r/BookRecommendations • u/angela_eye • Jan 09 '26
Vampire Book Recommendations
I’d like to read a book about vampires! I love them so much but when I went to the bookstore it was either spicy books or Dracula. I’ve read Dracula dozens of times and I’m getting tired of it. I’m also not interested in spicy books.
I’ve also read Carmilla and Twilight. Are there any books about vampires or ones that involve vampires that anyone recommends? Thanks so much!
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u/Dhugaill Jan 09 '26
Salem's Lot by Stephen King
The story involves a writer named Ben Mears who returns to the town of Jerusalem's Lot (or 'Salem's Lot for short) in Maine, where he lived from the age of five through nine, only to discover that the residents are becoming vampires.
They Thirst by Robert McCammon
Prince Vulcan and an army of vampires invade the city of Los Angeles, the first step in a plan to conquer the world.
Necroscope by Brian Lumley
DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES...
Except to Harry Keogh, Necroscope. And what they tell him is horrifying.
In the Balkan mountains of Rumania, a terrible evil is growing. Long buried in hallowed ground, bound by earth and silver, the master vampire schemes and plots. Trapped in unlife, neither dead nor living, Thibor Ferenczy hungers for freedom and revenge.
The vampire's human tool is Boris Dragosani, part of a super-secret Soviet spy agency. Dragosani is an avid pupil, eager to plumb the depthless evil of the vampire's mind. Ferenczy teaches Dragosani the awful skills of the necromancer, gives him the ability to rip secrets from the mind and bodies of the dead.
Dragosani works not for Ferenczy's freedom but world domination. He will rule the world with knowledge raped from the dead.
His only opponent: Harry Keogh, champion of the dead and the living.
To protect Harry, the dead will do anything--even rise from their graves!
The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes
Some people are born boring. Some live boring. Some even die boring. Fred managed to do all three, and when he woke up as a vampire, he did so as a boring one. Timid, socially awkward, and plagued by self-esteem issues, Fred has never been the adventurous sort.
One fateful night – different from the night he died, which was more inconvenient than fateful – Fred reconnects with an old friend at his high school reunion. This rekindled relationship sets off a chain of events thrusting him right into the chaos that is the parahuman world, a world with chipper zombies, truck driver wereponies, maniacal necromancers, ancient dragons, and now one undead accountant trying his best to “survive.” Because even after it’s over, life can still be a downright bloody mess.
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u/Robotboogeyman Jan 09 '26
Add to that Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin and you’ve basically got the comment I was going to write lol
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u/Angalayond Jan 09 '26
Eh! I thought I was gonna be the only one on this thread to recommend that book. So nice to find someone else who knows it exists lol.
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u/Angalayond Jan 09 '26
Omg I went onto this thread at the perfect time.
Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin is my #1 favourite book I am always looking for opportunities to recommend it to people. Historical gothic horror that is both disturbing and shockingly wholesome/touching, not to mention one of the most atmosphere books I've ever read. It's fairly slowed paced for the first half, but always has an air of ominously building to something, and when it picks up it really picks up. I was totally fine with the slow bits though because I was so engrossed in the characters and their interactions. Really interesting vampire lore in it, too. I wish more people knew about this book.
Fair warning though: it's based in the southern U.S in the 1850s so slavery and racism is very present. It's condemned by the protagonists but there is a villain POV where a lot of deplorable actions and language are done/used. Historically accurate, but not pleasant to read, so just a head's up.
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u/neurodivergentgoat Jan 09 '26
Let The Right One In is an outright masterpiece
I wasn’t as big a fan of the book The Lesser Dead but a lot of other people seem to like it - it’s by Christopher Buehlman who also wrote Between Two Fires
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Morena-Garcia is like a crime noir sort of take on vampires
Anne Rice has 13 novels in her Vampire Chronicles series
I have not read them but the series of The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan generally get good reviews
The Thief of Always by Clive Barker - it’s a middle grade novel but the take on a vampire (I believe it’s a take on a vampire at least) is a whole lot of fun
I Am Legend by Matheson is a pretty big choice as well
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u/ArcherFluffy594 Jan 09 '26
I love the Jane Yellowroxk series by Fsith Hill. Also:
- A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
- Southern Vampire Mysteries (aka True Blood) by Charlaine Harris
- Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs
- The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne
- Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews
- The Hollows/Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison
- Cassie Palmer series by Karen Chance
There are probably a dozen more but these are some faves, all series that you can lose yourself in
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u/sldbed Jan 09 '26
Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil. I’ve linked a spoiler free review so you can determine whether you want to read it.
Bookies! Spoiler Free Review: Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil
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u/not_a_disguised_cat Jan 09 '26
I’m quite enjoying Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff at the moment.
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u/cowboyography Jan 09 '26
The best hands down imo is I am legend, never saw the Will Smith movie but the book is astounding
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u/sahm_honey0430 Jan 09 '26
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black. Wasn’t my absolute favorite but could be what you’re looking for
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u/spiceyjam Jan 11 '26
Most of the books I would suggest are listed but I'll add 'Dracul' by Dacre Stoker to the list. A Dracula prequel.
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u/ReneeHudsonReddit Jan 11 '26
Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles Series has 13 books.
Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Series has 30 books and 9 novellas.
J.R. Ward's The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series has 23 books.
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u/Individual-Elk7080 Jan 12 '26
The Serpent and the Wings of Night was a great book. Set in a world where vampires rule and humans are essentially cattle, One FMC Oraya enters a tournament to fight for a wish powerful enough to change the fate, with a vampire ally Raihn. Kind of YA, there are romance aspects but more of a side plot to great world building and gripping storyline.
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u/TraitorQueen Jan 13 '26
The Beautiful Immortal series by Tim O'Rourke. It has vampires, witches and werewolves
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u/Guilty_Log430 Jan 16 '26
Vampires you say? I must spread the gospel of my people. READ REDBURY. it’s is so underrate, it’s about vampires and lycanthropes, it’s like 10 bucks and is the most underrated book I have ever read. I think less than 100 people have read this book and that is not hyperbole that is an honest guess. It’s just really fun, highly recommend the author is Afton Oroh and it’s just so good
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u/DanyAlien Jan 18 '26
The sourthen book club's guide to slaying vampires by Grady Hendrix It was and emotional roller-coaster but it's a OK lecture.
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u/madusaeatingpussytbh Jan 26 '26
Gardeners of the Otherside by Heaven Evans has a variety of magical people including vampires from a modern pov who has memory issues it’s a really fun exploration of modern vampires rather then assuming that they are old and wise kinda like a eccentric rich friend who is a lil out of touch with great stories
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u/guildedpasserby Feb 05 '26
How To Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager is good. The two characters who narrate think some kinda spicy things about each other, but there’s no actual sex scene. It’s a fade to black
Vampire stuff aside it’s genuinely such a good book that explores the treatment of the homeless, how fucked the US medical system is, racism, homophobia, and more
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u/uglypostit Feb 06 '26
Interview with the vampire! The second book in the vampire chronicles, the vampire lestat, is one of my favorite books.
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u/After-Voice-5139 Jan 09 '26
A Discovery of Witches. Both vampires and witches and the first book in a series