Started this and immediately wanted it to be over so DNF’ed—writing was not very good and I didn’t like all the interstitials/mixed media inserts

Fang Fiction had a premise with so much promise but I am sorry to report that it did not deliver on that promise. There were some fun fish out of water moments and some delightful romantic moments, but they were lost amongst too many characters and plot points that didn’t creative a very cohesive story experience. Nothing has a chance to breathe in the story and the pace dragged. There is also a very heavy plot line that centers a rape that happened and I did think that was handled carefully but again, it almost felt like it was happening in a totally different book than some of the vampire antics.

Overall a good read. If you love vampires and romance then go for it. Perfect for the Halloween season. Enjoyed it.

Fang Fiction is a contemporary paranormal romance about a hotel manager who tries to help a group of vampires stuck in an alternate New York City.

Tess is a former grad student and Williamsburg hotel manager who is part of the fandom for a series of vampire novels called Blood Feud. Despite being sold as fiction, the books are actually based on rival vampire clans stuck in a parallel New York City, unable to escape. When one of the vampires, Octavia, finds a way out, she seeks Tess’s help after reading her Buzzfeed article on Blood Feud conspiracy theories. Octavia is alone, without her twin Callum or her powers, and needs Tess to cross over to the island and pass a message to her brother. But things quickly go sideways, and it will be up to Tess, Callum, and the clan on one side, and Octavia and Tess’s friend Joni on the other, to end the curse.

This book tried to be a lot of things and ultimately fell short for me. Tess dropped out of college after being assaulted, which set a serious tone, but there are also rom-com moments, pop culture references, and two very rushed romances. I didn’t feel any chemistry or connection between any of the romantic partners, or even between Tess and her entire friendship with Joni. The plot felt odd to me, and the curse, the island, and the entire vampire lore weren’t intriguing or fun to read. It also didn’t feel particularly like New York at all and could have taken place in any big city.

This one didn’t work for me.

The author describes this book as a live letter to Buffy and I think that describes it perfectly. This book deals with serious topics while also being silly and fun, which Buffy does. While the main ship was too insta-lovey for me, I thought this book was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed following Tess on her journey to healing, to realizing she has power and not being afraid to ask for what she wants. This book is perfect to anyone that wants a taste of what it might be like if the characters from your favorite book were real. Please note that this book does deal with SA. It is noted in both the description of the book and the authors note at the beginging.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a copy of the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to start this book, but as the story progressed, I struggled to stay engaged. I love vampire stories and I saw it was labeled LGBT+ so I was anticipating the fmc to be queer. And while this story does have multiple point of views and there is a sapphic romance that we see from the respective women’s pov, the primary focus of this story follows Tess (a straight human) and her budding romance with Callum (a straight vampire). I don’t mind reading m/f, but I would have liked a more even balance between the two romances in the storytelling especially because it is labeled as LGBT+.

I will say I really enjoyed the ending. One of the storylines revolves around healing from SA trauma and I liked the way this was written. There was a really cute moment between the sapphics at the end that made me smile. And I liked the way the story wrapped up for everyone involved.

DNF @ 66%

Okay, so admittedly a vampire romance was unlikely to be my thing. I gave it a shot on two grounds. 1) I really liked this author's debut, One to Watch. 2) The writeup for this book made it sound more like tongue-in-cheek guilty pleasure fun than the average romantasy novel.

While it occasionally delivers on the latter, there is a huge tonal mismatch between the silly romp I expected and the intense trauma laced throughout. It's not well-integrated and very jarring. The author's introductory note essentially says "It's okay! Don't worry - I'm not showing the assault itself." As if this is somehow less triggering. Personally I feel the anxiety of the unknown coupled with frequent and intense trauma reactions throughout the book is more disturbing than books I've read with assault scenes.

I've never actively DNF'd a book I was reviewing before. But I just can't force myself through any more of it. I don't care what happens to the characters, I'm quite certain the final third of the book won't change my opinion of it, and life is too short to force yourself through something you're actively disliking.

I will say that I do like the protagonist. The author also does fantastic queer rep! So it's not a total wash. The vampire worldbuilding is decent, in a fanficky way. I get the impression it's more in the style of Twilight or The Vampire Diaries than my preferred Buffy/Angel or What We Do in the Shadows. This is a personal taste thing though. Someone who loved Twilight or is active in an online fandom might have a better time with this book than I did.

I'm sorry but this was one of the worst books I've read in awhile. I was so excited for this vampire book, loved the cover, but this was a massive letdown. The writing is extremely mediocre and very hard to keep your attention throughout The entire plot point of the girl getting SA'ed (or at least she thinks she was) and then uprooting her entire life because of it is not the rom-com I was looking for. I'm only giving it 2 stars instead of 1 because the beginning did intrigue me and hold my attention but then I very quickly lost interest. Don't talk about rape and SA throughout an entire book that's being marketed as a "vampires are real rom-com". I definitely will not be reading more from this author.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback for the gifted copy for my honest review.

*Mild Spoilers in 2nd Paragraph*

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this and it did not disappoint! I loved the magic system that felt familiar but also had nuance as well. All of the interstitials and pop culture references were probably my favorite part of the book. Anything that nods to the Buffy Universe is good with me. I also really loved the multiple POV's that I wasn't expecting from the MMC, and the side characters! I definitely would read more books in this world-I want to know more about Flora and Fern and the Bar Between STAT. What else is out there?

Things I didn't like: The insta-love between Callum and Tess didn't feel real enough for me. Especially after what Tess went through, and Callum being who he was for hundreds of years. I still enjoyed it obviously-but I was a little disappointed they were both so into it right away. That being said, I thought the connection between Joni and Octavia felt more authentic!

Overall I really enjoyed the book and thought it was a super fun read!

I loved Kate stayman-london’s first book and her sophomore novel was no exception. It was campy and quirky and fun and human. I think it’s going to be enjoyed by many

After being assaulted at a party, Tess's dream life starts to crumble--she can't sleep and eventually has to drop out of graduate school. While she is staying afloat as the night manager of a swanky hotel in Brooklyn, Tess still feels adrift. Then, one night, a character from her favorite vampire book series turns up at the hotel looking for her.

I enjoyed Tess's character arc as she overcame her self-imposed victimhood and saw that she was strong enough to rescue herself. However, the romances were very insta-love with no real reason or substance, which is a little disappointing since, overall, the book seems to be in conversation with fandom culture and popular romantasy tropes.

Still, it was fun to read, especially as someone deep in the fandom trenches growing up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this one didn't quite work for me.
It felt like it was trying to be serious but was really a satire fan fic. The mention of so many "hip" things. TikTok, bella + Edward, Timothy chalamet and so many more really took me out of the story.
I did enjoy the thought of you quite literally being sucked into your favorite book series. But I needed more from the story.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC.

This was hilarious. Extremely quirky and HILARIOUS!

What happens when you realize that your favorite fictional vampire universe is indeed real?

I must say, I didn't expect it to be so silly (in a good way)! There were multiple povs, which at times became too much to keep track of but enjoyed Tess' romance with a certain vampire.

The first half of the book was great; perfect banter, pacing & everything. However, I did feel like the second half was a bit jumbled and rushed.

Nevertheless I enjoyed it a lot!

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC! This was such a banger. I did not expect such a serious topic to be tackled in this book, but it was handled so well and with such care. I was obsessed with the characters, the world, the lore. Can the "Blood Feud" books be real? I 'd read them. This was perfection, the references, the story, the inclusion. I adore this book!

A fun story of superfans and vampires. What would happen if you discovered your favourite series of novels was real? That's exactly what happens to Tess and Joni, and what follows is full of adventure, danger, and hot vampires. This will be a particularly great time for anyone who has been active in the world of fanfic and particularly Buffyverse and Twilight Mary Sue fics....you know who you are (and I know who I am, and I had an absolutely fantastic time.)

Major trigger warnings for sexual assault - the main character spends a lot of this novel coming to terms with a prior assault, it's handled well and is an empowering experience for her in the end but those who avoid those storylines should take care.

Thank you to Random House, Dial Press, and NetGalley for the advance copy!

Fang Fiction is less of a romance, and more of a love letter to all of the vampire fandoms out there. Although not a fangirl, I had mad love for Buffy and Angel back in the day, while the Twilight and True Blood series got me started on a PNR kick that I still haven't moved past.

I'm not so sure I'd want to live in a world where vampires are real, but at the same time, I have to admit to a fascination with them that would probably have me diving in head first, just as Tess does when her real life in NYC as a boutique hotel manager collides head on with the world inhabited by the "fictional" vampires that star in her favorite vampire books. She's familiar with every nuance of the books, but there are plenty of surprises in store for her as she comes to realize that maybe the books aren't quite accurate in identifying the true heroes and villains in the story.

Now, Tess is facing all kinds of challenges, from breaking free of the past trauma that has limited her potential, to rescuing her vampire lover, Callum, his sister, and his clan, to foiling the true villains who are intent on getting off the island where they are imprisoned and seizing power in the human world.

I found the book to be imaginative in its worldbuilding, fun to read, and ultimately satisfying as a light fantasy with romance elements. I would have liked Tess and Callum's romance to be better developed, but this was still a fun romp. Olivia, Callum's twin sister, and Joni, Tess's former roommate and best friend had fantastic chemistry and their romance seemed more believable. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Based on the premise of this I was so sure I was going to love it but unfortunately I did not connect with the writing style at all. There were too many stories and different formats going on that it really took my out of the story. The book inside a book, fine, but I didn't need the text messages or podcast transcripts. Honestly by the end of the book I was just skimming because I never truly connected with the characters and didn't really care about the wrap up of the story. I'd still be interested to see what this author comes up with next because this was a really interesting premise, I just didn't like the execution.

First, I want to express my gratitude to Ms. Stayman - London for the care and sensitivity with which she addressed such a difficult subject. The author's note at the beginning of the book set the tone beautifully, reminding readers that stories like this must be handled with respect and understanding—and she succeeded in doing just that.

I absolutely loved Fang Fiction. The protagonist, Tess, is a woman whose life has been upended after an assault, leading her to flee from a future she had once fought for. She finds herself working the night shift at a hotel, becoming obsessed with vampire novels, which offer her an escape from her reality. But when one of those very vampires seemingly steps out of the pages and into her world, the story takes a fantastical turn that leads Tess on a mission to save the vampires who have become her solace.

What stood out to me most was how Tess’s journey on the Isle—where the vampires had been banished—became a metaphor for her healing. The supernatural elements were not only thrilling but also deeply symbolic. The isolation, the danger, the mystery of the Isle all mirrored her internal struggles, and through this journey, she confronts the trauma she’s been carrying. The way Kate weaved these two storylines together—Tess’s real-world pain and her fantasy-world mission—was thoughtful and, at times, nerve wracking. It added so much depth to what could have easily been just another supernatural romance.

I was quite sad about what happened with Tess' friendship with Joni early on. Their falling out was heartbreaking, and while I wanted them to find a way back to each other sooner, I understand why it happened the way it did. It was a necessary part of Tess’s personal growth, and seeing them come back together as if no time had passed was incredibly true to life.

Was the story a bit predictable? Yes. But to be honest, most romance stories are. And while this book certainly had its romantic elements, it was about so much more than that. It’s a story about a woman’s strength, perseverance, and her ability to heal—even if it comes from the most unexpected places.

If you enjoy books that mix fantasy with real-world emotional depth, this one is for you. Tess’s journey is one you’ll want to follow, and you’ll find yourself rooting for her from start to finish. Thank you again, Kate Stayman-London, for this poignant, magical, and ultimately hopeful story.

Fang Fiction manages to carefully cover heavy topics while also being over-the-top and pretty silly, which is something I appreciate in a book. A brief premise is that Tess ends up in the world of her favorite book series, which features feuding vampires. There were a couple times when I questioned if something really made sense or worked, but the answer was generally yes for me.

Honestly, this book just had too much going on. There were too many POVs, so it was hard to establish chemistry for either of the couples added on to the fact this was a high stakes adventure, I just don't think this should be marketed as romance and honestly should have just been from Tess' perspective only. I did like that a lot of the book was split up epistolary which was way more effective at helping figure out what was happening outside of the Isle or explain the lore a bit more.