You know, one of the very first books I reviewed for The Nerd Daily had me finish the book, sit in silence staring at a wall and just go “what the hell did I just read?”—funnily enough, the same thing happened with Till Death.

If you enjoyed Wattpad stories of the late 2000s/early 2010s and feel like basking in nostalgia, then, boy, do I got the book for you!

The best way I can describe this story is a genderbent version of that one Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode where Buffy loses her virginity to Angel and then Angel promptly turns into an emotionless, murder-y vampire that has no scruples or morals anymore.

Sound good? Then this book is for you!

We follow George and Howard whose paths cross when George puts the love of his life into a home for the elderly—the home where Howard volunteers at. George and his partner James’s relationship was certainly interesting and the intimacy between them that was cultivated over the years of James having lived his own life and finding his way back to George who didn’t age at all was heartwarming. We get glimpses at their past while also seeing how dementia can take so much from you but also the people around you.

Howard, meanwhile, is struggling to find a place in this world as he is ridiculed at school and dealing with the constant threat of violence simply for being queer.

Kellan McDaniel pairs this setup with a lot of retrospective on how much and yet so little has changed when it comes to people being incredibly stupid and homophobic and somehow that behaviour still being acceptable in the world. There are a lot of moments where George reminisces about memories from the past or where Howard talks about the importance of progress that felt a bit too info-dumpy and less about emotional investment, but there were also wholesome moments that highlight the importance of queer community and finding a home with the people who love you unconditionally. You could definitely tell a lot of research went into portraying these moments accurately which I really appreciated.

What I will say is, however, that I for the life of me could not tell the different POVs apart. Sure, context clues like George reminiscing about his memories or Howard talking about his grandmother taking him in let me know whose head I was in but the voices were mostly interchangeable (until the third act, which we’ll come to in a second).

Still, their romance has a lot of sweet moments as they are both searching for intimacy and partnership and find this in each other almost immediately. Then things took a…turn.

Now, not to spoil too much but let’s just say that if you live for the dramatic, over-the-top “avenge everyone who’s ever wronged you and run off into the blood-soaked sunset” then you are going to gobble this story up like nobody’s business. It’s definitely an interesting choice to be made for the storyline this follows and while I personally just decided to go with it and accept this for the story it is, I also get why a lot of reviewers DNFed this the moment things started to go sideways. Really, the last third of the book will most likely be what makes or breaks this story for you.

Overall, if you’re in need of a good palate cleanser between heavy reads or just want to have a fun time without having to think too much about consequences and the likes, then sink your teeth into and feast on the unique storytelling of Till Death.

Till Death is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 18th 2025.

Will you be picking up Till Death? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Two gay men—one young, one ageless—sink their teeth into reclaiming their lives and identities from those who would silence them in this insatiable romantic horror novel from Hugo and Nebula Award–nominated author Kellan McDaniel.

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.

The post #ReadWithPride: Till Death by Kellan McDaniel appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Kellan! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hello! I’m a queer speculative fiction writer living in Maryland with my two fur-babies. When I’m not typing away, I like playing video games, playing TTRPGs, and planning my next tattoo.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I couldn’t tell you how old I was, but I will date myself by saying I was around when American Girl Doll first came out with the customizable dolls and those came with blank books in which you could write your own story. I definitely used those books to write Hanson fanfic, haha!

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: The Chronicles of Prydain, by Lloyd Alexander.
• The one that made you want to become an author: Gay fanfiction—sorry not sorry!
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke.
• The first vampire book you devoured: Interview with the Vampire, by Anne Rice.

Your novel, Till Death, is out March 18th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Murderous gays, gentle with each other. That’s six words—don’t sue me!

What can readers expect?

A love story that is also about immortality and permanence, and how oppression cycles and manifests throughout generations. But also some snarky elders, meaningful intimacy, and lots of blood.

The book incorporates many real-life historical events. What was your research process like and why was it important for you to include these significant moments from the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement?

I think you’ve nailed half of it in the question! No story can include every historical detail, I wanted to include those that George would personally have been familiar with, involved in, or impacted by. It’s easy for younger queer folks (myself included) to lose hold of our history, especially given how many of our elders were taken from us by hateful policies and actions. As for research, I did watch a lot of shows and movies about and from George’s era, but I also read a multitude of first-hand accounts. Sharing our stories is how we keep hold of our history.

On a scale from Nosferatu to Edward Cullen, what kind of vampire is George? Is he more of an Angel or Lestat?

I can so easily cross off Nosferatu, Edward Cullen, and Lestat. I’d say he’s a combination of Angel and Louis: deep in his feelings, having been through quote a lot, in search of a new lease on un-life.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I had so much fun with the elders at Spring Meadows! The four of them are loving gossip-mongers, who really want the best for Howard and find kinship with George, even if they don’t know it’s because he’s their generation.

The book is written from the dual POVs of George and Howard. What were the biggest challenges and rewards of writing each of their perspectives?

I love writing dual POVs. The challenge is always making sure that a chapter is in the correct perspective—and, likewise, re-writing a chapter into the opposite perspective during revisions, if needed. But the biggest reward is providing two viewpoints on the same happenings. No one is the same, even if they spend every moment together. I love picking at individuals’ worries, hopes, and insights, and holding them up side-by-side for the reader to compare.

Will you be doing any in-person events where fans can come meet you and get their books signed?

My launch party is March 18, 2025 at Greedy Reads (Remington) in Baltimore! More information can be found here!

What are some of your personal favorite horror novels?

I really prefer psychological horror to physical—I’m squeamish! I will turn down the volume on my audiobook when the guts come out! But if I had to name one that has long stuck with me, I would offer the YA, Rules for Vanishing, by Kate Alice Marshall. You’ll lose track of what’s real in the best way.

This is your debut YA novel. What was the road to becoming a published author like for you? What do you find the biggest differences to be between writing for adults vs. young adults?

I followed a relatively traditional route! I had already published a handful of short fiction, including a novelette that was nominated for the Hugo and Nebula Awards, but I knew that wasn’t my heart. I queried agents with what would become my debut novel, Docile, and signed with one a year later. We did a lot of revision, before going on to sell three adult novels to Tordotcom Publishing at Macmillan. Later, with my second and current agent, editor Christian Trimmer from MTV Books reached out to ask if I’d like to write more gay vampires—and how could I say no to that?!

I don’t think there is a specific difference between writing for each age group—excepting that there is a lot more explicit sex in my adult science fiction and fantasy. It’s more about meeting the reader where they’re at. Adults and teens are at different points in their lives, they care about different things, have different relationships with authority figures, and so on. That was especially fun to figure out for Howard since George is immortal!

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?

I’ve got an advanced copy of T.J. Klune’s The Bones Beneath My Skin, waiting for me in my living room, and if you’re interested in more vampires, I am looking forward to Lara Elena Donnelly’s No Such Thing as Duty. I hope everyone finds something comforting and engrossing during 2025—we’re going to need it.

Will you be picking up Til Death? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Kellan McDaniel, Author of ‘Till Death’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.