10 Feminist Books That Empower and Educate
By: Heather Gonzales | Posted on September 10, 2019
Books continue to retain their power despite the rise in technology and instantaneous information. After all, there’s still something about reading thoughtfully crafted sentences, and reading people’s stories and empathizing with characters across time. Plus, books continue to inform and inspire us to learn more about our world. In a society where people are growing more aware about issues like sustainability, intersectionality, and feminism, books remain the perfect medium for people to exchange ideas. This type of exchange leads to honest discourse and critical thinking, which are no mean feats in today’s world. In fact, researchers from Maryville University note how brands and companies tend to use relevant issues as an opportunity to elevate their brand presence and expand their market share. This is despite not making any tangible efforts to further the cause, especially for hot topics like feminism, which has and is being used as a marketing tool for many… Read More >
Five Fantastic Fantasy Books for the End of Summer
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 27, 2019
Today we’re looking at some of the recent titles from our Fantasy category, bringing you five fantastic fantasy books that our subscribers loved reading. So if you’re looking to visit another world or an alternate reality this summer, this is a great place to start. After by Savannah Jezowski Author Savannah Jezowski weaves a stunningly spooky allegory for the afterlife in her acclaimed Neverway Chronicles series, in which we discover that death is far from the end; or the end of struggles and danger. “This was a very unique fantasy story!” Reviewer Laura A. Grace wrote. “The premise was extremely interesting. I hadn’t read anything like it before, and as the story progressed, I can honestly say I haven’t read a *book* like this before. I will admit that the ending tore me up. Hugs to all the characters! At the end, the author wrote a note concerning the story and I… Read More >
Scintillating Science Fiction Novels
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 13, 2019
This week we’re looking back at some of the amazing science fiction novels shared with subscribers – picking those that our readers highlighted as true ‘Hidden Gems’ of the genre. If you’re looking to add a bit of futurism to your summer reading list, this is a great place to start. Survive the Chaos by Grace Hamilton As technology advances, the apocalyptic fantasies of traditional science fiction become closer and closer to the realm of reality. One such example is this taut novel, by momma-bear author Grace Hamilton. She based her thrilling Small Town EMP series on her own experiences after being trapped with her four children in a mountain cabin for four days – which gave her a vivid glimpse into what it might be like to try and live in a society robbed of the modern technology we’ve become too reliant on. “Most highly recommended for multiple reasons,”… Read More >
Hot and Steamy Summer Romance Reading List!
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on July 30, 2019
There’s nothing better to enjoy on a hot summer day than a similarly steamy romance story. But whether you prefer things sweet or scorching, clean or raunchy, you’ll get your pick of the latest releases delivered direct to your inbox, for free, as a subscriber to Hidden Gems. For those that do like their romance on the spicier side, here are a few stand-out titles that we sent to our readers this summer and that fans went nuts for overall. Baiting the Royal by Nancy Corrigan Pennsylvania-based author Nancy Corrigan has earned a loyal contingent of fans with her sizzling Shifter Romances; which feature tortured heroes, feisty heroines, and edge-of-your-seat excitement paired with a guaranteed happily-ever-after. In this title, you’ll meet Lyla and Uri; and ride along as they fight for their lives against a brutal killer – and find love along the way. “Love all of Nancy’s shifter books,”… Read More >
Fight the Heat of Summer with these Five Ice-Cold Thrillers
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on July 16, 2019
If you’re looking for a can’t-put-down summer thriller, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve gathered five of the top-rated thrillers we’ve offered to subscribers this summer, each one full to the brim with red-hot action and ice-cold thrills. Bringing Hell by Larry Igbon British author Larry Igbon brings the gritty realism of London’s underworld to life in this tough-as-nails novella, featuring a Royal Marine out for revenge after the East End Mob murder his brother. Reviewer clairbear gave the book 5-stars, writing: “This is my kind of revenge story. The protagonist is arrogant, strong, and capable. The bad guys? Love to hate them. It’s a well-paced story. A very satisfactory ending. I’m a big fan of revenge movies or books and this book was spot on., Dono writes: “Quite a bit of violence and fighting, but not over the top. Look forward to this starting a series. Although this was… Read More >
Great Women’s Literature For Summer Beach Reading
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on July 2, 2019
Summer beach reading is almost as essential as sunscreen and a swimsuit – so we’ve scoured some of the recent women’s literature books shared with Hidden Gems subscribers to find you five top-ranked summer recommendations. And, remember – you’ll get the opportunity to download FREE books just like this when you sign up to the program, plus titles from 15 other genres. On the Road to Love by Melissa Baldwin Bestselling romance author Melissa Baldwin spread her wings with the Love in the City series, which blends the romantic elements she’s so famous for with satire and literary flair. The result is romcom-meets Sex in the City, with tales of firm friends navigating love, loss, family, and career in the Big Apple. On the Road to Love is the first in this series, and a natural introduction to Melissa’s writing. The book sees Manhattan accountant Stacy facing the breakup of her… Read More >
We Have ‘Hidden Gems’ from Every Genre!
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on June 18, 2019
When you become a subscriber to Hidden Gems, you can select any of over 15 different genres to receive FREE books from. All the most popular genres in publishing are represented, of course – like romance, thrillers, mystery and science fiction. However, we also have less dominant genres including self-help, faith and spirituality and even cookbooks! Below are some recent ‘Hidden Gems’ that our subscribers ranked highly – these ones selected from genres that people don’t automatically think of. We’re really proud to be able to partner with and showcase authors of almost any type of book – bring as much variety as possible to our readers! Faith & Spirituality Books on faith and spirituality – from Christian to new-age spirituality – might not own a huge market share of the publishing industry, but they remain one of the most solid performers. While The Association of American Publishers (AAP) doesn’t… Read More >
Five Terrific LGBT Books to Celebrate Pride Month
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on June 11, 2019
To commemorate the famous “Stonewall Riots”, which triggered the push for equality in June 1969, the month of June is celebrated as LGBT Pride Month. To mark this celebration, we’ve put together a list of some fantastic LGBT books that put gay, lesbian or non-hetero-normative relationships front and center. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee With the Montague Siblings series, author Mackenzi Lee introduced us all to what Teen Vogue called “the queer teen historical you didn’t know was missing from your life.” The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is the first book in the series, and follows young nobleman Henry “Monty” Montague as he embarks on the traditional 18th century “grand tour” of Europe; as eager to explore his burgeoning bisexuality as the cathedrals and museums of Paris and Rome. In her 5-star review, Azia writes: “This book is undoubtedly one of the most humorous… Read More >
6 Book-ish Summer/Holiday Activities for Kids
By: Kate Stead | Posted on June 4, 2019
Aaah… school holidays and summer vacation. Sometimes fabulous, sometimes horrible. Like many parents, Chris and Kate Stead, founders of the children’s publishing company Old Mate Media, have a love/hate relationship with school breaks. Like most of us, they struggle with the never-ending challenge of finding inexpensive and fun activities to do with the kids. The good news is, they’ve discovered some fabulous book related options to share with us. Here are six bookish activities that Kate has put together for you to do with the young ones during school holidays or when they’re home in the summer. 1: Visit the Library I can hear you all groaning. This seems so obvious that it’s barely worth including. But when did you actually last visit the library with your kids? Our children love going to the library and often they will run school holiday specific activities for kids. If they don’t have… Read More >
Hollywood Could Learn from Romance Novels About Strong Female Characters
By: Simone Scarlet | Posted on May 31, 2019
Hollywood is desperate for ‘strong female characters’ – but romance/adventure author Simone Scarlet believes they’re looking in the wrong place for them. Here is her argument to Hollywood that they would be better served by mining romance novels for examples of strong female characters than continuing to write ‘shared cinematic universes’ using the same tired tropes that haven’t worked for years. She even ends the post with a few book recommendations of where they can start looking! Warning, this post contains some a spoiler or two about Captain Marvel. The other week, I went to the cinema to watch Avengers: Endgame, which came off the back of Captain Marvel. I’ll have to admit – I loved them both, especially the inaugural outing for Marvel’s newest superhero. With Captain Marvel, it was great to see the 1990s brought to life again, to watch Samuel L. Jackson as I remembered him from… Read More >
