Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set Outside The US

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Hello!

I feel like SO MANY books are set in the States, especially YA books. I get that it's a big, English-speaking country, but it sort of sucks for us not living in the states. There are stil plenty of good books that take place in other countries, and these are just some of them, that I've really enjoyed.

The first mention on this list is, no surprise, The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowing. These take place in the UK, and they're basically my childhood.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is going to be the next book on this list, and this also includes the two other books in this series. These are not completely "USA-free", but the majority of the story takes place in the UK. 

The Girl on the Train  by Paula Hawkins. A murder-mystery set in the UK, near London. This book is thrilling and keeps you guessing until the last page.

The Girl in the Photograph by Kate Riordan. This is also set in the UK, as most of the books on this list. I recently read this, and it's an adult historical-fiction novel, set in the English countryside.

Me Before You  by Jojo Moyes. Who hasn't heard of this by now? Also set in the UK, however it also contains some travel to other countries. The story is absolutely heartbreaking, and so amazing.


I'll See You in Paris by Michelle Gable. Another historical-fiction novel taking place in the UK and in France. It's a great historical-fiction, and both stories are interesting and connected in a good way.

Hamlet by Shakespeare. So this is a play, not a book, but I really wanted to include it. It takes place in Denmark, near the ocean close to Sweden. I don't know how to describe this play, other than the fact that it's amazing.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. This is a YA contemporary, and it takes place in Paris. The story is super sweet, and it's perfect for this time of year. It's been a while since I've read it, but it's definitely worth picking up!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon. This middle-grade book is sweet, funny and amazing. We follow a main character with autism, and it really opened my eyes to the disorder. It takes place in the UK, and it's definitely worth pickin up.

The Summer of Secrets by Martina Reilly. This takes place in Ireland, and though it has been a while since I read it, I remember it being sweet and dark, at the same time. The main character struggles with PTSD, and this novel explores that in a great way, opening the eyes of the reader.

I thought this list would be easy to write, but I actually struggled finding books. I intentionally didn't include any high-fantasy, because I don't feel like those really count. Instead I focused on books taking place in actual countries, and I just now realised just how many books take place in the States. It's not something I think about that much when I'm actually reading, but this Top Ten Tuesday has really opened my eyes.

What is your favourite book that takes place outside the US?


2 comments:

  1. Girl on The Train also made my list. I LOVED IT! Can't wait for the movie to come out in October. Hopefully it is just a good as the book! Great Top Ten! :D
    My Top Ten Tuesday!

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  2. I need to read Anna and the French Kiss someday! Here’s my TTT!

    ReplyDelete