Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

See I'm tying myself in knots already forgetting what oxymorons are by thinking about it too much. I am probably going to go with A History of What Comes Next anyway because I have it pre-ordered.

Yeah, I know what you mean. This is one prompt I'll let rest till summer or something, and then I'll see. Hopefully I'll stumble over something.

Ellie wrote: "Why doesn't Unsettled Ground work in your opinion? The definition of ground is the solid surface of the earth, so can you have an unsettled solid? I think once a solid becomes unsettled it's no lon..."

Just in my opinion, I think unsettled ground is a pretty common thing. You can have ground that's torn up by tire tracks, dug holes, etc. Or you can have loose gravel/soil on a slope that's not firm footing. There are lots of ways that ground can be unsettled and it doesn't seem a contradictory thing to me.

Oh, I guess I'm thinking of ground differently, to me loose gravel isn't the ground, it's something on the ground. *shrugs*

Two from my bookshelf that would work...


The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
Innocent Traitor

Sarah wrote: "This list has a lot of common oxymorons. I hadn't thought of "civil war" which probably appears in a lot of history titles."

That's a great list. I found many options just searching these in Goodreads--but nothing that I am ready to commit to.

The best thing I found on my TBR is Recollections of My Nonexistence: A Memoir.

snow like ashes is it possible as one?

Midnight Sun and Dark Light are two books I have already read that I enjoyed that would fit this prompt.

Pau wrote: "snow like ashes is it possible as one?"

No, that's not an oxymoron. It's a simile.

What about "An Unwanted Guest"
An Unwanted Guest

Here are a couple I found on my (physical) shelf:

Falling Upwards: How We Took to the Air

Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme

Here are some thrillers/ suspense novels:

Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

Living Death by Graham Masterton

Dead Girls Dancing by Graham Masterton

Dead Men Whistling by Graham Masterton

Bright Young Dead by Jessica Fellowes

Little Big Man

Don't know if this was already mentioned, but I found a nice one, that could be to my taste: Good Morning, Midnight

Would The Fifth Season work here?

Halving It All

Sarina wrote: "Would The Fifth Season work here?"


I think that would be a very clever take on this category!!

I am definitely reading A Desolation Called Peace for this prompt. I can't wait for it to come out in March!

Just found Genuine Fraud. I'm not crazy about the author, but I like the title.

Lilith wrote: "Just found Genuine Fraud. I'm not crazy about the author, but I like the title."
That title is amazing! Such a perfect fit for this prompt! :)

Amy J. wrote: "If you're feeling completely cynical: A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight could fit"
Had to laugh at that one! :)

Nadine wrote: "Ellie wrote: "I've decided I'm not going to think too deeply about this one!"

That is always my mantra. Don't overthink, just go with my own interpretation! :)

Suzanne wrote: "Sarah wrote: "The best thing I found on my TBR is Recollections of My Nonexistence: A Memoir"

I really like this one!

BrieAnn wrote: "I think The Keeper of Lost Things could fit."

Ooohhh...I've been wanting to read this! I love her writing!

The Library of the Unwritten would be a good fit.

I guess Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things counts as an oxymoron?

I tried to read her other book and just did not mesh with her style, so I don't know if I can do this one, but I know Lawson is very popular with the group so maybe someone can benefit from this thought ...

I think The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine fits this, so that's what I'm going for.

There seems to be so many on the list that don't seem to be oxymorons (Born A Crime, Say Nothing, Angels and Demons, for example), but I might be misunderstanding what an oxymoron is.

I think I might try for this one. I'm still searching though.

I also found and

Jenni wrote: "I think The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine fits this, so that's what I'm going for.

There seems to be so many on the list that don't seem to be oxymorons (Born A Crime, Say ..."

There are a lot of books on the list that are NOT oxymorons. You are correct.
An oxymoron is a set two words next to each other that are usually (but not always) opposites, and render the phrase an impossibility.

Like Genuine Fraud. Or Silent Scream.

The Angelic Demon could count, or The Demonic Angel could count, but not Angels & Demons. (I have no idea if the first two titles exist lol.)

I'm rather strict at interpreting. I'm an ESL teacher - I can't help it!

But some folks are into stretching prompts. Your challenge, your rules. That's cool, but .......that's why I don't really trust Goodreads lists. Or really. many uncurated lists in general. Anyone could add anything. including a "stretched" prompt. If it looks interesting, I still do my own research.

I really want to fill as many prompts as possible with books I already own. This one is tricky. What do others think of:
Small Great Things?
Hell's Angels?

Rachel wrote: "I really want to fill as many prompts as possible with books I already own. This one is tricky. What do others think of:
Small Great Things?
Hell's Angels?"

Hell's Angels could work. Small Great Things is just a title with 2 antonyms in it.

Good point, Lilith. Thank you.

I think Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari is a good choice. There is more than one oxymoron- brief history and history of tomorrow!

I got Solutions and Other Problems for Christmas, and just started it. Slotting it here!

Nadine wrote: "I guess Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things counts as an oxymoron?

I tried to read her other book and just did not mesh with her style, so I don't know if I can do ..."

I bought this book awhile ago, maybe I'll finally pick it up!

I read Ugly Love for this prompt because I feel like ugly typically isn’t a word to describe LOVE. Maybe after a breakup? I was also needing to find a prompt that this would fit in after reading it..

I read Still Life by Louise Penny for this prompt

I'm trying to work from my huge TBR, so I think I'm going with The Worst Best Man on this one.

does Little Women fit this prompt ??

My son was looking at my TBR stacks, helping me choose books for these prompts, and suggested "Churchill: The Unexpected Hero
(Lives and Legacies)" by Paul Addison for me for this prompt. He does enjoy his jokes.
I might see if our library has "Black Sun" by Rebecca Roanhorse for this one - I've heard it's good and I've liked her other books. The sun isn't usually black, so ...

I just finished After the End by Claire Macintosh for this one. I haven't seen it listed and I enjoyed it.

I'm wondering about this title, it doesn't seem like an oxymoron, but I can't figure out what it would be?

How (not) to Ask a Boy to Prom by SJ Goslee

It's driving me bonkers trying to figure out what it would be considered!

The Faraway Nearby

Would The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith count for this one?

Rachel wrote: "does Little Women fit this prompt ??"

I would say no. Lots of women are little. There isn't anything oxymoron-ish about this title.

I'm going to read How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, not an obvious oxymoron, but I will count it anyway.

Lara wrote: "Would The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith count for this one?"

Unless you think life by definition is empty, I would say no

What do you guys think about Truly Devious or A Splendid Ruin?

Amanda wrote: "What do you guys think about Truly Devious or A Splendid Ruin?"


I'd say "splendid ruin" is an oxymoron - or, close enough, anyway!


I could be talked into seeing "truly devious" as an oxymoron, too.


So, go with whichever book works best for you.

Would Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen work for this one?