A Little Bit Culty: Navigating Cults, Control and Coercion

by Sarah Edmondson, Nippy Ames

Culty shit is everywhere—and this book shows you how to spot it, escape it, and heal from it.

From former NXIVM insiders turned whistleblowers and hosts of the hit podcast A Little Bit Culty comes a gripping, practical, and surprisingly hopeful guide to understanding how manipulative people and systems get their hooks into us—and how to get your life back when they do.

Drawing from their harrowing experiences inside NXIVM, their roles in HBO’s The Vow, and hundreds of conversations with survivors and experts, Sarah Edmondson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames pull back the curtain on the tactics of coercive love bombing, gaslighting, identity erosion, charismatic leadership, toxic spirituality, trauma bonding, and more.
Blending memoir, survivor wisdom, cultural commentary, and hard-won humor, A Little Bit Culty decodes the red flags hiding in plain sight—in relationships, workplaces, wellness communities, social media movements, churches, and anywhere someone claims to have all the answers.

Whether you’re untangling your own experience, worried about someone you love, or simply curious how smart, capable people get drawn into high-control groups, this book is the compassionate, no-BS field guide you’ve been waiting for.
Part cautionary tale, part survival manual, and part rallying cry, A Little Bit Culty will leave you wiser, stronger, and far less likely to fall for anyone promising “transformation” at the cost of your autonomy.

Welcome to the club—the one that helps you stay out of cults.

Genres: Cults

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 18, 2026

Reviews

[Colleen Lippert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read for everyone- whether you’re a teen heading off to college, a cult survivor, or someone simply doing a bit of soul-searching. Sarah and Nippy highlight so many red flags around coercive control and manipulation that I might not have recognized before reading this. I also love how they weave in moments of humor throughout, making a heavy subject feel approachable and very easy to read.

[Daniel Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kudos to the A Little Bit Culty podcasters, Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames. Their book covers the A-Zs of understanding cults and recovering from traumatic abuse in cults. It is fresh, accessible, and highly compelling. They've organized the book into sections that answer all the questions you're likely to want answers to, whether you're a cult survivor, or you know someone in a cult, or you're just curious. They weave in their own experiences with many of the experiences of the quests they've had on the podcast, which makes the educational aspect of the book lively and relatable.

I especially like that they come across not as experts, gurus, or influencers - which can be a little bit culty - but rather as fellow travelers, seekers, and survivors. That spirit, that we're all curious, and we're all learning, is what I liked best about the book.

Great job, Sarah and Nippy! You've made an important new addition tot he essential reading list for cult survivors.

[Keana Issartel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah and Nippy’s insight is incredible. This book is a treasure trove of information on coercion and cultic abuse. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

[Perry E · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an extraordinary tool bag that can help you spot cults, avoid them, get out of one, or even help someone else who might be in one. Sarah and Nippy’s first hand experience with this subject is invaluable, and the interviews they’ve conducted with their podcast guests shed clear light on the danger of cults. This is a book that is desperately needed, as it’s just as empathetic and helpful as it is pointed and sincere.

[Loren Galese]

If you go on their Amazon page I spoke very highly of it! I use the checklists with clients and sometimes myself when I feel uncertain.

[Marta Cayce-irvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

eye (I) opening

Reading A Little Bit Culty opened my eyes to how I could fall for these tricksters over and over. With the guidelines I am now seeing the hidden hooks and lures quicker so I don’t bite the bait or at least spit it out before it’s too late! Thank you to the authors for lighting up the open door😸❤️

[Mary Ganapol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of the ALBC podcast will love this!

I could hear Sarah and Nippy’s voice as I read this book. I saved it for my vacay read and found myself taking lots of notes about my decades in AA, which is, yes, a little bit culty. I found it very cathartic and loved the cheat sheets. I loved the format of each of the authors having their own voice in each chapter. As a member of SecularAZ.org, I hear a lot of stories about religious-based cults on their weekly webinar. Keep up the good work in shining the light on these groups!

[Beth Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book could have saved me thousands in therapy. It is both validating and illuminating - a guide not just to understanding what happened, but to reclaiming one’s autonomy. Whether you’ve experienced cults firsthand or not, it offers something rare: the tools to recognize manipulation before it takes hold—and the reassurance that clarity and freedom are possible on the other side. Sarah and Nippy have gifted readers with hard-won wisdom, gleaned from their own lives, and many brave cult survivors who’ve been guests on their podcast. I am especially honoured to have made the cut and thrilled to be counted amongst the brave truth tellers featured in this book. As they say “Culty shit is everywhere”, and no one is entirely immune. Knowledge is power, and with this book, you’ll be forearmed, forewarned and empowered.

[Emily Kapit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading for self-empowerment

Cults and culty things abound in our lives these days and it is critical that we learn how to recognize the red flags and navigate around them. Sarah and Nippy’s book (and podcast) are essential for the modern world and its culty pockets that are lurking around surprising corners, online and off. Their tips and tools in this book will prove to be essential for today and well into the future as culty things evolve and pop up in new spaces. Keep this book around and accessible!

[Chris Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have followed these two since seeing the docuseries The Vow. They have taken the life they knew and trusted only to find it out as being a lie. They not only have turned their lives around but are also saving others from the harm they endured. This book is a great tool for those who are now second guessing whether they too are in a cult, and giving them a roadmap on how to get out and get on with a life worth living. Through their stories and those of others through their “A little Bit Culty” podcast are bringing light into the darkness and paying it forward. Thanks Sarah and Nippy.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like The Vow or the A Little Bit Culty podcast or if you’re interested in protecting yourself from cults and coercion, you should read this book! It’s full of moving stories from podcast guests and anecdotes for NXIVM nerds. Organizationally, it’s a bit too helter-skelter for my taste. However, I definitely enjoyed reading it and I’m sharing some of the checklists with young adults in my life!

[Mihaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Little Bit Culty is an eye-opening and thought-provoking exploration of the subtle ways control and manipulation can show up in groups, organizations, and even everyday environments. Written with clarity and insight, the book does an excellent job of breaking down a complex and often misunderstood topic into something readers can easily grasp

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

True to its description.

Excellent read if you have been part of a cult, or have loved ones still there. I loved the format, and the depth of the topics, plus how they weaved stories from survivors from so many different cults!

[Yvette Hamaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think everyone on earth needs to read this

[Susannah PK · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book that needs to be read by everyone.

We have very cult like political and value systems at the moment, lead by the corrupt media. Anyone is susceptible to being hoodwinked by a cult like NXIVM. Theres another global protest movement (FP) that is also a cult.
Anyway, I digress. What really stood out to me reading this book was the enduring love and support Nippy and Sarah have for each other and I feel that even though they seem healed, they are still healing because they are processing and validating everything they went through by writing this book and hosting their podcast.

I hope one day, as much as I love you both so much and adore your content- that you will move on from cults.

Very well written and researched. Well done

[Gabrielle Lazar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm on chapter 7 and i don't know if I'll get much further. If you listen to the podcast this is all repetitive. It's been a lot of their intro's and the click bait of all episodes combined.
Will update when/if i get further along.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is going to save lives. I know that sounds hyperbolic but I truly mean it. This is the first book I have seen about cults that is comprehensive, informative, filled with personal examples and while the specific topics can be rough, the actual text is very easy to read. It is clearly indexed, to the point, and written in Sarah and Nippy’s voice which I’ve always found to be knowledgeable, compassionate and down to earth.
This book is for everyone because we are all vulnerable but if you suspect you are in a cult or were, please read this.
I cannot recommend this book enough. The podcast associated is extremely thorough on many cults and high-control groups and the guests are always handled with respect and sensitivity.
Well done, Sarah and Nippy!