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The Witch of Hagstone Hill
After an evil witch steals their aunt in a deal gone wrong, Nell and her sisters must embark on a fantastical journey to take the beldam down in this first book in a middle grade trilogy for fans of Coraline and the Sinister Summer series.
Although triplets Nell, Annet, and Hannah were born only minutes apart, Nell is the eldest, which means it’s her job to protect the others. But she doesn’t know how to defeat an enemy like the typhoid draining her sisters of life. Desperate, Nell will do whatever it takes to save them, even going to Hagstone Hill and making a deal with the evil witch—the beldam—who lives inside it.
Beldams are slippery to bargain with, known to cheat to get what they want—souls to feast on—but Nell has no choice. She and the beldam strike a deal: the beldam will save Nell’s sisters in return for something precious. Nothing Nell owns matters more than Annet and Hannah, so she’s prepared to give up whatever it is—especially once she sees her sisters getting healthy again. But when it’s time to pay, the beldam acts true to her nature and cheats. She doesn’t take something precious, but someone: the girls’ Aunt Lena.
Nell and her sisters must embark on a dangerous journey full of ghosts, goblins, and other dangers to save the only mother they’ve ever known from becoming the beldam’s next meal.
Although triplets Nell, Annet, and Hannah were born only minutes apart, Nell is the eldest, which means it’s her job to protect the others. But she doesn’t know how to defeat an enemy like the typhoid draining her sisters of life. Desperate, Nell will do whatever it takes to save them, even going to Hagstone Hill and making a deal with the evil witch—the beldam—who lives inside it.
Beldams are slippery to bargain with, known to cheat to get what they want—souls to feast on—but Nell has no choice. She and the beldam strike a deal: the beldam will save Nell’s sisters in return for something precious. Nothing Nell owns matters more than Annet and Hannah, so she’s prepared to give up whatever it is—especially once she sees her sisters getting healthy again. But when it’s time to pay, the beldam acts true to her nature and cheats. She doesn’t take something precious, but someone: the girls’ Aunt Lena.
Nell and her sisters must embark on a dangerous journey full of ghosts, goblins, and other dangers to save the only mother they’ve ever known from becoming the beldam’s next meal.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 26, 2025
282 people want to read
About the author
Johanna van Veen
3 books1,016 followersJohanna van Veen grew up in the Netherlands with her two sisters. She received an MA in English Literature with a specialization in early modern literature, as well as an MA Book and Digital Media with a specialization in early modern book history.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
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April 6, 2025Queen of gothic is saving my birthday month with this release!!! August come faster please!!!
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March 27, 2025No rating because I worked on this book. But it's a delightfully creepy middle grade with a few illustrations throughout, and it's very well-written.
August 24, 2025
This is a delightful first installment of a trilogy featuring the triplets Grim and their dark misadventures. Although it features young heroines and the optimism and complexity of a middle grade story, the horrifying elements are bone-chilling enough to spook adult horror fans. Johanna van Veen's first foray into fiction for younger audiences is a smashing success, reminiscent of Coraline. I suspect another generation of young readers will be molded by this series.
August 2, 2025
A well written quest adventure with lots of action and twists.
Brave, resilient characters who work together.
Brave, resilient characters who work together.
July 16, 2025
Many thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing an ARC in exchange for my review.
Where were all these amazing books for middle schoolers when I was younger?! I'm so jealous!! I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone with middle grades kids or students. I'm hoping for a whole series and audiobooks to follow! The author's talents and skill in writing her adult gothic horror novels has been translated to a younger audience.
5 stars
Where were all these amazing books for middle schoolers when I was younger?! I'm so jealous!! I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone with middle grades kids or students. I'm hoping for a whole series and audiobooks to follow! The author's talents and skill in writing her adult gothic horror novels has been translated to a younger audience.
5 stars
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August 19, 2025Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
The Witch of Hagstone Hill by Johanna van Veen is a third person-POV Middle Grade fantasy horror. Nell is the oldest of triplet girls and has to look after her sisters when their father is at sea and their aunt Lena is busy. When her sisters get typhoid fever and she’s left alone, Nell makes a mistake and puts their family into debt. To fix the issue, she makes a deal with a bedlam, a creature that doesn’t play fair, and the bedlam takes her aunt.
This is somewhere between a fantasy horror and a dark fairy tale. The worldbuilding through the art feels like roughly 1500s Germany and the triplets’ last name is ‘Grimm,’ which helps to contribute to the dark fairy tale elements. But the dark elements felt closer to a horror and even contained some references to famous horror films, such as A Haunting, so I felt this was a fantasy horror. Either way, this is full of spooky moments, ghosts, and the fantastical for young readers looking for a scary read.
Nell, Annett, and Hannah are identical in appearance but have very different personalities. Everything is filtered through Nell’s POV and we don’t get a ton of time with Annett and Hannah until after twenty-five percent of the way through, so our idea of them is rooted in Nell’s perception. Since this is a trilogy, I wonder if the next two books will rotate the POV or if they will keep Nell as the star.
This is marked as being for kids eight to twelve and I do feel that that is fairly accurate. It’s missing the edge that older kids tend to be really hungry for and the voice during the trials does feel to be younger. There were several moments that reminded me of Animaniacs in a positive way and that helps the book feel younger. I would still put this in a classroom for older Middle Grade readers because the spookier moments, illustrations and fast-paced prose might be really appealing to a reluctant reader who is not quite at grade level.
I would recommend this to fans of spooky fantasy and young readers who like adventures and trials
The Witch of Hagstone Hill by Johanna van Veen is a third person-POV Middle Grade fantasy horror. Nell is the oldest of triplet girls and has to look after her sisters when their father is at sea and their aunt Lena is busy. When her sisters get typhoid fever and she’s left alone, Nell makes a mistake and puts their family into debt. To fix the issue, she makes a deal with a bedlam, a creature that doesn’t play fair, and the bedlam takes her aunt.
This is somewhere between a fantasy horror and a dark fairy tale. The worldbuilding through the art feels like roughly 1500s Germany and the triplets’ last name is ‘Grimm,’ which helps to contribute to the dark fairy tale elements. But the dark elements felt closer to a horror and even contained some references to famous horror films, such as A Haunting, so I felt this was a fantasy horror. Either way, this is full of spooky moments, ghosts, and the fantastical for young readers looking for a scary read.
Nell, Annett, and Hannah are identical in appearance but have very different personalities. Everything is filtered through Nell’s POV and we don’t get a ton of time with Annett and Hannah until after twenty-five percent of the way through, so our idea of them is rooted in Nell’s perception. Since this is a trilogy, I wonder if the next two books will rotate the POV or if they will keep Nell as the star.
This is marked as being for kids eight to twelve and I do feel that that is fairly accurate. It’s missing the edge that older kids tend to be really hungry for and the voice during the trials does feel to be younger. There were several moments that reminded me of Animaniacs in a positive way and that helps the book feel younger. I would still put this in a classroom for older Middle Grade readers because the spookier moments, illustrations and fast-paced prose might be really appealing to a reluctant reader who is not quite at grade level.
I would recommend this to fans of spooky fantasy and young readers who like adventures and trials
August 10, 2025
Thank You NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ARC!
The Witch of the Hagstone hill was such a fun read! Nell and her sisters all have distinct characterizations to each other that just work so well that made it all the more enjoyable. There were aspects of it that had clear indications there was a whimsical fun influence of fairytale magic into the writing that I really liked a lot. I really recommend this to middle grade children that want to get into something whimsical and fun, but also just that slight bit of creepiness to keep them on edge on what's going to happen next!
The Witch of the Hagstone hill was such a fun read! Nell and her sisters all have distinct characterizations to each other that just work so well that made it all the more enjoyable. There were aspects of it that had clear indications there was a whimsical fun influence of fairytale magic into the writing that I really liked a lot. I really recommend this to middle grade children that want to get into something whimsical and fun, but also just that slight bit of creepiness to keep them on edge on what's going to happen next!
August 4, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.
I liked this one. It was a spooky fantasy that had hints of a fairy tale to it. I liked the characters (though at times they were their age, but I am not that target), and I really liked the glimpse into the fairy world. I liked the adventures Nell went on for the sake of her family. There definitely were some creepy parts to this story.
I liked this one. It was a spooky fantasy that had hints of a fairy tale to it. I liked the characters (though at times they were their age, but I am not that target), and I really liked the glimpse into the fairy world. I liked the adventures Nell went on for the sake of her family. There definitely were some creepy parts to this story.
July 23, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for a complimentary early release copy of The Witch of Hagstone Hill written by Johanna Van Veen and Illustrated by Raquel Lagartos.
I love Johanna Van Veen’s adult horror books so when I seen she was releasing a horror middle grade/children’s fiction novel I was intrigued! The Witch of Hagstone Hill is a fun adventure of a read, I liked our main characters the Grimm sisters, they were fun to follow and I enjoyed many of their character quirks. I liked the side characters we meet along the way, I think they were all very unique and I was always excited to meet the next new character! Some of my favorite have to be brunhild, little Lucia, Buzzletruzz, and the cursed doll. The interactions between the main characters and these characters are all very memorable and it certainly a magical moment!
I do wish we would have learned a bit more about the Beldam, they were an interesting antagonist and we do get some information about them but I would have loved to get more background like how the Beldam came into existence, were they born a Beldam, what was their past life like if not. Every time the Beldam appeared it’s both a moment of intrigue but also dread for what it is going to do next.
I’m curious to know what the other books in this series are going to follow plot wise. I would assume since it’s a three book series that each book is going to follow a different sister (or at least I’m hoping). Both Annet and Hannah seem like nice characters and I’m eager to learn more about the two of them. Especially with Annet and the cursed doll! I loved the illustrations included in the book, I feel that they really helped picture some big moments clearly plus it was nice to see what the characters look like.
If you enjoyed this book and are interested in adult horror I really recommend checking out Johanna Van Veen’s other books My Darling Dreadful Thing and Blood on Her Tongue are both standalone books. They are atmospheric gothic horror and I have enjoyed both of them!
I love Johanna Van Veen’s adult horror books so when I seen she was releasing a horror middle grade/children’s fiction novel I was intrigued! The Witch of Hagstone Hill is a fun adventure of a read, I liked our main characters the Grimm sisters, they were fun to follow and I enjoyed many of their character quirks. I liked the side characters we meet along the way, I think they were all very unique and I was always excited to meet the next new character! Some of my favorite have to be brunhild, little Lucia, Buzzletruzz, and the cursed doll. The interactions between the main characters and these characters are all very memorable and it certainly a magical moment!
I do wish we would have learned a bit more about the Beldam, they were an interesting antagonist and we do get some information about them but I would have loved to get more background like how the Beldam came into existence, were they born a Beldam, what was their past life like if not. Every time the Beldam appeared it’s both a moment of intrigue but also dread for what it is going to do next.
I’m curious to know what the other books in this series are going to follow plot wise. I would assume since it’s a three book series that each book is going to follow a different sister (or at least I’m hoping). Both Annet and Hannah seem like nice characters and I’m eager to learn more about the two of them. Especially with Annet and the cursed doll! I loved the illustrations included in the book, I feel that they really helped picture some big moments clearly plus it was nice to see what the characters look like.
If you enjoyed this book and are interested in adult horror I really recommend checking out Johanna Van Veen’s other books My Darling Dreadful Thing and Blood on Her Tongue are both standalone books. They are atmospheric gothic horror and I have enjoyed both of them!
August 22, 2025
I haven't read a middle-grade book in a while, so this was a great and fantastical read to get started again! This was a fun read filled with Dutch folklore, a beldam, triplet sisters, fantasy elements, and much more. I would def recommend this to adults as there are some classic literary references (The Haunting Of Hill House?) and horror elements, though this is mainly a fantasy book. Also, the book cover and illustrations inside offer greater insights for the story and are just so pleasant to look at! This was a fave read so far in 2025!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews