Hello, my lovelies. Welcome to my eighth post of the 12 Days of Blogmas 2020 festive blogging challenge. Today, I’m sharing my thoughts about Dead To Begin With by Jennifer Blackstream. A Christmas novella in her paranormal romance series, Blood Prince.
Before I share my Christmassy review…
🎄 What is 12 DAYS OF BLOGMAS? 🎄
The 12 Days of Blogmas is an excellent choice for anyone new to the whole blogging world of Blogmas. This is my first year taking part and I wasn’t entirely sure if I’d be able to dedicate enough time to it.
For this aspect of Blogmas, blogging start on 1st December and we post daily for the first 12 days, or post every other day (which is what I decided to do).
Alternatively, some bloggers follow the 12 Days of Christmas from 25th December to 6th January in line with the Christian Church. This allows them to either rest before taking part, or follow their usual blogging schedule in the lead up to the 12 Days of Blogmas.
What’s Dead To Begin With About?
This post contains affiliate links (marked *). If you buy the book using that link, I'll receive a small commission from the sale.
My Rating: Title: Dead to Begin With by Jennifer Blackstream
Published by Skeleton Key Publishing on 1 December, 2014
Genres: Adult Paranormal Romance
No. of Pages: 62
A Romantic Re-telling of A Christmas Carol
The Vampire Prince of Dacia does not take the holiday off…
Kirill needs more gold to finance his newest attempt at an alliance. Unfortunately, the Christmas holiday looms before him--a time when production mysteriously falls. The only solution is to visit the mines himself, make certain the dwarves are mining as diligently as they can. The most illogical course of action in the world would be to…give them the day off.
A Christmas miracle…
Irina does not take no for an answer--certainly not from her husband. She has big plans for a Christmas dinner with their friends, and Kirill will be there whether he likes it or not. Still, though she can make sure his body is there, Irina knows forcing his heart to be in it is not so simple. But how do you get a vampire into the Christmas spirit?
Three ghosts…
The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future are not ones to shy away from a challenge. They can take any form they like, show any creature the error of their ways. If they have to work through the day instead of in the dark of night, then so be it. And who cares if this particular soul in need of saving just so happens to be…Dead to Begin With?
Source: Bought
Formats Available: eBook
Purchase Links: Books2Read - Universal Link
What did I think about Dead To Begin With?
A Christmas Carol Gets The Blackstream Treatment.
Who doesn’t love reading A Christmas Carol at this festive time of year! I am a big fan of the way Jennifer Blackstream takes traditional folk/fairy tales and makes them her own. I loved the way she set this Dickens classic in her Blood Prince world and added her own sparkle of magic.
Dead To Begin With was very easy to read.
Although it’s been a while since I was last in this world, I quickly became caught up in our vampire prince’s journey of self-discovery. Jennifer’s writing style is intelligent and the prose she uses fits the genre perfectly. The pace of this novella moved quickly without feeling rushed. I enjoyed the way the plot developed and how the classic elements were woven into the existing plotline and characters’ personalities.
Dead To Begin With is part of the completed Blood Prince series.
However, I think it can be read as a standalone “retelling” of A Christmas Carol. It’s a fun, quick read for anyone looking for a festive novella about mending your ways before it’s too late.
Keep reading to find out more about the Blood Prince series and its author.
Blood Prince Series by Jennifer Blackstream
Click below to read my reviews or buy the books yourself.
- Before Midnight (Blood Prince #1) (2013)
- One Bite (Blood Prince #2) (2013)
- What Big Teeth You Have (Blood Prince #2.5) (2015)
- Golden Stair (Blood Prince #3) (2014)
- Divine Scales (Blood Prince #4) (2014)
- Beautiful Salvation (Blood Prince #5) (2014)
- The Pirate’s Witch (Blood Prince #6) (2016)
- Dead to Begin With (Blood Prince #7) (2014)
Buy BLOOD PRINCE series in print, audio and eBook formats through the usual sources including:
Amazon UK ¦ Amazon US ¦ Audible ¦ Book Depository
About Jennifer Blackstream
Jennifer Blackstream is a USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She is amazed and grateful to have made a writing career out of a Master’s degree in Psychology, hours of couch-detecting watching Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, and endless research into mythology and fairy tales. She firmly believes that whether it’s a village witch deciding she wants to be a private investigator, or a single mother having a go at being a full-time writer, it’s never too late for a new adventure.
A fervent devotee of cooperative board games, Jennifer sets aside at least two nights a week for team-based adventures such as Mice & Mystics, Sentinels of the Multiverse, or Harry Potter: Battle at Hogwarts. She uses games with dice-based mechanics to lure in her ridiculously lucky-rolling son and daughter in the hope that they too will develop a passion for cooperative escapism.
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read my thoughts about Dead To Begin With. Now go check it out! 😉
Are you taking part in Blogmas? Let me know! Drop your link below so that I can read your latest post.
Let the festive season continue!
Bye for now,
Flora x
