The Ultimate Reading Guide to Dale Mayer's Family Blood Ties Series
If you love urban fantasy packed with high-stakes paranormal romance, unique vampire biology, and a serialized war against underground blood farms, Dale Mayer’s Family Blood Ties series is a perfect fit. Spanning ten core books and a prequel novella, the saga follows Tessa, a teenage vampire whose human "throwback" genes make her a genetic outlier and an outcast among her own kind. When rogue faction leaders threaten both the human world and vampire society, Tessa must step into her unique powers to protect the people she loves.
Unlike some paranormal romance series where books can be read in isolation, Family Blood Ties features a highly serialized, continuous narrative. Every book picks up right where the last one left off, frequently concluding with dramatic cliffhangers. This guide breaks down the recommended reading paths, provides a deep dive into each book's plot, and outlines key details you need to know before stepping into Tessa's world.
Recommended Reading Order
There are two primary ways to experience the Family Blood Ties universe: starting chronologically with the prequel novella, or diving straight into the first full-length novel. Because the series relies heavily on chronological progression, we recommend following the story in order of events. Below is the complete reading path:
1. Sian's Solution (Prequel / Book 0.5)
Originally published in the 2011 Entangled anthology and later released as a standalone ebook, this 9,000-word novella serves as the prequel to the series. It shifts focus away from Tessa to tell the story of Sian, a vampire who discovers that her human lover, Taz, has been captured and imprisoned in a sinister vampire "blood farm." Sian risks everything, defying her own kind to stage a rescue. Reading this first establishes the grim reality of the blood farms and provides crucial early context for the vampire-human conflict that drives the rest of the series.
2. Vampire in Denial (Book 1)
Published in 2011, this is the official launch of Tessa's journey. At sixteen, Tessa is trying to survive in a family that views her human genes as a defect. But when her friend Jared is kidnapped by rogue vampires running a blood farm, Tessa is forced to act. She teams up with Cody, a powerful and loyal vampire ally, to rescue Jared, beginning a complex love triangle and starting a war that will span the entire series.
3. Vampire in Distress (Book 2)
Released in 2012, this sequel picks up immediately after the rescue. Tessa is dealing with the emotional aftermath of the rescue, betrayal within her social circles, and her growing feelings for Cody. As rogue vampires seek retribution for the disrupted blood farm, Tessa’s unique half-human abilities begin to draw dangerous attention from enemies who want to exploit her.
4. Vampire in Design (Book 3)
In this 2013 installment, Tessa finds herself targeted by powerful factions interested in her unique genetics. Captured and experimented on in hidden laboratories, she must find a way to escape. The book expands the series' lore, showing how both old-world vampire elders and unscrupulous scientists view Tessa’s hybrid DNA as a potential weapon.
5. Vampire in Deceit (Book 4)
Also published in 2013, Vampire in Deceit pushes Tessa to her absolute limits. Physically and emotionally exhausted, she fights to protect her family as the war escalates. Meanwhile, Cody must escape his own captors to find her, and Jared risks his life to stand against the violent vampire faction despite being human.
6. Vampire in Defiance (Book 5)
Released in 2014, this book centers on a high-stakes escape from Moltere's Mountain. As the enemy's stronghold collapses, Tessa refuses to leave her loved ones behind. She must push her powers farther than ever to save her friends and family before they are buried alive.
7. Vampire in Conflict (Book 6)
Following the collapse of Moltere's Mountain, the ripple effects of the war continue. In this 2014 novel, Tessa is forced to hunt down a missing ally and rally her remaining forces as new secrets come to light, revealing that the blood farm network is much larger and more politically connected than she realized.
8. Vampire in Chaos (Book 7)
Published in 2015, the seventh book deals with the chaotic fallout of the previous conflicts. Tessa's father is missing, key allies are incapacitated, and her family is spiraling out of control. While Cody works to make sense of the shifting battle lines, Jared is on the run again, trying to help Tessa from the shadows.
9. Vampire in Crisis (Book 8)
In this 2015 installment, Tessa’s abilities evolve once again, allowing her to perceive supernatural elements that were previously invisible to her. However, this sensory expansion makes her an even bigger target. As Jared is hunted by enemies, Tessa and Cody must prepare for the final, deadliest phase of the vampire war.
10. Vampire in Control (Book 9)
Released in 2016, the penultimate book sees Tessa caught in a complex web of lies spun by Deanna, a manipulative adversary. Tessa struggles to survive the political traps set for her while Cody frantically works to uncover the truth and find a safe haven where they can regroup.
11. Vampire in Charge (Book 10)
The 2016 finale brings Tessa’s long journey to a close. Believing she has finally defeated the Old World vampire lords and dismantled the blood farms, Tessa is tracking down the last remaining syndicate bosses. However, a final, earth-shattering secret is revealed, forcing Tessa and Cody to decide who they can trust to secure a lasting peace for both humans and vampires.
Chronological vs. Publication Order
Since the prequel Sian's Solution and the first novel Vampire in Denial were both published in 2011, the publication order and chronological order are nearly identical. The only choice readers need to make is when to read the prequel novella:
- Chronological Order: Read Sian's Solution first, followed by books 1 through 10. This is the recommended path because it introduces the mechanics of the "blood farms" and the cruelties of the Old World vampire society before Tessa's personal story begins.
- Publication Order: Read Vampire in Denial (Book 1) through Vampire in Charge (Book 10), and read Sian's Solution as a companion piece later. This works well if you prefer to jump directly into Tessa's perspective, though you will have to piece together some of the world-building details on the fly.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into Dale Mayer's series, keep these key elements in mind to enhance your reading experience:
A Serialized Saga: Do not treat these books as standalones. Because Mayer relies heavily on cliffhangers and direct narrative continuity, reading them out of order will result in major spoilers and confusion. Commit to reading the series from start to finish.
Unique Hybrid Lore: Tessa's status as a half-human, half-vampire is the driving force of the plot. Unlike standard vampire lore where hybrids are immediately powerful, Tessa starts the series as a vulnerable outcast. Her journey is as much about self-discovery and accepting her identity as it is about fighting villains.
A Darker YA Edge: While categorized as Young Adult / New Adult paranormal romance, the series deals with grittier themes than many of its contemporaries. The concept of "blood farms," where humans are kept captive as livestock, adds a layer of suspense and horror that keeps the stakes feeling genuinely dangerous.
Romantic Elements: Tessa's relationships with the human Jared and the vampire Cody form a central emotional core of the series. The series balances the romantic tension with fast-paced urban fantasy action, making it appealing to fans of both romance and adventure.
Related Series and Author Connections
Dale Mayer is a prolific USA Today bestselling author known for multiple popular series, most notably her Psychic Visions series. While both Psychic Visions and Family Blood Ties feature paranormal elements and romantic suspense, they exist in entirely different universes. There are no crossovers or shared characters between these lines, so you can read the Family Blood Ties series independently without needing to explore Mayer's other extensive book lists.