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Local Gods
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.
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.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2026
About the author
Melinda Salisbury
24 books1,385 followersMelinda Salisbury is the four-time Carnegie nominated and bestselling author of multiple teen and young adult novels, including the Sin Eater's Daughter series, Hold Back the Tide, and Her Dark Wings, a Guardian Children's Book of the Year 2022 and a Reading Agency Book of the Year 2022 pick.
Her debut teen novel, EchoStar, a tech thriller aimed at 12–14-year-olds, was published in March 2024 by Barrington Stoke, with AdelAIDE following in August 2024, The Foundation in January 2025 and Endgame in February 2026.
Her first novel, The Sin Eater's Daughter, was the bestselling UK YA debut novel of 2015, and collectively her books have been nominated and shortlisted for numerous national and international awards and accolades, including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the YA Book Prize, the Branford Boase, the Edgar Awards, YALSA Best YA 2022, Eason's YA Book of the Month, and more. Her books have been published in sixteen countries to date.
Melinda works as a writing mentor and development editor, and volunteers at a local independent cinema on the East Sussex Coast. She also likes Surrealist art.
Her debut teen novel, EchoStar, a tech thriller aimed at 12–14-year-olds, was published in March 2024 by Barrington Stoke, with AdelAIDE following in August 2024, The Foundation in January 2025 and Endgame in February 2026.
Her first novel, The Sin Eater's Daughter, was the bestselling UK YA debut novel of 2015, and collectively her books have been nominated and shortlisted for numerous national and international awards and accolades, including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the YA Book Prize, the Branford Boase, the Edgar Awards, YALSA Best YA 2022, Eason's YA Book of the Month, and more. Her books have been published in sixteen countries to date.
Melinda works as a writing mentor and development editor, and volunteers at a local independent cinema on the East Sussex Coast. She also likes Surrealist art.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
June 15, 2026
I, too, would rather be in the woods with the hot forest god and his strange animals than live in such a hateful small town. Not that the main character Sylvie Singer really has a choice in that matter. She is the daughter of the man who swindled half the town out of their life savings and although she didn't know of her father's criminal life until recently, everyone hates her now. Her family lost the house and there's barely any money left, her mother is only looking after herself and not after Sylvie. School is unbearable too and she finds "gifts" in her locker every day, but graduation is only a few weeks away. Sylvie tries to lay low until she is eighteen and able to leave everything behind. Until then it's the small, run-down house in the woods and daily attacks in town. I felt pretty bad for her as literally everyone failed her, but reading about everyone's asshole behavior was also a bit insufferable to me. Especially the teen drama involved. All of her friends dropped her, but sometimes they speak to her as if nothing happened? How annoying. The whole town needed to be slapped in the face honestly. Anyway. Sylvie's life gets even more complicated when she literally stumbles over a dying god in the woods. At first she thinks that she is seeing things, but then she constantly dreams of her skin turning into bark and the carnivorous deer keep following her and the house overgrows with plants. I had high hopes for the forest god side of things, but I had a rather rough time with it. One of the first things Sylvie thinks about him is that he is so hot and that he could be on the cover of Vogue, and that basically turned me off immediately. Then she turns to the local goth girl who is really into magick (with a k) to ask about supernatural things. And then she does a google search and reads several old newspaper articles on the god. I wanted the folklore part to really slap, but it was so uninspired and boring how all the information was revealed. The forest god himself was dramatically underutilized in the story as he was in like three scenes. I get that he wasn't really the point and I'm glad that it didn't turn into a romance, but it could have been so intriguing and just wasn't. The tense situation in the town was well done, but the folklore horror part was very shallow in my opinion. We get a random scene of naked women dancing and everyone knows to lock up their pets to save them from the creepy white animals of the woods, and that's it. I do have to say that the ending was pretty badass and that it made my overall feelings on this book way more positive. The ending had the vibe that I had imagined the entire book would have, but it didn't and so it was just a mediocre read for me.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 17, 2026
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
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
August 3, 2026
What a weird, unsettling, gorgeously atmospheric Folk Horror standalone. I came across Local Gods at the bookstore by accident as it was getting ready to be shelved having been released early and was drawn by the wonderful cover (the U.S. cover). I have read one of Melinda Salisbury's books in the past and I enjoyed it but this was even more strangely enjoyable and yet with that bittersweet ending that leaves you with a mix of emotions--part of me definitely teared up at the ending.
The book follows Sylvie Singer, a senior in high school living in a small town bordered by the ominous West Woods where carnivorous ghostly white deer and owls and crows dwell. As the daughter of a con-man who swindled her hometown, then ran off, Sylvie is left to (unfairly) face the town’s anger in his place. As punishment, she is forced to live in the woods alone at the abandoned train station. One day, coming home from school, she encounters a horned god whose presence precedes catastrophe and disaster. But Illican is dying and Sylvie has to make a choice between saving the town or leaving and watching it destroy itself...The longer she stays in the woods, the more sinister occurrences at Pine Ridge Hollow and its history begin to reveal themselves to her. But is the danger from the woods, or from the town?
This book was incredible, with its rich world-building, hidden secrets, creepy rituals and cult-like townspeople that added depth and intrigue to the overall storyline. Local Gods also deals with deeper themes of betrayal, revenge, redemption and man's influence on nature. It's also the perfect novel for Summerween. Additionally, what shone the most for me in the book was Sylvie's character whom I completely felt for. We see her struggles from being the "princess" of her school to an outcast overnight, then her rage as she navigates the town's history, to autonomy and finally, redemption.
With that being said, I did feel like the book rushed towards a conclusion without providing some solid answers to underlying questions the reader (and Sylvie) had.
I would've liked to have seen more of Illican. While this is not necessarily a romance, he was the center of the story and was hardly in it. It didn't make Sylvie's crush over him deeper as he was hardly in the story.
That being said, I did enjoy this novel a lot and highly recommend if you're looking for an unsettling, bizarre, creepy small-town horror read. Keep in mind, despite being YA, this standalone does lean towards the darker side. TW: animal death, murder, minor blood and gore.
4.25 stars.
The book follows Sylvie Singer, a senior in high school living in a small town bordered by the ominous West Woods where carnivorous ghostly white deer and owls and crows dwell. As the daughter of a con-man who swindled her hometown, then ran off, Sylvie is left to (unfairly) face the town’s anger in his place. As punishment, she is forced to live in the woods alone at the abandoned train station. One day, coming home from school, she encounters a horned god whose presence precedes catastrophe and disaster. But Illican is dying and Sylvie has to make a choice between saving the town or leaving and watching it destroy itself...The longer she stays in the woods, the more sinister occurrences at Pine Ridge Hollow and its history begin to reveal themselves to her. But is the danger from the woods, or from the town?
This book was incredible, with its rich world-building, hidden secrets, creepy rituals and cult-like townspeople that added depth and intrigue to the overall storyline. Local Gods also deals with deeper themes of betrayal, revenge, redemption and man's influence on nature. It's also the perfect novel for Summerween. Additionally, what shone the most for me in the book was Sylvie's character whom I completely felt for. We see her struggles from being the "princess" of her school to an outcast overnight, then her rage as she navigates the town's history, to autonomy and finally, redemption.
With that being said, I did feel like the book rushed towards a conclusion without providing some solid answers to underlying questions the reader (and Sylvie) had.
I would've liked to have seen more of Illican. While this is not necessarily a romance, he was the center of the story and was hardly in it. It didn't make Sylvie's crush over him deeper as he was hardly in the story.
That being said, I did enjoy this novel a lot and highly recommend if you're looking for an unsettling, bizarre, creepy small-town horror read. Keep in mind, despite being YA, this standalone does lean towards the darker side. TW: animal death, murder, minor blood and gore.
4.25 stars.
May 4, 2026
I loved every moment of this. It’s visceral from the get go. Sylvie is a brilliant main character and you feel for her straight away - there’s so much going on in her life. This is so delicious and devious. There’s a massive punch of female rage by the end that I just adored. Total Wicker Man and Men vibes about this. Adored it. Mel Salisbury is a Wonder Woman.
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July 14, 2026Thank you to NetGalley and David Fickling Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
What a bunch of evil people, wow! Tore through this and thought it succeeded at every hurdle. Plot was well-paced, the weird magic stuff started happening just slow enough for Sylvie continuing to go to school to seem completely rational. It was a little bit Starling House, a little bit Spit Back the Bones with sentient landscapes and those raw, angry emotions. It fits that folk-horror genre perfectly and I can see this being really popular. Thrilled to have such a highly anticipated book pay off so well!
What a bunch of evil people, wow! Tore through this and thought it succeeded at every hurdle. Plot was well-paced, the weird magic stuff started happening just slow enough for Sylvie continuing to go to school to seem completely rational. It was a little bit Starling House, a little bit Spit Back the Bones with sentient landscapes and those raw, angry emotions. It fits that folk-horror genre perfectly and I can see this being really popular. Thrilled to have such a highly anticipated book pay off so well!
July 11, 2026
Unsettling in the most deliciously atmospheric of ways! Melinda Salisbury’s Local Gods was a gorgeously evocative, small town Folk Horror that now lives in my head rent free, I loved it!
Exploring redemption, revenge and the impact humanity has on nature and society (via greed and neglect.) We follow Sylvie, the daughter of a con-man who swindled her hometown, then ran off. Leaving Sylvie to face the town’s anger in his place.
Now, living in the woods (where all wildlife is ghostly white and carnivorous.) Sylvie encounters a horned god, whose appearance always precedes catastrophe for the town. But the god (Ilican) is dying and Sylvie must decide whether she wants to save her town (who’ve ostracised her) … or watch it all burn.
This was such an incredible read! The unnervingly rich world-building, hidden secrets, creepy rituals and cult-like townspeople (who wouldn’t be put of place in The Wicker Man) added so much depth and intrigue to the story.
But it was the struggles and emotional depth that we explore in Sylvie, (the towns golden child turned outcast) as she navigates the town’s history, and her journey of rage, autonomy and redemption that really won me over.
I won’t go into too much detail as it’s a story that needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated. But I will say I loved that ending, and only wish Sylvie’s parents could’ve been there to witness it (she deserved soo much better!)
I loved her interactions with Ilican too (and the uncanny woodland creatures she encounters) as they were so fascinating. And brought a sense of intimacy into the eerie, suspenseful scenes that I found compelling.
Salisbury’s portrayal of the (cult-like) townspeople and its insular community was also really interesting. And I loved how the traditional small town trope was subverted into something far more sinister.
Overall, a satisfyingly addictive read that’s perfect for fans of immersive, genre-blending stories.
Also, thanks to Nina Douglas PR & David Fickling Books for this stunning proof.
Exploring redemption, revenge and the impact humanity has on nature and society (via greed and neglect.) We follow Sylvie, the daughter of a con-man who swindled her hometown, then ran off. Leaving Sylvie to face the town’s anger in his place.
Now, living in the woods (where all wildlife is ghostly white and carnivorous.) Sylvie encounters a horned god, whose appearance always precedes catastrophe for the town. But the god (Ilican) is dying and Sylvie must decide whether she wants to save her town (who’ve ostracised her) … or watch it all burn.
This was such an incredible read! The unnervingly rich world-building, hidden secrets, creepy rituals and cult-like townspeople (who wouldn’t be put of place in The Wicker Man) added so much depth and intrigue to the story.
But it was the struggles and emotional depth that we explore in Sylvie, (the towns golden child turned outcast) as she navigates the town’s history, and her journey of rage, autonomy and redemption that really won me over.
I won’t go into too much detail as it’s a story that needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated. But I will say I loved that ending, and only wish Sylvie’s parents could’ve been there to witness it (she deserved soo much better!)
I loved her interactions with Ilican too (and the uncanny woodland creatures she encounters) as they were so fascinating. And brought a sense of intimacy into the eerie, suspenseful scenes that I found compelling.
Salisbury’s portrayal of the (cult-like) townspeople and its insular community was also really interesting. And I loved how the traditional small town trope was subverted into something far more sinister.
Overall, a satisfyingly addictive read that’s perfect for fans of immersive, genre-blending stories.
Also, thanks to Nina Douglas PR & David Fickling Books for this stunning proof.
August 7, 2026
I absolutely loved Local Gods. This was such an atmospheric, unsettling read, and once I was drawn into Sylvie’s story, I found it incredibly difficult to put down.
The folk horror elements were easily one of my favourite parts. The strange white animals, the West Woods and the mythology surrounding Illican created this constant feeling that something wasn’t quite right. Melinda Salisbury does a brilliant job of making the natural world feel simultaneously beautiful, magical and genuinely threatening.
I also really loved Sylvie as a protagonist. She is being punished by an entire community for the actions of her father, and the anger, loneliness and desperation she experiences felt incredibly raw. I became very invested in her and increasingly furious on her behalf as the story progressed. There is a strong thread of female rage running through the novel that I particularly enjoyed.
The mystery surrounding the town and its history kept me hooked, and I loved gradually discovering how everything connected. There were moments that were wonderfully creepy, but the story also had much more emotional depth than I initially expected.
Dark, strange, atmospheric and completely absorbing, Local Gods was exactly my kind of folk horror. I loved the combination of folklore, nature, anger and small-town secrets, and the ending only cemented this as a five-star read for me. Definitely one I’ll be recommending!
The folk horror elements were easily one of my favourite parts. The strange white animals, the West Woods and the mythology surrounding Illican created this constant feeling that something wasn’t quite right. Melinda Salisbury does a brilliant job of making the natural world feel simultaneously beautiful, magical and genuinely threatening.
I also really loved Sylvie as a protagonist. She is being punished by an entire community for the actions of her father, and the anger, loneliness and desperation she experiences felt incredibly raw. I became very invested in her and increasingly furious on her behalf as the story progressed. There is a strong thread of female rage running through the novel that I particularly enjoyed.
The mystery surrounding the town and its history kept me hooked, and I loved gradually discovering how everything connected. There were moments that were wonderfully creepy, but the story also had much more emotional depth than I initially expected.
Dark, strange, atmospheric and completely absorbing, Local Gods was exactly my kind of folk horror. I loved the combination of folklore, nature, anger and small-town secrets, and the ending only cemented this as a five-star read for me. Definitely one I’ll be recommending!
July 14, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Firstly, thank you to Melinda (the author), David Finkling Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t love it, but I also didn’t hate it.
The premise of the book and the story was really good, really cool and completely right up my street - give me a a hot cryptid and a small town folklore history and I am there and first in line.. but something about this book couldn’t keep my attention and I can’t put my finger on what it is.
One thing I didn’t like for sure was the mistreatment of Sylvia - like I know, that’s absolutely the point of the story and sets up for later (no spoilers here do not fret) but the premise of the mistreatment based on Adam’s actions really rubbed me up the wrong way through out - she is a child, still in school … and realistically grown ass adults wouldn’t do that, no matter how much they were wronged by the father.
The ending however, was beautiful. It was poetic and it was absolutely the right call and I was very satisfied with it.
I did enjoy it, I just wasn’t racing to get through it, and I think that’s why my score is what it is.
Firstly, thank you to Melinda (the author), David Finkling Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t love it, but I also didn’t hate it.
The premise of the book and the story was really good, really cool and completely right up my street - give me a a hot cryptid and a small town folklore history and I am there and first in line.. but something about this book couldn’t keep my attention and I can’t put my finger on what it is.
One thing I didn’t like for sure was the mistreatment of Sylvia - like I know, that’s absolutely the point of the story and sets up for later (no spoilers here do not fret) but the premise of the mistreatment based on Adam’s actions really rubbed me up the wrong way through out - she is a child, still in school … and realistically grown ass adults wouldn’t do that, no matter how much they were wronged by the father.
The ending however, was beautiful. It was poetic and it was absolutely the right call and I was very satisfied with it.
I did enjoy it, I just wasn’t racing to get through it, and I think that’s why my score is what it is.
June 23, 2026
A brilliant, fast-paced read that I couldn’t put down!
Sylvie Singer is the town pariah in Pine Ridge Hollow. Her dad ran off with the townspeople’s life savings, and despite her (truthful) insistence that she knew absolutely nothing about it, everybody has decided to funnel their anger towards her. Unfortunately for Sylvie, she’s stuck in town until she graduates and can get her hands on her trust fund. With no money to her name for the next few weeks, she’s forced to sleep in an abandoned railway station in the West Woods - a place where all the animals are white, owls stalk your every move, and the deer eat meat. The longer she stays in the woods, the more sinister goings on in Pine Ridge Hollow and its history begin to reveal themselves to her. But is the danger from the woods, or from the town?
I was completely invested from start to finish. If you like fantasy and magical realism with a twist of nature and the supernatural this book is definitely for you!
[Thank you to the author and publisher for sending me a proof!]
Sylvie Singer is the town pariah in Pine Ridge Hollow. Her dad ran off with the townspeople’s life savings, and despite her (truthful) insistence that she knew absolutely nothing about it, everybody has decided to funnel their anger towards her. Unfortunately for Sylvie, she’s stuck in town until she graduates and can get her hands on her trust fund. With no money to her name for the next few weeks, she’s forced to sleep in an abandoned railway station in the West Woods - a place where all the animals are white, owls stalk your every move, and the deer eat meat. The longer she stays in the woods, the more sinister goings on in Pine Ridge Hollow and its history begin to reveal themselves to her. But is the danger from the woods, or from the town?
I was completely invested from start to finish. If you like fantasy and magical realism with a twist of nature and the supernatural this book is definitely for you!
[Thank you to the author and publisher for sending me a proof!]
July 25, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.5 rounded to 5.0 stars.
I really enjoyed this, this book gave me Rory Powers vibes in the best way with the weird and eerie setting. This book has a bittersweet ending that felt totally satisfying, I live for feminine rage.
This book follows a girl basically shunned by the town and it’s community because of the actions of her father. It has a little where the crawdads sing vibe going on with how harsh the towns people are lumping her in with her dad the way they do. During the book weird things are happening in the town, but our girl doesn’t care she’s graduating soon and planning to get the hell out. It’s safe to say a lot of things don’t go to plan, and there’s a real darkness to this story that doesn’t let up. From the loser towns people who give lynchmob vibes to the surprising allies that give you a little sprinkle of optimism when you REALLY need it, I loved this a lot. There’s surprising betrayals and a twist that left me feeling like thank god, but yeah I think this is one I’ll read again some time.
I really enjoyed this, this book gave me Rory Powers vibes in the best way with the weird and eerie setting. This book has a bittersweet ending that felt totally satisfying, I live for feminine rage.
This book follows a girl basically shunned by the town and it’s community because of the actions of her father. It has a little where the crawdads sing vibe going on with how harsh the towns people are lumping her in with her dad the way they do. During the book weird things are happening in the town, but our girl doesn’t care she’s graduating soon and planning to get the hell out. It’s safe to say a lot of things don’t go to plan, and there’s a real darkness to this story that doesn’t let up. From the loser towns people who give lynchmob vibes to the surprising allies that give you a little sprinkle of optimism when you REALLY need it, I loved this a lot. There’s surprising betrayals and a twist that left me feeling like thank god, but yeah I think this is one I’ll read again some time.
July 23, 2026
I found this one interesting, but a little unbelievable when it came to the supposedly believable aspects, but it all kind of came together in the end.
Sylvie is a teenager, living alone in an abandoned structure in the woods. I wasn’t really getting what was going on. Her dad had been unveiled as a scam artist and took off on the family, but her mom was still kind of around and had abandoned her for a new boyfriend. The entire town hated Sylvie and took out their anger at her father on her. I guess just the whole premise was weird that the whole town was so cruel to a child.
Sylvie meets a god in the woods and figures out she needs to warn people something terrible is going to happen to the town, but it torn.
I don’t know, I liked the folklore aspect of it, but it took place in my state and I’d never heard any of this lore, I have a lot of googling to do.
Overall, it had Carrie vibes.
Sylvie is a teenager, living alone in an abandoned structure in the woods. I wasn’t really getting what was going on. Her dad had been unveiled as a scam artist and took off on the family, but her mom was still kind of around and had abandoned her for a new boyfriend. The entire town hated Sylvie and took out their anger at her father on her. I guess just the whole premise was weird that the whole town was so cruel to a child.
Sylvie meets a god in the woods and figures out she needs to warn people something terrible is going to happen to the town, but it torn.
I don’t know, I liked the folklore aspect of it, but it took place in my state and I’d never heard any of this lore, I have a lot of googling to do.
Overall, it had Carrie vibes.
August 4, 2026
I hated just about everyone in this book. But that's fine, because I was supposed to. I was surprised at a couple of the reveals. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, but I think I liked it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this story!
This review will contain spoilers!!
After finishing this I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it. I did have to stop about midway through for a break because I was genuinely irritated with how everyone treated Sylvie. There were many things that didn't make sense to me and their treatment of her was one. The more they talked about her dads situation, the towns prior standing and the fact that people begged her dad to accept their money the less sense it made. Honestly I needed their hate for her to be more reasonable for her to have at least done a little something to be getting blamed for the whole crime no matter how small her part.
With that being said Sylvie's character was the only one I liked in this book. After finishing the book I do have questions about some of the characters that were never answered. Since the town was in on what happened did Mike or her mom know what was happening,? After what Sylvie did in the end Chantry does tell her rumors spread did any of these rumors reach her parents? Does her dad ever find out? At the least I feel like he would have learned she had died. I wonder if he felt bad knowing she was having a hard time there because of him prior. Does her mom feel bad for abandoning her daughter and for that happening to her. If she had at least been by Sylvie's side when lived in the woods maybe she wouldn't have become so attached to Zelda. Frankly thinking about what the town knew I wonder if Mike did know what the town wanted to do and was part of it. It's be interesting if him luring the mom back to the town was his part in the plan. But he could easily be innocent since so much is left unanswered. I also wonder if Sylvie's moms parents knew anything since they were members of a founding family but left. Which seemed weird since the town held them in high regards just for being born with that bloodline. They never really explain why her grandparents don't live in town or why her mom has a bad relationship with them.
Something else I didn't understand was the website Sylvie read that she later learns was from Zelda. I don't understand why Zelda made it. Her reading that site and going down the rabbit hole about the book seemed to have messed with the plan at the end so why do it at all. She says later that she finally remembers the dream she had and that she was supposed to help her become a god but it still doesn't make the website make sense to me because she would have been killed either way
I do have to say I was surprised with the amount of kissing and thinking about kissing a monster in the woods there was. Her even being attracted to him kind of threw me off and didn't make sense to me either. At the end when she isn't she says it's because he's not the woods but I didnt buy it. When she was talking about him being attractive it was for his woodsy smell or any other aspect of him that would have been connected to the woods. She said he was beautiful and had a nice body and those didn't change lol. Frankly considering he was never honest with her about what he knew would happen because he was personally gaining his freedom by letting the townspeople kill her and accepting her as a sacrifice would have been enough reason for me to understand there no longer being an attraction. The ending Is about revenge but he gets his freedom and is forgiven by Sylvie. The millers beside Zelda get away despite the fact they are the main villains! Zelda and some cops were honestly the only ones injured so it was kind of a let down revenge wise. They bring up Serra when Sylvie was about to die and how she never knew why she turned against her seeing as how her dads crime never affecting Serras family but then don't provide an answer for that. I also want to know if Hunter knew. Frankly I didn't care for his character. He was a coward and a bad friend. I would have laughed in his face when he said he missed me after ignoring me for months. He felt bad for her and it was the only reason he talked to her in secret and I didn't care for it. His sister sure knew what was going on and I didn't care for her either. I rolled my eyes when chantry had a letter for her. Frankly idc what she was going through after her dad's death the girl was willing to kill someone she had know for years and was very close with to get the affection of some strange old woman. She was a danger to society frankly. if she couldn't handle traumatic events in way that didn't cause injury to others that's a problem. Especially considering this event should be considered more traumatic than her father dying. What trouble is she going to get into in the new town now.
I do wonder if they didn't know how they felt about the rumors after everything happened.
Something else I was wondering about was the animals. It's said they turned white because they were angry . After the ending I was kind of expecting them to be slowly showing there original colors again.
This review will contain spoilers!!
After finishing this I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it. I did have to stop about midway through for a break because I was genuinely irritated with how everyone treated Sylvie. There were many things that didn't make sense to me and their treatment of her was one. The more they talked about her dads situation, the towns prior standing and the fact that people begged her dad to accept their money the less sense it made. Honestly I needed their hate for her to be more reasonable for her to have at least done a little something to be getting blamed for the whole crime no matter how small her part.
With that being said Sylvie's character was the only one I liked in this book. After finishing the book I do have questions about some of the characters that were never answered. Since the town was in on what happened did Mike or her mom know what was happening,? After what Sylvie did in the end Chantry does tell her rumors spread did any of these rumors reach her parents? Does her dad ever find out? At the least I feel like he would have learned she had died. I wonder if he felt bad knowing she was having a hard time there because of him prior. Does her mom feel bad for abandoning her daughter and for that happening to her. If she had at least been by Sylvie's side when lived in the woods maybe she wouldn't have become so attached to Zelda. Frankly thinking about what the town knew I wonder if Mike did know what the town wanted to do and was part of it. It's be interesting if him luring the mom back to the town was his part in the plan. But he could easily be innocent since so much is left unanswered. I also wonder if Sylvie's moms parents knew anything since they were members of a founding family but left. Which seemed weird since the town held them in high regards just for being born with that bloodline. They never really explain why her grandparents don't live in town or why her mom has a bad relationship with them.
Something else I didn't understand was the website Sylvie read that she later learns was from Zelda. I don't understand why Zelda made it. Her reading that site and going down the rabbit hole about the book seemed to have messed with the plan at the end so why do it at all. She says later that she finally remembers the dream she had and that she was supposed to help her become a god but it still doesn't make the website make sense to me because she would have been killed either way
I do have to say I was surprised with the amount of kissing and thinking about kissing a monster in the woods there was. Her even being attracted to him kind of threw me off and didn't make sense to me either. At the end when she isn't she says it's because he's not the woods but I didnt buy it. When she was talking about him being attractive it was for his woodsy smell or any other aspect of him that would have been connected to the woods. She said he was beautiful and had a nice body and those didn't change lol. Frankly considering he was never honest with her about what he knew would happen because he was personally gaining his freedom by letting the townspeople kill her and accepting her as a sacrifice would have been enough reason for me to understand there no longer being an attraction. The ending Is about revenge but he gets his freedom and is forgiven by Sylvie. The millers beside Zelda get away despite the fact they are the main villains! Zelda and some cops were honestly the only ones injured so it was kind of a let down revenge wise. They bring up Serra when Sylvie was about to die and how she never knew why she turned against her seeing as how her dads crime never affecting Serras family but then don't provide an answer for that. I also want to know if Hunter knew. Frankly I didn't care for his character. He was a coward and a bad friend. I would have laughed in his face when he said he missed me after ignoring me for months. He felt bad for her and it was the only reason he talked to her in secret and I didn't care for it. His sister sure knew what was going on and I didn't care for her either. I rolled my eyes when chantry had a letter for her. Frankly idc what she was going through after her dad's death the girl was willing to kill someone she had know for years and was very close with to get the affection of some strange old woman. She was a danger to society frankly. if she couldn't handle traumatic events in way that didn't cause injury to others that's a problem. Especially considering this event should be considered more traumatic than her father dying. What trouble is she going to get into in the new town now.
I do wonder if they didn't know how they felt about the rumors after everything happened.
Something else I was wondering about was the animals. It's said they turned white because they were angry . After the ending I was kind of expecting them to be slowly showing there original colors again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC received from NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing in exchange for honest review.
⚡BLURB⚡
Shunned and living in an isolated wood, Sylvie comes across a scrawny, wasted monster named Illican: a local legend, a god made flesh.
With their destinies entwined, Sylvie sees an opportunity for redemption, but the woods are watching and nothing goes as planned . . .
⚡REVIEW⚡
The cover of this book really captured my attention, and when I saw it was a YA Folk Horror - something I'd never read before, I knew I had to give it a go. And I'm so glad I did! This story had me turning pages late into the night, determined to find out just what happens to Sylvie Singer.
Once one of the popular rich kids in her small town, Sylvie Singer is now a pariah. Her father's actions have left the town furious with her - determined to punish her in his absence. With no money, she is living in an abandoned train station in the woods - a building site abandoned after a series of bad accidents. Sylvie intends to graduate High School, receive her small trust fund, and get away, until she encounters a cryptid in the woods named Illican - who shows her kindness, informs her the town is dying, and encourages her to leave. But she is determined to fix the town, and in doing so, redeem herself to the other residents. She really isn't prepared for the consequences of that decision.
I feel like I need to preface this paragraph with a disclaimer - whilst I really enjoyed this book, and would absolutely recommend it, I feel like some of it went flying over my head towards the latter stages of the story (Zelda and the dream in particular), and that is why I have only given it four stars. For the majority of the story though, I was completely captivated. Sylvie Singer is possibly the biggest outcast I've ever encountered. She is treated appallingly by the majority of the town and has gone from being adored to universally despised - even her Mother abandons her. Desperate to redeem herself, she is determined to save the town, but hits roadblocks at every turn. When Zelda befriends her in her occult shop, offering her a job and showing her nothing but kindness, and she finds an unlikely ally in goth Chantry James, she feels like her nightmare could come to an end. Boy is she wrong! The final third of this book was totally unputdownable, with Sylvie's discovery of her fate, and the lore of the woods in Pine Ridge Hollow coming to light - with her vengeance being utterly iconic. Very Carrie-influenced!
The supporting cast of this novel are almost all dreadful, and there is a point where you wonder if anyone is genuinely on Sylvie's side. But they are fantastic in their evilness, particularly the ones who show two faces. Standouts are Chantry and Zelda. Biggest grr was reserved for Hunter; I really thought he would come through for Sylvie!
I adored the cinematic feel to the imagery and action in this book. I felt immersed, like I was watching the action play out on a screen. Sylvie's fate, and her subsequent vengeance really popped out of the page, it was truly epic.
I would highly recommend checking for content warnings before reading this, as in places it can be quite distressing. There is a graphicness that is perfect for the story, but I can understand why some may struggle with it.
Local Gods was my introduction to YA Folk Horror, and I mostly loved it, though found I was confused over certain plot points. Those points aside, it was a compelling read that I couldn't put down!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
⚡BLURB⚡
Shunned and living in an isolated wood, Sylvie comes across a scrawny, wasted monster named Illican: a local legend, a god made flesh.
With their destinies entwined, Sylvie sees an opportunity for redemption, but the woods are watching and nothing goes as planned . . .
⚡REVIEW⚡
The cover of this book really captured my attention, and when I saw it was a YA Folk Horror - something I'd never read before, I knew I had to give it a go. And I'm so glad I did! This story had me turning pages late into the night, determined to find out just what happens to Sylvie Singer.
Once one of the popular rich kids in her small town, Sylvie Singer is now a pariah. Her father's actions have left the town furious with her - determined to punish her in his absence. With no money, she is living in an abandoned train station in the woods - a building site abandoned after a series of bad accidents. Sylvie intends to graduate High School, receive her small trust fund, and get away, until she encounters a cryptid in the woods named Illican - who shows her kindness, informs her the town is dying, and encourages her to leave. But she is determined to fix the town, and in doing so, redeem herself to the other residents. She really isn't prepared for the consequences of that decision.
I feel like I need to preface this paragraph with a disclaimer - whilst I really enjoyed this book, and would absolutely recommend it, I feel like some of it went flying over my head towards the latter stages of the story (Zelda and the dream in particular), and that is why I have only given it four stars. For the majority of the story though, I was completely captivated. Sylvie Singer is possibly the biggest outcast I've ever encountered. She is treated appallingly by the majority of the town and has gone from being adored to universally despised - even her Mother abandons her. Desperate to redeem herself, she is determined to save the town, but hits roadblocks at every turn. When Zelda befriends her in her occult shop, offering her a job and showing her nothing but kindness, and she finds an unlikely ally in goth Chantry James, she feels like her nightmare could come to an end. Boy is she wrong! The final third of this book was totally unputdownable, with Sylvie's discovery of her fate, and the lore of the woods in Pine Ridge Hollow coming to light - with her vengeance being utterly iconic. Very Carrie-influenced!
The supporting cast of this novel are almost all dreadful, and there is a point where you wonder if anyone is genuinely on Sylvie's side. But they are fantastic in their evilness, particularly the ones who show two faces. Standouts are Chantry and Zelda. Biggest grr was reserved for Hunter; I really thought he would come through for Sylvie!
I adored the cinematic feel to the imagery and action in this book. I felt immersed, like I was watching the action play out on a screen. Sylvie's fate, and her subsequent vengeance really popped out of the page, it was truly epic.
I would highly recommend checking for content warnings before reading this, as in places it can be quite distressing. There is a graphicness that is perfect for the story, but I can understand why some may struggle with it.
Local Gods was my introduction to YA Folk Horror, and I mostly loved it, though found I was confused over certain plot points. Those points aside, it was a compelling read that I couldn't put down!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Sarah Barley Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
If you love creepy woods, angry girls, weird folklore, and small towns rotting from the inside out, “Local Gods” by Melinda Salisbury absolutely delivers the folk horror vibes.
The story follows Sylvie, whose entire life implodes after the FBI exposes her father for stealing money from basically everyone in town. Overnight, she goes from privileged mayor’s daughter to public enemy number one. Her dad vanishes, her mom emotionally checks out, the town turns vicious, and Sylvie ends up isolated in an abandoned train station while everyone treats her like she personally ruined their lives.
And honestly? You feel for her immediately. The girl is drowning in other people’s hatred for something she didn’t even do.
But things get even stranger when Sylvie starts encountering eerie bone-white animals in the woods like carnivorous deer, ghostly crows, all kinds of unsettling nightmare fuel, and eventually meets Illican, an ancient horned god tied to the forest. The atmosphere in this book is so good! The woods feel alive and wrong in the best possible way, like something ancient is watching everything unfold.
The folklore and town lore were probably my favorite parts. There’s this slow unraveling of buried secrets, desperate townspeople, strange rituals, and a creepy all-female society descended from the town founders that gives the whole story major The Wicker Man energy. The town itself feels like a powder keg waiting to explode.
What I really appreciated is that this isn’t just straightforward horror; it’s also super introspective and character-driven. A lot of the first half focuses on Sylvie figuring out who she is now that her old life is gone. Watching her slowly build a support system with people like Zelda, the occult shop owner, and a few others who actually see her as separate from her father was really satisfying.
Sylvie herself is such a compelling protagonist. She’s angry, lonely, bitter, vulnerable, and honestly filled with justified rage. By the end, the book goes full female fury in a way that felt both cathartic and heartbreaking.
I will say the romance-ish attraction toward Illican was a little weird at times just because he’s an ancient forest god and Sylvie gets very distracted by how attractive he is. That aspect didn’t always work for me. I also kind of wished the god himself appeared more often because every scene with him was fascinating.
The horror elements are genuinely disturbing too with animal mutilation, sacrifice, creepy rituals, and some truly unsettling imagery, but the story’s real focus is greed, power, desperation, and what happens when people are willing to destroy balance for control.
And that ending? Wild. Bittersweet, messy, emotional, and strangely satisfying all at once. It really drives home the idea that nature always demands balance eventually.
Overall, this felt like folk horror mixed with feminine rage, supernatural mystery, and small-town revenge. Moody, visceral, and deeply atmospheric. Definitely one of those books where the woods themselves feel like a character.
If you love creepy woods, angry girls, weird folklore, and small towns rotting from the inside out, “Local Gods” by Melinda Salisbury absolutely delivers the folk horror vibes.
The story follows Sylvie, whose entire life implodes after the FBI exposes her father for stealing money from basically everyone in town. Overnight, she goes from privileged mayor’s daughter to public enemy number one. Her dad vanishes, her mom emotionally checks out, the town turns vicious, and Sylvie ends up isolated in an abandoned train station while everyone treats her like she personally ruined their lives.
And honestly? You feel for her immediately. The girl is drowning in other people’s hatred for something she didn’t even do.
But things get even stranger when Sylvie starts encountering eerie bone-white animals in the woods like carnivorous deer, ghostly crows, all kinds of unsettling nightmare fuel, and eventually meets Illican, an ancient horned god tied to the forest. The atmosphere in this book is so good! The woods feel alive and wrong in the best possible way, like something ancient is watching everything unfold.
The folklore and town lore were probably my favorite parts. There’s this slow unraveling of buried secrets, desperate townspeople, strange rituals, and a creepy all-female society descended from the town founders that gives the whole story major The Wicker Man energy. The town itself feels like a powder keg waiting to explode.
What I really appreciated is that this isn’t just straightforward horror; it’s also super introspective and character-driven. A lot of the first half focuses on Sylvie figuring out who she is now that her old life is gone. Watching her slowly build a support system with people like Zelda, the occult shop owner, and a few others who actually see her as separate from her father was really satisfying.
Sylvie herself is such a compelling protagonist. She’s angry, lonely, bitter, vulnerable, and honestly filled with justified rage. By the end, the book goes full female fury in a way that felt both cathartic and heartbreaking.
I will say the romance-ish attraction toward Illican was a little weird at times just because he’s an ancient forest god and Sylvie gets very distracted by how attractive he is. That aspect didn’t always work for me. I also kind of wished the god himself appeared more often because every scene with him was fascinating.
The horror elements are genuinely disturbing too with animal mutilation, sacrifice, creepy rituals, and some truly unsettling imagery, but the story’s real focus is greed, power, desperation, and what happens when people are willing to destroy balance for control.
And that ending? Wild. Bittersweet, messy, emotional, and strangely satisfying all at once. It really drives home the idea that nature always demands balance eventually.
Overall, this felt like folk horror mixed with feminine rage, supernatural mystery, and small-town revenge. Moody, visceral, and deeply atmospheric. Definitely one of those books where the woods themselves feel like a character.
July 14, 2026
I received an ARC from the publisher in preparation for an upcoming UKYASpotlight interview. It has not affected my opinions.
It has been quite a wait for Melinda Salisbury's latest full length novel, and it has absolutely been worth it. LOCAL GODS really feels like a return to the folk horror of HOLD BACK THE TIDE (probably my favourite of her books), with a sharpness of prose and plot that makes this an incisive look at rage, desperation, and fear. This is a great addition to the cannon of small town horror.
This book just drips with atmosphere. Something feels deeply wrong from the very start and this only builds across the book as the history of the town is revealed. Nature is used here to unsettle, taking our post-Industrial ideals of nature as a beautiful, peaceful thing and turning it into something jagged and vicious. Some of these details are subtler - animals being the wrong colour - and some are very overt - herbivores are now carnivores.
Likewise, Sylvie's isolation thanks to her father's crimes (and the town taking it out on her as the only available target) creates a deeply unsettling atmosphere. With no one looking out for her, she is vulnerable and there's no one to help her - so she goes to the woods. And the woods answers.
Small town horror is a staple for a reason, the close knit community closing ranks against an outsider. It creates a deep sense on injustice that puts you squarely on the side of the outsider as well as increasing a sense of dread as you know the authorities will be no help whatsoever. It also means that the relationships that do form are all the more important - and easier to exploit.
Sylvie has three main relationships in the book; local shop owner Zelda, who does her best to care for Sylvie, offering a lifeline; strange girl Chantry who is willing to believe in the supernatural, and thus is a great ally; and Hunter, a former friend who wants to help but isn't willing to overtly stand up to anyone. I liked how these relationships all felt so different from one another. I particularly liked how Hunter implicitly explored the idea of people who don't agree but are too scared to stand up to the crowd and so become complicit.
The ending is brutal and so full of rage. I loved it and the way fire was used. It's such a contrast to the flower and leaves of the rest of the book, which feels dark and cool in the way woods do. The fire feels like a revolt against that tone, an attack but also a cleansing.
As you can probably tell, there are so many ideas touched upon in this book - so many things it asks you to think about. So much so that the UKYASpotlight interview is our longest to date (once it's live, I'll link it here). This was a book well worth the wait.
It has been quite a wait for Melinda Salisbury's latest full length novel, and it has absolutely been worth it. LOCAL GODS really feels like a return to the folk horror of HOLD BACK THE TIDE (probably my favourite of her books), with a sharpness of prose and plot that makes this an incisive look at rage, desperation, and fear. This is a great addition to the cannon of small town horror.
This book just drips with atmosphere. Something feels deeply wrong from the very start and this only builds across the book as the history of the town is revealed. Nature is used here to unsettle, taking our post-Industrial ideals of nature as a beautiful, peaceful thing and turning it into something jagged and vicious. Some of these details are subtler - animals being the wrong colour - and some are very overt - herbivores are now carnivores.
Likewise, Sylvie's isolation thanks to her father's crimes (and the town taking it out on her as the only available target) creates a deeply unsettling atmosphere. With no one looking out for her, she is vulnerable and there's no one to help her - so she goes to the woods. And the woods answers.
Small town horror is a staple for a reason, the close knit community closing ranks against an outsider. It creates a deep sense on injustice that puts you squarely on the side of the outsider as well as increasing a sense of dread as you know the authorities will be no help whatsoever. It also means that the relationships that do form are all the more important - and easier to exploit.
Sylvie has three main relationships in the book; local shop owner Zelda, who does her best to care for Sylvie, offering a lifeline; strange girl Chantry who is willing to believe in the supernatural, and thus is a great ally; and Hunter, a former friend who wants to help but isn't willing to overtly stand up to anyone. I liked how these relationships all felt so different from one another. I particularly liked how Hunter implicitly explored the idea of people who don't agree but are too scared to stand up to the crowd and so become complicit.
The ending is brutal and so full of rage. I loved it and the way fire was used. It's such a contrast to the flower and leaves of the rest of the book, which feels dark and cool in the way woods do. The fire feels like a revolt against that tone, an attack but also a cleansing.
As you can probably tell, there are so many ideas touched upon in this book - so many things it asks you to think about. So much so that the UKYASpotlight interview is our longest to date (once it's live, I'll link it here). This was a book well worth the wait.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to Melinda Salisbury, Netgalley, and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for access to this advanced reader's copy of Local Gods. This is my honest and unbiased review.
----
"There is no revenge in nature. Only balance--predator and prey, feast and famine, freeze and thaw. Nature, Sylvie has learned, largely doesn't care about individuals. Not enough to kill them for the hell of it, anyway."
----
When no one else wants you, the forest still does.
What a whirlwind of a story. Local Gods uproots the classic story of a girl outcast by her town and replants it into a story much more darkly magical. The story follows Sylvie, a girl returning to her hometown shortly after her father is arrested for scamming the towns out of exorbitant amounts of money. As the tourist down dies due to lack of money and climate change, Sylvie's circumstances become increasingly more difficult, with betrayal after betrayal leaving her fending for herself in the woods. Woods, of course, notorious for destroying anyone who ventures into them.
This story blew my expectations out of the water. What I expected to be a simple, whimsical tale about a girl finding herself in the woods was very quickly revealed to be a dark mystery punctuated with blood and deception. Sylvie is such a likeable character even when she isn't, forced into a lifestyle that she is both undeserving of and unprepared for. Her only goal is to survive at all costs, even if that means daily suffering. Her friendship with Chantry was extremely gratifying, as both girls are outcast and struggling in their own way. It acts in a stark contrast to her relationship with Hunter, who she has been friends with since she was child but could never rely on to protect her. Her obsession with her cryptid in the woods was also deeply relatable. Girl, I, too, would be weak for a man with white hair and horns. Sorry not sorry.
That being said, I wish there had been a little more closure at the end of the book. It is far from open-ended, but there were several characters that I would have liked to know the fate of. I believe part of the omission was to focus on Sylvie's growth as a character, but I'm nosy and wanted more details, especially regarding her parents, Esme, and Hunter.
Aside from that, this was such an enjoyable read and kept me entertained for hours. The plot is a very carefully crafted slowburn, with tiny events queuing much larger plot points in a very natural way. While there is a bit of romance in this story, it is not a primary focus in this story of survival and, eventually, female (and environmental) rage.
This story is perfect for the forest and nature girlies who find peace in the quiet movements of the forest, or those with interests in folk horror. I highly recommend it both for the plot, creeping dread, and stellar character development. Five stars!
----
"There is no revenge in nature. Only balance--predator and prey, feast and famine, freeze and thaw. Nature, Sylvie has learned, largely doesn't care about individuals. Not enough to kill them for the hell of it, anyway."
----
When no one else wants you, the forest still does.
What a whirlwind of a story. Local Gods uproots the classic story of a girl outcast by her town and replants it into a story much more darkly magical. The story follows Sylvie, a girl returning to her hometown shortly after her father is arrested for scamming the towns out of exorbitant amounts of money. As the tourist down dies due to lack of money and climate change, Sylvie's circumstances become increasingly more difficult, with betrayal after betrayal leaving her fending for herself in the woods. Woods, of course, notorious for destroying anyone who ventures into them.
This story blew my expectations out of the water. What I expected to be a simple, whimsical tale about a girl finding herself in the woods was very quickly revealed to be a dark mystery punctuated with blood and deception. Sylvie is such a likeable character even when she isn't, forced into a lifestyle that she is both undeserving of and unprepared for. Her only goal is to survive at all costs, even if that means daily suffering. Her friendship with Chantry was extremely gratifying, as both girls are outcast and struggling in their own way. It acts in a stark contrast to her relationship with Hunter, who she has been friends with since she was child but could never rely on to protect her. Her obsession with her cryptid in the woods was also deeply relatable. Girl, I, too, would be weak for a man with white hair and horns. Sorry not sorry.
That being said, I wish there had been a little more closure at the end of the book. It is far from open-ended, but there were several characters that I would have liked to know the fate of. I believe part of the omission was to focus on Sylvie's growth as a character, but I'm nosy and wanted more details, especially regarding her parents, Esme, and Hunter.
Aside from that, this was such an enjoyable read and kept me entertained for hours. The plot is a very carefully crafted slowburn, with tiny events queuing much larger plot points in a very natural way. While there is a bit of romance in this story, it is not a primary focus in this story of survival and, eventually, female (and environmental) rage.
This story is perfect for the forest and nature girlies who find peace in the quiet movements of the forest, or those with interests in folk horror. I highly recommend it both for the plot, creeping dread, and stellar character development. Five stars!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy.
Did I stay up until 3:30 in the morning to finish this book? Hell yeah I did, and it was so worth it. This book was unlike anything else I’ve read. The story was so original and yet I felt an odd sense of familiarity to the woods and the main character. The author beautifully interlaces mysticism, suspense, mystery, and the paranormal into a lush story that pulls you right in.
Sylvie is a senior in high school living in a remote town when one winter night her house is raided by the FBI. Little did anyone know that her father was a scam artist who took millions from the local populous, had a whole other family, and is now on the run. After leaving town for a while, Sylvie and her mother return back to the place where everyone despises her even though she had no idea about anything her dad had been doing, and has been impacted more than anyone else around her. But she’s there and her dad’s not, so she gets all the hate. For only being a teenager, adults and kids alike are brutal in their hatred towards a girl who’s lost everything. Through it all though, Sylvie pushes forward in a way well beyond her years, and shows bravery in the face of multiple evils.
On top of her dad disappearing, her mom is pretty much non-existent and neglectful, which leaves Sylvie fending for herself in an old train depo in the middle of the woods, desperately trying to get through the last few weeks of school so she can graduate and get the hell outta dodge. She’s stealing toilet paper from school, collecting coins to get food from the vending machine, and is washing her hair and body with the antibacterial pink soap from school with the brown murky tap water where she’s squatting. But still, adults are stalking her and threatening violence, and her old “friends” are either bullying her or just straight up ignoring her existence.
Did I mention that the woods are full of albino animals that have a habit of being carnivorous and dangerous? White deer that eat meat. White crows that are omens for looming tragedy. But it’s the one place that the townspeople won’t harass her and make her life a living hell. Strange things start to happen to Sylvie in the woods and she begins to fear that something even more sinister than her father is coming for the town, and everyone is already primed to blame her for whatever is happens. That is until one day she encounters a strange being in the woods that has large ram-like horns, mismatched eyes, and white hair… she’s terrified to know if it’s a demon or an angel in disguise. She feels some sort of elusive pull to the being, and fall headfirst into what will either be her salvation or her ruin.
Did I stay up until 3:30 in the morning to finish this book? Hell yeah I did, and it was so worth it. This book was unlike anything else I’ve read. The story was so original and yet I felt an odd sense of familiarity to the woods and the main character. The author beautifully interlaces mysticism, suspense, mystery, and the paranormal into a lush story that pulls you right in.
Sylvie is a senior in high school living in a remote town when one winter night her house is raided by the FBI. Little did anyone know that her father was a scam artist who took millions from the local populous, had a whole other family, and is now on the run. After leaving town for a while, Sylvie and her mother return back to the place where everyone despises her even though she had no idea about anything her dad had been doing, and has been impacted more than anyone else around her. But she’s there and her dad’s not, so she gets all the hate. For only being a teenager, adults and kids alike are brutal in their hatred towards a girl who’s lost everything. Through it all though, Sylvie pushes forward in a way well beyond her years, and shows bravery in the face of multiple evils.
On top of her dad disappearing, her mom is pretty much non-existent and neglectful, which leaves Sylvie fending for herself in an old train depo in the middle of the woods, desperately trying to get through the last few weeks of school so she can graduate and get the hell outta dodge. She’s stealing toilet paper from school, collecting coins to get food from the vending machine, and is washing her hair and body with the antibacterial pink soap from school with the brown murky tap water where she’s squatting. But still, adults are stalking her and threatening violence, and her old “friends” are either bullying her or just straight up ignoring her existence.
Did I mention that the woods are full of albino animals that have a habit of being carnivorous and dangerous? White deer that eat meat. White crows that are omens for looming tragedy. But it’s the one place that the townspeople won’t harass her and make her life a living hell. Strange things start to happen to Sylvie in the woods and she begins to fear that something even more sinister than her father is coming for the town, and everyone is already primed to blame her for whatever is happens. That is until one day she encounters a strange being in the woods that has large ram-like horns, mismatched eyes, and white hair… she’s terrified to know if it’s a demon or an angel in disguise. She feels some sort of elusive pull to the being, and fall headfirst into what will either be her salvation or her ruin.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Local Gods has the vibes of all those 90's and early 2000's witchy, campy, teen movies. It's a gritty, tension-packed story of of a folk-horror, God of the woods seeking revenge alongside a young woman's struggle to maintain identity and sanity in a town that hates her. At times it felt like a blend of Alix E. Harrow's Starling House or Emma Torz's Ink Blood Sister Scribe. It's a quick read because it's hard to put down; filled with tension, action, and
I was really nervous to give a YA book a go, as I have a poor track record with them. I tend to hate the childish nature of the characters and the really cringey dialogue. Local Gods has given me some hope back that just because something is YA targeted, doesn't mean it will be rife with shallow themes and characters. I really appreciated Sylvie as a main character. She's the teen-outcast who is the target of the whole town's hatred, forced to live in the woods because her mother is garbage. She's a very layered, believable character who battles becoming a pariah after being the town golden girl. Sylvie's still an immature teenager who has to handle forced-adulthood. I wish this character layering extended to some of the other younger characters in this book. Her former friends can come off as one-layered or just pawns to move the plot along.
The appreciated the ending and all the elements surrounding the last handful of chapters. It was full of righteous vengeance. Sylvie finds revenge and vindication in a very unique way (without giving too much away). I can't say it was a very unexpected ending- I do feel like a lot of things started to point towards the surprise/twist. However, I enjoyed kind of cataloguing the plot and it's direction. It was incredibly well-written and full of tension; the ending was excellent regardless of slight obviousness. I enjoyed the slight slow-burn, romance elements. They felt slightly forced in the beginning and made me worried, however, I like the track they took. Everything- motivations, emotions, and actions- all feel like they have a reason. Whether they are explained early on or revealed later, all the plot points get wrapped up nicely.
If you're looking for a fun, suspenseful, folk-horror YA that doesn't hold punches, Local Gods is an excellent choice. It's full of surprises and doesn't shy away from darker elements that really make up a good horror story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I was really nervous to give a YA book a go, as I have a poor track record with them. I tend to hate the childish nature of the characters and the really cringey dialogue. Local Gods has given me some hope back that just because something is YA targeted, doesn't mean it will be rife with shallow themes and characters. I really appreciated Sylvie as a main character. She's the teen-outcast who is the target of the whole town's hatred, forced to live in the woods because her mother is garbage. She's a very layered, believable character who battles becoming a pariah after being the town golden girl. Sylvie's still an immature teenager who has to handle forced-adulthood. I wish this character layering extended to some of the other younger characters in this book. Her former friends can come off as one-layered or just pawns to move the plot along.
The appreciated the ending and all the elements surrounding the last handful of chapters. It was full of righteous vengeance. Sylvie finds revenge and vindication in a very unique way (without giving too much away). I can't say it was a very unexpected ending- I do feel like a lot of things started to point towards the surprise/twist. However, I enjoyed kind of cataloguing the plot and it's direction. It was incredibly well-written and full of tension; the ending was excellent regardless of slight obviousness. I enjoyed the slight slow-burn, romance elements. They felt slightly forced in the beginning and made me worried, however, I like the track they took. Everything- motivations, emotions, and actions- all feel like they have a reason. Whether they are explained early on or revealed later, all the plot points get wrapped up nicely.
If you're looking for a fun, suspenseful, folk-horror YA that doesn't hold punches, Local Gods is an excellent choice. It's full of surprises and doesn't shy away from darker elements that really make up a good horror story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Folk Horror at its best!
In the Pine Ridge Mountains sits a town called Pine Ridge Hollow. A town that once flourished with life and joy but now that town is a remnant of what it used to be. For that everyone blames Sylvie Sanders but not because she herself has done anything she is just the Queen Bee fallen from grace. The real enemy is her father Adam Sanders the golden boy of Pine Ridge Hollow who turned out not to be so golden after all.
Disgraced from her social standing in the town, Sylvie finds herself living in a place where townsfolk refuse to go. Deep in the West Woods is a station that her family still owns, the only thing they have left and that is where she finds herself. Her mother has all but abandoned her leaving Sylie to face the repercussions from the town on her own. Her only saving grace is that her Grandmother set up a trust for her as long as she gets her high school diploma. Turns out that is going to be harder than she thought. The town has no one else to take their anger out on so Sylvie becomes the target. She is horribly mistreated by the people that used to be her friends.
The West Woods has always been a place of mystery in Pine Ridge Hollow, the animals there are not like regular animals. Every creature living within those woods turns white or is born white and with a hunger for meat.
Sylvie has learned how to navigate the woods and has yet to be stalked after by any of the hungry animals. However there is something else much older that has awakened within the West Woods.
A being made from the woods themselves, brought forth many centuries ago by people that did not know what they were doing. He is a portend of tragedy to come, but to Sylvie he is alluring. He leaves her little gifts and sends the animals to keep her safe.
Nothing is really what it seems in #LocalGods by #MelindaSalisbury. I devoured this book in one day. Granted I am a sucker for anything that is nature magic or cryptid but this novel was fantastic and the ending was not something I saw coming.
Filled with unease and the unfairness of life when you are punished for someone else’s actions the book will pull you into its pages, wrap its vines around you and hold you until you have read the last word.
Thank you so much to #Netgalley and #Simon&Schuster and #SarahBarleyBooks for the chance to read this amazing eArc of #LocalGods by #MelindaSalisbury in return for a fair and honest review.
In the Pine Ridge Mountains sits a town called Pine Ridge Hollow. A town that once flourished with life and joy but now that town is a remnant of what it used to be. For that everyone blames Sylvie Sanders but not because she herself has done anything she is just the Queen Bee fallen from grace. The real enemy is her father Adam Sanders the golden boy of Pine Ridge Hollow who turned out not to be so golden after all.
Disgraced from her social standing in the town, Sylvie finds herself living in a place where townsfolk refuse to go. Deep in the West Woods is a station that her family still owns, the only thing they have left and that is where she finds herself. Her mother has all but abandoned her leaving Sylie to face the repercussions from the town on her own. Her only saving grace is that her Grandmother set up a trust for her as long as she gets her high school diploma. Turns out that is going to be harder than she thought. The town has no one else to take their anger out on so Sylvie becomes the target. She is horribly mistreated by the people that used to be her friends.
The West Woods has always been a place of mystery in Pine Ridge Hollow, the animals there are not like regular animals. Every creature living within those woods turns white or is born white and with a hunger for meat.
Sylvie has learned how to navigate the woods and has yet to be stalked after by any of the hungry animals. However there is something else much older that has awakened within the West Woods.
A being made from the woods themselves, brought forth many centuries ago by people that did not know what they were doing. He is a portend of tragedy to come, but to Sylvie he is alluring. He leaves her little gifts and sends the animals to keep her safe.
Nothing is really what it seems in #LocalGods by #MelindaSalisbury. I devoured this book in one day. Granted I am a sucker for anything that is nature magic or cryptid but this novel was fantastic and the ending was not something I saw coming.
Filled with unease and the unfairness of life when you are punished for someone else’s actions the book will pull you into its pages, wrap its vines around you and hold you until you have read the last word.
Thank you so much to #Netgalley and #Simon&Schuster and #SarahBarleyBooks for the chance to read this amazing eArc of #LocalGods by #MelindaSalisbury in return for a fair and honest review.
August 5, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
KNOCKOUT!!!!!!!!!!
The pros: Head in my hands. I consumed this. I loved it. Sylvie is a great main character, I love how much of a little shit she clearly used to be and to an extent still is, while also showing just how unfair she's being treated and how bad her quality of life is now after being punished for things that were out of her control and being abandoned on every front. You gotta love someone being kicked while they're down, and man is Sylvie getting kicked. The West Woods are suitably fucked up, I love the weirdness and horror inherent within them. I love the town of Pine Ridge Hollow and all of its inhabitants. It's really fun to get to see Sylvie's relationships with them now and compare it to how it used to be, especially as we learn more about her family's history in the town. And Illican! I love how weird Illican is. All things considered he's not the most fucked up hottie monster I've ever seen, but there's an uncannyness with how he's described and how he effects the world that is just so cool. I also adored our main ensemble cast - Chantry especially has my heart - and again, it's fun to see Sylvie lose at every turn and pursue as best she can. And of course, I absolutely loved the ending. Everything from learning the truth to the last page was just [chefs kiss]. Fantastic. Phenomenal. Also shoutout to the absolutely beautiful cover!
The cons: I've got two qualms, that's it. The more minor one is called out in the novel - Sylvie doesn't know Serra's reason for hating her. And I would like an answer to that, lol, but I can accept the fact that some things remain unanswered. The more major one is... I wasn't a huge fan of the twist villain. Or rather, I found the execution to be lacking. The reveal felt a bit out of the blue and I think it could've been built up to better. Last thing I'll say is that the summary makes it sound like Sylvie is considering letting the town die, like its a choice she's weighing (whether or not to save the town and people who have treated her so poorly), but it's not. She's trying to save it pretty much the whole time. Like, not doing so is never even a thought she has. Which I love, I think it's a really interesting character choice, but the summary is a little misleading lol.
Overall, KNOCKOUTTTTT!!!!!! AAAAAA
KNOCKOUT!!!!!!!!!!
The pros: Head in my hands. I consumed this. I loved it. Sylvie is a great main character, I love how much of a little shit she clearly used to be and to an extent still is, while also showing just how unfair she's being treated and how bad her quality of life is now after being punished for things that were out of her control and being abandoned on every front. You gotta love someone being kicked while they're down, and man is Sylvie getting kicked. The West Woods are suitably fucked up, I love the weirdness and horror inherent within them. I love the town of Pine Ridge Hollow and all of its inhabitants. It's really fun to get to see Sylvie's relationships with them now and compare it to how it used to be, especially as we learn more about her family's history in the town. And Illican! I love how weird Illican is. All things considered he's not the most fucked up hottie monster I've ever seen, but there's an uncannyness with how he's described and how he effects the world that is just so cool. I also adored our main ensemble cast - Chantry especially has my heart - and again, it's fun to see Sylvie lose at every turn and pursue as best she can. And of course, I absolutely loved the ending. Everything from learning the truth to the last page was just [chefs kiss]. Fantastic. Phenomenal. Also shoutout to the absolutely beautiful cover!
The cons: I've got two qualms, that's it. The more minor one is called out in the novel - Sylvie doesn't know Serra's reason for hating her. And I would like an answer to that, lol, but I can accept the fact that some things remain unanswered. The more major one is... I wasn't a huge fan of the twist villain. Or rather, I found the execution to be lacking. The reveal felt a bit out of the blue and I think it could've been built up to better. Last thing I'll say is that the summary makes it sound like Sylvie is considering letting the town die, like its a choice she's weighing (whether or not to save the town and people who have treated her so poorly), but it's not. She's trying to save it pretty much the whole time. Like, not doing so is never even a thought she has. Which I love, I think it's a really interesting character choice, but the summary is a little misleading lol.
Overall, KNOCKOUTTTTT!!!!!! AAAAAA
August 5, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🎧📖 𝐸-𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌📖🎧
𝐿𝑜𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 by Melinda Salisbury
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs
✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨
After her conman father destroys her hometown and disappears, Sylvie becomes the town's scapegoat. Shunned by everyone she once knew, she finds an unlikely ally in a dying god hidden within the cursed woods—just as an ancient evil begins to awaken.
𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:
ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ sɪᴍᴏɴᴛᴇᴇɴ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴇ-ᴀʀᴄ!
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓃𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝑜𝒹𝓈 𝓂𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒷𝑒 𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓇𝒾𝒻𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔—𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎'𝓇𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓅𝒶𝓇𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝑜𝓌𝓃.
𝐿𝑜𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 is folk horror at its absolute finest—haunting, atmospheric, and simmering with righteous rage.
Sylvie is an unforgettable heroine, and watching her navigate relentless cruelty from the very people who should have protected her was both heartbreaking and infuriating. The eerie West Woods, bone-white creatures, and mysterious local god create an unsettling atmosphere that never lets up, while the story explores grief, community, revenge, and the price of survival with surprising emotional depth.
This is one of those books where the setting feels like its own living, breathing character. Creepy, immersive, and beautifully written, 𝐿𝑜𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 delivers the kind of slow-building dread that lingers long after you've turned the final page.
𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝒱𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓈:
🌲 folk horror
🦌 creepy forest creatures
👹 ancient god
🔥 female rage
🏚️ cursed small town
🖤 outcast heroine
🌿 nature horror
✨ folklore & magic
🤫 buried secrets
⚖️ revenge & redemption
𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒...
🌲 The Wicker Man vibes
🖤 atmospheric folk horror
🌿 creepy forests
✨ folklore-inspired fantasy
🔥 angry girls getting their revenge
👹 unsettling supernatural mysteries
🗣️ 𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓉𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓉:
Early readers have praised 𝐿𝑜𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 for its unforgettable atmosphere, unsettling folklore, and emotionally powerful exploration of isolation and female rage. Many have called it a standout YA folk horror with vivid prose, eerie world-building, and a deeply satisfying conclusion.
𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
If you love haunting forests, ancient folklore, morally complex characters, and stories where the true monsters aren't always supernatural, 𝐿𝑜𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 is a must-read. Equal parts eerie, emotional, and utterly addictive, it's one of the strongest YA folk horror novels I've read.
ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ
🎧📖 𝐸-𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌📖🎧
𝐿𝑜𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 by Melinda Salisbury
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs
✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨
After her conman father destroys her hometown and disappears, Sylvie becomes the town's scapegoat. Shunned by everyone she once knew, she finds an unlikely ally in a dying god hidden within the cursed woods—just as an ancient evil begins to awaken.
𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:
ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ sɪᴍᴏɴᴛᴇᴇɴ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴇ-ᴀʀᴄ!
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓃𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝑜𝒹𝓈 𝓂𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒷𝑒 𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓇𝒾𝒻𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔—𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎'𝓇𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓅𝒶𝓇𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝑜𝓌𝓃.
𝐿𝑜𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 is folk horror at its absolute finest—haunting, atmospheric, and simmering with righteous rage.
Sylvie is an unforgettable heroine, and watching her navigate relentless cruelty from the very people who should have protected her was both heartbreaking and infuriating. The eerie West Woods, bone-white creatures, and mysterious local god create an unsettling atmosphere that never lets up, while the story explores grief, community, revenge, and the price of survival with surprising emotional depth.
This is one of those books where the setting feels like its own living, breathing character. Creepy, immersive, and beautifully written, 𝐿𝑜𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 delivers the kind of slow-building dread that lingers long after you've turned the final page.
𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝒱𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓈:
🌲 folk horror
🦌 creepy forest creatures
👹 ancient god
🔥 female rage
🏚️ cursed small town
🖤 outcast heroine
🌿 nature horror
✨ folklore & magic
🤫 buried secrets
⚖️ revenge & redemption
𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒...
🌲 The Wicker Man vibes
🖤 atmospheric folk horror
🌿 creepy forests
✨ folklore-inspired fantasy
🔥 angry girls getting their revenge
👹 unsettling supernatural mysteries
🗣️ 𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓉𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓉:
Early readers have praised 𝐿𝑜𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 for its unforgettable atmosphere, unsettling folklore, and emotionally powerful exploration of isolation and female rage. Many have called it a standout YA folk horror with vivid prose, eerie world-building, and a deeply satisfying conclusion.
𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
If you love haunting forests, ancient folklore, morally complex characters, and stories where the true monsters aren't always supernatural, 𝐿𝑜𝒸𝒶𝓁 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 is a must-read. Equal parts eerie, emotional, and utterly addictive, it's one of the strongest YA folk horror novels I've read.
ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 4 ⭐️
Wow, I loved this. This is The Wicker Man meets The Crucible meets the absolute worst group of people you have ever met in your life - and I couldn't put it down.
Sylvie Singer is ostracised and outcast, shunned by her town and living in an old station house in the isolated West Woods. However, the woods are not quite... normal, and when she stumbles (literally) across a local legend, a monster made human, she sees a chance for redemption. But things are not as they seem, and the town is keeping its own secrets that Sylvie can't even imagine.
The entirety of Local Gods has this sense of dread throughout it, an ominous feeling that something really bad is about to happen. There is something very, very wrong with the town, but it's quite hard to know what exactly is wrong. The worldbuilding is brilliant, as the sense of unease builds and builds and builds, until a final act crescendo of chaos. And *that* plot twist made me audibly gasp, as I truly had no idea that's where the story was going to go. It was atmopsheric, it was tense, it made me so uncomfortable at times. Absolutely incredible.
What I really liked about this was the exploration of humanity within it. The people of the town are awful, horrible people, who blame Sylvie for the actions of her father, despite her still being a child. The irony of them studying The Crucible was definitely not lost on me, and there's such a sense of mob mentality, especially towards the end, and the novel explores how some people can do terrible things when they are desperate and scared - even when they don't know or understand why they are doing them. It made that dose of female rage at the end very very satisfying.
My only complaint is I would have liked to have learnt more of the lore and history of the woods. We do learn a little about Illican and who he is/where he's come from, but not in a huge amount of detail and I'd have loved a little bit more of that. By the end, I still didn't really know much about the woods, and why the animals turned white or what kind of magic was there, and I wish I had learnt more. It was such an interesting and unique location, but I felt I needed to more about its history and it wasn't utilised enough (which is why I have knocked a star off).
All in all, this was a tense, atmospheric folk horror that left me reeling. Brilliant!
Wow, I loved this. This is The Wicker Man meets The Crucible meets the absolute worst group of people you have ever met in your life - and I couldn't put it down.
Sylvie Singer is ostracised and outcast, shunned by her town and living in an old station house in the isolated West Woods. However, the woods are not quite... normal, and when she stumbles (literally) across a local legend, a monster made human, she sees a chance for redemption. But things are not as they seem, and the town is keeping its own secrets that Sylvie can't even imagine.
The entirety of Local Gods has this sense of dread throughout it, an ominous feeling that something really bad is about to happen. There is something very, very wrong with the town, but it's quite hard to know what exactly is wrong. The worldbuilding is brilliant, as the sense of unease builds and builds and builds, until a final act crescendo of chaos. And *that* plot twist made me audibly gasp, as I truly had no idea that's where the story was going to go. It was atmopsheric, it was tense, it made me so uncomfortable at times. Absolutely incredible.
What I really liked about this was the exploration of humanity within it. The people of the town are awful, horrible people, who blame Sylvie for the actions of her father, despite her still being a child. The irony of them studying The Crucible was definitely not lost on me, and there's such a sense of mob mentality, especially towards the end, and the novel explores how some people can do terrible things when they are desperate and scared - even when they don't know or understand why they are doing them. It made that dose of female rage at the end very very satisfying.
My only complaint is I would have liked to have learnt more of the lore and history of the woods. We do learn a little about Illican and who he is/where he's come from, but not in a huge amount of detail and I'd have loved a little bit more of that. By the end, I still didn't really know much about the woods, and why the animals turned white or what kind of magic was there, and I wish I had learnt more. It was such an interesting and unique location, but I felt I needed to more about its history and it wasn't utilised enough (which is why I have knocked a star off).
All in all, this was a tense, atmospheric folk horror that left me reeling. Brilliant!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.75 ⭐
A small, cult-esque, rural town that hates the former town "princess."
This book was honestly extraordinary, possibly one of the best YA novels I have ever read. It gave me "Midsommar" vibes mixed with "Beautiful Creatures" and "Hazelthorn." I will say it's listed as a horror book, but the horror is definitely subtle. The book is mainly about the main character, Sylvie, being mistreated by the entire town. I will also add that there are very light romantic undertones.
The plot is medium paced, but it is very mysterious and addicting. Sylvie meets a dying local god in the woods, and she wants to save him, so she tries to learn about him while also dealing with the town's hatred as she fights her way towards graduation. It might not sound too compelling, but it's structured in a way that really hooks you.
I loved the atmosphere; it was like witchy, nature-focused horror mixed with bright, cheery whimsy. It was fun to learn about the lore. I think the woods and the town had a great history. The animals and Illican were pleasantly mysterious characters.
For the characters, I was surprised to find myself liking Sylvie so much. I'm not too fond of rich mean girls, but Sylvie has great character development. I found it relatable how both of Sylvie's parents are neglectful. I also liked most of the supporting cast, even the people antagonizing Sylvie. Obviously, adults shouldn't be mistreating a child just because the child's father is a criminal. but people in the real world do it all the time.
I wasn't expecting the ending at all, but I was really satisfied with it. Honestly, the only qualms I had with this book are unanswered questions. I wanted to know more about Sylvie's friends, and I wanted to know more about the website.
Overall, if you're into the darker side of YA, I think this is a must read. If magic, cults, creepy animals, small town troubles, a hot god, and a girl trying to get her life together sounds appealing to you, read this! Also, there are multiple content warnings for this book, so make sure to check those. The one that got me was animal violence, but I am just particularly sensitive when it comes to animals.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
A small, cult-esque, rural town that hates the former town "princess."
This book was honestly extraordinary, possibly one of the best YA novels I have ever read. It gave me "Midsommar" vibes mixed with "Beautiful Creatures" and "Hazelthorn." I will say it's listed as a horror book, but the horror is definitely subtle. The book is mainly about the main character, Sylvie, being mistreated by the entire town. I will also add that there are very light romantic undertones.
The plot is medium paced, but it is very mysterious and addicting. Sylvie meets a dying local god in the woods, and she wants to save him, so she tries to learn about him while also dealing with the town's hatred as she fights her way towards graduation. It might not sound too compelling, but it's structured in a way that really hooks you.
I loved the atmosphere; it was like witchy, nature-focused horror mixed with bright, cheery whimsy. It was fun to learn about the lore. I think the woods and the town had a great history. The animals and Illican were pleasantly mysterious characters.
For the characters, I was surprised to find myself liking Sylvie so much. I'm not too fond of rich mean girls, but Sylvie has great character development. I found it relatable how both of Sylvie's parents are neglectful. I also liked most of the supporting cast, even the people antagonizing Sylvie. Obviously, adults shouldn't be mistreating a child just because the child's father is a criminal. but people in the real world do it all the time.
I wasn't expecting the ending at all, but I was really satisfied with it. Honestly, the only qualms I had with this book are unanswered questions. I wanted to know more about Sylvie's friends, and I wanted to know more about the website.
Overall, if you're into the darker side of YA, I think this is a must read. If magic, cults, creepy animals, small town troubles, a hot god, and a girl trying to get her life together sounds appealing to you, read this! Also, there are multiple content warnings for this book, so make sure to check those. The one that got me was animal violence, but I am just particularly sensitive when it comes to animals.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
May 16, 2026
I’ve read more books so far this year featuring local legends and cryptids and let me tell you I am loving its addition to the genre.
In the aftermath of her father’s crimes, Sylvie finds herself cast as the local pariah suffering the anger and abuses of those he wronged. Losing her old friends and an absent mother she finds her only companions are the strange white owls in the woods and it’s not long before a monster follows her home. Trying to uncover the meaning behind its appearance, she looks into the towns history and the local paranormal shop trying desperately to find an answer before she is forced to decide if she’s willing to save the town or herself before it all falls apart.
I read this all in one setting I literally could not put it down until I finished and even then I was upset it was over!
This book has everything I love - creepy woods , local legends , an old time murder and small town cult like energy. Sylvie was dealt a tough hand being the only member of her family walking around a town where nearly everyone was a victim of her father. The gentle pull towards the woods and it’s offer of protection is the only solace she has and it’s easy to see why should could be caught up in it all even if the monster is also telling her to run. The way the local legends and the monster were intertwined with true crime was so well done and it felt like it could have worked in a Natural Parks after Dark podcast and I loved every second.
Coming from a small town the entire lore and found family like energy really hits home making some of what would seem outlandish really not all that crazy. People get into some weird things and if you have enough power, or the illusion of it, it’s not hard to twist and control a narrative to get away with crimes and absolve yourself of any real guilt. Sylvie is so isolated and alone and the few friends she is able to make in this were perfect. Chantry was hilarious the entire way through and man I wanted them to fist fight more people!
This is such a great read and perfect for the start of summer with just enough spook for those who like that sort of thing!
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**
In the aftermath of her father’s crimes, Sylvie finds herself cast as the local pariah suffering the anger and abuses of those he wronged. Losing her old friends and an absent mother she finds her only companions are the strange white owls in the woods and it’s not long before a monster follows her home. Trying to uncover the meaning behind its appearance, she looks into the towns history and the local paranormal shop trying desperately to find an answer before she is forced to decide if she’s willing to save the town or herself before it all falls apart.
I read this all in one setting I literally could not put it down until I finished and even then I was upset it was over!
This book has everything I love - creepy woods , local legends , an old time murder and small town cult like energy. Sylvie was dealt a tough hand being the only member of her family walking around a town where nearly everyone was a victim of her father. The gentle pull towards the woods and it’s offer of protection is the only solace she has and it’s easy to see why should could be caught up in it all even if the monster is also telling her to run. The way the local legends and the monster were intertwined with true crime was so well done and it felt like it could have worked in a Natural Parks after Dark podcast and I loved every second.
Coming from a small town the entire lore and found family like energy really hits home making some of what would seem outlandish really not all that crazy. People get into some weird things and if you have enough power, or the illusion of it, it’s not hard to twist and control a narrative to get away with crimes and absolve yourself of any real guilt. Sylvie is so isolated and alone and the few friends she is able to make in this were perfect. Chantry was hilarious the entire way through and man I wanted them to fist fight more people!
This is such a great read and perfect for the start of summer with just enough spook for those who like that sort of thing!
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
After falling from grace after her father swindles the town and flees, Sophie takes on the role of the town's scapegoat with a cynical realism. She never paused to excusing the choices she made as a former rich kid or hesitates to do what she has to survive in her changed conditions. Her entire focus is on graduating and escaping. That is until she is slowly but steadily tangled up in the magic of the North Wood and the stories of the Illican. The beauty of the magick and hope is to fix things is too much for her to resist. We are given steady glimpses that Sophie would do anything in her power to fix things only to be denied every opportunity. Her rage is understandable but contained, until it isn't.
Local Gods never hit a horror note for me. Magical realism, yes, but horror? Not really. Most of the time I wasn't scared for Sophie in a horror dread sense, but more in the 'oh, wow, another system/support/adult is failing her' sense. A bunch of women dancing naked in masks in the middle of the night is not more scary than a drunk adult man stalking a teenage girl to take out his impotent rage on her. Especially when she knows that the rest of the town won't care and her parents abandoned her. If anything, the magic and fantasy felt like escape and relief, even when the animals were being ominous at her.
When dealing with local gods in colonized lands, there are some complicated tightropes to walk. The specificity of this particular story helped, including how this particular god was formed. It still feels a little weird to have no mention of native peoples, but then again maybe that's better than it being badly or done in a definitely bigoted way. There is some exploration of the impacts of anti-black racism, and the town does have some additional racial diversity despite being a small tourist town.
That said, the ending hits hard. There's definitely tinges of the 'good for her' horror, and I love when we are finally let in on the wood's perspective. The choice for the relationship between Sophie and her local god was unexpected, and a relief given past trends. It has an unexpected and much appreciated sweetness after catharsis.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ARC of this book.
Local Gods never hit a horror note for me. Magical realism, yes, but horror? Not really. Most of the time I wasn't scared for Sophie in a horror dread sense, but more in the 'oh, wow, another system/support/adult is failing her' sense. A bunch of women dancing naked in masks in the middle of the night is not more scary than a drunk adult man stalking a teenage girl to take out his impotent rage on her. Especially when she knows that the rest of the town won't care and her parents abandoned her. If anything, the magic and fantasy felt like escape and relief, even when the animals were being ominous at her.
When dealing with local gods in colonized lands, there are some complicated tightropes to walk. The specificity of this particular story helped, including how this particular god was formed. It still feels a little weird to have no mention of native peoples, but then again maybe that's better than it being badly or done in a definitely bigoted way. There is some exploration of the impacts of anti-black racism, and the town does have some additional racial diversity despite being a small tourist town.
That said, the ending hits hard. There's definitely tinges of the 'good for her' horror, and I love when we are finally let in on the wood's perspective. The choice for the relationship between Sophie and her local god was unexpected, and a relief given past trends. It has an unexpected and much appreciated sweetness after catharsis.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Characters: 3.50⭐️
Setting: 3.75⭐️
Plot: 3.50⭐️
Themes: 4.00⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 3.50⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.50⭐️
Overall rating: 3.50⭐️
Slyvie Singer's life was turned upside when it was discovered that her father had stolen money from the majority of people in her town in a fraud scheme that she had nowhere else to go but live in an abandoned railway station when the god of the woods, Illican, reveals himself to her. He claims he only appears when something devastating will happen, and he can show Sylvie how to stop it to save the town and to save her.
I enjoyed some portions of this book, but not the book as a whole. It felt a little disjointed like two different stories put together to make this one. On one hand you have Sylvie trying to navigate life after her father frauded most of the people in the town out of a lot of money and she is left to deal with the social consequences and the other side is where there is this old woods magic that felt forced into the plot. I wished the story had more of the old woods magic and the consequences of that, but it felt like it was only focused on towards the end of the book.
Spoilers:
Would I recommend this book? Maybe, leaning more towards no. This book just was not for me, but it might be for you.
Thank you to Simon Teen for sending me a finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
Setting: 3.75⭐️
Plot: 3.50⭐️
Themes: 4.00⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 3.50⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.50⭐️
Overall rating: 3.50⭐️
Slyvie Singer's life was turned upside when it was discovered that her father had stolen money from the majority of people in her town in a fraud scheme that she had nowhere else to go but live in an abandoned railway station when the god of the woods, Illican, reveals himself to her. He claims he only appears when something devastating will happen, and he can show Sylvie how to stop it to save the town and to save her.
I enjoyed some portions of this book, but not the book as a whole. It felt a little disjointed like two different stories put together to make this one. On one hand you have Sylvie trying to navigate life after her father frauded most of the people in the town out of a lot of money and she is left to deal with the social consequences and the other side is where there is this old woods magic that felt forced into the plot. I wished the story had more of the old woods magic and the consequences of that, but it felt like it was only focused on towards the end of the book.
Spoilers:
Would I recommend this book? Maybe, leaning more towards no. This book just was not for me, but it might be for you.
Thank you to Simon Teen for sending me a finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2026
I loved this book. Magical realism/folklore and a dash of horror. Sylvie’s father is a charming con man who cons the inhabitants of Pine Ridge Hollow out of most of their savings; hundreds of thousands of dollars, then flees the town. It’s all news to Sylvia until the FBI storm into her perfect home and shatter her perfect life. Initially relieved to leave the town Sylvie and her mother stay with her unwelcoming grandmother until they can stand no more and return to the town.
Sylvie, nearly eighteen and about to leave school after graduating, is deserted by her mother and Sylvie, hated and ostracised by townsfolk for her father’s crimes, is left to survive in the half built neglected station in the strange West Woods. She has a plan. She must graduate as then she will be entitled to a lot of money left by her grandmother, which will enable her to leave the town forever. But events overtake her.
All the animals living in the nearby West Wood are white or gradually turning white. The inhabitants of the town are afraid and avoid the woods and the animals, so when a stark white crow lands in front of her, Sylvie knows disaster is imminent. And why are all the pets gradually disappearing? Then she stumbles across a new sort of terror from which she tries to flee. She cannot escape the Illican.
Sylvie is clever, brave and resourceful and the conversations she has with brave, kind and funny Chantry, actually made me smile, breaking the tension. Because as the story progresses the tension certainly is ratcheted up to the point of total horror.
What a great read, written in an easy style that carries the reader along. Maybe a metaphor for looking after our environment and understanding that we are very much a part of nature, not outside or above it. But maybe just a hugely enjoyable read with (ultimately) an explosive satisfying ending.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for kindle in exchange for my honest review.
Sylvie, nearly eighteen and about to leave school after graduating, is deserted by her mother and Sylvie, hated and ostracised by townsfolk for her father’s crimes, is left to survive in the half built neglected station in the strange West Woods. She has a plan. She must graduate as then she will be entitled to a lot of money left by her grandmother, which will enable her to leave the town forever. But events overtake her.
All the animals living in the nearby West Wood are white or gradually turning white. The inhabitants of the town are afraid and avoid the woods and the animals, so when a stark white crow lands in front of her, Sylvie knows disaster is imminent. And why are all the pets gradually disappearing? Then she stumbles across a new sort of terror from which she tries to flee. She cannot escape the Illican.
Sylvie is clever, brave and resourceful and the conversations she has with brave, kind and funny Chantry, actually made me smile, breaking the tension. Because as the story progresses the tension certainly is ratcheted up to the point of total horror.
What a great read, written in an easy style that carries the reader along. Maybe a metaphor for looking after our environment and understanding that we are very much a part of nature, not outside or above it. But maybe just a hugely enjoyable read with (ultimately) an explosive satisfying ending.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for kindle in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When Sylvie's father turns out to be a fraud who swindled the town's assets, the girl's life turns into a nightmare, as the hate is directed at her while she desperately needs to survive until high school graduation. Forced to live in a shack in the woods that people tend to keep away from because it is known to be the home of creepy (and carnivorous) albino animals, Sylvie finds a dying god. A bit of research—and she learns that his appearance tends to portend a catastrophe for the townspeople. Should she try to warn and save the hateful lot?
This is how I learned about the existence of "folk horror" as a separate genre. (If I were to define it from this novel alone, I guess I'd say it's the horror in which the most nightmarish thing is the folks. :) ) But this story is much more than a recognizable folk-horror premise: "something creepy lurks in the local woods," together with the accompanying opposition between local, pre-modern beliefs and a rational modernity that proves no help whatsoever. Socioeconomic factors behind growth and failure are given a decent amount of attention, as are status and privilege. I liked how it is hinted (without pointing it out in our faces) that Sylvie herself was quite a bitch to people around her while she occupied the privileged position of the town "princess," as she only becomes aware of the unfairness of small-town dynamics when she gets the short end of the stick. The author also did a great job of balancing between creating a collective image of the town and foregrounding specific people who make their own choices, including choices in favor of humanity despite the urge to join the craze.
All in all, recommended.
Publication date: Aug 4, 2026.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title through NetGalley. The opinion above is my own.
This is how I learned about the existence of "folk horror" as a separate genre. (If I were to define it from this novel alone, I guess I'd say it's the horror in which the most nightmarish thing is the folks. :) ) But this story is much more than a recognizable folk-horror premise: "something creepy lurks in the local woods," together with the accompanying opposition between local, pre-modern beliefs and a rational modernity that proves no help whatsoever. Socioeconomic factors behind growth and failure are given a decent amount of attention, as are status and privilege. I liked how it is hinted (without pointing it out in our faces) that Sylvie herself was quite a bitch to people around her while she occupied the privileged position of the town "princess," as she only becomes aware of the unfairness of small-town dynamics when she gets the short end of the stick. The author also did a great job of balancing between creating a collective image of the town and foregrounding specific people who make their own choices, including choices in favor of humanity despite the urge to join the craze.
All in all, recommended.
Publication date: Aug 4, 2026.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title through NetGalley. The opinion above is my own.
July 22, 2026
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC; I’m grateful for the chance to read this early.
This book left me with so many feelings to unpack… it surprised me in many ways, both good and bad, and it left a strong impression. Because of all of it, I think it’s likely a 3.5/4 star for me.
The first half had me completely hooked, trying to understand the characters and figure out where the story was going. By the second half, my suspicions started forming, and the ending confirmed them. It was a predictability that felt earned — the kind that makes you feel satisfied for having caught the breadcrumbs.
That said, the ending didn’t fully land for me emotionally. Given how enraging certain events in the story were, I expected a conclusion with more intensity or catharsis. Instead, it felt somewhat muted, which left me a little disappointed. On that note, I also wish the book had leaned harder into some of its more unique elements, especially the meat‑eating deer. Introducing something so striking and then not giving readers a vivid, memorable moment where it truly comes into play felt like a missed opportunity.
As for the characters, Sylvie was difficult for me to connect with. I liked the story — that’s what kept me reading — but you can tell that before the event that serves as the catalyst for the plot, she was a spoiled brat, and she behaves like that for most of the book. It felt like she was the kind of person who thinks they’re the main character in real life, so having someone like that as the protagonist was a choice. Chantry, however, was a highlight: easily my favourite character and the one I felt most emotionally aligned with.
Overall, this book gave me plenty to think about. It’s atmospheric, engaging, and full of moments that linger, even if not all of them landed perfectly for me.
This book left me with so many feelings to unpack… it surprised me in many ways, both good and bad, and it left a strong impression. Because of all of it, I think it’s likely a 3.5/4 star for me.
The first half had me completely hooked, trying to understand the characters and figure out where the story was going. By the second half, my suspicions started forming, and the ending confirmed them. It was a predictability that felt earned — the kind that makes you feel satisfied for having caught the breadcrumbs.
That said, the ending didn’t fully land for me emotionally. Given how enraging certain events in the story were, I expected a conclusion with more intensity or catharsis. Instead, it felt somewhat muted, which left me a little disappointed. On that note, I also wish the book had leaned harder into some of its more unique elements, especially the meat‑eating deer. Introducing something so striking and then not giving readers a vivid, memorable moment where it truly comes into play felt like a missed opportunity.
As for the characters, Sylvie was difficult for me to connect with. I liked the story — that’s what kept me reading — but you can tell that before the event that serves as the catalyst for the plot, she was a spoiled brat, and she behaves like that for most of the book. It felt like she was the kind of person who thinks they’re the main character in real life, so having someone like that as the protagonist was a choice. Chantry, however, was a highlight: easily my favourite character and the one I felt most emotionally aligned with.
Overall, this book gave me plenty to think about. It’s atmospheric, engaging, and full of moments that linger, even if not all of them landed perfectly for me.
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