Reading is one of the most enjoyable pastimes. Picking up a good book and getting transported to a fantastical world with magic, sword fights, and mythical creatures is an experience unlike any other. However, books take time to read, and sometimes you don't want to invest in a long and winding series of twists and turns.

Great stories can be contained in a single book, where everything is nicely wrapped up from beginning to end. These standalone fantasy books don't end on cliffhangers or compel you to buy the next installment. Instead, they are complete on their own and will whisk you away into a grand fantasy.

If you love a good fairytale retelling that's dark and gritty, then To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo is for you. With a powerful opening line, Christo dives headfirst into the depths of this new world and shows just how dangerous and brutal sirens can be. If you love Disney's The Little Mermaid and aren't familiar with the original tale or lore of sirens, you may want to skip, otherwise you'll never view it the same.

There's a slow-burn romance that courses through the novel, as well as political intrigue and piracy. This light enemies to lovers adventure will see two daring souls pitted against each other, yet forced to work together. What's not to love?

Librarians are more than just bookeepers – they're the defenders of powerful grimoires. In their line of work, they remain vigilant to protect the books from the wrong hands, and to keep the books from devouring people. Margaret Rogerson creates something new that would be perfect 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:inspiration for a tabletop game or your next D&D campaign.

If conspiracy and sworn enemies are favorites of yours, than this is for you. As Elisabeth tries to clear her name of a crime she didn't commit, she finds herself entangled in a plot beyond her imagining. It threatens not just the Great Libraries, but the world.

.

With story beats that sometimes feel as dark and twisted as the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Death Note manga, Lisa Jensen pilots the narrative with a single idea: rewriting Beauty and the Beast to fit her tastes based off her time as a film critic. When an idea sticks with you so strongly that you feel the need to write a novel, you know it's going to be good.

Fair warning: the novel deals with mature themes and traumatic events that may make some readers uncomfortable. If you're worried, it happens early in the novel and only briefly, but it's integral to driving the plot forward and developing the characters.

Fans of the book know that the movie by the same name is quite different, but equally good. Neil Gaiman's exquisite writing flourished here as he writes a high fantasy adventure about retrieving a fallen star to win the heart of the most beautiful girl in town. The only problem is that there's more than one person looking for the star, and the star is actually a woman.

If you want a fantasy that's all its own, Stardust is just that. Fully-contained in one book, it's all you'll need to embark on an epic adventure that's earned its place as a classic.

Ella Enchanted is celebrating over 25 years since the release of the novel, and this classic retelling of Cinderella has enough fresh ideas to 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:inspire D&D fans to read it. Cursed to obey whatever she's told, Ella's feisty personality sends her off on a quest to break free and live the life of her choosing.

While written as middle-grade fiction, the novel holds up well and provides a light-hearted adventure for readers of all ages. It's a classic tale that inspired the movie (though the movie is quite different). Author Gail Carson Levine has written other stories in the Ella Enchanted universe, but each is a standalone novel you can enjoy on its own.