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2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

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Tuesday, July 21, 2020

A Splishy-Splashy Top Ten Tuesday List


Top Ten Tuesday is my hands-down favorite meme and the only one I really participate in.  However, some weeks I'm just not feeling the topic.  I usually find a way to twist it to suit me better, but today's has me stumped.  The topic du jour is:  Top Ten Book Events/Festivals I'd Love to Go To Someday (real or fictional).  As much as I love to read, I don't love crowds so I usually avoid these kinds of shindigs.  So, I went totally rogue today and came up with my own topic.  

Another thing I try to avoid is the heat.  I live in Arizona (not by choice), so it's not easy!  Luckily, I have a backyard pool to cool off in.  All the pool time my family and I have been enjoying lately makes me think of book covers featuring swimming pools.  So, my topic of choice today has to do with that.

Before we get to my list, though, I need to give a shout-out to our lovely Top Ten Tuesday host.  Be sure and check Jana out at That Artsy Reader Girl.  All the TTT deets are on her blog.  

Top Ten Books I Want to Read That Feature Swimming Pools on Their Covers


1.  Penny From Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm—This MG Newberry Honor book revolves around a young Italian-American girl living in New York City.  Set right after World War II, it deals with prejudice against Italians, fear of polio, and the coming-of-age of our heroine.


2.  The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson—I've loved several of Jackson's novels, but I haven't read this one yet.  This Southern family drama concerns a woman who is visited by the ghost of her 13-year-old neighbor.  The apparition leads her to a dead body and a mystery that will reveal shocking truths about her family's past.


3.  The Safe Place by Anna Downes—This thriller concerns a young woman who's in desperate need of a lucky break.  When a wealthy couple offers her a lucrative housekeeping job at their remote French estate, she jumps at the chance.  All is not perfect in paradise, however, as she soon finds out ...


4.  The Swimming Pool by Louise Candlish—Another thriller, this one is about Natalie, a woman whose routine wife/mother/teacher life is shaken up when she meets wealthy, charismatic Lara who pulls her into a lavish lifestyle unlike any she's ever known.  Who is Lara, really?  And what is Natalie getting herself into?


5.  Summer Darlings by Brooke Lea Foster—Like The Safe Place, this novel is about a down-on-her-luck young woman who takes a glamorous job in Martha's Vineyard as a nanny for a wealthy couple.  As she tries to fit in with the upper crust, she discovers that nothing in that glittering world is quite what it seems ...


6.  The Vacation by T.M. Logan—The teaser says it all:  Seven Days.  Three Families.  One Killer.


7.  The Summer Deal by Jill Shalvis—The plot summary on this one doesn't reveal a ton.  Apparently, it involves two frenemies who need to let go of the past in order to secure a happy, successful future. 


8.  Swimming Between Worlds by Elaine Neil Orr—This historical concerns three very different people whose lives converge in tumultuous North Carolina during the Civil Rights Movement.


9.  Up For Air by Laurie Morrison—This MG novel stars Annabelle Wilner, a 13-year-old who excels at swimming.  When she's invited to join the high school swim team, she becomes desperate to impress an older boy who's paying her a surprising amount of attention.  Her ploys, however, might just cost her everything that means anything to her, including friendships, family relationships, and a swimming scholarship.  Is her crush really worth it?


10.  For the Best by Vanessa Lillie (available September 8, 2020)—When her wallet is found next to a freshly-killed corpse, Jules Worthington-Smith becomes the chief suspect in the man's murder.  Despite the fact that she was drunk out of her mind on the night of the murder, Jules is sure she had nothing to do with it.  Now, she just has to prove her innocence ...

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a dip in the pool!  What do you think of my "splashy" list?  Can you think of any other books with swimming pools on the cover?  What's on your TTT list today?

Happy TTT!

57 comments:

  1. What a great list! There were a couple that jumped out at me, and when I went to add them to my Goodreads, they were already on my list. I need to read more apparently 😆

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. That happens to me ALL the time. Apparently, I like to add books to my TBR lists and then promptly forget about them! Glad I'm not the only one :)

      Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  2. Oh, a swimming pool sounds nice right about now!

    My TTT .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All the public pools in my city are closed right now, so it's convenient to have one in our backyard. Plus, no one wants to see me in a swimsuit in a public place. Yikes!

      Thanks for stopping by, Lydia!

      Delete
  3. Jealous of your pool.... we barely have a balcony here in London! Great list, will have to add a few to my TBR!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, bummer! I live on the edge of my suburb, out in the desert so there's lots of room. I actually have two balconies so we can catch all the beautiful Arizona sunsets :)

      Thanks for coming by, Krissy!

      Delete
  4. Oh I would love to go swimming and all those covers look so gorgeous and summery! I love the cover for Summer Darlings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's been so hot lately that the water in our pool actually feels a little like bathwater, especially at the end of the day. LOL. I should get up early and swim in the morning when it's nice and cool and refreshing.

      Thanks for stopping by, Katherine!

      Delete
  5. This is a great topic! And I bet the heat in AZ would kill me. lol I love that cover for The Safe Place. And For The Best is nice too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's pretty brutal! I hate the weather here, except in the winter, when it's actually nice and temperate. Thank goodness for a/c and swimming pools.

      Thanks for coming by, Greg!

      Delete
  6. That's a fun twist on the topic! I don't blame you for looking at swimming pools right now, it's too hot otherwise.

    I don't generally like real-life crowds either, but I can handle fictional crowds. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same! Fighting crowds is just not my idea of fun. Festivals in fiction are so much more manageable than the ones in real life. LOL.

      Thanks for stopping by, Nicole!

      Delete
  7. These covers look heavenly! And oooh, a Louise Candlish? I hadn't heard of that one...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hadn't either until I Googled "book covers with swimming pools on them." I enjoyed Candlish's debut thriller, but I haven't read any of her others and she's got several. I better get on that!

      Thanks for coming by, Leslie!

      Delete
  8. Ooh! I read two of these and loved them both - Up For Air and The Summer Deal. I have read quite a few YA books about swimmers this year and I know Breath Like Water has them in the water on the cover.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, good, I'm glad to know those two are worth reading. I especially like the sound of UP FOR AIR. I haven't heard of BREATH LIKE WATER - I'll definitely check it out.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Sam!

      Delete
  9. I want to try The Safe Place. Thanks for sharing!

    Lauren @ Always Me

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too! It sounds intriguing. I hope we both enjoy it.

      Thanks for stopping by, Lauren!

      Delete
  10. I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who a) doesn't enjoy crowds and b) went rogue on today's topic! I loved your idea of books with pools on the cover and the diversity of genres! I haven't heard of any of these books, but I'm definitely going to have to look into these. Awesome list!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was actually a little bit tricky to find ten books with swimming pools on the cover. It seems like I've seen a bunch lately, but I had to look far and wide to find ten. LOL.

      Thanks for coming by, Leah!

      Delete
  11. You need to add The Lido. It's a wonderful story about a swimming pool that people are trying to close.

    Lucky you, with your own pool. I miss swimming so much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh, I'll look up THE LIDO. Sounds intriguing.

      And, yes, it's nice to have our own pool. Especially now when the public ones are closed.

      Thanks for stopping by, Deb!

      Delete
  12. Perfect topic for summer, especially coming out of Arizona. I actually like comparing book covers and it's always so interesting to see trends, especially in contemporary fiction.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree. What's funny to me about these covers is that swimming pools are supposed to represent tranquility, fun, and relaxation, but all of these books but one are about secrets, betrayal, and vacations gone wrong! LOL.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Helen!

      Delete
  13. Lovely list with a very light summer feel to them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All those swimming pools do give the list a light feel, don't they? I'm afraid the books are a little darker than they look, though!

      Thanks for stopping by, Mystica!

      Delete
  14. I feel you on how hot AZ is! I went to ASU, so I have been through the summers there. I had to go back home to WA after.
    I really loved that Joshylin Jackson book!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm originally from rainy, wet Washington as well, so moving here was a huge adjustment. I still hate the heat. It's awful. I'll take the rain and cold any day!

      Thanks for coming by, Deanna!

      Delete
  15. What a lovely spin to the topic. If you don't like crowds, I can see how this week's TTT wasn't to your liking. I'm not too keen on them but I love the places crowds go to, so I have to put up with them. LOL

    Thanks for visiting my TTT earlier.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. Very true! One must do what one must do :)

      Thanks for stopping by, Marianne!

      Delete
  16. It is so cold here that the idea of some warmth and sometime in the pool sounds so good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll trade you! I'm sick of the sun and the heat. I'd gladly welcome some nice, cold weather.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Marg!

      Delete
  17. How you found all these books, I will never know. Great idea for TTT. Stay cool!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. It was tougher than I thought it would be!

      My kids are keeping cool at the lake today. I'm going to have to settle for the pool. Ha ha.

      Thanks for stopping by, Debra!

      Delete
  18. Just looking at these covers makes me feel cool and refreshed!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right? My pool's looking a little green, but these all look lovely and sparkling blue. Ahhhhh ...

      Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  19. This was such a fun post. Going swimming is a wonderful summertime activity.

    Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thanks for stopping by earlier.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Agreed! It's a big part of summers in Arizona. My youngest is missing the slides, lazy rivers, diving boards, etc. at the public pools, but at least we've got a decent-sized backyard pool to keep cool in. Not gonna lie, it's nice :)

      Thanks for stopping by, Astilbe!

      Delete
  20. I want to go swimming so bad and these covers look so refreshing. haha. Great topic though. I agree, I'm not big on crowds so I've never really had a big inkling to go to a con/festival. I should have just made my own topic this week! lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Come on over! My pool is always open :)

      I hate fighting crowds. It takes the fun out of festivals, theme parks, shopping, etc. Especially when it's outside. If I'm hot and crammed in somewhere with a bunch of people, I'm not a happy camper!

      Thanks for coming by, Leslie!

      Delete
  21. These make me wish I had a pool in my backyard! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's nice, not gonna lie!

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lark!

      Delete
  22. Great list and great covers! It's hot here too, but I don't really miss having a pool - we used to. Lots of work...ha! Enjoy yours!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very true! Pools do take lots of work and lots of money. It seems like we're buying chemicals for it every other week. My sons are doing the maintenance on it right now - they're really missing the pool service we used to have. Ha ha.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Kay!

      Delete
  23. Love your twist! I'm a sucker for books with water or pools on the cover. ;) I just finished THE VACATION and I really enjoyed it. And SUMMER DARLINGS is on my tbr! Happy Reading poolside!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love how water on covers can be used to depict different moods - relaxed, spooky, tranquil, suspenseful, etc. No wonder it's featured on so many book covers! It's so versatile.

      Thanks for stopping by, Dedra!

      Delete
  24. Loved that you picked books that has pools in them. Where I live, it does get hot in the summer. We usually go to creeks, rivers or lakes to go swimming.
    Nice list.
    Here is my TTT.
    https://dmhoisington.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/top-ten-tuesday-7/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We have a big man-made lake and a river close by as well. We go to the lake pretty frequently to swim and jet ski. The kids like tubing down the river, but that's a little much for me. Ha ha. I prefer the calm waters of the pool.

      Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  25. I love covers that have water on them so I'm just sitting here smiling as I'm scrolling down your list. So many great ones here, especially that Jill Shalvis one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love the Shalvis one, too! It looks so relaxing, floating around in the bright, blue water. Ahhhh ...

      Thanks for stopping by, Suzanne!

      Delete
  26. I haven't read any of these but the water on the covers makes me envious of having a pool to cool off in!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is nice, although the warmer the weather gets, the warmer the pool water gets, especially since our pool doesn't get a lot of shade during the day. This time of year, it can be a little like swimming in bathwater!

      Thanks for coming by, Nicci!

      Delete
  27. Ahh, I love your spin on topics this week! This makes me want to go swimming. Or to at least read by the pool.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reading by the pool sounds relaxing, but it's SOOO hot here that I would melt if I did that!

      Thanks for stopping by, Jessica!

      Delete
  28. I am SO JEALOUS of your backyard pool. It's been ridiculously hot and muggy where I live these past couple of weeks and just ugh. No pool, though we did head to the lake last week to swim. I absolutely love your theme this week, though! All these swimmingly cool covers are definitely catching my eye in this summer heat. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ugh, humidity is the worst! We generally have dry heat here in Arizona, but during monsoon season (late July - August), it can get really muggy. I'd rather have the dry heat than the wet heat. Ick. Thank goodness for water! We have a lake nearby as well, but I haven't been yet this summer. It definitely stays colder than our pool :)

      Thanks for coming by, Sammie!

      Delete
  29. I also dislike crowds, so I cant understand the change in topics! This one is quite fitting for the summer. I never realized how many books featured pools on the covers. It's interesting how many different ways you can take a picture of a pool and still make it look unique.

    ReplyDelete

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