Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Settings That Float My Boat


I'm a little tardy to the TTT party today, but better late than never, right?  Since I'm not a big app user or podcast listener, I'm not really feeling today's topic—Top Ten Online Resources for Book Lovers.  I'm going to skip it in favor of last week's—Favorite Book Settings—which I missed due to being in Europe.  I know I've done topics like this before, so my selections may sound a *little* familiar... 

If you want to join in the TTT fun, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

Top Ten Favorite Book Settings 


1.  Scotland—I've long loved me a moody, broody Scottish setting.  Now that I've been there, I'm even more interested in reading about this lovely land, the ancestral home of my paternal ancestors.  


2.  Creepy old buildings—Be it a house, a hospital, a hotel, a school, whatever...as long as a book features a spooky edifice (preferably teeming with ghosts), I'm in.


3.  The American South—I enjoy a good Southern yarn, especially when it's filled with quirky characters and Down Home warmth.  There's just something about the South, y'all.


4.  World War II—Although I've stepped back from WWII novels a bit this year, I still find it an endlessly fascinating setting.  


5.  Dystopian/post-apocalyptic—I'm not reading as much in this genre as I have in the past, but I still dig a good end-of-the-world tale.


6.  Small towns—Quaint little villages make the perfect setting for cozy mysteries, psychological thrillers, rom-coms, horror stories, and more.  I especially love a good small-town-with-big-secrets yarn.


7.  Extreme situations/climates—Even though I'm a huge wimp, I enjoy immersing myself in engrossing survival stories, especially when they're set in places with chaotic, unpredictable weather that's going to act up at just the wrong moment.  


8.  Islands—I'm also all about tales set on islands.  The isolation ups the ante for any kind of story, be it a mystery, a psychological thriller, a rom-com, or whatever.


9.  At sea/maritime disasters—While I'm not afraid of water, I still don't love the idea of floating along in the sea with all kinds of dangers—real and imagined—lurking below me.  Because of this, books set at sea, especially survival stories, mysteries, thrillers, and action/adventure tales, always give me a shivery thrill.  Titanic books will 100% always get my attention.


10.  American West/pioneer/homesteading—I've mentioned before that I'm the descendant of both Mormon pioneers and Oregon Trail adventurers.  I grew up hearing their stories, so I've always been fascinated with this time period and setting. 

If you read this blog with any regularity, you're not going to be surprised by any of my answers.  You've seen what I like to read—do you have any suggestions for books I haven't read yet that fit in these categories?  What are your favorite book settings?  I'd love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours.

Happy TTT!                 

50 comments:

  1. A great list!

    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
    https://readbakecreate.com/5-booktube-creators-worthy-of-checking-out/

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    1. Thanks! It was a fun one to put together.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Pam!

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  2. Great list. I love small town settings and books set in the South as well. I used to read a fair number of dystopian books back in the day but kind of got away from them a bit in recent years and definitely since the pandemic.

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    1. Well, that's totally understandable. I think I only read one for my book club in that whole time.

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    2. Yeah, I've heard many people say there are certain kinds of books they just haven't been able to read during the pandemic. I've sort of gravitated toward lighter books, but I still love a good dystopian - even when it feels like we're living in one :)

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Suzanne!

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    3. I think for me it was more that I try to shorten my TBR pile and I have read most dystopian novels from it.

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  3. I love almost all of these settings! I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland, but until I get there, I have to make do with books that are set there.

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    1. I was only in Scotland for a couple days, but I fell in love with the place! I definitely want to go back—in books and in person :)

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Leah!

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  4. Great settings. Reminds me of your holiday. And only a little different from my My TTT last week which took me around the world to thirteen countries.

    Thanks for visiting my TTT earlier.

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    1. Yep! I'm definitely a creature of habit :) And I do love reading books that connect with my family history.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Marianne!

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    2. Of course, history is always interesting and if it connects with your own family, even greater.

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  5. I love reading about creepy old buildings, too. Thanks for stopping by yesterday!

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    1. Old buildings of any sort are my favorite kind of setting for a horror novel, psychological thriller, mystery, etc. If there's a creepy old building on a book cover, I'm definitely going to take a second look.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lydia!

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  6. I love small towns and creepy old buildings! Here is my link for this week: https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com/2021/10/top-ten-tuesday-online-resources-for.html

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    1. How about a creepy old building in a small town? Bonus! I'd read that for sure.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Cindy!

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  7. Some really excellent classic settings here, and who doesn't love most of these, right?

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    1. Right! These are all pretty popular settings. No wonder they're my favorites :)

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Alex!

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  8. I love books set in small towns and the American South, too. I also love books set in Scotland. Recently I read Meghan Quinn's The Highland Fling that was set there.

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    1. Fun! I didn't get to visit the Highlands on my trip, but I definitely want to next time I go. And there WILL be a next time :)

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Deanna!

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  9. I also enjoy books set in the American West and small towns!

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    1. I was raised in a small town in the Pacific Northwest and have always lived in the western U.S., so I guess that explains my love for those settings!

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Wendy!

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  10. Good list! I also enjoy a book set in the Scottish highlands (or the English moors).

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    1. I had a totally different idea of what the moors were until I saw them in person. Ha ha.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Helen!

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  11. All of these are faves of mine, too. I'd even have Scotland at the top of my list. :)

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    1. I'm even more intrigued by Scotland now than I was before visiting in person. Such a beautiful and fascinating place!

      Thanks for stopping by, Ali!

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    2. I'm super jealous! I have always wanted to go. I am mostly Scotish but have never been.

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  12. I love that list! The pictures are great too!

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    1. Thanks! I stole the pictures from all over the Internet, I admit. None of them are my own. They illustrate the topics well, though, don't you think?

      Thanks for popping in!

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  13. I love lots of these, too! I especially love Scotland and small towns as book settings (bonus points for small towns in Scotland). Disaster-at-sea books usually freak me out, though!

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    1. I honestly don't know why disasters-at-sea books fascinate me so. They're terrifying, but I seriously can't look away from them! It's weird...

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Nicole!

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  14. Scotland would be at the top of my list too- I need to read more set there. I love a good post apoc read too!

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    1. I have a couple favorite Scottish authors, but I need to find more! I love Scotland :)

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Greg!

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  15. I'm pretty much with you on all of these apart from dystopian novels which I avoid because I'm a terrible wimp. Small towns and sea disasters really appeal from your list, plus I love crime stories set at sea and 'love' creepy sea stories.

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    1. Same! I don't know why I'm so fascinated by sea stories, but I really am. They creep me out, but I'm still really drawn to them for some reason. Glad I'm not the only one.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Cath!

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  16. Creepy old building are the perfect setting, especially this time of year!

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    1. For sure! I love me a haunted house (in fiction, anyway).

      Thanks for popping in, Alicia!

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  17. We have a number of the same favorite settings! I love small towns and islands and Scotland as well. And I can never resist a creepy old building!

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    1. Not surprised at all, Katherine! We're book twins in a lot of ways :)

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting!

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  18. I'm always down for a book with a creepy old building setting or a small town! Great list.

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    1. Same. A creepy old building IN a small town? Even better!

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  19. I totally agree on Scotland! I went on vacation there a couple of years ago and fell in love with the landscape, it's absolutely stunning!

    Thanks for visiting my blog earlier!

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    1. Agreed. We only visited the Lowlands on this trip, but I'm aching to go back and see more of the country!

      Thanks for popping in, An!

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    1. In reality, I find islands—especially really remote ones—kind of terrifying, but they make for great book settings, don't they?

      Thanks for stopping by, Dara!

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  21. I love that you brought pictures. Yeeeees to basically all of these, but the first two are probably tops for me. I'm glad your visit to Scotland reinforced your interest and didn't take away the mystique! My great-grandfather on my dad's side immigrated from there as well and I've always wondered how I'd feel if I actually visited the place.

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    1. My third great-grandparents emigrated from Scotland to Nova Scotia, Canada, in the early 1800's. I know the county they were from, but not the city. Still, just being in that county made me feel a kinship to them. I think you would feel the same way standing where your ancestors stood.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, RS!

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  22. Great list! I also love small town settings, but also creepy old buildings ad island settings.

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    1. There's just something SO alluring about those settings. They get me every time!

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lindsey!

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  23. Sorry I'm late in responding (I just realized I had a tab with your post opened and I meant to respond!). Wonderful settings! I love so many of them! For pioneers have you read Where the Lost Wander? For Islands have you read Castle of Water? For End of the World....or a disaster facing Earth that could end the world....have you read Project Hail Mary? (I recommend audio for Hail Mary) For Maritime disaster have you read Surviving Savannah?

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    1. WHERE THE LOST WANDER - Yes. I loved it!
      CASTLE OF WATER - No, I've never heard of it. I'll definitely look it up.
      PROJECT HAIL MARY - No. I'm not much for sci-fi and I DNF'd THE MARTIAN because I found it really slow and boring. My husband loved PROJECT HAIL MARY, though.
      SURVIVING SAVANNAH - Yes. How had I never heard of that boat that sunk before? I love discovering hidden history.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting. Also for the great recs.

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