Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Summer 2026 Reading List 📚
19
items I am a HUGE book lover and I have been curating the perfect summer reading list. Whether you're at the beach, poolside, or sneaking chapters after the kids go to bed! I broke it into my three favorite summer genres so there is something for every moo...
Sections
4
True Crime
Historical Fiction
Book Club Fiction
Personal Favorites
True Crime
Okay, true crime is my guilty pleasure and I am not sorry about it! There is nothing like a gripping real-life story to make you feel like a detective yourself. These are the books that had me staying up WAY too late because I absolutely could not st...
Cold cases, cons, diamond heists, and celebrity scams, this anthology has it all and every single story is wildly impossible to put down.
The Best True Crime Stories of the Year 2026
A wrongly convicted man, a corrupt city, and a fight for freedom, already named a New Yorker best book of 2026 and it earns every bit of that praise.
Injustice Town: A Corrupt City, a Wrongly Convicted Man, and a Struggle for Freedom
An undercover FBI agent poses as a live-in nanny to investigate a family with ties to organized crime. Fast-paced, twisty, and so addicting.
The Invisible Woman: A Thriller
A wild ride through the outlaw era of the American West. Legends, lawbreakers, and stories that feel too crazy to be true, but are!
Bandit Heaven
The terrifying true story of Richard Ramirez with new insights into his psychology. A classic true crime read that still gives chills on every page.
The Night Stalker: Disturbing Life & Crimes
Historical Fiction
Historical fiction is my absolute FAVORITE genre. There is nothing like being transported to another time and place through the pages of a beautiful book. These picks are sweeping, emotional, and so richly written you will feel like you actually lived them. 2026 is an incredible year for this genre ...
Set in post-Famine Ireland, this is a sweeping, emotional masterpiece about displacement, memory, and resilience. Maggie O'Farrell never misses and this one is already one of the most anticipated books of the year.
Land
Inspired by the real Irish folk heroine Grace O'Malley who risked everything for her people in 16th century Ireland. Fierce, adventurous, and impossible to forget.
The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon - Penguin Random House
A richly imagined story set in ancient Egypt from one of the queens of biographical historical fiction. Lush, dramatic, and absolutely transporting.
Daughter of Egypt: A Novel
A mother and daughter race to break a family curse across 1940s Hong Kong and 1960s San Francisco. Unique, cinematic, and so unlike anything else on this list.
Fishbone Cinderella
Anne Boleyn wakes up the day after her execution and seeks justice. Darkly brilliant, feminist, and the kind of premise that grabs you on page one and never lets go.
The Beheading Game: A Novel
Book Club Fiction
These are the books that get everyone TALKING! The kind you fly through and then immediately want to call your girlfriends about. Perfect for your summer book club or just for you, no group required! These are my top picks that are big on emotion, friendship, and stories that stick with you long ...
A deeply moving story of two lifelong friends whose worlds collide after tragedy. Rich with sisterhood, identity, and resilience in the American South.
Kin by Tayari Jones | Goodreads
A couple's home burns down the very night they decide to divorce. What follows is a messy, funny, and heartfelt family saga you won't be able to put down.
The Burning Side: A Novel
Sun-soaked, witty, and full of secrets, the kind of summer novel that feels like a vacation all on its own.
Villa Coco: A Novel
A murder-mystery romcom set at a country club with eccentric rich people and a hero with "a heart of gold and abs of steel." This one is pure beach read perfection.
Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke
Two women swap places to uncover a husband's secrets. Then he turns up dead. Buckle up because this one does NOT slow down.
Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston | Goodreads
Personal Favorites
My personal collection of must-read books featuring inspiring stories, powerful ideas, and memorable characters across a variety of genres.
Loved this book! A heartwarming historical novel inspired by a true story that blends adventure, resilience, and an unforgettable journey across America.
West with Giraffes: West with Giraffes
One of those rare books that stays with you long after the last page, reminding you to appreciate the life you're living.
The Midnight Library (GMA Book Club Pick)
An eye-opening read that offers valuable insights and practical ideas for raising resilient kids in a digital world.
The Anxious Generation: Raising Resilient, Tech-Savvy ...
A brilliant blend of science, humor, and adventure that keeps you hooked from beginning to end.
Project Hail Mary | Barnes & Noble®