By Simran Sukhnani
10 Books That Will Make You Forget Your Phone Exists, Here are 10 books that are so powerful, gripping, or emotionally immersive that your screen time won鈥檛 stand a chance. Forget the usual titles, these books fly under the radar but hit straight to the heart (or adrenaline). Across genres like contemporary fiction, speculative thrillers, and surreal coming-of-age journeys, each slide pulls you deeper into a narrative that demands your focus, and gives you something richer in return. The Pisces by Melissa Broder, A love story that鈥檚 sensual, bizarre, and uncomfortably relatable. What starts as a woman鈥檚 existential crisis turns into an affair with a merman (yes, you read that right). Funny, disturbing, and beautifully raw, this is a fever dream you can鈥檛 scroll away from. Ideal for anyone who’s ever felt lost, lonely, or addicted to fantasy. Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica, What if eating human meat became normalized after a virus made animals unsafe? This chilling dystopian horror explores capitalism, ethics, and what makes us human, with such unsettling precision, you won鈥檛 blink. The writing is sparse but hypnotic, pulling you into a grotesque world that feels scarily possible. This one will haunt your thoughts (and your appetite). , Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder, A mother believes she鈥檚 turning into a dog. No, seriously. This feral, genre-bending book explores motherhood, identity, and suppressed rage with biting humor and raw prose. Surreal and wildly feminist, it makes you question what鈥檚 real, and what happens when women finally stop being polite. Read it in one manic, awe-struck sitting. The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley, Eerie coastal isolation, religious rituals, and dark secrets come together in this slow-burn gothic horror. Set on the moody English coast, it鈥檚 a haunting tale of faith, fear, and family. With prose that chills and a plot that creeps, this one isn鈥檛 just unputdownable, it鈥檚 unforgettable. Your phone will gather dust as your goosebumps rise. The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki, A grieving teen hears voices from inanimate objects. His mother hoards things to cope with loss. Strange, poetic, and deeply philosophical, this novel is as immersive as it is emotionally tender. Ruth Ozeki blends magical realism with sharp commentary on consumerism, mental health, and noise, internal and external. Read it slowly, but don鈥檛 be surprised if hours disappear. , Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, Keiko is 36, socially awkward, and loves working at a convenience store. Her world is quiet, but also deeply radical. A sharp, subtle critique of conformity and “normal” life, this short novel packs a philosophical punch. Oddly comforting and oddly unsettling, you鈥檒l finish it in one breath, and then sit in silence, questioning everything. Earthlings by Sayaka Murata, If you thought Convenience Store Woman was quirky, this one goes feral. Natsuki believes she鈥檚 an alien and refuses to conform to human 鈥渇actory settings鈥 like marriage and motherhood. What begins as bizarre turns completely unhinged in the best way. It鈥檚 dark, disturbing, and so unpredictable, you won鈥檛 dare blink. Forget your phone, this book might make you forget society. A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan, Two retail workers are obsessed with the same Instagram influencer. Then, their lives blur into a surreal nightmare. What starts as cringe comedy spirals into a horror-laced fever dream about social media, envy, and identity. It鈥檚 chaotic, addictive, and wickedly original. A perfect reminder that not everything that glitters online is harmless鈥攐r even real. , The Employees by Olga Ravn, Part sci-fi, part existential prose-poetry, this Danish novel is set aboard a spaceship where human and humanoid workers reflect on life, labor, and longing. Told entirely through their 鈥渟tatements,鈥 it鈥檚 short but layered with meaning. Hypnotic and disorienting, it makes you question what it means to feel, as a worker, a being, or something in between. You鈥檒l finish it and just stare into space. Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca, Told through emails and instant messages, this novella about two women in an increasingly twisted online relationship is shocking, intimate, and deeply unsettling. Don鈥檛 let its size fool you, this one will linger in your head like a digital ghost. It鈥檚 about obsession, control, vulnerability, and the dark corners of the internet. You鈥檒l clutch the pages like a phone you can鈥檛 look away from.