Keep Your Garlic and Wooden Stake Handy for These 25 Chilling Vampire Novels

Ever since the publication of Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1897, readers have been gripped by tales of blood-sucking fiends. Fascination with the vampire genre has led to countless vampire movies and TV shows — including Vampire Diaries, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood, and of course, Twilight — but you may not realize just how many of your favorite undead characters were inspired by novels. From romance to horror to science fiction, vampire books run the gamut from sensual to seriously terrifying, and if you're looking for a new novel to sink your teeth into, then you can't go wrong with the pick below.

Maybe you have an appetite for a star-crossed love story between a mortal and a blood-thirsty seducer, or perhaps you're looking for a terrifying tale about a town haunted by a member of the undead. Whatever you're in the mood for consuming, these vampire novels are even better than the horror movies they inspired — though don't be surprised if you find yourself sleeping with the light on after reading.