My Favorite Stand Alone Fantasy Novels

Fantasy is by far the best fictional genre. Who does not love a story involving wizards, magic, dragons, and the like? As much as I adore expansive series that thoroughly explore the depths of their detailed worlds, stand alone novels really speak to me. Inside their pages is a compact, singular tale that starts and ends in one volume. You do not have to wait for years on end to discover the secrets and dramatic finales. So I decided to compile a list of my favorite stand alone fantasy novels for everyone to enjoy. Pick one up and read it cover to cover. 

Summer Reading List

Unpopular opinion: summer is my least favorite season. I despise heat and my English rose skin does not deal well with harsh sunlight. Also, bugs love to bite me and shorts are always too short. The only reason I look forward to summer each year is summer break. However, I will be taking two summer courses this time around (which are now online). Will I have as much free time to read? Probably not. But I still have a few key novels I want to pick up this season. 

Books to Read in Quarantine (ft. some amazing bloggers)

Almost all of us are stuck in quarantine right now, unable to work, go out, or do anything other than sit at home and worry. I have been doing a lot of baking, watching Netflix for hours on end, writing, and reading. Honestly, there isn't a better time to get some reading done than right now. I decided to reach out to some fabulous book bloggers and ask them to contribute a quarantine book recommendation! So without any further ado, here is a list of books you should read during quarantine from some of my favorite bloggers. 

10 Best Books of the Decade

I just realized today that I have been writing 2019 on all of my school papers for the past few weeks. For some reason my brain simply refuses to accept that is indeed a new year. But it is not just a new year, but a new decade. I was nine years old when 2010 began and I will be turning twenty soon. Obviously, a lot of the books I read at the start of the decade will not be included here (hello, cringey dystopian/vampire obsessed tween Erin). In fact, I am only including the best books that I read in the past ten years that were also released within the decade. 

Cozy Winter Reading Recommendations

Perhaps this is an unpopular opinion, but winter is one of my favorite seasons. I adore snow, sweaters, and all things that come with this time of the year. The mood is just so...cozy. I want to go ice skating, drink hot chocolate, and bake cookies. Thanks to winter break from university, I have more time to actually read. But right now I am recommending books for you to pick up this winter.

The Best Books of 2019

Every year seems to slip by even more quickly than the last, with this one having disappeared in the blink of an eye. Somehow I am a college sophomore and will be turning twenty years old in 2020. Maybe it's just because I have been watching so much Peaky Blinders lately, but I am definitely hoping for a roaring '20s repeat. I have a lot of good things awaiting me in this new year and new decade, including some fantastic books. But for now, let's talk about the nine best books I read in 2019.

The Secret History is Amazing and You Should Read It

Donna Tartt's The Secret History is a beloved classic and a tale of dark academia, secrets, and murder. To be perfectly honest, a hundred pages into this book had me convinced I hated it. I found the characters to be strange, the pacing to be slow, and the writing to go off on one too many tangents. So how did I end up loving it by the end?

Fictional Worlds I Want to Visit

Sometimes I read a book so vibrant and rich that I am transported to another world entirely. The words pop off the page and pull you in so deep that when you finally manage to drag your eyes away from the page, you are shocked to find yourself in your bedroom or on the train. Some fictional worlds stick with you more than others and I would give my heart to be able to visit them. However, there are some books that I love dearly but would never wish to be transported into, whether that's due to a tyrannical society or a doomed fate. But others resonate with your heart so much so that you feel like you belong there. Do you every feel like fiction is more of a home than reality? 

Review: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

I almost exclusively read fantasy books nowadays. Fantasy is my favorite genre and between school and work, I don't have much time to read so I naturally tend to only read my favorites. But occasionally I feel like picking up something a bit different and nothing it more out-there for me than a contemporary novel. However, Little Fires Everywhere surprised me in the best way and I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. 

Autumn Reading List

Ah, Autumn. Every year I look forward to the weather cooling, the leaves transforming into vibrant jewels on the tree branches, and the return of pumpkin picking and hot chocolate. Picture this: it's a crisp fall day and you're sitting on your front porch with a good book and a glass of apple cider. You're reading something creepy, like horror or mystery, because it is nearly Halloween. Doesn't that sound like a perfect afternoon? I don't know how much time I'll have to read during this season since I am going back to school (I'll be a college sophomore), but I always try to pick up a few books in my limited free time. 

Books that Made Me Cry

Listen, I'm not a crier. I don't cry when I watch sad movies, stub my toe, or when celebrities die. But I love sad stories because they make me feel things. So I had to find some book that would make me shed a tear eventually, right? There are but a few, but here they are. If you want a good cry, maybe give these ones a read. And don't worry, there won't be any spoilers. 

Books I Want to Reread

When I was a kid, I would reread my favorite books religiously. I can't count how many times I read Harry Potter or the Magic Treehouse books. But as I got older, I stopped rereading. It wasn't intentional, yet I found myself having read only new-to-me books for years. This was not so surprising considering that I had been reading less books in general due to schoolwork and life in general. I wanted to ingest stories I had never experienced before with my limited time, not books where I knew every twist and turn. But I miss rereading books. Returning to a beloved story or world is like visiting an old friend. So here are some books/series that I would like to revisit.

5 Beach Reads for Summer 2019

Ah, summertime--the season meant for road trips, popsicles, and afternoons spent laying in the sun at the beach. Personally, I love to swim when I visit the ocean but my second favorite activity is cracking open a good book and reading to my heart's content. It's summer vacation, so it is a basic requirement to spend some time relaxing. Here are the five books I would recommend you take with you on your next visit to the beach.

The Book Series You're Missing Out On: The Prydain Chronicles in Review

Reading these books feels like coming home. To me, that stands out more than anything else. I haven't felt that feeling since Harry Potter, or maybe with Percy Jackson. But this series moved my heart in a way that even those beloved books did not. This is storytelling at it's finest, high fantasy at its peak, and something that you are all missing out on. Just trust me this one time when I recommend something. If you enjoy fantasy, if you just enjoy a good story, then pick these ones up. Trust me, you're in for one hell of a ride that you won't regret.