Hooked on Books discussion

7 Keys
Find 7 keys on the covers of 7 different books. Each key must be distinctly different from the others.

7 Statues
Read 7 books with statues on the covers or with the word STATUE (intact) in the title/ or text.

On the spreadsheet, I signed up for 2 "Keys" books and 2 "Statues" books because my understanding is our team needs to read 14 books total. I will sign up for more books as needed, but that's where I'm starting. Unless Catherine decides to read with us, we're attempting this task down one member so it may take us longer than normal to read that many books. This makes me glad there's no due date and we can read without the pressure of a looming deadline. 😊

Oh boy I misread it initially and thought we chose between the keys and the statues. I'll go see what I can go ahead and claim

Okay I've only looked at my Hoopla starred list so far but this one is gonna be tough. I'll do some searching

Had better luck with my library favorites list! I've claimed 1 key book and 4 statue books. Though 4 of those books have hold lists so I've put holds on them but it will take a little bit to get through all of them

Yeah, I think we'll be on this task for a bit. I'll get some added and will focus on keys since that's where we have the most need it seems.

Ruth are you sure piano keys count as keys?

I’ll check with Donna to confirm piano keys is acceptable.

I mean they are a type of key, so it would be awesome if we could use them.

Judith wrote: "I mean they are a type of key, so it would be awesome if we could use them."

I'm so used to challenges that allow interpretation of the task, but Donna confirmed the objective is to find "keys that open locks" on the cover of books, so it's a no go for that particular Goosebumps book I found. LOL!

Thanks for raising the question, Judith. 🖤

I thought it was a fun interpretation!

I liked it too, but didn’t want to find out too late it wouldn’t work.

As a mod in another group, when making challenge tasks you try to cover your bases but people always manage to surprise me 😂

https://www.talpasearch.com/coversear...

I’ve found this search engine helpful, I have to get through some other books first but plan to add some of these for the key task.

Announcement: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Hello... It's been a while since I checked in and wanted to do so now. I've completed three of the six Quest 2C books I signed up for on the SS and should have my final "key" book completed this weekend. Then I will start on my two "statue" books.

Slowly, but surely, we'll complete this task! 🐢

Sounds great!

I've finished my key books. I did read a book for something else that ended up working for the statue task.

I put it on the spreadsheet below where people claimed tasks since it's extra. But we can use it if people DNF a book they'd planned on reading.

Judith I did more yours up because I DNFed one of my claimed statue books.

I've finished one statue book, am currently reading one, and have another out from the library right now. And I have access to the audiobook for my key book so next time I start an audiobook I'll get started on that one

Erin wrote: "Judith I did more yours up because I DNFed one of my claimed statue books.

I've finished one statue book, am currently reading one, and have another out from the library right now. And I have acce..."

Oh good, glad it was useful :)

Hello team!

I finished the last book i committed to on our spreadsheet, and I wanted to check in and ask if I can help out by reading another book? I have one available for the KEY task, but not sure if Erin is in the process of reading her KEY book or STATUE book.

Another thought, should we ask Donna for a replacement team member so we have a team of 4 again? Or maybe we can recruit someone we know from another group/challenge?

A fourth member would be helpful I think

Hi team I just finished my books for the task so I will go check us in

And I agree that a fourth member could be helpful

Oh nice! Thanks Erin 🙂

Quest 2D: A Partial Awakening

As the final key slides into place and the Book of Cyrinishad settles on the altar, a sudden chill fills the air. The seven statues around you glow faintly, their stone eyes flickering with eerie life. From the altar’s shadows, a figure begins to emerge—not fully solid, but unmistakably human. Clad in tattered robes embroidered with twisted symbols, the figure’s eyes gleam with cold cunning.

“I am Serelith,” the apparition intones, voice like silk over steel. “Once a servant of Mystra, now her forsaken herald, and your reckoning. You have undone the seal that bound me, and the god I serve stirs in the shadows. Will you stand with me and remake the weave… or oppose me and be broken by it?”

Her presence warps the light around her, and the air hums with a tangled magic. You feel the weight of choice pressing down—follow Serelith into forbidden power, risk corruption, or find a way to stop what you have unleashed.


Standing with Serelith (Embrace the Dark Herald) — Reading Tasks

Find a book set in a crypt, tomb, or graveyard (for the Shadow Shard)

Read a book featuring a secretive or oppressive organization (to silence the Watchers)

Read a book involving forbidden or dark magic (to twist the Weave)

Read a book where a fallen hero, disgraced character, or anti-hero gains power or revenge (to recruit the Fallen Champion)


OR

Opposing Serelith (Contain and Banish the Threat) — Reading Tasks

Read a book with a seal, lock, or barrier on the cover or in the title (to seal the shrines)

Read a book featuring a prophecy, seer, or oracle (to find the Lost Oracle)

Read a book with a legendary weapon or artifact playing a key role (to forge the Dawnblade)

Read a book involving a group or alliance formed to fight evil or maintain balance (to rally the Weavers)

Evil or Good? People have a preference?

Judith wrote: "Evil or Good? People have a preference?"

I started reading The Changeling yesterday, and I'm wondering if anyone has read it and can tell me if it'll fit any of the prompts, either good or evil? I'm not overly concerned about your recommendation being a spoiler, but based on the book's synopsis, I think there's magic, or maybe a character that could be described as an anti-hero, or perhaps a group or alliance that fights evil or tries to maintain balance. Being so early in the story it's kind of hard for me to tell.

Another option I have is The Never King which I think has a fallen hero or disgraced character.

I appreciate your insight into one or both of these books to help guide me on completing one or two tasks. Thanks!

I haven’t read either but they look like they could work for a couple of tasks.

I don’t have a strong preference which way we go

I haven't read either of those Ruth so I'm not sure what it would.

Task wise I think I prefer the second set of tasks.

I grabbed the seer task because I had something I finished today that worked there.

I can take one of the others as I'm reading Empire of the Damned and it works for most of what's left (I think the seal task is stretching a bit)

I completed the following tasks:

Read a book involving a group or alliance formed to fight evil or maintain balance:
The Changeling

Read a book with a seal, lock, or barrier on the cover or in the title (to seal the shrines):
Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in Post-Roe America

I'll claim the weapon task

Sounds great!

Finished mine and I've checked us in!

Aftermath: The Weave Restored — But Not Unscarred
With the final seals in place and the Dawnblade forged in radiant light, the Weave’s fraying threads begin to knit together once more. The statues, now glowing with a steady, warm light, stand as eternal guardians—warding against the shadows that Serelith sought to unleash. The Lost Oracle’s visions guide the ritual, revealing glimpses of futures both bright and perilous.

Yet, the victory is bittersweet.

The Book of Cyrinishad rests heavily on the altar, its pages humming faintly with residual power. The dark magic woven into its bindings resists total subjugation, whispering faint echoes of the fallen herald’s ambition. Though Serelith’s form was banished, shadows linger in the corners of the realm, and the delicate balance of the Weave remains vulnerable.

The party feels the weight of their choices—not only in the arcane scars left upon the land but in the subtle shifts within themselves. Some may sense shadows creeping into their thoughts; others feel a newfound strength tempered with caution.

Quest #3

The party finds a "Wanted" poster with one of your members on it. A Fiend (a demon) is going around committing crimes in their likeness and leaving the victims in compromising situations. You have no idea why the Fiend has chosen a member of your party to impersonate.

If you decide to collect on that bounty and turn in your friend, Spell out BETRAY
B
E
T
R
A
Y


If you decide to fight the Fiend
Step 1: Collect weapons
Minimum 4 books - items should be on covers or in the title

Step 2: Track the Fiend
{Create your own tasks for this step}

Step 3: Execute your attack - Use book titles BUT please use filler words as needed to tell me how your attack goes down. Minimum of 4 books.

Congratulations! You have all levelled up a class level. You are now level 4.

Hi Team... We've managed to level up. I don't exactly know what that means but woo hoo!

I'm good for whatever approach you want if someone is particularly drawn to one over the others.

BETRAY: Since Catherine is no longer actually participating, but still shows as a team member, we could perhaps "betray" her and turn her in? I have books in the cue for the letters T, R, A, and/or Y.

FIGHT: I also have a book in the cue that has a weapon on the cover: a scythe.

LOL! I am looking for new players, so maybe I will find someone new soon. I just left her on there for now.

As for levelling up, you have new skills. The link is in message 2 if you want to see what they are.

I was thinking we'd fight the fiend, it just seems more fun to take that path if you and Erin and okay with that.

I have one I'm reading now with a sword on the cover

and I think for the other 2 tasks we can be really creative with what we do/story we write so hopefully we can make what we are reading fit our Quest

Thanks Donna!

If someone is down to take the lead on the creative part of the fight the fiend tasks then I'm down to do that. The making stories out of titles is not my forte haha

I can do that part. I hid the previous books on the “books for stories” tab. We can just add whatever we are reading there and when we are done the other parts, see what I can come up with 🙂

I added some potential tasks for part 2 'track the fiend'.

We can change any of them to what people want. I was trying to find things that would work for the prompt and open ended enough to work with books people are likely reading.

Judith wrote: "I added some potential tasks for part 2 'track the fiend'.

We can change any of them to what people want. I was trying to find things that would work for the prompt and open ended enough to work w..."

Thank you, Judith. I've signed up on the SS for a couple of the new tasks you added.

I found you a new player... Benedicte should be joining shortly

Benedicte will be joining us as a Fairy Monk level 4. There is a link in message 2 that lists all of your current skills. You may earn more by leveling up and gaining more as the game progresses. You may also earn more from certain in-game challenges. A team just randomly received new skills and titles to go with them recently. So you never know. You can use these skills in your story tasks to enhance your stories.

Hi all! Checking in 😊 Super excited to be playing with you 😃

Hello!!!

Poke around a bit and ask whatever questions you may have.

There’s a link to our team spreadsheet up in a top post. We just got Quest 3 like yesterday I think.

So joining at a good time!

I have never played D&D before so you will have to bear with me haha. I just skimmed through this thread to catch up on what you have done. Finished



earlier today. It has a robot on the cover. Would that fit as a weapon? Or is it too modern for D&D?

For the Step 3, do we have to use the whole title of the book or is it allowed to use one word from it?

We can use one word from it. We have some other stories written in Quest 1 and 2 that may give you an idea of how it can work

Great! I have now read through the whole story and I think I understand better how this challenge works 😁

Benedicte wrote: "Great! I have now read through the whole story and I think I understand better how this challenge works 😁"

Welcome, Benedicte... glad to have you on the team!

I finished my weapon book and updated the SS. I've started on one of my "Track the Fiend" books and should have it finished by tomorrow.