The Challenge Factory discussion

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.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode List
Season 1
1. Welcome to the Hellmouth
2. The Harvest
3. Witch
4. Teacher's Pet
5. Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
6. The Pack
7. Angel
8. I, Robot... You, Jane
9. The Puppet Show
10. Nightmares
11. Out of Mind, Out of Sight
12. Prophecy Girl

Welcome to the challenge, danielle.

Which episode would you like to start with?

10. Nightmares

danielle wrote: "10. Nightmares"

Sounds good.

10. Nightmares
A 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

Book: Rain Will Come
Author: Thomas Holgate
Date Read: 12/14
Task: 2. with a title that begins with a letter found in STRANGE
How it Fits: R in STRANGE
Next Episode Choice: 1

Well done!

1. Welcome to the Hellmouth
When 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. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page

Book: Her First Mistake
Author: Kendra Elliot
Date Read: 12/15
Task: 2. where the MC begins a new life
How it Fits: After her husband was murdered, she moves away, changes her name and starts a new life.
Next Episode Choice: 4

Well done!

4. Teacher's Pet
Buffy'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

Book: Poison Wood
Author: Jennifer Moorhead
Date Read: 12/16
Task: 2. where someone dies
How it Fits: An anonymous woman who contacts Rita claiming to have information about the school is found dead on a beach before their meeting can take place.
Next Episode Choice: 12

Well done!

12. Prophecy Girl
Giles 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

Book: Good Spirits
Author: B.K. Borison
Date Read: 12/17
Task: 5. with some sort of paranormal tag on the book's main page
How it Fits: MPG Paranormal
Next Episode Choice: 11

Well done!

11. Out of Mind, Out of Sight
When 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

Book: Hidden in Snow
Author: Viveca Sten
Date Read:
Task: 3. set in a location name that begins with a letter in SUNNYDALE
How it Fits: Book takes place in Åre (in Sweden)
Next Episode Choice: 3

Well done!

3. Witch
Buffy 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

Book: Hidden in Shadows
Author: Viveca Sten
Date Read: 12/19
Task: 4. with "fire" in the text of the book
How it Fits: p151 "..has lit a fire..":
Next Episode Choice: 5

Well done!

5. Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
With 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

Book: The Fix
Author: Mia Sheridan
Date Read: 12/21
Task: 2. with 2, 0, or 5 in the publication date
How it Fits: 5 in the publication date of November 1, 2025
Next Episode Choice: 9

Well done!

9. The Puppet Show
Buffy 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

Book: A Christmas Truce
Author: Emma Bennet
Date Read: 12/22
Task: 1. listen to an audio book
How it Fits: Listened to the audio (I'm pretty much 100% audio!)
Next Episode Choice: 8

Well done!

8. I, Robot... You, Jane
Willow'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

Book: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
Date Read: 12/23
Task: 3. that you got electronically
How it Fits: listened on audible
Next Episode Choice: 7