Thank you to That Artsy Reader Girl for hosting Top Ten Tuesday. This week’s topic is Book Covers That Give You Fall Vibes. My choices are below.
Not the norm for me, but in this case An Autumn Kiss is the only one I’ve read. I just picked up The Book of Autumn on Netgalley to read later, and the rest of the books are just covers that I liked and that fit the theme.
Which covers do you like best? My favorite is The Book of Autumn.
*Below is a review of Julia that I did for The Historical Novel Society.
BOOK REVIEW
Julia is biographical fiction that follows Julia Child from the 1940s until after her cooking show begins in 1963. An afterword describes the remainder of her life. The novel starts with wealthy Julia McWilliams, long graduated from Smith College, deciding what to do with her life. She tries to get into the WAC and the WAVES, but finds out that at 6’2”, she is too tall. She then ends up with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which would later become the CIA. She starts out in Washington D.C., but is eventually transferred to India, and then Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where she meets Paul Child, her future husband. After the war, Paul is working in Paris, where the food adventures of Julia Child begin.
This is lovely historical fiction that draws us into Julia’s world. While everyone knows about her cooking, the details of her life in the OSS, trusted with America’s secrets during WWII, are lesser known and very intriguing. The wealthy daughter of a real estate mogul and an heiress, Julia did not have to go to work during the war, but she wanted to serve her country. She grew up with a cook, and she and Paul frequented the restaurants of Paris. She did not have to learn to cook, especially at a prestigious French cooking school. She did the things she did out of passion, not necessity, and her warm, passionate personality comes alive in this book, as does her close, loving relationship with her husband, Paul. After the war, we follow Julia from the first days of cooking school to writing a cookbook and then hosting a television show. The book is well-researched, but it manages to stay warm and inviting, just as she was. Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley and The Historical Novel Society. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestseller and award-winning author of more than ninety publications. Heather writes primarily historical and #herstory fiction about the humanity and heroism of the everyday person. Publishing in a breadth of genres, Heather dives into the hearts and souls of her characters, meshing her love of research with her love of storytelling.
Her historicals and thrillers are written under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women’s fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore, and . . . speculative fiction under Jane Redd. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. Despite failing her high school AP English exam, Heather persevered and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in something other than English.
Heather is a hybrid author, traditionally publishing with Thomas & Mercer, Kindle Press, StoryFront, Shadow Mountain, Covenant Communications, Tantor Audio, Brilliance Audio, Cappelen Damm, and Amazon Crossing. Foreign publications include Das Grab der Konigin (Germany), Drommen om lykke (Norway), and Sommer og kjaerlighet (Norway). Heather also independently publishes through Mirror Press. She is represented by Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret Literary Agency. Foreign rights or subsidiary rights inquiries, please contact Lauren Abramo: labramo (at) dystel (dot) com
BUY LINKS
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google | Kobo
This past week was a week of rest, and I’m also getting prepared for a couple of outpatient procedures in the next couple of weeks.
Doug’s birthday was Friday, and I think he likes his new IPAD! Happy Birthday, Doug! I love you so much.
Book News: I’m currently doing a lot of editor and reviewer work for the Historical Novel Society’s November issue, and it has kept me quite busy. That issue comes out November 1st.
LAST WEEK ON THE BLOG
I posted about the horrific death of Charlie Kirk, which I watched online, unfortunately, not realizing what I was going to see. If you watch a man bleed out, it affects you, believe me. I will be watching his memorial service today. He was a great Christian man who will be missed.
NEXT WEEK ON THE BLOG
I will be reviewing the three books below and also participating in Top Ten Tuesday.
BOOK HAUL
Vera always knew she didn’t fit in. When she learns that she is meant to be in another time, she leaps at the chance to embrace a new life in a world of valor, intrigue, and unexpected magic in this bold and romantic retelling of Arthurian legend . . .
22-year-old Vera is at a crossroads: waiting tables, grieving her previous relationship, and jogging aimlessly each morning as if toward an uncertain future. Then an odd man shows up at her workplace, insisting that she was once the legendary Queen Guinevere of Camelot, and that her lost memories hold the key to changing both the past and the present. Somehow, it all feels like the direction she’s been looking for. But when she asks the mysterious man to tell her more about Lancelot, Arthur, and a faithless queen, he can only say that much of what she’s heard about Camelot is wrong. The truth, he claims, is something she must see for herself.
After jumping through a portal in Glastonbury’s historic center, Vera is not prepared for what she finds. Magic is everywhere, but a curse on the kingdom means it dwindles every day. She has no idea how to perform a queen’s duties. Her fast friendship with Lancelot sets gossip flowing, and the stranger she must call “husband” often refuses to meet her eye. Arthur is a puzzle: cold, forbidding, and, while angry to her face, keeps leaving secret tokens of tenderness in her chambers. Worst of all, Vera’s memories—and the answers locked within them—show no signs of returning. If Vera is truly destined to save Camelot, she’ll have to trust her instincts. And her king will have to trust her . . .
I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK, and hug those close to you!
Sunday Post is hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
*I guess some will say this post is political, but this post is about Christianity and the martyrdom of Charlie Kirk.
Charlie Kirk, a bold Christian who was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, did campus tours where he debated freely with college students, shared his opinions, and gave them an opportunity for free debate. He was so successful at sharing Christianity and political truth that someone decided to murder him. And it wasn’t just a murder, it was a professional hit from 200 yards away and an organized operation. That is what evil will do to those who speak the truth. To Christians: It is our responsibility to continue to speak the truth and carry on the message that Charlie shared so well.
Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy @CoffeeAddictedWriter. There is a different bookish question each week. This week’s question is below
DO YOU SEEK OUT NEW AUTHORS TO READ, OR DO YOU TEND TO STICK WITH THE SAME ONES?
ANSWER: Before I became a blogger, I had my favorite authors and didn’t necessarily seek out new ones.. Now as a blogger, and especially as a supporter of Indie authors, I read new authors all the time, and I love it! I still have my favorites, but my world has expanded for sure.
HOW ABOUT YOU? WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER TO TODAY’S QUESTION?
Indie Spotlight is my effort to help Indie authors with the daunting task of promoting their books. You can help too by sharing this post far and wide. Below is a book description, author bio, and book links for The Human Countermove by Logan Sidwell. I will post the book review in November. The Human Countermove is a science fiction novel about a world where AI has taken over. That used to be a farfetched idea, but now it seems plausible.
In a nation ruled by AI Minds, productivity is everything—even play.
Once a legend in the world of strategy games, Zouk Solinsen is now just another burnout in a society obsessed with efficiency. But when the Minds announce a high-stakes tournament—with a seat on the ruling council as the prize—Zouk is drawn back into the fray, determined to reshape the future.
With help from the enigmatic Torrez Institute, Zouk racks up early victories against the Minds. But when Maya Torrez reveals the cost of her support—a violent coup against the Minds—he rejects it and strikes out alone.
Now, with no allies, dwindling resources, and a nation on the brink, Zouk faces the biggest game of his life—and a final, impossible choice: reform the system from within, or burn it all down.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Logan Sidwell is a science fiction and fantasy author based in Utah. He got his start simulating makeshift Star Trek missions and voicing quirky aliens over the mic—a passion that evolved into building immersive educational simulations. With a background in computer science and a lifelong love of storytelling, he writes speculative fiction that explores the boundaries of technology and human ingenuity.
BOOK LINK
*Click on the cover below to view this book on Amazon
** Kindle Unlimited Subscribers can read The Human Countermove for free.
BEFORE YOU GO
If you decide to read this book, make sure and leave a review. It helps authors so much. And thank you for also sharing this post with your social media followers.
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