Best Vampire Series?

[Angee]

I have only read the Twilight series (as far as vampire books go) and am really hesitant to begin another vamp series because I don't want to hate it or waste my time. I've heard about the Morganville vamps, Melissa De La Cruz's series (Blue Bloods, etc.), House of Night series, and many more. I've also heard about Sookie Stackhouse, but I'm not into graphic romance scenes—I'm more the fade-to-black kind of girl.

*SO*, my question to you is...
1) Which series should I read next?
2) What are your thoughts on the other vampire series?

[Charlizechat]

I read "Glass Houses" (book one of the Morganville series) recently and I was only modestly impressed. If you want something kinda Buffy the Vampire Slayer-esque the Morganvilles might be a good choice; I mean GH is a good time-killer, but I just don't think I'm gripped enough to follow all the other books right now.

I think Ellen Schreiber's Vampire Kisses books are charming, but some people turn their noses at them! It depends on your taste . . .

That said, if you want to remember when vampires were like, scary as hell instead of adorable moppets, go read Stephen King's Salem's Lot! One of his very best, and a genuinely scary read.

[Jessica~CoinOperatedJoy]

I did enjoy the Twilight series but that has ended. Moving on, because we must, I am a huge fan of the House of Night series. It's a whole new twist on the vampire legends, it's not an overly graphic novel and the entire story line in general is really interesting. The writing is not as descriptive as the Twilight series (which is why it's only about 200 pages long per book) but I could NOT put them down.

My second favorite would be the Blue Bloods series. Again, very different take on the vampire world but it's a little slow moving. Angee, you might like this one. The main character is a 'fade to black' kind of girl even though amazing things happen to her...much like Bella. Only the main character lives with her grandmother (makes me think of Ms. Havisham from Great Expectations but grander and less crazy) and just as timid even though she has this quiet beauty to her.

I agree with Charlizechat. I wasn't really impressed with the Morganville series. Nor was I impressed with the Vampire Diaries which I hear 'they' are making into a show.

Also, you might want to check out the series by Laurell K Hamilton. She is, arguably, the first person to really write out an entire vampire series and many writers who have written about vampires (including Stephanie Meyer) have mentioned her as an influence in their writing. If the world of vampires were a tree Bram Stoker would be the seed that was the beginning of the tree and Hamilton would be the sun that helped encourage the tree to full bloom as it is now.

Sadly, as much as I love Stephanie Meyer, I have an ominous feeling that Twilight's fame will be what pushes the tree into decay as I'm noticing SO many vampire series popping up with shows to go along with them. It's becoming overwhelming, my friends, who have less time on their hands and aren't as bananas as I am, become so inundated with all the different series and mixed reviews they return to fiction, sighing at the memory of their brief dalliance with YA. Because let's face it, books, even YA books, cost money and there's not a whole lot of that going around just now. Hope this latest craze doesn't die out completely but at least tempers a little.

By the by, there's also a fiction vampire novel out called "Let the Right One In." Haven't read it yet. Does anyone have any feedback on this one for me? Would LOVE to hear it!

[Charlizechat]

This is excellent, Jessica! There's so much vampire-series YA out there, it's probably impossible for one person to keep up with it right now (and yes, it has the makings of a fad that has reached true overkill status) but you've covered a lot of territory!

"Let the Right One In", as you probably know, is the source of a highly acclaimed Swedish film. I still haven't seen it, but it is supposed to be a moving, artistic but very disturbing take on a similarly unsettling novel: in short, I think it counts as very highly "recommended", but it's clearly MUCH heavier than what the usual teen reader is cruising for in the YA aisle!

That said, since LKH comes up, we can't forget Anne Rice either. Since I & many I know read her books as teens, I can't NOT mention them as a possibility . . . but that's really something for the self-selecting reader who feels comfortable with dark and adult content. Those too are not "YA" by any stretch! so any reader who prefers things to fade to black (on sex, violence or whatever) should not be picking them up! It's like the difference between Count Chocula and Count Dracula; most of the YA vamp series, despite their trappings of gore and make-out sessions, are pretty sugarcoated reads compared to the kind of horror and depravity that vampires have traditionally stood for! --And I think both kinds have their pleasures. I'm not for shaming teen readers out of reading the YA stuff, or censoring them from the more serious books, if they want them. But some vampire fiction is VERY different from Twilight!!

Meanwhile, back in the Teen section, has anyone covered the "Vampire Academy" series yet? (not me) Have we left that out?

[Jessica~CoinOperatedJoy]

Charlizechat,
VERY helpful review! Now I can't wait to read it! Sadly, I just began "Evermore" and there are two in that series so far. So, "Let the Right One In" will have to wait at least a week or two. I can't believe I forgot to mention Anne Rice! What a hiccup! Anyways, your "Count Chocula" description had me laughing SO hard! Very accurate!

As for the Vampire Academy books, I have them I just haven't read them. Sad to say I keep finding reasons to put them off. Probably because I haven't heard any rave reviews. Everyone I ask simply say...'eh, it's okay.' Not exactly the fervor I was hoping for. I need a new series to obsess over. Two years ago I had about five or six. Now I'm down to three. :( HELP!
Having said that, if you have heard any rave reviews it might be enough to motivate me to begin them...thoughts?

By the by, did anyone read the 'Beauty' series by Anne Rice? She wrote a series of three erotic novels before becoming a born again! HOT! Just sayin'. Although they're not vampire related AT ALL...for me every time I think of Anne Rice these books come to mind even though I grew up with her vampire series as well, much to my parent's chagrin who feared I liked to scare the bananas out of myself a little TOO much. Like the Historian...when I first started reading that my friends told me they couldn't sleep while they were reading it. I didn't find it very scary but for some reasons I had the WORSTE nightmares while reading it. As if the book puts a spell on it's readers. For that reason alone, I will NEVER forget that book!

Thoughts?

[Charlizechat]

I've been trying to compare series in my mind (some from rather hasty impressions!) and it seems to me Blue Bloods is more in the kind of elaborate, moody Anne Rice mode, House of Night more a snarky, fast-paced Buffy kind of 'vein' (har har). Actually House of Night is probably what Morganvilles wants to be . . . I think Blue Bloods is probably too elaborate for its own good, but somewhat seductive, like a good vampire soap opera, & its nice that it has a veneer of culture.

That said, I go back to Vampire Kisses, which I think the older teens are dumping on because they think it's for 12yr olds, when in fact its much more knowing and sophisticated than they think. That is, its written cleanly but evocatively, it's fast reading but loveable and sweet, with some of the elan that a lot of the supposedly more 'mature' teen titles lack!

I love what you said, Jessica, about adult readers retreating to the fiction aisles, "sighing at the memory of their brief dalliance with YA" SO true!! YA can leave you feeling giddy yet abused. It's like navigating some bazaar; everything sounds so shiny & inviting but you never know what kind of goods you end up with!

Lord, those Beauty novels! LOL Those shoulda been a masterpiece of some kind, I suppose, but I think she really missed her chance--some of those scenes float back through my mind though! (there's one in a bad way, cause what she described would *definitely* entail a trip to the ER:( . . .

Still, AR's such a character. I slow-skimmed her autobiography once in the bookstore; I don't think she's 'repented' any of her works!!

[Jessica~CoinOperatedJoy]

Charlizechat wrote: " I've been trying to compare series in my mind (some from rather hasty impressions!) and it seems to me Blue Bloods is more in the kind of elaborate, moody Anne Rice mode, House of Night more a sn..."

HAHAHAHAHA! Your post had me laughing till I was cryin'! Nicely done! I LOVED the part where you said "YA can leave you feeling giddy yet abused." SO TRUE! By the by, GREAT descriptions of Blue Bloods and House of Night. I totally agree and now I am going to have to read Vampire Kisses even though I hadn't planned on it. ;)

As for AR, I also sincerely doubt she repented any of her works as well. Talk about some of the scenes from Beauty "floating back" too true. And at the most inconvenient times. Sheesh...

[Charlizechat]

I need to get back to Vampire Kisses too (I didn't really get all that far before); fortunately the first 3 are now in a handy omnibus paperback, but the individual ones are cute too.

I've found, btw, that browsing at Books-a-Million (not always the best shopping experience, since old codgers seem to drop in just to walk around talking on their phones!!; oh and young people too!) they've slapped "Twilight club" stickers on everything vampire related and segregated them into their own stack of shelves so-- people can just go at them like Cookie Monster on a plate of chocochips. A steaming pile of bloodsuckers!!

[Charlizechat]

Insomniac's Alert: Jessica, I've just seen the Book Havens thread where everyone and their mother says Vampire Academy is buttered bread!!

--Will have to explore this issue but I must say, they're coming on like Village of the Damned or something! Is this Mead the greatest YA author ever or are these guys possessed? Time must tell! . . .

Keep us posted!

[Jessica~CoinOperatedJoy]

Charlizechat wrote: " Insomniac's Alert: Jessica, I've just seen the Book Havens thread where everyone and their mother says Vampire Academy is buttered bread!!

--Will have to explore this issue but I must say, ..."



HA! That's so funny because on another group I'm a part of I was just hearing the same thing! I'm picking up the books today to see what all the fuss is about. Can't wait!

[Angee]

Does anyone know in which order to read the Vampire Diaries series? They are two #1's. lol. I want to read it before I watch the series on TV.

[Tara]

OK I literally sat all weekend reading the Vampire Academy Series and have to say that I LOVED THEM! I am so mad that the next one doesn't come out until 2010!

I have all so read the Twilight Series which got me into Vampire Series books - love it.

I read the Blue Blood Series and enjoyed that one

I read the Evermore series and enjoyed that one very much!

I truly disliked Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber - it couldn't' keep my attention!

At a stand still don't know what to read next - can anyone give me some suggestions on the next best Vampire Series

[Reaganstar]

I am currently reading the Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, So far its great

Another fav is Chloe Neill I love her writing style.. its fabulous and I am truly addicted to her chicagoland vampires series...
Some girls bite, friday night bites... and two more books coming out next year i can not wait!


Also read Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr good book, thats a series as well


I have also ordered the book series by Annette Blair, it looks fun and interesting..

[Deea]

Hey there!
Well... What can I say, the Twilight Saga made me a vampire-addict :)) I've read a looot of vampire books meanwhile, but I need to confess that I wasn't impressed by most of them. But: I highly recommend The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare (I LOVED those books - one of the few series that made me cry and laugh and I couldn't leave the house until I finished it!) and Evernight by Claudia Gray (only 2 books in the series so far, but I'm sure you'll love it!). I really enjoyed The House of Night and The Vampire Academy too, can' t wait for the next books in the series! Oh... and I almost forget (how could I?!) The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause is also a really good novel.
Enjoy!

[Hannah]

I utterly detest the Twilight series and find it stupider than the ground beneath my feet. It's a shame to all vampire literature. Dracula is awesome though!

[Sarah]

Honesty Charlizechat. THE VAMPIRE ACADEMY SERIES IS THE HEIR TO THE TWLIGHT THRONE. After reading the twilight series I was soooo depressed it was over and I never thought a series would ever compare. But this one does! Sometimes I honestly think its better..but then I re read the Twilight series and change my mind lol. But seriously..Youll love it. Dimitri Belikov will be your new Edward. Promise

[Sarah]

And The Wicked Lovely series is amazing too! But Ink Exchange is BY FAR the best of that series. But you only read from Leslies charactor in that one book. So dont get to attached to Her being with Irial because it will leave your heart broken :(

[Sarah]

I Meant you only read from Leslies point of veiw in that book** Sorry. Its a spin off. So you dont really hear much about her in the other ones.

[Jen]

Sarah wrote: "Honesty Charlizechat. THE VAMPIRE ACADEMY SERIES IS THE HEIR TO THE TWLIGHT THRONE. After reading the twilight series I was soooo depressed it was over and I never thought a series would ever compa..."

Ok - well now I'll have to read this series! I loved Twilight - the whole series but HATED the Bluebloods series - overdone and, as a middle school teacher, something I wouldn't want my kids to read since it's all about drinking, drugs, and sex.

[Sarah]

JEN

I really do recomend the VA series for you. But as for your middle school students I dont know. It does have some drinking and some talk about sex. Theres ones sex scene in the whole series but its not very detailed.

But PLEASE read the series. I think you'll love it.