Top Ten Tuesday-Hidden Gems

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.  http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/

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This week is about hidden gems. I've tried to get things in different genres so there is something for most people!

1) DelSheree Gladden-Someone Wicked This Way Comes (YA paranormal)
For the Roth siblings, they have a condition that makes them want to hurt and kill people, even those they love. A vicious cult want them dead at any cost but another group claim they can help control the hunger-but what do they get from it and can they be trusted? Wonderful 4 book YA paranormal series with great characters and relationships and good action.

2) JG Faherty-Carnival of Fear (horror)
In the Castle of Horrors, each room is dedicated to a theme-vampires, alien invasion, shopping mall zombies, werewolves, mad scientists, witch trials and summer camp killers. But when you enter the room you are transported to a real version of each, and you must survive it to get back to the room. Visit every room and you might get out the Castle alive...Ooh I loved this! All my favourite horror scenarios in one book and non stop action and tension! Stand-alone horror.

3) James R Tuck-Deacon Chalk (urban fantasy)
Deacon and his friends hunt monsters and try to stop evil. His friends and allies include a kickass Catholic Priest, computer expert and a variety of were-animals including spiders and monkeys. His were enemies include sharks and dinosaurs! Love the group dynamic with his friends, his grief over his family, the action and humour. Great urban fantasy series.

4) Joelle Charbonneau-The Testing (SF dystopia)
To get a university career and good job, you must be chosen for and survive the Testing. In these tests if you get it wrong you can die. And if you get through them you have to survive the survival trek where your fellow contestants try to kill you. A Hunger Games style YA dystopia with great trials and characters.

5) Sonya Bateman-Master of None (urban fantasy)
Gavyn is a poor thief who lost what he stole and his boss wants him dead. His only protection is his reluctant djinn Ian, forced to help him until Gavyn achieves his life's purpose. But Trevor is also involved with djinns from a rival cult who want Ian dead and it will take all Ian's magic to protect them and their loved ones. Great urban fantasy, funny, action packed with a brilliant sarcastic djinn and idiot thief sidekick! Loved this series!

6) Michael Korda-The Immortals (historical/political)
This is a fiction book about Marilyn Monroes drug issues and her alleged affairs with Jack and Bobby Kennedy, and the trouble she was starting to cause for them. I loved this book and it gave an idea of how miserable her life really was.

7) RL Naquin-Monster Haven (urban fantasy)
Zoey discovers that the monster in her closet as a kid is real-and the houseproud, supercook Maurice becomes her housemate. But something evil murders women in the town, and other monsters seek out a haven of safety with Zoey, who discovers that she is destined to save and care for them all. Lots of wonderful friendly monsters, my ideal man Maurice, action, humour, romance and things to make you cry. I love this series!

8) Elizabeth Briggs-Future Shock (YA SF-dystopia)
5 teens are sent into the future to gather product intelligence for a company to beat their rivals. They are warned not to look themselves up in the future but when they do, four are dead. Now they have a day in the future to try and stop their deaths when they return home. Great conspiracy trime travel trilogy which I plan to finish soon. Mild romance that doesn't get in the way of a tense and interesting plot. 

9) Melanie Karsak-The Harvesting (urban fantasy/zombies)
A woman is summoned home by her psychic grandmother just before the zombie apocalypse hits her home town and everyone bands together to survive. But there are worse things out there waiting to take advantage of the survivors...I really enjoyed this series which has 3 novels and 2 novellas. Great characters, action, death and paranormal creatures!

10) Kendra C Highley-Matt Archer Monster Hunter (YA gory horror) 
It is marketed as YA but it is proper horror that adults will enjoy! When Matt kills a monster on a camping trip with his uncle, the magical blade adopts him and the military are forced to bring him into their monster hunting squad. Now Matt and his military teammates are sent all over the world to deal with monsters of all kinds and not everyone comes home alive. I loved this series with great monsters, tension, gore, characters you care about.