Top Ten Tuesday, as always, is hosted at my other blog — The Broke & the Bookish
This week’s topic: Top Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit
I love reading because it’s always transporting me somewhere new! I’m not always able to travel as much as I’d like to because FINANCES right now so I’m thankful for an armchair adventure. Here are 10 places that I felt VERY STRONGLY about visiting because of books.
Book That Made Me Want To Visit: Cynthia Hand’s Unearthly series
MAN, the descriptions were just beautiful. I could see the mountains and the small town and the forest. I had a friend from Jackson Hole, Wyoming and her photos from home were always gorgeous.
Books That Made Me Want To Visit: These Broken Stars by Megan Spooner & Amie Kaufman
HOW CAN YOU NOT WANT TO VISIT SPACE? I look up at the stars and I’m in awe. A freaking luxury spaceliner? YEAH I WANT THAT VIEW. But maybe not what happens to it…?
Book That Made Me Want To Go There: Wish You Were Italian by Kristen Rae
I’ve been to Rome and Florence before but the descriptions of when she went to Cinque Terre (I forget the EXACT locations she was) on the coast…TO DIE FOR. I want to go exploring and eat at the restaurant she worked at! Check out more books set in Italy!
Book That Made Me Want To Visit: LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE!!
I know there are a zillion prairies in the world but I only want to go to one. Back in time. To experience the prairie that Laura, Ma & Pa & the gang experienced. When I was a kid I used to pretend play that I lived in that little house on the prairie in Kansas. It’s never left my mind ever.
Book That Made Me Want To Visit: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard
GOD THIS BOOK IS ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES. I want to experience Guatemala and Belize and other places that Bria didn’t even go to.
Book That Made Me Want To Visit: Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
I don’t think Crystal Cove is a real town in California but it’s inspired by a state park in California with the same name. So pretty real? The setting in Moonglass just comes ALIVE and I just want to GO THERE. Check out Jessi’s inspiration! (Also, from her Instagram, I have to believe her own home helped inspire it and nail that beachy setting!!).
Book That Made Me Want To Visit: Origin by Jessica Khoury
Okay, the lush forest sounded so beautiful but I AM SO TERRIFIED OF THE SNAKES THAT LIVE HERE. I also just can’t imagine the rain and the kind of darkness in the forest. The setting was so strong here.
Book That Took Me There: When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney
The foodie descriptions and the city and the sights and the culture. I NEED TO GO.
Books That Took Me There: Raw Blue, Graffiti Moon, Girl Defective, PRETTY MUCH EVERY AUSSIE BOOK I HAVE READ
Whether it’s the city or the beach or a small town I’m always just so vividly able to experience the setting. Also I want to find out what secrets the Aussie’s are keeping to write such AMAZING BOOKS. We’ll just ignore the fact that some of the Australian wildlife SCARES THE CRAP OUT OF ME.
Book That Took Me There: Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland
I’ve been to Cape Cod before but never Nantucket. The setting drew me in just as much as the story!
So tell me…are there any books that immediately had you wanting to pack your bags and GO?? What about the ones I’ve picked here?
Attribution for photos: Central America pic//Tokyo//Space//Cinque Terra//Wyoming//Australia Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0//Amazon Rainforest//Crystal Cove//
Rachel Patrick says
I put the Amazon on my list because of ORIGIN, too! And I should’ve put space, though I don’t know that I’d ever go there because it’d freak me out too much. Cinque Terre, Italy looks GORGEOUS, and Wyoming isn’t a place you’d normally see on a list like this, so I really need to read the Unearthly series.
Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf
Jamie says
Space would be kind of scary haha. And omg READ THE UNEARTHLY SERIES. You know I don’t read a TON of paranormal but I freaking LOVED this series.
Savindi says
I want to visit South America thanks to Wanderlove as well! Such a great book! Tokyo is another place that’s on my list of place I want to see. Well Japan in general is a country that I want to visit someday. I wish Australia wasn’t so far away 🙁 I can’t stand to be on a Plane for so long :(. *sobs*. I hope you get to visit these places someday Jamie :). Great list!
Jamie says
YES I want to go to Japan in general too. Asia is definitely a place I have so much interest in traveling. And omg I know Australia is SOOOO far.
Trina says
Wow, your list made me realize I really haven’t read enough books set in real destinations! I read a lot of fantasy or books set in obscure towns that don’t describe them much I guess! Also, every time I look at the cover of These Broken Stars I’m like ‘I want to go to space’ but then I remember what happens in that book and am like, nahhhh!
Great list, and pretty graphics. I’ll have to check out some of these books so I can feel like I travel!
Jamie says
That’s funny becuase when I was compiling my list I fully intended on using fictional places too and then I was like WOW I really don’t read many haha. Hahah yeah…I don’t want the fate of TBS to happen to me on my space voyage 😛
Savannah says
Oh, wow. Now I’m going to have to read Wanderlove!
I love Belize and have been working in a small village there for the past two years! My next trip is in February, and then again in July! So Belize is very dear to me. That one just might make my to-be-read list!
Jamie says
Yes read Wanderlove!! A favorite!! And how very cool! What do you do in Belize? Teaching?
Savannah says
We’ve had a medical team; but mainly I work with the school. The village is called More Tomorrow and it’s a small village in the middle of the jungle. There’s 50 kids from 4k-8th in the school, and the high school kids (IF they go to school) leave home at 4am to walk 10 miles to the main road to catch a bus to Belmopan to go to school. We’re getting the school laptops and trying to set up internet where they can take classes in the village and only go to the city once or twice a week. It really is a beautiful country; and the Mayan Ruins are NOT to be missed!
Chrissi Reads says
I definitely need to visit some of these places! Nantucket Island looks SO beautiful. It’s lovely to see so many real destinations on your list.
Jamie says
I thought I’d have a balance of fictional and real places but I had so many REAL places that I didn’t even bother adding many fictional ones (though I barely had any I realized haha)
Aarati says
Such a wonderful list. I’m going to check all these books now so I know what you are talking about! 🙂
My TTT
Jamie says
YAY hope you find one that interests you!
Patty @ Patty's Book Corner says
Hahaha I put Wyoming too because of Unearthly! Such a gorgeous sounding place.
Jamie says
RIGHT?? I’m glad I’m not the only one who was transported by that setting! When I see pictures now I’m just like WOW BEAUTIFUL!!!
Leanna says
Nantucket Blue totally made me want to go summer in Nantucket! I looked into beach house rentals, and yeah, those were all way, way out of my price range! Ha! Anna and the French Kiss makes me want to go to Paris every time. (I have read it, I think, four times). I have been to Paris, but I want to go back ALL THE TIME! I totally need to read Wish You Were Italian. I can guarantee you that I will want to go visit those locations too!
Jamie says
YESSS I looked into staying there after reading it too!! Not in my budget atm lol. AND YESSSS Anna always makes me want to go to Paris. ALWAYS. I stuck with places I’ve never been but that would be #1 for being able to light that I NEED TO GO THERE flame. And yes you do need to read Wish You Were Italian! It had that same ability to transport you like Anna!
Sarah C. says
Wyoming is beautiful! I hope you get a chance to visit, what with Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons and all of the wildlife! It really is like being in a landscape that could only exist in a fictional world.
Jamie says
I’m hoping one day I will! Every picture really does look otherworldly!!
Bernadette @ The Bumbling Bookworm says
Great list! I’m really keen to go to the Cinque Terre as well. My family is Italian and I’ve been there three times, to visit them in Calabria and also to tour most of the northern half of Italy. But somehow I missed out on this one, and theres other places I want to see like Pompeii and Milano and Torino. I must rectify this ASAP 🙂
Also, don’t let the Aussie wildlife scare you from coming here, I’m Australian and it scares the crap out of me! I’ve done it all: watching out for (and running away from) snakes in the summer, running away from kangaroos (and trying to avoid hitting them with my car), being attacked by a magpie (more running away), wishing the kookaburras and cockatoos would STFU, screaming at spiders as big as my hand (and I ran)… I love my country but the wildlife is INSANE.
Jamie says
I’m not going to lie..I just laughed about running form kangaroos 😛 Idk why I found it so funny! They must be like American deer though…ALWAYS trying to miss them with my car! And OMG SPIDERS AS BIG AS YOUR HAND? *hides* The snakes would kill me. Do you see them frequently??
Bernadette @ The Bumbling Bookworm says
Running away from kangaroos is totally hilarious, until you’re actually doing it 😀 I just about died laughing when my brother came running home one day but when it was my turn it wasn’t so funny! And in summer they’re around more because they come looking for water, it can get really dangerous driving at night. I wish I was kidding about the spiders… So freakin’ gross! As for snakes, I haven’t seen one in a few years now, but you really have to be careful in summer – it’s more of an issue in rural areas but they’ve been known to appear in the cities as well. There’s actually snake catchers you can call when you see one (not in the wild) whose job it is to come catch the snake and get rid of it somehow… Not my idea of a great job!
Jessi Kirby says
Thanks for including me and the Cove, Jamie! And Crystal Cove is indeed a real place, so you definitely need to come see it one day!
Jamie says
I would looove to some day! All your Instagram photos make me consider packing up and moving to the beach! 🙂
Lakin says
Wow, beautiful pics! I would love to go to all of these places too (except I’m not completely sure about space and Tokyo – I might hyperventilate)! Books are always making me want to go visit amazing places.
Jamie says
Haha space would be kind of scary — I haven’t seen the movie Gravity but it freaked me out thinking about the premise haha. I want to visit space when maaaaybe tourism there is a real thing haha
Jess Gofton says
Great selection! I love that you’ve picked places that can actually be visited. I haven’t been to any part of America at all and I’d love to go. One day I will!
Jamie says
If you ever find yourself in Philadelphia when you visit American (OPTIMISM THAT IT WILL HAPPEN) I’m happy to be your tour guide 🙂
Hannah @ Broc's Bookcase says
Paris! Stephanie Perkins has made me fall in love with the city after I read both Anna & Isla so I really want to go there and check out all the little hidden gems.
Your list looks great, it has definitely added some new places to my travel bucket list!
Jamie says
YES the Steph Perkins books would have totally been on my list had I not just stuck with places I’ve never been. She NAILED the setting.
Trisha says
YAY this is exactly what I needed, Jamie! I’m going to move to Australia soon and these books will help fuel my wanderlustin heart! Actually, I’m reading Wanderlove right now, seeing that you’ve raved it a lot. Thanks, Jamie!
Jamie says
Yes read that one first!! And let me know what you think! 🙂
Hannah says
Tokyo is AMAZING. A massive culture shock after an 11 hour flight but everyone was so friendly and it was really easy to navigate around the city. Harajuku was just as eccentric as I thought it would be!
Australia – also AMAZING. I spent a month there (Queensland, Uluru, Sydney and Melbourne) and I plan on retiring there some day to run a second-hand bookshop and sit on the beach.
Jamie says
I’m sure it totally would be major cultural shock after such a long flight and being tired!! I’m glad to hear that you loved it. Just makes me more determined to get there! Your retirement plan? SOUNDS AMAZING. I will come visit and we will chat books and enjoy the beach! 🙂
Leila @ LeilaReads says
I haven’t read any of those. But I think the only place a book has really really made me want to go (that I haven’t been to yet) is Scotland. Cheesy as they are I’d love to go on an Outlander tour of Scotland. Love your graphics for the places BTW.
Jamie says
I want to go to Scotland sooo bad! Totally need to read Outlander! And thank you! 🙂
Kristin | My Life as a Teacup says
Ugh, books make me want to travel SO BADLY!!!
Jamie says
SAME!!! I have a love/hate relationship with books like that…I LOVE THEM but omg it just kills me that I’m home.
Sarah @ What Sarah Read says
Ummm…could you please put me in your suitcase. All of these sound so amazing! And I see that we both have Cinque Terre on our lists thanks to Wish You Were Italian! LOVED that book! 🙂
Jamie says
LET’S GOOOO! And gawd didn’t she write WYWI so perfectly?? I NEED TO BE THERE!
La Coccinelle says
Australian wildlife scares the crap out of me, too; that’s why Australia didn’t make my list!
One of my cousins was recently in Italy, and she visited Cinque Terre. So beautiful! Now I want to go, too…
Jamie says
It’s so scary! I saw this one article about it and I was scarred for life! I was telling another blogger who lives there that it really is a miracle that she is still alive lol.
Jessica says
In general, I’d love to go to Europe (the totally cliche London and Paris) because of Anna & the French Kiss and some other books. I really enjoy European architecture and all the food! AHH. Tokyo seems amazing, too, and I still have to read When You Were Here sometime.
Jamie says
I loved both London and Paris. Next time I want to explore more though. I was there for college course for 14 days and didn’t get to explore as much as I would have liked. You MUST get there some day! Also HIGHLY recommend Rome and Florence. Rome was crazy because just standing there in the Colosseum? A definite WOAH moment.
Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books says
Oh my gosh, great picks, Jamie!! Wyoming is just as beautiful as Hand makes it out to be. her description is PERFECT. You NEED to go to Jackson Hole, Wyoming sometime. It’s so pretty and the air is so fresh and the people are so nice. 🙂 There are some really beautiful coves in California that are just as pretty as those pictures!! I hope you get to visit these places soon 🙂 Lovely picks. I’m totally pining over that picture of Italy too <3
Jessica@Lovin' Los Libros says
Ahh! Cinque Terre! It’s like my DREAM! I love Italy so much, but sadly, I didn’t quite get there. I DID go to Sorrento though, and it’s sort of similar! YES to Wyoming! Tuckerrrrrr! <3
Moonglass and Wanderlove are both pretty high on my TBR! I can't wait to read them!
Ana Moraga says
Hello, I´m from Costa Rica. If you would come to Centro America, you must visit Costa Rica!!!, is a very tourist country and really gorgeuos (no only because I live here :P) I don´t know if in wanderlove talks about Costa Rica, but you should really try to come here, actually not that expensive if you stay in normal places and not in the highclass hoteles and here everything its really very close, like a maximun of 4 hours to go from the beach to volcano, or national park. A lot of the people the visit CR fall in love with everything.
Hopefully you would come here If you decide to go to Centro América
E.J. Stevens says
I LOVE Rome, but I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Cinque Terre and never managed to fit it into a trip. I think I need to remedy that. Perhaps after reading Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae. *adds to TBR wish list*
Hmmmm…maybe I can set a book there. Then I’d have to go…for research. Yeah, research. 😉
Dragana says
Wonderful graphics! And excellent pics for places. I especially like Cinque Terre. Now I feel the need to explore are there any hotels and how much do they cost…
Danielle @ Love at First Page says
I guess me and you should travel to Central America and Australia together, yeah? 🙂 Seriously would LOVE to visit those places – especially because the books made them sound so wonderful.
Also, SPACE. Yes. Fantastic choice. 😀
Jess @ Gone with the Words says
Look at all these beautiful pics!! I guess you and Lety (my reviewer) had the same idea when coming up with this week’s ideas. 🙂 I want to visit a lof the same places as you, but most of all Cinque Terre because HOLY GORGEOUS!
Heidi says
I’m from Wyoming too, Jaime!! And yes, you ought to go, I realize I’m biased, but I think it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. I miss it so!
Kristilyn (Reading In Winter) says
Oh yes, definitely Nantucket Island! I love all those beachy books, especially the ones that take place in an actual beach town. I live in Canada so no beach towns where I’m at! We just get lots of snow. 🙂 I do have to add PARIS! From Anna and the French Kiss!