Stand-Alone September

Published on September 15, 2026

Flat-style illustration of an older woman lounging with a book and coffee against a dark red background, with a blue

By Hannah V.

With the seemingly endless amount of book series out there, it can feel a little overwhelming. Where do you start? What if the series isn’t finished and you have to wait? What if you read them out of order and get confused? Never fear, there’s another option out there for you! 

 

Introducing Stand-Alone September! All these stories are contained in one book. One and done. There shall be no continuation of these stories. What a relief! 

 

Front cover of Audition by Katie Kitamura, featuring a black background with stylized, multi-colored typography split by horizontal offset lines across the title and author name.

Audition by Katie Kitamura

I’ve never felt more gaslit than when reading this book. Told in two parts, Kitamura does a fantastic job of weaving this tale and making you work to figure out what’s happening. This book makes you wonder—can you ever really know someone? Be forewarned, this one is a little more abstract. 

 

 

 

Front cover of My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, featuring a classical 18th-century portrait of a seated woman in a white gown alongside bold, hot-pink text overlays.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh 

This is what I lovingly refer to as “weird girl lit”: a book about a weird girl for the weird girls (or guys or nonbinary besties). With an insufferable (and unreliable) narrator, at first, I didn’t think I would finish it. I hated the narrator, but everything about this book made me want to keep reading, and I just ate it up. I honestly still think about this book at least once a week. 

 

 

Front cover of the novel Advika and the Hollywood Wives by Kirthana Ramisetti, featuring a blue background with a stylized illustration of a woman's profile along with vibrant orange and yellow accents.

Advika and the Hollywood Wives by Kirthana Ramisetti 

Described as part love story and part thriller, this book reminds readers that not all red flags are obvious. Sometimes you won’t see those negative traits until someone else points them out. This really fed my love of Hollywood, celebrities, and getting all the juicy dirt from behind the scenes. Pro tip: listen to Ashe’s song 'Stop the Wedding' while reading and remember it’s never too late to leave.  

 

 

Front cover of Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson, featuring large green cut-out letters cast with soft shadows on a textured off-white background, mixed with black hand-script accents.

Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson 

What if you had to confront your actions from when you were a teenager, twenty years ago? Personally, I feel that whatever teenage me was doing back in the day is none of present me’s business. It's literally in the past. Unfortunately for Frankie, that won’t work. A journalist is asking questions about the Coalfield Panic of 1996 and her role in it.  

 

 

Front cover of The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong, featuring a backlit silhouette of a figure standing against glowing sunlight with warm-toned typography.

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong 

Whether it’s an addict on the edge, a widow losing herself to dementia, or the quirky cast of characters at the fast-food joint HomeMarket, Ocean Vuong’s characters are uniquely real, and their pain demands to be felt. Delve into the world of East Gladness, Connecticut, and experience the stories we sometimes tell ourselves to survive.

 

 

 

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