Books Set in Small Towns (or Villages)

It is that time of the week yet again for another Top 5 Wednesday post, so hello and welcome to this week's post! We are now in the third week of August so I hope you are having a good month full of lots of reading, and hopefully sun! It is amazing how different places can be based only on their size and population. For instance, small towns or villages often give an impression of a strong community where everyone knows each other and is more often than not friendly with each other. Cities, on the other hand, are often presented as really large places where the characters are often either on their own or in small groups, sometimes presenting themes of being lost somewhere much bigger. Life seems simpler, more relaxing and just such an ideal world in smaller towns and villages. Reading books that capture life's essence in a small town or village is always great fun. Let's get straight to this post!

1. A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

Today, we start our Top 5 Wednesday list in a small village in Scotland. However, this village is an example of a less pleasant area with less pleasant people, which seems to be rather common in small villages. The village of Juniper does not understand or accept people who deviate from the norm. Back in the past, this was by putting "witches" on trial and killing them and, at the time the book is set, refusing to accommodate and understand neurodiverse individuals, such as Addie, who is autistic. Addie goes on a mission to get a witch memorial and increase the understanding and acceptance in the village of Juniper. She certainly does not change everyone's opinions, but this is a really good book about acceptance.

2. First Kiss by Mocha VonBee

The first of the Kit & Tully book series begins in a small town in Ireland in the late 1990s, which creates a rather unique setting. Before the times of mobile phones and technology, Kit and Tully had to become friends and enter their relationship through more traditional means, such as actually talking to each other in person. This book portrays a nice, close, small town where all the teenagers at least seem to get along and have a good friendship, which continues into their adult lives. This provides a nice reminder of how life used to be, including how much simpler it was before technology started taking over the world.

3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This time in America, we are in another small town where, yes, there may be quite a strong community, but by no means a pleasant place for everyone to live due to the highly racist attitudes of the majority of the residents in 1930s Alabama. However, Atticus does try and change some of these attitudes by educating his children, but there is still a long way to go. This book can link to A Kind of Spark, which is both about accepting people who are different from us and accommodating them, especially when they are minorities. Why should we treat minority groups who are different to us any differently? We are all unique individuals with something unique to contribute!

4. A Study in Chocolate by Amber Royer

We remain in America and travel to Galveston Island for the Bean to Bar mysteries series which is set in a small town on a small island. This book is a perfect example of what a small community should be like, close connections, everyone so friendly, people knowing each other, and a somewhat simpler life, excluding all the murders and Felicity's love life dilemma. One of my favourite parts of this series is the close-tied community, not to mention the amazing-sounding food which is referenced throughout this book. But as I said, an almost perfect example of what a small community should be like.

5. Murder on a Cornish Isle by Jo Silva

For the final book of the week, we are heading back to England to visit Cornwall. This book is set on St Michael's Mount, a small island on the Cornish coast close to two small towns; Marizion and the slightly larger Penzance. This book highlights some of the problems of being stuck on a small island and unable to get much help easily. Murder on a Cornish Isle is indeed a very entertaining book involving many high-profile individuals, including the home secretary, visiting the island for a reunion meeting. However, as the title may suggest, a murder takes place, but who is responsible? This is yet another book which highlights the connections between the local community, everyone seeming to know everyone else and working with each other to achieve various means.

That is all for this week's post, which I hope you enjoyed reading and maybe even encouraged you to try reading one of the above books. Before you go, please do check out the rest of my blog, including my other Top 5 Wednesday blog posts and my many available book reviews. I have read some really good books, including books which are going to be bestsellers if they have not made it there already! As usual please do say hello in the comments section below. I hope you look forward to reading next week's post as much as I look forward to writing it!

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