Hooked on Books discussion

Symbols of Luck and Fortune | August
Duration: August 1, 2025 - August 31, 2025

Challenge Rules:
Standard Challenge Rules apply, unless otherwise stated for the task.

Sign Up:
Create a comment with your chosen level and get reading!

Participation Level
Wishbone Whisperer: Complete the Spell-Out
Fortune's Favorite: Complete the Spell-Out, plus 2 Sets
Charm Connoisseur: Complete the Spell-Out, plus 6 Sets
Destiny's Darling: Complete the Entire Challenge


Each month, we will explore symbols of good fortune, luck, and prosperity from various cultures and contexts. This month we're exploring...

😺 Maneki Neko (Beckoning Cat) 😺
The Maneki Neko, or Beckoning Cat, is a beloved symbol in Japanese culture often displayed in shops, restaurants, and businesses. With one paw raised in a beckoning gesture, it is said to attract good fortune, customers, and prosperity. Depending on the color, paw position, and object held, each figure can represent different blessings.

Did you know?
• A raised right paw is thought to attract wealth and success, while the left draws in customers and people.
• White cats symbolize purity, gold for wealth, black for warding off evil, and calico for overall luck.
• The Maneki Neko often holds a koban coin, symbolizing great riches.

Whether you're welcoming abundance or just a little extra good energy, the Beckoning Cat invites you to read with lucky paws this August.

😺✨Symbols of Luck and Fortune | August
Maneki Neko: Reading Challenge Prompts

🔠 Spell-Out
Complete a spell out of the word M A N E K I using the first letter of the Author's First or Last Name.

Luck & Fortune Sets
Read a book that fits each prompt in a Set, based on your Participation Level!

😺 Raised Paw, Open Door
Just like the beckoning gesture, these prompts are all about invitations and opportunities.

A book where a character receives a life-changing offer
A story about starting a new job, school, or role
A book where a door (literal or metaphorical) plays a key role
A story involving hospitality or someone welcoming others

😺 Nine Lives
Cats are often associated with mystery and resilience. This set celebrates transformation and survival.

A story of rebirth, recovery, or personal growth
A book with a mysterious or elusive character
A plot where the main character faces near-death or major danger
A book with a cat on the cover or featured in the story

😺 Paw Prints & Pathways
These prompts follow the journeys we walk, often led by instinct and curiosity.

A story where the character follows a hunch or gut feeling
A book that includes a treasure hunt, map, or hidden object
A plot involving physical travel or moving locations
A book that unfolds through a character's journal or diary

😺 Lucky Charms
From trinkets to talismans, these books feature objects with deeper meaning.

A story that centers on a charm, heirloom, or magical item
A book where an object ties characters together across time
A mystery that hinges on a missing or symbolic object
A book featuring jewelry or a gifted token

😺 Catlike Curiosity
Cats are notoriously curious—this set is for stories full of discovery and secrets.

A mystery or thriller with a clever protagonist
A story with hidden motives or secret societies
A book where someone investigates or uncovers a family secret
A novel told through unconventional storytelling (e.g. dual timelines, found documents)

😺 Whiskers & Whimsy
Celebrate the quirky, cozy, and magical side of cats with these prompts.

A cozy mystery or low-stakes fantasy
A book with an animal familiar or magical companion
A story that includes tea shops, bookshops, or quaint small towns
A whimsical tale full of charm and wonder

😺 Fortune Cat Folklore
This set explores myth and legend, especially from Japanese culture and beyond.

A book inspired by Japanese mythology or folklore
A story featuring a trickster or shapeshifter
A book where gods, spirits, or supernatural beings appear
A story that blends traditional beliefs with modern life

R

August 1-31 2025
Luck & Fortune Sets
Read a book that fits each prompt in a Set, based on your Participation Level!

😺 Raised Paw, Open Door
Just like the beckoning gesture, these prompts are all about invitations and opportunities.

A book where a character receives a life-changing offer
Exile's Honor
MC becomes a Herald
08/10/25
A story about starting a new job, school, or role
A book where a door (literal or metaphorical) plays a key role
A story involving hospitality or someone welcoming others

😺 Nine Lives
Cats are often associated
with mystery and
resilience. This set celebrates transformation
and survival.
A story of rebirth, recovery, or personal growth
A book with a mysterious
or elusive character
A plot where the main character faces near-death
or major danger-One Good
Knight
MC becomes a sacrifice
for a dragon
A book with a cat on the
cover or featured in the story

😺 Paw Prints & Pathways
These prompts follow the
journeys we walk, often led by instinct and curiosity
A story where the character follows a hunch or gut feeling
A book that includes a
treasure hunt, map, or hidden object
A plot involving physical
travel or moving locations
A book that unfolds
through a character's journal or diary
😺 Lucky Charms
From trinkets to talismans, these books feature
objects with deeper meaning.
A story that centers on a charm, heirloom, or magical item
A book where an object
ties characters together across time
A mystery that hinges on a missing or symbolic object
A book featuring jewelry or a gifted token

😺 Catlike Curiosity
Cats are notoriously curious—this set is for stories full of discovery and secret

A mystery or thriller with a clever protagonist
A story with hidden
motives or secret societies
A book where someone
investigates or uncovers a family secret
A novel told through
unconventional storytelling (e.g. dual
timelines, found documents)

😺 Whiskers & Whimsy
Celebrate the quirky, cozy, and magical side of cats with these prompt

A cozy mystery or low-stakes fantasy
A book with an animal
familiar or magical companion
Closer to
Home
MC has a magical companion
08/4/25
A story that includes tea shops, bookshops, or quaint small towns
A whimsical tale full of charm and wonder
😺 Fortune Cat Folklore
This set explores myth and legend, especially from Japanese culture and beyond.

A book inspired by
Japanese mythology or folklore
A story featuring a trickster or shapeshifter
Miss Amelia's List
MC is a shapeshifter
A book where gods, spirits, or supernatural beings appear
A story that blends traditional beliefs with
modern life
Spellout
M
A
N
E
K
I

Symbols of Luck and Fortune | August
Duration: August 1, 2025 - August 31, 2025

Participation Level
Wishbone Whisperer: Complete the Spell-Out

🔤 Spell-Out
Complete a spell out of the word M A N E K I using the first letter of the Author's First or Last Name.

Completed: 6/6

M: Mary Monroe - God Don't Like Ugly 8/4/25
A: Ann Arensberg - Incubus 8/3/25
N: Nancy Mitford - Love in a Cold Climate 8/3/25
E: Evanovich, Janet - Tricky Twenty-Two 8/5/25
K: Kiki Swinson - Playing Dirty 8/2/25
I: Iwasaki, Mineko - Geisha, a Life 8/2/25

August 1-31 2025
Luck & Fortune Sets

Participation Level: Fortune's Favorite

😺 Raised Paw, Open Door
A book where a character receives a life-changing offer
A story about starting a new job, school, or role
A book where a door (literal or metaphorical) plays a key role
A story involving hospitality or someone welcoming others

😺 Nine Lives
A story of rebirth, recovery, or personal growth
A book with a mysterious or elusive character
A plot where the main character faces near-death or major danger
A book with a cat on the cover or featured in the story

😺 Paw Prints & Pathways
A story where the character follows a hunch or gut feeling
A book that includes a treasure hunt, map, or hidden object
A plot involving physical travel or moving locations
A book that unfolds through a character's journal or diary

😺 Lucky Charms
A story that centers on a charm, heirloom, or magical item
A book where an object ties characters together across time
A mystery that hinges on a missing or symbolic object
A book featuring jewelry or a gifted token

😺 Catlike Curiosity
A mystery or thriller with a clever protagonist
The Woman in Suite 11by Ruth Ware - 8/15
A story with hidden motives or secret societies
A book where someone investigates or uncovers a family secret
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - 8/14
A novel told through unconventional storytelling (e.g. dual timelines, found documents)

😺 Whiskers & Whimsy
A cozy mystery or low-stakes fantasy
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala - 8/4
A book with an animal familiar or magical companion
A story that includes tea shops, bookshops, or quaint small towns
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst - 8/2
A whimsical tale full of charm and wonder
The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst - 8/5

😺 Fortune Cat Folklore
A book inspired by Japanese mythology or folklore
A story featuring a trickster or shapeshifter
A book where gods, spirits, or supernatural beings appear

A story that blends traditional beliefs with modern life
The Nightblood Prince by Molly X. Chang - 8/11

Spellout
M
Homicide and Halo-Halo by Mia P. Manansala - 8/6
A
Seed by Ania Ahlborn - 8/22
N
E
K
I
Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie - 8/7

I'll try to do this but my reading has been meh lately!

HOB - Symbols of Luck & Fortune: August 2025

❌ Total: 38/42

Title
1. M: 9/8 - Molecular Symmetry and Fuzzy Symmetry, Xuezhuang Zhao - ⭐️
2. A: 1/8 - Algebra is Useful: 5000 Practice Problems to Show how Algebraic Identities can be used to Simplify Arithmetic Calculations, Norman Sanko - ⭐️
3. N: 14/8 - The New Spymasters: Inside the Modern World of Espionage from the Cold War to Global Terror, Stephen Grey - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
4. E: 7/8 - Entrepreneurial Leap: Do You Have What it Takes to Become an Entrepreneur?, Gino Wickman - ⭐️⭐️
5. K: 19/8 - The Knowledge of Nature and the Nature of Knowledge in Early Modern Japan, Federico Marcon - ⭐️⭐️

AFN
6. M: 7/8 - Into the Ice: The Northwest Passage, the Polar Sun, and a 175-Year-Old Mystery, Mark Synnott - ⭐️⭐️
7. A: 2/8 - When We're in Charge: The Next Generation’s Guide to Leadership, Amanda Litman - ⭐️⭐️
8. N: 4/8 - Long Live: The Definitive Guide to the Folklore and Fandom of Taylor Swift, Nicole Pomarico - ⭐️⭐️
9. E: 3/8 - A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome, Emma Southon - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
10. K: 1/8 - Grief Is a Journey: Finding Your Path Through Loss, Kenneth J. Doka - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ALN
11. M: 1/8 - Categories We Live By: How We Classify Everyone and Everything, GREGORY L MURPHY - ⭐️⭐️
12. A: 5/8 - Creative Courage: Leveraging Imagination, Collaboration, and Innovation to Create Success Beyond Your Wildest Dreams, Welby Altidor - ⭐️⭐️
13. N: 4/8 - Wes Anderson: The Iconic Filmmaker and his Work, Ian Nathan - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
14. E: 8/8 - 101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods: The Most Effective Wilderness Know-How on Fire-Making, Knife Work, Navigation, Shelter, Food and More, Kevin Estela - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
15. K: 8/8 - Color Capital of the World: Growing Up with the Legacy of Color Crayons, John W. Kropf - ⭐️⭐️⭐️

😺 Raised Paw, Open Door
16. Plot - char receives a life-changing offer
14/8 - The Right Kind of Crazy: A True Story of Teamwork, Leadership, and High-Stakes Innovation, Adam Steltzner - ⭐️⭐️
MC got a job at NASA
17. Plot - starting a new job
8/8 - Bad to Blue: The True Story of a Chinatown Gangster Turned NYPD Detective, Mike Moy - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
MC becomes a detective
18. Plot - a door plays a key role
14/8 - Marching Powder, Rusty Young - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"When I stepped through the automatic sliding doors into La Paz’s El Alto Airport carrying five kilograms of pure cocaine concealed in my luggage, I got a shock. There were police everywhere." p.21
19. Plot - hospitality
2/8 - "Excuse Me, But I Was Next...": How to Handle the Top 100 Manners Dilemmas, Peggy Post - ⭐️
About manners & etiquette

😺 Nine Lives
20. Plot - personal growth
5/8 - 10,000 Hours: You Become What You Practice, Phyllis Lane - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
21. Char - mysterious
14/8 - Animal Talk: Interspecies Telepathic Communication, Penelope Smith - ⭐️
MC communicates telepathically with animals
22. Plot - MC faces major danger
1/8 - Hometown Betrayal: A Tragic Story of Secrecy and Sexual Abuse in Mormon Country, Emily Benedek - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
MC is abused
23. Cover - cat
3/8 - , Lucy Mangan - ⭐️⭐️⭐️

😺 Paw Prints & Pathways
24. Plot - char follows a hunch
17/8 - Beaten, Seared, and Sauced: On Becoming a Chef at the Culinary Institute of America, Jonathan Dixon - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
"I instinctively knew what he wanted to hear, and, admittedly, it was true." p.190
25. Plot - map
5/8 - Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World, David Van Reybrouck - ⭐️⭐️
Maps in book
26. Plot - physical travel
15/8 - My Brother's Ashes are in a Sandwich Bag, Michelle Brasier - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
"We’re flying out of Newark airport" p.134
27. Plot - char's journal or diary

😺 Lucky Charms
28. Plot - magical item
20/8 - Odyssey, Stephen Fry - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
"a magic herb" p.152
29. Plot - an object ties characters together across time
16/8 - Green Gold: The Avocado's Remarkable Journey from Humble Superfood to Toast of a Nation, Sarah Allaback - ⭐️⭐️
History of avocados
30. Plot - mystery that hinges on a missing or symbolic object
31. Plot - jewellery
11/8 - Artisan Entrepreneurship, Vanessa Ratten - ⭐️⭐️
"creating jewelry with beads" p.30

😺 Catlike Curiosity
32. Plot - thriller with a clever protagonist
23/8 - Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris, David King - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
33. Plot - secret societies
4/8 - Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church, Gareth Gore - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Opus Dei
34. Plot - char investigates or uncovers a family secret
35. Plot - unconventional storytelling
1/8 - Badass Bonita: Break the Silence, Become a Revolution, Unearth Your Inner Guerrera, Kim Guerra - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spanish phrases woven into the text

😺 Whiskers & Whimsy
36. Plot - animal familiar or magical companion
37. Plot - bookshops
23/8 - Bookshop Tours of Britain, Louise Boland - ⭐️⭐️
38. Plot - whimsical tale full of charm & wonder
6/8 - Doctor Who: Heroes and Monsters Collection, Justin Richards - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

😺 Fortune Cat Folklore
39. Plot - Japanese mythology
31/8 - Japanese Myths & Legends: Tales of Heroes, Gods & Monsters, J.K. Jackson - ⭐️⭐️
40. Char - trickster
3/8 - A Class Act, Rob Beckett - ⭐️
MC is a comedian
41. Plot - supernatural beings appear
13/8 - Beware the Banshee's Cry: The Folklore & History of Messengers of Death, Steven J. Rolfes - ⭐️⭐️
42. Plot - blends traditional beliefs with modern life
3/8 - Awakening Together: The Spiritual Practice of Inclusivity and Community, Larry Yang - ⭐️⭐️
Blends activism & Buddhism

Spell-Out
M- The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values
A-
N- The City in Glass Nghi Vo
E- Burned Carol Ericson
K-
I- Infidel

😺A book where a character receives a life-changing offer
Shifter Chef: A Harem Cooking Adventure
😺A story about starting a new job, school, or role
The Running Grave
😺A book where a door (literal or metaphorical) plays a key role
Wasteland Warlords 1: A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG Adventure
😺A story involving hospitality or someone welcoming others
Winter Solstice

😺A story of rebirth, recovery, or personal growth
Kaikeyi
😺A book with a mysterious or elusive character
Sniper's Eye
😺A plot where the main character faces near-death or major danger
All Better Now
😺A book with a cat on the cover or featured in the story
Eye of Cat

😺A story where the character follows a hunch or gut feeling
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
A book that includes a treasure hunt, map, or hidden object
😺A plot involving physical travel or moving locations
The Sum of All Fears
A book that unfolds through a character's journal or diary

A story that centers on a charm, heirloom, or magical item
A book where an object ties characters together across time
😺A mystery that hinges on a missing or symbolic object
The Lemon
A book featuring jewelry or a gifted token

😺
A mystery or thriller with a clever protagonist
😺A story with hidden motives or secret societies
Rainbow Six
😺A book where someone investigates or uncovers a family secret
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
A novel told through unconventional storytelling (e.g. dual timelines, found documents)

😺A cozy mystery or low-stakes fantasy
Perils in Provence
A book with an animal familiar or magical companion
😺A story that includes tea shops, bookshops, or quaint small towns
A Jingle Bell Mingle
😺A whimsical tale full of charm and wonder
The Sol Majestic

A book inspired by Japanese mythology or folklore
😺A story featuring a trickster or shapeshifter
The Empire of Gold
😺A book where gods, spirits, or supernatural beings appear
Olympos
😺A story that blends traditional beliefs with modern life
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

I'll try!
Spell Out:

1. M: Frieda McFadden:
2. A: Adam Weymouth:
3. N:
4. E: Elie Mystal:
5. K:
6. I:

Completed (msg #6)