Hooked on Books discussion
The Narrative Nexus
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Traveling Through the Pages (Team 3: Jayme & Michelle)
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🦦 Jayme(theghostreader) - Msg 13
🦦 Michelle - Msg 16
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Type: Wildcard Prompt
What this means:
This is a Wildcard Prompt, which means each of you will pick one side of the prompt — one partner chooses Puzzle, the other chooses Chaos.
Then, your partner gives you three book options that match your chosen side — and you pick one of those to read.
Optional Bonus: Once you're done, feel free to switch roles and repeat — but only if you want an extra round of fun!
For this one:
If you pick Puzzle, look for stories that are intricate, clever, or mentally engaging — think mysteries, mind-benders, dual timelines, or plots with twists that reward close reading.
If you pick Chaos, go for books that are emotionally wild, narratively messy, or vibe-heavy in the best way — think characters making bad choices, unpredictable events, or plots that spiral out deliciously.
📌 Once you've both finished reading, post your Story Stitch (your connection blurb) in the Check-In Thread to unlock your next prompt.
💡 Don’t overthink the picks — embrace the chaos, overanalyze the puzzle, or vice versa. If it feels like it fits your theme, it does.
Get ready to read sideways. 🧩🔥
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So you picked Chaos and I'm puzzle. Then it says, your partner gives you three book options that match your chosen side — and you pick one of those to read.
Now is there a specific shelf of yours that you want me to choose from?
This would be my shelf of books - https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
I hope I'm doing this right.
So i am picking for you from the list you gave me?
Here is what i selected for youGettysburg After Dark: True Experiences of a Ghost Tour Guide
A Fashionably Dead Diary
The Thing in the Woods
Did you want a team name?
Sure if you want to. Did you have anything in mind?
Traveling through the Pages
Completion Post
Book - The Thing in the Woods
Author - Gary Frank
Date Read - 7/6/25
Rating - 2 Stars
Prompt #: Puzzle / Chaos
Type: Wildcard Prompt
If you pick Puzzle, look for stories that are intricate, clever, or mentally engaging — think mysteries, mind-benders, dual timelines, or plots with twists that reward close reading.
Review - 2 couples go cabin camping in the wilds of New Jersey. The one couple is Rich and Kara. The other couple are Max and Alison, Alison and Kara are sisters and Rich and Max are buddies.
The beginning the puzzle is what is up with these couples. Kara notices that her sister is very skiddish. It turns out that Max is a bit overbearing and seems to think that smacking his wife at times is ok to "straighten her out". Kara sensed it, Rich had a feeling something was going on.
The first night they are awakened by rocks being thrown at the cabin and a horrible smell. Max, being the gung ho butt head that he is pulls out a couple of guns that no one else knew he had and runs outside to see what was throwing the rocks. They don't see anyone else, but everyone is appalled that he brought the guns along. The next day they discover a pile of rocks outside their cabin. Those were the rocks that had been thrown at the cabin. This is where they mystery comes in as they try and figure out exactly is going on.
The mind bender part is what they discover out in the woods. It seems they are being harassed by a group of sasquatches. The guys come across their discovery and accidently shoot one which sends the situation out of control as the humans try to survive attack after attack from the creatures.
Completion post Wild card
Chaos
Closer to the Chestby Mercedes Lackey
Date read: 07/13/25
How it fits: There is chaos
in this book where a
character called Poisoned Pen sends disturbing
letters to women
characters he feels are being too "masculine"
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It can be deep and thematic… or delightfully surface-level. There’s no wrong way to stitch a story — just tell us what ties your reads together.
Here are two examples:
🧵 Complex Example:
One of us read a dystopian novel where memory is erased to control the population. The other read a nonfiction book about collective trauma and how societies forget what hurts them. Both books ask the same question: Who are we, if we can't remember what we've lost?
🧵 Simple Example:
Both our books were written by authors named “Becky,” featured chaotic road trips, and had at least one morally questionable raccoon. Fate? Maybe. Fun? Absolutely.
🎯 Whether your books mirror each other, dance around a theme, or just share a surprise raccoon — your Stitch is what keeps this challenge connected. Share it proudly, stretch it wildly, and make it yours.
Completion postWild card
Chaos
Closer to the Chestby Mercedes Lackey
Date read: 07/13/25
How it fits: There is chaos
in this book where a
character called Poisoned Pen sends disturbing
letters to women
characters he feels are being too "masculine"
The stitch in both books is characters in both books are harrasded by somone they can't see and try to find out who the culprit is.
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Type: Split Prompt
What this means:
This is a Split Prompt, which means each of you will choose one side of the theme and pick a book inspired by it. You're reading different books, but building a connection between your contrasting choices.
For this one:
One of you picks Saint — a story with a morally upright, idealistic, or self-sacrificing protagonist. Think healers, heroes, or people just trying to do the right thing no matter what.
The other picks Sinner — a book featuring a morally gray, selfish, chaotic, or outright villainous main character. Think antiheroes, con artists, dark lords, or loveable disasters.
📌 Once you’ve both finished reading, post your Story Stitch (your connection blurb) in the Check-In Thread to unlock your next prompt.
Saints and sinners come in many forms. 😇😈
Did you want to switch sides for prompt 1 or just go straight to prompt 2?
Prompt 2, i have something for saint in mind.
Prompt 2 Saint completionRedoubt Bby Mercedes Lackey
Date read: 07/19/25
How it fits: Mags is a Herald. They uphold the laws in his kingdom. He gets kidnapped and sent over the border. He uses his wits and help from new friends to return home.
Prompt #2: SinnerBook - Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Date Read - 7/20/25
Sinner character - Herta Oberheuser - A young SS doctor who performs torturous experimental surgeries on prisoners of Ravensbrück Concentration camp.
The connectionIn both books we have characters who are in a profession where they have authority over those that are under them. Mags upholds laws in the kingdom. Herta decides which prisoner's at the camp to operate on and which ones to eliminate. Although both have authority to uphold laws and proclamations, both have a higher authority figure they have to obey. For Mags it was probably a King and/or Queen. For Gerta it was Adolf Hitler.
Jayme...Do you have anything else you would like to add to the connection?
Mags does uphold laws for a king. He also is in training to keep his eye out for "situations" the King may not be aware of.
I read Lilac Girls. I loved it.
Jayme(theghostreader) wrote: "I read Lilac Girls. I loved it."Me too.
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Type: Split Prompt
What this means:
This is a Split Prompt, so each of you will choose one side of the theme — one selects Love, the other picks Loss — and choose a book that fits your side.
For this one:
Love might focus on romance, friendship, devotion, passion, or deep connection between characters.
Loss might involve grief, separation, heartbreak, sacrifice, or the aftermath of letting go.
📌 Once you’ve both finished reading, post your Story Stitch (your connection blurb) in the Check-In Thread to unlock your next prompt.
Two of the most powerful forces in storytelling — sometimes tangled, always true. 💖💔
Do you mind if I take loss?
Go for it. I will ttake love.
Completion Post
Book - Fishermen's Court by
Author - Andrew Wolfendon
Date Read - 7/26/25
Rating - 5 Stars
Prompt #3: Love & Loss
Type: Split Prompt
My pick - Loss might involve grief, separation, heartbreak, sacrifice, or the aftermath of letting go.
The MC Finn has suffered quite a bit of loss in his life. He has lost his parents, he's a failed artist, his last gf cheated on him throughout their entire relationship, his best friend, and the island home where he has ever felt quite like himself. He eventually finds himself back on the island he once loved so much after someone tries to kill him over an incident that occurred on the night of his college graduation and what eventually set everything in motion to how he lost everything. Some of the things that he lost are permanent, but there are some things he gets back.
Completion postLove
Bastionby Mercedes Lackey
Date read: 07/27/25
Rating 5 stars
My pick: love
This a continuation of Redoubt. The MC Mags is on his first mission with his friends after he was kidnapped. During his mission he realizes he loves Amily, one of the girls on the mission with him. He has also lost his parents and he hopes to find some clue to who they were. He meets a cousin while out in the wilderness. He makes a connection with his cousin.
The connection is both of these main characters has suffered loss but has regained something they lost.
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Type: Split Prompt
What this means:
This is a Split Prompt, so each of you will pick one half of the theme — one chooses Power, the other chooses Disguise — and select a book that fits.
For this one:
Power might feature strong leadership, magic, influence, political control, or characters wrestling with strength and responsibility.
Disguise might involve literal masks, secret identities, undercover roles, or characters hiding something essential about themselves.
📌 Once you’ve both finished reading, post your Story Stitch (your connection blurb) in the Check-In Thread to unlock your next prompt.
Some characters shape the world. Others shape what the world sees. 🦸♀️🎭
I don't have a preference, so if you want to choose first go ahead.
Prompt 4 DisguiseCloser to Homeby Mercedes Lackey
Date read: 8/4/25
My pick :disguise
This is the next chapter for Mags as he has come into his new role as a Herald. He is the king's spy and he wears many disguises to protect the people of Valdemar. His newest.persona is Magnus, a courtier who befriends Brand Reylan who comes to the capital for the holiday season. Mags must keep Brand's father away from Lord Kalter who are enemies. It"s Mags's job to keep them from a feud with disasterous results.
Prompt 4 - PowerPower might feature strong leadership, magic, influence, political control, or characters wrestling with strength and responsibility.
Book - Mr. Whisper by Andrew Mayne
Date - 8/5/25
We have 4 MC's who are specialists in different fields that help solve crimes that are a bit odd. All 4 are the best of the best and who are sent in when figuring out the crime has come to a standstill. They know where to look, how to look, and who to call when they need help.
Prompt #4: Power / Disguise The connection
Both stories have characters who wear disguises when doing their job. Mags is a spy who wears disguises to protect the king. Brad Trasker, portrays himself as someone different in each job he is given to spy or get closer to a subject to find out more information.
The other 3 MC's disguise themselves as tourists when they travel to an island to find a man who has used AI to get into the minds of people and have them do things that they normally wouldn't do.
All of these characters are trying to protect someone.
It would have helped if I had posted our completion in the check in thread 😒🤦♀️.Sorry about that. I swear my brain goes on vacation without me.
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Type: Mirror Prompt
What this means:
This is a Mirror Prompt, so you and your partner are working with the same theme — but from opposite ends of the timeline.
For this one:
One of you will choose a book rooted in the Past — historical fiction, historical fantasy, period pieces, or any story set in a time before now.
The other will choose a book that leans into the Future — science fiction, speculative fiction, dystopian worlds, or forward-looking fantasy.
📌 Once you’ve both finished reading, post your Story Stitch (your connection blurb) in the Check-In Thread to unlock your next prompt.
Time to stretch across the ages. ⏳🚀
Hooked on Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Don't Look (other topics)Miss Amelia's List (other topics)
The Haunted (other topics)
One Good Knight (other topics)
When the Stars Go Dark (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Molly Black (other topics)Mercedes Lackey (other topics)
Danielle Vega (other topics)
Mercedes Lackey (other topics)
Paula McLain (other topics)
More...
Where stories collide, partners connect, and your next great read is just a prompt away.
Welcome to your team’s challenge thread! This is your space to track your progress, post your Story Stitches (connection blurbs), and document your journey through The Narrative Nexus.
✅ How It Works:
You'll complete 12 prompts total:
4 Mirror Prompts – Same theme, opposite interpretations.
4 Split Prompts – Each picks a different prompt from a pair.
4 Wildcard Prompts – You choose the theme, and your partner gives you 3 books to pick from.
Prompts are assigned one at a time.
After completing a prompt, post your Story Stitch in the check-in thread to unlock your next prompt.
📘 Your Thread Rules:
Use this thread to:
Chat about your picks
Track your books
Brainstorm connections
Draft your Story Stitches before posting them officially
There’s no deadline — go at your own pace.
Have fun, be creative, and support your partner’s weird reading whims.