Bookfessional: My Literary Signpost

Posted February 22, 2017 by Jessica in Bookfessional, Jessica / 19 Comments

Literary Signposts, we’ve all seen them, right? I don’t know about you guys, but I love them. They’re so whimsical and bookishly indulgent . . . *sighs happily*

I’d never given them much thought though—they’re all variations of: Hogwarts, Neverland, Narnia, the Shire, etc. And I was fine with that. B/c it was the idea that I enjoyed.

BUT.

A couple of weeks ago, this chick I follow instagram posted a pic of her new literary signpost tattoo, and it had not-your-usual-selections, and I was like, huh, best idea ever.

The personalization, not the tattoo itself, which, yes, was equally awesome, but not for this girl.

Anyway, of course it got me thinking about what my personal signpost would look like . . .

~ Jessica’s Literary Signpost ~

1. HOGWARTS — Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.

B/c duh, Hogwarts. #slytherinandproud

2. MANETHEREN — The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan.

In THE EYE OF THE WORLD, b/c humans suck and like to burn witches regardless of their world, Moiraine reminded the Emond’s Fielders about where they came from:

“But some did not flee. First in a trickle, then a river, then a flood, men went, not to safety, but to join the army fighting for their land. Shepherds with bows, and farmers with pitchforks, and woodsmen with axes. Women went, too, shouldering what weapons they could find and marching side by side with their men. No one made that journey who did not know they would never return. But it was their land. It had been their fathers’, and it would be their children’s, and they went to pay the price for it. Not a step of ground was given up until it was soaked with blood.”

Tai’shar Manetheren!

3. GODSGRAVE — Nevernight by Jay Kristoff.

B/c who wouldn’t want to live in a city made from the bones of a celestial being so enormous that his ribs are high-rise apartments?

4. Baha-Char — Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews.

Interplanetary bazaar? Yes, please.

5. Roshar — The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson.

This is probably my favorite of Sanderson’s worlds. In fact, the world-building was so amazing that BY ITSELF it held my interest during the slooooooow front half of the first book. It’s like an underwater world on land. There are giant shellfish instead of horses, crawdad-type things instead of insects, grass that retreats into the ground at your approach. Plus, you know, there’s the cool blend of sci-fi and fantasy with the Ironman-like Knights Radiant.

6. Terrasen — Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.

I need to qualify this one by saying I want to go to Terrasen pre-Havilliard reign-of-terror.

Or post-Havilliard reign-of-terror, but we’re not there yet.

In any case, based on Aelin’s (*chants* not Celaena, not Celaena, not Celaena . . .) memories, her homeland sounds like my kind of place.

7. Floria — Bell Weather by Dennis Mahoney.

Even though this book didn’t get the attention it deserved, it’s still one of the coolest worlds I’ve ever encountered . . . Light falls from the sky like rain, the rivers flood flowers instead of water . . . I love it.

8. Polnya — Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

UPROOTED is one of the most magical books I’ve ever read. THAT FOREST. *doesn’t elaborate about forest b/c spoilers* But trust me, it’s EPIC.

9. Tri-Cities Washington — Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs.

A world where the Fae are out of the closet? I’m there . . . maybe . . . at a safe distance . . . but what is “safe” when you’re dealing with Fae?

Oh, who cares? b/c FAE.

10. (The-other-side-of-)Wall, England — Stardust by Neil Gaiman

I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve not actually read STARDUST. I don’t think I even knew who Gaiman was until after STARDUST-the-(best)-movie-(ever). I KNOW. Since then, I have read several of his other books, and I will eventually read that which instigated my Gaiman-love, which is why it’s included on this list. B/c really? If it was that awesome on screen, how much more awesome will it be in print?

I could go on (and on, and on), but I limited myself to ten for my sanity. I also limited myself to one world per author lest this post be significantly less eclectic, FYI.

What about you? What’s on your Literary Signpost?

Jessica Signature

My name is Jessica and I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I’m trying my hand at writing, but mostly I read. My favorite genres are Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, and the YA versions of those genres, but if there is a book of a different color getting lots of buzz, I’ll read it too, just to be informed. If I’m not reading or writing, I’m probably on Goodreads or Pinterest or baking blueberry pies because I love them.

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19 responses to “Bookfessional: My Literary Signpost”

    • Jessica  

      Yeah, my original list had Ketterdam from Leigh Bardugo’s SIX OF CROWS duology, but then I started thinking about it, and I was like . . . that’s not really a place I’d want to visit. Same with Ilona Andrew’s post-shift Atlanta. o.O

  3. Steven

    I love the movie Stardust! But alas, it’s one of the (very) few movies I feel was better than the book by light years.