This week marks the end of my academic year, which means for the first time in months I don’t have an assignment hanging over my head. It’s a very strange feeling. I’m not entirely convinced I’ve remembered how to relax yet, but I’m looking forward to finding out.

📚 What I’m Reading
I once again seem to have accumulated seventeen books in progress, which is probably what happens when you combine ADHD with a bookshop habit and an inability to say “I’ll finish this before I start something else.”

My main focus this week has been Deadline by Mira Grant. I’m around 70% of the way through and enjoying it more than I expected after Feed. While some sections still feel a little slow, I’m finding the conspiracy surrounding the virus far more compelling than the political storyline that dominated the first book.

Every time I think I’ve figured out what’s happening, Mira Grant introduces another layer to the mystery. It’s exactly the sort of narrative hook that keeps me reading long past the point where I should have gone to bed.

📖 Bookish Thoughts
One of the things I’ve been thinking about recently is how much my reading changes alongside the rest of my life.

During the busiest parts of the academic year, I found myself reaching for comfort reads, familiar authors, and books that didn’t ask too much of me. Now that assignments are finished, I’m already feeling more willing to tackle longer books, more complex nonfiction, and series I’ve been meaning to continue for months.

Apparently, my reading life follows the same seasonal patterns as everything else.

🖊 Writing and Studying
This week I submitted my final assignment of the academic year.

The essay asked: Was religion the main source of identity for early modern people?

My argument, in very broad terms, was that while religion permeated almost every aspect of early modern life, it wasn’t necessarily the primary source of identity for most people. Instead, identity emerged through overlapping forms of belonging: family, community, occupation, gender, social status, political allegiance, nationality, and increasingly, ideas about race and ethnicity.

Or, put another way, I spent 2,500 words explaining why the answer to a history question is “it’s complicated.”

I’m very glad it’s finished.

🎾 Beyond the Books
Roland Garros has been the background soundtrack to much of my reading this week.

As someone who loves both books and tennis, Grand Slam tournaments often create a strange rhythm where I spend half the day reading and the other half staring anxiously at scoreboards.

This year’s tournament has been wonderfully chaotic. A qualifier reaching the women’s final, a teenager winning her first Grand Slam title, and enough surprises to remind me why I love sport in the first place. Tennis and reading might seem like unrelated hobbies, but both reward patience, investment, and the willingness to let a story unfold.

📅 Looking Ahead
The coming week feels remarkably open.

I want to finish Deadline, spend some time deciding what to read next, catch up on a few neglected blog posts, and generally enjoy having free time again.

There may also be a trip to the bookshop.

History suggests there will definitely be a trip to the bookshop.

We’ll see how much self-control I have.

💭 Currently Grateful For
Finishing assignments.
Long reading sessions.
Good books that keep me guessing.
The return of free evenings.
And the feeling of having enough mental space to enjoy hobbies again.