I absolutely adored this. It's wild to me, considering Stayman-London's credentials, that this is such a delicious romantic story. The pacing is perfectly done and has just the right amount of fantasy to give it some special zing.

I don’t know why, but I struggled with this book normally, this would be right up my alley. I did not feel connected to the characters and I had a hard time buying into the love stories.

If you love vampire books and pop-culture references weaved throughout the book, you will enjoy picking up on these. Our main character is a victim of SA, and is discussed frequently, so always read content warnings. That being said, I felt the book started off strong, then kind of slowed down near the end. While I like serious, comedy, and spicy all mixed in the same book, it felt disjointed a lot here. Overall, I still feel like this is a strong debut, and I do look forward to seeing more from Kate.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group, NetGalley, and Kate Stayman-London for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love a book that does a bait and switch, which is what Fang Fiction provided to me in spades. I went into this forgetting what it was supposed to be about, and from the cover I thought it was going to be a rom-com, chicklit type book. Then I started reading and went “oh shit, this is actually a full on urban fantasy novel!” And from there, it just got better.

For those in need of the warning: this book has a subplot running through of SA and healing from it, but it is alluded to heavily from very early on in the book, and is worked into the story so the reader won’t be surprised or triggered when its details are inevitably revealed. I appreciated the author’s care in addressing the topic matter, and the agency she gave the FMC to have wounds she was scared of while still giving her time to heal and grow from them. It felt like a really tender and accurate portrayal of what many of us experienced, and it meant a lot to read.

On a lighter note, the romance and fantastical aspects of the story were so fun! With pop culture references to all of the big cultish vampire stories in the world, and a dip into fandom culture, I found myself fangirling and giggling along to the book myself. I also really appreciated the diversity in the characters, from race to sexual orientation to size diversity. It feels like that should be obvious in every book in the year of 2024, but we all know it is definitely NOT. So hats off to this author for doing it seamlessly.

On the whole, a fun romp of a book with characters you love and root for, and a plot you’re sucked into (vampire pun fully intended). 4⭐️, highly recommend.

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

3/5 stars
1-2 fade to black spice scenes
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Would reread? Probably not
Would recommend: To some
Location: NYC

I loved that it was written like a fan fiction and gave special effort to hold the vampire era that was early 2000s, especially all the fangirling. I loved the idea and the writing style (mostly), but the execution left some to be desired. It was really slow from 40-70% , unnecessarily dragging and details that did not add much to the story. I'm still really glad I read it.

Tropes & themes:
-Bookish - favorite romantasy book is REAL
-Vampires - rival clans!
-ex best friends come together again over their love of a vampire book series
-Fan fiction
-Portals & quests
-Podcast, emails, texts

For fans of Twilight and Vampire Diaries.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

CW: sexual assault survivor, friend break ups

If you're looking for a story to get lost in, one that makes you think what if while opening your eyes to both sides of a story, this is the one for you.

This is one of those books that I just kept reaching for, one that I couldn't get out of my head, one that had me thinking about it when I couldn't have it in my hands.

While there are some really hard topics this is overall a vampire romance with notes of comedy, family, and the lengths you'll go to when your found family needs you.

Tess, oh, what can I say about Tess? I saw myself in parts of her and saw women that I know and love in her courage, strength, and her moments of panic. To those women, you know who you are, and I'm in awe of you now and always.

Anytime we see our favorite characters in a new light can be shocking, but sometimes that shock has to happen to be able to see their full potential, whether it's a Shakespeare sprouting vampire we think is perfect, living monsters, or witches who know how to get things done, fiction is the great love of my life and this book with these characters is a great example of why.

I can only hope we're going to get a book, two, with Joni and Ocatvias story, maybe some of the antics I'm sure will ensue when a certain couple arrives in London, or what happens in those other worlds that no one has written about yet.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing a copy of this e-book; I have voluntarily read and reviewed it, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Just didn’t Hit for me and ended up a DNF… ((My apologies for the late review. (I am now cleaning them up for the new year)) overall this felt like fan fiction due to it being a DNF I will NOT be posting

Unfortunately another one in just didn’t feel pull me in. I tried to read about 20% of this but it just wasn’t hitting like other vampire books I’ve been reading. Not for me.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this advanced reader's edition. Unfortunately, I will not be able to give it the time required to write a thorough review and will be unable to read it for this purpose.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy!

I really enjoyed this one!! I loved the late 2000s vampire craze and this was a great connection to that. Vampire books, tv shows and movies are so iconic and you could tell the author was a huge fan as well. The concept was really interesting and done really well. It was part contemporary romance and part fantasy romance story. We follow Tess trapped in her favorite vampire romance novel and we also see her friend still in the real world with one of the vampires. Everything was really enjoyable and the plot was really interesting with some twists and turns! Overall a really fun read!

Thanks again to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy!

Fang Fiction is an incredibly fun book about vampires. There are a lot of vampire books out there, but this book has a fresh take and a very unique and intriguing storyline. I highly recommend this book!

I wanted to love this book as I am a big fan of anything and everything vampire but this story fell a bit flat for me. It started strong and I loved all the pop culture themes but I felt that the change from light-hearted vampire fun to trauma backstories was tough and I had a hard time staying connected. Ultimately, the book was mostly enjoyable but not something I would reread.

This wasn't it for me. I wasn't into the romance at all because it wasn't the main part of this book in my opinion. I thought I could get behind all the vampire stuff but nope. Love when a plus sized gal gets the man though, hell yes to that!

Kate Stayman-London’s Fang Fiction is a sharp, hilarious, and heartfelt ode to fandom culture and the transformative power of storytelling. With her signature wit and charm, Stayman-London crafts a novel that’s as much a love letter to fangirls as it is a critique of the sometimes-toxic dynamics within fandoms.

The story centers on Taryn, a former fanfiction writer who reluctantly reenters the world of fandom when her old vampire fanfic unexpectedly goes viral. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Taryn must confront her past, navigate her complicated feelings about the fandom that once consumed her life, and figure out what her old stories mean to her now as an adult.

Stayman-London’s portrayal of fandom culture is both loving and brutally honest. She captures the joy and community that fanfiction brings while also exploring its darker sides—gatekeeping, online harassment, and the struggle to separate personal identity from fandom identity. The novel is peppered with laugh-out-loud moments, clever nods to pop culture, and painfully relatable depictions of internet drama.

What truly elevates Fang Fiction is its heart. Taryn’s journey is deeply personal, as she wrestles with themes of creativity, authenticity, and self-acceptance. The supporting characters, from her fiercely loyal best friend to the enigmatic fandom rival, add depth and richness to the narrative, making the story feel both universal and uniquely specific.

The meta inclusion of Taryn’s fanfic excerpts within the book is a delight, offering readers a glimpse into her younger, more idealistic self while juxtaposing it with her more jaded adult perspective. These snippets highlight how storytelling can evolve with the storyteller, a theme that resonates throughout the novel.

Rating: 4.5/5

Funny, insightful, and deeply relatable, Fang Fiction is a must-read for anyone who’s ever lost themselves in a fictional world—or found themselves in one. Fans of contemporary fiction and fandom culture will devour this book like their favorite fic update at 3 a.m

This book was okay. The cover made me want to read it and the synopsis sounded really good. It was kind of slow, but overall the storyline wasn't bad. I gave this 3 stars.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

This was such a fun novel and absolutely a love letter to fandom. I love how Stayman-London took the stale "revelation" that vampires exist and made it centered in the fanfic world of fans. I love how Tess was so game for everything in Blood Feud novels being true and just rolling with it. Is this a wish come true? Is this a horrible idea? Can't it be both?

I was surprised at how fast Tess was all in on the Isle, Callum, and this entire world but then again, the book sets up the possibility that its all real pretty quickly. I appreciated how Tess's SA was dealt with, especially in how it affected her relationship with her roommate/best friend Joni.

Really, this book was hard to put down once I got into it and it's such a great second novel from Stayman-London! I can't wait to read her next book!

2.5 stars, rounded up! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC of this title.

This one was just… a really weird ride.

A book about a famous vampire series come to life, complete with romance and body diversity SHOULD have been perfectly my speed! I was sad that this one just didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

One of the biggest downfalls for me is that I just did NOT feel a spark anywhere in the main romantic couple’s interactions. Everything felt very forced. All of a sudden, they were apparently attracted to each other, but all interactions and words exchanged felt stilted and forced. I was left just wanting to get back to overall plot since I was so disinterested in the romance (and I am a romance reader, I need to love the romance!)

There was also just over all too much going on. The plot felt disconnected. The magic felt somehow both WAY too limitless (you can “glamour” REAL food and items from absolutely nothing, think it and you can have it!) and yet also so useless (all that previous stuff, but can’t find a way over the bridge?)

There was a council, but NO context or explanation of this council was given, how any of that connects to the vampire world, there are apparently witches and other supernatural things but again, NO further context given.

The concept for a cool story was there, but it felt way too grand to be in a romcom type book. It would’ve been better suited as an urban romantasy, with more details and depth given to the charters, plot, and world building.

And the SA storyline felt like way too much to be given any justice with just how bonkers everything else was in this story. Time and place, and a paranormal romcom was neither.

On a positive note, there were times I genuinely laughed at the dialogue. The author is witty, and the a voice was THERE, it just didn’t land for me. I seem to be in the minority though compared to a lot of the reviews I’ve seen, which I am glad for!

What a completely unexpected read! It takes a lot to surprise and engage me, having read a ton of paranormal romance, but this book really surprised me at every turn. While this book might not be for everyone, I loved the meta qualities and was ok with the darker elements.

Tess is somewhat naive when we meet her, new to grad school, making friends, and generally optimistic about life. Her love of a vampire series, Blood Feud, ties her to a larger fandom that ultimately becomes where she hides after a terrible thing happens. It turns out, however, that the vampires this series is based on are real and one of them needs her help getting back “home.” Of course, the books end up being unreliable narrators and Tess goes on a wild adventure directly into the pages of her favorite book.

I was completely addicted to this book from the start. Even with the darker tones sometimes expressed, it felt gritty and real and I loved it. The characters were fully formed and fun! Even the universe had neat unexpected lore thrown in. The outcome of the overall mystery was a surprise to me, which is always great, but it was the characters that I was rooting for. I’m not sure what I expected at the start, but this book won me over 100% by the finish!

Stayman-London has written a uniquely brilliant vampire paranormal romance tackling bodily autonomy, connection, and control. Tess dropped out of grad school after she was sexually assaulted. Now she works the hotel night shift, reading her favorite fictional series—one proven to be nonfiction when one of the book’s vampires, Olivia, walks into her hotel and asks her to help save her twin brother. As a human, Tess can help the vampires trapped in an alternate version of New York, but they aren’t anything like their characters…and she can’t help but fall for the man she was sent to save. Back in New York, her former best friend is falling for Olivia as they attempt to solve the problem from their end. Ultimately, the four will have to bite into some uncomfortable truths if they want to make it out alive.

I really enjoyed One to Watch when I read it a couple years ago, so I was glad to go back to Kate Stayman-London. Fang Fiction didn’t really work for me, but I expect it will for plenty of readers. I loved the fan fiction element, but I didn’t care so much about the real life vampire thing.