Hot Vampire Summer
It’s a hot vampire summer, y’all. I’m calling it. And by calling it, I mean to say I am declaring it! Twilight is turning TWENTY years old this September, and there has been a bevvy of new vampiric media circulating (can anyone say SINNERS?). Vampires are back and hotter than ever, so here is a list of some of the hottest vampires this side of summertime!
Twilight
THE CLASSIC. You know the drill, this is a love story with bite! The only questions is, which of the 20th anniversary editions will you pick up? They each have their own unique features you can see here. I would say I’m prone to the Deluxe Collector’s Editon myself, but lets be honest – they’re all coming home with me!
Immortal Dark
by Tigest Girma
If you love the romantic drama of Twilight but were hoping for a little more enemies-to-lovers and dark academia, you are in luck! Immortal Dark’s vampire lore is inspired by East African mythology, and the vampires are dangerous, alluring, and esoteric. Our heroine, Kidan Adane, is a lost heiress to a House that lives in a dangerous harmony with vampires that balances on a knife’s edge. But when her sister goes missing, Kidan is convinced she was taken by the very vampire bound to her House, the enigmatic and handsome Susenyos Sagad. In order to find her sister, Kidan will have to study arcane philosophy at Uxlay University, proving she can inherit her House and the power that lies there. This book is full of heady romance!
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
by Holly Black
You may know Holly Black from The Folk of the Air series, but did you know she released a vampire novel that takes vampire lore and brings it into the modern era? In the world of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, the vampire virus was unleashed upon an unprepared public, and chaos ensured. But now the vampire virus is under control. Walled off cities known as Coldtowns have quarantined the vampires and the humans who mingle among them, their antics live-streamed for the rest of the human population to enjoy. When I tell you Holly gets it, she gets it! Her vampires are as frightening as they are fascinating, and she bring that perfect mix of world-building and character we all know and love!
Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare
by Darren Shan
When I tell you these books had me in a chokehold when I was in middle school. The first in a twelve book series, Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare tells the story of Darren, who gets dragged along by his friend Steve to a wonderfully gothic freak show. Until they discover one of the performers is actually a vampire! This is the perfect read for a younger YA reader ready for something *actually* scary!
Nightweaver
by R. M. Gray
Okay, I know technically Nightweavers aren’t vampires, but as far as I’m concerned they fit the bill! And I can’t say too much because spoilers, but I will say whether Nightweavers are vampires or not, this book deserves to be on your shelf! Aster Oberon has only ever known life at sea. She’s a born pirate, and she loves the pirate life. Until her family’s ship is captured by Nightweavers – frightful creatures that drove humanity from land six hundred years ago. But soon Aster discovers that Nightweavers are not the monsters she’s been led to believe, and there are worse monsters in the world. We have forbidden romance, elemental magic, and twists that will leave your jaw on the floor – what more could you want?
Dire Bound
Okay, yes, this one is mostly about wolves but HOLD ON! Our main antagonists are Siphons – which are basically vampires! But of course they’re not our only antagonists, and they really are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the deadly magic in this book! This is all to say, if you like vampires, you will like this book even if vampires aren’t our main focus here! When Meryn Cooper’s sister is taken from their home in the middle of the night, Meryn assumes it must be the Siphons – immortal monsters her country has spent centuries fighting. The only hope she has in recovering her sister is heading for the front as part of the king’s army. But when she is unexpectedly Bonded to a Dire Wolf, she is thrust into a deadly competition at the center of the court life. Everyone in the castle is out to get her, except perhaps the crown prince. But if she loses her heart to him, she may just lose her life.
Please note, Dire Bound is an adult book intended for audiences 18+.