Top Ten Most Vivid Book Worlds/Settings (1)

Finally, I get to my blog. I've been running around all day like a crazy person. Changing my nephew's dirty diapers and going to the dentist's for a tooth filling. Then I have to buy an outfit for a job interview. Blah, nervous. But now, book blog time!

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish, and this week's topic is:

 Top Ten Most Vivid Book Worlds/ Settings 

Obviously, there's going to be a lot of Harry Potters and Lord of the Rings shout outs on posts todays.

1. The Dark Tower series by Stephen King - This book series. I just can't say enough about it. If we could marry books, I would be engaged to this series. Stephen King is my favorite author, and not only is he the king of horror but the king of setting. In all of his books, I feel like I'm there. Do I want to be there? Not usually. Because it's flipping scary. But this world has a dark beauty that appeals to me.

2. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling - Of course, I'm going to say this series because I am in love with it and plan to reread it soon. I have waited for years for my Hogwarts letter, and I'm still waiting. The Forbidden Forest, The Chamber of Secrets, Diagon Alley, Godric's Hollow, The Burrow, The Ministry of Magic, and of course Hogwarts! All these settings and more are so wonderfully described, and I think every reader of this series appreciates the magical world building.

3. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien- I took a class on Tolkien over winter break, and, god, did I love Middle Earth even more. I didn't think it was possible to love this world more but apparently it was! The Shire, Rivendell, Isengard, Mirkwood, and every part of this world is described so vividly. They journey over so much land and it doesn't feel tiresome because I can imagine going along with them, falling off the horse and on my a**. Tolkien spent so much time building this world, and you can tell. You get so much of the history from the Silmarillion. If only I could visit Middle Earth.

4. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova - You have to read this book before you die. It is utterly amazing! The author takes us around all of Europe, from Istanbul to France to the Mediterranean. And not only do we see different countries, we are also witness to different times. To Oxford in the 1930's and so on. It is a excellent book, and not just for setting!

5. Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub - Yes, another Stephen King book. But the Talisman has two worlds, both of them equally vivid. Jack can flip between our world and a parallel world, The Territories. Once again, King does not disappoint with detail.

6. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - The moorlands of Bronte's classic are described again and again. The setting is haunting, and the mood of the book often matches the weather.

7. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare- You can tell Clare did her research for this series. The series is set in Victorian London, and I just love the time period and how Clare makes the streets of London come alive.

8. Song of the Lioness and Daughter of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce - I have yet to read the Protector of the Small series, the Immortal Series, or the Beka Cooper series but I intend to. The two series I have read by Pierce so far have been so enjoyable. I loved the world of Tortall and I can't wait to read the rest of her series taking place there.

9. Aspect of Crow trilogy by Jeri Smith-Ready - I'm kinda cheating with this because I only read the first novel of this trilogy, Eyes of Crow. But I loved it and I will read the rest! I loved the mix of Native American culture and mythology. It's the perfect blend of fantasy and romance, and the world Smith-Ready builds is spectacular. A world where humans have totem animals and special abilities. Plus, there is a lot about the passage to The Other Side. The setting is just magical, otherworldly, and absolutely beautiful.

10. Leviathan (Leviathan, #1) by Scott Westerfield - I've only read the first book of this series as well, but I will continue! This book is so original and creative. It was my first experience with steampunk, and I was not disappointed. I loved the setting. Tensions are building as World War I approaches, but I hardly recognized the Allies and the Axis powers in this book. I hardly even recognized Europe with these Darwin ships that are alive. It was such an exciting read and such an exciting world so unlike our own.


I recommend all of these series. Get lost in another world!

Happy reading,

Courtney