5 Top Children’s Books for Fall 2019
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 22, 2019
There’s nothing better than curling up with your kids on a crisp, autumn night and reading them a story – and Hidden Gems subscribers received a ton of free top children’s books in August and September of this year. With so many great books to read and review, it was difficult to narrow the list down – but here are five favorites, as rated by our subscribers! Detective Trigger and the Ruby Collar by M.A. Owens A four-legged gumshoe is the star of this paw-fect read for middle grade kids, introducing private eye Trigger as he hunts down a deviously crooked cat. Part of the Detective Trigger series, this book is a great chapter book to encourage reading, and filled with evocative characters that’ll keep supervising adults equally entertained. Reviewer kympossible gave the book 5-stars, writing: “In this fun private eye story for middle grade readers, all the characters are dogs… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: J.C. Paulson
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 15, 2019
This week we continue our series of Author Spotlight interviews by speaking with Canadian mystery writer J.C. Paulson, author of Adam’s Witness and two more titles in the Adam and Grace series. Hailing from the prairies of Saskatchewan, Paulson’s writing blends the crisp prose of her journalistic background with the optimistic promise of a satisfying ‘ever after’. HG: I’ll start with the basics! Who is JC Paulson? When you’re not crafting mysteries, what do you do? Where do you live? How do you take your coffee? How do you describe yourself? JCP: Right. How long would you like me to go? HG: Longer than a Tweet, but shorter than Atlas Shrugged? JCP: I can handle that! I’ve been a writer for my entire career. I started by writing ad copy — needed a job! and I did like it — before becoming a journalist, first with the daily paper in my… Read More >
5 Fabulous Mysteries for the Fall
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 8, 2019
Everybody loves a good whodunnit, and subscribers to Hidden Gems get to pick and choose from new titles offered to them each and every day, for FREE. We looked back over the past two months and selected some of the top-ranked mysteries, as picked by our readers. Adam’s Witness by J.C. Paulson Former journalist J.C. Paulson turned bad news into hopeful optimism when she shifted careers and moved into the world of fiction. With a writing style in the tone of Dorothy Sayers, P.D. James and Louise Penny, Paulson’s taut prose breathes life into the Adam and Grace series, which follows the investigations of sassy reporter Grace Rampling and brilliant detective Adam Davis as they uncover murder most foul – and find unlikely love along the way. “I read it in one long sitting,” writes Gloria Antypowich in her 5-star review. “The plot has many twists and turns—the romance fraught with… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Julie C. Gardner
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on October 1, 2019
This week, we got the chance to speak to Julie C. Gardner, a #1 Amazon best-selling author, and writer of beautifully crafted women’s literature titles like Forgetting Ophelia and Letters for Scarlet. We asked Julie about her inspirations and ideas, and how she helps her narrative flow into the written word. HG: First off, for readers who might not be familiar with you, who IS Julie C. Gardner? JG: Good question. I wish I knew the answer – ha! I guess I can say the most important thing to me is family — my husband, two kids, and two rescue dogs (we’re rescuing a third in two weeks — a Labrador puppy)! But outside of the home, my life has always revolved around books: reading them, teaching them, writing them, and now lending them out. This is because my three careers have been as a high school English teacher, an… Read More >
5 Faith-Based Books Our Readers Enjoyed
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 24, 2019
We’ve looked at some of the top-ranked faith and spirituality titles that our subscribers have been offered lately, and have compiled a list of a few of the ‘Hidden Gems’ for you to enjoy. Here they are, as recommended by our readers. Healing Justice: Stories of Wisdom and Love by Jarem Sawatsky The word ‘trauma’ is more and more prevalent in our modern world, and it’s become clear that many of us embrace negative patterns of behaviors because of coping and survival mechanisms we developed during traumatic periods of our lives. In this book, the authors look to spirituality – including far eastern, Celtic and Native American religion – to share ways to transform suffering into wellness and help heal the trauma that continues to hurt so many of us in our daily lives. “This is a book for our time, touching on the topics of relationships, conflict, grief and healing;… Read More >
Author Spotlight Interview: Dwayne Gill
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 17, 2019
It today’s interview, we chat with thriller writer Dwayne Gill, author of the fast-paced Written By Blood series, which weaves a thrilling tale against the backdrop of a grim near-future; and introduces us to some truly original and memorable characters in a race to save the lives of those they love the most. HG: Let’s start at the beginning – who IS Dwayne Gill? How would you describe yourself? DG: I’d say that I’m about as ordinary and normal as a person can be. You certainly wouldn’t pick me out of a crowd and identify me as an author. I love simplicity and routine, and most of all, I love my wife and eleven-month-old son. Any time I’m not writing, there’s a very good possibility you’ll find me inside of my son’s playpen, letting him crawl on me while we watch his favorite movie, Horton Hears a Who…. Read More >
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 >
Author Spotlight Interview: Scott Bell
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 3, 2019
Today’s author interview is with Scott Bell, the brains and talent behind a number of thrilling adventure stories like the Abel Yaeger series. Scott’s background as a fraud examiner set him up perfectly to understand the devious mindset of the adversaries in his fast-paced novels, and his writing has been compared to authors like Lee Child and earned him a spot as a finalist in the 2017 American Book Fest (Science Fiction category). We were thrilled to be able to chat to Scott to learn more about what inspires his writing, and how he goes about putting words to paper. HG: So, for the blog readers who might not be familiar with you – who is Scott Bell? How would you describe yourself? SB: I came late to writing, after putting it on hiatus while my wife and I raised our kids. After they grew up, I really wasn’t thinking… 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 >
Author Spotlight Interview: Larry Igbon
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 20, 2019
Today, we’re chatting with Larry Igbon, the British author of taut thrillers Bringing Hell, Project G and Beyond Vengeance. Formerly on Her Majesty’s Service, and a third Dan grade in Shotokan Karate, Larry brings real world experience to his thrilling books; and subscribers to Hidden Gems were thrilled when they got a chance to read his work for FREE as part of our community. HG: So, Larry – for readers who haven’t checked out your books yet, how would YOU describe yourself? LI: I’m a fan of thrillers, action thrillers, crime thrillers, and suspense thrillers – thrillers that feature and depict humans on Planet Earth, past or present. As such, that’s the genre I also like to write in. I like to write about what I see and experience wherever possible. My novel, Beyond Vengeance, is based in my home town of Manchester and includes facts about an actual family… Read More >
