Book Discussion: Standalone Novels

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. I unfortunately caught COVID while traveling or at the convention. Fortunately, it's mild, and I'm recovering. Nebula (pictured above) has been taking good care of me by stealing my blanket and cuddling with me when she feels like it. 

I realized it's been a while since I've done a proper discussion post, so I wanted to type one up since I'm doing little besides resting. This one comes from my friend Danielle. She gave it to me several years ago, but I've kept a list of suggestions. 

Being a huge fantasy reader, I get stuck mainly in series. I'm not opposed to standalone novels, but they seem more complicated to find nowadays in fantasy. My discussion question for the day is: What are some of your favorite standalone novels in any genre? 

A lot of the standalone novels I read are usually Historical Fiction. These aren't listed in any particular order, just as I think of them. 

 - Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Margaret George. If you like Historical Fiction, I highly recommend this novel. It is a bit long at 870 pages, but well worth the read.

  - Alice, I have been by Melanie Benjamin. I have recommended this Historical Fiction a handful of times. I'm a HUGE Alice in Wonderland fan, and this story tells what her life might have been like as a little girl when the book was written, navigating her life as an adult and her later years. 

- Fiend by Peter Stenson. I highly recommend this novel if you like horror and zombies. It's a very grimy Zombie apocalypse story where the only survivors are addicts. 

- The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor. This standalone is a Thriller that alternates between 1986 and 2016. I've read it twice, and the second time, I was still surprised by the story.

-Circe by Madeline Miller. This novel follows the Goddess Circe and her life. I absolutely loved this when I read it and couldn't put it down. Some have found it slow, but if you like historical fiction and mythology, it's worth a read.

Deadheading by Paul Cristo is a debut standalone novel by Paul Cristo that is a survival story. In this world, most of the population is eradicated by disease. The main character must do what he can to survive. It was published in March 2020, which is very interesting.

Do you prefer standalone novels or series? What standalone novels would you recommend? I could recommend more, but the list would be rather long. I've often recommended these books, so I need to read more.