The Dollhouse District: A Short Dystopian Novel

by Blaire Russell

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 25, 2026

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid 3.5 stars for me. The story was very interesting, and I wish I had more of it. I’d be more interested in the back story/more information on the dollhouse district. I felt like the “romance” scene was kind of random and unnecessary. Not because I don’t like those sometimes, but in this story seemed out of place. I also felt like it had great momentum until they escaped. After that it kinda fell off for me. If there was another book about other people in the dollhouse district I’d be interested in reading them.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novella!

[Lauren Head · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dollhouse District is a brutal, gripping dark romance thriller that pulled me completely into its high-stakes dystopian nightmare. Rosalie is thrown into the Dollhouse. A simulation prison where survival is earned through blood and freedom comes at the cost of killing three targets. Betrayed by the friends she trusted most, she refuses to lose herself to the violence around her, clinging to her morals even when it endangers her life. Then there’s Zyren, her morally gray protector, loyal to orders and undeniably ruthless whose slow-burn connection with Rosalie brings rare sparks of tenderness to an otherwise merciless world. Intense, thought-provoking, and emotionally consuming, this story lingers long after the final page.

[Jennifer Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deathbed meets hunger games...

[TheGoodGirlBooktok Kai 🥀🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dystopian Done Right!!

The Dollhouse District is not just dark romance — it’s a pastel-painted nightmare wrapped in glitter, blood, and obsession. Equal parts dystopian thriller and twisted love story, this book drops you into a world where survival isn’t about being strong… it’s about being ruthless.
Rosalie wakes up trapped inside the Dollhouse — a simulated prison where freedom is earned by killing three targets. No trial. No mercy. No way out except through blood. Worse? The people she trusted most are willing to sacrifice her without hesitation, proving that betrayal hurts far more than any weapon.
Enter Zyren Mordecaine: her assigned “protector,” prison guard, and walking embodiment of morally gray danger. He’s cold, controlled, and quietly terrifying — the kind of man who doesn’t need to threaten you because his presence alone is the threat. His protection keeps Rosalie alive… but it comes at a cost: obedience, surveillance, and a loss of freedom that feels like ownership disguised as safety.
Their relationship is a slow, intoxicating descent — part enemies-to-lovers, part captor-and-captive, all tension. In a world that rewards monsters, Rosalie must decide whether to cling to her humanity or become something sharper, deadlier, and impossible to break. Watching her evolution from frightened girl to survivor with teeth is the emotional core of the story, and it’s messy, painful, and incredibly compelling.
The atmosphere is relentless: high-tech dystopia, lethal games, psychological pressure, and constant danger that never lets you breathe. Think Hunger Games energy but darker, crueler, and far more intimate.
Fast-paced, vicious, and hypnotic, The Dollhouse District is a story about control, survival, and the terrifying idea that sometimes the only way to live… is to become exactly what the world demands.
If you love morally gray men, brutal stakes, slow-burn obsession, and heroines who refuse to go down quietly, this one will crawl under your skin and stay there. 🖤🎀

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dollhouse District was such a gripping dark romance thriller — I became completely immersed and invested in this brutal, high-stakes world.

We follow Rosalie, who is thrown into the Dollhouse, a simulation prison where there is no trial, no justice, and no choice. Survival is the only currency, and freedom is earned through blood. Rosalie is imprisoned alongside her friends, River and Liora, who quickly prove they are not the people she thought they were — willing to sacrifice her without hesitation if it means saving themselves.

To escape the Dollhouse, prisoners must kill three designated targets. While surrounded by violence and desperation, Rosalie remains a strong FMC who clings to her values, refusing to blur her moral lines or fully surrender to the deadly game — even when doing so puts her at risk.

Along the way, she meets Zyren, her assigned protector — a guard placed inside the Dollhouse to monitor and control prisoners. His presence offers protection, but at a cost, binding Rosalie into a different kind of captivity. Zyren is morally grey, obedient to orders, and admittedly a bit of a bastard 😉 — and yet I fell for him instantly. The slow-burn romance between him and Rosalie was beautifully done, offering rare moments of hope and tenderness in an otherwise bleak, oppressive world.

Set in a dystopian landscape filled with advanced technology, constant danger, and relentless psychological pressure, this story asks powerful questions:
What would you do to survive? How far would you go? Would you abandon your values — or fight to remain a good person? And what would you sacrifice to protect the ones you love?

A dark, intense, and thought-provoking read from Blaire Russell that stayed with me long after I finished.

Tropes:
⭐️ Forced Proximity
⭐️ Enemies to Lovers
⭐️ Morally Grey MMC
⭐️ She’s Sold to Him / He Despises Her
⭐️ Dark Romance
⭐️ Romantic Thriller

Spice Rating: 🌶️

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dollhouse District – Blaire Russell – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 Stars)

The Dollhouse District by Blaire Russell is a dark dystopian romance novella that immediately pulls you in and keeps you hooked, posing the question: would you abandon your morals in order to survive?

This fast-paced story centres around a brutal prison system where inmates must eliminate three assigned targets to earn their freedom. Packed with action, violence, betrayal, and high-stakes decisions, it also delivers a classic innocent FMC and morally grey MMC with an enemies-to-lovers dynamic — one of my favourite tropes.

The pacing is relentless, with no real lull in the plot. At times, some elements — particularly character backstories and world-building — felt slightly brushed over. However, this didn’t detract from the overall experience and may simply reflect how invested I was in wanting more detail.

Despite the trigger warnings, I found this more “entry-level” dark dystopian rather than deeply disturbing, making it a great starting point for readers curious about darker themes without diving into something extremely heavy.

There is one spice scene, which felt intentional and well-placed. It enhanced the story rather than existing purely for smut value. While the enemies-to-lovers progression felt somewhat rushed (I typically prefer a slower, more angsty burn), it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.

A few minor grammatical errors appeared throughout but did not interrupt the reading experience.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novella and devoured it in two days. Russell does an impressive job of creating emotional depth and tension within a short page count. I’m looking forward to reading more of her work — especially with another Dollhouse District instalment on the way.

Disclaimer: ARC reader. This review is my own opinion.

Recommended for fans of:
-Entry-level dark themes
-Morally grey MMCs
-Dystopian romance
-Enemies to lovers
-The Hunger Games

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would say this is a 3.5 to 4 star for me. It would have been a 4.5 to 5 If it was longer (and i don't usually chase longer books! Because in general I like a fast paced short read to escape the real qorld)

This is a fast paced novella and I actually would have been happy if it had been slower with more back story into the main characters as I really enjoyed what I did read. I was happy with the low level spice as I was enjoying the world and the characters and let's face it, all spice gets a bit tired after a while in my opinion, so I was okay with it being a short a sweet scene.

I was lucky enough to have early access, but I have since brought the book because I belive in supporting authors and I don't like to take away from their hard work.

I would love another book in this world. Maybe a prequel telling us more about Zyren as I feel I would like to know more about his character. Also would happily read the next part of their journey as it could easily continue.

Over all, fast paced, a change in setting and idea, really enjoyed it!

[Jade Godfrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader for this novella and wow what a ride.

You follow Roselyn, a girl who has never done anything wrong in her life… until her so-called best friend drags her straight into hell. They end up in the Dollhouse District a place no one survives unless they’re willing to kill. The rules are simple: eliminate three targets… and don’t die at the hands of the Protectors.

Enter Zyren one of those Protectors. Ruthless, deadly and completely unhinged. When his path collides with Roselyn’s, their lives become dangerously intertwined, blurring the line between hunter and protector in ways neither of them expects.

The tension is thick, the lust is undeniable and the drama keeps escalating with every chapter. I couldn’t put it down and devoured it in just a few hours.

If you love dark romance, high stakes, morally grey characters and touch her and you die energy this book is absolutely for you. 🖤🔥

[Carli Kelsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book, I started it at 11:00 PM on Wednsday night and finished in by 5:00PM Thursday night.

This book follows a girl who got dragged along by some not so good friends into a restricted area and that landed them all in Prison. In this world if you commit a crime you get put in to a Game prision where you have to constantly fight for you life, make alliances and always sleep with one eye open as you never know who will be the next to betray you. In this book you get Action, Romance and Suspense all at once, I loved every minute I got to read this book! This is a quick read (just over 200 pages) that kept me captivated the entire time, I almost didn't want to finish it, as I didn't want it to end.

I never wanna give to much away and ruin the story for someoen else, so I'll never leave a long detailed description of books I've read as I tend to be an oversharer and will probably give the entire book away.

I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.

[Salina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was good. Intriguing. Very…hunger games-esque.
Part of me wishes that it went into further detail.
Part of me wishes it was longer. More action.

The romance was… odd. It didn’t seem like it was building until all of a sudden it was just a thing that existed.

As far as triggers, I wasn’t phased by any of them. The trigger list was long but a lot of time was not spent on this triggers as the story unfolds and briefly touches them.

There are parts in the story where there are typos and it says Zyren is doing something where it should have been Xander. There are also typos that confuse what is happening that say like “he did something. He did something to him too” where it should be her doing said thing back and those maintain consistent mistakes through the story.

However… none of it really impacted the story or story line.

[Holly Clayburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting storyline with a dystopian prison situation. I honestly think one of my main issues was how short the story was, this needed more backstory and explaining. A novella for this didn’t do it justice. Everything felt really rushed because of how short it is, and the romance arc was just odd. The FMC went from being a wallflower that was walked all over to open disobedience of the most ruthless man in the world like the flip of a switch. There wasn’t enough dialogue or build up for a lot of things to make sense, and then other things that were brought in were just forgotten/never mentioned again. By the last 25% of the book I was just ready for it to be over. I definitely think that the potential for this storyline is there, it had a lot of really interesting themes that I just wish were explored more.

[alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the arc.

This book was very short so it was quick and easy to read and it was also very very different from anything I've read before. I really loved the concept of this story it was very interested and I did enjoy it I just wish the book was longer so we had room for more details cos it felt like the story was rushed at times.

I really liked the characters and the roles they played but again wish it was longer cos we didn't have time to explore things deeper and why some of the characters were how they was cos it all happened so fast, same with the romance I enjoyed it but wish we got to see it build more as it seemed very insta love ish

Overall tho I did like this and it was something easy and fun to read

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dollhouse District, written by Blaire Russell, is what I would consider an atmospheric dive into a dystopian world that feels part thriller and part dark, tense romance. Right away, you are drawn in by the tone and unsettling setting.

The languid pacing and slow build-up kept me from really getting into the book right away, but the payoff was good and very intriguing. Because of the book's size, we are missing some of the world-building and character depth, but Russell did a great job conveying as much as she could.

Thanks to Blaire Russell for gifting me an eARC of The Dollhouse District. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Fareen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc review
The Dollhouse District is a dark romance thriller novella and this is such a fast paced read that once you start reading you can't stop.

The story follows Rosalie who has never broken a rule until she went to a restricted location with her best friend. After that she was a thrown into Dollhouse district where everyday is a survival and where she met Zyren.

Zyren whose role is of a protector and guards the district. He is her protector but it comes with a price. Their slow burn romance is tender, intense and he will do anything to protect her.

This book is Book 1 of the series and is set in a dystopian world.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Blaire Russell for the ARC of this book!

I enjoyed this book and the only reason I didn't rate it higher is that I needed more. The world has so much potential, but it felt jumped into and rushed. With more explanation and world building in the beginning, and some more detailed character descriptions, I think I would have easily given this 4-5 stars. I'm always a fan of dystopian, enemies to lovers, and slow burn. This book could be double the length it currently is and I still would have devoured it in one sitting.

[Melanie Baggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enthralling dystopian thriller
The Dollhouse District by Blaire Russell

Fast paced novella with a storyline based around a dystopian prison playground.

High action, violence, betrayal and a smudge of romance.
Plenty of trigger warnings however I didn’t find this as darkly disturbing as expected.

I was left wanting more detail I to the characters which I am hoping will come as the series continues.

Overall a good faced paced read which I throughly enjoyed

Review submitted by an ARC reader

[Payton Manukyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very lucky to be chosen to ARC read this book. I really enjoyed the concept of the dollhouse district and why people ended up there, I felt that the book needed more details. It seemed to have grazed over the main characters ending up there. Unfortunately there was more than once I finished a scene wanting more. The stories concept was really intriguing and definitely a cute read. And the triggers were much lighter than the warnings suggested.

[Whitney Hendershot · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed reading The Dollhouse District—it was easy to get into and kept my attention the whole way through. If you liked The Hunger Games, this book has a similar vibe and you’ll probably enjoy it as well. There were a few typos here and there, but nothing that took away from the story for me. It also has a really good enemies-to-lovers dynamic, and I absolutely loved Rosalie and Zyren’s relationship. The ending left me wanting more, and I can’t wait to read book two.

[Crystal Harbour · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed “The Hunger Games” series, you will like this one. Short. A fast read. But jam packed with action, gore, and an odd love story. This could have been much longer, with so much more detail, and it would have fleshed-out the world and story. Hopefully, it is the start of a series. It would be so cool to know the back stories from Xander and Zyren.

[Jodie Mihas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read

A simulated prison where the participants need to murder people in order to earn their freedom. Rosalie is thrown into the prison with her friends who she quickly learns are not really her friends at all. Her protector is Zyren who is a morally grey bossy man that has lots of rules. This is a very intense dark romance that is a good read

[Tina G · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️

The Dollhouse District gives Hunger Games/Squid Games vibes with extreme circumstances and punishments in a dystopian society.

Enemies to lovers. Low spice. Overall, enjoyable and quick read!

Thank you to the author, Claire Russell, for allowing me the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good novella. It was very interesting. I wish this had honestly been longer and more detailed. I feel like I only caught a glimpse of the characters. There wasn’t much depth to this either. Had it been a full novel, I think this would have been awesome.

[Mariska Pansegrauw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some spelling errors which made me need to read a paragraph or 2 over, not a major problem
A good book overall, but felt a bit like reading Hunger Games with a tad of spice. would love to read more to see where the story goes

[Lydia Thew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, wasn’t really sure what to expect. It gives hunger games/squid game vibes. I would’ve liked there to have been a bit more info at the beginning, but was a good quick read. There needs to be a follow up I’d say.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dollhouse District

This book was okay for me, for the majority of was rather slow. I enjoyed Roses development and her relationship with Zyren.
There were some parts where I was really able to get into the story and they're was quite a bit where I wished they're was more, and the ending had me thinking I was missing part of the book.
Overall not a bad book, just not for me.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this as an ARC and I definitely was pulled in from the very beginning. I was intrigued in the story of the Dollhouse District and would love to read more of the backstory of Xander and Zaryn. Definitely a recommended read!

[Tipi Konczak · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC read! I like the concept but it feels like a rough draft. I haven’t fully finished it yet but I’m dead set on finishing it. The story line starts out chaotic, but starts actually coming together once the token is given:

[Taneshia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book taught me to trust NO ONE. I don’t care how long I’ve known you. This book also taught me that I am very selfish, as I would kill for my freedom in this prisoner world. I had a great time reading this story and would love to read more about this universe!

[Mia Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely worth a read. It’s a quick novel but I had fun reading it.

[Mia Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a lot of story packed into a short novel. The story went by quick but it was an interesting read. Would recommend