"Dracula" by Bram Stoker

I read a lot of vampire books, so I decided to go back to the classic and read Bram Stoker's "Dracula". 

Although it wasn't the first piece of vampire fiction, "Dracula" is the classic vampire novel.  The funny thing is, when I read it, I wanted more of the vampire.  I felt like for a book called "Dracula", there simply wasn't enough of Dracula (who also uses the name De Ville...later borrowed by Cruella of "101 Dalmations").  That was a major way in which vampire fiction has evolved since then.  In Stoker's "Dracula", the vampire is an evil, "unholy" creature that the main characters hunt down and abhor.  In most modern vampire fiction, the vampire is one of the main characters that in some way you like.

Traditionally, there is something seductive and sexy about vampires (even in old succubus folklore).  There are moments of this in "Dracula", but only moments.  For example, the vampire tells the group of men hunting him, "Your girls that you all love are mine already; and through them you and others shall yet be mine..."  Most of the time, though, Dracula is more of an eccentric old man or generic shape shifting evil.

Yes, "Dracula" is a classic, and I'm glad that I read it.  It made me interested in how vampire fiction has evolved, and showed how different culture was then.  As far as simple entertainment goes, though, I have to say that I prefer modern vampire books.

"Fade Out" by Rachel Caine

You've probably noticed by now that I have a weak spot for fantasy/paranormal fiction in general, and especially vampires.  I also really like young adult novels.  The end result is that I've read a lot of vampire books ranging from the horrific to cheesy.

"The Morganville Vampires" is a young adult series by author Rachel Caine.  The basic premise of the series is that a seemingly ordinary town (Morganville) is actually controlled and partially inhabited by vampires.  The main characters are:
Claire (teen genius and newcomer to Morganville)
Shane (brawn over brains and Claire's boyfriend)
Eve (both bubbly and ironically goth)
Michael (boy turned ghost turned vampire, guitar god and Eve's boyfriend).

They live together at the Glass House and have lots of life threatening adventures.

"Fade Out" is the 7th "Morganville" book.  (If you enjoy it, look for the next three books.  The 11th "Morganville" book is due to be published this November.)  In it, life seems to have found a new normal and calmed down.  In Morganville, though, normal and safe never last.  Eve becomes infatuated with a new friend.  In fact, everyone seems to just love the new girl and Claire must battle with jealousy and suspicions.  Throw in some vampire attacks, a vicious steampunk vampire computer, and reality TV references, and you have "Fade Out".

To read my review of the book "Fade Out" by Rachel Caine, click here.
To visit Rachel Caine's official website and find out more about all of her books, click here.

The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance

If you've been following this little blog of mine, you've probably noticed by now that I have a bit of a soft spot for vampire books.  I like the atmospheric quality of most vampire fiction and the melding of fantasy and real life. 

Whether you're a fan of the genre looking for something to read, or a newbie to vampire fiction who wants a bit of a taster, I'd recommend reading the Mammoth Anthology of "Vampire Romance".  This is quite a large collection of short stories.  They all have vampires of some variety and are-to varying degrees-romances.  Other than that the stories vary greatly.  It's fun to read all of the short stories, and a good way to be exposed to lots of authors writing vampire fiction (and especially vampire romance).

To find out more about the Mammoth book "Vampire Romance", click here.