I was provided with an advance copy by the publisher, and I don’t know how much time or room there is to edit before the final book comes out (complete, apparently, with “sprayed silver edges and foil on the cover!”) but I desperately hope there’s time for one last round of edits. Just one more pass–a handful of touch-ups, really–would make this novel shine.

It’s a page-turner; deeply unpredictable and bingeable and weird, that I found myself compelled to gulp down in a day and a half. The publisher’s description name-checks Red, White, and Royal Blue when it’s much closer to a loose continuation of Andrew Holleran’s post-Stonewall, pre-AIDS classic Dancer from the Dance with a tinge of Larry Kramer (Kramer is, I was happy to see, name-checked in the book).

As a former gay bar deejay, this might be a me problem, but I wish the disco music in the book had been a little less on-the-nose. We open with a Sylvester song, which is perfect considering the book is set the summer after his death from AIDS (and self-directed funeral, where he wore a bright red kimono in the open casket), but could we not have dug a little deeper in his back catalogue than “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)?” “Dance (Disco Heat)” charted higher when it came out, and it has Martha Wash on backing vocals.

Song selection aside, there were a few instances where I was taken out of the narrative by something that felt like it would have been fixed by one more pass from an editor. In one particularly striking example, a character reveals to the protagonist that she’s HIV-positive, and the most pivotal line of dialogue is just… missing. To roughly paraphrase:

“Hey, what’s going on?” asked Character A.
Character B was quiet. Then she told Character A that she was HIV positive. She’d gotten it from sharing needles. Character A was surprised.
“Anyways, I’m doing okay so far,” she added.

It felt like a mistake, not an artistic choice, and it took me out of a scene that I had been completely caught up in.

There are a lot of places where characters could have been pulled back about twenty percent for the sake of immersion. The best friend behaves so horribly, so many times, that his eventual redemption rings hollow. The love interest suffers from a too-long loathe-at-first-sight arc and not one but *multiple* sex scenes with the protagonist that start with the protagonist having just finished vomiting.

Right now, it’s a four-star book that I liked. It could so easily be a five-star book that I loved.

DNf at 26%

I wanted to love this so badly, but the writing is too clunky and it's just too slow for me. I love the characters and the setting, I'm just not excited to read it. I may come back to it again, but this isn't for me right now.

I want to make an opera--or maybe a musical--out of this wonderful, quirky, supremely queer, and beautiful book about found family, finding love, loving yourself, and witches. It's 1989, and two young gay men head to Fire Island for summer jobs--and sex. Despite the AIDS crisis, men (and women) are still managing to find love--or at least like and lust--over the course of the summer. When Joe ends up boarding with a pair of disco witches, his life goes spinning like a mad teacup--and his friends' lives are changed as well. I loved every moment of this novel: every meeting, every kiss, every ritual, every potion, every song, every person; that Fergal's dad is a selkie; that Joe's destiny might be to end AIDS. I cried, too, when Max, who has already made a shrine for himself with his friends, dies of AIDS; when Joe and his love finally, FINALLY get it together; for the real-world people I knew who died of AIDS. It's just a great book, and the Disco Witch Manifestos at the beginning of each chapter are affirming and campy and fun. I can't wait to give copies to friends!

TL;DR: fun, but clawless, so I was a bit disappoinment. Not my thing generally, but people for whom picking this up wouldn't lie outside their usual tastes would probably like it well.

I found Disco Witches pf Fire Island trashy (disappointing) whereas I expected it to be trashy (angry),
so now I am angry and disappointed.
(This is, admittedly, not within my usual genre. It is, all in all, a tender, fun read: campy summer romance with the usual twisty melodramatic angst and a dash of glitzy opulance where all things end well.)
I picked this out expecting (perhaps projecting onto Blair Fell a scale of ambition unjustified) the disco witchcraft to be something transgressive and narratively challenging and ungovernabley beautiful in the way street art and upturned police cars are. Ore at least something... dirty. More Divine and less RuPaul. Something that turns the cheap and trashy into something subversive, (at least a little bit) revolutionary. Unassimilable. A disco dance with the murder of respectability.

I love witchcraft and I love Fire Island, so reading this was a no-brainer. I had so much fun reading this novel. It was equal parts poignant and wild, something that made me hope that my personal hero John Waters, would at some point read. I thought it captured the era beautifully, and was a loving tribute to 80’s gay culture. Even Broadway composer Jerry Herman makes a cameo in this story.

I also felt that the incredible loss that the AIDS crisis brought during the time period that this book takes place was handled very eloquently and respectfully. I can absolutely see this book taking its rightful place as a great queer novel.

Okay so, if you read the synopsis of this book and thought “that sounds interesting, I’m down!” then this book is definitely for you!!

I found myself annoyed with Joe for a majority of the story, but isn’t that kind of the point? The found family and relatability of characters and queer story telling truly made this book what it was. Friendship, bravery, love, and the daringness of queer people to simply want to live…that’s what this book is about.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for this ARC!

“When stuck in her blues, a Disco Witch can always boogie to another part of the dance floor.” —Disco Witch Manifesto #23

Only a little under 2 weeks into the beginning of a new year and I’ve already found one of my favorite reads of 2025.

Such lovable characters set against a heavy backdrop. Campy, dance-y, witchy, and SPICY.
(Also can Howie & Lenny please adopt me?)

Disco Witches of Fire Island is a wild, heartwarming ride through 1989 Fire Island, mixing steamy romance with magical realism. Joe Agabian heads to the island with his best friend Ronnie, hoping to escape heartbreak and heal after losing his boyfriend to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. But Fire Island holds more than just a party scene—Joe soon discovers that his quirky housekeepers, Howie and Lenny, are part of a secret coven of disco witches trying to protect the island from dark forces.

As Joe starts falling for a mysterious ferryman with a magical secret, he’s caught between love, danger, and a looming threat to the island. Disco Witches is a perfect blend of LGBTQ+ romance, fantasy, and the search for healing in the face of tragedy. It’s magic, love, and community wrapped in a fun, steamy package.

The AIDS crisis is a sobering backdrop to this gorgeous novel that’s a little spicy, a little campy, and a whole lot of fun.

“Disco Witches of Fire Island" is a fresh and enchanting addition to the historical fantasy genre. The queer representation shines throughout, offering both moments of pure joy and thoughtful reflection. While incorporating elements of fantasy and historical fiction, the story remains grounded in its exploration of community and resilience. For readers seeking a unique blend of genres with heart, this novel delivers.

This was an interesting book with some great banter and stories about adventure. It was hilarious with many laugh out loud moments. Thank youa

I was gifted this ARC by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was thrilled to stumble upon this book and fell in love with the description and its comparison to Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea, and while wasn’t looking for an exact replica, this was nowhere in the same realm or universe at all for me. The pace was incredibly SLOW. I kept looking and looking for the “Magic” and wondering if it was real or symbolic and when it would seep in watching the percentages in the corner tick up and up, almost waiting for the beat to drop in a way that was more frustrating than enthralling.

I do love the light this shed on the gay community and those we lost along the way to HIV/AIDS and what it means to lose family and find family and I do want to really credit those themes throughout the story as well as some solid allusions to disco music and queer laughs and probably my favorite, the chapter starter quotes that I will keep secret for any readers but that mainly brought a smile to my face and I pocketed many for rainy days.

5 stars and one of the best books I've ever read. This story has so much imagination and heart. It doesn't take much to be captivated by the Disco Witches and their charming world, and to root for them and their cause.

The story follows Joe and his best friend Ronnie as they take a chance spending a summer on Fire Island in 1989. In his effort to find a job and someplace to live for the summer, Joe stumbles upon Howie and Lenny - two older men who take him under their wing. Joe takes up residence in their attic room and begins working at a local bar on its last legs. Things begin to happen to Joe on the island that he can't explain. What he doesn't know is that Howie and Lenny are part of a secret coven of witches who derive their magic from the dance floors of clubs. The coven is struggling to maintain their magic through the loss and tragedy of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Joe is also no stranger to this kind of loss which Howie can sense. There is doom on the horizon on Fire Island - the question is, can the Disco Witches find the source and regain the strength of their coven before it is too late?

The story is filled with endearing characters, heartbreak, love, and friendship. I absolutely adored this book!

Disco witches is set in the late 80’s at Fire Island. Joe heads to Fire Island to meet his friends Ronnie who has said there are bartending jobs available there. Joe is still mourning the death of his former boyfriend Elliott from AIDS. On Fire Island, Joe meets mystical men, mythic figures, idealists, greedy capitalists and the promise of a new love. The author paints a vivid portrait of a man struggling with his sense of loss and his own perceived inadequacies who unexpectedly finds friendship and affection..

Unfortunately I could not finish this book. I really liked the concept, but over 30% in nothing happened to grab my attention. I love reading fantasy which is why this witchy concept intrigued me and led me to requesting an ARC, but this disco thing felt so silly and I don't even listen to disco music, so I didn't even have that to keep me going. I didn't like Joe at all, nor any of the other characters. Ronnie felt very rude, and Howie and Lenny seemed completely unrealistic. The writing style felt aggressive at times, if I can express myself in that way, or better yet, crude and direct, which I did not enjoy either. I was really hoping to love it but I know if I continue I will be forcing myself to finish it and end up hating it which is not what I want.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I read this straight through in one sitting. Quite literally stayed up ALL night just to finish.

It gave me the one-two punch of puffy eyes from crying and sunken eyes from exhaustion.

I don’t understand how someone could rate this anything less than 5 stars. I am a queer non-binary New Yorker (born and raised) and Fire Island was such a massive part of my teenage years. I formed my identify on those beaches and boardwalks. This was so heartfelt and heartbreaking to see my beloved community at its most challenging time.

This book will be in my top 5 for 2025 and it’s only January 3rd.

The love story was giving all it needed to. Beautiful, heart wrenching, grounded and so, so real. It was campy. Funny as hell—literally laughed out loud. But so realistic and the hard moments hit VERY hard.

Read it. Read it. It’s that good.

I wasn’t sure what all to expect with this book but ended up reading it in two days. The characters all had good depth and personality. The book focuses on Fire Island and how it is such a paradise for gay people; only for the main character to realize there would be a lot of problems from day one. While friends and enemies made some drama, this book had an interesting plot with a bit of fantasy mixed in as well. This book deals with topics of the AIDS pandemic and having loved ones living with it and grief of those who had passed because of it.

While having a completely different plot and characters this had the general vibe of American Horror Story season 11, NYC. So if you liked that season you’ll probably really enjoy this book.

I was kindly given a copy of Disco Witches of Fire Island by Blair Fell from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hmm, well, I'm not quite sure what to say about this novel. I was intrigued to read about Fire Island in the '80s, and the magic element allowed for some quirky energy in what could have been a subdued story. Fell threw a lot of energy into the group. However, this was a really long book that could have benefitted from some scenes taken out. We follow Joe, sad and adrift, as he arrives on the island, receiving a few lucky breaks to get him on his feet. He moves in with a bunch of mature men who seem very much inspired by Tales of the Cities archetypes. He almost immediately decides to break the trust they have offered him by going through their apartment searching for evidence of the 'disco witch curse' (I'm not a fantasy reader, so this required me to suspend my disbelief), but, hey, these characters get over it because this book's all about Joe. Other tales of Fire Island characters also include his cliché Irish colleague at the bar, Vinnie; friend, Ronnie, who wants to date rich because he's jealous of the wealthy elite that populate the island over the summer; and love interest, Fergal.

The plot weaves along as best as possible, but I had problems with the characters' motivations. The sex scenes were sort of (and I say this as politely as I can) pretty gross and the ending felt wildly silly.

Suitable for those on the beach who want their pop culture references continually, good or bad.

MLM Devastatingly sad, healing & self recovery/rediscovery
Joe and his best friend ronnie spend the summer on New York Fire Island Pines hoping for fun and relaxation.
joe is trying to heal and move on after the death of his boyfriend
after they are taken in by Howie & Lennie, the friends become distant and destructive to each other
Joe learns howie and lennie are coven leaders and protecters of the island and the gay communtiy that gather there
a dark, magical insight on the AIDs crisis and self healing

I requested and received and eARC of Disco Witches of Fire Island by Blair Fell via NetGalley. How could I resist a book with such a fabulous title? I was instantly ready to conjure up a spell with Alicia Bridges, or whatever Fell had in store for me. The year is 1989 and Joe is depressed and lonely. When he’s offered and opportunity to work out on Fire Island for the summer with his best friend Ronnie, he accepts with the hope that the summer will help him the heal from the loss of his boyfriend to the AIDS epidemic. Ronnie’s plan, however, doesn’t quite work out as expected. Then again it seems that nothing on Fire Island is as expected. Joe is charmed by the older house cleaners, Lenny and Howie, who take him in, but he suspects they may be hiding something from him (such as the fact that they belong to a coven of Disco Witches!) He begins to fall for a gorgeous stranger, but the man has webbed feet and can hold his breath under water. With his life and Fire Island in danger, it may be up to Joe’s new friends to save the day!

Man, I fell. I fell hard. This book was so much fun and seemed to have a magic that captivated me. Something about the cultural references and the dialogue gave the story a quality that made it feel like an 80s film. I think what surprised me most was how quickly I developed an emotional connection to the story. First, I was drawn in by the sweet-natured Joe. After reading about the loss of his boyfriend, I wanted nothing more than for his character to experience joy and healing. His dynamic with Ronnie added some great humor which is also what I appreciated about Howie and Lenny’s friendship. All of the characters were written with such distinct and vibrant personalities that it really made Disco Witches of Fire Island an exceptional reading experience.

I laughed. I cried. I swooned. I’m accustomed to so many AIDS narratives that are (justifiably, obviously) maudlin so I really thought this was a unique approach that was respectful, campy, and absolutely joyous. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Disco Witches of Fire Island made me feel an entire range of emotions. There was laughter, there was tears, there was some very real anger. In this book, Fell manages to create an extraordinarily little world populated with some of the most interesting characters I’ve ever encountered. It feels impossible not to fall in love with Joe, Fergus, Ronnie, and company. Definitely a great way to start off my 2025!