Thank you to Union Square & Co, Net Galley, and Nerd Fam for this ARC!

This book will literally hook you from the beginning. I was absolutely on the edge of my seat.

This was my first Ya horror novel of the year and it did not disappoint. This a debut novel and I'm just need more from the author. The story was rich and will have you turning page after page to figure out what is happening. If you're looking for witchcraft and demons set in the 1990s then you will absolutely need to pick up this book. When you get to the horror part of the novel at the end I was envisioning this as a movie and I know I would be freaking out if I was watching it.

Though I will say there was times I was a little lost on what was happening and felt that there was too much information being thrown at you that could have been left out or just spread out through the book. I can't wait to read more books by Freddie.

Thank you Union Square & Co and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. What a thrill ride! When Nesbit joined his new school he was just hoping to hide that fact that he was gay and make it through. The last thing he expected was to discover he could do magic or to join a Coven. But that’s what happens when he meets Dove, Drea, Brandy; and the handsome, charming Bastion. Things are good with the Coven and in his relationship with Bastion, even though it’s the 90’s so they are keeping their relationship a secret. But there are the odds things like how Bastion speaks and how he can’t seem to say certain things. And when he ends up dead, the Coven make it their mission to find out who killed him. This only gets harder when they wake up one day to find that no one besides themselves know who Bastion was and there’s no signs he even existed. What was Bastion up to before he died? Will they be able to handle the secrets he kept? Can they stop evil before more people end up dead? First of all the 90’s vibe was so nostalgic for me! Just the way that Freddie Kolsch wrote the book created a very 90’s feel. Not to mention the references to The Craft, which this book is so reminiscent of, without the turning on each other! Also, while not so fun to think about, Freddie had me reliving what it was like to grow up queer in the 90’s. Plus I loved the relationship between Bastion and Nesbit and how we got to see that develop as Nesbit relived moments from their past! Charming, emotional, and full of intrigue that’ll hook you until the end! Be prepared to cry as well! Highly recommend!

Dammmmn. This is a stellar debut. When it says the details matter, the details matter, and not a single detail was spared. Like the attention to detail that Kölsch paid this story is mind blowing to me.

The first 70ish pages took me a minute to get into, but once the heart of the plot started happening I devoured this book. It doesn't feel so 90s that it will be off putting, but it also feels like an homage to 90s kids horror. In someways (the best ways) it feels like a grown up Goosebumps book. The horror is paranormal and fark, there's a terrifying other-world amusement park, the characters show growth and are lovable, despite also being head strong.

It's truly just so good.

Thank you Netgalley and Union Square & Co for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Now, Conjurers" by Freddie Kolsch is a YA debut that blends witchcraft, mystery, and into a captivating narrative set in 1990s Massachusetts. This is basically a take on “The Craft” that is unflinchingly queer, which I absolutely loved going into the book. I also really enjoyed the setting and time period in which the book was set. With a lot of YA readers right now who are enthralled in the 90s (which are making a comeback), I think a lot of readers will be able to enjoy this book and will find themselves sucked into the setting.

From the outset, you are drawn into a web of intrigue surrounding Bastion Attia, whose death sets off a chain of events that will leave you spellbound and eager to learn more about the mystery that is filled with twists and turns throughout the book. Kolsch masterfully crafts a cast of dynamic characters, each with their own secrets and struggles, that leap off the page and into your heart. The small-town New England atmosphere also adds an eerie yet cozy backdrop to the unfolding mystery, while the looming presence of a monstrous entity keeps you on the edge of your seat. A mystery/thriller/horror book has to have a richly detailed setting and atmosphere, and Kolsch is definitely to accomplish this throughout the book; I found it difficult to put the book down as I was so invested in the plot!

What sets "Now, Conjurers" apart besides its richly developed world and vivid prose that transports readers to the heart of North Dana, Massachusetts is the queer representation. This representation is beautifully done in the book as it’s handled with sensitivity and authenticity, and it adds depth to the characters' experiences and relationships. I loved how the book showed different aspects of LBGTQIA+ representation, especially with the main characters, as well as the idea of found family that is developed through this representation.

I did find the plot in the beginning to be a bit slow as the focus shifts to character development, but the payoff is well worth it as the plot builds to a gripping climax. Overall, "Now, Conjurers" is an excellent debut that will leave you haunted long after you turn the final page.

This is a bit of a meandering, almost slice-of-life YA horror that starts with a bang but really focuses on building characters and a lived-in world over plot for the first two-thirds of the narrative. But while I couldn't charge through this book in one extra-long sitting, it was a very compelling read nonetheless, and once the reveals started happening and the endgame conflict took over, it was pretty much impossible to put down. I loved the queer representation in here (along with the sadly understandable focus on concealment and not being outed, given the 1999 setting-though obviously that can be necessary even now...), and I loved the way this book was a refreshing take on the age-old desire: what if 'The Craft' was actually, OVERTLY queer?

This book is everything I ever wanted from a debut YA horror novel. It perfectly combines the comfort of found family, the ache of lost love, and pure terror from what lurks beneath the mausoleum in the cemetery. Nesbit and his friends' characterizations are fantastic, and the horror is so expertly executed. Lovers of queer found family and horror will obsess over this book the same way I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and UNSQ for the arc!

I don't know what to say about this book other than WOW. It is a story of grief, first love, ad all the 90s whimsigoth feels float through the book without making it feel like it's trying to hard. If you are a fan of The Honeys, Stranger Things, and supernatural murder mysteries, this one is for you.

I am still trying to formulate words for what NOW, CONJURERS by Freddie Kölsch did to me. This book rearranged my brain in the best way possible and I mean it whole heartedly that it will be one of my top reads of 2024.

This novel delivers raw heart-wrenching emotions — grappling with grief and loss with care and nuance as well as first love and the tenderness of those first romances. A novel that absolutely delivers on the horror with a truly terrifying monster and the most found family group of kick-ass characters. The story is told through our lovable, flawed, and amazing protagonist Nesbit Nunez as he navigates the murder of his boyfriend alongside his friends who are witches and make up North Coven.

We go on journey told both in the past and present as North Coven attempts to piece together the clues of Bastion's death and the sinister forces that tie them all together.

I was smiling, crying, laughing, and yelling with this book.

Let me not to forget to mention how the vibes were vibing with a true 90’s vibe and throwback to classic 90’s pop culture with a fully realized cast and enough emotions to have me sobbing through the end. This book is freaking queer and it’s freaking brilliant, and I am so excited to continue to devour whatever Freddie writes next!

I found this a really original read and a and refreshing take on the genre. The horror details were really visceral. Always here for the LGBTQIAP+ rep! Thank you for the ARC!