I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Sharina Harris and Entangled Publishing for this ARC.

Sign of the Slayer will be book 1 in this series.

Raven and her group of marching band mates are on their way home from a game when they are attacked by vampires. This is when she finds out that she is a slayer and it is her job to protect humans and the rest of the world from vampires; but for that she needs to go study at the American Slayer Society (ASS) where she learns to conjure weapons using alchemy. On her journey for revenge, she meets a handsome stranger but also needs to lookout for an evil being looking to return.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, I truly enjoyed it and was way better than I had expected. I loved the story and the concept of alchemy to use against vampires. There were moments where the little bit of story would get a little confusing or it was difficult trying to remember different sects of vampires and slayers.

Overall, this book made me really excited and at the end of each chapter I wanted more, which made it harder to put down!

For fans of: The Vampire Diaries, Buffy thr Vampire Slayer, Vampire Academy, Fullmetal Alchemist and Night World series'.

For the black girls that loved buffy the vampire slayer!!! This is the book I wish I had when I was younger. Very action packed and fast paced. Thoroughly enjoyed it

Such a great read! I found myself laughing and crying with this book. The teenagers really felt like teenagers with the dialogue and slang used. And I couldn’t help but rooting for them. The plot was well developed, and although I felt there were some plot holes it was still well rounded. I do wish that the characters had been developed more because sometimes I found them a bit lacking, but overall it was an enjoyable read. If you are someone who likes Buffy the Vampire Slayer than you will love this book.

Sign of the Slayer is an excellent story about a teenage girl who is coming into her power. Said power just happens to be vampire slaying. And… she might just have feelings for a certain broody vampire, which complicates pretty much everything.

If you’re an elder Millennial like me, you will greatly appreciate the subtle homages to past vampire stories like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but author Sharina Harris also creates a world that is entirely her own and is filled with characters more representative of the world around us. Sign of the Slayer lays the groundwork and the lore for the rest of the series, which can feel a little bit overwhelming/confusing in places, but stick with the story and it will deliver.

I appreciated the push-pull dynamic between Raven/Texas and Khamari, and the exploration of their connection. I cannot wait to see where Harris takes us in the next book!

Come for the vampire/demon slaying and stay for the strong female protagonist and the enigmatic male protagonist who had been gone for her from day one. Because who doesn’t love that trope in their literature?

This book gave me all the feels of my childhood watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer/ Angel. I loved that this book immediately took me to a place of memories . When reading I found the modern references constantly reminded me that this was a Ya novel . Also my only other issues was that I felt it moved super fast when it came to the main character Raven. She went from a 18 year old high school band section leader to elite vampire slayer. I understand that she had prior training but I thought it was a little unbelievable that she was able to master so many skills that others above her weren’t as good at . Overall I really enjoyed the book and I think Sharina should write more vampire books. She did such a great job with how she wrote the vampire in this book. I ‘d love to see more but less of the modern references.

3.5 stars

The story was definitely interesting but I felt like it dragged in places. I think this book needed to be shorter. It was too long for it to end on a cliffhanger. A lot happened in the back half while the first half was slower.

I enjoyed the pop culture references but I don’t think the slang is going to age well. I have a feeling I won’t be continuing with the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book.

This one hooked me right from the get-go. Maybe it was the semi-familiar setting of a high school sports game filled with horrible plays and teenage rivalry shifting into a bus ride of horrific, life-altering proportions but Sign of the Slayer really managed to hold my attention when so many others I’d tried starting lately had not.

🩸Chosen One
🩸vampire prince
🩸he falls first
🩸forbidden romance
🩸dual POV
🩸hidden abilities
🩸slayer school
🩸insta-attraction
🩸secret society
🩸transfer of power
🩸conspiracies and betrayal

This book gave the nostalgia of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the setting of a current day and a fascinating magic system for vampires and slayers alike. The Mythos pulled on Egyptians mythology in many aspects and twisted well known historical people/moments like Alexander the Great and The Black Plague to fill in gaps about this world’s hidden history of vampiric lore. Honestly, super intriguing.

Now there were a few slower moments and this was definitely a teen romance, but the nostalgia hooked me deep. I mean the vampire royalty and alchemist abilities of the slayers reminded me of another favorite fictional vampiric world: Vampire Academy and Bloodlines by Richelle Mead. That plus Buffy vibes made it easy to overlook the small drags in the flow of the story when it cropped up.

Raven is hot-headed, impatient, and roiling with anger at the deaths of her loved ones. She’s a stab-first, questions later kind of girl (when she can choose) that seems to get herself into trouble, but the raw power she seems to have backs up that impulsiveness. Honestly, I can see where her rage is coming from. And it’s also a lot deeper than just what the events that transpired at the beginning of the story would evoke. There’s something else going on with her that makes her different and it’s so intriguing to see her work through that.

“You’re beautiful, sarcastic, and can tear through a vampire’s heart. What’s not to love?”

Yup Khamari is definitely a classic case of he falls first. We mostly get Raven’s POV, and the little snippets of his perspective only make it so the vampire prince is a mystery. A simp for sure, but still one with his own secrets that we as readers only partially know and can guess at. And secrets that boy does have because holy heck I did not see that plot twist! I mean I guessed at something close, but never would’ve figured out the exact scenario that gets revealed later in the book.

There is one plot twist revealed toward the end that I definitely guessed at the beginning and am so very glad to have been proven right. What that plot twist is? Well, y’all will have to read to find out. Definitely a good start to what I’m assuming will be a new vampire slaying series.

Not plot related but: the chapter titles brought me so much joy! I’ve loved seeing the sudden resurgence of that aspect in books. It just adds a whole new level and character to the story being told.

⭐️: 5


Where do I send my therapy bill to @sharinawrites ?!? The last 10 chapters of this book absolutely devastated me and I don’t think I’ll ever recover.

This book gives all the Buffy/Vampire Diaries vibes and I was here for it all. Suchhhh a good book.

So many moments of laughter, gasping from shock and even some 🥵.

I absolutely loved the historical angle of this book and the storyline with the Slayers and the Alchemists felt so unique and original. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this book. And will now be insta-buying everything from this author.

Thank you @entangledteen for the arc on @netgalley !!

Thank you at NetGalley and Entangled Teen for sending me an ARC of “Sign of the Slayer”. This is my honest opinion!

“Sign of the Slayer” has a very intriguing complex premise with many different powers, markings and supernatural signs that one most remember as part of the Slayer Society, or ASS. These powers and factions, I guess? Make the book really interesting. I enjoyed the plot.. however I didn’t quite like how the plot was set out or written.

Such complex magic systems felt too simplified - in which they were describes in such a simple way that made it all the more difficult to actually imagine it - which is something I didn’t particularly enjoy. If it wasn’t as simplified, I definitely would have enjoyed the magic systems more!

The writing was fast paced which is something I enjoy with particularly short chapters - also something I enjoyed.. But, personally, I found the plot to be too fast-paced which made it so hard for me to wrap my head around everything happening. One second she was a normal person, a human, the next she was a slayer? It just went too fast and there was little emotional connection with the character, Raven (Code name: Texas).

Raven was not my favorite character from the books I have read so far. At some points, it just felt like she was such an overprotective MC which just got on my nerves at time. It was giving “alpha male” vibes from those cringy Tik Tok POVS 😭 Like legit all of her friends were “weak” and she would just stand up for them all the time and likes to repeat that. ALPHA MALE i tell you. And it’s not a good thing.

ANyways, one last point, the writing….. right now I think my face is just very… contorted. Like I said, it was very simplified and I felt like it was a bit childish at some point…. I DONT LIKE TO SAY THAT ABOUT BOOKS BUT I JUST CAN’t. I’m trying to be nice. SImply because the plot is actually good and worthwhile to suffer and drag yourself through…
I’m giving this a three star.

Let’s talk about this #African-American Vampire Diaries but on the #BlackGirlMagic level!

Raven is the section leader for her high school band’s woodwind instrument section and there is a lot of jealousy (usual high school stuff) to go around. Based in Texas, highlighting Prairie View A&M (an HBCU) was paramount in the first few pages of the book. The perfect teen novel until a freak accident occurs that results in her band mates demise and she is the only one standing to defend herself (and the honor of her friends), which will she choose?

The character growth was PHENOMENAL and the soundtrack for this story wrote itself. The author continually referenced music and songs for the ultimate playlist through to the final page!

The writing itself was nothing short of a chef’s kiss. Harris uses the multi-point of view to gain balanced perspectives from her characters and to keep the story moving at a fantastic pace. Just when you think it’s over…it’s not! Love interests, family secrets, friendships, and enemies…all in a tale for the ages! This was truly amazing to read about a #Black Slayer...and I can't wait to see what's next!

Thank you to Entangled Teen Publishing and Sharina Harris for this arc! All opinions are my own.

Rated 4.5 Stars

Sign of the Slayer was so good. It was packed with action, adventure, suspense, great world building and so much more. I loved the way history, mythology and pop culture were incorporated into it. There were twists and turns galore. The tension was high and the stakes ramped it up ten fold. I loved the main characters. Raven is a total badass, sassy with an edge. I adored her and Khamari. I loved this book. It was my first by this author but it most certainly won't be my last. I highly recommend.

Sign of the Slayer is a decently written YA novel. It very much reminded me of my days of youth spent watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The FMC Raven is the sole survivor after an attack on her high school marching bands bus. During this attack Raven discovers she has some very unique powers and meets a mystery “Pretty Boy” that helps her survive and find safety afterwards. She then has to say goodbye to life as she knew it, to enter an academy for vampire slayers. Here she learns the true nature of her powers and how to control and hone them. She is introduced to the upper echelon of slayers AND vampires, soon discovering that they can work together towards a common goal.

This is a dual POV story with good dialogue and banter between the characters. It has a fantastical plot IDEA with some nods to Egyptian mythology. There were some decent twists, plenty of action and even some flirting with a love interest. I feel like the pace started strong but then petered out. I was a tad disappointed and feel that the synopsis made this book sound more interesting than it actually ended up being.

I received an advanced reader copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I felt the beginning of this book was very jarring and I was never able to recover from it. It went from very band based and introduced many characters and then all of a sudden everyone is dead, and she is on her own. It made the first chapter seem unnecessary and left me confused as to why so many details were provided. I was only able to read a third of this book before I just had to stop because it just wasn't for me.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this one. I love Full Metal Alchemist so I was a tad skeptical when I started Sign of the Slayer. Turns out, I didn't need to be...

While this may start off a tad slow, it sets the pace for Raven's chaotic journey ahead. Once this takes off though...hold on. It is one hailstorm after another and I was here for it.

I love all the movie references, the sarcasm and the geeky humor throughout. This actually gave me mild Underworld vibes which made this all the more enjoyable for me. Highly recommend this one for dark academia, vampire and supernatural fans.

You don't have to wait too long to snag this gem as it releases on August 29, 2023. It's fun, quick and worth the read. I sincerely appreciate Entangled Teen and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sign of the Slayer was a fun and intriguing Modern day Buffy story. Our Main Character Raven (Texas) seems to have one tragic experience after another leading her up to accessing and realizing her powers as a Vampire slayer. Throughout the book we get to follow along as she struggles through personal issues and coping with her losses along with trying to adjust to her new life in the American Slayer Society and the dangers and complications that go along with it. She is hot headed and opinionated and while she annoyed me severely she also grasped my attention and I became quite attached to her growth throughout the book. Her relationships in the book were complicated and messy which I enjoyed but I felt like the book rushed through a few of the acceptance phases which made it a little hard to believe that she just accepts this world she knew nothing about without taking the time to be in denial. All in all I had a blast with this book and was hooked to the story and the characters we got to meet throughout it.

Ok who doesn’t love an enemies to lovers trope. The thing I loved more about this book is that it takes place where I live! Its great to have places you actually know in a book and I think more authors should set their books in Georgia. My personal opinion. I enjoyed this read a lot. The characters developments happens pretty fast and I wish there was more of it in a slower detail way. (If that makes sense) One thing that got in my nerves, (spoiler alert) was “Texas” and her distaste for vamps.. I get it you hate them bc they killed your friends but stop taking it out on everyone especially the guy who took you too bed and you fell for.. it happens A lot.. a lot.. but over all I felt like a teenage girl again reading this book and got all the feels. Awesome book!!!

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book. I really enjoyed this book, it was nice and refreshing to read, I really liked the plot and the characters where easy to read. Highly recommend 4 stars

3.5 Stars

Get this book if you’re looking for a fiery female protagonist that slays with sass almost as well as she slays vampires.

Get this book if you’re looking for a diverse lead with internal demons and trauma that that threaten to overwhelm but make the protagonist stronger and more real.

Get this book if you LOVE Buffy the Vampire Slayer but were never a perky cheerleader, instead, you were the girl in the school band, a little rough around the edges, with a hidden dark side.

Sign of the Slayer is the vampire book I was waiting for in theory but unfortunately it did not deliver in execution. The kind that is NOT entirely centered around romance-this definitely has its share of steamy, mature moments, and flirty banter- but the growth of the main character and world-building. This reads like an urban fantasy geared towards a younger audience. I was insanely intrigued by the world-building in this book. The mix of mythology with history and ancient cultures was fascinating and mixed well with the alchemy elements. Honestly, the science nerd in me would have loved more alchemy. There was A LOT going on with the history of vampires, slayers, other paranormal beings and their origin stories and instead of the reader being eased into the world and given time to adjust, it jumped from one revelation to the next. There were some components that had tons of explanation and others that were mentioned and then hopped over. There are a handful of vampire clans and different types of slayers and not enough of a breakdown to truly get a feel for the differences between each group. Had these been explored a little more, the politics and why each sect hated on each other would have been stronger. At the same time, Raven aka Texas is living in a chaotic and ever-changing environment and we are learning the intel as quickly as she does. This creates a sense of urgency and confusion for both the reader and Raven.

The characters are developed and have interesting back stories. I would have liked to see more of Raven’s story before she entered the Slayer Academy. The story literally starts with Raven at a high school event, getting attacked by vampires, and then her new life begins. There’s not a whole lot about Raven before she was thrust into this world and I feel like a lot of who she was is lost because of this. Raven mentions dreaming of becoming a composer and loving her time in band, but there’s really not a lot about her other than her trauma and her love for her grandmother Lou. While Raven has an extremely sarcastic, witty, and compelling voice that kept me laughing and wanting to read more, we don’t get a sense of the Raven before, only who she’s forced to be. I think these aspects of her character would have made her seem a little softer, a little more human, and built a connection with the reader.

What shines in this story is love for family and friendship. The deep and compelling desire to protect loved ones at all costs, and the sacrifices that inevitably will need to be made when stakes are so high.

The romance. Where do I even begin? It reads like instalove but as the story progresses it evolves into something more (no spoilers here). Khamari radiates sex appeal and has a charming, sinful way about him that burns through the pages. The interactions between him and Raven are a series of fire and ice, of temptation and resistance. This tug of war is fun to read and definitely on the mature side. There’s a lot of sexual tension and a handful of adult scenes.

Khamari’s character has many layers. On one hand, he’s torn between his devotion to his brother and his role as the prince of his clan. His love for Raven further complicates things. While some might have been turned off by the dual POVs in this story, I loved Khamari’s internal dialogue. It really helped to wade through his reasoning behind his actions.

The secondary characters were lively and developed enough to be memorable and make an impact on the reader-they weren’t just filler characters like in so many books lately.

Despite the urgency of the situation, the plot kind of lagged. I had to really push through some parts. It wasn’t for lack of interest, but maybe too much going on at one time? It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why it felt that way. It also seemed like the timing was rushed. Raven accelerates fast and then like next day is on a mission and then this potentially world-ending event occurs and then they’re being whisked off to another continent.

Overall, this was an action-packed, fun read with a fierce main character, diverse cast, and interesting world-building.

This book just goes to show that I’m not a vampire girly. I just simply don’t enjoy books that center around them.

The book is advertised as Full Metal Alchemist meets Vampire Diaries which I felt was a fair description. You have academia, vampires, vampire slayers, witches, and other worldly being. The plot had a good pace and the world building was fairly easy to understand. Raven and Khamari are the perfect main characters. I loved their dynamic and the fact that we got dual POV was an added bonus. We were also given a well rounded group of supporting characters.
There were parts that were predictable, but there was still so much mystery that I did not feel like it took away from the story. Raven is 18 years old and speaks like an 18 year old. It could get annoying at times, but it was mostly humorous. All in all, it was a good first book. We weren’t left with a cliffhanger, but we were left with enough questions to make you want to continue the series.

*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*