Winter Reading Suggestions for "Twilight" Fans

A New Moon is rising. At the end of the week the second installment of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga will be in theaters. Now that you've read all the books and will have seen both movies, what will you do to entertain yourself during your long winter break? To avoid a winter of discontent, check out our book list below. Find books you'll enjoy based on your favorite pop culture pleasures.

If you like Twilight because of the vampires, you should try:

Dracula by Bram Stoker
The original vampire story, Dracula tells the tale of another young woman intrigued by a mysterious and beautiful man with a dark secret. The only question is will Mina Harker's ending be as happy as Bella Swan's?

Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice
Edward was not the first vampire heart-throb to grace the silver screen. And I'm not talking about Bela Lugosi no matter how cool his accent was. You are probably too young to remember the 1994 movie with Brad Pitt and Christian Slater, but it is not too late for you to read up on brooding vampire angst. If it is the vampire's psyche that interests you, check out this unusual coming-of-age tale of a vampire struggling with his identity.

If you like Twilight because of the star-crossed lovers, you should try:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The epitome of every unhealthy relationship, the tortuous and passionate romance between Catherine and Heathcliff will keep you glued to your seat. That is if you can make it past the first 20 pages or so. But hang in there, this is an excellent book that clearly illustrates the thin if not invisible line between love and hate.

Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
A classic story of love and lies, betrayal and redemption. A poor girl must make her way in the world after a tragic incident and ultimately discovers a strength inside herself she didn't know existed. Along the way she finds true love, but how true is it? Does love conquer all? Is love all you need? Can redemption come too late?

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
What would you do for love? How far would you go? Murder? And can anything come between a man and his elephant?

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
This is the story of a young woman trained in an ancient and dying Japanese art, dreaming to be free and to love the man of her choice. She must ultimately decide which is stronger, gratitude or love?

If you like Twilight because of the feisty female lead, you should try:

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
You can't keep a southern belle down. You love her, you hate her, but you always root for her. Scarlett O'Hara will lie, cheat and steal to survive and you can't blame her. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Civil War, Gone with the Wind has it all: comedy, tragedy, romance.

Ines of My Soul by Isabel Allende
Given the chance, Ines Suarez conquers more than just hearts. This thrilling tale tells the story of suppressed Spanish housewife who sales off to the New World in search of adventure under the guise of looking for her missing husband. Allende's historical novel brings to light the life of an amazing woman who was an integral part of conquering and founding the nation of Chile.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The autobiography of the Nobel Prize-winning poet Maya Anglou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings chronicles Angelou's transformation from a victim to a self-possessed, independent woman.

The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Despite the author's overt symbolism, this is a classic tale of a woman being true to herself and not conforming to a stereotype imposed upon her by society. To quote Whitney Houston, perhaps Hester Prynne has discovered "the greatest love of all."

If you like Twilight and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, you should try:

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
Mysterious history and vampires. What more could you want? A little romance? Sure. This book has it all and is a real page turner.

If you like the movie Zombieland you should try:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Even if you are a purist, you will find the book amusing. Grahame-Smith weaves a tale of Zombie Apocalypse, albeit a little indelicately, into Austen's classic novel about an independent woman struggling to find her place in the aristocratic society at the turn of the 18th century. If you thought Elizabeth Bennet was hardcore before, wait until you see her with nunchaku.

Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
It could be said that Dr. Frankenstein created the first zombie. While his creation didn't run around crying for, "BRAINS," he was definitely the living dead. If you love zombie movies for their social commentary, you won't be disappointed by Ms. Shelley's work. It is considered a warning tale against the dangers of the Industrial Revolution.

If you liked the movie Star Trek you should try:

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
A collection of short stories, The Martian Chronicles details humans' exploration and colonization of Mars. Divided into three main parts, the first part of the book deals with humans' attempts to reach Mars and colonization and the tricks Martians employ to keep them from succeeding. The second part of the book chronicles the humans' colonization of a now, near deserted planet and their interactions with remaining Martians. The final part of the book occurs after a devastating nuclear war on Earth.

If you liked the movie Terminator Salvation, you should try:

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
Another collection of science fiction short stories, this work by Asimov tells tales of how robots are used in the future and what happens when things don't go quite as planned.

If you like the TV show The Office, you should try:

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
A zany and hilarious satirical novel about inefficient military beaucracy, it focuses on the antics of the Fighting 256 the on an island off of Italy during the late stages of World War II. Catch-22 follows Yossarian, Doc Daneeka, Major Major and others as they fly bombing missions. What exactly is Catch-22? It is logic worthy of Michael Scott himself. "Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to."

If you like the TV show Lost, you should try:

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Considered by some the first English novel, Robinson Crusoe predates Tom Hanks's friendship with Wilson the volley ball by almost 300 years. Ship-wrecked on what appears to be a deserted (not desert) island, Robinson has to push himself to the limits to survive. While lacking the supernatural element of Lost, this novel still vividly illustrates the classic conflict of man versus wild.

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Remember yourself at 12. Now. remember all your 12-year-old classmates. Now, imagine that you all crash landed on an island with no adults and had to fend for yourself. Yes, chaos ensues--chaos with a dose of morality for good measure.

If you like the TV show Gossip Girl, you should try

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Rich New Yorkers with fabulous fashion and scandalous love affairs: it was as popular over 100 years ago as it is today. This novel tells the tale of a happily engaged couple whose lives are turned upside down when a worldly woman who flouts the rules of New York society. While not every character matches up with the CW's hit, it is interesting to see how personalities from the 1870s are still familiar today.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller
One girls penchant for gossip and making up stories leads to mass hysteria and death. Good times!

Do you disagree? Do you have other suggestions? Feel free to share! Post your suggestions in the comments.

Happy Reading!