Hooked on Books discussion

🔐 Welcome to Your Box.

The lock is real. The box is closed. But the two of you? You have the keys.

This is your personal team thread. Each week, you’ll receive a new reading prompt. Each of you will choose a book, read it, and post your reflection here. Once both reflections are posted, a key turns—and the box reveals a message just for you.

You must complete all 12 keyholes to open the box in Week 13.

You can use this thread for:
🔐 Weekly reflections
🔐 Talking with your partner
🔐 Celebrating when a new lock opens

Your first prompt arrives Sunday at 6pm CT. You’ll know it when you see it.

Until then: get to know each other. Decide who’s reading what.
And whatever you do… don’t open it yet.

📖 Weekly Check-In Format
When you finish your book, post the info below in this thread to let your partner know you're ready. Once both of you have posted your reflections, one of you should check in on the main thread to unlock your keyhole.

• Week: (e.g., Week 1)
• Book Title:
• Author:
• Page Count:
• Reflection: Your response to the week’s prompt.

🔎 Weekly Check-In Thread
This is how your keyhole gets unlocked.
No check-in, no click.

How to check in:
Just post your team name and a link to your team thread.

Example:
Team: The Locked Hearts
Thread: [insert link here]

Once I see your check-in, your message will appear in your thread—if you’ve earned it.

Team 9:
🔐 Kat
🗝️ RachelG

Hi Kat! I'm excited to be your partner. Any team name ideas? One fun name I found on a google search was Jeepers Keypers.

Hi, I’m so sorry I completely forgot about signing up to this one. I love jeepers keepers I’m not good with names. I’ll ask my fiancé who’s good at coming up with names after dinner.

Lady in read?

One I saw online was
Book eyed peas

I really like either and would be happy with any of them. It will be fun to be on this challenge and the other together.

Definitely especially if we can double on the book! Unfortunately can’t read something we’ve started though.

We will go with your choice jeepers keepers

I have posted the team name in the check in thread. It is hard to wait for these challenges to start when we are so close to the first of the month.

Thank you. At least this one starts Sunday which isn’t too far away from the start of the month I’ve joined sooo many challenges my head is gonna get confused. Notes on my iPad is so helpful.

I have a thread in a different group where I keep links to all the challenges I'm doing because it often feels like I am skipping something. Keeping notes on the iPad would also be useful.

I realise it’s next Sunday thought it was this Sunday. How many other challenges are u in? Where u from? I’m chatty and nosy lol hope that doesn’t bother you

I enjoy chatty and I can be nosy as well, especially when it comes to watching people coming and going around where I live. I work at home taking care of my adult disabled son near Seattle, Washington. How about you?

I am doing 2 competitive team challenges, 5 non-competitive team challenges and 3 solo ones. Because of turf wars and Bookopoly I figured I better stick to the non-competitive version of the toy/object round up. I didn't want to be overwhelmed.

RachelG. wrote: "I enjoy chatty and I can be nosy as well, especially when it comes to watching people coming and going around where I live. I work at home taking care of my adult disabled son near Seattle, Washing..."

Aww that must be tough least you have your books though. Im a sales assistant for a heart charity shop. I live in Scotland in a city called Glasgow.

Most of the challenges I’m doing is on here their all with someone or a group as solo doesn’t motivate me to read, sometimes I still don’t have motivation to read especially when a genre I don’t read!


September challenges
Hooked on books - Narrative Nomads - all year one
Hooked on books - Nexus
Hooked on books - Bookopoly - 30th November
Hooked on books - Toys - 30th November
Hooked on books Summer shuffle
Game night Restaurant wars November 24th

My September challenges are:

The Challenge Factory
1. Ghostbusters

Game Night
1. Turf Wars (8/17-11/23)

Hooked on Books
1. DnD
2. Magic Show (7/1-9/30)
3. Escape Room
4. Bookopoly (9/1-11/30)
5. Toys/Objects Roundup (9/1-11/30)
6. DNO (9/7-12/6)

TOAP
1. Golden Girls
2. Pokemon
3. Candy Land

What genres do you enjoy reading? I mostly go for Mystery and Fantasy.

That’s a lot of challenges your like me and joined a lot on hooked on books. Crime, thrillers, and romance mainly with the odd non fiction. Do you do tbrs?

Kat wrote: "That’s a lot of challenges your like me and joined a lot on hooked on books. Crime, thrillers, and romance mainly with the odd non fiction. Do you do tbrs?"

I am such a mood reader that I tend to not do tbrs. I really can have trouble scheduling books which I also notice makes it tough with buddy reads sometimes.

Makes sense. I do tbrs but generally don’t read all of them. I always over estimate but thats because I do so many challenges. And buddy reads with my friends

Just looked at books we have in common which isn’t many. I have Mexican gothic in October or November for book club and have instant mom on my tbr. I liked weird things people say In book shops.

Do you read much non fiction? Or thrillers?

I don't read a ton of non fiction but I do enjoy memoirs sometimes. I don't read many thrillers either. I feel like I should read thrillers more often but I usually pick up books on the cozy side where graphic things are less likely to happen.

What type of romance do you enjoy reading?

I am the opposite of you where I avoid cosy mystery’s I read contemporary and new adult

Tomorrow our first challenge gets announced.

I'm curious to see what it is!

Me too… I have a few books id like to read so hopefully it fits one of them.

🔐 Week 1 Prompt: What You Bring With You
Some locks don’t need a key—they open for what you carry.
Choose a book that reflects something you bring to this partnership:
a personality trait, a past experience, a strength, a flaw—anything that shapes how you read and relate.

Each of you will choose your own book and explain what you're bringing to the box.

Interesting prompt. I’ll choose loyalty by choosing an author I love and still read. I’ll communicate with you during the challenge and let you know what I’m reading and won’t ignore you.

What about you

That sounds like a great idea. I am thinking excitement or enthusiasm because I like to go into these challenges with both. I'm not sure what book I will read that reflects that yet and figure I will try and find one while listening to the last hour of my audiobook.

RachelG. wrote: "That sounds like a great idea. I am thinking excitement or enthusiasm because I like to go into these challenges with both. I'm not sure what book I will read that reflects that yet and figure I wi..."

What a favourite author? As if you’d like me you probably feel exited when your reading a book from favourite author

Good idea. I am re-reading a couple favorite series and it is exciting to see if my original rating for a book is the same. I am also excited for some new releases from favorite authors and should see if any are available.

Hope u enjoy them just as much and enjoy the nee releases from authors u like. Which books is it? I’ll be reading m a comley book.

I am reading the Meg Langslow series by Donna Andrews and Mrs. Jeffries by Emily Brightwell. None of the new releases I am waiting for are currently available from the library so I found The Excitements which looks good.

Good plan. I’ve decided on Twisted Revenge as it works for another challenge

Week: 1

• Book Title: A Spirited Double
• Author: Clare Lockhart
• Page Count: 285
• Reflection: I feel like reading challenges make me spirited. I like to approach them with enthusiasm. I chose this book because of the title.

Week 1
Book title Twisted Revenge
Author M.A. Comley
Page count: 162
Reflection: i like to be loyal to the other person I’m doing a challenge with so I choose Loyalty as that covers one of my favourite authors. Who I keep returning to their books.

I checked us in.

I like your answer. Do you have a lot of authors that you return to?

Yes quite a lot actually. What about you? I like to try new authors though. New challenge doesn’t get announced until midnight my time, just letting u know in case I’m asleep.

🗝️ Week 1 Response
This box doesn’t open on its own.
It opened because you showed up as yourself.

What did you learn about each other through these picks?

This message is yours to unlock together. Keep the responses flowing between you; nothing else needs to be checked in.

I read a lot of books that are series and so I often will stick with the author until I stop enjoying the books. I really like to find new to me authors and upon reflection there are only a handful that are automatic reads when a new book comes out. I think challenges are a great way to find some new authors.

I learned this week that you value loyalty.

That’s cool. I agree sometimes books you’ve not read for whatever reason end up been read for a challenge. So challenges definitely help with tbrs. But sometimes also add to them!

I learned that your enthusiastic about each new challenge

🔐 Week 2 Prompt: Judge This Book
Some locks don’t care what’s inside—only how it looks.
Choose a book based solely on the cover.
No blurbs. No reviews. No second guesses. Just vibes.

The one I’m reading I didn’t read anything about it so that’s handy. My memory is so bad that I wouldn’t even remember about it if I had. lol.

All in a Doctor’s Day: A collection of short medical stories by Peter Sykes

I often choose books by the cover but then read the blurb to decide if it's something I would like. I think I will go on my local library's site to see what I find or try KU. I have a certain type of cover I go for with fantasy books. Someone once called it cosy shopkeepers.

Week: 2

• Book Title:
• Author: Liam Lawless
• Page Count: 459
• Reflection: I choose the book because of the goofy smile on the guys face and the monster. I also am drawn to the blue color.

Did u enjoy it

Yes, although it seemed to copy a lot of elements from other books I have read that are like it. Perhaps that was intentional. I do plan on reading the next in the series once it's published.

Least you enjoyed it. :) I’m kinda liking mine but some stories are boring, some interesting. Funnily enough im reading two books that are similar but RISK! is better

Forgot the new challenge goes up tomorrow. I’ve slowed down with this book as it’s became really boring. Hopefully I can finish in time. Wonder what happens if I don’t?

Why don't you switch it out if you don't like it? I think that if we are late checking in we just can't start the next one until the previous is completed?

I’m 51% through and I mostly read blurbs haha

Week 2

All in a Doctor’s Day: A collection of short medical stories by Peter Sykes
Pages: Read 149 pages but had to DNF
How it fitted: I didn’t read the blurb but choose because it’s non fiction about doctors life but wasn’t that interesting