Best Fantasy Books We’ve Recently Reviewed
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on September 3, 2018
Every day, Hidden Gems subscribers receive the opportunity to review hundreds of complimentary books spanning more than 15 genres – hopefully leaving an honest review on Amazon when they’re done. A regular feature on this blog is a periodic highlight of some true ‘Hidden Gems’ our subscribers discovered in various genres, and why you might want to check them out. Keep checking back for the latest lists, categorized by genre, and learn about some of the best books that we’ve sent out. Or, join our list of readers and help discover future gems yourself! The fantasy genre has always been one of the most evergreen in publishing – and this summer was no exception, with a plethora of books we had the opportunity to share with our subscribers by a host of talented authors. As always, it was hard to narrow down our favorites to just ten of the best fantasy books,… Read More >
Best Romance Novels We’ve Recently Reviewed
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 28, 2018
Each day, subscribers to Hidden Gems are sent the opportunity to review hundreds of complimentary books spanning more than 15 different genres – and have become well-known for the honest reviews they choose to leave. A new, regular feature on this blog will be a periodic highlight of some true Hidden Gems our subscribers discovered, and why you might want to check them out. Keep checking back for the latest lists, categorized by genre, and learn about some of the best books that we’ve sent out. Or, join our list of readers and help discover future gems yourself! Romance is always one of the most popular genres for subscribers to Hidden Gems, and in July we shared the opportunity to review dozens of titles with our readers. So many, in fact, that it wasn’t easy to parse them down to a shorter list of just the best romance novels in the… Read More >
Best Thrillers We’ve Recently Reviewed
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 21, 2018
Every day, our readers are sent hundreds of complimentary copies over a variety of titles. Spanning more than 15 different genres, our subscribers rarely go long without a free book to read, and are well known for the honest reviews they often choose to leave. As part of a new, regular feature, we’ll be highlighting a handful of the true Hidden Gems of a given genre that our subscribers have recently discovered. Keep checking back for new lists featuring some of the best books that we’ve sent out, or join our list of readers and help discover future gems yourself! July 2018 was a whirlwind month for fans of thrillers – with some great books offered up to readers of our ARC program. But that doesn’t mean you’ve missed out on reading some of the best thrillers! These books are all still for sale, so take advantage of the fact… Read More >
The Complex Relationship Between Authors and Free Books
By: Craig | Posted on August 17, 2018
There’s a lot of mistaken belief when it comes to free books, from both authors and readers alike. After all, whether they’re doing it for the love of the art, or just as a job, most authors still want to earn money from their work, so how can free books ever be a good thing? The truth is, the relationship between authors and free books go back a long time – and like any relationship… it’s complicated. Every so often I see a reader don their white hat to make the argument that they don’t use an ARC program because they think that authors should get paid for their work. An admirable sentiment, for sure. Still, I can’t help but wonder if those same readers have ever used a library, or borrowed a novel from a friend? After all, readers have been using those as traditionally acceptable sources of free… Read More >
Putting the Grit into Girl Power: Five Thrilling Female Heroes
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 14, 2018
From Atomic Blonde to the new Star Wars movies, it seems like everybody is crying out for strong female characters – but not all female heroes are created equal. Here are five books series with a thrilling female lead – all of which are also great reads. In 2017, the movie Wonder Woman exploded into movie theaters, and columns across the Internet were penned proclaiming: “Finally! A female action star!” Those of us of a certain age remember previous female action heroes, though – like Sigourney Weaver in Aliens or Linda Hamilton in Terminator. Nobody seemed to make a big deal about the fearless Ellen Ripley being female, or Sarah Connor being the ultimate overprotective mama bear – and I think modern female-focused movies and books have a lot to learn from these older characters. Representation is important, and it’s fantastic that more movies and book series are being created… Read More >
Five Unsettling Books Like ‘The Outsider’
By: Hidden Gems | Posted on August 7, 2018
This May, Stephen King rewarded fans with yet another creepy tale of chilling suspense with The Outsider. If you’re a fan of unexpected tales of horror, here are five more highly-recommended reads to keep you on the edge of your seat. Stephen King has come a long way. Once described as “America’s Schlockmeister,” in 2015 he was awarded a National Medal of Arts by President Obama, proving that the nation’s tastes have evolved; and people have finally realized what a startling talent King truly is. There’s no other writer quite like him; weaving creepy tales full of unexpected twists, described with beautifully visceral language and dialogue that brings every page to life. With The Outsider, King has done it once again – presenting the grim and grisly reality of a shocking crime, and then peeling back the layers of narrative to reveal that everything is even more terrifying and messed… Read More >
Why Do People Give Romance Such a Hard Time?
By: Ginger | Posted on August 1, 2018
For decades, the romance genre has been the butt of innumerable jokes – but it continues to be the biggest genre in publishing, and generates over $1 billion in sales every year. Is it time we looked at this much-maligned genre with a more discerning eye? If you’re remotely interested in reading romance books, you might have heard about #Cockygate – the latest big scandal to hit publishing earlier this year. The details have been covered enough that we don’t need to rehash it all again, but a lot of the resulting discussion in the media focused on the broader subject of the romance genre in general, and even romance readers themselves. It’s that focus that is worthy of further discussion. Because what was written and said about the genre and romance readers in particular wasn’t very flattering. By and large, most authors who write romance novels, and most readers who devour them,… Read More >
How Amazon Democratized Book Reviews
By: Ginger | Posted on July 25, 2018
Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing program revolutionized the publishing industry – allowing anybody with a laptop to follow their dreams of becoming a writer. In the same vein, Amazon also revolutionized book reviews; taking the power of showcasing (or bashing) a book out of the hands of an editorial elite and letting anybody have their say. It’s one of the best things to ever happen to publishing – and here’s why. Before I became a whatever-the-hell-I-am-now, I tried my hand at many different careers. My first job was scrubbing foxhounds at the local county hunt, and since then I’ve also tried garden shed installation, radio sales, copy-writing and bar tending – all with various degrees of success (my Sapphire Martini is world-class, by the way.) When I first moved to America, I got a very curious job reviewing erotic books for a now-defunct online newspaper The Sex Herald, and this was… Read More >
Super Spy Summer Reading for Teens
By: Ginger | Posted on July 13, 2018
If you want to make sure your teens are keeping up with their reading, here are five super-spy themed series that will leave them shaken and stirred. Summer is often a tough time for parents, as kids and teens can be off school for two months or more. Unfortunately, most parents with jobs don’t enjoy that same benefit – and it’s a challenge to balance fun family activities with keeping the house in order. Throw in the pressure of making sure kids stay on top of their schooling and a lot of parents are practically at the breaking point! One great way to make sure kids keep up with their reading is to introduce them to a book series they simply can’t put down. Recent young adult sagas like The Hunger Games, the Twilight saga and the Divergent trilogy have kept kids addicted to reading – and there are plenty more equally… Read More >
The Good and Bad of Amazon’s $50 Review Rule
By: Craig | Posted on July 10, 2018
Way back in 2017, Amazon introduced a requirement that anyone leaving a review on the site had to have spent at least $50 at the store with an actual credit or debit card. Over time, that policy has evolved to become even more restrictive. While we understand and even applaud the intent behind the policy, questions remain about whether or not it has really made a difference in improving the situation it was designed to fix. And even more importantly, is it worth the cost to the real customers affected by it. The Current $50 Review Rule While the original rule was that customers have spent $50 in total on their account before being able to leave an Amazon review, it has since become more restrictive. According to the community guidelines page, a customer can only write a review if they’ve spent $50 over the last 12 months (that is,… Read More >
