Standout Standalones
I love a good series. Longer story arcs, revisiting favorite characters and worlds, the anticipation for the *next* book… But sometimes I get Series Exhaustion.
When this happens, all I want is a standalone novel. A story contained within the pages of a single book. No added expectations, no extra commitments.
But so many books these days are part of a series! I looked at my Goodreads Stats for the last 2 years, a sample size of 120 books, and found that 63% of the books I’d read were part of a series in some capacity. They might’ve been new mystery adventures with favorite sleuths, companion novels, or part of a series. Regardless, that’s a huge percentage!
It got me thinking about my top 10 favorite standalone novels:
1. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater — Stiefvater has two popular series (The Shiver Trilogy and The Raven Cycle), but this standalone is my favorite of her books. It’s a beautiful story with just a hint of magic, enough to satisfy both fantasy fans and the more contemporary-minded folk.
2. I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella — Kinsella’s the author of the bestselling Shopoholic series, but it’s her standalone novels that make me a huge fangirl. Her relatable protagonists, humor, sweet romances are just so good, and this one, IMHO, is the best.
3. Flight Behavior by Barbera Kingsolver — This is hands down my favorite Kinsolver novel. I appreciated the depth and attention to the main character Dellarobia, and how her discovery of the monarch butterflies on her family’s land changes her life. The theme and message were poignant without being over the top. In short, totally brill.
4. Where’d You Go Bernadette? by Maria Semple — This is ultimately a mother-daughter story, but told in a crazy creative way with newspaper articles, emails, and even a cruise to Antarctica. And it’s hilarious; the incident with the blackberry shrubs still makes me chuckle!
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusac — Told from Death’s perspective, this is a breathtaking story set in Nazi Germany about a young German girl who secretly steals books. It’s insanely creative, and the characters are so moving. But be forewarned: read with a box of Kleenex!
6. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline — Reading this book is like eating chocolate cake. It’s well written, engrossing, and hella fun. I love the video game world, hunt for Easter Eggs, and nod to everything 80’s.
7. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë — One of my *favorite* classic novels with moody Heathcliff and his obsession with Cathy, set in the somber moors. It’s really more like soap opera than novel, but is completely satisfying.
8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen — While there have been *tons* of really fun P&P spinoffs, none come close to the original. There’s a reason why the romance between the swoon-worthy Mr. Darcy and the independent Elizabeth Bennet is a classic. Add in family drama and poignant commentary on society, and it’s simply perfect.
9. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie — Christie may be better known for Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple series, but this standalone is fantastic! Ten strangers invited to a mysterious island are then killed off one by one to atone for a past crime. The best part: you don’t find out whodunit until the epilogue!
10. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell — Rowell has a way with characters. I loved reading about Cather, with her quirky roommate, sweet love interest, and passion for writing fanfic. This book took me back to freshmen year college in the best way. Bonus, the Harry Potter-esque fanfic is great!
Do you ever get Series Exhaustion? What are your favorite standalone books?
What I’m reading: The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss
What I’m listening to: Spoon — Do You
I am a huge fan of standalone novels, mostly because I never finish series. I read the first book and move on. I may read other books by that author, but rarely do I read an entire series (to say nothing of the dozen times I read EVERY SINGLE Babysitters Club book). Also, did you love The Book Thief? That book is in my top 5 and the movie is beautiful.
Brianna, I was a HUGE Babysitters Club fan too! Such a fun series. Yes, I absolutely loved The Book Thief — it’s truly an amazing story. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but have been meaning too 🙂 Glad to hear it’s worthwhile!