Hooked on Books discussion

only 1 book long enough for June. Let's see what i can accomplish for July...

That's all right! Good luck with July 💕

Wow Benedicte - you are an AMAZING planner!!!

Haha thanks! I will be travelling to France for July so I have to make a list of books and make sure I have them all before going away so that's why

Will you be joining us for the Book Bridge Bonus this month? This thread

I was just reading the thread and was having a bit of a hard time following it. Was there a book that was decided upon? Is it Under a Gilded Moon?

Will you be in France all of July? (If you don't mind me asking.)

I lived in Italy but had the chance to visit Paris and the French Riviera area - beautiful!!!

Carrie wrote: "I was just reading the thread and was having a bit of a hard time following it. Was there a book that was decided upon? Is it Under a Gilded Moon?"

Yes it is 😊

Carrie wrote: "Will you be in France all of July? (If you don't mind me asking.)

I lived in Italy but had the chance to visit Paris and the French Riviera area - beautiful!!!"

From the 14th till the start of August. I am French but live in Norway, so I will be travelling to see my family

I notice we haven't had a Q3 update in the thread & I don't know what these titles on the SS are about: Q3 Bonus Book Title Challenge, Book Bridge Bonus, Creative Post Bonus (mod will award). Is there an explanation anywhere?

It’s in the Q&A thread. The post by Ashley made 18 days ago. You’ll have to scroll a bit ☺️

I’m on my phone as I am on my way to a scout camp and will be there till the 13th. I won’t have access to computer or internet so I won’t be checking my GR. See you all soon!

Go team! 💕

📚 July Book Quest Challenge: Community & Belonging

Dear Book Quest Adventurers,

I know this challenge has asked a lot of you over the months: keeping up with tasks, coordinating with teammates, pushing through reading slumps. But here’s what makes it all worthwhile: stories connect us. Even when we read alone, we’re part of something bigger—a community of readers who understand the magic of getting lost in a book and found in its pages.

This July, as we explore Community and Belonging, we have a special opportunity to bring that theme to life in our own bookish family. The Book Bridge Collaboration Bonus isn’t just another task to check off; it’s a chance to experience firsthand what our favorite books so often show us: that connection transforms us.

When your team pairs up with another, you’ll do more than just share a book. You’ll:
👀 See a story through someone else’s eyes, discovering layers you might have missed on your own.
🤝 Strengthen the ties that have been growing between us all year, turning fellow readers into friends.
📖 Create the kind of real-world belonging that mirrors the very books we’re reading about, whether it’s a found family, an unexpected friendship, or a community rebuilding together.
I hope you’ll embrace this experiment with the same spirit that’s carried us through six months of reading adventures. Let’s make July the month we don’t just read about connection—we live it, one shared story at a time.

And now, enough with the sappy… and onto the fun part (the tasks!) (and the bonus points!)

📅 July’s Theme: Community and Belonging
July’s Bonus Genre: Historical Fiction

📝 July’s Tasks:
Read a book that features a close-knit community.
Read a book about immigrants finding community in a new land.
Read a book about intergenerational relationships.
Read a book about a social movement.
Read a book that showcases friendships across different backgrounds.
Read a book set in a rural community.
Read a book where a character rebuilds their life after loss/displacement.
Read a book that addresses themes of exclusion.
Read a book featuring a cultural or artistic community.
Read a book that highlights diverse voices.

These tasks celebrate how stories connect us—perfect for our ….

🌟 BOOK BRIDGE COLLABORATION BONUS 🌟

At the heart of our Book Quest Adventure is a simple truth: stories connect us. They remind us that even when we read alone, we’re never truly alone because every book is a shared experience waiting to happen.

This July, as we explore Community and Belonging, we’re bringing that idea to life. By teaming up with another squad, you’re not just checking off a task, you’re creating the kind of real-world connection our favorite stories so often celebrate. It’s a chance to see books through new eyes, discover unexpected favorites, and strengthen the bonds that make this challenge more than just reading.

What better way to explore belonging than by building it together?

🎯 Goal: Team up with another squad to read one shared book and earn mega points!

📚 HOW IT WORKS
• Pick 1 book that fits at least one July task for BOTH teams and submit to me for approval by June 25th
• Double-Dip Bonus: Get +20pts if it fits two different tasks (e.g., The House in the Cerulean Sea = "close-knit community" + "immigrant journey").
• I CAN’T STRESS THIS ENOUGH - If a book loosely fits one (or two) tasks, make your case, I am flexible! Please don’t worry about perfection!
📈 Buddy Read Bonuses:
• 30pts per reader (counts toward personal totals).
• 75pts per team if 100% of your team participates.
• +10pts for creative posts (memes, fanart, playlists, etc.) awarded to each reader who posts something (max 1 each)
💬 DISCUSSION TIME!
Each team pair gets a dedicated thread. Chat, connect, and answer fun prompts like:
• “How does this book reflect belonging?”
• “Which character would you invite to your book club?”
• “Did any moment in the book make you feel unexpectedly connected to the story, a character, or even each other?”
• “If this book were a community event (festival, support group, secret society, etc.), what would it be and who would attend?”
• “Which character would struggle the most (or thrive the most) in your real-life friend group or team?”
• “What quote or scene best captured the theme of connection for you?”

Or make up your own prompts! Be creative, have fun, and really dig into your shared story.

TEAM PAIRINGS + THREAD TITLES
1. Quill Questers + Narrative Nomads
Thread Title: "Dances With Footnotes" (Play on Dances With Wolves)

2. Page Pioneers + Tome Trekkers
Thread Title: "Raiders of the Lost Archive" (Indiana Jones)

3. Chapter Champions + Novel Navigators
Thread Title: "The Last Chapter-tain" (The Last Samurai)

4. Bookworm Brigade + Fable Finders
Thread Title: "The Book Thief" (No pun needed—it’s already perfect!)

5. Saga Scouts + Plotline Pathfinders
Thread Title: "Lord of the Highlights" (Lord of the Rings)

6. Prose Pursuers + Storyscape Seekers
Thread Title: "The Silence of the Librarians" (The Silence of the Lambs)

⏰ TIMELINE
June 25: Submit your team’s book pick for mod approval.
July 1-31: Read, discuss, and celebrate your shared story!

Oh.. and just one more thing…

🎉 Q3 MINI-CHALLENGE: BOOK TITLE CHALLENGE
Starting July 1, earn 10 points per book by reading titles that begin with the same letter as your first name (e.g., “Matilda” for Michael). Unlimited entries—as long as the books fit this month’s tasks!

Ready? Let’s bridge those bookshelves and build some bonds! 💬📚🫶

From the Q&A thread...

📣 August Challenge Tasks are up! 🌍✈️

Theme: Passport Pages: A Celebration of Global Stories
Bonus Genre: Travel / Adventure

This month, we’re collecting stamps in our literary passports and setting out on a journey across cultures, cuisines, customs, and continents. Whether you're trekking across distant lands, savoring a story rich in heritage, or following a character as they explore a new world (real or imagined), August is about embracing stories that reflect the beautiful variety of human experience.

Tasks:
✈️ Read a book set in a country you’ve never visited before.
✈️ Read a book that features food as an important part of the story or culture.
✈️ Read a book about characters on a journey across cultures, borders, or identities.
✈️ Read a translated book or one originally written in another language.
✈️ Read a book that weaves in traditional folklore, myth, or storytelling styles.
✈️ Read a book that includes festivals, dances, or cultural celebrations.
✈️ Read a book by an author who was born in a country you’ve never visited/lived in.
✈️ Read a book where someone has to use their passport (or mentions one).
✈️ Read a book that shows how people celebrate joy.
✈️ Read a book with a character who is from a different ethnic background than you.

How are we doing team? We did well this month. Good job, everyone! 💕

Next month is looking a bit rough for me, genre-wise. I don't think I will read many travel or adventure books, but I do have some that starts with the letter B. I have started planning for books I may want to read. If I go through with my plan it will be a very Japanese month for me, as 7 of the books are written by Japanese authors. Let me know if you want to do a buddy read for some of them! I am also open to read any books you want to, as long as I can get my hands on them 😊

Not many MPG Travel books on my shelf :0)

Benedicte - I am SO IMPRESSED by your planning abilities!!!!

I'm not sure what my plans are yet but I'll have a look!

Haha, I’ve always been obsessed with organisation and planning. My sister always teases me saying I spend more time planning things than actually doing them, but I beg to differ 😅🤣

September is looking like another challenge. I don't read a lot of books that focus on nature and the environment but I'm looking forward to finding (and hopefully enjoying) some!

Argh. I've been in a reading slump these last two weeks. Hopefully I'll get some new motivation this month!

Carrie wrote: "September is looking like another challenge. I don't read a lot of books that focus on nature and the environment but I'm looking forward to finding (and hopefully enjoying) some!"

I think I should be fine. I don't read much Science Fiction but I do have some on my TBR. I'll have a look at it soon

Slumps are the worst!

I also really dislike when I have high expectations for a book and am really excited to read it only to be let down...