Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
This week’s topic is Books With Geographical Terms in the Title. What a unique and interesting prompt. I never really thought about books with geographical terms in their titles, but, surprisingly, I found quite a few of my reads included them. Let’s check them out!
1. Beneath Cruel Fathoms
Title: Beneath Cruel Fathoms
Author: Anela Deen
Series: The Bitter Sea Trilogy (Book 1)
Page Length: 386
Publication Date: May 2019
Publisher: Fine Fables Press
Synopsis: After a violent storm destroys her ship, Isaura Johansdottir knows better than to hope she’ll be rescued from Eisland’s vast Failock Sea. Adrift and alone, her plans to start over lost, it’s a tragic conclusion after the disastrous end of her marriage—until she’s saved by Leonel, one of the merfolk, a creature long believed extinct. In repayment for her life, Leonel enlists her help to investigate the Failock’s mysterious and deadly plague of squalls. But when Isaura discovers Eisland’s ruthless new Lord commands the storms, her life will be in more danger on land than it ever was at sea.
As guardian of the Fathoms, Leonel must find the cause of unnatural storms ravaging the tidal currents and destroying the sea life. There are rumors of dark magic stirring in the Orom Abyss, the resting place of old, vanquished gods who tried to submerge the land millennia ago. Yet without proof, no one in King Ægir’s court will listen to him. And if it’s discovered he broke the Blue Laws to save a shipwrecked landweller, he might not survive the consequences.
As storms spread, Leonel and Isaura uncover secrets as forbidden as the bond that grows between them. Betrayal lurks in the restless sea, and when ancient powers lay siege to Eisland’s coast, the truth may be drowned along with everything else.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
2. Dark Shores
Title: Dark Shores
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Series: Dark Shores (Book 1)
Page Length: 384
Publication Date: May 7, 2019
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Synopsis: In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.
A SAILOR WITH A WILL OF IRON
Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences.
A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET
Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world.
A DANGEROUS QUEST
When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
3. Faye and the City of the Sea
Title: Faye and the City in the Sea
Author: Nicole Bailey
Series: Faye and the Ether (Book 2)
Publication Date: Dec. 29, 2020
Synopsis: Faye can never be free from the blood that stains her soul.
Haunted by the horrific traumas of battle, Faye struggles to move past the bloodshed she witnessed that fateful day. No amount of magic can erase from her mind the images of the lives lost.
She can’t breathe.
Can’t sleep.
Can’t focus on anything but the terror she’s drowning in.
Yet she isn’t the only one plagued by trepidation. As a co-council, anxiety is a part of Daron’s daily life. But never before was it like this. Crippled by fear, he hunts for a way to keep Faye and Alec safe as the threat of Typhon draws near.
Traveling to the mercity for the full moon revelry, Faye uncovers a sinister new threat that could endanger life for all merfolk. Can she and Daron work together to protect their new allies? Or will the losses suffered sink their enchanting world to the depths?
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
4. The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea
Title: The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea
Author: Katherine Quinn
Series: The Azantian Trilogy #1
Publication Date: Sept. 28, 2021
Publisher: City Owl Press
Synopsis: 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚. 𝐀 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐥.
Forced to marry the wealthy Count Casbian by her power-hungry father, Margrete turns to the gods, praying for a life free from the men who wish to rule her. Across the sea, a ruthless immortal answers…
Planning to use Margrete to reclaim a powerful relic stolen from his people, Bash, a devilishly handsome king, kidnaps Margrete on the day of her nuptials. Bringing her to his home, the mystical island of Azantian, it isn’t long before a devastating secret is revealed—one that ties Margrete to the gods themselves.
Drawn to the spirited woman he’s sworn to hate, Bash cannot stay away from Margrete and the passion she ignites within him. When the lines begin to blur, Margrete must make a choice between a fiery love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
5. The High Mountain Court
Title: The High Mountain Court
Author: A.K. Mulford
Series: The Five Crowns of Okrith #1
Publication Date: Aug. 10, 2021
Synopsis: Gripping and action-packed, The High Mountain Court is an adrenaline-filled, high fantasy with fae courts, powerful witches, and a diverse cast of characters, perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Holly Black.
Thirteen years fleeing witch hunters and the looming threat of death. Nineteen-year-old Remy knows she is possibly the last red witch alive, and she is determined to stay that way. The Northern Court King has slaughtered her home court and placed a bounty on red witch heads.
When four fae warriors enter her tavern refuge, Remy tries to flee, but her magic isn’t strong enough to stop a fae prince on a mission. The handsome Prince Hale of the Eastern Kingdom wants to stop a war with the Northern Court before his kingdom befalls the same fate as Remy’s. He needs a red witch and Remy may be the only person alive who can help him. Can she really trust Prince Hale? Can her fallen court be resurrected from the evil clutches of the Northern Court King? For the chance to save herself, her people, and help defeat the Northern King, Remy must put her faith in Hale and his companions on a dangerous quest to find lost relics.
The High Mountain Court is the first book in the thrilling fantasy saga, The Five Crowns of Okrith. Expect danger, intrigue, and thrilling passion as Remy journeys to save the kingdom she holds most dear.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
6. In a Dark, Dark Wood
Title: In a Dark, Dark Wood
Author: Cece Louise
Series: The Forest Tales #4
Publication Date: Feb. 22, 2022
Publisher: Jabberwocky Tales
Synopsis: In a dark, dark wood, there was a dark, dark man . . .
Calia believes in ghosts. How could she not when she is haunted by a past encounter that sent her into hiding? She concocts a plan so crazy, it just might save her— if it doesn’t lead to her downfall. All she has to do is impersonate a missing princess and fulfill that princess’s betrothal to the Prince of Ebonwood.
Prince Brone believes in nothing—certainly not the curse rumored to plague the royal wives of Ebonwood. After the untimely death of his first wife, all he wishes is to be left alone. Once more facing a marriage not of his choosing, he vows not to make the same mistakes that cost him so dearly last time.
Calia soon discovers that fooling the prince will be much harder than she thought. As her complicated feelings for him begin to grow, so does her fear of Ebonwood—a kingdom shrouded in darkness, secrets, and even murder.
Will a warning from beyond the grave save Calia from the fate of the previous Ebonwood wives, or will it spell her ultimate ruin?
Inspired by the classic poem “In a Dark, Dark Wood,” this clean, standalone romantic suspense is perfect for anyone who loves fairy tales with a Gothic twist.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
7. Lakesedge
Title: Lakesedge
Author: Lyndall Clipstone
Series: World at the Lake’s Edge
Page Length: 384
Publication Date: Sept. 28, 2021
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Synopsis: A lush gothic fantasy about monsters and magic, set on the banks of a cursed lake. Perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Brigid Kemmerer.
There are monsters in the world.
When Violeta Graceling arrives at haunted Lakesedge estate, she expects to find a monster. She knows the terrifying rumors about Rowan Sylvanan, who drowned his entire family when he was a boy. But neither the estate nor the monster are what they seem.
There are monsters in the woods.
As Leta falls for Rowan, she discovers he is bound to the Lord Under, the sinister death god lurking in the black waters of the lake. A creature to whom Leta is inexplicably drawn…
There’s a monster in the shadows, and now it knows my name.
Now, to save Rowan—and herself—Leta must confront the darkness in her past, including unraveling the mystery of her connection to the Lord Under.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
8. In the Jaded Grove
Title: In the Jaded Grove
Author: Anela Deen
Series: Kindred Realms #1
Publication Date: April 15, 2021
Publisher: Fine Fable Press
Synopsis: Simith of Drifthorn is tired of war. After years of conflict between the Thistle court and the troll kingdom, even a pixie knight known for his bloodlust longs for peace. Hoping to secure a ceasefire, Simith arranges a meeting with the troll king—and is ambushed instead. Escape lies in the Jaded Grove, but the trees of the ancient Fae woodland aren’t what they seem, and in place of sanctuary, Simith tumbles through a doorway to another world.
Cutting through her neighbor’s sunflower farm in Skylark, Michigan, Jessa runs into a battle between creatures straight out of a fantasy novel. Only the blood is very real. When a lone fighter falls to his attackers, Jessa intervenes. She’s known too much death to stand idly by, but an act of kindness leads to consequences even a poet like her couldn’t imagine.
With their fates bound by magic, Simith and Jessa must keep the strife of his world from spilling into hers—except the war isn’t what it appears and neither are their enemies. Countless lives depend on whether they can face the truths of their pasts and untangle the web of lies around them. But grief casts long shadows, and even their deepening bond may not be enough to save them from its reach.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
9. Tides of Passion
Title: Tides of Passion
Author: Tracy Sumner
Series: Seaswept Seduction Series #2
Page Length: 270
Publication Date: Sept. 2020
Synopsis: Steamy, small-town, enemies to lovers historical romance!
Spirited Savannah Connor is passionately committed to stamping out social injustice. Yet, when she arrives in Pilot Isle, North Carolina, ready to take up a new cause, she quickly finds herself on the outs with the town constable.
Zachariah Garrett is the most arrogant, infuriating, maddeningly attractive man she’s had the misfortune to meet. And, suddenly, Savannah is fighting a whole new battle — this one against her own yearning for a man who is impossible to resist.
Ever since his wife’s death two years ago, Zachariah Garrett has dedicated his life to keeping the peace. And, avoiding love. But Savannah Connor isn’t an ordinary woman — and she proves hard to ignore. She’s a beguiling beauty with the power to awaken emotions Zach thought he’d never feel again, and the tenderness to help him forget his fears. And risk his heart once more.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
10. Forestborn
Title: Forestborn
Author: Elayne Audrey Becker
Page Length: 368
Publication Date: Aug. 31, 2021
Publisher: Tor Teen
Synopsis: TO BE BORN OF THE FOREST IS A GIFT AND A CURSE.
Rora is a shifter, as magical as all those born in the wilderness–and as feared. She uses her abilities to spy for the king, traveling under different guises and listening for signs of trouble.
When a magical illness surfaces across the kingdom, Rora uncovers a devastating truth: Finley, the young prince and her best friend, has caught it, too. His only hope is stardust, the rarest of magical elements, found deep in the wilderness where Rora grew up–and to which she swore never to return.
But for her only friend, Rora will face her past and brave the dark, magical wood, journeying with her brother and the obstinate, older prince who insists on coming. Together, they must survive sentient forests and creatures unknown, battling an ever-changing landscape while escaping human pursuers who want them dead. With illness gripping the kingdom and war on the horizon, Finley’s is not the only life that hangs in the balance.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
What other books can you think of with geographical terms in the title? Comment below!
I can’t believe that I haven’t heard of any of these. Thanks for giving me some great, new suggestions!
You’re so welcome! 🙂
Great list!
Thanks! 🙂
Great list, Julie. I love your choice of the word Fathom, I never would have thought of that.
Thanks, Carla!
Sucha creative list! Loved the recommendations!
Thanks so much!
I still need to read a few of these!
love how the ocean-themed ones have the best covers!! Cruel Fathoms sounds so interesting
It’s a good one! Definitely recommend if you like romantasy.
I like that you found one with grove. Very cool.
Thank you!!
Ooh, Grove is a great term that I haven’t seen in a title yet! 😍 I never thought about geographical terms in my book titles either but yeah, there was definitely a lot. City and Sea were the two most popular terms I noticed. 😂 Great list, Julie!
I noticed quite a few sea ones too. Thanks, Dini!
Faye and the City of the Sea sounds interesting.
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-books-with-geographical-terms-in-the-title/
It’s very good!! I love that whole series.