Holy moly! What a wonderful book from page one to the very last sentence. Although I do still think the drowning kind is still hands down my favorite from Jennifer I still really loved this one. Monsters are real :)) I give this book 4 stars!

Set in two time periods, this novel covers the 70's childhood of Vi, who lives with her brother and grandmother on the grounds of a well-regarded psychiatric hospital, which Gran helps to direct. Fast forward to 2019 and a woman named Lizzie who is famous for her book and podcasts about monsters. Lizzie travels to Vermont to investigate the disappearance of a young woman, whom rumors indicate was abducted by a monster. There are many unknowns to be uncovered regarding all of the characters, and some of the secrets are grounded in true Vermont history. The creepyness factor had just the right intensity to propel the plot, and the characters were complex enough to be both likeable and believable.

This was my first McMahon novel and I am so glad I have two others waiting on my shelf. I loved this book so much. The dual POV with the non linear timeline gave such a perfect setting for this plot. Reading snippets from an article as well as the Book of Monsters....just added into the mystery. I was questioning everything. I thought I had it figured out and then my jaw dropped. I was blown away. I loved the build up, the suspense, the incorporation of science and psychiatry as well as the complete and utter need to belong in a family. UGH. And the ending wrapped up perfectly with a little bit of open interpretation of just what happens next for the "children".

I really enjoyed this book! Just when you think you have everything figured out a major twist occurs, right down to the very last pages. The characters were really well developed and believable. Thanks for the opportunity to read, I'll be looking for more books from Jennifer McMahon.

“There are as many ways to make one as there are monsters.

But you must ask yourself: Who is the real monster? The creature being made, or the one creating it?”

THE CHILDREN ON THE HILL
Thank you, Jennifer McMahon, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book! It was just released on April 26th, 2022.

Jennifer McMahon is a master when it comes to horror and that continues in The Children on the Hill. in 1978, Vi lives with her Gran and brother, Eric. Gran is an important psychiatrist at Hillside Inn. Vi and Eric have their own monster club and when Gran brings home Iris, they are so excited to add another member to their club. But Iris is a mystery. She doesn’t remember her past and she bears some horrible scars. Vi is determined to find answers for her and those answers can only be found at the Hillside Inn. In 2019, Lizzy has a famous monster blog and podcast. After the events at Hillside Inn, she is determined to put her past behind her but there is one monster she must find in order to do that…

“But I thought fear was a good thing–the day I stopped being afraid and on guard was the day I let my defenses down. Fear kept me on my toes.”

THE CHILDREN ON THE HILL
This book needs to be added to your October TBR stat! Jennifer McMahon is the Queen of Horror. The eerie aesthetic is perfect throughout this book. It has monsters, unethical experimentation, and a historical asylum. It draws inspiration from Frankenstein and asks the question who are the real monsters?

These characters are magnificent and have so much depth. This book dives into how our minds react to trauma. What is really disturbing is the secret experiments that are conducted in the book. The goal is to erase memories to get rid of any “undesirable” behaviors in order to make sure only beneficial people remain in our society. It goes to show the true monsters are the ones who are trying to create monsters.

The twist in the book is fantastic and I am not going to lie when I say I wanted to watch a Monster Hunter episode after this book. It felt like Scooby-Doo…but for adults. I loved the dual timelines. Everything flowed perfectly! Overall, another win from Jennifer McMahon. 5 out of 5 stars!

A haunting mixture of mystery and horror - the character development in this book was amazing and even with jumping between time periods it really moved the story along. The chapters didn’t feel too long and I found myself needing to know what all of the secrets were. Also loved the multiple twists at the end!

This one kind of fell flat for me. I feel like the premise was good, but the execution didn't pan out. I liked the twist in the middle, but honestly, it got a lot less interesting to me after that. It was a bit formulaic and predictable. I also really didn't feel like the title fit the book well. The title really should have had the word "monster" in it because that word was way overused in the book.

How many times can you say "wait, what?" while reading a book? Well I know I exceeded that limit as I read this book. The basic story is about a woman who is a monster hunter by profession. She travels around the country following stories of monster sightings and tries to find out if they are real and if she can find the monster. The back story is about a medical facility (institution) that treats people with mental issues and the woman who runs the clinic. The doctor lives on the property with her 2 grandchildren (or are they?) and brings home another child to become part of the family. The monster hunter is one of the grandchildren. Or is she? Maybe? Maybe not? Anyway after a whole lot of "wait, what?' I finished the book and here I am writing the review. I so want to tell you more but that's against the rules of book reviewing. So I guess you will just have to read the book yourself. And get your "wait, what's" ready to go. I highly recommend this book.

The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon looks at the evil that comes from all the monsters we see daily. Dr. Helen Hildreth, a well known and revered psychiatrist, runs a sanitorium for the mentally ill in Vermont. She also is Gran to her two grandkids, Violet, and Eric, and they live next door to the treatment center, are homeschooled, and can interact with the patients there. The two of them have a deep fascination with monsters and even created their own Monster Club and authored the Book of Monsters. When Gran brings home a small, scared little girl to live with them, they are told to treat her as their sister. Years later, we meet Lizzy Shelly, a famous host of the podcast Monsters among us. She is on her way to Vermont after hearing about yet another missing girl who was abducted by a legendary monsther, Rattling Jane. Lizzy thinks this monster is from her past, and that it will never stop abducting girls until it catches HER! There is a reference to Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, but it’s more about three children and their fascination with monsters. I loved this book and give thanks to NetGalley and the Author and Publisher for my edition of this downright creepy novel!

This. Book. Is. Good.

You want a suspenseful, multiple POV, twisty, turny, creepy book? Well I found it for you.

This book follows two girls and a monster - that’s right - A MONSTER. We don’t hear a ton from the monster, but we hear enough to keep it interesting. Besides the monster, we hear from Vi, a 13 year old girl in the 1970’s and Lizzy, a 50 year old woman in 2019. Vi is living with her grandmother and her brother in the directors house at a mental institution in Vermont. They’re homeschooled and kept away from the other children in town. They’re smart kids and find ways to learn anything they can - about everything. One day, Gran brings home Iris, a girl Vi’s age, and asks Vi to get to know her; treat her like a sister. Since Vi always wanted a sister, this is a dream for her. Lizzy is a monster hunter. She has a podcast, a blog and has made a few TV appearances. She spends her time hunting down monsters, but she’s really looking for one specific monster - her sister.

This book is everywhere all at once. We have chapters from the ‘70’s setting the backstory along with chapters from 2019 telling current events. The little blurbs that allow us into the head of the monster are perfect. There’s a twist at the end that will shock you if you aren’t paying attention as well!

Do I recommend it? You bet your booty I do! If you’re into suspense with a creep factor, you should absolutely pick this up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 - rounded up as always!

In 1978, the acclaimed psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Hildrith, runs a treatment center in Vermont for those suffering from mental illness. She lives on the same property with her grandchildren, Vi and Eric, where she provides them with an idyllic home life. Vi and Eric have plenty of hobbies, but they are particularly interested in monsters. They enjoy sneaking into the drive-in movies to watch classic monster films, like Frankenstein. They have even formed their own Monster Club, where they research and catalogue all kinds of monsters. When Gran arrives home one day with Iris, a girl close to Vi's age, the Club receives its newest member. Iris, however, doesn't behave like a normal kid. She has no memory of her life before she came to live with the Hildriths and she doesn't speak. Vi begins to suspect that Iris may be more monster than monster hunter.

Fast forward to the present where Lizzy Shelley, the host of a popular podcast and TV show about searching for cryptids, is investigating the disappearances of several teenaged girls. They are presumed to be runaways, but the local kids have strange stories to tell about monsters the girls supposedly came in contact with before they disappeared for good. Despite what the skeptics say, Lizzy knows all too well that monsters are real because her own sister is one. She sets out on a dangerous hunt to uncover the truth behind the disappearances.

I never thought Jennifer McMahon would be able to write a book I loved more than The Drowning Kind, but she's done it! Lesser known fact about me-I have a secret interest in cryptozoology. I love to watch corny shows and read books about legendary monsters. While I am fascinated by people's reports of encounters with Bigfoot, the Mothman, etc., I believe that there's a reasonable scientific explanation behind them all. I connected with Vi's character immediately and I loved the smooth transitions between past and present. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, McMahon brought out the big twists! I loved the ending and cannot recommend this book enough. If you haven't read McMahon's work before, start with this one!

A big thanks to Netgalley, the author, and Gallery Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is my sixth book by Jennifer McMahon and it will not be my last. What I love about all her books is that they are all unique and very entertaining.

I love that the book bounces back and forth between the present, the past, the MC Lizzy, the Monster and the journal. It kept me guessing how things were going to transpire. I will say, I wish it didn't jump so quickly at times because it felt like the book took a little longer to read since you needed to get back into that new timeframe or person. Otherwise, it was great.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I've tried for YEARS to get one of Jennifer McMahon's books on NetGalley, and I was so lucky to finally get approved for this one! What an absolutely wonderful, spooky, fun, wild ride this book is. I've been a fan of Jennifer McMahon since I read The Winter People several years ago, but her books just keep getting better and better. I definitely didn't see the big twist at the end coming, or the even BIGGER twist. Wow. Rich characterization, skilled writing, and supreme storytelling make this a compelling novel and one of McMahon's best books yet!

The Children on the Hill, the latest from Jennifer McMahon, is a family story of sorts, but not of a family you would want to be a part of. It’s part historical mystery, part horror and part warped coming of age.

The story centers on Vi (Violet) and Eric Hildreth, grandchildren of the renowned Dr. Helen Hildreth who manages a medical facility known as The Inn, famous since the days of the Civil War for caring for terribly wounded people with psychological problems. Vi and Eric are orphaned and living with Gran who has her own idiosyncratic methods of child rearing and education. Both are bright and inquisitive. And they have a strong interest in monsters, both those on the screen and in books and those that they believe are around them in the world. A short way into the book, Gran brings home Iris from The Inn, to live with them and be part of their family.

The scene is now set for much to happen that I will not disclose. It’s far too easy to say too much. This is a novel that pulls you in, grabs your attention and doesn’t let go until the end, if then. The timeline shifts between 1978, when Vi and Iris are both about 13, to 2019, when adults are searching for monstrous people in Vermont. There is also a separate interim timeline that provides further history on The Inn and Dr. Hildreth and her family.

Though I did find the story very readable and interesting, at some point toward the end I found that I was becoming put off and not sure why. I’m still not sure but the feeling that came to mind was “distasteful.” Something about this dependence on the modern use of monsters and monster hunters to carry the novel bothered me. So 3.5* rating, rounded up.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed the back and forth of the past and present and liked seeing how Lizzy ended up where she did. However, reading about the past, Gran, Iris, and Violet were super creepy. I got bad vibes from the start and knew something was up with the way Gran found Iris.

The entire story felt very vague and I did feel like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I didn't understand why Iris was the way she was and then when the reveal happened, I was awe-struck. Also, when Lizzy is trying to find the monster that is capturing these women, I had a really hard time figuring out if she meant an actual monster.

That's what was so interesting to me... the line between supernatural and 'real' was completely blurred the entire time and as confusing as that was, it was also really different.

I loved McMahon's writing style and her storytelling. She kept things vague and close to the chest but was still able to tell a really cohesive story.

The stories within the book, the secrets that were held by Gran and others were horribly sad; it was a little disturbing at times and I wish things were further explained... it feels like some things were really left unsaid.

All of that aside, I still really enjoyed the book and I'm glad I read it. It was different, unique, and scary! If you're looking for something different, something to pull you out of a reading slump I highly recommend this one.

It's 1978. Violet and Eric spend their days wandering the property and area surrounding The Hillside Inn, a well-regarded psychiatric hospital where their grandmother provides care for the mentally ill. Their grandmother, Dr. Helen Hildreth, is a pioneer in the psychiatry field. One day, she brings home Iris and instructs the children to take care of her like a sister, but not to let anyone see her...

In 2019, Lizzy Shelley has tried to forget her upbringing in Vermont, even to the point of changing her name. She now hosts a popular podcast about monsters, and wanders the country chasing their stories. Heading back to Vermont for the first time since her childhood, Lizzy hopes to find the monster that's been chasing her for her entire life: her long-lost sister.

As is her formula, McMahon flips back and forth between past and present. Having a fascination with asylums, I especially loved the earlier parts where we learn about the childhood of Violet, Eric, and later Iris. The twist was rather surprising - and then the ending... Suffice it to say, there is a reason why I automatically put all the author's book on my TBR!

3.5/5 (rounded up)

Going into this, I had no idea The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon was a play on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, but I could definitely see the similarities as I read. I think it is pretty obvious if there is a "real" monster/supernatural being or not in this book, and it really does bring back the question of who the real monster is. The Winter People will seemingly be my favorite of McMahon's forever, and I keep waiting for one of her newer books to live up to it. Unfortunately, this one doesn't, but I really loved the end and that's what helped me enjoy this a bit more than her other more recent novels. When I see McMahon's name, I will always read her, and I am still excited for every new release. The Children on the Hill has an exceptional cover (very fitting), and a really great spooky, atmospheric feel throughout.

The audiobook is really wonderful and narrated by Erin Moon who I always enjoy listening to. There are a couple of different viewpoints as well as excerpts from a book the children write called The Book of Monsters, along with an article. Moon was great for every single part, and I loved how at times she makes you feel like you are listening to a whole other narrator. I highly recommend the audiobook, and it was great for keeping me engaged in the story. The Children on the Hill is told in the past and present, and the past is really focused on Vi's POV as a child. This is a huge part of the story so it in turn made a lot of this feel really juvenile to me, and I wish there had been an adult viewpoint or at least less of that time period overall. The end is truly what made this book for me, and I loved loved LOVED it. I will be interested to see where McMahon goes next in her writing, and I am still waiting for her to go back to her roots of super weird and creepy books.

Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Loved this book so much. I literally do not want to type too much to give anything away. All I will say is that you will be surprised!

secrets and mystery and twists OH MY! love JM and all the spooks she brings in each new story she puts out. i never know what to expect!

Overall this book was superb. The plot, pacing, and tone were perfect and kept me reading. I would have liked a little more character development, however, I know that could have interfered with the twist at the end.