My Tuesday is shaping up to be a busy one, but I didn't want to miss out on participating in my favorite weekly blogging event.  Top Ten Tuesday is always a lot of fun.  It's a great way to find new blogs, revisit old favorites, and get lots of great reading recommendations.  Who cares if your TBR list is already miles long?  If you want to participate (and you SO do), go on over to The Broke and the Bookish and read up on how the meme works.  Then make your own list and have a good time checking out other lists around the book blogosphere!

Today's topic is: Top Ten Books With __________ Characters.  I decided to fill in the blank with "Twin."  My mother is an identical twin; maybe that's why I've always been fascinated with twins.  Whatever the reason, I read a lot of books with such characters, so here's a list of the first ten that came to mind.

2.  Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling—On to the most lovable literary twins, Fred and George Weasley.  It's impossible not to be charmed by these mischief-loving brothers.


3.  The Bobbsey Twins series by Laura Lee Hope—I adored these books as a child!


4.  Sweet Valley High series by Francine Pascal—Here's another blast from the past.  I inhaled these silly high school stories about Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, twins who are identical but have very different personalities.  Their various dramas kept me thoroughly engrossed as a young reader.


7.  In the Woods by Tana French—The Irish writer's debut mystery/thriller features a young murder victim who is a twin.  French's books are always can't-look-away compelling.

I love Tuesdays in book blogger land.  Why?  Because that's when my favorite weekly meme happens!  If you haven't participated in Top Ten Tuesday before, you really should.  It's a fun way to grow your TBR list (because you can NEVER have too many books in the queue—ha ha), find fabulous new book blogs, and spread the comment love.  To join in, click on over to The Broke and the Bookish for some easy instructions, then have a great time hopping all over the book blogosphere!

Not surprisingly, today's prompt has to do with summer reading.  In fact, it's a Summer Reads Freebie.  I've mentioned before that I'm not a big fan of heat and summer.  I live in a suburb of Phoenix, so I basically spend 9 months out of the year hibernating inside my house with the air conditioning cranked down as low as it can go.  I do, however, love the beach.  Not so much its bright, sunny side; it's dark, dreary beach days that I love.  My list today reflects that preference.

Top Ten Moody, Broody Beach Reads:


1. Almost anything by Peter May—Many of May's novels are set by the sea.  My favorites are Entry Island and his Lewis Trilogy.


 2. The Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths—Ruth is a forensic archaeologist who lives near the sea in Norfolk.  She solves all kinds of mysteries, most (all?) of which boast moody, broody beach settings.  Start with The Crossing Places.


3. The Jess Tennant series by Jane Casey— This YA mystery/suspense series by Irish crime writer Casey is set on the English coast, where there's plenty of blustery atmosphere to be had.  Start with How to Fall.


4.  Almost anything by Kate Morton—Morton is one of my all-time favorite authors.  Many (most?) of her novels are set near water of some kind or another.  My favorites are The Lake House and The Secret Keeper although I've loved all her books.


5.  The Edge of the Earth by Christina Schwarz—This novel, about a newlywed couple who impulsively decide to take a job tending a lighthouse on a remote California island, is the only one on my list that is set wholly in the U.S.


 6.  Broadchurch by Erin Kelly—Based on a popular English tv miniseries, this novel is all kinds of moody/broody.


7.  Shetland series by Ann Cleeves—This mystery series is set in the Shetland Islands, an unforgiving landscape that lends a dramatic air to each story.  Start with Raven Black.


8.  At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen—I loved this dreary novel about a trio of disgraced American socialites who go Lochness Monster hunting in the Scottish Highlands on a lark—and get a lot more than they bargained for.


 9.  The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne—This eerie suspense story will keep you turning pages all night long.


10.  Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton—This twisty thriller is set in the Falkland Islands, another harsh landscape that lends a dramatic backdrop to a gripping story.

So, that's my twist on this week's topic.  What's yours?  Do you have any favorite books that I should add to my list?  Leave me a comment and I'll gladly return the favor.

Happy Top Ten Tuesday!