Well now, if that wasn't a journey and a half. I finished this book with one of the strongest cases of whiplash that a book can give.

I don't want to elaborate on that too much because frankly, this book is best with knowing as little as possible going in. But the setting, the different points of historical telling, the gothic Inn with a history as rich and storied as one could want, the play that becomes not play -- just wow.

This is my first Jennifer McMahon book but I'll be seeking her out in the future. What a great ride this story was.

🔥 A R C • R E V I E W 🔥
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Title: The Children On The Hill
Author: Jennifer McMahon
Rating: 5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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“Here’s why the world needs monsters. Because they are us an we are them. Don’t we all have a little monster hiding inside of us? A little darkness we don’t want people to see? The shadow self. The little voice that tells you to go ahead and eat that last cookie, or the whole plate of them, maybe. And doesn’t it feel good when you lose it, really lose it and rip things up, punch a hole in the wall, smash a bunch of bottles to smithereens? That’s your monster self coming out. The world needs monsters. And monsters need us.”
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Looking for a good horror recommendation? Look no further - this book was awesome. It’s been quite a few years since I read anything by Jennifer McMahon and I was very surprised with how much I enjoyed this one. This story is told from many points of view and time periods - Lizzy (present day), Vi (1978), The Monster (1980), A documentary from 1980 and The Book Of Monsters; don’t worry though, even with all of the points of views and timelines, its super easy to follow. Each point of view gives a different piece of the story in its own way that was so unique that it captured me right from the start.
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I seriously fell in love with this super eerie story and its characters. I really felt connected to them. I loved the entire mystery surrounding the missing girls, and I really loved the entire mental institution aspect. I couldn’t for the life of me have ever figured out that twist ending but it was absolute perfection. This one will be sticking with me for a while. From start to finish I couldn’t put this one down and I loved every aspect of this book.
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This one comes out April 26th, be sure to pick this one up, its one hell of a ride.
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Huge thank you to @netgalley for this eArc in exchange for an honest review.
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#netgalley #netgalleyearcreview #thehillsideinn #thehelpinghandofgod #thebookofmonsters #themonster #multiplepointofview #multipletimeline #thepastmeetsthepresent #thechildrenonthehill #jennifermcmahon #gallerybooks

I was so excited to receive the arc of The Children on the Hill from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I love Jennifer McMahon and I knew this would be a great read.

This story is told in alternating timelines between 1978 and the present day. In 1978 we read about Violet and Eric, the grandchildren of Dr. Hildreth. Iris and Eric grow up with their grandmother in a house in Vermont that is next door to the psychological treatment center run by Dr. Hildreth. Violet and Eric are precocious children. They are homeschooled, loved animals, and are obsessed with monster hunting. Dr. Hildreth brings home another child, Iris, who doesn't speak or remember where she is from. Despite her quirks, Violet and Eric quickly accept her and Iris starts to open up.

In the present day, Lizzy Shelley is operating under a new alias after growing up with Dr. Hildreth. Shelly runs a popular monster hunting podcast. When she hears about monsters hunting young girls, she rushes to investigate in Vermont because she fears a connection from her childhood.

I loved the alternating timelines, which really helped the story to keep moving. I know people are saying there's a twist, but I'm not sure which they mean because this book was sooo twisty! Its full of surprises in all the right ways for a suspense novel. Pick this one up when you can!

Woop woop crazeeee good! Ok y’all this was not what I expected at all, and I say that in the best way. Don’t expect an ordinary run of the mill thriller here, it’s far from it. Instead I was blindsided by the events that unfolded and then how the girls transformations switched.. then asking myself, which is the monster? Or better yet.. let’s take a closer look at the grandmother yikes! Nothing is at it seems, so if you try to guess what’s to come, I bet you’re wrong. You’ll certainly be surprised, I was. After all, it is inspired by Frankenstein.

*Much thanks to Gallery Books via NetGalley for kindly approving an arc for my honest opinion!

The Children On The Hill, by Jennifer McMahon

Short Take: I will take back what I said about reboots. Some of them, anyway.

(*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*)

Hello Duckies!! It’s my least favorite month, and the weather is giving me whiplash. Can Mother Nature just make up her mind? Or at least keep all the seasons in the months to which they are assigned? We’ve had 50-degree fluctuations in either direction more than once in the last couple of weeks, and I’m over it.

Things I’m also over: Every single movie in the theaters (and far too many books) being a reboot, retelling, reimagining, sequel, prequel, or any part of a pre-existing cinematic universe. I’ve spent the last few years railing at the lack of new stories in entertainment. How many times, how many ways, can you keep telling the same tale? Glamming it up, making it sexy or edgy or gritty doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s just a retread of a path someone else has already broken.

Until this one.

In The Children On The Hill, we are introduced to Violet and Eric, siblings being raised by their loving grandmother who also just happens to run a cutting-edge psychiatric institution in the late 70’s. One day Gran adopts Iris, a former patient the same age as Violet. Iris has no memory, can barely speak, and is sporting some seriously gnarly scars.

Violet immediately takes to Iris, and vows to help her recover her memories. Would it shock anyone to learn that Violet uncovers a whole lot more?

We also get to hang out with a present-day monster hunting podcaster, and even spend a bit of time with a present-day monster.

My sweet nerdlings, there’s so much to this book. The 1978 chapters are perfection (seriously, EVERYBODY smoked back then), and the characters and pacing are fantastic. There was one major twist that I figured out pretty early on, but that’s likely just because my brain is a jerk who likes to ruin things for me. However, I did not see the final reveal coming, and it was chef’s kiss material for sure.

I also love the way Ms. McMahon didn’t do a straight copy-paste of the monster’s creation from the original book. She managed to incorporate a whole lot of modern-day, real-life scary stuff in ways that have made an old story feel fresh and new.

But seriously, can we cool it with all the other reboots?

The Nerd’s Rating: FIVE HAPPY NEURONS (and some orange Tang. Do they even make that stuff anymore?)

This ode to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein hits the spot! Jennifer McMahon turns Shelley’s original question of “Who’s the real Monster?” into a thriller with multiple timelines and brings it into the present with talks of podcasts and small home living. The plot is so well thought out with great characters that translate well between the two timelines (now and when they were children). And the reader never spends too long in one timeline before it switches to the other.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and it will be perfect in October for a spooky seasonal read. Unfortunately, I was able to figure out one of the major twists about halfway through and while it didn’t ruin the story for me, I was bummed at myself. I thought another main twist was clunky and didn’t match some of the previous actions very well. But overall I would absolutely recommend this book, especially to Mary Shelley fans!
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley!

I don’t even know what to say about this one. Monsters live among us and come in all forms. McMahon is truly a master at incorporating the supernatural creep factor into all of her tales

McMahon is one of my auto buy authors! I typically prefer her books on audio (just adds to the spooky factor in my opinion) but I won’t turn anything down. If you love old monster movies, this book is for you.

This book really dives into what IS a monster, because they can be all around us. I loved how the story goes back and forth between past and present, revealing twists along the way. Not as much supernatural-ness as her past books, but perfect build up and absolutely loved the ending.


Thank you @netgalley @gallerybooks for this advanced copy!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I’ve been a Jennifer McMahon fan for a while, so I was excited to read her latest book. Creepy, but engaging. Eerie with all the “midnight society” vibes you could ask for. And as someone who is a true crime podcast junkie, that aspect truly was a unique touch for me. I absolutely loved this one!

Jennifer McMahon doesn’t disappoint in her latest from Scout Press.

A phenomenal book that I devoured in just a few days, this is a book that I will go back and reread, and here’s three reasons why.

The characters are well written and easy to connect with. Violet and Eric welcome Iris into their little family as children living with their Gran and it feels totally natural. We then see how the three of them have evolved and grown and were shaped by the horrific events of their childhood, that are revealed to the reader via well-timed flashbacks.

The pacing of the story and the use of flashbacks is absolutely perfect. Information is leaked out to the reader in the present day and through recall of the past in a a way that keeps you engaged. The chapters are relatively short and Jennifer masterfully guides you through the known and the unknown as the story progresses.

There are a multitude of massive plot twists in this book and they leave you second-guessing what you have read. I can only compare it the first time that I watched The Sixth Sense. There are elements of this book that so abruptly change course that it almost makes it difficult to remember what is actually taking place.

This is an incredible addition to the the work that Jennifer McMahon has already given us, and I believe that many will find it to be one of her finest.

This was my first McMahon novel and definitely won't be my last. It was perfectly creepy and twisty and I couldn't seem to put it down. I know some of our patrons will love it, so I've just ordered a couple of copies for the library. Thanks!

Another fantastic horror novel from Jennifer McMahon! I think this one might be the best one yet. Suspenseful from beginning to end and simply unputdownable!

Jennifer McMahon is in my opinion the queen of creepily crafted storytelling and The Children on the Hill is just her latest in a long list of horrifyingly suspenseful twisty novels.

In 1978 Violet and her brother Eric seemed to be living a quiet, happy life with their grandmother (Gran), a psychiatrist and Director of a psychiatric facility in Vermont. Dr. Helen Hildreth, although busy with work and her research always made time for her grandchildren. They had homecooked meals, homeschooled and rode everywhere on their bikes, including the drive-in movies. Their memories of their grandmother include her favorite gin, her cigarettes and her lighter.

Then one day Gran introduces them to another child, about their age named Iris. Iris does not speak, looks dirty and wears a cap she refuses to take off. She seems to be unable to do the simplest things. But as Iris spends more time with Violet and Eric, she begins to become more comfortable, even beginning to speak to them. Gran pulls Violet aside and asks her to be her eyes and ears on Iris’s progressions. Violet feels very important.

As the days go by, Violet and Eric invite Iris to join their monster club. Both have always been fascinated with monsters and hunt them around their property endlessly. Their favorite drive-in movie choices are always those in which monsters appear, Frankenstein being their absolute favorite. They are so sure monsters exist they write a book about them and keep it in their secret clubhouse. They are awaiting their first sighting of a monster eagerly.

As Iris and Violet begin to become close, Violet begins to feel Iris is her sister. As Iris starts to open up to Violet about her unusual memory loss such as not knowing her last name, Violet begins to question where Iris actually came from. She begins to doubt her Gran’s story.

Jump ahead to 2019 when a woman named Lizzy Shelley, the host of a podcast called Monsters Among Us who travels the United States in search of monsters. She is headed to Vermont to look into the disappearance of a young teenager who the locals believe was taken by a mysterious woman called Rattling Jane, notorious for taking young women. Lizzy knows from her searches of monsters that this type of disappearance has occurred in a few other states, and she is trying to figure out who is behind the vanishings. These young women have never been seen again.

But Lizzy thinks she knows who the monster really is, although she can’t prove it. But that is why she is here in Vermont, to hopefully find the missing girl before she disappears forever and put an end to this monster. This particular monster has haunted Lizzy since her childhood. This monster, she knows, is her sister.

The Children on the Hill is a terrifying acknowledgement to Mary Shelley’s masterpiece, Frankenstein. Included in the story are Easter eggs from Shelley’s own monster book scattered throughout the story. The novel is suspenseful and intriguing and will keep the reader up late into the night, but if you are up late, be careful of the monsters!

Thank you #NetGalley #Gallery/ScoutPress #JenniferMcMahon #TheChildrenontheHill for the advanced copy.

The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon is a much different kind of book than I usually read! It is a well written novel told in dual timelines. This story is inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and it has been a long time since I read that one! This is a very suspenseful book , almost creepy that will make your head spin! It has a heart pounding plot that deals with monsters. It was the suspense and horror that captivated me to turn the pages. If you like scary horror books then this is the one for you! I am definitely going to read more from this genre.

That youNetGalley, Gallery/Scott Press and Jennifer McMahaon for an advanced copy of this thriller and and opening up another genre for me!
#thechildrenonthehill. #netgalley. #jennifermcmahon #gallery/scottpress #arc

Scary with great characters and you never know, from one minute to the text, where this exciting story will take you. I cant wait for the next one from this outstanding author!

This author has an uncanny ability to deny genre defining, in my opinion. While many might believe these to fall in one specific like suspense, I feel that most of her books, as does this one, cross several. While there are suspense, drama, and psychological terror, there are also touching connections to each character that places them in more of a literary fiction stack. This tale was poignant and touched a personal bone with this fan, as I’m sure it did several others. Thank you, Ms McMahon and I eagerly await your next delight to gobble up quickly!
Also thank you to NetGalleyShelf the publisher for this ARC.

What is a monster?
What does a monster look like?
Who is a monster?

The Children on the Hill is a truly epic tale, inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Jennifer McMahon brilliantly weaves an intricate plot (twists and turns!), spread artfully across two timelines (70s and 90s), and multiple POVs. She thoughtfully captures the absolute essence of innocence at odds with evil. Oh, the monsters amongst us!

Thirteen year old Vi and her younger brother Eric have been living with Gran, their grandmother, the esteemed Dr. Hildreth, since the death of their parents. Dr. Hildreth runs a psychiatric living facility in the beautiful Vermont countryside. The children are joined by Iris, a young waif their grandmother has brought home to live with them, as a new sister. While certainly unusual, the children seem to be living in an idyllic and loving environment...or so it would seem, looking in from the outside.

I loved the flawless portrayal of the 70s vibe - freedom to roam, the bicycles (banana seat!), macrame, clothing (pantsuits!), sunflowers, twizzlers, drive-in movies, the clubhouse, Rockem Sockem! Way to set the mood!

A thriller which does more than scare; it asks you to look at the dark and scary inside view of those who are considered to be allies and loved ones, and ponder deeply over the questions which emerge when realizing something is amiss. Jennifer McMahon writes with a poet's heart and a philosopher's soul. I loved The Children on the Hill and look forward to reading more books by this outstanding author.

My highest recommendation.

Thank you NetGalley, Jennifer McMahon, and Gallery/Scout Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this fantastic book in exchange for my honest and wholly independent opinion.

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"Monsters are real. They’re all around us, whether we can see them or not."

Wow! I couldn't put this book down. Filled with monster stories, children with unexplained scars, and tensely atmospheric psychiatric hospital, The Children on the Hill is creepy, unsettling, and propulsive. I couldn’t put it down. As far as thrillers go, this one might be my favorite one of 2022 so far!

As Gran was fond of pointing out, the Inn was not like any other hospital anywhere. “What we’re doing here,” Gran always said, “is revolutionary.”

The story is told through past and present timelines, and layered with interspersed chapters from two different "books" written about the characters' experiences. In the past, three children are raised by a grandmotherly woman ("Gran"), who runs a psychiatric hospital where experimental treatments are quietly used on patients. In the present day, a true-crime podcaster learns that her sister might be responsible for a string of mysterious disappearances.

"She taught me how to live among the humans, a monster hiding in plain sight."

Jennifer McMahon's deliciously chilling novel draws inspiration from the original Frankenstein, which is evident thoughout the pages, and like Mary Shelley, McMahon invites the reader to consider fascinating questions about "monsters" like Dr. Frankenstein's: What are the things that truly haunt us? Are monsters born or made? Is it ever really possible to escape what we are at the core?

"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?"

Tension builds throughout the story, and while I did guess the novel's big "twist" relatively early on, the story wraps up with a totally unexpected ending that I definitely didn't see coming! (It's perhaps a little too neat-and-tidy, yet still strangely satisfying for me.) I loved this one, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to fans of classic literature retellings, gothic thrillers, or morally ambiguous characters.

"Learn to blend in, I told you. I can help you. I can save you. And you did need saving. But not from yourself. All along, you needed saving from me."

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A huge thank you to Jennifer McMahon, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Children on the Hill is a horror/mystery novel, inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The story is told from 2 interweaving points in time: 1978, when Vi and Eric, siblings living with their brilliant psychiatrist Gran, are joined by Iris - a silent, mysterious girl who can’t remember her past - and 2019, when Lizzie Shelly, a famous monster-hunting podcaster, is searching for a missing girl. The 2 plot lines come together, proving that sometimes the scariest monsters are not supernatural creatures, but the people we trust the most.

Everything about this book should work perfectly for me - I love stories about podcasters, I love horror, I love Mary Shelley - but I was horribly disappointed. What I liked about the novel was the creepy atmosphere but it got more and more overshadowed by how predictable the plot was, and I found myself getting annoyed by how obvious the big mysteries were. I guessed at least 2 of them before even getting 2/3 into the book, and I don’t consider myself to be Sherlock Holmes. The hints were clumsy and rather than foreshadowing, they telegraphed the twists clear as day. A big chunk of the plot was also completely unbelievable - it simply made no sense for a certain character to do what they did, and it was glaring how obvious it was that their actions were only happening for plot purposes. Also, if I never read the word ‘monster’ ever again, it will be too early - my Kindle tells me that in this 352 pages book ‘monster’ appears 345 times.

TLDR: While the premise of The Children on the Hill was exciting and promising, the execution fell flat. It’s a shame, but I was completely disappointed by this book.

Jennifer McMahon is an automatic read for me. As such, I was thrilled to be given the chance at this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I find that when it comes to her works, I love half the book, and the other half I either dislike or feel neutral about it. This is in part due to the split timelines, I don't know why. but there has only been one work where I liked the book in its entirety. Sadly The Children on the Hill fell into this pattern. One of the timelines I could not get enough of was the past. And present one I struggled to find the motivation to read at all.

The description mentions Frankenstein elements, and boy do they mean some of that literally. It was almost like a game of I-spy for the literary references. Overall I enjoyed the book but I feel it is a backstep from her last release.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries with paranormal/supernatural elements. I also feel that fans of Scooby'Doo's Zombie Island, particularly the show Daphne hosts, would find this a fun read. I would also recommend this book to Jennifer McMahon fans who enjoyed The Night Sister specifically.