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!

Disco Witches of Fire Island is described as a story about a coven of queer witches who takes a young man under their wings in hopes of protecting him from tragedy.

Given the title and description, I was expecting a bit more witchery than what was there. It feels like the covenant is mentioned and the beginning and the the ending without much about it in the middle. I enjoyed Joe's older roommates, so I would have loved to see more from them.

The main focus was more on the Fire Island queer scene of the late 80s. People were losing friends to the AIDS epidemic quickly and they were trying to figure out what life needed to be like moving forward. Joe comes to the situation after experiencing a pretty big loss and has to decide if he has it in him to trust a new relationship. There end up being a lot of real-world experiences and worries described along the way.

Thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

Disco Witches Of Fire Island by Blair fell, Joe is still mourning the loss of his one true love Elliot when his best friend Ronnie a gay jock convinces him to go work for the summer on fire Island. Ronnie wants to be a motivational speaker and to fall in love with a rich older man and promises Ronnie they have bartending jobs at the most popular bar on the island with room and board. Joe is hesitant but ultimately agrees. Joe arrives a week after Ronnie and no one is there to meet the ferry who Joe does meet is too older gay men Howie and Lenny. Joe finds the two older men sweet but it seems they find something special about Joe that has nothing to do with his sex appeal nor his beautiful Polish smile. they give Joe their number and tell him if everything doesn’t work out to give them a call. When he finds his best friend Ronnie cleaning rooms in the closet sized room of his own Joe seeks out Howie and Lenny to see if their offer is still good and it is. Joe just arrived on fire Island and has a lot going on he’s worried because his best friend Ronnie doesn’t get along with Howie and Lenny, his hot Irish boss is a jerk he gets a job as a bartender but can’t remember any of the recipes but soon with a little help from his new friends life on the island is going to get better… Weirder but better. Let me just say they had a lot of sex in the book and none of it had to do with love making swoony endeavors or sweet dalliances i’m talking about scenes that would make a transsexual prostitute blush now let’s move on, I did enjoy the campy vibe of the book, the magical mystique and whimsical overtones. It was set in the 80s and totally loved the references to not only modern 80s music and the disco mentions, I also appreciated the phrases from that era like gag me and other phrases from the day. I would’ve loved to visit Howie and Lenny‘s home for the weekend. I also thought Joe was wrong for being so sneaky in their house after they so kindly invited him I do want to say the ending wasn’t what I thought it would be and although I really look forward to this book it took me almost 3 days to finish it and not because it was long because it seemed when it would get to a sex scene I wanted to put the book down cleanse my pallet and return. I still recommend this book for those who love a narrative with a quirky vibe a wish fulfillment found family novel with lots of sex would definitely enjoy this book. I really believe if you like this book you’re going to love it there was a lot of scenes in the book I didn’t like but overall there were scenes I absolutely loved having said that take my opinion with a grain of salt because this book isn’t for everyone. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #BlairFell,#discoWitchIsOfFireIsland,

This book was a wild ride. The beginning was a bit slow, and it took me a while to get into it, but I really enjoyed it!

✨ Review ✨ Disco Witches of Fire Island by Blair Fell

Thanks to Alcove Press and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

This follows Joe, and his best friend Ronnie, who set off to Fire Island to be bartenders and live the gay summer dream with sun and fun, sex and drugs. However, things quickly aren't how they thought they'd be, and Joe ends up living with two older men - Howie and Lenny. He takes a job bartending at a sort of ramshackle bar, and having fun and working through his grief.

I loved the multi-generational aspect of this with Joe as a sort of baby gay, and Howie and Lenny as sort of mentor / parent figures + all of the supporting characters really created a messy and (mostly) loving community for Joe. The ever looming danger that Howie and Lenny fear is always lurking, and it creates a sort of messy mixed genre for this book. While it's promoted as a romance, to me, it felt more like literary fiction with some fantasy and romance elements.

This is filled with queer joy and freedom, offset by the pain and trauma of the late-80s HIV/AIDS epidemic. The layers of pain made it hard to read sometime, and I read it in sort of fits and starts. I was delighted with the premise of magic generated by epic disco playlists and the community aspect of it. But the grief and the pain were heavy. With all of that said though, I still really enjoyed this book, and my only regret is that IT DIDN'T INCLUDE A PLAYLIST of the ultimate 23 magical disco hits!

This book is a messy wild ride, but one that you won't regret you took!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: literary fiction / romance / fantasy
Setting: Fire Island
Pub Date: May 6, 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ messy stories of 1980s queer joy and pain
⭕️ disco music and magic
⭕️ found family
⭕️ wild summers on Fire Island

I really enjoyed this! It's rich in history and I felt it was so grounded in the time period. I think it's especially important for a historical fiction book to had interesting and fleshed out side characters and this definitely did. The main character's grief also wasn't overwhelming which I appreciated. This book is so much more than just one thing.

The only hang up for me was the pacing past 50%. I actually really enjoyed the set up and all the exploration of this new world and then I felt a little lagging on wanting to pick it up. Totally worth it for all the feels at the end though.

Thank you to Alcove for the eARC!