WHAT EXACTLY IS THE NETFLIX AND BOOKS CHALLENGE?
This is going to be a yearly challenge focused on watching television shows we’ve been wanting to get to (both new and old), and reading books we’ve been wanting to read that match some fun challenge prompts. If you choose to, you’ll have the chance to earn points throughout the year (thank you Aentee from Read at Midnight for allowing us to use her point system idea!).
Level One for the Casual Participant
The first level of the challenge is to simply make a TBR list and TBW list (to be watched) and then link it up with us here. You’ll see prompts below that describe certain book and TV settings, plot points, tropes, time periods, etc. Develop a TBR list based on those prompts and see how many you can actually read in 2017. Then, share some TV shows with us that you plan to watch in 2017 as well. Please note that TV shows don’t have to match with the books you read for the prompts; they can just be a list of shows you hope to start and/or finish! We’re curious to see what you all have planned for reading and watching in 2017!
Like our book tag, we’ve developed ways to make parallels between the books you read and TV shows. The books must be read in 2017 but the shows don’t have to be ones you watched in 2017 for the points to count. You can count multiple books for the same category, as long as they match up with different TV show examples, but NOT multiple categories for the same book. For example, you’ve seen The Office before 2017 but you’re now reading Pretty Little Liars, which is set in Pennsylvania like the show. You match PLL with the setting category, but you can’t also use PLL for the category for “book inspired a TV show.” However, you could find another book and TV show combination for the setting category though – maybe you watched The OC and read Lola and the Boy Next Door. Without further ado, here are the categories for our challenge:
Make sense? Here are some more specific examples for each category so you can see what we’re thinking here. You basically draw comparisons between the books you read and TV shows that exist.
If the book has the same trope as a TV show | This can include romance tropes like TV show episodes with fake dating or a love triangle, or plot-related tropes like a motorcycle gang in a book (Katie McGarry) and motorcycle gang in a TV show (Sons of Anarchy)
If the book is mentioned in a TV show | Gilmore Girls has a bunch of books referenced throughout it
If the book title has a word in the title from a TV show’s title (no THE or AN, obviously) | For example, the show Pretty Little Liars and the book Pretty Fierce share a common word in the title
If the book inspired a TV show | Books like The 100, Pretty Little Liars, Famous In Love, Shadowhunters, The Lying Game, etc. all inspired TV shows
If the book has the same setting as a TV show | If it is set in the the US, it has to be the same state; otherwise you can match country to country. Before I Fall is set in Connecticut and so is the show Gilmore Girls
If the book has the same time period as a TV show | No present day, because it’d be too easy – think about historical fiction books or TV shows set in another time period (like the Roaring 20s or the 60s/70s), as well as books in the future
If the book main character has the same name as a TV show main character | The show Timeless has a main character named Lucy and so does the book The Hating Game
If the book and show both have bad reviews/ratings but you’re interested anyways | You can find a book with a low Goodreads rating on your TBR and find a show that was cancelled early, only had one season, or got really bad ratings and reviews… but you still want to watch and read them
It the book has a spin-off series or is a part of a companion series and a TV show has a spin-off series/show | The show Friends had the spinoff Joey and the show Avatar: The Last Airbender had the spinoff The Legend of Korra. A book series that comes to mind is Vampire Academy leading to Bloodlines
You will get a entries into a giveaway for linking up now AND linking up progress each month, if you’re so inclined. You can treat it just like a regular reading challenge with monthly check-ins, but this will feature shows AND books.
Level Two for the Competitive Participant
See everything above in level one! You have to complete that first part in order to participate down into level two, if you’re a competitive person who likes to earn points 😉 The biggest thing about level two is that you earn points for books you read that match our challenge prompts, and then points for banging out some TV shows in general.
How can you earn points?
(1) Earn points from reading books with certain page counts
For all of the books you read that specifically match the challenge prompts above, you will be able to earn points based on how long the books are. The longer the book, the more points you get. Here’s the breakdown:
100-200 pages = 10 points
201-300 pages = 20 points
300-400 pages = 30 points
401-500 pages = 40 points
501+ = 50 points
(2) Earn points from watching TV shows in general
Do you have a goal that you really want to finish off a TV show finally? Maybe it was cancelled and you just want to watch the last season. Maybe you’re ready to finally binge Friends. For this part, you don’t have to track every single hour of TV you watch because let’s be honest, that would be scary. I don’t want to know the answer to that. BUT you will be able to earn points based on finishing TV show seasons or the entire series. We have the points broken up based on how long the episodes are:
For a 1 hour TV show:
If…you finish a whole season…you earn 20 points
If…you finish a whole series…you earn 50 points
For a 30 minute TV show:If…you finish a whole season…you earn 10 points
If…you finish a whole series…you earn 25 points
For TV shows you watch that actually DO match the prompts above:You will get bonus points IF a show you watch in 2017 actually does match up with a book for the prompts above. For example, if I watch Revenge and read The Revenge Playbook (a book with the same word in the title as a TV show), I will get a point bonus. Because I read the book AND watched the show in the same year, I’ll get 25 bonus points for each show+book combo I am able to match up.
(3) Complete the book tag
You can earn points by completing our Netflix and Books Tag too! If you have previously completed it you can add a lovely 20 points to your total right off the bat. If you do it in 2017, you will still get the 20 points. Just post a link to that in one of your wrap-ups.
How can I keep track of my points?
You can keep track of points by doing weekly or monthly wrap-ups (we suggest a monthly one). Whether it be on your blog, Twitter, Instagram, or wherever – as long as are able to track it and it is a social media platform. Just update on far along you are on certain shows or books. You can use the hashtag #NetflixBooks2017.
We want to point out that you don’t have to keep track of points if you don’t want to. It is NOT mandatory. You’re able to link up TBR and TBW lists and track everything each month, like you would with any other reading challenge. However, the person with the highest amount of points at the end of the year will win a prize, assuming no cheating has occurred. We will also be holding a giveaway for people who participated in the first level of the challenge too.
Kati’s Netflix and Books TBR and TBW List
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
How To Get Away With Murder
Connection: Crime, Procedural drama
What I understand of the concept of the book is that it is genius young adults being recruited by the FBI to help solve crimes. While How To Get Away With Murder is primarily focused around a class of law student learning how to become defence attorneys.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Gilmore Girls
Connection: In an episode in Season 3 Emily makes up an excuse to Lorelei siting that she has to read The Lovely Bones for Book Club.
I have read The Lovely Bones in high school but it would be nice to re-read it. I have just finished watching the complete Gilmore Girls in November but can re-watch sometime later in 2017, I always love visiting Stars Hollow.
Confessions of a Virgin Sex Columnist! by Kay Marie
Jane The Virgin
Connection: The word “virgin” is obviously in both titles.
When I thought of this pairing I just couldn’t help myself. I saw this book and have been meaning to read it as it looks like a laugh a minute. Talking about a laugh a minute there is Jane The Virgin, which is a show that I absolutely love.
Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee
Jessica Jones
Connection: Both main characters have the name Jessica.
This challenge was a really tough one to find link up’s for. It was amazing how difficult this was. But, this book and TV Show are going to be amazing. I just know it.
The Diviners by Libba Bray
Gossip Girl
Connection: both take place in New York.
I love Gossip Girl with a passion. It actually took a while for me to start the series, but when I did I was hooked. The Diviners is a book I have been meaning to pick up for a while now and never have, this is my chance.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Outlander
Connection: Both are based in 18th Century Scotland.
This one might be cheating a little bit, but technically they do take place in the same time periods.
This one could be quite a few for me, so I will include some of the different TV Shows and Books that I would love to complete.
The 100 by Kass Morgan
The 100
Connection: The book inspired the TV Series that is in its second season on Netflix.
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Shadowhunters
Connection: Shadowhunters is an adaptation of the Shadowhunters series by Cassandra Clare. The second season of this TV Show airs on Netflix in January.
Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Pretty Little Liars
Connection: This TV Show was inspired by the book series and is now in its sixth season on Netflix.
The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries
Connection: This book series inspired the TV Series which is in its seventh season on Netflix.
THE SHOWS – TBW LIST
This funny show leaves me in tears. The second season is up on Netflix and I cannot wait to have a look.
I loved the first season of this show and cannot wait to watch season 2.
If I’m going to watch Fuller House then it might be worthwhile to watch the original material to see the girls grow up.
I did not know about this show at all until I scrolled through Netflix looking for new TV Shows. I am really interested to see what I think about this show.
This is the spin-off to The Vampire Diaries, I love both these shows and am keen to rematch this series.
I have not seen all of the seasons of this Sci-Fi show and am interested to see where the show goes.
I think its about time that I re-watch this show.
Did you know about this 2017 reading challenge? Will you be participating in this interesting reading challenge?
Keep Calm and Read / Watch On,
Kati
To Be Read 