Reading Lists - Zombie Lit

Zombies have been among us for some time now, and judging by the popularity of books, television shows, and movies like The Walking Dead, Warm Bodies, and World War Z, it appears they won't be disappearing anytime soon. If you’ve enjoyed any of the titles just mentioned, you may want to check out this list of zombie fiction:      

Brains: A Zombie Memoir by Robin Becker

This humorous mock memoir gives the reader insight into the thoughts of a former college English professor turned zombie.  Jack Barnes, the narrator, isn’t like most zombies— he has retained the abilities of thought and self-awareness.  With a group of fellow sentient zombies, he sets out on a journey to bring about a truce between the living and the living dead. 

Dead of Night by Jonathan Maberry

The body of an executed serial killer mysteriously disappears from the local morgue, and soon after zombies are spotted wandering around the streets of small town Stebbins, PA.  Reporter Billy Trout and policewoman Desdemona Fox must find the cause of the virus before it spreads any further. 

Feed by Mira Grant
The first book of the Newsflesh trilogy follows twin news bloggers Georgia and Shaun Mason as they cover a presidential candidate in the year 2039.  While traveling the campaign trail, the duo notices that zombie outbreaks occur in each city on the tour shortly after their arrival.  Part political thriller and part zombie horror, Feed is one good read. 

Flesh Eaters by Joe McKinney
Winner of the 2011 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel, Flesh Eaters is set in Houston during the aftermath of a series of devastating hurricanes and floods.  As rescue workers seek to bring aid to the stranded community, they discover that the survivors have been infected with a disease that makes them crave human flesh.

Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist first gained prominence in the U.S. when his haunting vampire novel Let the Right One In was adapted into a hit movie.  His equally eerie second novel, Handling the Undead, tackles the subject of zombies, focusing mainly on the reactions of the living as their friends and family members return from the dead. 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
From the author of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter comes this side-splitting parody of Jane Austen’s classic novel of manners.  You’ll laugh yourself hoarse as Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy find love in an England overrun by zombies.   

Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory
It’s 1968 and the government has been rounding up and destroying zombies, so when Wanda Mayhall finds a "living dead" infant on the side of the road she feels her only choice is to adopt the child.  Young Stony is raised in seclusion, but eventually he ventures into the world and discovers others like himself.  Gregory uses this premise to delve into the lives of those on the fringes of society. 

The Return Man by V.M. Zito

In a post-apocalyptic America, the entire West Coast has been destroyed by a zombie outbreak. Former doctor Henry Marco is called the return man— people pay him to travel into the quarantined area to kill virus-infected loved ones and release them from the undead state.  Now the government wants him for a mission that may provide a cure for the zombie plague.    

Shakespeare Undead  by Lori Handeland

If you’ve ever wondered what the movie Shakespeare In Love would be like if Shakespeare was a vampire who was inspired to write by a beautiful zombie killer, then this book is for you.  Handeland weaves together bits of history with references to the Bard’s work to create an outrageously funny zombie novel— and if that’s not enough, she even adds a bit of romance to spice things up.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Probably the most romantic zombie book you’ll ever read, Warm Bodies is the Romeo and Juliet of zombie lit.  This clever and heartwarming tale of unconventional love begins when a boy named R falls in love with a girl named Julie.  There’s just one problem— she’s alive and he’s a zombie.  Now a movie starring Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer. 

World War Z  by Max Brooks

One of the most popular titles in the recent resurgence of zombie lit, World War Z is compelling because its vision of a not-so-distant future feels completely plausible.  Brooks presents the material in the form of a series of interviews with the zombie outbreak survivors, and his serious tone adds to the suspense.  A film version starring Brad Pitt is set to be released in 2013.

The Zombie Autopsies by Steven C. Schlozman
Taking a cue from World War Z, The Zombie Autopsies purports to be the secret journal of renowned zombie expert Dr. Stanley Blum.  Sent by the United Nations to study the zombie virus, Blum uses his medical precision to describe the virus’s horrific effects on his subjects and fellow researchers.  The detailed illustrations are not for the faint of heart or the weak stomached.

Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! edited by  Otto Penzler
The title says it all.  This book contains over 700 pages of amazing zombie stories, ranging from classics by Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft to more modern tales by Stephen King and Graham Masterton.  Includes an excerpt from the very first zombie book, W.B. Seabrook’s The Magic Island. 

Reading lists - Locus Award winners

Each year, the readers of Locus magazine vote for their favorite science fiction and fantasy books, among other categories. Ballots are sent in the February issue of Locus, along with a recommended reading list featuring titles published during the preceding year. Here are the nominees in the three biggest categories—the winners were announced in June.

Science Fiction Novel

Embassytown by China Miéville (winner)

Retaining a tenuous peace on a distant planet in the far future, humans and aliens work together through a mutually beneficial economic arrangement that is threatened by the arrival of a new group of humans that destabilizes the world's balance. (F Mie)

Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

When Captain Jim Holden's ice miner stumbles across a derelict, abandoned ship, he uncovers a secret that threatens to throw the entire system into war. Attacked by a stealth ship belonging to the Mars fleet, Holden must find a way to uncover the motives behind the attack, stop a war and find the truth behind a vast conspiracy that threatens the entire human race. (F Cor)

11/22/63 by Stephen King

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? The author's new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination. (F Kin, BCD F Kin, LP F Kin)

Rule 34 by Charles Stross

Head of the Rule 34 Squad monitoring the Internet for illegal activities, Detective Inspector Liz Kavanaugh investigates the link between three ex-con spammers who have been murdered. (PB SciFi S, ebook)

The Children of the Sky by Vernor Vinge

Ten years have passed on Tines World, where Ravna Bergnsdot and a number of human children ended up after a disaster that nearly obliterated humankind throughout the galaxy. While there is peace among the Tines, there are those among them—and among the humans—who seek power, and no matter the cost, these malcontents are determined to overturn the fledgling civilization that has taken root since the humans landed.(F Vin)

Fantasy Novel

A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (winner)

New threats emerge to endanger the future of the Seven Kingdoms, as Daenerys Targaryen fights off a multitude of enemies, while Jon Snow faces his foes both in the Watch and beyond the great Wall of ice and stone. (F Mar, BCD F Mar, ebook, e-audio)

Snuff by Terry Pratchett

The 39th installment in the New York Times bestselling "Discworld" canon from Terry Pratchett, "the purely funniest English writer since Wodehouse." (F Pra)

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero as he attempts to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm where he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist. (F Rot, ebook)

Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente

Set in an alternate version of St. Petersburg in the first half of the twentieth century, Marya Morevna, a clever child of the revolution, is transformed into the beautiful bride of Koschei the Deathless, a menacing overlord. (F Val)

Among Others by Jo Walton

Seeking refuge in fantasy novel worlds throughout a youth under the shadow of a dubiously sane mother who dabbled in magic, Mori Phelps is forced to confront her in a tragic battle and gains unwanted attention when she attempts to perform spells herself. (F Wal)

First Novel

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (winner)

A fierce competition is underway, a contest between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood to compete in "a game," in which each must use their powers of illusion to best the other. Unbeknownst to them, this game is a duel to the death, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. (F Mor, ebook, Book Club in a Bag)

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Immersing himself in a mid-twenty-first-century technological virtual utopia to escape an ugly real world of famine, poverty, and disease, Wade Watts joins an increasingly violent effort to solve a series of puzzles by the virtual world's creator. (F Cli, ebook, e-audio)

God’s War by Kameron Hurley

Nyx is a former government assassin who makes a living cutting off heads for cash. But when a dubious deal between her government and an alien gene pirate goes bad, Nyx's ugly past makes her the top pick for a covert recovery. The head they want her to bring home could end the war—but at what price? (F Hur)

Soft Apocalypse by Will McIntosh

In a near-future America that is slowly succumbing to anarchy due to scarce resources, diseases, and economic depression, Jasper, a college graduate, leads a group of former middle-class Americans across the Southeast to find a safe haven. (F McI, ebook)

Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti by Genevieve Valentine

As a circus of performers recreated with mechanical parts treks across a chaotic world, a government man asks for the ringmaster's help in building a world of order, while two performers desire a pair of cursed magical wings. (F Val)

Read-alike Guides - The Hunger Games

Having been intrigued by its ubiquitous presence in the realm of popular culture, you (like many other adult readers) may have decided to read The Hunger Games just to see what all the fuss was about.  Perhaps after ravenously reading through Suzanne Collins’s entire young adult trilogy you find yourself hungry for more of the same, except that now you’re looking for something a little more, well, adult. You’re in luck.  We at Samuels Library have compiled a list of novels similar in action, setting, and/or theme to the enormously popular Hunger Games trilogy. Most of these novels feature futuristic dystopias much like Panem. (For clarification: dystopia is a word that pops up a lot in descriptions of The Hunger Games; it simply refers to a highly oppressive government.) Enjoy.

If you liked The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, then you might enjoy one of these books:

 

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami

This book is probably the place to start if you’re looking for a more adult version of The Hunger Games.  The plot is very similar: 21 male and 21 female students are sent by the Japanese government to an island where they must battle each other to the death.  Longer, more violent, and every bit as exciting as The Hunger Games, Battle Royale is considered a cult classic. 

 Blindess by José Saramago

In Blindness, Nobel Prize winning author Saramago has written a complex novel that is both horrifying and profound.  A plague of blindness strikes an unnamed city, bringing about societal collapse and governmental oppression.  Amidst the chaos a varied group of citizens must rely on the only person who has not been affected by the epidemic.  Saramago’s unusual writing style of dense paragraphs and sparse punctuation makes Blindness a challenging but richly rewarding experience.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

One of the earliest examples of dystopian fiction, Brave New World’s description of a futuristic society seems amazingly prescient when read today.  In his attack on mass consumption, Huxley imagines a world where technology has replaced many natural processes and the human race has grown increasingly robotic and dissatisfied. 

The Children of Men by P.D. James

In 1994, infertility strikes England as male sperm counts mysteriously drop to zero. By 2021, the last generation of  newborns has reached maturity, and a spirit of despair besieges the nation.  When Theo, an apathetic Oxford professor, is contacted by a group of young dissidents seeking his help, he sheds his malaise and becomes an active member of the rebellion. James’s greatest strength is her ability to depict the disillusionment and hopelessness of a world with no future.   

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Those familiar with the film version of A Clockwork Orange know all about the shocking  antics of Alex and his Droogs, a gang of wild teenagers who aimlessly roam the streets of futuristic England looking for thrills.  In the novel, however, Burgess uses these sensational elements to craft a profound statement about morality and freedom of choice. 

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Spanning six stories over a period of hundreds of years, Cloud Atlas is an engrossing novel of immense scope.  Through the separate narratives, including a story about a clone who waits tables at a futuristic diner, Mitchell weaves a fascinating chronicle about the impact of the individual on the greater forces of time and history.  A film version is set to be released in October 2012. 

  

The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin

Subtitled An Ambiguous Utopia, The Dispossessed presents the reader with two societies with opposing forms of government.  Shevek is a physicist who does not seem to fit into the capitalist world of Urras or the socialist society of Anarres.  As he attempts to reconcile and unite the two governments, he starts to reevaluate his own beliefs. Le Guin refrains from choosing sides, illustrating that one man’s utopia is another man’s dystopia. 

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

It’s The Hunger Games in space! Gifted young Ender Wiggin is sent to Battle School to be trained to defend the earth against a race of aliens known as “buggers.”  Once there he must prove himself against the other cadets in a series of perilous battle games. Can Ender successfully complete his training and lead the human armies to victory?

 

The Games by Ted Kosmatka

Those who loved the action and thrilling suspense of The Hunger Games will enjoy The Games, a novel about a futuristic Olympic gladiator competition involving genetically engineered beasts.  When designer Evan Chandler creates a powerful mutant for the United States' entry into the games, geneticist Silas Williams and xenobiologist  Vidonia João must try to keep the monster in check before it destroys more than just the competition.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

In the near future, a revolutionary group named The Sons of Jacob has taken control of the United States and created a military dictatorship called the Republic of Gilead.  This new extremist government revokes women’s rights, such as reading and owning property, and assigns them various roles in the state.  Offred, the protagonist, is forced to become a handmaid of The Commander and is expected to bear him children.  This unforgettable novel speculates a future as plausible as it is terrifying. 

High-Rise by J.G. Ballard

High Rise is a disturbing look into total societal breakdown.  A 40-story apartment building with modern conveniences is erected, and its 2,000 inhabitants live peacefully for a short time.  However, life inside the high rise  rapidly deteriorates until survival becomes questionable.  Ballard expertly shows mankind’s inability to overcome its darkest urges despite advances in technology.

Jennifer Government by Max Barry

Max Barry shows that dystopian novels don’t always have to be bleak.  His hilarious Jennifer Government is set in a United States where corporations have taken control, employees adopt the surnames of the company they work for, and “capitalizm” runs rampant.  The story follows Hack Nike as he runs into trouble with the law and is pursued by agent Jennifer Government. 

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

A plane carrying a group of British schoolboys and their teachers crashes on a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean.  No adults survive the crash, leaving the boys to fend for themselves.  They initially behave in an orderly fashion, using a democratic system to create a structured mini-society, but before long the island is thrown into disorder, as all sense of community unravels into a mess of petty rivalries and indifferent selfishness.  An electrifying classic that still resonates today.  

Neuromancer by William GibsonFirst published in 1984, Neuromancer predicted the world of cyberspace long before the internet had become a household commodity.  It tells the story of Case, a washed-up computer hacker, who is drawn back into the world of virtual reality when a mysterious ex-Green Beret offers him a job.  The dark and gritty urban setting will appeal to fans of The Matrix and Blade Runner movies.  

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

The students of Hailsham, an English boarding school, are kept isolated from the outside world by their “guardians.”  In these close quarters, Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy forge a strong bond.  It is only after leaving Hailsham that the trio discovers the full truth about the startling fate society has planned for them.  A  beautiful and subtle dystopian novel.

1984 by George Orwell

Every aspect of Winston Smith’s life is monitored by the totalitarian government of Oceania, which controls all forms of communication and closely watches its citizens for evidence of thought crime.  After meeting an attractive young woman named Julia, Winston is initiated into the world of the Brotherhood, a covert resistance organization.

 

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

Civilization in the Los Angeles area has deteriorated so much in the year 2025 that most communities have become gated in order to ward off the destructive masses.  18-year-old Lauren Olamina lives in one such compound until her family is murdered and her town destroyed.  She then sets out on a voyage north with a few of the remaining survivors.  Lauren is gifted with ‘hyperempathy,’ a condition that allows her to physically experience the pain of others, and on her pilgrimage she attracts a disparate group of individuals who embrace the teachings of her religion, Earthseed.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

By 2044, life in the real world has grown so terrible that most people spend all their time in OASIS, a giant online virtual reality game.  When OASIS creator James Holiday dies and  wills his immense fortune to the person who can find three keys hidden in the world of OASIS, 18-year-old Wade Watts sets out on a quest to win Holiday’s contest.  Filled with 1980s pop culture references, Ready Player One is one fun read.  

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Road follows a father and son as they journey across a post-apocalyptic American wasteland.  Armed with only a pistol to guard against the cannibals that roam the countryside, they must use every ounce of determination and ingenuity to survive the unspeakable horrors in their way.  McCarthy has created a stark testament to the power of love in even the direst of straits. 

The Running Man by Stephen King

In year 2025, unemployed Ben Richards volunteers to become a participant on a violent game show called Running Man in hopes of earning money to support his family.  Once on the show Ben will be tracked by the malicious Hunters and will earn $100 for every hour he can stay alive.  Fast-paced and action packed, The Running Man is dystopian fiction as only Stephen King can write it.

A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick

Philip K. Dick is considered a master of the dystopian novel by science fiction fans. Intensely personal and wildly imaginative, A Scanner Darkly is one of his most powerful and disquieting works.  A new synthetic drug called Substance D has become increasingly popular in Orange County, forcing narcotics agents to pose as drug dealers in an effort to discover the source.  Dick perfectly captures the paranoia of life in a police state, as each character suspects the others of turning informant. 

   

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

From the writer of The Watchmen and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, V for Vendetta is a captivating graphic novel about a young woman named Evey Hammond and her encounters with a masked hero known only as V.  In a dystopian England torn apart by war, a fascist government takes control and quickly sets out to rid the country of undesirables.  The mysterious V represents the people’s final hope to defeat the regime.

Reading lists - Paranormal romance

There have been lots of young adult fantasy series taking readers by storm lately. If you're one of those readers, and you're ready for something more "grown up" than the chaste kisses of books geared toward teens, you're in luck! One of our displays this month is a collection of paranormal romance novels. I knew we’d never be able to display every book in the list we created, so I decided to share them here, along with brief plot summaries. Most of these books are the first in a series, which is noted in parentheses next to the title. In these books you’ll find plenty of tough women, sexy men, and steamy love scenes—not to mention vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, zombies, shifters, fey, telepaths, and more! Keep in mind that this is far from every paranormal romance series out there—it's probably not even every paranormal romance series we own. As always, feel free to ask at the reference desk if you're looking for more! 

Novels 

Daughter of Darkness by V.C. Andrews

One night, with the sound of a young man's scream, high school senior Lorelei discovers that her stern but loving father, who adopted Lorelei and her sisters as infants, is no ordinary man. He has raised his beautiful girls for one purpose: to lure young men into their world of shadows. Like her sisters, Lorelei has been trained in the art of seduction and warned to never fall in love. But when she meets a handsome and charming classmate, she boldly defies her family and follows her heart—even if love is a poison. (F And / PB Fantasy A)

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong (Women of the Otherworld #1)

Elena Michaels is a self-described "mutt," a werewolf who left her secretive pack in upstate New York for a normal life among humans in Toronto. All this is jeopardized when she agrees to help her old packmates hunt some troublesome mutts who are converting common criminals to werewolves and leaving a trail of conspicuous carnage. Reunited with her former lycanthrope lover and forced into brutally predatory confrontations, Elena finds the call of the wild subtly reasserting itself. (F Arm)

I’m the Vampire, That’s Why by Michele Bardsley (Broken Heart, Oklahoma #1)

Now one of the undead, single mother Jessica Matthews, who is delighted with the disappearance of her stretch marks and her newly improved vision, has trouble dealing with the fact that she is now bound to a sinfully sexy Irish vampire for several hundred years. (PB Fantasy B)

Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett (Real Vampires #1)

Eternally full-figured Gloriana St. Clair struggles with her centuries-old relationship with Scottish vampire Jeremy, opens a vintage clothing store, and falls under the spell of a billionaire techno-freak immortal. (OverDrive ebook)

The Silver Wolf by Alice Borchardt (Legends of the Wolves #1)

Regeane, a female werewolf, wanders Rome during the Dark Ages and tries to escape being burned at the stake. Her guardian and his son plan to recoup their fortunes by marrying her to a wealthy bridegroom, even though she might inadvertently make him into a bedtime snack. (F Bo)

Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #1)

After years at the bottom of the pack, Anna has learned never to trust dominant males, until Charles Cornick, the enforcer and leader of the North American werewolves, declares her his mate, revealing her destiny as an Omega wolf. (F Bri)

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (Mercedes Thompson #1)

Mercy Thompson's life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn't exactly normal herself. (PB Fantasy B)

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook (Iron Seas #1)

When a dead body is dropped from an airship onto Rhys Trahaearn's doorstep, Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth uncovers the victim's identity--and stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans. (F Bro)

Insatiable by Meg Cabot (Insatiable #1)

Meena Harper, forced to write about vampires even though she doesn't believe in them, falls in love with Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. It's a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for. The problem is: Lucien's already dead! And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare. (F Cab / BCD Cab)

Firelight by Kristen Callihan

After she is forced to wed Lord Benjamin Archer, London's most nefarious nobleman, Miranda Ellis, who is gifted with exceptional abilities, comes to love her new husband, but his dark curse soon leads them both into deadly danger. (F Cal)

Goddess of the Sea by P.C. Cast (Goddess Summoning #1)

After her plane crashes into the sea, an Air Force Sergeant finds herself occupying the body of the mythic mermaid Undine—and falling for a sexy merman. (F Cas)

Lessons after Dark by Isabel Cooper

Olivia Brightmore didn't know what to expect when she took a position to teach at Englefiend School, an academy for 'gifted' children. But it wasn't having to rescue a young girl who levitated to the ceiling. Or battling a dark mystery in the surrounding woods. And nothing could have prepared her for Dr. Gareth St. John. He knew all about her history and scrutinized her every move because of it. But there was more than suspicion lurking in those luscious green eyes. Even with all the strange occurrences at the school, the most unsettling of all is the attraction pulling Olivia and Gareth together with a force that cannot be denied. (PB Romance C)

Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davison (Queen Betsey #1)

After being killed in a car accident, fashion savvy Betsy Taylor becomes one of the undead and, with the help of her newfound friends, the lure of designer shoes, and a sexy vampire, must destroy a dark enemy and fulfill her destiny as the prophesied vampire queen. (F Dav)

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich (Lizzy & Diesel #1)

Life in Marblehead has had a pleasant predictability, until Diesel arrives. Rumor has it that a collection of priceless ancient relics representing the Seven Deadly Sins have made their way to Boston's North Shore. Partnered with pastry chef Lizzie Tucker, Diesel bullies and charms his way through historic Salem to track them down. Caught in a race against time, Diesel and Lizzie soon find out that more isn't always better, as they battle the first of the deadly sins. (F Eva / MP3 CD Eva / OverDrive e-audio)

Dark Dreamers by Christine Feehan and Marjorie M. Liu

Sara Marten finally meets the vampire who is both angel and demon and meant to become her mate; and, Charlie, a gargoyle, senses that the beautiful and sweet Aggie Durand could be his salvation. (PB Romance F)

Dark Prince by Christine Feehan (Dark #1)

A telepathic hunter of serial killers, Raven Whitney embarks on a vacation far from home. The powerful leader of the Carpathians—a wise and secret ancient race that thrives in the night—Mikhail Dubrinsky is engulfed by despair, fearful of never finding the mate who can save him from the encroaching darkness.

From the moment they meet, Raven and Mikhail are helpless to resist the desire that sparks between them. But just as fate unexpectedly brings these life mates together, malevolent forces threaten to destroy them and their fragile love. (F Fee)

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress #1)

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield pursues the undead with a vengeance in the hope that one of her prey will be the father who ruined her mother's life, but her plans go awry when she is captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter.  (PB Fantasy F / OverDrive e-audio)

Phantom Evil by Heather Graham (Krewe of Hunters #1)

Heading a group of paranormal investigators for the government, Jackson Crow—part English, part Cheyenne—uses his link to the realm of spirits to help solve the mysterious death of a senator's wife with the help of Angela Hawkins, a police officer with paranormal intuition. (F Gra / OverDrive ebook)

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake #1)

When innocent vampires are found murdered, the city's most powerful vampire hires Anita Blake, a vampire hunter known as "The Executioner," to investigate the crimes. Along the way she meets Jean Claude, the master vampire destined to become not only her biggest nemesis, but her greatest lover. (F Ham)

Dead until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #1)

Sookie Stackhouse is a cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana, but she keeps to herself and doesn't date much because of her "disability" to read minds. When she meets Bill, Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's the type of guy she's waited for all of her life, but he has a disability, too—he's a vampire with a bad reputation. When one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next. Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea. (F Har / OverDrive ebook)

Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison (Rachel Morgan #1)

Sexy bounty hunter and witch Rachel Morgan prowls the dark streets of Cincinnati, keeping tabs on the vampires and other creatures of the supernatural who prey on the city's innocent and vulnerable inhabitants. (PB Fantasy H)

Silver by Rhiannon Held

Andrew Dare is a werewolf, the enforcer for the Roanoke pack. The lone Were he's tracking doesn't smell or act like anyone he's ever encountered. And when he catches her, it doesn't get any better. She's beautiful, she's crazy, and someone has tortured her by injecting silver into her veins. She says her name is Silver, and that she's lost her wild self and can't shift any more. Andrew and Silver will join forces to track down this menace while discovering their own power and their passion for each other. (F Hel)

The Vampire Shrink by Lynda Hilburn (Kismet Knight #1)

Kismet Knight, PhD, doesn't believe in the paranormal. She especially doesn't believe in vampires, but she begins to wise up when she is introduced to a handsome man named Devereux who claims to be 800 years old. Kismet doesn't buy his vampire story, but she also can't explain why. (F Hil)

Blood Born by Linda Howard and Linda Jones (Vampire #1)

Blood-born vampire Luca Ambrus is an agent for the Council, the centuries-old clan that governs the vampire race. When a leading Council member is murdered, Luca investigates, eventually uncovering a group of rogue vampires determined to overthrow the Council and humankind. In an effort to defeat the rebel vamps, Luca teams up with Chloe Fallon, a human able to channel spirit warriors and thus protect people from vampires. As Luca and Chloe work together, a passionate romance develops. (OverDrive ebook)

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones (Charley Davidson #1)

Using her ability to see ghosts in her work as a private investigator, grim reaper Charley Davidson begins experiencing intense sensual dreams about a mysterious entity that has been following her throughout her life. (F Jon / OverDrive e-audio)

Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner (Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom #1)

Retired demon hunter Kate Connor must go back to work when she spots a demon lurking in the local Wal-Mart. She tries not to arouse suspicion because this kind of thing could really hurt her husband's political career. (PB Fantasy K / OverDrive e-audio)

Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon (The League #1)

He was born and trained to kill. Command Assassin Nykyrian Quiakides once turned his back on the League—and has been hunted by them ever since. Though many have tried, none can kill him or stop him from completing his current mission: to protect Kiara Zamir, a woman whose father's political alliance has made her a target. (F Ken / OverDrive e-audio)

Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Dark Hunter #1)

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. (F Ken)

Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz (Dark Legacy #1)

Within the pages of very rare books some centuries old lie the secrets of the paranormal. Abby Radwell's unusual psychic talent has made her an expert in such volumes—and sometimes taken her into dangerous territory. After a deadly incident in the private library of an obsessive collector, Abby receives a blackmail threat, and rumors swirl that an old alchemical text known as The Key has reappeared on the black market. Convinced that she needs an investigator who can also play bodyguard, she hires Sam Coppersmith, a specialist in paranormal crystals and amber—"hot rocks." Passion flares immediately between them, but neither entirely trusts the other. When it comes to dealing with a killer who has paranormal abilities, and a blackmailer who will stop at nothing to obtain an ancient alchemical code, no one is safe. (F Kre)

Howling at the Moon by Karen MacInerney (Tales of an Urban Werewolf #1)

Sophie Garou's wonderful life suddenly becomes complicated when a sexy new werewolf arrives in town, causing her more trouble than usual in hiding her true werewolf nature from her human lawyer boyfriend. (PB Fantasy M)

Touch of a Thief by Mia Marlowe (Touch #1)

Lady Viola Preston can relieve a gentleman of the studs at his wrists without his being any the wiser and pick any lock devised by man in less than a minute. But she's careful to wear gloves when she steals jewels. When Viola touches a gemstone with her bare skin, it “speaks” to her, sending disturbing visions. Still more disturbing is the handsome rogue who catches her red-handed and forces her to join him on the most dangerous and thrilling adventure of her life. (F Mar)

A Date with the Other Side by Erin McCarthy (Cuttersville, Ohio #1)

While leading a tour of haunted houses in Cuttersville, Ohio, Shelby Tucker discovers s sexy naked man in the bedroom of a supposedly vacant cottage, an encounter that shakes up her life when some feisty matchmaking spirits decide to bring her together with local bad boy Boston Macnamara. (OverDrive ebook)

Venus Envy by Shannon McKelden (Venus #1)

Tired of being a failure at love, Rachel Greer decides to dedicate her life to meaningful pursuits, filling her life with work and volunteerism, until the goddess Venus, forced into the role of fairy godmother by her father, Zeus, decides to turn Rachel's orderly--but boring--life upside down by finding her the perfect man. (F McK)

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

All hope for stopping the vampiric elite from controlling earth depends on human SOFs (Special Other Forces) and the success of their attempt to recruit Sunshine, the daughter of legendary sorcerer Onyx Blaise. (F McK)

Storm Born by Richelle Mead (Dark Swan #1)

Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world... Hired to find a teenager who has been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie comes face to face with a startling prophecy, one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that Eugenie's first-born will threaten the future of the world as she knows it. (PB Fantasy M)

Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead (Georgia Kincaid #1)

Being a succubus sounds pretty glamorous. Shape-shifting, killer wardrobe, what's not to like? But Georgina Kincaid's life is far from exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies, and she can't have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy's life, which means her crush on sexy writer Seth Mortensen is going nowhere fast. (F Mea / OverDrive ebook)

Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill (Chicagoland Vampires #1)

When graduate student Merit was attacked by a vampire, her life was saved by yet another who decided to turn her into the walking dead. Trying to figure out her place at Hyde Park mansion amongst her new vampire friends is becoming quite challenging, especially after she determines that she is still being targeted by an unknown entity. (F Nei)

Stolen Magic by Mary Jo Putney

Heir to an ancient title, Simon Malmain, the Earl of Falconer, is well known among the Guardians, humans with magical powers derived from nature. A routine mission to confront a rogue Guardian who has misused his powers turns disastrous when Simon's quarry, Lord Drayton, captures his pursuer in a transformation spell, turning him into a unicorn. Aid arrives in the form of Meg, a fey young woman who first traps Simon, then frees him. (F Put)

Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick (Ladies of Lantern Street #1)

Moving to a country cottage where she seeks refuge in a paranormally charged garden, Evangeline Ames is rescued from a would-be assassin by the garden's owner, Lucas Sebastian, who taps Evangeline's detective skills to solve a buried-treasure mystery and stop a common enemy. (F Qui)

Second Sight by Amanda Quick (Arcane Society #1)

Venetia Milton earns big bucks photographing the artifacts owned by the brooding Gabriel Jones, whom she also manages to seduce, but after hearing that he is dead, she is stunned when he winds up on her doorstep very much alive and afraid for his life. (F Qui)

Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts (Sign of Seven Trilogy #1)

Every seven years, on the seventh day of the seventh month, strange things happen, and three friends—Caleb, Fox, and Gage—must battle against evil with the women who love them by their sides. (PB Romance R / LP Rob / OverDrive ebook / OverDrive e-audio)

Morrigan’s Cross by Nora Roberts (The Circle Trilogy #1)

As the powerful vampire Lilith prepares to quench her thirst for destruction by unleashing her fury in battle, a medieval sorcerer, one of the circle of six charged by the goddess Morrigan, must travel through time to stop her. (F Rob / LP Rob / OverDrive ebook)

Tall, Dark, and Hungry by Lynsay Sands (Argeneau Family #4)

Terri, a beautiful Englishwoman, arrives in New York to help plan her cousin's wedding and is powerfully drawn to Bastien, a relative of her cousin's fiancé, who, unbeknownst to Terri, is a vampire thirsty for love. (PB Romance S)

Beauty Dates the Beast by Jessica Sims

When a problem at the supernatural dating agency where she works leads to Bathsheba Ward going on a date with were-cougar clan leader Beau Russell, she resists the subsequent attraction between them as she hides a secret. (PB Fantasy S)

Primal Desires by Suzan Sizemore (Primes #7)

A master magician known as "The Beast Master" for his Las Vegas performances with big cats, Jason Cage, the Prime of his vampire family, uses his remarkable telepathic skills to rescue beautiful Sofia Hunyara from a werewolf attack and sets out to teach her about her family's secret history as wolf tamers and about her role as his destined bondmate. (PB Romance S)

How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks (Love at Stake #1)

On the run from the Russian mob after witnessing a brutal murder, dentist Shanna Whelan is rescued from certain death by Roman Draganesti, a charming and wealthy vampire in search of a dentist who can repair his broken fang. (PB Fantasy S)

The Becoming by Jeanne C. Stein (Anna Strong #1)

Trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead, Anna Strong, a vampire and trained warrior, is torn between two men—a human DEA agent and a Night Watcher—as she wages war on evil. (PB Fantasy S)

The Midnight Guardian by Sarah Jane Stratford (Millennial Novels #1)

Remembering the devastation of World War I on the vampire communities, ancient vampires break their policy against interfering in human affairs upon the outbreak of World War II, but find the Nazi war machine more formidable than anticipated. (F Str)

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Norville #1)

When Kitty Norville, a DJ for a Denver radio station and a secret werewolf, accidentally launches a late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged, she becomes the target of a werewolf hunter and several homicidal undead. (PB Fantasy V)

Stray by Rachel Vincent (Werecats #1)

After narrowly escaping an attack by a Stray, Faythe, a shape-shifting young werecat and rebellious member of a Pride, discovers that two of her fellow female werecats have disappeared and launches a personal campaign to find her missing friends and stop the kidnappers before it is too late. (F Vin)

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1)

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood. When one of his most trusted fighters is killed—leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate—Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams. (PB Fantasy W / OverDrive ebook)

Story Collections

By Blood We Live

Gathers together the best vampire literature of the last three decades from many of today's most renowned authors of fantasy, speculative fiction, and horror. (SC By)

Chicks Kick Butt

An urban fantasy anthology of original stories features heroines who combat supernatural adversaries from dragons to demons. (SC Chi)

Death’s Excellent Vacation

Presents a collection of twelve original tales featuring supernatural beings going on vacation. (SC Dea / OverDrive e-audio)

Home Improvement: Undead Edition

A collection of paranormal do-it-yourself stories. (SC Hom)

Many Bloody Returns

A collection of vampire birthday tales. (SC Man)

Songs of Love and Death

Presents a collection of original tales that explores crossover themes of romance, fantasy, and science fiction. (SC Son)

Strange Brew

An anthology of nine urban fantasy tales with a mixed bag of wizardry/witchcraft, mystery and glamour. (SC Str)

The Other Side

A collection of five romantic novellas involving ghosts. (SC Oth)

Vampires: The Recent Undead

Slake your insatiable thirst and drink deeply of 25 of the best sanguinary stories of the new millennium: terrifying or tender, deadly or delicious, tough or tame, romantic or rude, funny or frightening, wily or weary, classic or cutting edge… (SC Vam)

What Dreams May Come

Dreams come true in the most unlikely and magical ways in this trilogy of novellas. (SC Wha)

Wolfsbane and Mistletoe

Lycanthropy is the theme of a special anthology of holiday tales featuring a collection of werewolf stories. (SC Wol)