The topic du jour for my favorite weekly meme is all about book settings.  I love a vivid, well-developed backdrop and will pretty much always want to read a story described as "atmospheric."  While our lists today are supposed to be about settings we'd like to see more of, I'm just going to go with my favorite settings because, naturally, those are the ones I would like to see more of, right?  Incidentally, I created a similar TTT list back in April about topics/settings that always lure me in. 

Before we get to that, I just want to encourage you to join in the TTT fun.  All you have to do is click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl, read a few simple instructions, create your own list, then spend some happy hours hopping around the book blogosphere.  It's a great way to find new blogs to follow, drop in on old favorites, and, of course, add to ye olde TBR pile.  What's not to love?



1.  Wild West/Pioneers/Homesteading—Between my Mormon pioneer heritage and my love of genealogy, it's probably no surprise that I love me a good pioneer/homesteading story.  They always entertain me while leaving me in awe of the courage, determination, and strength it took for ordinary people to take on the extraordinary task of venturing into the wild, untamed west and trying to eke out a life there.

Favorite Examples:  Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson; the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder; the Gold Seer trilogy by Rae Carson; and Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee


2.  Creepy old houses/Gothic—Give me a crumbling old mansion by the sea or a spooky plantation home on the bayou or an abandoned cottage hidden in the woods and I'm a happy reader.  I always love a shivery haunted house story.

Favorite Examples:  Pretty much anything by Kate Morton or Carol Goodman


3.  At Sea—As a high school exchange student, I once spent an entire day puking my guts out on a voyage across the Philippine Sea and I'm not sure I've quite recovered!  Landlubber that I am, I do possess a healthy appreciation for—and fear of—the raw and magnificent power of the ocean.  For this reason, I love a good "at sea" setting.  Be it a harrowing Titanic tale, a rollicking pirate yarn, or a good, old-fashioned shipwreck survival story, I'm all in.

Favorite Examples:  The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf, the Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer, and Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys     


4.  Isolated/Insular communities—I also find cloistered communities intriguing.  From gentle Amish settlements to sinister cult compounds to free-spirited hippie communes to religious retreats to secret societies, these types of settings always pique my interest.

Favorite Examples:  the Rockton series by Kelley Armstrong, Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix, The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams


5.  Small towns (especially if they're hiding BIG secrets)—Because I was reared in a quaint little town, I'm naturally drawn to these types of book settings.  I especially love it when these placid villages are hiding juicy secrets that are about to crawl out of the closet to wreak a little havoc.

Favorite Examples:  the Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny; the Big Stone Gap series by Adriana Trigiani; the Grace Valley and Virgin River series by Robyn Carr; and just about anything by Joshilyn Jackson


6.  Australia—I've really been enjoying novels from Down Under lately.  I especially love those set in the Outback, where daily survival is not necessarily an assured thing.

Favorite Examples:  the Tomorrow, When the War Began series by John Marsden, anything by Jane Harper, and books by Liane Moriarty


7.  Antarctica—This unforgiving setting is another one that garners my endless fascination—and fear.

Favorite Examples:  My Last Continent by Midge Raymond 


8.  Bookstores and Libraries—I think people who love to read are naturally drawn to a bookish setting.  I am for sure.

Favorite Examples:  The Bookshop on the Corner and The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan and The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee


9.  Obscure States, U.S.A.—Every year, I keep track of the states where the books I read are set, sometimes as part of an official reading challenge, sometimes just on my own.  Guess which states are the most difficult to cross off my list?  Inevitably, it's places like North Dakota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Delaware.  According to my records, there is one state that has never made an appearance in my reading:  Arkansas.  So, if there's one setting I feel is underrepresented it's the less sexy states like poor neglected Arkansas. 

Favorite Examples:  I got nothin', which just proves my point!


10.  Scotland—I have some strong Scottish roots plus a keen interest in moody, broody settings, so this one is pretty much a given. 

Favorite Examples:  anything by Peter May or Ann Cleeves and the Lady Darby series by Anna Lee Huber 

There you have it, ten settings I enjoy reading about and which I'd like to see more of.  What do you think?  Do we have any favorite settings in common?  Which would you like to see more of?  Can you think of any great books I need to read in the categories above?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours.

Happy TTT!

In New Orleans, Emily's not too concerned about Valerie either.  She's too busy trying to get the attention of her distracted mother, whose only focus has been on Emily's cancer-ridden brother.  When a little sniffling gets her kicked out of her germ-free house, Emily decides to run away to an island in the middle of Audobon Park.  Hiding out in her calm, secret fortress, she doesn't notice the storm brewing all around her.  By the time she realizes what's happening, it's too late ... like Alejo, she's stuck.  New Orleans is being evacuated around her and Emily has nowhere to go.

As the fates of two storm-tossed kids collide, Alejo and Emily experience the most terrifying, deadly adventure of their lives ... 

Storm Blown, an exciting middle-grade action/adventure novel by Nick Courage, is sure to win over even reluctant readers.  It's an adrenaline-fueled survival story starring two brave kids caught in a chaotic situation that grows crazier by the second.  Readers young and old won't be able to look away!  Courage throws in interesting storm facts that heighten the tale's suspense without bogging it down with unnecessary details.  Hand this one to fans of the I Survived series and other action-packed survival stories.  They won't be disappointed by this engaging, pulse-pounding read.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of the I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis, Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes, and Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana)

Grade:

The topic du jour for my favorite bookish meme is Top Ten Auto-Buy Authors.  Since I feel like I talk about the authors I love constantly here at BBB, I'm going to go off-script today and do the freebie topic that's actually scheduled for July 30.  I'll be in Utah attending a genealogy conference that day anyway, so it works.  Last week's character freebie inspired me to list My Favorite Super Sleuths of the Book World, which was fun, but I focused on the pros—real detectives and enforcement officers as well as other professionals who work with them (criminalists, forensic scientists, etc.).  Since the book world is full of amateur sleuths as well and they're just as entertaining to read about (sometimes more so), I'm going to focus on them today. 

Before we get to that, though, I have to give a shout-out to our lovely host Jana.  You can find her over at That Artsy Reader Girl, where you can also get the 4-1-1 on all things Top Ten Tuesday.  Join in by reading some brief instructions, crafting your own TTT list, then clicking around the blogosphere to spread the love among a ton of fabulous book blogs.  It's a great time to revisit old favorites, discover new sites, and, of course, add to your always-growing TBR pile mountain mountain chain.  What's not to love?

Okay, so here we go with my Top Ten Favorite Amateur Sleuths of the Book World.  These are the folks who have no (legitimate) reason to investigate crime, although mysteries just keep falling into their laps!  Their careers range from housekeeper to archaeologist to restaurant server to journalist, but their side gigs are the same—crime solver.  Because of this, their stories are often far less believable than those of their professional counterparts, but, as I said above, no less entertaining.  I'm including the cover to the first book in their respective series so you know where to start.

Who are your favorite amateur sleuths of the book world?  Who do you love reading about, whether their crime-solving is totally, ridiculously far-fetched or not?

Top Ten Favorite Amateur Sleuths of the Book World:


1.  Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene—Nancy is probably the most well-known sleuth in this category and, as a kid, I inhaled any book that starred her.  I haven't read a Nancy Drew book in years, so I don't know what I'd think of them now, but I used to adore Nancy—and definitely wanted to be her!


2.  Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol—Another childhood favorite, Leroy "Encyclopedia" Brown is a boy who helps his police chief father solve crimes in their small town.  He's whip-smart (hence his nickname) and always gets his man.  This is another series I ate up as a kid.


3.  Veronica Speedwell by Deanna Raybourn—Among the amateur sleuths I've encountered as an adult, Veronica is definitely one of my very favorites.  She's a Victorian woman, but an unapologetic one who defies convention and just does what she pleases.  For work, she sells rare butterflies and spends her days cataloging a museum full of treasures for a wealthy friend.  Along with Stoker, her handsome, querulous partner, she stumbles on all kinds of mysteries begging to be solved.  Veronica is smart, funny, and just a delightful character all-around.


4.  Dr. Ruth Galloway by Elly Griffiths—Ruth is an archaeologist in Norfolk, England, who prefers the solitude of her isolated home and her own company to anywhere and anyone else.  When the police ask for her help with a discovery of bones near her property, Ruth becomes a consultant to the department and goes on to have many adventures.  She's an understated character, but one whose intelligence and wit make for enjoyable reading.


5.  Amelia Peabody by Elizabeth Peters—Another unconventional lady, Amelia is a wealthy spinster living in late 19th Century England.  She has a disconcerting, scholarly obsession with Egypt, which leads her to many adventures and mysteries involving the ancient land. 


6.  Kat Halloway by Jennifer Ashley—This new kid on the block is a sought-after cook in a posh mansion in Mayfair.  Her central position in the household means she's a key witness to all kinds of wrongdoing.  Kat's efficiency and no-nonsense ways make her not just a master of the kitchen, but also a pretty darn good detective.


7.  Lady Kiera Darby by Anna Lee Huber—As the wife of a cruel anatomist, Kiera was made an unwitting partner in her husband's unnatural schemes.  Now a widow, she's trying to put her past behind her.  And yet, she keeps finding herself at the center of mysterious happenings.  Using her intelligence, her powers of observation, and her natural curiosity, she and an enigmatic friend are earning themselves a reputation as a detective team that is second to none.


8.  Lana Lee by Vivien Chien—After her temper gets the better of her at her lucrative corporate job, Lana's empty pockets force her to return to Ohio.  The last thing she wants is to wait tables at her parents' Chinese restaurant under her mother's shrewd eye, but she has little choice.  Turns out, life in the Asian Village strip mall is a lot more exciting than one would think.  An alarming amount of dead bodies are turning up in the small community, and Lana's keen powers of observation are coming in handy for the handsome detective assigned to investigate the crimes.  Lana's spunky but self-deprecating, making her a fun heroine to follow.


9.  Jazz Ramsey by Kylie Logan—Jazz, a cadaver dog trainer, only has one book under her belt, but I'm excited for more to come.  She's smart, brave, and caring, all traits I love in an amateur sleuth. 


10.  Nichelle Clarke by LynDee Walker—I just "met" Nichelle, an investigative reporter in Richmond, Virginia, in Front Page Fatality, but I'm enjoying the book and its heroine.  Nichelle is skilled, confident, and not afraid to take a risk.  So far, she's making an excellent amateur sleuth.  I can't wait to read more of this series.

There you have it, ten of my favorite fictional amateur sleuths.  Who are yours?  I just realized that all of mine (but one) are females.  Are there any great male amateur sleuths out there?  I'd love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours.

Happy TTT!