Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: I Want to Go to There!

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

I Want to Go to There!


I will admit, that most of the books I read are set in the US, but I have had the pleasure of venturing outside my home country via a book. These are some of memorable "trips" I have taken.

NOTE: Though I have read other books set outside the US, I am trying to pick ones that showed us some of the sites.

ANOTHER NOTE: I didn't notice until after I published, that I did the topic for March 27th, not Feb 27th. Oooops!

Don't Forget Me
Victoria Stevens
Series: n/a
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

This beautiful story of grief, loss, healing, and family takes place in Australia. Stevens takes us to the beach, as well as the Great Barrier Reef, and I really enjoyed all the sites as Australia is one of my bucket list places to visit.

The Upside of Falling Down
Rebekah Crane
Series: n/a
Publisher: Skyscape

One of the things I loved so much about this book was the setting. The characters visited so many of the same places I did on my trip to Ireland, and it just delighted me to "revisit" the Emerald Isle.

Prince in Disguise
Stephanie Kate Strohm
Series: n/a
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

This super fun, charming, and utterly wonderful book took me to Scotland, yet another place I hope to visit. And what can I say? I throughly enjoyed the Highlands at Christmas and spending time in a castle.

Warcross
Marie Lu
Series: Warcross, #1
Publisher: Putnam

Marie Lu took us to Tokyo in Warcross. We visited the city and the countryside. We ate a lot of quality Japanese food too. I love so many things about Japan, and yes, it is another place on my bucket list.

Wicked Like a Wildfire
Lana Popović
Series: Hibiscus Daughter, #1
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

This book swept me away. Popović didn't just describe this world, she put it in Technicolor for me. Through all the descriptions, I fell in love with Montenegro. The sounds, the sights, the food was set out for me, and I wanted to sample it all.
Sparks of Light
Janet B. Taylor
Series: Into the Dim, #2
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

This series is based in Scotland, and we get to see the countryside in both books. However, the second book took us to Highland Games and I just loved being there.

Piglettes
Clémentine Beauvais
Series: n/a
Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books

Piglettes was a book that took me by surprise. It was a wonderful tale of female friendship finding strength in something meant to be destructive. Via this book, I took a trip to Paris through the eyes of a French author, and it's always a treat to get a tour from a local.

The One Memory of Flora Banks
Emily Barr
Series: n/a
Publisher: Penguin

I am a black sheep when it comes to this book, because I really liked it, and one of the things I liked was the trip we took with Flora. I have always wanted to visit Norway, and we got to see some epic sites in this book.

The Girl with the Red Balloon
Katherine Locke
Series: The Balloonmakers, #1
Publisher: Albert Whitman Co

We went back in time and visited East Berlin in The Girl with the Red Balloon. I remember the wall, so it was an interesting trip for me to the Eastern Bloc nation.

Seven Days of You
Cecilia Vinesse
Series: n/a
Publisher: Little Brown Books

Vinesse's love for Tokyo was very obvious. Yet another bucket list place for me, and reading this book only increased my desire to visit. Vinesse painted a glorious picture of the city from the sights and sounds, to the food and entertainment.




Where have you traveled through a book?
Let us know in the comments!

48 comments:

  1. I JUST got Don't Forget Me and I'm so excited to read it!

    Bee @ Quite The Novel Idea

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    1. I hope you like it. I really enjoyed it. It was quite lovely and there were a few surprises in there.

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  2. Ooh I like this topic! I LOVE traveling by book. Australia, Ireland and Scotland *nods* those are all bucket list places for me. Tokyo would be awesome, and of course PAris. :)

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    1. I love this topic so much, I didn't realize it was for next month. *face palm* I essentially want to go just about everywhere. More of Europe is sort of doable for me (I would love to do one of those riverboat cruises), but Asia is a dream, which is probably out of read. At least I can visit via a book.

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  3. I haven't read any of your books, but many sound like books I'd enjoy. I love the way you presented this topic - traveling virtually by book is one of my favorite things. I often read books set in other places. I'm a big mystery/crime novel reader and many are set in other countries or states.

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    1. I love it when the authors incorporate the location into their books in more than name. I adore seeing the sites and soaking up some of the local culture.

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  4. I haven't read any of these books yet, but I like the cover for Sparks of Light.

    Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thanks!

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    1. I am a fan of the Into the Dim series. It's a cool time travel series, but my favorite thing is all the Tesla references. I love him!

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  5. I haven't read any of these, though I own Prince in Disguise. I love traveling outside the U.S. in books. I read a fair amount of books that take place in England, but it's always nice to find some that are in other countries too.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. If you are in the mood to laugh and warm your heart, read Prince. It was fabulous. I think Europe is featured quite often via France, England and Italy, so I am always excited if I can find different countries in books. Wicked Like a Wildfire took me somewhere entirely new and I loved it.

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  6. I love when a setting is so well done that it’s almost like I’m experiencing it for myself. I have a soft spot for Scotland so I should really pick up Into the Dim/Sparks of Light.

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    1. A lot of times, it is mentioned that a book is set in some place, but we never get to "see" any of it. Its fun to get a little tour. I am a fan of Into the Dim, though I think one of the best trips I took to Scotland was via The Debt by Karina Halle. She used to be a travel writer and it shows by the way she describes their trip through the highlands. It was so vivid.

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  7. Anna and the French Kiss convinced me I will have to put Paris on my travel list at some point!! SO I hear you

    Marissa

    Reading List

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    1. I agree. Perkins did a nice job taking us around Paris in that one. That is actually one place I did get to visit, when I convinced my daughter that instead of a Sweet 16 party, we should go to London, Paris, and Disneyland Paris. Best decision ever.

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  8. My reading has taken me to Sweden lately. I was able to actually visit there last spring, so reading about the events in The Girl in the Spider's Web have been really fun. It is so cool to recognize the places they are in!

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    1. That's another place I would love to visit. I used to annoy my daughter when we watched a movie or TV show, and I would point out how we had been "there". I love having the familiar connection, which is probably why I adore books set in NYC.

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  9. Great topic idea! I enjoyed Seven Days of You I loved the Japan idea.

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    1. You could definitely see the author's love for Japan in that book.

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  10. Oh this is such a great topic :) I really want to read Don't Forget Me, and Australia in on my bucket list ahah so... it sounds like the perfect book for me :)

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    1. One of the biggest reasons I want to visit Australia is because they see a different night sky than we do, and yes, Don't Forget Me was wonderful. All sorts of good feels from that one.

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  11. I love a good foreign setting! Deven Days of You and Tokyo was one I really enjoyed!

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    1. I like when the authors actually use the setting. If you are going to make a point of picking a certain place, why not showcase it, as in Seven Days of You.

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  12. Most of my favorite books are set in the United States (with the exception of Jane Austen) but almost all of them were written in the 1800's or the early 1900's and reading them always makes me wish I could travel back in time!

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    1. I almost included Maud on this list, because Fishbane did a great job taking us across Canada during the 1800s.

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  13. Yes, there are so many places I have fell in love with during my reading. So many places I would love to visit. Thank so for sharing this list.

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    1. I want to win the lotto and travel the world. I do not need too many material possessions, but I love to spend my money on experiences, like travel.

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  14. Why have I put off reading Warcross for so long? I really need to get to that book. I hope you get a chance to visit Japan one day.

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    1. I am a Marie Lu fan, I had to read that book ASAP, and I really liked it. Japan is probably out of my reach, but maybe my child will take me there.

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  15. I loved the FLORA BANKS book!!! Although, I don't think I want to go to the COLD place she was visiting!!

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    1. *high five* Another Flora fan (that makes two of us). There is so much beauty in Norway. One of my favorite vacations was to Alaska. The glaciers are just breathtaking.

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  16. Gosh, there are so many places that I want to visit solely based on descriptions I've read in books. Many of the countries you mentioned would be bucket list trips for me, especially Tokyo and yes, that's because of Warcross, lol.

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    1. Asia has always been a goal for me. I love the culture and good so much.

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  17. I recently read The Upside of Falling Down and I so loved it. The best thing about it was its setting, Ireland. It made me to go there right away :D

    My TTT: http://flippingthruthepages.com/2018/02/10-tv-series-worth-binge-watch/

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    1. I loved that book so much, and Ireland is gorgeous. I hope you get to visit soon

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  18. This is such a wonderful list of books in such different places, Sam!

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    1. I was surprised at all different settings when I was looking through my read shelf

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  19. I thought the topic was different from everyone else's lol

    I've mostly read books set in Paris and the UK but I love reading about Australia and you've got a great list!

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. Yeah, I did the topic for MARCH 27th by accident. 🤦‍♀️ I would say the bulk of my books outside the US are UK and Paris as well, so I get really excited when I read a book set somewhere different.

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  20. Oh my gods, I would LOVE to visit Japan, too! Man, I really need to get to Warcross so I can experience Tokyo through the book, at least. Lol.

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    1. Aside from giving us a cool peek at Tokyo, Warcross is an awesome book. I hope you get a chance to read it.

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  21. I mean, I like this topic better anyway, so there's that! :D LOVE your choices too- I will be stealing The Girl With the Red Balloon when it's time because it is one of my faves! I didn't know about some of these too, and you've made me even more excited! Like Warcross, Wicked Like a Wildfire, Don't Forget Me... and I knew Into the Dim but I forgot I still have Sparks of Light to read, yay! I need some more bookish travel, so you've given me a lot to work with, thanks!! :D

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    1. Well, if you like this topic, you can post your list on March 27th 😂

      I hope I can get the next Balloonmakers book. It really is an interesting concept, and I am curious about where Locke is going with it.

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  22. I would love to go to pretty much all of these places myself. :)

    Lauren @ Always Me

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    1. I wish I had the means, because I love to travel. I don't really spend a lot on things. I am more into experiences, and going to places and seeing the sights, experiencing the local culture, is something I love.

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  23. Oooh, fun topic! Even if it was the "wrong" one, haha. 😂 I'm with you on a lot of these places, but I'd especially love to visit Australia and Japan. New Zealand is another place I'm dying to go, although I haven't read anything set there.

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    1. Hey, blessing in disguise, since I don't re-read. I want to go to New Zealand and stay in a Hobbit Hole. #BucketList. I don't think I have read a book set there either. =/

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  24. I've heard good things about the Ireland book you chose, and I am trying to plan a holiday there this summer as well! I loved Paris when I went to visit it, and I also read Anna and the french kiss right before going. It was magical to visit all the places I read about!

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    1. It's so much to read a book set someplace you have been. I hope you get to go to Ireland. It's so beautiful there. I hope to visit again some day.

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