I've noticed that lots of places (LJ communities, comments on the guestbook, MySpace, etc.) have people asking for book recommendations, so I've split this up into two different sections: those that deal with vampires and those that don't. Please understand, these are only my thoughts and recommendations, I'm sure there are other great ones out there. If you think a book is absolutely fantastic and I don't have it up here, please
email me with the title and author and I'll put it up. All are linked to
Amazon.com for more information.
Haven't read
Stephenie Meyer's list of recommended books? Try those out too!
Books Dealing With Vampires
The Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
The Vampire Chronicles contains Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned, and The Tale of the Body Thief. Anne Rice is always one of the first names that comes to mind when anyone mentions vampire novels. There are of course movies off these books also (Interview with the Vampire & The Queen of the Damned). Classics in vampire literature.
Midnight Predator - Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Midnight, the ancient evil sanctuary of vampires and their human slaves that was burned to the ground centuries ago, has risen from the ashes to open its dark doors once more. And it's up to Turquoise Draka, famed human vampire hunter of the Bruja guild, to stop Midnight's founder and vampire most malevolent, Jeshikah. But once inside Midnight's walls, Turquoise discovers that instead of Jeshikah, the surprisingly benign vampire Jaguar is at the helm. Acting as a human slave, Turquoise tries to discern Jaguar's mysteriously kind motives as she works at planning Jeshikah's assassination. Meanwhile, her acting servitude is playing havoc with her memories, as she begins to recall the bleak days when she used to be a human slave herself, the time before her training as an elite Bruja warrior. With bitter memories of beatings and humiliations battling with her present suicidal assignment, Turquoise must do everything in her power to keep from blowing her cover and losing her sanity.
Teenaged horror author Amelia Atwater-Rhodes has successfully hit her writing stride in Midnight Predator, her fourth novel. Finally her burgundy-haired, black leather pant-wearing, revenge-lusting characters (and those are just the humans!) seem less like Anne Rice rip-offs and more like original Atwater-Rhodes creations. Atwater-Rhodes's use of flashbacks is more polished than in previous works, and her characterization is more solid and consistent. Teen vampire fans will eagerly fall upon this vibrant, violent addition to Atwater-Rhodes's intricately woven dynasty of vampires, witches, and shape-shifters.
In the Forests of the Night - Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Three-hundred-year-old Risika looks darn good for her age. Thanks to her "blood mother," a vampire named Ather who turned Risika (nee Rachel) into one of the undead back in 1684, she will always look as fresh as a 17-year-old. Now Risika is a world weary night stalker who sleeps in Concord, Massachusetts, by day and prowls New York City by night, in search of fresh blood to slake her inhuman thirst. One of the benefits of living such a long life has been discovering that most of the popular myths about vampires are not true: "Holy water and crosses do not bother me... and silver does not burn me. If someone hammered a stake through my heart, I suppose I would die, but I do not play with humans, stakes or mallets." In fact, there is little in the mortal world that surprises Risika anymore, until she returns from a hunt one night to find a black rose on her pillow--the same flower she was given on the eve of her mortal death. Knowing that the rose is a taunt from Aubrey, a vampire she believes murdered her human brother, Risika decides to confront her nemesis. In a bloody battle with Aubrey, Risika finally unearths her brother's true fate.
While the plot of this vampire tale may not stand out from the fanged masses of the genre, what does stand out is the fact that the author is 14 years old. Teen horror fans of Anne Rice and L.J. Smith will surely want to experience for themselves how In the Forests of the Night stacks up to their favorite adult titles--and will be especially interested in seeing how one of their young peers plies the writing trade.
Demon in My View - Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
The teen queen of horror fiction Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is on the prowl again! Continuing in much the same vampire vein that established her reputation, the young writer's sophomore novel also includes a touch of autobiography. Jessica Allodola is a high school senior who pens vampire tales under the pseudonym Ash Night. (Hmmm, sound familiar?) Because of her funereal clothing and cynical demeanor, Jessica is shunned by her sunnier classmates. No matter, she prefers the company of the undead she creates on her laptop, anyway. But Jessica is shaken when a creature from her novel, the suave vampire Aubrey (who fans will remember from In the Forests of the Night) shows up as a new student at her school. Not knowing whether he plans to seduce or harm her, Jessica plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Aubrey as she tries to discover the secret of his existence. As she delves deeper into the midnight world of her own novels, she encounters other supernatural beings, like Fala, an evil Egyptian vampire, and Caryn Smoke, a teenaged good witch. When she finally unearths the shocking truth that explains the tangibility of her imaginary world, Jessica must decide if she loves that dark world enough to leave the light forever.
Atwater-Rhode's writing, while still showing strong traces of Anne Rice and Stephen King, is maturing nicely as she cleverly constructs this story within a story. Her vampires, while thousands of years old, have adolescent mood swings and tempers, which will sit well with the under-16 crowd. Demon in My View will undoubtedly find its way into many backpacks and Trapper Keepers.
Shattered Mirror - Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
It's not easy being a vampire-hunting witch, but Sarah Tigress Vida has learned from the best. The witches of the Vida family line have been successfully stalking and staking the undead for centuries, and Sarah is immensely proud of her ancestry. So, the last thing she would ever do is befriend one of the enemy. She has always faithfully followed the golden Vida rule of vampire hunting: "Knowing your prey can cause hesitation, and when one is a vampire hunter, hesitation ends in death." Then she meets artistic, sweet Christopher. A benign vampire, Christopher lives off of animal blood or the blood of willing human donors, and begins to gently woo Sarah with his poetry and drawings. Completely against her slayer instincts, Sarah reluctantly begins to care for Christopher... until she discovers that his twin is the vampire Nikolas, infamous for his habit of carving his name into the flesh of his victims. Sarah has always sworn to be the Vida to take Nikolas out, but her feelings for Christopher have allowed her to hesitate--a hesitation that may cost her not only her family's sterling reputation, but her mortal soul.
With Shattered Mirror, wildly popular teen author Amelia Atwater-Rhodes continues to effectively tap the vein of universal adolescent fascination with all things brooding and blood-sucking. Ardent fans will be pleased to see the return of characters from the author's previous books, like healer witch Caryn Smoke. This complex dynasty of witches and vampires will no doubt enjoy long, imaginary lives as the young author continues to hone her witch... er, writing craft.
Sunshine - Robin McKinley
Buffyesque baker Rae "Sunshine" Seddon meets Count Dracula's hunky Byronic cousin in Newbery-Award-winner McKinley's first adult-and-then-some romp through the darkling streets of a spooky post-Voodoo Wars world. Now that human cities have been decimated, the vampiric elite holds one-fifth of the world's capital, threatening to control all the earth in less than 100 years, unless human SOFs (Special Other Forces) can hold them at bay by recruiting Sunshine, daughter of legendary sorcerer Onyx Blaise. As breathlessly narrated by Sunshine herself, the Cinnamon Roll Queen of Charlie's Coffeehouse, in the inchoate idiom of Britney, J. Lo and the Spice Girls, Sunshine's coming-of-magical-age launches when she is swarmed by noiseless vampires one night and chained in a decrepit ballroom as an entr‚e for mysterious, magnetic, half-starved Constantine, a powerful vampire whose mortal enemy Bo (short for Beauregard) shackled him there to perish slowly from daylight and deprivation. Most of the charm of this long venture into magic maturation derives from McKinley's keen ear and sensitive atmospherics, deft characterizations and clever juxtapositions of reality and the supernatural that might, just might, be lurking out there in "bad spots" right around a creepy urban corner or next to a deserted lake cabin. McKinley knows very well-and makes her readers believe-that "the insides of our own minds are the scariest things there are."
The Silver Kiss - Annette Curtis Klause
A well-drawn, powerful, and seductive novel. One evening, when 17 - year - old Zoe is sitting in the park contemplating her mother's imminent death due to cancer, her father's lack of support , and her best friend's move, she meets Simon. Simon is startlingly handsome and strangely compelling. As their friendship grows over time, Simon reveals to Zoe his true identity: he is a vampire, trying to kill his younger vampire brother. In a forceful conclusion, Simon accomplishes his mission and commits suicide. Zoe, in turn, comes to grips with her problems and finds an inner strength to cope. All the characters are skillfully portrayed and highly believable. Dialogue is superb. Simon and Zoe, each with their own problems, come together, and are able to draw strength from one another. Klause blends their struggle into a fine novel, integrating story, history, and a bit of vampire lore. The climax is a roller-coaster ride in reality, the macabre, death, and love. The subject matter and simple language will make The Silver Kiss a haunting choice for reluctant readers.
Companions of the Night - Vivian Vande Velde
Kerry Nowicki, 16, never dreamed that vampires lived in her little town of Brockport, New York, let alone that she would become involved with a handsome one named Ethan. When she makes a late-night trip back to the laundromat to retrieve her little brother's stuffed bear, she interrupts the murderous plans of a vigilante committee that claims Ethan is one of the undead. Kerry tries to help him, so they assume that she is a vampire, too. When the two young people escape, Kerry's brother and father are kidnapped in retaliation, and a complicated game of cat-and-mouse follows. During the often harrowing experiences that follow, Kerry proves to be an intelligent, level-headed young woman. She recognizes the danger of her attraction to Ethan, but knows that she must trust him to help find her family. Ethan maintains the cunning and duplicity that readers might expect from a vampire. The plot is lively and intriguing, with an unexpected twist at the end.
Vampire Kisses - Ellen Schreiber
Raven, 16, doesn't fit in at school or home. This goth-girl is obsessed with vampires and when a new family moves into the old town mansion, she is convinced that the son, Alexander, is a vampire. The story swirls around and through sibling rivalry, peer relationships, friendships, and love. Raven is a feisty protagonist with a quick wit and a real sense of self. She defends herself and her friends, often besting her peers with humor and a quick tongue. As her connection with Alexander deepens, she comes to understand her family better. It is through his shadowy character that readers are kept off balance. Schreiber weaves a tale that is more about acceptance and friendship than about vampire behavior and culture, and sustains a tone that draws readers to the characters rather than to horrific plot developments that would keep them reading.
I Burn For You - Susan Sizemore
Bodyguard Domini has had visions and premonitions all her life. Her psychic abilities rarely frighten her anymore, until she begins to suspect they're linked to Alec, the new employee at her grandfather's firm. Now her dreams are haunted by a man who is sensual and primal, a man with Alec's face. Then she learns that he is also a vampire and her life will never be the same. Sizemore has long worn two writing hats, that of romance author and sf-fantasy scribe, and each is evident in her first effort to join both forces. Her vampires have the classic weaknesses but are born of a branch of humanity instead of evil powers and search via science for answers to the puzzle of their existence. The bonding of Sizemore's two literary worlds is as powerful as what Alec and Domini feel for each other in this sexy read laced with laughter, the first in a burning new series.
Vamped - David Sosnowski
Recommended by alivingdeath@aim.com
So this vampire walks into a bar...Yes, it sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but it's just another night in the never-ending life of Marty Kowalski. With his trademark slogan - "There's a sucker born every minute" - this blood-drinking bachelor has managed to talk half the mortal world into joining the graveyard shift. Now vampires outnumber humans, and Marty is so bored he could die, again. With modern conveniences like synthetic blood and Mr. Plasma machines, the thrill of the hunt is gone. Especially for Marty, who's starting to wonder if he should just settle down, maybe start a family. Hey, it could happen. But is this confirmed nightcrawler fully prepared to adopt, and raise, a human of his own?
Thicker Than Water - Carla Jablonski
Recommended by Alie
Coping with her mother's cancer makes seventeen-year-old Kia feel out of
place everywhere until she is drawn into the goth-vampire club scene, where
she finds acceptance and one gorgeous, popular guy who might offer escape.
The Vampire Diaries - L.J. (Lisa Jane) Smith
Recommended by Alie
Series follows as: Book 1: The Awakening, Book 2: The Struggle, Book 3: The
Fury, Book 4: Dark Reunion
Books That DO NOT Dealing With Vampires
Harry Potter series - J. K. Rowling
I didn't link this one, but I figure most have read these already. Fantastic books if you haven't read them. Definite must reads.
The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Another that I didn't link. You should most definitely read these. Yes, the movies are fabulous, but so are the books. These are the original fantasy novels for me. Be sure to read all the others that are part of this too, like The Silmarillion or The Book of Lost Tales.
The Abhorsen Trilogy - Garth Nix
I am a HUGE Garth Nix fan (have been for 4+ years) and Sabriel is what got me going. The trilogy contains Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen. All are wonderful, but I have a penchant for Sabriel. There is now Across the Wall : A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories that is a companion to the series. These are absolutely great fantasy novels dealing with the Dead, necromancy, magic, action/adventure, and a little romance. I'd recommend these in a heart beat.
The Keys to the Kingdom series - Garth Nix
More Garth Nix. Sorry I didn't link to these, but there is no boxed set and the series isn't finished yet. These don't deal with the Dead and are actually not as "mature" supposedly, but they actually deal with some themes I consider to be teenager-ish, such as being different, the seven deadly sins, and not quite sure who and where you really are in life. The books in this series so far are Mister Monday, Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, and Sir Thursday.
Tithe : A Modern Faerie Tale - Holly Black
This book is quite fantastic. It deals with faeries, but these are not your typical dancing, happy faeries. Instead they are scary, a tad gruesome, and a little macabre. There are several myths that are delt with within the book and also mature themes. There is also a sequel called Ironside which will be out....sometime.
Valiant : A Modern Tale of Faerie - Holly Black
A companion book to Tithe, Valiant deals with different characters, different plot, but a few characters make a small appearance every now and then from Tithe. I fell in love with Tithe, so it was very hard for me to read about different characters knowing it wasn't going to be about Kaye and Roiben, but it is good and deals with a different kind of love that deals with a guy who isn't the typical good-looking one and a girl who is rebellious because of certain actions that happen in the beginning of the book.
Elsewhere - Gabrielle Zevin
I don't think I've ever cried so hard while reading a book. The first time I cried was on page 34 and then I cried again for the last 2 chapters of the book. Elsewhere deals with a girl who dies and her time in the afterlife. It was truly a beautiful book that had so much hope in it that I couldn't help but cry at how sad all this hope really was because of certain actions it took to make these hopes a reality. It is quite thought-provoking and overall has such a quiet and calm demeanor that you feel a tad distant but not in a bad way. A definite recommendation.
The Prydain Chronicles - Llyod Alexander
Every fantasy fan should read these books. They are so wonderful and alluring that I have read them for over 7+ years and I still pick them up for a reading every once in a while. Though many children read them, they are great to read even for teenagers and adults. The stories are original and deal with some issues many feel throughout life. Another definite recommendation.
Crushed - Laura & Tom McNeal
Recommended by Alie
Seventeen-year-old Audrey's life is turned upside down when she falls in
love with a mysterious newcomer and a vicious gossip sheet exposes the
secrets of both students and teachers at her school.
The Angel of Death (Forensic Mystery) - Alane Ferguson
Recommended by Alie
Seventeen-year-old high school senior Cameryn Mahoney uses skills learned as
assistant to her coroner father to try to unravel the mystery of a local
teacher's gruesome death, while also awaiting a possible reunion with her
long-missing mother.
Golden - Jennifer Barnes
Recommended by Alie
When her family moves to Oklahoma from California, high school sophomore
Lissy uses her ability to see other people's auras to try to uncover and
stop the sinister activities of a teacher at her new school.
Dreadful Sorry - Kathryn Reiss
Recommended by Alie
Seventeen-year-old Molly is plagued by nightmares and visions of a girl who
died over eighty years ago.
Shadowmaker - Joan Lowery Nixon
Recommended by Alie
Soon after she and her mother come to the small Texas town of Kluney and
experience a series of menacing events, Katie begins to suspect that there
is something sinister going on.
Artemis Fowl series - Eoin Colfer
Recommended by Chesca
The Song of the Lioness Quartet - Tamora Pierce
Recommended by Chesca
The Broken Sky series - Chris Wooding
Recommended by Chesca
The Ender Wiggins Saga - Orson Scott Card
Recommended by Chesca
His Dark Materials trilogy - Philip Pullman
Recommended by Chesca
The Tin Princess - Philip Pullman
Recommended by Chesca
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