Genre: Paranormal, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
A former blood slave. A strapping vampire. More zucchinis than any man could eat.
Rue Yarrow was rescued from a blood bar and taken to a gated community of supernaturals. Haunted by nightmares and memories, he does his best to avoid people. His only solace is his garden, where he uses his magic to grow an abundance of vegetables. But one day, it isn’t the zucchinis greeting him, but a severed human head.
Noah Caramine wants as little drama as possible, and interfering with a vampire clan’s business is never a good idea. He’s never met a magic user and is curious about Rue, but he fears there will be consequences for stealing the blood slaves.
When body parts start popping up inside the walls, Noah doesn’t know if someone is trying to frame them for murder or distract them from keeping the blood slaves safe. Rue never believed he’d go near a vampire again, but when threats are drawing closer, he turns to Noah. Who better to keep him safe from vampires than a vampire?
The Review
On the outskirts of a small town, Noah Cramine lives as a vampire in a gated community that’s protected by a brick wall and guards. He and Asher work together on the guard shift. They also bartend at The Bar, which is owned by Gertrude, the community leader.
He owns his house and lives by himself, drama free. The only good vampire and the one that he trusts is Asher. Noah doesn’t socialize with just any vampires, in fact he hates most of them, especially the ones of The Red Thirst.
The Red Thirst has just lost The Virgin Drop to Gertrude, who has brought several of the blood slaves back to the community to live in safety: Chaton, Namir, and Rue Yarrow.
Rue was abused by the vampires. He’s also a magic user. He’s been living in Gertrudes home until she feels it’s time for him to have his own place, but he just feels like she’s pushing him out. He doesn’t feel safe in his own house – he would rather live in Gertrude’s basement in the confines of his small room. He doesn’t sleep well, has nightmares, feels his magic skills are fading, his enthusiasm is waning and thinks he is useless. He trusts no one and is deathly afraid of vampires.
The one thing he does feel comfortable doing is tending vegetables in the back yard. Chaton, one of the other former blood slaves, visits his yard, and they start growing more and more, helping the little community. That’s amazing in itself, as Chaton doesn’t talk or socialize with anyone but Rue.
When Noah and Rue meet, Noah knows Rue is afraid of him. But Noah is charmed by Rue and wants to protect the little magic man.
One night, while closing The Bar, Noah and Asher find a dead human in the rest room – Madeline seemed to like being a blood slave at The Virgin Drop, but she’s now met here demise. As if Gertrude and community weren’t facing enough problems with humans, politics and the rise in prices, they now have to figure out why they keep finding body parts inside its walls. If Gertrude is put in prison, the small little community will face an uprising and be destroyed. Is there anything Noah, Rue, and Ash can do to save their homes?
Vampire Food is an interesting little story about magic and vegetables, with a nice mystery, a little drama, fun, and snark. Noah and Rue are opposites, but their romance is charming. There’s also a variety of shifters that don’t overwhelm the story.
Day has fashioned an entertaining little group of colorful characters in Gertrude, Rue, Noah, Asher, Chaton, Orsa, Jasper, and Namir. Maybe the author will write another for the shy, latent cat Chaton and the vampire Asher, who’s snarky attitude brought lots of fun to the story.
An enjoyable story with just the right balance of drama and mystery! I’m hoping Rue comes by my place to drop off some zucchini!
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.