Lizzy Shelley hunts monsters. Real monsters - wendigos, ghosts, ghouls, the Flatwoods Monster (yay for the WV shout-out!). Because she knows that monsters are real - but the ones she has faced have always been human. She loved one, her sister, but now she is afraid that her sister is the monster that either she will have to end or will end her.

Freida McFadden has been getting a lot of attention lately, deservedly, but if you like Freida and haven't read Jennifer McMahon, give her a chance. Her stories are full of twists and turns, too.

Jennifer McMahon’s The Children on the Hill is a thriller with a dual timeline, a mix of horror and mystery. This one will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. I voluntarily read and reviewed this complimentary copy of this book with an ending you will never guess!

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

You want a creepy, chilling story to read on these dark winter nights? Well have I got a book for you! Ms. Jennifer has this amazing talent of creating the most creepy, heart pounding tales you can imagine, all with words. And if you are a visual reader like me, come on.....that talent is gold! Couldn't put it down!

The first story, cause it is broken up into two but don't let that fool you....in that currrreeeeaaapy treatment center, unconvential methods by Dr. Helen. Say no more. Read it and find out.

Second half brings in Lizzy, podcaster covering Monsters among the living. Missing kids and well she is gonna find out just what really lurks out there in the cold, dark world.

Please, do yourself a favor and read this one.

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

This was a thrilling, fun, and fantastic read for me. The story did not give me a bone-chilling, nail-biting thriller/horror experience but more like a ghost buster/ghost hunter vibes, and I enjoyed the story.
especially enjoy the part from little Vi's perspective.
There were some great plot twists and I enjoyed how the author constructed the story.

I highly recommend the audiobook.

Jennifer McMahon never fails to entertain me! This one was an eerie, suspenseful and downright scary tale of childhood. Good and suspenseful pacing, chilling tone and a great spooky read.

I love anything that Jennifer McMahon writes. Literally anything. I’ve been reading her books since I was in high school. This one wasn’t my favorite, but was still a good, thrilling story.

What a ride! A strange, twisting, heartbreaking story. It kept me guessing all the way to the end. One of the reveals near the end kinda threw me off for awhile and could've been handled/explained a bit better. But that's my only complaint. I loved the characters, the settings, the jumping back-and-forth between two time periods. One of the reveals really deepened the storytelling and added extra gravitas to everything. I definitely recommend this book.

I really liked the Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein vibe! I had a fleeting thought regarding the twists and was pleasantly surprised when I was right. I love the Monster Club chapters that separate the present and past POVs. Erin Moon narrates the book exceptionally well, adding different voices for the young and old characters. Overall, an entertaining thriller!

The Children on the Hill is a slow-burning suspense novel -- as twins discover the new girl who joins their Monster Club, but has more to her than their imaginations can concoct. Flash forward to adult worlds and how baby monsters grow up to be feared and objects of suspicion from the not so enlightened society.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. This is my third book of October, sticking with the “spooky Halloween” vibe. This one did not disappoint. I think the best thing about this book is the author’s descriptions and making you feel like you are right there wherever the story is taking place. The Hillside Inn, was such a creepy place…especially the basement (West B). The storyline was just the right amount of “disturbing” for an October read. I really enjoyed the alternating time lines. The author also did a great job with the characters. Gran, sweet Gran looking out for her grandkids and wanting the best for them…or was she? Iris, the child whose memory was erased and now she’s “different” because of it….or is she? Vi, the smart dedicated granddaughter whose mission was to help people (especially her new sister Iris)….or is it? So many questions and so many thoughts & theories while reading this one. The ending was good but I was hoping for a little more “wow”. (Like maybe a cliffhanger or a jaw dropping twist).

I know I am very late in reviewing this one (Published April 2022), but a big thank you to NetGalley and Gallery books for advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To see other reviews I’ve left, check out my Instagram and Goodreads pages:
*Instagram: bookworm_traveler808
*Goodreads: Cherihy808

This one took me a while to get into but once I did it was pretty good! The twists were a little predictable but still enjoyable! Overall a pretty good scary season read!

When I heard this was based on Mary Shelly’s classic Frankenstein and being compared to the show American Horror Story, I knew I needed to read this book immediately. This was my first Jennifer McMahon book, though I do have others on my shelf, and it will certainly not be my last.

The story jumps back and forth between the events of 1978 and present at a Vermont ‘treatment center’. Founded by Dr. Helen Hildreth, the center uses unconventional methods to treat patients, and is home not just to Hildreth but also to her two orphaned grandchildren Eric and Violet. In 1978, Hildreth decides to bring a young patient, Iris, to live in her home on the property. Iris doesn’t talk and Eric and Violet quickly initiate her into their special Monster Club – where they search for and catch various monsters. As Iris grows closer to Eric and Violet, an accident will leave all three of them changed forever.

In the present-day Podcaster Lizzy Shelley has heard rumors of the abductions of young girls, near the treatment center. As the host of the podcast Monsters Among Us, Lizzy narrates her investigation into the abduction. Lizzy knows that monsters exist, and as she gets deeper into her investigation, she’s convinced that the events of 1978 and the disappearances are tied together.

McMahon did a wonderful job of layering the two stories and weaving them into one intriguing, dark, and thrilling story! I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book and was honestly surprised by the ending. Which when you read as many thrillers as I do is a huge complement. If you enjoy atmospheric thrillers with excellent storylines, or even a fan of supernatural thrillers, then this is a great book for you! Will definitely be adding Jennifer McMahon to my auto read author list!


Children on the Hill is out now. Huge thank you to Gallery/Scout Press for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.

This book didn't work for me. I had a difficult time getting into it. I kept putting it down and not remember anything about it when I would pick it up again. I found it to feel like a YA book. The plot was over the top and not realistic in any way.

This book was crazy and I loved it so much. I went in not really remembering what this book was about, and I was just blown away by the story.

It's one of those books that makes you think about humanity and the very real monsters that live among us. It was mixed in so well with the world of mythological monsters and how similar they can sometimes be.

I loved the chase and the mystery. And I did not expect that twist or that ending. Bravo to the author on this amazing story.

If you haven't read anything by Jennifer McMahon, you need to change that. Everything she puts out, I read it. I have never been disappointed. If you like spooky, but in a realistic way, this needs to be your next read!

This novel was phenomenal. McMahon is a master at creating stories that keep you bewitched and guessing. As you read, you know something is just not quite right, but the answer lies just outside your reach. She is also wonderful at building up the atmosphere and tension. 'The children on the hill' isn't quite horror, but it damn sure is spooky.

1978:
Violet and Eric are living with their Gran. Dr. Helen Hildreth is a renowned psychiatrist best known for her work with the mentally ill. But while home, she nutures her grandchildren, providing them with the love and attention they need.

One day, Gran brings home another child. A girl named Iris. Iris is hollow eyed, emaciated, and essentially feral. Violet and Eric quickly accept the new child and ask her to join their monster hunting club. Because monsters are everywhere after all.

2019:
Liz Shelley, a popular podcaster who chases the "monsters among us," is headed to Vermont, where a young girl was recently abducted. Liz believes in the existence of monsters. She knows they are without any doubt real because she has met one.

"The Children on the Hill" is a genre-defying novel that takes inspiration from Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." But in this novel, the monsters are real, and they look like us.

As always, thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review

Jennifer McMahon is an author I look forward to reading who consistently puts forward spooky stories about the strange and mysterious with quirky female characters that are so instantly familiar that you can’t help but connect to.

The Children on the Hill involves monsters… who makes monsters, what are the monsters, and who hunts the monsters. McMahon’s play on Frankenstein. Remakes or retellings tend to put me off of stories so I had initially hesitated to read this, even though I’d enjoyed so many of her other novels. But! I’m glad I read it, it really had a feeling of nostalgia with the story of Vi growing up in Gran’s house.

I’d recommend this to fans of mystery, classic tales of suspense and the psychological thrillers. I look forward to reading the next book by McMahon.

I've been reading Jennifer McMahon since I was a teenager, and I love the shift she's done from more traditional thriller books to these sorts of horror/thriller hybrids that she's come out with recently. Although this isn't my favorite of her new books, I did enjoy my time with it - the beginning just started off a little bit too slow for me. Once things picked up, I was totally invested!

I received an advanced digital copy of this novel from the author, publisher and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Children on the Hill might just be Ms. McMahon best writing. All of her novels set you on edge, looking over your shoulder if you make the mistake of reading late into the evening. This novel is far more subtle in it's pace and suspense. It got under my skin and I couldn't stop thinking about it for days after reading. I didn't see the twist coming and I was floored!
Excellent stuff, a must read!

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.