Before I get into the nitty gritty of this book review, let me begin by saying that this book terrified me in a way that I've never experienced while reading a novel. About halfway through I became filled with such a creeping, primal dread that I almost didn't finish the book. I worried, however, that if I didn't finish I might have nightmares about how the plot could have played out. So, I waited for the next bright, sunny afternoon, put on my big girl pants, and settled in for the second half of the novel. I can say now, having finished the novel, that I will now be having nightmares about how the novel did end. Jennifer McMahon cooked up an ending beyond even my wildest nightmares and chilled me to my core with the last chapter of "My Darling Girl."

While Alison O'Connor's life appears to be perfect, a record smashing children's book, two beautiful girls, a devoted husband, and a gorgeously restored Vermont farmhouse, complete with best friends as next door neighbors, the beautiful façade covers up a seriously demented childhood filled with physical and emotional abuse suffered at the hands of her mother. Now, weeks before Christmas, she receives the news that the mother she's worked so hard to keep at a careful distance is dying of an aggressive cancer and wants to spend her last weeks in her daughter's home for a shot at one last chance to make amends.

Alison reluctantly agrees to let Mavis move in, worried about how her mercurial mother will fit into her picture perfect life, terrified that Mavis will scar her granddaughters the same way she scarred her. To her surprise she finds the mother she remembers replaced with a charming, grandmotherly woman who wants nothing more than to connect with her granddaughter, and is endlessly charming with her son-in-law and caregivers who come to provide medical care.

Alison seems to be the only one who can see through the carefully curated persona Mavis has put on for the rest of her family, and begins to wonder if the person she's taken into her house is her mother at all. Never one to believe in the supernatural, Alison begins to fear that her mother relegated to serving as a host for something much darker and more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. As she begins to confront the boundaries of what she thought possible, she's left with one question, how far will she go in the face of pure evil to protect the family she's fought so hard to build?

It is absolutely not an understatement to say that "My Darling Girl" is one of the most well-crafted, tightly written novels I have ever read. McMahon has always been an incredibly talented author (my very favorite if we are being honest), but she surpassed even her own past successes with this novel. It is a horror novel for the ages and one that I will never, never be able to forget. I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to read it again, but I'm equally as sure that I won't need to, because I don't think I could forget one terrible, horrifying detail of "My Darling Girl" if I tried. I have no doubt that this will be THE book of the fall, and that book clubs all over America will be sleeping with the lights on *just in case* after leaving the cozy glow of their October and November meetings. Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing an Advanced Reader's Copy of "My Darling Girl" in exchange for an unbiased review.

My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon is, in a word, terrifying. If you love horror and suspense, this is the next read for you. Please proceed with caution, however; this novel has a LOT of triggers: child abuse (physical, psychological, emotional), trauma, gaslighting, mental illness, and occultic activity. There are so many disturbing images and scenes that I had to stop reading it before bed. I am a Stephen King fan, and this book scared the bejesus out of me! The suspenseful writing is truly excellent, if a tad too realistically terrifying for me!

Alison O'Connor is an artist, wife and mother, still processing and working through her abusive childhood, when she gets the call that her mother, Mavis, is dying of pancreatic cancer. It seems that Mavis would like to live out her final days in Alison's home, making up for lost time (and Alison's lost childhood). But almost immediately after Alison agrees to welcome her mother into her home, strange occurrences start to happen. Alison is convinced her mother is possessed and that this is the reason for her horrible childhood. Of course, no one believes her. Not her brother, or her husband or her best friend. Alison must battle this entity alone before it destroys her whole family.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for this e-arc.*

Allison has risen from a toxic childhood and gotten away from her toxic mother. Living in a picturesque quaint Vermont town with her Christmas loving husband and children, she is finally happy. So when her mother is dying from cancer, Allison does what she feels is the right thing, and brings her mother to her home so she can care for her in her last months. But when unexplainable things begin to happen, Allison begins to realize that her mother - - may not actually be her mother at all. The latest Jennifer McMahon book is creepy with a capital C. I'm not a fan of books about demons or possession, but this book is so well written and subtly creepy that I couldn't put it down. Was I a little creeped out reading it alone at night (especially when my dog started barking at nothing?). Yes. Did I put it down? Nope. This was one wild demon ride that I couldn't put down until I reached the end. And what fun it was getting there. 5 stars and an excellent ending for this perfect October read.

Creepy, atmospheric, and suspenseful....Jennifer McMahon definitely has a type. But she does it well. My Darling Girl is no exception. This time, JM tackles demon possession. The story was great at exploring the complexity of mother/daughter relationships and I loved the supernatural tone to that exploration. I do wish the story was longer, in that there was more of the "creepy things happening around the house". It almost moves too fast into the climax of the story and I think it could have used some stretching out in the middle of the story. Otherwise, it's another win from JM and I would recommend this to anyone who has loved her previous work.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My Darling Girl grabbed my attention as soon as I picked it up. Unfortunately the middle dragged by, and it was nearly a DNF. However, I stuck with it, and the ending was great and I"m glad I finished it! I'm not one that typically reads supernatural books, so I'm guessing that was the problem. If you like supernatural elements, suspense, and a little evil at Christmastime, this book is for you!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced ready copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Jennifer McMahon delivers goosebumps and chills in her new genre-defying story of a woman whose complicated relationship with her mother comes to a head when her mother comes to die at her house. In addition to being suspenseful and psychologically riveting, the writing is atmospheric and delivers a creepy vibe as readers embark on a journey with Alison as she tries to discover secrets that hold the answers to her troubled childhood and her mother’s mysterious and disturbing behavior. This book is unique and touching and draws you in to a world where your reality must be questioned, as well as your sanity. Thank you to Gallery Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Wonderful reading experience!

I enjoyed this book! My first by this author and will not be my last. It kept my attention. When it got the paranormal stuff I was still interested just not as interested. It slowed down for me but it definitely had some twists I didn’t see coming. I will recommend this ! Thanks netgalley for this arc !!

Alison is reluctant to come let her dying mother stay with her family. She grew up with an abusive mother and worries that her mother will be cruel to her own two daughters. However, when her mom gets there, Alison realizes she might to deal with a supernatural entity.

I thought this one had promise but I was missing the suspense! It felt really slow to me all the way through, even after Alison learned about the demon. I think if McMahon had included more investigation early on, it could’ve built that suspense. It was also hard to read all the gaslighting in the last part.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jennifer McMahon always succeeds in creating stories oozing with atmosphere and tension, and that is no different here! This is a suspenseful, dark story that was really hard for me to put down. That said, I did find the ending to be a bit frustrating. Overall, it's the perfect time to read this chiller, and I eagerly await her next novel.

3.5 stars rounded up.

I wanted to love this book. I've enjoyed some of Jennifer McMahon's work in the past, but I think she can be a bit hit or miss. This was a complete miss for me. It was a very slow build and the action didn't really start until around 75-80%. I didn't care about most of the characters, and the MC really frustrated me. I did want to know more about Paul and his relationship with Mavis - I wish the author had explored that a bit more. The end did surprise me a bit, but if I had really thought about the story I probably would have seen it coming. Overall, this lacked depth and character building and was too slow for the story it tried to tell.

This author can do no wrong. Another 5 star read a horror centered around a mother daughter relationship . Her storytelling is so magnetic that you are hooked within the first paragraphs.

My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon is a very highly recommended psychological horror. I was afraid to keep reading but more scared not to find out what happened. This one had me start biting my nails.

Alison's mother, Mavis, could be loving but was also an abusive alcoholic and she still has the physical and mental scars to prove it. It is early December and the family is decorating the house when Mavis's assistant Paul calls to let Alison know her mother is dying from cancer and only has weeks to live. Despite her childhood trauma, Ali is cautiously optimistic that Mavis really wants to try to have a relationship with her family and say good-bye, so she agrees to open up her home to her mother. It quickly becomes clear that her mother is not always who she seems to be and Ali may need to protect her own family.

That Alison would open up her home to her mother after the horrific childhood experiences she endured, is amazing and commendable. Then, when she didn't immediately ship her mother off to a facility when odd things begin to happen is shocking, more so after she begins to suspect what is happening. Clearly Alison is a complex, fully realized character. Once she begins to suspect demonic possession is stalking her family, all bets are off.

The writing is obviously excellent, compelling, and engaging. (Picture someone reading peeking between their fingers, scared, but still actively reading because they need to know what happened next.) The story is chilling and heartbreaking. Alison must unpack her mother's secrets in order to understand what is happening and then she will also know what her response to it will be. But her mothers behavior and words are bone-chilling frightening and her true self, or the evil side, only seems to come out when Alison is around.

The pages fly by in this totally engrossing, eerie foreboding narrative that will hold readers complete attention throughout. Well done, Jennifer McMahon you've proven yet again that you are an exceptional writer!

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Gallery/Scout Press via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, X, and Amazon.

Although this didn’t completely capture my attention, it was a darn good story about possession. I can recommend it, but don’t feel the need to ever reread it.

After I found her previous book disappointing, this novel felt like a satisfyingly creepy return to the Jennifer McMahon I've come to expect. Growing up, Alison's mother could be drunk and abusive, but Alison struggled to make sense of it because she also remembered a loving mother before her father's death. Now that her mother is sick and dying, Alison takes her into her home to hopefully make peace with their relationship. When she expects to see the meanspirited side of her mother, the woman is overly sweet and friendly with everyone who comes, everyone except Alison. Once they're alone, Alison sees the vicious mother she's come to expect. With the dire warning that "She's not your mother," Alison begins to suspect something demonic might be going on. Except how can she convince anyone that she's not crazy for having these suspicions when they all see the sweet side of her mother?
This book did have a slow start, but once it got it's footing, the creepy, sinister story started to develop and grip you. It's a thrilling journey to see Alison put all of the pieces together and fight to keep her family safe when no one believes her. She's a great character to root for, especially since you know what she's seeing and the others are missing. There's a satisfying and unsettling twist come the end that makes the whole book worth the read.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Gahhhh!!! I absolutely adored this book! The vibes, the eerie and spooky feeling it gives. And that ending!!...... My jaw literally dropped. I was not expecting that ending! I will be getting my own physical copy, and also one for our library!

"The New York Times bestselling author of the "otherworldly treat" (People) The Drowning Kind and The Children on the Hill returns with a spine-tingling psychological thriller about a woman who, after taking in her dying, alcoholic mother, begins to suspect demonic possession is haunting her family.

Alison has never been a fan of Christmas. But with it right around the corner and her husband busily decorating their cozy Vermont home, she has no choice but to face it. Then she gets the call.

Mavis, Alison's estranged mother, has been diagnosed with cancer and has only weeks to live. She wants to spend her remaining days with her daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters. But Alison grew up with her mother's alcoholism and violent abuse and is reluctant to unearth these traumatic memories. Still, she eventually agrees to take in Mavis, hoping that she and her mother could finally heal and have the relationship she's always dreamed of.

But when mysterious and otherworldly things start happening upon Mavis's arrival, Alison begins to suspect her mother is not quite who she seems. And as the holiday festivities turn into a nightmare, she must confront just how far she is willing to go to protect her family."

Evil at Christmas? Oh yes, the more supernatural the better!

Ali grew up with her alcoholic, abusive mom and the two have been estranged for years, but when her mom requests to live out her last days in her home with her family, Ali accepts. At first her mom seems like a lovely, tolerant, doting grandmother, but after some time Ali begins to suspect there is something going on with her mom- something supernatural. Ali has to decide how far she is willing to go to protect her family, even if no one believes her.

I have read and loved every book Jennifer McMahon has written, and this was no exception. While I preferred her last few books to this, McMahon's writing is so compelling that she can make anything exciting. I read this on a plane and could not flip the pages fast enough to figure out what was going on and whether Ali's family really was in danger from her mom, or if she was losing her mind and was the actual danger.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

One of the scariest and creepiest novels I've read in a very long time.. Alison has a tormented past with her mother,, Mavis. Mavis wants to spend her last few days on hospice with her daughter. What follows is otherworldly, creepy, and utterly original.

I think others will love this book, but it turns out, I'm not a horror fan - like, at all. I really wanted to like this story but unfortunately the genre made it hard for me. The writing is superb but it just wasn't for me.