I've never listened to the podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer, but I do love Buffy and I know a little bit of Jenny Owen Youngs' music. As it turns out, that was enough to enjoy this tandem memoir, which was packed full of every emotion from joy to grief. Using the 7 seasons of Buffy - and their own show - as a framework, Kristin and Jenny take the reader through 7+ years of their lives, from marriage and moving to California, through the highs and lows of trying and failing to have a child together, through the breakup of their marriage and the myriad of emotions that accompanied it, through the pandemic, and finally to the point when they'd both finally healed and moved on, just in time to close out their podcast's run.

I really enjoyed this book, which was hilarious and heartfelt in turns, and that felt as much like sitting down with two friends as it did reading a memoir. I'm nosy by nature, and I appreciated how much the writers were willing to share - not just the gossip about their lives, but real insights and feelings, the kinds of things I'm sure it was hard to put down on paper. Also I finished my reading journey very much wanting to go rewatch Buffy - and maybe even listen to some Buffering. Probably the intended result.

4/5

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for inviting me to read this advance reader's copy. I'm going to be honest, while I have watched the majority of Buffy, I have not finished it. Nor have I ever heard of this podcast because again to be honest, I don't listen to podcasts. However, this was an interesting read to find out how these two people created such a popular thing that turned into a community, and then were able to keep it going while they struggled with their own personal issues. As a glimpse behind the curtain, it provided details and context for why they created this podcast in the first place and how much love and attention went into the whole thing over the course of its time. The only thing I have a small issue with, is in the parts where it's both the authors writing, the back and forth from third person to plural first person was a little jarring. (But that's probably just me.) Overall, after reading this, I'm going to try and finish watching Buffy and maybe I'll give their podcast a try.

Buffy changed my life. I was 10 when it came out, was a new kid, and felt immensely weird in a more affluent town - so I was kind of a Buffy without a superpowered destiny. I love this podcast and this book is an amazing extension of it.

"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.

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 listenership of "Scoobies," unexpected success, and a divorce. Through it all, their love for Buffy and their commitment to their community held them together against the odds.

Slayers, Every One of Us 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. While chock full of Buffy-related content (and Buffering!) for true fans, this is ultimately a memoir of queer love and chosen family. It's a heartwarming story for anyone who's experienced lost love, and a roadmap for staying close with your ex."

Seeing as I'm not really a podcast person I'm so here for this book about how Buffy forms and informs our lives and chosen family.

As someone who has grown up with Buffy, reading Slayers, Every One of Us was extremely cathartic. Simply just to know there are other Scoobies who relate to BTVS with such intensity. My sister used to let me watch it when my parents went away forgoing bedtime for vampires, watching Buffy became our ritual that would continue throughout my entire life.

Slayers, Every One of Us is a glimpse into the Buffering the Vampire Slayer podcasters. Starting from the creation the podcast to the utter heartbreak of miscarriage to finding a way to coexist after divorce, we get a glimpse into the lives of modern day Scoobies. Jenny and Kristin seamlessly transitioned from writing a ballad about the monster of the week to battling the real life challenges of adulthood.

The writing was beautiful, filled with raw emotion and humor to really capture the tone of Buffy, particularly the later seasons. Which tend to be controversial due to their darker tones, I am personally partial to the depth of the later seasons.

From a guide to surviving breakups to joining the workforce, Buffy has always had a deeper lesson within the sometimes silly premise. In Slayers Every One of Us, Kristin and Jenny relive their own Prom scene. The parallels between the episode and their very own lives is truly heartbreaking. Shelving their inevitable divorce for one night, to dance the night away with other fans, just like Buffy and Angel come together for once last dance.. Proving that sometimes our most beautiful moments come after finding a way out of the darkness.

If you are a fan of the Buffering podcast or Buffy in general, I strongly recommend picking up a copy on April 8th! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Anyone who has ever thrived in a fandom (or outside of one, honestly, with a lonely love for a show, film, or book) has experienced that special parallel between what you're watching and real-life events. Slayers, Every One of Us is an amazing chronicle of a relationship that, in lieu of shattering, thrives through a mutual passion project involving Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This dual memoir is engaging, heartfelt, and sometimes painful; a story of equal loss and growth. Russo and Youngs write with lively voices; the prose draws you in and refuses to let you go until the last page. As someone who watches Buffy every year--and as a bi woman in a sapphic ship who has connected with a partner over Buffy and other fandoms--this one holds a special place in my heart. This memoir is a love letter to community, friendship, and queer love.

I'm sure a lot of Buffy fans will adore this, but I do have one issue with the prose: the strange deviance between first and third person. I'm not sure why that was permitted, because the shift is often jarring. There are some chapters that would have benefited from being written by one author or the other (especially in moments when they shift to first-person POV). The book is also very light on Buffy-related content, which I wasn't expecting.

Memoir
Queer Love
Loss (Potential Triggers - Miscarriage, Divorce, Homophobia)
Pop Culture

When I first seen the cover and the title Slayers I had to know what this was about. I was fortunate enough to get an ebook and audiobook arc for this. I really enjoyed this memoir. I had never heard of this podcast before and I absolutely will be checking it out after this. I liked that they were able to connect episodes of Buffy to their life events. Also, in the narration they included their original songs and the production were fantastic. Def check it out if you're a fan of memoirs.

Thank you @macmillan.audio @netgalley @stmartinspress for the gifted arcs.-Ash

This was not my typical book but I am glad I got a chance to read it. As someone who only saw one or two Buffy episodes and has never heard about their podcast I am definitely not the target audience, but you don’t need to be to get something out of this story. This story chronicles the personal and professional relationship of Kristin and Jenny as they navigate the building and break down of their very public relationship. Kristin and Jenny are two women who fall in love and get married at the beginning of this book and then end up starting a podcast over their shared love of the show Buffy the vampire slayer. As they encounter some painful personal losses, the social and political climate of our country and the pandemic, their marriage breaks down, but that creates a problem as their professional relationship and project keeps them tied together. This was a beautiful story of love and loss, and how to continue forward when that path seems impossible to imagine and navigate. I am in awe of their maturity and ability to do what they did, as I doubt I would have been able to do the same. I appreciated and really enjoyed that this was a dual memoir written from both of their perspectives. A very interesting and beautiful book, even if you aren’t a Buffy fan. Buffy fans, and fans of their podcast will enjoy all the behind the scenes information, and get a lot out of this book. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Although I've known about this podcast, Buffering, I hadn't listened to it yet. After reading this book I have moved it up way up on my to-be-listened list.

I came into the Buffy fandom in my early twenties once it was streaming on Netflix and I was immediately hooked -- like I dressed up as Buffy for Halloween that year.

I loved revisiting Buffy through the lens of Jenny and Kristin and learning about their personal lives. You two had NO right making me tear up so many times. And because I hadn't listened to the podcast before, I didn't know there were songs. Buffy themed songs!!! They are incredible and I instantly added it to my Spotify list.

If you have the chance of listening to the audio it is for sure the way to go. It's narrated by Jenny and Kristin and some of the songs are included.
The physical copy has some super cute doodle and chord sheets (which I believe is also available as a pdf with the audio)

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook and reader copy of Slayers, Every One of Us by Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs in exchange for an honest review. My listening to this audiobook coincided with another rewatch of Buffy. I have been watching this show and the spin-off, Angel, since they first aired, which was my last year in highschool. I remember always finding a way to watch these shows no matter what was happening, moving out while still in highschool, break ups with boyfriends, moving all over the Bay Area and being kicked out of my Aunt's house two weeks before Christmas. Buffy was always there for me and still is as I'm realizing I'm like Willow and that is why I have always had a crush on her. Jenny and Kristin shared their lives and how Buffy helped them get through their hard moments. I enjoyed this book so much, I found the podcast that inspired it and am now following it. Read and/or listen to this book. Buffy has lessons for everyone and I hope they'll do a new podcast with the reboot/sequel of Buffy coming out.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and the author for the complimentary copy of SLAYERS EVERY ONE OF US by Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs.

Publication Date: 4/8/2025
Rating: 5/ 5

SLAYERS EVERY ONE OF US is the authors' memoir of their life together and apart, and the time they spent centered around the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television show. The pair were married when they started their popular podcast, Buffering the Vampire Slayer which followed the show episode by episode. In the span of their podcast they went through a lot, including the end of their marriage, but still Buffy kept them working together, figuring out how to make a relationship still work between them.

This book opens with trigger warnings. Over the course of the book, the pair go from married to divorced, they deal with fertility issues and pregnancy loss so do use care going into this one if any of this might be triggering material. The authors do delve into their feelings and it really pulls at the heart.

I really think they did a fantastic job of relating so much back to the TV show that brought them into the limelight with regular podcasts, live appearances, and events centered around the show. I consumed a lot of this via audio and you get clips of the songs that were written for their podcast about the Buffy show, while the print copy includes some song lyrics along with the musical chords to go with them and other additional materials.

I wasn't familiar with the podcast going into this book, I was just drawn to request a copy by the Buffy reference, but I thought that this book was exceptionally well done!

Time for another ARC review 👏

Slayers, Everyone of Us ⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️

So, I applied for this book not realizing it was a memoir, and those typically aren’t my thing. While it is not a book that I would recommend from a personal standpoint, I know there are others that will enjoy this.

I have never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but reading this honestly made me feel like I have watched some episodes with the way they linked each episode to something personal happening in their lives. While reading, Kristin was definitely more forthcoming with her emotions (which is a trend in their relationship), and Jenny was very closed off about most things. I will say that I celebrate them being openly queer women during such a troubling time during the 2016/2017 election, and using their platform to bring others together in those scary times 💕

Besides it being a memoir, another big turn off for me was the constant shift in point of view- going from third person to suddenly being in first person it again. I believe a book needs to be written in either one or the other.

Thank you for the opportunity to read!

i want to preface this by saying i've never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer. but this memoir still landed for me and was really great! 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I'm a massive Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan. If you give me the opportunity to talk about her, what she means to me, and which episodes I turn to when I'm feeling specific emotions I will go all afternoon. Very much like Kristin and Jenny. This book is both a love story to the show and a love story to their love of the show. They cover the last few years with every major upheaval, at the global level, the national level, and the home level. Processing big emotions becomes much easier when you have a comfort, and it helps that their comfort show covers events as apocalyptic as a global pandemic. Kristin and Jenny are both funny and open about their experiences, and won't shy away from the details, even though they specifically try to. The shared love of BtVS made me feel like I was just bonding with another fan. I felt a kinship with them that I don't feel when I read an actor's biographer or a journalist's ode to sport. They were just two other fans who love a stick figure Buffy and a night at the Bronze.

I love stories that examine how people interact with the pop culture fandom they love in interesting ways, so Slayers Every One of Us seemed exactly like the type of book I would enjoy. Even though I was not the direct target audience for this book (I’ve seen a lot of Buffy through the years but have never done a complete chronological watch through and I had not listened to the Buffering podcast prior to picking this up) I was pleasantly surprised with just how impactful I found this memoir. The structure of covering each season of the podcast through alternating perspectives of ex-wives Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs serves itself well to looking at how our experiences impact the way we view art at different moments of our lives and how that art can leave its impact on us. Slayers Every One of Us quickly went from a “read on my lunch break book”, to a “read at home where no one can witness me crying” book (in the best way possible). While it is difficult reading through the (incredibly relatable) heartbreak of suffering tragedies and slowly watching a relationship fall apart, the vulnerability put on display through this telling provides us with a beautiful example of how the media we love can teach us strength, build community, and bring comfort during our most trying times. This book is a love letter to the Buffy tv show, the Buffering podcast, and the fans that made both of those artistic endeavors so successful. If you are interested in any of those things or just love memoirs that examine pop culture from a personal perspective, I highly recommend checking out this book!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I had never heard of, much less listened to, Buffering, the podcast from authors Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs, but I was a Buffy fan from the original run, to the point that I spent large chunks of my time studying abroad in England in the university's computer lab reading Buffy fanfic. So I thought this book would be interesting, tying the experiences of Kristin and Jenny as they made the podcast, tried for a child, and got divorced to the show. Overall, they did a good job of show the connections between their story and Buffy's; unfortunately, I didn't particularly connect to it.

The memoir largely focuses on the couple's struggle with pregnancy, then their breakup, and then the fallout from the breakup. I did like hearing their appreciation for their listeners; I'm not super into a listener fandom for any podcast (though I do listen to a handful), but I've seen how strong and powerful these communities can be and what good they can do for people. It was affirming to see how much the podcasts hosts feel that. Jenny and Kristin kept working together, it seems, largely because of the fans of their show (and, I have to imagine, the money they made from it; look, I don't know how much podcasters make, but given their popularity, these women were probably making GOOD money, which had to be a motivator to keep the pod going--something that is definitely not mentioned at all).

I also particularly liked how they found strength in Buffy's Season 1 ender, "Prophecy Girl" when the 2016 election happened. They gained strength from Buffy's will to fight, which is admirable.

I think I struggled a bit because it seemed to me that Kristin was more forthcoming with her feelings (which seems 100% to be the dynamic in the relationship) and Jenny remained a bit removed. Quite frankly, I didn't particularly like her, and while I know that I should find it heartwarming that the two women managed to continue their show and then find a way to become friends after their divorce and subsequent remarriages, I got a bit frustrated. They acknowledge occasionally that the way some things were handled was likely unhealthy; they didn't delve into those too much. Ultimately, I think there were a number of issues left unexplored, and I became frustrated.

One of the hooks in the podcast was that the pair would write a song for each episode of Buffy (Jenny is a musician, so this makes sense), so there's a lot of discussion of the songs and how the songs both showed the emotions of the characters in the show and Kristin and/or Jenny's feelings (mostly Kristin's) and, for better or for worse, I am not someone who connects with music in that way. Totally a me thing! (Also, just reading lyrics, not hearing them, loses something in translation.)

On the Buffy front, I definitely don't feel the need to listen to their podcast; from the occasional reference, I feel like I would be frustrated by a number of their takes. (One of the hosts is very pro-Riley. What?) I also just wanted a bit more Buffy content in the book, though the book really is more of a memoir than a Buffy book. (Nary a mention is made about Joss Whedon and how problematic he is, but again...not a Buffy book. But I still found it kind of odd.) (I also don't know that I'm convinced by their "Hellmath" about Buffy and Faith, but whatever.) They do include an appendix with some fun encounters with Buffy actors that Buffy fans will enjoy.

Overall, I think they did a good job of tying their lives to Buffy's themes and I enjoyed the point of view of hosts of a very successful podcast. Still, though, the book is just a 3-star one for me.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the free advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Fantastic story. Hope to see a follow up story in the near future. Loved the characters and the powerful message behind the plot.

As a millenial woman in North America, it's hard not to be a Buffy fan, and to seek out ways to be a little more Buffy in my everyday life. Even though I've never listened to the "Buffering..." podcast, I was immediately drawn to the description of this book, where two women talk about their life and divorce through a Buffy lens. Part memoir, part ode to fandom, part "history of a podcast", this book is all heart, an emotional roller coaster through and through. I'm not sure I would've made the same decisions as Jenny and Kristin (continuing to make a podcast with your ex-wife even when you're in the thick of heartbreak is definitely a choice!), but clearly both they and their community benefitted from their dedication. I think should be marketed a little more towards the fans of their podcast and a little less towards a general audience, as I am definitely missing out on a lot of nuance and in-jokes here, but it was an enjoyable read for Buffy fans nonetheless.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was nice for the intended audience of reader. I had a lot of fun pairing moments in the buffyverse with import moments in the podcast and their lives at large.

Buffering the Vampire Slayer, the podcast that this book surrounds, has been one of my favorite podcasts for the past six years. I can remember specific moments so vividly via listening to it: the author's divorce? I was laying in the bed at my apartment in disbelief, the first time I heard Prophecy Girl? At my old job trying very hard not to cry. They are still in my ears with their new podcast adventure the eX-Files. Yet, despite loving this podcasting duo, I wouldn't say I'm a die hard fan, I don't subscribe to the Patreon, go to live events, or even follow them on socials. Hell, I don't listen to any of Youngs's other music outside what she writes for the podcast. Despite all this, and much to my surprise, I loved this. I mean I knew I would like it, but I didn't expect to be sobbing while reading it. Not only did it tug on my heart strings, but it was incredibly well written. I saw a few reviews that rated it low due to it not focusing enough on Buffy proper, but I thought it was fairly evident that this was a recounting of what the show meant to these women through the context of their podcast; So I thought that was a pretty unfair critic. This is a love letter to their community, and I for one felt the love.