Vampires have held people’s attention forever, and how can they not? They’re beautiful, powerful, strong, and can love you for eternity. That sounds perfect. Well, if you can get over that whole drinking people’s blood thing. But there is something about vampires that we love and can’t ignore. Whether it be the pull of danger or the idea that you can do what you want and see anything because time will never run out.
People love vampires because they are comfortable with themselves (in many cases), self-sufficient, and don’t rely on much. In many ways, humans wish they could be the same but fear an eternity would be incredibly lonely. However, when we read a vampire novel, we’re put right into the thick of things, and we can go on an adventure that can withstand the test of time.
The Best Young Adult Vampire Books
Wilder By G.K. DeRosa
Wilder is the story of a girl named Celeste. Celeste wants someone to sweep her off her feet. She wants the love she sees in movies. However, when she meets new friends, she begins to see the world of the supernatural and things she never thought existed. Now she’s wondering what’s real and what isn’t, and after discovering something about her family, her life will never be the same.
Metallic Red By Jennifer Ann Shore
Metallic Red is the story of Mina. She wishes she could be like everyone else, but being a half-vampire has made that impossible. When her uncle, who happens to be the vampire king, sends her to a private high school, she realizes it will take a lot more work and sacrifice than she thought. What happens when it’s time for her to leave? Will she have the future she wants or the one her uncle wants for her?
Twilight By Stephenie Meyer
You know we couldn’t have a vampire list without Edward and Bella. For those that don’t know, the story of Twilight is centered around Bella. She moves to a new town and immediately notices that Edward seems to hate her for no reason. However, when she learns that he’s got a dark secret, it changes everything and puts them both in grave danger. Will love conquer all, or will Bella find she won’t survive?
Vampire Kisses By Ellen Schreiber
Vampire Kisses and the graphic novels spawned from the original series have been on everyone’s list to read, and for a good reason. The books are cute but not cringy, and it touches on the reality of what it would mean to be a vampire and a teenager.
Raven is sixteen and doesn’t fit in. Her town could be better, and she only has one friend. That is until someone moves into the supposedly haunted mansion of their city. The best part? They have a teenage son who is a goth, just like Raven. Instead of dancing to pop, he’d rather chill in a cemetery with rock music. Raven is immediately attracted to him, but when the town starts whispering that they are vampires, Raven can’t help but wonder if they’re right. She’s dreamed of a vampire’s kiss since she was young. Will she finally get what she wants?
The Silver Kiss By Annette Curtis Klause
The Silver Kiss is a book about friendship, horror, and what it’s like to believe in things when you feel like you can’t. When Zoe meets Simon, she feels he’s the only one who can understand her pain. Her mother is dying, and her father is never home. It wouldn’t be so bad to have a friend to vent to. Until she learns Simon’s secret and he asks her for help. Zoe never planned on meeting a vampire and certainly never thought about helping one, but Simon didn’t like the vampires in the movies. He’s kind and gentle. He hates his curse. If Zoe can help him move on, then she should, right?
Midnight Predator By Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Midnight Predator is book four in the Den of Shadows series. We recommend reading the entire Den of Shadows collection because it’s fantastic. However, Midnight Predator makes a list because of the incredible storytelling and message that stays with the reader long after finishing the book.
Once a happy teen, Turquoise is now a deadly vampire hunter. Her current assignment is to kill one of history’s toughest, cruelest, and most ruthless vampires. However, to do this, she has to become a vampire’s pet. Something she knows all too well. The worst part? No one can help her get out. That means it’s kill or be killed; this time, she doesn’t know who will make it out alive.
Stake That By Mari Mancusi
Stake That is the second book in the Blood Coven Vampire series. Rayne thought she knew everything. She had a plan and was going to be a vampire forever. However, life never goes according to plan, and there’s a teeny issue with hers. The vampire she wanted to bite her neck mistakenly bit her twin sister. Another fly in the ointment? She’s learned she’s a slayer instead. Quite hard to join the vampire race when she’s supposed to wipe them out. However, when she gets an assignment and learns her future vampire-in-law is in trouble, she goes to protect her family. There she meets a hot vampire who can’t stand her. Will Rayne get her wish after all?
Sweetblood By Pete Hautman
Sweetblood follows Lucy, a teen obsessed with vampires, and believes her uncontrolled diabetes means she is one. No one gets her, and though she talks to people, she can count the people she would genuinely consider a friend on one hand. That is until she meets a mysterious yet handsome stranger who talks about taking her to a party with a real vampire. Intrigued, Lucy decides to go, but she quickly learns that things aren’t what they appear. What will happen to her now?
Secret Lives By Gabriella Poole
Secret Lives is the first book in the Darke Academy series. It follows an elite school, and every term, the school moves. The students are rich and beautiful, and everyone wishes to be them. On scholarship, Cassie learns about the academy and that coming here might have a price that no one wants to pay. She gets more fearful when she learns that the last girl on the scholarship died of mysterious circumstances. Is she doomed to follow her?
Belle Morte By Bella Higgin
Belle Morte follows a sister’s desire to know why her sister walked into Belle Morte and never returned. Vampires are celebrities, and humans are paid to be donors. With her sister missing, our main character has no choice but to go undercover. There’s just one problem. There’s only one way out of Belle Morte, and when she begins falling for the oldest vampire, she may not get a way out at all.
Goodnight Kiss By R.L. Stine
We know we’re going a bit old school with this one, but hear us out. When many teens started on vampire novels, Stine was in the running, and this is one of his classics. A deadly competition is what fuels Goodnight Kiss. The first of the duology, we end up at a vacation hotspot, where the fun never stops. People need to go missing, and no one can discover why. Can the teens save their girlfriends and themselves from whatever is kidnapping them?
Aurora Sky By Nikki Jefford
Blood is toxic. At least Aurora’s is to the vampires, and that’s why Aurora Sky is so engaging. She wants to go to college and escape everything, but that’s not happening. Treated as a chew toy for the vampires because her blood paralyzes them, she laments that she’s stuck with a group she can’t stand and a mission she doesn’t want while trying to ensure the vampires never find out who she is. If they did, she’d be the meal, toxic blood or not.
Vampire Princess By Cameron Drake
Vampire Princess introduces us to a hybrid. A hybrid is a part human, part vampire. Stuck in high school, she cannot take her father’s throne back and tries hard not to drink her classmates’ blood daily. Then she meets Dylan. As she falls for him, she realizes that pretending to be human isn’t bad. Maybe she’ll get to go to prom.
Immortal Faith By Shelley Adina
Immortal Faith takes place in a small, sleepy town. Tradition is everything, and the people pray to God for help against evil. Sophie lives here and notices something’s not right as soon as the mysterious Gabriel appears. But Gabriel has the rest of the town fooled. After all, he prays; he’s good to the people and seems like a natural leader. But Sophie doesn’t listen to people and decides that Gabriel’s up to no good. Can she discover the truth before it’s too late, and is she falling for the one person she shouldn’t?
Vampire Rising By Jason Henderson
Alex has yet to learn that he’s the descendant of Van Helsing. However, that changes when he arrives at a new school and confronts vampires. This school is not what it appears, and there is an underground area for the vampires. When two of his friends get taken, Alex has to go underground to get them back. Dodging everything in his path, trying to stay alive, he has to wonder if this is his destiny.
Vampire Rising is a highly recommended young adult vampire book because it brings action and adventure straight from the first chapter.
Tantalize By Cynthia Leitich Smith
Tantalize stars Quincie. She feels alone and has no one to turn to. But as human and supernatural forces clash, love triangles, and other issues occur, she realizes she may lose everything and be alone. What’s a girl to do?
Bloodsucking Fiends By Christopher Moore
Bloodsucking Fiends is the story of Jody after she wakes up and finds out she’s been bitten by a vampire. Not only does she not want this, she realizes the decision was taken out of her hands, and she has to learn alone how to survive when all she wants to do is drink blood.
Luxuria By Nicci Sefton
Luxuria is a tale of a high school student named Derrick. He thinks his school is excellent and that he’s lucky to enter the school play. His partner Annabell is gorgeous and kind. What more could he want? Annabell has a secret, and Derrick is starting to learn what they are. Annabell may be too dangerous for him, and he needs to understand why before something terrible happens. Or maybe he’s overreacting—only one way to find out.
Gil’s All Fright Diner By A. Lee Martinez
Gil’s All Fright Diner combines blood and humor in a fast-paced story you won’t put down. At this diner, attacks from the supernatural are on the regular, you don’t ask what’s in the food, and if you see a vampire and werewolf duo come in, you ask them to kill the zombies for you. Trying to stop an all-out apocalypse seems a bit much when you only came in for a burger.
Turned By Morgan Rice
Turned follows Caitlin. She’s been uprooted from her home and forced to attend a dangerous new school. However, one good thing that came out of this was her classmate Jonah. However, before confessing her feelings, she realizes she’s going through a change. After ending up in the wrong place, she finds herself in a vampire war and meets a new guy. But what about Jonah? Will she forget him for Caleb?
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Do Teenagers Like Vampire Novels?
There are many reasons that teens love vampire novels. They have everything from romance to fantasy and angst. On the opposite side, you’ll find that they have themes like family, protection, and hope. All of which can make a great book.
Are Vampire Books Problematic?
In most cases, no. However, some young adult vampire stories have issues like students dating teachers or uncomfortable age gaps. Luckily, these books are few and far between, so parents don’t need to worry.
Jenifer Dale grew up in California and fell in love with books at a young age. She loves that novels can take you on an adventure, show you what true love looks like, and empower the strength that lives in a human heart. Devouring as many books as she can get her hand on, she has an extensive library in her home.
