Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Books Set Outside the U.S.

This is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They feature a different top ten list every week. This week's topic is top books set outside the U.S.

1. Only in Naples by Katherine Wilson (setting: Naples, Italy)
2. Daughter Of Smoke And Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1) by Laini Taylor (setting: Prague and Morocco)
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (setting: Germany)
4. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (setting: France)
5. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (setting: Poland)
6. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (setting: France, Germany)
7. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (setting: Japan)
8. Shanghai Girls (Shanghai Girls #1) by Lisa See (setting: Shanghai, China)
9. Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf #1) by Ryan Graudin (setting: Europe and Africa)
10. The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes (setting: Paris)
11. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (setting: Afghanistan) 
12. The Martian by Andy Weir (setting: Mars; okay I know this one was WAY outside the United States. I just couldn't resist adding it to the list because it was so good!)
13. The Chocolate Thief (Amour et Chocolat #1) by Laura Florand (setting: Paris)


What are a few of your favorite books set outside the United States? Any recommendations? Go on: crush my TBR!

45 comments :

  1. I've not read 'Oceans,' but the movie looks read good and Jojo Moyes book looks interesting. That's one I'd not seen with her name on it. Guess I'm so used to seeing Me Before You around. :)

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    1. Me Before You was my first Jojo Moyes book and I read it a couple of years ago. You must read her other stuff. She is so talented!

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  2. Only in Naples looks good. Nice variety of settings!

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  3. Cool list of books! Memoirs of a Geisha is one of my all time favorite novels... I can't believe I forgot to add it to my TTT post this week!!!

    Here's a link to my TTT post for this week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2016/07/top-ten-tuesday-ten-books-set-outside-us.html

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    1. Thanks Captivated Reader. I wasn't even expecting to love Memoirs of a Geisha as much as I did, but it was so good!

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  4. I LOVED some of these books, and have my eye on others. Memoirs of a Geisha is especially intriguing- don't think I've read a book set in Japan before. Haven't heard a single bad thing about the Martian, to be honest. I need to read it now! Great post. :)

    ~ Aimal @ Bookshelves & Paperbacks

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    1. Aimal, oh you must read it! The setting is wonderful and I just loved that entire book. I think you would love it too.

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  5. The kite runner is on my list too! Memoirs of a Geisha seems like a good choice if I ever wanna read a book set in Japan. Great list!
    Here's my list:
    https://travellingthroughwords.wordpress.com/2016/07/19/top-10-tuesday-4-books-set-outside-the-us/

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    1. Thanks Tavleen! I just read The Kite Runner a few weeks ago and I really enjoyed it. It was so moving.

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  6. I love The Book Thief! It's one of my favourite books. I have Memoirs of a Geisha on my TBR list and I'm thinking of picking it up. I love your list!

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    1. Olivia, ME TOO! It was so incredibly beautiful and also devastating. You should read Memoirs of a Geisha. That one is really good.

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  7. I have The Book Thief, Memoirs of a Geisha and The Kite Runner on my list too. Great choices. I need to read Daughter of the Smoke and Bone, seems quite popular today.

    Here are my favourite books set outside the US:https://ahavenforbooklovers.wordpress.com/2016/07/19/top-ten-tuesday-ten-books-set-outside-the-us/

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    1. Diana, that's awesome! Those are great books. Daughter of the Smoke and Bone is beautiful and the setting is exquisite.

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  8. You have such a good variety of settings!! I really want to check out Only in Naples for the setting alone! The Kite Runner has been on my TBR forever and I really need to get to it. I loved The Nightingale, The Girl You Left Behind, Salt to the Sea, All the Light We Cannot6 See and The Martian. Great picks!

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    1. Thanks Grace! I didn't realize how many different settings I had until I made the list. I would like to read more books set in Asia or Africa though.

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  9. I have a book on my list like The Martian. The Moon counts as out side the US right? There are so many books on your list that I forgot about! I'll have to check out the ones that I haven't read yet. Great list! :)

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    1. Oh yes, the Moon is DEFINITELY outside the US. Ha. That's pretty awesome. I hope you check some of these out. They are all great.

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  10. Lol. The Martian. Totally would've put that on my list had I created one today. :)

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    1. Joy, ahaha The Martian is WAYYY outside the US and I love it!

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  11. I loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Memoirs of a Geisha!! I also have Salt to the Sea on my TBR!!

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    1. I just read Salt to the Sea and it was BEAUTIFUL!! You must read it!

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  12. So happy to see Shanghai Girls on your list! I rarely see anyone else who has read it, and it was such an incredible story. I also loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Memoirs of a Geisha! Really nice variety of settings. :) I've had Wolf by Wolf on my TBR for a while, so thanks for the reminders of that one!

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    1. Jordan, YES! You are so right! It is such an underestimated book and I just don't hear about it enough. It was so incredibly good. You definitely need to get to Wolf by Wolf. It is action packed and I can't wait for the sequel!

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  13. Great list! I loved DOSAB, The Book Thief and The Martian! The Nightingale and Salt to the Sea are on my TBR :)

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    1. Lindsey, you really need to read both of those books. I sobbed so hard with both of them. Heartbreaking and beautiful!

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  14. The Book Thief was on my list this week too!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/19/top-ten-tuesday-66/

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  15. Geisha!! I loved it!! I read when I was 13 and it was amazing! I also started The Martian (LOL!!!) but I can't finish it right now b/c I watched the movie not so long ago so I'm bored a little by it.

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    1. Lola, yes it was AMAZING! So incredibly good. I read The Martian before I saw the movie so that's maybe why I loved it so much.

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  16. The only book I've read form your list is Daughter of Smoke and Bone, which I really liked. Most of the others are new to me.

    Check out my TTT
    Lizzie @ Big Books and Grande Lattes

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    1. Lizzie, you must read the others on the list!

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  17. I've just read my first Jojo Moyes book and so many people have recommended The Girl You Left Behind that I think it has to be next. I read and really enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha and we're not even going to talk about how long Shanghai Girls has been sitting on my shelf!

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    1. Katherine, Jojo Moyes is a wonderful writer and I think The Girl You Left Behind is my favorite one. You really should read that one.

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  18. Only in Naples sounds great! Love the inclusion of All the Light We Cannot See!!

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    1. Thanks Eva! I may be a bit biased towards Only In Naples since I live here, but I did love it. :)

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  19. I enjoy the variety on your list! I've read 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9, and many of the others are on my TBR.

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  20. Brilliant list Cynthia! I can see several on here that I'd love to read! :-)

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  21. Hahahha don't worry I also added a Mars book :D

    I've read a lot of these actually! Mostly the WWII books though, no shame :)

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    1. Valerie, oh thank goodness I wasn't the only one. And I think you may be the only person more obsessed with WWII books than me so that doesn't surprise me. :)

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  22. Aside from The Book Thief, which was super amazing, I haven't read any of the other books you've mentioned. :)

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    1. Luxe, oh you are missing out!! You really should read the others.

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  23. Nereyda, YES!! It destroyed me too. Unbelievable. One of my favorite books of the year for sure.

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