• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2021 September #2
  In this debut southern gothic with a queer spin, Andrew heads to Tennessee to investigate the unexpected death of his best friend, Eddie. Andrew and Eddie grew up closer than brothers after a shared trauma left them with the ability to see ghosts. Andrew plunges into Eddie's life—including a spot in a group of renegade street racers. Barely coping with his grief, Andrew has difficulty narrowing down the field of suspects in Eddie's death, which includes Sam, the magnetic ringleader of the racing crowd. As the trail starts to heat up, so does Andrew's relationship with Sam—but will he be able to solve the mystery before his life is also forfeited? Mandelo crafts a journey of heartache and self-discovery that forces Andrew to confront pieces of himself that he's been unwilling to acknowledge: his connection to death, his ability to use magic, and the depth of his love for Eddie. Summer Sons blends an academic setting with a healthy dose of body horror and powerful themes of redemption and queer yearning in a narrative that starts slowly and speeds over the finish line. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.

LEE MANDELO is a writer, critic, and occasional editor whose fields of interest include speculative and queer fiction, especially when the two coincide. They have been a past nominee for various awards including the Nebula, Lambda, and Hugo; their work can be found in magazines such as Tor.com, Uncanny Magazine, Clarkesworld, and Nightmare. Aside from a brief stint overseas learning to speak Scouse, Mandelo has spent their life ranging across Kentucky, currently living in Lexington and pursuing a PhD at the University of Kentucky.