Safe Food: A Queer Splatterpunk Novel

What is it about vampires that we love so much? Is it the blood? Is it the idea of giving in to your most primal desires? Is it the romanticism typically associated with these creatures? Everyone has their reasons, and I have mine. What I will say is how TZA portrayed these lovely femme fatales was absolutely breathtaking! Instead of focusing on a blood lust creature completely devoid of anything outside of blood and whimsy, we find very complex creatures. They have a "before" life they have not forgotten. They have fears, regrets, shame, mental scars, love, and compassion for their group. In fact, I dare you to find a pack of girls any closer to each other's hearts than the group in this story! We follow the unraveling of this tale through the eyes of Margo. Hurt from their past, they still keep walls up to protect themself. But is keeping everyone that cares about you at arms distance worth it? Is it worth missing out on the real experiences we all go through if we're brave enough to take those leaps? I understand that these are fictional characters, but my journey getting to know each one intimately created a bond I felt in real time. Because of that, certain scenes made me cry like a baby. No, I am not ashamed to admit it! As you read, their pain becomes yours as you take their hand and charge into the unknown. This story has blood, it has gore, it touches on vampire tropes and shows (in my opinion) a much cooler eating routine than the classic blood letting. It…

As a major Something's Wrong with Maddie fan, I was rabid to get my hands on this one. First off, you have Steph (of Something's Wrong with Maddie fame) who works as a bartender who guides the gang on who to feed on. She's doing the Lord's work, truly. Queer vampires who do some artistic porn, SplatterPunk up the wazoo, hot Steph... what more do you need? Highly recommend if you like that sort of thing.

Ok, horror fans buckle up and settle in for this bloody tale. A vampire crew masquerading as adult film stars. Talk about the perfect vocation at least for a few years. These aren't your normal vampires, their dietary restrictions aren't limited to just blood. They like the occasional meaty flesh too more like ghouls but so have the weaknesses inherent to vampires. As I was reading, I was getting shades of 3 different vampire films. The lost boys, near dark, and bit. These vampires are tough, ruthless, unapologetic and messy. They are not soft and twinkling. The style is very splatterpunk, so it's descriptive and raw, and full of all the things that might make a squeamish person tapout. Good horror can be dark and dangerous. Margo the lead character is caring but messy. She leads this ragtag group of misfits who have become a family. When they catch the eye of a group of Hunters, chaos ensues. I don't want to give too much away, so if you're a fan of a bloody good time and the vampire genre, gives this one a try. Tropes and triggers: Found Family, extreme horror, touch her & ☠️, protective mc, religion, captivity, revenge

Safe Food, by Taylor Z. Adams, is a queer splatterpunk novel that explores the life of Margo Noir, a queer vampire. Taylor is a new-to-me author, and I was excited to dive into this book! In Safe Food, we explore the life of a queer vampire navigating a world of violence, art, and dark visceral survival. We follow Margo’s life within an underground coven and chosen family of fellow nightwalkers. Margo and their peers operate as an artistic collective, producing transgressive adult content that serves as a mirror to their own experiences of trauma and isolation. Not only does this fund their survival, but it also provides a creative outlet to process their history. I love the use and role of the familiar in this book. The dynamic between vampires and their human helpers is delicious. The humans are not merely victims; they actively participate, finding purpose and belonging within the coven’s dangerous hierarchy. Not going to lie, I would probably be a familiar. LOL! Through the lens of extreme horror, can one truly be safe while living in defiance of nature, or is the only peace found in the arms of those who understand the darkness? Margo’s journey is one of radical acceptance, rooted in their capacity to love, forgive, and persist despite the crushing weight of their history.

I really enjoyed this book. I fell in love with the unity of this group of badass vampires and the found family/love dynamic between them all. We follow Margo, a vampire working in the adult film industry, and if you enjoy gory, spicy horror, this one is definitely for you. It’s packed with torture, intense spice, dark humor, and emotional moments that completely surprised me. Lux was probably my favorite character, although honestly I loved them all for different reasons. Steph was another standout for me. What surprised me most was how much this story tugged at my heartstrings while still making me laugh. There were definitely moments where I had to close my eyes for a second because some scenes were a little too disturbing for my taste, but I was fully invested in both the plot and the characters the entire time. I’ll absolutely be reading more of Taylor Z Adams work!