Blind Date With A Fantasy Book

Posted February 14, 2023 by Sammie in book list, fantasy, recommendations, top ten tuesdays / 27 Comments

It’s that time of year! Today is Valentine’s Day, when love is in the air amongst all those hopeful singles and new couples who still have something to prove.

To translate that for all you old married couples like hubby and I, it’s time to argue over who has to take the offspring to her appointment (me) and who has to take the dog to hers (hubby, regardless of what he says). Because . . . romance? Basically, it’s just another day, like all the rest. You know, unless hubby doesn’t take the dog to her appointment. Then it might make headlines. *cough*

I’m obviously not a romance reader, and I’ve done plenty of romance posts before (like Fictional Romances That Remind Me of My Marriage, Stabby Romances for the Slytherin At Heart, and Why I Love Problematic Romances). So I was really struggling to find something related to romance that I hadn’t done already that would be fun. But, dear Bookwyrm, I’ve got five words for you: Blind Date With A Book.

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is a Valentine’s Day freebie, so why not tempt fate a little and play Blind Date With A Fantasy Book? You never know, you might just find your one true bookish love!

This is a very popular concept in libraries around this time of year. I’ve done it in my library, too, and patrons absolutely love it. The basic concept is that you have to judge a book by its personality (what little bit of information you’re given) rather than its looks to decide if it’s the one for you. Admittedly a little harder to do on the blog, but I think we can make it happen.

Are you ready? Step right up, Bookwyrm, and see if any of these eligible bachelor(ette)s catch your fancy! If any of them click your eye, just click on the reveal and click the cover to check them out on Goodreads!

Dragon Divider

# 1 – YA High Fantasy

First Lines:
Once upon a time, on the coldest night of midwinter, in the darkest heart of the forest, Death and Fortune came to a crossroads.

They stood tall and unfathomable in the glass-smooth snow, Death in her shroud of pyre smoke and shadows, and Fortune in her gown of gold and bones. More than that cannot be said, for no two souls see Death and Fortune the same way; yet we all know when we meet them.
Positive Qualities:
  • The protagonist as a pawn in a twisted game between gods
  • Backstabbing and underhandedness
  • Plot twists you’ll never see coming (and a few that you will)
  • A cute almost-romance with an open ending
  • A dark world filled with darker magic
  • Enemies forced to work together
  • Many badass women to love
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


Dragon Divider

# 2 – YA High Fantasy

First Lines:
If I hadn’t come to the convent’s cemetery to be alone, I wouldn’t have noticed the silver gleam of the censor lying abandoned at the base of a tombstone.
Positive Qualities:
  • The dead are rising (but this time, they’re vengeful ghosts instead of zombies!)
  • New take on a (badass) religious order
  • Accidental bond with an ancient being that would almost rather the character died
  • Sinister mysteries and dark magic
  • A protagonist that has to become a villain in order to be a hero
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


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# 3 – Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy

First Lines:
On second thoughts, throwing myself out the window of a skyscraper may not have been the best idea.

Not because I’m going to die or anything. I’ve totally got that under control.

It wasn’t smart because I had to bring Annie Cruz with me. And Annie, it turns out, is a screamer.
Positive Qualities:
  • Superpowers . . . but the slightly chaotic, uncontrollable sort
  • Reluctant heroes that would really rather be doing anything else. (Like, you know, sitting on the couch.)
  • Characters that are proficient in sarcasm (and swearing).
  • Non-stop action that’ll have you immediately hooked and wanting more.
  • A reluctant, barely functioning squad that has to figure out how to work together (without killing each other, preferably).
  • First of a longer series, where each book keeps upping the action/intensity factor.
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


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# 4 – YA Adventure Fantasy

First Lines:
That morning, with the dawn hanging wet and pale over the marshes, Scarlett McCain woke beside four dead men. Four! She hadn’t realized it had been so many. No wonder she felt stiff.
Positive Qualities:
  • Action-packed from the first page
  • Every character has their secrets (and some are more dangerous than others)
  • Young protagonists who happen to find themselves on the wrong side of the law
  • A badass female lead paired with a cinnamon roll male lead
  • Tongue-in-cheek humorous narrative
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


Dragon Divider

# 5 – YA Contemporary Low Fantasy

First Lines:
The police officer’s body goes blurry, then sharpens again.

I don’t stare at him directly. I can’t really focus on one thing in this room, but when I do, his face shimmers.
Positive Qualities:
  • A new take on an old classic (namely, Arthurian legend!)
  • An interesting, diverse cast that challenges previous tellings of the story
  • Love triangle with a handsome, charming character and mysterious, brooding one
  • Unique and interesting magic system
  • Secret societies (and just massive secrets in general!)
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


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# 6 – Adult Queer Novella

First Lines:
It was the middle of an autumn downpour when Tobias first met Henry Silver.
Positive Qualities:
  • Opposites attract in unexpected (and interesting) ways
  • Nature magic with a fairy-tale quality to it
  • Old secrets and old magic (both equally dangerous)
  • Utterly adorable flirtation between two equally hopeless men
  • Gorgeous, evocative writing
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


Dragon Divider

# 7 – MG Comedic Fantasy

First Lines:
There was a dead girl in my aunt’s bakery.
Positive Qualities:
  • Written with a quippy, humorous tone (but still manages to sneak in emotionally charged, gut-wrenching scenes!)
  • Charming magic based on baking!
  • Young protagonists who are forced to be heroes but shouldn’t have needed to be
  • Shows that all magic can be meaningful, no matter how small
  • Murder mystery meets fantasy meets coming of age (but funny?)
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


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# 8 – Adult Comedic Fantasy Mystery

First Lines:
The dominion of man is drawing to a close. The age of demons is upon us. This, I recognize, is largely my fault and let me take just a moment to apologize for my part in it. I am very sorry I doomed the world.
Positive Qualities:
  • One of the greatest detectives all time . . . except slightly less competent and with ancient magic
  • Absolutely hilarious (sometimes absurd) adventures
  • Mysteries that are solved by less-than-conventional means
  • A supernatural cast of characters that are always managing to get themselves into trouble
  • Broken up into six stories with different “cases”
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


Dragon Divider

# 9 – YA Horror Dystopian Fantasy

First Lines:
The gap between the blacksmith and Morgan’s Drink House was just wide enough for Azzy and her pickaxe to squeeze through. The soot-covered apprentices and hungover patrons paid little attention to the lone girl sneaking off between buildings. None of them would snitch on her—they hated the Elder as much as she did.
Positive Qualities:
  • A dark, dystopian world destroyed by magic, where humans are forced to live underground
  • The Above is a dangerous world ruled by creatures warped by magic
  • Dark, horrific world that few end up surviving
  • Sibling bonds and adventure
  • Lots of big, dark secrets
  • A world that somehow manages to be beautiful (despite its ugliness)
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


Dragon Divider

# 10 – MG Comedic Adventure Fantasy

First Lines:
Dear Diary,
Today I died.
Sincerely,
Ben


If I kept a diary, that would’ve been my entry for the day.

Super dark, right?

It’s kinda hard not to be when you’re standing on a burning building, staring into the gigantic eyeballs of a Godzilla-size, evil version of yourself that wants to squash you like a bug.

Not my best day ever.
Positive Qualities:
  • Superpowers (but not the ones you might expect!)
  • Mix between a graphic novel and a traditional text-based novel
  • Hilarious squad with lots of funny scenes that subvert expectations
  • Large stakes, end-of-the-world type action
  • Coming of age about how superpowers aren’t what makes someone super
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


Dragon Divider

# 11 – Adult High Fantasy Retelling

First Lines:
The schooner glided through the air as its wooden hull pierced thick clouds of fog. Delicate wisps of mist crept silently upward, dissolved by the brightly shining sun as they rose. Thicker blankets of fog sank back into the endless whiteness that completely enveloped the small vessel.
Positive Qualities:
  • Retelling of Herman Melville’s classic whaling book . . . but with dragons!
  • Vast, luscious world that a reader can get lost in
  • Dark, complex characters with something to prove (and lose)
  • Action and danger balanced with character and world-building
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


Dragon Divider

# 12 – Adult Dark Fantasy

First Lines:
Victor readjusted the shovels on his shoulder and stepped gingerly over an old, half-sunken grave. His trench billowed faintly, brushing the tops of tombstones as he made his way through Merit Cemetery, humming as he went.
Positive Qualities:
  • Characters that put the super in superheroes (but, you know, also maybe take out the ‘heroes’ part)
  • Grey characters where everyone’s a hero and everyone’s a villain, depending on your perspective
  • Dual timeline that unravels its mysteries little by little
  • Archnemesis and hardcore grudges
  • A comic-book-style story . . . but words!
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


Dragon Divider

# 13 – YA Dark Adventure Fantasy

First Lines:
I outlined a fresh grave for the cemetery as bells rang from the isle’s tower, signifying the start of the celebrations. The soil reeked of ammonia and rot, but the crisp morning breeze washed the scent away, dispersing it over the ocean.
Positive Qualities:
  • Pokémon with pirates . . . but darker and for an older crowd
  • Murder, mystery, and mayhem
  • Creatures with powers that are super fun and interesting to discover
  • An unexpected squad that’s forced to work together to save the day
  • The first book in a long, ongoing series
Book Reveal:
Click To Reveal The Book


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Stay Fierce, Sammie

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27 responses to “Blind Date With A Fantasy Book

    • I think I’ve read exactly one book from this type of program? But to be fair, the only time I’ve encountered it is at my library . . . and I’m the one that set it up . . . so it kind of ruins the surprise. xD

  1. I got a potted plant for Valentines which is very on par with my boyfriend’s views on bouquets but strange since we usually don’t really “celebrate” Valentines since our anniversary is soon anyway. But hey, look at me oversharing.

    I’m surprised that I did recognise some of the books on your list. I’m still on the fence if I should read Scarlet and Browne since I don’t have a good track record with Strouts books. I mean, I’m curious and even more so now but still…
    I hope you are well, dear Sammie. 🙂 I didn’t read anything, so I guess the dog situation worked itself out?

    • Hey, a potted plant is fantastic! Even more so if you can keep it alive. (I somehow manage to kill all of mine, even the ones deemed “unkillable.” Surprise! xD)

      I haven’t read any of Stroud’s other books, so I can’t say on that one. I did love Scarlett and Brown, though, and the people I’ve recommended it to at the library have enjoyed it. Maybe try the first couple chapters and decide from there?

      I am well! Been ridiculously busy. We need to catch up on Twitter. I miss you!

  2. I’m one of those old married folks where Valentine’s Day is just another day. We do have some fun traditions that we participate in, mostly for the kids. Other than having more chocolate around than usual, it’s not too big a deal around here.

    This post is super fun! I’m too picky about what I read to do blind dates with books, but the concept is definitely fun.

    Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!

    Susan
    http://www.blogginboutbooks.com

  3. I’m proud of myself because I figured out Legendborn and the Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking. And I added The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind to my TBR.

    And I totally agree with you; after you’ve been in a relationship for a while, Valentine’s Day becomes another day. That’s not to say that hubby, and I didn’t go on a date Sunday to celebrate, but also to catch up with each other without the distraction of the house and kids.

    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
    https://readbakecreate.com/my-ten-favorite-fictional-families/
    Pam @ Read! Bake! Create! recently posted…My Ten Favorite Fictional Families!My Profile

    • I hope you enjoy the Frost Files! It’s one of my favorite series!

      Yeah, but date nights are fun whenever. Sometimes Valentine’s Day is a good reminder to do it, though.

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