You Belong To Me is a thrilling story about a normal high school girl who, in order to get with her beautifully unattainable crush, attends a skincare and wellness event and accidentally gets sucked into a cult. More than that, it’s a story about the dangers of impossibly high beauty standards, constant comparison, and, most importantly, free will.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who finds cults endlessly fascinating, I devoured this book. It’s clear that Krischer did a ton of research into cult dynamics and tactics, and it absolutely shows. What I found especially compelling was the decision to base the cult around the idea of free will, constantly reminding its members that they’re individuals who should think for themselves while simultaneously proving the exact opposite. It was exhilarating to watch it all build up and unravel.

That said, for a book I enjoyed so much, I was surprised by how much trouble I had deciding on a rating. At times, it felt like the book over-explained itself, ruining the vibes it was trying so hard to create. It also leaned into some tired YA clichés, like having the main characters spend the entire semester working on a school project that just happens to be thematically similar to what they’re actually going through.

Ultimately, while I would’ve loved for this book to take an even darker, deeper, and more poetic approach, I think it’s only fair to rate it for what it is: a perfectly well-executed and captivating YA novel.