Hooked on Books discussion

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.

Team
🦦 Trisha
Victoria

12 Prompts

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.

.

Hello Victoria!
I'm excited to get started but worried about the creative writing part!

I messaged Victoria on 6/28. If you don't have any objections, I can be your partner for this challenge. Otherwise I can try and find another replacement.

I messaged her yesterday or the day before too.

Yes, I'd love to be paired up! Yay!

oooh ideas on a team name?

Book Talkers
Reading Rebels
Bookish Banter
Shelf Indulgence
Novel Navigators

lol just a few

Let's go with reading rebels. I'll go update and get our first prompt. I did randomize, so I don't even know the order they are coming in. :)

🧩 Prompt #: Journey / Stay

Type: Wildcard Prompt

What this means:
This is a Wildcard Prompt. Each of you picks one side of the theme — one chooses Journey, the other chooses Stay.

Then your partner gives you three book options
For this one:
Journey could be physical (road trip, quest, expedition) or emotional (self-discovery, healing, transition).
Stay focuses on stillness — staying in one place, rooted in a community, resisting change, or finding meaning in the familiar.

📌 Once you’ve both finished reading, post your Story Stitch (your connection blurb) in the Check-In Thread to unlock your next prompt.

💡 Creativity is key — not just in your connection, but in how you interpret the prompt. “Journey” might mean leaving a mindset. “Stay” might mean choosing peace. If it fits your take, it counts.

Stretch Example:
One of you reads a sci-fi epic about intergalactic travel — full-on journey.
The other picks a cozy mystery where the protagonist refuses to leave their small town bookstore — total stay.
🧵 Your Story Stitch? “One ran to find purpose, the other stayed to protect it.”

Movement isn’t just physical — and roots can grow anywhere. 🚗🏡

Do you have a preference?
I can do either but I think I'd lean more towards Journey - just because I feel a little stir crazy in the summer! I just want to go go go - road trips, camping, festivals, markets!

but I can do stay if you'd rather do journey, too!

I do read primarily MM Romance and the book I'm reading now totally fits with Stay.

Ty is recovering from a car accident that kills his parents and he totally resists Cole's attempts to help him move on. A Restored Man. I can get more details as we move to the story stitch too.

I really wanted this challenge to be interactive and super creative.

Perfect! I love when it works like that, your current read working for a task!

does that mean I don't need to pick 3 for you to pick from?

Do you want shelves or help at all for my 3? or do I pick one for myself? 😊

Whoops. I got so excited I could play I forgot to pay attention to the rules.

Would you be willing to look at a spreadsheet? Active TBR is what I'm currently planning, but feel free to pull from my GR Sheves:
a-mm-tbr ‎(23)
*z-old-mm-tbr ‎(375)

I read about 5 books a week so I can fit just about anything in. A lot on the spreadsheet will work since we can be creative with the meaning.

Do you have a list or TBR you want me to review?

Yes, that would be great!

I have a
July: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
and
Netgalley: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Either works great!

I can definitely do a spreadsheet if you want to link that!

Also, FYI
I'm heading out for camping tomorrow and will be gone just a few days so if I'm a little delayed in getting back to you, I promise it will be just for a few days!

Here is my spreadsheet.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Feel free to pull from anything. There are a few on my own tab that I have "Never" in column G other than that I'm open to anything.

I'm also trying to read outside my normal, so if you have a good book you want to recommend and its KU or Kobo Plus or possibly Hoopla, Libby or library, I'm open to that too.

I just prefer to stick to around 250 Pages if possible.

okay, getting packed to go but wanted to make sure I got you some picks before I left!

three picks (plus 1 bonus)

1. The Missing Page (236 pages)
he's drawn back to his family home - to solve a murder.

2. Love Around the Corner (152 pages)
one has stayed in town, once is running a family owned business bookstore.

3. Fool Hearts (307 pages)
These 2 are childhood friends that are finally finally falling in love.

Bonus: The Broken Girls
because I think we're both in the chapter challenge and I think your group is reading this one together, I thought I'd throw it out there. I loved it and I thought her going back to the school she went to, a place she can't seem to get away from, would work for Stay since she's coming back to the town, but it's a bonus so totally up to you! (I know it's longer than you wanted and I wasn't sure when you'd planned to read it).

okay, hopefully one of those works! I'll be back in a few days but I'll try to check for your picks for me later today or tomorrow!

Ok. Since you are going camping....

Nowhere
She is running away by avoiding her grief.

Darkwater Lane
Cover has a boat rowing away...that is a journey

The Summer We Ran
Sounds like some self-discovery, which is always a journey.
**Bonus: its' tagged MPG Historical which works for Books Quest.

yay!! perfect! Thank you!

I think I'm gonna go with The Missing Page. Fool Hearts is my second choice and may go with that if it works for my bingo call on Friday. It will probably be then before I get to it.

I think I'm going with Darkwater Lane.
I have a buddy read set up and am really excited to read this next installment in a series.

I'm done.

Ok so here are some points about the book so we can make our connection.

James travels hours from home to solve the disappearance of his cousin from 20 years ago, Leo comes to realize James and his house is his home. Where James is home is. The house he visits is on the sea.

Lots happened, so not sure what we need to make the connection....

I got a bit behind so I'm getting through a few Netgalley books and then I'm on to my pick - I'm hoping to be done Wednesday! I'll try to pull the two books together!

How are things coming along? I'm not in any super hurry, just checking in.

Sorry, I had a pub crawl last night in Seattle and when I got back I finished and fell asleep! lol

so I'm done!

Okay, so this family . . .they tried to run away from their past - the fact their dad was a serial killer. They tried to hide
but, in this one, the realized they needed to stay and fight - so they could reset the narrative and try to get people to stop hating them and coming after them.

So maybe our tie could be - No matter how far you run or hide, home will always be where those you love are.

or you might be able to word it better lol

There are a lot of ways that these connect.

Nico is a car thief who got caught cause he was trying to hide from his grief because his brother died overseas.

Ty needs to start over and reset the narrative after being in an accident that killed his parents and he was severely injured.

Ty, with Nico's help, reconnects with his brother.

Nico has a large family that love him, even though he was arrested.

I like your: No matter how far you run or hide, home will always be where those you love are.

Team: Rebel Readers
Thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

🧩 Prompt #: Journey / Stay
Type: Wildcard Prompt

Lisa read: (stay) The Missing Page
Trisha read: (journey) Darkwater Lane

Story Stitch
No matter how far you run or hide, home will always be where those you love are.

I've checked us in (hopefully I did that right!)

🧩 Prompt # 2: Light & Shadow

Type: Mirror Prompt

What this means:
This is a Mirror Prompt, so you and your partner will both use the same theme — but take opposite approaches.

For this one:
One of you picks Light — a story of hope, healing, goodness, or redemption. Think bright tone, uplifting arcs, or characters striving to do good.

The other picks Shadow — a darker tale with moral ambiguity, sorrow, hidden truths, or twisted motives. Think gritty, mysterious, or emotionally stormy.

📌 Once you’ve both finished reading, post your Story Stitch (your connection blurb) in the Check-In Thread to unlock your next prompt.

You can’t have one without the other — that’s what makes it a mirror. 🌞🌑

I've got one I could use for either part coming up.

** It was just right.

ooh is it okay if I take "light"?

I think I can use and I can go with this looks kind of like a drawn sun on the cover?

Or I can go dark and I can use which has a nighttime scene on the cover

I can pair your light with Mind Magic, which has a moon on the cover.

Or Your Dark with A Mended Man because its a story of healing.

I'm reading both this week so which ever you want.

I'm starting Fallen city tomorrow so let's go with that set, if that works!

I started my book but got caught up in prepping for our camping trip this weekend!

I'm leaving tomorrow but hope to have my book done when I get back (or sometime on Monday if I don't get it done over the weekend)

Hope you have(had) fun. I've read both of mine, so let me know which one and we can work on the connection when you get back.

unexpected power outtages are keeping us home another night but we'll head out nice and early.

Since you finished both of your books, I actually finished my other book first

I just finished:

um, my story had:

found family, ghosts sticking around to haunt people that hurt the ones they loved, deceased siblings/family, fierce loyalty

hmm. . .let me know if you need more to pull them together

Light - Lisa: A Mended Man a story of healing
Dark - Trisha: It Was Her House First dark cover

Story Stitch:
Ronnie's brother Ben died and she blames herself, like Aidan blames himself for Nadia dying, even though he was only a baby.

more about the found family and deceased sibling:

Ronnie is Ben's sister. Ben was killed when he could not escape a burning house and Ronnie has always blamed herself for it. With the money from Ben's death, Ronnie buys a rotting, falling down jumble of a house in West Seattle.

Kate was Ben's fiancé and is now Ronnie's best friend and, really, only family. Kate there with Ronnie as work on updating the house, the one Ronnie calls when the house gets spooky, and they discuss Kate moving in (like family, not romantic).

🧩 Prompt #3: Puzzle / Chaos

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 sides of the concept.

For this one:
One of you picks Puzzle — a book that features mystery, strategy, hidden meanings, or characters trying to solve or understand something. Think clues, codes, or complex plans.

The other picks Chaos — a book filled with unpredictable events, impulsive choices, or breakdowns of order. Think disasters, wild energy, or beautiful messes.

📌 Once you’ve both finished reading, post your Story Stitch (your connection blurb) in the Check-In Thread to unlock your next prompt.

Some stories solve the riddle. Others throw the pieces in the air. 🧩💥

I'm reading Jar City that will probably work for Puzzle, but I could easily find something for Chaos as well.

I read a ton of Puzzle - mysteries, thrillers - so I'd love to take that one.

I'm starting: Too Old for This that I think will work!

I'm done!

I read:

A serial killer is now 75 and hasn't killed anyone in years. After almost being caught, she changed her name and has laid low since, almost 40 years now.

Until, unexpectedly, a woman named Plum shows up - saying she wants to do a docuseries about her - about how she was wrongly accused by the police. Problem is, she wasn't wrongly accused. And now she has to kill Plum to keep her from making the docuseries. But it's not like Plum was alone. First to arrive is her boyfriend, wondering where she is. Next is the police, then Plum's mom. Lottie has to field them all of, all while being tired and just done with all this business - and working on getting a retirement home and planning her hip surgery.

I think maybe the theme was - let sleeping dogs lie. Or don't ask a question you don't know the answer to. lol Or maybe the one about Revenge : Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves or an Eye for an Eye makes the whole world blind. (however, in their defense, she was killing everyone so I don't blame anyone for trying to catch her or wanting revenge)

Let me know if you need more!

I hope you enjoy your read too!

oh goodness I haven't even picked one yet, but what I'm reading seems a bit chaotic, so thata good.

no worries! I have also started and I think it would work for chaos

so I can switch if you have one for puzzle!

Okay, I finished my chaos one today! let me know which one you need details for - I have either covered! 😊😊

I just finished A Marvelous Light. it was historical, romance, magic, evil brother, oblivious sister, wonderful sister, dead parents and a curse.

it could honestly work for either. there were runes placed on Robin and Edwin had to puzzle out how to remove them. and it was just a bit of a chaotic read. the house party guests were a bit wonky.

if you use it for Chaos, would it go with any of the information I gave for my first read? (message 44)

If they don't seem to align, I can give more info about my chaotic read!

I guess we could go with Edwin (who is not a serial killer), killed someone in self defense and Plum just likes to kill people.

Think that works?