Children’s Books for Back to School
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 4, 2022
Do you have a young reader in your life? With back to school in full swing, we have a list of books to add to your reading list! Our Hidden Gems ARC readers loved the following titles, and we bet your young reader will, as well. Gugulu, The Little Bear Dares by Srividhya Lakshmanan Gugulu is recommended for readers 4-8 years old, although some reviewers noted that they would consider it more for the younger end of that age group. In this story, readers follow Gugulu, as he tries to walk himself to school, and discovers the dangers of running away from his parents on his walk to school. Laura S. shares in her five star Amazon review, “…Gugulu The Little Bear Dares is an adorable book that teaches a lesson about listening to your parents while introducing readers to a group of unique animals that don’t usually appear in… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Nalini Warriar
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 27, 2022
Today’s interview is with award winning author Nalini Warriar. Nalini writes steamy interracial and cross-cultural contemporary romances. It was our honor getting to know more about her publication journey, writing style, and life outside of writing! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? NW: I’m an extrovert with hidden depths I only reveal to those very close to me and so I come off as this la-di-da person who’s always laughing and having fun. This fits very well with my persona as a writer. I slip into my characters with obsessive and relative ease. I open up easily and everyone is good until they are proven wrong. And if they are, boy am I pissed. I speak five languages and have travelled quite a bit, an aspect often reflected in my writing as I love to weave stories about diverse people. HG:… Read More >
Romance Novels to Spend Fall Nights With
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 20, 2022
If you’re a regular on the Hidden Gems blog, you’ll know that romance is the most popular genre in the Hidden Gems ARC program. Our readers know that no two love stories are the same, so they scoop up new books every chance they get. We’ve got one for everybody on this round-up of top rated love stories from recent months. Villainous Kingpin by Eva Winners With 360+ ratings and a 4.7 star average, Villainous Kingpin is the first book in the two book Kingpins of the Syndicate series. If you have read other books by Winners before, you’ll be familiar with the characters who are spotlighted in this series, but you don’t need to have read her other books to enjoy this one. When Basilio meets Wynter, worlds collide with intoxicating, and potentially dangerous, results. Reviewers warn that this tale has a dark side with some violent moments, but… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Teresa Roman
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 13, 2022
Today’s interview is with contemporary and paranormal romance author Teresa Roman. Teresa writes both YA and adult fiction. It was an absolute pleasure to get to know more about her writing style, life outside of writing and upcoming projects! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? TR: I am an introvert and shy in social situations, especially when I’m around people I don’t know well. I think that’s why reading and writing appeal to me so much. I love a good romance, but I am not necessarily drawn to the typical romance novel, though I do enjoy some of them. For example, I loved the Hunger Games series, not only because the story was so captivating, but also because of the romantic subplot. I like to write heroes who are generally good guys. They don’t have to be perfect, but they’ll never… Read More >
Fantasy Tales to Distract You From the Real World
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 6, 2022
If you are looking for an escape from the real world, this list is for you. We’ve got one for everybody on this round-up of recently top rated fantasy novels that our Hidden Gems ARC readers raved about. Immortal World by Lauretta Hignett With 130+ reviews and a 4.8 star average, Immortal World is a fantasy tale worth adding to your TBR list! This is the third novel in a five book series, which follows Imogen Gray, an immortal being who is on a mission to find the answers to the origins of her immortality. Imogen is a force to be reckoned with, and readers will find the process of trying to keep pace with her adventures immensely enjoyable. Janine M. raves in her five star Amazon review, “…Imogen blooms even more in this action and mystery packed paranormal romance. It’s a found family book that grips your heart and… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Gabrielle Dahms
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 30, 2022
Today’s interview is with author and real estate professional Gabrielle Dahms. Gabrielle’s passion and extensive expertise about real estate comes through in her writing meant to inspire and provide tips and insight for novices and veteran investors alike. We were honored to chat with her about her background, publication journey and inspirations. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with you and your writing yet? GD: I love life and people. Laughter, good food and travel connect them both. I also love to solve problems and to learn. My long real estate career led me to share what I learned in the last two decades in book form. Interestingly, my Masters in History sharpened my research and writing skills. HG: What inspired you to write your first book? GD: The inspiration for my first book came from the desire to apply my real estate knowledge and… Read More >
Mystery Novels To Keep You Guessing
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 23, 2022
If your detective cap and magnifying glass are always at the ready to figure out “whodunit,” this list is for you. We’ve got one for everybody on this round-up of recently top rated mystery novels that our Hidden Gems ARC readers raved about. Murder in the Gardens by Colette Clark With over 400 ratings and an average of 4.5 stars, Murder in the Gardens is a must read. Set in New York in the height of the Jazz Age, Murder in the Gardens, is the fourth in a five book series following Penelope Banks. Tasked with solving the murder of the owner of a swanky new hotel opening in New York City, the sassy protagonist will thrill readers. Abbigail H. writes in her five star review, “Pen reminded me of Fryne Phisher which I adore and the atmosphere of the story is similar: Penelope is maybe rich and belongs to… Read More >
5 Female Authors Who Write Love Stories for Everyone
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 16, 2022
Each month we have the opportunity to interview the writers that bring incredible stories to your eReaders. From debut authors to seasoned pros, we’ve enjoyed getting to know these folks and learning about their inspiration and lives outside of writing. Today we’re bringing you a round-up of five recent interviews with female authors dedicated to writing love stories for everyone, just in case you missed them the first time around. Through the Hidden Gems ARC program, we’ve introduced readers to books in over 15 genres from authors of all walks of life, starting out or well seasoned. It’s an honor connecting our ARC readers with new-to-them authors, or old favorites. It’s no secret that romance is the most popular genre within our program. Romance readers are voracious, and they know what they want! Whether it be contemporary, historical, young adult, paranormal or suspense, readers enjoy a love story with the… Read More >
YA Books for Summer Reading
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 9, 2022
Are your young adult readers looking for books to fill the summer break? Our Hidden Gems ARC readers recently loved the following YA books, and we bet the young adult reader in your life will, as well. Who knows – you may find yourself a fan of the following titles, too. The Five Shields: The Sands of Infinity by Ilan Dvir With 27 ratings and a 4.8 average star rating, The Five Shields is certainly a hidden gem. Per the Amazon listing, this is suggested for ages 12-17, and is the third volume in The Five Shields series. The series is described as a fantasy series which combines history, science, mythology, philosophy, adventure, magic, adventure, and humor. “The threads of storytelling are so expertly woven in this fantasy adventure that it guarantees the attention of the reader,” Piaras raves in their five star Amazon review. “Skillfully constructed, this creative… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: A.L. Hawke
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 2, 2022
Today’s interview is with internationally bestselling author of fantasy and romance, A.L. Hawke. Hawke shared with us their writing process, publication journey and so much more. It was an honor to hear about Hawke’s current and upcoming projects. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? ALH: I write fantasy and romance. My characters are witches, goddesses, nymphs, ghosts, and genius geneticists. My main themes involve friendship and love, culture versus ferality, sanity, and mortality. HG: What inspires your stories and why is that important to you? ALH: Life experiences, of course. I enjoyed writing my witch series because it was a way to relive my college years (sans the magic). Other books, like my epic myth series, were pure escapist fantasy. Music inspired that. I’m influenced by many contemporary novelists: the skill of Stephanie Meyer and Stephen King; the daring of Bret… Read More >
