Slayers, Every One of Us: How One Girl in All the World Showed Us How to Hold On

by Kristin Russo, Jenny Owen Youngs

Read by the authors and hosts of the hit podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer, this memoir reflects on heartbreak, perseverance, building community, and life lessons learned from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This audiobook features bonus songs, jingles, and clips from the podcast and live shows, and contributions from fans/committed Scoobies.

Kristin and Jenny’s marriage started with an to further their relationship, Kristin must watch Jenny's favorite show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. With the terms set, they began a journey that has led them through seven seasons of the beloved genre show, a podcast rewatching the series with their newly minted listenership of “Scoobies,” unexpected success, and a divorce. Through it all, their love for Buffy and their commitment to their community held them together against the odds.

Slayers, Every One of Us is the story of how two queer women navigated divorce on a very public level and managed to stay in each other’s lives through it all. While chock full of Buffy-related content (and Buffering!) for true fans, this is ultimately a memoir of queer love and chosen family. It's a heartwarming story for anyone who's experienced lost love, and a roadmap for staying close with your ex.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Memoir, LGBT, Queer, Pop Culture, Vampires

Audible Audio

First published April 8, 2025

About the author

Kristin Russo is a producer, speaker, podcaster, and consultant with a focus on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) issues.

Kristin speaks regularly to businesses and their Employee Resource Groups on topics such as creating equitable and safe(r) workspaces, being a powerful ally to colleagues and community, and parenting LGBTQ children.

Kristin has spoken at hundreds of universities nationwide including Harvard, Stanford, and NYU and has worked with large-scale companies such as Hyatt, Toyota, and Virgin Galactic. She was host and producer of First Person, a video series on gender and sexuality from PBS Digital and WNET and is the co-creator of My Kid Is Gay. Kristin has also authored three books: This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids (Chronicle, 2014), A Quick & Easy Guide to Coming Out (Oni Press, 2024), and Slayers, Every One Of Us (St. Martin’s Press, 2025)

In the world of podcasting, Kristin is the Executive Producer and co-host of the critically-acclaimed pop culture podcast network, Buffering: A Rewatch Adventure.

She holds a Master’s in Gender Studies from the CUNY Graduate Center.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC. It hasn't affected the contents of my review.

I have absolutely no idea how Slayers, Every One of Us will play for people who don't listen to Buffering and haven't spent years getting to know Kristin and Jenny via audio, but I had a great time with it. I kept getting teary and having all these sad small cries that were over in like five seconds*. I started keeping track of them and had about six by the end of the book. As of fan of their podcast from literally day one (I have no memory where I heard about it; probably someone on gay Twitter), this was both like stepping back in time as they relived the early days, and seeing behind the curtain.

*I mostly cried at the way they talked about Buffy and what stories can mean in everyday life, but there were certain real life moments for Kristin and Jenny that made get choked up, too.

An important warning: Absolutely do not read this book unless you don't care about being spoiled for the entire plot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (it's beyond me why you would want to read this book with no interest in Buffy, but hey, you do you). The whole point of the book is that their podcast journey through the TV show eerily mirrored Buffy's journey, so they talk about it all.

I think if you like audio, the audiobook is the way to go, because a good part of this book is spent on talking about the songs Kristin and Jenny wrote for the podcast, in various contexts, and clips from the songs (and sometimes the entire song) are included in the audiobook. A lot more fun than reading lyrics in a book. Kristin and Jenny read the audio themselves, in an almost duet fashion, and I actually listened to an audiobook on 1.0x speed for the first time in forever because I'm used to hearing them speak at a certain speed and it was really throwing me off to have them at 1.25x or 1.5x. Presumably this won't be a problem other people have. Even listening on a slower speed, I managed to listen to this whole thing in one day.

I do have a hard copy of this book coming, which I'm glad for, because I think they included exclusive content in each format, and I want to look at the pictueres.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no piece of media that I love more than Buffy, so when I saw this book available on NetGalley, I grabbed it without scrutinizing the synopsis too much. I didn't quite realize that it was really more about a podcast about Buffy, and about the personal lives of the hosts of the podcast. I still would have read it if I'd realized - I like memoirs, and I know of Jenny Owen Youngs' music, and did I mention Buffy? - but since I'm not a podcast person and I wasn't aware of this podcast or its community of listeners, I don't think I was fully the right audience. It felt really voyeuristic at times, since they were jointly talking about their divorce and sharing some gnarly details together. I would have rather read a book where they talked about the topics they covered on the podcast, rather than a behind-the-scenes deal, because those bits where they shed some light on that were my favorite parts.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, Slayers, Every One of Us, by Kristin Russo; Jenny Owen Youngs, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Kristin and Jenny are now divorced but still love, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, they co host a podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer. I loved watching Buffy, for the first couple seasons. This is an interesting read.

[Danika at The Lesbrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Buffy for many years, despite its flaws, and I quickly fell in love with the Buffering podcast, too. In fact, when I started reading this memoir, I thought I already knew this story. But while Kristin and Jenny shared some of this with their audience at the time, it was in a professional and guarded way—understandably. Now that they’re years past their divorce (and both remarried), they offer a vulnerable and sometimes painful look at what it was really like to keep working together through their breakup.

This memoir really dives into the messy, painful experience of their separation and the difficulty of continuing the podcast through it. I can’t imagine how difficult this must have been to write, even with some distance.

I don’t know what this reading experience would be like if you haven’t listened to the podcast or watched Buffy, but they do give context, so you probably could read this without any background… but I have to recommend watching Buffy first. And then listening to the podcast, with all its original songs. And then you should read the book. You could skip to the end, but you’d be missing a lot of great stuff.

Full review at the Lesbrary.

[Hayley (Strange & Unusual Book Club) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I have never listened to the Podcast, but I love Buffy so I picked this up. It was wonderful reading about how BTVS and their podcast Buffering, helped these two maintain a professional relationship and friendship even after they got divorced. I was inspired by these two women who pushed through devastating life moments, never letting anything (miscarriage, divorce, pandemic) stop them from continuing their shared passion project. I highly recommend this memoir to those looking for a quality LGBT memoir, those going through a divorce, and fans of Buffy.

I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it as it is read by both authors and includes many clips and original songs from their podcast. I plan to check out the hard copy so that I can see all the photos. I'll also be checking out this podcast!

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was a memoir when I requested it.
I really should start looking into things more.
Ah well.
I had not listened to this podcast before going into the book (I have since started).
I saw that it was Buffy related and said "Oooh yes please!"
I have no regrets.
I loved seeing how the various episodes of the show mirrored the lives of these ladies and how much love they put into each other and the podcast and kept things going when a lot of people probably wouldn't have.
This was a fabulous read and you don't need to know anything going in other than you love Buffy The Vampire Slayer too.
Spoilers for the show if you have been living under a rock and haven't seen the show yet.
Much love to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for my ALC!

[Saffron Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a dedicated fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I was very interested in the premise of this book and was sure I would love it. But alas, unless you have listening familiarity with the Buffering the Vampire Slayer podcast and the two hosts, I’m not sure how much it will connect with you. At least it didn’t with me. Sadly, having no familiarity with the two personalities, most of the personal relationship drama revealed as we journeyed through their podcast seasons while referencing milestone BTVS episodes, just didn’t have much of an emotional impact on me. Overall, I felt like the outsider at the work water cooler who is listening to their coworkers joyfully discuss a cool popular TV show that I hadn’t yet gotten around to watching.

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very readable and page-turning but ultimately a bit superficial overall (the big exception being Kristin's depiction of her miscarriage, that was quite moving).

I don't think this book would make sense to anyone who wasn't already familiar with Buffy the show and Kristin and Jenny as minor celesbians, which makes its audience pretty niche. It doesn't have enough compelling commentary on Buffy itself to be read just for that, but their own story, -- interesting as it is that they got divorced in the middle of making a podcast together and kept doing so -- just isn't written in a way that is super compelling for me either.

TBH, my reaction to this book is very similar to my reaction to the podcast (which I stopped listening to after season 4 because I ended up feeling bored) so I guess I should have known!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read memoirs; it just isn't my genre. However, I am a huge Buffy fan and decided to give this one a chance. I figured that, at the very least, I would probably get some good Buffy content.

I loved this book so much. Not only did I get to read about Buffy and then be disappointed that I didn't get to go to a Buffy Prom that I had never even known existed before. Seriously, why aren't there any of this stuff out by me? We don't even have a ComicCon here since the pandemic. Have to drive a state away.

Loved when went through minute by minute to convince readers that Fuffy is a real thing. That Faith and Buffy actually had happy fun times.

I can't imagine doing a podcast or sitting down to write a book with my ex-husband, but we didn't exactly part on the best of terms, so . . .
I am so glad that they were able to make it work.

Definitely would recommend watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer before reading this book. Even if you don't read the book, you should watch Buffy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free kindle book. My review is voluntarily given and my opinions are my own.

[Dona's Books]

Finished Reading
DNF @ p33

Pre-Read notes

When I was a teenager, I really loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the movie and the show, both from the 90's. When I was offered a chance to read this one, written by two fans, I jumped at it!

Final Review

Review summary and recommendations

I'm not quite the audience for this book. Buffy ran originally before most of the stuff in this book existed, which is when I watched it and loved it. Back on the 90's, before the internet was widely available. I thought this book would be an analysis of a very good show that broke boundaries, but it's more like a love letter to a Fandom that formed years after Buffy did.

Reading Notes

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. [...All] of a sudden you find yourself wondering, just what are these weird wiggly things jutting out from where your wrists end, and where do they go? Into your pockets? Jauntily resting upon your hips? Steepled below your chin as though you might be moments away from tying someone to the train tracks in a silent film?! p24 A really brilliant description of how overwhelming anxiety can make the smallest and most familiar things, like tour own hands.


Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. DNF @ p33 I am not the audience for this book.

Rating: DNF @ p33
yes, to today's Buffy fans
Finished: Mar 30 '25

Thank you to the author Kristin Townsend and Jenny Owen Youngs, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an accessible advance digital copy of SLAYERS EVERY ONE OF US. All views are mine.
---------------

[Notteviddia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5
I need to stop reading books about podcasts I've never listened to, but hey, it was about Buffy.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well that was just an AWOOOOOnderful read. I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend if that option is available to you. This was a beautiful love letter to Buffy fans, Buffering fans, and to love in all its forms. 💕

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

So. I didn't watch BtVS when it came out. I really wasn't interested. I remember hearing the bit on npr when it went off the air. Most memorable was the part where it was said that viewers found it paralleled their lives - and as an example gave that when Buffy first had sex with Angel, he turned into a demon - and the viewer in question said that happened to her as well.

And then a bit later I watched Firefly. And after I watched the whole series three times it seemed clear that the closest I was going to find to Firefly was Buffy. So reluctantly I started a stupidly named show with a stupid concept. I've never actually rewatched the whole thing - though I have re-watched some episodes.

I don't listen to podcasts. I may never have heard of Buffering.

But I do reading challenges - and there was a challenge on goodreads - and I picked this book - and the library did me wrong and the challenge expired. But I read the book anyway. When I started it, I actually kind of thought it was fiction.

But being in the Buffy space has been super nostalgic. The show was memorable.

The book was torturous. The writer's personal lives. Buffy itself. And the times they wrote in - the First Trump administration. Covid.

I think if I had broken down and listened to any of the songs (they wrote songs for each episode apparently), I doubt I would have made it through. Instead I listened to just one before sitting to write this review - Once More With Once More, With Feeling.

Not sure that this book can be appreciated by everyone.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ★★★½ (Kindle), expected ★★★★ (Audiobook)

As a longtime supporter of the Buffering the Vampire Slayer podcast (yes, I was a proud Patreon backer for years), I went into this memoir with high hopes and a preordered audiobook.

I first discovered Jenny and Kristin back in season 2, when they were still married, and remember the heartbreak I felt when they announced their split. I feared the podcast would fizzle out, but they blew me away by continuing all the way through Buffy's seventh season and beyond while maintaining the heart, creativity, and depth that made it so special in the first place.

One of the most mind-blowing elements of the podcast was always Jenny's original song for each episode. That alone set it apart, and getting a behind the scenes look at how that all came together was one of my favorite parts of this two person memoir.

In Slayers, Every One of Us, they both( especially Kristin) share some deeply personal and difficult experiences with vulnerability and honesty, though it’s clear there are emotional boundaries they chose not to cross. It’s a book written for fans, through and through. I don’t think it would resonate quite the same with someone unfamiliar with the podcast, but it might just be enough to pique their curiosity and turn them into a listener.

While I received a free Kindle version from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, I had already purchased the audiobook and truly think that’s going to be the definitive experience. This story is about two podcasters and the community they built, and it’s only fitting to hear it in their voices. The Kindle version earns a solid 3.5 stars from me, but I fully expect the audiobook to land at a strong 4.

If you’re a Buffy fan and haven’t checked out the podcast yet, what are you waiting for? I recommend it to every Scooby I meet. Jenny and Kristin should be incredibly proud of what they’ve built—on mic, and now on the page.

[Lauren | Wordsbetweenlines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full transparency. I’ve never watched Buffy but I requested this book because I am a fan of Jenny’s music. As shown by the signed records.

So I needed to read her book.

This explores Jenny and Kristin’s relationship, their lives, their podcast and Buffy.

Reading it felt like I was there with them, a chat between friends. It was such an enjoyable read while also being raw and honest with their struggles.

Pub Date: April 8th

Thank you st Martin’s press for the copy 🤍

[Merron · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a long time listener of the pod (since 2018), it made me both cry and laugh out loud. They do a beautiful job weaving together their journey (ha) as a married couple turned exes turned (best/good) friends with Buffy story lines, the progression of the podcast, and Buffering song lyrics.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to read this mostly because I’m watching Buffy for the first time (I didn’t watch much tv when I was a kid!). I didn’t listen to the podcast, but I want to even though it’s over.

This book was just wonderful. I loved how she tied Buffy in with the ways life takes us, the great, the bad, the ugly. I felt so connected with the author, and just had sooo many feelings.

Even if you’ve never watched Buffy or listened to the pod, I’m sure you’ll love this book.

PS - love the mention of Lagusta’s Luscious chocolate as a New Paltzer… it is indeed the best chocolate. :)

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this thinking it was more about the show Buffy with tie in to their podcast. Like a book version of their show. I was so surprised it was about them as a memoir. I was already crying early on it the book. It was the book I didn’t know I needed. Definitely do audiobook as they play songs they did for the show.

And even though I forgot what this book was about (but not with negative results), I’m super annoyed at all the people rating it low and complaining that they’ve never listened to the podcast and don’t even know who these authors are or better yet, saw one where they hadn’t even seen the actual TV show. Those are on all of you, not the authors or the book. It’s pretty clearly geared towards people who have heard and listened to even a little bit of the podcast. MUCH LESS, who have watched the show. A facepalm and a Spike sneer to you.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and the author for the complimentary copy of SLAYERS EVERY ONE OF US by Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs.

Publication Date: 4/8/2025
Rating: 5/ 5

SLAYERS EVERY ONE OF US is the authors' memoir of their life together and apart, and the time they spent centered around the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television show. The pair were married when they started their popular podcast, Buffering the Vampire Slayer which followed the show episode by episode. In the span of their podcast they went through a lot, including the end of their marriage, but still Buffy kept them working together, figuring out how to make a relationship still work between them.

This book opens with trigger warnings. Over the course of the book, the pair go from married to divorced, they deal with fertility issues and pregnancy loss so do use care going into this one if any of this might be triggering material. The authors do delve into their feelings and it really pulls at the heart.

I really think they did a fantastic job of relating so much back to the TV show that brought them into the limelight with regular podcasts, live appearances, and events centered around the show. I consumed a lot of this via audio and you get clips of the songs that were written for their podcast about the Buffy show, while the print copy includes some song lyrics along with the musical chords to go with them and other additional materials.

I wasn't familiar with the podcast going into this book, I was just drawn to request a copy by the Buffy reference, but I thought that this book was exceptionally well done!

[Moriah Pitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of the audiobook, Slayers, Every One of Us by Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs, from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It felt like jumping into a time machine and landing right back in my Buffy-obsessed teenage years — but with even more heart, humor, and friendship. You can feel the love and fun they had creating this audiobook in every moment, and it’s absolutely infectious. Kristin and Jenny’s chemistry is undeniable, making it feel less like you’re listening to a production and more like you’re right there with them on this wild and nostalgic adventure.

This wasn’t just an audiobook — it was a journey. The way they intertwined the Buffyverse with their own personal connections to the show made me feel like I was reliving my own Buffy memories alongside them. There were so many moments that tugged at my heartstrings, made me laugh out loud, and left me feeling deeply connected — not only to the story but to Kristin and Jenny themselves.

If you’ve ever loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer or simply adore storytelling that’s rich with passion, nostalgia, and genuine joy — this audiobook is a must-listen. It’s like a love letter to the fandom and a reminder of the power stories have to bring us together. I didn’t just listen; I felt it. Every single one of us.

[Peyton Honeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this all in one day if that says anything. And I cried a lot - this one hit real close to home 😭 thank you for this gift Jenny and Kristin of your honesty. I have never heard anyone speak so honestly about what some of these difficult life experiences are really like. ❤️ I love this podcast so much it has been there with me through all the ups and downs of the last 5 years of my life and made me smile on days when I thought I didn’t have it in me. It created a beautiful queer community where lesbian culture and genre television collide in a way that feels tailor made for me but apparently there are tons of other gay genre television fans - amazing! Listen to the audiobook for songs from the pod, familiar jingles, sound clips from recordings, and the voices of our fave demon lizard patriarchy smashing hosts! 🦎 oh and PAY BUFFY SUMMERS!

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I'm honest, I was way too young to be watching Buffy when it first aired, but I did sneak a few episodes in. I did however, watch almost all of the series with my mom as a near adult. And I still sometimes go back to Buffy as a comfort show; so when I stumbled across Slayers, Every One of Us I was super pumped!

This book was a beautiful thing- a memoir of how pop culture can shape and inform almost every aspect of our life. An ode to the love of shared things; the lessons that media can teach; how community and friendship can get us through the darkest times. And I found a podcast to binge along the way.

Jenny and Kristin really do feel like your sisters/best friends even through this format. They share immensely personal parts of their lives and demonstrate that it will (hopefully) all be okay. And this isn't as Buffy focused as you might think! There is something for everyone (although the shes/theys/gays and Buffy lovers will appreciate it more). I think fans of the podcast will appreciate it more; but I still really enjoyed this!

[Kriti | Armed with A Book]

This book is phenomenal. It didn’t matter that I haven’t watched Buffy nor have I heard the podcast. I picked it up because my best friend loves the TV series and I wanted to discuss this with them.

I love this memoir about a creative pursuit that ended and how it changed the creators while also being influenced by them, their perspectives, the community they created around them and so much more. I feel unabashed happiness for their success and felt all the emotions alongside them. Their heartbreak and healing was touching.

I am excited to reflect about this book on a blog.

Many thanks to the publisher for a review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. I’ll be purchasing a copy for my home library and one for my little free library.

- Kriti, Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

[Heather Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars ⭐️. This was pure entertainment for me. I loved it. This book is a queer memoir between two lovely ladies who started a Buffy the Vampire Slayer podcast in 2016 called Buffering!. I have been listening to their podcast since March 2020. Go into this book knowing that Buffy is heavily featured but the main focus of the book is between Jenny and Kristin’s relationship and how they navigated it while managing a podcast together. They both are two super cool humans and have made an incredible community. Fellow Scoobies check this out.

[Jen (NerdifiedJen) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve listened to exactly one episode of Buffering, the live, in-person recording at Podcon. I’m a notoriously terrible podcast listener and I tend to listen to podcasts one at a time in an obsessive way and then abandon them … it’s a whole ADHD thing. I do love Buffy, and I really enjoyed reading this book. It kinda made me want to listen to the podcast now… I’m never one to do things in the appropriate order.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and vulnerable dive into the disintegration of a queer marriage and revitalization of a queer friendship over the course of a podcast life cycle, a pandemic, and more. I've never really dove into the Buffering podcast but I think I'll give it a go after reading this.

[Marina Marcello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slayers, Every One of Us is “A [queer] memoir reflecting on heartbreak, perseverance, & life lessons learned from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from the hosts of the hit podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer.” I never realized how Buffy & the Scoobies are queer icons, apart from Willow & Tara. I remember as a kid feeling like Willow & Tara were completely natural, & the splash that their relationship made in the TV industry at the time went completely over my head. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that not everyone saw a gay couple as totally normal, & Buffy broke boundaries with their televised love.

In retrospect, I also recognize that Buffy & the Scoobies speak to every type of person who felt like maybe they were “one in all the world.” The beauty throughout the show is that Buffy is never truly alone. She has her watcher & her friends, without whom Buffy wouldn’t have been Buffy. At the end of the show (spoiler), when every girl who could be a slayer becomes a slayer, sends a message of community among those who may be different. I’m so glad that I’m not the only one who felt a connection with Buffy against the world, Xander finding his way, Willow discovering herself, or all the ways our beloved Scoobies lost themselves & were led back by their friends.

I’m actually so sad I never really got into podcasts & hadn’t heard about Buffering the Vampire Slayer until this book crossed my path, but reading about the creation, the success, the trials, & the outcome of this sensation of a show made me 100% look up the podcast (I do hope I listen someday) & listen to the music! Wow, the music! Jenny Owen Youngs is the songwriter & musician you didn’t know you needed in your life!

While Slayers is described as being about Jenny & Kristin’s divorce while continuing their creation, it’s also about Buffy. Buffy is my number one fandom, it raised me. I will read anything having to do with Buffy. This book was so beautiful because ultimately it’s a story about how Buffy brings people together & keeps them together. As described in the subtitle: How One Girl in All the World Showed Us How to Hold On, Buffy kept these two women who were wives as friends; honestly it seems like the most magical friendship. Along the way, they got to do incredible Buffy-related things, like Buffy Prom, teaching the cast of Buffy about Buffy, & interviewing members (my favorite: Seth Green), & I got to peek into that as a fangirl, so I appreciate Kristin & Jenny laying it all out there for me & creating yet another Buffy-related production for us.

Thank you St. Martin’s for this ARC, this book was five stakes!

[alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I have not listened to Buffering the Vampire Slayer. In fact, I had never even heard of Buffering the Vampire Slayer before picking up an audio copy of Slayers, Every One of Us from Libro.fm. I didn't need to - my love for Buffy will lead me anywhere. And I may be biased, given that, like its co-authors, Buffy is one of my favourite pieces of media ever, but I loved this, too.

Slayers, Every One of Us is a memoir from the hosts of the aforementioned Buffering the Vampire Slayer podcast, Kristin Russo and Jenny Owen Youngs. It's as much a memoir of the podcast and their related professional endeavours as it is of their relationship - of its breakdown, its reformation, and its ultimate transformation into something new.

While I felt invested in Slayers from the get-go, I struggled initially with some of its millennialisms. (Like, say, drawing parallels between the villain of Buffy's first season, and 2016's US president elect.) Feeling the need to draw such parallels in order to identify and condemn real-world evil is something I still have qualms with, but as I grew to understand the authors better, I realised much of my frustration came from a cynical disdain for earnestness I know I have a propensity for, but believed I'd mostly uprooted. Basically, if I want to be a part of the cringe-is-dead crowd, I need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Thankfully Kristin and Jenny won me over quickly, and this did not require too much active effort on my part.

It's almost embarrassing how invested I became in the lives of these two strangers. I suppose we expect that of fiction, but with the current conversations around fan culture and parasocial attachment, having that kind of reaction to a work of nonfiction no longer feels neutral; it feels loaded. But I don't think my temporary emotional investment in the lives of real people has to be problematic (though I agree that these are important conversations to be having, to be very clear). If anything, I think it's a testament to the storytelling ability of those real people. Because of their writing, their talent, and their vulnerability, you don't have to know Jenny and Kristin to grow to care for them.

Also, listening to this was an absolute pleasure. Not being familiar with the podcast, I don't know that I would have enjoyed this nearly as much without Jenny and Kristin's experienced and enthusiastic narration, or without the songs, the jingles, and the howls. I truly cannot recommend the audiobook version highly enough. Buffy fans, this will be your jam, I promise!

My sincere thanks to Macmillan Audio and Libro.fm for the ALC.

[Rachel Qay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kristen and Jenny, co-hosts of podcast "Buffering the Vampire Slayer", tell the story of their relationship interspersed with passages about each season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Kristen and Jenny take turns providing insight into their relationship and its highs and lows from their own perspectives, all while connecting back to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the time spent working together on their podcast. Also included are the lyrics to the Buffy-themed songs that * has written and composed for each of their "Buffering" podcast episodes. I really enjoyed reading about some of the background and thought that was put into these original songs/lyrics.

This memoir is best suited for those who are fans of the "Buffering" podcast, as the content of the book is primarily focused on the lives and experiences of the co-hosts. However, those who are die-hard Buffy fans or are part of the LGBTQIA+ community may also enjoy this read. Given Buffy the Vampire Slayer's history of depicting one of the first long-term lesbian relationships on television, I felt that this memoir also honored that history and provides an analysis of just how significant Buffy was (and continues to be) for fans of the show. As a huge Buffy fan myself, my experience has been that it is hard for those who are not as familiar with the show to understand the significance of its themes and character relationships, and in 2025, there are fewer and fewer people talking about Buffy or watching Buffy for the first time: reading this memoir felt like chatting with a friend who loves the show as much as I do, and I really appreciated that! I would have appreciated even a tad bit more about the show or the content of the podcast itself, but I am also keeping in mind that this is primarily meant as a memoir at the end of the day.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Kristin Townsend, and Jenny Owen Youngs for providing an advance digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This title is available for purchase beginning April 8th, 2025.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Buffy origin started later in life, during the pandemic, when I watched two episodes a week with two good friends. I grew to love the show and frequently supplemented my watches with the Buffering podcast. I didn't listen to every episode, but listening to Kristin and Jenny grapple with some of the bigger episodes was such a treat for me. Jenny's songs and Kristin's jokes were a particular highlight and even though I wasn't as active in the community, I still felt like I was one of their friends while I was listening.

I requested this book on a whim because while I did enjoy them and the podcast, I thought this book would be more of an encyclopedia of the show and their episodes and as someone that listened to them already talk about the show, I wasn't sure if I needed to read a book along the same lines. Thankfully, one day while I was waiting in a line, I pulled up this book and started reading and once I started I couldn't stop.

I admit that I did some light Instagram stalking of the two of them when I found out they were getting a divorce and further admit to being baffled they could continue podcasting together. This book delves into what went on behind the scenes of their popular podcast and because I'm nosy, I ate it all up.

This book must have been spectacularly vulnerable and hard to write. They spare no punches, going into every devastating moment of trying to get pregnant, their marriage falling apart, the fallout from that and how they managed to still work well together and get through to the other side. I particularly loved how they used the Buffy storyline to map out these events while emphasizing how much their Buffy community and the show helped them. This was a delight to read and I highly recommend to fellow Buffy and Buffering lovers.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an early review.