A ravishing tale of love, loss, desire and betrayal ... At once a gripping psychological thriller and a finely crafted work of literature ... Celt is an exquisite writer; her sentences take hold of you and will not let go ... Nothing less than an exhibition of stylistic virtuosity, a pyrotechnic display of fine writing * Financial Times *
[Invitation to a Bonfire] has the intrigue and intensity of a good thriller, but also a deeper sense of magic and glowing prose, alive with detail and deliciously delivered * Irish Times *
Part psychological thriller and part literary puzzle ... has already drawn comparisons to Donna Tartt's The Secret History * Grazia *
Engrossing, endearing, phenomenal - this book will set you on fire. In this brilliant novel, Adrienne Celt's lush prose and mousetrap plot deliver a wild wonder * Alissa Nutting, author of Tampa and Made for Love *
The way Adrienne Celt so completely inhabits the voices and lives of her characters is an amazing thing to behold. A dazzling stylist and a powerful writer, she has given us a rich, tapestried story of love, loneliness, and betrayal -- Nathan Hill, author of THE NIX
Part psychological thriller and part literary puzzle, Invitation to a Bonfire is a sexy, brilliant and gripping novel about the fine line between passion and obsession. I am in awe of Celt's mastery as a prose stylist and storyteller * Edan Lepucki, author of California and Woman No. 17 *
By far one of the best books I have read this year. Sultry, gripping and exquisitely written * Book Riot *
A dangerously seductive and viciously smart read. Celt proves herself a master of form, effortlessly moving from the punch of noir to the sumptuousness of Nabokov. She is a writer to envy * Erika Swyler, author of The Book of Speculation *
Seductive, searing novel ... One of the most brilliant books I've read in some time ... [Celt] has a firm grip on style, and her words have a rhythm and cadence ... which further draws the reader in close, all the better to totally lose yourself in this compelling story that makes you question familiar power dynamics, the complicated ethics of fidelity, and what horrible and beautiful things we give ourselves permission to do, all for the sake of the sublime * NYLON *
Adrienne Celt weaves her characters and plot into a vibrant tapestry that drags you right into every scene. If you love the intrigue of a good thriller, but are craving something with a deeper sense of magic this won't disappoint * Herald *
The incendiary title says it all; this novel reimagines the marriage of Vladimir and Vera Nabokov, a literary couple whose brilliance and intertwined labor turned him into a household name -- The 30 Best Books to Read This Summer * Elle *
Trembling with atmosphere ... Rich and moody * Kirkus Reviews *
An incendiary and provocative novel about obsession * Publishers Weekly *
Fascinating ... The story is beautifully told with enough absolutely stunning sentences to enthrall the reader * Lithub *
Sharp, seductive historical fiction * Bustle *
Sultry -- O's Top Books of Summer * Oprah.com *
Loosely inspired by the marriage of Vladimir and Vera Nabokov, this epistolary novel is told through the letters and diary entries of Zoya, a young Russian immigrant performing menial labor at an American girls' school, and Leo, an acclaimed Russian author teaching there -- '16 Steamy New Books to Kick-Start Your Summer' * Harper's Bazaar *
