Chat Between Chapters: Fave Fantasy Tropes

For this discussion post, we are joining the Fantasy With Friends discussion with Pages Unbound.

This week’s prompt:

What are some of your favorite fantasy tropes that you never get tired of?

 

 

 Julie:

I like to read fantasy because it’s more fun than the real world. But there are things I like a lot and things I don’t like as much when it comes to tropes. Here are some tropes I might just be obsessed with:

• Unique magical creatures – don’t just give me vampires and fae. Give me the lesser known mythological beings that go bump in the night. Some of my favorite series with unique sets of magical beings include With All My Soul (Soul Screamers series YA), Court of Wings and Spirit (Hidden Courts of the Fae series, adult).
• He falls first – Look, a man who yearns is a man to keep, ok? He needs to be down bad! I mean, why else am I reading a romantic plot?
• Banter – adding to that above, the banter between characters must be sizzling. I want to laugh and swoon and cringe even. Give me banter!
• Enemies to lovers – yes a good enemies to lovers is fun and on top of that I prefer the first book to have at least some romantic resolution (no bully romance for me). I know some Booksta girlies who don’t want them to even smile at each other in the first book but I don’t have that kind of patience. We can all fall in love in 300 pages, right?
• Found family – sometimes your blood relatives are shit and your friends who become your whole world are the family you didn’t know you needed. I love that about fantasy books.
• Older FMC – Hi, I’m Julie, and I’m in my 40s. While I sometimes do enjoy a YA, if I’m reading an adult book can the characters be actual adults? Please and thank you.
• Betrayal and Forgiveness – can’t have one without the other.. love and.. OK that’s a different song. But give me some heart breaking plot twists that resolve into character growth and heartfelt reconnections.

 

Lynn:

Oh snap! I am also for some older main characters. When you start to identify with the adults in books, it’s time to move on from YA.

• I like a good training montage. Especially with it’s the two main love interests and the back and forth banter heightens the scenes.
• Which clearly means I like some good banter.
• Reluctant hero. I pass on the chosen one. I want a hero that doesn’t WANT to be the hero, but does it anyway because it’s the right thing to do.
• The cavalry arrives. Who doesn’t get verklept when Gandalf and the Riders of Rohan swoop in to save the day. I want that feeling in all the books. The danger is there, but the heroes need a push to triumph.
• Antagonist turned ally. Along the same lines of Enemies to Lovers (which is awesome!). All those morally grey characters with hearts of gold, flipping sides.

 

 

What about you?

 

 

We are also linking up our discussion posts with the 2026 Book Blog Discussion Challenge hosted by Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight and co-hosted by us!

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