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A review by jessiewolf
Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London
5.0
FANG FICTION is very successfully accomplishing several things at once! First, this novel is a truly surprising and delightful addition to the vampire fiction canon. If you think you've read it all--you haven't. Stayman-London is a vampire fiction afficionado, so you are in GOOD HANDS with this story. Our main character Tess is a scholar of pop culture, and she's obsessed with a series of vampire books called BLOOD FEUD. There's a popular conspiracy theory that this series is based on real life vampires in New York City, and Tess doesn't *not* believe in it...especially when on of the characters shows up at the hotel she works at! If you've ever wondered what you would do if your favorite characters came to life, you will surely identify with Tess's delight and fear.
Secondly, this novel is a trauma recovery story. Tess is a survivor of sexual assault, and this experience had a lasting impact on her career, her decisions, and her mental health. Stayman-London handles Tess's experience with such dedicated care and thoughtfulness and intentionality--if all authors were as deft with survivor stories as Stayman-London is, reading would be a less stressful experience for all of us. Reading FANG FICTION is a healing experience, and if seeing this kind of representation sounds like it might be helpful for you, this is the book I would recommend. (The assault in question happens off-page, though there are flashback scenes leading up to and following it. If you have specific questions about the content prior to reading, I am happy to answer them!)
Finally, FANG FICTION is a truly fun and swoony romance! Tess 100% deserves to have a happy ending, and obviously it should be with the vampire hero (/villain??) of her dreams. This is a beautiful story of Tess healing and being able to let people back into her life, and the payoff is huge here. If you're in it for vampire bites on the upper thigh, storybook gowns at masquerade balls, and alternative dimensions full of secret forests and magical bathing pools, you're going to want to pick this one up ASAP.
Secondly, this novel is a trauma recovery story. Tess is a survivor of sexual assault, and this experience had a lasting impact on her career, her decisions, and her mental health. Stayman-London handles Tess's experience with such dedicated care and thoughtfulness and intentionality--if all authors were as deft with survivor stories as Stayman-London is, reading would be a less stressful experience for all of us. Reading FANG FICTION is a healing experience, and if seeing this kind of representation sounds like it might be helpful for you, this is the book I would recommend. (The assault in question happens off-page, though there are flashback scenes leading up to and following it. If you have specific questions about the content prior to reading, I am happy to answer them!)
Finally, FANG FICTION is a truly fun and swoony romance! Tess 100% deserves to have a happy ending, and obviously it should be with the vampire hero (/villain??) of her dreams. This is a beautiful story of Tess healing and being able to let people back into her life, and the payoff is huge here. If you're in it for vampire bites on the upper thigh, storybook gowns at masquerade balls, and alternative dimensions full of secret forests and magical bathing pools, you're going to want to pick this one up ASAP.