It's Election Day here in the U.S. and I've never been part of a more divisive one. Yikes! I can't wait until it's over. If you haven't voted yet, do it now. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my candidate can pull off a win and also that the aftermath of the election will be peaceful and calm, no matter what happens. 

Instead of talking politics, let's yap about what we can all agree on: books. Today's TTT prompt—Top Ten Books With X On the Cover (You choose the item. It can be anything at all.)—sounds so simple, but I had the toughest time trying to come up with something unique. After discarding a bunch of different topics (keys/keyholes, lanterns, lights in the darkness, clocks, staircases, houses on cliffs, etc.), I decided to stick with a bookish theme. I love perusing bookshelves in libraries, bookshops, and homes, so it's no wonder that covers featuring them appeal to me. It was simple to put together this list, even if it feels a little generic. Oh well! Here we go.

(As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.)

1. The Legend of the Last Library by Frank L. Cole—This middle-grade dystopian/fantasy novel is my current read. I'm only a few chapters in, but I'm already really enjoying it. It's about a teenage girl who lives in a world without trees. Paper is priceless and she needs money to pay for her grandpa's medical care. When she comes across an actual book—a marvel she's never seen with her own eyes—she's stunned. Although she could make a fortune by selling it, she discovers it contains clues to finding what could be the last library in the world. She needs that treasure, but she will have to face a fearsome foe in order to get it.

2. The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander—I'm listening to this cozy mystery on audio. It's the first in a new series starring Annie Murray, a bookseller with a degree in criminology. When a dead body is discovered during the book festival she organized, she's horrified. She's even more shocked when the dead woman turns out to be someone she once knew. In order to get justice for her acquaintance (no matter how much she disliked her), Annie must channel everything she knows about detecting and solve the puzzling murder.

3. Better Off Read by Nora Page—When a storm damages her town's library almost beyond repair, librarian Cleo Watkins refuses to just let it close. She takes to her trusty bookmobile to rally support for the library. She's not sure what to think when a man checks out all the books she has about getting away with murder—and then ends up dead. Cleo's best friend is accused of the killing, which can't be right. Using all the detecting skills she's learned from books, the librarian sets out to solve the case. 

4. The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss—This non-fiction title does exactly what is says it's going to: presents a history of bookstores in the U.S. It begins with Benjamin Franklin's shop in Philadelphia, stops in various other famous stores, and even takes a look at Amazon's bookselling empire. Sounds super interesting.

5. That Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk—I've highlighted this thriller before, but since I still haven't read it, I'm going to include it again. On the eve of their graduation from college, seven students gather in the rare books library at their university. No one's supposed to be in the building after closing time, but they can't resist the atmospheric setting for an ancient Greek ritual they want to perform. It takes only minutes for the whole thing to go sideways. Soon, one student is dead. Then two. Who is the murderer? And will any of them survive the night?

6. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron—This non-fiction book was hugely popular here in the book blogosphere when it came out in 2008. Somehow, I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. It tells the true story of an abandoned, frostbitten kitten who was shoved through the book return of a library in the small town of Spencer, Iowa. The employees took in the forlorn creature and nurtured him back to health. In return, he spread his warmth and love to all who knew him, earning him international fame.

7. An Irish Bookshop Murder by Lucy Connelly—Another cozy series opener, this one features twin sisters who receive a surprising inheritance from their grandfather: an antique bookstore in Ireland. Not long after they arrive in Shamrock Cove, they discover a well-known resident dying on his own doorstep. With his last breath and within hearing of many townspeople, he accuses one of the sisters of murder. Desperate to clear her name, the twins must band together to solve the case.

8. The Night of Many Endings by Melissa Payne—A winter storm traps several lonely people inside a library in a small Colorado town. As they ride out the weather, they share secrets, struggles, and strength. This sounds like such a warm-hearted, hopeful read!

9. Lost in a Book by Jennifer Donnelly—I don't know any book lover who isn't envious of the Beast's library in the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. Who cares if it's a cartoon? That place is #personallibrarygoals. In this YA novel, Belle discovers a magical book on the library shelves that offers her everything she's ever dreamed of. Can she trust the promise of this tantalizing volume? Or is she safer staying put, even if she is being held prisoner by a snarly beast?

10. Double Booked for Death by Ali Brandon—This series opener sounds like a combination of #2 and #7. Darla Pettistone moves from Texas to New York when she inherits her great aunt's bookstore. Determined to prove she's up to the task of running the shop, she throws herself into organizing an author event. It's a roaring success...until the author ends up dead. The police call it an accident, but Darla's not so sure...

There you go, ten books on my TBR list whose covers feature bookshelves. Have you read any of these? What other books can you recommend that would fit this prompt? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. I also respond to comments left here.

Today's TTT topic is a nostalgic, walk-down-memory-lane type deal, but my memory is just not up to the task! If yours is good enough, then you might enjoy listing the Top Ten Books I Read On Vacation (bonus points if you can tell us where you were). Me? I'm going to twist the topic around a bit. I toyed with some vacation-y spins and finally decided to steal an idea from Wendy over at The Bashful Bookworm. A couple weeks ago, she made a TTT list of book covers with vehicles on them. I thought that was a fun topic and since vehicles mean travel, it works well for today. 

Before we get to my list, though, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give Jana, our hostess with the mostest, some love!

1. New From Here by Kelly Yang—It's hard to see, but the cover of my current read features an airplane flying through the title. The book is about a Chinese-American family living in Hong Kong who decides to flee to their summer home in California to escape the coronavirus. It's told from the point of view of 10-year-old Knox, whose struggles with ADHD are exacerbated by missing his father (who stayed behind to work), going to a new school, sharing a bedroom with his annoying older brother, and dealing with prejudice against Asian people (who are being blamed for bringing the virus to the U.S.). I'm only a few chapters in, but this middle grade novel is already proving to be a powerful, impacting read. 

2. All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes (available December 13, 2022)—I love this gorgeous cover with its Venetian gondola! The story is about a baby who's discovered floating in a basket along the canals of Venice. Taken in by a guild of artisans, he's raised as their own, although he still wonders about his mysterious origins. One hundred years later, a translator comes to the city to procure a rare book. Within its pages, he'll discover an intriguing story about a floating infant...

3. Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare—Lena Aldridge lives a gritty, unfulfilling life as a lounge singer in London, where she must hide her mixed-race heritage and pass as white. When she's offered the opportunity to sing on Broadway, she eagerly boards the RMS Queen Mary, excited to begin a new life in America. Her hopes sink when she finds herself embroiled in a murder onboard that puts all her dreams—not to mention her life—at risk.

4. Olive Bright, Pigeoneer by Stephanie Graves—This World War II mystery sounds interesting. The titular character is the owner of a flock of racing pigeons which she hopes will be requested by the National Pigeon Service to help with the war effort. A duo do come calling, but they're intelligence officers asking Olive to aid in a covert operation against the Germans. Soon after they arrive, a local woman is found murdered outside Olive's pigeon loft. Just what has Olive gotten herself into?

5. The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris—Similar to the above, this WWII novel features an illusionist's assistant who specializes in creating spectacular escapes to thrill audiences. When British military intelligence asks her to use her expertise to help them win the war, she's eager to help. It soon becomes clear, however, that her mission is much more dangerous than she ever imagined it could be.

6. Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen (available March 17, 2023)—I enjoy Nielsen's historical fiction for middle graders as well as books about the Titanic, so I'm very excited for this one. It's about a young stowaway with big plans for her new life in America who gets caught up in an intriguing mystery and a desperate struggle for survival.

7. Simmer Down by Sarah Smith—This rom-com featuring dueling food trucks on a Maui beach sounds fun. I was an exchange student in the Philippines during high school, so I can't wait for all the Filipino food talk. Yum!

8. Peanut Butter Panic by Amanda Flower—I love this charming cozy mystery series. This installment, book seven, has Bailey King providing sweets for a big Thanksgiving event in town. When a man dies from an allergic reaction after eating her desserts, she's shocked. Once again, she finds herself investigating a puzzling murder.

9. The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L. Walsh—Speaking of carrier pigeons, this novel revolves around a woman who joins the Women's Royal Naval Service (aka, the "wrens") and becomes a motorcycle dispatch rider tasked with delivering the birds to the front during World War I. Two decades later, she's called back into service at the beginning of another world war.

10. Better Off Read by Nora Page—Desperate to save her town's storm-damaged library, Cleo Watkins hits the road in her bookmobile to drum up support in her small Georgia town. When a potential benefactor ends up dead and her best friend stands accused of his murder, Cleo must play Nancy Drew to figure out whodunit.