This book immediately caught my attention with its major Buffy vibes, which I absolutely loved. However, as the story progressed, the plot became a bit more complex and harder to follow. It felt like the author had a lot of exciting ideas, but they just didn’t always come together in a cohesive way.
That said, the writing style and world building felt perfect for a YA audience, full of fun pop culture references and the witty, snarky charm of Raven, who really stood out as a strong, entertaining character.

*Thank you to Sharina Harris, Entangled Publishing, LLC and Netgalley for the digital copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Sign of the Slayer was such a fun, fast-paced read! I absolutely loved Raven’s personality. She’s sharp, determined, and has just the right amount of sass to keep every scene interesting. The banter between characters had me grinning more than once, adding a playful edge to the stakes of the story.

The magic system felt fresh and well thought out, with enough layers to make it intriguing without being overwhelming. I especially enjoyed how seamlessly it tied into the world building, everything felt like it belonged. Harris’s vivid descriptions made the setting leap off the page.

A fantastic start!

Absolutely amazing books! I've just finished the 2nd one and what a cliff! Loved ever minute of it and can't wait for the next one!

Sign of the Slayer by Sharina Harris is a brilliant, dark YA novel that hits harder than Raven's left hook. I knew it was going to be gritty based on the synopsis, but I did NOT expect the level of devastation held in these pages!! Well-done!!

Fans of Buffy, Full Metal Alchemist, and the X-Men (okay, 90s pop culture in general 🤣) need to read this NOW. I loved how no-nonsense Raven was, and that she wouldn't even let undead creatures of the night push her around. Hear fears of losing control battled with her confidence, letting the reader feel even more connected with her.

It features a kick ass heroine, morally grey hero (can we call him that?), vampires, magic, and the thrill of being a high schooler with massive power. What more can you ask for??

Thank you, Entangled Teen and Sharina Harris, for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

These books took me a little bit to get into. I didn’t hate them but they weren’t my favorite either. I am not sure if I’d recommend unless they ran out of other series to get into.

Thank you Netgalley (and ENTANGLED PUBLISHING) for this book. It was a first by the author for me. I was excited to win a "read now" copy from Entangled.

This is perfect for urban fantasy lovers. The FMC, Zaria, gets caught up in a world of dark magic when she becomes a Slayer (c'mon BUFFY, guys!). I was a huge Buffy fan. She has to "grow up" and take on more than she bargained for. She quickly finds out there's always a "gray area" when it comes to good vs evil. The world building is chef's kiss. I love a good world build. I'm a little odd, in the fact that I really love feeling immersed in the world and the more content, the better. Some things may feel predictable, but that's not bad. I can't wait to read the next book (thanks to Entangled again!). I'm hoping to get a little more into the side characters next book.

Raven is an 18-year-old high school senior, who just wants to go to band practice and spend time with her best friend. One night on a bus ride home after a football game, everything changed. Instead of getting ready to take the SATs and go off to college, Raven is now attending the slayer academy and learning how to fight vampires.

Raven wants to make the vampires pay for what they did to her and the ones that she holds dear.

However, as all good revenge plots go. It gets turned all sorts of upside down. When Raven meets a Vampire Price, her initial notion on vampires is changed. Prince Khamari shows compassion and wisdom, above all he knows things that could change everything, not only for Raven but everyone. Even with that, something is still off.

This is a wonderful read for those who want to dip their toes in to the world of the paranormal. This is a YA novel that really does appeal to readers from the high school age and up. Sharina Harris has a wonderful way of writing a strong female character without compromise for the fact she is a younger girl with her own inner thoughts and emotions.

The character dynamics and character development were fantastic. Being able to write multiple personalities that all felt unique is quite the task and it was written beautifully.

Some of the pacing was a tad off for me, however with that being said, there is a second book that may cover some of the questions I had in this one. There is two different paranormal societies introduced, and both are very clearly their own entity with their own morals, laws and inner workings.

If you're a fan of Buffy you'll love the references, however as this is written for a YA audience, I'm not sure that everyone who reads it will pick up on it. I saw this advertised for those who liked Full Metal Alchemist and Buffy the vampire slayer, I can say that I proudly am fans of both. I'm always skeptical when books are advertised with close ties to fandoms in that way, I was not disappointed. It really does feel like a YA to New adult take on a great mash up of them both, with their own twists added to the mix.

There is romance in this book, but it is not the entire plot line. She does not make her entire personality about the love interest, and for that I am thankful.

"I cannot read your mind. No, I cannot see your memories, but I see your soul. One foot in the human world, and the other in the vampire."

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for the digital ARC.

#SignoftheSlayer #NetGalley

There's something so refreshing about seeing a Black girl from small-town Texas wielding supernatural power, but I found myself wishing this story would just breathe. Raven's journey from saxophone section leader to vampire slayer had me hooked initially—the representation felt genuine and necessary.
But the pacing left me dizzy. Raven barely processes her new reality before being deemed "extra special" and fast-tracked through slayer academy. I wanted to savor her learning curve, but instead she's immediately rewarded for being reckless. The forbidden romance with vampire prince Khamari has potential, though plot threads feel borrowed from Harry Potter and Buffy.
Vibes We Are Tracking:
🎺 Band geek turned warrior
💔 Enemies-to-lovers tension
🏫 Dark academia supernatural school
👑 Forbidden vampire royalty romance
⚔️ Chosen one with attitude problems

I so wanted to love this book but unfortunately I really didn’t like it and I ended up dnf it.
It just didn’t keep my attention .

This book made me so nostalgic for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I love vampire books. I feel like there aren't enough! Its about Raven whos in Hight school and her life changes when she finds out shes meant to be a slayer. Its a overall fun read that mixes action, supernatural, and some dark academia. I liked the banter and romance and adventure. Raven is smart, and brave, and an easily likable FMC. The only negative is the world building was a little long and confusing but I still really enjoyed reading it. I do love a forbidden romance! The ending left me wanting to read the next one asap!!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved all the references to Buffy the vampire slayer. I am excited to read the next book! Thank you Entangled publishing for sending me them to enjoy!

Sign of the Slayer is a bold and imaginative paranormal YA/new adult fantasy that combines dark academia and supernatural romance. It’s packed with style, heart, and enough twists to keep readers hooked—especially if you love emotional stakes, forbidden romance, or strong speculative elements. That said, it may not land if you’re sensitive to pacing issues, world-building gaps, or characters who seem too perfect.

This book started off a bit slow, but the deeper I got, the more hooked I became. Raven’s journey was absolutely wild, and I was here for every twist and turn. The sarcasm and humor were exactly my cup of tea—sharp, witty, and kept me smiling throughout. A fun, thrilling ride once it gets going!

This book was just not for me. The writing was fine, but the content was just not something I connected with. I appreciate the chance to read this.

YA - A black female vampire slayer. You had me at black vampire slayer. Actually, you kind of had me at vampire. I enjoyed this back and can't tell you why it took me so long to ready it.

I enjoyed reading this story. I always like a vampire story. If your into this type of genre recommend!!

I enjoyed reading the first half of this book, but sadly I did not finish it. In saying that though, this has a main character that you would root for as she was thrown into the world of chaos -- her bandmates dying and she meets new people and learns more about her identity. If you like teen vampires and mayhem and discovering yourself, this book is for you.

Thank you Sharina Harris, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for a copy of this book!

A fresh, fast-paced urban fantasy with a supernatural academy setting and a strong dose of sass, Sign of the Slayer is a solid start to what I hope becomes a series. Sharina Harris delivers a creative twist on vampire lore with a Black girl lead who doesn’t back down—perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer but craving something more contemporary and inclusive.

Raven is a compelling protagonist: flawed, stubborn, and fiercely loyal. The world-building was intriguing, with the Slayer Society and supernatural politics adding a lot of potential. I especially enjoyed the balance of action, romance, and teen angst—though at times the pacing felt a little uneven.

Still, the banter was fun, the stakes were high (pun intended), and the ending left me wanting more. Definitely recommend this for fans of paranormal YA with bite.

3.5 stars ⭐️ This is Book 1 of the American Slayer Society series! This was a fun YA read. I definitely got some Vampire Diaries vibes and I loved the FMC being the vampire slayer! There was lots of action and the FMC is so relatable!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own 🫶🏼

Raven’s life falls apart before her very eyes. Raven and her friends are attacked by vampires, which is bad enough because their existence was unknown to Raven. Not only that, but her friends do not survive the attack, and she is torn away from her family and life as she knows it by vampire slayers. They give her the choice to return to her life, but at the cost of her memories. She instead stays to to train in an academy of vampire slayers. She has so much pent-up rage from her recent trauma that she throws herself into her studies and training. While she trains, it becomes clear that Raven has more power than anyone else she is training with, and she quickly rises in the ranks. Her loss causes her to close off her heart, to where she is afraid to make friends or become close to anyone. However, there are other slayers that she realizes she cares about, and she slowly becomes more open again. Then, to make things even more confusing for Raven, there is a vampire prince she is forced to work with that makes her questions if she is right in thinking that all vampires are monsters. When an ancient power threatens all of humanity, will the slayers and their allies be able to stop it or will vampires take over the world?

Wow! What a interesting read! I love how strong and sassy Raven is. She has the vibes of being the toughest person in the room, and I am all for it. The characters are lovable, and the story is so detailed. There are twists and turns throughout the entire book. I was absolutely mesmerized! The writing style flowed so well that I found myself easily transported into the story. I cannot wait to read book 2!