Top Ten Tuesday (#12): Books That Awaken the Travel Bug In Me
8:00 AM
Every week, we're given a topic in which we rank our top ten. It's a fun little way to get to know each other and it's definitely become something of a tradition in our little community. This weeks topic of choice is: Books That Awaken the Travel Bug in Me. I.E., what books make you want to go places and do things and see stuff.
I'm eloquent* like that.
*Insufferable.
I'm not going to lie to you--this was another complicated topic for me. Part of me wanted to go about the topic exactly as you'd think, by listing off the real life places in literature that I'd love to explore. I also had this desire to split it up as five vs. five, fiction vs. reality. Then I was like, okay, fair, but how am I supposed to narrow it all down without babbling?
You guys know how great* I am at not babbling.
*Horrendous.
So, it's any guess which way I'm going to go about this entry. Like, yours is as good as mine. I am still debating as I type. No joke. (I also have a massive headache and that is putting my brain into that, "What?" section of thinking.)
All right, I've decided. Get ready to find out.
THE ONE WITH THE ROAD TRIP
Is the road-trip trope considered overdone? Possibly. Will I ever truly get sick of it? Absolutely not. I always feel as though these sorts of books are amongst the romantic of them all. Not out of true-blue love stories, but because there's such a romantic notion behind traveling and spending a little time just... wandering.
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour: There's nothing quite like a fluffy road trip book and this is one of my favourites. It's just so sweet and easy to read. There's just something about it that screams wanderlust and makes me want to get out and explore more often that I usually do. Let's Get Lost does the whole road trip plot well, too, spinning things around a little bit. They are just instant-feel-good reads that will leave you wanting to grab a ride and get a little lost.
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
Gossip Girl, The Mortal Instruments, Crossfire and The Thousandth Floor: No one is shocked by this. Okay, fine, I may be a bit biased towards NYC, as it is one of my all-time favourite places in the U.S. When I think of exploring, when I think of travel and adventure, I always think of New York City. Which is funny--because, at the same time, I think of it as home.
The first two series are massive contributing factors towards it. I grew up reading both, Gossip Girl and The Mortal Instruments, during different times in my life, and they will hold a special place in my heart for... quite a long time, I suppose. While they weren't necessarily the thing that made me discover NYC, and my subsequent love for it, there's something about both of them--and their complete differences to my NYC--that make me long for some time in the city.
While Gossip Girl and The Mortal Instruments are old favourites, Miss Subways and The Thousandth Floor are much newer.
Each series or book showcases a different New York City. Gossip Girl, the indulgent and satirical moments of youth. The Mortal Instruments, a fantasy weaving itself in reality. Miss Subways, a true love letter to both mythology and New York City. And lastly, The Thousandth Floor, the futuristic lifestyles of the young and rich, which shows us a very different version of the city we all love.
THE LAND OF SWOONS
Scotland... just not the novel's timeline (Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon) |
Paris (Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins)
Paris (Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins)
Outlander: Scotland has been on my list of desired locations for most of my life. I mean, it's pretty easy to explain why. Just google pictures and BAM, you're intrigued. You're swooning. You're all kinds of "take me away!" Whenever I read one of the Outlander books, I feel that want bubbling to travel to Scotland and just get lost for a little while. There's just something about Scotland that is forever appealing to me.
Anna and the French Kiss: Yes, yes, yes, we know--the book is
exceptionally flawed and borders on cliche. That's fine. I'm not in the
business of taking it seriously beyond the fact that it's seriously enjoyable.
I don't fancy myself a romantic so for me to enjoy this book half as
much as I did, was kind of a big deal. I love the setting and the fact
that it marked the beginning of one of my favourite fluffy trilogies.
When I first read it, I was like... hmmm, so who's taking me to Paris?
THE BOOKS THAT MADE ME LONG FOR A MAGICAL WORLD...
This category was pretty straight forward and needs no introduction or explanation.
This week's theme was very difficult for me. For some reason, I blanked for a good few hours while brain storming. I guess not many books awaken the travel bug in me, despite the fact that I am always wishing for adventures and to explore the world.
What books make you want to get out into the world and live, readers?
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