The Vanquishers: Rise of the Wrecking Crew (Vanquishers #3)
Kalynn Bayron
Bloomsbury USA
Published October 8, 2024
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About The Vanquishers: Rise of the Wrecking Crew
In the heart-stopping conclusion to the Vanquishers series by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron, it is time for the final stand against the undead.
San Antonio is on lockdown, taken over by the new hive. No one can deny that the undead are back now, but the Vanquishers found out the hard way: when they learned that an old friend is behind the latest string of attacks.
As the Squad hide out at an abandoned combat training facility, honing their vampire-butt-kicking skills, they begin to suspect that they’re not alone. And when a vial of Dracula’s blood–able to give unrivaled power to the vampire that consumes it–is stolen from the bunker, the Vanquishers race to recover it before it falls into the wrong hands.
The Vanquishers have always been Boog’s family, the ones she trusts the most. But what does it mean when a former Vanquisher, one of her heroes, is now hunting the enemy?
My Review
I got ridiculously behind on my reading this past fall. This book is the third and final installment of a series that’s been a lot of fun to read by an author who has such incredible range. We’ve seen Kalynn Bayron write compelling middle grade fantasy, a powerful historical fiction reimagining of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, and a young adult thriller that was a wild ride, and, of course, the unforgettable young adult fantasy she’s widely known for. And she rocks all of it! Amazing.
The Vanquishers series is a lot of fun. It’s got a supernatural vibe with a cast of great characters in a tight-knit community. I love the community element, and it’s really well-balanced. The adults don’t outshine the kids by being present, but they are present. There are lots of different kinds of families and generations represented. The adults have their own backstory and their own drama happening, but the kids take centerstage and deliver the big moments of the story.
This one is also a great length at just over 200 pages. The back cover copy indicates it’s the finale of the series, but the story contains an epilogue that hints at a new story. Maybe there’s a spin-off coming?? Honestly, I hope that even if this series is really and truly over, we get more paranormal middle grade books from Kalynn Bayron.
The Vanquishers: Rise of the Wrecking Crew is set in the real world (plus vampires), but I could still see it appealing to readers who enjoyed Witchlings by Claribel Ortega.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Representation
Boog and several other characters are Black. One character is nonbinary. One has two dads.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
Vampires exist in this story world. Some characters are part of an elite group trained to kill vampires with silver, etc.
Violent Content
Situations of peril. Several vampires are vanquished in the course of the story. They turn to dust afterward.
Drug Content
A vial of Dracula’s blood can bestow powerful abilities to a vampire who consumes it.
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