God's Own Country: A Trinity of Novellas

by Mathew L Reyes

Father. Son. Holy Spirit. Three faces of the divine, three sides of human nature, three tales of damnation and ecstasy.

A Baptist congregation trapped in church must survive a hell of their own making, as well as each other. A youth group camping in the Louisiana wilds must contend with a monster older than sin and deadlier than the heat. A fundamentalist evangelizing in a rural town discovers horrifying truths about his God’s love and mercy.

Welcome to Louisiana, to its churches haunted by righteousness, to its forests baptized in holy fire, to its towns built on the grace of angels. Welcome to God’s own country.

292 pages, Paperback

Published June 9, 2026

Reviews

[Nelli Lakatos]

First of all, this cover is absolutely gorgeous and I'm so disappointed that this book wasn't for me.

As a Christian I enjoy reading books, especially horror that explore religious trauma, reading different point of view's than my own. For example I really liked ᴄᴀᴍᴘ ᴅᴀᴍᴀsᴄᴜs ʙʏ ᴄʜᴜᴄᴋ ᴛɪɴɢʟᴇ, that was a solid four star read for me with a few things I didn't appreciated as someone religious but at the same time that book stayed respectful towards religion. In this one with all the swearing and drugs... I really felt uncomfortable reading it. I don't mind swearing in books but I didn't found it appropriate in this one. And as I put it down I realized how much I'm dreading picking it back up and felt like reading this book is some kind of chore I have to do.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me at 11%.

[Val]

I'm a little biased as a beta reader for these stories, but Mathew has a command of atmosphere and religious horror that makes all three of these novellas most compelling. Worth your time, will fill you with existential dread and reflective light in a good way.

[Emily Fullhardt]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC!

If there is anything I love in books, its exploring religion through a queer lens, and a southern gothic atmosphere, and this book delivered both.

The first story was, to me, the most captivating and handled the dichotomy of being a young, queer person (how hedonistic) in the church, surrounded by people who think you're a heathen but finding a pocket of like minded people. I was very eager to figure out what was going on in this story, but found the way that it ended incredibly interestingly and made me come up with my own ideas on what happened, which is always fun. This novella was certainly the most "horror" of the trilogy.

The second story was the most heartening and reminded me most of a YA book. I thought the dynamic of the characters was very fun and had me intrigued in both where the horror part of the story was going, as well as the budding relationship between our mmc and the handsome athlete/performer/straight A student :)

The third and final story was very reminiscent of the cosmic horror that I tend to stray away from, but I did enjoy it and thought it was the right story to close out the series of novellas with. It was the first time I read VBS in a book, which really took me back. I appreciated that the stakes were high in this final story, and I was invested till the very end.

I am very curious to see what Mathew L Reyes writes in the future, especially if it was a full length novel because I would have easily read any of these as a full length novel. Would highly recommend if you like your stories with a lotta bit of horror, but a lotta bit of love.

[Beth Citurs]

I grew up in a Christian church - Sunday school, confirmation classes, the hymns, church camp, the quiet expectation that you'd believe what you were told and not ask too many questions. I eventually walked away from the church, though not from faith entirely, largely for the reasons Mathew L. Reyes explores in these pages: the ugliness that hides behind righteousness, and the way institutions built on love can become engines of exclusion and harm - particularly toward the queer community.

So, when a friend told me about God's Own Country: A Trinity of Novellas, I didn't expect it to feel so personal.

Reyes sets three horror novellas in Louisiana - each one loosely structured around a face of the Trinity - and uses that framework to dig into faith, fear, and the cost of blind devotion. The writing itself is stunning. Reyes has a gift for description that pulls you completely into each scene - the oppressive heat, the shadows in the trees, the suffocating weight of a congregation's silence. I didn't feel like I was reading about these places and people; I felt like I was standing right there among them.

A word of caution, though: this is horror. Descriptive, unflinching horror. If the themes appeal to you but you're sensitive to graphic death and destruction, this may not be the read for you. Go in knowing that. But if you can handle it, what's waiting on the other side is something genuinely meaningful.

[Charles]

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!

This is easily top 10 books for me. The specific niche of religious horror mixed with queerness is SUCH an interesting topic, and these three novellas hit the nail on the head for me. Each novella featured queerness in a new and different viewpoint than the other stories told, and each one just as interesting as the last. Whether it be the queer best friend, a queer main character, or a queer religious worker. And in each story, it is made clear that the religion is the horror. Not being queer.

I absolutely adored the fact that the novellas were connected - little nods to the other stories' characters (i.e. a character having babysat Wally from novella 1) but also an overarching entity that follows each story, whether we know it or not. I just couldn't get enough of these stories and all they included, the horror of both man and gods.

I'd recommend this for fans of:
Yellowjackets
The Quarry video game (no werewolves though)
Malevolent podcast (no King in Yellow either but...)
Midnight Mass
Widow's Bay (watching this while reading this book was such a weird but sick experience)
probably Leviticus, it hasn't come out yet but yk I have a feeling
The Haunting of Bly Manor

[Rat Queen]

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this arc.

An eerie and dark tale, told in a trinity of novellas representing Father, Son and Holy Spirit - God’s Own Country is genuinely terrifying and not just because of the fictional horror elements!

Set in Louisiana, a congregation finds themselves trapped in an unimaginable situation, a youth group camping in the forest come face to face with a monster older than time and a group trying to spread the word of the Lord in a small town discover some harsh and shocking truths.

The first novella kicks things off with a bang and remains my favourite novella of the three, featuring all the elements I adore in horror. I think some of the scariest moments though is the representation of faith, fear-mongering and oppression because it’s the kind of horror that is all too real.

Containing a mix of elements including southern gothic, folklore, religion mixed in with some blood and gore - God’s Own Country is a stark reminder that even the most faithful sheep in the flock can become wolves given the circumstances.

[k.]

Forgive me for being late on my review. Life has been getting in the way of reading time.

I am at a stage in my life where I don’t need this book anymore. If I had been a teenager, confused about my gender, sexuality, and religion, the stories here would have been instrumental to me. I mean this from the bottom of my heart, this book will save someone. It may sound strange to say that about three horror novellas. But for someone who is very much like me, it will.

Religion is horror. This is the theme of all three stories. It works. It’s good. Unfortunately, there’s much I can or really want to say about the stories here. There’s a lot that I like about them. They’re interconnected, dripping with dread, and are perfectly Southern gothic. The characters are all wonderful and you won’t feel bored while reading. But I maintain I’m too grown for it, hence my rating. However, I highly recommend it for everyone interested.

I was provided an e-ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[liv]

If you loved What the Woods Took and Cuckoo.. you might like this.
This book was as oppressive as a Saturday Bible study was for me as a queer child 14 years ago. The constant mention of sin and hell, and the hypocrisy of everyone involved, what an experience.

The writing can feel a bit all over the place and I did feel a lost at times and wish the structure was more sound BUT I still do think it goes well with how the characters are feeling within the narrative, it's unnerving and entertaining just like the author intended it to be.

There's truly no hate like Christian love and the author makes sure to remind you of this at every turn. The church has dirtied the name of God in the name of worshiping a false messiah, they walk around like pharisees. Let this book be a terse reminder that when you point a finger at someone, four are pointing right back to you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Hannah Stafford]

Thank you to NetGalley and Mathew L. Reyes for allowing me this ARC opportunity.

Southern Louisiana? Cult vibes? Religious fearmongering masquerading as righteousness? Sign me up.

Reyes absolutely nails the Southern Gothic atmosphere. The setting feels humid, oppressive, and alive in a way that makes the horror seep into every page. What stood out most to me was the exploration of how faith can be twisted into a tool for control, and how fear is often the foundation upon which that control is built.

This trinity (holy trinity?) of novellas balance queer horror, folk horror, cult horror, and social commentary without ever feeling heavy-handed. The dread builds slowly but relentlessly, and I found myself completely invested in the settings and the themes.

Being raised Pentecostal (now turned…agnostic?) I resonate with the fear of God’s wrath. I will HAPPILY soak up any religious horror!!

[Rachel]

I’ll be honest, I was pretty unsure about this trinity until halfway through the second story. But by that time I was hooked and couldn’t stop until I had finished it. So even if you’re unsure I highly recommend picking it up and giving it a shot.
Religious horror is one of my favorite sub genres and because of that I think I can be more critical. But these stories? Absolutely killed it. Nothing felt cliché, or overused regarding the plot or creatures. I also thought this was an incredible brutal and honest look into the horror that is the human psyche.

******SPOILERS******

I had the slightest hope that these would be all interconnected and I am SO glad Reyes did just that. It allowed the world building to feel even more immersive and helped continue the feeling of unease throughout all 3 stories.

[Megan Magee]

I think half of this really works, and the other half doesn't. While I LOVE the idea of this trinity of novellas, the execution itself is the reason I have to consider this one not flawless. I am from North Louisiana, and there is nothing like the Bible belt, the sweltering shame thats as stifling as the humidity itself, and the downright hypocrisy at the end of it all. I adored the fun Easter eggs, the mentions of summer camp and the evangelizing that goes on there was so real it hurt. This author clearly took an oppressive situation and the fear surrounding it and turned it into a horrifying delight. I'd like to add I LOVE the "trinity" three inclusion. Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

[Amy]

Allow me to start off by saying that I would give this 10 stars of I could.
God's Own Country is faultless.
The novellas were incredibly well written with both intensely lovable characters and absolutely abhorrent ones.
I wasn't really sure what to expect as - I guess this is religious horror- which is completely uncharted territory for me. However it gave me a drip feed of dread and a smattering of gore with fundamentalist Christian, Eldrich and queer themes, I can quite honestly say that I don't think I've ever felt so satisfied after reading a book.
Reyes has absolutely smashed it with this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quill & Crow Publishing for the E-ARC!

[Demeter]

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Southern gothic with a touch of weird, or as the author himself aptly puts it, Southern weird. Shame, bigotry, mass hysteria, people’s worst and best versions, ancient entities and folklore, with religion as the backdrop and the centerpiece. This was beautifully done. The writing was very good (and neat). Besides the genius of three novellas for the holy trinity, I think the format really worked. I also liked the fact that all three stories were loosely connected. A great religious horror read for a gloomy day.

[ㅤmelli ꧔]

𓏲࣪◜dnf ♡ᵎ

When i first heard it’s about Gothic horror, i was immediately thrilled, i mean it sounded perfect!
But honestly, it didn't grab me the way I'd hoped. The stories didn't captivate me, and the writing style felt too messy for most of the time.

I sadly only read the first two stories and started the third, but they just weren't as good as I'd imagined but the second one was sooo much stronger than the first one.

[LizzieReader]

These three novellas are connected seamlessly with a common thread that weaves the stories together seamlessly. Though they could be read independently, they belong together in overarching story. Each story is unique from the other without any tonal whiplash when moving from one novella to the next. These stories are wonderfully weird and horrific with their roots deep in real issues, creating a horror that is larger than life yet uncomfortably close to home.

[Emilia]

This book had me in constant contemplation. These stories showed the toxicity and hypocrisy of modern parts of Christianity and had me rooting for characters like Wally, Jesse, Noah, Jacob, Daliah, and Eve who showed what Christianity should be. Love, acceptance, and fellowship.

[•mikaela• :)]

✨ARC Review✨

Three novellas set in Louisiana, all with a southern gothic feeling, all based around religion.

Haunting, a bit horrifying and full of fear mongering in the name of God.
As someone who isn't religious and not raised with any religion, that was an interesting read!
The things people will do for their God is crazy. 👀

[Sara Westbrook]

Into Outer Darkness; or Sunday Service ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
We Are Many; or Youth Retreat ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Be Not Afraid; or Mission Trip ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Afterword 👩🏼‍🍳💋

[Thibaut Nicodème]

Absolute banger, could not put it down. And I'm not even religious LOL

[kotfuhrera]

there should be an explanation while a queer person with zero religious trauma loves those messy Louisiana stories so much

usually i don't read novellas but here this style works perfectly along with a non-linear timeline.

happy pride and don't forget that god loves you all.