Top 5 Wednesday - Books not set/inspired by the Western World

Top 5 Wednesday is a group on Goodreads hosted by Sam from Thoughts on Tome on Youtube.

"--I know this is a long title, but I couldn't figure out how else to word it and still get the point across. Talk about books that are set outside of the Western World (so outside of North America and Western Europe) or if they are SFF, books that aren't inspired by those places (so no medieval setting fantasy!)" - Quote from the Goodreads Group because I couldn't really state it any better.   I thought I would either skip this subject or have to dig really deep in my archives to find suitable books.  Turns out I have read at least five books in the last year alone and had several once I looked in my past reviews.  So here are my top five books inspired and set in the Eastern World . . .

This was a beautiful and heart wrenching middle grade book.

If you are looking for a book that packs a punch, try this one, it is slow to build but so worth the time.

Fantasy novels can have a basis in non Western world cultures too, The Reader is one of my top books this year!

While maybe not 100% historically accurate it was still an enjoyable historical romance.

  

And I really couldn't leave this list without mentioning the Grisha Trilogy (now known as Shadow and Bone Trilogy).  I just finished this fantasy series with a basis in Russia and it was fantastic!

There are certainly many more that I am not mentioning too but there are my top recommendations.  I still have so many on my TBR too, including The Speaker, Samurai Rising, Flame in the Mist, The Tiger Queens, and many more.  What are your favorites? I can always do with more recommendations!