Can I start by saying that I never thought I would hear the word Merrick in connection with Buffy ever again?

I’m also going to admit something that not many fans of BtVS, the series, will admit.

I actually love the movie. Like sincerely. One of those reasons is Merrick.

The other reason is Luke Perry.
But I digress.

This book is an interesting addition to the Buffy-verse and one that actually excites me. I’m saying this as someone who didn’t read much of the season 8 comics, or beyond that but who was a huge fan of the original stories that came out during the show’s run. (And I don’t mean just the fan fiction.)

I was also sometimes not the hugest fan of Buffy as a person. She wasn’t always my cup of tea, but I always admired her strength.

I was more of a Willow girl.

That being said, Nina, in this book is my cup of tea. If I drank tea…

She is humble, and rash. She is fierce, yet sometimes withdrawn and she cares so, so much, even as she hurts due to the loss of her father, and the cold attitude of her mother.

This book is an adventure, and it is very much what Buffy was within season 1. It is a little bit of a risk, a little bit of a learning curve and a hell of a lot of fun.

I can see why some could not like it, but there are many characters in this novel and much like the show everyone can pick their own.

I eagerly await the sequel and am considering picking up Kiersten White’s other work.

Read This If:

you like BtVS but not Buffy (just kidding)
you love books about demons
you like mysteries
you love strong female characters
you miss the WB

I was so excited to read this! I love love love Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and had just finished a series rewatch when I started to read Slayer.

Kiersten White is a Buffy fan, and it showed. She captured the TV show’s snark, and while you could read this without having seen the show, I loved all of the references that I picked up on. I definitely got emotional when Buffy herself showed up. I love her, and I thought the author captured her on the page so well.

I really liked the plot, particularly its Watcher-centric focus. And I liked the dynamic between Nina and her twin, Artemis. Overall I really enjoyed the story, but it felt like there were several occasions where problems or mysteries could have been resolved if people just talked to each other, which frustrated me. There were a few too many instances of people keeping secrets or making assumptions just to serve as something to move the plot forward.

That said, I thought this was a really fun and engaging read. The action scenes were exciting, and I enjoyed its perspective on the Buffyverse. Recommended – and I can’t wait to read book two!

Quick Summary:

Athena and her sister Artemis have grown up at the Watcher Academy. With so many of their numbers having dwindled after an attack on the Watchers headquarters they've spent most of their life in hiding instead of helping Slayers defeat the evil. Thats until Athena discovers she was the last Slayer chosen before magic everywhere disappeared. Now the call to help others is stronger than ever and having been denied training by her mother shes left scrambling to understand her new powers. Being the type of person to choose healing over violence her role as a Slayer is going to be one heck of an adjustment.

My Thoughts:

I dont tend to like main characters who have no self confidence. I understand its done to show growth, but Id rather have a main character who is more self assured. We do get some character development though. Athenas relationship with her mother and sister was super strained. I didnt really like either of them. I hated how everyone was ganging up on Athena. I would have rather a more trusting sisterly bond and strong female friendships. It made me not enjoy the reading experience as much because I was frustrated most of the time. I did like Rhys and Callian, but I didnt get to know them as well as I would have wanted. I thought Leo was pretty swoon worthy, but the romance wasnt the main focus.

The story mostly consist of Athenas inner turmoil so the pacing was a little slow for a majority of the book. We do get a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in her dreams, but they only took up a small percentage of the story. There wasnt nearly enough training and demon fighting. Even if you haven't seen the Buffy TV Show we do get a good amount of backstory so its possible to follow along, but I think it be more enjoyable for readers who are familiar with the world. That world building information was a lot of telling the reader what happened which was a little tedious, but I feel like that refresher was necessary.

I thought it was weird how the main character hates Buffy. It doesnt seem like the best way to go with a book marketed towards Buffy fans. Im not even sure if the ending makes up for it. I understand why she holds a grudge against Buffy and Slayers in general, but Id rather not have that in the story. I think the main character had enough inner turmoil dealing with her family. The writing flowed well and had a bingeable quality to it. The ending was exciting and satisfying. We got some twists that I didnt see coming, but they're were some parts that I had managed to predict. I was really hoping to love this more, but after the main characters developpement I think I might like the sequel more, especially if we get a bit more action.

Thanks to Simon Pulse for the review copy!

4 stars!

I ended up really enjoying this book! At first, I wasn’t so sure I would like it, since I know nothing about Buffy, but Kiersten White did a great job of explaining that universe as the book progressed. The characters were all very different and it was great to read about them (especially Cillian, I loved that guy!). I really think anyone that likes vampire/monster stories would love this and I recommend it.

Where was this book when I was in high school??? This is exactly the kind of book I would have eaten up in one sitting! It's a made up of everything I love. Vampires, demons, monsters and the fierce women who hunt them. Also, that cover. Can we just talk about That Cover for a minute? I would gladly hang up a 10ft poster of this on my ceiling so I could stare at it nightly as I drift off to sleep and hope it conjured up some awesome slaying the world dreams.

However, there is one thing that I didn't really like and I only mention it because it's pretty major and that is Nina, the main character. She just didn't do it for me. She's a tad too angsty for my liking (she has a tendency to throw herself a pity party) and does a lot of the secret keeping that you as the reader just know will come back to bite her. Also the humor was a little too goofy for my tastes. White-does-a-lot-of-punch-lines-written-like-this and it started to irk me after awhile.

That said, I powered through this book despite having a mega post-Christmas cold and a looming semester. It's a fun, quick, action packed thrill ride that doesn't slow down for anyone or anything. If you like a fast moving plot, secret societies, sisterly bonds, and of course Buffy then give this book a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a E-copy of this book for review. I was not paid for this review.

I loved this. Slayer was so funny. I found myself snorting with laughter throughout the book. You can see that the author is a fan of Buffy because she got the tone just right. Her research and love also shine through. So hardcore Buffy fans shouldn't have an issue. I loved watching Buffy as a kid with that being said I was not obsessed with it and can easily see newbies to the fandom enjoying the read. This isn't the first to happen to me but I found I really enjoyed every character they complimented each other beautifully. I also really like books that have our MC be a twin, I happen to be a twin and its nice to see other peoples interpretations on us. Nina the protagonist has known she was never going to be a slayer or a watcher and was content with being the castle medic. (yes you read that right they live in a castle) and having her sister be the strong and athletic slayer. But due to some spoilery events Nina is now the Slayer. and apparently the last one. Some find her actions and decisions impulsive but whole heartedly accurate. She is 16 and being thrust into a position she never trained for let alone think she would ever be in. She is allowed some recklessness.

There is some romance in the book but does not really feature Nina. It is between Rhys and Cillian which I thought was adorable and don't worry it looks like Nina might get some love in book two. We also get some Buffy talk and not necessarily the heroic kind, Her recklessness cost a everyone a great deal and sometimes the hero needs to be shot down a peg or two to make them more believable as a character and it worked. This does also end on a tiny cliff hanger, dang it.

Overall this was a very entertaining and modern take on Buffy the Vampire Slayer which will fit nicely in the Buffy universe.

*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I truly, truly enjoyed this book so much! Thank You Kiersten for this amazing new story set in the BTVS universe. I laughed a lot throughout this book, so many funny moments told in the same quirky humour you can find in Buffy. I enjoyed the relationships in this book immensely, not just the romantic ones although those were all done so well. Cillian and Rhys' relationship being my all time favourite. I hope we get to see more of them as the LGBTQIA representation in this book made me very happy.

The main theme of this book, the family drama, was so unbelievably well done. I could feel how Nina's relationship with her family shifted with the more she learned about the prophecy and when the other aspects of the story began to unwind.
What an ending! Such a twist that I never saw coming and I cannot wait for the next book already. I need it.
At the core of this book, is the same kind of feeling that Buffy gave me, as a huge fan of the show, it had many nostalgic moments for me. The essence of this book is the fact that Nina is trying to find her way in the world, she wants to know where she fits into the Watcher/Slayer world and I can't wait to see where she ends up.
Thank You NetGalley, Simon and Schuster for the eARC for this amazing book! I can't wait to go buy my own copy.

Let's be real, our first thought at the end of the day wasn't, "Wait, what about the Watchers?!" When the final credits rolled for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we were wondering whether she'd be back in Angel, how we'd get over Spike's sacrifice, and where all these slayer-powered girls will go from here.

Slayer takes place two months after the apocalyptic fight in Sunnydale and the question no one was asking is answered - are the Watchers okay?

When we meet MC Nina, it doesn't seem like it. The Hellmouth is gone, but so is all the magic - what held together a lot of the old traditions for the Watchers. Now they have books that are more paperweight than educational, and Nina, a failed watcher turned makeshift nurse who can't speed heal to everyone's dismay. However, when Nina comes into her Slayer powers after a Hellhound attack, Nina finds herself questioning her identity as a healer and Watcher.

I really liked Nina as an MC, and I think her character development was done really well. She makes a few mistakes, she gets herself in trouble, but I think the whole Slayer thing is something that she grows into. That being said, Nina hasn't had the best childhood - she witnessed the Watchers' fall, the magic die; lived through her father's passing, the neglect of her mother; and found herself an outcast when she wasn't allowed to take the Watchers test. Nina dwells a lot on these things throughout the book - time and time again coming back to them. She dreams about it, she complains about it in the narrative, she's jealous of her sister because of it, and it becomes this whole thing that you just start skimming over every time she thinks about it. I'm not faulting her for dwelling on it, and I'm not mad that this is what made her who she is, but it was just too much too many times - it started bogging down the story and taking away from the areas of the story I wanted more of.

The world building is well done - Nina paints us a clear picture of the Watchers' current living situation, as well as the cities she ends up visiting. Even her dreams are vividly described and I really liked that I got to dive deep into the world with the narration.

The action - when there was action - was good, like so good. It made me exceptionally happy and it was what kept me pushing through the book. Nina's not a natural fighter - so seeing her train, and jump into action was a lot of fun. The last 100 pages got me so fired up. I was so mad when the book just ended and I realized I had to wait for the next one.

All in all, Slayer is a good starting point for this series - it has the necessary character development, a clear and immersive world, and a lot of demony action that fires you right up and throws you back into the world of Hellmouths and Slayers. I won't lie and say that I wish there had been a little more action and a little less moping, but it was definitely something that contributed to the character development. I'm so ready for the next book, because that end got me shook. Nina is going to be a bomb Slayer is all I'm saying.

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.78/5

eARC obtained via Simon and Schuster Canada and Simon Pulse via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

ARC received Simon Pulse and Netgalley for exchange of my honest opinion.

“Being chosen is easy. Making choices will break your heart.”

I have been so excited for this book ever since it was first announced that there would be a YA series set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer coming out. I was blessed by Simon & Schuster. I have to admit that I have never seen the show in its entirety.

I found Slayer to be a quick and really fun story. I related to the characters and loved the relationships. This was a really good book, not great but it was a really fast read.

"The choice was to save the world-- or to save you. And I chose you."

Nina is our protagonist, she is a medic in a castle full of potential watchers, and the watcher council. Nina has always taken the back seat to the success of her twin sister Artemis, so when its discovered that Nina is a chosen one, well everyone was pretty shocked Nina included. Through the book she is constantly trying to prove herself. This book is more of Nina's journey to finding herself, who she wants to be.

I really liked the bond between the sisters, how they looked out for each other. Artemis came off as a little jealous when Nina discovered she was the slayer however I was able to overlook that. Artemis is queer she has a crush on another female watcher, it was adorable seeing there interactions.

Some points of the book were predictable, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. I will read the future books, this one left off on a bit of a cliffhanger and I liked the book enough to keep reading. I recommend picking up this book if your looking for a quick quirky read that is full of fun Buffy humor.

"When all else ends, when hope perished alongside wonder, her darkness shall rise and all shall be devoured."

Many Thanks to Net-Galley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy. This did not affect my rating.

*3.5/5*

Welcome to Shancoom, where there is a hidden castle with what is left of the Watchers thank to Buffy - yes that Buffy.

Twins Athena 'Nina' and Artemis have grown up with the Watchers, with Artemis having been trained to be one, and Athena is the castle medic. The girls are very close. Artemis has always looked out for Nina, until one day something happens at the castle and Nina surprisingly jumps in and saves the day. It turns out that Nina is a slayer - and not only that, she is the last slayer. Ever. This book follows the Watchers learning what Nina is, how it was hidden from them, and how Nina handles this new change of life that she never wanted.

This book takes place after The Buffy t.v. show, and some of the comics. The events that happens in those, relates directly to the plot of this book and you can tell that Kiersten White took take care and love with this universe. You can really tell she is a fan of the series.

Nina, a 16 year old girl, definitely reads a little young to me, and makes some questionable decisions.

Leo is her watcher, and I enjoyed him. Honoura is not my favourite, neither was Artemis but I am interested to see where their storylines are going.

My favourites were Rhys, Cillian, and the demon Doug.

There is a very cute m/m relationship. That was my favourite relationship of the book.
There is a f/f relationship that still needs to grow on me (just because I don't love the characters involved..)

There is a side plot with a hunter, and the reveal to that did shock me.

I will definitely be continuing with this series. If you're a fan of the Buffyverse, I highly recommend checking this out.

Forever in love with Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Slayer is a YA supernatural book based in the Buffy universe, so you know it’s worth reading. I have read and enjoyed Kiersten White’s books before, so I was excited to see her name on this gem. I'm unsure if I would have been as excited to read this if someone else had written it. This book is set after Season 8 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer of the comic books (which I have not read) and will be a duology. I was worried at first that it might be hard to read without being totally up to date on the universe, but that’s not the case. I haven’t read the comics, I haven’t seen the show in years, and I had a fine time reading. There’s a little backstory/lore dump, but it’s not obnoxious.

Nina (aka Athena) and her twin sister, Artemis, live together in the Watcher’s Academy. Nina is forbidden by her mother, who is on the Watchers’ Council, to become a Watcher and instead becomes the castle’s medic. She despises the violent ways of the Slayers (cue ultimate hatred of Buffy Summers), and focuses more on helping and healing to fix problems. Artemis, on the other hand, is training to become a full Watcher to the complete praise of their mother. She the opposite of Nina in every way. She is strong and dominant, and clearly the “favourite” daughter (cue sibling rivalry).

Watchers guide and protect Slayers. If you have seen Buffy then you would know Rupert Giles is Buffy's Watcher. But before Giles there was Merrick, Nina’s father. And there’s only one reason a Slayer gets a new Watcher: death. Nina’s father died protecting Buffy, which fuels Nina’s hatred of her and Slayers in general. That is until Nina becomes the last Slayer in the world.

Nina now has a lot on her plate. She has to work with her new Watcher who brings up a rough past Nina would prefer to forget about altogether. She struggles to find her new place within the Watchers, refine her new Slayer powers, and deal with new and old family issues. All around Nina, things are changing, and not always for the best. When people start dying and demons start popping up, Nina must embrace her new role and figure out what’s going on before it’s too late.

Nina struggles with a few things during the book. Firstly, her brand new (and often scary) powers as a Slayer. She holds healing and helping above everything else, but now she’s a powerful weapon known for causing death and destruction. Secondly, the bond and balance between her twin sister is changing and she’s unsure how to fix it. Lastly, her feelings for her new Watcher and the never-ending issues with her mother.

I enjoyed all the characters in this book. I liked the dynamics between the sisters, how it starts off strong and changes as the story progresses. Rhys and his boyfriend Cillian are adorable and precious. The mother/daughter dynamic between Nina and her mother, Helen, is intense and builds up immensely over the course of the story. I adore Doug and want more of him! Every character in this book is well done and I enjoy all of their interactions with each other. I even like the ones who are introduced near the end and definitely want more of them. Everything regarding the characters and the growth of them came off as authentic. I'm interested to see how the second book ties everything up. I imagine it’ll be hard to not want more, more, more when it comes to the Buffy universe.

The pace of the book is quite good. The beginning is still well paced despite the slight info dump on the Watcher history and demon lore. The action is well done and I thoroughly enjoyed the fighting scenes. It was refreshing to watch Nina grow with her power and learn how to harness it. Her inner battle was well done, not drawn out too long and not dealt with too fast. No complaints there.

I only have two big issues with this book. The first being the cringey dialogue. A lot of what is said is either cliché or cheesy. Keep in mind they’re all 16+. However, for me it was a bit too much and I couldn't forget it. I don’t know anyone who talks like they do in this book, and I can only hope I didn't sound like this when I was 16 (time to take a look at all the dialogue I wrote as a teen). Sometimes it made me cringe, other times it made me facepalm. Dialogue is a tricky thing, thankfully the book isn't dialogue heavy (when it is, it’s not cringey) and the action does makes you overlook it. The second issue was Nina’s inner turmoil in regards to her old crush, Leo Silvera. It’s clear that she has a grudge against him regarding their past, and instead of talking it out, she fights him constantly. It’s feels very cliché and childish. She hates him and can’t get over it à la teenage angst. It took a very long time for them to overcome this drama (all in Nina’s head) until they finally talk about it. Is this typical of 16-year-old kids? Probably. Most definitely. I still didn't like how long it dragged on for. It became more unbearable than the cheesy dialogue! I can assure you that it doesn't last forever, and it will get better.

I recommend this book for people who know nothing at all or everything about the Buffy universe. It follows canon, which I think is beautiful. I don’t know much about the comics, and I haven’t wanted the show in years, but I think it’s a wonderful addition for those diehard fans. With that being said, I didn't need to know anything about the universe, so anyone could pick this up. I'm sure if you do know more about the universe that you will thoroughly enjoy it, maybe even more because of it. If you like demons, fighting, and Buffy, this would work for you. If you like friendships, romance, and character growth, this would work for you. I loved the growth of Nina and Artemis. It was very authentic as was their sisterly bond, and I think a lot of people can relate to it in some way. The growth that Nina undergoes as she works to understand her new powers is a beautiful unfolding full of denial, acceptance, and compromises. Slayer has good twists and turns, and the pace fit the book nicely. I did enjoy this book overall. The action, character development, and story line all made it worthwhile. I am excited for the second book, and am highly awaiting the cover reveal.

3.5/ 5 stars


Slayer is the first book in a new YA paranormal/fantasy series set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

My main question when starting this book was if this series was only for Buffy fans. Or could non-fans read this book. While I definitely think that it was meant for Buffy fans I was able to follow the story (and I've never watched Buffy, although I knew of the series).

The narrator is 16 year old Nina (she has a twin sister Artemis). They grew up with Watchers (people who guide Slayers). Slayers are the Chosen Ones with superpowers to fight demons.

I definitely think that it would have helped to have watched all of the Buffy episodes. Because there is obviously a lot to this world. And it seems like things that happened on the show or the comics were referenced. So I did start out not loving this book, as I knew nothing about this world.

Even though this book is sort of complicated it is also a bit juvenile at times. There is a lot of cattiness between some of the girls. And most of the characters are around 16. So they act their age.

It took me a while to warm up to this story. But I enjoyed the middle a lot. There were some interesting mysteries. And I enjoyed Nina and her group of friends.

The book did get a bit crazy towards the end (how everything played out). But I thought the actual ending was pretty interesting.

Hello,
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I have to say, when I heard that it was in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I was immediately hooked and couldn"t wait to read it !
This was great, I loved that Kiersten picked up the story in the timeline that she did, right after Buffy made all possible Slayers, Slayers. It was interesting to see the follow up be different than what I had imagined.
When it happened in the TV series I thought it would actually simplify the Watcher's jobs, more Slayers means more people able to killed vampires and demons right ?
Which is why this story was so unique, you could tell that the author didn't want to just write a story in the world of Buffy, but rather expand the universe in which the story takes place, I loved seeing or rather reading about the Watcher's and .the aftermath of what was seemingly supposed to be a good thing for everyone, but left them in deep trouble.
The writing was beautiful and while I did have some issues with the pace of the book at points, I would recommend this book for any lovers of Buffy the vampire slayer. I wouldn't however recommend it to people who haven't seen the show previously as some plot, and things within the story wouldn't have the impact or make as much sense to them.
I ultimately gave it : 3.85/5 stars
-Bookarina

Much love goes to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this ARC!

I was beyond excited to get back into the Buffyverse.
You can tell the author is also a fan even if she hadn't said so...there's a bit of fangurrrling to be found in the loving way the story is concocted.
The way she tied in the TV show and bits from The Long Way Home while still carving out a whole new story was AMAZING!!!
I am so excited that there is gonna be more in this new storyline with these characters and cannot wait for Kiersten White to write more!!!

I love Buffy The Vampire Slayer tv show and I have read a few of the comics but I just couldn't get into this book at all. I tried and tried but I just couldn't get into it.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. However, I found it was just okay. I watched Buffy years ago, but it’s been a while, and honestly, I felt like the first half of this book was extremely confusing. Unless you go in knowing the specific details of the Buffy universe, it’s very difficult to figure out at first. The background info is dropped into the story haphazardly and somewhat incomplete, along with random name drops that fans of the tv series would know. It made for a bit of a slog to get through the first half. Once the story actually got going, I was interested and the latter parts of the book definitely redeemed the slow disjointed start. I just feel like I should be able to go into book 1 of a new series without needing the full history and details about every other event that happened in this universe prior to this book. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC through Netgalley. #netgalley

I was really excited about this book. A writer I like playing in a universe that I love? Yes please!

But as I was reading, I became more and more confused. Events were referenced that I don’t recall happening in the series. Huge events. I read the blurb to see if I was missing something and it said a continuation of the TV series. And then I read about a massive character death that I definitely would have remembered.

Frankly, I’m annoyed. I’m not going to go read years of graphic novels to understand this book and I shouldn’t have to. I no longer support Joss Whedon so I’m not reading his writing. And if this book is a continuation of the graphic novels, that’s a pretty important detail to leave out of the back cover copy.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for this review.

I really wanted to love Slayer, but it kept on name-dropping characters from the TV show. Don't get me wrong, I loved the show, but I guess I expected this book to stand on its own. Also, it required knowledge of the Buffy comics, which I haven't read.

In time when TV seems to be nothing but reboots and original book ideas seem hard to come by, I stumbled across an ARC for Slayer by Kiersten White. I’ve had good luck with some re-imaging novels and I’m not opposed to reading about favourite characters or stories in a different way, but I always approach it hesitantly, especially something that associates itself with the nearly perfect Buffy franchise and, presumably, involves vampires, a trend that I am very over.

The overall tone of this seemed a bit younger than I had hoped, though it makes sense as the characters are mid-teens. Keeping that in mind, after getting over the initial hump at the beginning, I quite enjoyed where this story took us. I liked seeing slayer and watcher come together. I liked that the focus wasn’t purely on vampires, but demons in general and we met some interesting ones. The chemistry between the characters was strong and not a single character seemed out of place or like they were unnecessary.

Overall I liked Nina, but she was built as one of those girls who has no self confidence or awareness, who goes on and on and on about how weak and unloved and forgotten about she is, when you know clearly the book is going to lead her in a direction to find her true potential that was there all along. I just find that in these scenarios, the woe-is-me situation gets to be a bit much. WE GET IT. No one is going to be shocked when you discover that you actually are meant to be more, you’re fooling no one. There’s a very gentle way to handle this without over doing it and I felt like this was overdone and grew quite sick of Nina whining.

There was a sub-story underneath the main story here, about a hunter watching Nina and her sister Artemis. We get a taste of it at the beginning, and a few times throughout. It added to the prophecy of the girls, but I found this part out of place and distracting. In that sense, I didn’t really like the note the book ended on. It was a surprising twist, but honestly I had forgotten about this tangent and it doesn’t quite interest me.

That said, I enjoyed the book overall. I say this as a fan that hasn’t read all the additional comics or followed much of her story post tv-show. I appreciated the current climate of slayers as the driving point of the story, I liked how the Buffy lore was interwoven into this, but this was very much a story on its own, outside of Buffy. The further I read, the more into the action and slayer-ness I became and I ended up really quite liking the book. I’d definitely read more of this world and this slayer.

"<i>First rule in the Slayer handbook? When in doubt, hit something.</i>"

Okay, as a 'I-grew-up-with-<i>Buffy The Vampire Slayer</i>' fan, my hopes for SLAYER were.. a lot. And I was totally bracing myself for major disappointment. But ultimately what this spinoff/new series did was make me want to rewatch a series that meant a lot to me for so many years.. so I count that as a win.

<i>In a world remade again and again, where the rules keep changing, where a Chosen One becomes Chosen Many, where magic disappears, where the old ways are broken, we are the one constant. We still keep watch.</i>

SLAYER was, in some ways, achingly sad. But that said, we still had the bantery quirky writing, with a few less pop culture references, and there was a delightful amount of diversity and representation to be found. I also really loved having this all set on the Watcher side of things, post-large magical event (which I believe is from the comics? I need to maybe look into those..) as it gave things a very interesting, and different, perspective that will definitely allow people who didn't follow the show a way into this universe.

"<i>Once a part of Watcher society, the only ways out are death, prison, or failure so complete you join Wesley Wyndam-Pryce in private investigation working for a vampire named Angel.</i>"

But the first.. 60% or so was slog through a lot of road-blocky characters who refused to believe the protagonist, or doubted, or worked against her. There was just so much, like, contrariness both with people hiding things or just working around things and that frustrates the shit out of me as a reader. So, yeah, I wasn't loving this. I kind of laboured through this for three or four days, in fact. But.

"<i>We don't know anything about it.</i>"
"<b>We know it's a demon.</b>"
"<i>Right, but it's wearing a fecking Coldplay shirt. How evil can something wearing a Coldplay shirt be?</i>"

But then the last 40% happened and, as a bonus, we actually get a heartbreaking but sweet Buffy scene, and I was so onboard. SLAYER is a two-ish, maybe three, star read with a four star ending. And <b>what</b> an ending. Part of which I suspected but the other bit? Oh man. I definitely need the sequel. So, yes, I'm a bit mixed but I'm definitely invested.

3.5 "being chosen is easy. making choices will break your heart" stars