Benable ā create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
š Book Buzz 2025ā26
43
items 26
This list startedāand still functionsāas a personal TBR. Some titles Iāve read, some Iāve listened to, and others Iām still exploring. Each one made the cut for a reason: emotional payoff, standout narration, or a premise that caught my attention...
Sections
6
Ā
š Romance & Dark Romance
Ā
š Mystery & Thriller
Ā
šš Romantasy
Ā
š Memoirs & Biographies
Ā
š§āāļøš Witchy, Haunted & Hard to Put Down
Ā
š§ Great Listens
š Romance & Dark Romance
Messy love, magnetic tension, and emotional payoffāthese stories lean dramatic, sometimes taboo, and always unforgettable. Whether itās slow-burn angst, enemies-to-lovers, or high-stakes chemistry, each one offers a journey worth exploring. Iāve read...
Ā
Magnolia is Londonās most photographed heartbreak, and BJ is the bad-boy she canāt quit. Their love is a slow-motion car crashābeautiful, brutal, and impossible to look away from.
Audio availableāIāve heard itās a great listen, though I havenāt tried...
Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings, Paperback | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
Rex is a famous football player. Abbyās the bartender he never forgot. Their marriage of convenience is messy, tender, and unexpectedly real.
I listened to the audiobookāgreat narration.
š Homecoming King by Penny Reid
š Second-Chance Romance | š...
Homecoming King by Penny Reid, Paperback | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
James āHookā runs a criminal empire and wants revenge on Peter Michaels. His plan? Seduce Peterās daughter, Wendy. But what starts as manipulation turns into obsession, and Wendy finds herself drawn to the danger, even as the lines blur between man a...
Hooked (Collector's Edition) - Emily McIntire - Barnes & Noble
Ā
Prince Tristan was never meant to ruleābut heās ready to steal the throne from his cruel brother. Lady Sara arrives to marry the king and destroy the Faasa line, but her plan falters when she meets the scarred prince sheās been sent to kill. Their fo...
Scarred by Emily McIntire, Paperback | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
Evelina Westerly is the ruthless botanist behind her familyās drug empire. Nicholas Woodsworth is a DEA agent sent to infiltrate it. Their one-night stand turns into a tangled web of deception, obsession, and emotional chaos. Evelina is brilliant, br...
Wretched by Emily McIntire, Paperback | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
Julian Faraci is ruthless, calculating, and determined to take over Yasmin Karamās family empire. Yasmin is caught between duty, desire, and a secret love sheās trying to protect. Their relationship is a slow descent into obsession, control, and emot...
Twisted by Emily McIntire, Paperback | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
Father Cade FrĆ©dĆ©ric arrives in FestivalĆ© to cleanse the town of its sinsābut his own darkness is barely contained. Amaya Paquette, an exotic dancer caring for her autistic brother, becomes the focus of Cadeās twisted obsession. Their connection is d...
Crossed by Emily McIntire, Paperback | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
Adeline inherits her grandmotherās haunted mansionāand gains a stalker named Zade. Heās obsessed, dangerous, and disturbingly magnetic. Their relationship is twisted, intense, and emotionally brutal.
Iāve listened to the audiobookāgreat narration.
ļæ½...
Hunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton, Paperback | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
Rowan and Sloane kill bad people for funābut their annual murder game turns into something tender, obsessive, and weirdly sweet. Heās a chef with a soft heart. Sheās an artist with a scalpel. Together, theyāre messy, magnetic, and unforgettable.
Iāve...
Butcher & Blackbird (Ruinous Love Trilogy #1)
Ā
Scarlett, a marine biologist, is paired with her best friendās ex, an Olympic diver with secrets of his own. Their research project dives into grief, guilt, and a slow-burn connection thatās emotionally charged and kink-aware.
āØ Pending readāearly bu...
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood, Paperback
Ā
Venesa Kingston kills with poison and precision. Enzo Marino is the heir to a rival mafia familyāand engaged to Venesaās cousin. Their connection is electric, dangerous, and laced with betrayal.
Narration widely praisedāon my listen list.
š Enemies...
Hexed (B&N Exclusive Edition) (Never After Series #6) by Emily McIntire ...
š Mystery & Thriller
Twisty, unsettling, and impossible to put down. These thrillers dig into secrets, lies, and the psychology behind them. Iām drawn to layered suspense and emotional stakesāsharing whatās kept me up past midnight.
Ā
Best experienced in audioāsee Great Listen section for full breakdown
None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell, Hardcover | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
When Asherās girlfriend is found dead, his mother, Olivia, must confront the secrets of her pastāand the possibility that her son may not be who she thought.
āØ A layered mystery about identity, trauma, and the fragility of love.
š§ Dual narration by ...
Mad Honey (GMA Book Club Pick) - Jodi Picoult - Barnes & Noble
šš Romantasy
Fantasy worlds filled with emotional stakes and slow-burn chemistry. These stories blend immersive magic, tension-rich romance, and layered charactersāwhether itās dragon riders, cursed lovers, or enemies who canāt stay away. Expect dual POVs and sto...
Ā
Lily dies and wakes up in a bureaucratic Afterlife where demons need help sorting souls and fae flit between realms. She builds a āHellp Deskā in literal Hell, forging unlikely friendships and a slow-burn connection with Bel, a demon general. Itās qu...
For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn | eBook | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
Ophelia Grimm enters Phantasma, a deadly magical competition run by devils, to save her sister. The manor is filled with illusions, monsters, and seductive bargainsāincluding one with Blackwell, a mysterious phantom who offers help in exchange for te...
Phantasma by Kaylie Smith, Paperback | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
A shy librarian escapes magical upheaval with a suitcase of forbidden spellbooks and a spider plant named Caz. On her childhood island, she brews charms, sells jam, and slowly opens her heart to a nosy merhorse farmer.
āØ Cinnamon-roll magic, quiet re...
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, Hardcover | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
Onyx Storm (Standard Edition) by Rebecca Yarros, Hardcover
š Memoirs & Biographies
Raw, reflective, and deeply personal, these memoirs offer insight into fame, family, and identity. Some are laugh-out-loud funny, others quietly devastating, but every one is worth the listen.
Ā
Jennette McCurdyās memoir is raw, darkly funny, and emotionally devastating. She recounts her rise to fame on iCarly, her motherās obsessive control over her body and career, and her long path toward healing.
Balances heartbreak with resilience, and ...
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, Hardcover
Ā
The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir by Kelly Bishop, Hardcover
Ā
Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to ... - Barnes & Noble
Ā
From Rocky Horror to Clue to It, Tim Curry reflects on a life of iconic roles, reinvention, and surviving a strokeāwith wit, grit, and that unforgettable voice.
āØ Narrated by Curry himself, with archival clips and behind-the-scenes stories.
š¬ From a...
Vagabond: A Memoir by Tim Curry, Hardcover
Ā
The real-life friendship behind Gavin & Staceyāfrom script scraps to BAFTA wins, and everything they never said onscreen.
āØ Narrated by both authors, with cast messages and exclusive script excerpts.
š¬ Iām genuinely excited for this oneāitās war...
When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between: A Story of Love ...
Ā
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost): A Memoir
š§āāļøš Witchy, Haunted & Hard to Put Down
From cursed romances to haunted houses and primal pacts, these reads bring eerie tension, emotional depth, and just the right amount of spice. Whether itās witches in love, demons who donāt play fair, or secrets buried in the walls, each story casts ...
Ā
š§ Vampyre Politics | šŗ Arranged Marriage | š¶ļø Explicit Spice
Misery Lark, a Vampyre outcast, agrees to marry a ruthless Werewolf Alpha to uphold peaceābut sheās got her own secrets. Hazelwoodās paranormal debut blends biting humor, primal tension,...
Bride by Ali Hazelwood, Paperback | Barnes & NobleĀ®
Ā
A human scientist and a dominant Alpha clash over territoryāand desire. Hazelwoodās second paranormal romance is primal, funny, and deeply steamy, with emotional stakes that bite hard.
āØ High spice, supernatural tension, and fierce chemistry.
š§ Full...
Mate (B&N Exclusive Edition) - Ali Hazelwood
Ā
A folklore researcher returns home to find his family unravelingāand the local legends watching. Darkly funny, a little unhinged, and unsettling in all the right ways.
āØ Satirical horror, family secrets, and eerie small-town dread.
š§ Southern Gothi...
All Trap No Bait by Joseph Worthen, Paperback
Ā
A possessed property, a sharp-tongued heroine, and a haunting that refuses to play fair. Harrison blends biting humor with genuine chills.
āØ Sharp dialogue, spooky vibes, and emotional grit.
š» Haunted House | š
Feminist Horror | š¶ļø Mild Spice
Play Nice by Rachel Harrison, Hardcover
Ā
Somethingās wrong in the villageāand itās spreading. Creeping dread and eerie atmosphere for fans of Midsommar.
āØ Moody, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling.
š Folk Horror | š§¬ Small-Town Affliction | š¶ļø Low Spice
ITCH!: The darkly feminist horror novel crawling under your skin for Halloween ...
Ā
A crumbling estate, a grieving heir, and a legacy soaked in blood. Atmospheric and emotionally rich.
āØ Gothic immersion and BookTok-ready chills.
š° Gothic Horror | š©ø Epic Stakes | š¶ļø Low Spice
King Sorrow: A Novel (Signed Book) by Joe Hill, Hardcover
Ā
1765. A silver mine. A girl who might be cursedāor something worse. Historical horror meets romantic tension.
āØ Gothic vibes, emotional heat, and creeping dread.
š¹ Demonic Possession | š Forbidden Romance | š¶ļø Moderate Spice
The Possession of Alba DĆaz by Isabel CaƱas, Hardcover
Ā
A forbidden vampire romance set in a crumbling estate where secrets bleed and desire bites.
āØ Atmospheric, steamy, and emotionally intense.
š§ Audio available (romantic tension well delivered)
š° Gothic Romance | š©ø Forbidden Secrets | š¶ļøš¶ļø Modera...
My Blood Is Yours|Paperback - Chiara Forestieri
Ā
After his sisterās death, Tate retreats to Cape Codāonly to meet Wren, a woman whose past is tangled in spirits and silence.
āØ A haunting love story about grief, connection, and the thin veil between life and death.
š¬ Iāve been counting down for thi...
Remain: A Supernatural Love Story by Nicholas Sparks ...
š§ Great Listens
These audiobooks shine through narrationāwhether itās emotional chemistry, immersive pacing, or a voice that pulls you in. Iām exploring them for re-listen potential and emotional payoff. If you have favorites that fit this vibe, Iād love to hear abo...
Ā
This dark romcom about two vigilante serial killers somehow manages to be hilarious, romantic, and deeply twisted. The full duet narration by Lucy Rivers and Joe Arden brings Rowanās golden-retriever energy and Sloaneās chaotic brilliance to life.
Iā...
Butcher & Blackbird (Ruinous Love Trilogy #1) - Barnes & Noble
Ā
I first experienced this one in audio, and I genuinely believe thatās the best way to hear it. McCurdyās narration is intimate, biting, and deeply personalālike a private confession you werenāt meant to hear but canāt stop absorbing.
One of those lis...
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, Hardcover
Ā
Jaysea Lynnās Afterlife rom-com blends snark, soul work, and slow-burn tension in a way thatās made for audio. The narration brings Lilyās sarcasm and Belās brooding warmth to life, making this a standout listen for fans of genre-blending romance.
Iā...
For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn, Paperback
Ā
Emily McIntireās Wretched delivers a dark, emotionally charged romance with sharp narration that heightens the tension and character depth. Evelina and Nicholas are magnetic, messy, and unforgettable.
Iāve listenedāgreat narration that amplifies the ...
Audiobooks, Emily McIntire
Ā
Emily McIntireās Twisted delivers a dark, emotionally layered romance with narration that sharpens every power play and vulnerability. Julian and Yasminās dynamic is intense, manipulative, and magneticāperfectly suited for audio.
Iāve listenedāgreat ...
Twisted (Never After Series #4) by Emily McIntire, Paperback
Ā
Haunting Adelineās narration pulls listeners into a tense, obsessive relationship steeped in psychological darkness and gothic dread. The voice actors deliver an intimate, chilling performance that heightens every moment of suspense and emotional tur...
Haunting Adeline: Cat and Mouse Duet, Book 1
Ā
None of This Is True unfolds like a true crime docuseriesācomplete with interviews, voice memos, and layered narration that blurs fiction and reality. I first experienced it in audio, and I genuinely believe thatās the best way to hear this one. The ...
None of This Is True: A Novel by Lisa Jewell, Paperback
Ā
From Rocky Horror to Clue to It, Tim Curry reflects on a life of iconic roles, reinvention, and surviving a strokeāwith wit, grit, and that unforgettable voice.
āØ Narrated by Curry himself, with archival clips and behind-the-scenes stories.
š¬ From a...
Vagabond: A Memoir by Tim Curry, Hardcover
Ā
The real-life friendship behind Gavin & Staceyāfrom script scraps to BAFTA wins, and everything they never said onscreen.
āØ Narrated by both authors, with cast messages and exclusive script excerpts.
š¬ Iām genuinely excited for this oneāitās war...
When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between: A Story of Love ...
Ā
Frankie, a sexologist who uses a wheelchair, seeks advice on accessible rope play. Jay, a rigger with a soft spot for chaos, offers helpāand sparks fly. Their dynamic is playful, respectful, and emotionally grounded, with kink explored through trust ...
Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell, Paperback
Ā
Rennerās raw, intimate memoir of survival and recoveryānarrated by him. Gritty, hopeful, and unexpectedly tender.
Memoir | š Resilience | š§ Author-Narrated | šæ Emotional Depth
My Next Breath: A Memoir by Jeremy Renner, Hardcover