I blame Kindle Unlimited.
After reading several few vampire hunter stories in a row on Kindle Unlimited, Amazon recommended The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter.
I just couldn’t fathom it. So of course I clicked it.
Between a tourist town that’s Halloween all year long and supernatural and free, I figured I’d give it a try.
The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride Review
The book turned out to a quirky, fun, silly, and not full of the things I hate about supernatural romance (e.i. teenagers and supernaturals who’ve been around the block a few times).
But wait, didn’t I include romance in Shadows of Colesbrooke? Yes. But it wasn’t the whole point of the story. It wasn’t teenagers. And it was more of a found family story than a dramatic romance.
I loved The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride, and I immediately dove into the next book in the Nocturne Falls series. I couldn’t get enough of the unique town. Using Halloween as a cover blew my mind and I absolutely loved it (though I may be overly obsessed with Halloween). The town was also filled with magic and monsters and a variety of relationships. I read about werewolves, gargoyles, dragons, shifters, fae, witches, etc. There was intrigue, fighting, covert operations, magic, curses, and a slew of fun supernatural plots that drove the romance and relationships.
Nocturne Falls Series Review
Honestly, I read the full 13 book series in about a month and a half this summer. I didn’t expect myself to binge read each book, but I did. And part of me wants to order them all in paperback so I can display them on my bookshelf and maybe reread them with papery fondness (currently they’re just on my Kindle).
I haven’t read the short stories that accompany the main series. And it looks like there are some other authors who have written in the Nocturne Falls universe, so I’ve got some more books to work through. But I’m excited to do so, though maybe not as fast as I have other books on my TBR list waiting for me (see: I’m Excited to Read Stephen King in Chronological Order and Revisiting the Vampire Classics).
So if you’re looking for a fun, quirky romance that involves supernatural creatures (and maybe a few humans), I would recommend the entire Nocturne Falls series. You don’t have to read them in order (bonus points to Kristen Painter), but it was a fun read to see how everyone’s romances worked out in order.
Favorite Books in Nocturne Falls
Which one is my favorite? Probably the first one, The Vampire’s Mail Order Bride, simply because I was experiencing the wonder of the Halloween town for the first time. It’s hard to beat the initial wonder of a new world. It’s why The Artic Incident, book 2 of the Artemis Fowl series, is my favorite. I read it first not realizing it wasn’t the first book of the series.
The plot in Nocturne Fall’s first romantic story was fun, the town enchanted me, and I was in love with the world Kristen Painter wrote.
But I really loved The Shifter Romances the Writer and The Reaper Rescues the Genie.
I always have a soft spot for well-written and fun books that involve author characters. Here, the author is a human to writes supernatural romance novels. I chuckled and giggled throughout the entire novel. It’s definitely one of my favorites in the series.
I also really enjoyed how Painter wrote a grim reaper. I was fascinated with his magic and his history. Lucien is easily one of my favorite characters in the entire series.
Fantastic series all around. I highly recommend it!
My Future with Monster Romance
I wouldn’t say I’m addicted to the genre, but I thoroughly enjoyed the series and have since sought out similar books. Painter’s Nocturne Falls is definitely my favorite. So now I’m including more romance (and not just vampire romance) in my book rotation. Bring on the romance to lighten my upcoming TBR of horror and classic vampires.
Happy Reading!
