Queer witches plus fire island!! Makes for an absolutely magical story. This book was unique and pulled me in.
Can’t wait to see what’s next for the author

3/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

The Disco Witches is an undeniably unique and ambitious novel, blending queer history, fantasy, and romance into a shimmering, high-stakes story of love, grief, and community resilience. There’s so much to love here!

For me, the best part was the atmosphere. The book absolutely nails what I imagine the energy of Fire Island was in 1989. The inclusion of disco witches as protectors of queer spaces is both camp and moving, and I really appreciated how the book used fantasy elements to explore real-world themes of loss and resilience.

That being said, while I adored the worldbuilding, the execution felt uneven at times. The pacing is a bit inconsistent—some parts of the book flew by with electric energy, while others dragged under the weight of exposition. Additionally, while I appreciated the book’s willingness to be both sexy and heartfelt, the tonal shifts between grief, lust, and magic sometimes felt a little jarring. One moment we’re dealing with the crushing weight of loss, the next we’re diving into a spicy scene, and the transitions didn’t always feel smooth.

Overall, The Disco Witches is a fascinating, genre-blending novel with a lot of heart, even if not every element fully landed for me. If you’re looking for something queer, magical, and steeped in history, it’s definitely worth checking out—just be prepared for a bit of a bumpy ride.

I enjoyed all the different characters. They are well written and fun. It's an interesting story idea but it didn't really work for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

The second I read the summery for this, I know I had to read it!

It was the perfect blend of historical and fantasy, emotional and hilarious, all topped off with flawless 80's vibes.

As much as I enjoyed all of the characters, I feel like we didn't quite need as many different perspectives as we got. It confused my little brain a little times especially with the third person POVs. That being said, each perspective was unique and every character felt extra special.

Joe was a really great MC with an emotional back story and wonderful character arc. It was easy to love him and empathise with him from early on in the book. I'd love to say the same for Ronnie, however I only really started to like him towards the end.

Of all the beautiful and colourful characters, I feel like my heart belongs to Howie. there was something about the dreamy way he's described and his easy going, mystical nature that just made him a tiny bit more special to me than the others. Well, Fergal is close behind, I couldn't help but fall in love with him too!

The rest of the characters, Lenny, Dory, Vince, Elana etc, were all amazing too and I'd bet that pretty much everyone would fall in love with at least one of them!

Story-wise, I'd describe it as a magical way for finding queer joy even in the darkest of times.

I lost interest in this book very quickly, despite the interesting/engaging title. Was a "Did Not Finish" for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy.

DNF. Couldn’t bring myself to love this book, even though I really, really wanted to. Writing felt flat, and I just couldn’t love any of the characters.

I adore the premise of the book but feel a bit let down by the execution. I wanted it to go a little harder into the fantasy, or into the grungy draggy camp, or the sharp sense of humor, or the radicalness of it all. It instead felt like it only dipped its toes into all the fun themes it promised. Enjoyed the AIDS history and some of the characters.

I did not know what to expect from this and I ended up enjoying it a lot. It's at times tragic and sad, sweet and hopeful, funny and bizarre. Set in 1989, it has a realistic and tender portrayal of AIDS and those who lost their lives and those who lost loved ones. I really liked the characters of Joe and Fergal, Ronnie and Vince, and Howie and Lennie. They all had depth and interesting backstories, and there were always unexpected bits that surprised me. There were several great supporting characters, too, plus a setting that was unfamiliar to me but richly depicted. It's historical fiction meets magical realism, with some romance sprinkled in. The emotional parts hit hard, but it also had spicy and hilarious parts as it explored themes of love, self-acceptance and acceptance of others, found family, and more.

This is a good book, but it's not a great one. The author promises a book with magic, but there's barely any in it. When magic does appear, it's so miniscule that you can't even tell it exists. If you're going to put the word "witches" in the title, you'd better deliver. In the end, this is just a gay romance, nothing more.

The backdrop of the AIDS crisis puts everything in perspective. Having lived through those years, I was fascinated how the author delivered the fear and anger amongst those affected by it. Young LGBT people these days have no idea what it was like to live through the AIDS years. Maybe this book will give them a taste of it.

The book is a bit slow in places as the pacing gets hammered by subplots that aren't that important. When the author delves into the characters' love life, it picks up.

Had the author actually put magic in the book, it would have gotten five stars. As it is, I give it a weak four stars. Would I read it again? Probably, but I'd do it without any expectations of magic.

As you might expect from the title, Disco Witches of Fire Island is heavy on the camp. What came as a surprise was how heartfelt, humorous, and ultimately hopeful it was. I’ll be recommending this to my bookstore customers, and reading whatever else I can get my hands on by Blair Fell.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC!

Disco Witches of Fire Island is a story of love, grief, and hope set in the depths of the AIDS crisis. It's 1989, and Joe Agabian arrives on Fire Island to meet up with his new best friend, Ronnie, who says they can get jobs bartending in this gay paradise. When the promised gig falls through, Joe is take in by Howie and Lenny, older men who are long-time residents, house cleaners, and (possibly) witches.

Joe's trip to Fire Island is a desperate attempt to break out of his cycle of grief after losing his boyfriend to AIDS. But Fire Island, while decadent and wild on the surface, is awash in grief and loss. Howie and Lenny's tight-knit community has dwindled year by year as their friends and lovers succumb to the disease. They and the remaining Disco Witches, as they call themselves, are aging, and their leader is dying on the mainland.

Point of view in Disco Witches of Fire Island jumps around a bit. Howie and Joe are followed most closely, but short chapters from the viewpoints of Ronnie, Lenny, and other characters give us insight into their unfiltered thoughts and feelings. It may not be the most deft approach, but I liked being able to see Ronnie, in particular, without having Joe's perspective in the way. The cast of characters is enormous and colorful, with even small players vividly drawn. While there may be a few stereotypes sprinkled in, the novel never feels unkind or reductive. The reader is so immersed in the culture and people of Fire Island that it's impossible not to fall a little bit in love. And it is, indeed, magical.

This is yet another example of a book that is so weirdly pitched by the publisher that I feel like I read an entirely different novel. Fire Island is about a loving found family, a culture dealing with devastating loss and fear, and how to find courage and hope in a time of despair. It's both hilarious and gutting, which is a pretty difficult line to walk. I wouldn't really call this a romance, although it adheres to the genre requirements. It's more historical magical realism with a romantic subplot. It's also gorgeous, hopeful, and well worth a read. Highly recommended. (4.5 stars for a slow start, rounded up to 5.)

Blair Fell’s Disco Witches of Fire Island is a dazzling and heartfelt blend of magical realism, queer history, and the vibrant energy of the 1980s. Set against the iconic backdrop of Fire Island during the AIDS crisis, this novel beautifully balances joy, resilience, and the power of community. With a cast of unforgettable characters and an enchanting storyline, it’s a celebration of love, identity, and the magic of coming together. A must-read for fans of queer fiction with a touch of the extraordinary.

I'm sure it's gonna get a lot of love from the gay Wiccan crowd. For me, it was an odd mix of sad, hopeful, reflective, and mystical all rolled into one (joint) and then lit on fire. To be honest, it's hard to read/write about AIDS as history, and like most horrific things, putting faces to statistics, putting stories to generalities, is simultaneously wonderful and tragic. In many ways, Disco Witches nails that. Being gay is about community, and not all love/intimacy is about sex. Disco Witches nails that too.

What a wonderfully real, heartbreaking yet hopeful book.

I was not alive when the AIDs crisis began, so this book was eye opening for me. The despair and loss that these poor folks have had to deal with through the years is astounding and there were moments in this book that just made me feel hopeless, which I took to be the point.

Overall just an incredible tale of love, grief, and fighting the good fight. Thank you to Blair Fell and Alcove press for allowing me to read this ARC.

This was a fun book that could definitely become a great beach read or book club pick. It’s just heavy enough to be interesting with a lightheartedness that keeps it fun.

Admittedly the first few chapters were difficult for me to get through. It was a little magical with hints of romance tropes and the genre blending was a bit messy. The author really fleshed out the characters and gets into a flow right around the time the island kicks off their tourist season. It’s all set in the late 80s and there are some great nods to the shifts in Queer culture during the time. The author paints a picture of the impact of the AIDs epidemic with references to activism and social justice of the time. There are a few pop culture references that are off, including multiple mentions of ice blue Gatorade which didn’t exist in the 80s.

The characters are lovable and complex. Although it does seem as though we only get vignette backstories on some (Dory for example). We don’t get much aside from other characters descriptions of Max but he was a stand out character and I think the author did a great job really creating a mystic vibe around his persona. Our main character Joe has some great development throughout and his friendship with Ronnie is really well written, although some of Ronnie’s foreshadows are just too obvious.

It’s not something I’d read again and again but it is something I’d recommend to someone looking for a great Queer Romance or an interesting summer read with an LGBTQ cast of characters.

DNF at 15%

I was intrigued by the premise, but the pacing was too slow for me. I did like that it seemed to highlight how devastating the HIV/AIDS crisis was.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

4.5 STARS

CW: death (including of loved ones), grief, drug abuse, sexual content, violence, suicidal ideation

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Even though I began this book with vastly inaccurate expectations, I was hooked from the very beginning and had a great time reading it which took me by surprise a little bit. This book with its setting and characters was simply so charming and gripping that I looked forward to continuing reading every single day and finished it fairly quickly. It was also the perfect book to read for me at this moment, something a little bit different that I may not have reached for at a different time but the cover and title called to me. And it was well worth it.

The story, set in 1989, is about Joe who is struggling with the loss of his boyfriend Elliot who died of AIDS. Joe's best friend Ronnie convinces him to join him in a summer spent on Fire Island and the two men embark on a tumultuous summer on the island. The book was full of vibrant characters, Howie and Lenny, Dory and Elena, Vinnie and Fergal and quite a few more. I really enjoyed getting to know all of them as well as the island which definitely takes up a spot as another "personality" in this book. It's also immediately clear that there is something magical going on on the island (maybe not to everyone, but something is in the air) and the coven of disco witches slowly get introduced and, bit by bit, we find out more about what is going on and how everything is connected.

I must admit, if this book had caught me in a different mood, I think I might not have enjoyed the pacing as much, but as it stands I really loved it. It really was the perfect moment for me to read this! As it stands, something new and interesting that kept me wanting to continue reading kept happening and I just got lost in the pages.

One thing that bugged me a little bit was the very end of the book. I enjoyed the big showdown and how the story wraps up, but I wish we could have gotten a little bit more in the end, maybe one or two chapters more after everything had gone down. I was also very sad that it was over, despite really liking the ending and I really hope that the author will return to these characters someday.

Overall, this was charming and a perfect mix of hard-hitting, heart-wrenching and feel-good moments. When it comes out in May, I will definitely go out to pick a physical copy up and I can only recommend everyone to check it out and give it a read. A splendid book that caught me by surprise and leaves me wanting more.

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!