This is the hardest review I've written but it's only because I loved this book so much, I just want to gush about it.. I will do my best to keep my fangirl in check, but am making no promises 😉
With that being said, I want to begin this review by saying that I went into this reading experience with a lot of excitement, but also a decent amount of trepidation. When you recreate or even revive something as beloved as Buffy The Vampire Slayer you run the risk of coming off as fan-fiction rather than an actual addition to the universe (or Slayerverse as is more accurate).  Kendare Blake's In Every Generation not only blew my expectations out of the water but she did so in such a Buffy-esque way that the hardback version, once released, will have the coveted spot on my shelf with the DVD's.
As an avid Buffy fan, I was excited to delve back into her universe and even more elated to find out many of the original characters are incorporated into the story (flawlessly so). Obviously Kendare is a true fan as this book is filled with so many Easter eggs. I laughed, I cried (more like bawled), I cheered and hooped and hollered (I'm sure my neighbors were real thrilled 😄).
If, like me, you were always left wanting to know more, like; What happened after the season finale of Angel? How are new slayers called? Can new slayers even be called? What's up with my fave slayers? Well look no further, cause your answers are finally here all wrapped up in one bad ass book.
It doesn't come out until January but I've already got 3 copies on pre-order! (I've gotta spoil my scoobies too, and can't wait to actually discuss this with other fans!) Seriously. The wait for the second one is going to be torturous but I'm sure will be every but worth it!
10/10 would HIGHLY recommend.

I was looking forward to this book, because I have loved the other books by Kendare Blake. However, I was not a fan of this book. I barely finished it. I will start with the things that I did really enjoy about the book:
The writing style was that of a mature author. I could tell she is an experienced writer, even if I wasn't a fan of her other books.
I also really enjoyed the show references! That was really cool and brought a smile to my face many times.
However, I did not like how they impregnated Willow without her consent and how the story portrayed it. Willow seems to constantly be defending her choice of sexual orientation, which feels so odd to me. Honestly, it was like the author was trying to hard to have a lesbian main character.
Everyone was killed off page, like right away. That was sad. It also seemed unnecessary.
The jokes about periods were not good and really distracted from the story.
Lastly, the ending was...abrupt. It left me thinking...what? I probably wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. The story, plot and characters were all mediocre.

OMG!!!!!! Buffyverse is back and better than ever!!!!!!! I immensely enjoyed this story and can't wait for more!!!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Hyperion.

I'm a huge BTVS fan and this series starter isan absolute banger. We're introduced to a new generation of Scooby and has it really been 18 years?!

I really like the new characters, especially Willows daughter(!)

I'm psyched to see where the story goes from here!

This book is absolutely a love letter to Buffy fans.

In Every Generation is just...YES, YES, YES. It's a wonderful and incredibly take on BtVS. The plot so well built and fast paced that I wasn't able to put it down till I reached the end. I was absolutely captivated by the atmosphere, and the characters.

This novel submerges the reader in a landscape so imaginative and detailed that the information of the world building/plot never feels forced, and is never difficult to understand or picture in one's mind. I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day! I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story was very unique. Would recommend to anyone!

Introducing a new line of slayers
The old gang is back along with some of their kids.
When a tragedy strikes a new slayer must learn the ropes

In Every Generation is a phenomenal read perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Set in the same world featuring an all new Slayer, Kendare Blake writes an addictive new story ripe for new fandom. Willow's daughter Frankie is a sophomore as New Sunnydale High School slowly learning magic from her mom when she finds out the annual Slayer convention was attacked and a new Slayer will rise - Frankie, the first ever Slayer-witch. This book is filled with Buffy easter eggs and characters any fan will know. Such a fun idea! The story is filled with action, humor, and everything any Buffy fan would come to expect. I can't wait for the sequel. Highly recommended! Be sure to check out In Every Generation today!

Thank you NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for this advanced reader's copy! If you are a Buffy fan, I think you're going to love this book but this is also why I am on the fence about this one. Who was it written for? Adults who loved Buffy or current teens? I'm not really sure. There are a lot of references to the show which I fear is going to be lost on anyone who hasn't seen it (or who quite can't remember everything and yes that is me, ha!) and while you do get filled in on some things, there are so many Easter eggs, I feel like anyone picking this up without heavy background is going to be like "meh." I mean, maybe that's the point, so perhaps I'm not judging it fairly. I did like the characters but felt like they all fell a little flat to me. The storyline was interesting enough to keep me reading along. Did all the slayers die or not? So pick it up if you're a new or old Buffy fan and enjoy but if not, I would pass on this one.

I found myself extremely frustrated with this book. I'm an enormous Buffy fan, but I wasn't necessarily looking for something that mimicked the series or anything like that. I thought Blake did a fine job of capturing the characters' voices and filling in the blanks of what everyone's been doing since the show ended. But it drags, and the new characters aren't unique enough to differentiate or make me care about them. Plus? There's NO ENDING. Most of the plot threads are left dangling for an imminent sequel, which is just lazy writing.

Fans of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER will be delighted by this revisiting to the world and will enjoy the many references to the story.

Frankie Rosenberg is a nerdy, eco-witch and very concerned with being environmentally friendly. She's a vegan. Her mother is Willow who has set aside most of her magic but not her wardrobe. Her best friend is Jake Osbourne who is being raised by his uncle Oz since his parents took his older brother to a werewolf enclave in New Zealand.

Then one day, Frankie develops slayer powers...

It seems that the slayers - Buffy, Faith, and most of the others - all died in an explosion while they were in Nova Scotia for a retreat. Xander and Dawn are there trying to find out what happened, but it doesn't look good.

Then Spike shows up in Sunnydale with Hailey whose sister Vi is also a slayer. Hailey has been kept secret by Vi who wanted to protect her. Hailey has grown up knowing about the supernatural world and knowing she has to keep it a secret. She has also secretly been training so that she could help her sister.

It looks like a new Scooby gang is forming around Frankie and just in time. Vampires and demons who have heard of the disaster with the slayers are starting to gather again in Sunnydale. And Frankie, totally untrained, is the one who has to defeat them. She is correctly concerned and really feels that she's in over her head despite help from her Scooby gang, her mom, Uncle Oz, and Uncle Spike.

It also seems that there is a new head vampire trying to set up camp in Sunnydale. The Countess may or may not be Elizabeth Bathory but her predilection for virgins does lend the story some credence. So does the fact that simply staking her doesn't make her turn to dust.

Luckily, Frankie has a semi-secret protector in the Hunter of Thrace who has his own reasons for hanging around despite the rumor that his preferred diet includes the hearts of slayers.

The story was filled with engaging characters, lots of references to the TV series, and lots of vampire-fighting action. Fans of the series, which is available on Amazon Prime, will enjoy getting to know these new characters and will be eager for more since the ending left quite a few threads dangling.

Ok, the 5-star review may be because I got to return to SLAYERVERSE! But, this is truly a fun read full of the action, heart, and quippiness we expect from a Slayer and her Scoobies.
Frankie, Willow's daughter, is activated as a slayer igniting the question, what happened to the slayers involved in a big explosion? Jake, Oz's werewolf nephew, Hailey, sister of another slayer, and a couple of other demons join the team to help eradicate the next big bad come to Sunnydale. Oh, and Spike is a watcher!
Fans of the Slayerverse need to grab a copy right away. Hoping this installment can bring in new fans as the world can only be better with more Scoobies on board, right?

3.5/5 stars. To be released January 2022.

I naturally picked this up because, well, Buffy. But there is no Buffy in this book. Instead the book follows Frankie, Willow's daughter, as the first new slayer in years. The writing style was a lot of fun, with playful banter and jokes, and was very different from any of Kendare Blake's previous books that I have read. For the fan of the tv shows, there's a lot of Spike, Willow, and Oz as well as little easter eggs of references to things that went down in the series (like Xander, hyenas, pigs, and bacon). We are introduced to new characters and a new big bad and left with an ending that promises even more future books in this new Slayerverse.

If you haven’t brushed up on your Buffy before reading this one, three chapters in you’ll be googling it. Or else confusion sets in, it heavily references the original characters to help guide Frankie into the next generation.

The story was okay, I was expecting a little more butt kicking, confident slayer. Over all it just kind of fell flat for me, which made me sad because I was super excited for this one!

Thank you Net Galley and Disney-Hyperion for sending me an early copy of In Every Generation. This review is being left voluntary, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Welcome back to Sunnydale and a whole new generation of Scoobies and Slayers in Kendare Blake’s new series. Our beloved bunch have all grown up and this series surrounds the next group of lovable teens fighting off evil and getting up to all the shenanigans. We get to see some old favorites as well as this new bunch.

Frankie, daughter of the incredibly powerful witch we all know and love, Willow is going to be the first ever Slayer-Witch, coming into her powers when an attack at a Slayer Convention leaves them all to assume that Buffy, Faith and Vi could be dead… When Hailey, Vi’s younger sister comes to town, she Frankie, a werewolf named Jake and a sage demon named Sigmund (and some others) must do what it takes to keep the Hellmouth from opening again.

This comes with a whole new slew of baddies and an extensive list of new characters - and I am here for it. This just FELT like world of Buffy! From beginning to end, I felt that wonderful nostalgic love of all things Sunnydale. Blake has done a great job of bringing us back into that world. With the writing, the humor and the trouble surrounding them, it felt like I was a teenager again, watching one of my favorite shows.

Thanks to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC of this! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m obsessed with all the books coming out to give me all the nostalgia that I need. I really enjoyed Kiersten White’s Slayer, so I was super stoked to see more books set in the Buffy-verse coming out. This was super fun! I loved the new generation of Scoobies. I was a little surprised at who they chose to make Watchers for the new generation, and there were some jokes that fell flat for me, including one about how “all women understand the cramping” referencing menstruation. I was very into the references from back in the day, especially the dimension of shrimp being mentioned.

As someone who has never seen nor read anything Buffy related, I went into this blind, and I still came out of it satisfied although I think there are plenty of easter eggs for fans of the Buffy series to love that I just didn't catch. This is angsty, bloody, dark, devilish... and super devourable.

3 1/2 stars

I can't remember feeling quite so conflicted over a review before. The writing itself was good, and the story entertaining. But here's my dilemma ...

If you're a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, to the point you grew up watching the show (back when DVR and streaming services weren't a thing - you were home to watch it or you were out of luck), and have read the comics, there's a lot in this book that will be hard to swallow. Quite a few times I found myself screaming "that would never happen" or "what the heck was that?" ... A time or two I contemplated not finishing the book. If you pick up this book and expect it to follow the Buffy-verse canon, you'll likely be disappointed. Or outright angry.

That being said...

Once I realized all the things that happened in the comics, beyond the TV series ending, hadn't even been taken into consideration when this book was written, I decided to try and enjoy it as a separate series altogether. If I had never been a Buffy fan, what would I have thought?

After tossing aside all my expectations, and reading this as someone who wasn't familiar with Buffy, I enjoyed quite a bit of the story. I loved the addition of the Countess and Grimlock. With the new "scooby" gang in place and an unfinished story ARC, it's clear there will be more to this than just one book. So many questions are left unanswered. The writing style was easy to follow and I could picture the scenes in my head. There was just enough description to let my imagination fill in the rest.

Frankie doesn't feel like a strong character starting out. She's quiet. Very much a "behind the scenes" sort. Until her slayer powers are activated. Even then, she's so focused on how much she's not like Buffy, she doesn't stop to enhance the skills she has that are uniquely hers. It was enjoyable, watching her grow as a character. I also enjoyed the secondary characters of Hailey, Jake, and Grim.

I think teens will enjoy this story, and it's clean enough for even tweens to read it, even if there are a few bloody scenes and quite a bit of fighting (hello! Vampire slayer!).

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney for allowing me to review In Every Generation.

Definitely a lot to love here. The writing is pretty spot on with the tone and mood and voice from the show! It's hard to nail that down, but it definitely seems like Kendare Blake is a Buffy fan and loves the world, which is awesome. There are tons of references scattered throughout the book for old fans, but the new Scoobies are just as much fun.

I did have a quibble with how Willow's sexuality was portrayed, I think Blake was trying to portray how heteronormative society is, and that two people should be able to raise a child without wanting to be together, but I think it came off as more of an obstacle for Willow and Oz to be together, instead of just a part of who Willow is.

This was a DNF for me sadly. I am a big Buffy fan and was looking forward to reading this. I know Kendare Blake was hoping to give a new take in the Buffyverse (as you will) and expand the story. It just didn't work for me. I didn't care for Frankie and she started to get on my nerves. I know I'm not the key age demographic for this novel so younger readers may enjoy it. As a Buffy fan, the book rewrote Willow and Oz, as far as I read, and took apart what made the characters so great. If you're a Buffy fan I don't think you'll enjoy the changes that were made to those characters and other original characters that make appearances.

Thank you to Disney Hyperion for the chance to read this book, alas it just wasn't for me.

Part of me wants to give this 5 stars for just taking me back to the Buffyverse and capturing the humor of the show, but 4 stars is just where this is at. Hey - that's not bad by any means. I enjoyed my time reading it and I loved the spin it took. I will 100% read the next one.

In this future of the Buffyverse, the slayers were having their annual slayer convention when someone blew it up and eradicated all the slayers. Although a new slayer had not been called for some time, Willow's daughter suddenly finds herself with slayer strength. Half witch, half slayer.

This has a lot of the characters we know and love (even if they're only briefly mentioned) - Willow, Xander, Spike, Oz (yes, Oz!). Dawn is mentioned too but does anyone really like Dawn? No. That's why Kendare Blake gets a gold star from me. She sent her on a trip where we didn't have to hear from her.

The best thing about this book was the campy Buffy humor. I really felt Blake captured what the original show was like in terms of dialogue and character relationships. I honestly felt like I was watching an episode of the show because she kept it so close to how I'd expect the characters to talk and behave.

It's great to be back in this world. Please tell me Kendare Blake is writing the next one too.