Top Ten Favorite Book Settings

Top Ten Tuesday is brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish. I was going to skip this week’s topic because honestly I didn’t think setting mattered much in my book selections. But, after musing a little longer I did realize that setting plays a bigger part than I realized in my book enjoyment.

I like reading about these book settings:Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

1. Workplace – It’s fun to escape the daily grind with fantasy and mystery, but there’s also something interesting about books grounded in reality with an office setting. Attachments is an office romance with a twist- and it’s set in a newspaper office.

2. College – I didn’t really have a typical college experience of living in a dorm, and think books with a college setting bring up a lot of interesting situations. New Adult books are starting to fill that void with more books set in college, such as Easy, Love Story, and Beautiful Disaster.

On the Island3. On the Road – Road trip books and other travel adventures illustrate a character’s journey and usually bring quirky characters, music mixes, romance and self-discovery. These are some of my favorite types of books, such as Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, Saving June, and The Disenchantments.

4. Beachy Keen – I love books set in Exotic or seaside locales that I normally wouldn’t get to visit. The Summer series by Jenny Han wouldn’t be the same without the Cousins Beach setting. On the Island is another one I’d like to try.The Statistical probability of love at first sight

5. 24-Hour Stories – There’s something about books that take place in one day that ups the stakes and creates intriguing dramatic tension. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a good example and combines a lot of my favorite settings – road trip (airplane), foreign travel, and it’s set in 24 hours. Graffiti Moon is another book that takes place in one day.

6. Holiday, Celebrate – Books set around winter holidays help me get into the holiday spirit. Some of my favorites are Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares and Let it Snow, and there are lots more I want to read.

7. 80s-90s era This time frame is neglected in favor of other historical time frames, but I think there are a lot of stories to tell about the 80s-90s. Other Words for Love, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and The Future of Us are a few I can think of that reference that time frame, but I’d be Touching the Surfaceinterested in reading more.

8. Afterlife – I like contemporary books with an Afterlife twist like Before I Fall, If I Stay, or The Catastrophic History of You & Me. Touching the Surface also looks like a good afterlife book.

9. City Life, places I’ve been – I like to see familiar landmarks in books, but also experience new places I hope to someday visit. Cities like London, Paris, Tokyo, New York, and Los Angeles are some of my favorite city settings. Just One Day, Anna and the French Kiss, and Tokyo Heist are a few favorites.Bunheads

10. Performing Arts world – Books about the performing arts centering on musicians, dancers and other artists are interesting to me. Audition is a good verse novel set in the world of dance, and a couple other dance-oriented novels that look appealing to me are Bunheads and The Cranes Dance.

What are your favorite book settings?

Ornament

22 thoughts on “Top Ten Favorite Book Settings

  1. i really love stories that happen in the workplace, there are many things that could happen!

  2. 24-hour stories sound interesting, that’d be a good read. Nice list. 🙂

    My TTT

  3. Some of the best films ever came from the 80s so makes sense that it would make a good setting for books – if you find out about any let me know! I’m reading Archived at the moment which has an afterlife theme – it’s good but a bit mind-bendy. Also, you might like Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black, a supernatural thriller set in a New York ballet academy. Great settings ideas – I hope authors are taking note!
    My TTT

  4. Fabulous choices, Lucy! I love reading about the 80’s and 90’s too! (Other Words was amazing!) 24 hour stories are so much fun!

  5. BermudaOnion says:

    I love books set on college campuses too! I also love books that are set in places that are familiar to me – places I’ve lived or have visited.

  6. Vicky Hooper says:

    Love this list! I particularly agree with the afterlife as a setting. I’ve never read a book set in the afterlife, but have read a short story about that and it was amazing. I’ll have to check out your recommendations! 🙂

  7. I’d like some more college books, too. I’m in college right now, and it would be nice to have more books that are more relevant/relatable to my current life. I wasn’t too excited with the whole New Adult genre at first, but it’s definitely starting to grow on me as more quality stories are published.

  8. Lisa says:

    I like the 24-hour idea. So much can happen in such a short amount of time! The Cranes Dance was really good. I definitely recommend it!

  9. Road trips are on my list too, & I would love to read more books set in the performing arts world! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by & commenting!

  10. Awesome list 🙂 You’ve definitely given me some ideas that I didn’t have before!
    Please visit my TTT along with The Archived swag giveaway!!
    -Beth @ YA Vixens

    My TTT!

    Vixen’s Giveaway!

  11. Oksana says:

    Road trip, beach and winter holiday are on my list too, You gave me an idea about adding 24-hours stories and performing arts world. I’ve probably read next to nothing with these settings. Great list!

  12. I like the idea of 80’s/90’s! That was when I grew up so I have fondness for the hair, fashion etc.

  13. tinalinatime says:

    Oh, I like the 24 hour story settings too! You’re right, there aren’t a lot of those! 🙂

  14. Candice says:

    Oh, performing arts world! I didn’t think about that but yes! Would love to see more books set in the cutthroat world of the performing arts!

  15. Kelly L. says:

    The workplace and 24-hour stories will make really good settings! As for books set in college, hopefully there will be more of them, especially with the New Adult genre! (:

    My TTT & check out my Most Anticipated 2013 Book Giveaway if you have time! 😀

  16. VeganYANerds says:

    I really love beach and college (uni) settings too, I’d like to see lots more books set there

  17. Janita says:

    I would love to read more books about university life too! Crazy times happen, therefore lots of writing fodder. Great list, and thanks for stopping by my blog! 😀

  18. YES! Road Trip fiction! Good call!

  19. Quinn says:

    Oh my gosh, seriously, I want a lot more college stories. I like that they are starting to be released, but it’s not enough, and there isn’t enough genre variety I think.

  20. oh yes 24 hour settings that’s super fun I’d love to read more of those

  21. You know, I don’t think I have read many 24 hour settings. I think I would like that. Great list. Thanks for stopping by my page.

  22. elena says:

    Yes to office and 24 hour stories! I love the latter and they’re fun to read about. 😀

Leave a Reply

(Enter your URL then click here to include a link to one of your blog posts.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.