2022 Most Anticipated - How to Date a Superhero (and Not Die Trying)

It is once again the most wonderful time of the year! It's time for me to kick off my annual most anticipated event. Each year I spotlight the books that I am eager to get my hands on in the upcoming year in hopes it'll put them on your radar as well. This year's event consists of 15 posts over the next three weeks.

I am kicking off the event with a book that combines some of my favourite things: superheroes and romance!

The first book is How to Date a Superhero (and Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez. 

The Goodreads synopsis sounds incredibly fun and exactly what I would love from a superhero story.

With humor and heart, debut author Cristina Fernandez tells a wholly original origin story, proving that you don’t need a superpower to be the hero in this romantic coming-of-age story about growing up, falling in love, and surviving life—all set in the world of superheroes.

Falling for a superhero is dangerous. You have to trust that they’ll catch you.

Astrid isn’t a superhero, not like the ones she sees on the news, but she has something she thinks of as a small superpower: she has a perfect sense of time. And she’s not going to waste a single second.

Her plan for college is clear—friends, classes, and extracurriculars all carefully selected to get her into medical school.

Until Max Martin, a nerdy boy from her high school, crashes back into her life. Things with Max were never simple, and he doesn’t keep to her schedule. He disappears in the middle of dates and cancels at the last minute with stupid excuses.

When a supervillain breaks into her bedroom one night, Astrid has to face the facts: her boyfriend, Max Martin, is a superhero. Double-majoring as a premed was hard, but now Astrid will have to balance a double life. This wasn’t part of her plan. 

I love that this is set in college and that it has some vibes of balancing the real world stuff with the superhero stuff. Those always make the best stories so I am very excited to get my hands on this.

I also love that Max Martin has the classic superhero name of his first and last name starting with the same initial. It's a small but fun touch.

Cristina has kindly agreed to answer a few questions about the book and her writing of it.

1 What gif do you feel best represents How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying)?

2 If someone were to make a signature drink in honour of your book, what might be included?

This is a tricky question since I am very new to drinks (and am a very picky drinker). Probably an Andre wine, since it’s a very college-budget-friendly champagne, and maybe orange or apple juice in an oversized coffee mug. Something fizzy, sweet, and a little fancy, but still very practical. My protagonist, Astrid, wouldn't want to waste time making some complicated drink or have to fit extra mixers in her mini-fridge, and she definitely doesn’t have room in her dorm to store wine glasses. 

3  The superhero genre is fertile ground for romance. We've seen it shape and inspire superheroes. We've seen it create villains. What inspired you to write a novel from the perspective of a love interest of a superhero?

I’ve loved superhero stories my whole life, and I feel like romance is such an undervalued element to them, because it can often be handled poorly. I think the best superhero stories are grounded in love: for your community, for humanity in general, and for specific people. Also, as a girl watching superhero movies, the love interest for a long time was the primary role for female characters, and recognizing all these women as emotionally complex and full people, despite being side characters, has always been really important to me. While a lot of stories tend to flatten love interests, I wanted to tell one that centers that role and explores the unique experiences of being involved in someone else’s story while you have your own going on. 

4 What is one song that made your playlist while writing this book?

Basically all of Carly Rae Jepsen’s Dedicated, though special mention goes to “Happy Not Knowing” for being the most emotionally relevant. That uniquely Carly Rae Jepsen blend of playfulness and angst in a song about trying to push down your feelings for someone to protect yourself and your time is everything I aspire to capture with this book. 

5 What 2022 release are you most anticipating?

It’s so hard to just pick one! 2022 is shaping up to be a super exciting year for new releases. I think I’m probably most excited for Casey McQuiston’s I Kissed Shara Wheeler, though I’m also dying to get my hands on fellow debut Amanda DeWitt’s Aces Wild. 

6 If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying).

I’ll throw in two!

Astrid has a superpower. 

Nothing exciting, not caused in any usual way by lab accident or genetic mutation, but for as long as she can remember she’s had a perfect sense of time.

I am so ready for the superhero's love interest to take the focus! Cristina has, if possible, made me want to read this book even more. I am definitely counting down the days until I can get my hands on it.

How to Date a Superhero (and Not Die Trying) releases August 2, 2022 - a perfect date because superhero blockbusters are meant for summer -  but is available for pre-order it right now from any retailer (your future self will thank you).

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble // BAM

You can find out more about Cristina and her books by following her on Twitter. You can also find out more about her books on the publisher website.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2022 most anticipated list.