5 Cozy Mysteries for a Stormy Fall Evening
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 6, 2020
Fans of cozy mysteries love following an amateur sleuth as they seek justice through twists and turns with generous doses of humor throughout. If you’re looking for the perfect escape from reality you’ll love getting to the bottom of these books. Today, we’re going to highlight five cozy mysteries that have left Hidden Gems readers raving and begging for more. Murder at the Manor: A 1920s cozy mystery (A Tommy & Evelyn Christie Mystery Book 1) by Catherine Coles Downton Abbey crossed with Murder, She Wrote…set in a Yorkshire village! A boring weekend away turns out to be anything but dull when Tommy’s unsuspecting uncle is shockingly murdered. Evelyn must use her sleuthing knowledge to find out what really happened. If you enjoy the glamour of bygone eras like 1920s Downton Abbey and gentle, cozy mysteries set in the English countryside then you will love this series starter from Catherine… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Stephanie Fazio
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 29, 2020
This week we’re speaking with popular fantasy author, Stephanie Fazio. Stephanie’s lastest novel, The Nat Makes 7 released last week and is the first in her new Mags & Nats series. Stephanie kindly agreed to sit for an interview to chat with us about her background, inspirations, and the path that led her to publication success. HG: To start, how would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? Stephanie: Sure. So in terms of my writing, I love all things magic, with a twist of romance and mystery. For me, the best part of fantasy books is that they can bring you to another world and all the excitement that comes with that. HG: Yes! Love that. Where do you find inspiration or what inspires you to write your stories? Stephanie: Haha well crazy dreams would be one place. I also love to hike… Read More >
5 Cookbooks to Help Level Up Your Cooking Game
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 22, 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 highlight five cookbooks that our readers enjoyed adding to their collection this year. Something about the changing of the seasons makes us want to evaluate our meal choices or maybe even has us craving comfort food, so check out these great cookbooks and don’t stress about what’s for dinner tonight. Keto Meal Prep Cookbook For Beginners: 600 Easy, Simple & Basic Ketogenic Diet Recipes by Kira Peterson If you’re wondering whether a keto diet is for you, this is definitely a book you want to add to your collection. With over 1200 Amazon reviews, Kira’s cookbook is packed with 600+ recipes, a 21-day meal plan and countless tips and tricks to guide you on your keto journey. Currently available… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Jodi Burnett
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 15, 2020
Today we’re chatting with Romantic Suspense Thriller writer Jodi Burnett, an Amazon Bestselling Author and a member of Sisters In Crime, Romance Writers of America, and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. It was a real thrill to discuss Jodi’s motivations, and to learn about all of the research she puts into her novels. HG: Your tagline is “Suspense with a spark of romance”. How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? Fans of which author/type of book would like your stories? Jodi: My stories are focused on a suspense/thriller plot that includes a romantic element. Fans of Mary Burton and Sandra Brown would like my stories. HG: Fantastic! Concealed Cargo: Children for Sale is available for pre-order and releases on September 17th, so I want to take some time to talk with you about that. In fact, I checked Amazon today and it’s listed… Read More >
5 Children’s Books to Kick Off the School Year
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 8, 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 highlight five children’s books that were a hit with our readers late this summer. Dive into these silly, action-packed reads as you kick off the new school year―whatever that may look like for your family. Each would make a great addition to your child’s classroom or home library. The Kung Pao Cow by C.T. Walsh Farmer Walsh has a big problem. His animals are sick of grass and hay and want some variety. Parents will love the highly relatable theme of picky eaters and “what’s for dinner” while children will laugh out loud at the silly reactions from their favorite farm animals. “A cute, funny read!” writes Becky in her 5-star review. “What do you feed farm animals when… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Sheri Lynn Fishbach
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 1, 2020
Today, we continue our series of Author Spotlight Interviews by chatting with two time author Sheri Lynn Fishbach [Langer]. Sheri is a multi-genre author who writes from the heart and pens screenplays in addition to novels. We were extremely grateful for the opportunity to discuss her inspirations, motivations, and how she balances all of her projects. HG: How would you describe yourself to somebody who isn’t familiar with your writing yet? Sheri: I think I lean toward Nora Ephron, with a dash of Woody Allen, and a generous splash of Jennifer Weiner. My work is funny, but it’s layered. HG: Oooh, what a fabulous combination! So where does your inspiration come from? Sheri: I’m inspired by so many things—like the kitchen—DEX, my first book is about a kid chef. As a heavy kid, the kitchen was never a fun place for me. And then my 4 kids came—and 3 of… Read More >
Why do authors give away free books?
By: Craig | Posted on August 25, 2020
Have you ever wondered why authors give books away for free? Maybe you’ve wondered how you could be one of the fortunate ones on the receiving side of that. Or maybe you’ve questioned how legit the offer is. What’s the catch? Is it too good to be true? The fact is, authors and publishers have been giving books away for free for a long time, and it’s a strategy that’s beneficial to both the author and the reader. Yes, that’s correct, you can actually help writers by scooping up the books they offer for free. You read that right. They WANT to give you free books. If you’re book obsessed, you’re probably familiar with the term “ARC”. Perhaps you’ve even been lucky enough to score a book with the ARC designation on the cover. An ARC is an Advance Reader Copy that is intended to be distributed to reviewers for… Read More >
5 Great Fiction Books
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 18, 2020
There are over 15 different genres of books you can select from when you sign up to Hidden Gems, from romance and erotica to self-help and spirituality. One segment we’re especially excited about being able to offer is what booksellers call “general fiction” – which is a very non-descriptive way to describe any and all books that defy easy classification. It’s what they used to call ‘literature’ until the invention of self-publishing helped us realize that all genres of books can produce great works of literature. Today, we’re sharing five great fiction books – works of literature – that were offered for FREE to our ARC readers. These books were picked based on the feedback our readers gave them, making them stand out as the true Hidden Gems that they are – and we’re excited to share them with you. Race to Marathon by Jay Greenwood In 490BC, the Persian… Read More >
The 5 Fiercest Fantasy Reads This Summer
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 11, 2020
The fantasy genre has evolved massively since the days of J.R.R. Tolkien – but one thing about it hasn’t: Popularity. Fantasy is still one of the fiercely performing genres in publishing, and the scale and scope of what ‘fantasy’ defines is now somewhat fantastical itself! In addition to keeping books flying off the digital bookshelves at Amazon, fantasy is also one of the strongest genres within the Hidden Gems program – and each month hundreds of subscribers eagerly await the opportunity to read and review the latest fantasy novels for FREE; sometimes before they’re even published! Over the course of the summer, we scoured the statistics and identified the five hottest recent fantasy reads – based on a combination of downloads, reviews, and ratings by our readers. Check them out below! The Story of Evil – Volume I: Heroes of the Siege by Tony Johnson When I was a kid, the… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Camilla Stevens
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 4, 2020
This week, we’re speaking to Camilla Stevens, the wildly popular author of steamy romances like The Italian Heir, and Her Icelandic Protector – which have earned her legions of fans and reviews that highlight her “awesome storytelling” and praise her writing as “suspenseful” and “fascinating.” She kindly agreed to sit for an interview to talk to us about her background, inspirations, and the path that led her to publication success. With nearly 20 full-length romances to her name, Camilla Stevens continues to win fans with each new release. She’s particularly well-known for writing BWWM romances – between black women and white men – and this has led to some delicious pairings in her globe-spanning catalog of stories; from sexy Spanish pirates to towering Icelandic mercenaries. We caught up with Camilla (being in the midst of a lockdown made that easier) and here’s what she told us: HG: So, first off,… Read More >
