It’s time again for Top Ten Tuesday, a fun weekly meme created by the folks over at The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they have a different theme for bloggers to post their top tens about, and this week we’re listing our…
Top Ten Settings I’d Like To See More Of (Or At All)
Well, this is a bit of a stretch for me…I don’t usually pick books up because of their setting. Characters, yes…setting, sometimes. I put them back because of characters, too. Anyway, this top ten was a little difficult to cobble together, so I apologize if it makes very little sense.
- Jungles and forests
Quite often books are set in urban or suburban settings, but I really enjoyed the forest-themed books like The Forest of Hands & Teeth by Carrie Ryan (the whole series, actually), and the scenes from The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. - Tropical areas (not necessarily the beach)
By this one I don’t mean more beaches, but more of what they have to offer – beautiful scenery, waterfalls. I want to escape somewhere tropical and go on an adventure. - Dystopian books set outside the USA
As someone who doesn’t live in the US (OK, I’m just barely north of the US, but still), it can get a bit tiresome to read dystopian books that only focus on the US. I want to read more of them that involve the whole world or are set outside of the US. It’s a big wide world, and we’re all connected…if society as we know it ends, how will it effect everyone else? - Canada
I know there are lots of books set in Canada. But I’m a bit of a snob – it’s usually Canadians that write about Canada, and as soon as I see that it’s a Canadian author, I put it back on the shelf. For some reason I don’t like how Canadians write, but when other authors attempt it, Canadians come across looking like idiots. We’re not, we’re just like Americans (honestly, we DON’T even talk funny, though we do say “eh” a lot). So I’d like to read more books set in Canada where Canadians are depicted as normal as we actually are.
- New York City
I was just in NYC and I know that there are a lot of books set there, but generally they’re chick-lit and focus on being rich, and that lifestyle. But I want a more accurate view of what it’s like to live there. It’s an exciting city, but I want to read about more than dining out and shopping on Fifth Avenue. - University
I didn’t go to college or university, so maybe I get a little bit of a kick out of reading stories set in university. I am loving the New Adult genre, and I want to see more! Give me the experience that I lacked – tell me about the football teams and mascots and all the crazy things that kids in university actually do! - Other cultures
OK, I know that’s not really a setting, but it sort-of can be. I really enjoy books that bring in different cultures, whether they are set in those areas or the characters hail from them originally (or lived there for some time). I like stories about immigrant families, it’s something that intrigues me. And I think a lot can be learned from other cultures. - Old West
I don’t think I’ve actually read anything set in the old west that wasn’t a raunchy romance. I want to read about settlers and pioneers and all that good stuff. The Gold Rush. Wagon trains. That sort of thing. - Space
I’ve read and liked Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan and am about to read Across the Universe by Beth Revis, both set in space. I’d like to see more of these…not necessarily alien life but humans setting out on a new adventure. - Boats and ships
I’m completely terrified of water, but I’d like to read books set on the ocean. Pirates? Yes! We don’t see pirates very often! Or even just a family living on a boat for a summer. Or a couple travelling on a yacht and visiting different ports. I just want something a little different than mainstream land-loving settings.
So, there you have it. The ten settings that I’d like to see more of. If you’re aware of some great books in those settings that I’m missing, please point them out to me! And, of course, link me up to your top ten…I probably missed some really good ones, as I was likely over-thinking this one, lol!
I’d love to see more jungles, forests, and tropical areas!
My TTT list: http://aliceinreaderland.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/settings/
Alice @ Alice in Readerland
I know you said you’re not crazy about the way Canadians write, however, Karla Doyle (Canadian) did a really good job with her book More than Words, which is set in Canada. If you like steamy romance novels, it’s worth a read, though there’s one element to the plot I found a little hard to take.
I’ll check it out! I don’t read many adult romance books, but I’m always up for something out of the ordinary!
Thanks for the recommendation!
Totally agree about dystopian novels set outside of the US! I’d love to see some set in Europe or South America, just somewhere quite different from the current crop. Also love the idea of tropical areas, but not necessarily the beach. Great list!
Oh yes to jungles and forests definitely. I read ‘State of Wonder’ by Ann Patchett last year and although I didn’t enjoy the book, the setting blew me away. I just loved those high dark trees and wild-life. I am adding both books you mentioned to my tbr, and if you stumble into more of them, I hope there will be review so I can add them too.
I would love to read more of any books not just dystopia set outside of USA. Seems like USA & UK are 90% of book settings for any genre.
And another yes to university books. ‘Easy’ by Tammara Webber is one awesome book set in college I read recently.
Space is another one of my favorite settings. I read a lot of good books with this theme lately. Some of them are: UnEarthed by Rebecca Bloomer, A Coming of Age by Timothy Zahn, Stranded (anthology).
Well I could talk more, but maybe comment space has some text length limit.
Great list thanks for sharing!
And if you want check out : Top Ten Settings I’d Like to See More of in YA Fiction
Oooo great choices. I looove books set in forests and jungles. Have you read Wanderlove? A lot of the story takes place in the jungle.
My Top Ten
When I visit a place, I go to the bookstore and ask the staff for recommendations about books set in that place. When I visited Canada and went to a bookstore, the staff could not come up with a book set in Canada! That is terrible and must be remedied.
Here’s my Top Ten Settings. Come by, if you can, and share your thoughts.
I can tell you a few, but it is difficult at times (especially when you’re put on the spot, lol). Canada is the US’s little brother so we tend to adopt American media – TV, movies, music, books…or move to the US to make it big. Sadly.
Anyway, for classic Canadian lit, I’d recommend Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. And if you’re looking for something more recent (set in the past, though, but a recent author), I’d suggest reading The Birth House by Ami McKay.
I’ll have to keep thinking on that one, actually…
Big yes to jungles and tropical areas! Great list
This is a great list. I could definitely get into books written in a forest/jungle setting. But the Old West is definitely something I would be all over, wagon trains heck yes.
I totally agree about non US dystopians – I have the same on my list. It gets tiresome.
Manda C!
http://isolemnlyswearx.blogspot.com/2013/01/top-ten-tuesday-top-settings-id-like-to.html
I’m definitely all for more books about pirates! And New York City was on my list as well.
If you are loving the New Adult genre, then I’m sure you have read Jessica Sorensen’s The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden and The Secret of Ella and Micha. I’ve also heard good things about Easy. Definitely agree with Canada too.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
~Danica Page
Taking it One Page at a Time
I’ve got all of those on my TBR…I can’t seem to read fast enough to keep up with all these amazing books!
I totally forgot about pirates!
Great list!
Space would be SO FUN! I would love to read more about it and the possibilities are endless.