50 Best Vampire Books To Cure Blood Lust

Are you looking for the best vampire books? Discover books about vampires for adults and our favorite vampire book series.

Who doesn’t love a good vampire book?  Since TUL featured our favorite witches, it was time to bow down to a new monster in town: the vamp.

Find famous vampire book series like Sookie Stackhouse and Anita Blake. We’ll also share bloodlust-worthy vampire romance novels sure to put you in the mood.

We promise to mention vampire classics like Stoker’s Dracula and Rice’s Interview With The Vampire. While most of these bloodsuckers drain their humans in vampire books for adults, you’ll find a few extra YA vampire series too.

Below uncover the best vampire books that we have read, are on our TBR list, and that bloggers, librarians, readers, and authors would sink their fangs into. 

Please let us know your top vampire book recommendations in the comments too. We know this ‘best vampire books’ reading list is still pretty darn subjective.

We read a lot, but we can always read more. Let’s get started!

Explore all of our fall reading lists – perfect for thriller, suspense, and horror lovers.

Don’t forget that you can read many of these books about vampires here:

1. Book of the Month: Get the month’s hottest new and upcoming titles from Book of the Month. You might snag an early release or debut author. Along with selecting a book a month, find terrific add-ons, both trendy and lesser-known titles.
2. Audible Plus: From Amazon, listen to Amazon Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks. They add new titles every week.
3. Amazon Prime: Don’t miss Amazon First Reads – early access to Kindle books. Get fast delivery as well as movies, music, Originals, shows, and more.
4. Or, start your trial of Amazon Video for movies and tv series on demand.

Classic & Popular Adult Vampire Books

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

Vampire Horror Book Set In New England
Published in 1975

Most junk food thriller seekers will tell you that Stephen King writes some of the best vampire books for adults, one of which is Salem’s Lot.

The creepy old Marten House is the subject of endless rumors and gossip. 

When only one curious boy returns from a reckless jaunt to the mansion, Ben Mears knows that something is up.

And where there is darkness, there are fangs. Read more about its 2023 movie adaptation too! Amazon | Goodreads

If you love horror books but do not have a lot of time to read, grab one of these horror novellas.

Even More Vampire Books By Stephen King

Wolves of the Calla (Dark Tower Book 5) by Stephen King
Song of Susannah (Dark Tower Book 6) by Stephen King

Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin

Vampire Historical Fiction Set In Mississippi
Published in 1982

From the author of Game of Thrones, meet Abner Marsh, a steamboat captain. Marsh’s business is struggling, especially in 1857 when an icy winter depletes his fleet.

Enter the extremely pale Joshua York who is ready to invest in a new steamboat with Marsh. Joshua York is one strange fellow with odd hours and eating habits.

For part of the novel, readers aren’t sure if York is a vampire or a vampire hunter.

One of the lesser-known adult vampire books on this reading list, encounter a man who is willing to risk anything for immortality. Amazon | Goodreads

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Dracula by Bram Stoker

Classic Vampire Book Set In Transylvania (old Romania) & England
Published In 1897

Personally, Dracula is one of our favorite vampire classics and one of the most well-known vampire books for adults.

If you love Gothic and Victorian literature, watch as Jonathan Harker slowly realizes that something is wrong in the Count’s castle. 

Zombied-out women roam the halls. When Harker witnesses a batty transformation, his suspicions are clearly justified. Dracula heads to London to drink from the city’s beauties. 

Death and Dracula are like wine and cheese.  Can Dracula be stopped?  Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

Read more about the real Bran Castle on Wandering Crystal’s website.

Save Your Favorite Vampire Book Series & Novels For Later

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Science Fiction Set In New York
Published in 1954

Did you ever notice that a plethora of vampire books for adults take place in New York?  Having lived close by, we totally get it.

Most readers know I Am Legend, a post-apocalyptic, viral tale. If you are looking for books about vampires, picture The Walking Dead of bloodsuckers. 

Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth. Everyone else is craving blood like we need a glass of wine after a hard day of work. 

Neville is a vampire hunter during the day, trying to find a cure for this Darkseeker virus. Who will survive the vampire apocalypse? Amazon | Goodreads

Love spooky books? Head over to our creepy books reading list next.

Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice

Classic Vampire Book Series & Suspense Novel Set In New Orleans
Published in 1976

One of the most famous classic adult vampire books includes Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice. This is also a widely known vampire book series.

If you like Gothic horror, try Rice’s debut novel about the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac who is telling his vamp origin story to a reporter.

The novel has received mixed reviews, but TUL’s readers say it is a must. Explore more bestselling books from the 70s. Amazon | Goodreads

More In The Vampire Chronicle Series:

The Vampire Lestat (Book 2 ) by Anne Rice
The Queen Of The Damned (Book 3) by Anne Rice
The Tale Of The Body Thief (Book 4) by Anne Rice
Memnoch The Devil (Book 5) by Anne Rice

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

Vampire Horror
Published in 2005

One of The Uncorked Librarian’s regular book list contributors, Dagney from Dark Distractions, notes that Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler is one of those overlooked vampire books that she loves.

Creepy and suspenseful, Fledgling follows the story of Shori, a 53-year-old woman living inside the body of a young African American girl.

Shori awakens in a cave having no idea who she is or how she arrived there — but she now requires blood… Amazon | Goodreads

The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

Southern Vampire Horror Set In South Carolina
Published in 2020

One of the most talked-about vampire books of 2020, don’t miss The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix.

A Best Book from POPSUGAR, Indie Next, LibraryReads, Goodreads, and Amazon, you might also recognize the title from bookstagram.

This vampire novel is creepy AF and may be triggering with domestic abuse, suicide, violence, and sexual assault.

If you read The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires before bed like us, you might have some gruesome nightmares too.

Patricia Campbell’s Southern life appears pretty mediocre, especially in a town where everyone’s husbands see them as skittish, hysterical, and weak housewives. It’s frustrating, to say the least.

The only thing holding Patricia’s life together is her true crime book club.

When members of the community start disappearing, all clues lead to the new guy in town. “Patricia has reason to believe James Harris is more of a Bundy than a Brad Pitt.”

Unfortunately, proving that James is a vampire is pretty difficult, especially when he’s bringing all of their families great wealth.

This vamp is cocky and never sated, though, which might be his downfall. Not all of the women will come out alive, but can Patricia save her family?

For vampire books set in the South, The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires has gore with a shot of feminism. It’s a great friendship novel. Amazon | Goodreads

Best Indie Vampire Books

Undead As A Doornail by William F. Aicher

Vampire Thriller, Suspense, & Mystery Set In Paris | Part Of A Monster Series
Published in 2019

Author William F. Aicher is at it again and this time with an indie vampire book for adults. If you love monsters, you’ll want to check out Phoenix Bones: International Monster Hunter. 

While this is not solely a vampire book series, Undead As A Doornail introduces monster lovers to Phoenix Bones and an evil vamp underworld.

Descend into the catacombs of Paris as Phoenix searches for a missing girl, smacking right into a deadly rave party…we mean lair. 

Gruesome and hilarious, Phoenix is our kindred spirit: He loves his booze and has a potty mouth.  Plus, he easily pukes over gross things just like us. Amazon | Goodreads | Read the full review→

Metallic Red by Jennifer Ann Shore

India YA Vampire Fiction
Published in 2020

As part of a newer indie YA vampire book series, Jennifer Ann Shore’s latest, Metallic Red, is both endearing and hilarious.

Unlike some of the adult vampire books on this reading list, this YA novel is for people who love feminism, junk food, and high school nostalgia.

Mina is half-vampire and half-human with a powerful vampire family. While Mina is destined to take over as the Queen of Appalachia, she also wants to experience a traditional senior year in high school.

We know; Mina is not thinking straight…

Mina questions how and if she can successfully merge her two worlds together without accidentally devouring her hottie boyfriend.

All of this is happening while a vamp is murdering humans. Read more on our titles with colors book list. Amazon | Goodreads | Book Information→

Best Vampire Book Series For Adults – Romance Included

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Vampire Book Series Set In Louisiana
Published In 2001

One of the best book series about vampires includes Sookie Stackhouse.

We devoured all of the series when we lived in Indonesia.  Although Harris concluded the book series, you can also watch True Blood on HBO. 

We promise that you’ll find lots of paranormal vampire and monster romance.

Vampire seekers should start with the first book in this series, Dead Until Dark, and read these vampire novels in order. 

Harris builds a strong vampire world filled with shapeshifters, mind readers, werewolves, and vampires.

Discover an intricate world with love, murder, and tyranny. Plus, Sam makes for one cute fictional pooch in literature. Amazon | Goodreads  Read More→

Read Even More In The Sookie Stackhouse Vampire Book Series:

Living Dead In Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse Book 2) By Charlaine Harris
Club Dead (Sookie Stackhouse Book 3) by Charlaine Harris
Dead To The World (Sookie Stackhouse Book 4) by Charlaine Harris
Dead As A Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse Book 5) by Charlaine Harris

Don’t miss our Salem Witches reading list.

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

Vampire Horror & Mystery | Vampire Series | Book Set In St. Louis
Published in 1993

Once we finished reading the vampire book series Sookie Stackhouse, our librarian coworkers recommended Anita Blake.

Mind you, Blake is much more graphic and erotic than the innocent and sweet Stackhouse. While we haven’t sucked down every book in the series like Stackhouse, Anita Blake is a worthy contestant. 

Start with the first in the series, Guilty Pleasures, to gather up the background story. Set in St. Louis, watch Anita fall for a dangerous vampire, Jean-Claude. 

As an animator, Anita can awaken and kill the dead.  Jean-Claude seeks Anita’s help to solve a murder mystery. Amazon | Goodreads

More In The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series:

The Laughing Corpse (#2) by Laurell K. Hamilton
Circus Of The Damned (#3) by Laurell K. Hamilton
The Lunatic Cafe (#4) by Laurell K. Hamilton
Bloody Bones (#5) by Laurell K. Hamilton

The Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

Vampire Romance Book Series & Thriller
Published In 2014

If you are looking for vampire books for adults, don’t miss the New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This one is for vampire romance enthusiasts.

Wrath is the only purebred vampire left. He’s out for revenge against those who killed his parents. When one of his fighters dies, he is left with her half-breed daughter.

Wrath both intrigues and terrifies Beth Randall. Amazon | Goodreads

More In The Black Dagger Brotherhood Vampire Series:

Lover Eternal (#2) by J.R. Ward
Lover Awakened (#3) by J.R. Ward
Lover Revealed (#4) by J.R. Ward
Lover Unbound (#5) by J.R. Ward

Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Gothic Vampire Romance Book Series
Published in 2002

In need of more *hot* vampire romance books for adults? Don’t miss the Dark-Hunter Novels by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

The first book in the series, Night Pleasures is as sexually intense and suggestive as it sounds.  Not all vampire romance book series will make you blush, but Kenyon has a reputation to maintain. 

Find urban fantasy, deadly attraction, and a series about immortal night hunters who slay Daimons that are murdering humans. Amazon | Goodreads

More Vampire Romance Books In The Dark-Hunters Novels:

Night Embrace (Book 2) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Dance With The Devil (Book 3) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Kiss Of The Night (Book 4) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Night Play (Book 5) by Sherrilyn Kenyon

YA Vampire Book Series

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

YA Vampire Romance Series | Books Set In Washington State
Published in 2008

This goes without saying, but Twilight is probably the most well-known vampire book series, good or bad. 

You know that you’ll roll your eyes, but you still cannot resist the hype of any book that gets so much non-love yet is read all over the place in opaque book jackets.

Plus, you know you’ve seen at least one of the Twilight series movies.

In one of the cheesiest vampire books, watch as Bella falls into a love triangle over a vampire and a werewolf.  Are you Team Jacob or Edward? 

Who will Bella choose, and what will be the consequences Like Fifty Shades, you can bet that we read all three Twilight books.  And, yes, read them in order. Amazon | Goodreads |  Read More→

More In The Twilight Saga Series:

New Moon (Book 2) by Stephenie Meyer
Eclipse (Book 3) by Stephenie Meyer
Breaking Dawn (Book 4) by Stephenie Meyer
Midnight Sun (Book 5) by Stephenie Meyer

Read even more of the best YA vampire books.

A Shade Of Vampire by Bella Forrest

YA Vampire Romance Books
Published in 2012

One of the YA vampire book series recommended by Jennifer Ann Shore, author of Metallic Red, don’t miss A Shade Of Vampire.

Described as “Twilight meets Avatar,” a pale being kidnaps Sofia Claremont, taking her to an enchanted island, The Shade.

Ruled by a vampire, Sofia finds herself a slave invited into the royal prince’s harem. If Sofia wishes to survive, she must win over the Prince. Amazon | Goodreads

More Vampire Books In A Shade Of Vampire Book Series:

A Shade of Vampire 2: A Shade Of Blood
A Shade of Vampire 3: A Castle Of Sand
A Shade of Vampire 4: A Shadow Of Light
A Shade of Vampire 5: A Blaze Of Sun

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

YA Vampire Series Set In Montana
Published in 2007

If you like vampire book series that have hit the big screen, try Vampire Academy. St. Vladimir’s Academy is more like a mean and grownup Hogwarts that trains teenage vampires. 

Half-human creatures guard and teach students.  Of course, like any prep school, danger lurks in the shadows.

Watch relationships bloom amidst the usual boarding school drama and life-threatening vamps.  Vampire Academy is the first in this vampire book series. Amazon | Goodreads

More Books In The Series:

Frostbite (Book 2) by Richelle Mead
Shadow Kiss (Book 3) by Richelle Mead
Blood Promise (Book 4) by Richelle Mead
Spirit Bound (Book 5) by Richelle Mead

Save Your Favorite Vampire Books For Later

What Are Your Favorite Vampire Books?

These are some of the best vampire books that we think will cure your bloodlust. Which vampire book series will you start next?

Which would you consider to be the best bloodsucker books of all time? Lastly, what qualities make a good vampire book for you?  Please let us know in the comments.

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