Hooked on Books discussion

As we embark on a new year of reading, we are excited to celebrate diverse holidays and cultural traditions through our Monthly Formal Buddy Reads! Each month, we'll explore a unique theme inspired by a holiday, allowing us to dive into stories that reflect the richness of different cultures and experiences. Join us on this literary journey as we honor these celebrations with thought-provoking reads that resonate with their significance.

📔"Main" Buddy Read: Typically a Best Seller or similar
📚"Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost" Buddy Read: These are not FREE, but as of the time of selection, were available to KU users for those that find that helpful. They are also sometimes low cost.

The lists for the year are available NOW, in case you need additional time to obtain a BR book (from the library, etc) or just like to pre-plan!

2025 Formal Buddy Reads

January | New Year's Day: Unraveled Beginnings
Theme: A suspenseful mystery to start the new year, where past secrets resurface, shaping fresh beginnings.
📔 Main Book: The Last House Guest (Megan Miranda)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: The Honeymoon (Shalini Boland)

February | Lunar New Year: Lunar Tides
Theme: A story of cultural identity and self-discovery set against the vibrant backdrop of Taiwan.
📔 Main Book: The Astonishing Color of After (Emily X.R. Pan)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: Loveboat, Taipei (Abigail Hing Wen)

March | Holi (Festival of Colors): Colors of Resilience
Theme: A celebration of vibrant colors and profound change, where powerful forces collide and hidden secrets shape journeys of resilience, self-discovery, and transformation.
📔 Main Book: The Jasmine Throne (Tasha Suri)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: The Secret of Elephants (Vasundra Tailor)

April | King’s Day: Dynastic Forces
Theme: An exploration of royalty and power, where kingdoms clash, and loyalties are tested amid epic tales of dragons and love.
📔 Main Book: The Priory of the Orange Tree (Samantha Shannon)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: Crier's War (Nina Varela)

May | Matariki: Starlit Memories
Theme: A journey through memory and the cosmos, where the light of stars guides lost souls and ancient magic intertwines with the present.
📔 Main Book: The Bone Shard Daughter (Andrea Stewart)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: The Light Pirate (Lily Brooks-Dalton)

June | Midsummer: Shadows of the Solstice
Theme: As the sun reaches its peak, the shadows grow longer. Dive into tales of crumbling mansions, haunted pasts, and the dark secrets that surface under the midsummer moon. These stories of transformation and terror intertwine with the allure of decay and the echoes of forgotten melodies.
📔 Main Book: Summer Sons (Lee Mandelo)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: The House of Long Shadows (Ambrose Ibsen)

July | Bastille Day: Voices of Revolution
Theme: A journey through revolutionary Paris, where the power of books and ideas ignites passion and change amidst the struggle for freedom and justice.
📔 Main Book: The Paris Library (Janet Skeslien Charles)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: A Place of Greater Safety (Hilary Mantel)

August | Obon: Echoes of Memory
Theme: A reflective exploration of memory and loss, where the power of stories connects the past and present, honoring those we’ve loved and the legacies they leave behind.
📔 Main Book: The Memory Police (Yoko Ogawa)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: What You Are Looking For Is in the Library (Michiko Aoyama)

September | Mid-Autumn Festival: Moonlit Connections
Theme: A celebration of heritage and transformation, where the moon illuminates tales of love, loss, and the connections that bind us across time and cultures.
📔 Main Book: The Night Tiger (Yangsze Choo)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: Paper Wife (Laila Ibrahim)

October | Diwali: Illuminated Journeys
Theme: A vibrant exploration of light and resilience, where the beauty of tradition intertwines with personal journeys, illuminating the path to self-discovery and hope.
📔 Main Book: The Forest of Enchantments (Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: The Henna Artist (Alka Joshi)

November | Day of the Dead: Ancestral Echoes
Theme: A mystical journey through memory and legacy, where family secrets and ancestral bonds transcend time, illuminating the path between life and death.
📔 Main Book: The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina (Zoraida Córdova)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: Ink Blood Sister Scribe (Emma Törzs)

December | Winter Solstice: Winter’s Embrace
Theme: A journey through the deep magic of winter, where ancient legends and resilient spirits come alive in the heart of the season’s darkness and light.
📔 Main Book: The Bear and the Nightingale (Katherine Arden)
📚 Kindle Unlimited/Low Cost Book: An Age of Winters (Gemma Liviero)