Bloodsucking Books: A Vampire Reading List

If you think you know everything there is to know about Lucy Westenra from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, think again. Dark and decadent, Lucy Undying gives a voice to an overlooked character from one of the most famous monster stories in history. Read more from Kiersten White in this exclusive B&N Reads Q&A.  

A haunting mystery with an edge of horror, Dawn Kurtagich (The Dead House) returns with a story centered on a woman set on rescuing her friend from a gothic house on the shores of Wales that harbors a sinister secret.

A dark and dazzling paranormal romance between a vengeful witch and a brooding vampire headmaster. The perfect enemies-to-lovers treat for fans of dark academia. The best part? The sequel, The Cursed, is out now.

Oraya, the adopted human daughter of the vampire king, finds herself competing in a lethal tournament hosted by the goddess of death. This is an epic dark romantasy full of mystery, secrets and intrigue. 

If you can’t get enough of ruthless vampire courts, Mistress of Lies is your next step. Sharp and cunning, this is a gripping fantasy from an author we can’t wait to hear more from.

When a prisoner with no memory prior to the last five years gets a chance at freedom by fighting for her life in a deadly tournament, she has no choice but to take it. Vampires, dark romance and political intrigue make this a winner for fans of Sarah J. Maas. 

Our former Monthly Pick The God of Endings is a powerful and inventive take on the vampire story unlike anything you’ve read before.

Lydia’s appetite is insatiable and unconventional — she craves delicacies from all over the world, but can only digest blood. A story about living within multiple identities, our relationship to art and food, and the overwhelming need for fulfillment, Woman, Eating is a brilliant take on modern-day vampires. 

Isabel Cañas is back with a western featuring monsters — both colonial and otherwise — that is sure to delight fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Alexis Henderson.

Originally published in 1872, this is a reissue of the novel that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Translated by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House) Carmilla is required reading for anyone interested in vampire stories. 

A funny, campy take on a modern-day vampire invasion, Grady Hendrix (The Final Girl Support Group, How to Sell a Haunted House) tells the story of a woman’s accidental entanglement with a monster.