Thank you to Disney Hyperion and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I should state this in the beginning: I am an obsessed Buffy fanatic. It is one of my favorite shows ever produced (but boo Joss Whedon). It took me absolutely no time at all once I found out about a Buffy inspired book to slam the request button. The idea of going back to the Buffy-verse is incredibly appealing. Luckily for me, this was a fun step back into the verse with a cast of new characters and some familiar faces. I enjoyed this!

I have to say my biggest con with this book was the lull in certain portions and the deviation from the original series. I am understanding that things must grow and evolve, but at times, this felt too far from the source material. The most redeeming qualities were the new casts ability to form their own kind of Scooby gang and keep me interested in the story, even when I didn't feel as connected. Frankie is such a funny, exciting and lovable character! While Willow was one of my favorites from the original, Frankie easily steals the show. Her relatable moments, her desire to help everyone and her need to save those she cares about remind me a lot of me. While I'm not the chosen one, I do understand being a people pleaser.

This new Scooby gang is so fun! I love the fact there's multiple paranormals, and that Frankie has witchy powers just like her momma Willow! Hailey is so mysterious and smart. She's the yang to Frankie's yin and I love their partnership. I loved how they took everything as a team and became fast friends.

This made me feel like I was transported right back to Sunnydale and I really need book two so I can go right back! That cliffhanger is a killer! I need more!

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw that one of my favourite authors was writing a book set in the Buffy universe, I nearly screamed! I was introduced to the Buffy show by my dad and grew up watching it with him. It has a really special place in my heart so I knew I needed to check out this book!

I’m going to say it. In Every Generation is straight up published Buffy fan fiction and I’m 100% ok with it! I was smiling like an idiot through this entire book. The mention of the characters from the show had me swooning and the little inside jokes from the series had me chuckling. That being said, if you’ve never seen the show you will not get those little inside jokes. But if you have seen the series, then you’ll truly appreciate the little remarks!

I loved seeing the new Scooby Gang! Frankie and Hailey’s relationship was fantastic. Jake is exactly like Oz which I love. And seeing them interact with the original characters was amazing. I’m a little bummed that we didn’t get a Buffy appearance but I’m glad she was still mentioned in it.

Overall, this book made me absolutely giddy and I enjoyed it so much! I’m really hoping that Blake will continue writing more Frankie the Vampire Slayer adventures!

I was never really into the whole Buffy thing but I loved Willow. This book is such an awesome continuation and cant wait to read more!

I am a long-time Buffy fan. I watched it every week when it was originally on TV. I am also a huge fan of Kendare Blake's writing. Three Dark Crowns is one of my favorite series. So, when I saw the two were combined for this book I knew I HAD to read it.

I was not disappointed! This book reads just like watching an episode of Buffy. The language Blake used for her descriptions and dialogue flowed in the same way as the show did. I was excited to see some of my favorite familiar characters- such as Willow, Oz, and Spike, it felt like catching up with an old friend. By the end of the book I had a strong attachment and affection for the new characters of Frankie, Hailey, Jake, and Sigmund as well.

I also loved all the nods to the show that were woven into the story. Jake wearing Oz's "vintage" tshirt from Dingoes Ate My Baby was one of my favorites. That really made me feel that Blake took the source material seriously and wanted to make sure long time fans like myself knew she was respectful of that. That being said, new fans should also be able to pick this up and enjoy it as the past events are explained well.

I enjoyed the plot, again, it felt like watching the show. There were the few small random monsters of the week- vampires of course, and small time demons, and one big bad to be defeated. The Countess had similar vibes to one of my favorite Big Bads, Glory from season 5. It moved at a good pace, and it kept me interested and invested in the book as I read. The original characters definitley felt the same as how I remember them. Blake did a great job in keeping their behaviors and motivations consistent. The new characters, especially Frankie, do feel like they have a solid character arc with development over the course of the story. By the end, we have a brand new gang of Scoobies to root for.

If there is anything I was disappointed with, it would be that I would have loved an epilogue that gave readers a peek at the next book. Enough to explain just a bit about what's going on with the Slayers, so that a few questions were answered to satisify us with a hook to keep us interested and looking forward to the next book. It just felt like things wrapped up very neatly, and there wasn't much of a hook to bring readers back to the story.

I would like to thank Disney and Hyperion for keeping the story of the Buffyverse going, and being respectful of the source material. I would also like to thank them for the ARC I recieved in exchange for this review, I was so excited to read it.

In Every Generation made me realize just how much I’ve missed the Buffyverse. So much so that since finishing the book I started a rewatch of both BTVS and Angel. I hated that both shows got cancelled (what I wouldn’t have given for a sixth season of Angel), and while I know they were continued on in the comics I never followed those so I can’t say if this new book kept continuity with those storylines, but I enjoyed the heck out of this book. I’ll do my best to avoid spoilers here but an incident occurs forcing a new Slayer to rise. Who is this new Slayer? None other than Willow’s child, Frankie, who until her new calling as the Sayer was content to be just a fledgling eco-witch. I loved the mixture of old familiar faces (Spike as a Watcher!) and the introduction of a whole new Scooby gang. There is a solid story here with plenty of classic Slayer action, but when all was said and done there were still a number of unanswered questions. Of course I assume this is because we’ll be getting more books in the series. I just hate that it’ll probably be quite a wait for the next book. Until then I’ll just have to be content with rewatching the original.
Big thanks to Disney Publishing Worldwide, Hyperion, and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read and review an eARC of In Every Generation.

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I am absolutely blown away by this book! This is a five star read for me. Even though this is my first book by Kendare Blake, this will certainly not be my last!

In the 90’s, I watched the Buffy movie, television series and its spin-off Angel every week. So, I picked up on every Buffy the Vampire Slayer reference along the way. My heart pumped so hard until the last page.

Truly, I have difficulty putting into words the amazing journey I went on with Frankie Rosenburg and her scooby gang. I eagerly anticipated the release of this book, and I feel honored to read “In Every Generation” prior to its release.

I was unable to put this book down. I feel as though I just read the first season to a new televisions series: “In Every Generation”, the revamping of the slayerverse. The writing is episodic! “In Every Generation” needs to be turned into a movie or television show for teens, young adults and Buffy fans to enjoy! It is non-stop action and adventure! What an amazing ride back to Sunnydale and the Hellmouth!

Thank you to Kendare Blake, Disney Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the amazing opportunity to read this book!

*Arc provided by Disney Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

In every generation I will read anything in the Buffyverse. This book had all the nostalgia of the show with so much new content making the perfect balance between the two. Frankie Rosenberg, the daughter of Willow, is the new Slayer after a horrible attack on the remaining Slayers. As both the new Slayer and a witch Frankie is just what the new generation needs in a reluctant hero. No Buffyverse story would be complete though without a brand new group of Scoobies in this case made up of werewolf Jake (nephew of Oz), a sage demon, and Hailey the sister of one of the missing Slayers. Old characters converge with new in a brand new story about finding one's inner and outer strength.

DNF @ 60%. Unfortunately this one really missed the mark for me. I'm a huge BTVS fan, which means I should probably stop trying to read BTVS material. I wish that this book didn't include the original cast. In my opinion, any attempt to write them feels off and weird as a fan, just because we know them so well from the show. I've only read bits and pieces of the comics, but this book hardly deals with their material so it's not entirely relevant.

I like that this book didn't take itself too seriously. It knows what it is essentially: published OC insert Buffy fanfic. Which is fine! That can be fun! But I wish that the show's originality and quirkiness had carried over to the novel.

Willow's sexuality is completely tossed aside, and there's little diversity in the entire book. For a show that portrayed the first long term gay couple on US television, it was disappointing to see. I wish Willow had a new love interest or had been shown actually being a lesbian. Instead she's thrown into a will they/won't they with Oz and her sexuality is only brought up for the won't they. It's frustrating.

There's little character growth in Frankie in at least the parts I mentioned. Hailey's personality is also supposed to be like along the lines of dark and edgy weeb which....ok. My favorite character of the trio ended up being Jake, as he's the most likeable.

The magic in the book is also super super different than the show. Mostly, being born with "powers." Magic was portrayed to be eerily similar to science, in BTVS and Willow didn't just have "powers" she trained for them. She worked hard to become a witch and a strong one, and this is seen with Tara as well even though she was born into a witch=y family. I disliked how Blake decided to take the work out of magic and portray it as something one can be born with instead of working towards, especially because 1) it became a metaphor for addiction and 2) a lot of the "weird" kids like Jonathon and Amy found solace in learning it. Making it purely something a character was born with, and even Willow being unsure if she still has her "powers" when magic was never really a power at all, left a bad taste in my mouth.

Overall, this should be a sign that I should stop picking up Buffyverse books. After this and the Slayer duology, I've kind of had enough. I hope in the future someone decides to make or write a true continuance with a new slayer that has no ties to the original cast. As much as I love them, I realize it may be time to let their stories end for good.

I love how Kendare Blake sets tone, and she's a perfect writer for the Buffyverse. Loved this foray into a possible future for the gang.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Any time I get to return to the world of Buffy and the slayers is a delight. This one started off with a literal bang...ending the all slayer lines in one fell swoop so that is could be reborn in Willow's daughter, Frankie..

With Spike as her watcher. Spike!

I love Spike, and was so glad that he got a major role in this "next generation" novel. The old Scoobies were well represented with Willow, Oz and Spike (all some of my favorites!). It was fun watching Frankie try to come into her own as a slayer, internally comparing herself to Buffy and trying to live up.


While I am hoping that in future books there will be a plot line that will reveal that the "old" slayers are not all gone and Buffy can be resurrected yet again, Frankie did a great job filling some very stylish shoes.

In Every Generation by Kendare Blake, 400 pages. Disney, JAN 2022. $19

Language: PG-13 (32 swears, 0‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (vampires, fightings, killings)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

As the daughter of Willow Rosenberg, Frankie has always known about the Slayers and all things Buffy related. But her mom is more like any middle aged suburban mom – not a bad-ass witch or anything. Then when all of the slayers created when Buffy unleashed the slayer power are killed at their annual retreat (Slayerfest, they call it), the power of the slayer seems to have reverted to Frankie. Now she has Spike as her Watcher (oh the irony) and Hailey, who is the little sister of a (now former) slayer is with her at Sunnydale High – which for some reason was rebuilt on the site of the (hopefully) closed Hellmouth. Enter Jake, who is the protégé of Oz and the next generation of Scoobies is assembled. Now that the slayers are gone and Frankie has zero training, some big, bad, ancient vampire has big plans for opening the Hellmouth and pouring evil all over Sunnydale again.

I have to say – I prefer Kiersten White’s Buffy reboot. Frankie is clueless and inept – though she is supposed to have slayer power, it seems to be buried really deep. I mostly enjoyed watching Spike flail as the high school librarian and Hailey would have made a way better slayer. Maybe in book 2 Frankie will have more of a spine.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

I have been a Buffy The Vampire Slayer fan since I was 14 years old. To know that this story still resonates with people makes me extremely happy. Willow is one of my most favorite characters, so much so that my dog is named after her. So seeing that Blake has created a world where we dive deeper into the Sunnydale world and the world of witchcraft in the Buffyverse makes me giddy with excitement. This felt just like an episode of the show and I loved it.

The nitty-gritty: Inconsistencies, info-dumps and ridiculous situations made this Buffyverse novel a disappointment.

Some spoilers ahead, because I just can’t review this book without them.

Every time a new Buffyverse book comes along, I can hardly wait to jump into it. And every time, I feel dissatisfied by the experience. In Every Generation is the start of a series, and it’s clear that this is only the beginning, because one of the main conflicts of the story isn’t resolved by the end, much to my dismay. I’ll just get this out of the way first. The story opens with an explosion that supposedly kills Buffy, Faith and several other beloved characters from the TV show. Maybe the author’s intention was to open with a bang, so to speak, and create tension right out of the gate, but seriously, killing off Buffy? That is not how you win this particular fan’s heart. And maybe Buffy isn’t really dead, but I’ll never know because I don’t intend to read the rest of the series.

A quick recap of the story: In Every Generation is set about fifteen years after the end of Buffy Season 7. The town of Sunnydale has been rebuilt after the catastrophic events fans are familiar with. (The Hellmouth opened up and was ready to unleash hell on earth, but our scrappy gang of evil fighters managed to save the day with the help of Spike, who sacrificed himself and blew up the Hellmouth, blowing up Sunnydale in the process.) Willow has a daughter named Frankie who now attends the New Sunnydale High School with her best pal Jake, Oz the werewolf’s nephew. Willow no longer does magic, although Frankie has the makings of a talented witch and loves to practice “eco-magic,” doing good things for the environment.

Hailey is the half sister of Vi the Vampire Slayer, who you might remember as a potential slayer in Season 7. Vi and the other remaining slayers are headed to Slayerfest, an annual secret gathering where they can reconnect with each other and discuss slayer business. But when Vi doesn’t return after the event, Hailey begins to worry. When Spike arrives with distressing news—that an explosion has been reported at the site of Slayerfest—Hailey assumes the worst: that her sister and the other slayers are dead. Who would do such a thing? And to what end? And if the slayers are really gone, will a new slayer rise? Frankie is about to find out, as she’s starting to show signs of super strength and the ability to kill vampires. With the help of Hailey and Jake, the three set out to learn the truth about what happened at Slayerfest, all while trying to stop the new evil in town.

So there’s a lot going on in this story. We have the explosion and the person behind it, not to mention the mystery of where the slayers are now (not all their bodies are found in the rubble). Frankie is a new slayer, and not only that, but she’s also a witch, which makes her a slayer-witch (I did not make that up). In this story, Spike the vampire has become Vi’s watcher (ironic, right?), but since Vi is missing, he becomes Frankie’s watcher. Willow and Oz spend a great deal of time reminiscing about the good old days, while Willow mourns the fact that no one seems to respect her anymore—she used to be “bad Willow,” after all, has everyone forgotten already?? The new baddie in town is a famous vampire from history, the Countess Erzsebet Bathory—you know, the one who supposedly bathed in the blood of virgins. Rumor has it she and a slayer-heart-eating demon are trying to kill Frankie, so of course Frankie is going to try to stop her.

One of my favorite things about the TV show was the humor, and here it’s a mixed bag. I laughed out loud at some of the lines, which were really funny, but others fell flat for me. Blake is clearly trying to put her own spin on the Buffyverse while also paying tribute to the characters and the world in general, but it doesn’t always work. One of the biggest head scratchers for me was that Frankie’s birth was a mystical one. According to Willow, right after she channeled the power of the original slayer through the magical scythe in the series finale, she became pregnant, implying that Frankie’s “father” is the essence of the original slayer. Um OK. Maybe that explains why Frankie was called to be a slayer? Even worse, I couldn’t figure out how Sunnydale was rebuilt after the literal cave-in of the town. Fans will remember that Sunnydale looked like this at the end of the series:

That's right. A big hole in the ground. The fact that anyone would even try to rebuild the town is laughable. I mean I haven’t stopped laughing.

The character portrayals were uneven for me as well. Sometimes Willow and Oz actually sounded like Willow and Oz, but other times their dialog struck a false note and I thought to myself “Willow would never say something like that!” Spike was probably the most convincing of the old guard, and his dialog mostly felt on point. To be honest, none of the new characters really grabbed me. I guess the one I liked the most was a vampire called the Hunter of Thrace. He reminded me a lot of Angel, and it's hard to tell which side he's on, so there's a nice mystery surrounding him.

The author did this weird thing where she inserted a bunch of info-dumps through dialog, mostly (I guess) to bring the casual Buffy fans up to speed. Out of nowhere, one character would say something like “Remember that time when the Hellmouth opened up under the library and we almost died? Good times.” Or this gem from Oz: “I’m glad I got to meet her (Tara). Though I wish I hadn’t turned into a werewolf and tried to maim her.” (recalling that show where Oz turned into a werewolf and tried to kill Tara) She also took memorable lines of dialog and reused them almost verbatim. I suppose she was either trying to show off her knowledge of the show, or she was trying to give her fans Easter eggs. But it didn’t work for me. At one point, one of the characters mentions their “yummy sushi blanket” which really made me groan. (Buffy has as line about her “yummy sushi pajamas” in one episode). If she was going for comedy, I hate to say it, but her timing was way off.

However, there were some things I really enjoyed, like the chapter titles, which are much more on brand with the humor of the show: “Ain’t No Party Like a Hellmouth Party”/“Nobody Remembers All the Dysentery”/“Nobody Eats Buffy Summers’s Heart and Gets Away With It.” I mean, lol. Good job! I also loved the way the ending of Angel is explained (Angel fans will understand what I’m talking about). In short, the elements that worked, really worked, and the ones that didn’t simply bombed.

I know I haven’t really focused on the plot, mostly because it didn’t do much for me. I wanted to feel a kinship to the old characters I know and love, but ultimately, too many worldbuilding and character inconsistencies got in the way. In Every Generation is much more suited to the casual Buffy fan, so do give it a try if it sounds like your cup of tea.

With thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the writing of this book. It is truly, 100%, a solid and well-written paranormal/supernatural YA dramedy novel that tries very hard to be true to the tone and spirit of the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer television show. And that would totally work… if you didn’t grow up watching that show while it still played on the television. If you didn’t watch it every week from when it started in 1997 to when it ended in 2003. If you didn’t follow it as it jumped from one network to the other. If you didn’t agonize over the Bangel vs Spuffy debate.

What I mean to say is… I was excited to read this book because I thought it would be magical and fantastical to read… but it wasn’t. But I highly suspect that the only reason it wasn’t was… well… me. I’m not the target audience for this book. This book is about a new generation of slayers and scoobies, and it’s FOR a new generation of fans of the slayer canon. This is for the children of parents (like me) who spent their young adult years watching Sarah Michelle Gellar and the rest of the cast spout some of the best dialogue ever written for television week after week.

But Kendare Blake is not Joss Whedon (or any of the other fabulous writers who wrote scripts for Buffy). To be exact: I don’t want to compare Kendare Bkale to Joss Whedon, for a great many reasons. Writing style is among the least of them.

What I’m saying is this: It’s a solid start to a series, it’s a solid YA novel for those of YA age, but it wasn’t for me.

This is the first book I’ve read by Kendare Blake. I’ve also never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So, I was going into this read blindly. Thank you to Disney-Hyperion and Netgalley for the gifted e-arc. I was so excited to get another vampire story to read. I was not disappointed!

Frankie is in high school. She’s trying to keep her magic under control and make her peers more eco-aware. In the shadow of her powerful witch mom and her famous vampire slayer aunt, she feels like just Frankie, a nobody who has some magical abilities and cares about the earth. No way she expected what was about to happen or the new responsibilities being thrust upon her. Frankie is forced to take this path. We learn much about her, as well as some of the other characters, while she tries to sort all of the new feelings, abilities, and information she is given. She’s gone from being “just Frankie” to supposedly being a slayer “savior” of her world…all in a matter of moments. I love how her character grows through these crazy turn of events.

I can’t say who my favorite character is, spoilers and all. But I will say that I was surprised by it. Once I was introduced to this character, I was like “nope.” But by the end, I was like, “huh, I didn’t see that coming.”

Spike is another favorite. He is snarky, can be grumpy, and is very protective of Frankie…even if he can be a little careless. He’s a flawed character (all the characters are in this book) with a questionable past, but he found redemption along the way (before we meet him in this story) and is now someone you’d definitely want in your court. Because I’ve never see Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I don’t know if Spike is from that series or not. I’d love more about him as a side-story or one all his own.

And, I really like Willow. She’s a witch, a powerful one at that. She’s a mom. But there is a darkness just beneath the surface. She thinks that part of her life is way behind her but is finding that it might not be as buried as she thought. We all have that side of us. The side we wish no one knew about, that no one has ever seen. But it’s there and it does rear it’s head once in awhile. Even so, we can be good people and do good things. I love a character that I can relate to. And, I could be Willow.

For me, this whole book is about loss and how we move on from it. How do we pick up the pieces and even put on the mantle to take over when we’re not prepared to do so? It’s a story of journeys, which, if you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ll know is one of my very favorite themes. I like to see the underdog win, the villain become the hero, the weak and broken become the strong and restored.

There are good fight scenes and some blood and guts, which you’d expect in a vampire story. One scene, in particular, is pretty gruesome but it is peppered with some humor so it wasn’t quite as bad. The relationships seemed like real-life with all the ups and downs that come along with any relationship. It ended with a lot of unanswered questions so I can’t wait for the next installment!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars. I highly recommend it for Buffy fans and fans of fantasy, urban fantasy, vampire stories, and found family.

I was gifted an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

And just like that this jumped to the top of my "books I must own".
You can tell the author is a fan of the Buffyverse with how beautifully she pulls in characters we already know and love while creating new Scoobies to get attached to.
With the way this ends, all I gotta say is...there better be more books!
Much love to NetGalley, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and of course Kendare Blake
I loved everything about this and cannot wait for more to be released in this new offshoot series!!!

m a HUGE Buffy fan. I watched the show when it first came out - I was in college and planned my studying around the nights it aired. Yes, I am *that* old. Buffy was a groundbreaking show. A fun, smart, show geared towards the YA audience with a strong female main character and a band of misfits to support her. Each episode had its own storyline, while there was an overarching "Big Bad" story line for the season. This wasn't the norm at the time and it was a strategy that made you tune in every week. And the heart of the show was Buffy and the Scoobies - their relationships, character development, and adventures. Seriously, if you haven't watched the series - go binge it.

This book tells the story of Frankie Rosenberg, a Slayer for a new generation. She is the first ever Slayer called in decades. This is her origin story - with an episodic Big Bad and a mystery that will play out over several books. The events of this book take place long after the TV series and Dark Horse comics. Libraries are cool (yay!), demons target victims through tech, and our beloved Scoobies are grown up. Frankie is Willow's daughter, the first ever Slayer-Witch, and we see her own Scoobies assemble around her. Everything that was so good about the show is here and the author really captured the personality and banter of the OG characters. It was like stepping into an episode of Buffy, which is more than this fangirl could ever have hoped for.

If you haven’t seen all of the Buffy episodes, stop right now and go find them all. I’m sure they’re steaming somewhere. Then read this book. Because even with my imperfect memory of the show, I totally geeked out about watching the old Scoobies and the new ones kicking vampire butt.

I’m not totally sold on Frankie as the new slayer, but she’s growing on me. But the rest of the gang are perfect characters with lots to contribute. Weirded out slightly by Frankie and Grim’s chemistry, but i shouldn’t be after watching the series with Buffy mooning over centuries old guys all the time. What’s a few years of age difference after you hit the 100 mark?

Just go watch, then read. It’s a winner!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

In Every Generation was a fun take on a 2020s vampire slayer. I am always up for an adventure in the Buffyverse and this book definitely scratched that itch. After an incident that incapacitates the Slayer collective, a new slayer is called and she's Frankie Rosenberg, Willow's daughter. Frankie is the first Slayer-Witch and she's suddenly the only one who can face a new evil that has come to the rebuilt Sunnydale.

I feel like Blake really captured the tone and style of the original series. I think my only issue was that the new characters didn't seem far enough removed from the original Scooby Gang-- it was easy to see that this was the (improved!) Xander character, this was the Angel character, etc. Frankie doesn't feel like Buffy... but she doesn't feel like anyone else in particular, either. She's a little flat. (I also struggle to believe that she didn't ask about her father/other parent for fifteen years, but that's another issue entirely.)

I am definitely interested in seeing where this story goes.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Disney for the e-galley!

Let me preface this by saying how huge of a Buffy fan I am. The show was a big deal for younger Celia as it was one of the few where it portrayed a butt-kicking female in charge and we all know how important female role models are for young girls. That being said, I went into this new installment to the Slayer world with high expectations.

And despite the charming and unique side characters, I just couldn't connect.

The first thing that stood out to me was the first chapter and how it's from the new vampire hunter but Hailey, the sister of a missing Slayer, and we don't get much out of her after that. Her importance should have been bigger but she becomes nothing but a background character to Frankie, the daughter of our beloved witch, Willow. I was hoping she'd be the next Slayer since Frankie was a wet blanket and Hailey's missing sister would have given her some wonderful obstacles to overcome as she trained. Frankie was boring and one-dimensional.

Also, let me say that readers who are not familiar with the Buffy world are going to have a hard time with some of the things in this book because it reads as though you should really know everything coming in.

The plot was a mess. We start out trying to find out whether Buffy and the other Slayers are alive after an explosion during a gathering, but soon we take a 360 into a demon feeding off of high school students and Frankie being trusted to go out waiting in graveyards to kill vampires with little no training. It read like filler episodes that eventually come back around to the main plot, but we never truly do until the very end.

I'm sad because the B characters SHINE in this book.

Also, the POV switches without scene breaks made me want to scream.

Also, Willow was done dirty. Her iconic character was dissolved into someone so flat and hollow. Not only that but she was such an important character because of her sexuality yet we're being shown a "possible" relationship with Oz, which doesn't make sense because he's a man and SHE IS A LESBIAN. It was dismissive of her identity and frankly, made me a bit uncomfortable. I'm all for a good romance but there shouldn't even be thought of putting these two together just for the sake of tension. Fans of Willow are going to hate what's becoming of her in these books.

Ending thoughts: UGH I'm so sad that I did not enjoy this. Vampires are always a draw for me and so are butt-kicking females, but this missed the mark.