She's a Doll

by Barbara Truelove, Tegan Bourke (Narrator)

Lucy 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.

Genres: Horror, Queer, Fiction, LGBT, Adult, Audiobook, Fantasy

9 pages, Audiobook

First published September 8, 2026

About the author

I write about werewolves and sometimes other things.

Reviews

[Esta]

Chucky meets Australian Toy Story with female rage and a mullet.

(Is that a stretch? Perhaps but yeah nah. You can read it and judge for yourself).

Do you get infuriated at men who murder and sexually assault and get away with it? Do you get outraged that women get gaslit, victim-blamed and the man gets perhaps a light slap on the wrist at best case scenario? Then She’s a Doll by Barbara Truelove might be for you!

Lucy McQuinn is not like other girls. And that’s because she’s a haunted porcelain doll with a missing eye who will tell you to go fuck yourself a lot.

But the real question is why? Why is this freaky ass porcelain doll haunted by Lucy McQuinn? Well, see. She was murdered by an absolute deadbeat named Kyle and her spirit kinda latched onto the closest thing which happened to be a doll.

The Australian setting of this thriller with a dash of mild horror really resonated with me, as someone born and raised in Australia, from the screeches of cockatoos, to your friendly wall-puppy huntsman spiders (they may look intimidating but they're good guys! fr), to the iconic mullet hairstyle representation, to the descriptions of small town suburbia. But the darker side of the Aussie setting is how it hits home when it comes to men killing or hurting women, as Kyle did to Lucy in this book. [Not a spoiler, this happens at the beginning]. Lucy might be a murderous haunted porcelain bride doll, but the anger, devastation and grief driving this story is all too real, as are the statistics: As of September 2026, men have killed 49 women this year in Australia, according to Australian Femicide Watch.

Friends, I think I’ve found myself a new favourite author because this was unhinged, emotional and profound all at once. The female friendships were an absolute standout. Love the ace and queer and disability (hearing loss/hearing aids) rep. My heart just burst with emotion for Lucy, Nic and Ginger. And also Cookie (we don't deserve dogs), Grandma and Claudia. Who is Claudia? You will have to read it to find out. (It's definitely not an arachnid with the voice of an old English lady).

Anyhow, this is a campy (compliment), deranged, paranormal thriller that played out in technicolour in my mind, with a fresh, zippy writing style and tip top banter that kept me gripped, infuriated and also very satisfied. Scary is subjective: I can say this didn't scare me, rather it thrilled, if anything!

I may upgrade my rating to five stars in a week or so, if I'm still thinking about it, let's see ;) Highly highly recommend.

PS. Do not skip the bookclub questions at the end! And then once you read those, circle back to the content warnings at the beginning... TRUST ME.

PPS. I feel that Australia's homegrown cult classic banger, Pride playlist staple and Aussie national anthem, Untouched by The Veronicas, pairs well with the vibes and themes in this story.

Thanks so much to Bindery Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

___

bad news, shes dead.
good news, she's possessed an antique porcelain doll so she can enact revenge on her killer.

Hope this is as unhinged as it sounds!

[Liana Gold]

⭐️ 4 ⭐️ Imagine being mauled by an antique doll. How hard might this be if you're only 18 inches tall and made of porcelain?

A young woman, Lucy is murdered by her friend's brother and finds her consciousness trapped inside a porcelain doll. Lucy is and feels trapped. She can't do anything normally. She lost everything that made her human and she's feeling very helpless. At the same time, Lucy wants revenge. She wants Kyle dead. But Kyle is a man who appears respectable, someone well thought of in a community, a person who would never do such a thing! But she's a doll and she can't confront him. Not until she meets Nicola, an outsider who hears Lucy through her hearing aid. Nicola, to Lucy's surprise, has a past grudge of her own that involves Kyle! How does a tiny doll and her companion prove that Kyle isn't a sweet, respectable young man but a cold blooded killer?

On a surface this feels like a haunted, horror novel about revenge, but I thought this novel is more about grief and friendship on a deeper level. My most favorite aspect of this book was the 'ride or die' friendship between Nicola and Lucy. Nicola was a bit hesitant to believe Lucy at first but the two women developed a deeply unconventional and respectful friendship. Having her own reason for hating Kyle essentially turned Nicola to become Lucy's lifeline. Seeing them together on a revenge mission made their bizarre interactions even more entertaining and darkly funny.

Lucy's life has been cut short. She is angry, she is grieving, she is upset that people do not know what actually happened to her. She is no longer a person and she struggled with that. Not until she meets Nicola. They have a genuine connection and while it takes Lucy a long time to move past her rage, she eventually does. I think underneath all of her quirkiness, Lucy is someone who simply wanted to be heard and understood. She wanted someone to lend her an ear, to listen to what she has to say and believe her. She wanted to feel 'alive' regardless of the fact that she's a porcelain doll. Underneath the haunting premise, the emotional weight of this story came from their connection and friendship. Lucy, despite being a doll, was very human-like and felt like an actual person. I connected with her character greatly.

She's a Doll is perfect for fall or late fall/winter season! I have always found dolls to be too creepy for my taste. Maybe Chucky did it for me--it's the dead eyes and lifelessness that gave him a terrifying realism. But there is nothing terrifying or creepy about Lucy! She's the sweetest doll ever!




Many thanks to NetGalley, Bindery Books and the author, Barbara Truelove for an early copy.

Publication date: September 8, 2026

[Elizabeth (Plant Based Bride)]

7 books in 7 days! (Read It or Unhaul It Sprint #2)

Day 7/7
Prompt: Horror from a New-To-Me Author

YouTube reading vlog: https://youtu.be/pMxpUQ2Rv70

Mini reviews…
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dcp1gZ...
TikTok: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSVvnMhna/

Written review: on the way

You can find me on...

Youtube | Instagram | TikTok

You can join our book club over on Patreon...

PBB Book Club

[Seri ❤ (new job semi-MIA)]

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 🩵

[BookishKB]

✨🩷 She’s a Doll 🩷✨

Oooof this one was devastating.

I came for the feminine rage and stayed for the emotional damage 😭💔

This book absolutely wrecked me. The anger, grief, and sadness throughout the story was so deep and consuming. 😭😭

I do think the ending and epilogue kept this from being a full 5 star read for me though. I’m not even fully sure what I needed from the ending, but I wanted just a bit more closure after everything. And I am not sure I liked Lucy's situation.

🔪 What to Expect
• Possessed doll FMC
• Revenge
• Female rage
• Small town secrets
• Murder mystery
_ _ _

⭐ Final Score: 4.5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: September 8, 2026
📝 Thank you to Bindery Books, Ezeekat Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[MagretFume]

This audiobook absolutely slaps! 

Beyond the ridiculous premise, this is the perfect blend of rage, vulnerability, despair, love and humour. 

I loved the narrator, she was perfect for the characters. 

I had a fantastic time. 

[Krysta ꕤ]

3.5 ☆

”They anchored me in the world of the living, but anchors don’t need to be solved to free yourself of them .. they just need to be let go of.”

a unhinged book for sure, the portrayal of the fmc’s rage was done so well. i liked that this didn’t necessarily follow all the usual points you think it would, i don’t think i’ve read anything quite like this book before.

Lucy is murdered by someone she thought she could trust, then later finds herself possessing a porcelain doll & seeking payback for what was done to her. the ace rep, along with the lesbian and bisexual rep was appreciated, especially with the way the “romance” turned out. the side character Nicola was a fun inclusion too, she added some drama to the story & an unlikely friendship dynamic with Lucy. i just wish the pacing wasn’t so wonky, but other than that.. i really enjoyed it.

➻ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bindery Books for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[megs_bookrack]

She's a Doll follows Lucy McQuinn, who is not like other girls main characters. Even though she's smart and sweet, Lucy doesn't quite fit in with her contemporaries.

The thing that really sets her apart though, happens after she's murdered by a vile man named Kyle. At the time of her death, her soul takes possession of an 18-inch porcelain doll and she's ticked.



Vowing to get revenge, Lucy, in her new form, wants to find Kyle and end his life like he ended hers. That proves tricky though. Her size and the fact that she's made of porcelain, it all works against her. She's gonna need some help.

Lucy turns to Nicola, a gal she knew in life, a fellow outsider, and someone who also hates Kyle. Understandably, it's initially difficult to get Nicola to believe what she's hearing and seeing. I mean, can you imagine a doll coming to you and proposing you work together to kill someone?



We then follow their friendship and their mission, as both women grapple with the unfairness of it all. Will Lucy be able to find the peace she deserves, or will she be forced to stalk the Earth an angry doll forever?

This is such a creative story. I enjoyed it so much. With the synopsis, I wasn't sure how campy Truelove would end up taking it, as I've never read from her before, so was unsure of her style. I was impressed with the nuance in the story, and appreciated all that Truelove brought to the table here.

It's actually a really nice blend of humor with darker, more serious topics that were thoughtfully explored. It actually packs quite the punch emotionally, and had quieter moments that definitely pulled at my heartstrings.



The audiobook, narrated by Tegan Bourke, was super fun and I definitely recommend that format if you have it available to you. Tegan's accent and delivery were perfect for Lucy's character. The narration added such life to the story, and I found it very believable.

Overall, I think this is a great book, offering up much more depth than I initially anticipated. Readers are going to love it. A perfect read for your Spooky Season.

Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media and Bindery Books, for providing me with copies to read and review. I'm so stoked to read more from this author!

[Fern]

Fantastic - funny, heartwarming, and gut wrenching. I flew through these pages!! So creative and well done.

[Aardvark Book Club]

Let’s create a linguistic mood board here, shall we? This book is dead goth girl-turned-bridal doll, chipped porcelain and ripped veils, emo music and Manic Panic hair dye, teacups and Mad Hatter cosplays, glue-guns and safety pins and staples, punk rock DIY meets Lewis Caroll surrealism. It’s queer and feminist and totally anti-establishment, a “fuck you” howled into the void or graffitied across a bathroom stall—except instead of nihilistic, it feels hopeful, and heart-warming, and fun.

She’s a Doll is as strange as it looks—a seething slasher told from the POV of a literal antique doll who will stop at nothing in her quest for revenge. It’s a wild ride: sometimes serious, sometimes campy as hell, with all the absurdity you might expect from an eighteen-inch toy hellbent on a vicious, blood-soaked killing spree.

August reading vibes: Read this book in the parking lot, carseat sticky with sweat as you wait for the spoils of your family Costco run or IKEA trip or whatever is your personal equivalent. This one’s for the suburban summer: we’re talking scorched concrete, endless days of summer holidays surviving off vodka-spiked gatorade and gas-station jerky. It’s all the boredom and rage of a wronged woman right on the cusp of something more—of becoming the person (or…doll?) she was always meant to be.

[Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?]]

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!

[The Reading Frog (semi ia, sick)]

Thank you to Barbara Truelove, Bindery Books & NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
CW: Explicit | Choking, death, internalised victim-blaming, murder
Moderate | Entrapment, grief, non-consensual kissing/sa, victims not being believed
Mild | Description of a dead animal (some gore), hoarding, implied off-page rape, (internalised) sexism, mention of suicidal ideation, off-page pet death, (past) parental death, soft drugs
CWs as stated by the author | Heads up, this book contains descriptions of murder, grief, sexual assault, domestic violence, suicidal thoughts, strong language, and one very large spider.
My chosen soundtrack(s): The Doll People - SOFIA ISELLA | Mad Woman - Sevdaliza

"Why did he do that to me?
Why couldn't I stop him?
What's going to happen now?"

Representation
╰┈➤ Queer characters and dynamics
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Ace Lesbian MC
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Unspecified sapphic MC
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Bisexual SC
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Background WLW dynamic
╰┈➤ Disability
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Disabled MC, deaf/HoH, uses a hearing aid
╰┈➤ Mental Health
‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✴︎ Nothing explicitly stated, but the MC deals with symptoms associated with PTSD, suicidal ideation, and dissociation.


Themes
Agency/bodily autonomy or the lack thereof, anger, being an active/passive participant in life, popularity, powerlessness, revenge, self-discovery, social hierarchies, social norms, solidarity, the horror of "not knowing"/unanswered questions, the nuances and variety of victimhood/survivorship, wealth gap.


Tropes/What to expect
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Non-human POV
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Fuck the 5 stages of grief! Anger it is.
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Revenge and female rage
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ A monster who looks unassuming. A survivor who looks monstrous.
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Reluctant allies to ride-or-die


⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆


What I liked/loved
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Great opener! I love it when an author immediately throws you in the thick of it, setting the tone for what's to come.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Unique take on the haunted doll/revenge after death trope. This is one of my favourite aspects of this book, and one I don't know how to highlight without spoiling anything. I've typed this specific segment about 5 times now...
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Just believe me when I say this book will take you on a very unexpected journey without ever losing the aspects that lured me in from reading the blurb. Even though this is a fantastical story focusing on survivorship, grief, revenge, and justice, it isn't sensationalistic or glamorising in its depictions. There was something very real, raw, personal and introspective about it.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Non-human POV, my beloved! Lucy's essence/soul inhabits a porcelain doll, and as soon as she does, every internal thought or bodily experience is defined by this fact. I tend to love prose that uses adjectives that suit the theme/vibe of a story. But TrueLove took it a step further.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ We tend to use human norms and take a little step to the left or the right to showcase something that is "other", still relying on that frame of reference to define what falls outside of it.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ In this case, those human norms weren't anywhere in sight. The way Truelove describes having a porcelain doll body, a different centre of gravity, limbs that are fixed, a floppy, stuffing-filled torso, completely changing how to go about moving around felt very out-of-the-box. Lucy encounters both limitations and perks extremely unique to this new body, and in this way portrays a completely alien experience of self. It was intrinsic and ever-present on every page. Not once did I forget that Lucy no longer had a human body.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Short chapters. Love em or hate em! I personally love them and was very enthused about this format.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Unexpected time-shenanigans. Super unique and intriguing. Sorry, not gonna share more than that.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Somewhat of a campy concept, yet still deep and complex with a great execution.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The dynamic between Nicola and Lucy was so intriguing to me. In some ways, they were like mirrors of each other. In other ways, they were complete opposites.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ There are lots of nuances to this often disagreeing, yet ride-or-die duo. Lucy often goes from one extreme to the other when thinking about Nicola, and Nicola seems to do the same. For better or for worse, they are bound together in ways that feel impossible to untether. In a way, they only have each other.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ I like how this book makes it clear that Kyle isn't only a killer; he is also a sexual predator. Truelove establishes this without unnecessary graphic depictions. Now, I personally am most of the time okay reading more graphic or explicit stuff, but I know this isn't the case for a lot of readers. I can imagine this portrayal in She's a Doll is something many readers will probably appreciate.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Discourse on being an active or passive participant in life and how this ties in with (internalised) victim blaming.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Lucy has this all-encompassing NEED to be an active participant in exacting her revenge, preferably independently. Which is hard to do when you're literally a small, not very mobile, easily breakable porcelain doll. It mirrors the powerlessness and self-blame that can develop from being assaulted.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Lucy is not only angry at her killer, but also angry at herself, her body, her past actions, especially in the moments before and during her murder. She keeps ruminating about how she can "make it right", "even the scales" or what she should've done differently, placing a lot of the responsibility for her death in her own hands.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ There is a huge focus on deconstructing self-blame, accepting that there is nothing she could have done differently. It is not her fault, and victims are NOT responsible for what happened to them.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I could probably write a whole essay on this specific aspect alone, but I'll leave it at that.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Though it is not disability representation in the traditional sense, Lucy and her doll body gave me the same vibe as the alien in Walking Practice. Both books explore what it's like to lose control of your body, to be held back by it, to have it work against you, to have to fight for your goals while having limited or no bodily autonomy/mobility.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Lucy is often frustrated with her new body and having to depend on others. She develops this anger towards those who help her because this dependency leaves her out of control and at the mercy of whoever is deciding what's happening with her or her body. These feelings, to me personally, are reminiscent of what life can be like when disabled. I personally could relate to many of the struggles Lucy went through with her body.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Discourse on those who are evil/monstrous not being recognisable by identifying visual markers. Monsters look like you and me and can be your sibling, your friend, your coworker, your spouse, anyone really. Unfortunately, this is reality.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The exploration of solidarity in survivorship.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Oddly comedic at times, yet it worked. It reminded me of that weird funeral mood that makes you reminisce and prone to making some dark jokes that everyone who's grieving will understand, but that might make bystanders gasp at the morbidity of it.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Some specific details hit different, making it feel more real. What is depicted in this book is NOT a cinematic event to romanticise or sensationalise. Lucy was murdered in her Hello Kitty jammies, and I'll never get over that fact.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The little surprise of extra narrative when I thought the book was over. I love being rewarded for always reading the acknowledgement and any other content beyond the last chapter.



What I didn't like/felt lacklustre about
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ I love camp, but some moments were campy when I wanted them to be more emotional. Still a really good book, though. It's only a minor complaint.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ Not a complaint that decreased my enjoyment of this book, but I wouldn't fully categorise it as horror, yet I suspect non-horror readers might not be into this one. Since that seems to be a recurring theme with all my horror reads lately, you should take that with a grain of salt. It might just really be a me problem!


Conclusion/Notes
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ WOW! What a book! I finished it in two days and wasn't able to put it down once I reached that 80% mark. Definitely a page-turner to me.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ This book was so different from what I expected, but surprising in all the best ways!

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I especially loved the non-human POV. Unique, outside of human norms, yet super immersive. Barbara Truelove delivered such a creative and interesting take on the haunted doll/ghost revenge trope.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The characters were multifaceted, and the dynamics between them were great and intriguing too! I felt a deep emotional connection all the way through and had some BIG feelings about the MCs towards the end of this story.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ This read has a lot to offer, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who is into weird, dark(ish) and personal reads. Even more so if you love female rage and stories that centre survivors and queer characters.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ She's a Doll is set to release on 8 September 2026. Make sure to add it to your TBR and give Barbara Truelove a follow on Instagram @barbarartruelove to keep up to date with any future projects.


⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆

"You scared yet, Kyle?"

⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆



Want to buddy read this book now or in the future? You can do so on Storygraph.

Follow me on Spotify for specific reading playlists like these: 📚 This Connection Is Muddled With Rot | 📚 Ode To The Disagreeable Womxn

GoodReads | StoryGraph | Instagram | TikTok | Spotify | Overview of all reading playlists | last.fm

[Raquel]

”But I guess that’s what death is. A conversation interrupted. A thread left hanging.”

She’s a Doll was such a blast! A dead girl possessing a doll to get revenge on the guy who killed her??? Say less. Easily one of my top 5 books of 2026.

I do have to admit I did went into this expecting something a bit more dark and serious. Don’t ask me why. But the book leans a lot more into absurdity and humor, which was fun! It was definitely a breath of fresh air. It made it weird, ridiculously entertaining and genuinely funny.

I adored Lucy and Nicola’s relationship and how it evolved throughout the book. Their dynamic carried a lot of the story for me. The banter was sooooo good and that damn toy car had me crying every time it appeared.

”But without a body, I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t test my hypothesis. I was stuck. Trapped. Reduced. All because of him.”

The pacing was amazing. I loved how unpredictable it started to become the more I read it. I ended up reading half the book on a saturday because I genuinely couldn’t put it down. And I needed to know what happened at the end!!!

My only “complaint” is that I wish Lucy’s revenge was a bit more impactful. I was waiting on more rage, maybe a little bit of gore, perhaps more horror… Some parts of the ending felt a biiiiit rushed compared to the rest of the story’s pacing. But honestly I had so much fun with this book I barely cared.

A thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

[Ellery Adams]

Imagine being murdered and being so enraged about it that your soul inhabits the closest thing in the room—a doll. Our hero, Lucy, wants to exact revenge against her killer. But first, she has to figure out how to move and communicate. There are some genuinely funny parts of this book. Tender ones too. Its dark themes are sexual assault and female rage, but there's plenty of heart in this novel too. Sisterhood is the most powerful force here. It's really enjoyed this cozy horror.

[Mya Joan Emma]

I had such a great time reading She’s a Doll by Barbara Truelove. I went into it expecting something weird and fun, and I ended up loving just how creative and imaginative the story was. I was immediately intrigued by the premise, and I found myself completely pulled into the strange, slightly eerie world the author created. 🪆✨

I really enjoyed the tone of the book. I thought it balanced dark humor, creepy moments, and interesting ideas really well. I kept wanting to see where the story would go next, and I liked how it continued to surprise me along the way. I also appreciated how distinctive the writing style felt—it made the whole reading experience feel fresh and different.

By the end, I felt like I had read something truly unique. I finished the book feeling entertained, impressed, and glad I picked it up. I would absolutely recommend it to readers who enjoy quirky horror and stories that aren’t afraid to be a little strange.

[AndaReadsTooMuch]

So you are a possessed doll and want to unalive someone...What happens when a ghost, who was murdered, possesses a doll and is out for vengeance? This book. This book is what happens. And I loved every single second of it.

Barbara Truelove is my new favorite everything. Auto-buy. Auto-read. Auto-whatever the hell she wants, she gets. From the very first page of this book I was guffawing. I looked like I was possessed, walking around my house snickering at the pages.

Lu doesn’t have the best life. Sometimes she says the wrong thing, or doesn’t say the right thing. Or read the room. She just wants to find her place, even if it’s a little awkward. One day, that changes thanks to Kyle. We hate Kyle. Kyle is the worst. Kyle kills Lu and all she got out of the whole experience is being trapped in a doll’s body where no one can hear you scream. Until someone does. From there, hijinks ensue.

While yes, this is the absolutely PERFECT book to start your spooky season, it’s also the perfect book for anyone trying to understand who they are and where they fit in the world. And sometimes, it just happens to be in a creepy ass porcelain doll’s body.

And that’s OKAY. (What’s not okay is Kyle. Screw you KYLE.) I loved reading every single word of this book. Barbara Truelove knows how to write real people in impossible situations. So much so that you absolutely believe in the possessed doll’s ability to exact revenge. Not only do I believe it, hell, I’d help!

Six creepy dolls for this one! (Please don’t let them be haunted, or maybe do let them be haunted)

Huge thank you to Bindery Books, Ezeecat Press and Netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Sarah]

I thought this was just a horror book about a doll. I didn’t expect it to stir up so much emotion for me.

The story follows Lucy, who goes to a tea party dressed as the Mad Hatter. After being made fun of online, she calls her best friend Krissy. She ends up talking to Kyle (Krissy’s brother), which leads to a series of events that end in her murder. But instead of passing on, her consciousness ends up inside an old doll. Now, she’s on a mission for revenge against her killer, Kyle.

OMG! I swear I almost cried three times reading this book. Lucy, or Lu, just felt so relatable. I empathized with her concerns about acceptance and her realization that, in death, none of that matters. In her own way, she’s mourning the family she’ll never see again, and the life she will never get to live. I loved the moments of personal introspection. I felt like reading this was such a true reflection of the range of emotions you would feel while looking back on your life. Her repeatedly saying “I don’t want to die” seriously gutted me.

When she connects with Nicola, I was totally locked in. Nicola being able to hear her and interact with her was so cool! Nicola was such an endearing character. Her being open minded, creatively trying to help Lu, and standing by her side when things got hard… literally no notes. When Nicola has an emotional moment with Lu in the book, I was tearing up. You could feel the love in that friendship.

I was living for Lu’s revenge. This story was literally perfect! I loved all the creepy moments. I loved the “this is going to happen” mentality.

I loved all the extra characters, and how everything came together in the end. I honestly couldn’t praise this book enough! I cannot wait until it comes out so I can buy it for my shelf!

Thank you to NetGalley and Binderly Books publishing for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

[verynicebook]

Spooky, funny heartwarming, sad and twisty! Absolutely devoured this one. From start to finish (and I mean the verrrryy end.. skip nothing) this was so entertaining and unputdownable. Not that I had any doubt but of course I would love a story about a vengeful haunted porcelain doll. Thanks so so much to the publisher for my review copy!

[Liralen]

Lucy's dead—but death isn't going to stop her. She's a little messy and a lot angry and oh, by the way, she's currently possessing a bride doll.

I don't read a ton of horror, but I was so curious about this one that I just couldn't resist. There's something just so delightfully creepy about a haunted doll, and even better that the book is told from the perspective of said haunted doll.

Lucy's refrain throughout the book is simple and heartbreaking:

Why did he do that to me?
Why couldn't I stop him?
What's going to happen now?

This isn't a one-off lament—even without the minor detail of being dead, Lucy's been through some serious trauma, and there aren't really simple answers to any of those questions. She struggles throughout the book: with anger, with physical limitations, with getting used to what she can and cannot do as a possessed doll, with loss after loss. This isn't just the loss of her life; it's the loss of her future, her family, her dog, any romantic aspirations, her freedom as she knows it, the ability to taste food and take a shower and communicate freely.

It's messy. Lucy is messy. The friendship she develops with Nicola, eventually, is messy. The beginning of the book notes that Lucy is a liar, but for most of the book it's not even that she lies; it's that she's so desperate to get vengeance for her murder that she can't see past her own nose. Or, sometimes she can see how hard things are for Nicola too, but rarely can Lucy hold on to that long enough to rein herself in. It makes for such a complicated relationship and such a complicated book, even as Lucy is storming around in a mold-infested body with cracks in her porcelain head and a stick for a makeshift arm. It's dark and it's fabulous.

I said I don't read a ton of horror, and that's true, but honestly, between this and Bethesda maybe it's time to rethink that?

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

[CJ Alberts]

Read for work, only Ms Truelove could make a freaked out haunted doll story both earnest and hilarious

[lorenzodulac]

Finally! A book I enjoyed from start to finish! This was really really good. So bingeable, you get just what you expected out of it and then some. It’s a horror book, but scary it is not. And for once, I did not care at all. I mean, I guess some people could find it scary? Slightly gory, yeah, sad, sure, scary… not really.
The first section is the part that really gives you the creeps. You know, when the action mentioned in the blurb happens.
After being murdered, Lucy turns into a doll. A haunted, porcelain doll. That should be the scary part I think? I got used to it quite quickly, so I hardly had any reaction to it. But Nicola sure found it scary! That’s the happy helper she turns to, to help. To do what? To kill her murderer, of course. After all, why shouldn’t she, she’s a doll, there’s hardly anybody who’d believe an inanimate object would do it. Though I’m sure she would’ve done it either way. Reality dawns on her that she can’t quite take matters into her own hands, for they are tiny and breakable. Nicola believes her story. The question is, will the world believe Kyle, loyal husband and soon-to-be father, to be capable of such atrocities?
There’s nothing about this book I can pin point and say it was bad. The friendship and found family in this one is impeccable.
I was a little sad for Lucy even after the book ended, what she said about never being able to even see herself again, loneliness, justice. It ended on a bitter note, or at least that’s my impression. But that’s life, and that’s probably what this book was trying to do. You can get your revenge, but things won’t automatically be perfect again.
I feel like we could’ve done with some more development at the end. But all in all, this was such an incredible read, so new, the queer rep in this one felt appropriate, nothing felt forced.
I’d give this book a 4.5/5⭐️ I really enjoyed my time in it, for better or worse.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ghoul Von Horror]

TW/CW: Language, drinking, bullying, violent death (graphic), moth murder, sexual assault, weed use, toxic friendships, death of animal (not graphic), suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, grieving

!!!!!!!SPOILERS!!!!!!!

About the book:
Lucy 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.
Release Date: September 8th, 2026
Genre: Thriller - not horror
Pages: 325
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

What I Liked:
1. Writing style was good
2. Plot
3. Cover of the book
4. Revenge storyline
5. How raw and real Lucy's pain felt
6. Lucy and Nicola's friendship and banter

What I Didn't Like:
1. Plot holes
2. Rushed ending
3. Sometimes Lucy was over the top annoying
4. Last 25% of the felt like a different story

Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}

"But anger...anger felt right"

Not me loving Lucy for her snappy comebacks and relatable thoughts. She's great!

I am hating Ginger currently for saying Lucy is weird and then posting those horrible photos to just embarrass Lucy. What a bully.

Why did Kyle kill you Lucy? Because he could. Because you denied him and he felt he was owed something since he came over there. Because you embarrassed him and he couldn't let that stand. Because men like this exist that just think they can take whatever they want and your life means nothing to them. I hope you kill him so good but make him suffer too.

But... How is she going to kill Kyle if she doesn't have hands???

I can't believe that Nicola is just ignoring Lucy. It's so gut wretching to read.

FINALLY Nicola took Lucy home with her! I seriously don't know how she even lasted this long. I get that maybe she hears the voices of ghosts who it does get annoying but this girl is literally someone she knew and someone who was reported missing, plus she told her who the killer was and she's just acting like it's nothing.

Nicola is ready to get rid of her with a hammer because she believes it's her inner demons telling her dolls talking to her. The only way that Lucy can prove to her that she's real is if Nicola logs into her Instagram account with her password, which is genius. I'd be dead though if this happened to me since I can never remember my passwords. Nicola mentions she read the dms that Lucy has gotten over the years and I wonder what people thought when it showed up read on their screens.

I am loving the banter between Lucy and Nicola. It literally had me in stitches (get it???) when they were talking about what you should say when you go to bed from a doll's mouth that's being possessed by a soul. Hilarious.

The way that the time is processing for Lucy sounds a lot like the movie Click when he would fast forward through all the bad times that were happening.

Please tell me that not one of her friends married Kyle and that's why Nicola is skirting the issue to Lucy about why it doesn't matter to kill him, which yes it does! I mean I feel like Nicola shouldn't be so light on the situation with Kyle being the one that killed her she should at least do some investigating to prove it was him. How could you just sit around and be like nah dude you got to let it go you're too small to kill him. Very frustrating!

I wish I knew how the situation worked for Lucy to communicate with Nicola. There are times where Nicola hears what she's saying but then there are moments where Lucy is thinking things so how do those two things work when they're both in her brain? I just wish there was more clarification since some of the things that Lucy thinks are not things that Nicola would want to hear.

3 hours at a party isn't a short time... Is it?? I think it's actually a lot.

I can't see how the grandma was blamed for Lucy's disappearance. She wasn't even home and she has no motivation to kill her.

We do get a snippet as to how Nicola can hear it Lucy's thoughts I guess it's if she thinks a little too clear and a little too loud then her thoughts can be heard by Nicola.

God, I totally get where Lucy is coming from in her wanting revenge and to see Kyle suffer but Nicola has a valid and good point. She doesn't want to go away for murder and would rather do it the honest way but again Lucy is probably right in that he would get all these good and extra things if he went to prison plus he'd maybe even be released someday and get to have a life she never got the chance to live.

Oh so Ginger is the one that married Kyle.

I think that Nicola's way of punishment was to also get revenge of Kyle for him abusing her too. Yeah, definitely need to get rid of him one way or another.

Nicola's plan is haunt Kyle into madness until he confesses to the murder kind of like Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-tale Heart. I love this plan though and think it's fitting for them to do.

Oh how sweet that Nicola went and bought a toy car for Lucy to ride around in so she could have a little bit of freedom.

Again I'll say this... The banter between them is great. I love it.

I don't understand how Krissy was able to figure out that it was Nicola who is committing the crimes of writing on things about Kyle being a murderer and her hacking into Lucy's Instagram. I mean just because she told her about the sexual assault she's making out like she knows it's Nicola enough to confront her and even threaten a lawsuit. It all just seems so far-fetched that this would be the person that she would approach. As though Kyle has never made other enemies along the way. I'm also annoyed that Krissy wouldn't take the time to maybe try to figure out why Nicola all of a sudden years later Is saying this is what's happening with her best friend. I get that Kyle is her brother but wouldn't you be curious about why another person is saying something and talking about your best friend now out of the blue?

Nicola has a great point when she says that the police put it together through the phone records that Lucy had talked to Krissy because there was a phone record that night so they would have asked Krissy about it. It makes sense now that she lied and made out like she was the one who talked to Lucy and not Kyle, which would mean that Krissy does know there's something wrong with Kyle. Perhaps she even knows he's the one responsible for Lucy missing. Krissy is really messed up. It's breaking my heart how much Lucy wants Krissy to choose her over her brother but she won't.

Sigh. I love that Lucy was able to get a message to Krissy but I am so worried that Krissy will say it's just a lie and not believe Lucy because like Nicola said - he's her brother and she'll always believe him over her. Well damn Krissy sent the police over to Nicola's home and they searched her home and took her to the station to question. I don't blame either of them (Nicola & Lucy) for what they are doing or how they are feeling. Nicola wants to take down Kyle and Lucy wants revenge and it's almost like the same thing in a way.

Is it normal to have sheep in a cemetery? Or is it only pet cemeteries that there's sheep? I like the idea but what would you do with all the sheep poop? Somehow I think it's really nice that there would be sheep walking around while you're visiting your pet or even a family member. Honestly don't know if it's a real thing.

The esteemed Colonel Cookie-D ough “Cookie” McQuinn. Lover of liver treats and belly rubs, sworn foe of vacuum cleaners everywhere, gentlest soul ever put in a spiky collar. He never learned to play dead, so when we saw him, we knew.

Seriously this made me tear up and also smile. So sweet but sad too. Just a book but animals just don't live long enough.

Finally Ginger is going to have some balls and do something. Of course it wasn't for Lucy or Nicola but about her unborn baby - whatever gets her to do something. Oh and of course he has already done this before. Not surprised.

I kept wondering why Nicola owns a cat door that she leaves unlocked when she doesn't own a cat.

I am so disappointed in the ending when Lucy was finally getting justice. It felt like the only way for her to get revenge was Kyle to do something stupid to get himself killed, but I was hoping for something more. Like maybe she was going to be able to jump into his body and kill him while she would finally be able to exit and go to her final death.

No Lucy can not just casually grab a bag of cement. Is she suddenly so strong? Before she couldn't even get out of an over turned car but now she's slinging cement around...At the end the end of the day she's made from not steel. It's probably zinc and zinc bends so easy. I went back and read the bookclub questions and now I have some more with how they got away with it when they didn't have an alibi?

I also love that Lucy somehow knows how to do the right amount cement and knows how to run a churning machine and is scooping it all in while be tiny. I do not like this ending. Sigh. Of all the things that have happened in this book this feels like the most ridiculous thing.


Am I missing something but the whole point of getting Ginger and Nicola out of the area was so they weren't pinged in this location but now they are both across the street from the construction site and Ginger is going to drive home her husband's car after they find out he is dead. This is absolutely insane.

Kyle tells Lucy where her body is "buried" and they all go out the next day to look for her. They find her with a shovel and then call the police saying they were walking and found it. Nicola tosses the shovel into the water too. I mean don't they realize that you can tell when something has used a shovel in the dirt even when it's wet? Not even counting how odd it's the girl accused of stalking someone and the wife of the man being stalked.

Ah and then weeks pass and they find out the skin under her nails is Kyle. Speaking of Kyle I guess no one found it odd that he just disappeared one night after an odd phone call came in for a fake shipment that never showed up. Plus a random hole that the construction crew filled that they probably had no paperwork for just happens to get filed that no one on the crew did.

So I guess we're just going to skim over how Ginger and Nicola found the body and no one questioned anything. No one finds it suspicious that these two people that are linked to Lucy managed to find her body after all these years? Nothing ever comes of that.

Ginger drinking when she's pregnant. Hmmmm.

So that's it... Ginger and Nicola are together and raising Rowan Ginger's son. Lucy learned she's a lesbian that is ace. Lucy is just going to stick around.

Final Thoughts:
It's like a violent version of Toy Story if their origin story was horrible.

This story was just so sad. I loved that the author was able to insert moments of humanity for Lucy into it and give her these times of normalcy despite the terrible circumstances

I don't feel like this book is horror just horrific so just know that going through that it's not typical horror but the things that happen in it are so horrific and absolutely terrible. This normal girl is having this moment where she lets her guard down to someone she feels is actually listening to her for them to turn around and violate that trust and use it against her is just so diabolical and disgusting and makes my heart bleed for her. As a woman we have all been in this position and sometimes it turns out okay and sometimes not okay. It's a good story and showing how women ignore that inner voice that says that something isn't right and to not go against your voice but you don't want to be rude so you give in to the other person's demands and ignore that voice.

I feel like once we got to the part where Lucy meets up with Kyle it was very rushed and there were so many plot holes. I just don't get it. I really thought I was going to get emotional at the end but the way things turned just seem so insane in an unrealistic doll story. It's like Nicola before was being accused of saying things from Lucy's perspective and the police came and took her downtown and searched her home, but suddenly Kyle ends up missing and then they find Lucy's body and the police don't care about this. It honestly just makes no sense to me. I wish that Lucy and Kyle would have gotten into this confrontation and she would have found out she could possess his body and then they were fighting for control of his body and fell into the hole I mean something interesting. I feel like there's no way she would have the strength to be able to do what she does to kill him. At the end of the day it's cheap metal that's from a toy. No one's making a toy of high quality steel. Like I said I read the bookclub questions and I think it makes me have more questions about how they got away with it.

God the ending so disappointing. This was going to be a 5 star read but now I have to drop it to 3 stars.

IG | Blog

Thanks to Netgalley and Bindery Books for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[liz]

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.

[❁lilith❁]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.
____________

I imagine this will get dated eventually, but a lot of the humour in here did actually work for me. It was exaggerated, obviously, but enough seemed like how real people would talk or act. I love a good revenge plot especially when it's actually committed to and not half done. Super readable book, and the perfect length. I loved our main character, Lucy, and how unapologetic she was in what she said and did. I was rooting for her from early on and I never stopped.

[The Morbid Mama ☠︎︎]

“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!!

[Maddi Harwood]

4.5⭐️ Solid thriller/horror that was so much fun. I’m always going to be sat and engaged for a good feminine-rage revenge tale. This one delivered exactly what I wanted.
Highly recommend this one if you’re not wanting something too scary but just slightly spooky!

[chasc.taylor_reads]

2.5 Stars ✨

Quite slow moving and not as much horror as I was anticipating. Interesting premise, but unfortunately the execution fell flat for me. Despite not being my favorite, this was something different and I’m glad I gave it a go. I picked this one up on a whim as my August 2026 Aardvark selection.

[Andrea]

Jaw dropped at the book club questions. SO GOOD.

[Niki]

(I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes. All opinions are my own)

During the first 25% or so, I wanted to DNF this book. The first description of Lucy finding herself in the doll is really well done (the confusion, the anger, time moving weirdly, all of it is really evocative), but everything else, up until she meets Nicola, is a slog.

The book picks up massively after that, but I'm gonna be honest: I expected a campier, sillier, more over the top execution of the idea. The book goes for a very "grounded in reality" one, with the characters contemplating being sent to jail and having to be sneaky with their smear campaign and the police knocking on their door at some point, etc etc. The silliest element of the book is Lucy driving around in a toy car, and I'd have liked more of that. Even the blurb promises to be silly ("Lucy will have to roll up her lacy little sleeves and teach him a lesson the old-fashioned way") and it just doesn't deliver. And neither does it deliver on the horror front. There's no horror to speak of here besides the initial murder and the climax.

I liked that the book ended up being centered around the female relationships rather than the killer (and yes, it all being just about revenge only *would* make it all about Kyle. The book itself lampshades this with a section about Kyle being hypothetically sent to prison and then having true crime podcasts about him, and having people send supportive letters to him, and all that weird stuff that's happened to actual, real life killers). I like that the women found solace in each other, I like that they weren't cookie-cutter perfect.

But, again, a hard-hitting character exploration wasn't exactly what I expected or wanted here, so I couldn't help but be a little disappointed. I know that I'm being unfair here, judging the book not by what it was but what I wanted it to be. But the end result remains, this book won't be very memorable to me.

[♡ Amanda Love ♡]

This was everything I was hoping it would be! I loved Lucy and Nicola and watching their friendship grow. I also loved how the funny moments were balanced with all the rage and heartbreak. Such a fun and emotional read!