There's a bit too much happening in Fang Fiction, tonally and plot wise. Tonally, you have a fairly silly and fun paranormal adventure/romance in New York City on the one hand, and a serious and sensitive treatment of rape and its aftermath on the other, and the two don't quite mesh - which is not to say that they could not, but there's a jarring quality to how the story moves from one to the other (I will say that this could be intentional or meant to represent how such trauma is experienced, but it doesn't quite feel that way). Plot wise, the story feels crowded and overstuffed. I think this is partially due to the book not knowing quite what it wants to be: it is marketed as a romance, but the romance was the least interesting and memorable part to me. In all honesty, it felt like one of those older supernatural adventure movies where we get a perfunctory romance subplot that feels more obligatory than fully realized.
Overall, I think Fang Fiction needed either (a) to lean away from the romance and into the paranormal adventure aspect with a more fleshed out world, characters, and conflict and properly relegate the romance to a subplot, (b) simplify and consolidate the nonromance plots and focus more on developing the main romantic leads and their connection, or (c) just be much longer to be able to develop both aspects sufficiently.

Thank you very much to Dial Press and NetGalley for approving this arc.

Unfortunately the author's note mentions that this story is of a sexual assault survivor and it seems like that's a fairly pervasive theme in the book. This is not a good time in my life to dive in to this type of story, so I'll be putting it on the back burner until spooky season when I'm more equipped to read it; and I'll update my review at that time.

Perhaps some trigger warnings would be good to post on the request page in future?

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for letting me read an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book, I didn't love it. The premise was fun, but there's been better written books about fictional book characters that are actually real living amongst humans. I loved the characters but didn't really connect with any of them. They were fun and likeable but I feel like I didn't really know them too well. And the bad characters from the vampires to "nice guy" Rick were kinda let off easy. I didn't get the closure that I wanted from Rick being expelled. It was just a tiny little blurb, nothing more, like it didn't even matter. It was nice that Tess learned who she was and she got her best friend back, but I wanted to know more about the side characters like Sylvie and Hamish. It was overall enjoyable but felt kinda rushed and weak writing.

This book was absolutely hilarious. It was such a unique twist to have the book characters be real vampires. I loved Tess' adventures on the Isle. I guessed pretty quickly who the mystery writer was, but it was still fun to read. This one did deal with some serious topics that I felt were a little weirdly placed.

I really liked this one. I loved Kate Stayman-London's debut book so I was super excited to find this here and even more excited when I was approved! I dove into this not really knowing what to expect and I was not disappointed. It was much different than her first book but I ended up loving it. It probably could have been shorter; it seemed to drag in places, but I'm not sure what could have been cut out. Four stars.

Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London is a wildly funny vampire adventure. I laughed so often while reading this- Tess is a wickedly funny protagonist who is really just trying her best in every situation. I loved her friendship with Joni, and the way that we see that relationship change throughout the novel. I also thought the shifting perspective was really well done- it felt necessary, and gave me a really nice picture of what was happening outside of Tess’ point of view. The little pieces of “found” media at the beginning of each chapter were really fun, too! I looked forward to seeing what each one was going to be and figuring out how it fit into the larger puzzle of this novel. Honestly, there wasn’t anything that I didn’t like about this novel- it was a fun read, and something that I would definitely pick up again! Many thanks to NetGalley, Kate Stayman-London, and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC!

Oh, “Fang Fiction” was so fun! I loved her first novel, and this one will have a special place in my heart too. Perfect for fan fiction lovers, vampire enthusiasts, and anyone who likes a fun romp!

I want to like this so badly but the narrative was just so all over the place and the characters read so much than they are. I found myself having to go back and remember characters because there was such a lack of focus here.

This book combined very heavy topics (SA, PTSD) with the lightness of a fictional world of vampires that turns out to be real. I loved the fandom of the Blood Feud series integrated throughout the book. The vampire world is over the top but I enjoyed that it was kind of ridiculous and tropey like some mega popular fantasy series are.

Imagine the world of your favorite fantasy novels is real, and you’re invited to visit. The only catch? It’s filled with thirsty vampires. Fang Fiction is an exciting enemies-to-lovers story with forced proximity that kept me hooked from start to finish! If you loved Bride by Ali Hazlewood, you would adore this.

Tropes:
-Slow Burn
-Enemies to lovers
-Forced Promoitity
-Hurt/Comfort

Arc received from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was cute and quick! I enjoyed how it was a bit silly and campy, didn't take itself too seriously.

My biggest issue was with the het romance - I felt like it just progressed far too quickly. She went from not trusting him to suddenly trusting him 100%. Gave me a bit of emotional whiplash.

The sapphic romance was really great though! It progressed much more naturally and felt more real and likely. Truly, Joni and Octavia are iconic.

I appreciated how well the author handled the SA and the realism of the impact it had on Tess.

I don't know that all of the "interludes" (the podcast transcripts, text transcripts, etc.) were really necessary. Some of them were funny, but often times I felt jarred out of my reading flow and didn't enjoy them.

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

This was such a treat!! The portal fantasy and online vampire fandom aspects were soo fun and I appreciated the care with which Tess's traumatic backstory was written. Strong recommend for fans of other fang fiction.

What a fun read! This is definitely the most unique Romantasy book I have ever read. I loved how the author integrated the plot line of the book series the vampires were from, with what was going on with our Main Character in real time. Lovers of rom-coms that are looking to read something for spooky season will love this one.

I was confused at the start with the number of POVs and other info from the in-world books and podcasts. It came together more by the end and felt satisfying, but I definitely struggled with tracking the story in the beginning.

YES we need a vampire revival asap rocky. i loved every second of this, from the novelty it brought to the romance genre as well as the reliability of a good old fashioned vampire book. this was utterly unputdownable and i already want more from her!

FANG FICTION by Kate Stayman-London

Pub date: Oct. 1, 2024
Publisher: Dial Press
Rating: 3.5 / 5

If you learned that your favorite book characters were all real, what would you do to live in their world?

Tess Rosenbloom loves few things in life as much as the Blood Feud novels. To her surprise, it turns out the vampires of Blood Feud are all real; from the romantic hero Felix to the villainous twins Callum and Octavia. Tess is sought out by one vampire who claims all the characters of Blood Feud have been exiled on a not so fictitious island, and Tess may very well be the key to their freedom.

FANG FICTION is Kate Stayman-London's sophomore novel and the perfect read for anyone who loves "modern girl in ... AU" fanfics. Tess's discovery that her comfort characters are real is humorous and overall endearing. While the characters are not particularly nuanced and the action is fairly tropey, there is a strong theme of healing and overcoming stigmas in both reality and fiction. To be specific, Tess's journey centers around her finding closure after being sexually assaulted prior to the start of the book. There is no graphic depiction of SA on the page but it is significant to the story. The book also includes a prominent sapphic romance, thoughtful analysis of women in literature, and a variety of multimedia storytelling and pop culture references. Fang Fiction plays up the vamp camp and will likely appeal to readers who, just like Tess, find the best escape through books.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!)

[Review posted on 8/1/24 to https://www.instagram.com/brittain.books/]

This book was fun and so interesting at the same time.. This will be a wonderful fall read for anyone. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in as I’ve never read anything from this author before, but I was fascinated! The cover pulled me in at first, and then the characters kept me going …a must read this year!!

Thank you so much for the eARC!
A silly goofy time for the nostalgia of twilight and the vampire diaries circa 2009.

The writing is campy and easy to read, perfect for a light-hearted escape. The inclusion of mixed media—podcast transcripts, text messages, and emails—adds a nice touch. While these elements were mostly well-placed, they sometimes felt like a tool for info-dumping. I found myself wishing for shorter chapters and clearer transitions between POVs and scenes to help with the flow.

The tone shifts were a bit jarring at times. The book moved quickly from light and fun rom-com moments to darker, more serious topics, which felt a bit off. While I appreciated the attempt to add depth, these transitions could have been integrated more smoothly. The plot was busy and occasionally veered into cheesy territory, but overall, I had a good time reading it.

This book is a fun, nostalgic ride for fans of vampire stories, even if it has a few cringey moments ♥️✨

"Fang Fiction" left me feeling underwhelmed despite its intriguing premise. Tess Rosenbloom, a grad school dropout and insomniac, finds herself entangled in a world where her favorite vampire novels, Blood Feud, turn out to be real. The story promises a darkly glamorous rom-com but delivers a disjointed narrative that struggles to find its footing.

The plot felt cluttered with multiple POVs, podcast dialogues, and segments from Blood Feud, making it difficult to stay engaged. The book attempted to juggle too many elements, and as a result, none of them were fully developed. Tess's journey, while initially captivating, became overshadowed by the chaotic storytelling.

I appreciated the author's ambition, but the execution fell short. The serious themes introduced were at odds with the lighthearted tone expected from a rom-com, creating an uneasy blend that left me disconnected from the characters and their struggles.

I had high hopes after enjoying Stayman-London's "One to Watch," but "Fang Fiction" didn't capture the same magic. It had potential, but ultimately, it was a miss for me.