Summer Sons

Let me start by saying that this is NOT going to be for everyone. The descriptions are a bit misleading as to what the reader is in for. You think it’s a horror story with monsters and such... and it is, to some extent...but the reader has to separate the ghost in the room from the one in Andrew’s head. One of the scariest scenes in the entire book is when Andrew feels the ice-cold foot crawl into bed with him on his first night home. He doesn’t dare look but he knows deep in his bones that it’s Eddie. This is also a story that deeply hinges on the exploration of grief, loss, denial, and a hunt for truth set against an atmospheric backdrop of the deep south. The book also attempts to show the darker side of academia and show more privilege. A lot to wrap up in one story, but it fleshes into a memorable and excellent ghost story, on both physical and metaphorical levels. You won’t always like the main characters nor will their behavior set well but it will produce several good cases of goosebumps long after the final page is turned. show less

Mandelo's Summer Sons has such a swampy angst to it, and I adored everything about it. In a lot of ways, the book reads like a queer lovechild of Poppy Z. Brite and Flanner O'Connor, with some flavoring that feels more like it came from Shirley Jackson. Haunting and smart, the author's prose makes for characters who aren't just believable--as much as they're sometimes infuriating--but nuanced and carefully drawn in such a way as to make the book ever more powerful. And that's what so much of this book comes down to...powerful storytelling. Mandelo has managed to build a story which is so beautifully written, and so powerful, that I only allowed myself to sink into it when I had time without any distraction, just to devote to reading and show more living in this book. Summer Sons has made me a fan of Mandelo for life, and I know I'll be re-reading this one, as well.

I don't want to give anything about this horror novel away. I just want you to read it. show less

Well, this was steamy. It took a while to get going for me, but I'm glad I stuck with it because the characters and story did grow on me over time. Set at Vanderbilt University, it's a coming-of-age story, a coming-out story, a ghost story, a Southern gothic, a mystery, and a pretty hot romance--which in my opinion makes this an ideal vacation read. It's hyper-masculine, what with the hot cars and tight t-shirts, and as a result, the women characters are mostly sidelined, but this is not a book that claims to be about anything but men. It's probably not for everyone, and I have to admit that the interstate racing raised my hackles, nor did I care for the fact that the protagonist is a litterbug (seriously, why does he always throw his show more trash out the car window?). But I was definitely into the romance and rooting for the couple, and I dug the humid Southern gothic atmosphere dripping off almost every word. show less

I spent the majority of this book going between, my god this is beautifully gay and I don’t care about cars to I SWEAR IF THIS BITCH ISNT THE BAD GUY ILL SCREAM. It can’t be SAM I swear to god….I like that west took his shot and sued the school. And that the topic of racism and academia was handled well, not to mention homophobia in the south. I love that Sam and Andrew were left with possibilities and overall I am satisfied with the ending, however I would read about the beautiful train wreck of them finding their ways back to one another. You know Andrew is a mess and would be SO HUMAN and I just….

I love this book whole heartedly

Andrew is getting ready to join his best friend, when he instead learns of his apparent suicide. Now everything Eddie owned belongs to Andrew except for the knowledge of what really happened. Andrew knew Eddie better than anyone else in the world and he is positive that he never would have killed himself.
It took me a while to get into this story. The pace was slow at first, although I was immediately knocked over by the depth of Andrew's grief at the loss of his friend Eddie. As Andrew moves into what was once Eddie's house and now belongs to him, I didn't really care for his inherited roommate Riley or really any of Eddie's crowd. They grew on me eventually and by the time I realized I was angry with Eddie for having shared what Andrew show more thought was private, I was pretty heavily invested in Andrew's search for the truth of what really led to Eddie's death and whether he really took his own life. There is a supernatural element involved but it felt secondary to Andrew's grief and repressed sexuality. If you enjoy a slow burn horror this is for you.

4 out of 5 stars

I read an e-copy through Netgalley with no obligation to write a review. show less

Andrew and Eddie were best friends, bonded more deeply than brothers. But Eddie left Andrew behind to start his graduate program at Vanderbilt. Six months later, a few days before Andrew will join Eddie in Nashville, Eddie dies of an apparent suicide. He leaves Andrew not only his entire family's inheritance and estate, but also a roommate he doesn't want, friends he never asked for, and a gruesome phantom with bleeding wrists that mutters of revenge.

Andrew decides to search for the truth of Eddie's death, and he uncovers the lies and secrets left behind by the person he trust most, discovering a family history soaked in blood.

First off, for a debut novel, it was a great and fascinating read. The way Lee Mandelo cleverly weaved show more together this modern-day, gothic story was creepy and satisfying. It was so great to have it set in the South, and I kept thinking of the painting American Gothic by Grant Wood while reading this. I thought the journey that Andrew had to go on to confront the relationship between him and Eddie, along with his own self-discovery was what kept me reading. However, the story itself was okay.

I'm still not sure if I understand what the curse was for Eddie and his ancestors (the curse was passed down to Andrew when him and Eddie were children). The reveal at the end was kind of a let down as well, I was hoping for something a bit more juicy than what we were left with.

I truly appreciated the wide variety of characters! Andrew and Eddie had this interesting friendship (romantic feelings that were never acknowledged when Eddie was alive), along with many other LGBTQIA representations! There was Andrew's new roommate who is in a throuple with a man and a woman, and then there's the roommate's cousin who is also on a journey of his own sexuality it seems.

Overall, it was a fun book to read, and I'm definitely looking forward to what Mandelo writes next! show less

I gave this one three stars because I'm pretty sure there's a great short story or novella in this book somewhere. Who wouldn't want to read a short book about a ghost who helps solve its own murder with a splash of discovering sexuality and car racing thrown in? Unfortunately, the book clocks in at close to 400+ pages many of which are repetitive and unnecessary. The first 2/3 of the book largely consist of our main character being a huge jerk, blowing off classes and just generally being in a funk. It's not until the final 1/3 that the central mystery gains any steam and then its wrapped up so quickly that it feels like an afterthought.