The Dollhouse Academy

Reviews

Praise for The Dollhouse Academy

A Most Anticipated Book (Town & Country, Beyond the Bookends, BookBub)

“Consider this twisty novel dark academia meets the dark side of entertainment—with plenty of references to Hollywood's Golden Age and the studio system.”
—Town & Country

“Deliciously sensational…What could be more fun? As if the wives of Stepford went to the Valley of the Dolls.”
—Kirkus

“[A] frothy, 1990s-set thriller…Twisted fun…A darkly enjoyable takedown of the entertainment industry.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Blending elements of various familiar stories like Fame, The Stepford Wives, Valley of The Dolls, and Stranger Things, Montimore explores the tensions between celebrity and privacy, performance and reality, memory and inspiration. Fans…will appreciate this book's intrigue and ripped-from-the-headlines feel.”
—Booklist

“Montimore does it again! This time she sets her sights on female friendship, creating a protagonist we can’t help but feel for. Add in a shadowy entertainment school-slash-studio, a headmistress with a god complex, plus a star desperate to escape, and you have all the ingredients for an unputdownable novel. The Dollhouse Academy manages to be both dark and feel-good, a story that demands your attention.”
—Stephanie Wrobel, bestselling author of Darling Rose Gold and The Hitchcock Hotel

"Imagine the juiciest pop princess documentary crossed with the darkest David Lynch fever dream, and you’ll get some idea what Montimore’s smart, surreal new novel The Dollhouse Academy has in store. But as she masterfully shines a spotlight on everything from the costs of fame, to competitive female friendships, to the pleasures and perils of commodifying yourself, believe me: you have no idea where this wild ride is headed, and you’ll never look at your favorite celebs the same way again."
— Layne Fargo, author of They Never Learn and The Favorites

“The Dollhouse Academy will change the way you think about fame forever. Margarita Montimore’s wildly creative novel is a page-turner full of surprising twists, vivid details, and characters worth rooting for.”
—Laura Hankin, author of The Daydreams


Praise for Acts of Violet

“Imaginative…Is it what we say our story is or is it a culmination of experiences told by others? Or a mixture of both? ... Montimore’s novel is a combination of those questions, which the reader is left to contemplate long after the novel’s end.”
―USA Today

“Sign me up! Told through a podcast recounting the disappearance, the narration of Sasha, the younger sister, and various media pieces covering the life and times of Violet Volk, the infamous magician, Acts of Violet is a story of family, loss, love, and life that is magical in more than one way.”
―BookRiot (Best Books of the Year So Far)

“[Montimore] flexes her full creative prowess…Acts of Violet offers something for everyone. A quick read with irresistible charm, it's a comfort book in every sense of the word, blending mystery, science fiction and family drama to satisfy a craving you didn't quite know you had. In the end, you'll be left with the inkling that there might be some truth to magic after all.”
―BookPage

“Montimore puts on a master class…Acts of Violet offers fascinating insights into the world of professional magicians, and the novel describes many astounding tricks―both those that real-world magicians spend their whole careers perfecting and individualizing, and the fantastical, Violet-specific illusions that Montimore seems to have had great fun imagining.”
―BookReporter

“Montimore astonishes readers with her authorial sleight of hand in the twisty, genre-defying family drama…Reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid's Daisy Jones & the Six. Montimore packs in dazzling tricks, but the complex and enduring relationships between the sisters brings the real magic.”
―Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“Mesmerizing… Montimore achieves a thoughtful, panoramic portrait of larger-than-life Violet while underscoring Sasha’s pain as she tries to grieve under an unforgiving public eye. This spellbinding effort delivers its fair share of magic.”
―Publishers Weekly

“Fans of Nicole Baart and Kelly Harms will enjoy Sasha’s and Violet’s sisterly contrasts: the shared frustrations between a pragmatic people-pleaser and an audacious extrovert. Like an enthralling magic trick itself, Acts of Violet asks readers to suspend their disbelief and rewards them for the effort.”
―Booklist

“Montimore has written a layered story told in fragments of documents, emails, podcast transcripts, and narrated segments that jump through time, place, and voice. It’s a whirlwind of information and characters, much like a magic show with smoke, mirrors, and misdirection consuming the viewer’s attention before the final big reveal…A story of the lifetime bonds of sisterhood.”
―Kirkus

“A skillful blend of genres, from moving family drama and twisty thriller to insightful social commentary on fame, feminism, magic and media. Smart, suspenseful, and always tantalizing, Acts of Violet will be your perfect summer read.”
―Natalie Jenner, internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society

“Montimore has once again concocted a story that's wildly imaginative, wholly original, and clever as hell. This novel is as mischievous and mysterious as its magical protagonist―and yet, at its heart, a touchingly sincere look at the meaning of sisterly love.”
―Janelle Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Things

“Montimore brilliantly combines first person narrative, podcast transcripts, personal letters, and more to create a story that’s impossible to put down. Much like one of Violet’s magic tricks, you’ll find yourself in awe until the final reveal.”
―Kellye Garrett, Agatha, Anthony, and Lefty Award-winning author of Like a Sister

“Intricately woven and masterfully paced. I read the whole thing in forty-eight hours, so desperate was I to solve this hypnotic, striking mystery. This one is not to be missed.”
―Stephanie Wrobel, author of Darling Rose Gold

“Acts of Violet is pure magic. A deft execution that will satisfy any true crime junkie. It will leave you believing in the legend that is Violet Volk.”
―Roselle Kim, author of Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop

“What an original, stylistic story of what’s real and what isn’t. After all, that’s the allure of magic. The twists keep coming in this story that asks how well we actually know the ones closest to us. Once again, Montimore dazzles in a tale of fame, family, and forgiveness.”
―Nancy Johnson, author of The Kindest Lie