This was an incredibly slow paced, but well written coming of age story. It felt very real and included such a great element of the paranormal without it being campy. I recommend this one!

The audio done by Dan Lawson was fantastic. Quick, clean audio, and good distinction for each character.

The novel begins with the narrator, Mark Prewitt, telling the reader that there is a house with a ghost, and that he fell in love with a witch. It worked perfectly as set up for me, as for the remainder of the book, it was like looking over my shoulder waiting for the exact moment those reveals would have an effect.

Mark just wants to make enough money this summer to get his car running. That, and to have as much fun with his friends as possible. But when a prank goes too far, Mark is forced to cross paths with the Farrow sisters in the hopes of making amends, but there’s also a dirty secret that may create a problem of its own.

The Farrow sisters are the town pariahs. Their parents pulled them from school after the death of their eldest sister, and now they’re seldom seen, and wholeheartedly hated. But as Mark meets George (short for Georgia) he realizes that while the family is strange, they’re mostly misunderstood. A friendship, and possibly more, blossoms.

Part of why I loved the opening is because the novel doesn’t really have much in the way of action. Mark goes to work, and he has two jobs. Otherwise he rides his bike to his friends or to see George. That knowledge that something’s coming stays right in the back of your head the whole time.

It’s also a great coming of age story, with super strong dialogue. Although I am born five years after the novel is set, I feel like the 90s were truly the last generation of kids to have that walk/bike everywhere feel. Especially the ‘go wherever you want as long as you’re not in your parents house’ attitude. So that felt nostalgic while reading.

This might be a first of its kind for me, but this is like reading a horror/romance? The possible intrusion of the ghost, a seance gone bad, the witch antics, the almost Addams family plus abusive dysfunction of the Farrow family, all while George and Mark are growing closer, was a unique blend.

I particularly liked the dissection of high school classism, as Mark battles between his heart and his head. He wants to see more of George, desires to be with her, but what would that do to him if anyone found out? Could he afford to become a ghost as well? To become another town pariah? Sometimes, especially with the fickleness of kids, you don't get a choice.

The ending does pick up, has stakes, and losses. And I really enjoyed the open ending. This was a great read and a first for me from the author.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for giving me this ARC in exchange for honest review!

I had to DNF this one,I haven’t been able to find a book that truly captivates me, maybe I’ll pick this up another time but for now this isn’t working for me.

I enjoyed this creepy coming of age story! I suggest it if you like the virgin suicides!
Thank you Netgalley for this arc!

I absolutely adore coming-of-age novels, and this is no exception - Tim McGregor nails it with Wasps in the Ice Cream. Although I went into this expecting much more of a horror vibe, I wasn't at all disappointed - loved my entire read, and got through this in one single sitting. Full review to come on YT soon.

This is a solid and compelling coming of age story that gets you right in the feels again and again.

While I do personally prefer my horror a bit more ‘otherworldly’, you can’t deny that this become a horrifying read. Oh, these kids! I’ll just say that it gets very, very uncomfortable.

Mark is a great character. He reads as very real and relatable. And George? I loved her!

A little bit of a different offering from the author, but a very good read!

Star Rating: —> 4 Stars

First of all, Tim McGregor’s stories always deliver, and this was no exception! I can’t wait to see what he’s coming up with next!

This was a fun ‘80s vibe read with some paranormal elements, but it wasn’t scary per se? Idk it definitely gave more of a mysterious vibe with some horror elements, and mostly on the human side of things. It really deals with some tough topics, all through the eyes of a teenage boy.

I thought it was extremely enjoyable, & I feel like it had a bit of a King vibe! Which I LOVE his stories, but they don’t necessarily give me a scare. So if jump scares & horror are what you’re looking for, this isn’t for you! But if you’re up for some thrills, eerie elements, & can handle some disturbing topics (such as off page death of a parent, child abuse, and extreme bullying among peers—some physical, even), than I think this (is it—or isn’t it) witchy, candid, thrilling, & mysterious read—with an angry ghost as a sub-plot(!)—that focuses on characters most of all is def for you!!!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the physical AND audio ARCs!! All opinions are my own.

I'm finding more and more coming-of-age, supernatural, retro/vintage books out there, sort of predecessors of Stephen King. Not all love up to their premises but this one does and it was a fun, engaging pleasure to read. I wonder if those looking for more horror will find it too soft and those looking for teenage romance and relationships will find it too hard, but I found it just right.

Uummm please excuse me as I drown in tears! This book!!! It gave me the same feels that I had when I finished Boy’s Life. I love a good coming of age story that makes me feel deeply and makes me sob 🤷🏻‍♀️ lets call it a quirk 🤣 If you do too then please do yourself a favor and pick this up! I don’t think George will disappoint you, she’s a new favorite character of mine and I think you will love her too! There is a little bit of everything in Wasps in the Ice Cream from friendships, family dynamics, town gossip, some spooky supernatural themes, love and also hope. I think this will appeal to many readers.

Wasps in the Ice Cream by Tim McGregor from Raw Dog Screaming Press. Personal entertainment value 5⭐️. This was an immediately engaging and charming narrative, character driven with quality dialogue, and you know I’m a dialog guy.

Wasps makes two McGregor books in a handful of months that took me for a spin. Everyone knew a family like the Farrow’s growing up, a little different from everyone else in town, if not then everyone knew a family that was TREATED like the Farrow’s (maybe even by you) a little different from everyone else in town. I’d love to get in touch with the dude I treated poorly in school for being different, if nothing else than to apologize, this dude had amazing taste in music before I knew it. He was decades ahead of the curve. We may have been friends.

Anyways, it’s safe to say that I am becoming a McGregor fan, sign me up for everything.

Related note: anything and everything @rdspress drops is gold. Thank you for the opportunity. Lots of peers are posting with ice cream cones but I knew I had to build a witch bottle.

Colin, I am sorry for my behavior.

If you like horror that is terrifying to the bone, this is not it. It does have spooky elements, making it safe for those who don't enjoy the full horror feeling.

This book had a decent start and then things started to go downhill.

There's a huge reliance on teens being unable to make any logical choice ever and it's really tired and entirely untrue. If you're going to rely on this "inability" to make a logical choice, at least have our characters make illogical choices that feel logical.

This was a good coming-of- age book, as a whole. I don’t feel as though it should have been classified as horror though. That was honestly a let down because a horror book is what I was anticipating.

This book just wasn’t for me but everyone is different and that’s okay.

I do appreciate the chance to read and review this book. More importantly for the author’s hard work and dedication their book.

I read this for free via NetGalley, thanks to the publisher for letting me preview the title.

I gave this a try because I am somewhat familiar with the publisher and was in the mood for some horror. Much to my surprise, this was not horror at all but a tightly written, often moving story of a high school boy set during the 1980's. The thrust of the title is that the main character Mark falls in love for one of the Farrow sisters, who come from a reclusive family in the small town Mark lives in.

I am not familiar with McGregor's other books, but I suspect we are about the same age. From cultural references to just how high school life was in the 1980's---he nails it. Mark himself is a nuanced character dealing with the loss of a mother, a new step-mom, a distant father, falling in love, and maintaining friendships with people who may not be the best for him. I was quite surprised by this and in the best ways. This was not the book I was looking for when I decided to give it a try but it was apparently the book I needed. Well worth a read.

A great coming of age novel. The story revolves around a boy and some witches in town. It really shows cruelty in many forms. I recommend.

I loved this book! I could not put it down and read it in one sitting.
I gave Wasps in the Ice Cream 5 out of 5 stars and would definitely recommend this book to others. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

Set in the summer of 1987 - Mark Prewitt whats to spend his summer away from home and wasting time with his friends while also working two summer jobs to try and pay for the repairs of his car.
His friends pull a cruel prank on the Farrow sisters. Mark wants to make amends with the sisters while everyone else thinks he should stay away from them. Mark is draw to the middle sister George.
The story is filled with magic and spells.
Mark is forced to choose between these two worlds.

Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Y’all. I LOVED this book. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint.

I am a sucker for a good coming-of-age story and this one was reminiscent of Boy’s Life. I wouldn’t really say that it was scary (it’s marketed as horror, but just had some supernatural elements thrown in).

As soon as I picked this one up I could not put it down. I was so invested in our main character and how his summer was unraveling. We follow him as he falls in love with a strange girl the entire town hates.

This book is dark and emotional and magical. I was completely absorbed. Definitely check this one out if you love coming-of-age! Just don’t go into it hoping for a truly scary tale.

Effectively creepy. This is my first book from this author and will not be my last. Genuinely scared of certain stories.

Quick and easy read, although I definitely would not class this as horror. As well, I was surprised that the intended audience for this novel is adults instead of young adults.

Despite my expectations not being met genre-wise, I still found this to be an enjoyable read. It's very different from my usual fodder and was a nice change of pace. It reminded me of reading the book Lucas by Kevin Brooks, one of my favorite books growing up. It's well-written with just enough drama involved to keep your interest, although the climax of it all felt a bit flat.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF - Though I remain appreciative for the opportunity to read this book, it wasn't for me. I can see via the reviews that many other readers found it very enjoyable & memorable. Unfortunately, I was looking for something else in the story so, I didn't gel with this one.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the coming of age story of 17 year old Mark who lives in dead end town with two dead end jobs, one of which is working at a ice-cream stand that frequently has wasps dropping into the ice cream. A chance encounter with one of the town’s notorious weird sisters has him inexplicably ( even to him) smitten with the middle sister- Georgia “George” Farrow. Imagine the Addams family- with 3 Wednesdays , paranoid parents and a fortune dwindled down to nothing.
After the tragic death of the oldest sister, the parents are convinced that the town is out to get them ( which is actually true) , the family becomes reclusive and the sisters are not allowed to leave the yard of their decrepit mansion- ever. To pass then endless days of boredom George and her two sisters take up eccentric hobbies- like practicing witchcraft to alleviate the boredom.

Mark’s home life too is challenging, after the death of his mother, he went though a turbulent time of which the details are only hinted at until the end of the book. His father quickly remarries Liz a MUCH younger woman, which complicates Marks feelings in other ways. Though the story Mark also finds that he has perhaps outgrown his two best friends, as he needs to hide his relationship with George.

Mark and Georges relationship has all the hallmarks of first forbidden love, and I found myself really rooting for them.

Recommend