I read 73 standalones and these 10 are MUST READS

I read 73 fantasy standalones and these 10 are my absolute favorite. Must reads! ✨ The first 500 people to use my link will get a 1-month free trial of Skillshare skl.sh/funfantasybooks04241
✨ Here's a list of all the standalones I've read (in case you want us to discuss any of them further in the comments) -- in no particular order:
1. Middle Game
2. Wilderwood
3. Never Die
4. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
5. Stardust
6. Kingdom of Back
7. Spinning Silver
8. Nettle & Bone
9. The Song of Achilles
10. Kaikeyi
11. Under the Whispering Door
12. The Paper Managerie
13. Elantris
14. Guns of the Dawn
15. The Emperor's Soul
16. Project Hail Mary (sci-fi)
17. Ace of Spades
18. House of Salt & Sorrow
19. Wicked Deep
20. Gallant
21. Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
22. House in the Cerulean Sea
23. The Starless Sea
24. An Enchantment of Ravens
25. Ready Player One
26. Kings of the Wyld
27. Good Omens
28. To Kill a Kingdom
29. Warbreaker
30. Sword of Kaigen
31. Priory of the Orange Tree
32. Jade Fire Gold
33. Tress of the Emerald Sea
34. Legends & Lattes
35. The Undertaking of Hart & Mercy
36. The Very Secret Society for Irregular Witches
37. Piranesi
38. Babel
39. Circe
40. The Martian
41. Neverwhere
42. Ocean at the End of the Lane
43. Sorcery of Thorns
44. The Graveyard Book
45. The Legend of Black Jack
46. Half a Soul
47. The Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faires
48. Song of Silver Flame Like Night
49. Spiderlight
50. Long Live the Pumpkin Queen
51. Payback's a Witch
52. The Last Cuentista
53. Mort
54. Guards! Guards!
55. This is How You Lose the Time War
56. Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
57. Yum and the Nightmare Painter
58. The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
59. The Sunlit Man
60. To Be Taught If Fortunate
61. A Dowry of Blood
62. Blood Over Bright Haven
63. The Night Circus
64. Dark Matter
65. Yellowface
66. Untethed Sky
67. A Master of Djinn
68. Witch King
69. Starling House
70. Thornhedge
71. A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking
72. A House With Good Bones
73. Elder Race
74. Dreams Lie Beneath
75. Manacled
76. Small Miracles

[@FunFantasyBooks]

Hey! I am currently on vacation, but would love if you can help other readers out by sharing your top standalone? 👀

[@garyguyton7373]

Glory Road. Never heard of it, right? Find it, read it. It's fantasy like you never read before.

[@joshuayork8038]

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

[@sarasgonzalezg]

I'm about to finish Sword of Kaigen and OMG... I've been crying since chapter 7. IT'S SOOO GOOD!!! I've never felt so many emotions while reading a book (or watching a movie or a TV show). It's already one of my favorite books of all time.

[@RyeMiArt]

Right. Right!? It is so good. And there is Blood Over Bright Haven, I read both last year and I still can't decide which one is better :D So good!

[@sarasgonzalezg]

@@RyeMiArt I know... blood over bright haven is the next on my TBR after The Familiar 😂

[@RyeMiArt]

@@sarasgonzalezg preordered Familiar and can't wait for it to get here :D

[@NatalyaVins-blueflower775]

It’s always great to hear praise of The Night Circus 😊. I’m planning to read The Sword of Kaigen this year. I hope I love it.

[@YentlLega]

Amazing! Always on the hunt for standalones to read between long series. Thank you ❤

[@booksandlifewithlaura2143]

The house in the Cerulean sea by TJ Klune is NOT a standalone novel anymore. We are getting a sequel to this book this year.

[@odessaodette7855]

And it’s hilarious 😂😂😂

[@healla2000]

well technically speaking, it can be considered a stand alone because you don't have to buy the second book to get the full story.

[@LibrariesandLattes]

Absolutely loved Addie LaRue and House in the Cerulean Sea! Hoping to read Piranesi and lots of other ones from this list soon!!

[@jayhowden2933]

Thanks for this, a number of books here that I've read and loved and so many that I have on my virtual TBR!

[@Sam-hg9sk]

TJ Klune impressed me. I've read 2 or 3 of his books now, and you nailed it. His stories and style are refreshing and unique. You want to block out the world and enjoy it.

[@starlasell5698]

❤📚❤️ Your excitement is so contagious! I've read most of these, and the ones I haven't are on my tbr. I agree with you 100%!

[@GentleGiantJason]

Sword of Kaigen, Yumi and Project Hail Mary are probably my top three stand alones. So good! All of them.

[@qbanboi069]

I loved Piranesi, and I'm halfway through Sword of Kaigen and loving it. I also liked Warbreaker and Tress of the Emerald Sea more than I did Elantris.

[@the_ricku]

I love The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Neil narrating his own audiobook for that one was genius, and he did such an incredible job. He's still my favourite author (I really love American Gods and Neverwhere).

[@lSunFlowerl97]

I love the way you described these books, thank you for the recommendations!

[@DeannaJosephMusic]

Thank you so much for the recommendations 😊 I’ve added a few to my TBR list. I’m most excited about Hail Mary ❤❤❤

[@Magus9]

Thank you my wonderful friend for this great video, I am excited to check out these books. You are a blessing ❤

[@OnlyTheBestFantasyNovels]

I have to agree, I've read the majority of these and they're very solid picks! I love that you highlight Yumi, I feel like that's the best of the Secret Projects but just not getting the recognition it deserves.

[@willk7184]

I like your summaries, thanks for the reco's!

[@yanivbroder4884]

I was watching the ranking, and as it was nearing the end, I was thinking: "How sword of Kaigen did not make the list ?!?! " 😅 It is one of the best stories out there, and I am still carrying it within me.

[@RyeMiArt]

Yes. Yes. YES! I've read few from your list and YES! Guns of the Dawn is on my 2024 tbr!

[@AnKiT_T]

Your recommendations are amazing. I will definitely read at least 4 - 5 books in 2024 from your picks. Thank you for this amazing video .

[@gamewrit0058]

Ooh, I've read two from your list! I loved the standalone fantasy novels Thornhedge (I recommend going into it knowing nothing about it) - it's short, and a bit dark, but fantastic - and A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, both by T. Kingfisher (a penname of Ursula Vernon). I also loved her ***unsettling*** gothic novel What Moves the Dead. Ursula Vernon also writes kids' illustrated novels, and I love the first in her Princess Hamster series, Princess Hamster: Harriet the Invincible. The other 5 in the series are good, but the first is my favorite, and I recommend starting from the beginning. New viewer! I just found this video in my recommendations.

[@g.n.9075]

Every time i see your background i feel so relaxed and comfy

[@caitlinl2750]

Similar recommendation to Addie - Peaches and Honey!

[@Panagiotireads]

I just finished this phenomenal new book of fairy tales entitled Sillies, Fancies, and Trifles - it was phenomenal and I think you'd love it. It would go with the lovely recommendations here. Keep up the beautiful videos :)

[@barbararowley6077]

Excellent list! So many of my favourites included. I’d recommend Christina Henry’s The Mermaid as an amazing standalone. It doesn’t have the horror vibes of her other novels, which probably makes it more accessible.

[@MeghanReads]

I loooove circe so much. I read the odyssey right afterwards and then reread Circe back to back because I loved it so much. The cerulean sea made me cry to and it’s a book I always recommend. It will always have such a special place in my heart and in my bookshelf

[@patricklechner190]

I love your accent and your voice! You should do audiobooks!!

[@caitlinl2750]

I’ve read 62/76 which is listed in the info!!

[@melaniechristina7361]

Hope you are feeling better ❤

[@88chuaky]

Sword of Kaigen my fav book of all time

[@zachreads]

Here are a few standalones I love. -The Mermaid the Witch and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall -A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee -The Wehrwolf by Alma Katsu -The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E Harrow -Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan -The Witche's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec -Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss

[@mrsdevh]

Ghost Wall just went on my TBR. Thanks!

[@sheilakae_]

I absolutely loved Dark Matter and Project Hail Mary….. highly recommend!!

[@laku_u]

I had no trouble guessing your first two 😁 My most unpopular opinion is probably that I'd switch them if I had to rank them! You may actually have convinced me to pick up Addie LaRue. I have been wavering for years, but I loved all the others in your top spots, so why not this one as well?

[@dereksmith4509]

Well done; good list! I'd like to strongly recommend just a few of my favorite stand alones that may have escaped your notice. 1 - To Ride Hell's Chasm - by Janny Wurts. A ludicrously insane ride and easily one of my favorite stand alones. 2 - The Library at Mount Char - by Scott Hawkins. The word "unique" gets tossed around a lot these days. This book is unique - not rare, not very rare, unique. A wild ride, unlike anything else I've ever read. 3 - Lord of Light - by possibly my favorite author ever, Roger Zelazny. A Hindu-Buddhist SciFi/Fantasy furturistic western Hugo Award winner from 1967. Yeah. Read it ;-)~

[@stephaniejoycebuena812]

I also love the Sword of Kaigen, and like you, I also cried.

[@Zivilin]

I know it is quite popular but lotr is one of favourite standalone novels.

[@elainet6450]

Me, I am the person who didn't like the Sword of Kaigen. I read it 2 years ago and the story wasn't finish. The ending introduces a character arc with more things to come. I do not enjoy unfinished business. If this was to be a standalone it could had done without the final chapter

[@missstarbuck]

I absolutely loved Addie LaRue as well. And The house in the Cerulean sea as well. They are both so great !! :D Ok... i now have more books on my wishlist after watching this haha XD

[@caitlinl2750]

Recommend space between worlds too!!!

[@teacherlovesbeauty]

Oh! Your puppy! So cute!❤ new sub here! Hi!!!

[@FunFantasyBooks]

Hahaha thank you and welcome!!

[@NormanCampbell]

Guards! Guards! is the first of eight in the City Watch mini-series set within Discworld which is a series of a total of 41 books of many intertwined mini-series, there are only 3 books considered to be "standalone" within the Discworld lore, they are Pyramids, Small Gods and The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents.

[@jamie-leeburgess9150]

Hey lovely, I have 1 absolutely brilliant book, unlike anything I have every read! It called the blacktongue thief by Christopher BUEHLMAN and it is just fantastic! Also a 2 book series called monster blood tatoo by D. M. Cornish this book is so original, story is just captivating and your always left wanting to know what’s next! 😊

[@julibuchanan4132]

Anyone read Ink Blood Sister Scribe? Really fun standalone!

[@mysteryworld8170]

Check out the book called Steven Demogorgon. Fallen angel book.

[@lauriedonnelly7134]

The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry

[@tiananesbitt7156]

6:00 🤘

[@ReadingIDEAS.-uz9xk]

Plenty in your library to keep you busy.

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

FIST MY BUMP! 😂❤

[@joycejarrard6958]

I agree, The Martian was great, but Project Hail Mary was much better!

[@shawnbadger2737]

I read The Sword of Kaigen and I liked it, but it's not even in my top 10. I think the hype leading up when I read it led me to feel a little disappointed.

[@Micmezle]

uhm. I think the real question here is. is that a new puppy?

[@odessaodette7855]

I use to want Night Circus made into a movie…but I think Hollywood destroy it

[@Rash23215]

If the book is so good then NOTHING can destroy it..... so ur comment is super cringe

[@robinmixon6999]

I hated Circe. I like my fantasy not so pretty.

[@Dohrann]

Babel was SO political. I'm reading to escape, not watch the news

[@mariareadsssf]

I think it is quite obvious from the full title that the book is not meant to entertain, but to disscus things that are real and still have an impact for the author and many other readers that are not fond of colonialsm, racism and white supremacy. No one is forcing priviledged people to read it.

[@Dohrann]

@@mariareadsssf Without going into spoilers here obviously, some of the twists and turns just seemed unnecessary for the sake of race baiting imo. The magic system was fine though, reminded me of Mistborn a bit. Coming from someone "un-priviledged", I still didn't really find it a fun read. To each their own though, obviously some people enjoy it.

[@chiroptophilia]

​@@Dohrann The alternative title is literally "the necessity of violence"........of course it's political... it was never going to be a feel-good escapist fantasy

[@Rash23215]

Lol..... white guy offended by poc existing even in fantasy..... not surprised at all....

[@strawberryorange3755]

​@Dohrann there's nothing wrong with books being political but my problem with babel was that it felt like an academic text disguised as a novel.