Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Book Settings
Thank you to Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl for hosting/organizing Top Ten Tuesday!
I think I’ve done a similar topic before, but it was actually like two years ago?? Which is weird. But anyway, world-building/settings is one of my favorite aspects of books. I mean, I read to escape the real world! So I love going to wild and wonderful places in my reads. There are so many great settings, but here are just ten books with ones that I love. I won’t summarize the books, I’ll just talk a little bit about the different settings. But of course I’ll link the Goodreads pages so you can check them out yourself!
Over the Woodward Wall
- Author: A. Deborah Baker
- Target audience: Middle grade
- Series info: First in an ongoing series
- Genre: Fantasy
Guess who this is? Yes that’s right, a pseudonym for Seanan McGuire! This is sort of a companion novella series to her book Middlegame. Which is a masterpiece and probably one of my favorite books. Anyway, this book is referenced in Middlegame, and it’s basically an original fairytale. There are wild and impossible creatures, crow girls, talking owls, and more. It’s a charming story, and definitely still enjoyable if you haven’t read Middlegame (which you should though).
Iron Widow
- Author: Xiran Jay Zhao
- Target audience: Young adult
- Series info: First in an ongoing series
- Genre: Science fiction
The best part about the setting of Iron Widow is that there are GIANT ROBOTS that people pilot into battle!!! I mean come on, that’s cool as hell. It’s basically like Pacific Rim, but in a Chinese-inspired setting. And it’s cooler, to be honest. I just love everything about it. If you want to read my review, you can find that here!
The Edge Chronicles
- Author: Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
- Target audience: Middle grade
- Series info: Completed series of nine books
- Genre: Fantasy
This series is one of my favorite middle grade series ever. One reason is because the illustrations are done by Chris Riddell, who is my favorite artist probably. They really bring the whole world to life. The series takes place in a land that basically extends to a cliff edge, and is divided into different sections as you move outwards (towards the edge). We have deep woods, bogs, cities, a city on a floating rock, and more. Plus the creatures!!! They’re so cool and there are so many different kinds. I highly recommend this series, and even if you don’t read middle grade you should go look up the illustrations. ALSO THERE ARE SKY SHIPS!!
In the Shadow of Spindrift House
- Author: Mira Grant
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: Standalone
- Genre: Horror
Almost all of this novel takes place in the titular Spindrift House, which is CREEEEPY. Mira Grant (aka my fav Seanan McGuire) really creates the perfect haunted/spooky house atmosphere. I can’t say that I’d want to ever be in this house, but reading about it was incredible. The house itself is kind of alive, which is so neat and makes for a great setting.
The Queens of Renthia series
- Author: Sarah Beth Durst
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: Completed trilogy
- Genre: Fantasy
Listen. VILLAGES IN TREES. Yes. Like treehouses but BETTER because it’s the whole dang village! I would very much like to live there. Or just visit haha. My mind is in heaven just imagining what this would look like. It would just be amazing to be not just surrounded by nature, but actually a part of it. It kind of reminds me of the Ewok village in Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi.
The Underland Chronicles
- Author: Suzanne Collins
- Target audience: Middle grade
- Series info: Completed series of five books
- Genre: Fantasy
Yes, she’s most well known for The Hunger Games but I really believe that this is Suzanne Collins’ superior work. This series is about a young boy who falls into a land under New York City. There are giant rats, mice, bats, and other creatures. It sounds a little creepy, and yeah I guess it is, but it’s incredible. One of the coolest parts is that humans bond with the bats and are able to ride them!! I want to ride a bat!
The October Daye series
- Author: Seanan McGuire
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: Ongoing series
- Genre: Fantasy
Surprise surprise, Seanan McGuire makes a third appearance on a list of mine! Lololol. Anyway maybe this is cheating because this takes place in the Bay Area (in California) but this is an alternate version where there are fae living among us! Plus there are the Summerlands, and deeper Faerie where the fae live and those are cool. I really do wish there was some secret world hidden among us. There’s just something about the magical hiding in plain sight that really gets me.
The Past is Red
- Author: Cathrynne M. Valente
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: Standalone
- Genre: Science fiction
The people in this novella live on a giant floating garbage patch in the ocean!! Okay that sounds gross. It kind of is. But it’s fascinating! I thought it was really cool to see how a future society would view everyday items that our current society has/uses. The children also are given names once they venture out on their own, and their names are taken from one of them items that sticks to them as they travel. It’s so unique and inventive, I loved reading about it.
The City We Became
- Author: N.K. Jemisin
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: First in an ongoing series
- Genre: Fantasy
Okay, another book that technically takes place in a real city – New York City. But the city comes ALIVE!! In the sense that a person is chosen to “represent” each borough of the city, and they need to defend it from creepy monsters. I just loved seeing the things that you always hear about NYC come to life in these characters. Plus, NYC as a city is just so vibrant and full of EVERYTHING that even without the fantasy monsters, it’s a great setting.
Gideon the Ninth
- Author: Tamsyn Muir
- Target audience: Adult
- Series info: First in a series of four books
- Genre: Science fiction
All you had to say was necromancers in space, and I’m there. There are different planets with different focuses of necromantic powers (though in this book we only see two). The Ninth House is gloomy and creepy and I love it. Well the majority of the book is actually not there, but that place is also creepy. And full of weird rooms of experiments! It’s hard to explain but it’s awesome.
Have you read any of these? What are some of your favorite book settings?
Ooh I wanted to read the Durst series but never got to them. I have to admit I did love the whole idea of the tree villages. And yes to the Ewok villages as well. I still love the images of those at night with the bonfires burning. 🙂
I love the sound of the October series too…
Well there’s always still time to get to them 🙂 Yesss I love that image too. One of my favorite things from Star Wars haha.
AAAhhhhh yes well I REALLY hope you check out October Daye! It’s so much fun.
Thanks for reading!
I have Rosemary and Rue on my shelves to hopefully get to this month! I’ve heard such incredible things about it.
(And can I just say, your blog is so simple but gorgeous! I’ll definitely be following you)
Here’s my post
ahhh let me know how you find it! I really hope you love it.
and thank you so so much!! that really means a lot to me. I just followed you as well!
I’m pretty sure the reason I added Queen of Blood to my TBR many years ago is cos of the houses in trees 😂 Why do I love it so much?! I’ve heard so many amazing things about Iron Widow lately and I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on it. Fab list!
bahahah I mean, that’s a great reason lol. oooo yes excited for you to get Iron Widow!!!
Yeah, Jana does repeat these topics at times. I’ve seen some bloggers pull up their old responses to it and then blog about whether or not their answers are the same these days. 🙂
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-favourite-book-settings/
Makes sense! I mean, it’s hella hard to think of topics! Ohhh that’s a great idea, I’ll have to do that next time
I’ve not read any of these, but I really loved N. K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth series, so I might have to start this one soon, too!
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
I really need to read that series of hers!!
The setting for Iron Widow sounds really interesting. Anything that uses Pacific Rim as a comp immediately has my attention. Great list!
haha I know right?? I want more like Pacific Rim!!
I read The City we Became in September, definitely one of my fave NYC books. Happy reading! My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/ten-more-books-about-books/
same with me! thanks for sharing your post 🙂
I’ve not read any of these, but you’ve described some cool settings here!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2021/10/12/top-ten-tuesday-337/
thank you! and thanks for sharing your post!
No problem 🙂