Get ready for a new romantic horror novel in your TBR! Kellan McDaniel’s YA debut, Till Death, is the gay vampire love story you’ve been waiting for.
Till Death follows the romance between Howard, a senior who can’t wait to start a new life in college, and George, a vampire since the 1960s. As George’s high school sweetheart, James, nears the end of his life, George fears of being alone. That is, until he meets Howard (and falls in love).
We absolutely love the queer representation in Till Death, and there’s so much more to love about it! Here are three reasons you need to read Kellan McDaniel’s Till Death!
Book Overview: Till Death
Content warnings: death, murder, graphic violence, gore, corpses, homophobia, mentions of transphobia and misgendering (Please read at your discretion!)
Summary: Howard is biding his time until he can finally leave for college, where he has been promised it gets better. The last thing he expected was to meet a boy. But George reminds Howard of the movie stars from the 1960s he’s obsessed with. Plus, George is endearingly formal and well-read, and his grandpa fashion is super authentic.
After over twenty years together, George is about to lose his life partner. He met James when they were teenagers then lost track of him until they reconnected in their early sixties. Now, James is going somewhere beyond George’s reach—because George is a vampire, forever trapped in the body of a nineteen-year-old.
As the two grow closer, George begins to see a future beyond losing his first love, and Howard stops imagining himself always being alone…even if companionship comes at the cost of his mortality. When the discrimination the men have suffered their whole lives rears its ugly head to take away their happy ending, they finally strike back at the world that’s done its best to subdue them their entire lives.
Incorporating Historical Events
Till Death goes beyond a romance between a vampire and a mortal. It incorporates real-life historical events like the Stonewall riots in the 1960s that were pivotal to the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. This book also addresses the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s. George shares his painful experiences of losing his closest friends to AIDS, staying with them, and helping them pass with dignity. The bigotry and discrimination from the past remain prevalent, and it’s a much-needed reminder today.
Diverse Representation
We live for the LGBTQIA+ representation in Till Death! Howard and his friends have spent years rebuilding the QSA (Queer Student Alliance) at Wyndhurst Preparatory School. They call on the school board to pass policies that would better support queer students. They advocate for all-gender bathrooms and locker rooms, more inclusive sex education, and sensitivity training for teachers, among several other initiatives. It’s a long and draining fight, even prompting Howard to take drastic measures.
The Dual-POV Romance
Another reason why you should ready Till Death is the romance, of course. We get Howard and George’s perspectives, starting from their rocky first meeting in the Spring Meadows senior home. They bond over their love for old movies and books, due to Howard having an old soul, and George having lived through those times. They open up with each other about their traumas and fears. Their painful past and present love take them to unexpected lengths to keep them both safe and together.
Kellan McDaniel addresses pivotal historical events and the current fight for inclusivity, making Till Death a queer vampire love story that means everything to us.
Till Death by Kellan McDaniel goes on sale March 18th, and you can preorder a copy of it right here!
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