Review: Broken Dolls by Tyrolin Puxty

From Goodreads:
Ella doesn't remember what it's like to be human; after all, she's lived as a doll for thirty years. She forgets what it's like to taste, to breathe...to love.

She watches the professor create other dolls, but they don't seem to hang around for long. His most recent creation is Lisa, a sly goth. Ella doesn't like Lisa. How could she, when Lisa keeps trying to destroy her?

Ella likes the professor's granddaughter though, even if she is dying. It's too bad the professor wants to turn Gabby into a doll, depriving her of an education...depriving her of life.

With time running out and mad dolls on the rampage, Ella questions her very existence as she unearths the secrets buried in her past; secrets that will decide whether Gabby will befall the same fate... 


My Thoughts:
It's fitting I'd finish reading Broken Dolls the day before the sequel releases (Shattered Girls is now available) It's kind of great because it means technically I don't need to wait for the sequel, except I have a massive line up of reading material I need to see to first.
But anyway, Broken Dolls follows Ella, a little ballerina doll who lives in "the professor's" attic. She's lived there for so long she can't remember anything else, and she certainly can't remember her human life. Until Lisa becomes a doll with her, and raises endless questions for her.
This story holds great mystery throughout, and I learned to love sweet little Gabby, and wanted to know what was going on as much as Ella. But the truth... it broke my heart. I can't say too much or it will spoil the story, but in the end I felt terrible for the professor and really resented Ella.
The story is very engaging and surprising, well written and easy to follow without being predictable. I highly recommend this book.