I don’t know about you but I love reading fantasy books… but I don’t always have the time to commit to long series so I love reading a standalone fantasy. Here are 9 of my favourites.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab
In France in 1714, in a moment of desperation a young woman by the name of Addie LaRue makes a Faustian bargain to live forever but is cursed to be forgotten by every single person she meets.
Addie travels over centuries and across continents, meeting so many people only to be forgotten by them all. The only person that is able to remember her name is the devil that she made the deal with. But after 300 years, Addie walks into a bookstore only to bump into a young man that remembers her name.
The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern
The circus arrives with no warning. One day it’s not there and the next it simply is. Inside the mysterious black-and-white striped canvas tents is a unique and magical experience full of breathtaking amazements but Le Cirque des Reves is only open at night.
And behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway. Celia and Marco, 2 young magicians who have been trained since childhood by their instructors are competing. But what they don’t know is that this is a game where only one of them will be left standing. But things don’t go to plan when Celia and Marco find themselves falling in love. But even so, the game must go on.
Uprooted – Naomi Novik
Agnieszka loves her home in her quiet village, but the corrupted Wood stands on the border. It’s full of malevolent power and casts a shadow on her life. Her people rely on the cold and driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep the powers at bay. But he demands a horrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for 10 years.
The next woman will soon be chosen and everyone knows that Kasia will be chosen. After all she’s beautiful, graceful and brave. But when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he chooses.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea – Axie Oh
Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. The Sea God is supposed to protect them but now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year they sacrifice a beautiful maiden to the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride in the hopes that one day his true bride will be found and he will end the suffering. But when the beloved of Mina’s older brother is chosen to be the sacrifice, Mina throws herself into the water as the sacrifice instead.
Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina looks for the Sea God only to find him trapped in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man and a crew of demons, gods and spirits, Mina attempts to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the deadly storms once and for all.
An Enchantment of Ravens – Margaret Rogerson
Isobel creates beautiful portraits for the dangerous fair folk. And one day she receives her first royal patron – Rook, the autumn prince. but she paints mortal sorrow in his eyes, which proves to be a dangerous mistake.
She’s swept away to his kingdom to stand trial for her crime, where they are forced to depend on each other for survival when they are attacked from every side.
The Priory of the Orange Tree – Samantha Shannon
In a divided world, the House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. But the unwed Queen Sabran the Ninth must soon conceive a daughter if she wants to protect her realm from destruction.
Ea Duryan was an outsider at court that has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting to the Queen, but she is secretly part of a hidden society of mages and protecting the queen with magic.
Across the sea, Tane is training to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that will change her entire life.
But, an ancient enemy is about to awaken, and the East and West are forced to work together.
Heartless – Marissa Meyer
Catherine is one of the most desired girls in Wonderland and she’s a favourite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but she has no interest in him. She’s a talented baker and dreams of opening up a shop with her best friend, but her mother thinks this is a ridiculous interest for someone that could potentially be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker and for the first time in her life she finally feels true attraction. So she begins an intense, secret courtship with him as she becomes determined to set her own destiny. But, unfortunately, Cath lives in a land of magic and madness, and fate has other plans for her.
A Far Wilder Magic – Allison Saft
Margaret Welty has just spotted the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, and she knows this means the Halfmoon Hunt will soon begin. Whoever kills the hala will earn fame and riches and will unlock a magical secret. And while Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, she can’t enter alone. She needs an alchemist.
Weston Winters wants to be an alchemist and his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But as he arrives at Welty Manor, all he finds is Margaret who lets him stay as long as he joins the hunt with her.
They make an unlikely team but soon find themselves drawn to one another. And as the hunt gets closer, they discover a dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride – Roshani Chokshi
Once upon a time, a man who believed in fairy tales married a beautiful but mysterious woman called Indigo Maxwell-Castenada. They exchanged gifts and stories and in exchange for their love, Indigo extracted one promise: that her bridegroom would never pry into her past.
But when Indigo learns that her estranged aunt is dying and the couple are forced to return to her extravagant crumbling childhood home, her bridegroom quickly finds himself unable to resist. In the house lurks the shadow of Indigo’s childhood best friend who disappeared. And as the house slowly begins to reveal his wife’s secrets, he’ll be forced to choose between reality and fantasy, even if doing so could destroy their lives.
