What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
0 days and 11:24:58
25 copies available
U.S. only
Fang Fiction
Win a free print copy of this book!
0 days and 11:24:58
25 copies available
U.S. only
She’s out for adventure. He’s out for blood.
The world of your favorite fantasy novels is real, and you’re invited to visit. The only catch? It’s filled with thirsty vampires. Devour this page-turning romance from the bestselling author of One to Watch.
Tess Rosenbloom is no stranger to the dark. An assault survivor and grad school dropout, she spends her nights managing a chic Brooklyn hotel and her days curled up with her favorite vampire novels, Blood Feud. Tess even dabbles in online conspiracies that Blood Feud is real—it’s fun to hunt for clues! But deep down, Tess doesn’t believe vampires actually exist…
Until one walks through her door.
It turns out Blood Feud is real, and the sexy villain of the novels is trapped. Eager to escape her life, Tess agrees to help rescue him, and soon she’s in a fantasia of lavish palaces and enchanted forests, on a secret island where the sun never shines and she’s surrounded by deadly vampires—and against her better judgment, she’s falling in love with one of them. (And unbeknownst to Tess, her estranged best friend is having a sapphic affair with a beautiful vampire of her own back in New York.)
Visiting the world of your favorite story is any fan’s dream, but will Tess be able to outrun the demons of her past (and vampires of her present) before it becomes a nightmare? In this darkly glamorous rom-com, Tess will find out whether it’s worth risking her neck—and her heart—for a chance to reclaim her future.
The world of your favorite fantasy novels is real, and you’re invited to visit. The only catch? It’s filled with thirsty vampires. Devour this page-turning romance from the bestselling author of One to Watch.
Tess Rosenbloom is no stranger to the dark. An assault survivor and grad school dropout, she spends her nights managing a chic Brooklyn hotel and her days curled up with her favorite vampire novels, Blood Feud. Tess even dabbles in online conspiracies that Blood Feud is real—it’s fun to hunt for clues! But deep down, Tess doesn’t believe vampires actually exist…
Until one walks through her door.
It turns out Blood Feud is real, and the sexy villain of the novels is trapped. Eager to escape her life, Tess agrees to help rescue him, and soon she’s in a fantasia of lavish palaces and enchanted forests, on a secret island where the sun never shines and she’s surrounded by deadly vampires—and against her better judgment, she’s falling in love with one of them. (And unbeknownst to Tess, her estranged best friend is having a sapphic affair with a beautiful vampire of her own back in New York.)
Visiting the world of your favorite story is any fan’s dream, but will Tess be able to outrun the demons of her past (and vampires of her present) before it becomes a nightmare? In this darkly glamorous rom-com, Tess will find out whether it’s worth risking her neck—and her heart—for a chance to reclaim her future.
400 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 1, 2024
About the author
Kate Stayman-London
2 books2,336 followersHi! Thanks so much for coming to my GoodReads page. You can also find me on Insta (@katestaymanlondon) and TikTok (@authorkatestaymanlondon) if you're into that sort of thing. Official bio below, happy reading! xx
Kate Stayman-London is a novelist, screenwriter, political strategist, and bisexual double Libra. Her bestselling debut, One to Watch, was named a best book of the year by Time, NPR, Marie Claire, Mashable, and more. Kate has written for political icons including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Cher; she is also a television writer-producer and proud WGA captain. When not writing, Kate enjoys fabulous trips with friends, rewatching Buffy, and fighting for reproductive justice––as well as justice for Speak Now, Evermore, and Reputation. She lives in Los Angeles.
Kate Stayman-London is a novelist, screenwriter, political strategist, and bisexual double Libra. Her bestselling debut, One to Watch, was named a best book of the year by Time, NPR, Marie Claire, Mashable, and more. Kate has written for political icons including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Cher; she is also a television writer-producer and proud WGA captain. When not writing, Kate enjoys fabulous trips with friends, rewatching Buffy, and fighting for reproductive justice––as well as justice for Speak Now, Evermore, and Reputation. She lives in Los Angeles.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
May 31, 2024
I am genuinely fuming about how much I do not like this book.
Overall the writing is mediocre, it reads like a typical cheesy harlequin romance which part of me thinks is intentional. Very tell don’t show, very immature narrative style in a lot of ways. I was willing to look past it, but the plot itself is driving me insane.
I very deeply do not like that the plot completely hinges around the main character being drugged and raped, then abruptly abandoning her entire life because of it. This book is marketed as a fun, silly rom-com and the writing is on a low enough level that I had to turn my brain down to try and enjoy it, but I’m somehow also expected to navigate a very serious and not remotely fun topic looming over the character’s head for the entire book. Even if the subject is handled with care, it frankly ruined any enjoyment of the story.
Part of me wants to understand that stories about healing from assault matter, but a bigger part of me is tired of women *constantly* dealing with sexual assault in all types of media. It’s a book about how vampires are secretly real, why is rape such a predominant part of the story? Couldn’t there be SOME other reason that Tess left college? I can’t think of a SINGLE rom com that deals with this subject matter, since they’re, ya know, COMEDIES.
If the synopsis had been more clear I never would have requested an early copy. I hate to be such a hater when the author clearly had good intentions, but I’m not sorry that the rape ruined my good time 🤷🏻♀️
Overall the writing is mediocre, it reads like a typical cheesy harlequin romance which part of me thinks is intentional. Very tell don’t show, very immature narrative style in a lot of ways. I was willing to look past it, but the plot itself is driving me insane.
I very deeply do not like that the plot completely hinges around the main character being drugged and raped, then abruptly abandoning her entire life because of it. This book is marketed as a fun, silly rom-com and the writing is on a low enough level that I had to turn my brain down to try and enjoy it, but I’m somehow also expected to navigate a very serious and not remotely fun topic looming over the character’s head for the entire book. Even if the subject is handled with care, it frankly ruined any enjoyment of the story.
Part of me wants to understand that stories about healing from assault matter, but a bigger part of me is tired of women *constantly* dealing with sexual assault in all types of media. It’s a book about how vampires are secretly real, why is rape such a predominant part of the story? Couldn’t there be SOME other reason that Tess left college? I can’t think of a SINGLE rom com that deals with this subject matter, since they’re, ya know, COMEDIES.
If the synopsis had been more clear I never would have requested an early copy. I hate to be such a hater when the author clearly had good intentions, but I’m not sorry that the rape ruined my good time 🤷🏻♀️
August 30, 2024
This reads like Twilight of Buffy fanfiction in the best way possible.
This follows Tess, grad-school dropout who discovers that the world of her favourite vampire books is a real place when she's sent to rescue the sexy villain.
Visiting the world of your favourite story is any fan's dream, but will Tess be able to outrun the demons of her past (and vampires of her present) before it becomes a nightmare?
Tess is shy, a constant reader, dreamy, romantic, and a little bit goth; attaching her literary fantasies to her latest crushes. Soooo, Tess is us.
This book was so fun!
There are excerpts from the fictional book, podcast snippets, a curated book playlist, gossip websites, etc.
Was this really cringey at times? Yes. Incredibly so.
There are so many pop culture references - Twilight, Taylor Swift, Timothee Chalemet, etc.; but it appeals to fandom culture and how we can be comforted by another world and find a community surrounding it.
“The whole idea of a 'hero' is so complicated, because heroes put other people before themselves, which is actually a very feminine quality. But heroes are usually men who wouldn't be able to pull off their heroic feats if it weren't for the support and sacrifices of women. And when a woman prioritizes herself in that way, she tends to be portrayed as a villain. So if you're a woman reader who's interested in strong female characters...”
"You tend to get stuck rooting for the villain," Octavia completed the thought.
There are also certain grimacing dialogue moments - ‘puh-lease’, ‘By the way, did I not mention I'm a big giant lesbian?’, ‘mate’ - but honestly, this just made it lean into the feeling of indulgent fanfiction even more!
This isn’t all fun, fang, and fic! It also covers a journey of recovery following a sexual assault and learning that running away and foregoing connections is not a self-loving life. This was handled with great care and you can just tell the author has such empathy and compassion to make sure everyone knows they deserve to be heard.
I would recommend this if you enjoyed Bride by Ali Hazelwood, Love Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan. Like those books, the extra star is due to pure enjoyment.
Thank you to Penguin Random house for sending me the physical arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
This follows Tess, grad-school dropout who discovers that the world of her favourite vampire books is a real place when she's sent to rescue the sexy villain.
Visiting the world of your favourite story is any fan's dream, but will Tess be able to outrun the demons of her past (and vampires of her present) before it becomes a nightmare?
Tess is shy, a constant reader, dreamy, romantic, and a little bit goth; attaching her literary fantasies to her latest crushes. Soooo, Tess is us.
This book was so fun!
There are excerpts from the fictional book, podcast snippets, a curated book playlist, gossip websites, etc.
Was this really cringey at times? Yes. Incredibly so.
There are so many pop culture references - Twilight, Taylor Swift, Timothee Chalemet, etc.; but it appeals to fandom culture and how we can be comforted by another world and find a community surrounding it.
“The whole idea of a 'hero' is so complicated, because heroes put other people before themselves, which is actually a very feminine quality. But heroes are usually men who wouldn't be able to pull off their heroic feats if it weren't for the support and sacrifices of women. And when a woman prioritizes herself in that way, she tends to be portrayed as a villain. So if you're a woman reader who's interested in strong female characters...”
"You tend to get stuck rooting for the villain," Octavia completed the thought.
There are also certain grimacing dialogue moments - ‘puh-lease’, ‘By the way, did I not mention I'm a big giant lesbian?’, ‘mate’ - but honestly, this just made it lean into the feeling of indulgent fanfiction even more!
This isn’t all fun, fang, and fic! It also covers a journey of recovery following a sexual assault and learning that running away and foregoing connections is not a self-loving life. This was handled with great care and you can just tell the author has such empathy and compassion to make sure everyone knows they deserve to be heard.
I would recommend this if you enjoyed Bride by Ali Hazelwood, Love Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan. Like those books, the extra star is due to pure enjoyment.
Thank you to Penguin Random house for sending me the physical arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
September 29, 2024
Who hasn't fantasized about taking the lead role in their beloved novel? I definitely did that a lot, which is why I found this book to be really intriguing.
Compared to other vampire stories I've read in the past, I thought this book's concept was different. Additionally, given Tess's experiences with trauma and the PTSD that followed, you should be aware of the book's heavy and dark side before you start reading it. At the outset of the book, the author does issue a warning. It was quite enjoyable and touching to watch them cooperate and encourage one another.
I enjoyed Tess and Callum's relationship. Although their romance seemed a little too instantaneous, I believe the plot worked nicely with it. It was delightful and endearing to watch them cooperate and encourage one another. However, I found myself caring even more about Joni and Octavia because their chemistry was so much better.
I found it entertaining to investigate the concept of the contemporary vampire. I also valued Tess's development and recovery process following her trauma. On the negative aspects of the book, it was too repetitive and the supplemental content, such as the book's chapters and podcast, took me out of the narrative.
Though it wasn't my favorite, it was still enjoyable and I would suggest it to others, especially if they are vampire show fans.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Compared to other vampire stories I've read in the past, I thought this book's concept was different. Additionally, given Tess's experiences with trauma and the PTSD that followed, you should be aware of the book's heavy and dark side before you start reading it. At the outset of the book, the author does issue a warning. It was quite enjoyable and touching to watch them cooperate and encourage one another.
I enjoyed Tess and Callum's relationship. Although their romance seemed a little too instantaneous, I believe the plot worked nicely with it. It was delightful and endearing to watch them cooperate and encourage one another. However, I found myself caring even more about Joni and Octavia because their chemistry was so much better.
I found it entertaining to investigate the concept of the contemporary vampire. I also valued Tess's development and recovery process following her trauma. On the negative aspects of the book, it was too repetitive and the supplemental content, such as the book's chapters and podcast, took me out of the narrative.
Though it wasn't my favorite, it was still enjoyable and I would suggest it to others, especially if they are vampire show fans.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
September 29, 2024
This book asks: What would happen if the fictional characters you’re obsessed with turned out to be real? The answer: self-empowerment, healing— and lots of sexy vampires. This book is a delirious heartwarming romp and I ate it up.
August 31, 2024
3.5⭐️
This had all the makings for a story I would love, it just fell a bit short. I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who thinks the synopsis sounds good to them, especially lovers of teen angst and vampires.
I had a herd time connecting with the characters because POVs switched a lot and there were sections with podcast excerpts and book chapters from the main series referenced in the story. It seemed like a lot of extra things included that didn’t bring a lot to the story overall.
This book definitely has a darker and heavier side as Tess is recovering from an assault by a classmate. She grew a lot over the book and it was nice seeing her become more confident and honest with herself and her friends.
Her romance with Callum lightened things up a bit but I didn’t feel a huge connection between them. I was more invested Joni and Octavia’s relationship because they had more chemistry and it wasn’t such an insta-love situation.
This was a good read and totally different from this author’s previous book so it was cool to see her try something else!
This had all the makings for a story I would love, it just fell a bit short. I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who thinks the synopsis sounds good to them, especially lovers of teen angst and vampires.
I had a herd time connecting with the characters because POVs switched a lot and there were sections with podcast excerpts and book chapters from the main series referenced in the story. It seemed like a lot of extra things included that didn’t bring a lot to the story overall.
This book definitely has a darker and heavier side as Tess is recovering from an assault by a classmate. She grew a lot over the book and it was nice seeing her become more confident and honest with herself and her friends.
Her romance with Callum lightened things up a bit but I didn’t feel a huge connection between them. I was more invested Joni and Octavia’s relationship because they had more chemistry and it wasn’t such an insta-love situation.
This was a good read and totally different from this author’s previous book so it was cool to see her try something else!
June 18, 2024
What a treat!!!! I say for years that there are no good vampire books coming out and the universe hits us with two killer (pun intended) reads!!!! Our main girl is Tess and like everyone else in her generation she’s obsessed with the Blood Feud books. There’s been theories for a while that the vampires in the books are real. Tess is shocked to discover one day that they are as she finds herself trapped on the isle with them. This is so much fun! We follow Tess on this journey with the vampires but we also get chapters from the blood feud books so we know the backstory. There’s also podcast transcripts and text messages and a bunch of other fun storytelling mechanisms. I’m so impressed with how @katestaymanlondon built a fictional (or is it) world within this fictional world. And like.. the dream to wake up in your favorite vampire story I’m still waiting to wake up at the Salvatore boarding house! A treat for all but esp the vampire girlies. Out 10/1 add to your lists!!!!!
Shelved as 'dnf'
September 23, 2024Too cheesy and the interspersed book excerpts were very distracting.
September 21, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a early copy of Fang Fiction . Fang Fiction is about are main character name Tessa Roseboom: shy a constant reader and one book she obsessed with called Blood Freud this book has help her escape her reality from being sexually assaulted. Now I have problems with Fang Fiction moments where I want to DNF for instant its writing like a WATTPAD book I love wattpad bring me back to freshman year of high school but this is a adult novel very cheesy vampire dialogue. Now this is a story within a story Tessa is part of Blood Freud she the main character within her favorite novel but the story when on forever pacing was all over the place. But you can tell the author had fun writing this novel.
2.25 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House
2.25 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House
June 27, 2024
This book had aspects I adored and aspects that made me want to DNF, but we are going to start with the positives!
First off, the writing was straightforward and certainly lends itself to an easy "read it in one sitting" style. Dialogue was logical, no one was saying anything that I thought was out of left field or completely unreliable. The humour is a rom-com style that is filled with one-liners and funny side characters.
There were three aspects I didn't enjoy as much. First, the POV would change often and within the same chapters. I wished that the chapters were shorter and had POV headings because I often had to take a paragraph or two (or three or more) to figure out what POV we were in and where in the timeline. It was jarring and would result in me losing immersion. Secondly, I did feel quite a middle-book slump. There was one primary plot conflict and that left the middle of the book feeling like quite a slump. It focused on relationship development, but I did feel disinterested for the middle 150 pages or so.
Lastly, I had difficulty with the tone of the book switching rapidly from the light and fun rom-com to a much darker tone when the triggering topics came up (trigger warnings for SA, PTSD, panic attacks, and trauma recovery). These topics are critically important to discuss, but they did feel out of place in a paranormal rom-com. I would go from laughing to feeling moderately triggered within pages. If the reader is not triggered by these topics, I would say that they likely wouldn't feel a tone shift nearly as much. But if this is something that the reader is indeed triggered by, then it can be quite the whiplash going in and out of those topics.
Overall, I would recommend this book to lovers of the classic teen-angst vampire stories. It has a level of nostalgia, but it also feels fresh. However, as stated earlier, I would heed the author's note and the content warnings given.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced digital reader copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First off, the writing was straightforward and certainly lends itself to an easy "read it in one sitting" style. Dialogue was logical, no one was saying anything that I thought was out of left field or completely unreliable. The humour is a rom-com style that is filled with one-liners and funny side characters.
There were three aspects I didn't enjoy as much. First, the POV would change often and within the same chapters. I wished that the chapters were shorter and had POV headings because I often had to take a paragraph or two (or three or more) to figure out what POV we were in and where in the timeline. It was jarring and would result in me losing immersion. Secondly, I did feel quite a middle-book slump. There was one primary plot conflict and that left the middle of the book feeling like quite a slump. It focused on relationship development, but I did feel disinterested for the middle 150 pages or so.
Lastly, I had difficulty with the tone of the book switching rapidly from the light and fun rom-com to a much darker tone when the triggering topics came up (trigger warnings for SA, PTSD, panic attacks, and trauma recovery). These topics are critically important to discuss, but they did feel out of place in a paranormal rom-com. I would go from laughing to feeling moderately triggered within pages. If the reader is not triggered by these topics, I would say that they likely wouldn't feel a tone shift nearly as much. But if this is something that the reader is indeed triggered by, then it can be quite the whiplash going in and out of those topics.
Overall, I would recommend this book to lovers of the classic teen-angst vampire stories. It has a level of nostalgia, but it also feels fresh. However, as stated earlier, I would heed the author's note and the content warnings given.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced digital reader copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Shelved as 'wishlist'
August 14, 2024OMG THIS SOUNDS FUCKING AMAZING
June 10, 2024
4.5 Stars!
Do you ever wish you could be magically transported into your favorite fantasy/paranormal book series and help the characters you've been obsessing over for years solve a super important and world altering problem? If you said yes, then this book is for you. Also, if you said yes then you sound like an awesome person with great judgement and imagination.
This book is about Tess, a hotel night manager, who stumbles into one of her favorite book characters from the sensational vampire novel "Blood Feud". She finds out that all of the characters in this book are actually real and they are trapped on a not fictional island. Of course the fate of the vampires on this island is now in Tess's hands and she must transport to this island to figure out how to reunite and free them.
This book was the multimedia dream. It had text messages, emails, podcast transcripts, reddit posts, and tumblr posts! Multimedia components are my absolute favorite, so with this book having something multimedia in every single chapter was amazing.
This book was sent to me as an ARC from netgalley for a review.
Do you ever wish you could be magically transported into your favorite fantasy/paranormal book series and help the characters you've been obsessing over for years solve a super important and world altering problem? If you said yes, then this book is for you. Also, if you said yes then you sound like an awesome person with great judgement and imagination.
This book is about Tess, a hotel night manager, who stumbles into one of her favorite book characters from the sensational vampire novel "Blood Feud". She finds out that all of the characters in this book are actually real and they are trapped on a not fictional island. Of course the fate of the vampires on this island is now in Tess's hands and she must transport to this island to figure out how to reunite and free them.
This book was the multimedia dream. It had text messages, emails, podcast transcripts, reddit posts, and tumblr posts! Multimedia components are my absolute favorite, so with this book having something multimedia in every single chapter was amazing.
This book was sent to me as an ARC from netgalley for a review.
September 21, 2024
This was a cute lil story about 2 friends who fall in love with 2 vampires, all while saving vampire-kind from permanent entrapment in a parallel universe and rekindling their friendship after a traumatic event. Tess was a relatable and admirable female main character and I love how she fell for the one she didn’t expect. I liked how she was able to use her experiences in the story to process her grief and reunite with her bestie. The story was lighthearted and sweet, with pockets of romance and intimacy sprinkled throughout. Recommend for lovers of vampires, romcoms, Buffy, and short and sweet standalones. 💕
September 11, 2024
This is essentially fanfiction that doesn’t pretend like it’s not fanfiction. I can’t say that it’s good, but I also can’t say that I wasn’t entertained!
August 20, 2024
When Tess is invited to her favorite fictional place, with the characters she's read about, who is she to decline?
Tess loves the series Blood Feud, so much so that she dabbles online about whether or not vampires exist, and she doesn't believe they do until one walks through the door.
Fang Fiction makes for a delicious read to sink your teeth into! You get drama and romance, with vampires and smut! I could not put this read down until I devoured all of it!
Tess loves the series Blood Feud, so much so that she dabbles online about whether or not vampires exist, and she doesn't believe they do until one walks through the door.
Fang Fiction makes for a delicious read to sink your teeth into! You get drama and romance, with vampires and smut! I could not put this read down until I devoured all of it!
June 2, 2024
I'm not sure what I was expecting with this book- but oh my god I am obsessed. I loved literally everything about this book. I have no notes. I could not put it down. I am no stranger to a vampire novel, chances are if there are vampires I am reading it or already have.
I LOVED Tess. Are you kidding a Shakespeare literary student, who is obsessed with a vampire series- to the point where she writes articles about how they could maybe be real? Sold.
This book dealt with some serious topics and in my opinion she handled them very well, which is so important.
It's not often I read a book and immediately want to pick it up again and start over.
This is one of my six star reads for 2024.
I LOVED Tess. Are you kidding a Shakespeare literary student, who is obsessed with a vampire series- to the point where she writes articles about how they could maybe be real? Sold.
This book dealt with some serious topics and in my opinion she handled them very well, which is so important.
It's not often I read a book and immediately want to pick it up again and start over.
This is one of my six star reads for 2024.
June 6, 2024
This book was EVERYTHING to me, and I can't believe I was lucky enough to get approved for this magical book! I loved the fan fiction aspect, the many forms of multimedia used throughout the book, the romance, the world-building, just everything! I absolutely can't wait to see what Kate Stayman-London does next.
June 22, 2024
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ thank you netgalley and random house publishing group for this arc!
i had so much fun reading this book!
fang fiction follows tess, a woman searching for purpose after dropping out of her dream grad school following a sexual assault. now working night shift at a hotel and estranged from her best friend, tess ends up forced out of limbo when she learns her favorite vampire book series… is real.
there’s romance (both queer and heterosexual!), there’s action, there’s quests, there’s a very diverse cast of characters!
for those looking for representation, our fmc tess is plus size and her best friend joni is indian-american and a lesbian.
as for my review:
was this the best literary experience ive ever had? no it was not. the writing left a lot to be desired.
were the characters beautifully developed and complex? also no. these characters were incredibly 2 dimensional with vague motivations. the romances also felt pretty random, like the author knew these characters needed to be together but she didn’t know why they liked each other. and as a result, the audience doesn’t know either!
but did i have fun and giggle a lot? was i entertained? do i recommend this book? yeah!!! i did, i was, and i do!
please note the trigger warnings before reading, but i personally feel the topic of sexual assault was handled gracefully. there are also no graphic depictions of sexual assault, though the depictions of trauma responses due to assault may be triggering for some.
i had so much fun reading this book!
fang fiction follows tess, a woman searching for purpose after dropping out of her dream grad school following a sexual assault. now working night shift at a hotel and estranged from her best friend, tess ends up forced out of limbo when she learns her favorite vampire book series… is real.
there’s romance (both queer and heterosexual!), there’s action, there’s quests, there’s a very diverse cast of characters!
for those looking for representation, our fmc tess is plus size and her best friend joni is indian-american and a lesbian.
as for my review:
was this the best literary experience ive ever had? no it was not. the writing left a lot to be desired.
were the characters beautifully developed and complex? also no. these characters were incredibly 2 dimensional with vague motivations. the romances also felt pretty random, like the author knew these characters needed to be together but she didn’t know why they liked each other. and as a result, the audience doesn’t know either!
but did i have fun and giggle a lot? was i entertained? do i recommend this book? yeah!!! i did, i was, and i do!
please note the trigger warnings before reading, but i personally feel the topic of sexual assault was handled gracefully. there are also no graphic depictions of sexual assault, though the depictions of trauma responses due to assault may be triggering for some.
July 12, 2024
3.5! I went into Kate Stayman-London’s FANG FICTION expecting a cute and casual rom-com with a side of supernatural antics. However, FANG FICTION is less of a cut a dry romance novel and more of a commentary on the paranormal/dark romance genre as a whole and how we use it as a form of escapism. Tess, the main character in the novel, is dealing with the trauma of a sexual assault and finds solace in the world of her beloved vampire books. Although the books are filled with danger, she’s safe on the other side of the pages. When she discovers the books are real, she gets to experience the comforts (and the mysteries) of the same characters she spends every waking moment reading about. At its heart, the novel is about healing and finding the courage to move forward. Fiction has the power to take us anywhere, but the romance genre is especially heralded for its ability to bring us to a world where our greatest fantasies come true. FANG FICTION is the perfect read for anybody who just wants to get away from it all (especially if their dream destination involves vampires).
Thank you to Penguin Random House and The Dial Press for the ARC!
Thank you to Penguin Random House and The Dial Press for the ARC!
June 21, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an advanced readers e-copy of Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London.
I've been missing vampire books and this one scratched the itch. Before I get too far into my review, let me preface that there are mentions of SA and other heavy subjects in this book that I certainly wasn't expecting. I went into this thinking the book would be more lighthearted, but was honestly pleasantly surprised by the depth of it.
Kate did a fantastic job creating a new world of vampires that aren't all that different from humans, making them generally more relatable and palatable. The humans and the vampires all had great character development, chemistry and banter.
I mean imagine having Edward Cullen come to you one day saying he needs your help to save his family? I'd agree way too fast.
A great read overall and keeping my fingers crossed for a book two!
I've been missing vampire books and this one scratched the itch. Before I get too far into my review, let me preface that there are mentions of SA and other heavy subjects in this book that I certainly wasn't expecting. I went into this thinking the book would be more lighthearted, but was honestly pleasantly surprised by the depth of it.
Kate did a fantastic job creating a new world of vampires that aren't all that different from humans, making them generally more relatable and palatable. The humans and the vampires all had great character development, chemistry and banter.
I mean imagine having Edward Cullen come to you one day saying he needs your help to save his family? I'd agree way too fast.
A great read overall and keeping my fingers crossed for a book two!
July 25, 2024
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an advanced digital reader copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book sounded like so much fun, unfortunately, it didn't fulfil my expectations at all, so I had to DNF it halfway through.
This book didn't read like an adult novel, more of a 2010s YA fan fiction. The hefty dose of trigger warnings was an unexpected and unwelcome surprise. The writing was mediocre and head-hopping annoyed me to no end, the plot didn't hook me as well.
This book sounded like so much fun, unfortunately, it didn't fulfil my expectations at all, so I had to DNF it halfway through.
This book didn't read like an adult novel, more of a 2010s YA fan fiction. The hefty dose of trigger warnings was an unexpected and unwelcome surprise. The writing was mediocre and head-hopping annoyed me to no end, the plot didn't hook me as well.
May 21, 2024
This was such a unique vampire book and overall, fun. However, I didn’t absolutely love it. I didn’t really have any strong attachments to the characters and I found it a little slow in places. Having said that, I think a lot of people would enjoy this book. It just wasn’t necessarily for me. But check it out if you enjoy funny vampire books!
Thank you to Random House Publishing for the Netgalley ARC!!
Thank you to Random House Publishing for the Netgalley ARC!!
August 31, 2024
What would happen if, after years of reading Twilight, you don't only find out vampires are actually real, but the books are based on real vampires?
Wouldn't you want to know more, to talk to them, see if the books tell the truth? Wouldn't you want to have sex with Edward just for the sake of it? Or Carlisle or Rosalie, whoever suits you the most?
Well, this happened to my friend Tess and let me tell you: she almost got killed (twice), she almost ran away to start a new life somewhere else (twice), she found the confidence in herself she always lacked and decided it was enough.
Also, she got the vampire - which is kind of a bonus because I wasn't sure it’d end up like that.
So, we got vampires and plot twists, but also some pretty heavy trauma Tess has to face because… well, it’s not possible to escape from your nightmares for the rest of your life - it'd be nice, don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of ignoring the bad stuff and knock myself to sleep, or even ran away from your problems, anything not to having to deal with them, but you can't do that forever.
And this is where the main focus of the story is: Tess keeps desperately avoiding her problems until she has enough and is ready to fight back. Honestly, I loved how the whole process was described because I, too, would run away instead of standing up for myself, and it takes time to understand that the alternative is not going to kill you.
Another example of KSL’s incredible narrative skills is the way pop culture is everywhere in the story but, at the same time, there isn't enough of that.
Usually, I don't like it at all; singers or actors, songs or movies or shows, it's all the same: I cringe at the mention.
Here, on the opposite, every gossip-related information or reference to other shows was just so perfect and smooth I was constantly repeating to myself: “I understood that reference!”.
If I still haven't sold it to you I'm probably doing something wrong, but let me say this: it's a story written by a fangirl of the genre for other girls still stuck in their vampire “phase”, and I loved it for it.
↠ 4 stars
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
Wouldn't you want to know more, to talk to them, see if the books tell the truth? Wouldn't you want to have sex with Edward just for the sake of it? Or Carlisle or Rosalie, whoever suits you the most?
Well, this happened to my friend Tess and let me tell you: she almost got killed (twice), she almost ran away to start a new life somewhere else (twice), she found the confidence in herself she always lacked and decided it was enough.
Also, she got the vampire - which is kind of a bonus because I wasn't sure it’d end up like that.
So, we got vampires and plot twists, but also some pretty heavy trauma Tess has to face because… well, it’s not possible to escape from your nightmares for the rest of your life - it'd be nice, don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of ignoring the bad stuff and knock myself to sleep, or even ran away from your problems, anything not to having to deal with them, but you can't do that forever.
And this is where the main focus of the story is: Tess keeps desperately avoiding her problems until she has enough and is ready to fight back. Honestly, I loved how the whole process was described because I, too, would run away instead of standing up for myself, and it takes time to understand that the alternative is not going to kill you.
Another example of KSL’s incredible narrative skills is the way pop culture is everywhere in the story but, at the same time, there isn't enough of that.
Usually, I don't like it at all; singers or actors, songs or movies or shows, it's all the same: I cringe at the mention.
Here, on the opposite, every gossip-related information or reference to other shows was just so perfect and smooth I was constantly repeating to myself: “I understood that reference!”.
If I still haven't sold it to you I'm probably doing something wrong, but let me say this: it's a story written by a fangirl of the genre for other girls still stuck in their vampire “phase”, and I loved it for it.
↠ 4 stars
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
September 28, 2024
This one's for my fandom, conspiracy theory-fueled, over-the-top readers. I have the perfect fun October read for you! Thank you, Kate Stayman-London and Random House Publishing, for the ARC of this novel!
In Fang Fiction, we follow Tess, her friends, and her allies as she uncovers the secret vampires living under humans' noses and on the other side of a magic bar. These being the same vampires she's been reading (and theorizing) about for years in her favorite book series, Blood Feud. Imagine her shock when the villainess of the series turns up at her job looking for her.
I didn't know what to expect in a fan fiction-inspired vampire book (other than Twilight references), but I am obsessed with how it was written. It's like everything I love about fanfic, polished up and done with such a fun and even exciting concept! Bonus points for the queer representation!
The dialogue and humor are campy and very unserious, the characters are all distinct and interesting, and there's even a gentle handling of sexual assault that was done surprisingly well given the greater concept of this book. Then again, some of the best sensitive content I've seen was done by fanfic authors, so fair enough! This was kind of in the vein of the book Voyage of the Damned that I read earlier this year - gives me Avatar the Last Airbender vibes in the mix of silliness and seriousness blended together.
If you love a fun read that will take you to unexpected places, this is a total winner. It is also highly recommended for anyone in a fandom rife with conspiracy theories. Thank you again so much for the ARC! This book is out in just a few days, on Tuesday, October 1st, so make sure you get out and pick up a copy!
In Fang Fiction, we follow Tess, her friends, and her allies as she uncovers the secret vampires living under humans' noses and on the other side of a magic bar. These being the same vampires she's been reading (and theorizing) about for years in her favorite book series, Blood Feud. Imagine her shock when the villainess of the series turns up at her job looking for her.
I didn't know what to expect in a fan fiction-inspired vampire book (other than Twilight references), but I am obsessed with how it was written. It's like everything I love about fanfic, polished up and done with such a fun and even exciting concept! Bonus points for the queer representation!
The dialogue and humor are campy and very unserious, the characters are all distinct and interesting, and there's even a gentle handling of sexual assault that was done surprisingly well given the greater concept of this book. Then again, some of the best sensitive content I've seen was done by fanfic authors, so fair enough! This was kind of in the vein of the book Voyage of the Damned that I read earlier this year - gives me Avatar the Last Airbender vibes in the mix of silliness and seriousness blended together.
If you love a fun read that will take you to unexpected places, this is a total winner. It is also highly recommended for anyone in a fandom rife with conspiracy theories. Thank you again so much for the ARC! This book is out in just a few days, on Tuesday, October 1st, so make sure you get out and pick up a copy!
Read
September 17, 2024DNF at 75% because I just couldn't anymore...
I was so excited to get this e-ARC because I gave "One to Watch" an easy 5-star rating. The synopsis is everything I want in a book too. Basically True Blood coming to life.
Sooooo the execution was not great and I am in shock right now. The first 30% while our MC was still in NY was AMAZING. Again, easy 5-stars. We had a complicated back story, a really interesting friendship dynamic, and a campy "OMG book characters are coming to life and talking to me" plot. And that 30% mark is where the entire book falls apart.
1. The romances (yes both of them) are actually so badly written that I couldn't believe it. "One to Watch" had such lovely romances and they were deep and dynamic. Fang Fiction's romances were insta-love nightmares with cheesy lines, cringe-worthy sex (although I did appreciate it wasn't graphic), and zero chemistry. Tess and Callum had no chemistry and Callum was obsessed with her almost immediately. Joni and Olivia were somewhat better until they went from 0 to 100 in one scene. It was crazy. Also Olivia was a HORRIBLE romantic interest. She was toxic and so selfish when it came to her needs versus Joni that nothing really made up for it after a certain point.
2. It was a huge mistake putting Tess into this fantasy world instead of dealing with her issues in NY. I was so much more invested in the friendship between Joni and Tess instead of the romances. Once Tess left NY, it was like reading a totally different book and it draaaaagged.
3. The villains were literal cartoon characters that took themselves too seriously. This book in general took itself too seriously for the overall plot being what it was. It's like this book didn't know what it wanted to be.
4. This just needed to simplify. Olivia and Callum should have come to NY and they all should have worked together to get the rest of the vampires out against the witches. Simple. Clean. Interesting.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to get this e-ARC because I gave "One to Watch" an easy 5-star rating. The synopsis is everything I want in a book too. Basically True Blood coming to life.
Sooooo the execution was not great and I am in shock right now. The first 30% while our MC was still in NY was AMAZING. Again, easy 5-stars. We had a complicated back story, a really interesting friendship dynamic, and a campy "OMG book characters are coming to life and talking to me" plot. And that 30% mark is where the entire book falls apart.
1. The romances (yes both of them) are actually so badly written that I couldn't believe it. "One to Watch" had such lovely romances and they were deep and dynamic. Fang Fiction's romances were insta-love nightmares with cheesy lines, cringe-worthy sex (although I did appreciate it wasn't graphic), and zero chemistry. Tess and Callum had no chemistry and Callum was obsessed with her almost immediately. Joni and Olivia were somewhat better until they went from 0 to 100 in one scene. It was crazy. Also Olivia was a HORRIBLE romantic interest. She was toxic and so selfish when it came to her needs versus Joni that nothing really made up for it after a certain point.
2. It was a huge mistake putting Tess into this fantasy world instead of dealing with her issues in NY. I was so much more invested in the friendship between Joni and Tess instead of the romances. Once Tess left NY, it was like reading a totally different book and it draaaaagged.
3. The villains were literal cartoon characters that took themselves too seriously. This book in general took itself too seriously for the overall plot being what it was. It's like this book didn't know what it wanted to be.
4. This just needed to simplify. Olivia and Callum should have come to NY and they all should have worked together to get the rest of the vampires out against the witches. Simple. Clean. Interesting.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2024
Tess loves to get lost in the world of Blood Fued. She’s read it a million times. Trying to escape her real life by reading about her favorite vampires. It helps her manage the trauma she’s experienced by masking her pain. Tess was living with her bestie Joni while going to Columbia working oh her PhD. Something horrible happened (check the TW) and she dropped out of school and moved away. Not telling Joni what happened and hiding away working nights at a hotel. Three years pass…
She always fantasized about meeting her true love like in the romances she reads. She finds out the characters from her beloved stories are real when she’s whisked away to The Isle to help them. Plus she might get her own romance as well…with a handsome bad boy vampire Callum.
This was a fun read especially if you love Twilight or TVD and all of sudden you find out they are real! It’s a little confusing at first there’s a lot of POVs. Tess is dealing with trauma, panic attacks, and PTSD. It’s happy,but not. She really finds strength by the end with a lot of growth and her experience with the vampures help with that. Joni also has her own love story and everything comes full circle in the end.
Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Kate Stayman-London, for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
She always fantasized about meeting her true love like in the romances she reads. She finds out the characters from her beloved stories are real when she’s whisked away to The Isle to help them. Plus she might get her own romance as well…with a handsome bad boy vampire Callum.
This was a fun read especially if you love Twilight or TVD and all of sudden you find out they are real! It’s a little confusing at first there’s a lot of POVs. Tess is dealing with trauma, panic attacks, and PTSD. It’s happy,but not. She really finds strength by the end with a lot of growth and her experience with the vampures help with that. Joni also has her own love story and everything comes full circle in the end.
Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Kate Stayman-London, for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
September 15, 2024
Aw nuts, always tough to write a middling review for something you assumed you’d love. That’s the predicament I’m having with Fang Fiction. It’s quite obvious this is a book aimed squarely at those of us that can recall the exact moment Buffy plunged her sword into Angel’s chest to close the portal to hell and save Sunnyvale (#neverforget). But this book sadly cannot thread the needle that Buffy the Vampire Slayer so expertly did: using a campy and corny premise as a backdrop to explore heavy and traumatic life events. Whereas BTVS always felt subversive in its blending of heavy and light, this just felt discordant.
I also found it supremely overstuffed with pop culture references and the interstitials didn’t add anything to story.
I’m left with the sense that while I didn’t love this book, the author and I would get along swimmingly.
-
Cover thoughts: excellent, actually. It uses the faceless cartoon trend in a cheeky and original way! Love the fanged type and limited palette.
-
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House publishing for the advanced reader copy!
I also found it supremely overstuffed with pop culture references and the interstitials didn’t add anything to story.
I’m left with the sense that while I didn’t love this book, the author and I would get along swimmingly.
-
Cover thoughts: excellent, actually. It uses the faceless cartoon trend in a cheeky and original way! Love the fanged type and limited palette.
-
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House publishing for the advanced reader copy!
June 25, 2024
thank you netgalley and random house publishing group for this arc!
i wasn’t expecting this to feel like reading a fantasy book bc the cover was giving contemporary romance w a lil bit of vampires but boy oh boy i was wrong!
honestly just picture this: edward or jacob or alice or rosalie or jasper or stephan or damon show up and ur like. omg???? so you’re a real person???? not just a book character???? and then u get submersed into their world. this book was SO WELL DONE and such an interesting concept and just WOWOWOWOWOOWOW read it!!!!
i wasn’t expecting this to feel like reading a fantasy book bc the cover was giving contemporary romance w a lil bit of vampires but boy oh boy i was wrong!
honestly just picture this: edward or jacob or alice or rosalie or jasper or stephan or damon show up and ur like. omg???? so you’re a real person???? not just a book character???? and then u get submersed into their world. this book was SO WELL DONE and such an interesting concept and just WOWOWOWOWOOWOW read it!!!!
July 19, 2024
This was such a fun and captivating read! Definitely for fans of vampire shows such as The Vampire Diaries, Buffy, Twilight, etc. I loved the world building, and I'm so glad I could enjoy this world through Tess. I always love when it's a good guy, bad guy story, and this one was done perfectly. Tess's character development was amazing to experience, and if I had the choice, I would probably go too. Octavia and Callum were such badasses, I think they might be my favorite characters from this story. Bar Between was so cool, it is my favorite place in this story. The characters in this book are very human, and you can relate to them and their experiences. Do make sure to read the content warning before reading! I would love to see more from the side characters! The ending left me very satisfied, and I enjoyed the experience of this book very much. Definitely one to add to your TBR!
*Big thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC copy!!*
*Big thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC copy!!*
June 8, 2024
Thank you NetGalley & Random House for the ARC!
As requested, my full review will not be posted until Pub Date 10/1/24.
As requested, my full review will not be posted until Pub Date 10/1/24.
June 15, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for honest feedback.
I’m going to start off by saying that if you expect this to be a romantic comedy please go back and look at the genre tags on this because it is NOT that. This book may have vampires in it but there’s some really heavy themes in this book. In fact, if you are a survivor of SA I fully suggest you read the TWs on this book before jumping in.
All that aside this book was amazing. She managed to combine heavy themes, vampires, and some good old fashion feminism together into a story that was really hard to put down. I liked that her vampires weren’t super human mutants but more like regular people who just happened to be vampires. It made them more relatable and fun to read about (side note: if there’s a sequel I need more Hamish, thanks!)
As for our main and side characters: Tess/Callum/Joni/Octavia. I loved all of them. You rooted for them the entire time, even when they were being stupid but especially by the end when everyone had their “personality glow up”
Maybe it’s cause I’m a millenial who lived through the Twilight era but I’m giving it 4 stars. (Again, read the TWs and remember that surviving SA is a major theme in the book.)
I’m going to start off by saying that if you expect this to be a romantic comedy please go back and look at the genre tags on this because it is NOT that. This book may have vampires in it but there’s some really heavy themes in this book. In fact, if you are a survivor of SA I fully suggest you read the TWs on this book before jumping in.
All that aside this book was amazing. She managed to combine heavy themes, vampires, and some good old fashion feminism together into a story that was really hard to put down. I liked that her vampires weren’t super human mutants but more like regular people who just happened to be vampires. It made them more relatable and fun to read about (side note: if there’s a sequel I need more Hamish, thanks!)
As for our main and side characters: Tess/Callum/Joni/Octavia. I loved all of them. You rooted for them the entire time, even when they were being stupid but especially by the end when everyone had their “personality glow up”
Maybe it’s cause I’m a millenial who lived through the Twilight era but I’m giving it 4 stars. (Again, read the TWs and remember that surviving SA is a major theme in the book.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews