Narrated by: Renee Dorlan
Release Date: September 30, 2025
Published by: HarperCollins
Read from: September 24-25, 2025
Stand-alone
Source: Netgalley (I received a free ALC from Netgalley and the publisher. This did nothing to influence my review)
Content Warning: Possession
For Readers Interested In: Audio, Horror, Sparkly Cover, Middle Grade, Most Anticipated, Stand-alone, Supernatural, Thrillers, 2sLGBTQ+, Mental Health (Selective Mutism), Neurodiverse (arithmomania/ OCD form)Author of Ghost Girl and This Appearing House Ally Malinenko brings to life a terrifying middle grade novel about a girl learning to grieve her grandfather and the creepy antique dolls in his house that seem to come alive, perfect for fans of The Doll in the Garden.
One. Two. Three. Are you ready to play?
Ever since Kaye’s grandfather died, she’s been obsessed with counting the steps to her bedroom, the dolls on her sister’s bed, even the threads on her favorite blanket. It’s arithmomania, and with the selective mutism that sometimes prevents her from speaking, she literally can’t find the words to talk about how she feels now that Grampa is gone. When they take the summer to clean out and renovate his old house, Kaye finds herself counting the days.
That is, until her younger sister, Holly, starts finding dolls. She finds them buried in the backyard, stuffed in the walls, crammed into the closets. From the first one, Kaye knows they aren’t like normal dolls. They smile at her like they know something, and sometimes their eyes open and close on their own. Kaye hears her sister talking to them constantly—and she swears she’s heard the dolls whispering back.
Everyone assumes that Holly’s just a kid with a good imagination. Kaye doesn’t think it’s a game, because she knows that Holly—and the dolls—are going to make her play with them. Forever.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I have no idea how I got here because I am actually afraid of dolls lol Well kind of. They just have weird ass vibes. So I really cannot tell you why in the world I said ok to reading this one lol But I’m glad I didn’t miss it. This really was a creepy, good time.
OK so the main thing about this was the horror aspect. IT was supernatural because the ghosts were trapped in the dolls. They were possessed and able to speak to Holly. She was finding them in all these different places with no way to know they were there beforehand. It was really creepy lol Idk how she stayed there. I would have had to move lol And there’s an instance where they move when you’re not looking and let me tell you, I can’t. That was where I drew the line lol Because what do you mean when I look away you get closer and closer? Absolutely not lol
The characters were what I wasn’t a fan of in this one tho. Holly was a kid, so I can see how she was buying into all this. But Kaye? She should have really at the very least written something down to let the adults know something was happening. Why did she wait for things to get so bad before she mentioned something? And like you had to find a room before you said anything? Ain’t no way I would have lasted that long lol And the adults who were just oblivious, THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE DOLLS lmao
I didn’t think it was a time for romance (hello creepy moving dolls lol) But I did think their first crush part of the plot was pretty cute. She was trying so hard to ignore it, but somethings she couldn’t just brush away. And honestly, I think that was hella realistic for a first crush and also for what was happening at this point in the story. Definitely wanted to give props to Malinenko and her writing style from this little tidbit alone.
This was a lot of fun! After that ending, I do hope we see more in this story. And if not more from the ending, I hope it’s more from the origin story of that one doll. At least a short prequel novella. I think that’d be fun. Let me know what you think in the comments!
Overall, I give this
