Karen Marie Moning - BIO and AOM Challenge

[Kelley Anne]

I apologize! I am obviously majorly off my game this month. I could have sworn that I had already posted all of the September Author of the Month threads, but obviously I never did! So I apologize to everyone in the group for being so late at posting these!

The author that we are spotlighting for September is Karen Marie Moning. Her website is www.karenmoning.com According to the site:

Karen Marie Moning was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, one of four children. She graduated from Purdue University with a BA in Society and Law. After a decade of working with insurance litigation and arbitration, she quit her job to pursue her dream of a writing career. Four manuscripts and countless part-time jobs later, Beyond the Highland Mist was published by Bantam Dell and nominated for two prestigious RITA awards. Author of the beloved HIGHLANDER series and the thrilling new FEVER series, featuring MacKayla Lane, a sidhe seer. Her novels have appeared on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly bestsellers lists, and have received many industry awards, including the RITA.

Moning has two seperate, yet connected series. Over the last few years, I have heard so many times when people have questioned the differences in her two series and if you need to read one in order to read the other. I'll give my opinion on that. Her first series, The Highlander Series, is pure PNR. Great series, one of my favs, but very heavy on romance. Her other series, The Fever Series, is UF. While there are bits of romance, it's not at all one of the main parts of this series. Also, with her Highlander series, there is a new set of main characters in each novel, although the novels do connect with each other. In the Fever series, there is just one main character that the entire series is told from the perspective of. You do not HAVE to read the Highlander series in order to enjoy the Fever series, but personally I recommend that you do. The world that the Fever series is set in is first set up for you in the Highlander series. Also, there are some characters/storylines that are in the Highlander series that do show up in the Fever series. I think that I would have missed out on a lot of references and such if I hadn't read the Highlander series first. So while you don't have to read one series to read another, the two series are connected with each other. Hope that answers some questions!

As always, this thread is for anyone that wants to discuss KMM in general.

Also, this thread is for the Author of the Month Challenge! For anyone that's new to the group, the AOM challenge is to try to read one book/short story by the author that we are spotlighting that month. It's just a fun way to either get to know a new author, or if you are already a fan, re-read an old favorite.

Here are the books that she currently has released:

The Highlander Series
Beyond the Highland Mist
To Tame a Highland Warrior
The Highlander's Touch
Kiss of the Highlander
The Dark Highlander
The Immortal Highlander
Spell of the Highlander

The Fever Series
Darkfever
Bloodfever
Faefever
Dreamfever
Shadowfever (Coming Jan 18, 2011)

[Literary Ames]

A couple of days ago I read Darkfever which I gave 2 stars because I thought the characters were really unlikeable and then was persuaded to read Bloodfever which was better. I didn't feel like killing Mac in that one. I gave it 3 stars.

I do want to continue with the series now but I've heard the next two have huge cliffhangers so I'll wait until the last book comes out. :)

[Literary Ames]

I haven't read the Highlander series. Would I be OK to read that having only read the first two Fever books?

[Kelley Anne]

Amy - absolutely. Actually most people read the entire Highlander series before any of the Fever series. They were all released first.

It's been quite a while since I read any of her books, so I'm not quite sure where I'll start. Probably with The Highlander's Touch.

[Literary Ames]

Thanks Kelley Anne!

[AH]

I'll be reading Spell of the Highlander. It's on the top of my to-read pile.

[Darcy]

I did just read Beyond the Highland Mist and it was just ok. I keep hearing the series gets better as it goes on, so I will keep reading.

[Kelley Anne]

Absolutely! The series does suffer from the first book syndrome, where the first book is kinda weak but the series just keeps getting better! I think that you will like To Tame a Highland Warrior a lot better than Beyond the Highland Mist.

[Sarah]

I just re-read Faefever, and I loved it just as much the second time around.

[Yodamom]

I love KMM ! I've read them all but never tire of them. I think I'll re-read a Highlander book. I am not sure which on maybe Adams ?

[Jess]

I've been re-reading a few of the highlander books. I forgot how great they are.

[Angelika]

I've read the Highlander series (at least I think I've read all of them...I have all of them at any rate) and have only read the first in the Fever series (although I have all of them as well). So to get my butt moving on finishing this set I'm going to read Bloodfever.

[Mary X]

I've read the first couple of Highlander books. I was planning on reading Darkfever soon for a couple of series challenges that I'm doing. I have all the Fever books in my TBR. 2 in print and 2 on audio. The problem will be finding Darkfever since I just moved and haven't unpacked all my books yet

[Sandra, Need more time to Read!!]

I've read the first Highlander, and thought it was OK.

I've got the 2nd highlander and Darkfever both in challenges coming up; so I think I'll read the 2nd highlander, providing I can find it. LOL.

[Nichole ~Bookaholic~]

I am about 1/2 way through the audio of the first Highlander book and like it so far....will be moving on to the second one at some point this weekend

[Literary Ames]

Read Beyond the Highland Mist today. It was OK, slow but better than Darkfever. I'll definitely be continuing the series.

[Sandra, Need more time to Read!!]

Sadly I'm not going to get to the 2nd Highlander or Darkfever this month. But as I do have them in challenges coming up, I will be 'forced' to read them soon. LOL.