This was a fascinating read. I do not know much about the Fire Island culture, but I enjoyed learning about it.

Flamboyant, dazzling, vivid, and unapologetically queer!

Disco Witches of Fire Island is original, with a unique premise that's sure to draw readers in -- and it manages to hit just the right balance of glitter, heart, emotion, and humor. There are some incredible characters and a well-paced plot that take place in an absolutely iconic setting.

While the book dabbles in fantasy, it doesn't do so at the expense of reality -- there is so much social commentary within the story that explores topics that are still incredibly relevant today.

The book really leans into the importance of community and how it has been essential to the survival and liberation of LGBTQ+ individuals. The book comes at a time where that continues to be the case, and it does an excellent job delivering a message of hope to today's generation of queer folks.

So creative, so fun, and so meaningful!

I’ll be honest, I had a love-hate relationship with Disco Witches until the final 10% of the book. I kept putting it down because I had trouble getting into it, but the setting of Fire Island kept pulling me back in. I had trouble connecting with the major characters and even the supporting ones with great personalities. But it wasn’t a book I felt like would be a DNF, because I kept wondering what would happen next after I’d put it down.

In the end, I’m so glad I stuck with it. The story fully came together, and I absolutely loved the ending for everyone. The characters came into themselves and the pieces were put together, and the final disco was worth sticking around for.

This was an interesting book about quiet witches on fire island and the drama and that encircles them and their lives.

I read this book on NY which added a lot of the atmosphere of escaping the city and going into a haven that was a safe and found community for gay men in the AIDS crisis. There just was not a lot of substance to the novel, a lot of the characters and relationships were really underdeveloped and lacked any meaning. I thought the backstories of characters were well told , just did not carry into their continuous character ARCs.

Thank you to #netgalley for this advanced copy

Disco Witches of Fire Island was one of those books that’s been on my TBR pile ever since I got an ARC from NetGalley. There was just something about the plot that drew me in and, while it is undoubtedly a strange little mixture of a novel, I will say that I was totally enchanted by it. It sweeps you up in the heady world of Fire Island Pines in the 1980s, when AIDS is still a deathly scourge and when gay men, old and young alike, are trying to find their way in the world where death seems to hang in the air.

When it begins, Joe is an Armenian-American in his late 20s who is still trying to find himself and to recover from the death of his boyfriend, Elliot, from AIDS. He’s befriended by muscle-head Ronnie, who adopts him and essentially strong-arms him into going to Fire Island for the summer, where they will presumably meet rich men and be set for life. Once Joe and Ronnie arrive on Fire Island, however, things take a few twists and turns. Joe falls in love with a young, web-footed ferryman named Fergal (yes, you read that right), while Ronnie finds his dreams of landing a hot daddy continually undercut, no least by his own silliness and his running away from his destiny. Meanwhile, a group of disco witches, led by Lenny and Howie–Joe’s roommates–contend with the specter of evil that aims to claim Joe.

As this summary makes clear, the novel is a rather odd mix of different genres, all of which exist in a strange sort of truce. There’s obviously the historical component of it and, while I hate the thought of a novel set in the decade in which I was born being referred to as “historical fiction,” I have to admit that there’s something to that. The world that it depicts is one that’s very far indeed from our own, even if we’re all living in the shadow of the Reagan era in one way or another.This is a world in which AIDS continues to take the lives of many of the loved ones of the characters, and the sense of grief and despair is palpable.

There’s a moment late in the novel that is particularly affecting. Joe and Fergal, having finally gotten to the point where they both want to have sex, are just about ready to do the deed when the latter, with a shuddering sigh, says the words that Joe’s been dreading: he has HIV. It’s a devastating moment for both the characters and the reader, especially since we’ve been privileged to see how much Joe remains haunted not just by Elliot’s death but also by the fact that his own actions had driven his beloved away. It’s for this reason that he ends up pushing Fergal away, a decision that it takes him some time to regret and to correct. The novel, however, makes it clear that though this is of course a very thoughtless and cruel thing for Joe to do, it’s also an understandable action, given his own past and the world in which he lives.

Indeed, I loved the extent to which Disco Witches of Fire Island isn’t afraid to explore some very fraught emotional territory. The ‘80s, after all, was a decade of tremendous affluence and also of dreadful poverty, and there were many gay men who were quite content to throw their fellows under the bus so long as it meant that they were able to hold onto their privilege. There are more than a few characters like this in the novel, especially the rapacious landlord who does everything he can to close down the bar at which Joe works. Even worse is the cad that Ronnie takes up with in a vain effort to land himself a sugar-daddy, and the man ends up being both cruel and ruthlessly classist.

Then there’s the fantasy element of it. Both Lenny and Howie are witches, and though Joe finds them quite bewildering and even a bit terrifying at times, I found them absolutely charming. In addition to being practitioners of a very potent form of magic, they’re also like fairy godmothers for the fledgling Joe, desperate to protect him from the evil forces that have taken so many of them. Some, I’m sure, will be turned off by this veering into the fantastic, but I personally found it quite enchanting. It’s not quite fantasy, per se; instead, I’d put it in the tradition of magical realism. It adds a certain little extra something to the book, and I loved it.

In the end, of course, it all ends up happily. Joe and Fergal have very passionate sex which, given Joe’s various hang-ups, is a truly revolutionary act. You know that I love me a good gay sex scene, particularly one that has narrative importance, and in that respect Fell more than delivers. It’s also just really hot, and that makes it all even more delicious.

In addition to all of this, Joe is saved from the darkness that threatened to consume his soul, and he even gets to ride off into the sunset with Fergal, the two of them bound for a new life in Hawai’i. Ronnie has managed to find his own sort of happiness, having accepted that he, too, is a disco witch and found love with a blunt-spoken Irish bartender. It’s all very delightful and, dare I say it, more than a little touching.

Disco Witches of Fire Island is a deliciously strange little queer novel that stole my heart. As we all know, I’m a sucker for a gay story that makes me feel all the things, and in that regard it more than succeeded. I’m so happy that Joe and Fergal get to find happiness together and, though they have to reckon with the fact that the future is always uncertain, they at least have the comfort that they can do it together. And, as Howie presciently says, a day is soon coming when AIDS will no longer be a death sentence.

If you haven’t yet, I highly suggest that you go out, buy, and read Disco Witches of Fire Island. It’s a great summer read, and while it’ll make you cry, it’ll also make you laugh. It’s a delight, and don’t we all need a bit more queer joy in our lives?

I loved that this book was set in the late ’80s! A nd I also hated it, because it drops you right into the middle of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Even reading about it secondhand is gut-wrenching. There’s so much loss, so much grief. Every character has lost someone, and everyone copes differently.

Enter the Disco Witches: a coven of older queer men who cast spells to disco tracks, channeling the music’s energy to protect their community. Whether they’re truly magical or just wonderfully high on life (and other things) is left deliciously ambiguous. Is one of the characters part mermaid? Are mermen real? But even their magic can’t stop the relentless toll of the epidemic.

The premise is fun, though the plot itself can be boiled down to: “Everyone must keep Joe from sleeping with this one guy, or it could be the end of the world… or something.” It’s a strange setup, but it somehow drives a surprisingly moving arc about self-reflection, self-love, and acceptance.

Howie and Lenny are fantastic characters: queer elders watching over you like guardian angels in sequins. But most of Howie’s scenes eventually drift into delivering moral lessons. He starts to feel more like a mouthpiece for wisdom than a fully fleshed-out person, which flattened him for me a bit.

That said, the ending is WILD, Ronnie’s arc completely took me by surprise, and the witches stole my heart.

This is a story about love, chosen family, and finding pockets of magic (literal or not) in the darkest times.

The publisher's description doesn't do this book justice: "Hit the dance floor with a coven of queer witches on 1980s Fire Island in this gay fantasy romance about finding magic, love, and family in the face of tragedy. A heartwarming LGBTQ+ novel for fans of steamy romance, loathe-at-first-sight, and Red, White, and Royal Blue ."

I think this blurb minimizes the book. I don't think romance is at the center of this book. It's more about community building, grief and loving yourself. The relationships between the characters are deep and meaningful. I love the setting of a Fire Island summer in the 80's. We are in the midst of the AIDS epidemic, but hope is just around the corner as AZT was recently approved as a treatment for the disease.

I really loved all the characters (even Ronnie). They seemed very real to me.

And who doesn't love a book with a soundtrack. Music plays a large role in this book. The Disco Witches use dancing as part of their magic, and Madonna has just hit it big. You can hear the music while reading.

An eclectic group of gay men spend the summer lavishing, living, and working on a mysterious island in the 1980s.
There are relationships, rivalries, raves and ancient secrets.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t land well with me. The concept was brilliant but the delivery fell short and I didn’t resonate with any characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read Disco Witches of Fire Island.

Book 29 of 2025 - ☑️! Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press & Blair Fell for an ARC of Disco Witches of Fire Island: A Novel by Blair Fell, in exchange for my honest review.

The cover and title of Blair Fell’s Disco Witches of Fire Island instantly pulled me in, though I didn’t have time to really settle in with the book until recently.

Disco Witches of Fire Island takes place in 1989, after so many had already tragically passed from AIDS. Joe Agabian is still processing the loss of his boyfriend, and makes his way to Fire Island - a gay haven - to spend his summer. Shortly after he arrives, the inhabitants of 44 1/4 Picketty Ruff take Joe under their wing. Joe begins to suspect that something is “off” with his new roommates, and it’s revealed that they’re Disco Witches whose purpose is to protect Fire Island, in the midst of horrible tragedy. Due to the AIDS epidemic and losing members of the coven to the horrible disease, the witches powers have been compromised. Amidst all of this, Joe starts to fall for Fergal - a bisexual ferryman who’s also on the island.

I thought Fell did a nice job of balancing the absolute tragedy of AIDS, with the fun, magic, love and hope that appears throughout the book. There was a variety in the representation across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, and this might also be the first time I’ve read a book with an Armenian MC. There are occasional steamy scenes here, though what really stood out to me was Fell’s writing of difficult conversations between the characters.

3.5/5 ⭐️ overall, and 2/5 🌶️’s. 🪩🧙🏝️ #DiscoWitchesofFireIsland #NetGalley

I was immediately intrigued by the title. It reminded me of the 90s movies about witches for some reason, but that couldn't be further from how the book actually is lol. I enjoyed this one. Definitely not for all and I did find the beginning a bit difficult to get into. But overall the book just really makes you FEEL. There are some heavy themes and emotional weight to it. Overall enjoyed it!! Thank you!

i’m still not quite sure how i feel about this book. my library ended up buying it but it wasn’t my favorite read.

Literally adding this to our bookclub poll for our romantasy bookclub this month! Our genre this month if queer romance so I am so excited to advocate for this book! Upon receiving this arc I wasn't sure if this was fantasy but it really is!

Ideal beach read

Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A book where you truly connect with the loveable characters that feel like friends. The story examines the powerful role of found family.
The role of HIV in romance and in the 1980s was impactful & made me tear up.
Overall an important book!


Content warning:
Drug use

Disco Witches of Fire Island is a fun quirky story that primarily follows a man by the name of Joe Agabian and his journey on Fire Island after the loss of his partner due to AIDS. When he gets to the island he meets 2 very odd older men, Lenny and Howie, who are disco witches who have the secret goal of protecting the youth that is found on the island. Throughout the story Joe is haunted by his past, and is struggling to move on. With the help of the Disco Witches, Joe is able to move on and have a crazy adventure along the way.
This was a crazy story that I enjoyed reading, even if at times I felt like it was a bit egregious with the use of sex. But other than that I really did enjoy the story.

This book got me by the title alone. Disco Witches? It sounds so good.

And it is an excellent book. Not a perfect one, but I enjoyed reading it.
Disco Witches of Fire Island takes us back to 1989 - our main character Joe travels to Fire Island to finally have a summer of dancing and love. Instead, he goes through some of the darkest moments of his life. But he's not alone; There's quite a big cast of quirky characters trying to help him - from the titular disco witches to his best friend Ronnie and to the ferryman Fergal.

And the characters are the best part of this story. Everyone is so well written and has their own story that ties neatly into the overall plot. To be honest, Joe is quite boring and annoying compared to his friends. I know that he was trying to find himself, but he still annoyed me.
The rest of the characters are amazing. I loved them all, especially the disco witches. Ronnie and Vince were also my faves.

The story itself is very engaging, but maybe a little too long. There were moments when everything felt too stretched out. And for me there was not enough witchcraft. There was a lot of talking and thinking about the disco coven, but I would love to see more of their power, maybe as some flashbacks.

Since the plot of this book takes place in 1989 and deals with queer people, AIDS is mentioned a lot, so as you can guess, there's a lot of sadness here. But there are also funny and touching moments.

I really loved almost everything about this book. The characters were hands down my favorite aspect. They were so easy to relate to. And they were so realistic (other than the witch parts). I love where the witch's powers come from - no spoilers here. This book is just so much fun, although there are a few serious moments. If you're looking for a (mostly) fun, campy read I suggest you check this book out.

It wasn't an easy or fluffy story. Quite the contrary. It was emotional and sometimes brutal. I would definitely recommend reading it after checking the trigger warnings.

Thanks to Alcove Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review! In Disco Witches of Fire Island, we met a diverse cast of characters, but our story is (mostly) centered around Joe, who is coming to work on Fire Island for the summer as he tries to get over the loss of his love to AIDS at the peak of the AIDS crisis. We have characters who are queer, who are allies, who are old, who are young; we have a little bit of magic, and it all comes together to paint a little time capsule of a found family protecting each other and mourning and celebrating together as best they can. I really liked some of the more surreal aspects of the story, but the pacing wasn't perfect; it takes a little while to hit its stride plotwise. But I think if you are willing to stick with it, the story itself is really beautiful and really human.

Thank you to Alcove Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy of Disco Witches of Fire Island.

The beginning of this story is pretty slow. But once it picks up, its a beautiful campy story of queer joy and the pain that comes with existing in the LGBTQ community in the 80's. It's a great story of found family against the backdrop of fantasy and magic. Pick this story up not just during Pride month but any time this summer!