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!
Books I Enjoyed
92
items I read mostly suspense and women's fiction with some other stuff thrown in. Here are some books that I really enjoyed over the past several years. I mostly listen to audiobooks so these likely have an audio version and may have notes about that. 📚🎧
Sections
4
Mystery/Suspense Fiction
RomCom-Style/Lifey Fiction
Nonfiction
Classics
Mystery/Suspense Fiction
I try to steer clear of too much gore or disturbing abuse and torture. I enjoy psychological and some domestic thrillers. I am not really into cozy mysteries because they can be too silly for me, although some of my choices veer into that territory.
I loved the first two books in this series, but NOT the third. This has a fun, Veronica Mars vibe and likable, smart characters. Something happens and the third ones goes off the rails, in my opinion. The audio is a little more frills than I prefer, ...
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder 3 Book Set - Holly Jackson
I have a major soft spot for Mary Higgins Clark. This was probably the first suspense book I read as a teen and it got me interested in the genre as a whole. I love her clean and predictably-sanitized stories when I need an escape from heavier stuff.
A Cry In The Night: Clark, Mary Higgins
Domestic thriller. The tagline got me and I really enjoyed this.
Lies: A Novel: Logan, T. M.
Christian mystery series that I really enjoyed. I *don't* care for the audiobook reader on this--she sounds too old for the character and it's confusing. But if you want a clean suspense with some romance, this is fun. It has its preachy moments that...
The Million Dollar Mysteries - Mindy Starns Clark
A mistaken inheritance story that lures a woman to a family estate with lots of secrets. Kind of Knives Outish but a little more serious. Good! I still think about it.
The Death of Mrs. Westaway: Ware, Ruth
A con artist story, which I like. Took a bit to warm up to it, but then I really enjoyed it. It takes place in Tahoe, which was a fun setting that I don't encounter often.
Pretty Things: A Novel
This is part of a series (that I accidentally started in the middle), but I enjoyed it. I don't remember why, though. 😆 I've read a lot of Kate White because she's a reliably good author.
Such a Perfect Wife: A Novel - Kate White
This grabbed me from the first sentence, which is rare. It has a unique story and it also helped me appreciate collage art, which I never cared about before.
Between Two Strangers: A Novel of Suspense - Kate White
Kind of soapy, but entertaining and a fun escape.
The Senator's Wife: A Novel
An escape from an abusive husband situation with some surprises, and I really enjoyed it.
Never Let You Go: A Novel - Chevy Stevens
A story about an abused wife on the run, but with a twist to keep you confused/guessing until the end. I really enjoyed this!
Dear Wife: A Novel - Kimberly Belle
After Iris' husband is killed in a plane crash, she learns that he had been keeping some big secrets from her. I really enjoyed this. I was hooked from the start. More [cow] Belle!
The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle
Shay witnesses a suicide in a NYC subway stop and is, naturally, traumatized. But she also feels a strange connection to and curiosity about the mystery woman who chose to end her life. As she seeks out more information, she meets new friends that se...
You Are Not Alone - Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
Molly and Jake had a passionate and intense relationship when they were both young and he was trying to make it big with his band. Years later, things have changed and Molly is with someone new, but there are secrets that her old nemesis CC wants to ...
Can't Look Away - Carola Lovering
Really good and unique, with a balance of mystery and family relationship stuff that I enjoyed. The first in the series is probably the best, but I enjoyed the others too.
The Face on the Milk Carton - Caroline B. Cooney
Hen and her husband Lloyd move into a new neighborhood. When having dinner at the next-door neighbor's house, Hen recognizes a trophy from a news story she had read in the past and gets suspicious about the neighbor. I was really into this. Some of t...
Before She Knew Him - Peter Swanson
A con-artist story about Skye, a young heiress living in NYC who falls for an older man, Burke. The book switches perspective between three characters and various time periods to explain everything that happens. At first I was feeling critical about ...
Too Good to Be True - Carola Lovering
Brynn is spending the summer in Saratoga, NY with her husband, recuperating after a terrible car accident she was in three months before. She's been having nightmares about the accident and feels there's more to learn about it. Then there's a murder,...
The Secrets You Keep: A Novel
Alice and her partner, Leo, move in together into a gated circle of houses in London. Alice misses her smaller hometown and tries to befriend the neighbors, but there are secrets and mysteries in the circle--and especially in her house. My faith in P...
The Therapist - B. A. Paris
Summer joins her husband and step-son for their annual extended-family vacation on the large and beautiful garden property belonging to her mother- and father-in-law. Summer's brother-in-law has brought his new girlfriend, Hannah, and Summer realizes...
The Fiancee - Kate White
A slightly different take on an amnesia story (which are generally pretty interesting). Allie loses her memories, but then most everything comes back to her *except* for the past two days when something must've happened to make her disassociate. She ...
Have You Seen Me? - Kate White
Addison Hope remembers nothing before 2 years ago when she was picked up by a kind stranger while walking on the side of a road. Since then, she's built a new life, but she still wants to know more about her past. I was a little skeptical about this ...
The Stranger in the Mirror - Liv Constantine
The book begins with multi-millionaire Nina writing in her diary that she's worried her husband is going to kill her, and just in case anything happens, police should look at him first. Then we get the rest of the story leading up to and beyond that ...
The Wife Who Knew Too Much - Michele Campbell
This was my first try at this author and I enjoyed the story about searching for a missing sister who had been gone for 10 years.
The Second Sister - Claire Kendal
Karen rushes from an abandoned restaurant and, in her panic, crashes her car into a utility pole. She suffers a concussion and some memory loss about the events leading up to the accident. When a man is found dead at the restaurant, Karen is question...
A Stranger in the House - Shari Lapena
This is hard for me to sum up, so I'm stealing some of the official description: Sarah is offered a way to solve a desperate situation with her intolerable (and powerful) boss who is harassing her. A once-in-a-lifetime deal that will make all her pro...
29 Seconds - T. M. Logan
While driving home on a dark road during a rainstorm, Cass sees a woman in her car on the side of the road. She slows down to help, but thinks better of it and continues on when the woman doesn't flag her at all. The next day she discovers the woman ...
The Breakdown - B. A. Paris
Finn's girlfriend, Layla, disappeared one night more than 10 years ago. After much grieving and searching, Finn eventually attempts to move on with his life and ends up in a relationship with Layla's sister, Ellen. (Yes, that's weird!) Right after th...
Bring Me Back: A Novel
This book begins with Rowan writing to a lawyer from her jail cell. She's been arrested for the murder of a child she was nannying, but she swears she's innocent and is desperate for help to clear her name. The entire book is told in a letter to the ...
The Turn of the Key - Ruth Ware
If you enjoy a series with plenty of books, this one is pretty good (and popular). I have read to about O... I started getting a little tired/bored, but one day I might go back to them. The main character is likable and I enjoy going along with her a...
Kinsey Millhone Series - Sue Grafton
Chloe is a famous women's magazine editor and feminist whose husband is murdered one night while she's at a party. Due to her fame, the case is high profile, and then it doesn't help that the police suspect her son as the murderer. I really enjoyed t...
The Better Sister: A Twisty Domestic Noir
A thriller about a serial killer who finds his prey via online dating sites. But really, this is more about Paige--a newly single and jobless 30-something--and her friend Chloe whose husband is cheating, her widowed mother, and her cousin Heather who...
All the Wrong Places: A Novel
If you're a MHC fan, this is a nice/cozy series that gets even more enjoyable when Alafair Burke helps out with the writing. (She adds more current dialogue, for one.)
Under Suspicion Series by Mary Higgins Clark
Alice Humphreys, daughter of a famous movie director, takes a job managing an art gallery despite it seeming a little too good to be true. Then lots of drama happens, including a murder where she is the prime suspect. Meanwhile, a teenage girl goes m...
Long Gone - Alafair Burke
Angela's husband, well-known author Jason Powell, is accused of sexual harassment, and things seem to get worse from there. Now with the spotlight even more on her family, she struggles to keep her past a secret while deciding whether she believes he...
The Wife: A Novel of Psychological Suspense
Olivia and Jack were engaged 20 years ago, but she hasn't spoken to him since their breakup and is surprised when Jack's teenage daughter calls her office. Jack is being accused of murder, and Olivia, a successful defense lawyer, is asked to represen...
The Ex - Alafair Burke
Emily decides she must leave her family behind and start her life over in London as Cat Brown. She keeps her past--even the fact that she's an identical twin--a secret to her London friends as she takes on her new identity by finding a job, a differe...
One Step Too Far: A Novel
Myron Bolitar is a sports agent who ends up investigating various murders in this series. There are some great characters (Win! Esperanza!) and plenty of LOLs in the middle of serious topics. Harlan Coben is a great writer. I haven't actually finishe...
Myron Bolitar Series - Harlan Coben
Emily's rape from 13 years ago is coming back to haunt her after she and her cop husband move from New York to Texas. When Emily gets involved with some of the rich and mysterious women in her town, creepy stuff begins to happen, and someone goes mis...
Lie Still - Julia Heaberlin
RomCom-Style/Lifey Fiction
For some reason calling it "romance" seems weird, and I never loved the terms "chick-lit" or “women's fiction," though I guess that's how you can describe them. Not all of these are heavy on the comedy (or even the romance!), but they are generally l...
Emily Giffin has a way with hooking you right away and throughout the book. Even when you're a little mad at the characters.
Something Borrowed: A Novel: Emily Giffin - Books
Sequel to Something Borrowed and in some ways I like it even more. I recently reread it and remembered how good it is.
Something Blue: A Novel: Giffin, Emily
Another great author with lots of good books. Sometimes I LOL while listening even while out on a walk.
Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
Almost every one of her books is worth a read. Almost.
All Books By Emily - Emily Giffin
Another great one...I need to reread it sometime.
Love the One You're With: A Novel: Giffin, Emily
Sweet and good.
Where We Belong: A Novel: Giffin, Emily
Super cute with the charm of email exchanges.
Very Sincerely Yours: Winfrey, Kerry - Books
Soooo good. Warm and fuzzy.
Attachments: A Novel by Rainbow Rowell
So good. Witty email exchanges and a fascinating look at behind the scenes of a show like SNL.
Romantic Comedy: A Novel by Curtis Sittenfeld
Definitely a different take on Pride and Prejudice, but I really enjoyed it.
Eligible: A Modern Pride and Prejudice
Yeah pretty much anything she writes is good. So funny and feel-good.
Kerry Winfrey – Author
Probably my favorite Kinsella book, and I've read a lot of hers. Heartwarming.
Twenties Girl - Kinsella, Sophie: Books
A very enjoyable series! Lots of likable characters and even the "bad" ones are sympathetic. Fun, easy reading.
American Royals by Katharine McGee
Another author with a lot of good books. This is one of those Sliding Doors types where you see two different life directions. Loved it.
Maybe in Another Life: A Novel
I love a good amnesia story.
What Alice Forgot: Moriarty, Liane: 9780425247440
After a tough breakup, Cecily is at an NYC bar trying to avoid dwelling on her ex, Matthew, when she meets Grant. He's tall, handsome, and mysterious and she finds herself totally infatuated. She welcomes the distraction and dives into a relationship...
The Lies That Bind: A Novel
Mae is trapped in a sort of Groundhog Day situation, only it's Christmastime at a cabin in Utah. I thought a Christmasy book would be fun, and though I almost gave up on this immediately, I'm glad I changed my mind. It's a cute little romance in a sw...
In a Holidaze - Christina Lauren
After her twin sister and brother-in-law get super sick at their wedding, Olive goes on the honeymoon in her sister's place, since it was a prize and can't be refunded. Unfortunately (yeahright), her hot nemesis, Ethan, is going in place of his broth...
The Unhoneymooners - Christina Lauren
Christian historical romance, if you're into that sort of thing. I take this genre in small doses, but it's like a warm hug when the other stuff gets too depressing. This series is fun and has interesting characters for each book.
Mayfield Family Series - Josi S. Kilpack
On the day Evvie is planning to leave her husband Tim, he is killed in a car accident. No one knows her secret about leaving, or that she doesn't miss him. In her small town in Maine, she is careful to put on the acceptable "grieving widow" persona s...
Evvie Drake Starts Over - Linda Holmes
Emma's husband Jesse is presumed dead after a helicopter accident over the ocean. After grieving for a couple of years, Emma reconnects with old high school friend, Sam, and falls in love again. Once engaged to Sam, Emma receives a phone call from Je...
One True Loves - Taylor Jenkins Reid
Lauren and Ryan have been together for 11 years--married for 6 of them. Marriage has become stale and loveless, and there is tension and fighting on a regular basis. The two decide to separate for one year to see if it gives them any clarity on what ...
After I Do - Taylor Jenkins Reid
Abbey is a married mother of two whose feeling tired, frustrated, and unappreciated at work. When she comes across a magazine photo of the handsome, high-society Alex van Holt, she starts wondering what life would be like married to him. When she lat...
The One That Got Away - Leigh Himes
Charlie, a pro tennis player, injures herself badly at Wimbledon. When her coach expresses doubt in her ability to fully recover, Charlie decides to hire a new coach--the sexist, demanding, hot-tempered Todd who usually only coaches male players. Tod...
The Singles Game
This is basically a Freaky Friday story where two 38-year-old best friends switch bodies after an argument at their high school reunion about who has a better life. One friend is a married mom, the other is a TV host. Fun with a magical twist. Light,...
Your Perfect Life - Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke
A story about a celebrity marriage that breaks up. Liftin wrote this based on tabloid material, and it's obviously mostly about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. It deals with cult life (Scientology under a different name), the challenges of fame, the acc...
Movie Star by Lizzie Pepper - Hilary Liftin
Three 50-year-old women (and best friends) are given the opportunity to go back 10 years and relive the year after they turned 40, when they all made big decisions that impacted the rest of their lives. This was my first time reading this author and ...
The Year We Turned Forty - Fenton & Steinke
Kate is about to get married when her fiance Max says he can't go through with it, and that he has fallen in love with someone else. In her grief, Kate writes a Facebook status update saying she wishes she could go back a month in time. She wakes up ...
The Status of All Things - Fenton & Steinke
Anna Jane is ready to move on now that her ex-husband is remarrying and she is engaged. But when her ex's wedding gets postponed due to an illness in the family, she second-guesses her feelings.
(I used to read a lot of MKA novels. I love learning a...
Spring Fever - Mary Kay Andrews
Cara, a divorced floral designer in Savannah, is struggling to keep her business afloat after she encounters unexpected expenses. In addition, her dad is pressuring her about the loan money she owes him, her clients are stressing her out, her assista...
Save The Date - Mary Kay Andrews
Georgie has to stay back home in California, for work, while her husband Neal and their daughters go to Nebraska for Christmas. Things are tense when Neal leaves, and then Georgia can't reach him to talk things over while he's away. Until she tries u...
Landline - Rainbow Rowell
Brooke works two jobs to support her musician husband, Julian, while he takes every opportunity to perform and build his career. But when things finally take off for him, life gets much more complicated as Julian and Brooke deal with being in the spo...
Last Night at Chateau Marmont - Lauren Weisberger
Courtney--from the present--wakes up to find herself in a different body and time period. Her dream of experiencing life in a Jane Austen novel has come to life as she inhabits the body of Jane Mansfield in 1813. This book has a fun sequel, too!
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict - Laurie Viera Rigler
Sequel to Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict. I'm not sure I enjoyed this quite as much as I did the first time, but there could be many reasons. It's still a good book, and I recommend the series (if two books = a series?).
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict
It's been quite awhile, but I remember enjoying this.
Enthusiasm
Nonfiction
I don't read a lot of nonfiction, but there are some books that deserve a mention here.
A really interesting book with helpful advice and Fischer's experiences from attending theater college, to moving to LA and being a starving artist, to her success on The Office. I enjoyed this a lot! She wrote it as a guide for others who are intere...
The Actor's Life: A Survival Guide - Jenna Fischer
A good read when it feels like you're having to speak Christianese and pretend in order to fit in with “model Christians.” This book meant a lot to me when I read it. I still think of it and sometimes read back on highlighted portions. I could relate...
Grace for the Good Girl: Letting Go
I enjoyed Kaling's first book, but I think I liked this one better. She's funny and relatable, and it's great listening to her read the audio.
Why Not Me?: Kaling, Mindy
The true story of a woman who got tired of her stressful advertising job in Los Angeles and decided to quit and move to Paris. The story talks about how she managed to save up enough money, and then what happened when she went to Paris with a dream o...
Paris Letters: A Memoir of Art and Love
I know some would say this book is outdated or ridiculous, but it really did help give me insight in earlier relationships. Then I reread it just a few years ago (now that I'm married) and it was still pretty interesting. Of course it won't always ap...
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
A memoir by a food blogger I've been following (off and on) for years. This book reads almost like a Sarah Dessen novel, telling the story of Andie and her struggle with overeating and being overweight from childhood. I was hooked and finished this b...
It Was Me All Along: A Memoir by Andie Mitchell
Like the subtitle says, this is the story of the man who was/is known as the North Pond Hermit in central Maine. Christopher Knight drove into a forest at age 20, left his car behind and set up camp for 27 years. He never spoke to anyone during that ...
The Stranger in the Woods: Last True Hermit
Dan recommended this to me after I expressed an interest in long-distance walking. It's Bryson's experience hiking the Appalachian Trail. As Dan reassured me, it was a more light-hearted take than some of the rougher styles of books on wilderness sur...
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
This book had me hooked from start to finish. It has so many universal feelings even if you're not in the same boat. The author (who used to be a blogger) is funny and honest about the process she and her husband went through to adopt her children fr...
Hypothetical Future Baby: Adoption Memoir
Classics
I'm not always sure when a book becomes a classic, but I'll make my best guess for books that go here. :D
After getting shocking news from the doctor, Valancy rebels against her overbearing family and discovers a surprising new world, full of love and adventures far beyond her most secret dreams. I liked this book the first time I read it many years ago,...
The Blue Castle - L. M. Montgomery
OMG... I read this book as a freshman in high school and I was so into it, and I cried a lot. SO good, and yet I haven't really wanted to reread it. Maybe once was enough for me.
Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
A really good book that takes place during the Depression. I read it in school and loved it, and then reread it as an adult and it was still great.
No Promises in the Wind - Hunt, Irene: Books
It's been compared to Dead Poet Society, but I didn't find that to be super true. It does take place in a private boys school, though. So good.
A Separate Peace: John Knowles
A classic for a reason. I first read it in high school. The second time I read this, as an adult, I was laughing out loud--I can definitely relate to Holden's annoyance with phonies. But it's deeper and sweeter than all of that, of course.
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
So good and so sad! And so well done. It's all written through journal entries.
Flowers for Algernon: Keyes, Daniel
I should confess that I first watched the BBC series before reading the book, and that helped me follow it better. I've since seen the series a hundred times, and reread the book later and appreciated the extra details even more. Smart and funny, but...
Pride and Prejudice - Austen, Jane
A lone girl surviving in her protected valley in a post-apocalyptic setting--until a stranger comes along. I've read this multiple times and it's great. The movie version does not properly capture the book, in my opinion, so skip that.
Z for Zachariah (Young Adult Post-Apocalypse)
Is this a classic? I don't even know, but I read it in junior high and have loved it since. I'm not a sci-fi person, but this is mild enough and for kids, so I could follow. 😆 I've read it multiple times and it's one of my all-time fav books. It's p...
This Time of Darkness - HM Hoover