Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

A book set somewhere you'd like to visit in 2021.

I'm not really much of a traveller, but I do like to go to the beach, so maybe I'll read a book set on a beach.

Listopia for a book set somewhere you'd like to visit

Ummm...

My house. Inside my house. With hand sanitizer.

Is there a book set inside my house?

Yeah I don’t really get this one, why would they have this prompt during a pandemic lol

I saw this more as a hopeful sort of prompt, like where you'd want to go when things have got better (I have to hope we're not locked down for another year). It doesn't have to be a far away location.

I definitely have to take this with a "If there wasn't a pandemic..." grain of salt, which would leave it wide open since we love to travel (when there isn't a global pandemic) and would normally have at least one or two new places planned out in a (normal) year...

A few that I'm thinking of:

Normal year hopes & dreams:
Greece - The House by the River
Greenland - The Snow People
Chile - Ten Women
Norway - This Life or the Next

Realistic for 2021:
Kentucky - Uncle Tom's Cabin
Pennsylvania - Fireflies
South Carolina - The Freeholder
Tennessee - Stillhouse Lake

I am just going to stick to places I'd like to visit in general.

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom is a weird little sci-fi book that mostly takes place at Disney World.

This is already a pretty broad topic, but you can include places that are impossible to visit like fantasy and sci-fi locations. You can still "want" to visit there in 2021, even though you can't.

Another avenue would be to pick up a travel book like Frommers, Rough Guide, etc. Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders is one that is on my TBR already.

I think I am going to go with The Unhoneymooners set in Hawaii

Emma wrote: "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom is a weird little sci-fi book that mostly takes place at Disney World."


LOL that reminds me of another very weird kid's book that is set partly at Disney World! The True Meaning of Smekday. I'm all grown up and everything, but I'm a huge Adam Rex fan.

- I'd love to go back to London someday, next year or not.

I was supposed to go on a cruise through the Panama Canal in March. Needless to say we are not going any longer. 😞
So I think I want to read a book set in Panama or one of the ports we would have docked in (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico). Does anyone have any suggestions?

Jill wrote: "I was supposed to go on a cruise through the Panama Canal in March. Needless to say we are not going any longer. 😞
So I think I want to read a book set in Panama or one of the ports we would have d..."

The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 by David McCullough provides a decent history of the canal's creation.

Yeah don't like this prompt. How bout a book about a family/chosen family because who doesn't want to be able to safely see their family right now?


Or how about anything set before 2020.

Brandon wrote: "Jill wrote: "I was supposed to go on a cruise through the Panama Canal in March. Needless to say we are not going any longer. 😞
So I think I want to read a book set in Panama or one of the ports we..."

I have that book on my TBR. It was the first one I thought of and will probably be the book I read.

I think I'm going to read Beach Read for this one. I tried going to Hawaii this year, but clearly couldn't. I don't really feel safe traveling far next year either, but a very warm, but not hot, beach and a luxe pool sound delightful.

Me too! I don’t want to go far away, just to the nail salon 💅. I miss getting my nails done.


Ellie wrote: "I saw this more as a hopeful sort of prompt, like where you'd want to go when things have got better (I have to hope we're not locked down for another year). It doesn't have to be a far away location."

Madison wrote: "Yeah I don’t really get this one, why would they have this prompt during a pandemic lol"

Because wanting isn’t the same as actually doing? Regardless of pandemic or not, I’m sure there are places people *want* to travel to.

poshpenny wrote: "Ummm...

My house. Inside my house. With hand sanitizer.

Is there a book set inside my house?"

Haha poshpenny, how about -

A Gentleman in Moscow
Room
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating

Based on just the name, I added The Sea
Runner-up was In the Woods

I’m just trying to fit in books I want to read. So for a book set in Greece: love and olives

If I had to pick a place I would have to say New Orleans Louisiana

Madison wrote: "Yeah I don’t really get this one, why would they have this prompt during a pandemic lol"
Maybe since we can't go to help us feel like we are traveling?

We had a trip planned to Florida this past April which, of course, was cancelled so I might read a Carl Hiaasen youth book, Hoot, which is set in Florida.

I'm thinking about using Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other for this one.

For me, this is a bit of a freebie as I love to travel. But as I'm hoping my divorce will be final in 2021, I'd love to go back to Morocco. It's where we honeymooned, and I want to reclaim it as a place just for me. So I'm going to read Tangerine.

I'm thinking of going with a fantasy book for this. One that's not too dark. Wouldn't mind going to Narnia in peace-time for a while.

I was planning a trip to New York this fall, and being in Canada.. that didnt happen. I was also planning to go to Boston/Salem for my birthday.

Anybody has nice suggestions for those?

Marie-eve wrote: "I was planning a trip to New York this fall, and being in Canada.. that didnt happen. I was also planning to go to Boston/Salem for my birthday.

Anybody has nice suggestions for those?"

I'll think on Boston/Salem, but for New York, N.K. Jemisin has a book: The City We Became - seems perfect for this prompt because the book acts as a metaphor for the city.

It wasn't my favorite Jemisin novel, but I'm also not sorry I read it.

ETA: Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts - set in Boston and I absolutely loved it!

I'm going totally non-ambitious with this one, and picking Recommended for You which is set in a bookstore. I'd love to be able to go to an actual bookstore and browse again.

Marie-eve wrote: "I was planning a trip to New York this fall, and being in Canada.. that didnt happen. I was also planning to go to Boston/Salem for my birthday.

Anybody has nice suggestions for those?"


There are SO MANY books set in NYC!


What do you like?
YA romance: Tweet Cute or The Sun Is Also a Star
zombies: Zone One
mystery: The Long Fall or A Rage in Harlem
short stories: Heart of the City: Nine Stories of Love and Serendipity on the Streets of New York or A Lucky Man
historical paranormal: The Diviners
historical fiction: The Forgotten Room
historical romance: The English Wife or The Wicked City / The Wicked Redhead
literary fiction: The Singer's Gun (this is also set on a tiny island in Italy) or Behold the Dreamers or Fleishman Is in Trouble
crime: You or Night Film
memoir: Arbitrary Stupid Goal
post-pandemic: Severance

I have 82 books shelved "NYC" here

And we have a few members who live in NYC, I'm sure they can give good recs!

Marie-eve wrote: "I was planning a trip to New York this fall, and being in Canada.. that didnt happen. I was also planning to go to Boston/Salem for my birthday.

Anybody has nice suggestions for those?"

The Masterpiece is historical fiction set in NYC, and has really good details about Grand Central Station and its' history.

Nadine wrote: "There are SO MANY books set in NYC!"

Wow!
I mean i knew there was a lot in NYC, obviously, but it's always nice to have actual recommandations. I'll be looking over that list.

Does anyone know of books that take place in National Parks?

Lilia wrote: "Does anyone know of books that take place in National Parks?"


Have you read Nevada Barr? Her entire Anna Pigeon mystery series takes place in different National Parks. Anna Pigeon is a park ranger. (I know the name "Pigeon" makes this sound like a cozy, but it's more of a straight-up detective mystery series.)

First book is Track of the Cat, but you do not need to read them in order. Just look at the series and pick the location you like!

Lilia wrote: "Does anyone know of books that take place in National Parks?"

Not a National Park per say (or maybe it is?) but Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail could work here maybe?

Any recommendations for books set in Antarctica or Peru? These are my big travel wishes.

Allie wrote: "Any recommendations for books set in Antarctica or Peru? These are my big travel wishes."

where'd You Go Bernadette for Antarctica.

Katy wrote: "Allie wrote: "Any recommendations for books set in Antarctica or Peru? These are my big travel wishes."

where'd You Go Bernadette for Antarctica."

Oh that works out well, it is on my TBR list! Thank you!

Allie wrote: "Any recommendations for books set in Antarctica or Peru? These are my big travel wishes."

If you're open to nonfiction for this, I recommend Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage as well for Antarctica.

Marie-eve wrote: "I was planning a trip to New York this fall, and being in Canada.. that didnt happen. I was also planning to go to Boston/Salem for my birthday.

Anybody has nice suggestions for those?"

Elizabeth Gilbert's City of Girls was set in NYC and was amazing, IMO!

poshpenny wrote: "Ummm...

My house. Inside my house. With hand sanitizer.

Is there a book set inside my house?"

LOL! Agreed. :)

We cancelled our cruise for the Norwegian Fjords for 2020 and re-booked for 2021. I will read something about Scandinavia.

Allie wrote: "Any recommendations for books set in Antarctica or Peru? These are my big travel wishes."

That Bear Ate My Pants: A Hilarious Travel Memoir... with Teeth and Claws!

is set in Ecuador, close to Peru....

Marie-eve wrote: "I was also planning to go to Boston/Salem for my birthday.

Anybody has nice suggestions for those?"

If you read The House of the Seven Gables you can some day visit it in Salem
https://7gables.org/

The Crucible
I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem

Make Way for Ducklings
The Art Forger
The Namesake
Still Alice
Another Bullshit Night in Suck City

Linda wrote: "poshpenny wrote: "Ummm...

My house. Inside my house. With hand sanitizer.

Is there a book set inside my house?"

Haha poshpenny, how about -

A Gentleman in Moscow
[book:Room|316..."

I like it!

Allie wrote: "Any recommendations for books set in Antarctica or Peru? These are my big travel wishes."

The Split is on South Georgia
The Comet Seekers
Out of the Ice
The Killing Ship: An Antarctica Thriller
My Last Continent

Marie-eve wrote: "I was planning a trip to New York this fall, and being in Canada.. that didnt happen. I was also planning to go to Boston/Salem for my birthday.

Anybody has nice suggestions for those?"

Oh for New York there’s The Woman in the Window if you’re interested in a psychological thriller :)

We were supposed to go to Iceland this year but didn't. Any recommendations for a book set in Iceland? Thanks in advance!

Marissa wrote: "We were supposed to go to Iceland this year but didn't. Any recommendations for a book set in Iceland? Thanks in advance!"

Burial Rites
Snowblind
The Darkness
The Blue Fox

ohhh i loved snowblind. i read Blackout by the same author this year and enjoyed it too. :)