All my gothic horror lovers… this one is for you.
I just finished Make Me a Monster by Kalynn Bayron, and whew this was an easy five-star read for me.

This is a young adult gothic horror inspired by Frankenstein, and honestly? It’s done really well. Creepy, atmospheric, unsettling in that slow-burn way that crawls under your skin and makes you hyperaware of your surroundings. I was fully locked in.

Funeral Homes, But Make It Horror

The story centers around Meka, a 17-year-old girl who lives inside Redwood Funeral Home with her parents, yes, the funeral home is also their house, which is already unsettling before anything even happens. Kalynn Bayron does an incredible job capturing the eerie, quiet heaviness of the funeral home business. I felt like I was right there with Meka, her mom, and her dad, surrounded by polished wood, low lighting, and bodies that are referred to as “guests.”

And let me tell you… the realism? It spooked me a little.

Meka isn’t just living there, she actively helps her parents prepare bodies for funerals and even assists with picking up “guests” who’ve passed away. The way the author describes this work is so vivid and detailed that at times it felt too real. The kind of real that makes you pause and go, okay, that’s enough reading for right now but in the best way.

A Slow Burn That Pays Off

The first 90–100 pages are definitely a slow build, but it’s intentional. Kalynn takes her time painting a full picture of Meka’s life balancing the funeral home, her friendships, her boyfriend Noah, and the normalcy of being a teenager.

And then… BOOM.
Once things start happening, they happen fast. The shift from eerie to outright horrifying is so well executed, and I was absolutely here for it. The pacing snaps into place and suddenly you’re flying through pages like, oh, so this is where we’re going.

Frankenstein Vibes, Done Right

When I think Frankenstein, I think about pushing boundaries, playing with life and death, and the consequences of trying to bring someone back. That theme is woven into this story beautifully. It’s thoughtful, haunting, and surprisingly layered.

Honestly? I forgot this was a YA novel while reading it. The tone, themes, and execution felt much more mature than I expected, in a really good way.

Final Thoughts

This was a fun, eerie, one-day read for me, and I’ll absolutely be picking up more of Kalynn Bayron’s work. If the idea of living and working in a funeral home already gives you chills, this book will fully drop you into that world and refuse to let go.

If you love:

• Gothic horror
• Funeral-home settings
• Creeping dread that builds slowly
• Frankenstein-inspired stories

…add this to your TBR immediately.

Favorite Quotes

“There’s a dead body waiting for me at home and I’m excited to see her.”

“I guess technically, I am an artist, only I’m painting dead people’s skin instead of a stretched canvas.”

🖤
Creepy, atmospheric, and unforgettable, Make Me a Monster absolutely delivered.