Exciting new world. An academy for slayers. Historical references. This series has it all so far. Excited for what's next. The setup in this book is promising a fun sequel

"Sign of The Slayer" is a young adult dark academia/fantasy novel. It is Full Metal Alchemist meets Vampire Diaries. The narrative centers on a girl who must battle monsters after her best friend and bandmates are killed by vampires. Her discovery of possessing "Slayer" powers - marked by the symbolic imprint on her hand - prompts her to enroll in a school for Slayers, where she learns combat techniques and uncovers the history of her kind. The story progresses to reveal conspiracies, betrayals, and unexpected alliances.

The author's writing style is geared towards teens and young adults. There is plenty of teen slang which did not resonate with me but I enjoyed the story. I plan on reading the next installment, Soul of The Stone.

This brings me back and totally slayed. Literally and figuratively! I couldn’t put this book down and I hope everyone has a chance to read it!! Mind blown!

🩸🦇 Book Review: Sign of the Slayer 🦇🩸
Okay, so picture this: you’re on a school bus with your marching band… and then BAM 💥 — vampires. Total chaos. But instead of becoming a snack, Raven (our FMC) discovers she’s got major supernatural main character energy and gets whisked off to a secret vampire slayer academy. Sound familiar? Yeah, I was getting Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes too — and I wasn’t mad about it.

✨ We’ve got:
• Mysterious “Pretty Boy” 🫦
• Dual POV storytelling 📚
• Elite vampire + slayer alliances (yes, teamwork makes the dream work!)
• Action, betrayal, and some flirty slow-burn 💕

There’s even a sprinkle of Egyptian mythology, which felt fresh and unexpected in a vampire tale. The plot idea is killer, and the dialogue had its shining moments, especially the banter.

That said… the pacing went from 🔥 to 🥱 and the synopsis definitely promised more than the story delivered. I wanted to love this one, but ended up just… liking it.

Still, if you’re a YA fan who loves vampires, magic schools, and morally questionable hotties — give it a shot. I may not be joining the Slayer Academy just yet, but I’m still glad I visited.

QOTD: If you had to slay vampires or date one… which would you choose? 🧛‍♂️💔❤️

Big thank you to Entangled for the ARC copy of Sign of the Slayer! I won this copy via a giveaway through the Facebook group. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

We start off with Raven, who's world is turned upside down when her friends are slaughtered by vampires and she learns she's actually a vampire slayer and is whisked away to a new society. I found the magic system interesting and I appreciated the fact that this book really did align with the YA genre. Raven was fun, witty, and had a bit of sass to her that felt true to a teenager in her position. I liked how she wanted vengeance and didn't lose that motivation throughout the book.

The book was long but it felt fleshed out and the length worth it. I'm excited to dive into book 2!

It’s not just about good and evil, it’s about the light and the darkness. Raven and Khamari dance around a past and a history that can destroy them if the real truth and memories come to light.
Sometimes the greatest threat to survival is hiding in plain sight.

As soon as I read full metal alchemist and vampire diaries I was SOLD and let me tell you, this book does NOT mess around. What you see is what you get, and you get a 5 star read and begging for the next one

Sign of the Slayer sinks its fangs into the paranormal academy genre with fresh fury and irresistible style. Sharina Harris blends biting humor, alchemical magic, and high-stakes emotion in this standout YA debut, led by Raven—a Black slayer heroine who’s as sharp-tongued as she is fierce.

Packed with enemies-to-lovers tension, dark academia atmosphere, and an aching undercurrent of grief and rage, this is Vampire Diaries meets Fullmetal Alchemist—but smarter, bolder, and unapologetically original. The romance simmers, the twists hit hard, and the worldbuilding is rich with potential.

A searing start to a series that demands attention. I’m all in for book two.🩸

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled for giving me a copy of this book. Firstly, this book is more aimed at teens/YA and I felt it was appropriate for that age-group, I wouldn’t mind my teen reading this – and I know that can be hard when it comes to fantasy/dark academia, however, I still enjoyed it as a millennial/40’s mom. Buffy was HUGE for me back in the day, and so I loved this felt like a modern day, and more diverse take on that genre. I really enjoyed Raven and Khamari, and the fact the book had some more comedic moments. Overall, I found myself loving Sharina Harris’s writing style – she is fun to read and I hope we see her become a much bigger author with an amazing publisher like Entangled giving her a space.

“Wake up,” I whisper. “Come back to me.” I lean away.

thank you for the ebook copy of this book!!

i loved everything about this; the inner monologue was top tier, i love Raven and all of her qualities, i’m a sucker for pretty boy despite it all 😭 and who doesn’t love a good slayer x vampire story?

i am *quite* literally obsessed and can not wait to start book two!!

I really enjoyed this book! I'm a huge Buffy fan, and this book gave me major Buffy vibe. The writing felt fresh and appropriate for the genre. I appreciated all of the pop culture references. This book definitely kept me engaged and intrigued. I'm definitely reading the next one! Raven/ Texas was a strong and sassy female character, something I really enjoyed. I appreciated that we got to see her struggling to fit in with her new life. Im intrigued by Khamari. The dynamic between the two had so much tension and I want to see how their dynamic progresses. Great diversity and representation! I definitely recommend this book!

Review:

I enjoyed this book. The characters were great, and the story was interesting. I liked the slayer and vampire societies and how they mixed. I thought the historical things woven in were great. It was cool that the Slayers had code names, like how our main girl Raven went by Texas. I enjoyed how the book began with action and got Texas on her journey to who she would become. This book had action, a little romance, betrayal, messy relationships and so much more. The political intrigue was fascinating and sometimes pissed me off as it made a mess, but it made the story enjoyable. I loved it so much! The half-human half-vampire plot was fascinating and I hope to learn more about it and Khamari and his brother. The ending was intense and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next and how it will affect the characters and their world and if they can eventually have peace.

This is truly one amazing book. The story is wildly entertaining. The characters are relatable and realistic. The story caught my attention in the first few pages and soon I couldn't put the book down. There is so much action and unexpected events sprinkled throughout the book.Its a perfect read for high school age kids. I would definitely recommend this story.

This book did not hook me as I was expecting it too. I was unable to complete reading it. I could not connect with the main character which has me struggling to continue reading.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC for review. All thought are my own.

A Dark, Fun, and Engaging Paranormal Adventure – 4 Stars

Sign of the Slayer by Sharina Harris is an exciting start to a dark academia series that had me hooked from the very first page. The mix of supernatural elements, high school drama, and a dash of romance makes for a thrilling and engaging read that keeps you on your toes.

The protagonist, a young slayer-in-training, is thrust into a world far beyond her expectations. High school, for her, was supposed to be about studying and socialising, but instead, she's learning how to fight vampires and wield incredible weapons. I loved the concept of a slayer academy, where students are taught the ins and outs of vampire lore and combat. Harris has created a world that feels fresh and exciting, with enough twists to keep you guessing about what’s really going on behind the scenes.

The chemistry between the protagonist and Khamari, the vampire prince, is one of the highlights of the book. At first, vampires are the enemy, but Khamari is different from the usual bloodthirsty demons. His character is complex and intriguing – reasonable, intelligent, and hiding some deep secrets. The evolving dynamic between him and the protagonist is compelling, especially as their uneasy alliance shifts into something more.

I found the plot to be both fun and cleverly paced. There’s action, mystery, and tension, as the threat from an ancient evil looms larger and larger. Harris does a great job of blending the suspense of fighting supernatural forces with the personal struggles of the characters, and there are enough twists and surprises to keep you thoroughly entertained.

While the world-building and character development were mostly strong, I did feel there were moments where the pacing slowed down a bit, and some aspects of the story could have been fleshed out further. But overall, it’s a thrilling read with a lot of potential, and I’m certainly looking forward to the next book in the series.

Sign of the Slayer is a fantastic blend of adventure, romance, and supernatural intrigue. If you enjoy paranormal stories with a unique twist, this is definitely worth picking up. It’s a strong start to a series, and I’m excited to see where it goes from here. A solid 4 stars for a fun, addictive read!

3/5 Stars

Loved the inspiration but I wanted a little more from this read. I feel like this book was a little chaotic because the author was doing a lot in this book. This book felt very fast paced and lots of things happening at once. I thing Younger me would have absolutely been obsessed with this book. It hits everything I would have loved. I Will also add that I really liked the dual perspectives and some of the twists that were included. Overall it was just okay. I think I went in with too high of expectations.

If you like the vibes of vampire diaries and shadowhunters this is definitely a book you will enjoy. I was immediately invested in learning more about the slayers and felt so connected to the main character as she was dealing with her grief all while having g to trust these new people in this new world. I absolutely loved seeing Raven/ Texas build and develop her relationships. And the ending was so worth it. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I love Vampire Diaries, so I was a bit unsure going into this book, but oh my! Throw in the references and nerdy humor and I"m so down. I'd say it also gives some slight Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes too. Usually I'm not of a fan of "unknown powers/skills only activated in young adulthood", but the author did such a wonderful job that it didn't seem like such a cliche. I was rooting for Raven the entire time because, ya know, high school is rough as it is. Throw in vampires killing your friends and having to go to a slayer school to learn to further kick ass, geez. I'd never complain about my own high school experience again! The plot pacing was fantastic and the characters were great. I highly recommend this one! Thank you Entangled Teen and Netgalley for the ARC opportunity!

I wasn’t expecting to absolutely fall in love with Sign of the Slayer, but I could tell within the first 100 pages that it was going to be nothing short of phenomenal. The character of Raven/Texas is complex, driven, and her humor adds moments of lightness to a sometimes daunting world and storyline. The romance does not overshadow the storyline, and to be honest, I respected that most of the story is told from the perspective of Raven/Texas, with some sprinkling in from Khamari as needed. The fight scenes are action-packed, clear, and made me feel like I could pick up a sword and slay some vamps lol. Also, really LOVED the inclusion of alchemy and ancient Egyptian theology and history that informed the world-building. It was an unexpected facet that really makes this a unique world, and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This starts of slowly but once it gets going you better buckle up because it will take you on one chaotic journey. I really enjoyed the sass and sarcasm, the movie references and the geeky humour riddles throughout this book. If you're a fan of things like Buffy and Underworld I think you'll enjoy this read. It has the quirkiness of Buffy and the darkness of Underworld and of course its full of vampires and an ultimate evil that only the two mortal enemies can defeat. What's not to love?