Friday, November 21, 2008

Please Welcome YA author Heather Brewer!

I am absolutely thrilled to have my favorite Ya author Heather Brewer joining us here at Want My YA today. So on her behalf I give you her wonderful post on some fangtastic reads.


Vampire fiction is hugely popular right now, which is pretty awesome. For old schoolers like me, people that grew up on Bram Stoker and Anne Rice, it means that a lot more vampire fiction is available as of late. As a YA vampire author, I get asked for recommendations of what vampire-fiction-lovers should be reading, so I thought I'd tell you all what it is that I'm loving right now and hopefully, you'll find something to sink your teeth into.

First, as I mentioned before, Bram Stoker's Dracula and Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles are definitely required vampy reading. After that, I'd recommend venturing into Stephen King's Salem's Lot or John Steakley's Vampire$, if you're into the scary side of bloodsucking fiends. If you're into romance, of course, there's Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Mysteries or that old standby, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. If you 're a reluctant reader—somebody that thinks that vampires are fangtastic, but you just can't get into books—check out Matsuri Hino's manga series Vampire Knight or Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak series.

I'm a big fan of all of these books and more. Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampires is another series not to miss, as are Sunshine by Robin McKinley and Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith. So many fangtastic books and not enough moonlit hours to read them!

Whatever your interests, there are vampire books out there to fulfill them. I promise. If I'm wrong, well…I take my garlic roasted.

If you'd like to win an advanced copy of the third book in my Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, Tenth Grade Bleeds, just comment below with your favorite vampire book!

71 comments:

Gerb said...

Oooh! I would love an advanced copy of Tenth Grade Bleeds!

I'm not sure I have a *favorite* vampire-based book... I like so many. What I've enjoyed about the slew of vampire books these past few years is the unique twist on vampires each author came up with. Love Vlad drinking blood the way a kid would a juice box, for example, or the way that Edward sparkles in the sun in Twilight. So, with that in mind, one of the more unique takes on the vampire theme is Scott Westerfield's Peeps or Curtis Klaus' Blood and Chocolate.

HeatherMarie said...

Thanks for visiting. :) I had no idea Peeps was about Vampires. I'll have to check that one out.

Amy Sue Nathan said...

My daughter would, um, like *die* for an advance copy of your book.

She is right on target with the vampire craze for teen readers. She devoured the "8th grade" and "9th grade" books and the Twilight series, now she is reading High School Bites by Erica Orloff, a different take on the whole vampire thang, but vampirish nonetheless.

I'll admit it, she does not get this vampire love from her mother - except that it is an inherited addiction to reading!

Linda D. (sbk) said...

Absolutely, hands down, favourite vampire novel so far is Ninth Grade Slays.

(And I'm not just saying that to suck up)

hehe, k, I totally didn't intend that pun.

Awkward Librarian said...

I have to say, I actually really like the first book in Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series. So, I'm going to go with Guilty Pleasures here, even though it is not so much a "vampire" novel as it is a novel with vampires in it. Your series is currently stuck in my "to read" list because all the copies at the library where I work are always checked out!

Sarah Woodard said...

I loved Peeps and the Blue Bloods series. I would really like an advanced copy of Tenth Grade Bleeds.

AVL!_VLAD_LOVER! said...

Ok i geuss this is how i enter?....
my favorite would be EIGHT GRADE BITES, because i love Vlad, its a great story, -i'm not trying to suck up- and it was the first book to get me into vampire series of books, Next would be Stephanie meyers TWILIGHT, very close behind.

Luv AVL

Khy said...

My favorite would have to be Vampire Academy. They are made of amazingness and the characters are so well developed and the main character is badass and I love her and....I'll stop rambling now.

Anonymous said...

I still love Nancy A. Collins and her Sonja Blue books. I especially love the out-of-print Midnight Blue, but I almost feel like that's cheating as it's really three books in one, but, for me, the more vampy goodness, the better!

(Followed a link from MySpace, I am Lola over there.)

Terri said...

I've never read your books, but honest to goodness, I'll be getting one at my next trip to Barnes and Noble! I'm sure my kids would LOVE them, and then I get to read them too. Heh.

Sookie Stackhouse is my favorite vampire book. What's the first one? Dead Before Dark? Ohhhh yeahh.... LOVE it.

Unknown said...

OMG!! wow...i would love to get an advanced copy of Tenth Grade Bleeds!! :D
My favorite vampire book/series (besides the Chronicles of Vlad Tod ;D) has to either be the Twilight Series or the Vampire Kisses series.

Anonymous said...

I've read many vampire books but my favorites are Heather's Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.

Jess

Anonymous said...

Oooohh...I would love an advanced copy.

There are sooo many vampire books that I have read. But my top (besides Vlad Tod) would have to be Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga, P.C. and Kristen Cast's House of Night series, and the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead.

reachchaos said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
reachchaos said...

My favorite vampire book would have to be Peeps by Scott Westerfeld.

It's smart, funny, and a whole different way of looking at the vampire world. With all of it being able to be explained, a person can really feel like vampires exist. And for a vampire-phile like myself, that excites me. It's just so well played out and I could read it a million times over.

Not that I couldn't do the same with Vlad, because he's someone I love to read about as well :D

Can't wait to read Tenth Grade Bleeds!!!

Anonymous said...

um, a avdanced copy of Tenth Grade Bleeds, i'll try my best :)

Well, for starters, your series The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod would proably be my favortive vampire series, IN THE WORLD! Also, the Twilight sega by Stephanie Meyer is amazing. Stephen Kings Salem's lot and The Last Vampire by Christopher Pike.:)
I can't wait until July 2009 when Tenth Grade Bleeds coming out, and if i have a Advanced copy of it, i think it would make my collection of vampire novels even more bone chilling. I would also love to sink my teeth into more adventures off Vladimir Tod.
Brieanne :]

Anonymous said...

awesome i defintely wnt my copy of tenth grade bleeds!!!!

my favorite vamp book is probably the fifth book in Darren Shan's Cirqu Du Freak series. I just loved how the trials of death interwined with Darren and him being a half-vampire.

well anyway this is my fav vamp book

hope i win

David(redhed)

Anonymous said...

Hmm.
I love your books and I really want an advanced copy.

Well, I don't exactly have a favorite but I LOVE Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber, Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, The Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine, The BloodCoven series by Mari Mancusi, The Vampire Diaries by L.J Smith and the House of Night series by P.C Cast and Kristen Cast..Oh! And Evernight by Claudia Gray.

Anonymous said...

I don't really have a favorite, but out of the few I've read I really enjoyed Vampire Kisses, by Ellen Shreiber, and of course The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod! ^_^ If manga counts as well (which, since Vampire Knight was mentioned, I assume it might?) I've got to go with Vassalord; so much vampire-y goodness, along with great art of course!

HylianVampire said...

Oh. that would be so cool to win an ARC of Tenth Grade Bleeds. Especially since i'm in tenth grade right at the moment. it doesn't come out until after i finish this year...

I've read most of those books listed there: Twilight, Tantalize, Anne Rice, Cirque du Freak, and im watching the anime Vampire Knight right now :) (and, of course, the chronicles of vladimir tod).

My favorite vampire series has probably got to be Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith. They're so good, and I love her idea of a vampire. Twilight series was REALLY good, also, but i wasn't a huge fan of the "sparkly vampire" theme. the writing was better than that of Smith's, though.

-moriah
hylianvampire @ hotmail . com

Anonymous said...

Cirque du freak, and the Chronicles of Vladimir tod are definatley my favorite.

Vampire knight is pretty good too. (except for Yuki...)


Advance copy. :D

HylianVampire said...

but yuuki is sweet!! she reminds me, somewhat, of bella from Twilight. she even LOOKS like how i pictured bella. like EXACTLY. haha. i dont like Kaname. too serious. Zero is cool


and ive read Peeps. pretty good. Blue bloods is good too.
Of course, Vlad Tod is amazing :)

SertavisMetry said...

Well Really I won't lie, but I have not read any other Vampire Book. Only the Vladimir Tod Books, but I do have Favorite movies:"Interview With A Vampire", and,"Queen of the Damned" The "Chronicles of Vladimir Tod" is vampire the only book that has ever caught my attention.

SertavisMetry said...

Well Really I won't lie, but I have not read any other Vampire Book. Only the Vladimir Tod Books, but I do have Favorite movies:"Interview With A Vampire", and,"Queen of the Damned" The "Chronicles of Vladimir Tod" is vampire the only book that has ever caught my attention.

SertavisMetry said...

Oh sorry I am new at this posting stuff, huh Technology theses days.

Anonymous said...

I love your books my favorite vampire book of all time would have to be your 2nd one 9th grade slays! I relate to vlad so much, i am the emo kid at my school even though i don't think of myself that way. Your books have really turned me on the reading and i would love to have an advanced copy of your book! Befor your books i really thought reading to be a chore but now I LOVE IT! PLZ PICK ME

Joe said...

it would be an honor to win an advanced copy of your book! i'd probably die.

anyway my favorite book about vampires is definitley Vlad Tod. The comedy involved is hysterical and the horror is intense. It's perfect!

Have a fangtastic night!

Me said...

I would UTTERLY enjoy the third book of Vladimir Tod!!!!!

My favorite vampire book is the Twilight series, only because I love Bella and Edward’s romance with a little blood....
And my second two that are tied, is the House of Night series- Marked, Betrayed, Chosen, and Untamed; and Vladimir Tod!!!
Hence the reason I give my inclination to Vlad!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

John Ajvide Lindqvist's Let the Right One In.

Have a lovely day! :-)

Barbara W said...

My 12 year old son LOVES Vlad. He has already read the Eighth and Ninth grade books and is anxiously waiting for Tenth Grade Bleeds. I am so thankful he has inherited my love of books. He would FREAK if he could get an advanced copy of Tenth Grade Bleeds!! He is reading Twilight now but likes Vlad much much better since "it's not as mushy" LOL wait till hes a lovesick teenager!!! He begs me daily to preorder Tenth Grade for him but this would be soooo much better.

Anonymous said...

MY FAVORITE BOOK IS VERY WELL Dracula AND The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

Anonymous said...

my favorite vampire based book is the original Bram Stoker:Dracula
and The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod
and i also wish to read stephinie meyer TWILIGHT,ninth grade slays,and tenth grade bleeds

Vlad&MCRlover said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vlad&MCRlover said...

My favorite vampy book would definetly be the chronicles of vladimir tod, they were the books that got me into reading vampy books. Not saying it to suck up, i mean it =):

Anonymous said...

Dude... vampire books are the best books possible to read. I love the awesome suspense that comes from many all of them. Like in 9th Grade Slays and in Cirque Du Freak how close the characters are to getting killed! INTENSE!!!

TakeMyHeart216 said...

i would love to get an advanced copy!!
my favorite vampire book would be.... Dracula or Vladimir Tod. but probably more of Vlad.

Paradox said...

I can't choose my favorite! I just love reading (and writing) about vampires! I loved everything from Peeps to Twilight. I always like to see a new twist on vampire fiction!

Anonymous said...

Hmm...such a hard question!!! Peeps was a good book and Twilight was alright...I do love the Vampire Academy series and Silver Kiss was such a well written but sad story..but my favorite is still
Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer.

Bre1990 said...

I love Twilight and the marked series. The vampire kisses series is good too.

Anonymous said...

Normally i would be a "suck up"(pun intended) and say "Well my favorite has to be the Vladimir Tod series!" but not this time(forgive me Heather). I would say my favorite was a tie between Sunshine and The Twilight series. Sunshine because of the big and long descriptive words which i could never pronounce. Also since it was a well thought out and planned book(if you have read it you may know what i mean). Then the Twilight series because the characters were awesome,i really loved the personalities. Even though i'am a guy i also liked the romance nad how it was played out in the book. So that's why there is a tie (at least for me)between these books.

Anonymous said...

i would have to say that my favorit vamp books is a tie between the twilight saga and the conicals of vladamiri tod but i've only read like four others and they were just horibul

Anonymous said...

i would have to say that my favorit vamp books is a tie between the twilight saga and the conicals of vladamiri tod but i've only read like four others and they were just horibul

Anonymous said...

I love the chronicles of vladivostok tod but only read the first book and the cirque la freak sega

Anonymous said...

i ment eighth grade bites (only ong read out of the chronicles) and the cirque de freak sega

Anonymous said...

Of course my favorite vamp book is Eighth Grade Bites followed by the fangtastic Ninth Grade Slays but the rest of the list follows.
3. Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn
4. The Entire Vampire Kisses series by Ellen Schreiber
I would love an early copy of Tenth Grade Bleeds. If I were a vamp. I'd turn over in my grave. Anyway, I love the entire Vladimir Tod Legacy and can't wait for the next book.

Unknown said...

i have read many vampipre series but all fail in comparison to heathers " the chronicles of vladimir todd"

breezyj said...

I would love an advanced copy of tenth grade bleeds because the books rock.

Right now I've read so many vampire books including twilight, and evernight which is a very good book in my opinion. To say the truth your books are some of the best I've read so far. I just love them. Just wating for this book is killing me and I really want it so bad. So it would be nice to have an advanced copy of the book.

Vampirecollin said...

I would very much love to read your next book. I am very interested in vampires. I really liked the Twilight Books. They were very good because they weren't about the old vampires that die in the sun and can only live off humans and all vampires are evil. I endded up reading them all in three days.I also read a book called In the Forest of the Night witch was ok but needed more action. But I liked the Vladimir Tod books even more. The same things were with that as in Twilight, kind of like a new and improved race of vampires that arn't all bad. Te book were very exciting and i absolutly love all books that have vampires in them. I think I'm going to write my own vampire books and see if antone likes them. Well I hope I win and even if I don't I'm deffinatly going to buy it. Thanks for reading.

Book Girl5 said...

I have a LOT of vampire books I like.Twilight WAS my favorite but that was in 7th grade...not trying to be a suck up of any thing but eighth grade bites now is.I started it at like 8 at night and finished it by the tine I went to sleep same thing with ninth grade slays!It's soo good,not many vampire books have the vampire telling the story!Aslo how vlad tells the story, its so discripted its like i'm vlad(even though i"m a girl,lol)your books even got my avode at all cost brother reading them!We even fought who got to read tenth grade bleeds frist when it comes out!I was so proud of him(i'm a huge book nerd).Hope I didn't spell any thing wrong or miss poncherate any thing eather.(^_^)

Book Girl5 said...

I have a LOT of vampire books I like.Twilight WAS my favorite but that was in 7th grade...not trying to be a suck up of any thing but eighth grade bites now is.I read it in one night same with ninth grade slays.It's soo good,not many vampire books have the vampire telling the story!Aslo how vlad tells the story, its so discripted its like i'm vlad(even though i"m a girl,lol)your books even got my avode reading at all cost brother reading them!We even fought who got to read tenth grade bleeds frist when it comes out!I was so proud of him(i'm a huge book nerd).Hope i didn't spell any thing wrong or miss poncherate any thing eather.(^_^)

Book Girl5 said...

I have a LOT of vampire books I like.Twilight WAS my favorite but that was in 7th grade...not trying to be a suck up of any thing but eighth grade bites now is.I read it in one night samr eith ninth grade slays.It's soo good,not many vampire books have the vampire telling the story!Aslo how vlad tells the story, its so discripted its like i'm vlad(even though i"m a girl,lol)your books even got my avode reading at all cost brother reading them!We even fought who got to read tenth grade bleeds frist when it comes out!I was so proud of him(i'm a huge book nerd).Hope i didn't spell any thing wrong or miss poncherate any thing eather.(^_^)

Anonymous said...

Favorite vampire books...um...I have too many. I actually have a shelf filled with vampire books. :D Well, I LOVE Vampire Kisses, Vampire Academy series, your wonderful series, Twilight, Vampire Diaries, The Silver Kiss (I love this book). I also, hate to say though, that Blood and Chocolate's is NOT a vampire related book. in ANYWAY. It's a werewolf book though. : ) I also have to say that most of the vampire books I pick up are just me picking them off of interest. However, I have loved them sense and am still reading them over and over again. *I sometimes have to explain scenes to my friend's because I'm such a vampire nerd*

Anonymous said...

My favorite vampire books are yours, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod,of course. But I guess Twilight comes in a close second.
they are realy good books if you enjoy vampires, even all the guys as well as I enjoy them. Your books are the best for me though. I loved 8th grade bites so much i read it 4 times in 2 days! I couldn't put it down. i missed lunch one day cuz i was to busy reading it. I can,t wait until
TENTH GRADE BLEEDS comes out this summer!!! I need more of your books like Vlad needing blood!

Anonymous said...

i have two favorite vampire stories. First of all is Twilight, mostly because i found it first. But i love just as equally Vladimir Tod. I love vampires since i was really young. My first film interaction with them was The Little Vampire on Disney Channel one year. Then when i was seven my dad had me watch Bram Stolkers Dracula. I was normal for a few years, then Twilight, then i realized just how much vampires were a part of my life haha! either way i would love Tenth Grade Bleeds! I'm in love with Vlad!

Anonymous said...

I have to get a copy of Tenth grade Bleeds early. My favorite book though would actually be 9th grade slays and I dont suck up it was an awesome book!!!!!!!!

Moonlightwatcher_15 said...

OK I'm not gonna say that I would die, kill, love, grovel, beg etc.(even though I would.) for a copy of Tenth Grade Bleeds.

I so many favorite vampire books it is so hard to choose!
But I would have to say the Dracula wins it.I mean it is the classic. With Transivaiya the castle, wolves, dead on ships...
Ok, maybe I'm going on to much. But still I love it dracula in his blood sucking glory. Oh and I heard that Bram Stokers great, great great (I think.)nephew is making a sequel to Dracula!
YAY!! Thanks for your time!!

Anonymous said...

This Is Martina Meng from the famous St.Louis Missouri but my fav vampire books are between these 4 Of Course vlad is in the top 2 who are equally perfect the other that is vs off against vlad happens to be the Twilight saga I'd made list of these two books they just don't have flaws and are extremly great so can't choose but the 3rd and 4th books are the also famous Vampire academy and vampire knight (even though vampire knight is a manga) who doen't love those which i must thank heather for recommending both she has a knack for books but anyway those are the best vampire books i know and man there hard to choose between but like i said the top 2 which i can't choose between is Twilight and The awsome vladimir todd who has the everyday problems like us kids but just happens to be an awsome vampire wait a second that is another one for vald sure edward can do everythin a looker everyone loves him superstrength but vlad has to live like us more than edward well back to that list Edward Vs Vlad :)= Martina M Yours in eternity.

Anonymous said...

I would kill for a copy of that book.(maybe not kill but severely injure):)

My fave vampire book is dracula. It is a classic book so that scores points with my parents. Its the only reason I got to read it. Like Gerb said its cool to read about how authors interpret vampires.

Rae said...

Alright i'm not gonna lie, my favorite is ninth grade slays. What can i say? it's a great read. anywho here's to hopin with the advanced copy thing.

Anonymous said...

welp my favorite or favorites would have to be the chronicals of vladimir tod series its just awsome x33

Anonymous said...

I picked up the first book and couldnt put either down until i finished the second. Its safe to say the chronicles of vladimir tod is by far my favorite vampire book.

Anonymous said...

I picked up the first book and couldnt put either down until i finished the second. Its safe to say the chronicles of vladimir tod is by far my favorite vampire book.

Anonymous said...

Oh.....DEFINETLY
EIGHTH GRADE BITES by Heather Brewer..
Can't wait to read the next books!!

Anonymous said...

Not sure when this contest ends so here's hoping that I made the deadline b/c I would seriously enjoy an advance copy of vlad... I have so many that I love that I don't want to say I have a 'favorite' b/c that just wouldn't be fair, so the book that I want to pimp out would be..."Vampire High" I really enjoyed it. I laughed (out loud) so much that my family I'm sure thought I was loosing it. I've recommended the book to others who also enjoyed it and we always use funny comments from it daily.

Memafala said...

OMgosh that would be awesome. TIE TIE TIE
My favorite Vampire book would obviously have to be The chronicals of Vladimir Tod.No seriously I have forced ever single one of my friends to read it and they all love it and pass it on. Lol Honestly I have no idead where my copies of the first to are, alls I know is some one has them.
Tied with Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schrieber. And of coure Cirque Du Freak by Darren Shan (I have more interest in series)

Anonymous said...

all i've read (witch are too numerous to list) when i got 8th grade bites i couldn't wait to read it my mom said i couldn't read it untill i finnished the other books i was reading. so i let my cousin read it. (she's now hooked on vampire books) she's a slow reader so when she put the book down i took it and climbed a tree. i read it in about 3hours and absoloutly loved it. i haven't read 9th grade slays yet because my mom says i read to much. my dad said he'd get it for me when it comes out in paperback random question: why do they call it "paperback" when it's all made out of papper. cant wait to read it.

Anonymous said...

hmm, my favorite's are Vladimir Tod [9th grade slays]

and Twilight [Eclipse]
:D

deathshadow7127 said...

Hmm, my favorite vampire novel would have to be...I don't know, it's either the Twilight Saga or The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. I think I'm leaning more toward Vlad books though, there's something about Vlad that I love and that makes me want to read every single book that will be made.

KrystenAnnie Cardman said...

Omg I Love love love love love 9th Grade Slays and then, ya know of course, Twilight!!! NightWorlds kick ass tooo.... The House of Nightr Series..... There's probably more... Eigth Grade Bites got me hooked on vampires....

Vlad is amazing :)

Anonymous said...

I loved your chronicles of vladimir tod. here's a vamp book not mentioned by anyone so far- The Historian. It's a very involved book with a lot of history in it about Vlad Tepes, or Drakuyla,dracula, drakula however you care to spell it. I freaked when you mentioned it in eighth grade bites(omg! someone else knows about him{actually he was prince of wallachia, which combined with transylvainia to form romania})It's a hard read though. not my fav., but good. my favs were the twilight saga, Demon in My View, and blue bloods. the hightest reccomendation i can give is to reread a book(and reread and reread)i reread 8th grade bites now i will tell my frieds about it.

Anonymous said...

i'd do anything to get an advance copy of this book :)

before i read the series of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod i also got addicted to the series of twilight by: Stephenie Meyer...but seriously right now I'm seriously addicted to Vlad