Twilight the book turns 17 this year, the same age that Edward Cullen is for all eternity! Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve fallen under the spell of Stephenie Meyer‘s sparkly vampires, or maybe you’re just now hearing about this strange new girl named Bella Swan who is about to become unconditionally and irrevocably in love with a killer living in Forks, Washington. Either way, after reading the epic four-book saga that is the Twilight series, you might find yourself in need of air, or as we readers call it, books of a similar vein. Here are some post-Twilight vampire and werewolf books to help you detox but also to kind-of-sort-of feed your cravings for all things vampiric, wolfy, supernatural, and extremely romantic.
Shiver
By Maggie Stiefvater
Teen Fiction
In all the years she has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house, Grace has been particularly drawn to an unusual yellow-eyed wolf who, in his turn, has been watching her with increasing intensity.
Sunshine
By Robin McKinley
General Fiction
There are places in the world where darkness rules, where it’s unwise to walk. But there hadn’t been any trouble out at the lake for years, and Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts. Vampires never entered her mind. Until they found her…
Scarlet
By Marissa Meyer
Teen Fiction
Scarlet Benoit and Wolf, a street fighter who may have information about her missing grandmother, join forces with Cinder as they try to stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana in this story inspired by Little Red Riding Hood.
Blood and Chocolate
By Annette Curtis Klause
Teen Fiction
Having fallen for a human boy, a beautiful teenage werewolf must battle both her pack mates and the fear of the townspeople to decide where she belongs and with whom.
Cirque du Freak
By Darren Shan (art by Takahiro Arai)
Teen Manga
Discover the manga adaptation of Darren Shan’s Cirque Du Freak, now back in a new omnibus form! Darren Shan was an average kid until destiny brought him to the Cirque du Freak. Now Darren’s been immersed into a shadowy world inhabited by vampires, werewolves, and strange creatures the likes of which he’s never imagined, and his life will be changed forever!
Fake Blood
By Whitney Gardner
Junior Graphic Novel
This one is a little on the younger-than-teen side, but it’s still cute and spoofs Twilight in several cheesy and adorable ways. In order to get the attention of Nia, the girl he likes, eleven-year-old A.J. pretends to be a vampire, unaware that she intends to be a slayer.
Dracula
By Bram Stoker
General Fiction
Since its publication in 1897, Dracula has enthralled generations of readers with the alluring malevolence of its undead Count, the most famous vampire in literature. Though Bram Stoker did not invent vampires, his novel helped catapult them to iconic stature, spawning a genre of stories and movies that flourishes to this day. A century of imitations has done nothing to diminish the fascination of Stoker’s tale of a suave and chilling monster as he stalks his prey from a crumbling castle in Transylvania’s Carpathian mountains to an insane asylum in England to the bedrooms of his swooning female victims. A classic of Gothic horror, Dracula remains an irresistible entertainment of undying appeal. Check out the graphic novel if you want a modern version!
The Vampire Diaries
DVD
Horror
We cheated. Our last pick is a TV show instead of a book, because this one is just too good, or rather, too Twilight-y. The show is, however, based on a novel series, so go read it! It’s Elena’s first day back at Mystic Falls High School since the tragic death of her parents. Along with her aunt Jenna, Elena tries her best to look after her troubled younger brother, Jeremy, and salvage what family they have left. The first day is already shaping up to be a struggle for Elena until she meets the mysterious new kid at school, Stefan. Elena is touched that he can relate to what she’s going through. What Elena doesn’t know is that Stefan is a vampire.
