Top Ten Tuesday: Books with Amazing Settings

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over at The Broke and the Bookish.

Each week they will post a new top ten list that one of our bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a great way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

The Top Ten Books with Amazing Settings

I did my own take on this prompt this week. Rather than settle for just one type of setting, I'm going with allllll of the amazing settings we're offered in the genres we read...and there are a lot. So, without further ado. Here are my favourite books with absolutely epic settings.


1. The Harry Potter Series - Let's be really, really honest here, guys. Does it get better than Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, The Burrow, the Ministry of Magic, The Forbidden Forest...yeah, the list goes on. Let me answer you. No, it doesn't get better.

2. The Raft - It takes a really, really strong novel to have a book with one main setting and one sole character on said setting to make it work so well. The raft and the island were terrifyingly realistic - and awesome - places to be.

3. The Lightning Thief - Despite my initial hesitance to become invested in this series, I couldn't help but fall in love with it. I really would give my right leg to go to Camp Half-Blood.

4. Across the Universe - There's something about a novel set in space that makes it a zillion times more awesome. That's not even an approximate. That's just a real number, my friends. Plus, the good ship Godspeed is both awesome and scary. Love.

5. The Diviners - New York City? Check. The roaring 20's? Check. Really wish I had a time machine? Yeah, check, check, check. Seriously, how awesome would it be to experience the amazing backdrop of this book in person?


6. Graceling - Well, technically, there are seven different kingdoms in this novel, which gives us a whole lot to choose from in terms of settings. I loved the Middluns though. It was very medieval, and it was totally alive.

7. Raw Blue - Who doesn't want to read about life on a beach in Australia? Carly's world is one of breaking waves, sunshine and sand, and it's our immersion in her world that brings light into her very dark and painful past.

8. 172 Hours on the Moon - But really, like I said before, guys. Space. It's vast, it's empty, and it's a whole lot of nothingness filled with incredible mystery and terror. Give me that any day, and I'm sold.

9. The Forest of Hands and Teeth - In a very character-driven novel, the Forest of Hands and Teeth actually feels like a character in its own right in this novel. It's a terrifying possibility, and the probability is even that much better.

10. Carnival of Souls - Though I wasn't the biggest fan of this book, I have to say that Melissa Marr succeeded in bringing the City of Daimons alive. Dang, that place is brutal. I don't know that I'd want to go, but it's sure awesome to explore through the pages.

32 comments:

  1. I love how you cited not only real places but fantasy like Harry Potter. Best setting. And the Diviners is so picturesque about NYC

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    1. I don't think a world has to be real to be entirely amazing. I think some of the best settings are those of fantasy!

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  2. I've only read the Harry Potter series from your list. I will have to check out some of the others, especially Percy Jackson.

    Sarah

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    1. I hope you DO read Percy Jackson! It's one of my all-time favourite series...so much fun and adventure to be had.

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  3. OH I absolutely agree with the Percy Jackson, HP and The Diviners- the settings of those worlds were fantastically drawn. While I may not survive in Camp Half Blood, I would still kill to live there.

    Awesome list, Melissa! <33

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    1. The Diviners really is wonderful, isn't it? I think I'd die at Camp Half-Blood, too, but it would be worth the shot ;)

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  4. I love the different settings in books too, Melissa. I always feel like I'm going on a "trip" when I read a book that has a great setting.
    Boarding schools, creepy islands, small-town and ocean settings are usually my favorite.
    Thanks for sharing, Melissa!
    P.S : I love how Raw Blue is on every top 10 Tuesday list yours. It shows how much you adore that book. :)

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    1. Gosh, I really do love Raw Blue! It's such an incredible book. :)))

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  5. YES to HP, The Lightning Thief, The Diviners, GRACELING, and Raw Blue - all favorites of mine!(:

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  6. Melissa I really enjoyed Carnival of the Souls setting, I think it was nearly what made the book. Sad that you actually didn't enjoy it.

    I'm going to pick up The Diviners I didn't know it was set in NYC in the 20s, try Speak Easy by Melanie Harlow, that's another book set in NYC in the 1920s.

    And No I don't think anyone or any setting can top The Harry Potter Series setting, these are just magical!

    My TTT

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    1. I'm so glad you agree with me about Carnival of Souls' setting! I wish I'd loved the book more, but at least the backdrop was very solid :)

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  7. Now, that's a wide variety of awesome settings! Graceling's setting (well, that whole series) is one of my favorite (I'm taking HP out of the equation because I didn't get my Hogwarts letter and I'm bitter).

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    1. I love it, Mary hahaha I didn't get my letter either though, so I guess we're both rejects. On that note, how freaking AMAZING would it be if we really got letters?! O.O

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  8. Oh, The Diviners! Gosh, I LOVED that book (the sequel just got a title on GR, did you see?)I love all your picks: Graceling and Raw Blue especially:)

    my TTT

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    1. I didn't see that the sequel had a title! SQUEE! Thanks for letting me know, Heather!

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  9. HP is the best, of course. I really enjoyed The Diviners, too. I still need to read the Forest of Hands. I've had that in my TBR for forever. Great list!
    Natflix&Books' TTT

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    1. It's really good, Natalie! I put it off till last year, and I still can't believe I waited that long haha

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  10. Fantastic list! I adore Graceling, HP, Across the Universe, and The Lightning Thief...all have outstanding and memorable settings. Hogwarts holds a special place in my heart!

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    1. Thanks, Christina! I know...Hogwarts will probably always top every list of mine, simply because I'm not sure anything could be better than that magic :)

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  11. Oh yes, I don't think any book will ever be able to top Hogwarts. It's the ultimate fantasy setting and I don't know a single person that wouldn't want to visit if such a thing were possible! The Raft was fabulous as well, I had so much stress reading that one and wondering if they were ever going to make it to land:)

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    1. The Raft really was awesome, wasn't it? Never would I ever have thought that one raft and one lil' island could be SO riveting!

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  12. I love your list Melissa and sometimes settings can make a book. I love traveling in my mind to these places and wouldn't we all like to go to Hogwarts and shop at Diagon Alley?

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  13. Yep, Harry Potter has one of the best settings ever. I'm pretty sure we all would love to live in the Wizarding World lol. And I love Graceling's setting. One of the best fantasies for sure :)

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  14. From a writer's perspective, setting is just as much a character as any person. It can make or break a story, especially when there aren't many human characters.

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  15. Of these you list - excellent choices, BTW - my favorites are the worlds featured in Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Raw Blue. I'm dying to read The Diviners to experience NYC in the roaring 20s.

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  16. I love the fact that you were so broad with your settings. You picked some really brilliant books! Harry Potter is amazing, as is Graceling.

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  17. Hogwarts, hands down, would be my favorite place to be in all of bookdom!! I want to live there, experience the magic, I do not want to be a muggle though! Great picks!!

    I'd also like to live in the world of The Iron Fey series. I'd love to see all that magic! Oh and of Poseidon. I want to live underwater!!

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  18. All these places look amazing. There are some (i. e. the Diviners) I haven't read yet, but they still sound amazing!

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  19. Great topic! I love so many of these books. Perhaps my favorites are Across the Universe and The Diviners.

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  20. Harry Potter made my list too, but I wasn't a huge fan of The Forest of Hands and Teeth.

    My TTT.

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  21. NO, IT DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THE HARRY POTTER WORLD. But the other settings you chose aren't bad, either. ;) I think the most fascinating ones are Across the Universe and 172 Hours on the Moon, since not many people visit outer space, but it's still real. I would love to read The Raft, that sounds effing scary! Great post, thanks for sharing, Melissa!

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  22. Ooh yes - Harry Potter world is made of awesome. I've yet to still read some of the books on your list, but I'm particularly looking forward to The Divinders and Graceling. One of my favourites is Daughter of Smoke and Bone - basically if any book is set in Prague, I'm pretty much sold!

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