Malika “Boog” Wilson and her best friends have grown up idolizing The Vanquishers, a group of heroic vampire hunters who wiped out the last horde of the undead decades ago. Nowadays, most people don’t take even the most basic vampire precautions–the days of garlic wreaths and early curfews long gone–but Boog’s parents still follow the old rules, much to her embarrassment.
When a friend goes missing, Boog isn’t sure what to think. Could it be the school counselor, Mr. Rupert, who definitely seems to be hiding something? Or could it be something more dangerous? Boog is determined to save her friend, but is she ready to admit vampires might not be vanquished after all?
No one ever expected the Vanquishers to return, but if their town needs protection from the undead, Boog knows who to call.
Kalynn Bayron is one of those authors I’ve been meaning to read for years. She’s had some really popular YA books over the last few years for sure, and I definitely want to check out YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DIE TONIGHT (one of the best title & cover combos out there) sometime!
In the meantime, OF COURSE I am going to start with her middle grade horror series!
THE VANQUISHERS is the first book in the trilogy of the same name. All three books have already been released, so I’ve got some catching up to do! I had a really good time with this one! I’d describe the overall vibe as Buffy meets The Avengers, but middle grade? But also it’s very much its own thing!
The story is set in San Antonio and follows Malika Wilson (she/her, and better known as Boog) and her friends, Cedrick (he/him) and Jules (they/them). In this world, vampires are extinct.
Or that’s the prevailing way of thinking, anyhow.
Years ago, vampires were a huge problem, but they were all turned to dust by a superhero-like group of vampire slayers known as The Vanquishers. The Vanquishers are revered and idolized. Their exploits are legendary and taught in school.
But while most families don’t spend a lot of extra time thinking about protecting themselves against vampires (because they’re extinct, right?), Boog’s family & her friend’s families are really hung up on following some pretty strict vampire-related safety protocols.
Much to the dismay of Boog & co.
But those safety protocols and overly-cautious parents start to feel more and more important, as things take a dark turn in this book. A new friend turns up missing. Is this the work of vampires? And could it have something to do with the annoying new school counselor who always seems to have his eye on Boog, Jules, and Cedrick?
Something I had to remind myself of here is that this is very much the first book in a trilogy. The book’s central mystery isn’t revealed until about 100 pages in, and that’s admittedly a lot of setup in a middle grade book. But again, I think when you look at the whole picture, it’s all going to balance out.
THE VANQUISHERS is also wickedly funny, which nicely offsets some of the darker themes. There’s an amazing sense of camaraderie and familiarity with Boog, Jules, and Cedrick. They’re as much family as they are friends. Bayron paints a wonderful picture here of three kids growing up together, bouncing back and forth between all their houses, and being fiercely loved and protected by all three families. There’s a lot of history here, and you really feel it in all the different characters’ interactions.
I absolutely adored the diversity of the cast in the book. I think sometimes you’ll see a nonbinary character in a book, and they might pop up once or twice. Not Jules, though. Jules is a huge part of the story, they have a really unique sense of humor, and I can’t wait to see more of them in the next book!
In addition to Jules, Cedrick also has two dads! So just all around, THE VANQUISHERS features some incredible & vital queer rep, something that’s so important to see in middle grade books.
I really enjoyed this! It gets dark & super atmospheric, but there’s always a good laugh right around the corner. The setup for book two is incredible, so I’m pretty eager to dive into SECRET OF THE REAPING!
THE VANQUISHERS is an awesome vampire story, and features some genuinely freaky scenes! The cast of characters is what makes this book stand out, and I loved going on this dangerous adventure with Boog and her friends!
Grimdark Dad 