Book Review: Kristen Painter’s “Prologue to The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride”

Posted May 17, 2021 by Kathy Davie in Book Reviews

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review: Kristen Painter’s “Prologue to The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride”

"Prologue to The Vampire's Mail Order Bride"


by

Kristen Painter


magical realism in a PDF edition that was published by the author on May 2011 and has 5 pages.

Explore it on Goodreads

Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Blood Rights, Flesh and Blood, Bad Blood, Out for Blood, Last Blood, House of the Rising Sun, City of Eternal Night, Garden of Dreams and Desires, Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case, All Fired Up, The Vampire's Mail Order Bride, The Werewolf Meets His Match, The Gargoyle Gets His Girl, The Professor Woos the Witch, The Vampire's Fake Fiancée, The Shifter Romances the Writer, "The Witch's Halloween Hero", The Dragon Finds Forever, The Vampire's Accidental Wife, The Reaper Rescues the Genie, The Detective Wins The Witch, The Vampire's Priceless Treasure, The Werewolf Dates the Deputy, "When Birdie Babysat Spider", Miss Frost Ices the Imp, Miss Frost Saves the Sandman, Miss Frost Cracks a Caper, Miss Frost Braves the Blizzard, "The Werewolf's Christmas Wish", The Vampire's Cursed Kiss, Her First Taste of Fire, The Trouble With Witches, Moody and the Beast, The Vampire's Sunny Sweetheart, Miss Frost Chills the Cheater, Lost in Las Vegas, Wrapped Up in Christmas, Mystified in Music City, Sucks To Be Me, A Sky Full of Stars, Suck It Up Buttercup, The Forgettable Miss French, Sucker Punch, The Suck Stops Here

A free prequel short story, 0.5 in the Nocturne Falls magical realism series, revolving around a small town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year. The focus is on Hugh Ellingham, a vampire.

My Take

The idea for the series is cute with all those supernaturals free to be themselves, and the human tourists think it’s all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.

What a lovely way to live…if you’re a supernatural, lol.

Painter uses third person protagonist point-of-view from Hugh’s perspective and we learn why he doesn’t want to marry. I’ll never understand women who don’t listen.

It’s been forever since I read The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride, 1, so I can’t really judge how useful (or useless) this prologue is. Good thing it’s a freebie! Although, I will say those last two lines could be the most important in this short story.

The Story

It’s time. Before she starts calling the caterers.

Hugh has never lied. These women though, they simply don’t listen.

Unfortunately, his grandmother does…

The Characters

Hugh Ellingham is a vampire and has no intention of getting married. His first wife, Juliette, is why. Grandmother hopes he doesn’t give up completely.

Piper Hodge and Veronica were two of the many hopefuls. Piper’s family owns the biggest car dealership in a fifty-mile radius and the local newspaper, the Nocturne Falls Tombstone.

The Title

The title is informative, for it is a “Prologue to The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride”.