What do you think?
Rate this book
Make Me Better
Sarah Gailey's MAKE ME BETTER is an eerily seductive look at the desire for community connection and self-improvement---and the darkest places inside us all. Urgent and yet timeless, this read is perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson, Ari Aster, and Patricia Highsmith.
An exclusive invitation.
A remote island infamous for its miraculous ecology.
A once-in-a-lifetime chance to fix everything that's broken.
But sometimes growth requires sacrifice....
WELCOME TO KINDRED COVE.
Celia is so tired of being alone. All she wants is to have a family—to belong to someone. That's why she's going to Kindred Cove for the annual Salt Festival held by the secluded community that lives there. They promise that healing is possible. They promise that transformation is inevitable. There is no grief at Kindred Cove, because there is no suffering. Nothing is ever lost.
Celia knows that, at that mysterious island surrounded by that impossible, ever-growing reef -- she will find herself.
She’s ready to be healed. She’s ready to be transformed.
She's ready to believe.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
An exclusive invitation.
A remote island infamous for its miraculous ecology.
A once-in-a-lifetime chance to fix everything that's broken.
But sometimes growth requires sacrifice....
WELCOME TO KINDRED COVE.
Celia is so tired of being alone. All she wants is to have a family—to belong to someone. That's why she's going to Kindred Cove for the annual Salt Festival held by the secluded community that lives there. They promise that healing is possible. They promise that transformation is inevitable. There is no grief at Kindred Cove, because there is no suffering. Nothing is ever lost.
Celia knows that, at that mysterious island surrounded by that impossible, ever-growing reef -- she will find herself.
She’s ready to be healed. She’s ready to be transformed.
She's ready to believe.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
May 14, 2026
I too would join a cult if a hot lesbian whispered sweet-nothings into my ear
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.0 Stars
This is a familiar cult story that felt very reminiscent of the popular horror movie, Midsommar. This is generally an enjoyable story but it didn't feel particularly new or innovative. I hoped to see this story subvert tropes or surprise but instead it was a very familiar story that I couldn't help compare to the other media that has come before.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This is a familiar cult story that felt very reminiscent of the popular horror movie, Midsommar. This is generally an enjoyable story but it didn't feel particularly new or innovative. I hoped to see this story subvert tropes or surprise but instead it was a very familiar story that I couldn't help compare to the other media that has come before.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for an Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review
★ 2.22 stars ★
Before I give my review, which will be mostly negative, I want to stress that this was 100% a me issue. It's not you, book, it's me. Well, it's also your publisher who did a bad job making it clear what this book is.
And that, dear reader, is what I'd like to do because both the cover and the somewhat vague synopsis make this novel seem like it's going to be a sci-fi, horror, creepy novel about pursuing wellness to into dark depths of terror....
It was not that, which is why this book didn't work for me. It's a VERY slow burn novel that focuses heavily, if not almost entirely on the cult and the characters. This book is very character driven, providing us several POVs across several different points in time that it switches back and forth between liberally
For a reader who has a good attention span and goes into this book expecting a book that takes a while to get going and that must be chewed on, I think this will be an enjoyable read.
I am not that reader.
I like when things blow up and people get stabbed. I like drama and sex. I am a simple man. For the most part, I like to read cheap, easy reads.
All this is to say, this was a very unpleasant experience for me (I would've DNF-ed @ 20% if it wasn't a netgalley copy... i refuse to compromise my review ratio) but that was very much a personal thing. I definitely think that the right reader will go into this with the right expectations and really enjoy it.
-----
this title is what i whisper to my SSRI every time i take it
★ 2.22 stars ★
Before I give my review, which will be mostly negative, I want to stress that this was 100% a me issue. It's not you, book, it's me. Well, it's also your publisher who did a bad job making it clear what this book is.
And that, dear reader, is what I'd like to do because both the cover and the somewhat vague synopsis make this novel seem like it's going to be a sci-fi, horror, creepy novel about pursuing wellness to into dark depths of terror....
It was not that, which is why this book didn't work for me. It's a VERY slow burn novel that focuses heavily, if not almost entirely on the cult and the characters. This book is very character driven, providing us several POVs across several different points in time that it switches back and forth between liberally
For a reader who has a good attention span and goes into this book expecting a book that takes a while to get going and that must be chewed on, I think this will be an enjoyable read.
I am not that reader.
I like when things blow up and people get stabbed. I like drama and sex. I am a simple man. For the most part, I like to read cheap, easy reads.
All this is to say, this was a very unpleasant experience for me (I would've DNF-ed @ 20% if it wasn't a netgalley copy... i refuse to compromise my review ratio) but that was very much a personal thing. I definitely think that the right reader will go into this with the right expectations and really enjoy it.
-----
this title is what i whisper to my SSRI every time i take it
Want to Read
January 21, 2026ARC received!! Thank you, Tor!!!
I always look forward to Sarah Gailey's newest releases. This one sounds right up my alley and I'm LOVING this cover!!
I always look forward to Sarah Gailey's newest releases. This one sounds right up my alley and I'm LOVING this cover!!
March 31, 2026
So we have an island inhabited by a community of people that stays disconnected from the world and rely on only each other. Except for one week of the year when they host “the salt festival” and allow selected applicants to visit and “learn their ways.”
The premise of this is great. I always love a cult-ish aspect and this was a take on it I haven’t read yet. The book starts out almost immediately by introducing you to the island and the residents. All of the characters are very well thought out and well written, especially among the residents.
I had some issues with the pacing. This is a bit longer than your typical horror and really not a lot happens until the very end. It’s a lot of getting to know the characters and the setting, which I appreciate, but I just felt like it was lacking more compelling reasons to continue reading (I did finish it anyway)
The ending wasn’t bad, but I think by the time that we got to that point there weren’t really any surprises. The emotions were definitely high and more tense due to the horror that is the cult, but it just took awhile to get there. In my opinion this book felt very anticlimactic. For the amount of time I spent reading this book I was hoping for more payoff.
Thank you to Tor for the eARC via NetGalley
The premise of this is great. I always love a cult-ish aspect and this was a take on it I haven’t read yet. The book starts out almost immediately by introducing you to the island and the residents. All of the characters are very well thought out and well written, especially among the residents.
I had some issues with the pacing. This is a bit longer than your typical horror and really not a lot happens until the very end. It’s a lot of getting to know the characters and the setting, which I appreciate, but I just felt like it was lacking more compelling reasons to continue reading (I did finish it anyway)
The ending wasn’t bad, but I think by the time that we got to that point there weren’t really any surprises. The emotions were definitely high and more tense due to the horror that is the cult, but it just took awhile to get there. In my opinion this book felt very anticlimactic. For the amount of time I spent reading this book I was hoping for more payoff.
Thank you to Tor for the eARC via NetGalley
Did Not Finish
April 4, 2026dnf @ 41%
I was hating this from pretty much the start, but this is an arc so I wanted to give it a good go. I probably would have dnf'd at like 15% if it were not. I told myself to get to 40%, and I made it at 41%. I never started liking it any more.
This book is clearly written in anticipation of a limited series adaptation. All this jumping around would not feel so out of place in a tv show with a lot of moving parts, but this is a book. It's so ridiculously slow and long that I got this far in without anything really happening. There are too many pov's (who even are some of you??), too many time jumps, way too long, and too little happening.
Thank you to Tor, Sarah Gailey, and NetGalley for an early copy.
I was hating this from pretty much the start, but this is an arc so I wanted to give it a good go. I probably would have dnf'd at like 15% if it were not. I told myself to get to 40%, and I made it at 41%. I never started liking it any more.
This book is clearly written in anticipation of a limited series adaptation. All this jumping around would not feel so out of place in a tv show with a lot of moving parts, but this is a book. It's so ridiculously slow and long that I got this far in without anything really happening. There are too many pov's (who even are some of you??), too many time jumps, way too long, and too little happening.
Thank you to Tor, Sarah Gailey, and NetGalley for an early copy.
April 22, 2026
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Make Me Better by Sarah Gailey is an atmospheric, wellness retreat based horror story. It becomes clear very early on in the story that the intentional community isolated on an island in Lake Vetiver is much more sinister than it appears, but it’s is only as the book goes on that you get the full extent of how and why. Make Me Better poses the question of what we’re willing to overlook in searching for self improvement. When you’re desperate to feel better, more connected, what can you explain away?
This book is somewhat different than a lot of the other offerings in the horror novel space. Rather than a tense, twisting story that relies slightly on shock, the pretense of this story is pretty evident from the beginning. Make Me Better is like a seeing a video of a natural disaster. You know exactly how it’s going to end, and yet there’s something strangely and sickly compelling about watching it unfold. It’s high control cult and the main character is a deeply vulnerable, desperate person. The writing is on the wall (or the page). That being said, I found that story was pretty compelling even without some great crescendo and some relatively predictable beats.
One of the things that I think Gailey does best is the character vignettes of some of the side players. While it can be a little confusing jumping from timeline to timeline, the actual characterizations are striking. Harvey is deeply traumatized and harbors great grief, which he struggles to conform to the community standards. Easy, once a screw up compared unfavorably to Adelaide, relishes the cruelty and rigidity that comes with her own power. Edith, a cofounder and deep adherent to the community standards secretly harbors her own act of rebellion.
Each of these characters shows how dangerous a high control group can be. Those born outside the group are damaged or in search of something profound, and those born in the community don’t know a way of life without rigid rules. It’s clear from these character based chapters how hypocritical the laws can be, and how they’re weaponized for the empowerment of some.
The only qualm that I had was that I felt like the book showed all its cards too early. While I really enjoyed the slow and very agonizing way Celia falls into the hands of the cult, ignoring all of the red flags, it did mean that the ending did fall a little bit flat.
Symbolically, I understood the ending, but felt that if some other details hadn’t been shared so early that it would have had more emotional impact.
I would recommend this to someone who doesn’t mind a more slow paced, inevitable kind of horror story. It would also be good for anyone who’s enjoyed the movies Midsommar or The Wicker Man. 4/10, please don’t joint a cult.
Make Me Better by Sarah Gailey is an atmospheric, wellness retreat based horror story. It becomes clear very early on in the story that the intentional community isolated on an island in Lake Vetiver is much more sinister than it appears, but it’s is only as the book goes on that you get the full extent of how and why. Make Me Better poses the question of what we’re willing to overlook in searching for self improvement. When you’re desperate to feel better, more connected, what can you explain away?
This book is somewhat different than a lot of the other offerings in the horror novel space. Rather than a tense, twisting story that relies slightly on shock, the pretense of this story is pretty evident from the beginning. Make Me Better is like a seeing a video of a natural disaster. You know exactly how it’s going to end, and yet there’s something strangely and sickly compelling about watching it unfold. It’s high control cult and the main character is a deeply vulnerable, desperate person. The writing is on the wall (or the page). That being said, I found that story was pretty compelling even without some great crescendo and some relatively predictable beats.
One of the things that I think Gailey does best is the character vignettes of some of the side players. While it can be a little confusing jumping from timeline to timeline, the actual characterizations are striking. Harvey is deeply traumatized and harbors great grief, which he struggles to conform to the community standards. Easy, once a screw up compared unfavorably to Adelaide, relishes the cruelty and rigidity that comes with her own power. Edith, a cofounder and deep adherent to the community standards secretly harbors her own act of rebellion.
Each of these characters shows how dangerous a high control group can be. Those born outside the group are damaged or in search of something profound, and those born in the community don’t know a way of life without rigid rules. It’s clear from these character based chapters how hypocritical the laws can be, and how they’re weaponized for the empowerment of some.
The only qualm that I had was that I felt like the book showed all its cards too early. While I really enjoyed the slow and very agonizing way Celia falls into the hands of the cult, ignoring all of the red flags, it did mean that the ending did fall a little bit flat.
Symbolically, I understood the ending, but felt that if some other details hadn’t been shared so early that it would have had more emotional impact.
I would recommend this to someone who doesn’t mind a more slow paced, inevitable kind of horror story. It would also be good for anyone who’s enjoyed the movies Midsommar or The Wicker Man. 4/10, please don’t joint a cult.
February 12, 2026
This novel immediately felt foreboding and eerie. It wastes no time taking you to the isolated island where Celia is hoping to experience another way of life and be transformed by their beliefs, erasing her grief and making her into a more confident person. The characters have a lot going on, both internally and with each other. Their dynamics are complicated and take a while to figure out, (if you manage to figure them out at all.) Gailey clearly knew these people well, and that’s admirable. I was locked in at first, but I admit that as the story stretched on my attention waned a bit.
The constant switches in POV didn’t help. I was confused, in the beginning, about exactly what was going on with the backstory and how the characters related to each other. There were also steps back and forth between the past and present, in various increments. That made my head spin a bit and remained an issue throughout the read.
Celia’s story was the most interesting to me by far, and every time I got truly invested the chapter would switch to a different timeframe and a new POV. I did grow frustrated with this after a while. I kind of felt like the book was edging me, but not in a fun way.
I also had trouble following some of the dialogue, especially the things that Easy said. But I figured it was probably manipulative cult stuff that was over my head. I hated pretty much all of these people. It was easy to understand why Celia ended up in this situation and she was definitely sympathetic, but all the members of the Cove were awful. I also don’t fully understand what their deal was. Their values were fairly clear through dialogue and action, but as far as why the Cove was founded and what their greater purpose was? I still couldn’t tell you.
I know that Midsommar comparisons get thrown around for a lot of books now, but there is a part of this one that feels like a direct homage to Midsommar. This book has its unsettling moments for sure, but they were pretty spread out. It was interesting to see brainwashing techniques at work. (Gailey did the research.) And for the record, my theory about their salt source turned out to be correct.
This book is very well written, and it seems to have so many layers that I may have missed a few things. But I think I might be done with stories about cults in general. I’m tired of reading about frustrating mob behavior and people suffering as a result of it. I did appreciate the afterword quite a bit.
The best book I’ve read by Gailey so far is still “Spread Me.”
I’m rating this 3.5 stars. There was one horrific set piece near the end that I absolutely loved, and I wanted more of that. Gailey writes books that are very complex and no two stories are similar to each other. She’s also good at body horror! (There wasn’t enough of it to suit me in this one.) I will continue to read her work.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: *Loss of pregnancy (graphic), Harm to children.
The constant switches in POV didn’t help. I was confused, in the beginning, about exactly what was going on with the backstory and how the characters related to each other. There were also steps back and forth between the past and present, in various increments. That made my head spin a bit and remained an issue throughout the read.
Celia’s story was the most interesting to me by far, and every time I got truly invested the chapter would switch to a different timeframe and a new POV. I did grow frustrated with this after a while. I kind of felt like the book was edging me, but not in a fun way.
I also had trouble following some of the dialogue, especially the things that Easy said. But I figured it was probably manipulative cult stuff that was over my head. I hated pretty much all of these people. It was easy to understand why Celia ended up in this situation and she was definitely sympathetic, but all the members of the Cove were awful. I also don’t fully understand what their deal was. Their values were fairly clear through dialogue and action, but as far as why the Cove was founded and what their greater purpose was? I still couldn’t tell you.
I know that Midsommar comparisons get thrown around for a lot of books now, but there is a part of this one that feels like a direct homage to Midsommar. This book has its unsettling moments for sure, but they were pretty spread out. It was interesting to see brainwashing techniques at work. (Gailey did the research.) And for the record, my theory about their salt source turned out to be correct.
This book is very well written, and it seems to have so many layers that I may have missed a few things. But I think I might be done with stories about cults in general. I’m tired of reading about frustrating mob behavior and people suffering as a result of it. I did appreciate the afterword quite a bit.
The best book I’ve read by Gailey so far is still “Spread Me.”
I’m rating this 3.5 stars. There was one horrific set piece near the end that I absolutely loved, and I wanted more of that. Gailey writes books that are very complex and no two stories are similar to each other. She’s also good at body horror! (There wasn’t enough of it to suit me in this one.) I will continue to read her work.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: *Loss of pregnancy (graphic), Harm to children.
May 11, 2026
Got an arc through Libro.FM 4.5/5
Man.
I haven’t read a Gailey book since Magic for Liars but I really liked that one and what a book to return with. I finished this late last night and I’m glad I took some time to sit with it because it gave me time to think on it and the more I think the more it makes me sad. In a good way though, because the horror in this horror novel is very obvious: midsommar ass cult shenanigans, evil coral, etc, but when you think about it longer you realized how many people have to have failed so many of the characters for them to feel like this is where they belonged. FFs I had to stop in the middle of the grocery store when I realized that Edith would’ve been 16 “married” to someone in seminary school like girl you should’ve been doing math homework.
That sadness is what makes the underrated horror all the more sinister, because they all legitimately believe THIS is the better option.
For a book that jumps around in time as much as this does I think I would’ve liked another few vectors on “Dad” and the founding of the cult, but overall a solidly disturbing story.
Man.
I haven’t read a Gailey book since Magic for Liars but I really liked that one and what a book to return with. I finished this late last night and I’m glad I took some time to sit with it because it gave me time to think on it and the more I think the more it makes me sad. In a good way though, because the horror in this horror novel is very obvious: midsommar ass cult shenanigans, evil coral, etc, but when you think about it longer you realized how many people have to have failed so many of the characters for them to feel like this is where they belonged. FFs I had to stop in the middle of the grocery store when I realized that Edith would’ve been 16 “married” to someone in seminary school like girl you should’ve been doing math homework.
That sadness is what makes the underrated horror all the more sinister, because they all legitimately believe THIS is the better option.
For a book that jumps around in time as much as this does I think I would’ve liked another few vectors on “Dad” and the founding of the cult, but overall a solidly disturbing story.
May 12, 2026
Celia is grieving a loss, and through a support group, she learns about a wellness retreat that she hopes will help her to heal. When she arrives, there is some conflicting information on whether visitors have ever been allowed to remain. If they have not stayed on, where exactly did they go? Because some former guests have never returned home.
I was expecting more of a folk horror than what I got out of this book. This is more a story of cult-like behavior and how someone like Celia, with her past trauma and desperation to belong somewhere, could be ripe for conversion.
There are many points of view and several timelines that bounced around too much for my taste. It was very slow going for not a whole lot of payoff at the end.
You may enjoy it more than I did, but this book was just not for me.
My thanks to Tor Books for the paperback.
I was expecting more of a folk horror than what I got out of this book. This is more a story of cult-like behavior and how someone like Celia, with her past trauma and desperation to belong somewhere, could be ripe for conversion.
There are many points of view and several timelines that bounced around too much for my taste. It was very slow going for not a whole lot of payoff at the end.
You may enjoy it more than I did, but this book was just not for me.
My thanks to Tor Books for the paperback.
Want to Read
December 4, 2025YES! love this dark twist on island retreat / self care
May 12, 2026
Thank you for netgalley and the publisher's for this arc of the audiobook.
What can I say but like the building of the coral you don't really see the danger of everything until it's right in front of you. Absolutely beautiful. You get little hints but when it all comes together at the end of the book, and you can see how the protagonist gets sucked in is masterfully done. The group themselves echos a bit like Jonestown, even with all its gentle direction.
Very well done and enjoyable!
What can I say but like the building of the coral you don't really see the danger of everything until it's right in front of you. Absolutely beautiful. You get little hints but when it all comes together at the end of the book, and you can see how the protagonist gets sucked in is masterfully done. The group themselves echos a bit like Jonestown, even with all its gentle direction.
Very well done and enjoyable!
Did Not Finish
May 5, 2026DNF at 45%. I generally love cult stories and with the isolated island setting the story sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately I found myself really struggling to follow along with what was happening and maintain interest in the story. I didn't really enjoy the audio narration, and with so many characters plus alternating time lines to follow.... I just wasn't enjoying myself. Honestly, I've listened to a few audiobooks with this narrator and have had issues with all of them. I think I need to just steer clear at this point. I feel bad saying that but her voice and style just doesn't work for me. I am curious to try this again at some point though because Ive read a few other Sarah Gailey books and loved them, but it will need to be read with my eyes.
Thanks so much to netgalley and the publishers for access to an alc. Truly appreciated!
Thanks so much to netgalley and the publishers for access to an alc. Truly appreciated!
January 20, 2026
I entered into
Make Me Better
by Sarah Gailey not quite knowing what to expect, as Gailey is one of those authors that surprises me every time and is not one to shy away from taking risks. That unknown turned out as part of the fun. Make Me Better to remind me why I’m always excited to see what Gailey does next.
Celia is so tired of being alone. All she wants is to have a family―to belong to someone. That's why she's going to Kindred Cove for the annual Salt Festival held by the secluded community that lives there. They promise that healing is possible. They promise that transformation is inevitable. There is no grief at Kindred Cove, because there is no suffering. Nothing is ever lost.
Celia knows that, at that mysterious island surrounded by that impossible, ever-growing reef -- she will find herself. She’s ready to be healed. She’s ready to be transformed. She's ready to believe.
I was first introduced to Gailey's writing with Know Your Station , a comic book miniseries they wrote with artwork from Liana Kangas . There was something about Gailey's writing that worked so well for me, so of course I would trying out their prose novels and damn did I like Spread Me and because of this I was excited to crack open Make Me Better .
What really made Make Me Better hit hard was how unsettlingly real Gailey makes the manipulation feel. Now, I am not one to really have any clue what it really feels like to be drawn into a cult, but how Gailey does this is a close as I hopefully get. And it's not through anything overly sinister, but with warmth and attention, as well as the promising of belonging. It's the small hits throughout the story that makes us believe the community isn't exactly what it claims to be and it's those hits that kept me drawn into the story at hand. On their own, these moments might seem easy to brush off, but that is what makes them all the more dangerous.
It's these psychological thrillers, or even horror stories, that deal with real world issues such as looking for a place to belong and for a sense of meaning, but in more extreme places. This real world similarities bring a nice emotional weight and makes the horrors even more horrifying.
Make Me Better by Sarah Gailey is a hauntingly immersive and atmospheric story. Gailey blends psychological tension with horror, giving off an unsettling feeling throughout.
Make Me Better hits bookstores everywhere on May 12, 2026 from Tor Books. The audiobook, narrated by Xe Sands, is available for preorder via Libro.fm!
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Make Me Better from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
Celia is so tired of being alone. All she wants is to have a family―to belong to someone. That's why she's going to Kindred Cove for the annual Salt Festival held by the secluded community that lives there. They promise that healing is possible. They promise that transformation is inevitable. There is no grief at Kindred Cove, because there is no suffering. Nothing is ever lost.
Celia knows that, at that mysterious island surrounded by that impossible, ever-growing reef -- she will find herself. She’s ready to be healed. She’s ready to be transformed. She's ready to believe.
I was first introduced to Gailey's writing with Know Your Station , a comic book miniseries they wrote with artwork from Liana Kangas . There was something about Gailey's writing that worked so well for me, so of course I would trying out their prose novels and damn did I like Spread Me and because of this I was excited to crack open Make Me Better .
What really made Make Me Better hit hard was how unsettlingly real Gailey makes the manipulation feel. Now, I am not one to really have any clue what it really feels like to be drawn into a cult, but how Gailey does this is a close as I hopefully get. And it's not through anything overly sinister, but with warmth and attention, as well as the promising of belonging. It's the small hits throughout the story that makes us believe the community isn't exactly what it claims to be and it's those hits that kept me drawn into the story at hand. On their own, these moments might seem easy to brush off, but that is what makes them all the more dangerous.
It's these psychological thrillers, or even horror stories, that deal with real world issues such as looking for a place to belong and for a sense of meaning, but in more extreme places. This real world similarities bring a nice emotional weight and makes the horrors even more horrifying.
Make Me Better by Sarah Gailey is a hauntingly immersive and atmospheric story. Gailey blends psychological tension with horror, giving off an unsettling feeling throughout.
Make Me Better hits bookstores everywhere on May 12, 2026 from Tor Books. The audiobook, narrated by Xe Sands, is available for preorder via Libro.fm!
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Make Me Better from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
May 15, 2026
Following several miscarriages with no family and few friends to support her, Celia goes to Kindred Cove in search of the healing they promise and the community described to her by one of its inhabitants. The path to healing is not straight, and the community of Kindred Cove begin to lead her down a mysterious path, assuring her that at the end she will finally be able to see herself.
I've only read one other book by Sarah Gailey, and if Spread Me didn't teach me to prepare for some truly weird stuff in their books, this one did. Strong Midsommar vibes but it is definitely a different situations since Kindred Cove was created within the last few generations. It's also only vaguely alluded to, but I'm pretty sure this book takes place in the near future which is kind of interesting especially considering it's not a big part of the story. I always think it's a mark of good writing and character development when the protagonist is making kind of wild decisions but you can't feel mad at them because you understand all the motivation behind it. I can't fault Celia for selling her soul for community because I would do the same in her place. There are some really great bone-chilling scene and interesting dynamics at play for sure.
My only critique is that there are just a lot of characters and flashbacks and it's honestly very difficult to keep straight. I couldn't confidently tell you what Caleb and Harvey's narrative arcs were and mixing up characters in different timelines also meant even in the present timeline I was picturing them as a wildly different age from what they were.
All in all, a great take on cult horror! I love the crazy stuff Gailey is doing and I look forward to their next release!
Thank you to Sarah Gailey and Tor Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
I've only read one other book by Sarah Gailey, and if Spread Me didn't teach me to prepare for some truly weird stuff in their books, this one did. Strong Midsommar vibes but it is definitely a different situations since Kindred Cove was created within the last few generations. It's also only vaguely alluded to, but I'm pretty sure this book takes place in the near future which is kind of interesting especially considering it's not a big part of the story. I always think it's a mark of good writing and character development when the protagonist is making kind of wild decisions but you can't feel mad at them because you understand all the motivation behind it. I can't fault Celia for selling her soul for community because I would do the same in her place. There are some really great bone-chilling scene and interesting dynamics at play for sure.
My only critique is that there are just a lot of characters and flashbacks and it's honestly very difficult to keep straight. I couldn't confidently tell you what Caleb and Harvey's narrative arcs were and mixing up characters in different timelines also meant even in the present timeline I was picturing them as a wildly different age from what they were.
All in all, a great take on cult horror! I love the crazy stuff Gailey is doing and I look forward to their next release!
Thank you to Sarah Gailey and Tor Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
May 10, 2026
If you like M. Night Shyamalan’s OLD, and/ or you like cult related stories: this is for you!! It makes you wonder what is going on and makes you so confused why people are acting the way they do — that you feel like you’re the one who is going crazy.
3.5 ⭐️
My highlights: I liked the premise of this book, and the “community first” mindset was very interesting. My most common thought this book was, “What is wrong with these people.” The main characters are all pretty irritating in their own ways, but we do get a glimpse into their histories to see WHY they behave in that way.
Do I think you should read it? If you like psychological thriller/ mysteries: YES
The wrap up with Adelaide was anti-climactic, and I wish it would’ve fit into the plot some other way. The story felt like it was very long, but we did get a lot of details on multiple people, and situations. With so many POVs and time jumps made me confused to the point I stopped trying to keep up with the timeline in my head, I was just there for the ride.
I kept listening because I wanted to understand what was going on with the community, visitors, and the reef. Immediately from the beginning you can feel that Kindred Cove is a strange place with strange people, but it’s left up to your assumptions for the majority of the time.
I feel some pity for Celia, but I feel like she could’ve talked to a therapist or psychiatrist and avoided going to the Salt Festival in the first place. But at least she got her “happy ending.”
Thank you to the author and Publisher for this ALC.
3.5 ⭐️
My highlights: I liked the premise of this book, and the “community first” mindset was very interesting. My most common thought this book was, “What is wrong with these people.” The main characters are all pretty irritating in their own ways, but we do get a glimpse into their histories to see WHY they behave in that way.
Do I think you should read it? If you like psychological thriller/ mysteries: YES
The wrap up with Adelaide was anti-climactic, and I wish it would’ve fit into the plot some other way. The story felt like it was very long, but we did get a lot of details on multiple people, and situations. With so many POVs and time jumps made me confused to the point I stopped trying to keep up with the timeline in my head, I was just there for the ride.
I kept listening because I wanted to understand what was going on with the community, visitors, and the reef. Immediately from the beginning you can feel that Kindred Cove is a strange place with strange people, but it’s left up to your assumptions for the majority of the time.
I feel some pity for Celia, but I feel like she could’ve talked to a therapist or psychiatrist and avoided going to the Salt Festival in the first place. But at least she got her “happy ending.”
Thank you to the author and Publisher for this ALC.
May 13, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars due to narration
Make Me Better is a predictable culty horror reminiscent of Midsommer. It is still an enjoyable story, but the book was too long and dragged through the middle. There is depth to the story, which redeems the predictability of the plot, and its written well.
The story switches back and forth between several points in the past and present day, which I like, however it was hard to follow at times while listening to the audiobook.
As always, Xe Sands does a great job narrating; Sarah Gailey and Xe Sands are a winning combo for me.
I would recommend this book to anyone intrigued by cults and who enjoys character driven stories.
TW: pregnancy loss
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest opinion.
Make Me Better is a predictable culty horror reminiscent of Midsommer. It is still an enjoyable story, but the book was too long and dragged through the middle. There is depth to the story, which redeems the predictability of the plot, and its written well.
The story switches back and forth between several points in the past and present day, which I like, however it was hard to follow at times while listening to the audiobook.
As always, Xe Sands does a great job narrating; Sarah Gailey and Xe Sands are a winning combo for me.
I would recommend this book to anyone intrigued by cults and who enjoys character driven stories.
TW: pregnancy loss
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest opinion.
May 15, 2026
(rounded up from 2.5)
Unfortunately my least favorite Sarah Gailey book so far (normally I love them). This is slow moving and barely horror, and the focus is mainly on this cult and its members who are hard to keep track of and even harder to care about because they are simply not very interesting. The reveals will be exactly what anyone familiar with the genre would have guessed the second there starts to be a hint of mystery, which is disappointing. I can absolutely understand why many reviewers simply DNF'd this one at less than halfway through because I was this close to doing the same but persisted. It does get better, but only slightly so overall I was disappointed.
Unfortunately my least favorite Sarah Gailey book so far (normally I love them). This is slow moving and barely horror, and the focus is mainly on this cult and its members who are hard to keep track of and even harder to care about because they are simply not very interesting. The reveals will be exactly what anyone familiar with the genre would have guessed the second there starts to be a hint of mystery, which is disappointing. I can absolutely understand why many reviewers simply DNF'd this one at less than halfway through because I was this close to doing the same but persisted. It does get better, but only slightly so overall I was disappointed.
Read
May 8, 2026The last couple of Sarah Gailey books I’ve read have had a different vibe to the others that made me a fan of hers in the first place. All of her stories are interesting concepts, but as time goes on, they seem to get more and more bonkers (complementary). I love that each of her works feels so distinctly different and her signature storytelling always shines through to leave a lasting impression.
Make Me Better is a slow burn horror, and the tense cult-y vibes leave you feeling unsettled throughout. The multi-POV and timeline changes might not be for everyone, but if that is your jam, be sure to check out this creepy wellness center horror thriller.
Make Me Better is a slow burn horror, and the tense cult-y vibes leave you feeling unsettled throughout. The multi-POV and timeline changes might not be for everyone, but if that is your jam, be sure to check out this creepy wellness center horror thriller.
May 13, 2026
Got me fucked up!
Read
April 28, 2026Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Audio Review: Xe Sands is one of my favorite narrators, would highly recommend.
Review: The first thing I want to say is there is a major theme/element that is central to this story that is left out in the synopsis and I'm unsure why that is. If you start reading it and you notice that as a theme that bothers you I would stop reading (meaning it will continue). If you are a fan of midsommer, you will enjoy this. I liked the cult aspect of it but it felt entirely too long. Some of Gailey's other works have been around 200 pages and I feel like the concept of this book would have fit perfectly in that page length. Otherwise, the writing is good and I liked the unsettling aspects of the story.
Audio Review: Xe Sands is one of my favorite narrators, would highly recommend.
Review: The first thing I want to say is there is a major theme/element that is central to this story that is left out in the synopsis and I'm unsure why that is. If you start reading it and you notice that as a theme that bothers you I would stop reading (meaning it will continue). If you are a fan of midsommer, you will enjoy this. I liked the cult aspect of it but it felt entirely too long. Some of Gailey's other works have been around 200 pages and I feel like the concept of this book would have fit perfectly in that page length. Otherwise, the writing is good and I liked the unsettling aspects of the story.
May 1, 2026
This is my bread and butter!!!!
Make Me Better is creepy, immersive, and completely addictive.
A remote island. A cult-like community. A promise to “fix” everything broken in you.
I was ALL IN.
Kindred Cove, the Salt Festival, the reef, the unsettling sense of belonging…I loved every piece of it. And the whole time, I felt both drawn in and slightly repulsed. Which is exactly what I want from a book like this.
Please give me more books that make me this uncomfortable!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to this title in exchange for my honest review.
Make Me Better is creepy, immersive, and completely addictive.
A remote island. A cult-like community. A promise to “fix” everything broken in you.
I was ALL IN.
Kindred Cove, the Salt Festival, the reef, the unsettling sense of belonging…I loved every piece of it. And the whole time, I felt both drawn in and slightly repulsed. Which is exactly what I want from a book like this.
Please give me more books that make me this uncomfortable!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to this title in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Make Me Better is a curious thriller about an isolated community living on an island surrounded by a mysterious, fast-growing coral reef. It follows both members of the community as well as Celia, who joins the community on their yearly salt festival, where outsiders come to the island to... well. The purpose of the salt festival is nebulous from the start, and naturally, much more sinister in the end than it first appears.
Pretty much every character in the book is a confusing tangle of complex and varied motivations that are only very slowly revealed. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. The community was disturbing from the start in a way that I found very hard to put my finger on. I had just finished a horror novel taking place in a Christian cult, and while the community in Make Me Better was not religious and not as overtly violent and patriarchial, they were still very much a cult, and exert violence and oppression in a much more quiet and thus almost more nefarious way.
The narrators of the story are mostly happy with the community or want to join it, which causes quite a bit of cognitive dissonance while reading, and was a great choice for the book. The community members are happy with their lives, and absolutely in tune with the rules of the community. Celia meanwhile may be an outsider, but she is unhappy with her life, and, ultimately, a very disregulated person with some very toxic personality traits.
I didn't super enjoy all those aspects of the book, even though I found them well chosen and executed well. The overall pace was just a bit too slow for me, and the gradual revelations were just a bit too unclear for me. A lot of things are only ever implied instead of spelled out, and while I mostly understood the meaning, some things were, in my opinion, left ambiguous enough to be a bit confusing.
The coral reef plotline was heavily underutilized. I thought there would be much more around it, the scientific interest in it, or it's weird behaviour, but that was ultimately left completely unexplored.
I appreciate what the book was trying to do and the skill involved in many of the narrative decisions, but I still wished for a bit more clarity, and a bit more oomph to it. Another thing that made it more difficult for me to enjoy was the narrator's voice - I found her voice to be quite hard to process at times, and couldn't always understand what she was saying.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Pretty much every character in the book is a confusing tangle of complex and varied motivations that are only very slowly revealed. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. The community was disturbing from the start in a way that I found very hard to put my finger on. I had just finished a horror novel taking place in a Christian cult, and while the community in Make Me Better was not religious and not as overtly violent and patriarchial, they were still very much a cult, and exert violence and oppression in a much more quiet and thus almost more nefarious way.
The narrators of the story are mostly happy with the community or want to join it, which causes quite a bit of cognitive dissonance while reading, and was a great choice for the book. The community members are happy with their lives, and absolutely in tune with the rules of the community. Celia meanwhile may be an outsider, but she is unhappy with her life, and, ultimately, a very disregulated person with some very toxic personality traits.
I didn't super enjoy all those aspects of the book, even though I found them well chosen and executed well. The overall pace was just a bit too slow for me, and the gradual revelations were just a bit too unclear for me. A lot of things are only ever implied instead of spelled out, and while I mostly understood the meaning, some things were, in my opinion, left ambiguous enough to be a bit confusing.
The coral reef plotline was heavily underutilized. I thought there would be much more around it, the scientific interest in it, or it's weird behaviour, but that was ultimately left completely unexplored.
I appreciate what the book was trying to do and the skill involved in many of the narrative decisions, but I still wished for a bit more clarity, and a bit more oomph to it. Another thing that made it more difficult for me to enjoy was the narrator's voice - I found her voice to be quite hard to process at times, and couldn't always understand what she was saying.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
May 13, 2026
The horror in Make Me Better by Sarah Gailey sneaks up on you so quietly that you almost don’t realize you’re reading horror at all, until you very much are. The writing is poetic, especially in the way Gailey describes emotion and internal struggle, and for most of the novel it reads more like literary fiction than anything else.
The story shifts between multiple perspectives, but centers primarily on Celia, a woman who signs up for a four-day wellness retreat at an isolated intentional community on a lake island called Kindred Cove. The community is thought to be a place for connection and personal meaning, and everyone who visits leaves changed, just not always in the ways they expected. What surprised me most is how relatable and sympathetic the members of this community are. There are no obvious villains here, which feels very intentional. In fact, that may be the core question the book is asking: who or what are the real monsters in our lives? Is it loneliness? Greed? Distraction? The desire for control? The novel feels a bit like a Rorschach test of philosophical questions, where different readers will walk away with very different interpretations based on their own experiences and beliefs.
I think this would make an excellent book club pick, even for readers who typically avoid horror. The psychological and ecological unease drives the story, but there’s so much depth here about community, identity, and autonomy. What do we owe to the communities we join? And at what point does belonging start to cost us our sense of self?
Disclosure: I received an e-ARC copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story shifts between multiple perspectives, but centers primarily on Celia, a woman who signs up for a four-day wellness retreat at an isolated intentional community on a lake island called Kindred Cove. The community is thought to be a place for connection and personal meaning, and everyone who visits leaves changed, just not always in the ways they expected. What surprised me most is how relatable and sympathetic the members of this community are. There are no obvious villains here, which feels very intentional. In fact, that may be the core question the book is asking: who or what are the real monsters in our lives? Is it loneliness? Greed? Distraction? The desire for control? The novel feels a bit like a Rorschach test of philosophical questions, where different readers will walk away with very different interpretations based on their own experiences and beliefs.
I think this would make an excellent book club pick, even for readers who typically avoid horror. The psychological and ecological unease drives the story, but there’s so much depth here about community, identity, and autonomy. What do we owe to the communities we join? And at what point does belonging start to cost us our sense of self?
Disclosure: I received an e-ARC copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2026
3.75/5
Damn this book is crazy! We follow Celia, visiting the island for a specific purpose, and through her eyes experience the Salt Festival, the only time Kindred Cove welcomes non-residents to its shores. Through flashbacks for Celia and Kindred Cove residents, we unravel the culture of the island and what type of people make up this community.
Vibes are good - culty, unreliable narrator (sorta), struggling through grief - but it reminded me a lot of my favorite book of last year, O Sinners! by Nicole Cuffy, and I found that book to be more engaging. However, I would recommend folks looking for a vibe-y thriller to give this one a try! Xe Sands did a great job narrating the audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Damn this book is crazy! We follow Celia, visiting the island for a specific purpose, and through her eyes experience the Salt Festival, the only time Kindred Cove welcomes non-residents to its shores. Through flashbacks for Celia and Kindred Cove residents, we unravel the culture of the island and what type of people make up this community.
Vibes are good - culty, unreliable narrator (sorta), struggling through grief - but it reminded me a lot of my favorite book of last year, O Sinners! by Nicole Cuffy, and I found that book to be more engaging. However, I would recommend folks looking for a vibe-y thriller to give this one a try! Xe Sands did a great job narrating the audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
May 5, 2026
Make Me Better (audio) 2⭐️
I love the cover art! It grabbed my attention and the book description had me rushing to request an early listener copy!
From the start I struggled with the narrator. I needed to slow the speed down from my usual 1.75x-2x and have my volume turned up as I adjusted to the narrator’s voice. The overall cadence was off to me. I wasn’t sure how I should imagine the character of Easy. The voice choice made her sound like an old lady while also giving creepy old man vibes.
I enjoy a good haunting cult storyline. I was hoping for more creepy and unsettling feelings and a deeper dive of the “why” of it all. I didn’t mind the timeline jumps and the character development was well done.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date May 5 2026
I love the cover art! It grabbed my attention and the book description had me rushing to request an early listener copy!
From the start I struggled with the narrator. I needed to slow the speed down from my usual 1.75x-2x and have my volume turned up as I adjusted to the narrator’s voice. The overall cadence was off to me. I wasn’t sure how I should imagine the character of Easy. The voice choice made her sound like an old lady while also giving creepy old man vibes.
I enjoy a good haunting cult storyline. I was hoping for more creepy and unsettling feelings and a deeper dive of the “why” of it all. I didn’t mind the timeline jumps and the character development was well done.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date May 5 2026
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Serious props to Gailey, they really did their research for this.
A slow burn psychological thriller-y story perfect for if you enjoyed Midsommar (as many other reviewers have mentioned)...or really if you just enjoy reading about crazy cult bitches. The uncanny valley feels are stronggg, adding to the already foreboding setting. I loved to hate all the islanders, like seriously, they all suck ass.
This is a slow burn, so if that's something you don't care for, heads up. There's also a lot of POV changes plus shifts in timelines; I found it to be a little confusing at first, but it all sorted itself out.
This was a GOOD time! Thank you to Jordan Hanley and the publisher for an early copy. loooove yew!
A slow burn psychological thriller-y story perfect for if you enjoyed Midsommar (as many other reviewers have mentioned)...or really if you just enjoy reading about crazy cult bitches. The uncanny valley feels are stronggg, adding to the already foreboding setting. I loved to hate all the islanders, like seriously, they all suck ass.
This is a slow burn, so if that's something you don't care for, heads up. There's also a lot of POV changes plus shifts in timelines; I found it to be a little confusing at first, but it all sorted itself out.
This was a GOOD time! Thank you to Jordan Hanley and the publisher for an early copy. loooove yew!
March 15, 2026
The start of the book was hard for me, but once I got into this it had me hooked. Overall, the cult aspects in this are pretty standard and don't break any popular conventions, but the slow, unraveling mystery of Celia's story, Adelaide's story, the reef's story, just what happens at Kindred Cove... all the interweaving plotlines of this made this a page-turner. Very strong characters and great tone throughout.
Thank you NetGalley for ARC!
Thank you NetGalley for ARC!
Did Not Finish
May 12, 2026too many characters and jumps between timelines to be coherent. i was confused from the jump, I couldn’t buy in at all and couldn’t find my footing as the story progressed. maybe it was an issue listening to just the audiobook without physically seeing the names in front of me. i made it about 20% of the way in before recognizing that finishing the book would not be an enjoyable experience for me.
May 6, 2026
Make Me Better was really thought provoking. I got a little confused with all the characters but I love the ending. The theming of community, sacrifice, family, ownership, and belonging were really well written.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews