Monday, August 12, 2013

Top Ten Books Partially Set in Reality

 Hosted by The Broke and Bookish

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is our favourite books in "x" setting.  I chose to do books that are set in our world, but are also set in another world - whether it is a magical kingdom, another planet, or even a parallel universe.  I also didn't pick only 10 because....come on only ten?!?  I even tried to make my setting oddly specific so I could do it!  So as always, in no particular order, here goes!



Come on, wasn't this every kid's favourite book?  (Except Chicka Chicka Boom Boom of course)
Our setting:  Max's bedroom, assumed to be somewhere on Earth
Other world: Where the wild things are, duh!
  

 
Oh man this series.  Can I just say that everything Libba Bray writes is amazing?

Our setting: India and England
Other world: I actually had to look this up.  Apparently it's just called "the realms" which isn't  a very exciting name.





I completely fell in love with the whole concept of this book.  And all of Gabrielle Zevin's books are amazing as well.

Our setting:  Somewhere on Earth
Other world:  The afterlife




I love that this series deals with fairies, but it's so technologically savvy and there's so many cool gadgets and yay science!

Our setting: Various places on Earth
Other world: Haven City, a fairy metropolis (and various other places throughout the series)
 




Just look at that artwork.  I shouldn't even have to give an explanation.  But it holds a special place in my heart as one of the first animes I watched as well as one of the first mangas I read.  And it's SO GOOD, easily in my top 5 mangas.

Our setting:  Japan
Other world:  This is sort of cheating since it's mostly supernatural events within our world, but it does crossover with Tsubasa which is in another universe.
 

  

If you have eyes and have seen my blog, clearly I'm a huge Hitchhiker's fan. 'Nuff said.

Our setting: Earth (for some reason I always thought it was in England, but I can't confirm that is true.  It doesn't seem to be specified at all)
Other world:  Clearly, the galaxy.  And also the universe.




I thought I'd put a different Marillier book up instead of using the same one over and over like a damned radio station.  This one is the first book in the Bridei Chronicles about the Pict king in the mid 6th century.

Ours setting: UK (where the Picts are, specifically)
Other world:  This deals with druids, so it's very connected to the fae and their gods.  You know the more I think about this the more I'm not actually sure they travel to the fairy land or have as many dealings as the Sevenwaters series.  Whatever.  I'm still picking this book, it's worthy!


 

There is something so overwhelmingly right about L'Engle's writing.  She is one of a kind and you always get something new out of her writing.  I just reread A Ring of Endless Light so I'll blather on about my eternal love for Madeline L'Engle when I post my review on that.

Our setting: Somewhere on Earth.  Funny how I never pay attention to exactly where on Earth all these books are taking place
Other world:  Other planets, namely Camazotz

 


This series completely blew my 12 year old mind apart.  I'm not sure I've had an experience quite like it since then.  And the ending of the last book..I'm not sure I'll ever recover from it.  This is the second book in the series as the first book doesn't meet the setting requirements

Our setting: Oxford - I'm assuming it's our Oxford, it seems very similar to our world anyway
Other world:  Various other parallel universes, including at some point Lyra's Oxford (might not be in this book I can't quite remember).  Most of this involves travel through the world of Ci'gazze.

 


HA!  As if I could make a list without Abarat.  In fact I'm pretty sure Abarat is why I chose this setting in the first place.  I've talked about it more than enough, just read the series!

Our setting: Chickentown, Minnesota (ok not ACTUALLY a real place, but it's in our world.  It counts!)
Other world: The islands of Abarat


 

I've always loved both books, but for reasons I can't remember this one was always my favourite of the two.

Our setting: Earth..England?  I really need to pay attention more
Other world: Through the looking glass



It would be blasphemy to have this setting and not include Harry Potter.  Although the magical world is set inside of our own one, it is still very clearly set apart.  (Technically Artemis Fowl is set in our world but underground, so same rules apply)

Our setting:  England
Other world: Primarily Hogwarts


 

There is nothing more magical or real than walking through your closet into a magical kingdom.

Our setting: England
Other world: Narnia



Honorable mention:

 

Skellig doesn't really fit the rules I set for myself, but I wanted to mention it because it is such a lovely book, and I'm the boss and I say I can.  I feel that despite the fact that David Almond is an award winning author, he's never really mentioned much, even in favourite author lists.  He writes really fantastic middle school ageish books that are just...well they're categorized as magical realism and that's a good way to describe them in every sense of the words.



Just a reminder that if you follow me on Google + and wish to continue following me, I'd recommend following me through another source as I am deleting my Google + account, at least for a while.

And that's it for this week's TTT!  What was on your list? 

22 comments:

  1. I ADORE that you listed Where the Wild Things Are first!!! Such a great example of set in two different realities!

    -Jac @ For Life, Love and Books

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    1. Yeah as soon as I settled on this for the setting I immediately thought of Where the Wild Things Are!

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  2. You have so many amazing books on this list!!! I absolutely agree with you about Libba Bray- everything she writes is amazing! Elsewhere, Hitchhiker's Guide, Narnia, HP, and Alice in Wonderland are all awesome! :)

    My TTT

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    1. Clearly we both have excellent taste in books! None of my friends are big readers, or if they are it....nonfiction...blegh. So I'm always happy when I meet people who like the good stuff!

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  3. Elsewhere looks really good! I must add that book to my TBR list! :-)

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    1. It really is. It's a really cool idea, and it's got great characters, and a great plot, and...yeah definitely add it to your TBR haha

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  4. This is a novel idea for a setting. Love it! And love your choices.

    Here's my Top Ten List of Books Set in Libraries.

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    1. Yeah I wanted to try something that you wouldn't normally see listed under setting. Partially because I was a bit overwhelmed by thinking of books in normal settings because there are so many!

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  5. Wonderful list! I adore Libba Bray and read A Great and Terrible Beauty when it first came out. You've got many books here that I've read and loved :)

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    1. Have you read her new book The Diviners? It most resembles her Gemma Doyle trilogy, and it's AWESOME! I should be reviewing it pretty soon actually, since it's totally worth the reread. I'm always glad to meet people with the same taste as me!

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  6. Great topic! I love Harry Potter (who doesn't?), A Winkle in Time! Oh and you can't go wrong with Where the Wild Things Are. And His Dark Materials! I'm still recovering from the third book, too, and I read the book years and years ago. Have you ever listened to the audiobooks? They're fantastic!

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    1. You know, the only audio book I've ever heard was E.B. White narrating Stuart Little, and much as he's a great writer he is a TERRIBLE narrator. It sort of put me off audio books forever, partially because of that and partially because I read so much quicker than narrators talk. I've been thinking of trying again though since there is so much I have to do and reading doesn't really lend itself to multitasking, so maybe I'll try the audiobooks of this!

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  7. Fun theme love the Harry Potter movies.

    http://wickedlydeliciousbookblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/top-ten-tuesday-most-anticipated-reads.html

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    1. I'm sort of torn on the Harry Potter movies, but I did really love the Deathly Hallows ones (also they ripped my heart out and shredded it to pieces)

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  8. Well damn. I wish I would have remembered the His Dark Materials for my list!

    My TTT.

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  9. I couldn't pick just 10 either, so you are definitely not alone there. <3 that your blog title is so long and thanks for all the fish!

    Here's my TTT

    Stop by my giveaway if you have a moment!

    Jess @ Such A Novel Idea

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    1. Your blog title is so cute! Your list is full of books I want to read too. On my way to check out your giveaway right now!

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  10. Great picks! I loved A Great and Terrible Beauty. I actually have a copy of Elsewhere... I guess I'm going to have to read it soon!

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    1. I'm glad you liked the list! You should definitely read Elsewhere when you can, it's a really great read.

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