17 Jun 2026
Episode 20: Disco Witches of Fire Island
The Bookish Rewind: Disco Witches of Fire Island, Blair Fell
An in-depth discussion of 'Disco Witches of Fire Island' by Blair Fell, exploring its themes, characters, setting, and unique storytelling style. We share our insights, favorite moments, and critique the book's blend of fantasy, history, and LGBTQ+ culture. Plus, we wrap things up with our signature “Buy It, Borrow It, or Burn It” segment and ask the ultimate question: will this book still be on your mind a month from now?
We came up with the idea for our Judge a Book by The Cover episodes while walking through B&N, and finding covers we thought SHOULD make good books, "Why not.." we said. So here it goes, one of our first true books selected by cover and title alone.
Check it out on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217248010-disco-witches-of-fire-island?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21)
Buy it On Amazon (https://a.co/d/06hyeO9C)
Buy it from BAM (https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Disco-Witches-Fire-Island/Blair-Fell/9798892420341)
Authors Website (https://blairfell.com/)
Book Blurb:
In the late 1980s, a coven of queer witches on New York's Fire Island strives to protect a young man facing a devastating tragedy.
A gripping novel of magic, romance, and hope—perfect for fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea, the Tales of the City series, and Red, White, and Royal Blue.
It’s 1989, and Joe Agabian and his best friend Ronnie set out to spend their first summer working in the hedonistic gay paradise of Fire Island Pines. Joe is desperate to let loose and finally move beyond the heartbreak of having lost his boyfriend to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The two friends are quickly taken in by a pair of quirky, older house cleaners. But something seems off, and Joe starts to suspect the two older men of being up to something otherworldly. In truth, Howie and Lenny are members of a secret disco witch coven tasked with protecting the island—and young men like Joe—from the relentless tragedies ravaging their community. The only problem is, having lost too many of their fellow witches to the epidemic, the coven’s protective powers have been seriously damaged.
Unaware of all the mystical shenanigans going on, Joe starts to fall for the super-cute bisexual ferryman who just happens to have webbed feet and an unusual ability to hold his breath underwater. But Joe’s longing to find love is tripped up by his own troublesome past as well as the lure of a mysterious hunk he keeps seeing around the island—a man Howie and Lenny warn may be a harbinger of impending doom.
The Disco Witches need to find help—fast—if they’re to save Joe and the island from the Great Darkness. But how? Fans of queer romances with a dash of fantasy will fall in love with this stunning novel of community, love, sex, magic, and hope in desperate times.
We do not own rights to this book or any material related to it. The opinions we share, are our own and have been gleaned from reading this book.
Keywords
book review, character analysis, plot twists, book discussion, The Bookish Rewind, Fiction, character dynamics, plot complexity, literature, TBR, books, reading, book recommendations, romance, trigger warnings, humor in books, HIV, drama, aging, death, dying, litfic, lgbqia, love, disco, family
