(This review can also be found on my blog The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl).

Wow, wow, wow! I finished this book in less than 12 hours!! Yes, it was so good. Okay, yeah, I had won this book from a blog comp some time last year, and it had just been sitting on my shelf for awhile. I'm so glad that I decided to read it.

Grace Doll is Rufus Solomon's creation. He is a big movie director who has made her what she is. She should be thankful, right? Not so because Rufus has taken away her freedom. She has no family to turn to. One night, Rufus decides to give Grace the gift of immortality, a gift that Grace doesn't want. Luckily, Grace's friends help her escape from the clutches of Rufus, but Rufus is always just around the corner.

I think the title of Grace Doll is a cute one. I would say it more than suits the book because it's about Grace.

The cover of Grace Doll is what first caught my attention when I saw this book. I liked the way it was designed. Plus, it fits in with the book as the chair Grace is sitting in is mentioned in the book. I also like the way the photo of Grace is within a film strip.

The world building was a little bit weak. I found it hard to believe that a side effect of the whole eternal youth thing was that Grace would go crazy sexually from the touch of a man she was attracted to. That was what really bothered me. Also, I like the way there are photographs of Grace throughout the book, but, the girl in the photos is not drop dead gorgeous like as described in the book. Apparently, wherever Grace went, men and women alike would stare at her because of her beauty. The photos of the girl in the book look just like a plain looking girl. There's nothing special. I mean, the girl is cute, but she's not drop dead beautiful. Another thing that annoyed me about the world building was the fact that Grace kept saying how she was stuck in the mind set of a 17 year old girl. However, the treatment she had allowed her to keep her beautiful, youthful appearance. It didn't mess with her mind. You would think that after she's been alive for over 80 years, she'd act a bit more grown up than a 17 year old girl. There's also the dreaded insta-love happening. It's called lust, not love!!! You can't just instantly fall in love with someone you've just met. You have to get to know them first!

I absolutely thought the pacing was fantabulous! I would've read the book in one sitting if I wouldn't have had to cook dinner. I totally devoured this book, and I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen in the next chapter even before I finished the chapter I was on.

I did love all the characters in this book! I felt so bad for how Rufus treated Grace. I was constantly wishing bad things to happen to Rufus. I did like how Grace and Brenden didn't trust each other to begin with and how the author played that out between them. I did wish we got to know a bit more about Jonathon though.

The dialogue was interesting and worked for the ages of the characters for the most part. There were some times that I was thinking that Brenden spoke like an older person, not like someone who is 18 years old. However, the dialogue between the characters did flow quite well. I did enjoy reading the book from both Grace's and Brenden's point of view. It was interesting to see what each character was thinking and feeling. As for swear words, I only counted one, and it wasn't a bad one either.

Grace Doll by Jennifer Laurens is a fun and fast read that will leave its readers feeling breathless and wanting more but in a good way. The world building does take away some from the book, but overall, this book is highly enjoyable.

I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 15 that's looking for something lighthearted and interesting to read. ( )

I love the idea of immortality and eternal youth. Pair that with my other obsessions; Hollywood and unhealthy relationships and you have "Grace Doll." When I read all that Grace had been through with Rufus, I couldn't help but want my own revenge. He is simply the WORST. As I learned more about him and his sick obsession with Grace I couldn't help but hope that she would have her own "Enough" moment.

This book isn't all about the unhealthy relationship brought to you via Rufus. It's also about a new relationship. . . maybe that stranger on her doorstep has something to do with that?

I loved how many twists and turns were found among the pages of "Grace Doll." It definitely kept me on my toes! This was a quick read for me because I did find myself wanting Grace to find the freedom she has craved for decades. I would suggest picking up this novel if you are looking for a quick weekend read. You will probably not be all that interested in putting it down so a weekend is key.

My only issue was with the romance. It just felt unreal to me and I didn't buy it. The rushing of that made the timing of the book feel rushed as well. ( )

Hmm... so overall I did enjoy this book. The suspense was quite palpable and I liked how the story was told from two points of view. However, I feel like I still have a lot of questions about the characters and certain scenes and I'm not completely satisfied with the ending. But it was a decent read. :) ( )

This book started off quite well and I was quickly absorbed into the 1949 setting and captivated by Grace Doll's life. Unfortunately for me, those first few chapters were only setting the stage for a story that takes place in present day with Grace Doll's past catching up to her.

While the idea of immortality may seem appealing I never connected with the current characters, circumstances, or felt the romance. For me, this would have been an excellent historical romance/thriller if it had stayed in the same context and setting of 1949 and told her story from there. I felt Grace's fear and circumstances in those first chapters. When things moved to present day the story didn't feel the same for me. It was an abrupt change that I never quite invested in.

All in all this was an interesting idea but as is, it fell a bit flat for me. However the characters and story taking place in the first few chapters still stick with me. I would really have liked to have kept that momentum and interest level throughout. ( )

Everything I've read by Jennifer Laurens I have really liked. Grace Doll is no exception. From the first page I was sucked into the story. Grace Doll is a young starlet back when Hollywood was more glamorous. She's married to successful movie producer, Rufus Solomon. Rufus is controlling, manipulative, and abusive to Grace. Grace longs for a way to escape her nightmare of a life. When the opportunity presents itself, she takes it. She manages to live in peace for years, but that ends the day that her long-time friend's son shows up at her door. It's the day she'd been dreading and waiting for. Brenden has the secret that his father has kept safe, and now Grace must decide how she's going to use it.
The book has some cringe-worthy scenes in it. Rufus is evil. I can't think of any other way to describe him. I kept thinking 'I hope he gets his comeuppance, and I hope it hurts!' Evil Rufus will not stop at nothing to get Grace back. I truly felt sorry for Grace. She is kind, gentle, and clever. She desperately wants to start a new life away from Rufus. Brenden is angry with his father, Jonathan. His whole life his dad has been absent from his life. Brenden doesn't like Grace for the simple fact that she took his father away from him. However getting to know Grace helps him understand his father in a way that he didn't before. Jennifer Laurens has this brilliant way of writing characters that stir up emotions. Good and bad.
The story line is good. It deals with obsession, love, and forgiveness. Grace Doll is definitely an unputdownable type of book. I couldn't rest until I knew how it was going to end. Once again Jennifer Laurens has blown me away with this latest book. This is a book and an author that I would strongly recommend. ( )