Here are 74 books that Vampire Hunter D Volume 1 fans have personally recommended if you like Vampire Hunter D Volume 1. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Dracula

Mike Maggio Author Of Woman in the Abbey

From my list on gothic novels that usurped my literary soul.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been writing for more than 40 years, and while I don’t normally write gothic literature, it is a genre that has fascinated me since my early youth. While I have written a couple of gothic or horror short stories, I tend to write other types of literature. However, I was pulled into this novel by something I saw on the TV news, and so I put away the novel I was originally working on and set to work on this one instead. The setting and the characters immediately pulled me in. I hope that it’s mystery and unusual characters will do the same for you.

Mike's book list on gothic novels that usurped my literary soul

Mike Maggio Why Mike loves this book

I love this book so much, I have read it at least three times. It is a classic gothic novel with an eerie setting and interesting characters, including those with psychosis that add to the mystery of he novel.

While the film version is undoubtedly a classic, the novel is by far better.

By Bram Stoker ,

Why should I read it?

30 authors picked Dracula as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 17.

What is this book about?

'The very best story of diablerie which I have read for many years' Arthur Conan Doyle

A masterpiece of the horror genre, Dracula also probes identity, sanity and the dark corners of Victorian sexuality and desire. It begins when Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase a London house, and makes horrifying discoveries in his client's castle. Soon afterwards, disturbing incidents unfold in England - an unmanned ship is wrecked; strange puncture marks appear on a young woman's neck; a lunatic asylum inmate raves about the imminent arrival of his 'Master' - and a determined group of adversaries…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of Interview with the Vampire

M.J. Hearle Author Of Winter's Shadow

From my list on novels featuring vampires that definitely don’t sparkle.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up very pale in a sun-washed Australian coastal town, I often found myself retreating to the cool shadows. It was in the darkness that I felt most at home—which may be why I’ve always been drawn to stories with a darker edge. My fascination with creatures in those frightening tales—immortal, dark, and possessed of terrible appetitesled to Winter’s Shadow, my debut YA novel, and the reason I still write today. I love books that blur the line between horror and the mundane—tales that feel like nightmares recalled in the comforting light of day. These are the stories that linger, and this list is a love letter to them.

M.J.'s book list on novels featuring vampires that definitely don’t sparkle

M.J. Hearle Why M.J. loves this book

When I first read Interview with the Vampire (I was 12), I was struck by how Anne Rice made darkness beautiful. The mood, the grief, the sensuality—it all felt so rich and strange and alive.

I didn’t just want to read about Louis and Lestat; I wanted to live inside that shadowed world, however painful. The power of her vampires was alluring, even as their sadness confused me. How could being immortal be such a torment?

This book taught me that supernatural fiction could be poetic, philosophical, even transcendent. There’s a reason this novel endures.

It made me want to write stories where beauty and horror dance together in candlelight.

By Anne Rice ,

Why should I read it?

21 authors picked Interview with the Vampire as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Anne Rice, this sensuously written spellbinding classic remains 'the most successful vampire story since Bram Stoker's Dracula' (The Times)

In a darkened room a young man sits telling the macabre and eerie story of his life - the story of a vampire, gifted with eternal life, cursed with an exquisite craving for human blood.

When Interview with the Vampire was published the Washington Post said it was a 'thrilling, strikingly original work of the imagination . . . sometimes horrible, sometimes beautiful, always unforgettable'. Now, more than forty years since its release, Anne…


Book cover of Carmilla

S.H. Cotugno Author Of The Glass Scientists

From my list on a spicy queer romp through history.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a queer, nonbinary author and lover of historical fiction, I’ve spent countless hours thinking about how to tell stories I care about in a genre that has traditionally excluded people like me. We all know that life was hard for LGBTQ+ folks growing up in, well, basically any time in recent history. There’s a time and place for realistic depictions of those hardships, but we also need space to imagine ourselves in more joyful, fantastical depictions of the past. After all, if straight people can enjoy Jane Austen without thinking too hard about the legal rights of women during that era, why can’t queer people do the same? 

S.H.'s book list on a spicy queer romp through history

S.H. Cotugno Why S.H. loves this book

Have you ever read Dracula and thought, “What if the vampire were a lady? An extremely gay lady?” That’s Carmilla in a nutshell!

The story actually predates Bram Stoker’s tale by several years, making it a neat little literary artifact on its own, but this isn’t some dry historical text. It is, in fact, super heckin’ horny, to the point that I would strongly advise against listening to the audiobook with, say, your parents or other unsuspecting cishets in the room. It’s gonna get awkward.

It’s also fairly short, making for an easy, steamy bedtime read for anyone who’d like to imagine themself as a waifish little lass ravaged nightly by your lesbian vampire BFF. 

By J. Sheridan Le Fanu ,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Carmilla as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her ailing father for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest - the beautiful Carmilla.

So begins a feverish friendship between Laura and her mysterious, entrancing companion. But as Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day...

Pre-dating Dracula by twenty-six years, Carmilla is the original vampire story, steeped in sexual tension and gothic romance.


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of Hellsing Volume 1

Michael B. Chikondi Author Of Like Father, Like Son: Idle Hands, Book 1

From my list on reads for a slice-of-life, classical Vampire story.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was abandoned in the woods, and raised by bats. I’ve thought vampires were pretty cool. I’ve never met one outside of government, but they are a unique part of folklore. A spiritual throwback to how pagan beliefs were affected by Christianity, including the fear of losing your soul, and an echo of physical fears; death, blood loss, and disease. To me, vampires represent even more; the predatory mentality found in humanity, and things we wish to ignore about ourselves. Being concerned about the way humanity in general responds to shady and unaccountable powers, it seemed the natural next step was to write about mystery-solving vampires.

Michael's book list on reads for a slice-of-life, classical Vampire story

Michael B. Chikondi Why Michael loves this book

These are so fun, violent (especially if you watch the animated version) but it’s full of cool characters. It’s scary enough to be edgy, but not scary enough to make you paranoid there’s someone in the house before bedtime. I’d say these are fairly classical vampires. When they fight or Ally with the Catholic Church they’re powerful opponents/players.

Not only does it have classic action manga…things? (Will I sound smarter if I say tropes?) It’s also got its cute interactions between characters outside of work, showing their relationships, humour, the organisation, and their allies. It’s over the top, but what’s the point in vampires if they can’t be dramatic and moody about things?

By Kohta Hirano ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hellsing Volume 1 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

There's a secret organization somewhere in England created to defend the Queen and country from monsters of all sorts. Yes, it's hard to believe in this day and age... but really, isn't this the true age of monsters? Enter Hellsing, an agency, long in tooth, with the experience, know-how, and... er... equipment to handle the problems that arise when vampires, ghouls, and the like take on these dark forces. "What equipment?" you may say. How about another vampire, and a big pistol loaded with special silver bullets? That oughta do the trick. But what really knocks 'em dead is the…


Book cover of Coffin: The Art of Vampire Hunter D

Mina Petrović Author Of Manga Crash Course Fantasy: How to Draw Anime and Manga, Step by Step

From my list on inspiring manga art.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a long-time manga teacher and a pop-culture researcher, as well as a comic illustrator and a Youtuber, presenting under the "Mistiqarts" pseudonym. Since manga was something that inspired me early on to dedicate my life to the art style and pop culture, I was constantly looking for new ways to bring this lifestyle and art to other people interested in drawing manga.  

Mina's book list on inspiring manga art

Mina Petrović Why Mina loves this book

Speaking of video-game and anime industry pioneers, it would be a complete miss not to mention Yoshitaka Amano, a man whose personal style marked the entire legendary Final Fantasy franchise, after which I was delighted to learn that he also did the original illustrations of my all-time favorite anime "Vampire Hunter D". His imaginative dynamic visuals are as equally beautiful as they are simple, and yet he keeps shocking with his ability to perfectly fuse traditional imagery with sci-fi buildings and details.

By Yoshitaka Amano ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Coffin as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Rare book


Book cover of The Sandman: The Dream Hunters

K. Bird Lincoln Author Of Tiger Lily

From my list on fantasy if you’re hungry for romantic kitsune lore.

Why am I passionate about this?

I used to steal Tolkien and Piers Anthony books from my older brother’s bookcase and burn through library world mythology sections like a ravenous beast. When I reached college in the 1990s, I realized “world” mythology had usually meant “Western” myths, and that’s when I became a Japanese Studies major and dove headfirst into feudal Japan: kitsune, dragons, dream-eaters, tengu, and other fantastical creatures. I was in love. Perfectly natural that when I started writing novels, my brain conjured romantic fantasy based on East Asian myths. Hope you’re ready to fall in love as well, with the Japanese version of fox spirits—kitsune!

K.'s book list on fantasy if you’re hungry for romantic kitsune lore

K. Bird Lincoln Why K. loves this book

I fell in bittersweet love with the kitsune from Gaiman’s retelling of a classic Japanese tale. A badger and fox wager that they can drive a monk from his temple. The fox turns into a woman to woo him—and falls in love.

The story is haunting, but Amano’s dreamy illustrations make it unforgettable. While the other authors are all Western-raised, this version of kitsune comes to life from a specific Japanese fable and the pen of a Japanese illustrator. A classic not to be missed. 

By Neil Gaiman , Yoshitaka Amano (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Sandman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A humble young monk and a magical, shape-changing fox find themselves romantically drawn together. As their love blooms, the fox learns of a devilish plot by a group of demons and a Japanese emperor to steal the monk's life.

One of the most popular and critically acclaimed graphic novels of all time, Neil Gaiman's award-winning masterpiece The Sandman set the standard for mature, lyrical fantasy in the modern comics era. Illustrated by an exemplary selection of the medium's most gifted artists, the series is a rich blend of modern and ancient mythology in which contemporary fiction, historical drama, and legend…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Dark

Julie Embleton Author Of Bound

From my list on not-your-usual vampire, werewolf, and witch.

Why am I passionate about this?

The idea of paranormal beings living amongst us makes me irrationally giddy. It constantly distracts me as I wonder how they blend into society and live behind their closed doors. Happy to explore these possibilities, I love to read and write books where wolves, vamps, and witches are put through the wringer as they navigate a world that’s sometimes hidden, and other times not. Tenacious females, gutsy heroes, and heinous villains inhabit my dark paranormal and epic fantasy realms, but with added twists that make them not-your-usual paranormal tales. When not torturing my characters, I can be found reading tarot as I live my own otherworldly life in Dublin, Ireland. 

Julie's book list on not-your-usual vampire, werewolf, and witch

Julie Embleton Why Julie loves this book

Ever wonder what would happen if paranormal beings were ousted on social media? Kinney explores this enticing idea in her Texas Shifter series, where she’s created a gritty new existence for vamps and wolves. With one of the MCs a freshly-bitten hot mess, and desperate to avoid eating her family, she seeks help from her equally troubled (and broody) ex. Cue the drama, sass, chemistry, and steam. What I enjoyed most is how the more hard-hitting, sobering themes of this book are balanced out by the spice and sarcasm. But best of all? No damsel in distress! 

By Kat Kinney ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hayden Crowe fronts an all-girls band down in Austin, Texas. Between tending bar so her sister can stay in school and dealing with the fallout after their addict father skipped town, she hasn’t exactly had time to join the social media freak out over the recent outing of vampires and werewolves.

Her world comes crashing down the night she’s attacked in an alley after a gig and bitten by a feral werewolf. Unable to return home for fear of hurting her sister, and with a message scrawled across her arm warning HOSPITALS NOT SAFE, Hayden is left with just one…


Book cover of The Arrival Reawakened

Julie Embleton Author Of Bound

From my list on not-your-usual vampire, werewolf, and witch.

Why am I passionate about this?

The idea of paranormal beings living amongst us makes me irrationally giddy. It constantly distracts me as I wonder how they blend into society and live behind their closed doors. Happy to explore these possibilities, I love to read and write books where wolves, vamps, and witches are put through the wringer as they navigate a world that’s sometimes hidden, and other times not. Tenacious females, gutsy heroes, and heinous villains inhabit my dark paranormal and epic fantasy realms, but with added twists that make them not-your-usual paranormal tales. When not torturing my characters, I can be found reading tarot as I live my own otherworldly life in Dublin, Ireland. 

Julie's book list on not-your-usual vampire, werewolf, and witch

Julie Embleton Why Julie loves this book

A happy ever after is nice ‘n all, but sometimes I want angst and torture blocking the path of true love. The Children of The Morning Star series delivers that, plus more. Pavlik has crafted a complex, layered world, woven with religious dogma, which I could have taken at face value, but once I dwelt on the motives, beliefs, and loyalties of the characters (both good and bad) it left me contemplating the age-old battle between good and evil until the wee small hours. Lucifer’s vampires, created to aid the war effort between heaven and hell, strike a deal with God, and with this metaphorical handshake, chaos is unleashed. Way beyond the usual vampire trope, for me, this series has a whiff of the classical rising from its pages. 

By Kastie Pavlik ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Arrival Reawakened as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The small Midwestern town of Orison Crossing has a secret: it’s 2006 and a Civil War veteran has an office on Main Street. Sure, the townsfolk whisper all kinds of rumors, but when they say, “Bloodsucking lawyer,” they mean it literally.

Humans. Vampires. God. Lucifer.
One woman stands between them…and they all want her dead.

Orphaned in an accident ten years ago, Paresh Hawthorne returns to her childhood home and her reality shatters. Her uncle kidnapped her. The man who should have raised her, attorney Eric Ravenscroft, is a vampire. And she may not be as human as she thought.…


Book cover of Wicked Fate

E.Y. Kelley Author Of The Lies We Tell

From my list on the spicy fantasy genre.

Why am I passionate about this?

As someone who has never lived in my own world, but in the fantasy one, these books make you escape life’s trials and live vicariously. I’ve been in love with the fantastical characters since I was a small child, my first book love (and it will always be that way) wasn’t a handsome prince, but a monster wanting to be accepted. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein created a fictional monster inside me that left me wanting to find my own place outside the day to day of life’s redundancy and that is why I fell in love with Fantasy Fiction. I’m a mom, a partner, an activist, a survivor, a dreamer, and an author.

E.Y.'s book list on the spicy fantasy genre

E.Y. Kelley Why E.Y. loves this book

Stokes took me on a RH rollercoaster with this strong female lead and the mouth-watering trio of Monsterish men. This is a spicy read that will leave you wanting to join in on the chaos and revel in the badassery.

Fantasy RH books are growing more popular, and I feel as though this one can join the ranks of so many well-known series already out there. Monique keeps you on the edge as you twist and turn through the story, giving you plenty to love and despise about each character, and ending with you wanting book 2 sooner rather than later. 

By Monique Stokes ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Wicked Fate as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Three monsters are after Zada’s heart.

One is a vampire prince who’s been waiting for her for centuries.

She’s so beautiful, and she fits perfectly into his plans for the future as his bride. This world is changing, and they’ll rule it all. Together.

One is a hybrid, a mixture of bloodlines.

She’s fated to be his mate, and he’ll do anything to protect her. Being son of the lycan king, demon blood runs through his veins. But this has turned many against him—and her.

One is a demon tasked to protect her.

He knows she can never be his,…


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Book cover of Old Man Country

Old Man Country by Thomas R. Cole,

This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.

In these and other intimate conversations, the book…

Book cover of The Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore and Bar

Everlyn C Thompson Author Of Grave-Reaping Hermit

From my list on urban fantasy with unapologetic, flawed heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was born and raised on the beautiful Canadian prairies and prefer to spend my time outdoors with my family, kayaking, skating, fishing, and hunting. I love to read and write about vampires, witches, fae, and zombies that get to find their own version of happily ever after.

Everlyn's book list on urban fantasy with unapologetic, flawed heroines

Everlyn C Thompson Why Everlyn loves this book

 I love books that are told from a first-person point of view by a main character that is flawed yet lovable. Sam is easy to relate to. Throw in a sexy vampire love interest, and it was impossible to stop reading. Just the right ratio of mystery, suspense and romance. This is easily my favorite book to date.

By Seana Kelly ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore and Bar as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A “master class in storytelling and survival.” —Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)

Welcome to The Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore and Bar. I’m Sam Quinn, the werewolf book nerd in charge. I run my business by one simple rule: Everyone needs a good book and a stiff drink, be they vampire, wicche, demon, or fae. No wolves, though. Ever. I have my reasons.

I serve the supernatural community of San Francisco. We’ve been having some problems lately. Okay, I’m the one with the problems. The broken body of a female werewolf washed up on my doorstep. What makes sweat pool at the base…


Book cover of Dracula
Book cover of Interview with the Vampire
Book cover of Carmilla

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