Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and the authors for the ARC!

An easy five stars.

This book is mostly a memoir for the writers, Kristin and Jenny, over the course of their time from conceptualization through completion of their first season of the podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer. I haven’t listened to the podcast (a travesty, really), but I consider myself a pretty big Buffy fan. Like, owning the comic books post tv series ending, and a couple of graphic novel spin offs level fan. The only con I ever went to I cosplayed as Buffy bot. And this book was an incredible read for a fan of the show.

While there was tons to like about this book, I think what stuck with me the most was the enduring hope that the writers either felt or clung to inspired by their favorite stake wielding heroine. No matter what horrors they were going through in their own lives - a megalomaniac moving into the White House, infertility, divorce, a pandemic - they were always able to look to a moment in Buffy’s life where she was up against the worst possible odds and pulled through with a little help from her friends. A key message in the show and in this book is how important your community and chosen family is in getting through the tough stuff.

During the current political climate, this book felt like a reminder that things can go horribly horribly wrong but by supporting your people and pushing forward you can move through to hopefully find some light on the other side, and then eventually in the playback of the past.

Buffy is my FAVORITE show so although I've never listened to the authors' podcast, I decided to take a chance on this book. It was definitely more focused on their podcast and relationship than Buffy. Reading about their relationship and divorce was interesting enough but felt maybe overly intimate - but I'm also not familiar with them or their podcast, so I don't think I was the target audience.

I have a very personal tie to this ARC. My favorite show of ALL time is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I found the Buffering podcast the year they were working through season 2 and I loved Kristin and Jenny’s dynamic. I laughed with them and cried with them. I even saw one of their live shows in Philly! I’ve fallen off listening to podcasts in general but reading this made me want to start listening to them again.

Now to the memoir - Kristin and Jenny poured a lot of their raw emotions and experiences into the memoir, and tied it to their podcast coverage of the show. Watching that happen in real time was so inspiring and solidifies why I feel Buffy is the greatest show ever made.

If you haven’t already, go watch the show and do it in tandem with Buffering the Vampire Slayer. Their unique perspective on the show made me appreciate so much more.

I didn’t expect to cry my way through this book, but I did. Happy tears. Sad tears. Wistful, nostalgic, and full-body oh-my-god-they-get-it tears. Basically every kind of tears leaked from my eyes.

I found Buffering in 2017 and instantly became obsessed, like so many others. Buffy has been woven into the fabric of my life for as long as I can remember, and discovering two incredibly smart, nerdy, big-hearted women talking about it every week? That felt like someone made a podcast just for me. And the music? THE MUSIC?? I haven’t had a Spotify Wrapped without it since 2017. Not even kidding.

The thing about podcasts is you spend so much time hearing someone’s voice that you start to feel like you know them. There’s this weird intimacy that builds, even though it’s entirely one-sided. I remember being completely gutted when I learned about their miscarriage—months after it happened. I had no idea. All I’d ever heard was the happy, edited version of their lives. Same with their divorce. I was devastated. But I also assumed it was mutual, healthy, and filled with love… because that’s how they still sounded.

This book pulled back the curtain. It gave glimpses of the truth behind the joy, the pain behind the production. And yeah, it hurt. But it also healed something. Kristin and Jenny’s love—for each other, for the fans, for the slayers in all of us—shines through on every single page, even when the story gets heavy. Especially then.

If you’ve ever felt seen by Buffy, if Buffering meant something to you, or if you’ve just needed proof that resilience can be queer and tender and loud and messy and real... read this book.

Five stars. Forever.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Full transparency - I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and really enjoy Jenny Owen Youngs (the co-author) as a musician. I did not realize going in that this book was a sort-of behind-the-scenes look at the podcast Buffering (which I have not listened to.)

The book was definitely unexpected but so many of the things discussed were relatable to me in a way that I didn't realize was similar to other queer millennial kids. Kristen Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs were a happily married couple at the outset of the podcast. But things happen (as they so often do) and the women were drawn apart. However, despite going through a not-very-amicable divorce, they decided that they couldn't just give the podcast up because it meant so much to so many. The story is told mostly through Russo's eyes with commentary in each chapter from Youngs. Because of this, there is an inherent emotional load as we see Russo's struggles to get pregnant, Youngs drifting away, and Russo going through deep sadness at the end of the relationship. The episodes of the show and podcast coincide with challenges the women are facing in the outside world.

Overall, the book is a very good read, but I think I would've liked just a smidge more Buffy content to satisfy my needs.

I was initially confused by the first chapter. It read like there was a third narrator along with Kristen and Jenny. Finally figured that out. It happens a few times thru the book.

Having never heard of the ‘Buffering the Slayer’ podcast but being a huge fan of the series when it was on air and owning all the DVD’s. (I sense a re-watch in my future). The opportunity to read an ARC was too great to pass up.

I very much enjoyed the authors honesty and strength of character in laying out all their ‘dirty laundry’ so to speak on the trials they each individually faced thru the horror that is a divorce. Kudos to both for sticking it out and sticking the landing at the end by realizing that they still care for each other and ending up with a loving long distance somewhat blended family situation. All while sticking to their guns and (WWBD?) determination to carry the podcast thru to the last episode of the series. Whilst also maintaining their own personal fanbase of scoobies. I wish them all the best in their personal quests, lives and endeavors!

On a side note, I’m curious as to their feelings on the matter of Joss Whedon’s fall from grace. Noting the lack of mention of him anywhere in the book.

A highly enjoyable read from a fandom point of view and I recommend it to any that love Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I picked this book without having a single clue who Kristin Russo & Jenny Owen Youngs were - saw the cover and said Uuuu BUFFYYYY.

It was an interesting behind the scenes look into how their podcast came to be and how their relationship healed over time. That being said, if you're thinking this is meant to be a memoir that brings you gr8 advice, this book isn't for you.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I liked the podcast so i thought i would check out this book as well. It was good ,an interesting perspective about Buffy

✨ The Vibes ✨
Exploring relationships through the lens of Buffy the Vampire Slayer

📖 Read if…
✨ You’re a Buffy fan
✨ You like memoirs with unique formats
✨ You want a book that shows the importance of pop culture in our lives

I should start off by saying that I’ve never seen an episode of Buffy but I really enjoyed this book!

While the Buffy series is definitely key, Slayers, Every One of Us, is mainly about relationships and how pop culture plays an important role in creating connection. The book is written by the cohosts of the Buffering the Vampire Slayer podcast, Kristin and Jenny, and explores their evolving relationship with the show and each other as they navigated pregnancy loss and divorce. It’s equal parts memoir and essay collection, and really strikes the balance between emotional and humorous.

Even though I’m not a Buffy fan there’s something extremely captivating about this book. Kristin and Jenny are funny and vulnerable and write in a very conversational way. It was really easy to see each of their voices shine through in the writing, and reading it felt like having a conversation with a close friend. I also appreciated the unique format of the memoir, which included original songs and several appendices to help explain Buffy plot lines and character arcs. Those extras, specifically the appendices, made the book feel inclusive of all readers, regardless of their Buffy knowledge.

In short, if you’re looking for a short and creative memoir that has a lot of substance, this book would be a great pick! Slayers, Every One of Us is out now. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting but also didn’t hold my attention. I’m a casual fan of Buffy but not enough of one to listen to people talk about a podcast they made specifically about the show

I have a long list of podcasts I follow but don’t listen to because there are so many books I can listen to instead. So I have never listened to this podcast and didn’t know anything about the authors. And I didn’t really watch Buffy. So I’m not the target audience.

However, I really enjoyed this book. It’s the story of two women during a specific time of their lives and it is funny and heartwarming and heartbreaking.

One day, I will learn to read a book summary before requesting stuff on NetGalley.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was one of my very favorite shows for a very long time. So seeing a book with this title seemed like it would be GREAT, a dive into how the show became defining for a generation of women. I was ready for the thoughts, the insight, etc.

What is actually in this book is how a couple of women started a podcast called Buffering, to live stream their watchalong of the series. It's little about the episodes themselves or what they brought out for the podcasters (Kristen and Jenny) and more about the rollercoaster of life lead them from happy marriage to divorce to remarriage and jealousy, with a side shot of early Covid quarantining.

I never listened to Buffering. I had NO IDEA who these women were. And frankly, I was here for the insights that were probably talked about on the podcast, instead of the UPS and downs of the hosts' lives. Each chapter ended with a poetry piece that was the lyrics from one of their episodic songs which were simplistic and repetitive.

I've dived into memoir/self-help-y books about stuff I didn't know about previously and gotten a bunch out of them. (Looking at you, Momma Cusses.) This really just felt like two women going through divorce and making everybody listen to their drama about it, with tidbits about Buffy thrown in. There wasn't a lot of how Busy helped, but rather how making the podcast both helped and hurt.

If you need to work through some stuff with a partner, or you're going through a divorce, this MIGHT help you. But if you're just looking for the fun conversation about Buffy the show, look elsewhere. This isn't that.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

This was not what I expected. This was basically a BTS of their podcast.
Their wasn't much I could take away and apply to myself.

I love books about TV and film, and this one was a great read for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This combines memoir with love for the television and how the show eventually changed the authors' lives. I have never listened to their podcast, but I did really enjoy the book and the author's relationship shines through in the writing.

The book focuses on the creation and ongoing run of the authors podcast against the backdrop of the highs and lows of their life. The introduction does give significant "spoilers" (if you an call someone's actual life events spoilers) which I did think did lessen some of the impact of those events and portions when you read them later in the book.

Having never listened to their podcast or hearing of the authors before this book, but being a pretty moderate Buffy fan (I haven't seen every episode, but know the major plot points of the show/characters), I still very much enjoyed this book. As they offer synopsis of each episode discussed, you don't need to have seen Buffy to enjoy this book. If you do want to watch Buffy and don't want spoilers, then you may want to skip until you watch.

Disclosure: I received a free eARC and ALC from Netgalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Jenny Young’s, and Kristin Russo for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I actually had not heard of Buffering the Vampire Slayer prior to hearing about this book. For me allllll of the information was new, I was not a previous fan looking for more details about Kristin and Jenny. That being said, I still highly enjoyed this! They give plenty of background information that someone with nothing is not lost and/or confused by the memoir they are writing. I loved that Jenny and Kristin were and are still able to remain friends after getting a divorce. I also appreciated how open they were in discussing how difficult it was for them at first, and that it took awhile for them to reach a space where they could be friends once more. My main complaint is that we got a decent amount of information about Jenny and Jess, but I feel like Kristin’s new relationship was just brushed past very quickly and I would’ve appreciated just a little more because I feel like she struggled so much it would have been nice to hear about how she moved on and found love!

Buffy has special meaning to me, as she does for so many. She got me through some hard times, and I love hearing from my fellow Scoobies about how much Buffy has meant to them, too. I honestly have never listened to a Buffering podcast because I'm not a huge podcast person so I just picked this up because, well, Buffy. It wasn't fully what I expected, which is on me for just seeing "Buffy" and not reading the description. I was expecting more about the show and less of a memoir-type. I enjoyed it, though, and appreciate the authors for sharing their journeys with readers and listeners.

Thank you Netgalley a for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions written are completely honest and my own.

Although I was not familiar with the podcast until yesterday, I am ready to spend my summer with Jenny and Kristin. I love how they entertained their love with of Buffy with the telling of their story thus far. I feel like I know them and can't wait to hear these songs.

I loved this book. I listened to their whole original podcast and this behind the scenes and info about the community was great.

A memoir that is the story of how two queer women navigated divorce on a very public level and managed to stay in each other's lives through it all. This is a tender, funny, and totally charming novelof love, divorce, and podcasting is as much an ode to queer community. Kristin and Jenny’s marriage started with an ultimatum: to further their relationship, Kristin must watch Jenny's favorite show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. With the terms set, they began a journey that has led them through seven seasons of the beloved genre show, a podcast rewatching the series with their newly minted patrons, unexpected success, and a divorce. Through it all, their love for Buffy and their commitment to their community held them together against the odds. I enjoyed being part of their life It was a tender hearted book that are me wondered what made them somehow remained friends.

Kristin and Jenny explore the evolving of their popular podcast along with their relationship. Despite divorcing during the podcast's production, the two find ways to navigate their changing relationship along with the show and the podcast. At times funny, heartbreaking, and serious, this book was unputdownable and a delight to read.

I will be reading this again, and I am going to start listening to the podcast.