Books Like Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter
From Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Anne Rice’s Lestat, vampires have always fascinated readers. Some depict them as undead monsters that prey upon the living, while others, such as Twilight, attempt to portray them in a more sympathetic light. However, for as long as there have been tales about vampires, there have also been stories of those brave enough to hunt them down. One of the most famous is Abraham Van Helsing, as popularized in the many adaptations of Dracula, but plenty of others have taken up the mantle of vampire hunter since. For example, the popular long-running Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton features a heroine working as a legal vampire executioner. For more stories of women stepping into the roles of huntresses, check out the following books Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter.
Skinwalker
by Faith Hunter
Skinwalker is the first book in the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter. The protagonist, Jane Yellowrock, a skinwalker of Cherokee descent, is the last of her kind. She can turn into any creature she desires and uses her special skills to hunt vampires for a living. However, she receives an unusual request from Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans. Katherine is the madam of Katie’s Ladies and wants to hire Jane to hunt down a powerful rogue vampire who has been killing other vampires.
Minion
by L.A. Banks
Minion is the first novel in the Vampire Huntress Legend Series by L. A. Banks. By day Damali Richards is a Spoken Word artist and the top act for Warriors of Light Records. However, after dark, she hunts the types of predators that people believe are myth or fantasy, such as vampires. Things become personal when a group of rogue vampires begins killing the artists of Warriors of Light as well as their rival, Blood Music. In contrast to the typical vampire killings, the deaths are especially brutal, and the bodies are mutilated beyond recognition. This leads Damali to uncover that the killer is one of the most powerful vampires she has ever met and that he is coming for her next.
Sanctum
by Delizhia Jenkins
The protagonist of Sanctum by Delizhia Jenkins was supposed to be the “Chosen One” and the next in a long line of vampire hunters. Unfortunately, vampires have entirely taken over the world and forced what remains of humanity into the shadows. Their only refuge is a hidden city named Sanctum, but when their sources of blood reach depletion, the vampires begin scouring the earth in search of more. The only thing standing between them and Sanctum might be a broken Huntress faced with a choice between protecting what’s left of humanity or standing and watching as it all burns.
The Rest Falls Away
by Colleen Gleason
The Rest Falls Away is the first book in The Gardella Vampire Hunters series by Colleen Gleason. It is set in 19th-century London, where Lady Victoria Gardella is preparing for her debut into London Society. However, she is shocked to learn that she is one of the very few people left with the power to hunt and slay the evil vampires infesting the city. Despite the societal restrictions and expectations facing women of the time, Victoria agrees to shoulder the responsibilities and take on the mantle of a vampire hunter. Unfortunately, juggling the expectations of her mother and her new obligations is not easy, especially after coming face to face with the most powerful vampire in history.
The Breathing Ghosts
by Eleanor Keane
The Breathing Ghosts by Eleanor Keane is the story of Rowan Oakwood, an eighteen-year-old who isn’t quite like other girls. She is an orphan who is the first and last female vampire hunter of her line. Although she can barely control her magic, she is forced to hunt vampires but finds herself the target of a cold-hearted and cunning one named Virgil Valvayne. However, while Rowan knows that she has no choice but to kill Virgil, she also finds herself drawn to his beautiful and reclusive sister, Violet.
Evil’s Unlikely Assassin
by Jenn Windrow
Evil’s Unlikely Assassin is an Alexis Black Novel by Jenn Windrow. The titular heroine never wanted to be a vampire, so she jumps at the chance of becoming human again offered to her by an angel. However, the iron-clad contract she signed without reading the fine print stipulates that she has to kill one vampire, werewolf, or creepy-crawly every night for fifty years. If she succeeds, she will regain her humanity, but the punishment for refusal is death. Unfortunately, there might not be a humanity to return to when a vampire hellbent on revenge threatens her city.
The Vampire Hunter’s Academy
by Delizhia Jenkins
The Vampire Hunter’s Academy: The Darkness by Delizhia Jenkins is the tale of Sanaya Scott, Sanaya is the newest and most powerful Slayer born in this millennium and the first ever of her kind to be admitted into the Academy. It is a place situated in Vatican City responsible for training those who possess gifts within the realms of the supernatural. Although street-smart and independent, Sanya is also a bit of a loner, and her abilities leave her isolated among her peers. However, when a Master Vampire sets his site on The Vampire Hunters Academy, Sanaya has to find a way to balance coming into her own while also protecting those she was destined to protect.
