Defanged

On his 12th birthday, vampire Lux Priddy is scheduled for the “Defanging” procedure—turning young vampires into humans.

Except Lux is already sure he doesn’t want to be human; being a vampire is all he knows.

When an organization called “Vampirism Sucks” offers the cure—and things go sideways—Lux makes a daring escape and finds himself in the underground vampire city called Nox Urbus.

There, living among vampires that society considers “bad,” he begins to question what identity, belonging and transformation really mean. Ultimately he must decide: go back and submit, or fight for the right to remain who he is.

Kirkus Reviews: “Thoughtful details add realism to the vampires’ world, and the affection between quirky Lux and his compatriots brings fun and hope to a story that addresses serious, all-too-relevant issues. … A clever, perceptive read that’s full of love for those who are different.”

Publishers Weekly: “Via empathetic prose … Edgmon injects optimism throughout the novel, even as it touches on heavy subject matter relating to identity erasure, forcible conversion, and unethical experimentation.”

School Library Journal: “With a cast of lovably odd characters, Edgmon has crafted a deliberate yet engaging look at the way society vilifies groups who are different from ‘the norm.’ Lux has clear (but unnamed) neurodivergence.”