I requested this without even reading the synopsis because I was seeing it all over Instagram and people loved it... and then I kept putting off reading it because I'd just gotten roped into helping my own not-so-great mother sort out her assisted living situation and just COULD NOT with the toxic moms. Whoops.

Anyway -- several months later, I ended up listening to the audiobook version, and it was not what I was expecting (in a good way because it didn't really bring anything up for me in the bad mom department, but also in a not so good way because I didn't really enjoy where the story went). I really struggled to understand Alison' reasoning behind inviting her mother into her home and then allowing her to have unsupervised access to her children, so it was really hard to not think she was a dummy, especially since the mom had money and could have just been parked somewhere to die (which sounds terrible, but some people are not worthy of forgiveness and/or millionth chances). The explanation for the mom's abusive behavior ended up feeling like a copout (though I did like the little twist at the end).

I think this book was just not a good fit for me on many levels, but I'd happily read future books by McMahon.


3.5 rounded down

I don't know what it is about Jennifer McMahon's books. I am not usually a fan of supernatural or other worldly books, but I devour hers in one sitting. They are so readable!

Allison O'Connor and her husband Mark live in Vermont with their 2 daughters-sweet Olivia (6) and sour Izzy (16). Allison is a children's book author based on her dog Moxie saving holidays. The setting is an idyllic little town at Christmas time. But this sweet family setting is about to be interrupted, when Allison's abusive, alcoholic, and estranged mother, Mavis, who is dying of pancreatic cancer comes to live with their family in the last few weeks of her life.

Positives:
McMahon really is good at creating creepy atmospheres. The sweet and cozy Christmas town setting worked so well to juxtapose the eerie atmosphere of the crazy plot
Well developed characters
The ending! It left me so unsettled

Negatives:
Toward the end of the book one of the main reveals was predictable

She has done it again with a great supernatural psychological thriller! eee-eeee-eeeee

Any book by Jennifer McMahon is an instant read for me and this one did not disappoint! It was creepy and the dread slowly builds up throughout the book. I would highly recommend, as this book is the perfect October read.

I love that this book takes place around Christmas. All seems to be going well, but then our MCs estranged Mom calls with stage 4 cancer and wants to spend the rest of her life with family nearby. Harmless right?

This book was just ok for me. I found the story to move extremely slow. Not much happens for 90% of the book. The ending was a little exciting but not enough to make up for the overall drag that it was.

Thank You to NetGalley, Gallery Press, and Jennifer McMahon.

Jennifer McMahon is one of my favorite authors. Her characters are well developed and we usually get to them well. I love the fact that she mixes paranormal, psychological thriller, suspense, and twists.

Set in Vermont during Christmas, a woman, Allison, agrees to take in her ailing and dying mother. A mother she has been estranged from for years. Allison remembers all the abuse she suffered at her hands, her mothers rages, being an alcoholic, and the suicide of her father. At the same time there could be moments of love. Allison hopes to at least get closure, know and understand her mother before she dies. Her brother, Ben, wants nothing to do with their mother and offers no help.

Once her mother moves in, strange things start to happen. Allison soon realizes she is up against some demon possessing her mother. No one in the family believes her and thinks she needs mental health. This book definitely has some twists and turns and was a delight to read.

This is the type of horror I love. Jennifer McMahon has written perhaps one of her finest stories here. It investigates the sometimes intense relationships between mothers and daughters, and I began reading thinking this is a book about healing and forgiveness, though that seemed unlike McMahon's previous works. Soon enough I realized the plight of a character goes beyond mental illness to something much darker. I slammed through this book because I couldn't put it down, wanting to know what happened next but in fear of learning the answer. My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon does not disappoint!

Perfect for horror fans. Creepy story of a woman who agrees to care for her mother suffering from end stage cancer. The mother was abusive but now the daughter is realizing her mother might be possessed by a demon. Or is she?

My Darling Girl was a wild ride! I enjoy thrillers where I can’t quite figure out the twists and turns, and this is one of them. The characters were fully developed, and I felt transported to their world. The pacing was excellent, and the prose was clean and easy to read. Jennifer McMahon is one of my favorite authors, and this book was such a fun read. It’s a must for thriller lovers!

Interesting premise but not the best book by the author who is one of my go to reads. There was something lacking and some things felt a bit rushed. Character development wasn’t fully complete. All the things I love in Jennifer’s writing was there, but not put together as well as it could have been.

This book was a tough read for me, not in a bad way. I really enjoyed it, it was written extremely well, and honestly freaked me out at certain points. However , some of the subject matter definitely hit a nerve for me that was way too close to home. It was a brilliant read though!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

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.

I’ve honestly had a bumpy road reading this author’s books, but I’ll always say I absolutely love the eerie atmospheres she writes.

I struggled so much coming up with my thoughts, I couldn’t remember much after finishing the story so I had to refresh my mind a bit. The book itself was a decent read though.

At first, I was completely intrigued and hooked by the story. It grabbed my attention from the first page, which I assumed would be the case with how interesting the synopsis sounded. There were some eerie scenes and chills here and there, which I absolutely liked.

However, I felt like the characters weren’t very enjoyable to read about. I got bored as the book went along, it also felt way too predictable and unamusing. I did, however, love the Christmas atmosphere.

Overall, this was a solid read filled with chills and entertainment. I’ve seen mixed reviews everywhere, but I’m sure most readers will absolutely enjoy this one. I’ve just personally read too many similar thrillers and this one felt way too predictable for my liking.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Gallery for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

I had high hopes for this book, but definitely didn’t love it. It was very well written. It was long and fairly drawn out many parts were interesting, but they just moved so slowly. And the ending was so heartbreaking.

1.5

too slow for me; it didn't really pick up until 80% of the way through. didn't feel super connected to any characters and really let down by the ending as well.

Review psoted 10.2.23


Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Having read both The Night Sister and The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon, when I saw Jennifer McMahon update her Facebook cover photo with the cover of My Darling Girl, I quickly went to Netgalley to request it and Gallery Books approved me so fast (thanks so much!)

What I Liked:

This cover is very fitting for the book!

The creepiness of the book set in the perfect holiday setting. I loved the description of the house, tree, etc and then the creepy set in. I’m saying this would be a great Halloween book.

The ending. I absolutely loved it.



Bottom line: I’ve only read 2 of Jennifer’s books and I say My Darling Girl was more in the same vein as The Drowning Kind as opposed to The Night Sister. I def enjoyed My Darling Girl- read it in 2 days!



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

Rosemary's Baby & Hereditary vibes, anyone?! Jennifer McMahon is not talked about enough in the horror fiction world, but she ought to be-especially with "My Darling Girl!" I waited until the holidays to read this one, as the setting takes place around Christmas. Trigger warning for anyone with PTSD from dealing with a difficult parent, as the relationship with the mother is the main theme of the story. This is one of those books you'll be wondering if the narrator is unreliable/having mental issues, or if there is something supernatural at play. I personally don't always like that theme, and honestly, I don't know which is more horrifying. I loved the ending to this book, it turned out the way I wanted it. This would make an amazing TV Show or film, and definitely one of my favorite chilling reads of 2023! Thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC!

My second by McMahon and it won’t be my last—it fully delivered. Read if you want a slow build, supernatural and psychological suspense story with creeping dread. Our protagonist decides to take in her dying mother with whom she has a complicated history, to live with her husband and two daughters. Set as always with McMahon’s books in atmospheric Vermont, this one is the perfect creepy Christmas read.

This was a fun twist on a seasonal Christmas read. If you like Christmas with a Krampus, demon possession kind of taste, this is a fun, quick ride. There's twists and a well thought out plot line that keep you guessing until the very end.

Creepy with a capital C! (Wish I could make that bigger)

Alison is not a Christmas fan, her childhood was strange and abusive, but her husband sure is. He makes the house a walking Hallmark movie for Alison and their two daughters. Her mother, an artist, is kept at a good distance from her and her family. Alison's brother has nothing to do with her too. They both bear the scars on their backs of their mother's handiwork.

Alison gets a call from her mother's assistant saying that she is dying and wants to spend the rest of her days with Alison and her family. At first, she thinks no but her husband talks her into it and she says okay. Everything seems okay in the beginning. Her mom arrives with her things, coveting a stone that she has always taken extra care of. But Alison does notice how Paul, her assistant is acting strange and even tells her "that is not your mother." Oh boy is it not her mother!

I don't want to give to much away but the ending left me in chills. You are happy for one moment but that would not be Ms. McMahon's style to leave it at that. If you are looking for a good creepy read, look no further.

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for a copy for review.

The psychological thriller world seems a bit oversaturated these days and books have become repetitive. In walks My Darling Girl & *boom* I remember why I love a good twisty fast paced psychological thriller in the first place.
The pacing, the backstory, & the way I was furiously flipping pages. This one felt unique, believable, and also perfect for this time of year.
4 stars. Thank you to Galley and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.