The Dollhouse Academy

From the NATIONAL BESTSELLING author of GMA Book Club Pick OONA OUT OF ORDER, a novel about two best friends and aspiring actresses who join the Dollhouse Academy, where stars are made and dangerous secrets are hidden

"Deliciously sensational...What could be more fun? As if the wives of Stepford went to the Valley of the Dolls." --Kirkus

Ivy Gordon is living on borrowed time. For the past eighteen years, she has been the most famous star at the Dollhouse Academy, the elite boarding school and talent incubator that every aspiring performer dreams of attending. But now, at age thirty-four, she is tired of pretending everything is fine. In secret diary entries, Ivy begins to reveal the truth of her life at the Dollhouse: strange medical exams, mysterious supplements, and something unspeakable that's left Ivy terrified and feeling like a prisoner.

Ramona Halloway and her best friend, Grace Ludlow, grew up idolizing Ivy. Now both twenty-two, neither has made much headway in showbiz until a lucky break grants them entry to the Dollhouse. They're enchanted by the picturesque campus and the chance to perform alongside their idols. When Ramona begins to receive threatening anonymous messages, it's easy to dismiss them as a prank from a rival. Her bigger concern is Grace's skyrocketing success, while Ramona struggles to keep up with the fierce competition. As the messages grow more unsettling, so does life at the Dollhouse. Can Ramona overcome her jealousy and resentment to figure out what's really going on? Will Ivy finally find her voice, before another young performer follows her catastrophic path?

With dark academia twists and enormous heart, The Dollhouse Academy is a novel about the complexities of friendship, our desire to be seen and understood, and the true cost of making our dreams a reality.

Author: Margarita Montimore
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Published: 02/11/2025
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.08lbs
Size: 9.41h x 6.59w x 1.06d
ISBN: 9781250320650


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 09/01/2024 pg. 2
Publishers Weekly 11/18/2024
Booklist 12/01/2024 pg. 103
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2025
Shelf Awareness 02/07/2025

About the Author
Margarita Montimore is the author of The Dollhouse Academy, Acts of Violet, Asleep from Day, and Oona Out of Order, which was a USA Today bestseller and Good Morning America Book Club pick. After receiving a BFA in creative writing from Emerson College, she worked for more than a decade in publishing and social media before deciding to focus on the writing dream full-time. Born in Soviet Ukraine and raised in Brooklyn, she currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and dog.