So I decided to attempt a TBR game on booktube and I wanted one that would allow me to get my creative juices flowing. So I decided to give a choose your own adventure game a try.
If you want to play along and use this to create your August TBR – or at least some of it – then please do and let me know what you get and if you enjoy it!
Welcome to the city of Canais.
The city of riches and smugglers alike.
And now the festival of Soran – the sky god – is upon us and the city is packed with revellers.
And you are about to step out into it.
You open your front door, the morning air is fresh with anticipation.
There are a few places you could go. You have plans for today, plans that could change the course of your life forever.
What direction do you head?
- The Market (Go to 4)
- The Port (Go to 6)
- The Slums (Go to 8)
******
1.
Read a contemporary novel
You’re a realist and no matter how suspicious you might be. There can’t be people following you. No one knew your secrets and your life wasn’t a novel.
Those eyes you felt had to be imaginary
You continue on your way but as you pass a shadowy alley you feel some hands grab you.
Your elbows fly back as you try to find something to hit. To save yourself.
But it’s too late.
The knife slides across your throat.
YOU DIED – END OF TBR
***
2.
Read a manga book or graphic novel
You squinted at him but you aren’t sure.
Maybe it was on a wanted poster, but, no that was ridiculous. The mask would be too recognisable. Even though he had those eyes…
But you took too long.
The man stared at you for a few moments but when you didn’t say a word? He grunted and turned to walk away.
You were clearly not worth his time
- You chase after him – this might not be smart but you’re curious as to where this suspicious man is going (Go to 9)
- You don’t want to risk running into someone more dangerous and head home (Go to 18)
- You move further into the slums, you still have something to do (Go to 20)
***
3.
Read a horror novel
You back away from the man.
There was something terrifying about him. Something that made you think there was more to him than meets the eye. He was the reason you usually avoid the slums.
It was a waste of time but you’ll surely be able to pick up the information you need in another way? You had no other choice.
GAME OVER – END OF TBR
***
4.
Blindly pick a book from your shelves
You reach the market and instantly you’re pulled into the crowds.
The stalls are bright and loud, all fighting for your attention. You don’t know where to look first.
But one stall does catch your eye.
The stall owner is enveloped in a velvet cloak so black that they almost blended into the shadows. All you could see was a pair of golden eyes. You couldn’t even tell what they were thinking.
You step forwards, your eyes lingering on the cloaks that hang around them.
The cloak around your shoulders was looking a little frayed. You pull out your purse and select:
- The rich red velvet lined with with white fur. (Go to 13)
- A deep blue cloak made out of a plain cotton. It’s simple but pretty. (Go to 16)
- A scratchy looking brown cloak that you aren’t actually sure if is for sale or if someone left it that would be good for blending in (Go to 19)
***
5.
Get your or someone else’s pet to pick your read
Closing the door behind you, you watch as the man opens another and peeks inside. You hear footsteps inside and you wonder what it is.
You step closer and see a giant cat inside.
And that’s the last thing you see as it jumps on you.
YOU DIED – END OF TBR
***
6.
Pick a book featuring travel
The port is practically heaving and you begin to wonder if it was such a good idea to come here? You had a meeting here but you’re not sure that today is the safest day for it.
Anyone could overhear what you wanted.
You spot your contact but he is standing too close to a group of gamblers for you to be comfortable.
You:
- Turn around and go home – this is too important to risk the guards finding out (Go to 22)
- Approach him anyway and whisper that you think someone is listening (Go to 24)
- Approach him and announce very loudly that you have a meeting and that the gamblers need to disappear (Go to 26)
***
7.
Post a poll on social media and ask people what book to read
The matches felt like the right choice. In fact, in the dark of the room, you might need one now. You pull out the match and scrape it on the box. The room lights up and you see the etching on the two doors across the room.
One had a cat on it and the other some stairs.
The small building might have a larger temple below.
Huh.
You point towards the door with the stairs and the man turned to grin at you before he headed down it.
You hear voices at the bottom talking about future plans and you heave a sigh in relief.
The men listening in didn’t matter after all. This was where they were supposed to meet and your adventure was about to begin.
GAME OVER – END OF TBR
***
8.
Pick a thriller
The slums is closer packed than you expected for some reason.
It’s not your first time here but you’re uncomfortable all the same. You’re sure you could defend yourself if need be but you don’t wish to need to.
Your eyes are darting back and forwards and you assume that this means you are paying attention to your surroundings.
But it’s not enough.
As you pass a tavern, a man in a plague doctor’s mask steps out and you bump right into him.
What do you do:
- Apologize. It was your fault and you do not want to get in trouble (Go to 21)
- Snap that the doctor’s mask must be affecting his sight as HE ran into YOU (Go to 23)
- Step back and wait for the man to pass. You have more important things to do. (Go to 25)
***
9.
Pick a fantasy.
You follow after the man, keeping to the shadows. You feel like from the way he’s moving that he knows you are there but he doesn’t stop you.
He even seems to wait for you at some point.
Strange.
He leads you further and further into the maze of streets and shanties.
And eventually…stops outside of a decrepit building. The walls were practically stained black and the symbol on the door – that of the war god, Senson – seemed to have a strike through it. Almost ruined.
What was going on?
You get close to the door but you can’t hear what’s going on inside.
What do you do?
- Head inside and hope you can hide well enough to hear. (Go to 10)
- Leave now before someone spots you. (Go to 18)
- Stay where you are for now – you might overhear something but don’t want to risk getting caught (Go to 17)
***
10.
Pick a book with a one word title
No.
No.
No.
You shouldn’t have stepped inside.
You can’t see anyone but there’s a corpse pinned to the wall across from you. Whatever this place is. You don’t want to be here. You don’t want to end up like the man.
What do you?
- Leave as quickly as possible. No one sees you leave and you walk normally so you won’t be seem as suspicious (Go to 1)
- Try to have a peek at the body before running out (Go to 12)
***
11.
Read a book with a lot of action scenes in
You glare hard at the man and step forwards. Ready to fight the man for accusing you not being careful. It was down to him that he stepped out and ran into you.
But before you could lash out he puts a hand up and you freeze in place.
You didn’t know what was happening. You didn’t think it was the man and you were right.
Another man stepped out of the building with a hand held up, magically keeping you frozen.
Oh no…
The man in the plague mask reached out and touched you.
And you were gone.
YOU DIED – END OF TBR
***
12.
Read a book you’re not sure that you’ll like
You take a few steps closer to the body and you think you hear something.
Oh no.
You pause
But it’s gone silent again.
You crouch over the body.
And someone hits you on the back of the head.
GAME OVER – END OF TBR
***
13.
Read the highest rated book on your TBR
Your brand new cloak is glorious and as you pull it on, you feel richer than you ever have.
You straighten your shoulders and even smile at a few passersby as you head through the marketplace.
Your certain today is going to be a good day.
But maybe you thought too soon…
As you a turn a corner, you spot someone seemingly following you.
What do you do?
- Try and lose yourself in the crowd (Go to 27)
- Try to get out of the market so you can get home safe (Go to 29)
- It can’t be anything to do with you – continue on through the marketplace as normal (Go to 1)
***
14.
Get a friend to pick your next read
You manage to get out the slums without much difficulty.
You’re maybe looking over your shoulder a little more than necessary but your paranoia is understandable. You still don’t know what was going on in there. But you don’t trust that building.
There is a particular tavern in the port where you’ve been instructed to leave messages and you head there now.
At the bar the familiar bar keep stands and he raises an eyebrow at you as you hurry in. You’re looking a little frazzled but that doesn’t matter right now. You just hurry over and leave a message detailing the fact you’d found a strange building and even sketching how the symbol had been ruined.
That would have to do now.
Because you really had no clue what it was you’d stumbled upon.
GAME OVER – END OF TBR
***
15.
Read a book from the library/scribd/kindle unlimited
The woman’s smile grows as she gestures you closer.
Her hand closes around your cloak and she brings your faces close together. You can smell the root she’d been eating and you tried not to wrinkle your nose at the sharp smell.
“You really think such a spell exists? You’re too trusting child, you’re better off going home.”
You pull away, stumbling back with a scowl.
She had tricked you?
This woman clearly had no idea what she was talking about.
But part of you didn’t wonder if she had a point…
Do you:
- Spit at the woman and tell her loudly that she is a liar, a fraud and you refuse to pay her. (Go to 1)
- Ignore her ‘advice’ and hurry off to your meeting at the port. (Go to 6)
- Bite your bottom lip but leave her a couple of coins as you slowly head back towards home to think on it – you can rearrange your meeting if necessary. (Go to 18)
***
16.
Read your most recent purchase
With this cloak you feel more comfortable but you won’t be blending in or sticking out enough to be able to do much today.
Be happy with your purchase and your tbr.
GAME OVER – END OF TBR
***
17.
Pick a mystery
Staying outside is definitely the safest option in your opinion.
But you can’t exactly hear much going on inside.
You stand there for a few moments, slipping into the shadows as someone else walks up to the building and comes inside. No one seems to ask them anything as they walk in. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t someone asking for a password inside.
There’s only two options:
- Go inside – you’re learning nothing hanging around (Go to 12)
- Walk away and get a message to a contact of yours (Go to 14)
***
18.
Post a poll and ask others what to put on your TBR
You return home and aren’t bothered at all. You were worried someone might find you considering the suspicious people you saw around.
You don’t figure that it might have been because you finally blend in so well.
GAME OVER – END OF TBR
***
19.
Read your lowest rated book
With your wardrobe choices you blend in with the poorer sections of society.
This would be the perfect opportunity to head into the slums and meet the person who agreed to meet you today.
You’re still nervous about this meeting. Unsure whether you want to actually be part of this rebellion and possibly reveal your secret…
- Go to the slums (Go to 8)
- Head back home (Go to 18)
***
20.
Read a book with a dark cover
Prowling the slums, you’re looking for something specific. You have a meeting with some people in the port later on today and you hoped to find a spell that would allow you to tell whether your contact was telling the truth or not.
But it was more difficult than you expect.
You nearly walk past the stall when you find it.
A heavily perfumed make-shift tent, draped in a dark alley and mostly in shadow. It’s only when you hear a voice call out to you that you back up.
You look the woman inside up and down and she smiles at you, her teeth are purple with the root she must have been chewing moments before.
“After a spell are yee? What if I tell you that I know exactly what you seek?”
- You decide not to trust her and head home (Go to 22)
- You decide to step into the tent and ask for more information (Go to 15)
***
21.
Read a historical novel
The supposed plague doctor studies you carefully, his golden eyes making you want to step further back. There was something cruel and unnatural about them. Like he was looking at you and wondering how you’d look if he broke you apart.
“Watch where you’re going,.”
What are you thinking?
- “He looks familiar. Where have I seen him before?” (Go to 2)
- “I should probably back away. There’s something wrong with him.” (Go to 3)
- “How dare he speak to me that way! I’ll show him watch where you’re going” (Go to 11)
***
22.
Pick a book under 300 pages
You weren’t out for very long and you feel like you wasted your day. Maybe you should have risked it.
But if anyone involved had been dangerous and found out about your magic…well.
It doesn’t matter.
It’s too late for you to turn back around now.
GAME OVER – END OF TBR
***
23.
Pick a book you’ve been really wanting to read.
The man raises an eyebrow at you and, suddenly, you wonder if you shouldn’t have said that.
He stares at you for so long, that you wonder if he’s waiting to attack.
And then he lifts his mask to smile at you.
“Be careful who you pick a fight with, child. Next time someone might not be in such a good mood.”
And then he walks away.
You stare at his back as he walks away.
- Follow him (Go to 9)
- Head further into the slums (Go to 20)
- Head home (Go to 22)
***
24.
Pick an audio book
You step forwards, keeping a close eye on the man as you did.
They watched you both carefully and your suspicions were easily raised. You frowned and tapped him on the shoulder.
“We’re being watched. We can’t talk here,” you whisper.
The man shoots you a look, as if that was obvious. And he gestures you that you follow him.
He leads you towards a small brick building where people would leave offerings for Soran.
Stepping inside, you feel like you should leave something yourself.
What do you leave from your bag:
- A small statue of a cat (Go to 5)
- A book of matches (Go to 7)
- Nothing (Go to 28)
***
25.
Pick a book longer than 500 pages
You step aside to allow the man to go on ahead as you lower your head. You don’t want to risk pissing this guy off.
If it feels like his eyes are on you for a moment, you couldn’t say, but you hear as he walks off again.
- Follow him (Go to 9)
- Head further into the slums (Go to 20)
- Head home (Go to 22)
***
26.
Pick a book with a loud cover
The gamblers heads jerk up and glare at you and your contact looks at you like he thinks that you’re missing a few brain cells.
But he crosses his arms and doesn’t say anything.
He just watches as the gamblers stalk up to you and waits.
“You got somethin’ to say?”
Do you:
- Try to fight these men (Go to 30)
- Look back at the man and walk over to him ignoring the gamblers (Go to 24)
***
27.
Read a book everyone is talking about.
Everywhere you step you can hear people whispering about how beautiful your cloak is. Some people even wonder why such a rich person is clearly wondering around the market alone.
Maybe they had a point.
You can’t seem to lose your tail. All these people are helping your stalker whether you like it or not.
- Throw your cloak away – now you can blend in again (Go to 31 and drop a book from your TBR)
- Try to hide in one of the stalls – you can seduce them into letting you hide (Go to 32 and read a romance)
- Try to get out of the market so you can escape (Go to 29)
***
28.
Read a retelling
The room is dark and you can barely see that there are two doors ahead of you. The man looks to be studying them carefully but he seems to be squinting.
He turns to you and gestures towards them with his head.
He’s asking you to pick a door.
- Go left (Go to 7)
- Go right (Go to 5)
***
29.
Read a favourite author
Hurrying towards the edges, you take a few quick turns into different alleys.
Your cloak is too recognizable but all you need is to be a path or two ahead and then you can duck out.
When you see the opportunity, you dive into a crowd and then push through them to one of the openings to the market.
You get out with a heavy sigh and look around.
Your choice in rich clothing was your mistake and now in this cloak all you can do is go home. You’re not safe life this.
GAME OVER – END OF TBR
***
30.
Read a book with more than one person on the cover
As the gamblers come at you, you try to pull out a weapon. But prepared or not, there’s two of them and one of you.
Even as you look to your contact for help, he simply watches you. You’re clearly not worth it if you can’t handle two gamblers on your own.
Turning away was a mistake and before you know it, something is hitting you around the back of the head and you are down for the count.
GAME OVER – END OF TBR
***
31.
Drop a book from your TBR
There’s no way you’re getting anywhere like this.
Your fingers scrabble at the ties of the cloak and you throw it aside. You don’t even pay attention where it lands. Some urchin can steal it to sleep in or sell for all you care.
But now it’ll be much easier to blend in again.
There’s no point staying in the slums where someone could still track you down again so you have three choices:
- Go home (Go to 18)
- Go to the slums (Go to 8)
- Go to the port (Go to 6)
***
32.
Read a romance novel
You dart into one of the stalls, not even really paying attention to who owned it. The stall itself was perfect. In the shadows but in a crowded area and with a closed off area for the owner to relax in.
Only then do you look up at the stall owner.
You should count your lucky stars that they’re incredibly attractive.
And that your seduction actually works.
Unfortunately, you’re not going to be doing much else for the rest of the day now.
Ooops.
GAME OVER – END OF TBR
Lace and Dagger Books 