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alongreader's review against another edition
3.0
I've tried Kendare Blake before, and her novels always seemed - fine. Not amazing, not awful, passed time perfectly, didn't really stay in my head afterwards. Like most people in my generation, I adored Buffy growing up and I thought that reading a book set in that continuity would be a good way to try Kendare again.
It didn't work.
Parts of the story are great. The demon feeding on people's Insta posts was really clever, and exactly the kind of thing Buffy would be tackling if it was still airing today. Frankie's group of Scoobies was great. The scene where she's told "We know you can do this on your own, because you're the Slayer and you're a really good one - but you're not doing it without us" was great.
However. Spike as a Watcher? No. Just no. He'd never agree to it. He didn't even sound like Spike, to my ear. Frankie's creation is a bit urgh as well. The whole Hunter storyline was way too similiar to Buffy; having your characters talk about how familiar it is doesn't mean that it isn't familiar anymore. And the whole Slayerfest storyline was strange. For one, why would they call it that? For two, if Kendare just wanted the Slayers out of the way, why not just have them all be busy in other parts of the world? Nothing Frankie faced in this book would have necessitated calling other Slayers in, and her Calling could still be explained away.
I didn't hate it; I'll read the next one to see what happened overall; but it's only alright, as far as I'm concerned. I hope that other readers enjoy it, though.
It didn't work.
Parts of the story are great. The demon feeding on people's Insta posts was really clever, and exactly the kind of thing Buffy would be tackling if it was still airing today. Frankie's group of Scoobies was great. The scene where she's told "We know you can do this on your own, because you're the Slayer and you're a really good one - but you're not doing it without us" was great.
However. Spike as a Watcher? No. Just no. He'd never agree to it. He didn't even sound like Spike, to my ear. Frankie's creation is a bit urgh as well. The whole Hunter storyline was way too similiar to Buffy; having your characters talk about how familiar it is doesn't mean that it isn't familiar anymore. And the whole Slayerfest storyline was strange. For one, why would they call it that? For two, if Kendare just wanted the Slayers out of the way, why not just have them all be busy in other parts of the world? Nothing Frankie faced in this book would have necessitated calling other Slayers in, and her Calling could still be explained away.
I didn't hate it; I'll read the next one to see what happened overall; but it's only alright, as far as I'm concerned. I hope that other readers enjoy it, though.
pawspagesandpurrs's review against another edition
4.0
4*
Going into this, I was expecting something else. A little bit. I am happy to say that I really like this anyway.
It's a very believable canon for the show. And no, I haven't read seasons 8-12 in graphic novels. So, yeah, there's a lot of catching up to do but, really, it was easy to get into and not feel too confused.
I think all the known characters are true enough to the show, maybe a little bit off with Spike but it's all good. Frankie was really nice and I did enjoy Hailey quite a lot, too.
The plot flowed very nicely and I liked the big bad.
Definitely cannot wait to get my hands on book two, One Girl in all the World.
Going into this, I was expecting something else. A little bit. I am happy to say that I really like this anyway.
It's a very believable canon for the show. And no, I haven't read seasons 8-12 in graphic novels. So, yeah, there's a lot of catching up to do but, really, it was easy to get into and not feel too confused.
I think all the known characters are true enough to the show, maybe a little bit off with Spike but it's all good. Frankie was really nice and I did enjoy Hailey quite a lot, too.
The plot flowed very nicely and I liked the big bad.
Definitely cannot wait to get my hands on book two, One Girl in all the World.
amandamurray414's review against another edition
4.0
A fun read for Buffy fans! Love the nostalgia and Easter eggs throughout. This could easily be made into a series with adventures for the new Scoobies and it would be 5x5.
ipomoea's review against another edition
3.0
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this book with a lot of conflicted Buffy love in my heart. It's hard to address the media that is Buffy the Vampire Slayer without acknowledging the behavior of its creator behind the scenes, as well as the dated gender/sexuality/race politics that are inherent to something created in the late 90s/early 2000s. But Buffy also meant so much to people and still does, so I went into this as a Buffy fan with a cautious eye.
Set in Sunnydale, the book focuses on the next generation-- Willow's daughter Frankie, Oz's nephew Jake, and their guardians (Willow and Oz). Spike is still loitering in the town, under a protection spell and working at the new Sunnydale HS (which is of course built right by the Hellmouth because Sunnydale has terrible planners). Buffy is out of town, at a Slayer conference with all the awakened slayers from the last season. When something goes horribly wrong, Frankie feels a change-- she's become a (the?) Slayer. And there's a new Big Bad in town, who's hungry for virgin blood and the opportunity to run wild while Buffy is gone. With the Slayers AWOL, someone else showed up in town-- Hillary, the younger sister of Vi, a slayer from Oregon. How do you defeat a Big Bad when the person you've always turned to is gone? How do you accept and grow into being a Slayer? Is Spike still putting Weetabix in his blood? Two of these questions are answered in the book.
This book feels like fanfiction, sometimes in the way it feels like a love letter to the show, sometimes in the "look! Only True Fans know this reference" moments. Like a Buffy episode, I knew this would end relatively okay, and I knew that there would be a larger story arc across the planned books/episodes. While it sets up a general knowledge of the background of the Buffyverse, it didn't feel like an entry point for someone who wanted to learn about it with no knowledge. This is a gift to fans, and I enjoyed it as such.
I went into this book with a lot of conflicted Buffy love in my heart. It's hard to address the media that is Buffy the Vampire Slayer without acknowledging the behavior of its creator behind the scenes, as well as the dated gender/sexuality/race politics that are inherent to something created in the late 90s/early 2000s. But Buffy also meant so much to people and still does, so I went into this as a Buffy fan with a cautious eye.
Set in Sunnydale, the book focuses on the next generation-- Willow's daughter Frankie, Oz's nephew Jake, and their guardians (Willow and Oz). Spike is still loitering in the town, under a protection spell and working at the new Sunnydale HS (which is of course built right by the Hellmouth because Sunnydale has terrible planners). Buffy is out of town, at a Slayer conference with all the awakened slayers from the last season. When something goes horribly wrong, Frankie feels a change-- she's become a (the?) Slayer. And there's a new Big Bad in town, who's hungry for virgin blood and the opportunity to run wild while Buffy is gone. With the Slayers AWOL, someone else showed up in town-- Hillary, the younger sister of Vi, a slayer from Oregon. How do you defeat a Big Bad when the person you've always turned to is gone? How do you accept and grow into being a Slayer? Is Spike still putting Weetabix in his blood? Two of these questions are answered in the book.
This book feels like fanfiction, sometimes in the way it feels like a love letter to the show, sometimes in the "look! Only True Fans know this reference" moments. Like a Buffy episode, I knew this would end relatively okay, and I knew that there would be a larger story arc across the planned books/episodes. While it sets up a general knowledge of the background of the Buffyverse, it didn't feel like an entry point for someone who wanted to learn about it with no knowledge. This is a gift to fans, and I enjoyed it as such.
tayhoch's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
“In every generation there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the force of darkness. She is the slayer.”
aprilalwayswithabook's review against another edition
3.0
It was fun, but around 75% I got bored and missed the original Scooby gang and everyone just seemed like they didn't have their own personalities. They were facsimiles of the first wave.
chelseayedinak's review against another edition
5.0
* I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *
I really really really loved this book! I love Buffy and am always excited about tie-in books, and this was no exception. It took me a minute to get all the characters sorted in this new generation of Scoobies, but this really captured the spirit of the original show (minus the terrible Joss Whedon misogyny). The banter, the references, the Big Bad, and the relationships all gave me such a happy, nostalgic rush. This book follows Willow's daughter, Frankie, who becomes the next Slayer after an accident at a Slayer convention (maybe) killed the rest. She has to figure out what happened to the rest of the Slayers while training with her Watcher to keep Sunnydale safe from a new Big Bad who arrives after hearing there's no one protecting it anymore. If you're not already a Buffy fan, then I probably wouldn't recommend this one, because it does rely on a lot of knowledge of the show and the universe to understand. You might still enjoy the banter and the villains, but understanding the relationship dynamics and the history are going to be rough without background knowledge. If you are a Buffy fan, then this is probably a great read for you.
I really really really loved this book! I love Buffy and am always excited about tie-in books, and this was no exception. It took me a minute to get all the characters sorted in this new generation of Scoobies, but this really captured the spirit of the original show (minus the terrible Joss Whedon misogyny). The banter, the references, the Big Bad, and the relationships all gave me such a happy, nostalgic rush. This book follows Willow's daughter, Frankie, who becomes the next Slayer after an accident at a Slayer convention (maybe) killed the rest. She has to figure out what happened to the rest of the Slayers while training with her Watcher to keep Sunnydale safe from a new Big Bad who arrives after hearing there's no one protecting it anymore. If you're not already a Buffy fan, then I probably wouldn't recommend this one, because it does rely on a lot of knowledge of the show and the universe to understand. You might still enjoy the banter and the villains, but understanding the relationship dynamics and the history are going to be rough without background knowledge. If you are a Buffy fan, then this is probably a great read for you.
alykane6's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A Buffy book that actually felt like it was set in the Buffyverse. I enjoyed it.
kittykat1126's review against another edition
5.0
This was so much fun to read! I loved all the call backs to the original series. I also enjoyed that the book follows Spikes comic arc. I enjoyed seeing him as a truly good guy and not just assisting Buffy. Frankie is an adorable main character. Each of the new addition side characters are so cute and funny. I loved seeing willow, and Oz come back as supporting characters in this novel and I'm excited to see where their relationship goes from here. I'm truly here for the romantic subplots that are happening. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.