The Dollmakers.

"The Dollmakers" by Lynn Buchanan is an inventive but uneven debut novel set in a world plagued by ravenous monsters called the Shod. The protagonist, Shean, is an orphan who has dedicated her life to creating sentient dolls to fight against the monsters. However, when she is told her dolls are better suited for art than combat, she sets out to prove her worth. While the premise and character development are satisfying, the story is slowed down by the introduction of new lore and characters who pause during action sequences to reflect. Despite its flaws, fans of empowering feminist fantasy will find "The Dollmakers" worth exploring. [Extracted from the article]