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lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Such an awesome book! Loved their brand of magic, and how the world worked, though there was some very bad uses of it! And a lot of examples of superiority, and treating those that were considered lower, badly! And complicated relationships and lies and secrets! Can't wait for the next book!
lyzette_sotero's review against another edition
3.0
I started this book without reading the synopsis. What shocked me was it's witchcraft and magic and is fairly odd than the books i've read in the past. They use herbs and i've always thought that was unusual. This book is a dark spin-off of the novel Garden Spells, just more intriguing and intense. The climax and twist didn't shock me though, aside from the Arelia and Glory history. It's also nice that they focused more on the history than Caleb and Eveny's romance, it would have been a cliché if that's the case. Aside from that, it's in between of a fast and a slow paced book but there's an expectation towards the end that it's definitely a series. I say, if you love witchcraft and magic, this is a good novel for you.
elsemma's review
2.0
Overview
Here's the thing, I really wanted to like this book. The premise isn't bad the execution however isn't great. It was brought down several notches from cool to hot mess throughout the book. There were way too many descriptions of clothing, nothing concrete when it came to the magic, the major "bad guys" were done away with so quickly and seemed secondary to the story of the girls being pretty, rich and popular and there was just so much more going on that was ever mentioned in the book. There was promise, the secret society, the idea of a traitor, the secrets held in this little town and some of that kept me going but by the end it fell flat.
oh and also "light skinned black boy" like really?? Did that need to be there - just say black. It felt like it was a I made him black but not too black don't worry. Which backfired because the whole way through I was imagining a young Idris Elba and it was great.
I also really liked the snake - it didn't do much of anything but I like snakes.
Here's the thing, I really wanted to like this book. The premise isn't bad the execution however isn't great. It was brought down several notches from cool to hot mess throughout the book. There were way too many descriptions of clothing, nothing concrete when it came to the magic, the major "bad guys" were done away with so quickly and seemed secondary to the story of the girls being pretty, rich and popular and there was just so much more going on that was ever mentioned in the book. There was promise, the secret society, the idea of a traitor, the secrets held in this little town and some of that kept me going but by the end it fell flat.
oh and also "light skinned black boy" like really?? Did that need to be there - just say black. It felt like it was a I made him black but not too black don't worry. Which backfired because the whole way through I was imagining a young Idris Elba and it was great.
I also really liked the snake - it didn't do much of anything but I like snakes.
ozgeerdurrr1's review
2.0
Started reading today and I don't really have much to say... good book, the plot and plot twists need some work. I feel like with the death scenes and the villains in this story need more ambition and cruelty and better reasons that could make the story a lot more better. Right now I feel like it's a secondary school kind of read and this book could have been so so much better.
I'm kind of dissapointed with how it turned out to be honest. The mystery should be more deeper and the supposed lies and secrets should me more wilder in sorts.
Overall it just needs some more work that could improve the story greatly however it was still a good read.
I'm kind of dissapointed with how it turned out to be honest. The mystery should be more deeper and the supposed lies and secrets should me more wilder in sorts.
Overall it just needs some more work that could improve the story greatly however it was still a good read.
taegibee's review
1.0
Really engaging beginning, but the insta-love was unbearable, the characters unlikeable and the plot totally predictable!
kaylin830's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I read this book in high school, forgot the name of the book and could only remember what it was about. I had to go on a HUNT for it and now I have my own copy. The point of this is that this book is spectacular. It stays with you no matter what because the world that Sullivan wrote is phenomenal. This also is a book that contains a “I love you but we can’t be together because of ____.” Storyline and it is a SLOOOOWWW burn.
authorheatherw's review against another edition
3.0
This is definitely a guilty pleasure book. If you’re looking for a book that allows you to shut off your brain and just go with it, then I highly recommend The Dolls. Most of the characters are shallow and the main character has a few too stupid to live moments, but I enjoyed the book well enough. There’s a lot of materialism in the book and I think another reviewer who called the novel Mean Girls with magic was right on. The romance felt forced at first, but ended up growing on me more as the story progressed. I’d say if you’re in the mood for a candy-like read for YAs, then pick up The Dolls.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!
kristangrace's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun easy read and I flew through it, I definitely had problems with it. Especially with the whole focus and constant descriptions on the beauty, wealth and popularity of everything and everyone.
I also guessed the big who dunnit twist and other this too but otherwise I was relatively, pleasantly surprised with how this book turned out and enjoyed it for what it was to me, I wasn't going into this story thinking it was going to be amazingly different and unique which in its own way it was but I wasn't thinking it was go into challenge my thinking or anything like that, I went into it knowing it was going to be a little cheesy and cliche, easy and fast paced.
In a review this was said to be kind of like mean girls and the dolls were the mean girls and I agree but I liked how to me like with mean girls I could see in some deep place that they weren't that bad, it's all about nature and nurture and how they grew up, but I could see some glimpses of good, scared girls in them. And I enjoyed that.
I hope to see more of Liv in the next book and max I enjoyed here characters even with how little they were involved and Justin was interesting too. Honestly I actually enjoyed all the side characters you love to hate them or at least I did haha. And the main characters I like too but I wasn't in love with any of them or the relationships and romance but I enjoyed them and had fun and that's fine with me.
Yeah I didn't relate with the characters or fall in love with the love interest (but I did like him he just needed more development, they all did really.) and it wasn't that action packed which I honestly think they could've done more with all of that and the killing instead of making it about the dolls and shallow stuff. I didn't though see the need for the love triangle that kinda annoyed me even though you could hardly call it a love triangle really and the insta love was a little too insta and unexplained for me sometimes I can enjoy insta love when it has an explanation or it just works but this I thought was too insta lovey for me. And the whole forbidden thing with the relationship I enjoyed and they could've played with that more to make me believe the Insta love or to just make the love transition a little more easily and smoothly and slower. It needed more tension more something.
(((((((((Possible spoiler? Although I don't think that it is)))))))))). Don't get me started on the bloody love triangle in the next book, I read on the blurb and was like no eff off you had one here and forbidden love and Insta love how many bloody troupes are you going to use!!! Please stop now!! :| ((((((((See that wasn't a spoiler right?.... RIGHT?!!)))))))))). No it definitely was not, it's just an insider scoop and may make you not want to read the book but give it a shot if you want haha.
The plot and characters could've used some flushing out and development as a whole though.
Overall it was a fun read, so don't go in it expecting some completely new and spectacular that makes you think and dissect because it not and you won't enjoy it for what it is a easy fun read.
I also guessed the big who dunnit twist and other this too but otherwise I was relatively, pleasantly surprised with how this book turned out and enjoyed it for what it was to me, I wasn't going into this story thinking it was going to be amazingly different and unique which in its own way it was but I wasn't thinking it was go into challenge my thinking or anything like that, I went into it knowing it was going to be a little cheesy and cliche, easy and fast paced.
In a review this was said to be kind of like mean girls and the dolls were the mean girls and I agree but I liked how to me like with mean girls I could see in some deep place that they weren't that bad, it's all about nature and nurture and how they grew up, but I could see some glimpses of good, scared girls in them. And I enjoyed that.
I hope to see more of Liv in the next book and max I enjoyed here characters even with how little they were involved and Justin was interesting too. Honestly I actually enjoyed all the side characters you love to hate them or at least I did haha. And the main characters I like too but I wasn't in love with any of them or the relationships and romance but I enjoyed them and had fun and that's fine with me.
Yeah I didn't relate with the characters or fall in love with the love interest (but I did like him he just needed more development, they all did really.) and it wasn't that action packed which I honestly think they could've done more with all of that and the killing instead of making it about the dolls and shallow stuff. I didn't though see the need for the love triangle that kinda annoyed me even though you could hardly call it a love triangle really and the insta love was a little too insta and unexplained for me sometimes I can enjoy insta love when it has an explanation or it just works but this I thought was too insta lovey for me. And the whole forbidden thing with the relationship I enjoyed and they could've played with that more to make me believe the Insta love or to just make the love transition a little more easily and smoothly and slower. It needed more tension more something.
(((((((((Possible spoiler? Although I don't think that it is)))))))))). Don't get me started on the bloody love triangle in the next book, I read on the blurb and was like no eff off you had one here and forbidden love and Insta love how many bloody troupes are you going to use!!! Please stop now!! :| ((((((((See that wasn't a spoiler right?.... RIGHT?!!)))))))))). No it definitely was not, it's just an insider scoop and may make you not want to read the book but give it a shot if you want haha.
The plot and characters could've used some flushing out and development as a whole though.
Overall it was a fun read, so don't go in it expecting some completely new and spectacular that makes you think and dissect because it not and you won't enjoy it for what it is a easy fun read.
buchzumkaffee's review against another edition
3.0
It's not as bad as most reviews say. Ok, it's terribly predictable and the romance part a little it obnoxious and annoying. But I really liked Eveny and the dolls. Peregrine is the best mean girl since Regina George. And the book would be so much better if it would have been written in her perspective.
But it's okay. And the story could become good in the next book or the one after that. The Dolls is a pleasant read but definitely no literature.
But it's okay. And the story could become good in the next book or the one after that. The Dolls is a pleasant read but definitely no literature.