Hello and a very warm welcome to damppebbles. It’s Tuesday which means it’s time for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday post. I’ve decided to take part in That Artsy Reader Girl’s Top Ten Tuesday meme to mix things up a little here at damppebbles. My original plan was to participate as and when I had the time to put a post together. That then turned into posting ‘weekly without fail’ until I was forced to take a break following surgery to both shoulders (that recovery happened to coincide with a complete and utter loss of reading AND blogging mojo 🤷🏻‍♀️).

But that was then and this is now. By the time this post is published I will have undergone shoulder surgery for the third time. I still have one more round to go – date to be confirmed – but I’m hanging everything on that fourth surgery being the end of it. No more please! The first time I went through this, I really wasn’t prepared and ended up taking a lot of time away from the blog (and reading. I stopped reading). This time, I’m ready. I’ve worked hard since discovering more surgery was required and planned content for a  number of weeks, including this post which I sit here writing on Valentine’s weekend, halfway through February. Things will be different this time and hopefully, by getting a few posts written ahead of schedule, it will give me the kick up the bum to continue writing these posts in advance.

The meme was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish but has lived with Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl since January 2018. It was created to encompass a love of books, of lists and to bring readers together. If you would also like to take part then you’re very welcome: the more, the merrier. Just make sure you link back to Jana’s post every week. If you don’t have a blog then no problem, just add your list to the comments below.

This week’s theme is Things Characters Have Said (Maybe a character said something really profound or romantic or hilarious or heart breaking. You could share witty one-liners, mic-drop moments, snippets of funny dialogue between multiple characters, catchphrases, quotes that have become a part of pop culture–like “May the odds be ever in your favor.”, etc.).

Last week I struggled to remember what time period books I have read were set in. Was this historical? Was that futuristic? I just don’t know! 🤯There’s no way on this earth I’ll be able to remember things characters have said! So I’m giving that one a wide berth. Thank you but no. So instead I’m going with The Last Ten Books to Give Me a Book Hangover from the TTT archives. It shouldn’t be too difficult, right? Those books are the books that really do stick in the mind! Can I compile a list of ten though…

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1. We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker
Always first on the list. Always first in my heart. This book is everything and if you haven’t read it, then I’m sorry but we can no longer be friends 🤭

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2. All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
Because he’s that kind of author. Chris Whitaker takes two places on this week’s list because he is king of the book hangover. I haven’t reviewed this one yet because of the debacle I mentioned above but look out for my review around paperback publication day.

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3. I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
This book! A story about teenager, Tolly Driver, who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. The course of his life is changed forever and not for the good. Absolutely incredible. It should have been on my top books of 2024 list but due to my incompetence, it was left off. So good. I never wanted my time with Tolly and Amber to end.

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4. Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate
I think this was a bit of a Marmite book for many people. Personally, I loved it and kept thinking about it for weeks afterwards. Looking forward to more from this author in the future.

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5. Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding
I still think about this book often. I think it’s the initial set up of the story. I find the scene in the backroom of the pub with a disparate group of women all stood around quite haunting. Powerful yet haunting. Total book hangover. A fabulously, dark book.

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6. Come with Me by Ronald Malfi
In the same way I started this list with a couple of Chris Whitaker books, I may finish this list with Ronald Malfi’s entire back catalogue! Seems the easy way out though so I’ll keep to just two for now. A sublime book. Couldn’t stop thinking about it afterwards.

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7. Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi
Second book by Ronald Malfi. I’m a very character focussed reader. Characters are everything to me so the authors who put their hearts and souls into their characters will always get my vote. Highly emotional, highly affecting. Total book hangover.

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8. On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel
Not a book I would normally have picked up but something drew me to the synopsis of this one. Stunning though. It broke me and left me bereft. Perfect book hangover reading.

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9. Black Widows by Cate Quinn
As soon as I laid eyes on this book I knew I HAD to read it. This one got under my skin and I’ve read every thriller the author has published since. Black Widows put Cate Quinn’s books on my auto-buy list.

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10. More Than You’ll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez
Oh my goodness, this book! Highly emotional, totally gripping. I loved every single second I spent reading this one. Just *chef’s kiss* from start to finish. Mwah!

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A fairly easy list for me to compile this week. These are the books that left their mark on me. The ones I keep within my heart and the ones I start talking about as soon as I’m asked for recommendations. They’re a fairly odd mix of books but to me, they’re perfect.

Have you read any of these books? Are there any on my list that take your fancy? What was the last book to leave you with a book hangover? Are you taking part in Top Ten Tuesday this week? Let me know in the comments.

So there we have it! If you fancy joining in next week then head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl’s blog to find out what the next topic is!

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