Title | : | Fang Fiction |
Author | : | |
Rating | : | |
ISBN | : | 0593729129 |
ISBN-10 | : | 9780593729120 |
Language | : | English |
Format Type | : | Paperback |
Number of Pages | : | 400 |
Publication | : | Expected publication October 1, 2024 |
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.
Fang Fiction Reviews
-
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 🤷🏻♀️ -
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 -
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. -
3.5⭐️
RTC -
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!!!!!
-
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. -
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.
-
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. -
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! -
OMG THIS SOUNDS FUCKING AMAZING
-
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. -
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ 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. -
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 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! -
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 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!!!! -
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!!* -
Thank you NetGalley & Random House for the ARC!
As requested, my full review will not be posted until Pub Date 10/1/24. -
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.) -
If I was a vampire and the sun rose on me right now, I'd be dust because I'm too busy processing the yummy fantasy & mystery of this book.
Tess lives a predictable no-stakes (pun intended) life. She works nights at a hotel, escapes into her comfort rereads, participates in fandom online and maintains her peace by minimizing social risks. But then a vampire, straight from the pages of her favorite book, disrupts it all like shes Princess Leia telling Obi-Wan he's her only hope.
A magical quest ensues across dimensions to a vampire realm Tess only dreamed could be real. Yet, for all the scholarly knowledge of her favorite fictional vampires, nothing quite prepared her for the real thing. Villains keep her safe. Heroes threaten death. And she has to act fast to save them all.
*
You're picking up FANG FICTION for the lure of a villain vampire romance, but the standout for me is the world building and mysteries to solve. I need to reread as soon as possible to pick up on all the clues I missed.
I loved too the mixed media storytelling - Blood Feud exerpts, blog posts, text history, podcast transcripts. Its made for an immersive reading experience just like Tess herself fell into her own immersive save-vampirekind experience.
The romance was secondary for me. More so, I felt the romance served Tess' character development rather than be the primary objective of the book. From the beginning, the Author's Note even, I was prepared to be on Tess' schedule. We see her trauma responses on page. We see her protect herself from perceived and tangible threats to her safety. You can't start this book expecting or demanding a romance to proceed as you, the reader, want. Leave that behind and let love happen when trust is earned. When confidence is restored. And when passion for the future wins out over fear.
*
FANG FICTION is for dark romance readers looking for something campy and heartfelt. Its perfect for book clubs or buddy reads because you're gonna have theories that need to be shared.
Now if Kate Stayman-London wants to write and publish the Blood Feud books as a companion series, I am seated.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing & The Dial Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. -
Okay, first off, let's take care of the elephant that is in the room of every vampire-themed book since 2005 - if you enjoy(ed) Twilight, I think you'll like this! There are a few similar scenes that I found kinda hilarious, but they did not detract from the unique story that Kate was writing in Fang Fiction. I can always appreciate when a book hints at another popular novel without losing itself in it, y'know?
Also, second thing I gotta say before I get to the point - the author is a huge swiftie, which I super appreciate.
Okay, so, Fang Fiction.
This book is very much a delightful read that also does an excellent job at showing a character actively working through her past in what, to me, felt like a very honest approach. I have read plenty of books where a main character is struggling with the same things Tess is here, but this book still managed to feel fresh. The pacing for this book was great - it came close to insta-love without actually hitting it, which makes the romances far more tolerable.
Perhaps my favourite thing about this novel was the uses of mixed media - I love when authors use snippets of podcasts and news articles to fill out their stories, though sometimes that does not work out. But in this case, it absolutely did. It really helped showcase just what kind of presence Blood Feud has in Tess and Joni's world; you can tell me all you want that these books are bestsellers or whatever, but what really helps is showcasing the fandom. So that was a great touch and I am very glad that it was included, and also I want to listen to that podcast.
Overall, I think anyone who appreciates vampires, magical realism (shout out to the use of the Find My Friends app, that was hilarious!), and badass female characters, will enjoy this book. I do advise that you take note of the trigger warnings, though; Kate does a great job at telling Tess' story without getting gritty, but it still present, so be careful. If you read the trigger warnings and decide that you can handle it, then I heavily recommend you give this book a shot. I promise Callum is worth it. -
Opening this book and the first line I read being a quote that my heart recognized before my brain did was awesome. It might have also led me to realize that I am, at heart, a lover of bad boys #Spuffyforever and what a way to set the scene for this story!
Fang Fiction is such a fun and interesting read that as soon as I finished it, I was already planning on reading it again. You really get to know all the characters in a way that makes you feel like you’re right there with them in the story, and I loved every second of it. Reading this book feels like the type of gossip session you have after you get a “You’re never going to believe this,” text from your best friend out of the blue and then they spill tea that has you both screeching and unravel truths that you’re still reeling from days later.
I will admit that when I read the synopsis I was worried I would struggle to suspend my disbelief because how is a hotel manager the only one that can save the vampires? But once I started reading, I never questioned it again because I was too busy devouring it!
As a lover of all things vampire, I can truly say this book is everything Twilight wishes it was. The pacing is perfect, I loved how real the storyline was.
I do have to say thank you to Kate Stayman-London for writing this book that fed my reality tv and gossip loving brain but also for writing about so many important things.
P.S. Tell your agent that this book wouldn’t be half as good without the jokes because Fang fiction is now my #1 standalone for 2024💖
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to write an honest review of the ARC for Fang Fiction!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️/5 -
Ty to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC!
YESSSSS
I loved this book, and can't wait to add it to my shelf.
Spice: 3.5/5. 🌶️
Read if you like:
Vamps (obviously)
Human x vamp romance ✨
Slooooow burn
LGBTQ COUPLES ✨
Touch her x die
Characters with trauma
Love triangles?
A magical island where vampires are trapped and a human has to save them? Sign me tffff up! I absolutely loved this one. Tess is trying to navigate the Isle while working through her own past traumas.
If you had a chance to go inside your favorite novels, would you do it? Even if it meant putting yourself in mortal danger?
Where do I even begin??
Callum & Tess have fiery, romantic energy and sweet chemistry but Tess and Felix? It was SIZZLING. 🥵 Their witty banter? C'MON (in another lifetime maybe).
I loved the exerts from the actual Blood Fued Novels! I would totally have been a Fuedie.
I'm super ashamed to admit I'd be a Felix girly at first like Tess was (who doesn't love a romantic who quotes poetry and is a doting sweetheart who's sometimes a morally gray asshat?)
Still, Callum was adorable. He was so protective over Tess, if at first mistrusting, but their love story was so amazing.
This book was SO incredible. I loved the romances. I loved the vampires, the violence, the back stories with Konstantin and the incredible world building on the Isle.
You won't regret pre ordering this one 🖤
Btw I should've guessed who August Lirio was, but has no idea! -
This one was really cool & unique!
Fang Fiction follows Blood Feud fanatic Tess Rosenbloom after a low point in her life — she dropped out of school after a traumatic sexual assault shook her whole world up. She left her roommate bestie Joni without any explanation and begins working overnights at a hotel.
Blood Feud fans have heard the conspiracy theories that their favorite novels may actually be based more on the truth than anyone expected - there are vampires walking among them and these fictional characters truly exist. We have fun Buzzfeed quizzes, podcast transcripts, e-mails, texts and excerpts from Blood Feud to help us tell the story. Tess even wrote a piece that explored the possibility of this reality …
I love love loved this one! I had a lot of fun exploring this world and my heart really went out to Tess as she navigated life after her trauma. I think Twilight, Buffy, & What We Do In The Shadows fans will eat this up! Dig in!!
Thank you so much NetGalley & Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I look forward to reading more from Kate Stayman-London. -
Fang Fiction is a gripping novel that delves into important themes such as gender-based violence and the impact of academia on literature. Set on a gothic campus in NYC, the story is a mix of vampire lore and real life academia, making for a captivating read. The inclusion of mixed media adds depth to the narrative, while the lesbian representation adds an element of diversity.
The novel is reminiscent of dark academia vibes, with a touch of smutty vampire tale that is sure to enthrall readers. The setting of a hotel with desert hues of sage, rose, and terra cotta adds to the atmospheric feel of the story. The vampire anthology and the ramping up of vampire obsession keep the plot engaging throughout.
The book is a must-read for fans of vampire flicks, especially those looking for a punchy and intense read. The author effortlessly weaves multiple storylines together, creating a complex and intriguing narrative. However, some readers may find the ending a bit drawn out with too much adventure time and explaining.
Overall, Fang Fiction is a compelling read that tackles important issues while delivering an entertaining story. I gave it four stars and am grateful to NetGalley for the ARC, as it was a refreshing return to reading after a break. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a unique and thought-provoking read. -
This was so much fun! Tess is living all of our dreams when she finds out the characters in her favorite books are real and gets the opportunity to visit their world, which happens to be a hidden isle full of dangerous vampires.
I loved how the magical world was incorporated into the modern world with the “Blood Feud” book fandom and the conspiracy theories about the vampires actually being real. There are things like podcast transcripts, text exchanges, and excerpts from Blood Feud which were a really fun way to break up the chapters.
While there were a lot of lighthearted moments, there were also heavier themes such as Tess’ trauma after being sexually assaulted and how she tries to get her life back. The vampires (especially one hot vampire love interest in particular) end up being a really important part of her story and I thought it was very well done. Highly recommend this to my fellow vampire romance lovers!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I thought it was a lot of fun. It was fast-paced, interesting, and full of vampires. I couldn't help but feel like things were missing from it though.
I feel like including two love stories in here detracted from each other so it left me wanting more from both couples. Also, I wish we spent more time in the Isle since that was what interested me most. The mixed media format was interesting as well, but sometimes I felt like the inclusions were too often. The book would have a good pace and then there would be an interview or email in the middle which messed with the rhythm of it a bit.
I'm nitpicking a bit at this though but I enjoyed it overall. If you're looking for a fun supernatural queer romance, I'd suggest checking this out!
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with this ARC!
3.5 rounded up. -
Book 79 of 2024: Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tess Rosenbloom is no stranger to the dark. An assault survivor and grad school dropout, Tess spends her nights managing a chic Brooklyn hotel and her days reading her favorite vampire novels, Blood Feud. But deep down, Tess doesn’t believe vampires actually exist…until one walks through her door. It turns out the sexy villain of Blood Feud is trapped, and only Tess can rescue him. Eager to escape her life, Tess agrees to help, and soon she’s on a secret island surrounded by vampires—and most terrifying of all, she's falling in love with one of them. Visiting the world of your favorite story is any fan’s dream, but can Tess outrun the demons of her past (and vampires of her present) before it becomes a nightmare?
Thank you so much to @netgalley, @randomhouse, and @katestaymanlondon for this ARC! This was a super fun read that had me giggling and kicking my feet. How cool is it that Tess got to find out that her favorite fantasy world is real? I think that is any reader’s dream! I loved the way that the story was told. The book contain experts from the Blood Feud series, as well as text messages and podcast transcripts, which really gave the sense of the popularity of the series and added many different points of view and information to the plot. The world building was also so creative. I also loved Tessa‘s background as a PhD student and all of the allusions to famous literature—so fun! There is a trigger warning for sexual assault, which the author warns readers of very well in the beginning of book, but there are no graphic descriptions which I appreciated. This was a fun read and I really enjoyed it! Vampire girlies, look out for Fang Fiction on October 1! -
My favorite movie when I was around 10 years old was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The original Buffy with Luke Perry and Kristy Swanson. I was obsessed. Reading Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London put me right back in that feeling I had during my Buffy obsession. This book was so fun to read. It has humans and vampires and witches and book fandoms and love. It has the story of a friendship tested and a story of survival. Also, there’s a playlist on Spotify. I love books that have a playlist created by the author. I loved every second I spent with this book. I am going to need a physical copy for my shelf. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this book before it is published.