This book cracked something open in me. Slayers, Every One of Us isn’t just a memoir; it’s a love letter to the power of fandom, chosen family, and the quiet resilience of those who clung to Buffy in secret for whatever reason. Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs write with raw honesty about their relationship, their heartbreak, and the community they built through their podcast, Buffering the Vampire Slayer. I’m not even a podcast person, but after reading this, I think I'll dabble.

Growing up, I never told people I watched Buffy. The one time I did, someone made fun of me, and recently, I found out a friend had the same experience. We were both hiding something that shaped us. Now I realize just how deeply the series influenced my life. Last year, my daughter finally watched it, and she understood why I’d always nudged her toward it.

I cried a lot reading this book. For myself. For Kristin and Jenny. For the stories they shared and the ones they inspired. It’s a reminder that the things we love can become lifelines. This book is for anyone who has ever found strength in a fictional heroine and for everyone who’s still learning how to hold on.

This was a great read especially for any Buffy fans. I will recommend this one for sure! Hoping this one gets some more attention.

Very mediocre. I don't love that so many people are appealing to nostalgia bait these days.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was such a key part of my time growing up but I don't think anyone has managed to capture the magic of the show.

This felt so raw and painful to read, but it was still such a wonderful story for the authors to share. It was so interesting to see all of the behind the scenes for a podcast, along with seeing the evolution of a relationship through so many stages.

If you’ve ever felt like your favorite show understood you better than most people do, Slayers, Every One of Us is your kind of book. It’s a memoir by two queer women whose love story—and breakup—was shaped by Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Kristin and Jenny didn’t just watch Buffy; they built a podcast around it, found a community of fans (aka “Scoobies”), and held onto each other through heartbreak, healing, and hilarious fandom moments. This book is packed with pop culture references, emotional honesty, and the kind of deep friendship that survives even when romance doesn’t. It’s like reading a diary that’s funny, raw, and full of vampire-slaying metaphors for real life.

But it’s not just about Buffy—it’s about how stories help us survive. Kristin and Jenny show how fandom can be a lifeline, how chosen family matters, and how you can stay close to someone even after love changes shape. If you’ve ever had a best friend, a favorite show, or a breakup that felt like the end of the world, this book gets it. Plus, it’s got music, podcast drama, and a ton of heart. Whether you’re deep into the Buffyverse or just love a good story about growing up and holding on, Slayers is a reminder that even when things fall apart, you can still be strong, weird, and totally yourself.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

Perhaps I was not the intended audience for this book. I was/am a huge Buffy fan, but I had never listened to Russo and Owen Younfs podcast, Buffering the Vampire Slayer. I was expecting this to be more a book about Buffy, but in actuality, it's mostly a book about the authors, their own messy relationship, and the way they still found the grace to work together and continue their shared podcast project. Certainly interesting, I was just taken a bit off guard by how raw the personal details were.

I will take some blame here, but only some. When I read the sub-title, I thought it meant us collectively, as fans of the show.

In reality it meant the two women writing the book, and that's not what I was expecting. Even reading the summary, I still thought it would be more general and the life lessons would be deeper and more meaningful.

I love Buffy. As in, full on OBSESSED, as a teenager. The very first episode I ever saw was "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" and I was a smitten kitten. I never missed an episode, even when it was a rerun, and own the original-awkward-menu-set-up DVDs for the entire show.

I don't want to give too much attention to the man who created the character, because he is awful, but it has to be acknowledged. I was DEVASTATED when reports started coming out about his behavior, but I could not let go of something I loved so much, for so long. When I listened to and read Sarah Michelle Gellar's statements about the show and its legacy, including: "I will always be proud of 'Buffy'...Was it an ideal working situation? Absolutely not. But it's okay to love 'Buffy' for what we created because I think it's pretty spectacular," I realized I didn't have to.

So when I saw this memoir I had to snatch it up, because Buffy IS spectacular. I don't even know how to accurately describe everything Buffy means to me. I thought this book could, and it did, but again for the two authors.

The book is described as, "A memoir reflecting on heartbreak, perseverance, and life lessons learned from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from the hosts of the hit podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer". I've never listened to the podcast, fyi.

Their marriage starts with an ultimatum: Kristin must watch the show, which is Jenny's favorite. They started from the beginning, along the way creating the podcast, finding massive success with it, then divorcing while also determined to keep their committment to their listeners/community even when they could no longer remain committed to each other. The book focused a lot on that aspect and how Buffy basically helped them through it.

I expected it to be about how it changed our lives, how we grew as a result of Buffy. It might seem like I am exaggerating, but this show CHANGED LIVES. It was so imperfect and magical and everything. College courses were offered FOR YEARS about the show. I can't even count the number of pop history AND deeply academic books written about Buffy and Angel. I own most of them.

Yet for everything we learned from the show, the strength we gained from these imperfect characters doing their best and also failing a lot of times, that area was surprisingly lacking. These so -called lessons barely scratched the surface.

I did not find their story particularly compelling, either. Despite my deeply intense love for the show, nothing in this book made me want to go listen to the podcast. Fans of Buffering will most likely be the ones to enjoy this, but as someone who is just going in as purely a fan of the show and unfamiliar with it, it's entirely possible they will feel the same way I did when I finished the book. As in...why did I read this?

Had the marketing for this book been more accurate, we wouldn't be here. But saying fans of Buffy will love this one is misleading; this is meant for a specific group of Buffy fans, those who also like/are familiar with the podcast.

I also feel like it also traded a lot on emphasizing the power of Buffy showcasing queer characters. It was kind of marketed on the premise of Buffy's influence in that area specifically of queer empowerment, but ultimately that's not what the book is about.

I would not recommend it to fans like me who love the show so much, but have never heard of Buffering the Vampire Slayer - unless you are interested in starting that. Those who already know of it and like it will probably enjoy this.

From the very first pages, Slayers, Every One of Us grips you with its raw honesty and glowing warmth. Kristin Russo and her co-author share an intimate story that transcends typical memoir expectations—it’s about love, transformation, and the power of chosen family, all set against the backdrop of a beloved cult classic  .

What truly moves me is how openly the authors reveal their journey—from setting the playful ultimatum of watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer to navigating a deeply personal divorce, all while maintaining a public presence as podcast hosts . The narrative finds rich meaning in both heartbreak and humor, and the love that endures between Kristin and Jenny feels as real as any bond between lifelong friends—or more.

The writing style is also a joy. It balances sharp pop-culture reflections with tender emotional insight, interweaving tales from the Buffyverse with lessons learned in everyday life. These aren’t just fan anecdotes—they’re heartfelt revelations about resilience, vulnerability, and community.

What surprised me most was how this felt less like a glossy memoir and more like a late-night conversation over coffee. The authors’ voices are clear and caring, sharing their hard-won wisdom without ever sounding preachy. Whether you’re a Buffy superfan or new to the fandom, you’ll find something here: emotional growth, relatable struggles, and a hopeful blueprint for how to stay connected after love changes form.

In short, this memoir is a testament to the fact that some stories aren’t about endings—they’re about transformation. It celebrates honesty, warmth, and the unbreakable bonds we forge along the way. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a memoir that’s both heart-affirming and deeply meaningful.

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!