My lonely nights were certainly lonely after I finished this book!

Your Lonely Nights Are Over follows two queer high school boys, as close as can be, as they investigate a series of murders they are framed for. For Dearie and Cole, it has always been them against the world. When suddenly two of their classmates are attacked, leading to one of them dying, it seems to be the work of Mr. Sandman; a notorious serial killer who was never caught. It seems that whoever this killer is, new or original, they are targeting the Queer Club. When signs point to Cole being a copycat killer, the two boys must find out how to navigate their new world of shadows and secrets, where a murderer is lurking around the corner.

Wow. Wowowowowowowwow. You know that empty feeling you get after you finish your new favorite book? The one where you have to sit and just think about what you are gonna do with your life now that the book is over? Yeah, that hit me HARD after finishing this. I could not put this book down. there were so many twists and turns, so many questions to be answered, so many bodies to find! I was SAT.

I try to talk about what I liked in a book, and honestly, that's hard because I just love this book so much. I think there's a quote out there that goes "if I had loved you any less, I'd be able to talk about it more" or something similar. That sums up my feelings. However, I shall give it my best go.

I'll start with our two main boys, the best boys, Cole and Dearie. How I love them. How they love each other. I felt so incredibly seen in their relationship. It felt like such a great depiction of queer love and all that it can be, not just romantic, but the undying platonic love that we have for our people. The ones we know all about and who know us just as well.
Cole is everything I want in a best friend. He's smart and funny and undyingly loyal but also won't compromise on his own values for anything. He's creative and bold and just the right combination of kind and confident. I loved getting to know him, I couldn't stand anything bad happening to him. and oh buy did it.
Dearie. My beloved. I found myself in his story. I relate to his trauma. I felt seen with every action he took and word he spoke, I felt at some times like I was reading my own thoughts. He is a character that I find so hard to put my feelings into words because my emotions are just so big. We are survivors. We are loved. We are seen.

Too often with mystery novels, I find myself either guessing the ending at the first page or completely lost with all the misdirection thrown in by the author. This book did neither of those things, it kept me guessing the whole time. I had several theories and I truly didn't know which one to go with. When I felt so certain about one, there would be a wrench thrown into the story that completely derailed my thoughts. I feel like I did figure out the culprit, but I kept second-guessing myself. Not to mention the fact that I had to stop reading halfway through to go to sleep, and I found myself thoroughly spooked and jumping at every noise I heard.

Honestly, this book was a wild ride but I would do it again in a heartbeat. I think I was laughing out of fear at one point. I can't recommend this book enough. It is a fun little queer slasher novel, but it has so many stories that need to be told.

I received this arc from NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this title immensely, devoured it over the course of a single (and I do mean *single*) weekend. Looking back, I only wish I'd had a high school BFF half as shrewd and emotionally intelligent as Cole Cardoso to warn me against the manipulative wounded sparrow types who can take up so much mental and emotional space - as well as inflict major damage - when you don't know better yet.

The story itself? Pretty classic coming-of-age, best-friends-going-off-to-college tale happening against a backdrop with an infamous serial killer resurfacing in a small town in order to target the members of the high school Queer Club. The manner of dispatch is quite grisly for YA (the comparisons to Scream have merit - it also reminded me of another 90s gem, Christopher Pike's Final Friends trilogy). It's all woven together into a larger meditation on healthy vs. abusive relationships, and how communities tend to overlook certain types of abusers.

This had a great natural flow, considering it was over 400 pages long. The characters and backstory deepened as the plot unfolded. The dialogue is really strong. Several exchanges made me laugh out loud and then gasp with emotional realization. I loved the unconventional friendship between Cole and Dearie.

The world of Stone Grove is a deliciously spooky alternate universe where all the cool kids show up en masse at the pioneer graveyard on Friday night to watch 1950s cult scifi movies. Picture bitchy basic exes swanning among the tombstones, drinking Fireball and reading everyone to filth. This world doesn't feel quite real, and I didn't really want/need it to. Despite the gruesome elements in the plot, this still feels like a juicy, escapist fantasy.

Even with a serial killer on the loose and occasional references to contemporary reality (school shooters, the 'dreadful queer' Kyrsten Sinema 😭😭😭) , the inhabitants of the story have money, incredible wardrobes, and agency over their lives. Other than a momentary interruption from a crazed murderer, they're pretty much on their way to discovering the rest of their lives at exclusive colleges in coastal cities. There is some time spent on grief and loss, but this isn't really a story about either of those things.

**Some mild spoilers below**

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Honestly, I guessed the secret of the Sandman's identity maybe 1/3 of the way through the plot, though it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. There were a few surprises unveiled near the end to explain how certain red herrings were planted,

The one thing that struck me as odd among an otherwise flawlessly developed cast of characters was the complete lack of characterization and/or backstory for Gretchen Applebaum. She's dispatched in the first few pages, and is only mentioned in passing ever after, and only in the context of her death. We never find out anything about her personality or history, other than the fact she had blonde pigtails and was Grover's friend. She's basically Mr. Boddy from Clue.

Lucy Kanapaha was another character who is given pretty short shrift, IMO. Somewhere near the end, Dearie speaks of her eccentricities and how much they're going to miss seeing her. Nice, except I didn't really pick up on any examples of that in the story. She appeared to me pretty much as a bystander, so to me that late characterization didn't make sense.

Highly recommended! I'll be looking for other titles by this author.

Little slow for me in the beginning, but it picked up mid way through the book and kept me hooked! Great book for the upcoming Halloween season!

This book was a really fun young adult thriller! The two main characters and their perspectives were so fun to read! Definitely a sassy teen romp with a fit for horror films slasher villain! With a bit of a message at the end to boot! I felt like I was watching a teen slasher film while I read this book! The two main boys were fun yet irritating in the best (very accurate teenage) way! Fun, campy, and scary too! I loved this book!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC. Overall I liked this book quite a bit more than the previous novel I read by the same author. I don’t generally read slashers but I love Scream and Clueless so thought I would give this a try. I enjoyed the banter and the mean girls vibe of the main characters. The middle portion did lag a bit while the played out their detective theories.

I did think that the twists were maybe a bit obvious but I do tend to guess killers and mystery plot lines pretty early in books so this could just be a me problem. Overall enjoyable for spooky season. 3.5

Dearie and Cole are ride or die besties, always there for each other no matter what. It’s the rest of the school that can’t stand them. So when a notorious serial killer seems to re-emerge, targeting the Queer Club, it’s Dearie and Cole who get blamed.

If they’re going to convince everyone of their innocence, Dearie and Cole are going to need to unmask Mr. Sandman, and fast. But they have to make sure they stay alive long enough to do so.

This is one scary book, perfect for Fall and/or Spooky Season reading. I was honestly and seriously freaked out while reading this, in a good way. It’s like a horror movie in book form.

This book also has a lot of complexity to it, tackling subjects like racism, class bias, homophobia, and gender prejudice. The characters and relationships were really compelling and made me care deeply, which is especially potent in a slasher setting when anyone could be fair game.

Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for a well-written scare with a shocking killer reveal. I definitely recommend this book.

When I saw this on NetGalley, it was pitched as “Scream meets Clueless” and I thought, well I obviously have to read this. Having just done so, I can say that yes, the vibes are there.
This was so fun! It took me less than 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down. It was fast-paced, yet the character development was solid, and they all showed amazing growth by the end. There were a lot twists and although I was (kind of) right(ish) about the killer, I was kept on my toes the whole time.
There’s some very important messaging in this story, as well. What struck me most is how abuse looks different on everyone. Not every victim is obvious, nor is every abuser. I spent a lot of time in a relationship that I didn’t realize was abusive, so this really struck a chord with me. It also shines a light on the importance of community, especially among queers - because loneliness can be very different for us.
This is very YA. I’m a big fan of YA horror (it’s so campy!), but if that’s not your thing, it may not be for you. The way the characters speak is very young, and I’m left feeling decrepit and slightly confused by some of the lingo, but what can you do? 💀
Also, the story requires some significant suspension of disbelief regarding the way law enforcement and police investigations work. If you’ve ever seen a CW show, you probably know what I mean. (Just how active are you letting the kiddos be with this case??? Looking at you, Riverdale).
So yeah, some of that bugged me, but all in all this was a very fun, very, VERY queer read.
Seriously. So, so queer.

The queer slasher novel I didn’t know I needed!

This was so much fun! I enjoyed the second half more than the first, as it took a bit for the story to get going. The mystery of who the killer was is what kept me reading. The friendships and found family were amazing.

Seriously, the last 25% or so had me on the edge of my seat! Loved it!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book.

YOUR LONELY NIGHTS ARE OVER by Adam Sass initially pulled me in with the blurb comparing it to Scream meets Clueless. I am not sure I 100% agree with that comparison (I mean, really, these comparisons are usually a little off), but that doesn't mean this book still didn't hit so many of the marks I've come to love in these types of stories. It's a mystery slasher with a little bit of Queer drama, sex positivity, and pure friendship vibes. It handles isolation, loneliness, and trauma throughout. It tackles a little bit of bigotry within the Queer community itself as well as homophobia and racism on the outside looking in. These themes are not heavy handed or force fed to the reader in that type of manner; they are purposefully and seamlessly part of the story Sass is telling. It all just works. The format of back and forth between our two leads, Cole and Dearie, worked especially well in this story. The book is smart and relevant, and it has a super diverse cast. I love there are both likable and unlikable protagonists / characters.

I know so many of my friends who will have a good time reading this and seeing The Queer Club in action! Definitely can't wait for more from Adam Sass!

This wasn't quite for me, but it seems like an excellent, very snarky YA slasher centering queer characters. My issue is probably a plus for most, in that it's a little too 'Mean Girls'/'Heathers,' and it's immaculately executed.

Absolutely loved this! I'm not typically a huge horror fan, but this really reeled me in. It was the perfect combination of spooky and camp. The whole cast of characters ranged from fun to bitchy to sweet, but absolutely never boring, and they were very refreshing from the more sanitized versions of teen friend groups that tend to be more popular.

Adam always delivers and I couldn't have pictured a better book to start off my spooky season.

Dearie and Cole are best friends at the high school in their small town. Never afraid to call our their classmates, they have few other friends besides each other. When several of those classmates are the victims of a suspected serial killer, suspicion turns to Dearie and Cole -- not just from the other students and members of their town, but from all across the country as speculation grows that they are the return of Mr. Sandman, a famous, never captured serial killer from many years ago. So Dearie and Cole must both prove their innocence all the while avoiding being targeted by Mr. Sandman in a place that seems determined to blame them.

This was a highly engaging mystery. Through the story of identifying the true perpetrator, the book explores interesting themes around identity, friendship, class, and ambition.

Highly recommended!

4.50

I was luck to get an arc copy of the book from the publishers and NetGalley.

There was a lot of great things about the book it self. The story was well developed and written. I loved both Cole and Dearie.

The friendship and the love between them allows such growth in the future. I loved their relationship and friendship.

It is what ever person deserves. Thank you for showing affection and caring between two teens.

As for the plot, I did like that it kept me on the edge of my seat. I thought it was one person (a kid) and it is written that way but the twist was wonderful. I also felt the original killer was really good.


The thing that took me a minute to get into was the after a section there was the break down from like a tv show. It just throws you off sometimes but that could be me.

Otherwise, great book. My first time reading this author and I will read them again.

Thank you.

4.5 Stars

This book was described as Scream but Way Gayer. I truly believe that is a very accurate and quick way to describe the vibe of this story.

There is a serial killer on the loose who seems to be targeting queer people, specifically members of the Queer Club. Best friends Cole and Dearie have been judged by the court of public opinion however, that judgement looks very different for each.

It took me longer than normal to finish this, but it was only because adulting got in my way. I would have loved to binge this in one day long sitting. I loved the friendship, the politics, the suspense and crime aspects.

This was a fast-paced fun read that I promise won't disappoint. Highly recommend.

Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass is going to be a must read for the upcoming spooky season!
The absolute perfect queer horror I’ve read this year! And to be honest I wish more authors would create such stories because it’s a favorite of mine!
Adam Sass did a phenomenal job. I was hooked and didn’t want it to end so soon!
The writing flowed extremely well. The characters kept me entertained and flipping the pages.
And the story….. oh my goodness! What a story! It was so much fun and entertaining.
His writing is haunting, suspenseful, and engaging.
This was such a fast read, it was absolutely bingeable.
The pacing was quick and easy to fall into. The plot was so perfectly crafted.
It did not disappoint!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group/Viking Books for Young Readers for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I was so happy to be able to read it in advance, it was definitely worth the wait. This horror mystery thriller was packed with laughs, great reveals, queer found family, great representation all around and great messages on important topics of toxic relationships, racism/profiling, queerness, friendship and navigating one's own self-worth.


As an avid horror enjoyer and enthusiast one of my main things I love is when the story doesn't take long to start up, and this book did just that. immediately from the get-go we are immersed in this world and terror of people dying left and right and a race against time to try to figure out who is this slasher character. While some of the reveals were kind of obvious to me, I still enjoyed how everything unfolded, and the story and mystery still kept me engaged and interested.


i loved the importance and focus on Cole and Dearie's friendship, and the queer found family. while this was a story about queer people being killed, the balance of queer joy and love balanced it out and it was a good mix. the overuse of the word "flop" did make me want to bash my head in, and there was a lot of cringe dialogue here and there, but i think overall the need of wanting to know who the killer was, and my love for Cole and Dearie overshadowed that. Overall, i absolutely loved this book, a very fun read and a great addition to the horror genre as a whole.

Thank you to Penguin young Readers Group and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book.

When I first started reading this, I really didn't think I was going to like it. It took me about 1/3 of the book to really get into it, but once I did, I had a really fun time. This is a pretty classic slasher, teen novel. I think that this would make a really fun Netflix or Hulu series. I really enjoyed the documentary inserts throughout the novel. This was my favorite part. I liked the whole idea of this infamous murderer possibly returning to the scene of the crime. This book did read very YA, and I am finding that I am drifting further and further away from young adult in general. I also wasn't super surprised by the twist. I was able to guess that pretty early on, however, this book was definitely fun. It would make for a good October read.

What a fun book to kick off spooky season with! A YA novel with witty dialogue, deception and lots of good ole slasher film vibes. I loved the characters, their interactions and the twists along the way. A bit predictable, but a fun ride none the less!

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for this e-arc!

Your Lonely Nights Are Over is the horror book I needed to start off Fall. We follow Dearie and Cole, two queer teens nearing the end of high school. Their school filled with teens obsessed with a serial killer documentary about Mr. Sandman, a serial killer from the 1970s. Suddenly queer teens start getting picked off one by one and they are accusing the wrong man! I really enjoyed this book even though I figured out quite early "who dun it" I highly recommend to fans of true crime and murder mysteries.

If you love the scream series then you will definitely ove this one. Scream is one of my favorite movie franchises and this gave off the perfect vibes for that. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time trying to figure out who was Mr. Sandman and who was going to survive by the end of the book. At times I was holding my breath and my heart was racing. So good. I did suspect some of the twists but others I didn’t and even the ones that I did suspect, I kept second guessing myself because it was just so well written and had so many possibilities. I loved all the little details that were put throughout the story that led to later reveals. I also loved the characters and that it was a dual POV story. The ending was so good too! Adam Sass did an amazing job with this one and I highly recommend you check it out.

Content warning: murder, violence, hostile police, racism, abusive/toxic relationship, gaslighting, manipulation, physical and emotional abuse, vomit,