Yesterday a reader asked us for suggestions of stand-alone novels. Admittedly, we were at a bit of a loss. It’s more common in urban fantasy and paranormal genres in general to be written in multi-book story arcs.
Some paranormal romance series are written in the same world, but each novel can work as a stand-alone. There are quite a few series that fall in this category, but two of the most popular are Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series and Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series.
We posed the question to our Twitter followers, and many came back with “that’s a really hard question.” Everyone was wracking their brains trying to come up with great stand-alone books. (We did get a few suggestions for Stephen King novels and titles like John Ajvide Lindqvist’s Let the Right One In.)
This one needs more time, and a public response. So, readers, please help us out: What are your favorite stand-alone novels?
Stand-alones I love:
The Demon’s Librarian by Lilith Saintcrow (this is one of my favorite books period)
The Blue Girl by Charles d eLint
The Black Tattoo by Sam Enthoven (young adult)
Necking by Chris Salvatore
Salt & Silver by Anna Katherine
The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell (an incredible, but very dark story)
That Which Bites: The Julia Poe Vampire Chronicles by Celis T. Rono (an odd story that I liked despite how strange it was)
Thanks for the great suggestions, Karen. Lilith Saintcrow books should always be on the list. 🙂
This question is harder then it seems. All I have is this: all of Lynn Kurlands early stuff is great, while apart of a series, they each can be read as a stand alone. (They are paranormal romance/time travel books.)
It’s hard to say favorites, but I read one recently that I loved!
Monster by A. Lee Martinez
Our friend at Harlequin just suggested we add LIAR by Justine Larbalestier to the list (the actual comment was “That book twisted my brain around…”).
She also reminded us there are a bunch of paranormal/supernatural stand alone Silhouette Bombshells, available in ebook.
Has anyone else read Liar? I haven’t, but I’m fully intrigued now.
This is a tough question since so many great books become series…
My favorite book of 2010 so far is INSIDE OUT by Maria V. Snyder, a futuristic YA. A sequel is coming in 2011, but you can stop after the first book (ie there isn’t a cliffhanger ending). THE DEAD TRAVEL FAST is also a Gothic story from Deanna Raybourn. She writes the Lady Julia Grey historical mystery series and is a favorite around the Harlequin office! TDTF is different though, with hints of the paranormal.
~Amy
North of Beautiful
Blindsided
Dark Song
Sing me to Sleep
Forbidden
The Girl Next Door
Flyway
Tell me a secret
Annexed
Looking for Alaska
Change of Heart
Undone
Amy and roger’s epic detour
Before I fall
Hold Still
Cracked up to be
Jumping off swings
Twenty boy summer
Nature of Jade
By the time you read this, I’ll be dead
After
Hate list
I know its over
Crazy Beautiful
Break
Academy 7
Speak
(All YA)
Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog
One of my favorite standalone UF/paranormal books is Robin McKinley’s Sunshine. This was published some time ago, so you can probably find it at your local library. A YA reprint came out earlier this year.
Our friends at Del Rey/Spectra (they publish my favorite books this year — Stacia Kane’s Downside series) suggested we add the urban fantasy stand-alone NORSE CODE by Greg van Eekhout to the list.
Cliche, but yes my fave will always be the first Vampire book I read…Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” Given to me at a young age..about 12 or 13…my father knew I had a passion for these creatures…vamps. We would watch old movies with Lugosi and pretty much any paranormal we could enjoy. I was fascinated by them. Beauty, grace, and immortality, who could want more?
The darkest part of the forest by Holly Black.