Godfestation

by Jendia Gammon, Danika Corrall (Illustrator)

Genres: Horror

120 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 11, 2026

About the author

Jendia Gammon is a Nebula and three-time BSFA Awards finalist author of horror, fantasy, thriller, and science fiction novels and short stories. She is also CEO of Roaring Spring Productions, LLC and Editor-in-Chief of its publishing imprint, Stars and Sabers Publishing. She has also written under the pen name J. Dianne Dotson. Born in Southern Appalachia, Jendia now lives in Los Angeles with her family.

Jendia conducts workshops and participates in panels on creative writing for conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con and Star Wars Celebration. She holds a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Jendia is also a science writer and an award-winning artist.

Reviews

[Books For Decaying Millennials · Rating 5 out of 5]

i received a digital arc for review purposes from the author .


This story is an exploration of the topography of grief. Like hands feeling their way around the curves
and crevices of a large piece of fossilized Horn Coral. Eyes closed you can only get so much of a sense
of the the thing, it’s only when your eyes are open, that what you feel, and what you see, come together
and form a unified image. Godfestation, takes the grieving process, often purely the territory of the
mind and the heart, and projects it outward.
Humans have long had a pension for personifying a place, be it a region, a building, a river. Sometimes
deliberate, but more often than not, it’s almost a side effect of humans interacting with a place. That
collective psychic footprint has a ripple effect. Godfestation reads like a travelogue across an American
Landscape both metaphysical and paranormal. The Tulpas, manifested from our collective unconscious.
The things from in the earth and on the earth, that we have no names for, acting as guides. In this way,
that loss of what was, and fear of what will be manifests and plays out. Time is a peculiar thing, we can
have memories of places we lived in and people we care about.
I read this book, after a brief holiday where I spent many hours on the road. Jendia’s book made me
realize just how much of my life I have actually spent traveling, moving to new places, saying goodbye
to what was, and searching for something new. Godfestation reminds us that life is nothing but change.
Yes we experience loss, we grieve, but in that cycle we also are provided new opportunities to create, to
transform. It’s a reminder that the world is old and strange, often Scary. Yet, you’ll only really start
living, when you open yourself to what’s out there.

[Charcoziness · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When you know a river, you are not surprised by a flood."

I absolutely devoured this “snackbook” (a.k.a. Appalachian horror novella) in one sitting! This book felt like being on a road trip myself through the Southern Appalachians and the West (also Route 66, my dream 😱) in late November. The author’s writing style was so vivid that the book played like a movie in my head.

I loved the creepy, supernatural vibes and the descriptions of the landscapes and imagery. The nostalgic feelings it gave me, the old American diners, and the feeling that someone is watching you the entire time. The feeling of being on an empty road in the pitch-dark Appalachian Mountains, with creatures lurking behind you - I loved it (but I wish I hadn’t read it before going to bed 🤭).

It also depicts the hard and raw journey of dealing with grief. I loved the balance between creepy, weird, and healing. It’s beautiful how it could be dark while also being emotional at the same time.

Perfect for spooky season! 👻

[K.C. Grifant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, dream-like adventure soaked in unsettling creatures, windswept drives and vivid landscapes. This potent story about grief and finding one’s self is enchanting and utterly unique. The settings sing, and every scene whisks you away to a world like our own but layered with so much more. Highly recommend.

[The Undercurrent Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost put this down after the first chapter. The flowery prose in the beginning felt slightly forced. It quickly morphed into a still descriptive, but much more relaxed flow, that I ended up enjoying very much. I was quickly pulled into the story, and grew rather attached to Fern and her grief. Unfortunately, I felt sucker punched by the ending. It lacked the depth and strength I was hoping for, and seemed lackluster and quaint compared to the grittiness that had been woven into the main body of the story.

Overall I am glad I stuck with it. I do tend to like stories that end with more ambiguous endings. For me, this story leans more towards dark fantasy, while dipping its toes in the folk horror pool. Which will appeal to a lot of readers, it just isn't my preferred genre.

I'd like to thank Sley House Publishing and Jenna Gammon for the ARC.

[Kayleigh Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down I really liked this story but just wanted it to a bit deeper into it's weirdness. All of the Appalachian lore is just barely glanced at without deep exploration. However the expression of grief is wonderfully heartbreakingly rendered. The protagonist is operating almost entirely by instinct and reacting to the creepiness infiltrating her world. The Route 66 road trip was full of Americana oddities but the weirdness was just a bit underbaked.

I was surprised by how exacting the ended is. I wasn't expecting an absolute answer to whether the protagonist is experiencing real monsters or hallucinations but it does give a direct answer.

It is a very lonely story about the loneliness and agonies of grief. And it sticks to the ribs long after reading.

[Bre · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A loved one has passed. Now there’s a monster in the woods. Then there’s a creature in your home. No place is safe from whatever seems to be following you. Godfestation is creepy as heck and I enjoyed every wild twist and jumpscare. This novella extends beyond the typical horror genre to explore grief and family dynamics. It does a fantastic job of capturing Appalachia and “the West” through a horror lens. I really enjoyed the overall story, but had major issues with the writing. It didn’t seem consistent and felt incredibly weird/rushed at the end. The random love interest didn’t seem necessary and just felt… off.

[Imaginos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Godfestation pull you right in at the start and much like a pebble rolling down a cliff side, the sorry pulls along more and more with it as you find the speed of the story pulling you along.

Jendia Gammon has crafted a heart felt story that leaves the reader wondering is happening on many levels.

Fern has found herself back in Tennessee, mobing back from California. A late night drive may change her life forever.

Read "Godfestation" by Jendia Gammon to see how this unique and bold tale ends.

[ChrissyKReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5☆

This novella made me want to to drive up the mountain and eat country ham and cat head biscuits and sit outside to listen to the katydids even if monsters are after me.

(NC GIRL 4 EVER)

and also go cry in the ocean (I probably wasn't quite ready for this story in my current grief journey).

It was eerie but surprisingly comforting with a sweet resolution. I do wish it was full length with more exposition, especially the ending, but either way I cried lol.

Thanks to MTMC Tours for the free book.

[Paulette Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An atmospheric, dreamlike exploration of grief, woven with threads of folkloric surrealism. Gammon's Appalachia is at once magical and terrifying--a place where the veil between worlds is thin, where the earthy loam of old-growth forests meets the shimmering spectacle of gods both benevolent and sinister. A story of loss, transformation, and self-discovery that casts a deliriously enticing spell.

[James Worrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly the book I needed. I wanted a dark work full of landscape and imagery and Godfestation delivered. I've never been to South Appalachia but now I feel like I've visited its strangest haunts. I finished it in a sitting.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, grief stricken and folkloric