Buffy the Vampire Slayer (available on Hulu) ran for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003. The show has maintained a cult following since its airing and has been discovered through streaming by younger millennials and Gen Z. If you’ve already done your yearly rewatch of the show and love to read, we’ve assembled a selection of books that transport you into the same captivating supernatural world as Buffy.
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins ($22.10, shop here)
While Buffy was one of a kind at Sunnydale High, Sophie Mercer, our protagonist in Hex Hall (the first in a trilogy series by Rachel Hawkins), is a witch who enrolls at a reform school for wayward prodigium. She finds herself at odds with her classmates, including a coven of dark witches and a popular warlock. As she adjusts, a mysterious predator starts attacking students. Sophie must use her powers to protect herself and her friends from an ancient society that wants to destroy them.
Born at Midnight by C. C. Hunter ($12.99, shop here)
When Buffy first becomes a slayer, she is taken by surprise and has to learn as she goes. Kylie Galen, the main character in Born at Midnight, the first book in the Shadow Falls series by C. C. Hunter, is also caught off-guard when she discovers her powers. It all starts when she is sent to Shadow Falls, a camp for troubled teens, where she realizes she’s surrounded by vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches, and fairies. Kylie thinks she’s among “paranormal freaks” but discovers she is one of them.
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand ($24, shop here)
Vampire slayers aren’t the only ones who face danger in paranormal worlds, as Clara Gardner, part angel, discovers in the first book of the Unearthly trilogy by Cynthia Hand. Guided by ethereal visions of a consuming forest fire and a captivating stranger, she embarks on a journey that leads her to an unfamiliar school, where she encounters the enigmatic figure from her dreams.
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl ($16.99, shop here)
People in Buffy’s life knew she was a slayer, but in Beautiful Creatures, the first book in the Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, Lena Duchannes is hiding who she really is. Not only is she struggling with her powers, she is also concealing a curse that has haunted her family for generations. Meanwhile, Ethan has been dreaming of a mysterious girl, and when Lena comes along, he realizes she is the girl in his dreams.
Marked by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast ($13, shop here)
Buffy is looking to slay vampires, but Zoey Redbird is marked as a fledgling vampire in Marked, the first book in the House of Night series by P. C. and Kristin Cast. Zoey is sent to House of Night, a school for vampires, where she must accept her new identity.
Have you read any of these books? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!