressley and Ze Sands – and I thought they did a fantastic job bringing the story to life.
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GIRL FALLING by Hayley Scrivenor
Published: March 11, 2025, Macmillan Audio
Summary:
Why would my best friend want to destroy my life?
Finn and her best friend, Daphne, have grown up together in a small town in the Blue Mountains, NSW. Bonded by both having lost a younger sister to suicide, they’ve always had a close – sometimes too close – friendship. Now in their twenties, their lives have finally started to Daphne is at university and Finn is working in the Mountains, as well as falling in love with a beautiful newcomer called Magdu.
Unused to sharing Finn, Daphne starts to act up in ways that will allow her to maintain the control over her best friend she’s always relished. Then, one fateful day, Finn, Daphne and Magdu all go mountain climbing – and Magdu falls to her death. Is it suicide, or a terrible accident – or has something more sinister happened?
My thoughts:
I love Australian crime fiction and this one, where the setting is so integral to the story, really had me on edge the entire time. This is such a layered, complex thriller and while you may think nothing is actually happening to move the story along, you’d be totally wrong. Nothing that the author gives us is wasted in this taut, tense thriller. I loved the exploration of toxic female friendships, manipulation, love, grief, and control. I listened to this in one go because I just couldn’t put it down – I was immediately pulled in and loved the way it all unraveled.
Audio thoughts:
This is narrated by Sophie Loughran – a new-to-me narrator – and I thought she did such a great job conveying all the emotions and tension in this book.
Have you read either of these two books or do you plan to?
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