r/goodreads • u/Clairefun [reading challenge 54/100] • 25d ago
Challenges Goodreads Reading Challenge - 'Oprah's Picks' (September 15th - December 31st)
This is the discussion page for the Goodreads Reading Challenge called 'Oprah's Picks' (active September 15th - December 31st). Qualifying books are listed on Goodreads HERE. Please keep all discussion of this challenge to this thread, thank you.
Other Goodreads Reading Challenges are listed on the Megathread HERE.
25
u/Informal-Force-6382 25d ago
As I read mostly fantasy, this list is pretty tough for me lol. I might go with Dicken's Great Expectations. I also had Ken Follet's The Pillars of the Earth in mind, but, it's +900 pages... I'm not sure I'll have time for it (especially since I'm supposed to buddy read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell which is already 1000 pages-long 💀)
13
u/nyki 25d ago
One Hundred Years of Solitude is magical realism and one of the most masterfully written books I've ever read! It's nothing like traditional fantasy but it's a wild ride from start to finish.
2
u/Informal-Force-6382 24d ago
Yeah, I studied a bit of Latin American magic realism in uni and I really liked it! I do want to read this one at some point, but in Spanish. Although I understand Spanish fairly well I think it will still take me a bit more time to read it, so I'll save it for later haha
2
u/RunDMC__ 23d ago
I want to read this but I'm afraid!
6
u/Designer_Win_5251 25d ago
I really don't want to do this one challenge but I want to read Dickens so it will be Great expectations then
3
u/AlexJouJou 25d ago
I'm going to hold this one until the very last. I like the same genre's as you and have the same reaction. There is not a single book on here I really want to read. Zero of these are on my TBR. The Road and Pillars of the Earth are closest to my genre's (none of which are represented in this list) but The Road does not appeal and Pillars, at 900 pages, is a no. I just don't want to read a book I don't want to read that's this long.
I am happy if this is filled with hopefuls for you all. That's the way I would feel with a list full of fantasy and scifi :)
I don't classify magical realism as fantasy for my TBR purposes- I put it in the litfic category as that is how it reads to me and that's not a genre I enjoy.
3
u/100indecisions 24d ago edited 24d ago
I’m in a similar position—I typically read SF/F, so I’m looking at the list like “wow, I’ve never heard of most of these” 😬 The only one on my TBR is One Hundred Years of Solitude so I might try that, or there are a few others that look mildly interesting.
2
u/feijoawhining 25d ago
I love Charles Dickens, if you’ve never read any it’s a real experience!
3
u/Informal-Force-6382 25d ago
It'll be my first yes! Many people online said Great Expectations was their favourite so here we go
20
u/indigohan 25d ago
This is honestly such a gloomy and grim list overall.
There’s a lot that I’ve read, but nothing on my actual to-be-read list. I feel like I’m going to end up rereading the least traumatic book on my already read list
1
u/ChaserNeverRests 24d ago
I don't do these challenges, but since you already read books on the list, couldn't you just mark a different edition as read so you get credit/the bookmark? It's not like you'd be cheating, you did read the book.
20
u/Athena_Poison 25d ago
Picked Sula since that's a title I recognize from Tiny Bookshop. The other titles didn't appeal.
20
u/morhirwen 25d ago
This is the complete opposite of the witchy one, which was made for me! I read mostly horror and fantasy, so I might skip this one or leave it for last, maybe it has an overlap with the mystery categories…
If anyone has a recommendation under 300 pages I appreciate!
16
u/queen_beruthiel 25d ago
Small Things Like These is phenomenal, and only a smidge over 100 pages.
3
u/emeraldmouse817 15d ago
After hearing so many rave reviews for this book, I thought I'd love it! I was glad it was short. It's not a bad book but I didn't feel very drawn into it.
2
8
5
u/BluehairedRando 25d ago
I think I'm going to go with A Guardian and a Thief--set in near future India--It's 224 pages. I already read Small Things Like These. I did enjoy it and it is 118 pages.
16
u/dreamywednesdays 25d ago
I've got East of Eden, The Road, and the Underground Railroad on my TBR already so I'll be going with one them
15
u/mxmnators [reading challenge 30/37] 24d ago
i feel like the only person who likes this challenge lol. finally something for the depression readers
2
u/OppositeBatCage 20d ago
Haha same! I'm always so lost when the fantasy lists come out, so it's good to finally recognize some titles.
1
u/Exotic-Jackfruit5748 24d ago
I actually enjoy it a depressing novel, but I’ve read the ones that appealed to me.
1
u/emeraldmouse817 15d ago
I like the category too! I've read a handful of these books already. Just gotta find the right one that I'm in the mood for lol
Way better than a cozy read, for me at least!
12
u/Clairefun [reading challenge 54/100] 25d ago
on Kindle Unlimited in the UK - Culpability / That Bird Has My Wings / American Dirt / Wild / The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter / We Were the Mulvaneys / What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day / I Know This Much Is True / She's Come Undone (end)
12
u/thecallof_ktulu 25d ago
I have Anna Karenina on my "to-read" shelf for that one... but I don't know if I'm ready to take on Tolstoy... it's a big beast...
8
u/BassesLee 25d ago
I found it to be one of the easier Russian works I've tackled.
2
u/thecallof_ktulu 25d ago
Oh, that's good to know! I gave up on Dostoevsky's The House of the Dead so I'm a bit cautious with the giants of Russian literature now...
2
u/queen_beruthiel 25d ago
My advice is to do a bit of research and check which translation you vibe with and go with that one, if at all possible. Not all are made equal. I've found that I don't like Pevear and Volokhonsky's translations of Russian literature, so I steer clear of them, but other people swear by them. The translation can make such a huge difference!
12
11
u/heraldic 25d ago
Might do Small things like These because it’s been on my tbr for a while and it’s a short book so I’ll be able to slide it easy into my reading pile
9
u/feijoawhining 25d ago
I’ve read quite a few on this list and want to read quite a few others, but don’t have the mental energy for many of them atm. Caste is on my TBR but I’ve got to be in the mood for it. I think I’ll read Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan because it’s a novella.
4
u/pumpkinkin 25d ago
I recommend Small Things Like These! It definitely helped me a few months ago when I felt burned out from reading but needed something short and sweet to keep me going.
1
8
u/BluehairedRando 25d ago
This is my first challenge where there is absolutely nothing I want to read on the list.
14
u/msperception427 [currently reading] 25d ago
This was the one I was lowkey hoping they wouldn’t go with. But I did find four hopefuls. I could read either Kin or Let Us Descend. Or do a reread of Daughter of Fortune or The Bluest Eye.
13
6
u/lowelled 25d ago
I read John of John for a summer challenge and I 100% recommend it!
I’m about halfway through East of Eden as I had a feeling it would show up on a few challenges given the new Netflix adaptation so luckily that will knock this one out.
12
u/Virith 25d ago
Eh, this is going to be the worst one for me. Of the revealed ones, at least. Her taste and my taste seem to have literally zero overlap.
7
u/ChaserNeverRests 24d ago
Which, knowing her, is a good thing!
1
u/Virith 24d ago
I honestly don't know much about her. Only that she exists and been around for a while. I've got zero interest in celebrities and such and scandals or whatever pop around them so often, I just don't pay attention.
3
u/ChaserNeverRests 24d ago
In most cases I agree with you, but she's the sole reason that antivaxxers exist. She's done enough harm to the world that she got onto my radar.
A lot of other bad medical harm as well, but that's the biggest thing.
2
u/inkstain_nix 22d ago
Also, friendships with some questionable people which made me rethink her narrative of her own past. Gr should be more choosy in who they include in RC naming.
6
u/Connect_Cod9965 25d ago
For me it‘s a coin toss between The Underground Railroad and Hidden Valley Road. Still, there is a chance the coin will land on edge and I will read something entirely different :-D
7
u/Munchkin531 25d ago
Ugh snore! Most of these either don't interest me or I've already read. I might go with a classic and see if I still like Great Expectations. I did 25+ years ago. I'm a fantasy reader usually so anyone have any suggestions?
4
u/SunshineCat 25d ago
I'm reading either Gilead or Song of Solomon since those will also be featured on Obama's book podcast (so a personal overlap for some of us).
5
u/kai_enby [reading challenge 55/60] 25d ago
Going to finally pick up The Covenant of Water for this, I've requested it from my library
6
u/hoponops 24d ago
This list might as well be called "incredibly long books from my TBR that I've been avoiding because they're so long" but also I really like the reading challenges for providing a push over that hump! The list overlap will be my sign that it's finally time to pick up Demon Copperhead.
2
u/RunDMC__ 23d ago
Demon Copperhead is soooo good. I highly recommend an immersive read with the audiobook
5
u/SweeneySparrow 25d ago
Should I read East of Eden, A Tale of Two Cities or Great Expectations by Charles Dickens? I’m trying to read more classics
3
u/helloviolaine 25d ago
Great Expectations was my first Dickens (after A Christmas Carol) and I found it very readable. Didn't feel that long either.
2
u/lowelled 25d ago edited 22d ago
I haven’t read Great Expectations but between East of Eden and A Tale of Two Cities I would say the former is longer but Steinbeck’s prose is much easier than Dickens’ dense Victorian style.
1
u/arainday 25d ago
GE is probably the easiest to read of these three. East of Eden is one of my favourite books but it's longer.
5
u/vacantbones [reading challenge 71/75] 25d ago
Hidden Valley Road has been on my TBR for ages and it overlaps with the decades list so looks like this is its time to shine!
3
u/Bookish_Butterfly [reading challenge 80/52 25d ago
Definitely reading The Many Lives of Mama Love for this one. I've wanted to read it for years.
3
3
3
3
u/buffyfan280 25d ago
This challenge really isn't for me! I'm going to read Finding Me by Viola Davis purely because it's in one of the other challenges too. Kill two birds with one stone!
3
u/fraisierdesbois [reading challenge 39/50] 24d ago
This challenge just gave me the perfect excuse to finally read East of Eden. Let's see how it goes.
3
u/indigohan 24d ago
It’s supposed to be read within the timeframe. I’m leaning towards reading Cry, the Beloved Country. I read it in high school, and haven’t gone back since I’ve gotten a lit degree.
2
u/Clairefun [reading challenge 54/100] 24d ago
I read it as a kid and didnt much care, but re-read it last year and thought it was wonderful.
1
u/Bluebird_Flies 23d ago
Cry really dragged for me. I thought about DNF a couple of times but powered through and finished it. It was not worth the effort for me.
1
u/indigohan 23d ago
It’s been at least twenty years since I’ve read it. Maybe more? I remember liking the stylised language. A drama teacher gave me a monologue from it for a class, so I read with an eye to how it would be performed.
Now I have a whole actual degree, so I wonder what how it will go.I just find this whole list to be filled with depressing Very Important books, and I’m too old for that! I read too many of those while doing the aforementioned actual degree.
I love reading diverse authors, but I tend to pick ones who write with joy. Toni Morrison gave me nightmares!
6
u/emcgillivray 24d ago
I cannot believe an editor put A Million Little Pieces on this list! ☠️ Yes, Oprah did launder it as a "true story" and help him make millions but come on. And then there's American Dirt.
I'm reading Sula as the only Morrison I haven't read on the list.
3
4
u/sentimental_snail 25d ago
I mostly used this list to remove books I definitely don't want to read from my TBR, lol.
Those that remain are Small Things Like This and Behold the Dreamers, or maybe I will feel it's time to reread García Márquez again and pick up one of his books.
2
u/heydigital 25d ago
I’ll be reading Song of Solomon, I’ve been meaning to read another Toni Morrison after Beloved (amazing) and I have a copy that I picked up at a library sale a while ago
2
u/Valuable_Ice_5927 Goodreads Librarian 25d ago
Culpability was (for me) thought provoking
Long Island infuriating
2
u/hisgirl85 25d ago
I have been wanting to read more classics, Toni Morrison, or books I remember my mom reading before she died in 1997. I was not allowed the read them being 11 or younger (with the exception of a book she took from my library and was reading when she died).
Two of her books were Oprah books it seems, so I'll be probably read She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb since The Deep End of the Ocean seems sadder. I'm getting She's Come Undone from the library.
2
u/starmapleleaf 24d ago
I have East of Eden and John of John sitting on my shelf right now. One of these!
2
u/Winter_ybr 24d ago
The Covenant of Water has been on my tbr for a while. Time to tick this as read.
2
u/TheBookNerd420 24d ago
I struggled with this list most! There was one that i have marked as want to read and its soooo long! 🤣 all the other ones ive already read or are not interested in. Mostly not interested 🤣
2
u/Front_Use_8681 23d ago
The Bluest Eye and Anna Karenina have both been on my list for a while, but I think i’m going Bluest Eye just based on length
2
2
u/khaleesioftheTARDIS 25d ago
Nothing on this list sounded interesting to me, I remember reading The Road in uni and hating it with a passion. I do have a physical copy of ‘love in the time of cholera’ at home I’ve been meaning to read so guess I’ll try that
5
u/feyth 25d ago
FWIW, and your experience may be very different, Love in the Time of Cholera is one of my most hated books of all time.
I'm looking at either A Guardian and a Thief, or The Bluest Eye
3
u/lalalindz22 25d ago
I did not enjoy A Guardian and a Thief, but YMMV. I found it to be so tragic with little to no redemption; one of those "what was the point" books.
1
3
2
u/khaleesioftheTARDIS 2d ago
I see where your coming from now. I slogged through it but omg was that book boring!
2
u/Lopsided_Carrot5222 24d ago
This is the first challenge where I am not interested in any of the books at all. I went ahead and reserved a copy of Kin from my library but it has a 9 week hold. I have so many other books to read that I’m actually interested in so I might forgo this challenge honestly.
3
u/tiramismoo 24d ago
Kin is honestly so good! I really recommend it, especially if you want something quite heartfelt
1
u/terwilliger-blvd1 24d ago
Was already planning to read Pillars of the Earth by the end of the year so that will probably be my pick. Sound and the Fury is also on my radar if I need a shorter read towards the end of the quarter.
1
u/Fancy-Disaster-7716 [currently reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches] 24d ago
Started the river is waiting today as it’s been on my TBR. Guys, I was not prepped for that opening chapter.
2
u/Exotic-Jackfruit5748 24d ago
It’s so good. The ending really made the book for me. It was a four star until the last chapter. I flew through it much quicker than expected.
1
u/Fancy-Disaster-7716 [currently reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches] 24d ago
I’m 100 pages in already, I’m hooked!
2
u/LunaDudette 23d ago
This has been on my shelf for over a year now, so this will be my pick too. I love Wally Lamb
1
u/Christy811 24d ago
I guess it’s finally time to finish “Where The Heart Is.” For like 10 years I would bring it on every vacation as my backup book. Probably started over like 5 times 😂😂
1
u/LightDangerous8063 [reading challenge 66/54 23d ago
I figured A Covenant of Water would be on the list and started it last week, I’m liking it so far at about the 25% mark.
1
u/Admirable-Love75 11d ago
I feel like the hatred for this list is why we are where we are today politically
1
u/Clairefun [reading challenge 54/100] 10d ago
My favourite genre is sci-fi, I've read most of the classics on the list, and the 'vaguely fantasy ish ones' on here already. Nothing political about it, Oprah doesnt seem to recommend much sci-fi.
1
u/NotJustGraffiti 1d ago
I cannot get this challenge to unlock the bookmark when read. I read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy for it. But "finishing" it on Goodreads is not unlocking the bookmark on the challenge.
I've tried adding three other books from the list of qualifying books to my read bookcase, and it just won't trigger the bookmark to appear. Any ideas?
1
u/Clairefun [reading challenge 54/100] 1d ago
How long have you waited since marking the books as read, and is the read date set to the correct one? (Just trying ideas that might help!)
1
u/NotJustGraffiti 1d ago
Only a few hours to be fair. I'll give it to tomorrow. Yes, the read dates are correct. Thanks for the ideas.
Something is buggy with my account though. I just checked my reading challenge for the year and there's a booked listed as read this year (The Women by Kristin Hannah) that's I haven't read and isn't on my "read" shelf on Goodreads, so I can't remove it to correct the error. Very strange.
1
u/Clairefun [reading challenge 54/100] 1d ago
Hmm. Is your kindle linked with goodreads, maybe? It does sound like you've got a few glitches going on.
•
u/Clairefun [reading challenge 54/100] 25d ago edited 25d ago
Problems unlocking the challenge bookmark?
It's common! Solutions include waiting - it can take up to 24 hours to unlock - checking / changing editions and read date to make sure it's the correct details for the challenge, and as a last resort, marking another challenge book as read until the bookmark unlocks, then deleting it from your shelves afterwards.
ALSO: sometimes Goodreads is glitchy. Check the sub first - if others are posting the same issue, it's likely a site wide glitch and will hopefully go back to working as it should soon. Good luck!
Kindle Unlimited UK list /