Do you judge a book by its cover? I do!

Why am I writing a blog about it? Here’s why!

Here’s the three indie book covers that grabbed my attention this week.

Number 1

Recipe for Confidence by Samantha Picaro.

This cover stood out for me because of the colours. Bright and cheery, not too much to take in. The protagonist has a café or a restaurant, (or works in one) and the title tells me that she hasn’t much confidence in herself but she will by the end of the story.

Is there a love interest? At first I thought yes, this is romance, but now I’m thinking confidence doesn’t have to mean confidence in a relationship. I often associate cartoon-style covers with romance and romance comedy. Be interesting to see if I’m right.

*Heads on over to Amazon to read the blurb.*

Here’s the blurb.

Bryn Caputo dreams of being a graphic designer. The problem? She is not confident enough in her abilities to tell her parents or friends despite wanting to major in it after graduation. She seeks honest feedback by using her skills to help her peers as well as her aunt’s bakery, which specializes in Setback Cakes. Setback Cakes encourage accepting setbacks and not giving up, further motivating Bryn to chase her dreams.
Juggling her job at the bakery, school, and graphic design projects is a challenge but gives her a sense of purpose she has never felt before. As the Setback Cakes face backlash and her secrecy threatens her personal relationships, Bryn is more determined to seek approval and hone her skills. But she discovers that the most important approval must come from within.

There’s no mention of a love interest in the blurb. It’s all about the confidence of Bryn and her struggles to succeed. It seems that her biggest obstacle is herself.

This is a short novel, but longer than a novella I think. It has 201 pages. I’d say this is a perfect little beach read!

Here’s an example of a Goodreads review.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Note, I received an ARC of this book.

This book was a breath of fresh air. The main character Bryn seemed so real, with topical problems she was trying to overcome like toxic positivity. It was also great to have an autistic aroace protagonist. I also enjoyed that it was mainly set at a bakery with a diverse set of side characters. This was a great read.

Number 2

Love and Death in the Miskatonic Valley by R.C. Davis.

This cover caught my attention because it’s mysterious and hints at something dark and foreboding. I’m not sure if it tells me thriller, horror, or small town cosy mystery.

The dark skies in the image suggests death, but the font points to nicer things; love and happiness. So, I’m a bit confused. A cover can tell a lot about a book but so can the font. But hey, I’m not an expert book cover judge, I’m just a reader who loves enticing covers, and this one enticed me!

Here’s the blurb.

It’s Spring time in 1955. Twenty-four-year-old, Sterling Rice, is a second-year grad student at Arkham, Massachusetts’s prestigious, Miskatonic University. He is also the son of Professor Warren Rice, one of the three university faculty members to thwart the Dunwich Horror back in 1928. Born and raised in Arkham, Sterling does not see his home as a ‘dark town’ even though that is how it is described by outsiders. Besides having to put up with the constant jesting about his appearance because of his close resemblance to a famous movie actor, he spends his days writing his dissertation, working as a housing assistant in the boy’s dormitory, lighting the campus lamps in the evenings, and jousting with his ex-girlfriend, Sandra Heinz. Sterling is almost always accompanied by his German Shepard, Sarge, an overly large canine descended from the very watchdog that brought down the creepy, Wilbur Whateley, twenty-six years before, when the uncanny brute tried to make off with the Necronomicon from the university library; a book of magic written by the Mad Arab Abdul Alhazred. Sarge was Sterling’s closest companion prior to making the acquaintance of the bubbly and optimistic undergrad, Claudia Osborn, a biology student and follower of the controversial, Alfred Kinsey. Sterling, and the short, but curvaceous, Claudia, have one thing in common—all the teasing, as Claudia could easily pass for the actress who portrayed Mytyl in the movie, Blue Bird. Claudia seeks Sterling’s consul regarding a subject that unleashes painful memories and his life starts to spiral out of control. But a bond soon forms between the two students and blossoms into something that Sterling and Claudia agree must be love. With Claudia and Sarge by his side, Sterling copes with the burgeoning turmoil in his life, doing everything in his power to repay them for their devotion. However, the appearance of the ‘Shadowman’ on campus, along with a library break-in, reminiscent of the one back in 1928, only makes things worse. This time, though, the burglar achieves their goal, absconding with the coveted Necronomicon. A short time after, Sterling and Claudia discover that not only do wicked men have plans for the vile book with its destructive conjurations, but also, for the two scholarly lovers, as well.

So, there’s no mention of murder or even death in the blurb. There’s romance, and there’s the theft of the dark Necronomicon. It seems the thief has evil plans for the book of magic. I’d be hoping for some edge of seat thriller scenes from this book.

Unfortunately, there are no reviews for this book on Goodreads or Amazon for me to share here.

Number 3

Second-Hand Sarah by Suzanna Madron

I would be likely to buy this book based on the cover alone. The title intrigues me too. I would expect suspense, maybe a psychological thriller, judging by this cover. Let’s go and find out more!

The blurb.

When Sarah went through a bad breakup, she packed up and took the train as far north as it would go. The life that waited for her at the end of the line was more than she could have ever imagined.

The blurb is quite short and doesn’t tell me much about what to expect. However, there are some reviews that do tell me what to expect. And according to the reviews, I was close enough in my predictions. I don’t think this falls into the thriller category, but mystery and suspense? Yes!

Kate H

4.0 out of 5 stars Read it on-line, re-reading it on kindle!

A great story, told through diary entries written by the titular Sarah. Part ghost story (but not a horror story), part suspense mystery with just a hint of romance, this is compelling story that gives you goosebumps in a similar way to some MR James stories.

Tuzi

5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly written!

Love it! Keeps you in suspense reading on to find what’s around the next corner (or behind a door!) Very believable story… almost makes you feel that this actually happened. Clever writing!!!

That’s it for this week. Did you have a favourite one today? Let me know in the comments.

I’m always checking out indie book covers, so send me yours on threads my covers request on Threads, if you think it would catch my eye. If you haven’t ventured into the Threads world yet, you can get me on Instagram.

Any genre. I’ve no preference when it comes to judging!

Thanks for giving your time to my blog today! Before you go…

Would you like a peek inside the pages of my fictional novel? It might just be your cup of tea!

Set in a gossipy small town in Ireland at a time when marriage is for keeps and sexuality is repressed, Secrets in the Babby House is a family saga over three decades that starts in 1956. It is a story of love, deception, and stolen diaries filled with sins and secrets.

This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase through these links.