Top Ten Tuesday – Atmospheric Books

It has been ages since I last participated in a Top Ten Tuesday post. Today’s prompt sounded like a load of fun, so I couldn’t resist.

What comes to mind when you think of Atmospheric Books? I honestly have never given it a second thought, but after looking back in hindsight, there are definitely some books that have had an uncanny way of completely transporting me to a particular place and time. Hopefully, there will be 10 books by the time we get to the end of this list!

This description is mentioned at That Artsy Reader Girl today — The Novelry explains this concept as: “A novel feels atmospheric when the setting and the narrative are deeply involved with one another; when characters and plot are physically embedded in their surroundings, and a near-tangible mood lifts from the pages and wraps itself around the reader.” Study.com explains that, “The atmosphere is how a writer constructs their piece to convey feelings, emotions, and mood to the reader. The atmosphere in literature might be tense, fast-paced, mysterious, spooky, whimsical, or joyful and can be found in poetry, stories, novels, and series.”

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1. The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz – Putting Laura’s books on this list requires no second thoughts. Everything she writes has the ability to transform me into her story’s world. I could (and still might) list more than one of her books in today’s list, but for starters, I’ll mention her most recent novel. It’s full of Scottish charm and vivid imagery that leap from each page.

2. Dusk’s Darkest Shores by Carolyn Miller – Reading this book was my first experience with this author, and it will not be my last! I find that some Regency stories can be hit or miss for me, but this was one was a definite hit. I was able to visualize more than usual, I think, because the MMC was blind. That by itself takes a bit more skill to write since naturally, a blind individual relies on their other senses more. There were also moments where I felt like I could feel the mist in the air and the chill on the breeze. It was captivating!

3. The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel – While I still have one backlist book of Jennifer’s to read, I can say for certain that all her books literally transport me to Ireland! The way she sprinkles their country, their dialogue and their culture into her books is a joy to read. Her last book was a Cinderella retelling, so not only did I get everything Irish, I got a beautiful romance to go with it.

4. Luther and Katharina by Jody Hedlund – I’m continuing my trend of books set in Europe with this book, but this one is more ancient history than anything listed so far. This book felt old as in the poor were really poor and everything took time. It gave me a new appreciation for how we can almost snap our fingers and have just about anything we need without having to wait long. There were also instances mentioned when Martin Luther became ill, and the illness felt so palpable and real. I highly recommend it for the history alone, but it was a real treat to soak in all the history, too.

5. A Note Yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander – I’ve been a fan of Tamera’s books for ages, but this book had something extra special. Not only is it set in my home state of Tennessee, but all the musical references just transported me to Nashville and into a grand opera hall. There is more than one scene in the book where the music seems to jump off the page, and each scene is just glorious to experience as a reader.

6. The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano – This list would be incomplete if I didn’t include this book! It’s one of the few books I’ve read that have a gothic historical vibe, and I couldn’t read fast enough. The book is much darker than what I normally read, but the setting of an insane asylum and the musical overtones paired with it were a new experience altogether that I didn’t want to end.

7. The Songs that Could Have Been by Amanda Wen – I have to be real careful with what I say about this book because the tiniest thing could be a spoiler. Suffice it to say that this was also a new reading experience for me with split time novel that went back to the Sixties when racial relations were really coming to a head. The entire story was handled realistically but also graciously. It is a story not to be missed.

8. Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry – I have not read many books by this author, but I cannot say enough good things about the ones I have read! His stories just have this way of being so believable even when they’re about the most ordinary (and sometimes, extraordinary) people. All that I’ve read so far have been set in the hills of Appalachia, and the entire setting becomes as real as your own back yard. I’ve been brought to tears more than once as a result.

9. Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patty Callahan – I confess that I have read zero books by C.S. Lewis, but I have always been fascinated with his life and even more so after reading this book from the perspective of his wife. While much of the book is fictionalized, the moments set at Oxford University or his house or the club he frequented with his friends (sorry, all those names escape me right now!) are all presented like they’re living, breathing places. It has stirred up a desire to visit them in person one day.

10. Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz – Well, I almost made it to ten books without mentioning a second book by Laura, but that should tell you right away just how good her books REALLY ARE! What I loved about Tidewater Bride was feeling as though I was firmly entrenched in the setting of the Jamestown colony, smelling the salty breezes from the ocean. I always read Laura’s books s l o w l y because I want the feelings and emotions I feel when reading them to last as long as possible. This book was no different!

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That’s all for today! What books transform you to a different time, place or “atmosphere?”