Local Gods

by Melinda Salisbury

A folk horror novel about a girl who, hated by her town for her father’s crimes, must decide whether to save it or burn it all down when a dying god in the woods warns her of an impending catastrophe.

When a bone-white crow lands in Sylvie Singer’s backyard, she knows trouble is coming. And after an FBI raid reveals her father’s double life, Sylvie’s entire world comes crashing around her. With nowhere to go but the abandoned railway station in the cursed West Woods, Sylvie spends her time avoiding the carnivorous white deer that live there, counting down the days until she can graduate from high school and finally leave the town that’s openly out for her blood. Then Sylvie encounters a different sort of monster.

Illican is a horned god bound to the West Woods, even more wretched than she is. Sylvie is drawn to Illican, excited that he can introduce her to magic that could save her town—save her. But Illican is dying, and the last thing Pine Ridge Hollow wants is help from Sylvie Singer…

The town is a tinderbox, and Sylvie is the spark that will either save it or burn it all down.

Genres: Young Adult

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 4, 2026

About the author

Melinda Salisbury lives by the sea, somewhere in the south of England. As a child she genuinely thought Roald Dahl’s Matilda was her biography, in part helped by her grandfather often mistakenly calling her Matilda, and the local library having a pretty cavalier attitude to the books she borrowed. Sadly she never manifested telekinetic powers. She likes to travel, and have adventures. She also likes medieval castles, non-medieval aquariums, Richard III, and all things Scandinavian The Sin Eater's Daughter is her first novel. She can be found on Twitter at @MESalisbury, though be warned, she tweets often.

Reviews

[fanboyriot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sylvie is hated by the town after her dad (the mayor) got into some trouble with the FBI (and the town). Finishing out high school is hard enough add finding the god she saw in the forest to that list makes for an interesting read.

I loved the lore of the town, the atmosphere was also so perfect for the vibe of this book. The characters might not all be likable but they definitely played their role in the plot well. The twists and mystery of how things would turn out was engaging and so addictive to read. I also really liked how it ended, I wasn’t really expecting that ending but it was refreshing.

(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)

POV: Third Person
Spice Level: n/a
Sad Level: 💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Sylvie
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🦌🌿🔮

⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Death, Infidelity

[Kia ✩ ༄.° (exams til apr)]

"A folk horror novel about a girl who, hated by her town for her father’s crimes, must decide whether to save it or burn it all down when a dying god in the woods warns her of an impending catastrophe."

[Lauren]

This sounds fantastic