Fangsters, a novel

by Jo-Ann Carson

When a book nerd witch is blackmailed into running a school for delinquent, teenage, vampires in Mystic Keep things become a bloody mess. To make matter matters worse someone in town is hunting witches.

Genres: Fantasy, Vampires, Magic, Romance, Paranormal, Supernatural

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 4, 2023

About the author

Jo-Ann Carson
~A little bit of magic~
Jo-Ann Carson is an award-winning author who loves the magic of storytelling. She writes evocative settings, strong characters, and fast-paced plots. Her current project, Fangsters, is a six book, urban fantasy series about a sorceress blackmailed into running an academy for delinquent, teenage vampires.
To date, Jo-Ann Carson has published 37 stories. Her latest series are: Fangsters, the Dial Witch Trilogy, The Perfect Brew Trilogy, the Ghost & Abby Mysteries, and the Gambling Ghosts Novellas.
A firm believer in the magic of our everyday lives, Jo-Ann loves watching sunrises, walking the beaches with her poodle near her home in the Pacific Northwest, and reading books by a crackling wood fire. You can find more about her on her website.

Website / Goodreads / BookBub / Facebook / Pinterest

Reviews

[Alyson Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joining Rebel at the Fangsters academy, we meet her vampire students, witch, warlock & werewolf family as she begins to set up a school as a favour to Alessandro the strange vampire. Really quick, exciting read that moves at the perfect pace for a cozy read. Throughly enjoyed this book! I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens.com, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kylie Cantwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fangsters is a highly enjoyable introduction to the unusual town Mystic Keep which is home to various creatures – generally minus vampires. So why has an influential – and blackmailing – vampire insisted that his new school for vampires be here? Why has he put Rebel, a witch, in charge? Why does it have to have delinquents? Why is there someone hidden behind the locked silver door in Rebel’s bedroom? And what’s going on with all these witches being murdered?

So many questions woven together in an entertaining dark urban fantasy / horror novel, first in this new series. This blended genre is the focus for the novel, but there’s a hint of romance as well as some bossy sisters and their husbands who are determined to look out not only for Rebel, but for the best interests of the town, too.

While the story is fantasy, Rebel’s concerns resonated and I’m sure many readers with siblings, families, students or blackmailers will be able to relate. Well worth reading! I look forward to the second instalment in the series.

I received an advance review copy for free in exchange for my honest review.

[Carol Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes!! Amazing book. It's like getting two of my favorite fixes in one go! Thriller and supernatural fantasy. I breezed through this one so fast I was sorry to see that I had hit the end already. Well written with fascinating characters that I look forward to reading and discovering more about in future books. Well done! Have definitely found myself a new favorite author to read and follow.

**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily**

[Urszula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and composed story. Good world building and background that adds this story. Interesting characters and relationships among them. Good plot. All together an enjoyable read.

[Christine Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book through Book Sirens for free and I’m leaving this review voluntarily. I enjoyed the book a lot! The characters were likable and fun and I now have the desire to have a rabbit that talks like a cowboy as a pet. I only took off one star because it felt a bit rushed at some parts. If this became a series I would definitely be interested in reading the next one.

[Nickole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rcvd an advanced reader copy from BookSirens for giving my two cents. We meet Rebel, the sensible bookworm of thr Black witches. She's finds her fiance in bed with another woman and that was the last straw. Ending it, she returns home to Magic Keep to where here sisters are and supes are welcome. Her sister Cassies ex-vampire lord pops into to ask ahem..blackmail Rebel to open a school for delinquent vamps that he sired...nope no way...but he knows Rebels secret. Oh well...the old boudoir house outside of town will be the perfect location. What Rebel doesn't want is to be overloaded with vampires...3 unruly students with chips on their shoulders, 3 staff who are stuffy and a sexy bodyguard. Things start getting bad when a couple witches end up beheaded in town. Rebel can't sit around and wait for the bad guy to get caught. She has a plan but will it get her killed? And will the town except her school?

[Chloé · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fangsters, Mystic Keep, I absolutely loved everything about this read!! So much so that I just didn’t want it to end, but at the same time I just couldn’t stop reading it! This is by far one of my favourite books of 2023 so far ~ and most definitely my favourite ARC read of this year!

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

Rebel is a witch who catches her norm fiance cheating on her and moves back to where her sisters live. While there Alessandro who is a vampire blackmails her into running a school for delinquent vampires. If that's not enough, witches are turning up decapitated. Didn't see that coming! What a great first book in a new series.

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a riot. I laughed and enjoyed these characters. A good story with witches and vampires and fun characters. Add in a bit of a mystery and trouble and get a good story. It kept me guessing and entertained to the end.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The vast variety of personalities and behaviors represented in the characters is phenomenal.

Read full review in the 2023 April issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book!

I received an eARC of Fangsters from Book Sirens and I’m so glad I did!

Rebel is a witch with a horrible ex, nosey family and new job that she’s being blackmailed to run a school.

She’s snarky, she’s smart and she’s a book nerd. What’s not to love?

What did I love? The length, the chemistry, the characters - really everything.

What did I dislike? That I can’t rip through the series because it’s no published yet!

Give this book a read when it publishes - you’ll love it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carol Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!

The plot of this story is magnificent and the characters full of realistic flaws! I couldn't put it down. There is adventure, mystery,romance,and comedy through out. I recommend this book to everyone .

[Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Rebel Black finds her fiancé in bed with another women, that really is the end. So she storms off back to Mystic Keep, to be near her sisters. Unfortunately life doesn’t go quite as she wants it to, as Alessandro, a vampire, knows her secret, and ‘persuades’ her to start up a school for delinquent vampires in an old Bordello. Oh, and she’s a witch. What could possible go wrong.

I like the setting, a unique town that allows ordinary people to live and work with all sorts of interesting people like witches, warlocks, werewolves and vampires. Rebel may not have the level of talent that her sisters do, but she has common sense and a kind heart. This is also a well written murder/mystery, and a good plot. The characters are well rounded, I particularly like Onyx, a dhampyre, who is supposed to protect Rebel - good luck with that. I’m glad I read the previous book but it is also a standalone read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This paranormal thriller was such a good book! It was a quick, fun read and the first in this series.

Rebel Black returns to her hometown, Magic Keep after a messy breakup with her ex-fiancé. She is a teacher who happens to be a witch AND she has a secret. What is that secret? No one knows except for her and her sister’s Ex (vampire) boyfriend, Alessandro who has no problem blackmailing her to get what he wants.

Alessandro wants her to start a private school for naughty younger vampires that he sired who have problems on the right side of the law. He provides an old boudoir mansion (house) that he renovates for the school. Ali starts Rebel off with 3 disobedient vampires who want no part of learning, 3 teachers to help Rebel with their lessons PLUS a handsome bodyguard (who happens to live behind the silver door in her room. Rebel only has 14 days to get this school up and running!

On top of the stress from the misfits school, there is a killer on the loose who has been targeting witches. Some of the victims really hit close to home for the Black family - including one of her friends from college (who was doing some research for her). Rebel finds herself in the middle of this mess while looking for some answers. What she didn't expect was that the 3 unruly students bond together to save her and their school!

I absolutely love the characters in this book. I was so into this book that I was a little bummed to get to the end so quickly. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series! The rom-com reader
in me really hopes to see something develop between Rebel and Onyx!!!

This book is well written with an interesting story and lots of laugh out loud moments!

Thank you to BookSirens and Jo-Ann Carson for the Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Cass Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun read！It delivers the perfect escape for a winter evening. Not too long and wide cast of characters. Seems like a continuation from another series featuring a sister witch but as the author says, they can each be read as a stand alone story. Classic style murder mystery.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tara Kat (MagnoliaPigeonBookBlurbs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely fang-tastic!!!

I was so excited to sink my teeth into Fangsters because of the unique plot and Jo-Ann Carson 100% delivered! This paracozy has it all:

🧛‍♂️ School for troubled vampire youth
🖤 Morally grey vampire
🔒 Secrets
✨ Magic
🔍 Mystery
🩸 Murder
🔮 Witchcraft

This was such a fun read and I can’t wait to dive into book 2!

Thank you so much Jo-Ann Carson and BookSirens for the gifted copy.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novel so much! Rebecca Black (aka Rebel) is trying to get over (and planning a witchy revenge) when she is blackmailed to start a school for troubled vampires in teenage bodies. She has two weeks to start the school, so she has to put off those revenge plans.

No smut, but tons of sexual tension (none with the students, not that kind of book).

Side note: The Dial Witch Trilogy (same author) is set in the same world and is about Rebecca's sister, Jane.

[The Arcist · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a long time to get into this book and I was honestly underwhelmed. It was a great premise but I feel like it really needed to pick a genre and commit. This would have been a fantastic YA series but there was this constant allusion to sex/romance/relationships but nothing happened. There was zero tension between any of the love interests. I also found some of the dialogue to be really awkward and repetitive.

There were so many bits of the story missing that I felt like I was reading book 2 or 3. Overall it was just immensely underdeveloped. There wasn't a good mystery or thriller and I certainly wouldn't classify this as a slow burn romance. The ending just sort of happened (and it was fade to black?!). There wasn't a real clear motive for the villain and no breadcrumbs that pointed to the resolution. I don't think I'll be continuing this series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opening a school for delinquent vampires turns out to be the favor called in. Not a easy job but what are going to do if you want your secret kept safe? Set in the same world and involving the same family of witches as in Carson's other trilogy. This series is starting out to be fun and a fast read. Seeing how each of the delinquents come together to build relationships drives the story. My favorite of her books so far.
I received this ARC from BookSirens and am happy to leave this reveiw.

[Khurram · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good quick read book. Nice characters, good story and introduction, the new world and the characters, but by the end of it, I am left with more questions than answers.

Rebel Black has had her life turned upside down. On top of that, she is now being blackmailed into teaching/taming a bunch of "young" vampire delinquents. Two things Rebel can not turn away from are a challenge, (disobeying) orders and the murder of her friends.

This is an enjoyable read, but the ending felt a bit too rushed, and the action/fights seemed to be skipped over. Lots of innuendo in the book. This is a great introduction, and I am interested to see what happens next.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a bit of blackmail.
Taking a break from my historical books I decided this is one I would check out. This one was a grand piece to get lost in. It is spooky and magical with a touch of humor it was so much fun to read. It appears that juvenile delinquents are the same be human or vampire okay many be vampires are a little more interesting! Loved the book and looking forward to more. I highly recommend this one and really hope you check it out. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Lauren Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really cute with enough suspense to keep you turning pages. I kind of wish I would have picked this up around Halloween. It has cozy witch in a modern spooky town vibes. I have seen others compare it to Halloween town and I totally agree!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in the Fangsters series. This is a funny, entertaining story that had me laughing as I read Rebel Black and vampire Alessandro's story. There is suspense, drama, danger, murder, mystery, powerful witches, stubborn warlocks, and sexy vampires, villains and romance. I want to read the next book. I received an advance review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Joanne Guidoccio · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new series with a delightful new protagonist, Rebel Black. While I have enjoyed meeting all the witches in Ms. Carson’s novels, I was most intrigued by this book nerd with a Ph.D. in education. Despite her intellect and outstanding organizational skills, Rebel has a messy personal life and a dark secret that has attracted the attention of Alessandro, a gorgeous but manipulative vampire who deals in secrets. He blackmails Rebel into starting a school for delinquent vampires in Mystic Keep. And to make life even more challenging, three witches in Rebel’s circle have been decapitated!

A well-seasoned author, Ms. Carson excels at world-building and character development. In addition to featuring Rebel’s sister witches and their partners from previous novels, Ms. Carson has introduced an eclectic group of vampires and Harvey, a reclusive rabbit familiar. I found myself looking forward to Harvey’s perceptive and amusing comments. I hope to see more of him and to discover Rebel's dark secret in future installments.

Next, please!

[Sherry Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young witch will do anything to keep her secret. So, she agrees to start a school for wayward vampires. This was a very interesting book. The writing was really good. The characters are engaging. You might just fall in love with them.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jeanne Feeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this advanced copy from BookSirens for an honest review. It’s a super cute, suspenseful paranormal cozy mystery/romance. This first book introduces us to a community of paranormal and normal beings and gets us started with the the school for delinquent vampires called Fangsters.
I’m looking forward to Book 2 and see where it takes Rebel and Onyx and/or James. And definitely need more of Harvey!

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very funny, fascinating, and magically spooky.. The vampire "boys" are really fun: adorkably teenager-like and darkly dangerous at the same time. Onyx is amazing! I love the big growly lug! Big, protective, and darkly sexy. He is just perfection... mmwah :)

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delinquent vampires, a witch with limited powers, blackmail, witch murders… this book has all the action you could want while keeping things light hearted overall. Each and every character is unique and yet they blend together (and sometimes clash) perfectly. I look forward to reading more about this town, school, and all the characters. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[JACQUELINE GIBSON · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the wit, the tale and characters are interesting. I would like it padded out a bit more with background on the main story characters but that is just a personal preference, however the ending without knowing a bit more about the characters involved ended up not being quite as impactful as it could have been- but still enjoyed it, quick and easy read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Taylor Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a quirky urban fantasy that keeps up a quick pace beginning to end. You get a lot of characters thrown at you at once, so it's a bit hard to keep them straight until they show up more through the story. I'm not sure if I didn't see the twist coming because it was a good surprise or if there just weren't enough clues. Either way I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the sequel.
I received this as an ARC