3.5 

Summer Sons

By Lee Mandelo
Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

Lee Mandelo's debut Summer Sons is a sweltering, queer Southern Gothic that crosses Appalachian street racing with academic intrigue, all haunted by a hungry ghost.

Andrew and Eddie did everything together, best friends bonded more deeply than brothers, until Eddie left Andrew behind to start his graduate program at Vanderbilt. Six months later, only days before Andrew was to join him in Nashville, Eddie dies of an apparent suicide. He leaves Andrew a horrible inheritance: a roommate he doesn’t know, friends he never asked for, and a gruesome phantom that hungers for him.

As Andrew searches for the truth of Eddie’s death, he uncovers the lies and secrets left behind by the person he trusted most, discovering a family history soaked in blood and death. Whirling between the backstabbing academic world where Eddie spent his days and the circle of hot boys, fast cars, and hard drugs that ruled Eddie’s nights, the walls Andrew has built against the world begin to crumble.

And there is something awful lurking, waiting for those walls to fall.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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Summer Sons Reviews

3.5
“This is how folk horror begins - this is almost an origin story. Strong supernatural elements, but the LGBTQ characters felt forced.”
“The characters were just so unlikeable I couldn’t enjoy the story. I think the mysterious supernatural sort of aspect was interesting, but they were just way too focused on personal stuff and it was practically upsetting. Everybody’s racist, they point it out and they’re like, “lol that sucks but oh well” ??? Like part of that lady’s whole motivation seemed to be racism carrying on the family name traditional slave and plantation owners. And her one black student was just getting abused by her and everybody was fine with it. Good for him at the end though. Maybe the coming out story for this guy would be good, I think some of the points were alright at least. I don’t think they got into how they treated that girl enough really, and honestly even the homophobia they experienced was pretty much brushed over. And again, the characters were just so unlikable I really just couldn’t bring myself to care at all. Even their hobbies I just can’t relate in any way. I have no idea what he liked about either of those two guys. And he was just annoying. I powered through it but it really felt like it needed a lot of power. Not nearly enough of the actual plot, wayyy too much of the completely unlikable characters. Important points brought up, but instantly brushed off and not even thought about really. Difficult read for me honestly.”

About Lee Mandelo

Lee Mandelo (he/him) is a USA Today Bestselling writer, scholar, and editor whose work focuses on queer/trans and speculative fiction. His recent books include the original anthology Amplitudes: Stories of Queer Futurity, the contemporary gay Southern gothic novel Summer Sons, and the novellas Feed Them Silence and The Woods All Black. Mandelo's own short fiction, scholarship, and criticism can be read in publications including Reactor, Post45, Uncanny, and Capacious; he has also been a past nominee for various awards including the Lambda, Nebula, World Fantasy, Goodreads Choice, and Hugo. He holds a PhD in Gender Studies from the University of Kentucky and currently resides in Louisville. Further information, interviews, and sundry little posts about current media he's enjoying can be found at leemandelo.com or @leemandelo on socials.

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