What do you think?
Rate this book
She's a Doll
Not yet published
Expected 8 Sep 26Lucy isn’t a normal girl. Ghost. Victim. Killer. She’s a doll on a mission—to find the man who killed her and return the favor.
Lucy McQuinn has been murdered, but she’s not about to go quietly.
If she doesn’t get to keep breathing, then neither does Kyle, her killer. Possessing the body of an antique doll, she sets out on a quest for revenge. But it’s hard when you’re eighteen inches tall and made of porcelain.
For help, she turns to Nicola, a human and fellow outsider with her own reasons to hate Kyle. But in their small idyllic town, no one wants to hear the truth, especially not about such a promising young man. If they can’t expose his crimes, Lucy will have to roll up her lacy little sleeves and teach him a lesson the old-fashioned way—as slowly and painfully as possible.
From LA Times bestselling author Barbara Truelove, She’s a Doll is a ghoulish and gleeful tribute to the unstoppable power of female rage and a love letter to the friends who have our back—in this life and the next.
Lucy McQuinn has been murdered, but she’s not about to go quietly.
If she doesn’t get to keep breathing, then neither does Kyle, her killer. Possessing the body of an antique doll, she sets out on a quest for revenge. But it’s hard when you’re eighteen inches tall and made of porcelain.
For help, she turns to Nicola, a human and fellow outsider with her own reasons to hate Kyle. But in their small idyllic town, no one wants to hear the truth, especially not about such a promising young man. If they can’t expose his crimes, Lucy will have to roll up her lacy little sleeves and teach him a lesson the old-fashioned way—as slowly and painfully as possible.
From LA Times bestselling author Barbara Truelove, She’s a Doll is a ghoulish and gleeful tribute to the unstoppable power of female rage and a love letter to the friends who have our back—in this life and the next.
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 6, 2026
1926 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Truelove
4 books353 followersI write about werewolves and sometimes other things.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars!
Murdered girl's soul possess a creepy porcelain doll with the intent to kill her killer.
You know what I didn’t expect in a book about death and doll possessions? One of the best female friendships between an inanimate object and an outcast that I’ve ever read. They’re snarky to each other AND both hella twisted in the head, but there’s no denying that Nicola and Lucy are ride or die! The fact that they both hate the same person is simply fate at its finest! ✨✨
A funny interaction that perfectly sums Lucy and Nicola’s relationship:
“Have you considered eating real food?” (About a McDonald’s milkshake)
“Have you considered that you’re still on thin ice, you porcelain piece of shit?”
The second half of this book was UNPUTDOWNABLE! I lived through the murder with Lucy and watching her chase after revenge was like chicken soup for my soul. The first half, however, was tedious with LOTS of talking, being stuck in display cases, and reading about a porcelain doll shattering and being hot glued back together. Trudge through that part to get to the riveting and ohhhh so satisfying second half!
Overall it’s a solid book. Interesting premise for those looking to read about revenge, female friendships, and creepy dolls possessed by a sarcastic dead girl on a murder mission. 😈
*For anyone horror adverse like myself:
This book is NOT scary at all! The descriptions are NOT overly gorey or gross. The horror is NOT traumatizing. (IMO)
My credentials? I’m a scaredy cat. 😅
Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the arc! All opinions are my own 🩵
━━━━ ⊱⋆⊰ ━━━━
Which altar do I go and sacrifice a goat to get my hands on an ARC??! 😫
Barbara Truelove became an auto-read author for me after the bizarrely wonderful journey in Of Monsters and Mainframes!! 💗
UPDATE: I got the arc!!!! 🎉💃💃
*will start either today or tomorrow! 😈
Murdered girl's soul possess a creepy porcelain doll with the intent to kill her killer.
You know what I didn’t expect in a book about death and doll possessions? One of the best female friendships between an inanimate object and an outcast that I’ve ever read. They’re snarky to each other AND both hella twisted in the head, but there’s no denying that Nicola and Lucy are ride or die! The fact that they both hate the same person is simply fate at its finest! ✨✨
A funny interaction that perfectly sums Lucy and Nicola’s relationship:
“Have you considered eating real food?” (About a McDonald’s milkshake)
“Have you considered that you’re still on thin ice, you porcelain piece of shit?”
The second half of this book was UNPUTDOWNABLE! I lived through the murder with Lucy and watching her chase after revenge was like chicken soup for my soul. The first half, however, was tedious with LOTS of talking, being stuck in display cases, and reading about a porcelain doll shattering and being hot glued back together. Trudge through that part to get to the riveting and ohhhh so satisfying second half!
Overall it’s a solid book. Interesting premise for those looking to read about revenge, female friendships, and creepy dolls possessed by a sarcastic dead girl on a murder mission. 😈
*For anyone horror adverse like myself:
This book is NOT scary at all! The descriptions are NOT overly gorey or gross. The horror is NOT traumatizing. (IMO)
My credentials? I’m a scaredy cat. 😅
Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the arc! All opinions are my own 🩵
━━━━ ⊱⋆⊰ ━━━━
Which altar do I go and sacrifice a goat to get my hands on an ARC??! 😫
Barbara Truelove became an auto-read author for me after the bizarrely wonderful journey in Of Monsters and Mainframes!! 💗
UPDATE: I got the arc!!!! 🎉💃💃
*will start either today or tomorrow! 😈
![Profile Image for Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1746468325i%2F66224803._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 16, 2026
It’s only natural to jump into a doll body when you’re being murdered, right?
Right?
In horror movies being a hunted doll always looks so easy. I mean, look at Chucky.
But after being murdered and sticking her soul into a bride doll, Lucy realizes it’s damn hard.
Time is not on your side (literally) and it takes a lot of work to move.
But rage, real unfiltered rage gets you moving. As good as revenge does.
A book full of female rage, female friendship and badass woman.
This book not only made me smile, but also made me oh so mad at the world.
I had so much fun reading it, I flew through it in under 24 hours.
For all my horror loving girlies (and boys etc), try this one out.
You won’t regret it!
Right?
In horror movies being a hunted doll always looks so easy. I mean, look at Chucky.
But after being murdered and sticking her soul into a bride doll, Lucy realizes it’s damn hard.
Time is not on your side (literally) and it takes a lot of work to move.
But rage, real unfiltered rage gets you moving. As good as revenge does.
A book full of female rage, female friendship and badass woman.
This book not only made me smile, but also made me oh so mad at the world.
I had so much fun reading it, I flew through it in under 24 hours.
For all my horror loving girlies (and boys etc), try this one out.
You won’t regret it!
Want to Read
March 28, 2026Imagine being mauled by an antique doll. How hard might this be if you're only 18 inches tall and made of porcelain?
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bindery Books and the author, Barbara Truelove for an early copy.
Publication date: September 8, 2026
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bindery Books and the author, Barbara Truelove for an early copy.
Publication date: September 8, 2026
March 18, 2026
First of all, full disclosure: LOVE a Haunted Doll! I’m already a member of that fandom. So a haunted doll book? Consider me sold! Nonetheless, even without my established enthusiasm and predisposition to favor a haunted doll book, I still think this book succeeds in a number of notable ways. To paraphrase the protagonist, a haunted doll is “not a typical girl,” and rather than just coasting on the merits of its sexy haunted doll concept, this book works hard to provide a different perspective — and specifically, to illuminate precisely how and why a haunted doll is not your typical girl.
Folks, be forewarned that this makes for some dark reading: what makes this a better book also makes it a more tragic one. Despite many moments that are on the witty side or may be humorous to envision, overall I found that this book is quite (appropriately) sad and serious and can be a hard read at times as a result. The book does not gloss over the horrible reality behind how Lucy became a haunted doll in the first place, ripped from her life at a critical point in her identity formation and young adult development, and all the grief and loss she and others experience as a result.
Additionally, the book very imaginatively and in great detail illustrates the complicated process of becoming different iterations of a functional and interpersonally relating, continuing-to-evolve haunted doll over time. People, there’s a lot of logistics and engineering and emotions and innovative communication efforts and ongoing personal growth and identity development involved in all this: it’s not just, hurrah, I’m a haunted doll now, period, problem solved! Becoming a haunted doll is no easy respite or reprieve, but rather only the first step in a grueling new journey. (As luck would have it, being a woman just can NEVER be easy, unfortunately even for a woman who is a haunted doll.) In many ways, this book offers what could be considered a true and deep character study of a haunted doll rather than the usual facile depiction, and I really appreciated this!
In addition to all this unexpected depth, the book of course also explores themes the reader is likely hoping for, including and especially (justified) female anger as well as dynamics of friendship, trust, and love between women. And at the end of the day — it IS still a fun book about a haunted doll doing haunted doll things, and haunted dolls are inherently awesome! — even if it’s not easy being a haunted doll.
A must-read for spooky season or anytime that gives a favorite trope the thoughtful and creative attention it deserves. My big thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Bindery Books/Ezeekat Press for the ARC of She’s a Doll, scheduled for release on September 8, 2026!
Folks, be forewarned that this makes for some dark reading: what makes this a better book also makes it a more tragic one. Despite many moments that are on the witty side or may be humorous to envision, overall I found that this book is quite (appropriately) sad and serious and can be a hard read at times as a result. The book does not gloss over the horrible reality behind how Lucy became a haunted doll in the first place, ripped from her life at a critical point in her identity formation and young adult development, and all the grief and loss she and others experience as a result.
Additionally, the book very imaginatively and in great detail illustrates the complicated process of becoming different iterations of a functional and interpersonally relating, continuing-to-evolve haunted doll over time. People, there’s a lot of logistics and engineering and emotions and innovative communication efforts and ongoing personal growth and identity development involved in all this: it’s not just, hurrah, I’m a haunted doll now, period, problem solved! Becoming a haunted doll is no easy respite or reprieve, but rather only the first step in a grueling new journey. (As luck would have it, being a woman just can NEVER be easy, unfortunately even for a woman who is a haunted doll.) In many ways, this book offers what could be considered a true and deep character study of a haunted doll rather than the usual facile depiction, and I really appreciated this!
In addition to all this unexpected depth, the book of course also explores themes the reader is likely hoping for, including and especially (justified) female anger as well as dynamics of friendship, trust, and love between women. And at the end of the day — it IS still a fun book about a haunted doll doing haunted doll things, and haunted dolls are inherently awesome! — even if it’s not easy being a haunted doll.
A must-read for spooky season or anytime that gives a favorite trope the thoughtful and creative attention it deserves. My big thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Bindery Books/Ezeekat Press for the ARC of She’s a Doll, scheduled for release on September 8, 2026!
May 8, 2026
4.5 stars
This was so fresh and well done. I was endlessly enamored by these quirky queer nuanced characters.
It’s really such a perfectly well balanced blend of dark humor, satire, and also serious themes of death, grief and the power of friendship.
I was really blown away by the author’s ability to make you really look into the tragedy of what occurs on one page and laugh out loud at a dark joke on the next page. Every joke landed perfectly. I was really impressed by the fact that this never felt out of place or forced. Hats off to the author, Barbra Truelove for finding such a charming and sincere balance of all these overarching themes.
A quick plot:
Lucy was a 20 year old girl who was gruesomely murdered and instead of dying, her soul is latched onto a doll. Yes she is a doll. With the help of an old friend she meets at an antique shop and a magical hearing aid, she is determined to seek vengeance on the man who killed her.
I was immediately sold from the last line of the content warning page.
“This is Lucy’s story, and Lucy’s a liar. She’s one of those sneaky sorts of liars who’s straight up with the big things, the important things, but will get a little slippery when it comes to the small stuff, the details.”
I love an absolutely chaotic unreliable female narrator more than life itself. And I really loved Lucy.
Highly recommend this to anyone who loves dark humor, campy plot points, and chaotic feminine rage.
Thanks so much to Barbra Truelove, Bindery Books & NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my sincere review.
This was so fresh and well done. I was endlessly enamored by these quirky queer nuanced characters.
It’s really such a perfectly well balanced blend of dark humor, satire, and also serious themes of death, grief and the power of friendship.
I was really blown away by the author’s ability to make you really look into the tragedy of what occurs on one page and laugh out loud at a dark joke on the next page. Every joke landed perfectly. I was really impressed by the fact that this never felt out of place or forced. Hats off to the author, Barbra Truelove for finding such a charming and sincere balance of all these overarching themes.
A quick plot:
Lucy was a 20 year old girl who was gruesomely murdered and instead of dying, her soul is latched onto a doll. Yes she is a doll. With the help of an old friend she meets at an antique shop and a magical hearing aid, she is determined to seek vengeance on the man who killed her.
I was immediately sold from the last line of the content warning page.
“This is Lucy’s story, and Lucy’s a liar. She’s one of those sneaky sorts of liars who’s straight up with the big things, the important things, but will get a little slippery when it comes to the small stuff, the details.”
I love an absolutely chaotic unreliable female narrator more than life itself. And I really loved Lucy.
Highly recommend this to anyone who loves dark humor, campy plot points, and chaotic feminine rage.
Thanks so much to Barbra Truelove, Bindery Books & NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my sincere review.
April 2, 2026
“I’d been murdered.
And now I was in the body of a doll.
A. Fucking. Doll.”
After a disastrous tea party, Lucy is at home trying to forget all about it. But she gets an unexpected visitor and gets murdered. But before she can move on, she gets herself trapped in a doll and that doll then ends up being donated to a thrift shop and Nicola joins the chat. Turns out Nicola can hear Lucy through her hearing aid and that is when our road to revenge begins 😈
This was such a unique spin on the haunted doll trope! It had all the female rage and revenge a girl could want. The creativity was immaculate and it had the PERFECT balance of dark humor and seriousness. I adore Barbara’s writing style and felt so in sync with it every step of the way. This book is EASILY my top read of 2026 so far!
She’s a Doll will be released on 9/8/2026 so be sure to preorder your copy now!!
So grateful to NetGalley for giving me an ARC!!
And now I was in the body of a doll.
A. Fucking. Doll.”
After a disastrous tea party, Lucy is at home trying to forget all about it. But she gets an unexpected visitor and gets murdered. But before she can move on, she gets herself trapped in a doll and that doll then ends up being donated to a thrift shop and Nicola joins the chat. Turns out Nicola can hear Lucy through her hearing aid and that is when our road to revenge begins 😈
This was such a unique spin on the haunted doll trope! It had all the female rage and revenge a girl could want. The creativity was immaculate and it had the PERFECT balance of dark humor and seriousness. I adore Barbara’s writing style and felt so in sync with it every step of the way. This book is EASILY my top read of 2026 so far!
She’s a Doll will be released on 9/8/2026 so be sure to preorder your copy now!!
So grateful to NetGalley for giving me an ARC!!
April 15, 2026
Easy 5 stars. Barbara Truelove has done it again. Seriously. She knocked this one completely out of the park.
She’s a Doll might actually end up being my favorite book of the year, and it’s only because I’m trying to show restraint that I’m saying might. And honestly… I did not expect to have this many feelings about a possessed, revenge-filled doll. Yet here we are. Somehow the author managed to take a premise that sounds wild on paper and turn it into something emotional, funny, and weirdly heartfelt. And some of the parts were so relatable that I had to have a talk with myself in the mirror.
Big thumbs up from me and an easy recommendation.
Okay Barbara… what are you writing next? Because I’ll be first in line. 👀
Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery for the amazing eARC in exchange for an honest review.
She’s a Doll might actually end up being my favorite book of the year, and it’s only because I’m trying to show restraint that I’m saying might. And honestly… I did not expect to have this many feelings about a possessed, revenge-filled doll. Yet here we are. Somehow the author managed to take a premise that sounds wild on paper and turn it into something emotional, funny, and weirdly heartfelt. And some of the parts were so relatable that I had to have a talk with myself in the mirror.
Big thumbs up from me and an easy recommendation.
Okay Barbara… what are you writing next? Because I’ll be first in line. 👀
Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery for the amazing eARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2026
I could not put this book down. I loved it so much!
I loved the friendship between Lucy and Nicola and how they both needed each other. It was very touching.
This was probably one of my TOP favorite reads this year thus far.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley as always!
I loved the friendship between Lucy and Nicola and how they both needed each other. It was very touching.
This was probably one of my TOP favorite reads this year thus far.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley as always!
April 7, 2026
Oh my god!!! What did I just read!!!!
This was a Child's Play kind of story with women leading the story and a lot of humour!
"She's a doll" deals with the story of the narrator, Lucy, who has unfairly lost her life in the hands of Kyle. Years later, no one knows what happened and no one mistrusts Kyle and he became an upstanding citizen! But Lu isn't ready to leave without a fight!
This story was so good! While reading the synopsis, I had expectations which was rightfully delivered. The book went through so many phases - the horror of what happened to Lu, her pain of being tied to a doll, and her need for revenge; all while maintaining the pace and suspense as to what would happen.
There were times when I too felt hopeless. Like what can Lu or Nicola do to bring down Kyle. I could see it was pointless! Other times I cried when her lost opportunities were revealed.
Mostly I was satisfied with the fast pace and first person narration that the book takes on. The ending also deserves praise as it ended in a way that won't disappoint the readers.
In conclusion, I was deeply satisfied with the story and the writing style, quickly earning a place in my heart...
This was a Child's Play kind of story with women leading the story and a lot of humour!
"She's a doll" deals with the story of the narrator, Lucy, who has unfairly lost her life in the hands of Kyle. Years later, no one knows what happened and no one mistrusts Kyle and he became an upstanding citizen! But Lu isn't ready to leave without a fight!
This story was so good! While reading the synopsis, I had expectations which was rightfully delivered. The book went through so many phases - the horror of what happened to Lu, her pain of being tied to a doll, and her need for revenge; all while maintaining the pace and suspense as to what would happen.
There were times when I too felt hopeless. Like what can Lu or Nicola do to bring down Kyle. I could see it was pointless! Other times I cried when her lost opportunities were revealed.
Mostly I was satisfied with the fast pace and first person narration that the book takes on. The ending also deserves praise as it ended in a way that won't disappoint the readers.
In conclusion, I was deeply satisfied with the story and the writing style, quickly earning a place in my heart...
March 29, 2026
“She’s A Doll” - Remind me to never fully trust anyone who puts hazelnut syrup in their coffee.
★★★★★
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, I leave this review voluntarily.
The promise of a haunted doll was enough to peak my interest and I didn’t expect to fall in love with this story as much as I did.
Lu will haunt my mind for a while, because after finishing this novel I realise I’m not ready to let her go. This story had me hooked and it delivers, female rage, a haunted doll (duh), vengeance, grief, friendship, hurt and a great dose of humour that made me smile even when things were sad.
Easy 5 stars, loved it and now I have to decide what object my spirit will inhabit im case someone decides to end my life.
★★★★★
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, I leave this review voluntarily.
The promise of a haunted doll was enough to peak my interest and I didn’t expect to fall in love with this story as much as I did.
Lu will haunt my mind for a while, because after finishing this novel I realise I’m not ready to let her go. This story had me hooked and it delivers, female rage, a haunted doll (duh), vengeance, grief, friendship, hurt and a great dose of humour that made me smile even when things were sad.
Easy 5 stars, loved it and now I have to decide what object my spirit will inhabit im case someone decides to end my life.
Want to Read
February 4, 2026this cover is so good and I love how fun this one sounds! A killer porcelain doll looking to find her killer and return the favor! I love it! Can't wait for this release: Pub date: 10/2026!
May 1, 2026
Thank you to net galley and bindery books for this incredible EARC !!!
•
Imagine having been murdered. Next you find your spirit tied to a porcelain bridal doll. What would you do to get revenge on your killer? Will you be lucky enough to find anyone to help? This is She’s A Doll. An incredible story that bleeds revenge, intense emotion in grief, and humor all together. I seriously loved this book. It’s weird. It’s freaky. It’s hilarious. It’s full of grief for the past and present but in a really gorgeous way. The ending was also very rewarding and left me feeling warm and fuzzy which from a book about getting revenge on your murderer all while being in the body of a porcelain doll is quite hilarious and dark. You’ll feel twisted after this book in the best way. And you’ll never look at a woman with a mullet again and not think to yourself “what a beautiful badass.” I promise.
•
Imagine having been murdered. Next you find your spirit tied to a porcelain bridal doll. What would you do to get revenge on your killer? Will you be lucky enough to find anyone to help? This is She’s A Doll. An incredible story that bleeds revenge, intense emotion in grief, and humor all together. I seriously loved this book. It’s weird. It’s freaky. It’s hilarious. It’s full of grief for the past and present but in a really gorgeous way. The ending was also very rewarding and left me feeling warm and fuzzy which from a book about getting revenge on your murderer all while being in the body of a porcelain doll is quite hilarious and dark. You’ll feel twisted after this book in the best way. And you’ll never look at a woman with a mullet again and not think to yourself “what a beautiful badass.” I promise.
April 2, 2026
Thanks to Bindery Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
Dying sucks. Dying then throwing your own essence into a shitty porcelain doll might just suck more. Lucy is a normal girl who’s just trying to find herself, but when a mistake cost her her life, she decides to take revenge on the man that killed her.
I thought this was super funny and especially loved the parts about the deteriorating doll body, and subsequent toy part adaptations. I wouldn’t really call this horror, other than there is some murder, and a possessed doll? I will say this is based in Australia, so there were a few terms or cultural idioms that I didn’t quite understand, but it didn’t hinder the overall story in any way.
Will be recommending to all my book friends!
Dying sucks. Dying then throwing your own essence into a shitty porcelain doll might just suck more. Lucy is a normal girl who’s just trying to find herself, but when a mistake cost her her life, she decides to take revenge on the man that killed her.
I thought this was super funny and especially loved the parts about the deteriorating doll body, and subsequent toy part adaptations. I wouldn’t really call this horror, other than there is some murder, and a possessed doll? I will say this is based in Australia, so there were a few terms or cultural idioms that I didn’t quite understand, but it didn’t hinder the overall story in any way.
Will be recommending to all my book friends!
April 3, 2026
This was a fun read, but that's about the extent of it.
This wasn't nearly as horror filled & unhinged as I was hoping/expecting. The whole story, Lu kept talking about how "spooky" is her "brand" but she was anything but.
While I get that some men are just terrible & do terrible things, I do wish that there would've been more of an established relationship between Lucy & Kyle, or an actual motive behind him murdering her. Her murder happens early in the book, but that whole scene felt out of place & rushed. I think adding more dimension in their relationship/that scene would've added more of an emotional charge to Lucy wanting & finally getting her revenge. She was rage filled, sure, but it didn't feel like there was any substance behind it.
Unfortunately, I felt that the plot became repetitive & bland. While I absolutely loooooved Lu & Nicola's relationship, most of the story was just them arguing back and forth about doing Lucy's 'Plan A' or Nicola's 'Plan B'.
I loved the feminine rage, the found family, the exploration of sexuality & all of Lu's body changes, but most of this fell flat for me.
Overall, She's A Doll was an adequately competent read.
This wasn't nearly as horror filled & unhinged as I was hoping/expecting. The whole story, Lu kept talking about how "spooky" is her "brand" but she was anything but.
While I get that some men are just terrible & do terrible things, I do wish that there would've been more of an established relationship between Lucy & Kyle, or an actual motive behind him murdering her. Her murder happens early in the book, but that whole scene felt out of place & rushed. I think adding more dimension in their relationship/that scene would've added more of an emotional charge to Lucy wanting & finally getting her revenge. She was rage filled, sure, but it didn't feel like there was any substance behind it.
Unfortunately, I felt that the plot became repetitive & bland. While I absolutely loooooved Lu & Nicola's relationship, most of the story was just them arguing back and forth about doing Lucy's 'Plan A' or Nicola's 'Plan B'.
I loved the feminine rage, the found family, the exploration of sexuality & all of Lu's body changes, but most of this fell flat for me.
Overall, She's A Doll was an adequately competent read.
April 12, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for an ebook arc in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars. I would check trigger warnings as some topics and scenes are graphic.
What a fun, creepy, quirky book. Let's see...murder, possession, creepy doll, and revenge? Yes please!
This book follows our main character Lucy who is a little on the quirky side. Nothing wrong with that. She attends a party that she left early to return back to the house she shares with her grandmother. Unfortunately for her, she is murdered that night by someone she knows and thought she could trust. Instead of slipping off into oblivion or heading to heaven or hell, Lucy fixates on a doll as her life is slipping from her. Next thing she knows, her spirit is the doll. In time, she realizes she can move and she has only one thing on her mind. Find Kyle and kill Kyle. Luckily for her, she finds one person who can hear her and help her, an old friend named Nicola. Together they team up to put a stop to Kyle. Is that going to be through ruining his reputation, scaring him into confessing, or the ultimate payback?
I found this book fun and engaging. The main characters each had their own positive qualities and some that were a little annoying at times. It was occasionally over the top, but that kind of made it even funnier. This book had a few scares, but it also discussed and focused on grief too. I also loved that this book included LGBTQIA+ representation. I think this would actually make a cool audiobook, especially with the doll voice.
Overall, I had fun with this book and recommend it to my horror friends.
3.5 stars. I would check trigger warnings as some topics and scenes are graphic.
What a fun, creepy, quirky book. Let's see...murder, possession, creepy doll, and revenge? Yes please!
This book follows our main character Lucy who is a little on the quirky side. Nothing wrong with that. She attends a party that she left early to return back to the house she shares with her grandmother. Unfortunately for her, she is murdered that night by someone she knows and thought she could trust. Instead of slipping off into oblivion or heading to heaven or hell, Lucy fixates on a doll as her life is slipping from her. Next thing she knows, her spirit is the doll. In time, she realizes she can move and she has only one thing on her mind. Find Kyle and kill Kyle. Luckily for her, she finds one person who can hear her and help her, an old friend named Nicola. Together they team up to put a stop to Kyle. Is that going to be through ruining his reputation, scaring him into confessing, or the ultimate payback?
I found this book fun and engaging. The main characters each had their own positive qualities and some that were a little annoying at times. It was occasionally over the top, but that kind of made it even funnier. This book had a few scares, but it also discussed and focused on grief too. I also loved that this book included LGBTQIA+ representation. I think this would actually make a cool audiobook, especially with the doll voice.
Overall, I had fun with this book and recommend it to my horror friends.
March 26, 2026
ARC Review ❤️ Release date- Sep 8th 2026
What a kooky, spooky little read! While the first half felt a little slow and clunky at times, the second half had me absolutely hooked and I stayed up until midnight to finish. I loved the exploration of grief, revenge, the power of friendship in healing, and queer identity. I love a story drenched in female rage and revenge, and this was delivered with a campy humour which made it super accessible to read! Being so mad you stay behind and attach your essence to a creepy doll to ensure you can enact revenge?? Absolutely.
Pro tip- read the book club question suggestions at the end of the book, they’re iconic!
Thanks to Barbara Truelove, NetGalley, Bindery Books and Ezeekat Press for the ARC 🫶🏻
What a kooky, spooky little read! While the first half felt a little slow and clunky at times, the second half had me absolutely hooked and I stayed up until midnight to finish. I loved the exploration of grief, revenge, the power of friendship in healing, and queer identity. I love a story drenched in female rage and revenge, and this was delivered with a campy humour which made it super accessible to read! Being so mad you stay behind and attach your essence to a creepy doll to ensure you can enact revenge?? Absolutely.
Pro tip- read the book club question suggestions at the end of the book, they’re iconic!
Thanks to Barbara Truelove, NetGalley, Bindery Books and Ezeekat Press for the ARC 🫶🏻
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
‘She’s a doll’ is without a doubt one of the most unique books I’ve read, in a really good way. Barbara Truelove surprised me with the Australian setting (as an Australian I have, for some reason, a bias against Australian-set media) but surprisingly this was refreshing to read and I found I could picture the small town that Lu and Nic live in, along with the small town prejudice that Aussie small towners know all too well.
This story was emotional, a little gut wrenching, and unimaginable in the sense that I hated to imagine and try to put myself in the shoes that Lu was currently wearing (metaphorically). The injustice of it all made my heart hurt with her. This book makes you appreciate what you have that’s for sure.
Thanks NetGalley and Bindery Books for the arc 💀🕷️🔪
This story was emotional, a little gut wrenching, and unimaginable in the sense that I hated to imagine and try to put myself in the shoes that Lu was currently wearing (metaphorically). The injustice of it all made my heart hurt with her. This book makes you appreciate what you have that’s for sure.
Thanks NetGalley and Bindery Books for the arc 💀🕷️🔪
March 6, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books/Ezeekat Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Of Monsters and Mainframes was a surprise 5 star read for me in 2025. I had no idea Truelove had a new book coming out so I was so excited to be approved to read this early.
With that said, I absolutely loved She’s a Doll. Exploring feminine rage through the eyes of a possessed doll out for revenge? 1000% yes. It’s such a unique way to explore the ways in which women are treated a lot of the time by men and society in general and what it feels like to not be believed.
I really enjoyed watching Lucy and Nicola’s friendship develop throughout despite all the fucked up shit happening to them and I felt the ending was satisfying. There were also several parts where I laughed out loud and a couple parts that made me teary eyed. Also, kudos to the Of Monsters and Mainframes reference (I got a kick out of that).
I also love Truelove’s writing. There is something about it that flows so well and keeps me reading chapter after chapter. I never want to take a break and it always holds my attention, which can be hard to do since I’m such a vibe reader and get distracted easily.
Overall I’d say this entry has solidified Truelove as an auto-buy author for me. I can’t recommend it enough. If you like stories about haunted dolls that yearn for revenge, feminine rage, and horror with comedic elements, you will want to add this to your TBR. What’s that expression the younger generation uses? Oh yeah, the vibes were immaculate.
With that said, I absolutely loved She’s a Doll. Exploring feminine rage through the eyes of a possessed doll out for revenge? 1000% yes. It’s such a unique way to explore the ways in which women are treated a lot of the time by men and society in general and what it feels like to not be believed.
I really enjoyed watching Lucy and Nicola’s friendship develop throughout despite all the fucked up shit happening to them and I felt the ending was satisfying. There were also several parts where I laughed out loud and a couple parts that made me teary eyed. Also, kudos to the Of Monsters and Mainframes reference (I got a kick out of that).
I also love Truelove’s writing. There is something about it that flows so well and keeps me reading chapter after chapter. I never want to take a break and it always holds my attention, which can be hard to do since I’m such a vibe reader and get distracted easily.
Overall I’d say this entry has solidified Truelove as an auto-buy author for me. I can’t recommend it enough. If you like stories about haunted dolls that yearn for revenge, feminine rage, and horror with comedic elements, you will want to add this to your TBR. What’s that expression the younger generation uses? Oh yeah, the vibes were immaculate.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Oh my god that was good. I expected it to be good but it was even better than that. I read it all in one sitting. I could not put it down.
It was exactly as funny and dark and sad as it seems from the description, though I didn't expect to nearly cry reading this. I feel like this is a top female rage/revenge story. I went into it fully expecting it to be my kind of book, and it was. If the blurb appeals to you, absolutely read this.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It was exactly as funny and dark and sad as it seems from the description, though I didn't expect to nearly cry reading this. I feel like this is a top female rage/revenge story. I went into it fully expecting it to be my kind of book, and it was. If the blurb appeals to you, absolutely read this.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2026
I loved this book.
It began very quickly and did not let up. The pacing was great and I devoured this book in two sittings. The writing was funny, quirky, and Lucy was a great protagonist.
There were definitely some darker and scarier moments but overall this is a dark horror/revenge comedy. But during the climactic moment I was genuinely panicking. The author did not hold back on the revenge aspect and I loved how the ending was not what would be expected.
My only gripe is the character of Kyle wasn’t super fleshed out so I couldn’t hate him as much as I needed to. Or something.
Will read more by this author. 4.5 stars. Thank you netgalley and publishers for the ARC!
It began very quickly and did not let up. The pacing was great and I devoured this book in two sittings. The writing was funny, quirky, and Lucy was a great protagonist.
There were definitely some darker and scarier moments but overall this is a dark horror/revenge comedy. But during the climactic moment I was genuinely panicking. The author did not hold back on the revenge aspect and I loved how the ending was not what would be expected.
My only gripe is the character of Kyle wasn’t super fleshed out so I couldn’t hate him as much as I needed to. Or something.
Will read more by this author. 4.5 stars. Thank you netgalley and publishers for the ARC!
Currently Reading
March 24, 2026✨🩷 She’s a Doll 🩷✨
📖 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
🔪 What to Expect
• Possessed doll FMC
• Revenge
• Female rage
• Small town secrets
• Murder mystery
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: September 8, 2026
📝 Thank you to Bindery Books, Ezeekat Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
🔪 What to Expect
• Possessed doll FMC
• Revenge
• Female rage
• Small town secrets
• Murder mystery
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: September 8, 2026
📝 Thank you to Bindery Books, Ezeekat Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
April 19, 2026
E-ARC from NetGalley and Bindery.
Why am I crying reading about a haunted doll out for revenge? This premise could have gone full camp and that would have been fine and forgettable but not this book. I can’t wait to really talk about this one with friends. Barbara Truelove is now an automatic read author.
Why am I crying reading about a haunted doll out for revenge? This premise could have gone full camp and that would have been fine and forgettable but not this book. I can’t wait to really talk about this one with friends. Barbara Truelove is now an automatic read author.
April 19, 2026
perfect for fans of chucky and toy story! i actually love this books so much, from the vengeance to the ace lesbian representation, tied together with a found family trope. and it had a happy ending come on what's not to love? also thank you netgalley for the advance arc <3
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5-4/5
Originale horror traboccante di humor nero, “She's a doll” di Barbara Truelove è una lettura che oscilla tra lutto e assurdo, brutalità e ironia, sa creare un’atmosfera narrativa inquietante e irresistibilmente coinvolgente, combinare vendetta soprannaturale e spunti sociali in una costruzione narrativa al tempo stesso ludica e significativa, tanto da poter rientrare in quella rosa di libri che oggi possiamo definire legati dalla “feminine rage” o comunque facenti parte di una più ampia tendenza della narrativa contemporanea che utilizza il fantastico e l’horror come strumenti per interrogare le strutture di potere legate al genere. Ciò che inizialmente potrebbe apparire, infatti, come una premessa che riecheggia la tradizione dell’oggetto infestato tipica del cinema horror, si trasforma in una riflessione sull’ingiustizia, sulla responsabilità individuale e sui modi in cui le esperienze di violenza subite dalle donne vengano spesso minimizzate o semplicemente non credute.
La trama si sviluppa attorno a quesito sotteso: che forma può assumere la vendetta quando si è stati assassinati e si ritorna non come spettro ma come coscienza imprigionata in un oggetto? La protagonista si risveglia nella disorientante consapevolezza che la sua capacità di agire è ora limitata dalle restrizioni materiali di una bambola. Fin dall’inizio emerge una tensione fondamentale tra coscienza e corporeità, tra autonomia e confinamento, in uno snodarsi non lineare di incontri, piani e imprevisti che ampliano progressivamente l’orizzonte della vicenda. Al centro di questo sviluppo si colloca la relazione con Nicola, una giovane donna outsider dotata di una sensibilità acuta, che diventa confidente e alleata della protagonista. La loro apparentemente improbabile alleanza diviene il vero asse emotivo del romanzo, facendo sì che il progetto di vendetta diventi una storia di riconoscimento reciproco, fiducia e solidarietà.
Senza rivelare elementi cruciali della trama, il romanzo destabilizza ripetutamente le aspettative del lettore con situazioni che sembrano promettere un’escalation tipicamente horror e poi vengono spesso rilette attraverso l’umorismo e improvvisi cambi di direzione narrativa.
La bambola infestata rappresenta uno dei simboli più comuni dell’immaginario dell’orrore, ma in questo caso non siamo di fronte alla consueta presenza demoniaca, bensì alla coscienza di una vittima in cerca di giustizia. Il corpo della bambola (fragile e culturalmente rappresentato come femminile) si trasforma nella metafora dei modi in cui le donne vengono spesso ridotte a oggetti. Analogamente, intrappolata in un simile involucro, la protagonista incarna letteralmente una critica femminista di lunga data, quella secondo cui la società tende “cosificare” le donne.
Questo spunto colloca il romanzo, come accennavo inizialmente, all’interno della più ampia tradizione narrativa “feminine rage”. Negli ultimi decenni, la critica femminista ha sottolineato sempre più il potenziale politico ed espressivo dell’ira nelle opere scritte da donne, che diventano così uno spazio privilegiato in cui tali emozioni possono essere articolate e rielaborate. Nel romanzo di Truelove, la rabbia è la risposta emotiva al tradimento, all’ingiustizia e all’esperienza di essere ridotte al silenzio, e la ricerca di vendetta della protagonista vuole essere una rivendicazione esistenziale di riconoscimento. La sua ira nasce non solo dalla violenza che ha posto fine alla sua vita, ma anche dalla consapevolezza di appartenere a un sistema culturale in cui tale violenza risulta tragicamente prevedibile.
Il romanzo evita inoltre di presentare la rabbia come un fenomeno esclusivamente individuale, ma al contrario la colloca all’interno di dinamiche relazionali, in particolare attraverso l’evoluzione dell’amicizia tra la protagonista Lucy e Nicola. I loro scambi costituiscono uno dei nuclei emotivi - e pure comici - più riusciti dell’opera. L’eccentricità di Nicola e la sua posizione marginale nella società le permettono di cogliere verità che altri ignorano, rendendola capace di riconoscere la presenza di Lucy e di prenderla sul serio. Progressivamente, questa relazione trasforma la narrazione in una riflessione più ampia sull’amicizia come forma di resistenza contro l’isolamento, la solitudine e il giudizio che subiscono le vittime. In un mondo in cui la voce della protagonista è stata letteralmente separata dal suo corpo, il semplice atto di essere ascoltata assume un significato profondamente liberatorio.
La struttura narrativa del romanzo si fonda su un calibrato equilibrio tra tensione e intermezzi comici, riferimenti pop e cambi di tono improvvisi, cosa che suscita maggior curiosità e coinvolgimento. Questo si rispecchia anche nel linguaggio dal ritmo rapido, dai dialoghi vivaci e dalle descrizioni efficaci che catturano tanto l’assurdità quanto l’inquietudine della situazione. L’umorismo svolge un ruolo centrale, poiché non sminuisce gli aspetti più cupi della storia, anzi, li intensifica mettendo in luce l’assurdità della condizione della protagonista.
“She’s a doll” è un libro che far convivere leggerezza e gravità senza che l’una annulli l’altra, invitando il lettore a ridere, a inquietarsi e a riflettere spesso nello stesso momento, e a guardare la protagonista, intrappolata nella porcellana eppure viva di memoria, quale simbolo della persistenza ostinata della verità, animata da una rabbia che è rifiuto di lasciare che il silenzio sia l’ultima parola.
Originale horror traboccante di humor nero, “She's a doll” di Barbara Truelove è una lettura che oscilla tra lutto e assurdo, brutalità e ironia, sa creare un’atmosfera narrativa inquietante e irresistibilmente coinvolgente, combinare vendetta soprannaturale e spunti sociali in una costruzione narrativa al tempo stesso ludica e significativa, tanto da poter rientrare in quella rosa di libri che oggi possiamo definire legati dalla “feminine rage” o comunque facenti parte di una più ampia tendenza della narrativa contemporanea che utilizza il fantastico e l’horror come strumenti per interrogare le strutture di potere legate al genere. Ciò che inizialmente potrebbe apparire, infatti, come una premessa che riecheggia la tradizione dell’oggetto infestato tipica del cinema horror, si trasforma in una riflessione sull’ingiustizia, sulla responsabilità individuale e sui modi in cui le esperienze di violenza subite dalle donne vengano spesso minimizzate o semplicemente non credute.
La trama si sviluppa attorno a quesito sotteso: che forma può assumere la vendetta quando si è stati assassinati e si ritorna non come spettro ma come coscienza imprigionata in un oggetto? La protagonista si risveglia nella disorientante consapevolezza che la sua capacità di agire è ora limitata dalle restrizioni materiali di una bambola. Fin dall’inizio emerge una tensione fondamentale tra coscienza e corporeità, tra autonomia e confinamento, in uno snodarsi non lineare di incontri, piani e imprevisti che ampliano progressivamente l’orizzonte della vicenda. Al centro di questo sviluppo si colloca la relazione con Nicola, una giovane donna outsider dotata di una sensibilità acuta, che diventa confidente e alleata della protagonista. La loro apparentemente improbabile alleanza diviene il vero asse emotivo del romanzo, facendo sì che il progetto di vendetta diventi una storia di riconoscimento reciproco, fiducia e solidarietà.
Senza rivelare elementi cruciali della trama, il romanzo destabilizza ripetutamente le aspettative del lettore con situazioni che sembrano promettere un’escalation tipicamente horror e poi vengono spesso rilette attraverso l’umorismo e improvvisi cambi di direzione narrativa.
La bambola infestata rappresenta uno dei simboli più comuni dell’immaginario dell’orrore, ma in questo caso non siamo di fronte alla consueta presenza demoniaca, bensì alla coscienza di una vittima in cerca di giustizia. Il corpo della bambola (fragile e culturalmente rappresentato come femminile) si trasforma nella metafora dei modi in cui le donne vengono spesso ridotte a oggetti. Analogamente, intrappolata in un simile involucro, la protagonista incarna letteralmente una critica femminista di lunga data, quella secondo cui la società tende “cosificare” le donne.
Questo spunto colloca il romanzo, come accennavo inizialmente, all’interno della più ampia tradizione narrativa “feminine rage”. Negli ultimi decenni, la critica femminista ha sottolineato sempre più il potenziale politico ed espressivo dell’ira nelle opere scritte da donne, che diventano così uno spazio privilegiato in cui tali emozioni possono essere articolate e rielaborate. Nel romanzo di Truelove, la rabbia è la risposta emotiva al tradimento, all’ingiustizia e all’esperienza di essere ridotte al silenzio, e la ricerca di vendetta della protagonista vuole essere una rivendicazione esistenziale di riconoscimento. La sua ira nasce non solo dalla violenza che ha posto fine alla sua vita, ma anche dalla consapevolezza di appartenere a un sistema culturale in cui tale violenza risulta tragicamente prevedibile.
Il romanzo evita inoltre di presentare la rabbia come un fenomeno esclusivamente individuale, ma al contrario la colloca all’interno di dinamiche relazionali, in particolare attraverso l’evoluzione dell’amicizia tra la protagonista Lucy e Nicola. I loro scambi costituiscono uno dei nuclei emotivi - e pure comici - più riusciti dell’opera. L’eccentricità di Nicola e la sua posizione marginale nella società le permettono di cogliere verità che altri ignorano, rendendola capace di riconoscere la presenza di Lucy e di prenderla sul serio. Progressivamente, questa relazione trasforma la narrazione in una riflessione più ampia sull’amicizia come forma di resistenza contro l’isolamento, la solitudine e il giudizio che subiscono le vittime. In un mondo in cui la voce della protagonista è stata letteralmente separata dal suo corpo, il semplice atto di essere ascoltata assume un significato profondamente liberatorio.
La struttura narrativa del romanzo si fonda su un calibrato equilibrio tra tensione e intermezzi comici, riferimenti pop e cambi di tono improvvisi, cosa che suscita maggior curiosità e coinvolgimento. Questo si rispecchia anche nel linguaggio dal ritmo rapido, dai dialoghi vivaci e dalle descrizioni efficaci che catturano tanto l’assurdità quanto l’inquietudine della situazione. L’umorismo svolge un ruolo centrale, poiché non sminuisce gli aspetti più cupi della storia, anzi, li intensifica mettendo in luce l’assurdità della condizione della protagonista.
“She’s a doll” è un libro che far convivere leggerezza e gravità senza che l’una annulli l’altra, invitando il lettore a ridere, a inquietarsi e a riflettere spesso nello stesso momento, e a guardare la protagonista, intrappolata nella porcellana eppure viva di memoria, quale simbolo della persistenza ostinata della verità, animata da una rabbia che è rifiuto di lasciare che il silenzio sia l’ultima parola.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"Welcome to Weirdville, population two."
This book was my most anticipated release pf 2026 and oh boy, am I a lucky girl to have gotten my hands on an early copy of it. Tysm NetGalley & Bindery Books!
As a nerdy kid (and an even nerdier adult, oh well), there is something about Barbara Truelove's books that just fills me with an immeasurable amount of joy. They're unapologetically odd, in the best possible way, and I'm so happy to see these books out there and thriving.
"Of Monsters and Mainframes" was one of my favourite reads last year due to its incredible humor and the fun I had whilst reading about a spaceship x found family x world-saving mission. This time, in "She's a Doll" we're getting the girlboss-revenge version of that same brilliant oddness and surprise, surprise, I ended up loving this book just as much.
Its premise is even more unhinged than "OMaM" (yes, trust me, it does get weirder than a sentient spaceship ) and I had the time of my life turning the digital pages. While following our protagonist Lucy into the afterlife and beyond, you might find yourself thinking, "Wait, what exactly am I reading right now?" every now and then along the way, but you truly end up having way too much fun to care. It's a feral kind of fun and I'm living for that. I know we all hate pop culture references in books, but I wasn't prepared for how fun they could be if they actually hit the nerves of your own taste for once. The Walking Dead, ao3 fanfic writer references that hit a little close to home, geeky knowledge - a feast for good old me.
What truly stands out to me though, is the balance between that lovely chaos and the underlying bite of the story through the darkness of the subject matter, that Truelove manages to maintain. Because while the story seems simply fun and unhinged at first, it's also about anger. Rage. About a man's wrongdoings and a woman who has to pay for them - and thus, sets out to make him pay.
All the absurdity of 'woman stuck in a doll seeks revenge and finds companionship' is rooted in a real dark reality: women get killed and men get away with it. And so at times, amidst the fun, reading the story feels unfair and it's heavy and it hurts. I believe this duality is exactly what makes the book pack such a punch - the fact that while you're having fun, you're angry and mad and while you're angry and mad, you still find yourself having fun, in a twisted kind of way. I'd also say this is a book about hope, about friendship and the importance of community.
"She's a Doll" made me cackle but also weighed heavy on me in equal measures, just enough for both the good and the bad, to stick around quite a bit. And that's what it's all about, isn't it? Reading something you'll remember. I surely am going to remember Lucy and Nicola, who I saw way too much of myself in at times (and Claudia the spider, for giving me the late-night reading creeps).
To me, it is clear that Truelove's books won't be for everyone, but I don't think they're trying to be anyway. They lean into their strangeness and the people they cater to. Into their 'always somewhat of the odd one out' kinda spirit. And it's comforting. Comforting to read stories that take all these 'wacky' parts of their protagonists - and readers - and send them on a beautifully written, suspenseful, batshit crazy ride. A ride I enjoyed thoroughly and am going to miss.
Mark my words, whatever comes out of that woman's brain in the future: I'm reading it. No hesitation.
PS: You should really stick around and read the book club questions at the end of this book...
This book was my most anticipated release pf 2026 and oh boy, am I a lucky girl to have gotten my hands on an early copy of it. Tysm NetGalley & Bindery Books!
As a nerdy kid (and an even nerdier adult, oh well), there is something about Barbara Truelove's books that just fills me with an immeasurable amount of joy. They're unapologetically odd, in the best possible way, and I'm so happy to see these books out there and thriving.
"Of Monsters and Mainframes" was one of my favourite reads last year due to its incredible humor and the fun I had whilst reading about a spaceship x found family x world-saving mission. This time, in "She's a Doll" we're getting the girlboss-revenge version of that same brilliant oddness and surprise, surprise, I ended up loving this book just as much.
Its premise is even more unhinged than "OMaM" (yes, trust me, it does get weirder than a sentient spaceship ) and I had the time of my life turning the digital pages. While following our protagonist Lucy into the afterlife and beyond, you might find yourself thinking, "Wait, what exactly am I reading right now?" every now and then along the way, but you truly end up having way too much fun to care. It's a feral kind of fun and I'm living for that. I know we all hate pop culture references in books, but I wasn't prepared for how fun they could be if they actually hit the nerves of your own taste for once. The Walking Dead, ao3 fanfic writer references that hit a little close to home, geeky knowledge - a feast for good old me.
What truly stands out to me though, is the balance between that lovely chaos and the underlying bite of the story through the darkness of the subject matter, that Truelove manages to maintain. Because while the story seems simply fun and unhinged at first, it's also about anger. Rage. About a man's wrongdoings and a woman who has to pay for them - and thus, sets out to make him pay.
All the absurdity of 'woman stuck in a doll seeks revenge and finds companionship' is rooted in a real dark reality: women get killed and men get away with it. And so at times, amidst the fun, reading the story feels unfair and it's heavy and it hurts. I believe this duality is exactly what makes the book pack such a punch - the fact that while you're having fun, you're angry and mad and while you're angry and mad, you still find yourself having fun, in a twisted kind of way. I'd also say this is a book about hope, about friendship and the importance of community.
"She's a Doll" made me cackle but also weighed heavy on me in equal measures, just enough for both the good and the bad, to stick around quite a bit. And that's what it's all about, isn't it? Reading something you'll remember. I surely am going to remember Lucy and Nicola, who I saw way too much of myself in at times (and Claudia the spider, for giving me the late-night reading creeps).
To me, it is clear that Truelove's books won't be for everyone, but I don't think they're trying to be anyway. They lean into their strangeness and the people they cater to. Into their 'always somewhat of the odd one out' kinda spirit. And it's comforting. Comforting to read stories that take all these 'wacky' parts of their protagonists - and readers - and send them on a beautifully written, suspenseful, batshit crazy ride. A ride I enjoyed thoroughly and am going to miss.
Mark my words, whatever comes out of that woman's brain in the future: I'm reading it. No hesitation.
PS: You should really stick around and read the book club questions at the end of this book...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Znacie Annabelle? Laleczkę Chucky? jeśli tak to mam dla was dobrą wiadomość.
Mamy nową nawiedzoną laleczkę w mieście której warto jest kibicować.
Lucy McQuinn - zamordowana dziewczyna uwięziona w ciele lalki, przepełniona gniewem i zemstą.
Obserwujemy razem z nią jak czas przemija, jak rzeczy wokół niej się zmieniają i chociaż nie mamy pojęcia jak długo minęło od jej śmierci, czas i jego szybkie przemijanie daje o sobie znać. Wtedy właśnie spotyka Nicole, która myśli że postradała zmysły, słysząc głosy w głowię (bo Lucy jakimś cudem jest w stanie się z nią porozumieć przez jej aparat słuchowy) Lucy nie daje jej spokoju, męczy ją do tego stopnia iż w pewnym momencie Nicole pęka i chce się jej pozbyć ale ostatecznie nasza bohaterka przekonuję ją o tym kim jest.
Bo w końcu kto z nas uwierzyłby nawiedzonej starej lalce? zwłaszcza że z horrorów dobrze wiemy że to zazwyczaj złe duchy pozostają na ziemi i chcą nas oszukać.
Jednak nie Lucy.
Książka pełna kobiecej złości solidarności i smutku. Kocham horrory więc nie było opcji że ta pozycja mi się nie spodoba, czyta się ją błyskawicznie i z każdą stroną dopinguję głównej bohaterce coraz to bardziej.
Polubiłam bardzo nasze główne duo - Lucy ma super charakter i poczucie humoru które wielokrotnie powodowało u mnie wybuch śmiechu, Nicole była trochę bardziej poważna ale przez to dopełniały się kompletnie i bardzo miło śledziło się ich poczynania.
Jedyne co mi jednak przeszkadzało to we wstępie liczyłam na trochę więcej wspomnień z życia Lucy żeby ją lepiej poznać, samo to że podczas tych upływających lat mogły pojawić się jakieś przebłyski jej byłego życia by ukazać więzi z jej bliskimi, by czytelnik nawiązał z nią większą więź i bardziej jej współczuł - uważam że mogłoby to wyjść książce na dobre .
*spoilerowo*
No i też lekkim rozczarowaniem była końcówka, bo o ile zemsta się dopełnia tak nie mamy wyjaśnione dlaczego Lucy nie idzie dalej, dlaczego nie odchodzi ze świata żywych - i zależało mi na zamknięciu tego rozdziału przez to co sama mówi w książce 'tęskniła za prysznicem, za byciem czystą' chyba również za 'jedzeniem, poczuciem głodu' więc dla mnie to pozostawanie wciąż w ciele lalki bez celu, zmuszona na obserwowanie szczęśliwej przyjaciółki kiedy ona na zawsze została uwięziona w ciele lalki i nie może cieszyć się z życia tak jak inni jest trochę przygnębiające, plus jeszcze fakt że w żaden sposób nie chciała porozumieć się z bliskimi by też w jakimś stopniu pozwolić im zamknąć ten rozdział - taka scena również byłaby super gdyby ją umieszona ponieważ na pewno by była bardzo wzruszająca.
Oczywiście więcej jest plusów niż minusów ale ta końcówka jednak zostawiła mnie przygnębioną po lekturze zamiast z satysfakcją bo oprawca został ukarany.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Mamy nową nawiedzoną laleczkę w mieście której warto jest kibicować.
Lucy McQuinn - zamordowana dziewczyna uwięziona w ciele lalki, przepełniona gniewem i zemstą.
Obserwujemy razem z nią jak czas przemija, jak rzeczy wokół niej się zmieniają i chociaż nie mamy pojęcia jak długo minęło od jej śmierci, czas i jego szybkie przemijanie daje o sobie znać. Wtedy właśnie spotyka Nicole, która myśli że postradała zmysły, słysząc głosy w głowię (bo Lucy jakimś cudem jest w stanie się z nią porozumieć przez jej aparat słuchowy) Lucy nie daje jej spokoju, męczy ją do tego stopnia iż w pewnym momencie Nicole pęka i chce się jej pozbyć ale ostatecznie nasza bohaterka przekonuję ją o tym kim jest.
Bo w końcu kto z nas uwierzyłby nawiedzonej starej lalce? zwłaszcza że z horrorów dobrze wiemy że to zazwyczaj złe duchy pozostają na ziemi i chcą nas oszukać.
Jednak nie Lucy.
Książka pełna kobiecej złości solidarności i smutku. Kocham horrory więc nie było opcji że ta pozycja mi się nie spodoba, czyta się ją błyskawicznie i z każdą stroną dopinguję głównej bohaterce coraz to bardziej.
Polubiłam bardzo nasze główne duo - Lucy ma super charakter i poczucie humoru które wielokrotnie powodowało u mnie wybuch śmiechu, Nicole była trochę bardziej poważna ale przez to dopełniały się kompletnie i bardzo miło śledziło się ich poczynania.
Jedyne co mi jednak przeszkadzało to we wstępie liczyłam na trochę więcej wspomnień z życia Lucy żeby ją lepiej poznać, samo to że podczas tych upływających lat mogły pojawić się jakieś przebłyski jej byłego życia by ukazać więzi z jej bliskimi, by czytelnik nawiązał z nią większą więź i bardziej jej współczuł - uważam że mogłoby to wyjść książce na dobre .
*spoilerowo*
No i też lekkim rozczarowaniem była końcówka, bo o ile zemsta się dopełnia tak nie mamy wyjaśnione dlaczego Lucy nie idzie dalej, dlaczego nie odchodzi ze świata żywych - i zależało mi na zamknięciu tego rozdziału przez to co sama mówi w książce 'tęskniła za prysznicem, za byciem czystą' chyba również za 'jedzeniem, poczuciem głodu' więc dla mnie to pozostawanie wciąż w ciele lalki bez celu, zmuszona na obserwowanie szczęśliwej przyjaciółki kiedy ona na zawsze została uwięziona w ciele lalki i nie może cieszyć się z życia tak jak inni jest trochę przygnębiające, plus jeszcze fakt że w żaden sposób nie chciała porozumieć się z bliskimi by też w jakimś stopniu pozwolić im zamknąć ten rozdział - taka scena również byłaby super gdyby ją umieszona ponieważ na pewno by była bardzo wzruszająca.
Oczywiście więcej jest plusów niż minusów ale ta końcówka jednak zostawiła mnie przygnębioną po lekturze zamiast z satysfakcją bo oprawca został ukarany.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
April 11, 2026
Barbara darling I have NEVER felt so privileged to have the same name as you.
- ⩩🪆› First of all I wanna thank Netgalley to give me the opportunity of reading this ARC in exchange of a honest review :) this is a spoiler free review!
— - ⩩🪆› Alright Im not even sure how to start this review because this book was such a wild ride, I was scrolling through Netgalley’s new releases and I was like “Oh this has such a nice cover! Let me read the description.. OMG-“ Yeah you got me. It was my first book by the author and Genuinely? i love you already miss Barbara, so glad we share the same name.
I read this book in 24 hours but I wasn’t ready to let go. I got so attached to the girls and to tue whole story that at the same time I wanted to know what would happen I also didn’t want to finish it! To be honest, you won me at the right beginning when you mentioned Peter pan, aka my favourite and comfort movie ever 😭
—- ⩩🦻🏼› Talking about the story and the writing, I found it a little confusing at the beginning and I struggled slightly to Understand the storyline and how the things were happening. GLADLY!!! I kept going and insisted in trying to understand and when the pieces got together I was already head over heels and skipped lunch and dinner to keep reading. Barbara’s writing style became so easy going when we reach like 20% of the story. I loved the concept of the story and how this was a whole “female revenge” thing. Grandma wasn’t joking when she mentioned “Don’t ever get married Lulu. Men aren’t worth it.” IT GETS EVEN BETTER WHEN YOU FINISH AND UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE MEANT LIKE WHATTT!!! I can’t even mentioned how much I gasped when I found out who ‘saved’ Lucy😭 Plot? Loved. Story? Marvellous and made me less scared of dying. Sexuality? In doubt currently.
- ⩩🦻🏼› -In resume! If you’re looking for a funny thriller full of female revenge and female power to ruin a dirty man? PICK THIS UP! I wish this book had a movie tbh, all the time I was thinking. “Imagine this at screen.. like omg.” Honoured mention to Spotify who followed my journey with a Blasting Female anger playlist 👏 (aka So far so fake in repeat because Its so accurate.) So give this book a chance IMMEDIATELY!
—˗ˋˏ ˎˊ- Below you can see some of my fav quotes! No worries, it’s spoiler’s free!! 🪆🦻🏼 ˗ˋˏ ˎˊ——
-“⋰˚☆ Sorry, ladies. I’ve got places to be, arseholes to kill, you know how it is.””
-“⋰˚☆ But I guess that’s what death is. A conversation interrupted. A thread left hanging. A long uncertain note as the pianist turns the page and realises that the song is over, cut short a couple of bars before the crescendo.”
-“•ू♡ A prince didn’t save me; Nicola did, and she sure as shit didn’t do it with a kiss.”
- ⩩🪆› First of all I wanna thank Netgalley to give me the opportunity of reading this ARC in exchange of a honest review :) this is a spoiler free review!
— - ⩩🪆› Alright Im not even sure how to start this review because this book was such a wild ride, I was scrolling through Netgalley’s new releases and I was like “Oh this has such a nice cover! Let me read the description.. OMG-“ Yeah you got me. It was my first book by the author and Genuinely? i love you already miss Barbara, so glad we share the same name.
I read this book in 24 hours but I wasn’t ready to let go. I got so attached to the girls and to tue whole story that at the same time I wanted to know what would happen I also didn’t want to finish it! To be honest, you won me at the right beginning when you mentioned Peter pan, aka my favourite and comfort movie ever 😭
—- ⩩🦻🏼› Talking about the story and the writing, I found it a little confusing at the beginning and I struggled slightly to Understand the storyline and how the things were happening. GLADLY!!! I kept going and insisted in trying to understand and when the pieces got together I was already head over heels and skipped lunch and dinner to keep reading. Barbara’s writing style became so easy going when we reach like 20% of the story. I loved the concept of the story and how this was a whole “female revenge” thing. Grandma wasn’t joking when she mentioned “Don’t ever get married Lulu. Men aren’t worth it.” IT GETS EVEN BETTER WHEN YOU FINISH AND UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE MEANT LIKE WHATTT!!! I can’t even mentioned how much I gasped when I found out who ‘saved’ Lucy😭 Plot? Loved. Story? Marvellous and made me less scared of dying. Sexuality? In doubt currently.
- ⩩🦻🏼› -In resume! If you’re looking for a funny thriller full of female revenge and female power to ruin a dirty man? PICK THIS UP! I wish this book had a movie tbh, all the time I was thinking. “Imagine this at screen.. like omg.” Honoured mention to Spotify who followed my journey with a Blasting Female anger playlist 👏 (aka So far so fake in repeat because Its so accurate.) So give this book a chance IMMEDIATELY!
—˗ˋˏ ˎˊ- Below you can see some of my fav quotes! No worries, it’s spoiler’s free!! 🪆🦻🏼 ˗ˋˏ ˎˊ——
-“⋰˚☆ Sorry, ladies. I’ve got places to be, arseholes to kill, you know how it is.””
-“⋰˚☆ But I guess that’s what death is. A conversation interrupted. A thread left hanging. A long uncertain note as the pianist turns the page and realises that the song is over, cut short a couple of bars before the crescendo.”
-“•ू♡ A prince didn’t save me; Nicola did, and she sure as shit didn’t do it with a kiss.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Ezeekat Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“She’s a Doll” by Barbara Truelove ended up being very different from what I expected—in a good way. Going in, I thought it would mostly be a creepy haunted-doll revenge story, but it’s actually a lot deeper and more emotional than that.
The story starts off pretty heavy. Lucy is murdered by a guy named Kyle who refuses to take no for an answer, and her spirit ends up trapped inside a porcelain doll. From there, she has to figure out how to exist in this new body, which turns out to be way harder than movies make it look. She can’t talk, can barely move at first, and it takes weeks just to learn how to control the doll’s body. Watching her slowly figure it out is honestly a little unsettling but also really interesting.
Lucy is very focused on revenge at first. She wants Kyle dead, no question. But things get complicated when she meets Nicola, the only person who can actually communicate with her. Nicola quickly becomes Lucy’s voice of reason and convinces her that straight-up murder probably isn’t the best plan. Instead, they decide to psychologically haunt Kyle until he breaks down and confesses. The friendship between Lucy and Nicola was honestly my favorite part of the book. They start out as complete strangers but slowly become each other’s lifelines, and their bond feels really genuine.
Even though the premise sounds like pure horror, the book balances a lot of different tones. There are creepy moments, but there’s also dark humor, emotional scenes, and a lot of exploration of trauma, grief, and feminine rage. The story also touches on how women are treated and not believed, which makes Lucy’s anger feel very real and justified. It’s definitely more of an emotional revenge story than a straight-up horror novel.
One thing I didn’t expect was how much the book focuses on healing and friendship. Lucy can be stubborn and makes some questionable decisions, but you still end up rooting for her. And Nicola is such a great character; she honestly deserves the world.
The revenge itself isn’t super gory or over-the-top like I originally imagined, but the final confrontation with Kyle is really satisfying. By the end, Lucy finally gets some control back over her life (and afterlife), and the story wraps up her unfinished business in a way that feels emotional but also hopeful.
Overall, “She’s a Doll” is dark, weird, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt. If you like haunted doll stories, female rage narratives, or horror that mixes creepy moments with humor and real emotional depth, this one is definitely worth picking up.
“She’s a Doll” by Barbara Truelove ended up being very different from what I expected—in a good way. Going in, I thought it would mostly be a creepy haunted-doll revenge story, but it’s actually a lot deeper and more emotional than that.
The story starts off pretty heavy. Lucy is murdered by a guy named Kyle who refuses to take no for an answer, and her spirit ends up trapped inside a porcelain doll. From there, she has to figure out how to exist in this new body, which turns out to be way harder than movies make it look. She can’t talk, can barely move at first, and it takes weeks just to learn how to control the doll’s body. Watching her slowly figure it out is honestly a little unsettling but also really interesting.
Lucy is very focused on revenge at first. She wants Kyle dead, no question. But things get complicated when she meets Nicola, the only person who can actually communicate with her. Nicola quickly becomes Lucy’s voice of reason and convinces her that straight-up murder probably isn’t the best plan. Instead, they decide to psychologically haunt Kyle until he breaks down and confesses. The friendship between Lucy and Nicola was honestly my favorite part of the book. They start out as complete strangers but slowly become each other’s lifelines, and their bond feels really genuine.
Even though the premise sounds like pure horror, the book balances a lot of different tones. There are creepy moments, but there’s also dark humor, emotional scenes, and a lot of exploration of trauma, grief, and feminine rage. The story also touches on how women are treated and not believed, which makes Lucy’s anger feel very real and justified. It’s definitely more of an emotional revenge story than a straight-up horror novel.
One thing I didn’t expect was how much the book focuses on healing and friendship. Lucy can be stubborn and makes some questionable decisions, but you still end up rooting for her. And Nicola is such a great character; she honestly deserves the world.
The revenge itself isn’t super gory or over-the-top like I originally imagined, but the final confrontation with Kyle is really satisfying. By the end, Lucy finally gets some control back over her life (and afterlife), and the story wraps up her unfinished business in a way that feels emotional but also hopeful.
Overall, “She’s a Doll” is dark, weird, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt. If you like haunted doll stories, female rage narratives, or horror that mixes creepy moments with humor and real emotional depth, this one is definitely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When I first saw the cover of this book, I thought I would be reading a vengeful slasher a la Chucky story. Was Lucy McQuinn murdered? Yes. Was her soul somehow transported to a doll? Yes. Was she angry, lonely, and in desperate need of love and true friendship? Yes. Wait, what?
If cozy dark horror was a subgenre, then She’s A Doll would just slip and slide its way right into that little pocket. Lucy McQuinn is only 20 years-old when she is murdered by Kyle in her small Australian town. Instead of passing over to the great beyond (whatever the hell that is), she rips her soul from her body and comes-to in the body of a porcelain doll.
Like any one of us, Lucy is full of anger and murderous intentions. She wants to find that motherf*cker and make him pay with his life. There’s a problem with that though, a few problems in fact. One, she doesn’t know where he is. Two, she doesn’t have a plan even if she did know where he lives. Three, she’s stuck in the body of a porcelain doll that has zero limb dexterity, so even if she had a plan and knew where he lived, she could do absolutely bupkis to him because Chucky she ain’t.
Her heavenly savior comes in the form of Nicola, a person she knew in high school but didn’t really interact with. We all have some memory of those kinds of people, the people that you either thought were interesting but didn't hang out with or just noticed in passing but didn't really give the time of day because you were doing your own thing. High school can be so selfish and cliquey. Nicola saves Lucy from an eternity of shelf life. They bond, first over their hatred of Kyle, then over their love for each other. It’s adorable. Nicola saves Lucy and Lucy ends up saving Nicola, then they try their best to save everyone else from Kyle. They are screwups and weirdos, so their plans and attempts go awry more times than not. They make a mess of things, but they still have each other. It’s adorable.
The main themes of this book are self-love, sisterhood, and taking back your power from the motherf*cker that murdered you. I would recommend it to those of us who love both Michael Myers and Disney Princesses.
4.75/5 The ending was a little draggy.
Thank you to Bindery Books for providing me with the ARC of this book in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
If cozy dark horror was a subgenre, then She’s A Doll would just slip and slide its way right into that little pocket. Lucy McQuinn is only 20 years-old when she is murdered by Kyle in her small Australian town. Instead of passing over to the great beyond (whatever the hell that is), she rips her soul from her body and comes-to in the body of a porcelain doll.
Like any one of us, Lucy is full of anger and murderous intentions. She wants to find that motherf*cker and make him pay with his life. There’s a problem with that though, a few problems in fact. One, she doesn’t know where he is. Two, she doesn’t have a plan even if she did know where he lives. Three, she’s stuck in the body of a porcelain doll that has zero limb dexterity, so even if she had a plan and knew where he lived, she could do absolutely bupkis to him because Chucky she ain’t.
Her heavenly savior comes in the form of Nicola, a person she knew in high school but didn’t really interact with. We all have some memory of those kinds of people, the people that you either thought were interesting but didn't hang out with or just noticed in passing but didn't really give the time of day because you were doing your own thing. High school can be so selfish and cliquey. Nicola saves Lucy from an eternity of shelf life. They bond, first over their hatred of Kyle, then over their love for each other. It’s adorable. Nicola saves Lucy and Lucy ends up saving Nicola, then they try their best to save everyone else from Kyle. They are screwups and weirdos, so their plans and attempts go awry more times than not. They make a mess of things, but they still have each other. It’s adorable.
The main themes of this book are self-love, sisterhood, and taking back your power from the motherf*cker that murdered you. I would recommend it to those of us who love both Michael Myers and Disney Princesses.
4.75/5 The ending was a little draggy.
Thank you to Bindery Books for providing me with the ARC of this book in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc. I'm leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
I expected this book to a simple horror revenge story but it was so much more! It was funny and heartbreaking on top of all the dark themes I expected and I absolutely loved some of the references sprinkled throughout the story (the toy story one??? AMAZING )
I felt so connected to Lu because of the way this was written, everything she felt, I felt. Not just her rage but her fear, her loneliness and despair and her frantic desire to live in anyway she could and not just fade away. Emotionally, this book hit so much harder than I ever expected it to and I loved it so much because of that.
I also loved the friendship between Lu and Nicola. It's endearing and messy, they make mistakes and upset each other whilst trying to navigate their own grief and frustrations but then the forgiveness you see is so beautiful and raw that I admittedly teared up just a little. They're so ride or die for each other and I love that they push each other to be stronger and to get the justice they both deserve.
With the moment that Lu finally faces her murderer, I had expected one that was more horror heavy, a bit more gory, but I think the way she does end up getting her revenge was so satisfying that even with all that bloodthirsty rage I had everytime her murderer's name was so much as mentioned, I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.
(I cheered actually. Fuck you kyle.)
The ending is perfect, I won't lie I was scared for a second that Lu would fade away and was fully prepared to start sobbing but when she doesn't and you get to see her cuddled up, happy and at peace, between Nicola and Ginger?? I'm so happy she's getting to have some kind of a life instead of passing over. Also her giving the 'don't hurt her speech' to Ginger was amazing and Nicola opening the shop that Lu had wanted... their friendship is so precious I love it.
This was such a creative and unique take on the haunted doll trope and it perfectly balanced it's heavier themes with moments of humour throughout the book. It takes you through pretty much every emotion you can possibly feel and I was obsessed with every second of it
I expected this book to a simple horror revenge story but it was so much more! It was funny and heartbreaking on top of all the dark themes I expected and I absolutely loved some of the references sprinkled throughout the story (the toy story one??? AMAZING )
I felt so connected to Lu because of the way this was written, everything she felt, I felt. Not just her rage but her fear, her loneliness and despair and her frantic desire to live in anyway she could and not just fade away. Emotionally, this book hit so much harder than I ever expected it to and I loved it so much because of that.
I also loved the friendship between Lu and Nicola. It's endearing and messy, they make mistakes and upset each other whilst trying to navigate their own grief and frustrations but then the forgiveness you see is so beautiful and raw that I admittedly teared up just a little. They're so ride or die for each other and I love that they push each other to be stronger and to get the justice they both deserve.
With the moment that Lu finally faces her murderer, I had expected one that was more horror heavy, a bit more gory, but I think the way she does end up getting her revenge was so satisfying that even with all that bloodthirsty rage I had everytime her murderer's name was so much as mentioned, I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.
(I cheered actually. Fuck you kyle.)
The ending is perfect, I won't lie I was scared for a second that Lu would fade away and was fully prepared to start sobbing but when she doesn't and you get to see her cuddled up, happy and at peace, between Nicola and Ginger?? I'm so happy she's getting to have some kind of a life instead of passing over. Also her giving the 'don't hurt her speech' to Ginger was amazing and Nicola opening the shop that Lu had wanted... their friendship is so precious I love it.
This was such a creative and unique take on the haunted doll trope and it perfectly balanced it's heavier themes with moments of humour throughout the book. It takes you through pretty much every emotion you can possibly feel and I was obsessed with every second of it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews