I'll level with you. I've never seen a single episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Not one. I've seen a minute here and there when my sister was watching, but I know next to nothing about the Buffy-verse. Why I requested a spin-off novel, I don't know. But unbelievably I actually enjoyed it!

This series kicks off a few months after Buffy destroyed some seed that removed magic from the world. The Watchers have dwindled to next to nothing, Slayers are nowhere to be found, and with magic gone demons are stuck on earth with nowhere to go. I legit have no idea how much of this is canon. My sister doesn't know either since Netflix pulled the show before she could finish.

She was kind enough to explain the difference between Watcher and Slayer for me though, because that was not laid out well in this novel. That was one aspect that automatically knocked a star off for me on this book. While it does try to keep the reader on what exactly is up, it's clear this is angled more for those who have watched some of the show.

I really liked Nina as the main character. I thought her development as a person and her struggle with navigating between being a Watcher and a Slayer was well done. Her sister Artemis had me gnashing my teeth with how protective she is. Rhys and Cillian were cute, but Cillian featured far more than Rhys did. For the most part, a lot of the secondary characters kind of blended into the background. The focus was on Nina and the dynamic she has with her sister and her mother. And I'm okay with that.

This is, shockingly, my first Kiersten White novel. I have several of her books but I've never gotten around to reading them so I wasn't sure what to expect. The style was a little rough at the start. It felt a little ... youngish at the start? But I got used to it and it balanced out as the story progressed. In terms of world-building, I suppose there wasn't much to write home about. A lot of it was already developed for her, I think, and it was more focused on character than setting. I got a wee bit confused in the big final scene, finding it hard to follow, so that knocked half a star off as well.

I was surprised to find this wasn't a standalone. It looks to be a trilogy, and this instalment left a few storylines wide open and teased a few others. That said, I wasn't sure if I'd be interested in carrying on with the series until I read the last chapter. There is a tiny little reveal of something that threads through the entire story that has got me damn well curious now.

3.5/5

Definitely for Buffy fans. I loved watching Buffy, the movie & TV series, when I was a teenager, this book made me want to re-watch the TV series. Action, humour & a few plot twists like the TV series.

Perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Athena (Nina) and Artemis are twin sisters that grew up in the Watcher Academy after their father was killed while protecting Buffy. Right before all magic was destroyed on Earth, Nina risked her life to protect her twin sister and activated her Slayer powers, becoming the last Slayer on Earth. Nina is a healer and is viewed as the weaker of the twins since her mother pushed her to be a medic rather than train to fight to protect future slayers. Now that Nina is a Slayer, her odds have turned. With incredible new strength and senses, her friends and family now have to see Nina in a different way, where she becomes their leader and takes on vampires and demons to protect the academy and the rest of the world safe from evil forces.

I'm a huge fan of Kiersten White, so even though I've never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I knew I had to get my hands on this book. I sincerely enjoyed the story, the world and the plot, but unfortunately there were some characters and the relationships they had with Nina that I didn't quite enjoy.

Nina goes through an incredible self discovery and gains confidence throughout this book. She goes from the shy and weak girl who believes that she's the least favourite twin, to a strong woman that follows her instincts and isn't afraid to do what is right. I loved Nina as the main character, and I absolutely loved her character building. As for the rest of Nina's family, I'm not exactly happy with them. Artemis is very selfish and choses to take her anger out on Nina multiple times throughout the story. There were moments where the twins were fighting and Nina realizes that she's also to blame for the things she did wrong and choses to apologize, all while Artemis continues to be grumpy and blame Nina for everything that happens, while continuously doubting her even though her newfound senses have proven to be right. I would have been okay with this if the sisters left off on a good note and learned how to work together by the end of the book, but sadly I was a bit disappointed. Nina's mother is a whole different story, but I wont be expanding on why I dislike her story due to spoilers. The rest of Nina's friend group I actually quite enjoyed. They were diverse and different and I found all of them quite entertaining.

The plot was very well written. There was action at the beginning of the book and it continued throughout the story to keep the reader well entertained and wanting to read more. While it was a tad predictable, there were moments where I was pleasantly surprised and not expecting them at all. The book was engaging and story was entertaining, the only thing I would add is a little bit more surprises.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and will definitely keep reading in the series. I'm excited to see what happens next to Nina.

A triumphant return to the Buffyverse! I was nervous going into this, wondering if it would be possible to keep the vibe from the show and comics with a new writer, new characters, and a new storyline. I'm glad to say that my worries were for nothing. Slayer gets the tone exactly right, making the readers who are familiar with the inspiration nostalgic and new readers excited to learn more. Loved the new characters, plus the homages to the old ones, and the new mystery / 'big bad' that is looming on the horizon. Really enjoyed the style of writing and the story itself was exciting, heartbreaking, and just plain fun. I will definitely be reading the next book when it comes out. In the meantime, I think this calls for a rewatch of Buffy :)

Slayer is a like a good popcorn movie. It’s not going to change your life, make you a better person, or enlighten you in someway. But damn is it fun!

Especially for those of us that were growing up when Buffy the Vampire Slayer dominated TV screens. That being said, it’s certainly not required to have watched the show. There are various nods throughout the book to something that happened on the show, but any who haven’t seen it won’t know the difference. It’s all small stuff. Kiersten White either did her research or, more likely, she’s a big fan.

Except for a short dream sequence involving Buffy herself, all the characters are brand new. Some of them are connected to existing characters, but all that is explained and the explanation is required for fans and non-fans alike. These characters are expertly crafted, most of them easily standing out from the crowd. A few of the smaller characters melded together and I couldn’t picture one from the other, but no big deal there.

The plot is easy to follow and doesn’t throw you for too many loops. Many of the intended twists were pretty obvious, some from the very beginning, but when we’re talking about teenagers running around fighting and killing monsters predictability didn’t take away from the fun one bit.

When the next book comes out, I'll be all over it. This book is an obvious read for any fans of the show/movie/comics, but recommended for anyone who just enjoys vampires, monsters, and good YA.

A companion novel to Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 8, Slayer details what happens when Athena Jamison-Smythe, daughter of Watchers, becomes the last Slayer to ever be called before magic is destroyed from Earth.

Athena, or Nina, is one of the twin daughters of Merrill Jamison-Smythe, who was Buffy Summers’ first Watcher. Her mother is also a Watcher, and Nina grew up with her sister Artemis learning the traditions and rules of the Watcher’s Council. All of that changed when Buffy came along and broke with the Council, then erased magic. Suddenly, there are thousands of Slayers and demons all trapped on Earth, and no way to get to other dimensions. In the midst of this, the Watchers have been decimated and their families destroyed. So yeah, Nina kind of hates Slayers - and Buffy in particular, for ruining her life.

While Nina and her sister love each other, they've been caught in roles that have always defined them: Artemis as the protector of Nina and the one who always belonged as a Watcher-in-training, and Nina as the one who was always weak, shunted to the side, told not to train or get ready to be part of the Council.

When Nina discovers that she’s a Slayer, though, and her mother hid her potential, suddenly the tables are turned. Artemis (who isn't a Watcher) and Nina don't know how to deal with this new information, and with Nina being the stronger twin. Nina is dealing with that revelation and a whole host of other emotions when a demons start showing up around the castle where she and the Watchers are hiding out. It’s up to her to figure out how she’s going to save her family and what forces are at play.

I wish I’d liked Slayer more than I did. It’s fast and there's a ton of plot. Kiersten White did a great job inserting this story into the Buffyverse - there are Easter eggs for fans, and it emulates the fun and silly dialogue that Buffy creator Joss Whedon is known for. I also liked that this story featured the Watchers and a whole different perspective on what happened in Buffy seasons 7 and 8.

That said, I found myself not too invested in Nina or Artemis - in fact, I pretty much hated Artemis through most of the story for her overprotective attitude. I also felt that Nina was kind of whiny and way too angsty during the book. As a huge Buffy fan, I did like how the story unfolded and its emphasis on strong female characters, but overall, it was just okay for me.

There are some cute moments with Nina’s new Watcher, her former crush Leo, but even that felt a bit forced. Everything about this story just felt like it was trying to hit certain beats, and I just couldn’t quite get into the character because of that.

THE FINAL WORD:

Slayer is a fast-paced read that’s definitely meant for fans of Buffy only. Yes, you’ll be able to read it as a standalone, but honestly, why would you? There’s way too much backstory for a non-fan, but for fans, it’s fun and different from the primary storyline. I would call this a library read for people who are super into the Buffyverse.

It would be an understatement to say I was excited when the details of Slayer were announced. A story set in the Buffy universe and featuring an all new slayer? It instantly became a must read for me. I was even happier to discover that it not only hit that nostalgic sweet spot but offered up an intriguing story with an equally intriguing heroine.

The nostalgia elements are going to be the initial draw to this book. Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are going to seek this out simply because of the brand recognition. Those fans, luckily, will not be disappointed. The thrill of recognizing a reference made the experience of reading this incredibly fun. The familiar last names, beloved characters we get to see again, mentions of plot points that pull at our hearts. It creates an instant connection to the world that feels effortless. The nods to the source material never felt heavy handed or squeezed into the story. It felt organic and used sparingly. Those who have not read the comics that continued the series should be aware that the events of those comics are cannon to the universe and therefore part of the backstory to this novel. I do, however, think that you can jump into this without having read those comics and not feel like you're missing anything. This book does a fantastic job of filling in the backstory just enough so that the story works. Those who have never seen Buffy could even just right in (but it would be shame because they would miss out on so many amazing references).

Those worried that this wouldn't work without the Buffy connection will be relieved to know that it has a plot that could easily stand on its own. It is a story that uses the tropes of its genre to great impact and has all of the heart, humour, and snark that you could want. Nina's story really is a coming of age one ... it just also happens to involve monsters.

Kiersten White knows the Buffy universe. She knows how the world her character's inhabit works. Her writing has the fantastic one liners that the show is known for. It has the humour and wit that made Buffy herself so appealing. Nina isn't a carbon copy of Buffy but she has a sense of humour all her own and the writing itself has the essence of the show all over it. As a fan of the television show reading this felt like reconnecting with old friends. It was comforting in a way that anything that invokes nostalgia is and that is because it captures what made Buffy so captivating.

Nina is a girl who never wanted to be a slayer. She, in fact, is more drawn to helping and healing. She wants nothing more than to continue her education as a medic. Fate, however, pushes her down a different path. Her journey of discovering what being a slayer means on her own terms is an empowering one. That message of female empowerment that Buffy is known for is carried on within these pages. Nina's self doubt and missteps while finding her way will be all to recognizable to anyone who went through, or is going through, the processing of growing up. Her impulses to heal and protect as well as the inner call to action and violence makes Nina a very interesting slayer and one I am excited to follow on her journey.

This story has a very 'Watcher' slant to the narrative. Nina is at the Watcher's Academy. Her family is part of the Council. We see everything through the lens of this group. It paints Slayers in a different light than what I had previously considered. Part of that journey was confronting how their actions, Buffy's in particular, would seem to this group. I was always Team Buffy when it came to whatever was happening with the Watchers but this provided something to think about. It didn't change my opinion (for a variety of reasons) but you can see, particularly through Nina, how things might look and why she would see it a certain way.

There is a romance within these pages and the less I say about it the better. It, however, has the potential to be just as heartbreaking, captivating, and romantic as the one between Buffy and Angel. It has so much potential that I am hoping this story arc continues in the subsequent books that will come in this series.

A new Slayer's journey begins and I could not be happier to be back in this world. Kiersten White's managed to create something that both scoobies and newbies alike will devour. I'll be eagerly anticipating when I can return to this story a

This book was so great to read! I've seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but only once, and that was a few years back. I've also watched Angel, but this is the only non-tv show media that I've experienced. And yeah, it was so freaking good!

One thing that I love is that this isn't about Buffy, really. She has a few brief appearances, but this book is about Nina and the Watchers that are the only ones left. Of course, there's a prophecy about Nina and Artemis, but they don't know that at first.

Nina isn't valued by the older generation of Watchers. She's a healer, not a fighter, and Watchers are big on measured thinking, and then removing the threat. Not so much on healing. That she turns out to be a Slayer, yeah, that really rocks the boat!

That ending, oh! To know who was the bad guy, yeah, that was a big twist! But there was also the hidden threat, and we find out who it is, and wow, it's so shocking! I can't wait to see how things are going to play out!

Loved reading this book, and I'm really excited for the sequel!

Ok I definitely need to rewatch ALL Buffy’s episodes now (what? I miss them). THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!!! I got an ARC in exchange for an honest review and I NEED TO BUY IT I WANT TO OWN IT SO BAD! The ending is so gooodddd it gave me goosebumps. Ohhhh I can’t wait for book 2!!!

3.5/5 Stars

Nina and her twin sister, Artemis have grown up at the Watcher Academy. Watchers are trained to protect Slayers, girls with supernatural strength used to fight demons. Years ago when Buffy Summers, the most famous Slayer in the world, tore the world in two - she destroyed the Seed of Wonder, eliminating magic from the world. This meant that no more Slayers would ever be created. Nina has spent her life as the Watcher medic, using her skills to heal rather than hurt. Needless to say, Nina was surprised when she realized she was the last Slayer chosen right before magic was eliminated. Now, with the help of her friends and Watcher-in-training Leo, she must save the world from the demons trapped on Earth.

I've never watched a Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode in my life so I don;t think I had the nostalgia that many others seem to have with this book. At times, I found Nina to be annoying and self-absorbed, always feeling sorry for herself. I liked how she developed by the end of the story and how much she grew. I loved the relationship between Nina and her sister, Artemis. I loved how each were feeling certain ways but they were able to discuss those feelings in productive ways. There was a lot of hidden resentment from both sisters but I liked how it was resolved in the end. I do think that the story was a bit slow to start, but it eventually picked up about 3/4 of the way through. Once the action actually began, I liked the story a lot more.

Overall, entertaining and I think fans of Buffy will really enjoy it!

3.5/5 Stars

Nina and her twin sister, Artemis have grown up at the Watcher Academy. Watchers are trained to protect Slayers, girls with supernatural strength used to fight demons. Years ago when Buffy Summers, the most famous Slayer in the world, tore the world in two - she destroyed the Seed of Wonder, eliminating magic from the world. This meant that no more Slayers would ever be created. Nina has spent her life as the Watcher medic, using her skills to heal rather than hurt. Needless to say, Nina was surprised when she realized she was the last Slayer chosen right before magic was eliminated. Now, with the help of her friends and Watcher-in-training Leo, she must save the world from the demons trapped on Earth.

I've never watched a Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode in my life so I don;t think I had the nostalgia that many others seem to have with this book. At times, I found Nina to be annoying and self-absorbed, always feeling sorry for herself. I liked how she developed by the end of the story and how much she grew. I loved the relationship between Nina and her sister, Artemis. I loved how each were feeling certain ways but they were able to discuss those feelings in productive ways. There was a lot of hidden resentment from both sisters but I liked how it was resolved in the end. I do think that the story was a bit slow to start, but it eventually picked up about 3/4 of the way through. Once the action actually began, I liked the story a lot more.

Overall, entertaining and I think fans of Buffy will really enjoy it!

I’m going to preface this by saying that I’ve never read or seen anything in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series. I knew it was something that I would like but just never got around to it. Although, this is a spin off and isn’t technically completely related, I felt as though Slayer had spoiled a bit of Buffy. So, if you can read/ watch Buffy first.

I didn’t really feel anything for Nina or the other characters (except for Doug) throughout the novel. However, in the last 30 pages, Nina pissed me the hell off. All she would talk about in the book was how much she resented Buffy and being a Slayer is the worst thing in the world. However, when they meet up it takes Nina 3.5 seconds to flip the switch and like her and give her advise?????? Even having the audacity to say her father would be proud of Buffy???? No thanks, you just spent the last 360 pages bitching about her. That’s just annoying.

I thought the whole plot of the novel lead up to the end of the story and it was just lacluster. I didn’t find it action packed enough or a good enough finish to justify the 400 pages getting there.

Im on the fence on if I’ll continue with the series.

Ah, it was so funny to be back in the Buffyverse, with new characters and a totally new setting. I loved how the story felt true to the series, but new and fresh as well. A very fun and easy read, I can’t wait for the next book!

This book just came out recently and I am so happy its out in the world! I had requested this book on Netgalley and I was quite happy that I was able to read it last year!! I used to watch Buffy on TV as a teen, and since then I've renewed my interest in it.

This book is about The Watchers, the ones who are left, and the last Slayer to exist after Buffy. Basically things are in shambles due to what Buffy did (which since I haven't watched the whole show I have no real frame of reference for) and it follows the lives of Nina and her twin sister Artemis who grew up at the Watchers Academy. There are only a small number of Watchers left, and they are focused on being ready when needed for any future Slayers.

Nina gets quite a shock when she discovers she's the last Slayer. Ever.

There's demons, monsters, all the baddies from this world you could think of. There's betrayal, secrets, and anger. It's one heck of a journey.

I read this all at once and I liked it. There were moments where I was wondering why bits were necessary, but I think perhaps there's a larger story at work here and as the series goes, more will be known.

Slayer was well written. I was glued to the page and had to finish it in one sitting! It's just one of those engrossing reads that pulls you out of your everyday life and throws you into an adventure to the point where you forget your troubles.

I'm happy to have read gotten the opportunity to read this before it was released. It wasn't what I was expecting but it was quite good!

Since I've only just begun to re-watch all of Buffy, I am looking forward to needing to re-read this novel again once I'm finished, and to follow along with the series!

Recommendation: For the lovers of Buffy and vampire/creature type stories. For the lovers of books about finding out who you are and those who just love one heck of an adventure

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Buffyverse fans rejoice! This story was nice to allow to revisit this universe I grew up knowing. Personally speaking, I wish the author hadn’t relied as heavily on the “Buffy” name and characters to set up the story. In the beginning the Buffy name is mentioned every page and sometimes multiple times per page. Also I didn’t need ALL the characters to be related to characters from the series. I would have really enjoyed if the book stood in its own right and not just lean on the Buffy characters etc. But overall was an entertaining read.

This was beautifully accurate to the original Buffy story. It encompassed all the best parts of Buffy, had the humor down to a tea, and the story was incredibly fastening. I do however think there could have been more explanations and concepts described for the people who aren't familiar with Buffy. Certain things were confusing and i can see a lot of people being totally lost. That being said, it was a great story and White did a lot with Buffy's character that made me thrilled beyond belief! I can't wait to share this with other Buffy fans!!

Voice galore, and with all the Slayer goodness I wanted it to be, SLAYER was most definitely an excellent continuation of the Buffy universe. And who else could've written this besides Kiersten White? Fleshing out humour and romance in the midst of all the supernatural demonic madness felt natural, and the quick pace made it an easy book to fly through. I'm level ten excited to see where White takes this story next.

Full review on blog, link below.

Five out of Five stars.

This book brought me back my teen years in such a good way. It linked into the Buffy universe that I remembered well with easy explanations. I was never one that read the comics but Kiersten White covered what you needed to know from those as well so you didn't feel like you missed anything. It was fun to catch little glimpses or mention of loved characters from the television series or relatives of theirs throughout the story.

I found the story fun and I was always excited to pick it up and find out what was happening next. While I suspected one part, the other revels did come out as surprises to me which was nice. I am honestly looking forward to the other books in the series and will be picking them up when they come out. I have recommended this book to anyone who was a Buffy fan.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

Kiersten White.

Buffy universe.

What else do you need to know before picking up this book?

I’m going to admit it…I am a HUGE Buffy fan. I can’t even begin to count the amount of times I have watched this series start to finish but it’s a LOT. I also love White’s writing (have you read The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein? Soooo good!) So, for me, this is a match made in heaven. I jumped at the chance to read this book.

Not going to lie, I was worried going in. Even though I love the author and I LOVE the universe…this is Buffy. It actually took me so long to finally start reading this book because I had no idea at all what to expect.

What I didn’t expect, though, was that it would be SO GOOD!

Now, that isn’t a shot at the author at all; like I said earlier, huge fan of her work. If I see her name on a book…I’m buying it. What I mean, is that although I was fully expecting the start of another great Kiersten White series, I was completely blown away with how accurately she captured the spirit of the Buffyverse:

Dry, sarcastic wit? Check
Cocky, “I’m better than you attitudes”? Check
Amazing group of kids that you really, really want to hang out with? Check
Dumbass teenagers doing dumbass teenager things, getting themselves into trouble, to hell with what other people say? Check, check, CHECK!

I mean, if you’re going to spin off of one of the most iconic fandoms ever…THIS is how it’s done!

If I loved it so much then why didn’t I give it a full 5 stars? Well, like first in a series it wasn’t perfect. I did find that it was a little slow to start and there were definitely a lot of repetitive points that probably didn’t need to be hammered in as much as they were (i.e. Nina’s dad, her feelings on Slayers, mom hate etc.) but I do see these as important points to the story and, let’s face it, these are teenagers we are talking about.

There was also the little matter of the Buffy talk. All I’m going to say about that is KW: you know what you did and, even though I understand it, I’m still mad.

Kiersten White has written something that will appeal to veteran Buffy fans and a whole new generation alike and I think that is amazing. Slayer is really written in a way that this new generation doesn’t have to have prior knowledge of this world (although you should. I mean, everyone should) but also in a way that really brings us hardcore fans back with throwbacks to the Hellmouth, Angel, Giles and so much more. Also, this new cast of characters is fantastic. I love them!

Especially Doug. I heart Doug so much.

Obviously, I loved this book and have been recommending it to everyone that will listen. I’m already way too invested in the characters and finished this book being heartbroken, confused, angry, proud and completely elated. All at the same time. Like every episode of Buffy.

Well done to Kiersten White. There is no way this was easy to do but I’m so thrilled that you stepped up to this challenge and knocked it right out the park! I cannot wait to get my hands on Book 2!

Now I’m off to go start re-watching my favorite show all over again. For the millionth time.

Welcome to the Hellmouth!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy of this book to read and provide my honest opinion

Like many others I grew up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's a huge part of my childhood and while Slayer was not a book I intended to read I did enjoy my time with it. I like the concept of taking something on screen and giving it more story in book form.

Living up to its name, Slayer was full of action. Although the plot wasn't super engaging there were bits of humour sprinkled throughout the story. I laughed hard! It was also fun to pick up on references to the show. Whether it was the brief mentions of the characters or recaps of old events I was overcome with nostalgia.

I'm sure the tv series talked about Watcher history but I appreciate the closer look at them in the book. Their organization is impressive even if their ranks have been diminished/is diminishing. Despite the debate over the usefulness of Slayers and Watchers in a magic-less world, I love what they represented for humanity. They are knowledge and protectors at their core.

Nina has a kind heart but so much self-doubt I felt frustrated with her constant despondent thoughts. I gave her the benefit of the doubt given her past trauma and the Chosen One bombshell but I really wished she'd had more confidence. Her growth near the end was incredible so can we have more of that in the next book please! "It's different when you're the one with the power. The choices are so much harder and so much more important." (eARC, Loc 3644).

There was a range of secondary characters. I loved how fiercely protective Artemis was of Nina. As a twin myself their tight yet volatile bond was very accurate. The rest of the characters didn't feel all that necessary (*cough Honora cough*) but the surprising developments at the end of the story has me curious.

I see great potential in Slayer (pun absolutely intended)! Fans of the tv show will like this continuation while newcomers just might fall in love with the superpower badassery ;)