5 Horror Books That Bring the Fear
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on June 9, 2020
It many not be the best selling genre around, but f you look back over the decades, you can see that the best horror books stand the test of time (we’re still reading Dracula and Frankenstein, a century or more later). But what makes a good horror story? Most indie-published horror novels fail to make an impact because the genre is small and competitive, and the books on offer have a tough time differentiating themselves from others in the category. It doesn’t have to be this way, though! We checked the downloads, reviews, and rankings for the horror novels shared with Hidden Gems subscribers this quarter, and identified the five which resonated with our readers the most. If you’re looking to write horror well – or just want a scary read – you’d be well off starting with these. What Preys Within by Brett Gurda The first novel by author Brett… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Olivia Atwater
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on June 2, 2020
Today, we continue our series of Author Spotlight Interviews by chatting to historical fantasy author Olivia Atwater, author of Half a Soul, the first in her planned Regency Faerie Tales Book series. We were extremely grateful for the opportunity to discuss her inspirations, motivations, and what drove her to weave her unique tales. Jane Austen would probably be astonished at the wide variety of ways in which her groundbreaking romances like Pride and Prejudice have been reinterpreted over the years (…and Zombies, anybody?) However, she’d be delighted to see how talented Canadian author Olivia Atwater has approached what’s now become ‘Regency Romance’ – with her beautiful historical fantasies that weave the truth and fantasy of the Regency era into a vivid backdrop for her stories. Subscribers to Hidden Gems picked her first novel, Half a Soul, as one of last month’s top romance reads, and I’m sure fans will love… Read More >
5 Children’s Books That Really Stood Out
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on May 26, 2020
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 look at some of our subscribers favorite Children’s Books that were recently sent out to them. Children’s Books are one of the more challenging genres to be successful at as a self-publisher, so hopefully it’ll be valuable to take a look at these “Hidden Gems” among their ranks. Merlin Raj and the Santa Algorithm by D. G. Priya Merlin Raj and the Santa Algorithm is one of two books in this charming series of children’s books by author D. G. Priya, who is a computer science major with a passion for helping introduce children to STEM subjects, and computational thinking. In an age in which computer science experience is considered one of the foundational skills for success in our… Read More >
The 5 Romance Novels Readers Picked in April 2020
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on May 19, 2020
Romance novels never go out of favor, and this April subscribers to Hidden Gems received invitations to read and review some really fantastic romantic reads. We rounded up the numbers – the readers who picked each book, and the reviews they left for it – and decided to share the five ‘Hidden Gems’ as selected by our subscribers. Pioneer Dream by Ramona Flightner Dozens of 5-star reviews attest to how popular Ramona Flightner‘s historical romances are, and with Pioneer Dream she weaves a tale that hits every note. This is the tale of tough, down-to-earth frontiersman Kevin O’Rourke – who never expected to plunge into the cold waters of the Missouri River in pursuit of a woman overboard, or to fall just as deeply in love with her when she’s pulled from the water. Likewise, the waterlogged Aileen O’Keefe had very specific reasons to travel to Fort Benton, Montana – but… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Marianne Hansen
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on May 12, 2020
Today, we continue our series of author spotlight interviews by talking to Marianne Hansen, author of hilarious but poignant Better Off Divorced and The Unscripted Life of Lizzy Dillinger. We caught up with her to find out how a highly-educated mom in Montana found the inspiration for her richly emotional tales of brave and brilliant women. HG: First off – who IS Marianne Hansen to those readers who might not have heard of her. How do you describe yourself? MH: I am a humor writer, wife, mother of 3 and purchaser of shoes. I grew up in Connecticut and moved to Utah in high school. I have a JD from U of Iowa, and an MA in Teaching Speakers of Other Languages and a BA in English from BYU, but I’m still trying to convince my family I know what I’m talking about. I’m also still trying to figure out… Read More >
5 Intense Thrillers to Enjoy
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on May 5, 2020
Each and every week, subscribers to Hidden Gems receive invitations to review brand-new ebooks for FREE – sometimes before they’re even published. Of the over 15 different genres we offer, thrillers remain one of the most popular – and so we’ve gathered a list of the five favorite thrillers shared with subscribers in recent months, as calculated by the number and quality of the reviews our readers gave them. Seven Shadows by V.S. Kemanis The best thrillers are centered around vividly-believable characters, and that’s what’s so impressive about Seven Shadows – the fifth and most recent of the Dana Hargrove Legal Mysteries. Although four books proceed this one – following brilliant New York prosecutor Dana as she makes her way toward a new position as a trial judge – you can dive right in, and you’ll love seeing through the eyes of this principled, but complex woman as she sees the… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Brittni Chenelle
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on April 28, 2020
This week, we continue our series of author spotlight interviews by chatting with Brittni Chenelle, the author of genre-defying multicultural fantasy books like Kingdom Cold and the Gifted Fae Academy series. We spoke to her about her inspirations and motivations, and how she dreamed up the unique world of her magical academy. HG: So, Brittni – on a personal note, I thought your book was SO original! BC: Thank you so much! I was really nervous to publish it. It was my first attempt at writing Urban Fantasy. HG: The magical academy genre is a very packed one. When you started writing, did you make creative choices to specifically stand out from the crowd? Or did that just happen naturally? What do you think makes your universe and characters different to the mainstream? BC: Writing something unique that doesn’t necessarily fit anywhere is the easier task. I struggled more with… Read More >
Review Writing Made Easy – the 5 Questions Method
By: Ginger | Posted on April 21, 2020
If the only thing stopping you from writing a review for a book you read, whether from us or anywhere else, is that you don’t know what to write, don’t give up just yet. We have an idea that may help, and aside from buying an author’s books, there’s no better way to support them by regularly leaving them honest and quality reviews. Remember – other potential readers use those reviews to help them decide whether to take a chance on a new book, so their importance to an author can’t be overstated. The best thing about being a subscriber to Hidden Gems is the opportunity to download and enjoy FREE eBooks from over 15 different genres – including the latest titles by USA Today and New York Times best selling authors. However, the reason these authors choose to send out all these free books is that they’re hoping that… Read More >
Isolate yourself with these 5 Epic Fantasy Adventures
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on April 14, 2020
With the COVID-19 crisis continuing, your Kindle or eReader might just become your new best friend. Today, we’re sharing 5 fantasy titles recently read and reviewed by Hidden Gems subscribers – and remember, if you want to receive free fantasy books like these – or others from 15 different genres – just sign up today and select your favorites. Exile’s Redemption by Lee Dunning The Elven Nation lies fractured, and ambitious young scholar Raven hopes to reunite it with knowledge she scours from the great library. However, when portals to another dimension open, flooding her homeland with bloodthirsty demons, Raven needs to ally herself with an even darker entity; and hope she can use the power of the exiled W’rath to defend her people. “I might become a fantasy reader,” warned JD Lovil in a 5-star review. “The Author starts you off with a very artfully drawn map of the elfish… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Jeana E. Mann
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on April 7, 2020
This week we have a quick chat with Jeana E. Mann, the USA Today bestselling author of The Exiled Prince, The Rebel Queen, and The Ruthless Knight. A former corporate executive, Jeana now has over twenty books, three series, and several awards beneath her belt – proving that she made the right choice to boldly live out her dream of becoming a writer. HG: First off – WHO IS Jeana E. Mann? How do you describe yourself? I saw your bio on Amazon (I’m a writer, too, and I followed you out of corporate America. I’d love to explore that! You’re so inspirational!) but first – who is Jeana E. Mann to readers who might not have heard of you before? JM: Although I always wanted to be a writer, I got a degree in Speech & Hearing (which I hated) and ended up going back to school for accounting…. Read More >
