Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: You're a Grand Old Flag!

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's topic is...

Red, White, and Blue Covers!


In honor of Independence Day in the US, I am sharing some red, white, and blue covers from some great books I have read, which also feature the idea of freedom in some form.
American Panda
Gloria Chao
Series: n/a
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Mei was in her first year at MIT, and she was trying to exercise her autonomy  in many areas of her life. This was her chance to pursue the things she loved and to explore some relationships her parents would not approve of.

When My Heart Joins the Thousand
A.J. Steiger
Series: n/a
Publisher: HarperTeen

Alvie was working to gain her freedom and her legal emancipation. This book provided such an interesting look at independence and finding one's self. This was quite an emotional journey, during which I shed many tears. But I can assure you, I was shedding happy tears by the end of this book.

Front and Center
Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Series: Dairy Queen, #3
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

This was a big moment for DJ. She had everyone trying to tell her where she should go to college and how she should play basket ball, but DJ really needed to declare her independence and decide for herself.

Words in Deep Blue
Cath Crowley
Series: n/a
Publisher: Knopf Books

Rachel was still reeling from her brother's death, and in an attempt to escape the pain, she returned to her hometown. There, she worked through a multitude of issues to liberate herself from the guild and pain she had been buckling under for all this time.

Freshmen
Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison
Series: n/a
Publisher: Delacorte Press

What says independence more, than that first taste of freedom during your freshmen year of college. Aside from being out of their parents homes, the characters also learned a lot as they made new friends and challenging the status quo at the university.

Now Is Everything
Amy Giles
Series: n/a
Publisher: HarperTeen

Hadley lived in a dangerous, abusive and oppressive home. She began challenging her father in an effort to be free of his abuse and control over her life.

Aftermath
Clara Kensie
Series: n/a
Publisher: Merit Press

This explored the aftermath following Charlotte's return from her captivity. This was her story of breaking free of her past and reclaiming her life. While her twin sister, Alex, gaining freedom from her guilt and pain.

Ramona Blue
Julie Murphy
Series: n/a
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

This is Ramona's summer of finding herself, of breaking free from the box people tried to put her in. She gained so much during this summer, but most of all, she was able to freely explore her self identity.

9 Days & 9 Nights
Katie Cotugno
Series: 99 Days, #2
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Gabe and Molly had such a torrid past. They parted on bad terms, and when fate brought them together, it was their opportunity to free themselves of their past. They could come clean with each other and resolve all their issues, finally leaving the past in the past.

How to Keep Rolling After a Fall
Karole Cozzo
Series: n/a
Publisher: Swoon Reads

Nikki was carrying some serious baggage. Nikki had to pay for a crime she did not really commit, and after this journey, the was able to free herself from her mean girl past.



What are your favorite books, which share your flag's colors?
Let us know in the comments!

47 comments:

  1. Cute cover choices! I like the Freshman one, both how it looks and the idea with the cups XD And I like how they included the wheelchair silhouette on How to Keep Rolling because yay disability rep!

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    1. The MC in How to Keep Rolling is a paraplegic. I liked that the book was informative with respect to his disability, as well as showing how abled he was. And we all know red cups = party, and there is ton of those at college. So, I do commend the Freshmen cover designer.

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  2. Nice covers. I like Ramona Blue and 9 Days & 9 Nights (her collage style covers always appeal to me, they're so unique).

    Happy 4th!!

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    1. I like when authors have a "signature" feel to their covers. I was so mad when I saw Jennifer E Smith's Windfall cover, because it was nothing like all the others.

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  3. I love that you tied all of these to a theme in addition to the red, white, and blue. All of them except for Words in Deep Blue are still on my TBR too, so I like knowing that each of them focuses on freedom.

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    1. These were all books I really enjoyed, so I hope you get to read a few of them

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  4. I love that you also focused on freedom as well as the covers. You did a great job!!!

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    1. Thanks. I just started seeing a common thread and ran with it

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  5. I swear, I'm going to have to break down and buy 9 Days & 9 Nights. My library still only has the audio version and I really want to read (not listen) to that one. I need more Molly + Gabe! :)

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    1. If you were a 99 Days fan, you need this book. We find out about the fallout and get a lot of closure for these two

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  6. I like that you chose books that focus on freedom AND worked with the colors of red, white, and/or blue. Nicely done. I'm curious about Words in Blue!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. Words in Deep Blue is a wonderful book, and it is set in a bookstore with this incredible letter library. So good

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  7. When My Heart Joins the Thousand is like the perfect cover for this week!

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    1. I was trying to find covers with all 3 colors, and was excited this one fit the bill, because it is actually meaningful to the story

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  8. A recent read of mine that I loved fits this: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

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    1. Simon definitely fits, and I considered it, but I just featured it last week, and wanted to spread the love. It's on a ton of lists this week though

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  9. Aftermath and Ramona Blue are on my TBR list. I hope I like them as much as you did!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. I cried so much when I read Aftermath, but it was really great.

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  10. OMG, When My Heart Joins the Thousand has a happy ending!?!?! YAAAAS SO MUCH NEED FOR IT NOW!!!

    - Aimee @ Aimee, Always

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    1. That book was sometimes heartbreaking, but ultimately heartwarming.

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  11. I love the cover to Words in Deep Blue By Cath Crowley! They're all so pretty :)

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    1. When I first saw that cover, I didn't realize they were little books. It's very pleasing to look at and appropriate for the story

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  12. These all look so good together! Happy almost fourth of july!
    Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian

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  13. Well done post for this week's TTT theme!

    Here's a link to my TTT post of this week:
    https://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2018/07/top-ten-tuesday-books-with-red-white.html

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  14. I love the added theme of freedom to the post this week. Excellent choices all around!

    Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!

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    1. It just sort of emerged as I was picking out books, and seemed appropriate

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  15. OOh nice! It's amazing how (for the most part) we all have the same colored flag and yet we are all choosing different books!!

    Here's my Tuesday Post

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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  16. I am determined to read American Panda soon. I hear nothing but really good things about it. Also, I want to read Ramona Blue. Great picks!

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    1. I liked American Panda. Mei was a great protagonist. It's a funny, but also serious story, and I thought Gao did a great job.

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  17. So fun to see all these red white and blue covers. I really liked the Cath Crowley book.

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  18. I love that you included the freedom theme in your choices too!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. I always need more parameters to help me narrow down my list.

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  19. Thanks for reminding me to continue the Dairy Queen series!

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    1. I have not read the extra book, but I loved the ending Murdock gave for DJ's story arc.

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  20. I don't know any of these books and authors... I need to branch out more.
    Happy 4th of July to you!

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    1. I only include YA books, but I read outside that age group too

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  21. Great picks, Sam! I haven't read a single book that made you list so I have a lot of work to do :)

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    1. That surprises me, because you're such a mixer when you read.

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  22. YA really does love the blue covers. Not too much red, though? Very intriguing. The first one that came to mind for me was I See London, I See France. Wonderful post, Sam, and hope you had a good fourth!

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    1. The 4th is always a mixed blessing. I love cooking out and having the day off, but the fireworks kept me up and there was a cricket match going on across the street until all hours too. This girl did have work on the 5th. 😆

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  23. Looks of great choices on here!! I can't wait to read 99 days and 9 days/9 nights. I'm excited to start that series! Great picks/post <3

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  24. American Panda is on my TBR and Ramona Blue is one I have been intrigued by after reading reviews for it. I read Aftermath and it totally blew my mind. Such an intense emotional book and I didn't expect it with that cover at all!

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    1. Aftermath had me bawling. THAT was really emotional. I knew from the topic that it would be tough, but because Kensie focused on the recovery, I think it made the book easier to read and left me hopeful.

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