After coming out to her parents Vedalia's (Val to her friends) cult leader grandfather kidnaps her, determined to "fix" her. After being locked up for a full month she is almost at her breaking point, certain there is no way she'll be able to escape, and knowing her parents are definitely not looking for her she begins to wonder if she should just give up and submit. Just as she is truly losing all hope a woman appears in her cell claims to be her Aunt Becky, survives getting shot eleven times, and then informs Val that hey she's also a vampire. Given the fact that Val just watched her rip a man's throat out the latter is the most believable part of Aunt Becky's whole story. Especially when she tells Val that she and her wife Jazmine are not just rescuing her from the nightmare she has been in to turn around and give her back to her parents but that they want Val to move in with them. Hesitant at first, but, desperate that the dream Aunt Becky is offering is real Val accepts. Unfortunately, her grandfather is desperate to see her returned to the fold and he will have her by any means necessary.
Omg this was just laugh out loud funny, I genuinely snorted a couple of times! I also cried several times. The scene in the Waffle Hut had me bawling tears of absolute joy. It was beautiful.
Val is amazing, let's just throw that out there right now. The stuff this girl endures and somehow still keeps this cynical yes, but hopeful attitude is worthy of the highest respect. And to be clear this sort of violence is truly inflicted upon LGBTQ+ teens every single day by their families. Moving on from the depressing stuff and back to our amazing heroine Val is funny, witty, and such a prime example of a child that has never had someone truly care for them so they chose to care for themselves fiercely. I love that.
Becky and Jazmine are the best Moms literally anyone could ask for. They know they are new to this and taking in a 17-year-old is not the same as raising a child from birth and yet they give themselves and Val the grace they all deserve to get through the tough stuff; like girlfriends and punishment for making a deal with a demon. Which btw Arsyn is amazing. Yes, this is out of context you will totally get that once you read it.
What I think truly made this excellent though is that a drives home the point that people are, well, people some are good even though they've made horrible mistakes in their life. Some of them, like Val's grandfather are rotten to their very core, they twist people's faith for them to believe in a version that is violent and hateful. He uses these people for personal gain all the while getting unearned respect within society because his title of Preacher, Pastor, Deacon, Father (pick one it doesn't matter they all get the same pass) automatically grants it to him. While members of the LGBTQ+ community, felons (that too will make sense) are not just disrespected they are violently and maliciously persecuted with zero justification other than society and a couple of religions say they are fair game. As Val says more than once she'd rather be a monster and quite frankly so would I.
Before I wrap this up I do just want to make a side note that Jazmine's version of Ink Magic is one of the coolest I have ever come across and she's my hero.
This was an absolutely wonderful story and 100% suitable for really any age I'd say above twelve, and to be fair depending on the kiddo possibly younger. But if you are looking to support authors during Banned Books Week, I'd put this at the very top of your list. It may not be banned but it is definitely the type of LGBTQ+ Joy that certain humans do not want people to see.
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