Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I really liked the first half of this but felt like the second crumbled a bit. The writing is very engaging (as it is with all of her books), and I particularly liked the sort of gothic atmosphere in the past timeline with this hospital/inn/treatment facility. We definitely get some creepy and sinister moments here! I also really enjoyed the discussion of monsters and cryptid hunting. This is always an element that I like, and I think this had some interesting moments questioning what makes a real monster.

This is told with two timelines: the past, where Vi is telling us about this inn and her grandmother, and the present, where Lizzy is hunting monsters. We also have excerpts from books in between these sections which were fun to read about (this felt like a bit of mixed media). I enjoyed the present timeline with this monster hunting element and learning about some of the supposed creatures Lizzy is tracking. I was able to predict one big reveal but was surprised by some others. I definitely liked these turns of events and thought that they kept things interesting. I do feel like the second half or so got a little repetitive and lost steam in some ways though (as mentioned above).

Vi is a precocious child, and I really liked her overall. She seems curious about some things and is a good person in general. She wants to help solve some mysteries and must deal with things she’s uncovered. Eric, her brother, seems caring, especially towards animals. I liked how they’re both super into monsters and monster hunting, and it seemed like they were pretty close. They live with their grandma who’s a renowned doctor and took them in after their parents died. Lizzy, a grown woman, is rather skeptical about some things but also willing to believe in monsters. I thought this was a reasonable attitude to have overall! The characters all had some interesting depth to them, though the motivations for some aren’t as well explained as I’d like.

I enjoyed this and would recommend it! I’ll be reading more of the author’s books for sure.

Content warnings for eugenics and medical experimentation

Initial thoughts: The Children on the Hill was very atmospheric. The surroundings and characters were well-defined and I was instantly immersed from the beginning. The story was a bit slow in the first 20% but I understand that the build-up was necessary. I also l did not see the plot twist coming. I honestly thought that I had it around the 50th mark but boy was I wrong. Overall, I would definitely recommend this! 4 stars!

This was an interesting thriller focused on children finding out the truth about their past, growing up and coming to terms with each other as adults. I did not see the ending coming.

Overall, I really liked this. I flew through it which is always a good sign. There are parts that are intentionally ambiguous and I figured some things out pretty early on, but there were definitely a couple of things I didn't see coming. I liked the Frankenstein aspect of the story as well, it's such a great book.

Jennifer McMahon drew me into her worlds back when she published Winter People. Since then, I have been an avid, rabid reader of everything she's put out. The Children on the Hill may be her best work yet. Terrifying and indulgent, you won't guess the ending...

This book freaked me out, sucked me in and gah that twist!
Vi and Kyle live with their Gran - they have minimal adult supervision, growing up in the house next to the Inn. Gran is the Director of the Inn - a place for those who need psychiatric help.
Lizzy is all grown up - her childhood living with Gran part of a best seller, a movie. With her name change, she investigates monsters across the States. Her brother, now Charlie, middle aged as well with a family.
But girls keep disappearing - after meeting a monster. Lizzy knows it's her sister. And she must be stopped.

Jennifer McMahon has quickly become one of my favorite horror authors. I love the way they merge horror with mystery; and the dual timelines that we follow in their novels. This one was no exception; I had a great time reading this story and really enjoyed the Frankenstein inspiration. These characters were interesting to follow and get to know. They mystery and reveal in this one managed to take me by surprise and had me wondering how I missed it. Overall, a compelling mystery, with intriguing, gray characters.

Wow Jennifer McMahon can sure write a creepy, atmospheric book. Every single one of her books has had me staying up WAY too late trying to finish while also being a bit creeped out!! Her writing is so intriguing and had me from the very first page - I couldn't stop reading! the pacing was perfect and loved the different perspectives as they tried to untangle everything they had been told (and those things they hadn't!)

3.5 stars // I don't read much horror (I'm typically more into traditional thrillers), but this was good. Jumping between 1978 and 2019, the story follows 3 monster hunter siblings and their Gran who runs a psychiatric hospital. There are several twists that I didn't see coming and I was intrigued throughout. It loses stars for me because the first 60% was a lot of set up and most of the action happened in the latter 40%. Still good, though!

A good spooky, atmospheric read. The characters are interesting and mysterious in an engaging way.I think a lot of people will like this book.

Definitely the minority here, but this book bored me. I don’t think the book was poorly written, I just never felt the creep factor that I was waiting for. It moves slower than I wanted and had little scare. I did really like the switching between the past and present, as well as the different perspectives. I was looking for a “I can’t put down but I’m afraid to turn the page” book and this one was not it, which was disappointing.

1978 - Eric and Violet’s gran, a brilliant psychiatrist, brings Iris home to live with them. Iris becomes like a sister to them. Fast forward to present day, Lizzie is a world famous monster chaser. She is currently chasing one that is abduction g young girls. Lizzie knows monsters are real, because her sister is one.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

“I parked my van in one of the free public lots, then crossed the street to the clean, wide, brick sidewalk and headed right for the bookstore. It was an old habit: the first stop in any new town was always either the bookstore or the library.” Anyone else? Just me?? Ok. 🤭

1978: At her renowned treatment center in Vermont, the brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Hildreth, is acclaimed for her compassionate work with the mentally ill. But when she’s home with her grandchildren, Vi and Eric, she’s just Gran—preparing home-cooked meals and providing them with care and attention and love. Then one day Gran brings home a child to stay with the family. Iris—silent, hollow-eyed, skittish, and feral—does not behave like a normal girl. Still, Violet is thrilled to have a new playmate. She and Eric invite Iris to join their Monster Club, where they dream up ways to defeat all manner of monsters. Because, as Vi explains, monsters are everywhere.

2019: Lizzy Shelley, the host of the popular podcast Monsters Among Us, is traveling to Vermont, where a young girl has been abducted, and a monster sighting has the town in an uproar. She’s determined to hunt it down, because Lizzy knows better than anyone that monsters are real—and one of them is her very own sister.

The Children On The Hill is inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. This book had me hooked until the very end. The writing is so atmospheric and you cannot help but to fall in love with these kids. The story is creepy and crawly but it is done in such a way that is has you flipping those pages and wanting more.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Gallery Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Horrifyingly dark and creepy. I kind of figured out how it was going to end, but the final twist still surprised me. So good! Can't wait to read the author's next book!

Since Winter People, I have read all of McMahon’s books, just love her eerily detailed work! Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein this story alters between two timelines to unfold the mystery surrounding a suspicious monster sighting! This story is truly genre defying—as a reader you’ll wonder if its a thriller or a horror fantasy. Kind of a slow burn, and has non-reliable characters so it might not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it!

Thank you Gallery Scout press for the e-arc.

This was thrilling from start to finish. I was bit able to figure out what was going on a little earlier than I would have liked because of all the references to Frankenstein, but the twist near the end came as a surprise. I would have also loved to have had on page podcast episodes.

This book follows two timelines, 1978 and 2019. In 1978, Vi and Eric live with their Gran in Vermont since their parents were killed in a car accident. Gran is a psychiatrist at the hospital adjacent to their house.

Vi and Eric are obsessed with monsters: they read monster books, watch monster movies, and set up a secret monster clubhouse in the woods. One day Gran brings a girl, Iris to stay with them. Iris has suffered some kind of trauma, and first she is very withdrawn and silent. Iris's presence in their lives leads Vi to start asking questions about where Iris came from, and about her own history.

In 2019, Lizzy Shelley is a famous podcaster with a show called “Monsters Among Us”. She decides to go back to Vermont to explore some local legends and also to try to find out what really happened when she was a child. Lizzy clearly has some unresolved issues, and there are some questions about her real identity and how she is connected to Vi and Iris.

The two timelines work well and help to build suspense. There is a lot of mystery and tension built up, leading to a satisfying conclusion. Recommended!

Jennifer McMahon is one of my favorite authors when it comes to light horror or spooky, atmospheric reads. The Winter People was the first one I read of hers and it's been hard to beat. Unfortunately, while I enjoyed this one, it didn't quite establish the moody setting and feeling like some of her other books have. I loved the dual timeline – it helped keep the pace and the pages turning. Ghosts tend to be McMahon's typical focus, whereas this one centered on monsters, which was less enjoyable for me. If you're a fan of these types of stories, or McMahon in general, definitely give this a try.

This is a book that has been on my list for a while and it was a perfect book to get in the Halloween spirit!

The Children on the Hill is loosely based on the novel of Frankenstein and features a young girl and her brother who live with their grandmother in 1978. Gran works as a psychiatrist to many people who need her help, but she’s quite secretive about her work. One day she brings home another young child and tells Vi and Eric that they should accept Iris and their new sister and help her. But Iris has no recollection of her life or what happened to herself.

The other side of the story is about Lizzy Shelley which takes place in present day. Lizzy is a podcaster who travels the country documenting monsters who have shown themselves. The story goes back and forth and I enjoyed the dual timelines.

This was such a fun read! It was a very easy page turner and it had a few twists that I definitely didn’t see coming! I liked the timing that this book was in October because it helped get me in the Halloween mood.

Thank you so much to @bookclubfavorites and @scoutpressbooks for my gifted copy. The paperback version is out now!

Holy cow! I have always been a fan of Jennifer McMahon but this book easily took the cake for me. It had me hooked from page one and I literally couldn't put it down. I loved the dual timelines and couldn't for the life of me figure out how the two connected between the past and the present. The details in this book were phenomenal and the descriptions really set the table for a spooky thriller. Once I got to the twist, I physically had to set the book down. My mind was absolutely BLOWN when I got to the twist. This book was one that definitely kept me on my toes and one I won't forget about for a very long time.

A dual timeline story with monsters, psychiatric homes in rural Vermont, and the abduction of a young girl all handled in true Jennifer McMahon style. This is my second Jennifer McMahon book and was delighted when I was provided an advance reader copy by Gallery/Scout Press Publishing through NetGalley.

The book is set both in 1978 and 2019, two sperate stories that of course share a link – but what is that link? You spend a great deal of time in 1978 learning about the workings of a well-respected psychiatrist that has set up a psychiatric home for the mentally ill on her property in rural Vermont. She also has two grandchildren that live with her and brings home a third child during the story. The children are convinced of the existence of monsters and create a Monsters Club. The story line is interesting. I can’t say it is a slow burning/developing plot line, but it never felt rushed with the key plot developments coming in small increments. The pacing works with this kind of story and once you get more into the second story in 2019 the pace starts picking up. The story is full of dark studies, laboratories, Vermont woods, dark night adventures, and disturbing revelations. The writing is full of evocative visual language which depicts all the darkness of the inspiration of this story, Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein.

Recently I have read multiple dual story line books and often have found them very jarring as you moved between the stories. However, because McMahon allows us so much time in the original story of 1978 before really bringing in the second story set in 2019, it felt more cohesive and related. These are not two separate stories but rather the continuance and conclusion of the first story.