![]() I've started an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series with Oldies But Goodies on the Alien Romances Blog. This week I review Home Before Dark by Riley Sager. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/07/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put.html
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![]() New on the Alien Romances Blog, I discuss "How Not to Write a Series" in the final of a three part article and "Put This One on Your TBR List" review of The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/07/how-not-to-write-series-or-put-this-one_01393286948.html In case you missed the previous two, you'll find them here: Part 1: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/07/how-not-to-write-series-or-put-this-one.html Part 2: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/07/how-not-to-write-series-or-put-this-one_01069180883.html ![]() New on the Alien Romances Blog, I discuss "How Not to Write a Series" in the second of a new, three part article and "Put This One on Your TBR List" review of The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/07/how-not-to-write-series-or-put-this-one_01069180883.html ![]() New on the Alien Romances Blog, I discuss "How Not to Write a Series" in a new, three part article and "Put This One on Your TBR List" review of The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/07/how-not-to-write-series-or-put-this-one.html ![]() I received a new review for HIDDEN, Book 6: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: 4 Stars! "A well-crafted amnesia plot is always enthralling. Tobias has no memory of his family or early years. From his perspective, his life began in the midst of his military service. Now he and his wife, Sybilla, have an apparently ideal life in terms of both their intense mutual love and the material prosperity and fulfilling work they enjoy. They have close friends, including Wolf, his former Marine comrade. Tobias’s inheritance of Howling Halls, a house on a mountaintop in Bloodmoon Cove, from the parents he doesn’t remember changes everything. Tobias, Sybilla, and their companions plan to spend only a short time in the house unless they decide it’s suitable for a volume in their “Offbeat” book series. Of course, the reader knows complications will derail their plans. Sybilla’s unexpected pregnancy and Tobias’s limited mobility from a recent accident make the project risky from the start. The danger of their isolation at a site where weather can turn dangerous with little or no warning is heightened by the discovery that Howling Halls, although modern and luxurious, is haunted—maybe by one or more ghosts, but also by something more alien and lethal than a ghost. The detail of the elevator that won’t go up to the top floor is unusual and delightfully creepy. Tobias also finds out he had a sister who died young. The temptation to disregard the local ghost expert’s warning not to interact with spirits becomes almost impossible to resist. As any fan of haunted-house fiction would expect, forces both natural and supernatural conspire to keep the characters from leaving and, once they escape, impel them to return. The reader never feels like yelling, “You idiots, don’t do that,” because their behavior has consistently believable motivations. The connections between the enigmas of Tobias’s amnesia and the house itself are skillfully interwoven in the buildup to the terrifying revelation of how they fit together. Filipino folklore, obviously carefully researched, adds rich layers of supernatural mystery. The truth about Tobias’s past comes as an astonishing, horrific shock. Established fans of the series will recognize recurring characters among the residents of Bloodmoon Cove. As with most of these books, however, it’s in no way necessary to have read other novels to enjoy this one. Given the shattering facts about Tobias’s background, the happy ending he attains with Sybilla requires (for me, at least) some suspension of disbelief, but the characters are so engaging and have suffered so much that one welcomes and rejoices in their ultimate happiness." ~author Margaret L. Carter Find out more: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/ ![]() This week on the Alien Romances Blog, I talk "Of Proper Short Story Collection Assemblage" as I review the Rogues Anthology edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/06/of-proper-short-story-collection.html ![]() I received a new review for REUNITED, Book 5: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: 5 Stars! "REUNITED (a title with a double meaning) is mind-blowing with horror and pathos in a blend of realism and the supernatural. This novel plunges directly into Twyla’s desperate plight, with high tension from the beginning. The opening scene fills in the background while moving the action forward with no slackening of suspense as she responds to her monstrous husband’s call. At this point, he’s “monstrous” in a purely human way, emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive. Although he’s too warped to pity, the author devises plausible reasons from his own abused childhood for his horrific cruelty. Like most victims of domestic violence, Twyla is isolated from anybody who might help her. Understandably, she has cut off her family, friends, and Gray, the long-time boyfriend from her past, for fear of what her husband might do to them. Despite the moral ambiguity of the action she takes when she confronts him, we fully sympathize. Her fear-induced lies also make sense, even though they tangle her in an ever-tightening net as the police suspect her of what she more or less actually did. Gray comes across as an admirable hero, brave and unselfish, while his occasional qualms about whether Twyla has changed from the girl he loved in their teens feel realistic. We applaud when he rushes to her rescue, but that’s far from the end of her ordeal. When it becomes clear that her husband’s death hasn’t liberated her after all, his supernatural pursuit seems like an inevitable extension of his obsessive behavior in life. Twyla’s return with Gray to their home town, Bloodmoon Cove, takes them to the only place where the resources to banish the vengeful ghost can necessarily and believably be found. Several familiar characters from other books in the series appear, but it’s not necessary to have read those volumes. The paranormal features of the area and the roles of the secondary characters are amply explained for the benefit of new readers. The horror and pathos of this story should enthrall fans of the series and first-time readers alike." ~author Margaret L. Carter Find out more: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/ ![]() I've posted a new "Put This One on Your TBR List" review of The Andromeda Evolution by Daniel H. Wilson, sequel to The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton on the Alien Romances Blog. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/06/karen-s-wiesner-put-this-one-on-your.html ![]() I've started an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series with Oldies But Goodies on the Alien Romances Blog. This week I review The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/06/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_01477426669.html ![]() I've started an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series with Oldies But Goodies on the Alien Romances Blog. This week I review the Alex Hunter Adventures by Greig Beck. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/06/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put.html ![]() I received a new review for RETURN TO BLOODMOON MANOR, Book 4: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: 4 Stars! "Although this book is a direct sequel to THE BLOODMOON CURSE, reading that one is not absolutely required for understanding RETURN TO BLOODMOON MANOR. Acquaintance with the earlier novel would help, but the present narrative does supply enough context to appreciate the story. Hannah’s plight immediately draws in the reader’s sympathy. She and her husband, Daniel, suffer from mundane problems many people can relate to, an unplanned pregnancy and a crushing load of debt. In addition, she bears the burden of trauma from years as an employee practically enslaved by the sinister owners of Bloodmoon Manor. When she unexpectedly inherits the house and all its contents, the idea of selling the property to gain financial security becomes an obsession, again one almost anybody could identify with. Of course, the process proves not that simple. The qualms expressed by Daniel, who wants nothing to do with the bequest, create tension between him and Hannah. Suspense builds as they arrive at the house and everything seems to go smoothly, aside from Daniel’s illness, which strikes as soon as they enter the grounds and inexorably worsens. Even without the dire warnings of the locals, we would expect the couple to be trapped in the Gothic mansion and forced to confront the entity striving to lure Hannah into its clutches. Recurring characters from other books in the series appear, but prior knowledge of them isn’t necessary. We become deeply absorbed in Hannah and Daniel’s problems and dangers, rooting for them to survive while the lethal threat grows seemingly inescapable. This novel does an excellent job of developing a secondary character from THE BLOODMOON CURSE, a semi-antagonist in that story, into a sympathetic heroine for whom we wish the happy life she now deserves." ~author Margaret L. Carter Find out more: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/ ![]() Karen Wiesner’s Karen’s Quill Newsletter June 1, 2024 Website: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/ Blog: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog In addition to having been a popular writing reference instructor and writer, professional blurbologist and freelance editor, Karen Wiesner is the accomplished author of 150 titles published, which have been nominated/won for over a 130 awards. Karen’s books cover such genres as women’s fiction, romance, mystery/police procedural/cozy, suspense, thriller, paranormal, supernatural, futuristic, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, inspirational/Christian, horror, chick-lit, and action/adventure. She also writes children’s books, poetry, and writing reference titles which have been repackaged in the 3D Fiction Fundamentals Collection. Karen will begin illustrating children's books starting sometime in 2025. WHAT'S NEW On the Alien Romances Blog, I'm reviewing books I love. Here are the latest: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/05/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_02091687156.html The Diaries of the Family Dracul by Jeanne Kalogridis: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/05/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_0505483328.html Wendy Ward Series by John Passarella: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/05/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_0177539111.html The Hatching Series by Ezekiel Boone: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/05/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put.html Leech by Hiron Ennes: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/05/put-this-one-on-your-tbr-list-book.html The Way of the Drow Series by R. A. Salvatore: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/04/karen-s-wiesner-put-this-one-on-your.html Fantastic Beasts Screenplays by J.K. Rowling: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/04/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_01627275539.html NEWEST & UPCOMING RELEASES HEARTS ABLAZE, Book 4: Peaceful Pilgrim Series Women's Fiction Available now in paperback and electronic formats https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/peaceful-pilgrims-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/a-peaceful-pilgrim-novel-series/ LOST AND FOUND, A Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series 2-in-1 including LOST, Book 8 and FOUND, Book 9 Romantic Paranormal Horror Available now in paperback and electronic formats https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/ NEW REVIEWS I received a new review for CROOKED HOUSE, Book 3: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: "Why was Corinne's late husband, Tom, estranged from his family and insistent that she have no contact with them even if they approach her? Why are her memories of her own life before falling in love with him so vague? Why does she receive a ring with his family crest out of the blue, with an invitation to visit their home in Bloodmoon Cove? This novel plunges the reader directly into the realm of the supernatural and one of my favorite tropes, dark family secrets. Shorter than most books in the series, it remains tightly focused on the mystery of the Crooked House, which threatens to enmesh Corinne in the darkness Tom had tried to escape from. Meanwhile, the hero, Rafe, also gets drawn to Bloodmoon Cove, where his family originated. As a ghost-hunter, he has visions, and the story opens with his vision of Corinne and her friend, Ruby, conducting a magical ritual. He feels impelled to travel to the town he has always shunned in order to save Corinne from the paranormal threat overshadowing her. There she gets trapped in another of my favorite motifs, a house that's bigger -- and in this case, more luxurious -- than it looks on the outside. Cryptic warnings and mysterious dangers abound. Why does she feel so drained of energy and volition after visiting the mansion? The psychic link between her and Rafe makes their ‘love at first sight’ attraction plausible. Readers familiar with other volumes in the series will recognize some of the secondary characters, but one doesn't need to have read any other installments to understand this story. Fans of paranormal romance will enjoy this intense supernatural thriller." ~author Margaret L. Carter I received a new review for RETURN TO BLOODMOON MANOR, Book 4: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: 4 Stars! "Although this book is a direct sequel to THE BLOODMOON CURSE, reading that one is not absolutely required for understanding RETURN TO BLOODMOON MANOR. Acquaintance with the earlier novel would help, but the present narrative does supply enough context to appreciate the story. Hannah’s plight immediately draws in the reader’s sympathy. She and her husband, Daniel, suffer from mundane problems many people can relate to, an unplanned pregnancy and a crushing load of debt. In addition, she bears the burden of trauma from years as an employee practically enslaved by the sinister owners of Bloodmoon Manor. When she unexpectedly inherits the house and all its contents, the idea of selling the property to gain financial security becomes an obsession, again one almost anybody could identify with. Of course, the process proves not that simple. The qualms expressed by Daniel, who wants nothing to do with the bequest, create tension between him and Hannah. Suspense builds as they arrive at the house and everything seems to go smoothly, aside from Daniel’s illness, which strikes as soon as they enter the grounds and inexorably worsens. Even without the dire warnings of the locals, we would expect the couple to be trapped in the Gothic mansion and forced to confront the entity striving to lure Hannah into its clutches. Recurring characters from other books in the series appear, but prior knowledge of them isn’t necessary. We become deeply absorbed in Hannah and Daniel’s problems and dangers, rooting for them to survive while the lethal threat grows seemingly inescapable. This novel does an excellent job of developing a secondary character from THE BLOODMOON CURSE, a semi-antagonist in that story, into a sympathetic heroine for whom we wish the happy life she now deserves." ~author Margaret L. Carter Find out more: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/ AUTHOR PAGES Writers Exchange: http://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/ and http://www.writers-exchange.com/blog/ Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Karen%20Wiesner Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/karenwiesner Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/karenwiesner Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KarenWiesnerAuthor BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/karen-wiesner WORKS IN PROGRESS MOMENTS http://www.facebook.com/KarenWiesnerAuthor https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/works-in-progress.html In May, I: -Wrote the first draft of BAD BLOOD, Book 11: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series In June, I'll be: -Doing a final read-through of HELL HATH NO FURY, Book 10: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series and submitting it for editor revisions -Writing articles/reviews for Alien Romances Blog; upload -Art practice Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html 2024 WIP Goals: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/works-in-progress.html ![]() I've started an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series with Oldies But Goodies on the Alien Romances Blog. This week I review The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/05/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_02091687156.html ![]() I've started an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series with Oldies But Goodies on the Alien Romances Blog. This week I review The Diaries of the Family Dracul by Jeanne Kalogridis. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/05/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_0505483328.html ![]() I've started an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series with Oldies But Goodies on the Alien Romances Blog. This week I review the Wendy Ward Series by John Passarella. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/05/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_0177539111.html ![]() I received a new review for CROOKED HOUSE, Book 3: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: 4 Stars! "Why was Corinne's late husband, Tom, estranged from his family and insistent that she have no contact with them even if they approach her? Why are her memories of her own life before falling in love with him so vague? Why does she receive a ring with his family crest out of the blue, with an invitation to visit their home in Bloodmoon Cove? This novel plunges the reader directly into the realm of the supernatural and one of my favorite tropes, dark family secrets. Shorter than most books in the series, it remains tightly focused on the mystery of the Crooked House, which threatens to enmesh Corinne in the darkness Tom had tried to escape from. Meanwhile, the hero, Rafe, also gets drawn to Bloodmoon Cove, where his family originated. As a ghost-hunter, he has visions, and the story opens with his vision of Corinne and her friend, Ruby, conducting a magical ritual. He feels impelled to travel to the town he has always shunned in order to save Corinne from the paranormal threat overshadowing her. There she gets trapped in another of my favorite motifs, a house that's bigger -- and in this case, more luxurious -- than it looks on the outside. Cryptic warnings and mysterious dangers abound. Why does she feel so drained of energy and volition after visiting the mansion? The psychic link between her and Rafe makes their ‘love at first sight’ attraction plausible. Readers familiar with other volumes in the series will recognize some of the secondary characters, but one doesn't need to have read any other installments to understand this story. Fans of paranormal romance will enjoy this intense supernatural thriller." ~author Margaret L. Carter ![]() I've started an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series with Oldies But Goodies on the Alien Romances Blog. This week I review The Hatching Series by Ezekiel Boone. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/05/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put.html ![]() I've posted a new "Put This One on Your TBR List" review of Leech by Hiron Ennes on the Alien Romances Blog. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/05/put-this-one-on-your-tbr-list-book.html ![]() I received a new review for LOST AND FOUND, A Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series 2-in-1 including LOST, Book 8 and FOUND, Book 9: 5 Stars! “In LOST AND FOUND, we have two Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series novels in one volume, both focusing on books and libraries. “In LOST, Book 8, Damaris tried so hard to keep her mom’s bookstore in Grimoire open. If not for her “aunt” Holly’s offer of employment at the Bloodmoon Cove library, Damaris might have been homeless. Making that transfer puts Damaris and her boyfriend in the awkward position of deciding whether to stay together or move on separately. For Griffin, there is no choice. I liked that he was willing to leave everything behind to follow her, as she’s the one thing he can’t live without. When she goes missing, he’s leading the pack to search for her—in probably the last place anyone would expect her to get lost! “In FOUND, Book 9, I felt sorry for Wick, who’d been beat up and taunted while growing up, unloved by his parents. His comfort had always been the local library and, for a short time as an adult, food. He’s finally lost the weight he’d put on in his depression. As head librarian, he’s works hard to make the place viable for the small community, but most days he doesn’t see a single person. Renatta was also a character I liked. She’d been morbidly obese for most of her life, with family members who encouraged her to be as unhealthy as they themselves are, both physically and mentally. Finding someone to love her that she can love back, the one special person to share her life, has been a life-long struggle for her. How she finally lost weight was anything but healthy, but it did work—despite how her relatives are constantly trying to drag her back and undo all the good she’s achieved. Wick and Renatta’s romance is both deeply touching and deeply tragic, and it made me want to cry with its devastating joy. “I’ve read all of Ms. Wiesner’s fiction titles to date, and I can heartily recommend that all her books just keep on getting better.” ~Linda's Reviews Find out more: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/ ![]() Karen Wiesner’s Karen’s Quill Newsletter April 31, 2024 Website: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/ Blog: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog In addition to having been a popular writing reference instructor and writer, professional blurbologist and freelance editor, Karen Wiesner is the accomplished author of 150 titles published, which have been nominated/won for over a 130 awards. Karen’s books cover such genres as women’s fiction, romance, mystery/police procedural/cozy, suspense, thriller, paranormal, supernatural, futuristic, fantasy, science fiction, gothic, inspirational/Christian, horror, chick-lit, and action/adventure. She also writes children’s books, poetry, and writing reference titles which have been repackaged in the 3D Fiction Fundamentals Collection. Karen will begin illustrating children's books starting sometime in 2025. WHAT'S NEW On the Alien Romances Blog, I'm reviewing books I love. Here are the latest: The Way of the Drow Series by R. A. Salvatore: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/04/karen-s-wiesner-put-this-one-on-your.html Fantastic Beasts Screenplays by J.K. Rowling: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/04/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_01627275539.html The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/04/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_0928789353.html A Stir of Echoes by Richard Matheson: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/04/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put.html Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/03/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_01271350028.html Ghost Prison by Joseph Delaney: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/03/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_02014625609.html The Host by Stephenie Meyer: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/03/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put.html NEWEST & UPCOMING RELEASES HEARTS ABLAZE, Book 4: Peaceful Pilgrim Series Women's Fiction Available now in paperback and electronic formats https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/peaceful-pilgrims-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/a-peaceful-pilgrim-novel-series/ LOST AND FOUND, A Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series 2-in-1 including LOST, Book 8 and FOUND, Book 9 Romantic Paranormal Horror Available now in paperback and electronic formats https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/ NEW REVIEWS I received my first two reviews for LOST AND FOUND, A Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series 2-in-1 including LOST, Book 8 and FOUND, Book 9: "Wow, I discovered really cool use of supernatural elements in LOST AND FOUND, A Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series 2-in-1. There were genuinely scary scenes in LOST. I liked the repeated motif of being in a 'place' outside of normal time, treated in different ways. And the presence of Damaris, the heroine in LOST (I cheered when I discovered she also played a role in FOUND!), ties together the two stories. The last few chapters of FOUND are so eerie and sad. Very effective. I sympathized with the characters, whose emotions were very realistic, and I was glad to see the uplifting conclusion that was still a little sad. In each story in this collection, the events unfolded believably in the context of the 'reality' of the setting. They seemed perfectly fitting yet not predictable. I was never quite sure how things would turn out for the protagonists, which allowed for an effective creation of suspense." ~author Margaret L. Carter 5 Stars! “In LOST AND FOUND, we have two Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series novels in one volume, both focusing on books and libraries. In LOST, Book 8, Damaris tried so hard to keep her mom’s bookstore in Grimoire open. If not for her “aunt” Holly’s offer of employment at the Bloodmoon Cove library, Damaris might have been homeless. Making that transfer puts Damaris and her boyfriend in the awkward position of deciding whether to stay together or move on separately. For Griffin, there is no choice. I liked that he was willing to leave everything behind to follow her, as she’s the one thing he can’t live without. When she goes missing, he’s leading the pack to search for her—in probably the last place anyone would expect her to get lost! In FOUND, Book 9, I felt sorry for Wick, who’d been beat up and taunted while growing up, unloved by his parents. His comfort had always been the local library and, for a short time as an adult, food. He’s finally lost the weight he’d put on in his depression. As head librarian, he’s works hard to make the place viable for the small community, but most days he doesn’t see a single person. Renatta was also a character I liked. She’d been morbidly obese for most of her life, with family members who encouraged her to be as unhealthy as they themselves are, both physically and mentally. Finding someone to love her that she can love back, the one special person to share her life, has been a life-long struggle for her. How she finally lost weight was anything but healthy, but it did work—despite how her relatives are constantly trying to drag her back and undo all the good she’s achieved. Wick and Renatta’s romance is both deeply touching and deeply tragic, and it made me want to cry with its devastating joy. “I’ve read all of Ms. Wiesner’s fiction titles to date, and I can heartily recommend that all her books just keep on getting better.” ~Linda's Reviews I received a new review for BOUND SPIRITS, Book 1: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: "One of my favorite fictional tropes reveals secrets from a dark past overshadowing the present, and BOUND SPIRITS has them in abundance. The town of Bloodmoon Cove harbors ghosts and demonic forces, inadvertently released generations ago when the elders of the local Native American tribe opened an interdimensional portal. Ranger John Cotter is haunted by the mystery of his father’s disappearance. His family history includes a grim episode of an ancestor tortured and left to die in a cave that is sometimes there, sometimes not, able to be found only when it “wants” to be. Esme Dumas (a name she has assumed because she doesn’t know her own identity) feels compelled to hide her traumatic past, for a reason that seems vital to her and therefore convincing to the reader. When the full truth comes out, her reaction to learning about her origin comes across as realistically ambivalent. Both John and Esme are portrayed as warmhearted, likable people, and the relationship between them develops believably. The secondary characters are also lifelike and engaging. The reader gets the sense of a fully developed setting that has existed before the story begins and will continue to exist after one reads ‘The End’. I also admire the way the concept of ‘bound spirits’ is used both literally and metaphorically; at the climax, this motif weaves together the separate plot threads. A true cross-genre story, BOUND SPIRITS maintains an effective balance between horror and romance. I found this novel thoroughly satisfying. Recommended." ~author Margaret L. Carter I received a new review for THE BLOODMOON CURSE, Book 2: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: "The author uses familiar Gothic tropes in a modern setting to chilling effect -- a huge, gloomy, sinister house, dark family secrets, a heroine virtually imprisoned and isolated from any source of aid. Even in the depth of her heartbreak, Amberlyn can't help growing attached to the children. Far from a helpless damsel in distress, she tries everything in her power to uncover the truths hidden from her and find a way to escape with her charges. Not until near the end of the story do we learn whether the ominously lurking presence she senses watching her is supernatural or human. The revelation of what's really going on in Bloodmoon Manor won't disappoint the reader's terrified anticipation. Meanwhile, Amberlyn's purely human loss and the shared grief that drove her and her husband apart instead of drawing them together are deeply moving. Scenes from his viewpoint reveal his anguished love for her, reassuring the reader that we needn't completely despair about the saving of their marriage. This novel can be read independently of any others in the Bloodmoon Cove Spirits series; no prior knowledge of the setting is needed." ~author Margaret L. Carter Find out more: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/ I received a new review for HEARTS ABLAZE, Book 4: Peaceful Pilgrims Series: 5 Stars! “Riley, much younger than her husband Blaze, is an ambitious woman who’s used to getting what she wants. She’s worked hard to advance her career as a flight attendant--now situated in Minnesota--sometimes to the detriment of her marriage to a cop who still lives in their small hometown of Peaceful, Wisconsin. When she finds out that someone she’d befriended in the Human Resources Department of the airline she works for has fudged her resume in order to advance her over more qualified attendants, everything changes. Though initially Riley comes off as a bit spoiled, she does a lot of growing up in this story. I love that Blaze is her solid rock from start to finish, though he’s by no means a wimp. These two go head-to-head often, but it’s part of their magic. This is a swoon-worthy romance for the modern couple.” ~Linda's Reviews Find out more: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/peaceful-pilgrims-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/a-peaceful-pilgrim-novel-series/ AUTHOR PAGES Writers Exchange: http://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/ and http://www.writers-exchange.com/blog/ Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Karen%20Wiesner Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/karenwiesner Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/karenwiesner Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KarenWiesnerAuthor BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/karen-wiesner WORKS IN PROGRESS MOMENTS http://www.facebook.com/KarenWiesnerAuthor https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/works-in-progress.html In April, I: -Revised HELL HATH NO FURY, Book 10: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series -Wrote reviews for Alien Romances Blog -Practiced art In May and June, I'll be: -Writing the first draft of BAD BLOOD, Book 11: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html 2024 WIP Goals: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/works-in-progress.html ![]() I received a new review for THE BLOODMOON CURSE, Book 2: Bloodmoon Cove Spirits Series: 5 Stars! "The author uses familiar Gothic tropes in a modern setting to chilling effect -- a huge, gloomy, sinister house, dark family secrets, a heroine virtually imprisoned and isolated from any source of aid. Even in the depth of her heartbreak, Amberlyn can't help growing attached to the children. Far from a helpless damsel in distress, she tries everything in her power to uncover the truths hidden from her and find a way to escape with her charges. Not until near the end of the story do we learn whether the ominously lurking presence she senses watching her is supernatural or human. The revelation of what's really going on in Bloodmoon Manor won't disappoint the reader's terrified anticipation. Meanwhile, Amberlyn's purely human loss and the shared grief that drove her and her husband apart instead of drawing them together are deeply moving. Scenes from his viewpoint reveal his anguished love for her, reassuring the reader that we needn't completely despair about the saving of their marriage. This novel can be read independently of any others in the Bloodmoon Cove Spirits series; no prior knowledge of the setting is needed." ~author Margaret L. Carter Find out more: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series.html https://www.writers-exchange.com/bloodmoon-cove-spirits-series/ New Alien Romances Blog Review: The Way of the Drow Series (featuring Drizzt!) by R. A. Salvatore4/29/2024 ![]() I've posted a new "Put This One on Your TBR List" review of The Way of the Drow Series (featuring Drizzt!) by R. A. Salvatore on the Alien Romances Blog. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/04/karen-s-wiesner-put-this-one-on-your.html ![]() I've started an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series with Oldies But Goodies on the Alien Romances Blog. This week I review Fantastic Beasts by J.K. Rowling. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/04/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_01627275539.html ![]() I've started an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series with Oldies But Goodies on the Alien Romances Blog. This week I review The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/04/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put_0928789353.html ![]() I've started an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series with Oldies But Goodies on the Alien Romances Blog. This week I review A Stir of Echoes by Richard Matheson. Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/04/karen-s-wiesner-oldies-but-goodies-put.html |
AuthorWelcome to Karen's Quill, the blog of author Karen Wiesner. In addition to being a popular writing reference instructor and writer, professional blurbologist and freelance editor, Karen is the accomplished author of nearly 150 titles published in the past 25 years, which have been nominated/won 134 awards, with 9 more releases contracted for spanning many genres and formats. Archives
July 2024
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