TOP ADULT FANTASY STANDALONES

[@martinjrgensen8234]

Best Served Cold is fantastic. The characters and their journey is just fantastically entertaining.

[@ladyfox6705]

I just started reading Abercrombie and loving his writing. Definitely looking forward to reading the rest of his works!

[@GriffReads]

Sword of Kaigen is one of my favourite fantasy standalones, I also loved Blood Over Bright Haven by ML Wang!

[@kristimoore8763]

I loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue so much that I have already read it twice. So good.

[@therevanchist1123]

I’d say I really loved all of Abercrombie’s stand alones, they were each so different from one another with a sprinkling of some favorite characters, I’d say Red Country was probably my favorite, I loved Shy and Temples characters and how Joe can make everyone seem like they are real people with their own fears and regrets. I’d have to say my favorite stand alone though is still Gulliver’s Travels by Johnathan Swift.

[@annbechtel7113]

The Magicians Daughter is soooooo underrated, that book is truly fantastic

[@robertawalsh2995]

I'm so glad you talked about The Witch's Heart. It wasn't a book that I thought I would enjoy but it was recommended to me by a friend and I was so glad that I was persuaded to read it.

[@DragonCreature1]

So glad to see Best Served Cold on there. Really one of the very best grimdark, revenge, heist, fantasy books out there!

[@mrs.kschemistryclass7269]

YES YES YES on everything you said for SWORD OF KAIGEN! Some scenes leave you breathless. I am quite shocked to not find THE SPEAR CUTS THROUGH WATER on this list, though. By a longshot it's probably the best book in recent history.

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

Love Spear 💚

[@KristinKravesBooks]

A Wizard's Guide is my favourite T. Kingfisher too! I'm looking at my shelves and realized I don't have that many fantasy standalones

[@SilverScribe85]

I have both Wizard's guide AND Nettle & Bone, they're on my TBR list

[@Zivilin]

I have wizard's guide and minor mage on my tbr list.

[@KristinKravesBooks]

@Zivilin I also loved Minor Mage!

[@natasagajic1061]

This is my favorite T. Kingfisher story as well (Minor Mage is also great)! 💖😊 I realized in 2023 that I (sadly) don't really vibe with her romances, but her YA/middle grade stuff is just chef's kiss

[@amateurcrastinator9523]

I could be wrong, but I don't think there are that many fantasy standalones.

[@nickwinsbrow7316]

David Gemmell's books are fantastic and nearly all standalones. Legend, Waylander, Morningstar would all be great intros to his work. If you haven't read Gemmell before, highly recommend checking them out!

[@j.8757]

My favourite is the Night circus. I know it is hit or miss for everyone. The story was so vivid to me when I read it.

[@melisatamez5571]

I LOVE the starless sea by the same author you should read it if you haven’t

[@randirielthebard]

Night Circus is so good, but Starless Sea is incredible

[@morganjones2744]

oh no! The Crane Husband is going to kill me--- too relatable of a story just hearing your synopsis 🥲

[@montieverett4983]

Good morning! Great video. I love your hair today! I truly love the curly too but the straight is so elegant.

[@thegirlonfiredolls]

im honestly always mesmerised by her hair haha specially when its in a braid!!

[@rpmfla]

10:19 Have you ever read and Gabriel García Márquez? He made me love Magical Realism.

[@marubii.]

I’d love for you to try out blood over bright haven by the same author of the sword of kaigen! That book is amazing as well😊

[@quinn0517]

Thanks, I think I will. 😊

[@EshaanSoood]

As a fellow music major. Firstly awesome to know that you were one, but I am amazingly impressed at how you managed to become such a great book reviewer after going through music school.

[@taylorraseta2695]

Your hair & makeup looks so cute in this video!!

[@Goose8067]

Really enjoyed how you presented these books and how you spoke, never rushed! Thank you

[@alexriddock177]

The moment you mentioned Final Fantasy X, my jaw hit the floor. I wasn't expecting that. I agree with how you feel about FFX! It's the most beautiful story I've ever had the pleasure of reliving over and over again. I'm sold 😅❤️ I love that you love it so much!

[@orkosubmarine]

Have you checked out The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher? That was my introduction to her work and man, I just love it, and every time you mention Nettle & Bone I think of how totally different they are.

[@catiedubya]

The Kingdom of Back is SO good! Agreed super underhyped, and prompted me to look up more about Maria/Nannerl which was so fascinating. The story itself was crafted so beautifully ❤

[@isoney]

Spinning Silver is wonderful. I have re-read it a lot.

[@EmilyParagraph]

I always find it funny when people love the names of the speaking character in the chapter title in first-person books. To me, it's a sign of stronger writing to be able to distinguish the characters by their voices alone, not having to be guided by anything else. That's why I love Spinning silver, tbh! Cause not only does it do this well with three characters, but halfway through it adds three more and I STILL CAN FIGURE IT OUT

[@saramm3765]

My bunnies chewed up my Spinning Silver hardback 😖 I need to replace it. Really love that one too.

[@sutlana]

Most wholesome comment ever - bunnies 😍

[@catsandbats77]

I am so glad to see you liked Addie LaRue. I loved that book. Spinning Silver is a favorite of mine as well. I love the quiet strength of the women in that book. Nettle and Bone was my first T. Kingfisher as well. I picked it up because of you and my husband picked it up and loved it too. We discovered a new favorite author.

[@talking_to_trees]

Taking you up on so many recommendations! Notably: The Kingdom of Back (because I LOVED Addie LeRue), Crane Husband, and Kaikeyi (because I loved The Witch's Heart). Spinning Silver is also one of my favs; I also don't love Novik's other books, but did quite enjoy Uprooted from her as well and for much the same reason as SS, but SS is definitely the best! I have Nettle and Bone but have yet to read it, but I think it just moved up a bit in my TBR list.

[@ElizabethPerez-rr8ik]

Just finished kingdom of Back. Loved it!!!!!

[@victoroduor3915]

Sword of Kaigen broke my heart 💔♥️

[@infernvsnecrohag]

Lots of people call Sword of Kaigen a standalone, however I felt a bit bamboozled when I read it because it had been sold to me that way. In my opinion, it has so many open threads that are supposed to be resolved or put in context by a discontinued trilogy that it’s absolutely not a standalone; it’s an abandoned prequel. Excellent book still, but it’s worth knowing going in that there are unresolved plot threads and it’s not as self-contained as you may be expecting. Wang’s novel Blood Over Bright Haven though? Incredible.

[@dubhmoore575]

I felt something similar about S of K, it felt like the middle book of a trilogy to me, so although there was alot of good stuff I was ultimately unsatisfied. That's sad for me as I like completion, I wish I could just have enjoyed the snapshot we got of all these characters. Excited to see what she writes next though 🥳

[@infernvsnecrohag]

@@dubhmoore575 If you haven't read her newest book Blood Over Bright Haven, you should, it's easily in my top 5 fantasy novels.

[@val.r.sanchez]

I love all your recommendations! The Magician’s Daughter is one I wanna re-read too! I love it so much and wish more people talked about it and read it!

[@sammileung86]

I swear the narrator (ie Mara) in Nettle and Bone is an INFJ, I loved being in her mind and related so much to how she assessed situations and judged ppl!

[@seithrderash]

My favorite standalone up til now is Fairy Tale by Raymond E Feist. It is so long ago that I read it and it’s on my tbr for this years spooky season.

[@ladyfox6705]

I must've read Fairy Tale c. 20 years ago, and it's on my shelf so I should definitely re-read as I really loved it 🙂

[@randirielthebard]

Do not judge Naomi Novik based on Uprooted. You are not alone in disliking it. Give Spinning Silver a chance.

[@scuzifly]

Agreed! Or the deadly education trilogy!

[@availandco]

I happened to listen to the audiobook of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue last summer. It took me two weeks because I listened to it while moving across town... definitely understand why some don't like it but it was a perfect audiobook for car rides and I loved the narration! I think I would have DNF'ed if I had read it as a physical book.

[@wifeunderthesea]

i am SO GLAD to see some Crane Husband love on here!! one of the best books i've ever read! terrifying, surreal. this book has LAYERS like an onion. i can't recommend this one enough!! if A24 made a book, it would be this one.

[@Katiedora122]

Yeah, thanks to whoever recommended T. Kingfisher to Elliot, because now I've got a new favorite author😂

[@ethan9487]

What did you highlight in “the sword of kaigen”? I’ve seen a lot of people use those sticky notes in fantasy and it got me curious what people are highlighting cause I only do it when reading something educational.

[@moonstonepearl21]

It's good to see I'm not the only one who generally doesn't click with magical realism. Sometimes you get a case where one or two random supernatural things happen that are usually really bizarre that come out of nowhere. They're supposed to be symbolic, but you can't quite figure it out, and they take you out of the story.

[@shesagift1]

So many greats on here! Nettle & Bone is one of my favorite books to recommend. It’s good for casual and committed fantasy readers and a great choice for getting out of a slump ❤

[@polkbritton]

I really enjoyed "The Winged Histories" by Sofia Samatar. Her poetic writing style is so well done and she does a fantastic job crafting characters and setting. The book has garnered a ton of praise from reviewers but almost no one has talked about it on the KZbin bookish community for some reason. I highly recommend it.

[@cadearcher2258]

Sword of Kaigen is absolutely amazing

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

I'm the weirdo that loves Red Country 🤪 My favorite last year was Reincarnation Blues. They're older books but i adore The Windup Girl and Frankenstein in Baghdad. Between Two Fires is a top 10 all time for me 🙌🏼 I still haven't recovered from January's listen of Sword of Kaigen. 😢

[@88chuaky]

I love ML WANGs books.. you should try Blood over bright haven

[@Soaring_Seajay]

Thank you for this, I love how you review books! Your recommendations so far have been spot-on for me. But with that, my wish list also keeps growing exponentially! 😆

[@elizabethnutley8841]

Another book that I thought did a good job giving an impression of what playing music is like, is "Obsessions of an Otome Gamer" by Natsu. This is a light novel from a tiny publisher that is an "isekai" about a girl who reincarnates into a video game character who is a musician. I gave it 3 stars, but at least that one aspect of it was done really well! My favorite standalone adult fantasy is *Illusion* by Paula Volsky, a steampunk-ish alt-French Revolution story. It's huge, and out of print, and doesn't have either an ebook or an audio version, and is also in omniscient and/or nearly entirely told in exposition, so it probably wouldn't sit very well with modern readers. But it's also epic and thought-provoking about things like the cyclical nature of history, and the madness of crowds. Volsky has written a number of other standalone books in this milieu, and I'm looking forward to giving them a try.

[@hollym7878]

My favourite standalone fantasy is The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie!

[@PaigeEscapes]

Thank you so much❤ Wonderful roundup . And the first thing I noticed was your gorgeous hair! Love how you have done it!

[@cinnamons1501]

Kingdom of Back is AMAZING!

[@untangomas]

Just wondering if the art in the preview is from any of the books mentioned? Both are pretty striking. A great selection, need to bump some of those up on my TBR!

[@tanyamichelle3206]

One of my favorites, and one I think you would enjoy is Dragonsbane, by Barbara Hambly. Brandon Sanderson wrote the foreword to my Grim Oak Press special edition and credited it with his devotion to fantasy, his desire to be a fantasy novelist, and called it the perfect fantasy novel. I hope you will give it a try!

[@ThoseBookPeople]

Oh, this is a cool list to dig into! I also have heard a lot of good things about Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman.

[@TysonVaughan]

The best standalone fantasy novel I’ve ever read is The Spear Cuts Through Water, by Simon Jimenez. Another favorite is Grendel, by John Gardner.

[@laurenschenck5355]

The kingdom of black one of my favorite books the cover is gorgeous and the characters are so amazing ✨🫶🏻💕💕✨❤️❤️✨💕🫶🏻📚📚📙📙📙🫶🏻🫶🏻📙📙❤️❤️🌹✨📖📚📚📙📖🌹✨💕💕💕✨❤️❤️🌹🫶🏻💕✨🌹🌹🌹✨📚📚📙📙✨✨🌹❤️❤️🫶🏻💕💕💕✨🌹🌹🌹📖📚📙📙📙📚📖📚📙🌹💕✨✨

[@laurenschenck5355]

The Witch’s heart love the cover and the characters are so outstanding and love the story 💕🌹✨✨🌹💕📙📙🌹✨✨🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻✨✨🌹📙📙📚📚💕📖❤️🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻✨✨💕📙📚📚💕📖❤️🫶🏻🫶🏻✨✨✨💕📙💕🌹✨✨🫶🏻🫶🏻❤️❤️❤️🌹💕📙📚📚📙📖📖❤️🫶🏻🫶🏻✨✨🌹💕📙🌹🫶🏻❤️📖📖📖✨✨🌹💕📚📚📚📙💕🌹💕📙📙📙🌹🌹📙📚📙✨💕🫶🏻📖📖✨🌹📙📙

[@secretlyadragon4723]

@5:33 that is the bluest book I have ever saw. It's like staring into the sun. I had to look away.

[@avrorawhite9763]

Hi! Have you read The Queen of the Tearling series? Or any of E. Morgenshtern books? Cause I have been watching your channel for a while but don't remember you mentioning this books. I discovered T Kingfisher because of you and I will be forever grateful for that ❤

[@lauraxxxanne]

New subscriber!! I wish I found your channel earlier!

[@roseyg7064]

Have you read "The Spear Cuts Through Water" yet? It's not only the best standalone, but it's the best book probably ever written. I'm not alone here. People are always like "This book changed my DNA." I'm not even the same person after being shook that hard from the MAJESTY of that novel

[@ladyfox6705]

Nettle and Bone was my first Kingfisher, too! I really loved it. However, I really disliked the Hollow Places by her.

[@Nasser851000]

The First time that I make it before the views do for once XD

[@caitlinl2750]

I have read all but two!❤

[@jen-vx3ks]

I dnf-ed Addie LaRue at about 25% in, as I was honestly bored and underwhelmed by the story and I did not like Addie. But hearing you talk about the book and the direction the plot line takes, I might try it again.

[@sweetoleander9048]

Anyone know what the three pastel books to the right of her head are? The ivory, pink, and blue books? They are so pretty

[@andreabknight]

The ivory one looks like Divine Rivals- but I can't read the spine on the other two

[@YentlLega]

I have several fantasy series that I would like to go through and I was looking for adult standalones and you delivered! ❤❤

[@krlovn]

Love your hair!!

[@miiiiaaah]

Can I read yumi without reading any cosmere before?

[@emmawagner8915]

I can never choose favorites tbh. I just have good, better, best

[@thewitchyreader6131]

Great Video!

[@nirjeeinarsson7144]

To those of you who've read The kingdom of back- the premise sounds really interesting to me, do you think someone who literally despised the Legend trilogy would enjoy it?

[@clareisakson]

Been wanting to read Joe Abercrombie! I found Half King at charity shop so bought it, but does anyone have any other reccs on where to begin?

[@ladyfox6705]

I've just started Joe Abercrombie for the first time and started at the beginning with 'The Blade Itself', which is the first of the First Law trilogy. Some people don't like this book, as not much happens at all (it's very character focused) but I loved it and heard that Abercrombie just gets better and better from here on in. Looking forward to reading more of his work, and I really like his writing!

[@Kayce62]

Does Sword of Kaigen have a true ending? I heard another critique that it needed a book 2, or that the author didn’t write it as a standalone but never wrote the follow up?

[@taliadavidovsky4569]

You might like Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott if you haven't read that yet

[@JohnSaxon-vw5vi]

Elliot all I can say is thank you for giving me some standalone books for fantasy as I gould do with some and some reading books 📚 prayers and blessings for you and your family love your Aussie family friend John ❤❤❤stay safe and healthy and take care of yourself please

[@casualreader]

I don't know why I haven't read more fantasy. I like being in a world where anything is possible. I would especially like to read fantasy that is more empowing for women.

[@rimattiman]

Isn’t best served cold a book in a series?

[@T-Flow79]

Here for all things FFX

[@bully08873]

great vid.

[@christophermcmahon3069]

I personally don’t agree Abercrombies “Standalones” are actually standalones. still a good recommendation though

[@AseAPS]

Why doesn't Spinning Silver count as fantasy-romance? Also, I agree! It's an amazing book.

[@missallisnow]

Neither of the main relationships in the book ever felt very romantic to me, tbh. More transactional.

[@lordramoth3416]

This video is rated M.V. F. B. L. ( Mandatory Viewing for Book Lovers.)

[@stephennootens916]

I am at the moment given the first law trilogy a second chance.

[@theking-cp1rc]

The loveliest book reviewer ever seen 🤍✨

[@HazyAbigail]

are these true adult fantasy? or YA?

[@ladyethyme]

I'll never understand the love for Night Circus. To me it kind of read like a high school student that really really really wants to be Neil Gaiman, but just does not have the skill or experience to pull it off. Like some of the phrases were beautifully written, but the interactions between characters, dialogue, etc. or just completely flat and sub par. Two characters, basically completely traumatized and abused from birth, to fight one another. Because 'reasons'. This is never explained. There's no repercussions for this in their personalities whatsoever. Neither of them exhibit any personality at all to be honest… Like the characters really honestly had no motivation for any of their actions, the plot didn't make sense, there was no character progression whatsoever and they seemed to be cardboard cut outs without motive… Huge gaping plot holes… but most of all...NOTHING HAPPENS. Two people fall in love because "reasons", not because of any actual attraction or interest in one another but because "plot".

[@aprilnagy7898]

Sword of Kaigen is not a standalone and she is not finishing the series.

[@starlasell5698]

❤📚📚❤️

[@doomnotron]

You have nice hair.

[@ladyethyme]

My take on Invisible Life....Might’ve been ok as it has an interesting premise; but honestly the constant sex and drug use was kind of a let down. (To me) Plus…’Henry’ is a complete ass-a total and utter ass. Judging a cursed woman for surviving; without even an infant’s understanding of her life and what she’s had to do. She’s been raped, driven insane, starved, frozen, and tortured. He’s a spoiled child and having him as a ‘protagonist’ is annoying as hell. I’m supposed to….what? Feel bad for this guy? Frankly I like ‘Luc’ the “villain” waaay more. He’s honest. He loves art, hates war, and very interesting. Or….could have been. And seriously, you’re going to tell me that this person has actual dialogue with a supernatural being, a God, and doesn’t bother to ask any questions? There are 1000 questions that I would ask. There are burning obvious questions, that spring to mind even now, and yet, after several hundred years, she doesn’t bother to ever inquire about anything? I find that pretty hard to believe, unless she’s just the most stupid shallow person that ever existed… Which is not how she is portrayed. And she’d rather act like a whiney, petulant, spoiled child. Henry is another story. Even when he knows her own miserable history-he’s still a dick about it… His petulant ‘oh I never do /watch anything twice’ hypocrisy. Oh, really? So you NEVER eat the same food? Go to the same bars, watch the same films? Funny then how you seem to frequent them when it suits you. Just like you take advantage of basically date-drug raping ppl. But oh, asking them ‘are you sure’ totally clears him of any responsibility …..🙄 He makes a shitty deal and Addie blames…Luc for it. 🤦🏻‍♀️ And then blames herself. Which the author seems fine with. And unfortunately the author uses their ‘curls’ to describe both Henry, Luc and every other male EVERY SINGLE TIME she describes them. It’s…annoying after the 300th time. Oh, and stays aren’t tight. Corsets and stays are, in fact…different garments. You can’t even tightlace stays-metal grommets weren’t invented yet. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Even most corsets weren’t tightlaced….women actually…you know…lived and worked in corsets. It’s just a BRA. And great for back support, tbh. And….seriously if ppl forget her as soon as she’s ‘out of sight’…yet has these affairs that last ‘all night’. Um. Do these ppl not ever use the bathroom? Turn to grab something? Nothing? I don’t know about you but let’s be blatantly honest here: after sex (and usually before) most ppl use the damn toilet…. She can’t stack stones but can move and replant a tree? I wish the internal rules were more diligent. Lovely writing, interesting idea, gorgeous , lovely prose-but…. The fact I hated Henry, poor internal consistency, drug use/sex -give it a 1. The prose is magnificent. So…..difficult to rate.

[@laurenschenck5355]

The crane husband Impacted me so much and so powerful beautiful and strong strength I can relate in way.🌹📖📚📚📖✨📙✨📖📚🫶🏻🫶🏻💕💕❤️💕📚📚📖🌹✨✨🌹📚🫶🏻🫶🏻💕❤️💕💕📚📖🌹✨📙📙📙🌹📖❤️❤️💕🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻📚📚🌹✨📙📙📙✨🌹✨✨❤️💕🫶🏻🫶🏻📚📚📚📖✨📙📙✨✨📚📚📚📚✨✨

[@laurenschenck5355]

Kaikeny I read this book so powerful meaningful and I love and appreciate the strength strong women powerful OBSESSED 🌹✨📙✨💕🫶🏻🌹✨📖📖📚📚📚✨💕🫶🏻💕❤️📚📖📙📙✨🌹🌹🌹✨📙🫶🏻💕🌹📙📖📖📚📚📚📙📙🌹💕💕💕✨✨🌹📚📚📚📚📖📖📙📙📙✨🌹🌹❤️📚📚📖📖📖📙📚📚📚📙📙🌹💕🫶🏻🫶🏻🌹✨📚📖📖📚📚❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤