Hooked on Books discussion
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C: The Marionette Mob
message 101:
by
Anastasia
(new)
Sep 22, 2025 03:16PM
I'm thinking of using
The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo for 5. It is this months buddy read and nearly done with it but finding it a bit slow and boring so wouldn't recommend it unless you like that particular style.
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I have one for #3.Can I read more than one for a task?
Why numbers 2 and 4 missing?
Kelly (Maybedog) wrote: "I have one for #2. Can I read more than one for a task?
Why numbers 2 and 4 missing?"
It is random as to what tasks we get so that teams have different tasks for toys and you can't get a preview by looking at the other team threads. It is expected that you read one book for each chain. If someone is slow at completing their set and you are finished, you may be able to take extra or if you particularly don't want to read a particular task, you can negotiate with team for some-one to swap out a task. Each member has to read a least one book for a toy and one book has to follow Belle's rule for each member.
Ok that makes sense. I entered a book for each chain on the spreadsheet. If someone can look and let me know if they fit, I'd appreciate it. I'm unsure of the difference between #3 and #5.
I think your 3 and 5 books are fine but I'm not sure about the book for 1 as the title or cover or theme don't have any of the reflective elements. 🪞1. Read a chain of 3 books with mirrored or reflective titles, themes, or imagery
Look for words like mirror, glass, reflection, twin, double, silver, or echo — or covers with literal reflective elements.
Maybe check in Ouija Board Q and A
Off to find books for this. I hope I have something already borrowed that works.
Thanks so much for checking!! Okay, I'll change it. I thought it had imagery with people sitting getting photos in front of mirrors to see if ghosts were in the picture. It said to look for words like [...] so I thought it was just finding those words in the text. But I see that I was misinterpreting it. So those words need to be in the description?I'm still figuring all this out, sorry. I can find another book np. I was just excited to use this book for another challenge. :)
Kelly (Maybedog) wrote: "Thanks so much for checking!! Okay, I'll change it. I thought it had imagery with people sitting getting photos in front of mirrors to see if ghosts were in the picture. It said to look for words l..."I read that the words were to be in the title or represented on the cover. I may be wrong though and you could ask the mods if it fits or not.
You both read it that way so I'm sure you're right. I'll find something. It's much easier than the other two tasks.
Posted all of my completions for this monster. If I finish another that first the shorter book with more pages before check in I'll change it, but otherwise I'm good to go.
Yay! The
Kelly (Maybedog) wrote: "Yay! The evil toys our masters said I could use the book with the imagery in the book text! I'm so grateful for their mercy."🎆🎆🎆
Mine are all done as well, looks like we are just waiting on one book.
I thought I read fast. Just finished.I checked us in. The Toy Chest delivered #15.
Kelly (Maybedog) wrote: "I thought I read fast. Just finished.I checked us in. The Toy Chest delivered #15."
Thanks Kelly
Mod
The Lament Configuration is the iconic, puzzle-box-shaped artifact from the Hellraiser film series, originally created by horror writer Clive Barker. Officially known as the Lemarchand Configuration, this intricately designed cube is far more than a mechanical curiosity; it is a gateway to another dimension, one ruled by the sadistic, otherworldly beings known as the Cenobites.
Elegant yet ominous, the Lament Configuration appears as a small black and gold cube, etched with elaborate geometric patterns that shift when manipulated. Solving the puzzle is deceptively simple, but doing so summons the Cenobites, beings who exist beyond pain and pleasure, and who drag the solver into their realm for eternal torment or transcendence, depending on one’s perspective.
The box is a key to forbidden realms, often tied to themes of obsession, desire, and the consequences of seeking forbidden knowledge. In the Hellraiser universe, those who seek it out are usually searching for extreme experiences, only to find themselves overwhelmed by cosmic horror.
Mysterious, cursed, and unrelenting in its purpose, the Lament Configuration is not just a puzzle; it is an invitation, one that should never be accepted lightly.
🧊🩸 The Lament Configuration
“To solve the box is to beg for more. More sensation. More suffering. More books.”
I see you.
Your hands hover. You want to know what I hold.
But there is no curiosity without consequence.
Choose… and suffer beautifully.
🔓 Open Me
You seek truths with sharp edges.
You twist my shape and offer your mind.
I will open for you. I will hurt you kindly.
❌ Refuse Me
You close the lid and turn away.
But you touched me. I remember. I wait.
And I always find those who run.
You may change your choice.
But you must bleed for it—figuratively, of course.
Return here and ask the Toymakers for your punishment.
They’ll make sure you don’t get off easy.
🕯️ When you’re ready, post in the Occult Museum (Check-In Thread) with:
Your Team Name
Your Choice (Open or Refuse)
A link to your team’s spreadsheet
I’ll be watching.
And once we begin… you won’t be alone in the dark.
Hellraiser is still that horror movie that I can't watch in the dark. I saw it when I was a kid and it scared the crap out of me. I watched it again in the late 90s or early 2000s and I don't think I've watched it since. It's on my list of movies to never watch again for my piece of mind. Along with Children of the Corn.
I love horror, but both of those made me realize I'm more of a slasher (Freddy, Michael Myers, Ghostface, etc...) type of girl.
All that to say, we may as well open it. What say you?
I think we should open it. I haven't seen the movie or any of the horror ones you mention. After seeing Jaws, that put me off anything horror related.What do you think Kelly, shall we open it ?
Anastasia wrote: "I think we should open it. I haven't seen the movie or any of the horror ones you mention. After seeing Jaws, that put me off anything horror related.What do you think Kelly, shall we open it ?"
Jaws?? That is hilarious. I don't even think of that as being horror. You just made my day.
Shan ~A~ wrote: "Anastasia wrote: "I think we should open it. I haven't seen the movie or any of the horror ones you mention. After seeing Jaws, that put me off anything horror related.What do you think Kelly, sha..."
I can't believe you didn't think Jaws was scary. Maybe because I live in Australia and shark attacks are frequent.
I am an inlander, so that may make the difference.
Still waiting for your decision Kelly
Sorry, couldn't log on today.I agree. We should open it. Since it's unanimous, I posted in the check in thread that we want to open it.
Mod
Now you must spell a cursed word.
LEMARCH
*Standard Spell out.
You asked for this. Now you must complete it.
This is an easy one, I have a few books that will be finishing shortly that fit. Which letters do you want Kelly and Shan? If you choose one, I probably have books that will fit the remainder.
Do you want to organize this for us? How fast do you two read? Faster than I do apparently! I finish a book every 24 hours because I listen to them but it's overnight to the early morning PDT.
Tomorrow the 28th it will be a book that works for M, E and R.
Early the 29th I'll finish a book that's A, L, H, and C.
Early the 30th I'll finish a book that works for C, M, and H.
Books I'll Be ReadingHow to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James ~ Works for H
A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young ~ Works for A
The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton ~ Works for L
Sleeping with the Frenemy by Natalie Caña ~Works for C
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark ~ Works for R
Only claiming L & C since I think they have a higher page count than some of the others.
I usually have about 6-7 books on the go as read different formats -actual books, e books, and audio. Usually have 30+ challenges on the go but trying to cut down. I can speed read also if necessary but I don't enjoy this and usually use it for rereads or if finding a book particularly boring and just want to get it done.
Kelly if you take the E then, which one do you want Shan?
I claimed L & C. Just started the L book.
Five books in less than two days? Wow. I finished my book already. I need to read another because that one wasn't outside my comfort zone. I think I'm going to change my next book because it's not outside my comfort zone enough. I'll find one that fits multiple places I hope.
Hi Kelly, we only need to read outside our comfort zone for chains, not for spellouts. Also I noticed that you used character name which is not part of what is allowedQ: If I get a toy with a mini game, do I still have to follow Belle's Rule?
A: No, the mini games do NOT have chains and most do not require more than one book per player. This includes: Dead Man's Dice, Jumanji, Zathura, Ouija Board & Nightmare.
For Spellout
Unless otherwise specified, it is only Title, Author initials (first & last only), and series name.
If you don't have the E book then you can swap it for my M book and I will look for an E
Oh sorry. I thought it was standard rules. I've been reading everything really fast to catch up. I'll switch my book to M and I'll read a book tonight that uses the E. I've put it in the spreadsheet.
I won't get as many as I thought done. I ended up with a house full of kids, which means no reading since I was the entertainer. I'm just getting back to the book I started earlier. We'll see where I by tomorrow, but I'll at least finish the two I chose for this.
No problem. RL comes first. We'll still get done quickly thanks to Anastasia. :)I'm 2/3rds of the way done with my second book. I'm really tired, though. Hopefully I'll finish tonight but if not, it will be tomorrow.
Gosh Anastasia reads fast. Did you speed read them? I'll rev up the listening speed of this book to make sure I finish tonight. I always play them fast but I can play it faster.
Kelly (Maybedog) wrote: "No problem. RL comes first. We'll still get done quickly thanks to Anastasia. :)I'm 2/3rds of the way done with my second book. I'm really tired, though. Hopefully I'll finish tonight but if not,..."
No I was reading these for other challenges and they happened to fit. I especially love the Meg Langslow series but having trouble with getting these in Australia. Luckily this one was on Audible, not all of them are.
I finished my second book and entered it into the spreadsheet. Shan, let us know if you want one of us to take one of your books. I just started a book that has an L.
Shan ~A~ wrote: "We're checked in"Thanks Shan
Mod
The Crying Boy Painting refers to a series of mass-produced prints created by Italian artist Giovanni Bragolin (also known as Bruno Amadio) in the 1950s. These portraits typically feature a young boy with large, sorrowful eyes and tears streaming down his face. Though the painting was originally meant to evoke sympathy and emotion, it gained a far more sinister reputation in the 1980s.
A legend began circulating in the UK after numerous house fires left homes destroyed, but with the Crying Boy painting untouched and unscathed among the rubble. This eerie pattern led to widespread fear that the artwork was cursed, said to bring misfortune, fire, or tragedy to anyone who owned it.
The image of the Crying Boy(visually simple yet emotionally intense) became a modern folklore icon. Some claimed the boy's spirit was trapped in the painting, while others believed it was connected to an orphan who died in a blaze. Whether viewed as haunted or coincidental, the painting's legacy remains one of unsettling intrigue.
To this day, The Crying Boy Painting is remembered not just as a melancholy piece of art but as a symbol of how emotion, myth, and mystery can turn an innocent image into an object of dread.
Complete the following tasks
🖼️1. The Face That Haunts You
Read a chain of 3 books where the cover features a human face — sad, stoic, unsettling, or crying. Doesn’t have to be a child, but the more expressive the eyes, the better.
📅3. Trapped in 1950
Read a chain of 3 books where the number 1950 clings like soot to canvas. If it slips into the page count, at least two of its digits (1, 9, 5, 0) must show themselves. If it burns into the publication date, all four digits must appear, scattered through the numbers like an omen you cannot scrub away. A book of 290 pages, another of 315, or one with 519 would suffice… as would a date marked 09/15/2000 or 05/19/2014, where the Crying Boy’s shadow still lingers.
🕵️♀️5. Smoke and Secrets
Read a chain of 3 books that fits into MPG: Mystery, Paranormal, or Gothic — or ideally, a beautiful mess of all three. Think atmosphere, secrets, and at least one scene where someone stares at something for too long.
For #5, do you think the latter is a suggestion/idea or that someone really has to stare at something too long?For #1, do you think 2/3rds of a face is enough?
For #1 It looks like the eyes have to be a part of it. At least that's how I'm interpreting, "the more expressive the eyes, the better"For #5 I don't know. I honestly stopped after seeing the MPGs and didn't pay attention to the other part until your question.
I'm going to interpret it as a suggestion. But I honestly don't know.
I think as long as it has one of those MPGs it fits. I'm not sure about the face, but you could ask in Q and A, just that it seems it is only half a face.
Probably be a bit slower with my reading this week as babysitting my grandson next 4 days.
I agree with you both on both. Why are some cells purple? I couldn't find anything in conditional formatting.
I put the purple so I can identify where I need to post
I'm waiting for an answer to my question about the dates in the Q & A. I've got some books that might work depending on what they say. I don't know if I can find one where the numbers are in order, though.
Kelly (Maybedog) wrote: "I'm waiting for an answer to my question about the dates in the Q & A. I've got some books that might work depending on what they say. I don't know if I can find one where the numbers are in order,..."I didn't think it had to be in order. It is confusing
Hooked on Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Ritual (other topics)Wild Sign (other topics)
The Bones Beneath My Skin (other topics)
Better Homes and Hauntings (other topics)
The Misfit Mage and His Dashing Devil (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Molly Harper (other topics)Madeline Miller (other topics)
Yangsze Choo (other topics)
