Bad Dolls by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
**4.5-stars**
Bad Dolls is a collection of 4-short stories from Rachel Harrison, one of my new go-to Horror authors. I recently read Harrison’s October 2022-release, Such Sharp Teeth, and absolutely loved it.
After I finished, I thought, do I need to wait an entire year to get another new release from Harrison? If so, how sad. I checked out her author page and was delighted to discover this collection releasing Tuesday, December 6th.
Berkley came through for me and I was delighted to be able to check out this collection a little early.
For me the collection was perfectly arranged, with each story increasing my enjoyment level. The first story follows Jordan, who picks up a Magic 8-Ball for nostalgia’s sake at a flea market and it ends up influencing her life in big ways.
I enjoyed this story as a start to the collection. It didn’t knock my socks off, but was well-written and had an intriguing concept.
The second story follows Nat as she attends her best friend from childhood, Hailey’s, bachelorette party. Nat doesn’t really know any of the other women that well, as they are Hailey’s friends from college. It explores her feelings of exclusion and how friendships can change over time.
This one went in such an interesting direction that I wasn’t expecting. I enjoyed Nat’s narrative voice and love how this one ended.
The third story follows Meg, who decides to join her friend on a diet prior to attending her ex’s wedding. The women download an app called, Goblin, that is supposed to help them stick to their plan.
The exploration of body issues and struggling with an eating disorder was very well done. I loved the idea of the Goblin. It feels that way sometimes, doesn’t it?
I would throw a caution flag on this story for Readers who may be triggered by active eating disorders, or BDD.
Finally, the fourth, and my favorite story of the lot, follows Mackenzie, who moves back to her hometown following the death of her little sister, Audrey.
This story explores grief, guilt and regrets. Mackenzie rents an attic apartment and discovers a porcelain doll there. Things get weird, things get creepy and I absolutely loved it. This story for me was a perfect example of why I love Rachel Harrison’s work so much.
Overall, this is a great collection. I definitely recommend it for anyone who has enjoyed Harrison’s novels, or anyone who enjoys short-Horror in general.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. These stories are going to stick in my mind for a long time. Well done!