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Slayer
They told me turning eighteen meant freedom. They never said it might kill me.
All I wanted was cake, candles, and a fresh start after aging out of the group home I’ve been stuck in for six years. What I got instead? A vampire crashing my party and trying to drain me dry.
Apparently, vampires are real and I can sense them.
Right before I become dinner, a gorgeous, broody vampire hunter named Asher swoops in and saves me. He tells me I’m not just some orphan with a bad attitude… I’m a legacy. A born Vampire Hunter. And now I’ve got a full ride to Nightguard Academy, a secret school for hunters.
Training to kill the undead? Kinda savage.
Except there’s one I’m hiding a secret so dark it could get me staked before graduation. And in a school full of monsters, secrets don’t stay buried for long.
Perfect for fans of Vampire Academy, Buffy and House of Night, this twisty, slow-burn supernatural romance will keep you guessing until the final tick.
All I wanted was cake, candles, and a fresh start after aging out of the group home I’ve been stuck in for six years. What I got instead? A vampire crashing my party and trying to drain me dry.
Apparently, vampires are real and I can sense them.
Right before I become dinner, a gorgeous, broody vampire hunter named Asher swoops in and saves me. He tells me I’m not just some orphan with a bad attitude… I’m a legacy. A born Vampire Hunter. And now I’ve got a full ride to Nightguard Academy, a secret school for hunters.
Training to kill the undead? Kinda savage.
Except there’s one I’m hiding a secret so dark it could get me staked before graduation. And in a school full of monsters, secrets don’t stay buried for long.
Perfect for fans of Vampire Academy, Buffy and House of Night, this twisty, slow-burn supernatural romance will keep you guessing until the final tick.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 8, 2026
About the author
Leia Stone
108 books6,928 followersLeia Stone is the USA Today bestselling author of multiple bestselling series including Matefinder and Wolf Girl. She's sold over two million books and her Fallen Academy series has been optioned for film. Her novels have been translated into five languages and she even dabbles in script writing. Leia writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance with sassy kick-butt heroines and irresistible love interests. She lives in Spokane, WA with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
September 9, 2026
For your average teenager, turning eighteen might mean waking up the next morning with a hangover. For orphan Stella, it means discovering that pretty much everything she thought she knew about her life is wrong and all her dreams and plans for the future are changed in an instant. Who could’ve thought a simple trip to a nightclub would end up with her rescued by the mysterious Asher and them both being chased across the city by people with seriously creepy eyes. Then come the bigger revelations but mainly that vampires are real, and she’s a legacy, destined to hunt them…... fortunately, unlike Buffy she’s not the only one. But first she has to survive her training at Nightguard Academy.
This was my first book by Leia Stone, and I really enjoyed it. Slayer felt like a fun mix of what it would’ve been like if ‘Buffy had gone to Hogwarts,’ with the supernatural academy setting and the world of Veil Haven, vampires, friendships and found family thrown into the mix…... not forgetting lots of dangerously delicious secrets. What worked particularly well for me was the character of Stella herself. She has every reason to be overwhelmed by everything happening around her and has a lot to adjust to. Watching her find her place at the academy while figuring out who she could trust made for an engaging read but while she does adapt to her new life, she doesn’t suddenly become completely confident. She’s still wracked with doubts over if she’s good enough and struggles to believe that the people around her genuinely want to be her friend. She’s also keeping secrets that she’s been told might just be dangerous enough that they’ll get her killed. All running alongside the trials and tribulations of student life. There are also plenty more secrets surrounding Stella yet to be revealed especially the mystery surrounding her dead mother and just who her father was – I have my suspicions here, and I liked how these added another layer to the story without giving everything away too quickly. There’s a strong cast of supporting characters including a potential boyfriend in Asher although to be honest he’s not impressing me too much with his attitude and personally I’m thinking he’s jealous of Stella as it seems like she’s shaping up to be the ‘chosen one’ a slot he’d earmarked for himself
Overall, Slayer was an easy, entertaining read with an intrepid heroine, a strong sense of found family, an intriguing new supernatural world to navigate and enough mystery to keep me turning the pages. Definitely a fun start to the series.
This was my first book by Leia Stone, and I really enjoyed it. Slayer felt like a fun mix of what it would’ve been like if ‘Buffy had gone to Hogwarts,’ with the supernatural academy setting and the world of Veil Haven, vampires, friendships and found family thrown into the mix…... not forgetting lots of dangerously delicious secrets. What worked particularly well for me was the character of Stella herself. She has every reason to be overwhelmed by everything happening around her and has a lot to adjust to. Watching her find her place at the academy while figuring out who she could trust made for an engaging read but while she does adapt to her new life, she doesn’t suddenly become completely confident. She’s still wracked with doubts over if she’s good enough and struggles to believe that the people around her genuinely want to be her friend. She’s also keeping secrets that she’s been told might just be dangerous enough that they’ll get her killed. All running alongside the trials and tribulations of student life. There are also plenty more secrets surrounding Stella yet to be revealed especially the mystery surrounding her dead mother and just who her father was – I have my suspicions here, and I liked how these added another layer to the story without giving everything away too quickly. There’s a strong cast of supporting characters including a potential boyfriend in Asher although to be honest he’s not impressing me too much with his attitude and personally I’m thinking he’s jealous of Stella as it seems like she’s shaping up to be the ‘chosen one’ a slot he’d earmarked for himself
Overall, Slayer was an easy, entertaining read with an intrepid heroine, a strong sense of found family, an intriguing new supernatural world to navigate and enough mystery to keep me turning the pages. Definitely a fun start to the series.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rating: 4/5
Tropes/themes: YA, romantasy, vampires, coming of age, academia fantasy, mystery
Stella has just turned 18, aged out of the social services system and is going to live with another orphan friend who aged out a few years ago. The day she moves in, Stella goes out to a club with her friends and once there discovers that vampires exist! Stella finds out she's a vampire hunter legacy, moves to another (safer) dimension, and starts attending vampire hunter academy.
Stella starts to make new friends, studying and training hard to catch up to the other students, and grieving the loss of the mother she never knew she had. But the vampires keep infiltrating the campus, some of which seem to be coming for Stella specifically, and there's a mysterious letter from her dead mom she's trying to figure out.
This book FLEW by! It's so well written, and keeps moving along, I wanted it to last longer! Stella's reactions were exactly how I would also have reacted, so entirely believable and relatable (except for... you know... the vampires). I loved how the relationships between Stella and her friends and her mentors starts to slowly crack the shell she has built to protect herself. A lifetime of feeling unloved isn't going to be overcome in that short amount of time, though, which was as it should be. I loved Stella as a character!
Asher, however, bugged me. He definitely has his own hangups and issues and trauma, but unless her and Stella have a 'fated mates' kind of thing, she definitely should have told him to fuck all the way off. I guess his reactions tracked with the book being YA, but he was surprisingly immature for such a hot, dangerous vampire hunter.
And that cliffhanger!!! Brutal! I WANT BOOK 2!
Tropes/themes: YA, romantasy, vampires, coming of age, academia fantasy, mystery
Stella has just turned 18, aged out of the social services system and is going to live with another orphan friend who aged out a few years ago. The day she moves in, Stella goes out to a club with her friends and once there discovers that vampires exist! Stella finds out she's a vampire hunter legacy, moves to another (safer) dimension, and starts attending vampire hunter academy.
Stella starts to make new friends, studying and training hard to catch up to the other students, and grieving the loss of the mother she never knew she had. But the vampires keep infiltrating the campus, some of which seem to be coming for Stella specifically, and there's a mysterious letter from her dead mom she's trying to figure out.
This book FLEW by! It's so well written, and keeps moving along, I wanted it to last longer! Stella's reactions were exactly how I would also have reacted, so entirely believable and relatable (except for... you know... the vampires). I loved how the relationships between Stella and her friends and her mentors starts to slowly crack the shell she has built to protect herself. A lifetime of feeling unloved isn't going to be overcome in that short amount of time, though, which was as it should be. I loved Stella as a character!
Asher, however, bugged me. He definitely has his own hangups and issues and trauma, but unless her and Stella have a 'fated mates' kind of thing, she definitely should have told him to fuck all the way off. I guess his reactions tracked with the book being YA, but he was surprisingly immature for such a hot, dangerous vampire hunter.
And that cliffhanger!!! Brutal! I WANT BOOK 2!
September 8, 2026
This was a great fast paced YA read. Stella is a likeable FMC and has had a plan for her future following her childhood in foster care. That all goes by the wayside though when she goes out for birthday drinks and inadvertently ends up caught between vampires and hunters. Leaving everything Stella knew behind, she quickly finds out not only that these things are real, but that she herself is a legacy in this world.
This is fast paced and although there is a romance plot, its slow burn. The miscommunication trope is lurking though and it looks like it's going to continue into book two. Asher may be the MMC but Stella's relationships with Luna, Harper and Celia were the ones which stood out. The return trip to see Linda too was incredibly sweet. Although there are some pretty epic battles, it still feels YA with the characters reading as actual late teens rather than characters who act like they are much older.
Life at the academy is relatively angst free until vampire attacks start spiking. There is also danger coming from the mystery surrounding Stella's mother and what happened to her. I have a feeling there is going to be some kind of connection between what happened to Asher and Daphne's parents too. The cliffhanger isn't too painful but definitely seems to have drawn a line in the sand - I'm interested to see how that is going to be unpacked in book two!
My interpretation of the star system;
3 stars - I enjoyed it; would read the author again
4 stars - I really liked it; I am invested and definitely want more from this author/series
5 stars - I loved it; I engaged with this book completely until I finished it and it is one I will re-read
This is fast paced and although there is a romance plot, its slow burn. The miscommunication trope is lurking though and it looks like it's going to continue into book two. Asher may be the MMC but Stella's relationships with Luna, Harper and Celia were the ones which stood out. The return trip to see Linda too was incredibly sweet. Although there are some pretty epic battles, it still feels YA with the characters reading as actual late teens rather than characters who act like they are much older.
Life at the academy is relatively angst free until vampire attacks start spiking. There is also danger coming from the mystery surrounding Stella's mother and what happened to her. I have a feeling there is going to be some kind of connection between what happened to Asher and Daphne's parents too. The cliffhanger isn't too painful but definitely seems to have drawn a line in the sand - I'm interested to see how that is going to be unpacked in book two!
My interpretation of the star system;
3 stars - I enjoyed it; would read the author again
4 stars - I really liked it; I am invested and definitely want more from this author/series
5 stars - I loved it; I engaged with this book completely until I finished it and it is one I will re-read
September 9, 2026
Stella discovers on the day she gains her freedom and turns eighteen that vampires are real. What was supposed to be her new start leads to a whole new adventure where she is a from a legacy vampire hunting family. She enters Nightguard the secret school for hunters where she meets another handsome hunter and many new friends. There is just one thing in the way of this new start and that's secrets that have been long buried.
I love the world that she enters at Nightguard Academy. There we get so much supernatural intrigue, vampire fighting training, hidden enemies and new secrets that keep popping up.
Stella has been through many challenges in her life but the one thing she has never had is someone to be there for her and care about her. It is such a wonderful ride of emotions that we go on with Stella. She meets new friends and begins to feel connected but there is still that fear and with new these new relationships. As Stella grows and makes these connections she learns of a dangerous secret that could put her life at risk if it is found out.
Let’s not forget the slow-burn romantic connection with Asher, who is fiercely protective of those close to him, yet there’s an undeniable amount of pining and tension between them.
I can’t take this anymore, Stella,” he said, “I lie awake at night thinking about the sound of your laugh, and I wake up wondering what you look like in the morning. Every time I see those lips… God help me. I want to kiss you.
This book is packed with vampire hunters, supernatural academies, and enough mystery and twists to keep you hooked until the very end. I highly recommend that you add this book to your TBR.
I love the world that she enters at Nightguard Academy. There we get so much supernatural intrigue, vampire fighting training, hidden enemies and new secrets that keep popping up.
Stella has been through many challenges in her life but the one thing she has never had is someone to be there for her and care about her. It is such a wonderful ride of emotions that we go on with Stella. She meets new friends and begins to feel connected but there is still that fear and with new these new relationships. As Stella grows and makes these connections she learns of a dangerous secret that could put her life at risk if it is found out.
Let’s not forget the slow-burn romantic connection with Asher, who is fiercely protective of those close to him, yet there’s an undeniable amount of pining and tension between them.
I can’t take this anymore, Stella,” he said, “I lie awake at night thinking about the sound of your laugh, and I wake up wondering what you look like in the morning. Every time I see those lips… God help me. I want to kiss you.
This book is packed with vampire hunters, supernatural academies, and enough mystery and twists to keep you hooked until the very end. I highly recommend that you add this book to your TBR.
September 10, 2026
I had WAY too much fun with this book.
Slayer gave me that slightly nostalgic feeling of the vampire books I used to absolutely devour, and apparently that is still very much my shit. 😂 Vampires, a secret academy, hidden family secrets, a broody vampire hunter (I love broody men)... I never stood a chance.
And this was so damn addictive. It's YA, but honestly, it never felt YA to me. The writing was easy to get lost in; I loved the worldbuilding around Veil Haven, and the further I got into the story, the more questions I had about Stella, her mother, and all those little threads Stone was quietly weaving into the background.
My only problem???
STELLA.
Girl. Please.
She was so frustrating in the beginning that she literally cost this book half a star. I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her more than once.
Except...then she started growing on me.
She starts letting herself consider that maybe she doesn't know everything she thinks she knows. She lets people in. She starts realizing that she actually likes having people around her and maybe (just maybe) she doesn't have to be alone.
And now I have a problem because the character who cost the book half a star ended up having an arc I actually really enjoyed.
So do I give the half star back?
IDK, now I think I owe Leia Stone an apology 😂
4.5/5 stars
Thank you to Leia Stone for providing me with a copy of Slayer to read and review.
Full review on my blog The Diary of a Reader.
Slayer gave me that slightly nostalgic feeling of the vampire books I used to absolutely devour, and apparently that is still very much my shit. 😂 Vampires, a secret academy, hidden family secrets, a broody vampire hunter (I love broody men)... I never stood a chance.
And this was so damn addictive. It's YA, but honestly, it never felt YA to me. The writing was easy to get lost in; I loved the worldbuilding around Veil Haven, and the further I got into the story, the more questions I had about Stella, her mother, and all those little threads Stone was quietly weaving into the background.
My only problem???
STELLA.
Girl. Please.
She was so frustrating in the beginning that she literally cost this book half a star. I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her more than once.
Except...then she started growing on me.
She starts letting herself consider that maybe she doesn't know everything she thinks she knows. She lets people in. She starts realizing that she actually likes having people around her and maybe (just maybe) she doesn't have to be alone.
And now I have a problem because the character who cost the book half a star ended up having an arc I actually really enjoyed.
So do I give the half star back?
IDK, now I think I owe Leia Stone an apology 😂
4.5/5 stars
Thank you to Leia Stone for providing me with a copy of Slayer to read and review.
Full review on my blog The Diary of a Reader.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book brought back all the nostalgia of the paranormal books I loved reading in high school. It's very "Buffy the vampire slayer" meets "Mortal Instruments" and I ate up every second of it.
You have an orphaned FMC who on her 18th birthday finds out not only are vampires real, but that she is a legacy vampire hunter and must now go train to become a vampire slayer.
Cue, new friends that become found family, cute boy that will def be the long interest (after of course all the tension and angst), and secrets upon secrets between the world of vampires and vampire hunters, and the past of FMC.
I enjoyed the plot a ton, the pacing was perfect. I loved that it was fast paced and the plot moved swiftly and there was not a lot of filler. The characters were fun and relatable, and I can tell found family is going to be a big aspect of the story.
My only complaint is, the story started off feeling more upper YA to new adult, and then mid-way to the end, it did feel like it devolved a bit and became a lot more YA. The characters felt like the became a little more immature, and high school? I wish it had worked in the opposite.
But I still ate up every second of the book and I will definitely be continuing the series!
You have an orphaned FMC who on her 18th birthday finds out not only are vampires real, but that she is a legacy vampire hunter and must now go train to become a vampire slayer.
Cue, new friends that become found family, cute boy that will def be the long interest (after of course all the tension and angst), and secrets upon secrets between the world of vampires and vampire hunters, and the past of FMC.
I enjoyed the plot a ton, the pacing was perfect. I loved that it was fast paced and the plot moved swiftly and there was not a lot of filler. The characters were fun and relatable, and I can tell found family is going to be a big aspect of the story.
My only complaint is, the story started off feeling more upper YA to new adult, and then mid-way to the end, it did feel like it devolved a bit and became a lot more YA. The characters felt like the became a little more immature, and high school? I wish it had worked in the opposite.
But I still ate up every second of the book and I will definitely be continuing the series!
September 12, 2026
A Vampire Slayer!! I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer so much! This kind of reminds me of that, except different. Imagine an Academy in a different realm where Hunters are trained and if they pass certain tests they get runes which label them as whatever their strengths show them to be. There’s a whole explanation of how this works as you read the book. Then they are chosen into teams to work together to find and take out Vampires on earth. These hunters get way more training than Buffy did, and there’s more than one Slayer. There is so much that is cool about this world!!
The FMC, Stella, was left as a baby at a hospital with runes on her arms. Nobody knew what they were and they disappeared. But because of this no one wanted to adopt her. She grew up in a group home, and when she was eighteen went off to start her own life, only to find she wasn’t from the mortal world. Stella is pretty bad a$$, but she makes a lot of bad choices. She can’t help it, she came from a very hard background and didn’t really learn to trust people. She’s definitely very relatable.
I was SHOCKED when it ended!! Not only because it ended on a cliffhanger, but because it flew by!! I loved the escape of getting lost in a book like that!! Can’t wait for book two!!!
The FMC, Stella, was left as a baby at a hospital with runes on her arms. Nobody knew what they were and they disappeared. But because of this no one wanted to adopt her. She grew up in a group home, and when she was eighteen went off to start her own life, only to find she wasn’t from the mortal world. Stella is pretty bad a$$, but she makes a lot of bad choices. She can’t help it, she came from a very hard background and didn’t really learn to trust people. She’s definitely very relatable.
I was SHOCKED when it ended!! Not only because it ended on a cliffhanger, but because it flew by!! I loved the escape of getting lost in a book like that!! Can’t wait for book two!!!
September 12, 2026
I had such a fun time with this vampire hunter YA paranormal romance!
Tropes:
🩸 Unknown Identity
🩸 Coming into Power
🩸 Found Family
🩸 YA Paranormal Romance
🩸 Vampire Hunting Academy
Stella has been a ward of the state all her life. But now she’s 18, and she’s ready to take on the world. Her friends take her out for her birthday, and all the sudden vampires infiltrate the club, and vampire hunters show up. When one of them, Asher, notices she can see the vampires, he informs her that she must be a lost vampire hunter, and should join them in their realm to become what she’s always meant to be.
This book was a lot of fun! I enjoyed that it leans a lot more to the middle of YA and New Adult with the maturity the characters had. I found the concept of people being born vampire hunters with certain abilities that unlock when they complete their challenge and enter the vampire hunting academy. The character intro, build, and the cliff hanger ending was so good. Like, I pulled up when the next book was expected to come out because I was that *gasp*
No 🌶️
Thank you so much, Leia, for sending me a copy of this book!
Tropes:
🩸 Unknown Identity
🩸 Coming into Power
🩸 Found Family
🩸 YA Paranormal Romance
🩸 Vampire Hunting Academy
Stella has been a ward of the state all her life. But now she’s 18, and she’s ready to take on the world. Her friends take her out for her birthday, and all the sudden vampires infiltrate the club, and vampire hunters show up. When one of them, Asher, notices she can see the vampires, he informs her that she must be a lost vampire hunter, and should join them in their realm to become what she’s always meant to be.
This book was a lot of fun! I enjoyed that it leans a lot more to the middle of YA and New Adult with the maturity the characters had. I found the concept of people being born vampire hunters with certain abilities that unlock when they complete their challenge and enter the vampire hunting academy. The character intro, build, and the cliff hanger ending was so good. Like, I pulled up when the next book was expected to come out because I was that *gasp*
No 🌶️
Thank you so much, Leia, for sending me a copy of this book!
September 4, 2026
Thank you so much Bloom Books for a gifted advanced copy of Slayer! 💜
I’m honestly so pleasantly surprised by this book! It’s a YA vampire hunter story and I think I just expected all the cheesiness or maybe a YA that really should have been NA, but this was really good!
Stella has been an orphan her whole life so when all of a sudden she’s taken to another dimension and told she’s a vampire hunter, she’s a little more than skeptical of this new world. But what I loved about it was that she got to redo so many things she missed out on in life! Having a family who cared for her, friends to just be a teenager with, getting to go to school dances and being seen and taken care of 💕
I mean not to mention she now gets to train to be a vampire hunter, like that’s pretty cool too. And the whole mystery about her mother was a cool twist too because even though she has this new world, she still has to watch her back and keep secrets.
I’ve never seen Buffy or Vampire Academy but I imagine this is the same feeling I would get from watching those! I can’t wait for book 2!
I’m honestly so pleasantly surprised by this book! It’s a YA vampire hunter story and I think I just expected all the cheesiness or maybe a YA that really should have been NA, but this was really good!
Stella has been an orphan her whole life so when all of a sudden she’s taken to another dimension and told she’s a vampire hunter, she’s a little more than skeptical of this new world. But what I loved about it was that she got to redo so many things she missed out on in life! Having a family who cared for her, friends to just be a teenager with, getting to go to school dances and being seen and taken care of 💕
I mean not to mention she now gets to train to be a vampire hunter, like that’s pretty cool too. And the whole mystery about her mother was a cool twist too because even though she has this new world, she still has to watch her back and keep secrets.
I’ve never seen Buffy or Vampire Academy but I imagine this is the same feeling I would get from watching those! I can’t wait for book 2!
September 8, 2026
A quick and entertaining read, this YA romance kept me engaged from start to finish.
Slayer incorporates all the things I love in a paranormal academy romance; a strong independent FMC, new friendships that become a found family, secrets to unlock, and a fight against a powerful enemy.
I enjoyed the pacing of the book as the secrets of the past were revealed, and while I could anticipate the direction it was going, there is still much left to be uncovered moving into book 2. I am excited to see where this series goes.
The organic world building of Vampires and Hunters, is constructed for the reader through Stella’s experiences, rather than a long detailed exposition. I think this worked well, especially for a YA level romantasy.
And Slayer is definitely a YA book, with attraction and angst, but no spice. The publisher lists this book as 14+ and I agree. This would be a great read for that age group, and adults too!
I received and advance copy from the publisher and am sharing my honest review.
Slayer incorporates all the things I love in a paranormal academy romance; a strong independent FMC, new friendships that become a found family, secrets to unlock, and a fight against a powerful enemy.
I enjoyed the pacing of the book as the secrets of the past were revealed, and while I could anticipate the direction it was going, there is still much left to be uncovered moving into book 2. I am excited to see where this series goes.
The organic world building of Vampires and Hunters, is constructed for the reader through Stella’s experiences, rather than a long detailed exposition. I think this worked well, especially for a YA level romantasy.
And Slayer is definitely a YA book, with attraction and angst, but no spice. The publisher lists this book as 14+ and I agree. This would be a great read for that age group, and adults too!
I received and advance copy from the publisher and am sharing my honest review.
September 10, 2026
If you love YA Paranormal romance then this is the start of a new series for you! Leia Stone is queen when it comes to fantasy books and this just adds one to her kingdom.
We jump right into the story where we meet Stella, our heroine. She’s newly 18 and being thrust into the “real world” as she ages out of foster care. She has no idea what “real world” she’s stepping into. In one night, vampires, hunters and things from fantasy books are actually real…and she’s a part of it. A handsome rescuer, blinding truths, a different realm and an academy??? She’s beyond confused and thinks she’s officially
lost it. We travel along with her as she learns to navigate this new world, new friends, family and secrets that aren’t supposed to come to light. There’s danger, fear, a slow-burning romance, feelings of hurt and dishonestly- it’s jammed full of all the things! It’s fast-paced, filled with action, quite unique compared to other vampire stories and filled with enjoyment. I devoured quickly and I’m looking forward to find out what happens next.
We jump right into the story where we meet Stella, our heroine. She’s newly 18 and being thrust into the “real world” as she ages out of foster care. She has no idea what “real world” she’s stepping into. In one night, vampires, hunters and things from fantasy books are actually real…and she’s a part of it. A handsome rescuer, blinding truths, a different realm and an academy??? She’s beyond confused and thinks she’s officially
lost it. We travel along with her as she learns to navigate this new world, new friends, family and secrets that aren’t supposed to come to light. There’s danger, fear, a slow-burning romance, feelings of hurt and dishonestly- it’s jammed full of all the things! It’s fast-paced, filled with action, quite unique compared to other vampire stories and filled with enjoyment. I devoured quickly and I’m looking forward to find out what happens next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Stella has always felt out of place and never loved. She jumped from foster home to foster and eventually aged out of a group home on her 18th birthday. This is the day her whole entire life changes! Stella always thought Vampire were only found in stories and boy was she wrong . She soon learns there is a whole nother world out there and finds herself at Nightguard Academy.
I loved all the fun twists and turns and I still have so many questions especially around Stella's heritage and family dynamics. I loved the found family trope and Stella's new friends.
PS if you love a blonde MMC then you are going too love our boy Asher. He originally seems all broody but as we get to know him more its clear he has a big heart and wants to protect those he loves. Both Asher and Stella have been through a lot amd I'm curious to see how they navigate certain secrets especially after that ending.
Thank you Leia for sending me a copy of your book.
✨️4.5 rounded up
I loved all the fun twists and turns and I still have so many questions especially around Stella's heritage and family dynamics. I loved the found family trope and Stella's new friends.
PS if you love a blonde MMC then you are going too love our boy Asher. He originally seems all broody but as we get to know him more its clear he has a big heart and wants to protect those he loves. Both Asher and Stella have been through a lot amd I'm curious to see how they navigate certain secrets especially after that ending.
Thank you Leia for sending me a copy of your book.
✨️4.5 rounded up
September 4, 2026
3.5🧚🏻♀️✨
Me gusta mucho que los libros de Leia se leen super rapidos, por eso me gusta leerlos, son muy buenos para pasar el rato o cuando termino de leer otro libro que fue muy intenso y necesito algo que despeje mi mente jaja.🧘🏻♀️
Este libro tiene muchas vibes de shadowhunters y vampire academy (mi fav), y tambien me hizo recordar al 2015/16 jaja la manera en que esta escrito, me gusta eso, este libro es muy entretenido.🧚🏻♀️
Una chica que al cumplir los 18años se entera que es una cazadora de vampiros y tiene que ir a una escuela a entrenar para poner conseguir sus runas de cazador? AMO
La historia es muy facil de seguir y tambien hubo muchas revelaciones, accion ,drama adolescente, escuela, un nuevo grupo de amigos (Luna, Harper y Stella me encantan), slow burn (Asher quiero patearte jajaja) y drama con secretos familiares….🫣
definitivamente tengo que leer el siguiente libro porque QUIERO SABER MAS.
Thanks leia for the arc✨
Me gusta mucho que los libros de Leia se leen super rapidos, por eso me gusta leerlos, son muy buenos para pasar el rato o cuando termino de leer otro libro que fue muy intenso y necesito algo que despeje mi mente jaja.🧘🏻♀️
Este libro tiene muchas vibes de shadowhunters y vampire academy (mi fav), y tambien me hizo recordar al 2015/16 jaja la manera en que esta escrito, me gusta eso, este libro es muy entretenido.🧚🏻♀️
Una chica que al cumplir los 18años se entera que es una cazadora de vampiros y tiene que ir a una escuela a entrenar para poner conseguir sus runas de cazador? AMO
La historia es muy facil de seguir y tambien hubo muchas revelaciones, accion ,drama adolescente, escuela, un nuevo grupo de amigos (Luna, Harper y Stella me encantan), slow burn (Asher quiero patearte jajaja) y drama con secretos familiares….🫣
definitivamente tengo que leer el siguiente libro porque QUIERO SABER MAS.
Thanks leia for the arc✨
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.25⭐️ thank you so much to Leia and Bloom! I absolutely loved this one! I’m typically a little pickier with which YA books I enjoy, but this one was great for ya and adults! Stella our FMC just turns 18 and gets out of the system to find out that she is a vampire hunter! Instead of going to school in the human realm she is taken to an academy where she can learn to be a hunter and about her family she never met! This one was such a fast and easy read! It kept me on my toes and had me so intrigued I wanted to know what happened next! I feel like at times the fmc acted young BUT she is young! And the girl has been through a lot! I am definitely super excited to see where the next book takes us! :)
September 9, 2026
Refreshing New Story!
Leia hits a grand slam with a new take on a very old enemy, vampires.
Stella grew up in the American foster care system not knowing why her parents gave her up. Now she's an emancipated adult who learns the night of her 18th birthday that Vampires are real. Not only are they real, but she learns she's not entirely human herself when the Vampire Hunters show up to stop the vampires who are feeding on all the party goers learn that Stella is unaffected by the vampires mesmerizing power used to feed on their prey.
This story has amazing characters, tons of action, and love interest that quickly becomes complicated after Stella is left with a decision and a secret leaving her unsure who to trust.
Leia hits a grand slam with a new take on a very old enemy, vampires.
Stella grew up in the American foster care system not knowing why her parents gave her up. Now she's an emancipated adult who learns the night of her 18th birthday that Vampires are real. Not only are they real, but she learns she's not entirely human herself when the Vampire Hunters show up to stop the vampires who are feeding on all the party goers learn that Stella is unaffected by the vampires mesmerizing power used to feed on their prey.
This story has amazing characters, tons of action, and love interest that quickly becomes complicated after Stella is left with a decision and a secret leaving her unsure who to trust.
September 11, 2026
I know a lot of people who do some silly things for a Klondike bar, but I would do some straight up sketchy shit for a Leia Stone book.
That being said….
Cliffhangers. She’s probably the queen of a good cliff hanger. Like I had to shake the book to make sure no extra pages were stuck somewhere.
Very much reminded me of Buffy (which I’m beyond a huge fan of) and Shadow Hunters. I love Stella’s background story and how it’s different than most. I love the push and pull of the slow burn between her and Captain Sassy Pants. Harper and Luna are precious, they make me giggle. There is so much mystery behind where Stella came from and who here mom is. I’m like a kid trying to peak behind a curtain to see what’s happening. Lol
I can’t wait for the next one!
This is an honest ARC review.
That being said….
Cliffhangers. She’s probably the queen of a good cliff hanger. Like I had to shake the book to make sure no extra pages were stuck somewhere.
Very much reminded me of Buffy (which I’m beyond a huge fan of) and Shadow Hunters. I love Stella’s background story and how it’s different than most. I love the push and pull of the slow burn between her and Captain Sassy Pants. Harper and Luna are precious, they make me giggle. There is so much mystery behind where Stella came from and who here mom is. I’m like a kid trying to peak behind a curtain to see what’s happening. Lol
I can’t wait for the next one!
This is an honest ARC review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Slayer was really good. Action packed. An interesting and intriguing story that dragged me in and held me captive to the very end. I loved the magic system, I thought the whole wafer thing was genius. I loved the runes aspect too. The suspense/mystery element was done well it kept me turning the pages and wholly invested in what was going on. My mind ran rampant throughout putting the pieces together, I have a few theories and can't wait to see if I'm right. I so can't wait to get my hands on the next book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it.
Copy provided by author
Copy provided by author
September 8, 2026
I loved reading Slayer. I had such a good time with this story. I liked how I couldn't put the story down and how it kept me interested. I also found myself laughing at parts, which, with books, that is something I love. I love when books make me laugh, forgetting where I am for a second. I liked that I could picture the story and the banter between the characters.
I enjoyed the tropes: found family and slight enemies-to-lovers. I liked that this reminded me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the House of Night series. I am super excited to read book 2; I can't wait to see what happens next in the series.
I enjoyed the tropes: found family and slight enemies-to-lovers. I liked that this reminded me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the House of Night series. I am super excited to read book 2; I can't wait to see what happens next in the series.
September 8, 2026
This was an excellent start to a new fantasy series! I loved following Stella in this story as she is thrust into the world of vampires and hunters on her 18th birthday. This was a fast paced read that I didn’t want to put down. I was immediately invested in the story and the characters and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. I liked the vampire hunter academy setting as well as the entire cast of characters. I’m can’t wait to read the next installment of this series!
Read this if you like:
📖 Vampires
📖 Academy setting
📖 Enemies to lovers
📖 Found family
📖 Slow burn
Thank you to the author for the gifted copy.
Read this if you like:
📖 Vampires
📖 Academy setting
📖 Enemies to lovers
📖 Found family
📖 Slow burn
Thank you to the author for the gifted copy.
September 11, 2026
This is a YA book with vampires!
Stella has aged out of the system and has chosen to go live with another who aged out a few years ago. Here she finds vampires are real, she’s a vampire hunter legacy who needs to attend an academy.
Here she meets friends, mentors, lots of training, emotional, and meets Asher. Lots of things happen and the book flies by but it’s in a good way. Asher is an interesting character and I’m not sure if I like him yet so I hope he is much better in book 2!
I thought it was a good read, goes by fast but you keep up. I love all the characters and mentors! I would recommend this read!
Stella has aged out of the system and has chosen to go live with another who aged out a few years ago. Here she finds vampires are real, she’s a vampire hunter legacy who needs to attend an academy.
Here she meets friends, mentors, lots of training, emotional, and meets Asher. Lots of things happen and the book flies by but it’s in a good way. Asher is an interesting character and I’m not sure if I like him yet so I hope he is much better in book 2!
I thought it was a good read, goes by fast but you keep up. I love all the characters and mentors! I would recommend this read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Some birthdays are major milestones; 18 is one of those; however, for some, it means having your eyes opened to the previously unknown and sometimes unbelievable followed by immediate change and introduction into a world of vampires and vampire hunters along with all the aspects of found family, new friendships, and hidden secrets. The storyline is intriguing with a strong set of characters and plenty of heartbreaking/heartmending moments, but an overall depiction of protectiveness, instant connection, and broken trust.
"We are our own worst enemies."
"We are our own worst enemies."
Review of advance copy received from Author
I think this is my first time reading this author, and I quite enjoyed it! It definitely gave me Shadowhunter vibes, which I loved. The story was fast paced, easy to follow, and had plenty of secrets and family drama to keep things interesting.
I especially loved the friendships and found family aspect. The storyline was pretty simple and predictable for me, but overall, I think this was a good start to the series!
Thank you Leia Stone for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I especially loved the friendships and found family aspect. The storyline was pretty simple and predictable for me, but overall, I think this was a good start to the series!
Thank you Leia Stone for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 9, 2026
Fantastic series starter! 💕
What an amazing new world Leia has created!, couldn’t stop reading, enjoying this intriguing plot and getting to know these wonderful characters 😍
The ride was full of surprises, shocking revelations and heart-warming moments... go girl gang! 💪🏻💅🏻
And, of course, the love interest that started as a hero and finished 😠... I need a lot of groveling to accept him again 🤨🤭
And, of course, I need the next book stat! 🖤
What an amazing new world Leia has created!, couldn’t stop reading, enjoying this intriguing plot and getting to know these wonderful characters 😍
The ride was full of surprises, shocking revelations and heart-warming moments... go girl gang! 💪🏻💅🏻
And, of course, the love interest that started as a hero and finished 😠... I need a lot of groveling to accept him again 🤨🤭
And, of course, I need the next book stat! 🖤
September 9, 2026
Buffy Fans Rejoice!!!
Being a HUGE Buffy fan, I was SO excited for this read! It gave off mad Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes and to me, it did not disappoint! Obviously Leia puts her own spin on it, but this book was a heck of a read. Definitely a quick and easy read for me, but kept me engrossed the whole time! I absolutely cannot wait for book 2 and to uncover all the secrets I know this series has!
Being a HUGE Buffy fan, I was SO excited for this read! It gave off mad Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes and to me, it did not disappoint! Obviously Leia puts her own spin on it, but this book was a heck of a read. Definitely a quick and easy read for me, but kept me engrossed the whole time! I absolutely cannot wait for book 2 and to uncover all the secrets I know this series has!
September 9, 2026
YA, but for also for the young at heart 💖
A whole different view of vampires. Characters were interesting and the plot was intriguing. Stella, abandoned at birth, finds out she is a member of a supernatural organization that protects humans from vampires. We follow her story of self discovery and the search for her mother’s secrets. Leia’s story is so imaginative, I can’t wait for the rest of the story!
A whole different view of vampires. Characters were interesting and the plot was intriguing. Stella, abandoned at birth, finds out she is a member of a supernatural organization that protects humans from vampires. We follow her story of self discovery and the search for her mother’s secrets. Leia’s story is so imaginative, I can’t wait for the rest of the story!
September 10, 2026
I love this new world! And for Stella that’s quite literal, it is absolutely a new world. And it’s pretty incredible all things considered. Stella is the ultimate baddie and I adore her. She’s truly innocent in everything that life has handed her so far but she’s no one’s victim. I have mixed feelings about Asher. I’m really curious to know what’s going on and get the whole picture because I know there’s a huge amount that hasn’t been revealed yet.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a great start to the series, I was captivated from the start. Good world building with well described likeable characters.
It has a fast paced storyline, the FMC finds out on her 18th birthday all isn't what it seems with the world an vampires and hunters exist.
I am really looking forward to the next book to see what happens next.
It has a fast paced storyline, the FMC finds out on her 18th birthday all isn't what it seems with the world an vampires and hunters exist.
I am really looking forward to the next book to see what happens next.
September 10, 2026
Fast paced plot but is pretty predictable and simple. There is hardly any romance and no spice. I liked the found family aspect but I’ve yet to feel any emotional connection to the characters or emotional depth to them. Perhaps book 2 will build that but so far, it was a decent read for the simple and action packed fast paced plot.
September 10, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought the story building was great and loved all the characters. Stella grew up and the human world and was suddenly thrust into a world full of hunters and vampires. For me it had just about right amount of teaser romance for the first book too! Great start to what I'm sure will be a great series!
Review of advance copy received from Author
The book was soo good! I loved the Buffy vampire slayer vibes. I really liked the mystery aspect of it trying to learn more about Stella’s past (well really her moms). I think it’s a great start to a series and can’t wait to see what happens next after that cliff hanger ending with Asher!!
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