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Quick answer: If you liked The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, read Eighth Grade Bites as the first book, then try Cirque du Freak, Vampire Academy, The Vampire Diaries and Hex Hall. All pair school drama with vampires and humor.
Heather Brewer's series follows Vlad Tod, a teen who hides that he is half vampire while dealing with bullies and a mysterious past. The books below share that mix of school life, secrets and monsters. Most are for ages 10 and up, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eighth Grade Bites | Heather Brewer | 10–14 | the series starter |
| Ninth Grade Slays | Heather Brewer | 10–14 | series readers |
| Cirque du Freak | Darren Shan | 10–14 | boy-vampire adventure |
| Vampire Academy | Richelle Mead | Teen | school plus vampires |
| The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening | L.J. Smith | Teen | love triangles |
| Twilight | Stephenie Meyer | Teen | paranormal romance |
| House of Night: Marked | P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast | Teen | school and mythology |
| Evernight | Claudia Gray | Teen | gothic boarding school |
| Blue Bloods | Melissa de la Cruz | Teen | glitzy city vampires |
| Glass Houses | Rachel Caine | Teen | vampire towns |
| Vampire Kisses | Ellen Schreiber | Teen | light reads |
| Hex Hall | Rachel Hawkins | Teen | funny paranormal |
| Beautiful Creatures | Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl | Teen | Southern gothic |
| Bunnicula | Deborah and James Howe | 7–11 | younger vampire fans |
| Dracula | Bram Stoker | Adult | vampire origins |
1. Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer
The first Vlad Tod book introduces the teen and his school troubles. Start here if you haven't read it.
Best for: the series starter.
2. Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer
The second book adds new enemies and friends. Fast and funny.
Best for: series readers.
3. Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan
A boy joins a freak show and becomes a vampire's assistant. Dark, quick and popular.
Best for: boy-vampire adventure.
4. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Rose and Lissa return to a vampire boarding school. Sharp and fast.
Best for: school plus vampires.
5. The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by L.J. Smith
Elena is drawn into a love triangle between two vampire brothers. The books that inspired the TV show.
Best for: love triangles.
6. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Bella moves to Forks and falls for a vampire named Edward. The book that defined the genre.
Best for: paranormal romance.
7. House of Night: Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Zoey is Marked as a fledgling vampyre and sent to a special school. Dramatic and fast.
Best for: school and mythology.
8. Evernight by Claudia Gray
Bianca attends a school with a secret and meets a mysterious classmate. Gothic and romantic.
Best for: gothic boarding school.
9. Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
Rich Manhattan teens discover they are vampires. Glamorous and gossipy.
Best for: glitzy city vampires.
10. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
A girl moves to a town run by vampires. Quick and funny.
Best for: vampire towns.
11. Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber
A goth girl falls for a vampire in her small town. Short and sweet.
Best for: light reads.
12. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
A teen witch is sent to a boarding school for supernatural kids. Funny and snappy.
Best for: funny paranormal.
13. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
A boy falls for a girl from a magical Southern family. Atmospheric and romantic.
Best for: Southern gothic.
14. Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe
A family's pet rabbit may be a vampire. Silly and funny, for younger readers.
Best for: younger vampire fans.
15. Dracula by Bram Stoker
A Transylvanian count travels to England. Told through letters and diaries, with plenty of dread.
Best for: vampire origins.
How to Choose
To continue the series, read the Vlad Tod books in order. For more vampire school stories, Vampire Academy and Evernight. For funny stories, Hex Hall and Bunnicula. For a classic, Dracula. Check ages, since the series is darker for younger readers. Read these as a series if you can, because the plot builds, but each one is fast. Younger readers may enjoy the humor, while older teens may prefer the darker books in the list. A school or library often keeps the whole set, so ask for the next book before you finish. If your teen likes this series, ask a librarian for new releases in paranormal fiction, since the genre changes quickly and new series appear each year.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod about?
Vlad is a teen half-vampire who hides his nature in school while a vampire hunter and a mysterious past threaten him.
How many Vlad Tod books are there?
Five main novels, from Eighth Grade Bites to Twelfth Grade Kills.
What age is it for?
About 10 to 14.
Is there a movie?
No film adaptation has been released.
Is it like Twilight?
Both feature teen vampires, but Vlad Tod is funnier and more focused on school life.
Who is Vlad Tod?
A teen who is half human and half vampire, and he drinks blood bags from his guardian's blood supply.
Who is Henry?
Vlad's best friend, who becomes his ally against bullies.
Is Vladimir Tod scary?
It has spooky moments, but its tone is mostly funny and school-focused.
How old do you have to be?
The books suit about ages 10 and up.
Are the later books darker?
Yes. The series grows more serious as Vlad's past is revealed.
Who wrote Vladimir Tod?
Heather Brewer, an American author of young adult horror.