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Make Me Better
You were pure once. You can be made pure again.
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.
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.
11 pages, Audiobook
First published May 12, 2026
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May 14, 2026
I too would join a cult if a hot lesbian whispered sweet-nothings into my ear
May 30, 2026
**2.5-stars**
Make Me Better mainly follows a woman named Celia. She's struggling in her life. All she wants is a family, and no matter what she does, it's not happening for her.
Seeking a way to make things better, Celia signs up for something called the Salt Festival, set on an island within the remote community of Kindred Cove. She buys their promise that healing is possible, even for her.
We follow Celia as she arrives at the island and starts to learn what the Salt Festival is all about. The individuals involved in the Festival are all provided lodgings and daily activities to help them to grow and heal.
In addition to Celia in the present timeline, we also get various other perspectives at numerous other periods in time, from months ago, to years ago, of people living at Kindred Cove. It's a lot to wrap your head around.
At the start of the novel, I was very intrigued by the mysterious tone. I always find Gailey's writing easy to get into and this was no exception. Unfortunately, the further I got into it, the more it lost my interest and attention.
The story has an interesting premise; Celia, traveling to an island to participate in the Salt Festival that she believes will heal all her woes. I could get behind that. I was ready to find out what her journey was going to be there.
The direction of the story does get pretty f*ed up, NGL, but not in a gruesome, or gory way, just in the truth of what it's all about. Celia loses herself so deeply, IMO, in such a short amount of time, which honestly makes me sad. I know it's possible, but still it's sad to think about. This type of thing probably happens more than we'd like to imagine.
The construction of the story is what I struggled with the most. The time jumps, how random they felt, it made it hard to connect with the story.
I constantly felt like I was getting pushed out of it, and had to actively work to recenter myself in the narrative. It just wasn't an enjoyable experience. I read for escape and relaxation, and for me, this was not relaxing.
I listened to the audiobook, which has the fabulous Xe Sands as narrator. I love their narration. They've done quite a few of Gailey's novels, so that felt right. While the narration was well done, I feel like the story may have been better served had there been multiple narrators to help make the time periods and perspectives more distinct.
It was really difficult via audio to keep track of where you were in time and who you were following due to the single-person narration, IMO.
However, with all of this being said, just because it didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you. I'm positive there are Readers out there who are going to be able to relate to Celia's story, and better track the rest of what is going on, than I could.
Thank you to the publisher, Tor and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I always look forward to Gailey's new releases. Their creativity and confidence to take risks are things I admire.
While this one wasn't exactly my cup of tea, I'm still glad I gave it shot. You don't know until you try!
Make Me Better mainly follows a woman named Celia. She's struggling in her life. All she wants is a family, and no matter what she does, it's not happening for her.
Seeking a way to make things better, Celia signs up for something called the Salt Festival, set on an island within the remote community of Kindred Cove. She buys their promise that healing is possible, even for her.
We follow Celia as she arrives at the island and starts to learn what the Salt Festival is all about. The individuals involved in the Festival are all provided lodgings and daily activities to help them to grow and heal.
In addition to Celia in the present timeline, we also get various other perspectives at numerous other periods in time, from months ago, to years ago, of people living at Kindred Cove. It's a lot to wrap your head around.
At the start of the novel, I was very intrigued by the mysterious tone. I always find Gailey's writing easy to get into and this was no exception. Unfortunately, the further I got into it, the more it lost my interest and attention.
The story has an interesting premise; Celia, traveling to an island to participate in the Salt Festival that she believes will heal all her woes. I could get behind that. I was ready to find out what her journey was going to be there.
The direction of the story does get pretty f*ed up, NGL, but not in a gruesome, or gory way, just in the truth of what it's all about. Celia loses herself so deeply, IMO, in such a short amount of time, which honestly makes me sad. I know it's possible, but still it's sad to think about. This type of thing probably happens more than we'd like to imagine.
The construction of the story is what I struggled with the most. The time jumps, how random they felt, it made it hard to connect with the story.
I constantly felt like I was getting pushed out of it, and had to actively work to recenter myself in the narrative. It just wasn't an enjoyable experience. I read for escape and relaxation, and for me, this was not relaxing.
I listened to the audiobook, which has the fabulous Xe Sands as narrator. I love their narration. They've done quite a few of Gailey's novels, so that felt right. While the narration was well done, I feel like the story may have been better served had there been multiple narrators to help make the time periods and perspectives more distinct.
It was really difficult via audio to keep track of where you were in time and who you were following due to the single-person narration, IMO.
However, with all of this being said, just because it didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you. I'm positive there are Readers out there who are going to be able to relate to Celia's story, and better track the rest of what is going on, than I could.
Thank you to the publisher, Tor and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I always look forward to Gailey's new releases. Their creativity and confidence to take risks are things I admire.
While this one wasn't exactly my cup of tea, I'm still glad I gave it shot. You don't know until you try!
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.
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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.
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this title is what i whisper to my SSRI every time i take it
Read
May 25, 2026A weird island with cult vibes is at the center of this slow-burn thriller/light horror. A woman dealing with infertility hopes that the magic of the island can help her, but instead she is slowly drawn into the dark secrets that the island hides...
This jumps around a lot in terms of perspectives and timeline, very slowly building to an ending that is kind of what you expect by that point in the book. I do, however, like creepy cult vibes and dark secrets so I enjoyed the read. The narrator for the audiobook was not my favorite though and I might have done better with a different narrator. I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
This jumps around a lot in terms of perspectives and timeline, very slowly building to an ending that is kind of what you expect by that point in the book. I do, however, like creepy cult vibes and dark secrets so I enjoyed the read. The narrator for the audiobook was not my favorite though and I might have done better with a different narrator. I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 31, 2026
I had tried multiple times to come back to this audiobook, and failed to engage each time. The narrator, Xe Sands, has done a perfectly competent and thoughtful presentation of the novel, but otherwise there wasn't anything to keep me interested in Celia's story in Sarah Gailey's Make Me Better. I managed to finish it with the speed cranked way up, but only to satisfy myself that there wasn't an intriguing and redemptive part down the line. I didn't miss much.
I'm not a religious person, and find cults to be particularly curious things. Never understanding the lure of culty self-help offerings or the desperation of people to connect to something bigger. However, you turn that weirdness into a horror story, that those who are supposed to help are "evil" and doing awful things to gain followers, and count me 100% TOTALLY IN for the insane ride. That's what I thought I was getting in this book, but it did not hit the mark. Not enough happened and waiting for action or horror to happen was tedious.
I wish the marketing for this book had been more truthful -- or honestly, just more forthcoming -- with regard to what I was getting. We were promised a "compulsively listenable" and eerie horror novel, but instead it was slow and only vaguely creepy. I don't fault the book, but rather the people who put it out there and misrepresented it.
I'm not a religious person, and find cults to be particularly curious things. Never understanding the lure of culty self-help offerings or the desperation of people to connect to something bigger. However, you turn that weirdness into a horror story, that those who are supposed to help are "evil" and doing awful things to gain followers, and count me 100% TOTALLY IN for the insane ride. That's what I thought I was getting in this book, but it did not hit the mark. Not enough happened and waiting for action or horror to happen was tedious.
I wish the marketing for this book had been more truthful -- or honestly, just more forthcoming -- with regard to what I was getting. We were promised a "compulsively listenable" and eerie horror novel, but instead it was slow and only vaguely creepy. I don't fault the book, but rather the people who put it out there and misrepresented it.
May 23, 2026
One of my anticipated new releases for this year. In Make Me Better, Celia signs up to join a festival in a secretive and insular community in hopes that they will heal her crushing loneliness and grief for her infertility. As Celia submerges into the world of Kindred Cove, she begins to realize that something is wrong—but does it matter if they offer her a home?
Make Me Better is a horror novel, but not one that relies on shocking reveals. From very early on, it's obvious that Kindred Cove is a cult, and there's something wrong with the lake water. With the horror elements made plain, most of the real tension is in watching Kindred Cove's young leader Easy slowly manipulate Celia, using Celia's attraction and starvation for attention against her. It's about the slow tragedy of watching Celia gradually become somebody who will ignore the evidence of her own eyes in exchange for the approval of the community. Not to mention the group's concerning ideas about pregnancy and childraising, a topic that's already deeply fraught for Celia... The community of Kindred Cove is fleshed out through multiple perspective chapters from other members, including former golden child Adelaide, grimly observant Edith, and grieving Caleb. Giving the other characters a chance to speak made it clear that many of these people were once victims like Celia. I enjoyed the overall effect of the novel, but I think the plot could have been tighter. Ultimately, I question if this was a book that needed to be five hundred pages long...
Make Me Better is a horror novel, but not one that relies on shocking reveals. From very early on, it's obvious that Kindred Cove is a cult, and there's something wrong with the lake water. With the horror elements made plain, most of the real tension is in watching Kindred Cove's young leader Easy slowly manipulate Celia, using Celia's attraction and starvation for attention against her. It's about the slow tragedy of watching Celia gradually become somebody who will ignore the evidence of her own eyes in exchange for the approval of the community. Not to mention the group's concerning ideas about pregnancy and childraising, a topic that's already deeply fraught for Celia... The community of Kindred Cove is fleshed out through multiple perspective chapters from other members, including former golden child Adelaide, grimly observant Edith, and grieving Caleb. Giving the other characters a chance to speak made it clear that many of these people were once victims like Celia. I enjoyed the overall effect of the novel, but I think the plot could have been tighter. Ultimately, I question if this was a book that needed to be five hundred pages long...
May 29, 2026
Rounding up, because when I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about the next time I could read this book. Big fan of weird cult stories, and this one worked for me. I definitely felt the Midsommar vibes in this community, and I could practically taste salt every time I opened this book.
Some of the time jumps were a little hard to follow, especially if I fell asleep reading and came back to the book later.
Some of the time jumps were a little hard to follow, especially if I fell asleep reading and came back to the book later.
May 28, 2026
I loved this culty horror book! The characters felt so real and tangible, and I think Gailey really nailed the manipulative dialogue- Easy was a character that you wanted to love but knew you probably shouldn’t.
I could relate to and sympathize with Celia even as I had a few moments of frustration with her. The authors note at the end made me feel even deeper for Celia too- selfless, good people are the ones easiest to manipulate, it’s true!
The story is told slowly, with chapters changing narrators and timelines frequently. I found it hard to keep track of it all at times, but I think that was intentional? It certainly added to the sense of confusion, which is probably needed in order to manipulate someone, and I think this book was trying to work its manipulation on me!
Ultimately I enjoyed that there were so many different threads at work because it also gave a greater sense of the community. Reading this from the eyes of one narrator would have been a disservice to the story. The only thing I will say is that I’m still a little lost at the founding of it all- maybe I just missed that part?
Overall glad I read this and would recommend to anyone interested! I will definitely be recommending this book all summer. My only critique is a bit of slow pacing and confusion, but again that may have been purposeful!
I could relate to and sympathize with Celia even as I had a few moments of frustration with her. The authors note at the end made me feel even deeper for Celia too- selfless, good people are the ones easiest to manipulate, it’s true!
The story is told slowly, with chapters changing narrators and timelines frequently. I found it hard to keep track of it all at times, but I think that was intentional? It certainly added to the sense of confusion, which is probably needed in order to manipulate someone, and I think this book was trying to work its manipulation on me!
Ultimately I enjoyed that there were so many different threads at work because it also gave a greater sense of the community. Reading this from the eyes of one narrator would have been a disservice to the story. The only thing I will say is that I’m still a little lost at the founding of it all- maybe I just missed that part?
Overall glad I read this and would recommend to anyone interested! I will definitely be recommending this book all summer. My only critique is a bit of slow pacing and confusion, but again that may have been purposeful!
May 24, 2026
4.75 stars
I thought this was a brilliant culty read.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTBF8fHVE/
I thought this was a brilliant culty read.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTBF8fHVE/
Want to Read
December 4, 2025YES! love this dark twist on island retreat / self care
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!
June 2, 2026
3.5 stars
This is a story about grief and ultimately, how people deal with it. The characters in this book definitely don’t handle grief in healthy ways. We have this pseudo-cult living on an island in the name of community, but their way of life is incredibly bleak.
We get the POVs of several of the island’s residents, but honestly, I think there were too many at times. I wasn’t interested in everyone’s personal history and found myself much more invested in the main character and what happened to her friend.
The ending surprised me and I liked the direction it took. Sometimes you just have to give in to the delusion. Overall, the pacing felt a bit slow, but I was genuinely interested in seeing where the story would go.
This is a story about grief and ultimately, how people deal with it. The characters in this book definitely don’t handle grief in healthy ways. We have this pseudo-cult living on an island in the name of community, but their way of life is incredibly bleak.
We get the POVs of several of the island’s residents, but honestly, I think there were too many at times. I wasn’t interested in everyone’s personal history and found myself much more invested in the main character and what happened to her friend.
The ending surprised me and I liked the direction it took. Sometimes you just have to give in to the delusion. Overall, the pacing felt a bit slow, but I was genuinely interested in seeing where the story would go.
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.
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!
May 13, 2026
Got me fucked up!
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 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.
Did Not Finish
May 19, 2026Unfortunately, I ended up DNFing this audiobook at 43%. I really liked the premise of a creepy culty retreat but found the pacing to be very slow. There were also so many characters and endless time jumps, which were very hard to follow in an audio format. I think reading it on a page would have been made it easier to follow but the pacing was still too slow and meandering for me.
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook!
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook!
May 22, 2026
Man, I really wanted to like this.
So often I feel like cult books do not deliver enough on the actual culty-ness but this one did not disappoint. You learn about the leaders, how the group recruits, how it turns people...
Unfortunately this book ultimately ends up being more of a fictional depiction of how someone enters a cult than a horror book. The pacing is brutally slow and the ending sort of fizzles. Many characters are interesting and it's impressive how the author was able to depict multiple motives and personalities within the cult. That said, the main character herself is probably the most boring of the characters and her arc is predictable and, again, not very compelling.
It took way too long for the creepiness to ramp up and by the time someone dies, it's hard to care because it feels obvious and inevitable. You also don't really get a chance to invest emotionally with that character so you REALLY don't care.
So often I feel like cult books do not deliver enough on the actual culty-ness but this one did not disappoint. You learn about the leaders, how the group recruits, how it turns people...
Unfortunately this book ultimately ends up being more of a fictional depiction of how someone enters a cult than a horror book. The pacing is brutally slow and the ending sort of fizzles. Many characters are interesting and it's impressive how the author was able to depict multiple motives and personalities within the cult. That said, the main character herself is probably the most boring of the characters and her arc is predictable and, again, not very compelling.
It took way too long for the creepiness to ramp up and by the time someone dies, it's hard to care because it feels obvious and inevitable. You also don't really get a chance to invest emotionally with that character so you REALLY don't care.
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 18, 2026
if you think i will EVER step foot into a lake again after finishing this book, you are WRONG. what a spooky-ooky book!!!!!! definitely giving midsommar vibes for sure. a giant CW/TW for pregnancy topics and some gore. i could read a whole series about the Kindred Cove community. i'd watch a limited series, a movie, a full 20 episode season. 4.5/5 stars
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