As I said before...Dang! I would actually give this 4.5 out of 5 stars. I received this as an ARC from the author. She warned me it was going to be dark and a bit scary, and having read many a scary book I wasn't bothered. I should say I wasn't bothered until I was reading, the house was quiet, the story got really moving and I kept hearing the "bumps" in the night! Instead of putting down until daylight, I hunkered in and kept on going, because this was a glorious carnival ride of fun!The setting is Australia, Barrington Tops, New South Wales. Think lush forests and lots of water. A group of friends get together and work on a school project that should best their peers efforts. One goes missing, one gets fingers pointed at him, and two don't know which way is up or down. They all end up, some months later, back out in the forest looking for her. Now this is where things get creepy. I really don't want to say too much because I don't want to give the story away, but the creepy carnival feel comes out in full effect. Supersize dolls that move on their own, painted doll faces, oversize furniture, underground rooms, missing girls, dark rooms, and paranormal creepiness. The ending will have your jaw dropping too. This is book one in the Doll House trilogy, which is interesting, because this book could work as a standalone. I can't wait to see where the author, Anya Allyn, goes with her story. For more information, check out the Doll House website at dollhousetrilogy.com.
