If you are like me, the Twilight Saga was an epic read that literally stuck with you forever. But now we’re stuck in the dilemma of what to read now? What was it about this collection of books that made it so epic? So hard to put down? I know I can re-read these books yearly and love them just as much as when they were first released. So let’s dig into the tropes and what makes this series so special.
First off, who doesn’t love a paranormal romance? The author hit all the fans with this bestselling vampire romance that gave you all the feels. Add in the love triangle, the supernatural aspects, and of course, the conflicts of forbidden love, and you are definitely on the right path for an epic read. Yes, I am an avid Twilight fan, but I haven’t found many books that interested me that same way or were as captivating.
So, I decided to go down the rabbit hole and look up lists other bloggers have made on books similar to Twilight. I then made it my mission to read those books and see what I thought. Here are a few of the posts I stumbled upon in my searches: She Reads, Owlcation, and Just Like Gilmore Girls. Each had a few suggestions that seemed interesting and worth a try.
I began my journey with this list in mind and also a list I found on Goodreads. I won’t be putting this in order of how I read but instead just listing them and letting you decide which you are interested in.
- Shadow Touched and Curse Touched by Becky Moynihan
A Touch of Vampire Series is finished; however, from what I have read in the first two books, I’m hooked. This book series has many of the same tropes as the Twilight Saga from the paranormal, supernatural, and even forbidden love. This book series is dealing with a girl who knew nothing of the paranormal world only to fall in love with a vampire prince who originally was supposed to capture her but ended up falling for her. This book is full of storyline twists and turns as Kenna and Lochlan navigate their forbidden love and the prophecy about her being a rare witch. This is a must-read series if you love a high school new student paranormal romance with plenty of action and adventure to keep you guessing. You can check out my review of Shadow Touched, Curse Touched, Fate Touched, and Sun Touched is out now.
This book is the first in the Fallen Series. This book has some of the similar tropes that Twilight offered like the supernatural and the new girl in school as well as the paranormal. This book deals with Fallen Angels instead of vampires. Luce is a new girl at school but a reincarnation of the lost love of Daniel. She is attending the Sword and Cross Reform School and doesn’t know, but suspects, about the supernatural. Eventually, it all comes out, and this book then moves on to others in this series with more epic battles between good fallen angels and bad ones. This book does include the love triangle trope and lots of dark themes. I didn’t find this book as interesting and wasn’t interested in reading more in this series. But you can check out my review of Fallen and maybe decide on this one for yourself.
3. Afterlife Saga by Stephanie Hudson
The Afterlife Saga by Stephanie Hudson is a twelve-book series that delves more into Fallen Angels, Demons, Hybrids, and more paranormal creatures. This saga is very long, and each book is packed with insane action, adventure, and dark themes. I find this saga to be similar to Twilight in that, again, we are dealing with a new girl in this town who is a special human to the Hybrid King. The first book does dabble in a love triangle and definitely deals in the paranormal and supernatural. Love isn’t forbidden, but it is complicated, and the main character is in college, young and human. I have enjoyed this series in its own right, but I haven’t finished it at this time. Kiera gets into a lot of trouble, and Dominic Draven must save his special girl. These books also get very steamy. You can check out my review of Afterlife and The Two Kings by Stephanie Hudson.
4. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
This is the first book in the six-book Vampire Academy Series. This book series is definitely a different take on vampires as it is not just one type. Instead, the author has two vampires against each other and then has the dhampir children being the hunted vampires’ guardians. Yes, she calls them by different names than vampires. Lissa and Andre, two female characters with a special bond, are the main focus of the storyline. This story does contain similar tropes to Twilight, with paranormal characters, supernatural abilities, and slow-burn romance. However, I just couldn’t get into this series. It didn’t contain that epic vampire romance I was looking for to satisfy my Twilight binge-reading.
5. Evermore: The Immortals by Alyssa Noel
I have to admit the storyline for this really drew me in. I was excited to see what this recommended series was about. Evermore is the first book in the Immortals Series. This book hits some of the tropes from Twilight, like the new girl at school, the forbidden love between a human and an immortal, and even the supernatural abilities. Unfortunately, the story of Ever and Damen, while interesting in the first book, lost me in the second. It was too much drama for my liking and too much fantasy as well. Damen, being an immortal, was similar to the vampire in his need for a special drink. Ever, having survived death, had some supernatural abilities that were intriguing. The two of them together were just too much, especially with all the odds against them. You can check out my review of Evermore and Blue Moon by Alyssa Noel.
6. Crave Series by Tracy Wolff
The Crave Series by Tracy Wolff was another suggested reading for fans of Twilight. This series has some similar tropes and paranormal characters. She definitely added her spin on this paranormal fiction. This book includes tropes like paranormal high school, supernatural abilities, the angsty male character who doesn’t want to be in love with the fated mate female, a love triangle between brothers, and a human-turned-paranormal character. Although that is where these similarities end, this series is epic in its own right. It also includes a heroine that doesn’t shy away from tons of action and adventure. Grace, Jaxson, and even Hudson become your new favorite characters as you read through this high school paranormal fiction. This series isn’t finished yet, with the fourth and fifth books coming in 2022. This is a must-read for me and one I will enjoy reading again. I have reviewed the books available in the Crave series so far and look forward to reading more of them as it releases.
7. The Marked Series by Bianca Scardoni
Inception is the first book in The Marked Series which includes seven books. This series absolutely includes similar tropes to Twilight. However, the author does add her own unique takes on them as well. The first two books that I read contain vampire-like characters, but they call themselves revenants. These books do contain high school paranormal romance, supernatural abilities, and a slow-burn romance. The main female character is saved a lot, so it might be too much drama for you, but she does get stronger over time. You also get a look at reapers, slayers, and hunters and including witches and wolf shifters. I find this series to include more action and adventure than Twilight, and I am still in the process of reading it. You can check out my review of Inception and Invidious.
8. The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R Ward
The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series is one of those on the recommended lists. So I figured I would give it a try. Unfortunately, I didn’t get very far. There was a glossary of terms that put me off completely and lent itself far more to worldbuilding a fantasy epic than the start of a paranormal series. They spent a lot of time reinventing the wheel, which really didn’t work for me. I do love the unique aspects of this series, but I just wasn’t ready to dive into a twenty-book series. There is a lot of talk about this series that is somewhat dystopian and includes things like different worlds and different characters from book to book. Trope-wise, in comparison to Twilight, I feel like this is more fantasy with a new twist on vampires and the supernatural. This one you will have to check out for yourself. I may read it eventually, but not at this time.
9. Prime Prophecy Series by Tamar Sloan
This series came up in an ad on Facebook. I decided to read it as it is advertised to be like Twilight. I read the first book Phrophecy Awakened, and I wasn’t disappointed it does have very similar tropes to Twilight, including the fated mates, forbidden love, and young adult high-school-age of characters. However, this book focuses on wolf shifters and human mates. The first book includes a lot of pack politics and young fears. But does end happily. It just didn’t inspire me to read the next book in the series, so you’ll have to decide for yourself, as it is very similar to the Twilight Saga.
10. Touched: The Complete Series
This series has come up in a number of advertisements as being ” like Twilight“. I decided to read the first book, Touched, and see what I thought. While this series does have similar tropes like supernatural, forbidden love, and the young adult genre. I felt like it was half a ghost story and half reality, and I couldn’t connect with the characters. The main characters are a reaper (angel for death) and a human girl. The story has very surreal qualities and lots of high school immaturity. This book didn’t inspire me to read the rest of the series, but you can decide for yourself, as the tropes are similar to Twilight.
11. The Divisa Series by J.L. Weil
This series was advertised as like Twilight, and by the blurb, I was interested enough to read it. This series begins with a bad boy paranormal neighbor and a new human student who happens to have some chemistry, but she knows nothing about the paranormal world. They have a very hot and cold romance. I did enjoy the mystery of what he was in the first book and why she mattered in the second, but by the third and fourth, the story became a repetitive action-packed paranormal fiction that didn’t hold my interest. The author does bring in young adult and new adult romance in these books as well as tropes such as forbidden love, supernatural and paranormal. This one you’ll have to read for yourself and decide.
12. Filthy Rich Vampire Series by Geneva Lee Albin
This book series is like the Adult version of Twilight Saga. It is steamy, twisted, and forbidden and starts with a human-mate story but eventually evolves into so much more. I love that author has a swoony Alpha Male vampire as the lead character and a sassy female. The story includes the normal genres like an age gap, action and adventure, and of course, magic and supernatural characters. Still, it does a great job of connecting the reader emotionally. This book series does have older characters than Twilight Saga, with the female lead being closer to 22. The plot of this series is more adult in nature. This series is addicting, and I encourage you to give it a chance. It is a work in progress, but I am completely hooked on Julian and Thea.
13. An Immortal Sacrifice by Denise Summers
This story is a fabulous mix of Twilight and Afterlife Saga with its own added take on Paranormal Romance Fiction. Kalum and Geneva have the human/paranormal trope and a nice slow-burn romance. This story is an adult read with characters that are later in life. This story gets a little steamy, swoony, and a lot action-packed as these characters navigate the paranormal and human world. This book is more urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
There are more on those lists that I’m dying to read, and I will update as I work my way through them. Got any suggestions?
Read-Love-Review 