Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion
2018 Challenge Prompts - Regular
>
7. A book set in a country that fascinates you
I have some ideas for the middle east.. but I'd love some more options. Can anyone recommend me any that are really good?
Fannie wrote: "I'd like some suggestion for something scottish. This is a place that I would love to visit one day.I already read Outlander."
On Dublin Street the entire series is in Edinburgh.
if you want another genre I found these but haven't read them myself yet. The Cracked Spine I might be using the second one for an ugly cover.
EDIT: completely forgot about The Bookshop on the Corner
Sarah wrote: "Any ideas for Italy? I like mostly thriller, crime, YA, fantasy, suspense"I read Assassin's Creed: Renaissance in 2017 and I loved it. Only takes place in Italy but in several cities.
(Haven't played the game so had no expectations and it is nothing like the movie)
Crumb wrote: "I have some ideas for the middle east.. but I'd love some more options. Can anyone recommend me any that are really good?"I have a YA recommendation thats really good. It's a fiction book called The Wrath and the Dawn
Crumb wrote: "I have some ideas for the middle east.. but I'd love some more options. Can anyone recommend me any that are really good?"I like Amos Oz.
Crumb wrote: "I have some ideas for the middle east.. but I'd love some more options. Can anyone recommend me any that are really good?"Girls of Riyadh was a really interesting book about the elite young women in Saudi Arabia. The style is basically a series of blog posts, so I wasn't a fan of the writing itself, but it was a very different look at a country I already don't know a lot about.
Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor takes place in Prague. I am looking for more set here. Here's a listopia: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...
and a Books set in list as well: http://www.bookssetin.com/BookSearch....
A fantastic family epos in Israel. I loved to read this 4-generations novel.... I read it in German but there is an English translation too, probably available in many other languages too.... Wonderful read - too bad it’s finished!https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
I'm going to read Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, it's been on my to-read list for a while now!
Marianne wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "any ideas for fiction books set in Japan? I can only think of memoirs of a geisha but would prefer something set in the modern pop culture of japan"Kamikaze Girls-..."
How about Huraki Murakami?
Ciara wrote: "Does anyone have any suggestions for Norway?"How about Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson for Norway?
I have a whole list of books for other countries that I could go with, but if I'm being true to the prompt, I have a complete fascination with Kazakhstan. I've been looking at different location-based lists and found a few options but does any one actually have any recommendations?
Line wrote: "Any suggestions for Korea/South Korea?"Please Look After Mom is probably my fav from Korea.
One day I will travel overseas and I will see France. In the mean time, I finished My Life in Provence. A breezy, lovely read.
Any suggestions for Hawaii, Philippines, and other south east Asian islands and countries?
Shelley wrote: "I have a whole list of books for other countries that I could go with, but if I'm being true to the prompt, I have a complete fascination with Kazakhstan. I've been looking at different location-ba..."Have you heard of Half a World Away by Cynthia Kadohata? It is a middle grades chapter book, but it is about a family adopting a child from Kazakhstan. Quick read, and I really liked it! (I'm a middle school teacher, so I read a lot of books for 12 year olds.)
Elizabeth wrote: "Shelley wrote: "I have a whole list of books for other countries that I could go with, but if I'm being true to the prompt, I have a complete fascination with Kazakhstan. I've been looking at diffe..."I had come across it, but wasn't sure how much time was actually spent out of the US. I also found an environmental book that may be more Central Asia in general. I think I'll need to read both just to cover my bases😁. Thanks for the recommendation!
Chinook wrote: "Line wrote: "Any suggestions for Korea/South Korea?"Please Look After Mom is probably my fav from Korea."
Snow Hunters This is an amazing story and so beautifully written. Covers both Koreas.
Any suggestions for New Zealand? Hubby has his heart set on moving there so I'm looking for some inspiration to get me to his level of enthusiasm!
Katie Lou wrote: "Any suggestions for New Zealand? Hubby has his heart set on moving there so I'm looking for some inspiration to get me to his level of enthusiasm!"I'm doing New Zealand too, because that's where my spouse is from and I've never been, but am totally fascinated after hearing so much about it. We always talk about moving to NZ someday too, but not sure that will actually be a reality. Anyway, I'm going to read The Whale Rider. It looks like a short quick read but comes highly recommended. There's also The Bone People (I've never read it but think it looks good, and it's on my TBR). If you like YA, there's Guardian of the Dead. I know there are more set in NZ, but can't think of any at the moment.. will update if I think of more titles!
A friend of mine was going through boxes of boks that she was giving away, so I decided to take the opportunity and snatch some for myself. I have always kind of been fascinated by England, and I found a book that I'm really enjoying so far called The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. It's about a girl who moves to a boarding school in London right around the time someone is copying Jack the Ripper's motives and they are trying to solve the crime. Not going to spoil anything else, but it's a good book!
So I went with Half a World Away. I'm here crying because it's just so gosh darn sweet. It's about an adopted kid who goes to Kazakhstan with his parents to adopt his new brother. It has some parts of Kazakh culture, but it is really focused on the emotional roller coaster that children on both sides of the adoption process and their parents go through. Wow. Thanks Elizabeth for the recommendation!!
I just read Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli set in Poland during the Nazi occupation. I've always been fascinated by Poland, being half Polish myself.
I am also trying to find something for Italy, I'll check out the suggestions in here.Do you think Eat, Pray, Love counts? I've only seen the movie, so I assume a third of the book is also set in Italy. I'm also fascinated by India and Bali, so really it should count for all three. Not very original though.
I think I worry that being in Italy I'm going to get stuck with a cheesy romance, but surely there's some grittier stuff out there
I finished The Seven Sisters for another prompt but have now shuffled it around and it goes under this category instead. It takes place in mostly Brazil, some in France and some bits in Switzerland.
Tania wrote: "I just read Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli set in Poland during the Nazi occupation. I've always been fascinated by Poland, being half Polish myself."Tania, I noticed you said you were half polish. Have you read any books that take place in Poland that you can recommend to me? I could use some ideas for the prompt: "A book tied to your ancestry."
For this prompt, I'm thinking of reading a book by Nadia Hashimi. Some of her books take place in the middle east and some take place in India. I've always been fascinated with those countries and I recently finished Nadia Hashimi's A House Without Windows and it was really, really good. Five star rating.
Melanie wrote: "Any suggestions for Hawaii, Philippines, and other south east Asian islands and countries?"Melanie, yes I do have a couple suggestions for you for Hawaii..
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
Honolulu by Alan Brennert
Both are historical fiction set in Hawaii.. and from what I've heard are fabulous.
I read The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden for this prompt. I've been really interested in fantasy set in a Russian type setting lately and this one delivers! :)
Catherine wrote: "I think I worry that being in Italy I'm going to get stuck with a cheesy romance, but surely there's some grittier stuff out there"I am sure plenty of Italian authors have written novels that are not "cheesy romances"...
Catherine wrote: "I am also trying to find something for Italy, I'll check out the suggestions in here.Do you think Eat, Pray, Love counts? I've only seen the movie, so I assume a third of the book is also set in ..."
You could try the Donna Leon mystery series. It's set in Italy.
I was just going to write Donna Leon as well for Italy, if you like mystery. I really like the books about Inspector Brunelli (I think his name is). Elena Ferrante's books are also an option. Lot's of great Italian writers through the years to choose from.
I just finished A Tale for the Time Being for Japan, and it was really good. I also loved her first book, My Year of Meats, which also took place in Japan.
Fannie wrote: "I'd like some suggestion for something scottish. This is a place that I would love to visit one day.I already read Outlander."
If you like mystery, A Small Death in the Great Glen is good. Ann Cleeves Shetland Series: 5 Books Collection by Ann Cleeves or the Lewis series by Peter May. I really enjoyed Call the Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle by Mary MacLeod, set on a remote Scottish island. Alexander McCall Smith, 44 Scotland Street series is enjoyable.
I'm reading Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris. I lived in Saudi Arabia for about six months and it was so fascinating and other-wordly. I haven't found a lot of books that are set there, plus I love mystery.
Crumb wrote: "I have some ideas for the middle east.. but I'd love some more options. Can anyone recommend me any that are really good?"The Yacoubian Building One of my favorites.
For Scotland if you like grittier mysteries, Ian Rankin is great. I’d also recommend Christopher Brookmyre, Iain Banks (or his sci-fi books as Iain M Banks).
Crumb wrote: "I have some ideas for the middle east.. but I'd love some more options. Can anyone recommend me any that are really good?"I liked The Confusion of Languages by Siobahn Fallon. It’s about the rivalry between two friends living on a U.S. military base in Saudi Arabi, but it discusses the culture and traditions of the area and describes a few major attractions.
I read the Italian Partyfor a country that fascinates me. I want to write a review but I can't find where I go to do that. Can anyone help me
Elizabeth wrote: "Does anyone have a suggestion for Egypt?"If you're still looking, I read The Alchemist for this last year :)
Any ideas for Israel and/or Palestine? I was going to choose a book set in Greece for this prompt, because I've always been fascinated with Greece, but I'm headed to Israel / Palestine this May, so I thought it might be cool to read something set there before I go.
I've already read Mornings in Jenin (which I loved) but I think that's the only book I've read that's set in the region.
Tara wrote: "Any ideas for Israel and/or Palestine? ..."I can recommend Lizzie Doron, but it seems, she hasn't been translated to English, yet :-(.
Last year I read Ishmael's Oranges, which is set at least partly in Palestine and deals with the loss of land for Palestinians and with the obstacles a Jewish-Palestinian couple faces. I really liked this book.
I can also recommend One Night, Markovitch which is a little quirky at times, and know the author has written more books, but I haven't read them yet.
Ashlee Overend wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Does anyone have a suggestion for Egypt?"If you're still looking, I read The Alchemist for this last year :)"
If you like Rick Riordan, a part of The Red Pyramid is set in Egypt.
This book is set in Colombia. One hundred years of solitude by Gabriel García Márquez Gabriel García Márquez: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
O Mistério de Marie Rogêt (other topics)The Bear and the Nightingale (other topics)
State of Wonder (other topics)
The Mystery of Marie Rogêt (other topics)
The Best We Could Do (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Edgar Allan Poe (other topics)Edgar Allan Poe (other topics)
Thi Bui (other topics)
Kathy Reichs (other topics)
Jessie Burton (other topics)
More...
Barcelona the Great Enchantress was a good over view of the history of the city. It's basically a 150 page love letter to the city.
Homage to Catalonia is George Orwell's experiences on the civil war.
Spain in Our Hearts: Espana en el corazon is collection of poems by Chile's consul to Spain during the war and his horrors of it.
The Shadow of the Wind is amazing and I'm hoping to reread before I go. It's part of a trilogy of mysteries where a book from a secret bookstore (for lack of a better term) is an integral part of solving each one. I just read the second and wasn't blown away, but I still plan on reading the third this month.