# Khadaji’s Whatcha Reading Thread - December 2023 edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [December 1, 2023, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931 "2023-12-01T01:31:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/41 "2023-12-11T17:50:33Z")
I somehow ended up reading two fantasy novels about goddesses at the same time. The first is _Circe_ by Madeleine Miller. It’s a re-imagining of Greek mythology from Circe’s point of view. I loved it, especially the twists that Miller put in the story. My favorite part was the motivations behind the myth of Pasiphaë, the white bull, and the Minotaur. The other was _Inanna_ by Emily H. Wilson. It’s the first book of a trilogy and the only one published so far. It’s a reimagining of the Epic of Gilgamesh mixed in with several myths about Inanna. It was a fantastic trip back to the ancient Sumeria of 6000 years ago. There was one part where I thought “Oh no, she’s not going to go science fictiony all of a sudden,” but it turned out to not be too bad.\* Highly recommended. \*The entrance to the Underworld was a nod to the belief by some that the Sumerian gods were aliens. It’s very brief and Wilson doesn’t lean into it too much so it doesn’t ruin the historical fantasy feel of the book. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/42 "2023-12-11T20:56:39Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I’ve turned instead to the true crime history _Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI_ by David Grann, recently made into a movie by Scorsese, De Niro, DiCaprio and several other notable Slovenian Hollywood folks. The book is okay but isn’t really living up to its rave reviews for me so far. It will probably take you less time to read than it will to watch the film! I’m still reading _Paladin’s Grace_ by T.Kingfisher which has the uncommon distinction of teaching me something I can apply to my own romance novel. It’s a bit fluffier than what I typically read/write but that means it takes its sweet time and spends more time in the characters’ heads as they try to talk themselves out of being in love, which is something I could stand to do a little better. Overall a very enjoyable read so far. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2023, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/43 "2023-12-13T00:28:14Z")
Finished _Thunderclap: A Memoir of Art and Life & Sudden Death_, by Laura Cumming, which was interesting. I recommend it to anyone interested in art. Now I’m reading _You Make It Feel Like Christmas_, by Toni Shiloh. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2023, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/44 "2023-12-13T02:53:14Z")
I am such a follower this month. Also reading Paladin’s Faith. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2023, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/45 "2023-12-13T04:41:51Z")
That makes four? five? of us? @Dung_Beetle, you got some catching up to do 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2023, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/46 "2023-12-13T13:06:38Z")
At least 4, **BetsQ** , **DZedNConfused** , **SpiceWeasel** and me. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2023, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/47 "2023-12-13T17:06:03Z")
I know, but it’s a good place to be in. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/48 "2023-12-14T00:53:57Z")
Finished _You Make It Feel Like Christmas_, by Toni Shiloh. Meh. Now I’m reading _In a Flight of Starlings: The Wonders of Complex Systems_, by Giorgio Parisi (in collaboration with Anna Parisi, and translated by Simon Carnell.) I saw a murmuration of starlings the other day, and it was awesome. (For anyone unfamiliar with the term, it’s a flock of birds flying in complex patterns, usually to confuse a predator. I’m sure there are clips on You Tube.) ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/49 "2023-12-15T00:48:22Z")
Finished _In a Flight of Starlings: The Wonders of Complex Systems_, by Giorgio Parisi (in collaboration with Anna Parisi, and translated by Simon Carnell.) It was interesting. He also talked about his education and work with other physicists. I think people who enjoyed _Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman_, might like this too. Now I’m reading _Horse of a Different Color: Stories_, by Howard Waldrop. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/50 "2023-12-15T01:54:08Z")
Just downloaded and started listening to _Flight or Fright_, a collection of short stories about flying the not-so-friendly skies, edited by Stephen King and Bev Vincent. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2023, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/51 "2023-12-16T15:07:49Z")
Several people have mentioned _Happiness Falls_ by Angie Kim. I thought I’d give it a whirl. I LOVED the first half. The characters were very well-drawn, with realistic flaws and bumps along with strengths, and the plot moved forward in a way that certainly drew me in. “This must be the explanation!” “No, here’s another piece of information that makes it clear we were wrong–this must be what’s happening instead!” It was all well done and as I say kept me going to see what happened next. But I didn’t like the second half so much. There’s a big reveal, at which point the narrative seems to move away from what I thought was the central topic of the book (the father’s disappearance) into a much less interesting (to me anyway) focus. It starts dealing with–how do I put it without giving things away?–I suppose I could do a spoiler box but I don’t know how–well, it starts dealing with a controversial issue, and the author clearly has great interest in it and strong feelings about it, but for me it was too much. I felt lectured at. The author would probably say that the book was as much about this issue as it was about the disappearance, and hey, she wrote it, so she should know, but I found myself getting bored and a bit turned off at a time in the book when I shouldn’t have been. Still, the book definitely has its pluses, and I bought it for my son for a Christmas present, so there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2023, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/52 "2023-12-16T15:39:32Z")
Finished _Paladin’s Faith_ which I liked, tried again with _Talonsister_ but bounced again, now rererereading _The name of the rose_ to try and find inspiration for a RPG adventure I’m writing. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2023, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/53 "2023-12-16T21:06:55Z")
Finished _Horse of a Different Color: Stories_, by Howard Waldrop, of which the best story was “Ninieslando”. Now I’m reading a cozy mystery, _The Skeleton Stuffs a Stocking_, by Leigh Perry. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2023, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/54 "2023-12-16T22:36:31Z")
I, too, finished _Paladin’s Faith_ aaaand I did NOT see that coming… or that… or that over there and goodness what was that?! The book was wonderful, will be a reread I am certain. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/55 "2023-12-16T23:22:12Z")
[fingers in ears] la la la la la 😁 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/56 "2023-12-18T14:42:45Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Now I’m reading a cozy mystery, _The Skeleton Stuffs a Stocking_, by Leigh Perry. I’ll have to look that one up. I know the author – Toni L. P. Kelner. It wasn’t until her “Skeleton” series came out that I learned was the “L.P.” stood for. If you like her stuff, look up the mysteries that she wrote under her real name – there are two other series. [http://tonilpkelner.com/](http://tonilpkelner.com/) > **[Toni Kelner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toni_Kelner)** > > Toni LP Kelner is an author of three mystery series: the eight Laura Fleming novels and related short stories; the Where Are They Now? series, which includes three novels and a forthcoming short story; and the Family Skeleton series, which consists of six books and one short story, with a seventh book forthcoming. She has also edited seven urban fantasy anthologies with Charlaine Harris. Many Bloody Returns, Wolfsbane and Mistletoe, and Home Improvement: Undead Edition were on the extended N Ke... ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/57 "2023-12-18T14:46:42Z")
More writing than reading lately. Still reading _Paladin’s Grace_. This book is taking its sweet time getting these two lovers together. It’s very charming. I wish Marguerite would stop interrupting everything! ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/58 "2023-12-18T14:46:51Z")
Gave up on _The name of the rose_ after finding what I was looking for, and found a promising book by M. R. Carey, the author of _The girl with all the gifts_ called _Infinity Gate_, so far, so good. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/59 "2023-12-18T15:15:50Z")
Started listening to _The Exchange_ by John Grisham. It’s a sequel to _The Firm_, fifteen years later. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2023, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931/60 "2023-12-18T15:52:10Z")
Finished Julia, a retelling of Orwell’s 1984. It was well done, for the most part. I could really identify with the character and it was interesting to find out more about the daily lives of the people of Airstrip One. And obviously every incident which dovetailed with a scene from the earlier book was fascinating. A couple of quibbles: it was incredibly bleak, so much so that I felt depressed at times after reading. Well, duh! That’s no one’s fault but my own. However, the second quibble is that I just didn’t like the ending. To me it was not the true and fitting way the tale should have gone. I’m glad I read it though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadaji-s-whatcha-reading-thread-december-2023-edition/993931.md?page=4)