This book was really good, but not for me. I liked the plot and characters, but I wasn't super into it. If the description sounds interesting to you, I'd say go for it! I'm just not really the target audience.

This book grabbed me at Scream meets Clueless. The cover is beautiful. This is the perfect spooky read.

I loved this book. While some of the dialogue is cringey, it worked with the campy high school drama vibe. I love a good Scream-esque horror comedy, and this absolutely delivered.

Like any good slasher, the author does a great job at giving every character plausible motive. While I did end up guessing the killer, I enjoyed all the twists and turns so much that I didn’t care. The pace is quick, starting off with a kill at the beginning of the novel and keeping the tension going until the very end.

One of the things I appreciated most about this book was the way it depicted queer loneliness and how everyone deals with it differently. One of the most isolating experiences is being a queer teenager and, having lived through it, I could see myself in a lot of these characters. The cast is very “Breakfast Club” but, while leaning into some of the tropes, none of the characters felt two-dimensional. I cared about the majority of them, and that’s not something you often find in slasher media.

Another thing I loved about this book was the friendship between Cole and Dearie. They are two very different people, but they are fiercely loyal to each other. They are always there for each other, no matter what. I loved seeing their friendship develop throughout the book, and I was rooting for them to the very end.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's a fun and suspenseful read. I would highly recommend it to fans of slasher films and queer YA fiction.

Queer, campy slasher with a good dose of social commentary. I loved the suspense of figuring out who the killer was and was surprised at the reveal. There is a great group of characters (the Queer Club kids) that is diverse and fun. I love the exploration of queer friendship and queer community.

Some important topics are covered in this book that make it so much better than just a thriller. From racism to emotional abuse/manipulation to slut shaming, this book was brimming with important conversations and reflections.

My few issues with the book are that sometimes the "flop" comments were a little too much and also that it took me about a third of the book to really feel the tension and suspense. Otherwise I loved this book, it's going up towards the top of my favourites list this year.

This is terrific teen slasher book. Not quite Clown in a Cornfield, but still fantastic. Slasher horror is probably my favorite subgenre of YA, but it wasn't the action that won me over. That prize goes to Dearie and Cole. Their relationship is so unique for a YA book. People don't have to be falling in love with their best friend all the time! Friends can just be friends, and these guys prove it. Their friendship is pure and unshakable. I kept waiting for stupid cupid to come along, but my cynicism was not rewarded.
The rest of the story is great, too. The kills really rack up at the end.

Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass is a teen queer slasher book that offers an entertaining mix of "Scream Queens" and "Glee" vibes, minus the music. The humor throughout the book is a definite highlight, reminiscent of the charm found in late 1990s slasher movies. While the storyline may be somewhat predictable, it still manages to capture the addictive elements of classic slasher films.

However, the book does have its drawbacks. The comedic elements tend to overshadow the serious themes of bullying and emotional abuse, making it challenging to fully take those issues seriously. Additionally, the secondary characters lack distinction, making it easy to forget who's who in the story. Furthermore, while real-life references can be enjoyable, some of the references used in the book might make it feel dated in the years to come.

Overall, Your Lonely Nights Are Over earns a 3 out of 5 stars rating. Despite its flaws, it remains an enjoyable read and would be a suitable recommendation for younger family members and friends.

Loved this campy thriller. It's a master class in horror, turns tropes on their heads and delivers in astounding ways. I couldn't put this one down until the last page.

Your Lonely Nights Are Over🫣🫣🫣🫣

Reminds me of: Fear Street 1984.
Keeping up with the kardashian.
Scream

Remake of Scream if it had gay Kardashians as the main characters.


Rating first reading the book: uncertain… if I had to guess maybe 3.5- 4.5/5
Actual Rating after reading book: 5/5

The Sandman last killed fifty years ago in San Diego, California. His victims were people that recently were broken up with. He’d leave a message on the victim that said, “your lonely nights are over,” and a drawing of a tragedy mask. His murders never solved because he was never found and the police did not keep thorough evidence in those days. Fifty years later, in the quiet town of Stone Grove, Arizona, two teenagers in the Queer club are found murder in the hallway. Cole and Dearie, two besties, are the lead suspects since flip phones containing messages to the dead teens were found in their lockers.

In order to clear their names, they’ll have to figure out who the killer is and get rid of them.



Comments:
I loved this book. It has a “warm and fuzzy” epilogue that I wish all books ended with.
That books start to get really good around the Chapter 14-15 mark. Then it just takes off and doesn’t stop. It had me ripping the pages off to get to the next page. I kept wondering who it was, then they would die, then I would suspect someone else and then something would happen. It always kept me guessing as to who the killer was and how they committed the crimes. This book is perfect if you’re looking for gay fiction.
Your Lonely Nights Are Over deals with abusive relationship and about how sometimes being lonely is better than being with the wrong person. It shows how one person in a friend group can turn people on each other making the whole friend group toxic or making people hate each other for petty reason. I love the message that through tragedy, it brings unity to our LGBT communities but, we should always be united because we’re strong together than apart.
I hated the side characters when I first started the book and ended the book rooting for their survival. I love an author who has their character grow and show that they’re willing to change even if it takes time to rid oneself of petty squabbles.
I would have loved this book in high school. I would give this to my high school self if I could time travel and make him read it. It is definitely YA. As Scream seems more leaned towards adults, this was reminding me more of Fear Street: 1984 and AHS 1984.

I was 100% cole when I was younger. I always thought I was older. I walkways wished I wasn’t in high school and I was free to do what I want to do.
Stu’s dinner - another homage to scream!

Benny and Cole are end game.

Favorite Lines From This Book:

“It’s the worst,” I moan. “Whoever the killers are, one thing’s super obvious.” “What?”“They’re obsessed with us.” Cole snorts and kisses my nose. “What else is new?”
Dead ass.this is so funny,

Benny tugs me aside. His eyes are wide and furious. “You snooped around a spooky house, killer on the loose, with two white people?” he asks, beside himself. “Are you trying to become dead?!” - my favorite line.

Character List:
(Frankie) Dearie - besties with cole, gay, blamed for death threats to school, lazy - blames it on senioritis, got accepted to top theater school in LA. Has to be the bottom. Friend zones Cole.
Cole crodoso - besties with dearie, gay, blamed for death threats to school, Hispanic/Latinx. 18. Inky black hair, light brown skin, handsome face. Has to be the vers top. Dead lifts. Takes care of his skin. His mom is a surgeon. Has had sex with Justin. Nickname given to by dearie, Cole slaw.
Mr. Kirby - omage to scream, AP Bio teacher obsessed with the murder.
Em - sophomore trans, silvery hair, white girl, cheerleader.

Grover Kendall - Queer Club’s secretary. They received a texts from mr sandman sayin gathering lonely nights would be over. Used to be friends with cole and dearie the. Started shit talking about them in high school. Posted a tiktok saying dearie and Cole were harassing them and sending them death threats. 100% bitchy top.

Gretchen Applebaum - queer club treasurer. They received a texts from mr sandman sayin gathering lonely nights would be over.

Lucy - the club’s vice president.

Ms. Drake - a fortysomething white woman. our librarian and the Queer Club’s faculty sponsor.

Dearies mom - a detective
Coles mom Frederica - a surgeon Portuguese

Monica—Cole’s birth mother—is Mexican American, darker-skinned, and smaller.

Benny Prince - a young boy with thick glasses and light, tawny-brown skin. Dead 💀 his nickname is Benito… bad bunnnnnnyyyyy.

Lucy Kahapana—a small girl with light bronze skin, a side-buzz haircut, and rumpled skater boi clothes.

Mike Mancini - a short and cubby Italian senior with swooping black hair and a patchy half beard. He’s single-handedly destroying the myth of the fashionable queer. Bisexual.
Theo - small, white nonbinary senior with short, choppy red hair and a flair for fashionable bow ties.

Justin Saxby - a senior I’ve mistaken for Grover a million times. Blame it on white-boy-face blindness, but they’re both tall and vaguely husky blondies. Only Justin is much cuter (and nicer), with a small shamrock tattooed on his upper thigh. A boring hook up according to Cole.

Leo - exhusband I think to ms. Drake. Was accused of being the killer fifty years ago but his alibis were tight.

Griffin Bateman - a short, cubby, white rich kid with impeccable style. A little bland, but he’s nice and has beautifully soft hands.

Kevin Benetti, the local medical examiner. Kevin, unlike Astadourian, has taken my mom up on dinner invitations plenty of times. He’s white, with darkly tanned skin, a shaved dome, and a salt-andpepper beard. His dress shirt sleeves are always rolled above his elbows like he’s running for governor.

Fernando - cole’s uncle.

If Scream and Mean Girls were queer(er) and had a baby, it would be this book.

I started and finished it in the same day and when I tell you I could not put it down, I am not exaggerating.

Messy, real, and relatable Cole and Dearie are the perfect unreliable narrators. I loved the alternating pov chapters and how they showcased how different these two besties were, but how fiercely they loved and fought for (and with) one another.

Sass does an excellent job keeping the twist and turns coming, and I was on the edge of my SEAT so many times. You think you have it figured out, then, surprise bitch, guess again!

Sass nails the perfect balance of messy, horrifying, and heartwarming. You won't be able to stop until you figure out just what is really happening in this small town, so clear your day. I ate this campy, heart-pounding, thrill ride of a horror story UP and I am already excited to read it again.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review!
 
Your Lonely Nights Are Over follows Deari and Cole as they battle being framed by a mysterious killer back from retirement.
 
I really enjoyed the setting and atmosphere of Your Lonely Nights Are Over. There was literally a graveyard movie theatre!? Which was so cool! I really enjoyed the queer representation and how slut-shaming was shown in a negative light. The plot was interesting enough.
 
The characters were, quite frankly, forgettable. Characters kept blending together for me and I didn’t really give a crap about any of them. Even Dearie and Cole’s narration was so similar that without the name before each chapter, I wouldn’t have been able to tell them apart. The plot twist didn’t make any sense and was disappointing. It was unexpected and not in a good way; it didn’t make me think "Oh, I should’ve seen that" it made me think "Wow, this was pulled out of thin air".
 
I was overall just not invested and was glad to finish Your Lonely Nights Are Over. Even if it wasn’t for me, people who enjoy thrillers where the suspect could be anyone might want to give this book a try!

DNF
One of the fastest times Ive DNFed a book, I could not stand the writing style and voice. I can’t stand when authors try way too hard to sound like teens . I managed two chapters but I could not read the writing and dialogue any more

My lonely nights have just begun because my time with Cole and Dearie are over! Wow — what a blast it was to read. I’m always a little hesitant when books are advertised as “POPULAR MOVIE/TV SHOW/BOOK” - in the case of Lonely nights, Scream meets Clueless - so color me surprise when Adam Sass totally nails it. Or not too surprised - Surrender Your Sons was great so I knew he’d do a fantastic job with his third novel.

I really enjoyed getting to know the two MCs, their story told through interweaving chapters, and the cast of characters they called friends/flops. I do wish we got to spend more time with some of them before they’re whisked away but it’s a small qualm I have. The other is the third act is too long which is a critique I’d give to even the best Scream film.

Does Adam Sass have a new series on his hand? I definitely would love to see what adventures Dearie and Cole have in store in LA. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC.

This book was the perfect blend of Scream, Mean Girls and everything gay and is by far my favourite book I have ever read!

I loved how this book celebrated and championed queer friendship and how unbreakable the bond was between Dearie and Cole.

I found myself continually scared for all the characters (as one should be in a horror book) and on the edge of my seat this entire book.

Also the humour and banter that Dearie and Cole had with each other and other characters was hilarious and had me laughing out loud continuously.

This book was literally perfect and I would not change a single thing about it. If I could give this book more then 5 stars I would!

I liked the way this book portrayed queer friendships--as someone who is queer and a person of color I feel like I can be hyper-critical of these elements in stories, but I am happy to report that I enjoyed this! I loved the way the characters were written, too, though sometimes the language they used didn't do much to really immerse me in the story. (Loved the sass, though, that was fun). I loved the mystery set-up and execution, and I can totally see why some have said this is like queer Scream. Overall, fun and not too serious but with some really well done and important elements that are very relevant in today's society.

Dearie & Cole are literally the sassiest main characters I have ever read. With the wit that leaves me whiplashed and snapping my fingers with yaaaassss b**** destroy them.

Scream meets Clueless in this YA horror from Adam Sass in which two gay teen BFFs find their friendship tested when a serial killer starts targeting their school's Queer Club.

This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It had me laughing, smiling and biting my nails in anticipation, for the killers to be revealed. I guessed one of the killers, and got it right but the other guy was surprised. This story for sure reminded me of the movie Scream in a lot of places. But for sure in a good. The story for sure tells of a story of a strong friendship that is put to the test in one of the harshest of lights. Sprinkle in a little racial injustice which got my blood boiling. I would for sure recommend this to anyone looking for a book that makes you laugh and keeps you guessing.



Thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Publishing for ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Adam Sass, and Viking for giving me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book's portrayal of queer friendship, as well as the serial killer mystery it set up. However, I found a lot of the language and way the characters related to each other very unrelatable and distracting from the story. It would probably have been more enjoyable if I was younger and more in the target demographic.

This was a fun fast paced YA slasher that explores queer friendships and relationships and would be perfect to read in the fall.

Summary — The infamous Sandman slasher from the 1970s has reappeared in the present and is targeting members of a high school queer club. He sends texts to his victims 24 hours before he kills them that read “Your lonely nights will soon be over.” Our MCs are Dearie and Cole - best friends who are both members of the queer club. They are juggling figuring out the identity of the killer, not getting blamed for being the killer, keeping their friendship in tact, and surviving his attacks.

What worked — Really fun! Great balance of queer friendships, queer relationships, and a who’s the murderer in the friend group mystery at the center that kept me guessing. Fun fall atmosphere and fast paced, bouncing back and forth between POVs. Really impressed with the pacing of this one and how it balanced elements of toxic relationships, queer acceptance, and the mystery as a whole.

Main feedback — Would have enjoyed more in-depth and frequent conversations between the two MCs so I felt more emotionally connected to them.

This was my first book by this author and I would read more from him. Publishes September 12, 2023.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When a Queer club is being specifically targeted by a serial killer two gay best friends will have to find a way to not only survive but take down the killer before they're next! Dearie and Cole are the best of friends, they're inseparable, flirty, and unlikable. Dearie and Cole's friendship isn't for everyone, yes they flirt and hook up with each other, yes they can be rude and a bit mean, but they have each other's backs no matter what. In their town there use to be a serial killer known as Mr. Sandman who targeted individuals who were lonely and sad... but that was years ago and he wasn't caught... but suddenly his calling card is showing up and members of the Queer club are being killed off. Now Dearie and Cole have to stick together more than ever but everyone thinks that they did it and they are the main suspects. Now with the whole town thinking it's them, they'll have to figure out who the real killer is and prove that they aren't guilty... but with a bunch of people faking relationships to not be the next target, old town secrets, things are about to get very complicated! I am a huge fan of queer horror and this was a unique homage to Scream (which just happens to be one of my favorite horror movie franchises) and it definitely was a very unique story. It was a fun read and makes you interested to see what happens to the characters. Dearie and Cole aren't likable but thats what makes them interesting and I do enjoy a murder mystery but the plot felt a bit slow at some points but it might just be a me thing, so I would definitely recommend this for fans of queer horror!

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Viking Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Queer, campy, and sassy are a few words I would use to describe this horror YA novel by Adam Sass. Horror mixed with comedy and snarkiness is my favorite genre. As a girl who watches the Scream franchise every year, I loved this slasher environment Sass created. The serial killer is truly unique and terrifying.

Mr. Sandman had a rash of murders back in the day and has returned. His MO is targetting heartbroken and lonely people by leaving a calling card that their "lonely nights are over". I felt this premise to be truly spooky and if I got into the mind of "Sandman", I'd think he could justify it as having some warped idea that he was motivating people to be together. The premise of this story is that he's back but now seems to be targeting members of the queer club.

Any interesting side effect of serial killers, or certain crimes in general like scams, has been how society adapts to them. For example, we have home security systems, we don't leave our doors unlocked, we rarely answer unknown numbers, and we have different routines. In this case, one side effect was the increase in marriages and babies because people didn't want to be alone. I found this fact included in the novel interesting!

Told in dual viewpoints between best friends Dearie and Cole, we follow these two as they navigate high school, dating, oh, and trying to not get killed. I don't want to give away the ending but I enjoyed it and only correctly guessed one part. Coming in mid-September just in time for spooky season, I loved this book and hope you will too!

Loved this book! Great level of suspense, and a very pleasant read.
The true crime aspect of the book and the tv show about the serial killer were some of my favorite details of the book.
The queer positivity and the friendship between the two MC’s are top tier! I love these boys a lot! It was realistic, cute, sad, sweet and had me rooting for them the entire book.
However I was wondering what a ‘Flop’ was most of the book but maybe I’m not Gen Z enough to understand that lol (thanks urban dictionary for helping me figuring it out)
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC for this book ❤️