Today we’re going to talk about vampires! And more specifically, paranormal vampire books. There are so many amazing vampire books out there today, it’s hard to know where to begin. I have read vampire books by the greats, vampire romance from indie authors, and even some books written by my close friends. I have two vampire series myself: Dream of the Vampire trilogy and the Mystic River Vampire Academy trilogy.
Popular shows like True Blood and What We Do in the Shadows have also brought vampires to the forefront of modern society. There’s never been a better time to be a vampire fan because we have no shortage of media to enjoy. Whether you prefer a classical Bram Stoker vampire or the sparkly kind, there’s something for everyone. Paranormal vampire books open up a whole new world to us as readers.
As someone who has been enamored by vampires since I was a child, I love the popularity of vampires in modern culture. I even enjoy the many different ways that vampires are portrayed, even if it’s not the way I would write my own vampires or the way I prefer to see them. It’s fun to challenge my mind to look at these classic figures in a new or unique way.
Let’s Talk about Paranormal Romance
Before we dive deeply into the paranormal vampire books, let’s look at a popular genre and how it is defined: paranormal romance.
When you think about it, the two topics make sense. The paranormal is something that cannot be explained by science. It is technically defined as “of or relating to the claimed occurrence of an event or perception without scientific explanation, as psychokinesis, extrasensory perception, or other purportedly supernatural phenomena.”
And whether it’s set in high school, normal life, or a fantasy world, there’s just something we can’t help but love about paranormal romance.
Paranormal vampire books are often found in the paranormal romance genre, which I’ll talk about in more detail below.
The paranormal genre can include:
- vampires
- werewolves
- shapeshifters
- ghosts
- demons
- angels
- fairies
- and many more
Basically, anything that falls outside the realm of scientific explanation can fall under the category of paranormal. If you love stories of people who fall in love with things that go bump in the night, this might be the perfect genre for you. Now, let’s narrow the paranormal romance down a bit further and look at paranormal vampire books and vampire romance books.
About Paranormal Vampire Books
I love paranormal vampire books that cross the vampire world with the human world. Urban fantasy reads like Anita Blake the vampire hunter or the modern Twilight and Vampire Diaries books come to mind. But it’s the classics that got it all started for me.
The first book I read with a vampire theme was Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire when I was probably far too young to be reading it, but that’s neither here nor there. I would then go on to read all of the Vampire Chronicles. They had an impact on me, even if I didn’t yet have the maturity to fully understand it all. From there, a love of vampires was sparked and I would read every vampire book I could get my hands on. I also studied them from lore, history, and even other forms of media – old and new.
Paranormal vampire books are my favorite genre so it’s no surprise, really, that my first trilogy was about vampires.
There is also a subcategory for young adult vampire fiction and some of the books on my list below will cross over into several genres. There are some that are classified as “young adult” but have slightly more adult themes. However, vampire reverse harems and books with many adult themes and content will not typically be under this sub-genre.
Vampire Romance Books
The genre of vampire romance is also one that has intrigued me simply because of the vampires. In the past, I was not a fan of traditional romance novels but paranormal romance? Well, that sucked me in!
Vampire romance novels easily became one of my guilty pleasures and I read as many as I can get my hands on these days.
Below are some of the best vampire romance books I’ve read but I know there are many more still, especially from indie authors that I’ve not read yet. Which paranormal vampire books are your favorites? Do you see your faves on the list?
A popular series like the Twilight Saga or Vampire Diaries will sometimes even end up getting a movie or show made about them. Sometimes these new versions of the story are nearly word-for-word like the books, but other times, they take some liberties with the story, the characters, and the interpretation. Personally, I like to experience all iterations of it, so I will read the books and see the show or movie also. Do you have a preference?
Rebirth: Dream of the Vampire Book One
I can’t talk to you about paranormal vampire books without a little bod to my own creations. This one, in particular, really means a lot to me. If you’re looking for a new novel to read in the vampire genre, you may enjoy my very first novel, Rebirth. It’s book one in the Dream of the Vampire Trilogy and it was my first opportunity to turn my love of storytelling and vampires into a book of my very own. If you’ve been a regular on my site, you’ve likely already read it, but for those who are new, here’s some info.
This series is in honor of Anne Rice, who inspired my lifetime love of vampires.
RIP.
Oct 4, 1941 – Dec 11, 2021
About Dream of the Vampire Trilogy
This series is important to me for several reasons. For one, it was the first book I wrote and published. I had written a novel-length story when I was a child, but for years, I’d only been working in non-fiction/copywriting. I hadn’t even read any fiction in a long time when the urge to get this story out onto paper (screen), hit me. Little did I know then that this would be the beginning of a career that would bring me immense joy, freedom, and that would allow me to retire full time from copywriting.
Paranormal vampire books have long been near and dear to my heart, as I explain above. But writing this book was life-changing for me in a lot of ways, and that’s not really something I can say about my other books. Although I greatly enjoyed writing all of my books and I’m so happy to share them all with you, this one was important because it was my first.
20 Top Paranormal Vampire Books
Now let’s take a look at some other awesome vampire paranormal books. This genre has a wealth of books for us to enjoy but I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorites that I think you would also enjoy. Vampire romance novels are some of the most popular vampire paranormal books and that could very likely be because of how vampires are portrayed in all forms of media as sexy and seductive. Unlike other paranormal creatures, they are not usually portrayed as “beasts” or monsters.
Instead, they are attractive, charismatic, and charming… luring you in with their good looks and their mysterious natures.
These vampire paranormal books are sure to cure your hunger for a bite of vampire goodness. Check them out!
1. Interview with the Vampire
- Author: Anne Rice
- Pages: 320
- Genre: Paranormal, Historical, Fantasy, Drama
The first book in The Vampire Chronicles series from Anne Rice, and the book that inspired my love of vampire books, is available on Kindle, audiobook, paperback, and hardcover.
“Here are the confessions of a vampire. Hypnotic, shocking, and chillingly sensual, this is a novel of mesmerizing beauty and astonishing force—a story of danger and flight, of love and loss, of suspense and resolution, and of the extraordinary power of the senses. It is a novel only Anne Rice could write.”
2. Certain Dark Things
- Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Pages: 272
- Genre: Paranormal Romance, Horror Fantasy
Here’s a fun one that crosses paranormal romance and horror fantasy with some high stakes adventure and cop-chase scene, along with mob bosses and even ancient folklore. There’s a mix of modern and classic, macabre and mafia, and more!
“From Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic, comes Certain Dark Things, a pulse-pounding neo-noir that reimagines vampire lore.
Welcome to Mexico City, an oasis in a sea of vampires. Domingo, a lonely garbage-collecting street kid, is just trying to survive its heavily policed streets when a jaded vampire on the run swoops into his life. Atl, the descendant of Aztec blood drinkers, is smart, beautiful, and dangerous. Domingo is mesmerized.
Atl needs to quickly escape the city, far from the rival narco-vampire clan relentlessly pursuing her. Her plan doesn’t include Domingo, but little by little, Atl finds herself warming up to the scrappy young man and his undeniable charm. As the trail of corpses stretches behind her, local cops and crime bosses both start closing in.
Vampires, humans, cops, and criminals collide in the dark streets of Mexico City. Do Atl and Domingo even stand a chance of making it out alive? Or will the city devour them all?”
3. Vampire Academy
- Author: Richelle Mead
- Pages: 352
- Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Adventure
The book that inspired a movie of the same name, this is book one of a 6-book series that you must read if you love vampires.
“St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.”
4. Unchained
- Author: Helen Hardt
- Pages: 384
- Genre: Paranormal, Erotic, Romance
“Dante Gabriel is starving. What he craves is red gold—human blood. After being held captive as a blood slave to a female vampire for years, he has finally escaped. Unchained at last, he follows his nose to the nearest blood bank to sate his hunger.
ER nurse Erin Hamilton expects just another busy night shift…until she finds a gorgeous stranger vandalizing the hospital blood bank. Though her logic tells her to turn him in, she’s pulled by stronger and unfamiliar emotions to protect the man who seems oddly infatuated with her scent. Chemistry sizzles between them, but Dante, plagued by nightmares of his time in captivity, fears he won’t be able to control himself…especially when he discovers a secret she doesn’t even know she’s hiding.”
Blood Bond Saga series reading order:
1. Unchained: Blood Bond: Parts 1, 2 & 3
2. Unhinged: Blood Bond: Parts 4, 5 & 6
3. Undaunted: Blood Bond: Parts 7, 8 & 9
4. Unmasked: Blood Bond: Parts 10, 11 & 12
5. Undefeated: Blood Bond: Parts 13, 14 & 15
6. Untamed: Blood Bond: Parts 16, 17 & 18
5. Twilight
- Author: Stephenie Meyer
- Pages: 464
- Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Drama
6. The Vampire Diaries
- Author: LJ Smith
- Pages: 272
- Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
When it comes to paranormal vampire books, this is one series that became a household name due to the popularity of the same-named television show.
“This special paperback bind-up contains the first two books in L.J. Smith’s New York Times bestselling series The Vampire Diaries, The Awakening and The Struggle.
Elena Gilbert is a high school golden girl, used to getting what she wants. And who she wants. But when the boy she’s set her sights on—the handsome and haunted Stefan—isn’t interested, she’s confused. She could never know the real reason Stefan is struggling to resist her: Stefan is a vampire, and Elena’s in danger just by being around him. What’s more, Stefan’s dark, dangerous vampire brother Damon has just arrived in town. And wherever Damon goes, trouble always follows.
Binge-read the first two books in the New York Times bestselling series that inspired the hit CW TV show The Vampire Diaries with this bind-up.”
7. Conversion
- Author: SC Stephens
- Pages: 363
- Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Thriller
“Emma is content. She’s got a promising career in front of her, great friends, and a pretty amazing family. But her love life has been a little lacking lately. That’s when fate steps in, and she crashes into a tall, dark and handsome man—Teren Adams.
He’s single, successful, an extraordinary gentleman, but he’s also secretive. And some of his secrets are more unusual than most people’s. For instance, he’s a “little bit” vampire. He has fangs, incredible hearing, unbelievable speed, and, on occasion, he enjoys drinking a steaming cup of blood. But he’s also very much alive. He has a heartbeat, loves steak as well as cappuccinos, and has no problems walking around during the day.
Since Teren acts human the majority of the time, the pros far outweigh the cons in Emma’s book. But when it becomes apparent that Teren’s condition is much more serious than he first lets on, and that being in a relationship with him requires more sacrifices than most would be willing to make, will Emma stay? Is love enough to compensate for a life that will never be anywhere near normal? But then again…what’s normal anyway?”
8. Undead and Unwed
- Author: Mary Janice Davidson
- Pages: 288
- Genre: Paranormal, Chick-Lit, Humor
“First Betsy Taylor loses her job, then she’s killed in a car accident. But what really bites is that she can’t seem to stay dead. And now her new friends have the ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen, and they want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious power-hungry vampire in five centuries.”
9. Halfway to the Grave
- Author: Jeaniene Frost
- Pages: 384
- Genre: Paranormal, Adventure, Drama, Urban Fantasy
“Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother’s life. Then she’s captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.
In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She’s amazed she doesn’t end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn’t have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.”
10. Court of Vampires
- Author: Megan Linski
- Pages: 208
- Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
“Vampires and werewolves shouldn’t fall in love.
Lysandra was born for one reason; to kill shifters. Princess of vampires, the heir to Vlad Dracula’s throne and the last descendant of Princess Anastasia, Lysandra lives in a castle of witches and human slaves, engaged to a dark vampire prince, and prophesied as the one who will end the war between vampires and werewolves forever.
Everything changes when Lysandra finds a dying werewolf. She takes him into her care and quickly falls in love, unable to explain the magical connection between them. If she’s discovered, she will be put to death. But how can she stop the war when her worst enemy is her true love?
A heart-stopping love story filled with shocking twists, Court of Vampires is a thrilling young adult fantasy that readers will devour over and over again. The legend of what really happened to the Romanov family is retold in Megan Linski’s newest haunting paranormal romance.”
11. Blue Bloods
- Author: Melissa de la Cruz
- Pages: 336
- Genre: Paranormal, Urban, Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
“Schuyler Van Alen is confused about what is happening to her. Her veins are starting to turn blue, and she’s starting to crave raw meat. Soon, her world is thrust into an intricate maze of secret societies and bitter intrigue. Schuyler has never been a part of the trendy crowd at her prestigious New York private school. Now, all of a sudden, Jack Force, the most popular guy in school, is showing an interest in her. And when one of the popular girls is found dead, Schuyler and Jack are determined to get to the bottom of it. Schuyler wants to find out the secrets of the mysterious Blue Bloods. But is she putting herself in danger?”
Melissa de la Cruz’s vampire mythology, set against the glitzy backdrop of New York City, is a juicy and intoxicating read.
12. Guilty Pleasures: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel
- Author: Laurell K Hamilton
- Pages: 244
- Genre: Paranormal, Erotic, Fantasy
Meet Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, in the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series that “blends the genres of romance, horror and adventure with stunning panache”(Diana Gabaldon).
Laurell K. Hamilton’s bestselling series has captured readers’ wildest imaginations and addicted them to a seductive world where supernatural hungers collide with the desires of the human heart, starring a heroine like no other…
Anita Blake is small, dark, and dangerous. Her turf is the city of St. Louis. Her job: re-animating the dead and killing the undead who take things too far. But when the city’s most powerful vampire asks her to solve a series of vicious slayings, Anita must confront her greatest fear—her undeniable attraction to master vampire Jean-Claude, one of the creatures she is sworn to destroy…
13. Knight of the Hunted
- Author: Elizabeth Dunlap
- Pages: 250
- Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Reverse Harem, Urban Fantasy
If you prefer clean reads, Dunlap has the same story in a YA version.
“”I hungered for this Lycan’s touch like I’d never wanted anyone’s before.”
Hunted by her own kind for breaking vampire law, Lisbeth is on the run and fighting to stay alive. Desperate and lost, she stumbles onto Knight—a mysterious Lycan with a dark and alluring appeal.
As natural born enemies, she should find him repellent. Yet as the two are forced together in a quest for survival, she finds her body aching for his touch. With darkness closing in on them from all sides, Lisbeth faces no greater danger than allowing herself to give in to pulsing temptation.
From author Elizabeth Dunlap comes Knight of the Hunted, a sizzling, reverse harem adventure!
This book has the same action and romance that you loved in the “Born Vampire” series, but with over 50 pages of extra content (and not just the steamy kind). You’ll never see Lisbeth and Knight in the same light again!”
14. Some Girls Bite
- Author: Chloe Neill
- Pages: 352
- Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Adventure
First in a brand new series about a Chicago graduate student’s introduction into a society of vampires.
“Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was Merit’s. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead.
Turns out her savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she’s traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan Lord o the Manor Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred-year-old vampire, he has centuries? worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude? and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan’s attitude are the least of her concerns. Someone’s still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago’s nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war and there will be blood.”
15. Dark Lover
- Author: JR Ward
- Pages: 432
- Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
“The only purebred vampire left on the planet and the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who killed his parents centuries ago. But when his most trusted fighter is killed—orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate—Wrath must put down his dagger and usher the beautiful female into another world.
Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of the Brotherhood and blood frighten her. Yet his touch ignites a dawning new hunger—one that threatens to consume them both…”
16. Kiss of Midnight
- Author: Lara Adrian
- Pages: 432
- Genre: Paranormal, Occult, Fantasy, Romance
“He watches her from across the crowded dance club, a sensual black-haired stranger who stirs Gabrielle Maxwell’s deepest fantasies. But nothing about this night–or this man–is what it seems. For when Gabrielle witnesses a murder outside the club, reality shifts into something dark and deadly. In that shattering instant she is thrust into a realm she never knew existed–a realm where vampires stalk the shadows and a blood war is set to ignite.
Lucan Thorne despises the violence carried out by his lawless brethren. A vampire himself, Lucan is a Breed warrior, sworn to protect his kind–and the unwitting humans existing alongside them–from the mounting threat of the Rogues. Lucan cannot risk binding himself to a mortal woman, but when Gabrielle is targeted by his enemies, he has no choice but to bring her into the dark underworld he commands.
Here, in the arms of the Breed’s formidable leader, Gabrielle will confront an extraordinary destiny of danger, seduction, and the darkest pleasures of all. . . .”
18. Night Pleasures
- Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
- Pages: 336
- Genre: Paranormal, Dark Fantasy, Romance
The Dark-Hunters are ancient warriors who have sworn to protect mankind and the fate of the world is in their hands. . .
He is solitude. He is darkness. He is the ruler of the night. Yet Kyrian of Thrace has just woken up handcuffed to his worst nightmare: An accountant. Worse, she’s being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. And if Amanda Devereaux goes down, then he does too. But it’s not just their lives that are hanging in the balance. Kyrian and Amanda are all that stands between humanity and oblivion. Let’s hope they win.
19. Dead Until Dark
- Author: Charlaine Harris
- Pages: 336
- Genre: Paranormal Romance, Gothic fiction, Mystery
Sink your teeth into the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Sookie Stackhouse series—the books that gave life to the Dead and inspired the HBO® original series True Blood.
“Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Bon Temps, Louisiana. She’s quiet, doesn’t get out much, and tends to mind her own business—except when it comes to her “disability.” Sookie can read minds. And that doesn’t make her too dateable. Then along comes Bill Compton. He’s tall, dark, handsome—and Sookie can’t hear a word he’s thinking. He’s exactly the type of guy she’s been waiting for all her life…
But Bill has a disability of his own: he’s a vampire with a bad reputation. And when a string of murders hits Bon Temps—along with a gang of truly nasty bloodsuckers looking for Bill—Sookie starts to wonder if having a vampire for a boyfriend is such a bright idea.”
20. Tempting Raven
- Author: Jessica Sorensen
- Pages: 266
- Genre: Paranormal Fiction, Romance
“Eighteen-year-old Raven was just an ordinary vampire until Fate chose her as the new vampire queen. And Fate has a twisted sense of humor because it chose Rhyland Midnitegale as king, who just happens to be her sworn enemy. Raven isn’t thrilled about ruling with Rhyland, but if she doesn’t step up to her title, the chaos, rebellions, and murders taking over the vampire world will only continue to get worse. So she accepts the position but secretly hopes that maybe Fate will change its mind. She soon learns that being queen comes with many rules. Rules that bind her heart and soul to Rhyland in ways she never imagined. Rules that keep her life out of danger from outside threats. Rules that she must follow or the entire vampire kingdom pays the price. But dangers may be lurking close by, and Raven may be cursed with more than just the title of the queen.”
Those are some of the best paranormal romance books with vampire themes that I have enjoyed. But it’s definitely not a complete list. There are thousands upon thousands of books like this to choose from. Are you ready to sink your teeth into a great vampire fiction book today?
Conclusions of Paranormal Vampire Books
These stories take us away from the real world and pull us into their world… a world of mystery and intrigue, sex and seduction, blood and adventure…
As you can see, there are so many amazing vampire books to choose from. And if it feels a bit overwhelming to know which book to begin with, just know that you can bookmark this post and come back to it at any time.
Paranormal vampire books introduce us to a world of the undead, or a different species other than human, or perhaps to magic. It all depends on the universe and the story.
Whether you identify with the vampire, the vampire slayer, or as a vampire lover, there are books for you. The best books are those that suck you in, keep your attention, and have you thinking about them even after you walk away from the book. I hope that some of the vampire books on this list will do that for you.
What’s your favorite paranormal vampire book? Let us know in the comments.
Further reading:
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