Coffee Time Tuesdays are back with fresh titles, a recovered reading appetite and a huge life change that turned my whole world upside down in the best way possible.
But first of all, hello lovely readers. It’s been a few weeks since my last Coffee Time Tuesday when I sat down with my cup of Joe to tell you about my favourite books of the year so far. Whoever tells you that things can’t change much in a short period of time is a big, shameless liar.
In the last column, I was telling you about my stressful house move which was fast approaching at the time. I was right to be stressed because it turned out to be perhaps the most intense physical and emotional effort I’ve ever faced in my life. But boy, was it worth it.
I’m writing now from my new living room, where I set up a little office corner for myself. My huge living room window is open and birdsong is coming through in little waves, among the periodic swish of the trees under the strong North of England wind.
I have a musk-scented candle flickering behind me, and my knitting basket is timidly waiting for me to pick it back up when I finish work. On the wall-high shelves in the hallway, my (albeit very few) books are arranged among Amiibo figurines, jewellery, video games, and a photo of my partner and me.
I’m incredibly fulfilled right now. I knew, when we picked this flat, that it was a big step forward from our former house (a very old, big and poorly maintained red-brick building). But it wasn’t until last Thursday, when we moved in, that I realised what a good choice it was.
The flat isn’t perfect. But it’s exactly what I needed. It’s bright, cosy, clean and easy to maintain. I would spend hours just polishing surfaces and folding up blankets in neat little squares to dot around the house. I cherish every moment in this new space. So much so, that despite it being sunny and warm outside, I just don’t feel like going anywhere. All I want to do is write, read, knit and play on my Switch while sipping some tea in my new house.
Our West-facing bedroom is bright, especially in the evening, with the sun setting at 9:30 pm, which means my partner and I can hang out together in bright sunshine for hours after we finish work. I used to hate laying in bed during the daytime unless I specifically wanted to sleep. But not anymore. The bed is comfy, the room is spacious and the view through the window is lovely. So when my partner is winding down with a video game, I’ve been rediscovering my love for physical books.
After all, it would be downright rude not to read a beautiful hardback (or paperback, who am I to judge?), when the sun is shining brightly through your window until late in the evening.
What I’m Reading This Month
As I mentioned a million times before, I don’t own a lot of physical books because I will probably move house at least once more while I live in the UK. However, I still have some unread books on my shelves which I’m now excited again to read.
The other night, I picked up Ariadne, by Jennifer Saint, which I own in a stunning, Waterstones-exclusive hardback, signed by the author. I love getting a few chapters in every evening, taking me to the sunny shores of Crete, where Ariadne has just decided to be the master of her own destiny. Feminist Greek myth retellings are so important right now, and I’m very keen to see where Ariadne’s story goes.
Then, it’s finally time to read Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest book. I’ve waited so long to pick it up because I knew I wanted to read it in physical form, rather than on my Kindle, and I finally bought the paperback last weekend, so I’m ready to dig in.
And finally, by the end of July, I’d like to reread the first two books in TJ Klune’s The Extraordinaries series, as the third and final book comes out in a couple of weeks. This series made me realise I have ADHD, which has been one of the biggest steps forward in my self-acceptance journey. Otherwise, the books are sweet, funny and incredibly wholesome, and I remember having a blast reading them last summer, so a reread is required before the series ends for good.
Hot New Release
This week’s hot new release recommendation isn’t exactly hot off the press (it came out on June 7th), but I wanted to include it because it’s not the kind of book I’d miss off this section. I’m also not as on the ball with new releases since I’ve not had a chance to keep an eye on publishers in the past few weeks.
Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler is a lesbian romance between a cheerleader and the new captain of the football team. That’s right, the good old trope of cheerleaders and sports jocks dating and making the whole town jealous gets spun on its head when the ‘jock’ is a woman. And the best part about the whole narrative is that Jack (short for Jaclyn), the new team captain, isn’t leading a women’s team. She’s leading the boys and taking the girl. Yes please, all the way to the top.
And that’s it for this week’s Coffee Time Tuesday! Thanks for indulging my descriptive rant about my new home. I’d love to know what you’ve been reading with your hot (or cold) drink of choice lately and any new titles you’re excited about. Let me know!
Coffee Time Reviews 