Scary stories to keep you awake at night
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on May 17, 2022
Snakes. Clowns. Bats. What fills you with dread? While the horror genre can be one of the most harshly critiqued, Hidden Gems readers have been fortunate to have plenty of horror tales to choose from over the past few months, and this is a round-up of some of the most popular and well liked page turners. Which ones will you be adding to your to-read list? Legacy Of Ashes by Sean Deville For the near extinct vampire race, starvation has been a way of life for centuries. That is about to change. With a respectable 4.2 average star rating on Amazon, Legacy of Ashes is the first book in the Homo Vampirous Chronicles, an apocalyptic vampire horror tale. Rebecca S. raves in her five star review, “This author has an amazing knack for weaving non-fiction elements and ‘conspiracy theories’ into tales of dystopian horror. He expertly creates characters so… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: J.C. Benthin
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on May 10, 2022
Today’s interview is with charming and creative author J.C. Benthin. J.C. writes young adult and children’s novels that entertain and inspire. It was our pleasure to chat with J.C. about her writing style, future projects and life outside of writing! HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? JCB: Given my experience in writing screenplays, I tend to write more cinematically with dialogue driven characters. HG: Makes sense! You began writing as a young girl. Has “author” always been your dream job? Tell us a bit about your publishing journey. JCB: I am giggling as I write this because it took me a long time to even consider myself an author. I started my first romance novel in 3rd grade. I hand wrote it in cursive on blue lined paper and I never finished it. My writing continued in my journals, documenting moments… Read More >
Humorous books to Tickle Your Funny Bone
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on May 3, 2022
They say laughter is the best medicine. Need a prescription? We’ve rounded up a list of humorous books our Hidden Gems ARC readers loved. What makes you LOL? Strange Currents by J.C. Bruce Recommended for fans of Hiassen, White, and Hall, Strange Currents is book four of five in The Strange Files. The series chronicles Alexander Strange as he lives and works aboard a fishing trawler in Naples, Florida writing about news of the weird. J.B. raves in his five star review, “I’ve read all of the Strange books and this is the best! It’s got the most-sophisticated plot, the most-developed characters, the most-memorable settings and the best dialogue. And it is strange, which is what makes J.C. Bruce’s series so unique and readable. As a veteran of numerous trips to Key West, the authentic, recognizable setting was an added treat. Bruce fills his books with uniquely-interesting characters and… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Dana Claire
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on April 26, 2022
Today’s interview is with young adult author of action packed, romantic fantasy fiction that will keep you up at night, Dana Claire. 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? DC: I am a hopeless romantic and an action junkie. Toss a couple supernatural, magical, or sci-fi ingredients mix it in a bowl with high school angst and love, add a dash of imminent threats and viola, my Young Adult book babies are born. If you love exciting, spine-tingling moments, with chaptering ending hooks, you’ll be smitten with my writing. I like to tell my readers: Come for the romance, stay for the non-stop action. HG: Fantastic. You have mentioned that you’ve been writing since you were a young girl and… Read More >
5 Love Stories to Spend Your Weekend Devouring
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on April 19, 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. Coaching the Nanny by Alexa Padgett Coaching the Nanny is a steamy, angsty single dad sports romance from USA Today Bestseller Alexa Padgett, whose love stories are universally enjoyed by our ARC readers. In their five star review, M18 raves, “Emotional, angsty, intriguing, steamy, heartfelt, heartbreaking…just perfection. Coaching The Nanny by Alexa Padgett is all that and so much more.” She continues, “From the moment I sat down and started reading I found myself so quickly falling in love with Paloma and Silas, two characters that are so likable, so relatable… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Roy M. Griffis
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on April 12, 2022
Today’s interview is with multi-genre author, Roy M. Griffis. Griffis writes historical fiction, comic fantasy, alternative history and action-adventure screenplays. We were honored to hear from Griffis about his writing style, what inspires him and his exciting upcoming projects. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? RMG: Savage Satirist, Chronicler of Historical Events that did not take place (but should have), Bon Vivant, Actor, Writer, Hero: truly, a Renaissance Man. <and, I hope, pretty clearly someone who doesn’t take themselves that seriously. But I am very serious about my ethical responsibility to my readers. That is, to take them on an emotional journey, to remind them that the quality of their lives is in their own hands, to remind them of what is possible, to entertain them, and to write work that is ultimately inspiring, ennobling, and uplifting without being didactic agit-prop. … Read More >
Highly Rated Thrillers That Will Captivate Readers
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on April 5, 2022
Heart-pounding, adrenaline pumping…those are just some of the feelings an excellent thriller can invoke. Thrillers make us wonder “what if?” Hidden Gems readers have been able to choose from a variety of highly rated thrillers over the past few months, and this is a round-up of some of the most popular and well reviewed page turners. Desert Rose by K. Moore If you like captivating and emotionally-driven domestic thrillers, then you’ll love K. Moore’s novel. Desert Rose was named ‘Most Promising Manuscript’ at the 2018 Alaskan Writers Guild Conference. “I first have to say, this is phenomenally written,” raves Dustin in their 5-star review. “I felt such a connection to Jen, her fear, her heartache were shared so beautifully, I felt as if they were my own. As a parent, Jen’s situation is one of my biggest fears in life. Walking through this experience with her, helped me face… Read More >
5 Authors Committed To Writing Inclusive, Diverse Books
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on March 29, 2022
Each month we have the opportunity to interview the writers that bring fantastic 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 pleased to bring you a round-up of five recent interviews with authors dedicated to writing inclusive and diverse books that are willing to address challenges currently facing society. Self-published and traditionally published authors face a lot of competition to be seen with well over 1 million books published every year, according to Bowker. Through the Hidden Gems ARC program, we’ve introduced readers to books in over 15 genres from authors of all walks of life, from those just starting out to well seasoned pros. It’s been an honor connecting readers and writers through stories and feedback. The Hidden Gems ARC program is 100% free for readers. Each morning… Read More >
Nutrition Focused Cookbooks To Add To Your Collection
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on March 22, 2022
Each and every week, subscribers to Hidden Gems are offered FREE books to download, read, and review – from any or all of over 15 different genres. Today we’re going to highlight five cookbooks with a strong nutritional focus that our readers enjoyed exploring. Whether you want to re-evaluate your meal choices, or are simply looking for some new delicious recipes, check out these great cookbooks and don’t stress about what’s for dinner this weekend. A Beginner’s Guide to Sustainable Plant-Based Weight-Loss by Shane Corbitt Curious if a plant-based diet is right for you? In A Beginners Guide to Sustainable Plant-Based Weight Loss, you will discover a straightforward guide to following a plant-based diet, 20+ easy to make recipes, tips and tricks to help you make the shift and the science behind plant-based diets. “This book was great, it had a lot of great information and was easy to… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Amy Craig
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on March 15, 2022
Today’s interview is with romance author Amy Craig, who writes stories where everyone gets a happy ending. We were honored to chat with Amy about her self-publishing journey, writing style and exciting upcoming projects. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? AC: Lots of banter, medium-heat sex, and some research to set the scene. I’ve written contemporary romances and romantic suspenses, but the main difference is the presence of the “bad guy” vs. circumstantial impediments. In my stories, everyone gets a happy ending. Sometimes, even the villains get a second chance. HG: What have been the challenges you’ve faced in your publishing career? AC: Someone published my book, so I’m the luckiest girl in the world! Realistically, so many people have amazing stories to tell. I wish I was the type of person who slaved over a novel for decades and fine-tuned… Read More >
