Frances Bean and her group of friends are known in their school as the goth outsiders. But when Bean is paired to work on a school project with her crush Julia, the popular daughter of a famous wellness figure, she soon finds herself in a completely different world. What starts out as fun parties and product samples quickly turns more sinister and dangerous.

I enjoyed the concept of this book and showing the darker side of the wellness industry and how easy it can be for young or impressionable girls to be taken advantage of. I also thought it was really interesting to have the main character start out as an outsider, but show how she can still fall prey to mainstream influences that people might assume she has no interest in.

The book immediately starts with Bean being invited to a party by Julia and very quickly becoming involved with the wellness company and leaving her friends behind. I wish there was a little bit more time in the beginning of the book showing her and her friends before she starts changing. I felt like I wasn’t able to appreciate how much of a change she made since I barely got to see her as a character before the wellness cult part of the story happens. It just seemed like everything in this book was a bit rushed and I didn’t get the character development I would’ve liked. I can appreciate that things were probably happening quickly in the story to show how easy it is for people to fall under the influence of a cult. But it didn’t fully work for me as a narrative.

There are definitely parts of this book that are thrilling and suspenseful. It’s interesting seeing this type of cult story from a YA perspective. And I’m always going to be excited to read a sapphic thriller. While this didn’t become a new favorite, I do think it’s a quick and compelling read. It’s worth checking out if it sounds interesting to you.

I really enjoyed this. It was super dark and didn’t go quite the way that I expected. The writing flowed well and it was easy to get sucked into the story. I really liked the main character. All in all, I think this is a pretty solid thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC! This will be out in April of 2025!

An absolute delight! I loved not only the pacing of the story, but the telling of it as well. From start to end, I was given an adventure!

This was my first YA and I think it would be a cute fun read for young teens it’s not my normal but it’s cool for the young kids that it was ok since it was my first of this genre

You Belong to Me is a novel that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Hayley Krischer has a way of writing that makes me devour all her books. They are fast-paced and so easy to read which helps with the stories she writes.

In this novel, we follow Frances Bean and although like most high school students she feels lost, she also has a great sense of self and leadership. Frances is a very strong lead even when she gets involved in Deep, a wellness brand with a lot of secrets.

I believe the story that was told about leadership and what makes a good leader was done very well. This is an intense read that offers readers a look into the Instagram wellness world. It will remind you that things aren't always as they seem and sticking to who you are instead of getting involved in a place that is trying to erase your identity is the better option.

Overall, this is a quick read with a lot of twist and turns. It's queer, but done in a very tasteful way that doesn't make it Frances's entire personality like most YA novels I have read in the past.

I would recommend this book for anyone who likes I'm The Girl by Courtney Summers.

A dark YA thriller about obsessive teenage friendship and the dangerous pull of belonging. When new girl Sadie becomes fixated on popular Nina, their intense bond spirals into something far more sinister.

You Belong to Me is a gripping, thought-provoking story that tackles love, obsession, and power dynamics. Krischer’s sharp writing makes this a compelling and unputdownable thriller.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

This is the second book I've read recently about people being influenced and sucked into a cult. Each was very different but hit the mark on what that is probably like when people get hoodwinked in without realizing it.

Frances Bean is on scholarship to a prestigious private school because her mom is a teacher there. She gets paired up with her crush for a school project and the crush just so happens to be the daughter of a mysterious, wealthy CEO who is now recruiting young folks into the mix. It's quite a whirlwind and Bean is sucked in almost immediately. Glamour, attention from the girl she likes, what's not to love.

Until there is something not to love, of course. I'm not opposed to same sex relationships (you do you, boo!) but this relationship felt a tad too forced for me because it was like one second Bean didn't exist to Julia and then suddenly they are a couple. It was just kind of weird.

Overall the story is good and will likely be entertaining to the YA audience it is targeted for. It has it's issues but I don't think most teens who pick this up will be bothered by those issues.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing me the opportunity to read an advanced review copy. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

The story grabbed me right away. The characters are well developed and interesting. Strong young adult read. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Is it really a cult if they are all so nice?

Krischer really knows how to get you invested in a story while also questioning every part of it! How was Bean suppose to know what was going on when everyone was so nice? Who knows? But Krischer really makes you ask questions and honestly question every character and question all they are doing!

This sounded interesting but was disappointing (and frustrating). I didn’t like the forced plotting, stale dialogue, and heavy-handed moralizing. If the synopsis sounds good to you, try it out. If we don’t share pet peeves, you may like it more than me.

Energy: Faux. Shady. Sanctimonious.

🐺 Growls: Heavy-handed explanations and flat, cringey dialogue. The writing style isn’t bad, but the lines are. Everything felt forced and tell-not-show. It was hard to believe in the character interactions (especially the romance). The pacing drags for the first half, then glosses over a bunch of reveals in a rush near the end. The characters kept re-explaining the plot.

🐕 Howls: All the characters sounded alike with this dreamy, oddly formal way of talking (even those not involved in the wellness group). The main character was too much of a Poor Me, popular-but-doesn’t-realize-it caricature and kept randomly changing her beliefs and motivations to fit the needs of the plot. Awkward explanations and clunky moralizing (especially at the end…this read like a middle grade book with a moral message tying too hard to seem unintentional about it). The main character kept getting in the way of the story and she’s the only perspective – I wish we got the PoV of a friend or her girlfriend.

Scene: South Brent, New Jersey, USA
Perspective: A private high school student on scholarship with a group of misfit friends. They are crushing hard on the popular girl, whose mother owns is a semi-famous wellness influencer/CEO and are curious about attending her youth group.
Timeline: Current (2010s or 2020s).
🔥 Fuel: What are Julia's intentions in inviting a classmate to her mother’s wellness party? Is the wellness youth group toxic, dangerous, or helpful? Is Frances’ crush actually crushing back? Who can she trust in her girlfriend’s group and family?
📖 Cred: Plausible to suspended disbelief

Mood Reading Match-Up:
Victorian goth style. Dewey skin. White lace. Cushions. Parasol. Patchouli & lemon. Lymphatic drainage facials. Crystals.
• Linear timelines
• Tagging along, peering over shoulders, theorizing
• YA romantic suspense & drama
• Falling for the popular girl
• Plot-driven, reflective, simplistic writing style
• Behind closed doors of sketchy wellness youth group
• Blinded by love, I-can-change-for-them sapphic romance
• Mentor-protégé toxicity
• Red flags everywhere
• Moral exploration defining victims and perpetrators

Content Heads-Up: Adult/minor relationship, grooming (20-something with teens). Alcohol addiction (family history, parent; recovery-relapse, death). Alcohol use (underage). Cannabis use (gummy; underage). Cult. Drugging. Drug use (psychedelics). Emotional abuse. Loss of parent (as teen). Murder.

Rep: American. Jewish heritage. Hindi and Black peripheral characters. Cis. Lesbian. Gay. Hetero. Ghostly, dark, and tanned skin tones.

📚 Format: Advance Reader’s Copy from Penguin Group-Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley.

Don’t be deceived by the intriguing cover, this story is dark and twisted! There is SA involved in this story so beware of that as well. I can’t wait to reread this on a stormy summer night.

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.

Frances Bean is more of the outsider girl who just wants to fit in with the pretty girls. One of her friends, Julia is apart of the group because her mother is the one whom is selling the products to make all the girls exceptionally pretty. The girls who were serial killers are now sweet girls due to the skincare products and wellness shots they keep drinking. The whole story is a brainwashing cult from what I am getting at in the beginning of the book.
The characters seem to be addicted to the products but not realizing that it is changing them and making them only want to be around those who are to in the liking of the products or environment. Bean started drawing the dots together noticing that some of them are not aging like how they should so they looking like how old she is just by using the products. The book is really good, it really makes me feel like I am reading an American Horror Story Episode. The more I read it, it got better along the way and the end was crazier than what I could have imagined. But I loved this.

This work started off strong, and I enjoyed the unsettling vibes that were present throughout. The author did a good job setting the scene and making it difficult to guess what exactly was going on and how involved certain people were with the whole thing. I quite liked the premise and the idea of how wellness industry trends often feel like cults for the wealthy.

The romance/crush aspect started off strong, but it soon jumped into insta-love in a way that I don’t prefer or find compelling. The resolution was also faster than I prefer, which made it feel on the weak side. I think this was partially because it was somewhat unrealistic and didn’t allow for realistic growth or reflection for the characters.

There were many technical issues with this work. There were errors and typos throughout, and there were many instances where the writing/wording was awkward and took a few rereads to figure out what exactly the author was trying to say. I did read an ARC, though, so hopefully these things will be cleared up in the final copy.

Despite the negatives, this was an entertaining read, and I can see many YA thriller readers loving it. My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

You Belong to Me by Hayley Krischer is an intoxicating blend of dark romance, social commentary, and psychological suspense. Set against the glossy, seductive world of wellness culture, the story lures you in with promises of self-discovery and empowerment, only to unravel into something far more sinister. It’s a compelling, unsettling read that lingers long after the final page.

Frances Bean, the goth, bookish outsider, is a brilliantly drawn protagonist. Her dry humor and self-awareness make her easy to root for, especially as she grapples with the intoxicating pull of Julia and the glamorous world of DEEP. Her transformation—from skeptical observer to fully immersed participant in Femme—is both believable and heartbreaking, a slow burn that underscores just how easily even the strongest can fall under the spell of wealth and charm.

Julia Patterson is a fascinating foil to Frances. Beautiful, enigmatic, and burdened by her mother’s fame, Julia is at once alluring and deeply flawed. Their romance is tender and electric, but it’s tinged with an underlying sense of unease, as Frances begins to question whether Julia’s feelings are genuine or merely part of the Patterson family’s carefully curated image.

The world of DEEP is another standout. Hayley Krischer captures the allure of the wellness industry—the promise of empowerment, beauty, and belonging—while peeling back the layers to reveal its darker underbelly. The Femme program, with its glittering parties and pseudo-spiritual jargon, feels unnervingly real, a sharp commentary on how wellness culture can exploit vulnerability under the guise of self-improvement.

Favorite moments? The buildup to the infamous DEEP party is masterful. The contrast between the glitzy veneer and the creeping sense of dread is palpable, and when things finally take a dark turn, it’s as shocking as it is inevitable. Frances’ gradual realization that she’s been swept into something far more dangerous than she anticipated is both heartbreaking and thrilling.

The book’s pacing is deliberate, which works well for the first two-thirds as Frances is drawn deeper into Julia’s orbit. However, the final act feels slightly rushed, with some of the fallout from the party’s events and Frances’ ultimate reckoning with DEEP’s manipulations left somewhat underexplored. Despite this, the ending delivers a powerful punch, leaving readers to grapple with the story’s haunting implications about identity, authenticity, and the cost of belonging.

Themes of power, privilege, and identity run deep in this novel, woven seamlessly into Frances’ journey. The question of what it means to live authentically—and the dangers of chasing someone else’s definition of empowerment—is at the heart of the story, making it both thought-provoking and deeply relatable.

Final verdict? You Belong to Me is an enthralling, darkly atmospheric tale of desire, manipulation, and self-discovery. Perfect for fans of We Were Liars or The Girls, it’s a book that lures you in with its surface beauty before revealing the rot underneath. Hayley Krischer has crafted a story that’s as sharp as it is seductive—a cautionary tale that resonates in today’s influencer-obsessed world.

I really enjoyed the start of this book and how culty it was. The characters were a little flat and very similar, however, there is the culty aspect to this book so this may have been intentional. But, as the story progresses, I think it loses a lot of the steam that was building up. The ending felt so rushed and way underwhelming for how intense the contents of the book are.

Overall, I did like and enjoy reading this. There were a few glaring errors throughout, but it was a fun read that goes by quick.

I really enjoyed this book! The writing was creative, the characters compelling, and the storyline exciting. This book takes your classic cult tropes and makes them engaging for a younger, more tech-savvy audience, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. One of my favorite parts that really enhanced my involvement in the story was the present tense first-person POV narration.

You Belong to Me by Hayley Krischer is a chilling and thought-provoking exploration of obsession, control, and identity. Krischer’s sharp writing and complex characters create a tense atmosphere that will have readers questioning the fine line between love and possession. This gripping psychological thriller is a must-read for those who enjoy dark, intense narratives with powerful social commentary.