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Serwa Boateng #1

Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting

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Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents best-selling YA author Roseanne A. Brown's middle grade debut about a pre-teen vampire slayer with a strong helping of Ghanaian folklore.

For most kids, catching fireflies is a fun summer activity. For twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng, it's a matter of life and death.

That's because Serwa knows that some fireflies are really adze, shapeshifting vampires from the forests of Southeastern Ghana. Adze prey on the blood of innocents, possessing their minds and turning them into hulking monsters, and for generations, slayers like Serwa and her parents have protected an unknowing public from their threats.

Serwa is the best adze slayer her age, and she knew how to use a crossbow before she could even ride a bike. But when an obayifo (witch) destroys her childhood home while searching for a drum, do Serwa's parents take her with them on their quest to defeat her? No. Instead, they dump Serwa with her hippie aunt and cryptic-obsessed cousin in the middle of Nowheresville, Maryland "for her own safety." Now, instead of crossbows and battle armor, she's dealing with mean girls and algebra, and for the first time in her life she doesn't have to carry a staff everywhere she goes, which is . . . kind of nice, actually.

Just as Serwa starts to get the hang of this whole normal girl who doesn't punch vampires every day thing, an adze infiltrates her school. It's up to her to whip some of her classmates into monster-fighting shape before all of them become firefly food. And when she uncovers a secret that upends everything she thought she knew about her family's role in the slayer vs. adze war, Serwa will have to decide which side of herself--normal girl or slayer--is the right one.

After all, seventh grade is hard enough without adding vampires to the mix.

Endorsed by Rick Riordan, author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, soon to be a series on Disney+.

Complete your middle grade action-adventure collection with these titles:
Rick Riordan Presents: Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
Rick Riordan Presents: The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes
Rick Riordan Presents: Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
Rick Riordan Presents: Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

400 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2022

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Roseanne A. Brown

11 books1,513 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
Profile Image for Rick Riordan.
Author 249 books425k followers
March 3, 2022
Grab Your Sword and Your Spaghetti. We’re Going to War.

You can only choose one. Would you rather:

A) Live with your parents as they travel the world, hunting vampiric monsters called adze, learning to handle a battle ax and sword and drawing magical adinkra symbols, knowing that you could die any minute. Or:

B) Go to middle school.


If you chose ‘B,’ what are you thinking? B is clearly the more dangerous option.

Serwa Boateng has the good life. She is full-on option ‘A.’ She has spent her life learning to slay vampires, accompanying her parents on dangerous missions wherever the ruling council of Okomfo sends them, and just waiting for the day when she will get her own adinkra tattoo that will mark her as a full member of the Abomofuo – the ancient and powerful Ghanaian order of vampire slayers.

Then everything goes wrong. After an unthinkable attack, Serwa’s parents send her to her cousin’s house in the middle of nowhere to live like a normal kid and – THE HORROR – go to sixth grade. That’s right, vampire slayers. You think you’re tough? Wait until you meet Rocky Gorge Middle School. There will be cliques. There will be detention. There will be spaghetti fights.

Just when Serwa thinks she might be able to handle all that, her old problems come back to haunt her too. There might actually be adze in Rocky Gorge -- but now Serwa is cut off from her parents and any possibility of magic assistance. She is on her own against blood-sucking fiends of both the monstrous and middle school variety.

Humor. Heart. Mythology. Action. Tragedy. Triumph. Lovable characters. And a conclusion that will leave you screaming, “Where is the sequel?” With this book, you don’t have to choose only one option, because Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting has all of the above!

I have always loved the folklore of Ghana. Adinkra symbols are a beautiful, powerful way of thinking about the world. The monsters are terrifying. The gods are magnificent. (Or sometimes the gods are terrifying and the monsters are magnificent.) The magic makes so much sense yet is absolutely revelatory. And the Abomofuo are top-notch, world-class vampire slayers that put Van Helsing to shame.

This is a book I have been craving for at least thirty years, when I first learned about Ghanaian mythology and wished I had more adventure stories about it to share with my middle school students. Thank goodness Roseanne A. Brown has stepped up to the plate and delivered us this homerun of novel!

She writes about living between worlds – Ghana and America, childhood and adulthood, the magical and the mundane – and about navigating the liminal spaces to find one’s own identity when one feels like they belong partly everywhere but completely nowhere. This is something many young readers (and many older ones) will relate to. Rosie writes her characters with such lyrical power, wit and empathy that you can’t help falling in love with Serwa Boateng, her family, her friends. You will want to be Serwa Boateng. I know I do. I would even agree to chill with the family mmoatia and watch reruns of The Bachelor if it meant I could learn to draw adinkra symbols and borrow Mom’s battle ax once in a while.

So grab your sword. Grab a bowl of spaghetti. Grab whatever weapon you can find and gird yourself for battle, readers. We have some vampires to hunt.


Profile Image for megs_bookrack.
1,769 reviews11.9k followers
November 26, 2023
**4.5-stars rounded up**

Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting is the latest release from the fabulous Rick Riordan Presents imprint. It follows, you guessed it, a family of vampire hunters, or as they are commonly known, slayers.

More specifically, Serwa's parents are the experienced slayers and Serwa is essentially a slayer-in-training.



More importantly though, Serwa is just a 12-year old girl trying to make her way through Middle School. That sounds scarier, doesn't it?

Serwa and her parents are originally from Ghana, although Serwa has lived in the United States since she was very, very young. They've sort of bounced around, going wherever her parents skills are needed.

One day, seemingly out of nowhere an obayifo, or witch, from their past shows up at their house and attacks, allegedly searching for a magical artifact that Serwa has never heard of.



Whatever it is, it must be serious business because their home is destroyed and before Serwa can even wrap her head around what is happening, her parents are ditching her in a remote town in Maryland with an Aunt and a cousin she barely knows.

Serwa is shocked. Her parents have always included her in their adventures. She doesn't understand why they would abandon her now. She needs them.



Making matter worse, Serwa must even attend school. After being home-schooled her whole life, this is bound to be a big adjustment. She's the new girl and doesn't quite fit in.

Luckily, she has her cousin and is able to make a couple of new friends. When mysterious things begin happening at the school, though, Serwa is afraid there is a adze, or shape-shifting vampire, in their midst.

Could this be related to the attack at their old house?



When she tries to tell her parents about it over the phone, they don't believe her and then cut themselves off from her completely.

Wow, that's harsh. Serwa can't tackle this very serious issue alone. Thus, she is forced to confide in her new friends. She'll just have to train them to be slayers as well. She can always wipe their memories after...



What ensues is a wildly-magical romp following Serwa and friends as they try to solve the mystery, protect a magical artifact and save their school from evil forces.

I absolutely adored my time reading this. I listened to the audiobook and definitely recommend it. The narrator did a phenomenal job breathing life into these characters. Oh my goodness, was it fun!!



I loved the influence of Ghanaian culture and folklore felt throughout this story. I liked reading about how her family and culture impacted Serwa.

That's really the beauty of this imprint. I've always learned from these books and find the different legends and folklore from around the world captivating to read about. This was certainly no exception.

The fact that it incorporates vampire lore makes it that much more fun!



I really enjoyed Serwa as a character. Her personality actually reminded me a bit of Aru Shah. I think that may have been because even though Serwa didn't quite fit in, it didn't stop her from being true to herself; a fun-loving, curious, determined young person.

Not everyone can be the super popular kid, nor should they want, or need to be. I loved how Serwa's character was able to overcome being alienated from a lot of her peers. Once she found her friends, they became so close and really grew stronger together. It's quality over quantity, y'all.



I also loved the mystery to this and the high stakes. Brown did an incredible job building the intensity as the story progressed. There wasn't a dull moment to be found.

I did get super frustrated with Serwa's parents though. Oh my word, I wanted to reach through the pages and shake them at times. We can't expect adults to get everything right though, can we?



There was a truly jaw-dropping revelation towards the end of this. It basically flipped what I thought I knew on its head. I loved that! It took me completely by surprise.

Even though I found some scenes towards the end a tad confusing, I definitely think this concluded in a great spot to keep Readers drooling in anticipation of the sequel.

I cannot believe I have to wait a year to see where this story is going to go from here. You got me, Roseanne A. Brown. You got me good!



Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Another stellar addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint!!
October 4, 2022
This was so good! More thoughts to come once I have time to think about that ending?!
Serwa boateng’ guide to vampire hunting book review!!
Hello everyone and welcome or welcome back to my account! For todays post I am here to talk to u today about Serwa boateng’s guide to vampire hunting by Roseanne a brown!! This was a book I got sent to me to read and review thanks to Jamie from rockstar book tours and Disney books for sending me a finished copy all thoughts and opinions r my own!
——————————————
So even though the tour is over I thought it would be fun to share my thoughts on this amazing debut middle grade novel!! In this book there is a chosen one and found family trope in here which I love! Also the ending?!! Amazing! It’s so hard to talk about this book without spoiling but I loved learning this new mythology even though some of the words r hard to say lol!
Anyways we follow our 12 year old main character who has an option of going on a huge quest with her parents or go to middle school! I cannot wait to read book 2 which won’t come out till next year sadly! Anyways this is a 5 star read for me and thank u again Jamie for putting me on the tour!!!
Question of the day: if u could pick any weapon to fight against vampires what would it be?
Answer of the day: for me I think a bow & arrow would be awesome to use!!!
#serwaboatengguidetovampirehunting #rickriordanpresents #rockstarbooktour #serwaboateng #RoseanneABrown #disneybooks #rickriordan #booktour #disney #middlegradebooks #middlegrade #mglit #paranormal #vampire #bipocbookstagram #readingdiversely #diversebooks #igreads #bookstagram #booklover #bookish #read #bookstagrammer #booknerd #bookaddict #bibliophile #booksofinstagram
Profile Image for mo .
74 reviews
August 15, 2022
My jaw is still on the floor and I’m stuck so I can’t collect it.

This was WOW!
It was so fun! I know it’s a Rick Riordan Presents book so this might go without saying but Percy Jackson fans (especially Black fans) you’re gonna eat this UP!

This book is steeped in Ghanaian folklore and thanks to Serwa’s amazing, strong voice and Roseanne’s beautiful writing style, we learn a lot in an easily digestible manner. The lore is absolutely fantastic and I can tell there’s so much more we don’t know (yes! Book 2 is coming)

This book is funny!!! but still filled with thought-provoking moments that many immigrants will relate to.

At the core of this story is Serwa finding herself but along the way you meet a rag-tag group of 12 year olds that’ll make your heart bleed and will have you tearing up and rooting for them.

I CANT wait for everyone to read and become as obsessed with my little darlings like I am.
OUT SEPT 6th!!!
Profile Image for Renata.
2,646 reviews416 followers
August 1, 2022
the Rick Riordan Presents formula WORKS if you work it and this book WORKS. The snarky tone and young hero's quest format are familiar and functional and Serwa's Ghanaian specificity makes it interesting. Really fun addition to the RRP canon!
Profile Image for Sandra.
333 reviews712 followers
August 31, 2022
Check out me reading this in my ARC vlog: https://youtu.be/RfN1kpTWm1s

This follows Serwa Boateng who grows up training as a vampire hunter! She is one day left in a humane town when her parents are going on a mission. However, turns out this town isn't so safe after all and there is a vampire to hunt!

I loved this book a lot, the humor, the friendship, the Ghanaian mythlogy/legends woven in, the world building, the characteres... everything was done so well and I honestly had the best time reading this. However omg... the ending... LEFT ME SCREAMING. It was so unexpected and exactly what I love in an ending. When Rick introduced the book and said it was an ending that would leave you wanting he was not lying. If you don't like cliffhangers.... hehehehe. I literally cannot wait for the next book! This was a so splendid and I know I would recommened it whenever I have the chance. 4.5/5 stars.
Profile Image for Christine Piepmeier.
711 reviews7 followers
June 19, 2022
The first in a new series based on Ghanian folklore. Serwa is part of a family of vampire slayers, created to protect the world from adze (or vampires). Life for Serwa is mostly traveling with her parents, practicing for when she will pass her slayer test. One day though, things fall apart when their house, that should be protected, is attacked by a group of adzes. Even though they survive, Serwa's parents decide to leave her in Maryland with extended family while they go to find the culprit. Serwa is suddenly thrown into something new - middle school. Soon though, she realizes there is an adze somewhere in the school. She must enlist the help of some classmates and train them to be slayers as well so that she can keep her new home safe.

I liked this book sooo much except for the ending, and that is mostly because it was a tragic cliffhanger!!! The ending wasn't bad at all - just devastating after reading this story where I got so invested in the characters. I loved the Ghanian folklore, something I knew nothing about before. I cannot wait to read the next installment of this series! This is a great read for not just middle grades but also for adults! So enjoyable.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jessica.
Author 26 books5,761 followers
September 25, 2023
So fun! And really, I'm with Serwa: I would far rather face a horde of vampires than go to middle school. *shudders* I really loved her crew, too, and I'm very, very upset at the ending. The good news is that the second book is out! YAY!

Profile Image for Karyn.
20 reviews5 followers
August 18, 2022
A great new addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint! Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting was just so FUN. I learned so much about Ghanian folklore and am hungry for more. Plus, there wasn't a single member of the GCC that I didn't like, and Serwa's character development was great to read (and made me so excited for the release of the next book). The little references to Tristan Strong were also really cute and made me feel like I was in some sort of RRP club.

This last thing is something I am *incredibly* picky about, but I cringed every time the school librarians were referred to as the "media center ladies." Just call us librarians!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
4,033 reviews46 followers
September 6, 2022
Serwa Boateng wants nothing more than to take the Initiation test and become an official Slayer like her parents. Sadly, they don't think she's ready, despite having accompanied them on ALL their hunts for her ENTIRE life.. When their home is invaded by an obayifo (witch), Serwa's parents decide, for the first time, that the hunt isn't safe and leave Serwa with an aunt and cousin that she barely knows. Now Serwa must navigate public school, new relatives, and keeping the supernatural world secret all at the same time. Oh, add in some microaggression and a little racism at her new school and life is just bliss, right? Without her parents to turn to, Serwa finally begins to get comfortable in the middle of nowhere Maryland, just in time to discover an adze (vampire) in her school - a school that's supposed to be supernatural-free! With the help of a few fellow classmates, Serwa must figure out who the adze is possessing and how to stop it, while still functioning in a normal way at school.

The plot pacing is perfect and the characters are likeable. The racism makes the reader angry, but it totally believable. As the author says in the afterword, Ghana is made up of multiple ethnic and cultural groups with varying mythology, so the book is a mishmash of different traditions. But, it's totally easy to follow and entertaining the whole way through. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mythology, other books from the Rick Riordan imprint, middle grade adventure and fantasy, or is just looking for a fresh take on vampires. (The vampires in this book don't conform with any of the typical literary vampire tropes or traditions).

4 solid stars!

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Lynn K..
658 reviews17 followers
April 11, 2023
Fun and cute! Fresh and fast paced!

Ghanaian folklore is so interesting and I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.
Profile Image for Moniek.
384 reviews17 followers
June 30, 2023
But, sometimes, being a warrior means doing the things you don't want to do so the people you love don't have to.

Serwo Boateng, udowadniasz, że literatura dziecięca znajduje się we wspaniałym miejscu.

Serwa Boateng jest inna niż pozostałe dwunastolatki, i to nawet nie jest przesada. Pochodzi z rodziny pobłogosławionych przez bogów pogromców adje - wampirów. Nie jest taka sama jak inne dzieci, ale też brakuje jej z nimi kontaktu. Dopóki jej rodzice nie udadzą się na szczególną misję, a ona nie zostanie pod opieką swojej całkiem normalnej cioci i kuzynki. Doświadczenie chodzenia do normalnej szkoły okaże się dla Serwy dużym wyzwaniem.

Denial might be the first stage of acceptance, but that doesn't make it any less annoying when someone compares something that's tried to kill you on multiple occasions to a sparkling pretty boy from an honestly amazing movie franchise.

Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting, ufff, to kolejna z powieści wyrastających z wydawnictwa Rick Riordan Presents. Tak jak większość historii z tego cyklu, jest to przygodówka o młodych ludziach, dzieciach i nastolatkach, skupiona na wyjątkowej mitologii tych rejonów świata, z których wywodzą się ich autorzy. Odległa, ale tak bliska sercu kolebka zarówno Serwy, jak i Roseanne A. Brown to Ghana. W powieści autorka łączy podania zarówno stare, jak i nowe, pochodzące z czasów, kiedy społeczność i kultura kraju coraz bardziej różnicowała się węwnętrznie; Brown nazywa to remixem. Na moje szczęście mitologia Ghany wiąże się z doniesieniami o różnego rodzaju wiedźmach i istotach podobnych wampirom. Jestem miłośniczką gatunku horroru i wszystkie te nawiązania bardzo do mnie przemówiły i sprawiły mi ogromną frajdę.

Serwa Boateng nie dość, że trafia do szkoły położnej na posiadającym długą i dramatyczną historię terenie, to jeszcze spotyka grupę dzieciaków, z których każde ma swoją wewnętrzną opowieść, z którą codziennie się mierzy. Widziałam dużo komentarzy na temat moralizatorstwa czy poprawności politycznej tej powieści, możecie wyobrazić sobie ich słownictwo czy poziom agresji. Moim zdaniem autorka świetnie poradziła sobie z trudnymi tematami. Mowi o zjawiskach, które są stale obecne w narracji historii Stanów Zjednoczonych (i pozostałych państw też). Przekazuje je w sposób dostosowany do wieku swojej targetowej grupy odbiorców, a równocześnie jest szczera. Nie traktuje dziecięcych czytelników jako tych, których trzeba chronić przed wszelką wzmianką o tym, że na świecie czasem dzieje się zło, czy osoby głupiutkie, nic nie dostrzegające, nic nie rozumiejące. Nie zrzuca na ich głowy traumy. Całe to backstory miasteczka i koalicji, która je uratowała, jest absolutnie piękna.

Roseanne A. Brown stworzyła również inteligentnego i dzielnego chłopca imieniem Mateo, chłopca, który się jąka i mówi o swoim doświadczeniu z zaburzeniem mowy, który walczy z potworami. Dla mnie, osoby jąkającej się od kilkunastu lat, było to cudowne przeżycie, obserwować jego przygody. Chyba nigdy wcześniej nie spotkałam się z tak pozytywną reprezentacją jąkania w literaturze dziecięcej. Podziękowałam już za to autorce i zamieniłyśmy kilka słów. Myślę, że ta lektura może sprawić dużo dobra. Chciałabym ją mieć, kiedy sama byłam tym małym jąkającym się dzieckiem, które zawsze miało dużo do powiedzenia.

Serwa Boateng podejmuje ogromne ryzyko i kilka decyzji, przez które czytelnik się o nią martwi, ale jest to prawo każdej dwunastolatki w jej sytuacji. Cała historia jest napisana bardzo dojrzale i w sposób jak najbardziej przyjazny również dorosłym czytelnikom. Z niecierpliwością oczekuję jej dalszych przygód!

I know how that feels - like the world is just throwing you around and you're powerless to stop it. But something tells me you're going to land on your feet, Serwa. And when you do, even you will be surprised by how far you can go from there.

PS. Nieśmiałe podziękowania za mój absolutnie ulubiony trope!
Profile Image for kate.
1,335 reviews966 followers
October 14, 2022
A super fun, action packed, vampire hunting, monster fighting adventure steeped in Ghanaian folklore. With high stakes, magic, secrets and kickass kids, as well as wonderful discussions on history, prejudice, racism and the unjust treatment of minorities, this book is just as though-provoking and empowering as it is exciting and gripping.
This was an epic start to a new series starring an endearing and badass heroine who I can't wait to see more from.

TW: discussion of racism, instances of racist microagressions and racism
Profile Image for Carli.
1,166 reviews14 followers
March 7, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Ughhhh why do I have to wait for the sequel?? This was amazing. Serwa has grown up with her vampire-hunting parents, moving from safe house to safe house. When they are attacked at home, it is clear that her parents need to go into stealth mode on a dangerous mission. Serwa is sent to live with an aunt she hasn’t seen since her family moved from Ghana to the U.S. when she was five. Their town is supposed to be safe from black magic, but when Serwa spots a vampire (rather, the insect form it takes), she has to figure out how to protect the town, and fast. This had a great twist at the end. Hand to Tristan Strong fans in grades 5-8.
Profile Image for yayra.
23 reviews
March 6, 2023
can't remember the last time i loved a book like this!! esp a fantasy book! serwa is my child! roxy, gavin, eunju & mateo are also my children! i'm so jealous of all the kids that get books like this to read, seeing my culture in this way was soo amazing and honestly i learned a lot about ghanaian folklore that i genuinely didn't know. patiently waiting for the next one to be released 😭
Profile Image for Amber.
2,495 reviews369 followers
September 10, 2022
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I was biting my nails reading it. Which is silly now because Roseanne A Brown does not disappoint. Seriously, a book with fireflies being shapeshifting vampires will be my favorite end of summer read.

I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.

Profile Image for Samantha.
174 reviews9 followers
July 30, 2023
“i am from everyone who has ever loved me. i am from those who fought for me centuries before i was ever born. and now that i have this knowledge, it’s my turn to fight for them, too.”
Profile Image for Eileen.
2,160 reviews110 followers
September 2, 2022
Wow, talk about an ending spiraling out of control! That was quite a ride!

For anyone who enjoys stories that incorporate the mythology and culture of a culture other than Greek/Roman/Norse, you have to check out this story. This story felt a little bit like a cross between Tristan Strong and Aru Shah, but it was definitely a story of its own. The book incorporates Ghanaian culture, history, and mythology, but it also addresses how dark bodies are treated in this country. As the author explains at the end, she draws from the folklore of many regions, and with her imagination has done a remix of old and new stories to create something unique and honestly, lots of fun. The majority of the story takes place in Rocky Gorge, Maryland, which isn't too far from where I live. Serwa Boateng is the only daughter of Ghanaian immigrants who came to this country when she was 5 (if I remember correctly). They have always homeschooled her as they travel from place to place because they are Vampire Hunters. When they are attacked by someone from her mother's past, her parents are sent to bring the attacker to justice, but for the first time, they decide to leave her behind to keep her safe. They end up leaving her with her "auntie and cousin" (in Ghana, everyone is an auntie, cousin, uncle, etc.) in the town of Rocky Gorge. This story ends up being about her navigating both the magical world and middle school. As she basically says at the beginning, she would much rather face vampires than middle school! I really liked Serwa and I enjoyed her interactions with grumpy Boulder, as well as with her friends. I loved Mr. Riley and hope to see more of him in future books.

I think one of the things I really appreciated about this book, other than teaching me about West African folklore, is that the book directly addressed what it's like to be a dark body in this country. And while it acknowledges and absolutely does not dismiss what other non-whites have to deal with (Latinos and Asians, for example), it does make valid points about the extra injustice that people who look like Serwa have to deal with.

As I implied, the ending was a wild ride and I was totally shouting in my mind what she should do. It definitely leaves you hanging so if you don't want to start a series that ends on a cliffhanger that has not yet been completed, you might want to wait a bit. I used to be that way, but I have no regrets. I loved this book and I will not mind rereading it when the second book comes out.

This book and series is a wonderful addition to the Riordan Presents imprint and I can't wait to read more!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book will be published on September 6.
Profile Image for Kaitee Yaeko.
183 reviews
July 23, 2022
Adze are the only vampires I want to read about now.

Roseanne Brown knocked this one out of the park! Vampire slayer + Ghanian folklore = YES!

Serwa feels stranded between worlds: Ghana and American, her family and everyone else, her world of magic and monsters and then middle school. I loved that her answer to that feeling of displacement was to carve a space for herself AND to realize that she didn’t need to do it all on her own, even if she felt abandoned by her parents. Eunju, Roxie, Gavin, and Mateo all made me laugh. I loved the group dynamic, how they earned each other’s friendship and respect as they raced to save their school from the adze.

I also really appreciated how this group — the kids of color at Rocky Gorge Middle School — had some hard conversations with each other and their teacher, Mr. Riley, about the realities of racism. They didn’t just talk about what was right or wrong, fair or unfair, but also how their experiences differ: Serwa, Roxie, and Gavin are all black. Eunju is Asian and Mateo is Latinx. Honestly, some of the teachers felt more monstrous than the adze.

This book is an invitation into Ghanian folklore. Amidst the vampire-slaying adventure, Serwa discovers so much about her identity and what it means to belong somewhere. This vampire hunting guide is smart and funny and definitely proves that fighting monsters isn’t nearly as scary as being in middle school.
138 reviews
November 22, 2023
I have several Ghanaian friends who live here in England and my love them is huge!!!! I love their food, and I love how kind and loving and welcoming they are.

Never in my years of knowing these wonderful people have I had the opportunity to learn a little about some of their mythology and culture.

That's what this book gave me through a modern fictional lense. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about their gods and creatures and their stories. The twists and intrigue in this story absolutely fascinated me, and the shocks and story of these characters was truly endearing. Along with its look into the truth and history and reality of the people throughout this book was amazing.

The middle section slowed the story a little bit for me but I saw how it was necessary to let the characters grow. And the build towards the finale and cliffhanger had me in eager anticipation the entire time.

A great twist on the Percy Jackson-esk fantasy culture and mythology and I truly can't wait for the sequel!!!!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC and thank you Roseanna Brown for the wonderful look into the culture of my friends that I love dearly.

Edit on reread: I still absolutely love this book. It might be my favourite from RRP. I finally managed to get hold of book 2 so decided to reread this one first, It's just as good despite knowing the twists. I'm so excited now to read book 2.
Profile Image for Madison.
795 reviews108 followers
October 16, 2023
This was a super cute middle grade novel. I really enjoyed following Serwa and learning more about her family of slayers. It was really touching how she made a group of friends at her new school and I loved all of them. That cliff hanger thoughhhhh. Ready for book two which comes out shortly!

Thanks to Elle for sending this to me.
Profile Image for Madison Knight.
69 reviews1 follower
March 17, 2024
This book is what getting the rug pulled out from under your feet feels like. Incredible
Profile Image for Brenda.
887 reviews37 followers
September 12, 2022
Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting is the newest edition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. Serwa and her parents are Slayers who hunt the Adze, firefly creatures who can possess a person, and even morph into blood sucking Vampire's. Yep, sounds creepy right? All her life, Serwa has desperately wanted to get her tattoo that marks her as an official Slayer, and prove to her parents that she is ready for her Initiation Test. Despite her years of training and having fought alongside them, her parents have been overly cautious and have refused to allow her to take the test. Then her family is attacked by Adze, at what is supposed to be their safe house, hidden by protective wards. Outnumbered they're driven from their home by Boahinmaa, a Obayifo or witch who is seeking the Midnight Drum. Soon after the attack, Serwa and her parents are summoned to a meeting with the Gods and Serwa's parents are tasked with dealing with Boahinmaa.

Serwa is sent to live with her Aunt Latricia and Cousin Roxy in Rocky Gorge, Maryland. Serwa is very unhappy to be left behind by her parents but tries to blend in at her new school, which turns out to be a struggle. The schoolwork may be a breeze, having learned a lot of the coursework in homeschool, but interacting with the teachers and students is where her difficulties lie. Serwa has a teacher who repeatedly pronounces her name incorrectly, Sarah for Serwa, despite Serwa's best efforts to correct her. She also discriminates against Serwa, accusing her of cheating and lumps her into "kids like you." Roxy tries really hard to reach out to Serwa, but she rebukes her efforts of kindness. Gotta love Roxy for trying.

When Serwa has a misunderstanding with another student at school and a food fight ensues, she is forced to join Eunju, Gavin, Mateo and Roxy in a school detention program performing community service on the school grounds as a punishment. For me, this is the heart of the story, the interactions between these diverse characters. I just adored each and every one of them and the bonds that developed between them. Learning Gavin's story of how he came to live with two dads, and especially enjoyed Mateo who is super kind and Eunju. Serwa spent much of her life traveling with her parents and hunting Adze. She really didn't have the opportunity to interact with many other kids. I believe there is a part of her that didn't even know what she was missing until she was forced into detention and into completing the Where We're From collage. She has a strong independent streak and confidence I liked, but there is a huge vulnerable side to her too. For the first time she is surrounded by these other kids, who she needs help from to fight the adze at their school (needing help is a totally new experience for her), but who she's unsure of how to lead and train. I think it zaps her confidence for a while. There is so much growth within her in these chapters of them searching for who the adze's host is.

The reader learns about the Ghanian mythology the story is based on, Serwa's history and culture and how these overlapped with the history of Rocky Gorge from the 1800's. At the same time, we see Serwa feeling stuck or displaced from her Ghanian and American roots. Not sure what to put into her part of the where she's from collage. Struggling with who she really is. And then to top it off learning of the secrets her parents have been keeping from her. There's so much weighing on Serwa and well it's part of the reason that this story is 400 pages long. The length was needed to set up the characters friendship, introduce the Ghanian mythology the story is based on and needed to setup the ending. And oh, what an ending, best cliffhanger ending! Or is it worst cause I certainly felt the need to read the next book in the series, like right now.

I'd highly recommend this for a vampire hunting enthusiast interested in learning more about Ghanian mythology, history and culture. The story is adventurous, humorous and has plenty of action scenes of wielding an axe, fighting Adze, moments of utilizing elemental blessings, divine wisdoms and conjuring protective spells using Adinkra symbols, which the glossary at the back of the book was especially helpful for. There's also an element of dark magic which presents some moral questioning and gray areas to explore, questions like does the use of dark magic make someone entirely a bad person? Lastly, I really enjoyed the chapter headings beginning with sayings from Nwoma, a Twi Book. So yep, defiantly check this out. I'll be here waiting for, Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem. **I received this book from the publisher via Rockstar Book Tours in exchange for an honest review**
Profile Image for Alicia.
732 reviews12 followers
September 5, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC from NetGalley for an honest review

CWs: violence, minor injuries/injury detail, racism

I liked this one a lot. I thought it was a really great middle grade fantasy, and it set up the series really well. The story in this one wrapped up, but there were underlying questions that were partially answered in the end which set up for the next book. I’m intrigued to see where the author goes with this series.
Serwa was a fantastic character. She was strong, brave, and funny. I think readers will be able to relate to her, and I think that they’ll enjoy her voice in this story. Serwa thinks she knows who she is, but when she goes to middle school she begins to question things. She makes friends and they share some adventures together, and it was really good to see the group come together. I liked the different dynamics that the characters brought into the friend group. I liked Serwa’s internal thoughts of where she fits in as an immigrant and a Black girl in America. I also really liked Serwa the Slayer.
The adze (Ghanaian vampires) were really interesting! The author described them really well and I was able to feel like I was with the characters as they were fighting and hunting the vampire. I liked the magic systems as well, and the gods and goddesses were really interesting.
This was a really fun middle grade mythological fantasy and Serwa was a great character. Her voice was funny and authentic, and she really felt like a 12 year old. I think younger readers are going to devour this story.
Profile Image for Mrs_R_Librarian.
170 reviews8 followers
August 22, 2022
Serwa Boateng's parents are Ghanaian vampire slayers, members of the Abomofuo (ah-boh-noh-FWO) order.. As a slayer in training, Serwa usually goes on their missions with them.. It has always been the three of them against the adze (ah-DJEH), shapeshifting vampires who can possess a human and grow into giant monsters. But, after an obayifo (witch) brutally attacks their home, her parents are sent on a mission alone, and Serwa is left with her auntie and cousin (practically strangers) in Rocky Gorge, Maryland. Serwa is not happy when she finds out she has to attend the local middle school instead of being homeschooled. On her very first day she encounters a racist teacher, a "mean girl" , accidentally starts a food fight and gets detention. Oh - and in the town that is supposed to have no magic, she sees an adze.
Now she must figure out how to find and defeat the adze before it wreaks havoc on this small town with only Boulder (a "smelly forest spirit"), Roxy (her cousin), Eunju, Gavin and Mateo (new friends?)
This is a story of friendship and finding yourself. It is based in Ghanaian Folklore and mythology. There is a glossary in the back to help with the Ghanaian terms and pronunciations.

I really enjoyed this book and an looking forward to the sequel.
Profile Image for Sirah.
1,681 reviews11 followers
November 16, 2023
Serwa has spent most of her 12 years practicing with her family to fight vampires, but when her parents are tasked to capture a dangerous witch, they decide Serwa isn't ready and dump her at her cousin's house in the middle of nowhere Maryland. Suddenly, instead of learning to fight and cast magic and communicate with large and small deities, Serwa is facing loneliness, racist teachers, and math homework, which proves to be a bigger challenge than she anticipated. But then one of her teachers faints, and she discovers suspicious puncture marks that can only mean she has to face one of her dangerous enemies on her own.

This is a complicated story that gets good mostly toward the end. It was hard to get into at first. Maybe I've just been reading too many superhero kid mythology stories lately. I appreciate how this one touches on prejudice and what it's like to adjust to a culture you're supposed to be part of, but how everyone is an outcast in some way. I don't know if I'll continue with the series, but I do like the characters, so it's possible.
Profile Image for Jackie.
611 reviews58 followers
September 2, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. It had my interest from the very beginning, with things happening almost immediately. This book was full of heart, humor, action, suspense, and important conversations. I really enjoyed learning about the Ghanaian folklore.

Serwa was such a lovable character. I enjoyed seeing her grow throughout the story. I loved the unlikely friendships that she formed with some of her classmates, each of them bringing something different to the group.

There were twists that I didn't see coming and I wasn't expecting that ending at all. I am so looking forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Rachel.
101 reviews11 followers
September 6, 2022
I do not have the capacity to review this book accurately and fully as I am no where near the storyteller Roseanne A Brown is. This series will be incredibly popular, even with the length, given the relatable and fast paced plot. It's silly and fun with just enough tension and threat, and not bogged down with lots of worldbuilding. It's the perfect mix for middle school readers to lose themselves in a fantasy without being bogged down with details and preaching. AND not so childish that a 9th grader would be put off. How did Brown do it? I cannot wait for the entire series. I loved reading it and I know so many young people will too.
Profile Image for Wendelle.
1,714 reviews48 followers
Read
September 29, 2022
This book was so enjoyable and it exposed me to very interesting mythology, Ghanaian mythology. My only discontent is that I wish Serwa and her crew (not a spoiler, pictured in the cover) did not spend a lot of time just in middle school. I wish they spent a lot more time in adventures in supernatural settings. Instead, there was a lot of time in detention and training in very ordinary grounds. But this book was very enjoyable and I look forward to the sequel that will complete this book's cliffhanger conclusion.
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