Top Ten Tuesday is back after a short hiatus (Congratulations on the new baby, Jamie!) and today's topic is a fun one: Top Ten Hidden Gems in X Genre.  I'm always excited to find a great book that has somehow slid under the radar.  I easily thought of 10+ fitting post-apocalyptic novels which I'll be sharing with you in just a sec. 

First, though, you need to click on over to The Broke and the Bookish so you can join in the fun, too.  Just read over the TTT guidelines, make your own list, use the linky to add your post to the master list, and have fun visiting other TTT posts.  It's a great way to get to know others in the book blogging community while learning about awesome reads you're going to want to add to your TBR pile.  Be there or be square.  For reals.  TTT is always a good time—I promise!

Here we go with my list of Top Ten Hidden Gems in Post-Apocalyptic Fiction:


1.  The Tomorrow series (Tomorrow, When the War Began; The Dead of Night; A Killing Frost; Darkness, Be My Friend; Burning for Revenge; The Night is for Hunting; The Other Side of Dawn) by John Marsden—I'm in the middle of this YA series written in the 90s by an Australian author and I'm still enjoying it.  The story revolves around a group of teens who are camping in the bush when an unknown enemy takes over their town.  They return to discover that their families and friends have been rounded up at gunpoint.  Not knowing how widespread the invasion is or what they can do to stop it, the group has to figure out how to survive in a world that has literally changed overnight.


2.  The Wool trilogy (Wool; Shift; Dust) by Hugh Howey—This trilogy of very chunky books looks intimidating, but in fact, tells a very absorbing story set in a unique dystopian world.  Okay, I've only read Wool, the first installment, but I imagine its sequels are just as good.


 3.  Orleans by Sherri L. Smith—Set in a Gulf Coast that is half-drowned after repeatedly being hit by devastating hurricanes, this novel seems especially apropos right now.  It's a chilling, atmospheric tale about a teenager with highly-prized blood who's trying to keep herself and a newborn baby alive in a ruined, ruthless world.  I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for a sequel to Orleans, but so far I haven't seen one.  Pity.


4.  The Hallowed Ones and The Outside by Laura Bickle—When the world is overrun by a dangerous menace, Katie's isolated Amish village is the last to know about it.  To protect their people, the elders close off the community—no one is allowed out or in.  It's only when a handsome, injured Canadian comes begging for help that Katie dares defy her religious leaders.  Will her rash decision to shelter him prove fatal for everyone she loves?


 5.  The Horse trilogy (White Horse; Red Horse; Pale Horse) by Alex Adams—I've only read the first installment of this gritty, gory series about a woman trying to find the man she loves in a Europe ravaged and ruined by a vicious plague.  It's grim and graphic, but addictive.  Adams writes in raw, beautiful prose that makes the book impossible to put down.


 6.  The Ashes trilogy (Ashes; Shadows; Monsters) by Ilsa J. Bick—I'm not sure why I haven't finished this absorbing YA series yet because it's tense, twisty, and thrilling.


 7.  Wayward Pines trilogy (Pines; Wayward; The Last Town) by Blake Crouch—I loved this enthralling trilogy about a secret service agent who wakes up in a strange, secret-filled town after a car accident.  The less you know going into it, the better, but be aware of this: you won't be able to stop reading until you know every one of Wayward Pines' tantalizing secrets.


 8.  The Gone series (Gone; Hunger; Lies; Plague; Fear; Light; Monster) by Michael Grant—This series has a lot of different elements (sci fi, romance, dystopian, survival, supernatural, etc.) that combine to make for always-compelling reading.  I'm stoked that, four years after the series ended, Grant is publishing a new installment.


9.  The Forgetting and The Knowing by Sharon Cameron—Cameron introduces us to an interesting society where memories are wiped out every 12 years.  Unbeknownst to anyone else, Nadia is immune to whatever causes the phenomenon.  Thus, she becomes privy to the shocking secrets of her walled community.  A haunting, hopeful series (I believe it will be a trilogy), these books are not to be missed.


10.  The Ship Breaker Trilogy (Ship Breaker; The Drowned Cities; Tool of War) by Paolo Bacigalupi—I read—and loved—Ship Breaker back in 2010.  It's a watery dystopian about Nailer Lopez, a salvager looking for treasures to sell, who comes across a half-dead woman draped in enough gold to feed him for the rest of his life.  As Nailer sets about rescuing snooty Nadia, the pair find themselves in a frenzied race for survival.  Bacigalupi is a skilled writer, who offers up a story rich in character, setting, and plot.  I need to re-read Ship Breaker and continue with its sequels.

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As a bonus, I discovered five other hidden post-apocalyptic gems that I just added to my TBR list on Goodreads:

1.  The Last One (2016) by Alexandra Oliva—Contestants on a reality show must survive in a real emergency.
2.  Zone One (2010) by Colson Whitehead—described as "literary zombie fiction"
3.  The Quiet Earth (1981) by Craig Harrison—A man wakes up and finds himself all alone in a world gone wrong.
4.  Icequake (1979) and Tsunami (1983) by Crawford Kilian—Devastating natural disasters create chaos and fear.
5.  Down to a Sunless Sea (1979) by David Graham—An airplane full of passengers escaping the apocalypse runs head-on into a nuclear holocaust.
6.  Emergence (1984) by David Palmer—A young girl with a unique genetic makeup sets off through a wasted world to find others like her.

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Phew!  So, there you have it ... some hidden post-apocalyptic gems for you to try.  What do you think of the list?  What am I missing?  What's on YOUR list today?  I'd love to know.  Leave me a comment and I'll gladly return the favor.

Happy TTT!

Claire Raythorn is a YouTube sensation.  And not in a good way.  Having witnessed her filmed reaction to the most humiliating moment in her life, the whole world seems to be laughing at Claire.  Humiliated by the video and grieving her beloved Grammy, the 28-year-old is determined to rebuild not just her life but also her reputation.  With that goal firmly in mind, she arrives in Italy ready to take on a challenging new work project.  

As emotionally draining as the past little while has been for Claire, she hasn't suffered any kind of mental breakdown.  Not that she knows of, anyway.  So why is she seeing a Mr. Darcy-like man in the background of every photo she takes in Florence?  She knows he's not really there.  What is he, then?  A ghost?  A figment of her imagination?  An obvious sign that she should check herself into the nearest mental hospital?

The last person she expects to help explain the inexplicable is Dante D'Angelo, an Italian colleague and competitor.  He might be undeniably gorgeous, but he's also a hack.  Claire wants nothing to do with him, so why is she so drawn to the enigmatic Italian?  And why does he believe her Mr. Darcy visions are not just legitimate, but also important?  Who is Dante, really?  What does he know about the strange things that are happening to Claire?  Most importantly, how does he explain the fierce—almost unearthly—attraction they feel toward one another?  Unbeknownst to Claire, theirs is a love story two hundred years in the making ...

Gladly Beyond, the first book in a new trilogy by Nichole Van, is not the sort of book I would have picked up all on my own.  Soulmates-searching-for-each-other-repeatedly-throughout-time stories are a dime a dozen and not really my bag.  However, since I needed to read the book's sequel for the Whitney Awards, I decided to give Gladly Beyond a go first.  Spoiler alert: I shouldn't have bothered.  For one thing, I didn't care at all for Claire.  I can't quite put my finger on why, but I really didn't give a fig about her.  That made it difficult to care about the story, which is looonnnggggg.  Way too long.  Melodramatic and clunky, it makes for a dull, endless slog.  If I hadn't been planning to read its sequel, I wouldn't have made it past the first couple chapters of Gladly Beyond.  It just did not capture my fancy at all.  That being said, I liked Van's voice and overall writing style.  This particular story, though, was way too loquacious, way too generic, way too forgettable.  Although I liked its sequel much better, I never would have picked it up based on Gladly Beyond.  Sad but true.

(Readalikes:  Love's Shadow by Nichole Van; also reminds me of Transcendence by C.J. Omololu; The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger; and the t.v. show DC Legends of Tomorrow)

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If this were a movie, it would be rated:

Although I review mostly books, I actually receive a fair amount of requests from retailers offering up products to try.  I decline most of them,  but when it comes to clothes, well ... I have a hard time resisting!  So, when Liz—the owner of Cleo Madison, an online boutique specializing in modest clothing—offered to let me try an item from her store in exchange for a review, I jumped at the chance.

As you've probably discerned already, I chose the Betty Floral Baseball Tee pictured above (shown on a model, who's about 1000% more photogenic than I am).  I'm plus-sized, so I got an x-large, which fit just right—not too tight, not too loose.  The length, especially, is perfect.  I love the grey t-shirt fabric that makes up the sleeves and back of the shirt.  It's soft, stretchy, and super comfy.  I'm not as wild about the floral panel in front.  It's fairly sheer (I wear a cami underneath because I'm self-conscious like that) and the material is a little scratchy.  It has a tendency to bunch around the chest area, so I find myself tugging it down a lot.  Irritating, but not a huge, huge deal.  Overall, I like this shirt because of the soft t-shirt fabric (love it!), the fun print (a nice change from my usual plain Jane tops), and the length (perfect).  Despite a few annoying details, it's a piece I enjoy wearing.

Owner Liz Morgan created her shop in an effort to provide women with a convenient place to find clothes that are modest, conservative and trendy.  Cleo Madison definitely delivers.  While the Betty Floral Baseball Tee is unfortunately sold out, the store still has plenty of tops, dresses/skirts, shoes, and swimwear from which to choose.  The prices are reasonable, shipping is free in the U.S., products arrive quickly—what's not to love?  Be sure to check Cleo Madison out on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and its website.  For fun posts on fashion, food, travel, modesty, etc., don't miss Liz's blog.

To the FCC, with love:  I received a free product in exchange for an honest review.  Many thanks to Liz at Cleo Madison for her generosity!

Noah Mitchell never believed in love at first sight—until he met Josephine Dupree.  Despite the rumors swirling about the beautiful new girl in town, Noah is immediately smitten.  Josie is kind, beautiful, tenacious, and fun.  So she doesn't talk much about her past.  So he's only known her for a few months.  So what?  When it's right, it's right.  Noah can't wait to make her his bride.

Fast forward two years.  After a stinging betrayal, Noah and Josephine are divorced and pursuing separate lives in little Copper Creek, Georgia.  Noah lives on a remote ranch, preferring solitude to ever seeing his ex-wife again.  Josie sees plenty of men at the barbershop she owns, but she vows she'll never make the mistake of giving away her heart again.

When the two discover their divorce was never finalized, they're both shocked and angry.  Thrown together in an effort to end their marriage once and for all, Noah and Josie find themselves trapped at Noah's ranch in the middle of a freak Spring snowstorm.  As circumstances get more and more dire, the couple must learn to trust and rely on each other once again.  With the secrets of Josie's past finally coming to light, there's a new honesty between them.  Will it be enough to bring the embittered pair back together?  Or will it tear them further apart?

Sweetbriar Cottage, a Christian romance by Denise Hunter, is a light, compelling novel about family, forgiveness, and faith.  Although the leading characters are not all that unique or memorable, it's easy to care about them.  While I didn't find Josie super convincing, I did like that the rekindling of her romance with Noah felt realistic.  There was definitely a slow-burning chemistry between them that kept things interesting.  I generally find Christian fiction too preachy for me, but Sweetbriar Cottage had just the right amount of religion sprinkled throughout the story.  It's nice to read about a normal, everyday Christian character who's faithful without being a raving fanatic.  Overall, then, I enjoyed this fast, romantic read turned survival story.  It's entertaining and inspiring without being over-the-top.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't really think of anything.  Can you?)

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