The Bookish Rewind

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.

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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

The Bookish Rewind: Enormous Wings, Laurie Frankel

In this episode, we rewind through one of our most anticipated picks from our year-end wrap-up: Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel. Did it soar to meet our expectations, or did it fall flat?

We’re breaking down our favorite—and least favorite—moments, sharing honest reactions along the way. 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?

Check it out on Goodreads

Buy it On Amazon

Buy it from BAM

Authors Website

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, pregnancy, drama, aging, death, dying, litfic, womens lit, love, parenting, family

The Bookish Rewind: Tourist Season, by Brynne Weaver

This episode features a deep dive into the dark romance thriller 'Tourist Season' by Brian Weaver. The first book in The Seasons of Carnage Trilogy, with the second book "Harvest Season" is coming out June 9th 2026 we had to talk about it! We analyze the book's pacing, character development, and how it compares to other works by the author. while taking a total deep dive on how this book made us laugh so hard, we may have cried actual tears. Closing with a round of buy it, borrow it, or burn it, and will you think about this book in a month?

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Authors Website

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

dark romance, thriller, book review, Bryn Weaver, 'Tourist Season', character analysis, plot twists, book discussion, dark humor, mystery, The Bookish Rewind, Fiction, relation ships, character dynamics, plot complexity, literature, TBR, book discussion, books, reading, book recommendations, romance, book series, trigger warnings, humor in books, book series predictions, romcom, Harvest Season

The Bookish Rewind: Just For The Cameras

In this episode, we (hosts Susan & Amy) have an in-depth discussion on Megan Quinn's newest book, 'Just for the Cameras,' exploring its themes, character dynamics, and the author's fantastic sense of humor. We analyze the book's pacing, character development, and how it compares to other works by Quinn, providing (possibly) valuable insights for romance readers, while taking a total deep dive on how this book made us feel. We also share personal book updates, humor, and book banter. Closing with a round of buy it, borrow it, or burn it, and will you think about this book in a month?

Check it out on Goodreads

Check it out on Fable

Buy it On Amazon

Buy it from BAM

Authors Website

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

The Bookish Rewind, Fiction, Book Review, Podcast, relationships, character dynamics, plot complexity, literature, TBR, book discussion, books, reading, book recommendations, book discussion, romance, Megan Quinn, book review, character analysis, book series, sports romance, fan theories, trigger warnings, humor in books, book series predictions, romcom

The Bookish Rewind: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

In this intense and emotionally charged episode, we (hosts Susan & Amy) delve into the dark themes of Grady Hendrix's 'Witchcraft for Wayward Girls,' exploring its historical context, trauma, and the power of storytelling. We also share personal book updates, humor, and recovery recommendations. Closing with a round of buy it, borrow it, or burn it, and will you think about this book in a month?

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Buy it On Amazon

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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

The Bookish Rewind, Fiction, Book Review, Podcast, relationships, character dynamics, plot complexity, literature, TBR, movies, book discussion, books, reading, adaptations, book recommendations, dark, mystery, suspense, horror, historical fiction, witchcraft, trauma, book discussion, dark themes, mental health, grady hendrix,

The Bookish Rewind: The Housemaid

Listen in as we (hosts Susan & Amy) delve into the dark and twisty world of Frieda McFadden's thriller, exploring its themes of abuse, survival, and the psychological depths of its characters. We discuss the book's intense content and its emotional impact. Closing with a round of buy it, borrow it, or burn it, do you want to see the movie, and will you think about this book in a month?

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Buy it On Amazon

Buy it from BAM

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

The Bookish Rewind, Fiction, Book Review, Podcast, Book Discussion, relationships, character dynamics, plot complexity, literature, TBR, movies, book discussion, books, reading, adaptations, book recommendations, thriller, Freida McFadden, dark, mystery, suspense,

The Bookish Rewind: People We Meet on Vacation

In this engaging conversation, the hosts (Susan & Amy) delve into their reading experiences, focusing on the themes of adaptations, the intricacies of romance novels, and their personal reflections on the book 'People We Meet on Vacation' by Emily Henry. They explore expectations set by titles and the emotional connections characters evoke. The discussion also touches on the pacing of the narrative, the appeal of second chance romances, and what a modern day romcom is. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the complexities of relationships as portrayed in a book they reviewed. They express how the book made them feel while reading, critique character dynamics, and discuss the implications of personal growth and miscommunication. The conversation highlights the struggles of the main character, Poppy, and her relationships, ultimately leading to a broader discussion on expectations versus reality in romantic narratives. Closing with a round of buy it, borrow it, or burn it and "will you think about this book in a month?"

Check it out on Goodreads

Check it out on Fable

Buy it On Amazon

Buy it from BAM

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

The Bookish Rewind, Fiction, Book Review, Podcast, Book Discussion, relationships, character dynamics, plot complexity, literature, TBR, hallmark movies, love, relationships, book discussion, humor, romance, books, reading, adaptations, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, People We Meet on Vacation, Emily Henry, book recommendations, second chance romance, personal growth, friendship, identity crisis, communication, expectations

The Bookish Rewind: A Vineyard Valentine by Nina Bocci & Valentine Bookish Banter

In this episode on the pod, we (Susan & Amy) explore our perspectives on Valentine's Day, discussing the concept of loving love and Valentine's Day. We share personal anecdotes about our worst date experiences and delve into a book review of 'A Vineyard Valentine,' and chat about some of the concepts of the book.

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Check it out on Fable

Buy it On Amazon

Buy it from BAM

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

The Bookish Rewind, Fiction, Book Review, Podcast, Book Discussion, relationships, character dynamics, plot complexity, literature, TBR, Valentine's Day, love, relationships, book discussion, worst date stories, humor, romance, singles events, meet-cute, anti-Valentine's Day

The Bookish Rewind: Plotting Our 2026 - Goals, Hype & Hot Takes

In this episode of The Bookish Rewind, join us as we (hosts Susan and Amy) discuss our reading goals for 2026, anticipated book releases, and our bookish resolutions for the new year. We also chat about bookish things that need to be left in 2025, authors we won't be reading anymore and book habits that are just not practical for us.

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We do not own rights to these books or any material related to them. The opinions we share, are our own and have been gleaned from reading these books.

Keywords

The Bookish Rewind, Fiction, Book Review, Podcast, Character Analysis, Plot Twists, Book Discussion, relationships, character dynamics, plot complexity, literature, TBR, book recommendations, bookish rewind, reading challenge, book ratings, literature discussion, book series, reading community, pizza hut

The Bookish Rewind: 2025 Yearly Rewind

In this episode of Bookish Rewind, we (hosts Susan and Amy) recap our reading experiences from 2025, discussing the number of books read, our year end stats, and if we would re-read our books from 2025. In alphabetical order we list our books of 2025 the good, the bad and the ugly. By our personal ratings of 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe'. Our next episode will look to the future and our goals in 2026.

Our Full List for 2025

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We do not own rights to these books or any material related to them. The opinions we share, are our own and have been gleaned from reading these books.

Keywords

The Bookish Rewind, Fiction, Book Review, Podcast, Character Analysis, Plot Twists, Book Discussion, relationships, character dynamics, plot complexity, literature, TBR, reading recap, book recommendations, bookish rewind, reading challenge, book ratings, literature discussion, book series, reading community