YA Book Review: Slayer by Kiersten White

Slayer
Author: Kiersten White
Series: Slayer (Book 1)
Publication: Simon Pulse; Reprint edition (January 8, 2019)

Description: From bestselling author Kiersten White comes the first novel in a series set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that introduces a new Slayer as she grapples with the responsibility of managing her incredible powers that she’s just beginning to understand.

Into every generation a Slayer is born…

Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.

Until the day Nina’s life changes forever.

Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period.

As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams…

But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next.

One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.

My Thoughts: This story extends the story told in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series by focusing on what is left after Buffy ends magic on Earth. Nina and her twin sister Artemis are in training at the Watcher Academy - what is left of it. Most of the Watchers died in the last battle.

Nina has been training as a medic since her Watcher mother doesn't want her to be anything else and, in fact, almost ignores her. Her sister Artemis failed the test that would let her become a Watcher and is being trained as support for the remaining Watchers.

But things change when Nina, who had been content with the idea of being a healer, learns that as a result of that last battle she is actually a Slayer. Since she became a Slayer at that exact time, she is the last Slayer that will ever be.

Nina has very mixed feeling about becoming a Slayer. She blames Buffy for the death of her father, the distance of her mother, and all the problems currently besetting the Watchers. The idea of being like her is very troubling to her.

Nina has no choice but to embrace the fact that she is a Slayer when she discovers hellhounds focusing in on the Watcher Academy and some sort of demon killing Watchers and Slayers and almost killing an ordinary friend of hers.

She doesn't know who to trust. Her sister has changed toward her since she became a Slayer. Now, Nina doesn't need her sister to protect her. She can't go to her mother. Her new Watcher is the boy she had a major crush on when she was younger and is the source of her most embarrassing moment.

This was an entertaining story for people who wonder what came after the television show ended. I found Nina to be a little whiny in the beginning of the story but came to like her better as the story progressed. It has lots of great detail for fans of the television series.

Favorite Quote:

But monsters never respected endings in real life. They just kept coming and coming and coming. They never stopped needing to be defeated.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.