Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting by Roseanne A. Brown follows 12-year-old Serwa, daughter of two great vampire hunters. She is quickly uprooted from her vampire-hunting lifestyle when the creatures are able to get through the wards on her family’s safe house. Her parents go on a huge mission without her, leaving her with an aunt. Serwa must adjust to doing normal kid things, like going to school. But Serwa sees the vampires closing in on her school. It’s up to her to save them all.

Serwa is a brave kid with lots of smarts. I liked her personality. I liked the focus on Ghanaian culture. This book is a fun adventure!

Rick Riordan never fails whether his books or the books he brings to his imprint. What an absolute delight. As with all books associated with Riordan this is just a joy to read and Brown has done a fantastic job with this one. I cannot wait to put this into the hands of kids and cannot wait to keep reading the series!

Roseanne A. Brown first proved that she is an amazing YA author and she's done it again with MG. Book one of the Serwa Boateng series was poignant and complex in all the best ways. It constantly made you think and examine how you view the world.

Absolutely delightful. This story was so fun, both because of the vampires and because of the culture woven into the story. I can’t wait to see what Serwa does in future installments of this series.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I loved the representation in this novel and thought that kids would be so interested in reading a book just like this with a strong female main character!

Rick Riordan Presents: Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting-A Serwa Boateng Novel Book 1
by Roseanne A. Brown was received directly from the [publisher and I chose to review it.

Focusing on African mythology (Ghana) was refreshing. I love that Rick Riordan has created this opportunity for authentic authors to share the mythology of their cultures. Vampires pop up here and there in middle school novels, but to see vampires from another culture was fun. This is a great start to what I expect to be a fun series.

I enjoyed the magical society established in this story along with the nuanced take on family secrets and the importance of found family at a young age. I'll definitely pick up the next book in the series.

Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting was one of the best middle grades books I've read in a long time. I was captivated by the character building and diverse cast. I loved learning about Ghanaian mythology in ways that I hadn't heard before. I am buying this to have in my classroom and for my students to be able to read.

This was a great start for the first in the series and a debut novel. The mythology was fascinating and its fun to see different takes on the vampire from different cultures. I think that this book did that really well (as all Rick Riordan presents books do). I love the format, its a format that works for a reason. It's easy to get in to and the characters are easy for kids to relate to. I love Serwa's snarky attitude and kick ass personality. Definitely recommend this book to fans of other books from RRP. Can we talk about that ending tho!!!!??? Thank god the second one is out.

This was an interesting spin on vampires and lore steeped in Ghana beliefs. I think the mmoatia were my favorite out of the lord, or the gods and their realm. The author did a great job story building and making it Adventourus.

A great new addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint! Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting was just so FUN. I learned so much about Ghanian folklore and am hungry for more. Plus, there wasn't a single member of the GCC that I didn't like, and Serwa's character development was great to read (and made me so excited for the release of the next book). The little references to Tristan Strong were also really cute and made me feel like I was in some sort of RRP club

ABSOLUTELY loved this! I learned so much! And I loved how she realized she needed people and found family is important too! And I LOVED how it taught readers about micro aggressions.

I also just loved all of the Ghanian folklore that I learned about. I thought that was so cool. I can't wait for kids to discover this!

This book is such a cool take on vampires! I love how much spunk and heart the MC has! The cultural mythology elements are phenomenal!

This was such a fun read, and I loved the friendship and teamwork that Serwa had to use to become successful in this adventure!

As a school librarian, I recommend "Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting" to any student who enjoys a thrilling adventure story. This book is a well-crafted blend of action, suspense, and humor that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end.

Written by Rosanne A. Brown, a clearly talented author with a unique voice, this book tells the story of a teenage girl named Serwa who discovers that she is descended from a long line of vampire hunters. With the help of her friends, Serwa must learn to harness her powers and confront a powerful vampire who threatens her community.

What makes this book stand out is its strong character development. Serwa is a relatable and likable protagonist, and readers will root for her as she faces increasingly dangerous challenges. The supporting cast is also well-drawn, with each character bringing their own unique strengths and weaknesses to the story.

In addition to its engaging plot and characters, "Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting" also offers valuable lessons about friendship, bravery, and perseverance. The book promotes a positive message of self-acceptance and empowerment, making it an ideal choice for young readers who are navigating the challenges of adolescence.

What truly makes this book stand apart is the unique blending of adventure, suspense, and Ghanaian folklore that not only engages readers but also allows them to experience an under-represented culture in much of middle-grade literature.

I got this link via the HWA Stoker Awards ballot and made it my goal this year to read as many nominees as possible before final voting begins.

I adored the premise. Vampire hunting adventures with your parents... Or middle school? Clearly, middle school is the terrifying premise. The kid in me agrees and can remember the abject horror of my own lived experience.

The book is funny, actions packed, tragic and has some solid overcoming of odds. Great read.

This is a gem of a novel. The intro by Riordan is almost as entertaining as the rest of the novel. If you are ever looking for a middle grade mythology or vampire story, this is it. I love that there is a middle grade novel with vampires for my kiddos to read that is 100% appropriate. I also love that this is steeped in Ghanaian folklore. It makes for a great starting point to talk about the novel. Serwa is authentically a 7th grader navigating hormones and slaying vampires along the way. She's my new favorite heroine.

The adze are shapeshifting vampires: they can go from fireflies to horrific, insect-like vampires instantly. When they attack Serwa's safe house, she is sent to live with her cousin while her parents investigate.

What is worse than middle school? Did you say Middle school with vampires? You'd be right. Things are never what they seem. Trust no one. Question everything,

Um, I need the rest of this series NOW. Y'all can't leave me on that cliffhanger. Serwa is absolutely kickass and so strong, and the story itself was very fun. I'll definitely be recommending this to my fantasy- and vampire-loving readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is probably one of the best Middle Grade stories i've read since Percy Jackson as an adult.

Following Serwa as she tries to adjust to life among the average Mortals when her parents have to go undercover she discovers the importance of friendship, found family, and being honest.

The story is action packed and feels very realistic. All the set-up for why Serwa has to face the Adze alone feels realistic which i appreciate as especially in middle grade its easy to just have 'dumb adult' tropes to explain why kids can and do so much but Brown went to an effort to give reasons for the adults absence and it was appreciated.

But what truly sold this book for me was the last 25%. Serwa's final battle and the aftermath of the battle took unexpected turns and the book ends on an emotional cliff hanger that has me itching to read the next novel.

Not only will I be continuing on in this series, it is one I will be recommending to anyone interested in Percy Jackson type stories.