Galloway’s Gospel – Sam Rebelein

Happy release day!!

Thank you William Morrow for the gifted copy

GALLOWAY’S GOSPEL – Sam Rebelein (Releasing September 16th, 2025)

Book Description:

In this shockingly fun wild ride of horrors, Sam Rebelein takes readers back to Renfield County and tells the story of two Rachels—one who mistakenly starts a cult at her local high school and one who tries to dismantle it ten years later. 

2009: Rachel Galloway is bored in class. She spends the dreary fall days sketching in her notebook—adorable pigs munching on her boring teachers—and imagining a utopia where all the horrors of Burnskidde High School disappear. But when her classmates start to believe this utopia could be real, Galloway finds herself at the center of an elaborate, and quickly spreading, new religion. Before long, the town is split between believers and nonbelievers. As tensions rise and the rituals become more dangerous, Galloway can’t be sure what’s real and what’s not, or who she can trust.

CULTWATCH

2019:This is the cryptic message that Renfield County Guard Rachel Durwood receives from her colleague Mark, mere days after he’s disappeared. Mark’s note leads Durwood to the town of Burnskidde, famously sealed off from the rest of the county ten years ago. Now, she discovers a small, insulated community preparing for the rapture and, seemingly, their collective demise. In order to save Burnskidde from itself, she must piece together the fallout from 2009 and avoid being swept up into the monstrous cult herself.

As Rachel Galloway watches her life spiral out of control, Rachel Durwood navigates a world where history, horror, and faith collide. Despite being separated by a decade, Galloway and Durwood may be closer to each other than they realize. But even together, will they be able to stop Burnskidde’s impending doom?

My Thoughts: 3/5 stars

This was a very weird tale of two Rachels connected by a cult a decade apart. Despite the synopsis, I don’t think I’d consider this to be very scary but it’s incredibly imaginative and unique. The Rachel in 2009, is in high school and loves art and creating these wild stories to go along with her creations. One person believes her stories are actually visions and before Rachel realizes it, she’s the head of a cult. 

The Rachel in 2019 is trying to dismantle the aforementioned cult. After receiving a cryptic note from her coworker, shortly after he disappeared, she finds herself in Burnskidde. A town isolated from the world and home to a monstrous cult that is preparing for their perceived rapture. Will she be able to stop them before being consumed by the lure of the cult?

As some who was in high school in 2009, I absolutely loved that Rachel’s timeline and story. The references alone made it sound fun to read. It was fascinating to see how things quickly spiraled into her forming a cult that she never wanted in the first place. The beginning was strong and grabbed my attention but it seemed to fizzle part way through. I AM glad I stuck it out to the end, though. I’m very middle ground on this so if the synopsis intrigues you, definitely give it a try! Prepare for weird, captivating, and imaginative.