The Challenge Factory discussion
How to Become a Scoobie
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Scoobie-to-Be Jamie (TheRebelliousReader)
Mod
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode List
Season 1
Season 2
13. Surprise
14. Innocence
15. Phases
16. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
17. Passion
18. Killed by Death
19. I Only Have Eyes for You
20. Go Fish
21. Becoming: Part 1
22. Becoming: Part 2
Mod
Which episode would you like to start with?
I'd like to go in order so starting with Welcome to the Hellmouth.
Mod
Good idea :)
Mod
1. Welcome to the HellmouthWhen teen vampire slayer Buffy tries to start a new life at Sunnydale High, she discovers that the school sits atop a demonic dimensional portal.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. with a teenage MC
2. where the MC begins a new life
3. written by an author you have just discovered
4. with two words in the title that begin with the same letter
5. a book with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Book: Mr Collins in Love: A Pride and Prejudice inspired m/m romanceAuthor: Lee Welch
Date Read: 8/2/25
Task: 3. written by an author you have just discovered
How it Fits: This is the first book I've read from this author. They're new to me.
Next Episode Choice: The Harvest
Mod
2. The HarvestBuffy and her friends encounter a powerful vampire bent on opening a portal to a dimension inhabited by demons.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. about friendship
2. with a powerful MC (your definition)
3. with an author's initial found in PORTAL
4. with a habitation on the cover
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 1 - Episode 2: The HarvestBook: Crush
Author: L. Dreamer
Date Read: 8/6/25
Task: 3. with an author's initial found in PORTAL
How it Fits: Author's first name starts with L
Next Episode Choice: Witch
Mod
3. WitchBuffy suspects she has a witch on her hands when the cheerleading squad falls victim to sudden blindness and spontaneous combustion.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. tagged "Witch" or "Witchcraft"
2. that you can hold in your hands (not an audio book)
3. where a significant character that has a disability
4. with "fire" in the text of the book
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 1 - Episode 3: WitchBook: Royal Court
Author: Jenny Frame
Date Read: 8/7/25
Task: 4. with "fire" in the text of the book
How it Fits: ”Quincy saw fire and a passionate anger in Holly’s face…” pg. 70
Next Episode Choice: Teacher’s Pet
Mod
4. Teacher's PetBuffy's biology teacher is killed by a giant praying mantis that assumes the form of a beautiful substitute teacher.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. with biology on the cover (a living organism)
2. where someone dies
3. with 400+ pages
4. where the MC is described as beautiful or handsome
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 1 - Episode 4: Teacher’s PetBook: Royal Family
Author: Jenny Frame
Date Read: 8/8/25
Task: 4. where the MC is described as beautiful or handsome
How it Fits: MC Clay gets described as handsome. ”You know. That handsome young policewoman.” pg. 204
Next Episode Choice: Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
Mod
5. Never Kill a Boy on the First DateWith Buffy preoccupied by her date with Owen, Giles is trapped by a group of vampires seeking to raise a powerful leader.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. that is the first in a trilogy or series
2. with 2, 0, or 5 in the publication date
3. where someone is trapped (your definition)
4. with a group of something on the cover
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 1 - Episode 5: Never Kill a Boy on the First DateBook: Lavender & Gin: A Sapphic Historical Romance
Author: Abigail Aaronson
Date Read: 8/9/25
Task: 2. with 2, 0, or 5 in the publication date
How it Fits: Published July 15, 2025
Next Episode Choice: The Pack
Mod
6. The PackXander and several other students are possessed by the spirit of a demonic breed of hyenas that wreak havoc at the high school.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. where the MC is a student
2. that you possess (a book that you have purchased)
3. with double vowels in a word in the title
4. set in Africa
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 1 - Episode 6: The PackBook: The Meet Cute Café
Author: Nicole Pyland
Date Read: 8/18/25
Task: 3. with double vowels in a word in the title
How it Fits: Double vowels in title
Next Episode Choice: Angel
Mod
7. AngelBuffy discovers Angel's dark secret and hesitates to do anything about it, which could spell danger for someone she loves.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. where someone is described as angelic
2. with a dark cover (your definition)
3. that you have hesitated to read (has been on your TBR list for a while)
4. where the MC is in danger
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 1 - Episode 7: AngelBook: The Fate of Stars
Author: S.D. Simper
Date Read: 8/22/25
Task: 4. where the MC is in danger
How it Fits: Tallora is in danger after getting kidnapped and held hostage
Next Episode Choice: I Robot….You Jane
Mod
8. I, Robot... You, JaneWillow's new Internet chat buddy turns out to be a powerful demon electronically unleashed from a centuries-old, newly digitized book.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. that is new to you
2. where the MC gets a new friend
3. that you got electronically
4. that is at least a century old (written before 1925)
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 1 - Episode 8: I Robot…You JaneBook: Begin Again
Author: Sarah Sanders
Date Read: 8/23/25
Task: 1. that is new to you
How it Fits: New to me
Next Episode Choice: The Puppet Show
Mod
Well done!
Mod
9. The Puppet ShowBuffy suspects that a ventriloquist's dummy may be harvesting organs from classmates performing in a talent show.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. listen to an audio book
2. where the MC is considered no dummy (is quite smart)
3. where an organ is mentioned in the book (heart, lungs, livers, brains)
4. with a talented MC (your definition)
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 1 - Episode 9: The Puppet ShowBook: Roses and Thorns
Author: Chris Anne Wolfe
Date Read: 8/24/25
Task: 3. where an organ is mentioned in the book (heart, lungs, livers, brains)
How it Fits: ”His heart choked his throat in fear.” pg. 14
Next Episode Choice: Nightmares
Mod
10. NightmaresA series of strange occurrences lead Buffy and her friends to discover that their worst nightmares have literally become reality.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. from a series of 10+ books
2. with a title that begins with a letter found in STRANGE
3. that someone else rated 1 star
4. tagged "Realistic Fiction"
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 1 - Episode 10: NightmaresBook: Dark Magic
Author: Christine Feehan
Date Read: 8/25/25
Task: 1. from a series of 10+ books
How it Fits: Series has over 30 books in it
Next Episode Choice: Out of Mind, Out of Sight
Mod
11. Out of Mind, Out of SightWhen an invisible menace starts attacking students and faculty at Sunnydale High, the Scooby Gang traces the problem back to Cordelia.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. with an invisible person on the cover (in other words, no humans)
2. where the MC gets attacked
3. set in a location name that begins with a letter in SUNNYDALE
4. with "trace" or "traces" in the text of the book
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Mod
Season 1 - Episode 11: Out of Mind, Out of SightBook: Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness
Author: Michael Koresky
Date Read: 8/26/25
Task: 4. with "trace" or "traces" in the text of the book
How it Fits: ”In them, queerness is perceptible as a trace, as a wink, as an identity, as a sensibility.” pg. 23
Next Episode Choice: Prophecy Girl
I would like to continue with this challenge please and thank you! :)
Mod
Awesome. I've added Season 2's episode list to Message 2.
Mod
12. Prophecy GirlGiles discovers an ancient book foretelling Buffy's death at the hands of the Master.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. written by an author with an initial found in GILES
2. that is historical
3. that is set in the future
4. written by a master author (s/he was written over 12 books)
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 1 - Episode 12: Prophecy GirlBook: Her Fake Wedding Date in Sicily
Author: Jenny Lane
Date Read: 8/27/25
Task: 1. written by an author with an initial found in GILES
How it Fits: Author's last names starts with L
Next Episode Choice: When She Was Bad
Mod
1. When She Was BadBuffy returns from summer vacation sporting an attitude and suffers from recurring nightmares involving the Master. Meanwhile, the Anointed One and his followers plot their revenge.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. set during the summertime
2. where the MC plays a sport (even once)
3. with a one (1) in the publication date
4. with all the letters of REVENGE in the title (just 1 E is okay)
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 2 - Episode 1: When She Was BadBook: Those We Run From
Author: Fiona Zedde
Date Read: 8/28/25
Task: 3. with a one (1) in the publication date
How it Fits: Published May 1, 2025
Next Episode Choice: Some Assembly Required
Mod
2. Some Assembly RequiredTwo science club nerds use body parts to create the "perfect girlfriend" for a teenager who has been brought back from the dead.
To help Buffy slay vampires, read a book:
1. that is second in a trilogy or series
2. that is tagged "science" (can be combined with another word, like "fiction")
3. that someone else thought was perfect (rated 5 stars)
4. with the phrase "from the dead" in the text
5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
Season 2 - Episode 2: Some Assembly RequiredBook: Despite Doubt
Author: Jasmin Joachims
Date Read: 8/29/25
Task: 2. that is tagged "science" (can be combined with another word, like "fiction")
How it Fits: Tagged and MPG Science Fiction
Next Episode Choice: School Hard
The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
Merging Hearts: A Lesbian Romance (other topics)Hour of the Pumpkin Queen (other topics)
Triple-Duty Bodyguards (other topics)
Through the Storms (other topics)
The Woman in Black (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lauren Hart (other topics)Megan Shepherd (other topics)
Lily Gold (other topics)
Rita Potter (other topics)
Susan Hill (other topics)
More...
Buffy needs help slaying all those vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness.
She needs 'Scoobies'. A Scoobie is a loyal friend who uses various methods to assist in Buffy's fight against evil creatures.
You can become a Scoobie.
Challenge Begins: August 1, 2025
HOW TO PLAY:
1. Look at the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode list.
2. Choose an episode and post it on your thread.
3. The moderator will then post the related episode information and tasks.
4. Once you complete one of the tasks, post in your thread and in the Reporting thread the following:
Book:
Author:
Date Read:
Task:
How it Fits:
Next Episode Choice:
Rules:
Books must be 140+ pages.
Audio books must be 3+ hours long.