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briarsreviews's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Oh, how I miss Z Brewer. I loved the Vladimir Todd Chronicles when I was in high school.
I found this one in my stash while I was moving so I picked it up.
I would have loved it more in high school, but it was still a romp. I liked having a no fuss read where I could just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
Seeing Joss' story start was interesting and helped me understand his character more. It also is more of a younger YA/middle grade book in writing but has some dark murder content. So, reader beware?
Overeall, liked this book. I miss Z.
Three out of five stars.
I found this one in my stash while I was moving so I picked it up.
I would have loved it more in high school, but it was still a romp. I liked having a no fuss read where I could just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
Seeing Joss' story start was interesting and helped me understand his character more. It also is more of a younger YA/middle grade book in writing but has some dark murder content. So, reader beware?
Overeall, liked this book. I miss Z.
Three out of five stars.
snakeboba's review
4.0
The existence of Joss McMillian would forever be altered the night his baby sister, Cecile, is murdered by what everyone else believes was a lunatic even though he witness the last moments of her life. He knows it was not a man. He knows it was a monster. The only problem is Joss is a child and he can’t recall the face of the thing that took Cecile from him.
Until his Uncle Abraham approaches Joss at the funeral giving him the reality about what had been in her bedroom and what Joss really is he. Though this does not stop him wanting revenge. It adds fuel to the fire within him when he learns it was a Vampire that murdered Cecile. With this knowledge he must choose to follow the path others have within his family each generation or walk away never able to speak of the Slayer Society or getting justice. Joss vows to dedicate his life to ridding the world of Vampires.
Three years later the letter from Abraham comes to Joss earlier than expected, but he has been training for this exact moment since the service. He will become a Slayer. He will put Cecile’s soul to rest. He will do all he possibly can to ensure no one else will have to suffer the agony he has.
Yet it is not at all what he anticipated when he arrives. Abraham appears to be irritated with having to train Joss and it is as if he does not want Joss to excel with any task given leading to being inducted into the Slayer Society. The other slayers seem to be behind him wanting Joss to make it through, although fear his uncle more. Not to mention the members are being picked off by the local hive.
Is Abraham behind the betrayal? Is it someone else in the cabin? Or is it simply an outside source? Will Joss make it through his training? At the very least, will he survive the summer at all?
The Slayer Chronicles: First Kill is a re-read for the simple reason I believe many of us who were fans of its predecessor, [b:Eighth Grade Bites|530848|Eighth Grade Bites (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, #1)|Heather Brewer|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1433470335s/530848.jpg|518471]The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, did not give the series a chance it deserved. So it did not become a successful successor as Brewer would have hoped or wanted. I can admit without shame the first time I read this I did not finish it and gave First Kill two star rating. Though three years later after reading a few reviews I realized maybe there were not too many readers who gave this book a chance. So, that is a short answer as to why I re-read it and bought a copy for myself, which actually happens to be a signed edition.
Anyway, I raised the score from a two to a four as I truly did value Joss’ perspective. Viewing this story outside of Vlad’s made it more enjoyable in the end since I was not comparing Joss to Vlad with every flip of a page. He became a cherished character who I needed to overcome the obstacles before him. In short, Joss had to be the hero I knew he could be for Cecile. Dishonorably I will admit for a bit I had forgotten my awareness he would become a Slayer as I rooted for him to make it through his training. I suppose what I am saying is for Vlad Tod fans to give Joss McMillian a chance again because it was worth it.
Now, the reason for not getting a perfect score was the confusion experienced while reading First Kill. When Joss received the letter from Abraham it was described as if he was eighteen then, yet pages later we learn it is only three years later. After re-reading it a few times as well as getting to Abraham rant it was made clear he had gotten an premature pass since the Society needs new Slayers desperately. There were a few more moments similar to the above occurrences; however, I do not want to use those as examples since those are major parts of the plot I do not wish to give away. It took from the immersion and caused me to spend a few more minutes to get back into the story.
Though at the mention of the plot, First Kill has a bit more than Joss becoming a Slayer. There is a sub-plot that helps develop his character. He has to figure out if there is a defector within the Slayers he is with helping the Vampires or if it is simply the hive. He has to defend his motives for wanting to be a Slayer since it is known the last few years new recruits have deserted their training to be in ranks with local hives. There is a lot against Joss not to mention between the threats and training his life is truly on the line. It becomes very clear why he is so determined.
To put this review to an end, Brewer has made a magnificent addition to his series. Adding on the universe many of us fell in love with, yet make it another side was a brilliant idea. There are some minor flaws, but ultimately it was a nice read to gain more depth into understanding the Slayers. I would not personally re-read this book for a third time, but I am unquestionably picking up the other two books that follow to discover the rest of Joss’ life. I courage other Vlad Tod fans to pick this up or give it another chance or even anyone interested.
Until his Uncle Abraham approaches Joss at the funeral giving him the reality about what had been in her bedroom and what Joss really is he. Though this does not stop him wanting revenge. It adds fuel to the fire within him when he learns it was a Vampire that murdered Cecile. With this knowledge he must choose to follow the path others have within his family each generation or walk away never able to speak of the Slayer Society or getting justice. Joss vows to dedicate his life to ridding the world of Vampires.
Three years later the letter from Abraham comes to Joss earlier than expected, but he has been training for this exact moment since the service. He will become a Slayer. He will put Cecile’s soul to rest. He will do all he possibly can to ensure no one else will have to suffer the agony he has.
Yet it is not at all what he anticipated when he arrives. Abraham appears to be irritated with having to train Joss and it is as if he does not want Joss to excel with any task given leading to being inducted into the Slayer Society. The other slayers seem to be behind him wanting Joss to make it through, although fear his uncle more. Not to mention the members are being picked off by the local hive.
Is Abraham behind the betrayal? Is it someone else in the cabin? Or is it simply an outside source? Will Joss make it through his training? At the very least, will he survive the summer at all?
The Slayer Chronicles: First Kill is a re-read for the simple reason I believe many of us who were fans of its predecessor, [b:Eighth Grade Bites|530848|Eighth Grade Bites (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, #1)|Heather Brewer|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1433470335s/530848.jpg|518471]The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, did not give the series a chance it deserved. So it did not become a successful successor as Brewer would have hoped or wanted. I can admit without shame the first time I read this I did not finish it and gave First Kill two star rating. Though three years later after reading a few reviews I realized maybe there were not too many readers who gave this book a chance. So, that is a short answer as to why I re-read it and bought a copy for myself, which actually happens to be a signed edition.
Anyway, I raised the score from a two to a four as I truly did value Joss’ perspective. Viewing this story outside of Vlad’s made it more enjoyable in the end since I was not comparing Joss to Vlad with every flip of a page. He became a cherished character who I needed to overcome the obstacles before him. In short, Joss had to be the hero I knew he could be for Cecile. Dishonorably I will admit for a bit I had forgotten my awareness he would become a Slayer as I rooted for him to make it through his training. I suppose what I am saying is for Vlad Tod fans to give Joss McMillian a chance again because it was worth it.
Now, the reason for not getting a perfect score was the confusion experienced while reading First Kill. When Joss received the letter from Abraham it was described as if he was eighteen then, yet pages later we learn it is only three years later. After re-reading it a few times as well as getting to Abraham rant it was made clear he had gotten an premature pass since the Society needs new Slayers desperately. There were a few more moments similar to the above occurrences; however, I do not want to use those as examples since those are major parts of the plot I do not wish to give away. It took from the immersion and caused me to spend a few more minutes to get back into the story.
Though at the mention of the plot, First Kill has a bit more than Joss becoming a Slayer. There is a sub-plot that helps develop his character. He has to figure out if there is a defector within the Slayers he is with helping the Vampires or if it is simply the hive. He has to defend his motives for wanting to be a Slayer since it is known the last few years new recruits have deserted their training to be in ranks with local hives. There is a lot against Joss not to mention between the threats and training his life is truly on the line. It becomes very clear why he is so determined.
To put this review to an end, Brewer has made a magnificent addition to his series. Adding on the universe many of us fell in love with, yet make it another side was a brilliant idea. There are some minor flaws, but ultimately it was a nice read to gain more depth into understanding the Slayers. I would not personally re-read this book for a third time, but I am unquestionably picking up the other two books that follow to discover the rest of Joss’ life. I courage other Vlad Tod fans to pick this up or give it another chance or even anyone interested.
mars_aria's review
3.0
It is another great piece of Heather Brewer's work that I fancy. I learned more about a character from her Vladimir Tod series that I liked only second to Vlad. Joss journeys from just a boy looking for revenge and justice for his dear little sister Cecile to an older person that has experienced pain and humiliation. I found his story just as riveting as Vlad's and thought it a refreshing new look on what it's like to really struggle to fit in when you're an outcast.
rachelhelps's review
3.0
I reviewed this book about a reluctant teenage vampire for Deseret Connect, and I think that a certain audience will really, really love it (teenagers and certain YA vampire enthusiasts). For me, I am happy that I liked it--it ended on two satisfying twists. Prose was pretty boring, honestly, and Joss's thoughts are full of cliches like "he would never know how much I needed mentoring" (not an actual quote). I'll link my full review later. Some things I wanted to mention but were to persnickety for the news:
-weird preoccupation with food. Every single eating sensation described in full detail. Maybe carried over from the vampire books, where hiding blood in regular food was interesting? If you're going to make a big deal out of eating, might as well include excretion, right? Sadly, there were no peeing scenes.
-Inaccurate survival information. Seriously, even a running stream is not safe to drink from.
-Martial arts training that would be ineffective in real life. The sink-or-swim method is completely unnecessary. Brewer has a good knack for pacing and plot structure, so I wish she would do a little more research for the things in her novel that mimic our world.
-weird preoccupation with food. Every single eating sensation described in full detail. Maybe carried over from the vampire books, where hiding blood in regular food was interesting? If you're going to make a big deal out of eating, might as well include excretion, right? Sadly, there were no peeing scenes.
-Inaccurate survival information. Seriously, even a running stream is not safe to drink from.
-Martial arts training that would be ineffective in real life. The sink-or-swim method is completely unnecessary. Brewer has a good knack for pacing and plot structure, so I wish she would do a little more research for the things in her novel that mimic our world.
wilhelmina_reads's review
3.0
I devoured this. However, that is not to say that it was fantastic or even really all that good. I have too much sympathy and love for vampires to ever really enjoy a book about slaying them, but this was just frustrating. No character who isn't a vampire has any empathy for them. Joss is said to feel bad for them, and feel remorse for killing them, but he kills them all the same with little problem. Yeah, I get it, you want revenge for your dead sister, but seriously? Killing every vampire in the world is not a solution to that. I did however love Kat and Sirus so much. Wish this book was about them. All of that said, I'm sure I'll read the next. Eventually.
dangermoves's review
3.0
I recieved an advanced copy of this book a really long time ago from goodreads giveaways. It was pretty good considering its a vampre book and I'm not overly into those. It wasn't anything so outstanding or never heard of before, but it was entertaining enough.
gabbyreadswithtea's review
4.0
I was sooo glad that there was a book on Joss! I loved the Vladimir Tod Chronicles and i couldn't wait to start this book.
It was a bit depressing and i kinda wished that life wasn't this hard for this kid. but it was. and i am so sorry to say that he has been punished for whatever crime he had committed that Heather Brewer is not telling us about. Because he payed, a lot, even more than i think nessasary. I think his mind was too set on revenge for his little sister "for you, Cecile." Yep, sounds just as depressing a it is. It didn't have the best ending, either. but i loved this book nonetheless and i can not wait for the second one!!!!
It was a bit depressing and i kinda wished that life wasn't this hard for this kid. but it was. and i am so sorry to say that he has been punished for whatever crime he had committed that Heather Brewer is not telling us about. Because he payed, a lot, even more than i think nessasary. I think his mind was too set on revenge for his little sister "for you, Cecile." Yep, sounds just as depressing a it is. It didn't have the best ending, either. but i loved this book nonetheless and i can not wait for the second one!!!!
jaciacarlile's review
2.0
I did not finish this. The writing was noncommittal-- "No, he would use that pain, tuck it somewhere inside of him until he had the strength to find whatever had killed her and bring it to justice somehow." Really? Somewhere, whatever, somehow. All these words in one sentence to make it seem like this boy, who is supposed to be intellegent, is really just clueless.
Not only that, but this kid who is supposedly really young is the perfect son. Always great with his baby sister, does his chores without asking and without complaint, it can be inferred that he's a great student. I wish there were little boys in the world like this, but it just isn't so.
One of the biggest things that got to me is that he's bullied (in this case, treated like he's undeserving of friendship). Which, many kids experience bullying-- I certainly have!-- but the reason? He's too athletic. That is virtually unheard of in real social hierarchy situations because of the value placed on being good at running, kicking, and throwing. Like hell would these kids exclude him for being able to kick a ball on the roof of the school building, especially with how apologetic he is about it. I can see them hating him in high school if he's entirely full of himself, but most people can overlook that if he's good enough at sports. Which he obviously is, so it brings us back to: unrealistic. He just needed to be a special snowflake to have a special bond with his only friend; it was lazy writing. The only reason I'm giving this two stars is because the premise seemed interesting enough.
Not only that, but this kid who is supposedly really young is the perfect son. Always great with his baby sister, does his chores without asking and without complaint, it can be inferred that he's a great student. I wish there were little boys in the world like this, but it just isn't so.
One of the biggest things that got to me is that he's bullied (in this case, treated like he's undeserving of friendship). Which, many kids experience bullying-- I certainly have!-- but the reason? He's too athletic. That is virtually unheard of in real social hierarchy situations because of the value placed on being good at running, kicking, and throwing. Like hell would these kids exclude him for being able to kick a ball on the roof of the school building, especially with how apologetic he is about it. I can see them hating him in high school if he's entirely full of himself, but most people can overlook that if he's good enough at sports. Which he obviously is, so it brings us back to: unrealistic. He just needed to be a special snowflake to have a special bond with his only friend; it was lazy writing. The only reason I'm giving this two stars is because the premise seemed interesting enough.
lisaluvsliterature's review
5.0
Wow. I have to say that I loved the Vladimir Tod series by [a:Heather Brewer|293603|Heather Brewer|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1257773993p2/293603.jpg]and really enjoyed it! Loved the vampire theme from a different point of view. Loved this world that she created. So I entered into the Slayer Chronicles not quite sure how I'd like it, because I kind of liked the vampires better this time, unlike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where you do root mostly for the slayer. And, I didn't really like Joss that much, which this book was about, because of how he tried to slay Vlad in the other series. But, let me say, this book totally blew my preconceived thoughts on this. You knew from the original series that Joss had become a slayer because of his younger sister Cecile getting killed by a vampire. We learn in this book that Joss's uncle Abraham actually didn't want him to be the one in the family to carry on the slayer tradition, he actually thought Henry, Vlad's best friend/drudge, or Henry's older brother would be better. I guess that is funny to me because I know how they actually are with Vlad. But after reading about Joss's life, I did get to feel that I liked him. And learning that kids were mean to him because he had this almost magical strength and endurance. Then his parents almost treating him invisible after his sister died, you can see why he became the boy we know in the Vlad Tod series. And you really get on his side when you learn about how his uncle treats him when he goes to begin his slayer training, and what that training entails. Wow, although I don't agree with some of the things Joss does with the slayers and his uncle, I can see why he is that way, and the story is so good. You know there is possible a "mole" in the group of slayers, and while you want to suspect Uncle Abraham because of what a jerk he is, there are other possibilities, and each are given in a way that makes you think, and wonder. The twist at the end, I thought was sad, and was another way that I was disappointed in how Joss reacted to his situation. But, as I said, it leads right on to where the story is going to go. Such a great story. Heather Brewer is such a great author, I can't wait to read the next in the Slayer Chronicles.