Coffee Grinds: 05
bookstores, subcultures, comp titles, and Benedict Cumberbatch
Happy Sunday! Yesterday I had plans to spend the afternoon out with a friend, something you know is rare if you read my piece, i’m a bad friend. It’s true that it takes it out of me, but I have to admit, I was so looking forward to a nice time browsing bookstores, sipping tea, and catching up in the aisles of Austen and Fitzgerald.
The inside of Beacon Hill Books and Cafe, one part cozy bookstore, one part adorable cafe. I’m hoping to go back for the Afternoon Tea soon!
Unfortunately, our plans got canceled at the last minute, leaving me downtown on a beautiful day with nothing to do but wander. I never get Saturdays to myself, so I took advantage of the day by grabbing a new book, getting a meal I love but never get to eat, and oh, switching out my nose stud for a hoop! Yay!
On to this week’s round up!
What I read
Fiction:
The Fortune Seller by Rachel Kapelke-Dale — I finally finished this! It’s the follow-up to her stunning debut, The Ballerinas, which I absolutely devoured. I’m finding I love books set in a subculture and this one was no different. This time, instead of ballet, it was the world of equestrians + fortune-telling.
Lo-Fi by Liz Riggs — I’ve been really excited for this one. It’s the first book that has ever felt like it could actually make for a really good comp for my own, and I’m definitely reading it through that lens.
In the sweaty music clubs and late-night house parties of Nashville, an aspiring songwriter tries to make friends, find love, and write songs—without losing herself -Goodreads
I’m about 1/3 of the way and feeling good about it. It’ll be a while before I know for sure if it’s a good comp but either way, I’m enjoying the deep dive into the Nashville music scene and all the band references. They’re bands that are on constant rotation on my own playlist — Death Cab for Cutie, Ben Folds, The Format, and Something Corporate all make an appearance.
substacks:
the death of random information by
Why I send postcards to strangers on the internet and LOVE it (and you might, too) by
What I watched:
Eric (Netflix)
Benedict Cumberbatch can be in anything and I’ll watch it. Every time I see him in something I’m lost in what a good actor he is. Eric is an odd little show with a not so captivating trailer, but it’s very good as far as dramas go, and I highly recommend it.
Presumed Innocent (Apple TV)
Is it wrong that every time Jake Gyllenhaal was on the screen I just saw Donnie Darko? This series dropped its finale this past Wednesday and it was SO GOOD. It’s a bit of a slow burn at first, but give it a chance, it picks up.
The Silence of the Lambs (Amazon, I think?)
I was a creepy little kid who used to quote this movie at all my friends and family, unprompted and for no reason at all, and so it was a nice trip down memory lane to re-watch this.
I can still quote most if it, if you’re wondering.
What I ate
Cheesy beef taco bowl by Makayla Thomas —every week I meal prep one of her recipes for lunch and listen, I don’t know if this makes me boring (probably) but it’s one of the most exciting parts of my week. This is my second time making this one and I LOVE it. If you’re on the hunt for a good queso, I’ve done my research and Wegmans queso is the best.
Listened to
Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louise on audiobook (30% ish progress)
In this charming and poignant novel that “oozes charm and wit and speaks beautifully about friendship and love, and the differences between the two” (Laura Pearson, author of I Wanted You to Know), teenager Emmie Blue releases a balloon with her email address and a big secret into the sky, only to fall head-over-heels for the boy who finds it. But fourteen years later, everything Emmie has planned is up in the air. -Simon & Schuster
This is such a sweet book, and I first started it as a comp consideration but am now reading for the (slight spoiler ahead) case study of how to frame an unexpected love triangle. It’s already given me so much inspiration for my own WIP and it’s really just a lovely little book so far.
I'll be back next week (Tuesday? Thursday? Let's see where the week takes us) with a new one. I'm hoping for a new To All the Friends I've Loved Before but I've been wanting to do another op-ed like this one on Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department, and society's demands on pop culture and specifically, the women we idolize. I’ve had a few ideas since getting deep into Nashville on Hulu so maybe those will play out.
We'll see! Hope you had a great weekend!
Literally walked through Beacon Hill Books and cried the whole time. Especially upstairs in the kid section with the train. It’s so so beautiful 🥹😭
The bookshop looks so cute, would love to visit 🤩thank you for including me in your post!