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Winter's Saga #5
Winter's Scars: The Forsaken
Defined by fate
Accused of betrayal
Scarred by fire
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not all metamorphoses are for the better. Sometimes nature can be cruel.
Evan Winter was the youngest in the family. He was the academic-minded, medical genius who could perform intricate surgical procedures if necessary. He was the logic-driven, golden-hearted kid-brother of Meg and Alik.
Everyone loved Evan. Everyone appreciated his devotion to family and his unconditional faith.
No one could have seen his change coming.
Nothing could have stopped the events as they unfolded.
Now everybody is in shock at what has become of Evan Winter.
Accused of betrayal
Scarred by fire
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not all metamorphoses are for the better. Sometimes nature can be cruel.
Evan Winter was the youngest in the family. He was the academic-minded, medical genius who could perform intricate surgical procedures if necessary. He was the logic-driven, golden-hearted kid-brother of Meg and Alik.
Everyone loved Evan. Everyone appreciated his devotion to family and his unconditional faith.
No one could have seen his change coming.
Nothing could have stopped the events as they unfolded.
Now everybody is in shock at what has become of Evan Winter.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2013
4 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
Karen Luellen
6 books177 followersA little about myself...
My husband Joe and I live in the still wild open spaces about two hours northwest of Dallas. Our days are filled with business and our nights are usually spent working on a project together somewhere around the house or yard. We have two amazing adult kids out doing their part to make the world a better place, by the grace of God.
So, with the house feeling too quiet, we (read: I) decided we needed to find a baby cat we could dote on (and I could hold like a baby from time to time.)
And there he was. I saw him in an online ad.
He was one of 25 kittens born to a feral colony. It was love at first sight!
That was two years ago, and now the runt-of-the-litter who had to be bottle fed by the rescue volunteers, has blossomed into a handsome, super fluffy, 17lb Maine Coon named "Atlas the Destroyer!"***
He earned his name by freaking out the instant he came home to us. The rescue volunteer released him from his kitten-sized pet carrier carefully, trying to ease him into the unfamiliar environment, but the kitty had other ideas.
The scrawny flash of fur leaped up on the kitchen counter sending papers and dishes flying, dashed across the knobs of the stove, and sprang straight up in the corner of the cabinets, disappearing for an instant before landing eight feet up on top of the cabinets with a soft thud of his paws, and one more crash.
All this happened in less than 10 seconds!
I looked around at the destruction left in the wake of that frightened big-pawed, baby cat.
Dishes were broken on the floor, and freshly notarized documents were torn up. One of the burners on the stove glowed red hot as he must have turned it on running across the knobs, and the biggest Houdini move of all... We didn't even know how he jumped up and through the cabinets until we looked. Sure enough, there was a six-inch-by-six-inch opening in the back corner of the cabinets where they met.
Hence "Atlas the Destroyer" pretty much named himself.
So, a bit of a news flash, I changed careers (aka my day job) and with a wistful but ready heart, I hung up my kindergarten teacher's paint-covered apron and moved into a whole different career field.
But even though I no longer have to wear machine-washable clothes (in hot, with Clorox) to teach, I still have not given up my need to be surrounded by positivity, creativity, and light.
It's been a minute since I've released a novel, but don't worry. I've got something in the works and will share as soon as possible.
I do hope you're well and enjoying all the small things rather than taking them for granted. Small things, like a wild, scrawny, kitten, can cure the most cynical if given the chance.
With heartfelt prayers for humanity, I fervently work toward doing my part to return to an era of God-loving, hard-working, persevering, responsible, faith-filled Americans who treat others the way they want to be treated.
Respectfully,
Karen Luellen
***That was to have been read in a booming, echo-y, warrior's bellow that left everyone's ears ringing and tails tucked!
So, go ahead. Try it again. I'll wait.
"Atlas the DESTROYYYEEERRR!!!"
*grin*
(Or you can call him Attie for short - especially when approaching meekly holding a Costco-sized bag of salmon-flavored treats.)
My husband Joe and I live in the still wild open spaces about two hours northwest of Dallas. Our days are filled with business and our nights are usually spent working on a project together somewhere around the house or yard. We have two amazing adult kids out doing their part to make the world a better place, by the grace of God.
So, with the house feeling too quiet, we (read: I) decided we needed to find a baby cat we could dote on (and I could hold like a baby from time to time.)
And there he was. I saw him in an online ad.
He was one of 25 kittens born to a feral colony. It was love at first sight!
That was two years ago, and now the runt-of-the-litter who had to be bottle fed by the rescue volunteers, has blossomed into a handsome, super fluffy, 17lb Maine Coon named "Atlas the Destroyer!"***
He earned his name by freaking out the instant he came home to us. The rescue volunteer released him from his kitten-sized pet carrier carefully, trying to ease him into the unfamiliar environment, but the kitty had other ideas.
The scrawny flash of fur leaped up on the kitchen counter sending papers and dishes flying, dashed across the knobs of the stove, and sprang straight up in the corner of the cabinets, disappearing for an instant before landing eight feet up on top of the cabinets with a soft thud of his paws, and one more crash.
All this happened in less than 10 seconds!
I looked around at the destruction left in the wake of that frightened big-pawed, baby cat.
Dishes were broken on the floor, and freshly notarized documents were torn up. One of the burners on the stove glowed red hot as he must have turned it on running across the knobs, and the biggest Houdini move of all... We didn't even know how he jumped up and through the cabinets until we looked. Sure enough, there was a six-inch-by-six-inch opening in the back corner of the cabinets where they met.
Hence "Atlas the Destroyer" pretty much named himself.
So, a bit of a news flash, I changed careers (aka my day job) and with a wistful but ready heart, I hung up my kindergarten teacher's paint-covered apron and moved into a whole different career field.
But even though I no longer have to wear machine-washable clothes (in hot, with Clorox) to teach, I still have not given up my need to be surrounded by positivity, creativity, and light.
It's been a minute since I've released a novel, but don't worry. I've got something in the works and will share as soon as possible.
I do hope you're well and enjoying all the small things rather than taking them for granted. Small things, like a wild, scrawny, kitten, can cure the most cynical if given the chance.
With heartfelt prayers for humanity, I fervently work toward doing my part to return to an era of God-loving, hard-working, persevering, responsible, faith-filled Americans who treat others the way they want to be treated.
Respectfully,
Karen Luellen
***That was to have been read in a booming, echo-y, warrior's bellow that left everyone's ears ringing and tails tucked!
So, go ahead. Try it again. I'll wait.
"Atlas the DESTROYYYEEERRR!!!"
*grin*
(Or you can call him Attie for short - especially when approaching meekly holding a Costco-sized bag of salmon-flavored treats.)
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 10, 2015
Actual rating - 2.5
The characters in this installment were alright, but they had their annoying moments.
Just like the others, I found this one to be pretty slow, and it dragged for me quite a lot of the time.
I'm glad the next one is the last one.
The characters in this installment were alright, but they had their annoying moments.
Just like the others, I found this one to be pretty slow, and it dragged for me quite a lot of the time.
I'm glad the next one is the last one.
March 26, 2013
hmmm, this was actually a 4.8, i dont know why but...maybe it's just because i wish this family just gets a fricking break (i really didnt like the feud between evan and the family. And creed, awww creed). i really really hope the three separate cliffhangers at the end are explained and resolved in the next book. still loving this series. cant wait for next.
March 24, 2013
Loved and hated it! Hated it in the very best way possible. This series makes you care about the characters and what happens to them. I didn't like what happened to them in this book, but I'm sure Karen has a plan for how this is just going to make them stronger. My heart broke for Creed. I didn't expect Cole and Sloan to get closer. Who is the chick Evan made friends with and what's her part in the story? Hate that Alik and Evan are at odds. Meg is working a plan and I think Evan knows something about it.
I recommend this series to everyone.
I recommend this series to everyone.
November 10, 2015
This was another slow instalment, and it was really long as well!
6 out of 10
6 out of 10
March 25, 2013
Winter’s Scars: The Forsaken is an amazing setup to the next book. The action sequence that defines every novel, of this series, happens so early in the novel. It really defined the rest of the book. It changes the dynamic of so many characters.
This novel works because every character is trying to recover after this family has been shattered. They are at a crossroad, as a reader, you don’t know if they are going to pick up the pieces and find their way back to the family introduce in the Winter's Awakening: The Metahumans Emerge.
It also changed my opinion of several characters in the book. Characters I was rooting for the entire series felt like enemies of the state. I’m looking at you Margo Winter. Then I started to have sympathies for villains, like Donovan Arkdone. Even when it looked like ostracized characters were going to find happiness I couldn’t trust it, that’s you Kylie.
This time around Karen Luellen created so much conflict from one action from the previous book. It’s become such a “Luke, I’m your father,” kind of moment but it was in no way written that way in the previous novel.
Will the Winter family get their happy ending? I honestly can’t tell and from the mistrust that Dr. William has seeded into this family you can’t bet on it. Winter’s Scars: The Forsaken leaves you anticipating the next novel.
This novel works because every character is trying to recover after this family has been shattered. They are at a crossroad, as a reader, you don’t know if they are going to pick up the pieces and find their way back to the family introduce in the Winter's Awakening: The Metahumans Emerge.
It also changed my opinion of several characters in the book. Characters I was rooting for the entire series felt like enemies of the state. I’m looking at you Margo Winter. Then I started to have sympathies for villains, like Donovan Arkdone. Even when it looked like ostracized characters were going to find happiness I couldn’t trust it, that’s you Kylie.
This time around Karen Luellen created so much conflict from one action from the previous book. It’s become such a “Luke, I’m your father,” kind of moment but it was in no way written that way in the previous novel.
Will the Winter family get their happy ending? I honestly can’t tell and from the mistrust that Dr. William has seeded into this family you can’t bet on it. Winter’s Scars: The Forsaken leaves you anticipating the next novel.
March 10, 2013
This book picks up where we last left off, the Winter Clan are on the road trip from Hell in hot pursuit after Arkdone and Meg. I felt so crushed for Creed as he is my favourite character and whilst I mourn for Meg's memory loss; she does not know what she is missing but Creed does. Poor Maze as he was bereft after losing his best friend and saviour and does not understand what is going on.
With Arkdone’s influence twisting whatever is left of Meg to benefit his evil plans, I have to ponder the outcome. If she ever does regain her memories - will she be haunted by the choices that she makes or will she embrace the new and improved Meg Winters? Evan, the baby of the Winter family is coming into his own evolution and the results are nothing like what they envisioned.
All in all, I read this in one sitting and kept anxiously watching the page numbers as I knew I was running out of time and when I got to the end I was disappointed to know that so many questions still lingered. Will they all be answered in the next book; October is an awfully long way away.
I received an unedited copy of this book from the author as I am one of her Beta Readers but I have bought most of the books in this series. Karen is not only a wonderful story teller but she is genuinely a lovely person and this is reflected in her books. Ultimately despite all their scarred childhoods, this group of people have overcome the hate and desperation of being hunted with the power of love and family.
With Arkdone’s influence twisting whatever is left of Meg to benefit his evil plans, I have to ponder the outcome. If she ever does regain her memories - will she be haunted by the choices that she makes or will she embrace the new and improved Meg Winters? Evan, the baby of the Winter family is coming into his own evolution and the results are nothing like what they envisioned.
All in all, I read this in one sitting and kept anxiously watching the page numbers as I knew I was running out of time and when I got to the end I was disappointed to know that so many questions still lingered. Will they all be answered in the next book; October is an awfully long way away.
I received an unedited copy of this book from the author as I am one of her Beta Readers but I have bought most of the books in this series. Karen is not only a wonderful story teller but she is genuinely a lovely person and this is reflected in her books. Ultimately despite all their scarred childhoods, this group of people have overcome the hate and desperation of being hunted with the power of love and family.
June 17, 2013
I finished this book in only a couple of days, which for me right now is VERY fast. (No time to read)
I am giving this 5 stars and adding it to my favorites list. This series has quickly become one of my favorites, Karen does an amazing job capturing the reader and not letting go of them until the very last page.
This book was the most difficult in the series for me to read. Several of the characters that I've grown to love, are struggling even more than in the previous books. I had time where I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room, but settled for just turning it off and walking away from it.
Just when you think the evil men in the Winter's lives couldn't get any worse, they do something to completely surprise you. And right now, my heart is bleeding for Meg, who still has no memories. All the people that it's effecting, as she's the "glue" that holds everyone together, it's horribly sad to see the family and friends at odds over things that seem so trivial to me. I know Karen is going to correct all that is wrong in the next book, but I'm seriously worried that some of the characters are not going to make it out alive. Even Gideon/Sirus has grown a place in my heart, but I'm scared things won't bode well for him. I'm going to have to stalk the author's page and wait for book 6 as I cannot wait to see what she has in store. Great job, Karen! You are amazing!
I am giving this 5 stars and adding it to my favorites list. This series has quickly become one of my favorites, Karen does an amazing job capturing the reader and not letting go of them until the very last page.
This book was the most difficult in the series for me to read. Several of the characters that I've grown to love, are struggling even more than in the previous books. I had time where I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room, but settled for just turning it off and walking away from it.
Just when you think the evil men in the Winter's lives couldn't get any worse, they do something to completely surprise you. And right now, my heart is bleeding for Meg, who still has no memories. All the people that it's effecting, as she's the "glue" that holds everyone together, it's horribly sad to see the family and friends at odds over things that seem so trivial to me. I know Karen is going to correct all that is wrong in the next book, but I'm seriously worried that some of the characters are not going to make it out alive. Even Gideon/Sirus has grown a place in my heart, but I'm scared things won't bode well for him. I'm going to have to stalk the author's page and wait for book 6 as I cannot wait to see what she has in store. Great job, Karen! You are amazing!
March 9, 2013
I found this series through the Kindle Lending Library and I haven't been disappointed. Well, I did have one disappointment, I was devouring them so fast that I had to buy them because I couldn't wait for the month to start again to borrow the next one! :) This book doesn't break the winning cycle. It is a bit darker as things get worse and better and worse but there is still light at the end of the tunnel as the story continues to intensify. I'm still hooked though and can't wait for the next book to come out since I was so sad when the last page snuck up on me! Thanks for another great read Karen!
July 11, 2014
I LOVE this series, Winter's Saga, by Karen Luellen! Ever since I read the first book, I have fallen in love with the characters, the storyline, the suspense, the action, and the love stories. This book is rather dark, but does not disappoint! This book, as well as with the previous books in the series, ends with an epic cliffhanger that makes me more than ready for the next book! I definitely recommend this book as well as the rest in the series!
March 11, 2013
Another home run in my opinion. I have enjoyed every one of Karen's books and this one is no exception. I read it in one afternoon couldn't put it down. My heart is a bit broken for Creed right now, have to say I shed a few tears, but pretty confident Meg will come back. And I can't wait to see what part Danny plays in it. Can't wait till the next one. Cool thing is the new one comes out in October and that just happens to be my birth month, happy birthday to me. :)
June 22, 2013
I'll add more later but I will say that I wish I could add 5 more stars! And that I can't wait for book 6 to come out because this one has me hanging on an edge waiting to see what is going to happen to everyone. I am having a total book hangover from this whole series!! It has only been a few days since I've finished this book, I can't wait to reread them again and to buy the ones I'm missing.
Fantastic book/series by an awesome author!
Fantastic book/series by an awesome author!
March 16, 2013
Just so you know, everything is messed up by the end of this book. If that bothers you, you may want to wait until the last book is written (October) before you read this one :)
This book make me a little crazy. I just feel so bad for Creed and Evan. I love Gideon (and alter personalities) , and hope things work out for him. I cant wait to see how everything gets resolved.
This book make me a little crazy. I just feel so bad for Creed and Evan. I love Gideon (and alter personalities) , and hope things work out for him. I cant wait to see how everything gets resolved.
January 6, 2015
I finished this & had to hurry and read the final book of the series, so I can't remember where this book ends and the other begins. This book had you constantly on edge, because the family just wasn't't together. Just very intense, and you just couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this series, and that you have the 6th book ready to read when your done.
October 21, 2014
This whole series is so wonderful. It makes me smile! I so love it!! I have followed the Winter Family since the beginning and it pulled me in then and I still want to know what will happen. Thank you for another great book. I love it! I am on to 6 now, I hope at the end the Winter Family will get to have a happy life. Lets see what happens!
January 24, 2016
Actual Rating: 2.75
This was an okay read. The story tended to be boring and it made me want to stop reading. The characters were okay in this one, but they still had the ability to piss me off at other points as well. This one was longest and the slowest for me. I can't believe I am going onto the last book. Can't wait for the series to be over. Overall, a decent read.
This was an okay read. The story tended to be boring and it made me want to stop reading. The characters were okay in this one, but they still had the ability to piss me off at other points as well. This one was longest and the slowest for me. I can't believe I am going onto the last book. Can't wait for the series to be over. Overall, a decent read.
August 6, 2016
Latest of the Winter saga did not disappoint. Love the 'evolution' of the kids. Story felt more progressive to me then the previous books in the series. Look forward to Spring 2014 and the final book
March 28, 2013
I cannot wait for the next one! this poor family I cant wait to read how everything will work out for them. it makes me feel so bad for Evan and how he feels through this whole book I really hope the rest of the family can forgive him and he can br happy again :-)
February 23, 2022
I liked this book,the beginning was interesting,the characters development and actions surprised me,and overall I connected to the characters in the first five books,I never would have heard about this series if I haven't received it and I am glad I did,can't wait for the sixth book!
August 23, 2013
The story continues in an explosive way. In this part of the series love, faith and trust are all put to the test as plans are made and secrets are kept. My son and I are eagerly anticipating the 6th and final in the series….oh, it’s so hard to wait!
March 25, 2013
Awesome!! hurry up with 6!!! :-)
April 17, 2013
Again, I loved the book! I didn't like where Meg was at with herself but I'm hoping she will "find" herself! I hope she kicks Arkdone's butt! :-) Can't wait for book 6!
April 20, 2013
Wow... only intense, but you feel every ounce of sadness and anger. Makes you wish you could jump into the book and stand by the Winter's in support and help them. Amazing book!
January 9, 2015
Too much discord
As much as I've enjoyed getting to know Meg and her family, this book just didn't have the same feel as the other ones. Too much descriptive cruelty while the family runs in circles barely escaping capture and almost rescuing Meg for 200 pages. That said, I'm determined to learn of the stories outcome, especially Cole and the Winter's family!
As much as I've enjoyed getting to know Meg and her family, this book just didn't have the same feel as the other ones. Too much descriptive cruelty while the family runs in circles barely escaping capture and almost rescuing Meg for 200 pages. That said, I'm determined to learn of the stories outcome, especially Cole and the Winter's family!
February 11, 2016
This book had a wrong feel to it in comparison to the previous books in the series. There seemed to be strange personality charges and too much discord.
I'm hoping that the next book will have an explanation for the changes and maybe a little peace for the Winter's family.
I'm hoping that the next book will have an explanation for the changes and maybe a little peace for the Winter's family.
December 1, 2013
Another frustrating book in the series. Pretty well written and easy to quickly read through.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews