Top Ten Tuesday (8)

It's been an awfully long time since I've done this meme. But, I found that I want to get back into it again. I love making lists, after all.

Top Ten Settings in Books

1) I've just read Bleeding Violet (and I will be reviewing it tomorrow) and I've gotta say that the town of Portero is one hell of a setting. It's filled with unimaginable monsters - unless your Dia Reeves herself, and freaky, hidden doors that lead to all sorts of places - in town and out. Strange is an every day occurrence in Portero. Everybody wears black, are basically freaks. And nobody is safe. If you ever find yourself in Portero, you better be prepared to take a less than gentle spin on the crazy mobile!

2) France as in Anna and the French Kiss. Like I should so be there yesterday. Parma ham and Fontina cheese and sage paninis here I come! Caramel eclairs, red fruity cakes, tarte citrons, macarons, yes please! The Eiffel Tower? Let's go. You say the Notre Dame. I say what the heck are we waiting for? Plus, wherever Etienne St. Clair is, I will surely want to be. Gotta love France. I just need to catch up on my français. Et vous? Parlez-vous français?

3) Uh, hullo, what about Hex Hall? Betcha none of you thought of that! And shame on you. I'd love to go there to learn magic. Meet faeries and witches and werewolves, oh my! But, seriously I'd have a blast there. Breaking rules. Stirring fights. Causing general chaos. Being a bad-ass, a rebel. And it'd probably be handy to be a werewolf, that way if the administrators try to apprehend me I can growl and bite (well, maybe not bite per say as I'm a little squeamish in the face of blood - I know, I'll just nibble.). Make them cower in fear when I bark. What! And Sophie can be my gal-pal like for foreva - move over Jenna, Asher's coming through.

4) And maybe Sophie could give me a helping hand and use her witch-mojo to get me into the Nevernever. That's right, the land of the fey like the ones in The Iron King/Iron Daughter/Iron Queen. Oh, yes, I want to traipse through the Wyldwood and meet Twiggs, walk into Arcadia and dance with Oberon. I want to waltz into Tir Na Nog and steal Mabh's clothes, especially that dress that was mentioned on page 164 when Mabh is first introduced in The Iron King. And, hey, Meghan, I've always wanted you to choose Ash. (I think you guys are great together.) But, I never told you why. And that's because that leaves Puck all to meself. So, since Puck's in the Nevernever it's no wonder why this is one of my favorite settings ever.

5) I think I mentioned my love for L.J. Smith's Nightworld series a few posts back. Even though Nightworld isn't actually a specific place, but a hidden society, that doesn't matter. Our world is nearing the apocalypse, and there's an underground group of vampires, witches, werewolves, and shapeshifters right under our very noses. Like the books say, the Night people are everywhere.  And I loved every minute of this pre-apocalypse drama, preparation, and action!

6) Ooo, even better, let's all hitch a ride with Gabi and Lia, from Waterfall, to the sixteenth century! As long as Marcello and Luca are there, I can deal with the living techno-stone Age. Really, I wouldn't mind living in a time where there's no toilets and showers, no computers and kindle, no phones and helpful medicine. I could even do away with YA lit. Oh, who am I kidding? I couldn't leave my own time to go to... that. Still, Lisa T. really knows how to make 16th century Italy come alive, and almost tempt me to want to leave everything behind and go there.

7) If Justin was willing to take me over Maddie, I'd so join him in the year 20- what was it? -60. Awaken was neat because the setting was both astounding and terrifying. Everything's advanced, particularly with computers. But even without all that jazz, like I said, if Justin married me -though he'd be understandably reluctant, of course - then I'd be there.

8) The world in Divergent - now that's something to marvel at, and to be simultaneously scared of. I believe I wrote in my review that it was both dark and gritty. *checks back* Yup, I did. Though, I found it to be extraordinary. That world was such a huge contrast to ours, and it was insane how huge choices were left to be decided to teenagers. I mean, I'm not even entirely sure what I want to do for the rest of my life. So, imagine. Still, I enjoyed traveling to Roth's world.

9) Crusade offered up another nightmare world. Vampires taking over our world, fighting them in hot, exotic setting in Spain. Now, Holder/Viguie's world was a real treat. Not only was it insanely creepy, but throughout the book I got to visit all sorts of places. Spain and Louisiana included. Plus, a world overrun by vampires is a setting in itself, a dismal, horrifying one, but a setting nonetheless.

10) Great world-building can be found in Wings. I so want to head off to Aprilynne Pike's Avalon. Mystical, magical, and mysterious - the three m's - that place is. Faeries of all types wandering about. The Silent Ones. The academy. The theater. Tamani's house. All great places within a great place. I loved going there! It really felt as though I was whisked away to somewhere totally foreign and addictive. As matter of fact, I think I'll take a little side-trip there now.

*Edit* 11) MYSTIC FALLS. Need I say more? Still have questions? Check this out.

And that, ladies and males, concludes this week's Top Ten Tuesday. Hope you enjoyed reading my picks as much as I enjoyed writing them out. Smack me, good-naturedly, with your thoughts!