Thank you to Penguin Young Readers/Viking Books for a copy of Your Lonely Nights Are Over in exchange for an honest review.
Summary
Dearie and Cole are inseparable, unlikeable, and (in bad luck for them) totally unbelievable.
From the day they met, Dearie and Cole have been two against the world. But whenever something bad happens at Stone Grove High School, they get blamed. Why? They’re beautiful, flirtatious, dangerously clever queen bees, and they’re always ready to call out their fellow students. But they’ve never faced a bigger threat than surviving senior year when Mr. Sandman, a famous, never-caught serial killer, emerges from a long retirement — and his hunting ground is their school Queer Club.
As evidence and bodies begin piling up and suspicion points at Dearie and Cole, they will need to do whatever it takes to unmask the real killer before they and the rest of Queer Club are taken down. But they’re not getting away from the killer without a fight.
Along the way, they must confront dark truths hidden beneath the surface of their small desert community. When the world is stacked against them, and every flop they know is a suspect, can Dearie and Cole stop Mr. Sandman’s rampage? Or will their lonely nights soon be over…
(Almost) All the Queers Are Dead
If you cannot stand queer death, this book is not for you. When the summary states, “the bodies pile up,” it means it. Usually, that would be a no-go for me, and I’ll admit it took me a few tries to sink my teeth into Your Lonely Nights Are Over. But Adam Sass creates a tale so page-turning that I got past it.
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Dearie’s and Cole’s friendship is ride-or-die, and we need more queer friendships in media. Don’t get me wrong: I love watching/reading “teh gays” become OTPs as much as the next queer, but, but, but … queer friendship is integral to surviving. Your Lonely Nights Are Over makes that literal.
Location, Location, Location!
Deserts are my happy place. They’re also places that can be incredibly creepy, lonely and deadly, meaning they’re a most excellent location for a horror story. Couple that with a queer club becoming a feeding ground for a murderer, one of our greatest nightmares, and you’ve got a recipe for terror on full blast.
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Your Lonely Nights Are Over is gruesome and gory without being gratuitous. Adam Sass sets up those chilly scenes where you’re yelling at characters to get out of there, but they don’t listen. Your heart will be thumping because you just don’t know if people will be OK.
Should You Read It?
If you are in any way a fan of Bodies Bodies Bodies or They/Them, you’ll get a kick out of Your Loney Nights Are Over. (Though it is worlds better than They/Them.) If you’re looking for a great gay read for spooky season, this is it. Bone-chilling, fun and with an actual message, what else could you want?
Your Lonely Nights Are Over is out on September 12, 2023. Pick up a copy at your local indie bookstore or library. 🎭📚🩸
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