Top Ten Tuesday

#TopTenTuesday: The (Book) Squatters in My Head

Dini @ dinipandareads49 Comments

We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week’s topic is: Books That Live in My Head Rent-Free (submitted by Emma @ damppebbles.com)

Gotta admit that with my stellar goldfish memory + brain fog combo, books rarely “live in my head rent free” no matter how much I loved them or how much they impacted me emotionally. It doesn’t take me long to forget most details and unlike many readers who become obsessed with a book, I can’t recall many specific scenes from books that are even in my all-time favourites list. However, every now and then, there will be snapshots of scenes that sudden pop into my mind, and often when I think about a book that I’ve loved (and that became a new favourite), the overwhelming emotions I felt when I read it still linger.

So those will be the books on today’s list (also, there will are two bonus books because I couldn’t keep it to 10)! You probably will notice a pattern, too. 😂 Just please don’t test me on them, lol.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Jade City by Fonda Lee
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Persuasion by Jane Austen

Normal People by Sally Rooney
The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He
The Goddess of Nothing At All by Cat Rector
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Have you read any of these books? Do they also live rent free in your head?

Blog signature that reads: Let's Chat! xoxo, Dini

49 thoughts on “#TopTenTuesday: The (Book) Squatters in My Head”

    • It’s so good. I still haven’t finished the trilogy yet, but I’m hoping Assassin’s Quest in the next few months. I’m excited but scared after how the second book ended. 😂 Are you listening to the re-recorded audios (not sure they’ve done it for all the books in the realm)? I sampled the new audio for the third book the other day and I reckon I might get it cos this narrator sounds so much better than the original. I hope you love your re-read journey! 😍

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  2. Ooh The Shadow of the Wind is a good one! I didn’t include that but I definitely could have. I read it well over 15 years ago and it still pops up occasionally!

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  4. I am the same too! I mostly recall a specific scene and the emotions not the entire plot haha. Still counts! I have a few books from your list that I want to get to! I sadly decided not to read Little Life because it would be too triggering for me but glad you enjoyed it!

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    • I’m loving all the “same here” comments because it makes me feel less terrible for not remembering the books I say I love 😂 Oh yeah, I can totally understand why you wouldn’t read A Little Life. Despite loving it and thinking “maybe one day I’ll re-read it” in my heart, I know I probably wouldn’t and I also don’t recommend it to others. It put me in a 3+ month book hangover and I was an absolute emotional wreck! 💀 But it’s made my list for that reason and how deep it go into my bones.

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  5. Oh, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue! I still often think about that book too! And I’m the same, I forget a lot about books after reading them, but some things like scenes or quotes, or just feelings, do stick around, at least for the favourites 🙂

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    • Scenes from that book really flash through my head so often, it’s kinda wild. 🤪 I’m not asking to feel my emotions rioting at random, but apparently, my brain thinks that’s what I need. Ugh, I love that book so much! 💜

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  12. I get it, I very seldom remember details about the books I read too, but I remember the emotions I feel when I read them and some stay with me long after I’ve forgotten everything else. You’ve got some good books on your list. I loved Jade City and Tomorrow x3 so much. I also loved Addie Larue and The Buffalo Hunter Hunter but not as much as the first two 😂

    Haze
    https://thebookhaze.com/

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    • It’s comforting seeing that others remember books in the same way I do. I really thought everyone out there was remembering all the fine details, especially of the books they loved (and also read yonks ago)! Jade City and Tomorrowx3 absolutely wrecked me in the best way. Gosh, the latter especially still makes my heart squeeze with devastation, lol

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    • As they’re on this list, I’m clearly an advocate for reading both books 😂 But I would say that they might be ‘right mood, right time’ type of reads, especially as they’re slower burns (and I also say that as a mood reader, lol). If you do ever decide to give them a go, I hope you enjoy them!

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    • I totally get it. I think with all the hype cropping up about the series now, I might hesitate to pick it up too. 🫣 But as chonky as the books are, Hobb’s writing is so good, I feel like I fly through the books. I hope you enjoy her books if/when you pick them up!

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  21. Robin Hobb, I forgot about that one. haha. I guess, it’s not super free in there. Did you change your page to the clouds!? I love it.. it feels so whimsy and fantastical. I really need to read Buffalo Buffalo Hunter!!

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    • Maybe the third book will be the one that lives rent free? 🤭 And yes, I did change up my page design (background and the main blog header)! It was a super rando decision at like midnight over the weekend 😂 I’m pretty happy with how it looks together though. I hope you looove Buffalo Hunter Hunter whenever you get around ot it!

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