The Next Best Book Club discussion
Looking For Recommendations
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What to read after Twilight..........?
Have you read the Host yet by Stephanie Meyer? It's really good. I am actually wanting to start Anne Rice's series.
It looks like Dracula Might be the group read next month.
It looks like Dracula Might be the group read next month.
If you're looking for a funny vampire/romance/mystery, you might like the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris. They're not as romantic as Twilight, but you do still get the vampire thing. I've only read one of them, but I did enjoy it. This is the first one. Dead Until Dark
I agree on the Sookie books, just finished the last one out (wah), also the Cassie Palmers are good vamp books. Sexier and suprisingly complex (I'd love to know how she wrote these, because they sort of twist back on themselves).
I actually did love Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles years before Twilight- and actually, her witch family books are even better- I think those are the Mayfair Witches.
I liked the Mayfair Witches too. They started with The Witching Hour. I remember them being a little steamy, but getting really weird right around Lasher.I like the Vampire Chronicles too. I don't remember as much romance as a huge Twilight fan might be looking for though. But maybe I'm wrong. They're great books either way.
If you are ok with YA (which I am assuming since you were ok with Twilight!), I really loved The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith. I think there are four in that series...I read them when I was a teen and LOVED them. She has written some others that aren't strictly vampire ones...Secret Circle series and Night World series. They are really quick reads...I remember that I could never put them down! They were written long before Stephenie Meyer came on the scene, so I think of them as the shorter pre-cursor to Twilight. They have a little love angle too, but I don't want to give too much away!
Marsha/JG,I have The Witching Hour on my alltime favorites list, but I was not as blown away by the others in the trilogy. Still, I've read the first one twice.
I read Interview with the Vampire in HS, and enjoyed it, but I haven't read much of the others.
I love anne ricce vampire chronicles and i highly recomend it, but dont expect it to be like twiligth. her vampires are totaly diferentI've also read the whitching hour this year and I tottaly loved it.
Another fun and funny vampire series is the Mary Janice Davidson books Undead and ... series.They all deal with a material girl who becomes THE vampire queen. There is actually some meat to the plots as well and is not all fun fluff.
I would read "The Society of S," which I thought was a really well-written and grippingly paced and generally wonderful book about vampires.I thought Twilight was pretty awful though, and The Society of S doesn't have a whole lot in common other than the vampire thing.
I also recommend the Sookie Stackhouse series, and if someone hasn't already mentioned it, HBO has a TV series out called True Blood which is based on the novels.If you're interested in a more humorous series, check out Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore. It's the first in the series (currently there are 2, but there are rumors he's coming out with a third)...
thorn I've never heard of the society of s, sounds gooooood
I also like the Morganville Vampire sereis by Rachel Caine.I just got the 3 p.c. Cast books can't wait to read those.I loved Interview with A Vampire as well.I also read the first Vampire Kisses novel by Ellen Schreiber and Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan.
Oh, someone mentioning HBO's True Blood series reminded me of a tv series that was on Lifetime last year(I think and please don't hold that against it!) based on the books by Tanya Huff. I know the books all started with "Blood" but I'm not sure of the series name. The main characters were Vicky Nelson & Henry Fitzroy. I have just picked up the first book to read, but the series was pretty fun, so I imagine the books will be great too!
I second "The Vampire Diaries" they recently reprinted them in 2 volume editions (2 books in each). They were my first love in vampire genre.
There is also a "Twilight" series of vampire books by Maggie Shayne that are pretty good. The vamps are definitely not dracula types.The Cassie Palmer books are by Karen Chance and I'd second the recommendation for them.
If you really want to go "out there" I'd suggest the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series by Laurell K. Hamilton. The first book is Guilty Pleasures.
Also Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series, with the first book being Fantasy Lover.
Wow guys, thanks so much!! I wrote everyone's suggestions down and I will definitely look into them. Thanks for the overwhelming response:)
Hi the Sookie Stackhouse books look good, can anyone tell me if they are clean? One of my daughter's friends is a Harry Potter & Twilight ADDICT and she's looking for other good books in that vein. I don't want to tell her about a series that's more geared to adults though...Any suggestions would be great, thank you!
lauraI havent read them it but was Im always complaining about my need to find a substitute to harry potter a friend recommended me the sptimus heap serie by angie sage the first book is magik
I've read the entire Sookie series. To answer Laura, they do talk about sex, and in all honesty, I cannot remember if they go into explicit detail with any sexual scenes in the books, but there is more of an adult theme to the characters than in the Twilight series, which I just finished up reading this week. I would at least read the first book so you can see for yourself. I hope that helped!
Wow.. since Twilight I have read a lot of young adult. My favorite has been the Gemma Doyle Trilogy (Libba Bray), which is different from Twilight, but definitely kept me engaged, like you I also read the House of Night books and enjoyed them too. I like Cassandra Clare's City of Bones and City of Ashes too. I recently bought the Karen Chance books and look foreward to reading them too. Hope you find something you like.
Laura, the books that I found that were clean were Cassandra Clare's books, City of Bones and City of Ashes. Also on the vampire theme, Blue Bloods, though I wasn't totally in love with them, but that may be just me.
I've read two Sookie Stackhouse books and enjoyed them although I wouldn't consider them "clean". They're light reading though. I've watched the first two episode's of True Blood also. Somehow the books seem cleaner than the TV series though.
Laura, I loved all of the Sookie Stackhouse books, and I'm not one that easily restricts book access to avid readers. However, Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Series starring Sookie Stackhouse are not for the younger set of young adult readers. I wouldn't hesitate letting upper level high school students read them, but even then, I wouldn't recommend them to persons with "sheltered" backgrounds (if there is such a thing for high school students--ha, ha). The series does feature some fairly graphic descriptions of sexual acts in some of the books. I can't remember if every book contains such, but I think they do. Now, having said all of that, I thought the series was a highly entertaining, witty treatment of the vampire lore.
Thanks, everybody! I think I'm going to try the Sookie books, they look really good. And thanks also, Vicki, for the clean suggestions. I never thought I'd be a fan of the vampire genre, but I guess Twilight converted me (and Dracula didn't hurt, either!)
Laura,One more reply on this subject. I, too, never thought that I would be a fan of vampire lit, and I also credit Twilight with that transformation. One other book that I wanted to recommend is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. It is a lengthy, serious book that deals with the legend of Dracula. It is absolutely one of the best books that I've ever read (and I've read a lot).
I would also recommend The Dracula Tape by Fred Saberhagen. This is the story of Dracula as told by him. Kind of like Interview with the Vampire...only better. So if you've read the original, this is definitely engaging.Also, for your young adult I would recommend The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong. This is the first in a YA series by her and I enjoyed it as much as her "adult" Women of the Otherworld.
Thanks, Kathy & Diana! I'll def. check into those. And I will tell Ashley's friend about the Summoning. Thanks so much.
I'd like to recommend something else - it's a little different than the vampire genre, but creepy - kind of like a cross between Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Harry Potter. Here's the link:Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Both the book & audiobook versions are highly recommended (there are pictures in the book version and the audio version has a terrific narrator). It's long, but it's the kind of book you savor and don't want to ever end.
Okay, here a good list to get you started…BOOKS I LOVE:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
What a great story with fairies.
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Southern Vampire Series)
It’s the first book in Sookie Stackhouse series. WARNING for younger readers, it’s bit dirty in parts.
La Vida Vampire by Nancy Haddock
A great vamp read. It's the first book and the way it ends suggests there will be another. There are some "dirty" scenes, but well worth it!
The Summoning by Kelly Armstrong (Dark Powers series)
This is a quick and easy read with a total cliffhanger. Can’t wait for book two!
Dead Connection by Charlie Price
Who wouldn’t love a boy that can talk to the dead…not the dead walking, but the dead while they’re still in the grave. It’s not a scary book…YA.
The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
This was my first intro to Charles de Lint, and I loved the book.
Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis (the complete series)
This one of my all-time favorite reads. I have it in books and in audio.
Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery
Oh, Anne!
Blood is the New Black by Valerie Stivers
A quick vamp read… This sweet girl ends up working at a fashion magazine where *gasp* people turn up dead with teeth marks.
The Tree Shepherd’s Daughter by Gillian Summers
Who doesn’t love a good ren faire and magic?
Any books by Ellen Hopkins
Now this lady can write – Crank, Glass, Impulse, Identical – they’re all great! Very quick reads that will leave you thinking long after your done.
Books on My TBR:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tunnels by Roderick Gordon
It’s supposed to be the next big YA hit after Harry Potter
Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
Her first book was fabulous so I hope this will be just as great
Vampire Academy series by Richelle Meade
Looks good and should quench my thirst for vamps.
The Devouring by Simon Holt
I know, I know…I shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but this looks good!
Wake by Lisa McMann
Another judge by the cover.
Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper
The title just drew me in.
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
I just picked this up and plan to read right away!!!
I'm also a member of the Urban Fantasy group - so I read a lot of vampire, shape-shifter, mage, witch and faery stories. You can check out my bookshelf for a total list, as there are too many to mention, but what a great time of year to be delving into this type of read!
Hey everyone, Just read the latest House of Night book, Untamed. It was as addicting as the rest of them, although I would've liked a little more romance but it was very good and really leaves you wanting to read the next one, Hunted, that comes out in March 2009.
Next, I am starting the Sookie Stackhouse series!! Hope it comes in from the library soon:)
Hey Ikiwiki,Are those Ellen Hopkins works all poetry? I think I flipped through one once thinking it was a novel and it looked like poetry. I'm not so much into poetry...you really enjoyed them?
Sarah - All Ellen's works are all poetry, but they read like a novel. You won't really even tell it's poetry. Even if you don't like poetry, I strongly recommend reading at least one of her books.I just read Identical her latest release and it's one of my all-time favorites books.
Thanks for the Untamed teaser. And another book in 2009... Can't wait. Hopefully I'll get to Untamed soon.You'll enjoy the Sookie series. I finished book one and need to make my way into book two. The first was a very quick read that I enjoyed immensly.
Hey guys,I read the first Sookie Stackhouse book and enjoyed it and am waiting for the rest of them from the library now.
I also read the Gemma Doyle trilogy and LOVED it...very addicting! Thanks to everyone that recommended it.
I'm now just finishing the trilogy by Scott Westerfeld: Uglies, Pretties and Specials. Sooooo good!! No, it's not about vampires but the concept is really well thought out and very interesting with lots of cool gadgets from the future in it. Definitely recommended.
Not sure what I'm going to read next...I've also started Blue Bloods and it's good so far.
I really enjoyed reading Cassandra Clare's City of Bones and City of Ashes. I can't wait for City of Glass to come out in 2009.
Thanks Mel,Just read about those 2 on amazon, I'm gonna read those next once they come in from the library:)
I just got Dead Until Dark due to this thread, and I've read book 1 of the GDT also. I hope Dead Until Dark is as good as everyone says - I guess because of Twilight, I actually had to wait on a list for it!
Dead Until Dark is pretty good, I read it a few weeks ago and am waiting for the 2nd book from the library. But I definitely enjoyed the GDT books better and whipped through them in a week which isn't bad considering all three books together are like 1675 pages or something like that.
For real - you guys on here put me to shame with your reading speed! I'm workin' on it though, because w/GR I now have so many more on my TBR ;)
Laura I know what you mean, my read list just keeps growing...and I just read below about City of Bones Series, which I'll have to check out and mostly likely add. I just finished the Dead Until Dark and enjoyed it. I am reading L.A. Banks Minion (Vampire Huntress Series) right now and I heard (read somewhere) that her series gets better (?) but I'm sure I'll be getting the 2nd book to see...:)
Blue Bloods is really good too actually. Just finished it and I'm off to the library to get the next one since it ends on quite the cliffhanger:)
Vampire diaries by L.J Smith is really good. There are four books in the series. They'r very good, so try them.
Is it just me - or is there just way too much vampire stuff? Or is it just that we are "noticing" it more because of all the Twilight feaver?Wife of GR author: Michael J. Sullivan | The Crown Conspiracy (10/08) | Avempartha (04/09)
Robin, I don't think I noticed it until after Twilight, but that may be just me...
I think its the Twilight fever. I started noticing more vampire books then, but I think it's because people were looking for books similar to Twilight so all these books popped out of the woodworks.
It´s sad, but after I read Twilight and New Moon.. and read again Twilight lol, and then after Twilight for the 2nd time, New Moon and Eclipse, I read Twilight again lol... And then I read Breaking Dawn lol
The Next Best Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Felinian (other topics)Shiver (other topics)
Linger (other topics)
Forever (other topics)
Thirst No. 1: The Last Vampire, Black Blood, and Red Dice (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Kit Iwasaki (other topics)Katie MacAlister (other topics)
Tanya Huff (other topics)
Laurell K. Hamilton (other topics)
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (other topics)
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I would definitely recommend these books to anyone still in "vampire mode" like I am and wanting to read something else about vampires with powers and such. I am excited to see how good the 4th book in the series will be:)
If anyone has suggestions about other books they really enjoyed after Twilight that are similar or even books you were absolutely as addicted to as you were to Twilight I'd love to hear from you. A friend of mine recommended the book "A great and terrible beauty" for me to read next even though I have no idea what it's about so I'll see how that goes too...