Top Ten Tuesday used to be a weekly post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, but was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. “It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.” This is definitely something I can understand and want to participate in.
This week’s prompt is planes, trains, and automobiles AKA books featuring travel. It was submitted by Cathy @ What Cathy Read Next, and I get to talk about ten of my favorite books featuring travel in the plot. I love reading books about travel, since it lets me travel vicariously through the characters in the book. So without any further ado, here are my top ten books featuring travel in no particular order:
- The Boy With the Star Tattoo by Talia Carner. There’s travel in two different time periods, and the characters make their way around Europe, especially the French countryside, although some of the story takes place in Israel as well.
- How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler. This hilarious fantasy novel had me cracking up, and the main character travels around a bit as she’s stuck in a loop until she makes some changes.
- Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron. I really loved this subversive retelling of Snow White, and our heroine does a bit of traveling around the kingdom, first in her official duties as the daughter of the queen, and then unofficially to avoid being detected alive.
- Daughter of the Merciful Deep by Leslye Penelope. Another wonderful historical fiction with more than a few elements of magical realism/fantasy, this story incorporates portal-based travel into an alternate universe.
- Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar. A saga featuring multiple generations of a Sephardic Jewish family, this story involves a lot of travel. The author traced the roots of her own family as they were ethnically cleansed or pressured to move for safety or financial opportunities.
- Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack. I enjoyed this cozy mystery series starter that involved an author’s celebratory trip to Italy … and some unexpected murder along the way.
- The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper. This is the final book in a historical fiction series about a woman who is enslaved and forced to work in a brothel in Pompeii, and has been building up to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Well, it happens in this book, and Amara finds herself traveling from Rome to Pompeii and everywhere in between.
- Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. In this completely unique fantasy novel, all of the characters are traveling to a central location for the eclipse that is supposed to occur. The really cool thing is that they travel using all different kinds of transportation—boats, by foot, by giant crow, by giant water strider, and by huge golden eagles. I wouldn’t mind traveling using some of these means of transportation.
- The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan. A political fantasy that involves characters traveling across their empire as they follow their fearless leader to deliver justice wherever it is needed.
- Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon. This sequel to Today Tonight Tomorrow has both Neil and Rowan away at college, and they travel to visit each other, exploring their new cities both alone and with others, and even go back home for visits. I think the travel added something that was essential to the story and prevented it from getting stale.
What do you think of this list? Have you read any of these? What are your favorite books featuring travel?
Categories: Top Ten Tuesday
Leah's Books 
Catherine’s book looks really fun! That title alone piques a reader’s interest and the cover is so colorful. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It really was a fun read! I had a great time with that one.
LikeLike
Oh wow, this time I don’t know any of the books on your list!
My TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2024/08/13/top-ten-tuesday-books-that-give-off-summer-vibes/
LikeLike
I’m glad to be able to introduce you to some of my favorites, then.
LikeLike
These look good. I’ve had my eye on Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies for a while 😂
Have a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Every Time I Go On Vacation is a funny and fun cozy mystery – it was the perfect thing to sandwich between the heavier fantasy reads. I hope you give it a try!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes you need something light. I haven’t read a fantasy in ages.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always like to see a favorite books list featuring travel!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too! Reading books involving travel is fun – it’s like getting to travel without leaving the house (or paying all that money).
LikeLike
Black Sun has such a cool cover.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Doesn’t it? I love featuring it just so I can gawk at the cover a little. But the story is amazing too.
LikeLike
I haven’t read any of these, but a couple of the titles are so funny that they make me want to give them a try.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-book-covers-with-planes/
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t resist a funny title or a gorgeous cover! I hope you give some of these a shot, they’re all really good!
LikeLike
I enjoyed Every time I hoon vacation
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was such a fun read! I enjoyed it too.
LikeLike
The Justice of Kings was amazing! It’s good to see it on your list!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I really enjoyed the whole series, and try to highlight it every chance I get.
LikeLike
Both The Dark Lord book and Every time I Go on Vacation book have been on my radar – I need to read them!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You do! I think you’ll enjoy them both, but I highly suggest The Dark Lord on audiobook if you struggle with footnotes.
LikeLike
Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies, sounds interesting! Here is our <a href=”https://www.longandshortreviews.com/miscellaneous-musings/top-ten-tuesday-boat-books/“>Top Ten Tuesday.</a> Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s such a fun read! I highly recommend it.
LikeLike
I’ve heard praise of Every Time I go on Vacation Someone Dies, I must check it out. Happy reading! My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/best-reads-of-2024-so-far/
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved it, and everyone that I’ve seen who read it has enjoyed it too. I hope you like it as much as I did!
LikeLike
Every Time I Go On Vacation sounds really fun! My TTT
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a really fun read – I strongly recommend it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
yay!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great picks, Leah! I’m just buddy reading Black Sun (re-read for me) atm and forgot how good it was. I also need to remember to pick up How to become the dark lord or die trying, I remember you saying how good it was!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Becky! I loved Black Sun more each time I reread it. It’s like it got better each time. And you *do* need to pick up How to Become the Dark Lord or Die Trying, just beware that there’s footnotes in the printed version, and the audiobook version is fantastic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve been meaning to grab a copy of Django Wexler’s new (ish?) one! It sounds fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was one of the funniest reads I’ve picked up in a while – you should absolutely give it a read! I think you’d enjoy it. And it was outstanding on audiobook.
LikeLike
HOW TO BECOME A DARK LORD AND DIE TRYING looks and sounds hilarious. It’s outside of my usual reading MO, but I think I need to give it a go! THE BOY WITH THE STAR TATTOO also looks like a great read.
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry for the late response, but thank you! I was laughing so much when I read Dark Lord – the audiobook was done perfectly. And I really thought The Boy with the Star Tattoo was done really well. I was already planning to read it, but pushed it up to top priority because people were one-star review bombing it on goodreads because it involved Israel.
LikeLike
I reaaally need to get to reading Black Sun. I’ve enjoyed Roanhorse’s other writing so much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
She’s so talented – this series highlights her skills. You’re going to love this one.
LikeLike