When you're feeling peckish and bookish, Lakeland's newest dessert spot has you hard-covered. Vampire Penguin is now serving icy sweets with literary flair in a Victorian-style cafe downtown.

Vampire Penguin is known for its "shaved snow." It's hard to describe the texture, which combines the creaminess of ice cream with the lightness of shaved ice. Fans gave it a go in comments on Facebook, and we think "ice cream cotton candy" nailed it.

Leonard told us the butterbeer-flavored Platform 9 3/4 and chocolatey Oliver Twix have been popular choices since the cafe opened in late December. | Photo by LALtoday

Co-owner Natalie Leonard is also a writer, which inspired this location's library-esque decor and book-themed menu, with flavors ranging from Berity to Edgar Allen Snow. Pro tip: Most flavors are dairy + gluten-free — and you can even create your own.

Books by fantasy authors like Victoria M. Sorenson and Kelly Farina are available for purchase near the counter. | Photo by LALtoday

In addition to decorative books of old, Leonard's love of literature also led her to offer books by independent authors. Curl up with a new read or catch up with a good friend while indulging in a scoop of snow Monday-Saturday at 216 E. Pine St.