Jacobs Chat

For All You Vampire Fans…

Soo…I don’t know who of all of you enjoy reading about vampires.  I sure do, Vampires, Werewolves, Shape-shifters, Witches, anything supernatural.  I figured I would let you all know which books I’ve come across that I feel are noteworthy for the field of the Supernatural.

Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Now, before anyone completely disregards this, let me say this series has put vampires in a whole new light.  While is is very tame for a vampire series, it is more of a love story that just so happens to involve a family of “vegetarian” vampires.   It’s a Young Adult series, but is not so young…meaning that you’re reading from the point of view (POV) of a 17 year old girl, but she is old for her years.  It is not the best series ever written, but one of my favorites.  I find it very entertaining and love to read it.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

I saw the movie (new one with Will Smith) and I liked it a lot.  I did not, however, know that it was about vampirism.  This book, written by Richard Matheson, was truely awesome.  He does an amazing job at leaving feel as if you are as alone in the world as Robert Neville.  The ending of this novel was far better than the ending of the movie…mainly because it is not a “happy ending” as most movies feel the need to have.  I Am Legend is only 170 pages long, but the last half of the book is short stories written by Richard Matheson.  Some are chilling, some are confusing.  My favorite of those is called Prey.  Anyone who has seen Trilogy of Terror has seen the film version of this story.  It’s been years since I have seen it, but I do know that it follows this story well.  No happy ending there.

The Sookie Stackhouse Novels by Charlaine Harris

In a way, this series is similar to the Twilight Saga…or, more accurately put, the Twilight Saga is similar to this series.  Anyhoo, in this series, the human woman, Sookie, can hear peoples’ thoughts…except for vampires…and anything else supernatural.  It is definitely more adult than Twilight in almost every way.  There is more violence, sex and language.  I have only read the first three in this series of 10 or so, but I’m working on the rest of it.  From what I have heard, this series has just about every supernatural being there is…from Vamps and Weres, to Shape-shifters and Maenads.  So if Twilight is too tame for you, give Sookie a go

Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, Untamed and Hunted (House of Night series) by P.C and Kristin Cast

Another YA series on vamps.  Although this series is definitely young…you’re reading from the POV of a 16 year old girl, and she is DEFINITELY a 16 year old girl.  I found this series very entertaining.  Maybe because I’m still young enough to understand or at least remember the feelings that Zoey is going through.  A co-worker of mine said this series did nothing for her…so who knows?  I just know it made me laugh, although all 5 novels so far are kind of the same, just getting a little bit darker with more peril.  I don’t know if I would recommend this reading for younger girls who love Twilight as the House of Night is not as mature (as in “old for their years”) and looser with language and sexual issues that most 16 year olds use and deal with.  Anyway, this one is kind of “up in the air” as to whether or not you’d enjoy it.  No harm in giving it a shot.

I have some other vampire/supernatural novels that I haven’t had that chance to read yet.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith

Interview With the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, Queen of the Damned, and The Tale of the Body Thief by Anne Rice

I also have a few “Bedside Buddy” books *wink wink*:

By Gena Showalter:

The Vampire’s Bride

Darkest Night (Lords of the Underwold 1)

Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld 2)

Darkest Pleasure (Lords of the Underworld 3)

By Lynsay Sands:

Love Bites

By Anna Windsor:

Bound By Shadow

I hope this helps anyone looking for something good to read on Vamps and such.  I’ll post again as I finish with some of the others.

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.”
— Oscar Wilde