My favorite books about vampires, werewolves, and things that go bump in the night

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a retired teacher. I’m fascinated with stories of scary creatures, especially vampires. As a child, I stayed up late watching Dracula movies. As I got older, my love for vampire movies continued. Some were scary. Some were comical. I enjoyed them all, well, at least most of them. I love stories about traditional vampires as well as those about vampires who are different from the typical stereotype. Vampire hunter stories also intrigue me. When I wrote The Voinico’s Daughter, I wanted to put my own unique twist on the vampire legends as it had been a dream of mine for a long time to write my own vampire story!


I wrote...

The Voinico's Daughter

By Sallie Cochren, Elsie Marie Cochren,

Book cover of The Voinico's Daughter

What is my book about?

Watch out, vampires! There's a new hunter in town!

Nicoleta will have to make her first kill soon. When she goes to Romania, she learns that her birthright is killing vampires. Adding to her problems, a powerful vampire has been waiting for her arrival. Varujan has anticipated that Nicoleta would eventually come to Romania since her parents are voinicos (people who have survived being bitten by a vampire). Anxious to get revenge on Nicoleta’s biological father for refusing to let Varujan turn him, Varujan has looked forward to killing Nicoleta. With his vampire companion, Antanasia, Varujan seems unstoppable. Will Nicoleta be ready for the battle that is inevitably coming? Whatever happens, one thing is certain. Nicoleta's life is never going to be the same again!

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Moonlight

Sallie Cochren Why did I love this book?

I have always been more interested in vampires than werewolves. But when I saw this book, I knew I had to give it a chance. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. The story follows Kayla, a young girl who takes a summer job as a wilderness guide. Kayla has no way of knowing how this job will change her life forever. She meets Lucas, a young man who she is drawn to. Little does she know that Lucas is indeed a werewolf or that her destiny is linked to his.

As I read this book, I was anxious to see what would happen next. It was definitely a page-turner! While it’s a young adult novel, I highly recommend it to anyone who likes stories about werewolves.

By Rachel Hawthorne,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

I see him and know what this turmoil inside of me means: He's the one. My forever. kayla is the nature lover, the all-American beauty who can't understand why she's so drawn to distant, brooding Lucas. Adopted as a young child, she has no way of knowing that she's inherited a terrifying-and thrilling-gene that will change her life forever. lucas is dangerous, gorgeous ...and a werewolf. As leader of the Dark Guardians, shape-shifters who gather deep within the state park, he has sworn to protect his pack. But when Lucas finds his true soul mate, his love could put them…


Book cover of Vampire Academy

Sallie Cochren Why did I love this book?

I love vampire books. When my friend recommended this one, I was instantly intrigued. The main character is Rose. Rose is a Dhampir, a person who protects the Moroi. There are two types of vampires, the Moroi and the Strigoi. The Strigoi are the typical, evil vampires. Rose’s friend, Lisa, is a Moroi. The story follows their friendship and the problems they encounter in their extraordinary lives.

This book hooked me into reading the entire series. It’s filled with suspense and action. The characters were well-developed. There are only a handful of book series that had me this engaged and wanting more. It is a young adult novel. But if you love vampire and vampire hunter books, I highly recommend this series!

By Richelle Mead,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Vampire Academy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Now a major TV series on SKY & NOWTV

ONLY A TRUE BEST FRIEND CAN PROTECT YOU FROM IMMORTAL ENEMIES . . .

Lissa Dragomir is a mortal vampire. She must be protected at all times from the fiercest and most dangerous vampires of all - the ones who will never die.

Rose Hathaway is Lissa's best friend - and her bodyguard.

Now, after two years of illicit freedom, they've been dragged back inside the iron gates of St. Vladimir's Academy. The girls must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night-time rituals. But above…


Book cover of Twilight

Sallie Cochren Why did I love this book?

I was a teacher when I first heard of this book. My class was at the library. The librarian was giving book talks to pique the students’ interest. When she talked about Twilight, I couldn’t wait to read it. For those who somehow haven’t heard of Twilight yet, it’s about a girl who falls in love with a vampire.

I liked that Twilight was different from any other vampire story I’d ever known. It was fun to read about vampires who didn’t want to kill people. The characters were all very intriguing. When I came to the end of the book, I was a little less than satisfied until I learned that it was the first in a series. To this day, Twilight is one of my favorite books.

By Stephenie Meyer,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked Twilight as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 13, 14, 15, and 16.

What is this book about?

When 17 year old Isabella Swan moves to Forks, Washington to live with her father she expects that her new life will be as dull as the town.

But in spite of her awkward manner and low expectations, she finds that her new classmates are drawn to this pale, dark-haired new girl in town. But not, it seems, the Cullen family. These five adopted brothers and sisters obviously prefer their own company and will make no exception for Bella.

Bella is convinced that Edward Cullen in particular hates her, but she feels a strange attraction to him, although his hostility…


Book cover of Look for Me by Moonlight

Sallie Cochren Why did I love this book?

I’ve read several books by this author. They are fairly short reads. The other books that I’ve read by this author are ghost stories. This one stood out because it wasn’t just a story about a ghost. It was also a story about a vampire. A young girl named Cynda goes to stay with her father and his new family in Maine. While there, she meets Vincent, an older man who turns out to be a vampire.

This book stayed true to the traditional image of evil vampires who prey on young women. There were times when I wanted to shout warnings to Cynda. The book was suspenseful. I was anxious to see how it would turn out. The ghost definitely added to the mystery of the story.

By Mary Downing Hahn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Look for Me by Moonlight as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

When Cynda goes to stay with her parents in their remote bed-and-breakfast on the coast, she finds that spooky legends abound there. However, when a mysterious stranger comes to stay, revealing himself to be a vampire, she realizes she will have to fight to save her family.


Book cover of Bloodline

Sallie Cochren Why did I love this book?

Being a Dracula fan, I was intrigued when I heard that Bloodline was its unofficial sequel. Bloodline is written in the form of journal entries and letters. While that isn’t my preferred writing style, it worked for this one. The story begins during World War I. The main character, John, sees some disturbing things concerning his regiment commander, Quincey. He doesn’t know why Quincey is so cruel but will understand in time. The mood was similar to the mood in Dracula. The vampire was the typical, evil vampire while the main character had to figure out what was going on and try to save the day. While not everything was resolved the way I wanted it to, I definitely enjoyed this novel and read the sequel also. I recommend it to people who like Dracula.

By Kate Cary,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Thirty-five years have passed since the death of the Master. But now a new evil walks among the living. . . .

When nineteen-year-old John Shaw returns from the trenches of World War I, he is haunted by nightmares—not only of the battlefield, but of the strange, cruel and impossible feats of his regiment's commander, Quincey Harker. Harker's ferocity knows no limits, and his strength is superhuman.

At first John blames his bloody nightmares on trench fever. But when Harker appears in England and begins wooing John's sister, John must confront the truth—and stop Harker from continuing Dracula's bloodline.


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Captain James Heron First Into the Fray: Prequel to Harry Heron Into the Unknown of the Harry Heron Series

By Patrick G. Cox, Janet Angelo (editor),

Book cover of Captain James Heron First Into the Fray: Prequel to Harry Heron Into the Unknown of the Harry Heron Series

Patrick G. Cox Author Of Ned Farrier Master Mariner: Call of the Cape

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

On the expertise I claim only a deep interest in history, leadership, and social history. After some thirty-six years in the fire and emergency services I can, I think, claim to have seen the best and the worst of human behaviour and condition. History, particularly naval history, has always been one of my interests and the Battle of Jutland is a truly fascinating study in the importance of communication between the leader and every level between him/her and the people performing whatever task is required.  In my own career, on a very much smaller scale, this is a lesson every officer learns very quickly.

Patrick's book list on the Battle of Jutland

What is my book about?

Captain Heron finds himself embroiled in a conflict that threatens to bring down the world order he is sworn to defend when a secretive Consortium seeks to undermine the World Treaty Organisation and the democracies it represents as he oversees the building and commissioning of a new starship.

When the Consortium employs an assassin from the Pantheon, it becomes personal.

Captain James Heron First Into the Fray: Prequel to Harry Heron Into the Unknown of the Harry Heron Series

By Patrick G. Cox, Janet Angelo (editor),

What is this book about?

The year is 2202, and the recently widowed Captain James Heron is appointed to stand by his next command, the starship NECS Vanguard, while she is being built. He and his team soon discover that they are battling the Consortium, a shadowy corporate group that seeks to steal the specs for the ship’s new super weapon. The Consortium hires the Pantheon, a mysterious espionage agency, to do their dirty work as they lay plans to take down the Fleet and gain supreme power on an intergalactic scale. When Pantheon Agent Bast and her team kidnap Felicity Rowanberg, a Fleet agent…


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