The Fabled Realms

Review of

Slayer by Kiersten White

Slayer
Series:
Publisher:
Published: 2019-01-08
A New York Times bestseller A Publishers Weekly bestseller From bestselling author Kiersten White comes a brand-new series set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that introduces a new Slayer as she grapples with the responsibility of managing her incredible powers that she’s just beginning to understand. Into every generation a Slayer is born… Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic. Until the day Nina’s life changes forever. Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period. As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams… But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next. One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.

As a long-time Buffy admirer who still craves my regular dose of slayers and vampires. Slayer delivered the perfect nostalgic ride! Talk about a killer dollar store find – I didn’t even know this book existed before stumbling across Kiersten White’s latest at my local dollar store. Always browsing for my next binge-worthy read, the striking cover and promise of fresh Buffy-inspired lore was too good to pass up!

Kiersten White tosses us right into the Buffy universe as twin sisters Nina and Artemis navigate the dangerous destiny of vampire slayers and watchers.

With references pulling from every corner of the Buffy media empire, White crafts rich worldbuilding that is filled with Easter eggs. We’ve got characters and elements from the movie, tv series, and comic book series that readers will catch. The author clearly did her homework!

Her original additions feel seamlessly woven into the fabric of the Buffyverse as well. I loved the clash of slayer history with modern monsters as Nina trains at the ancient Watcher academy. While the story stands firmly on its own, experiencing those delightful touches of Buffy nostalgia through White’s writing felt like catching up with an old friend.

Finding this gem for just $1 let me cozy up to the Scooby Gang nostalgia I’ve been missing. From the snappy dialogue to the brewing forbidden romance, Slayer earns 4 stars. Its fierce humor, heartache, and horrors recaptured my ‘90s teen obsession in the best kind of comfort-read and this is only the first part of a two part series!


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PJ Flip

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