Since it’s not quite time yet for a summer getaway, why not escape into the pages of your next favorite book? Everyone’s perfect vacation, just like everyone’s favorite stories, are different—but they tend to have one major factor in common. They’re amazing. You may be an endless well of energy who hits the museums at eight and the clubs at midnight, or you may prefer to spend your time napping in the sun as the waves crash in the background. As long as you’re enjoying yourself, there’s no wrong choice… just like there’s no wrong choice of book to read this week! Whether your preferred escape is a bold heist; a heartwarming small-town; or a bizarre, existential romp across continents, hurry up and get away! For a book that excites OR relaxes you, you’re in the right place.
Check out Bookstr’s Three to Read, the three books we’ve picked for you to read this week.
OUR HOT PICK
Synopsis:
A fast-paced, riveting novel inspired by the true story of a group of four young Swedish men who pulled off “one of the most spectacular heists of all time” (Time). The men behind the daring daylight robbery have been imprisoned, but the $6.5 million that they stole has never been recovered.
Sami has a history of petty crime, but that’s all behind him now. He has a new child to provide for, so he’s training as a chef, ready to lead a quiet life. But when a business deal suddenly goes sideways, Sami is left wondering how he’ll ever provide for his newborn daughter.
Michel and his family fled a bloody civil war in Lebanon when he was a child. He grew up in the suburbs of Stockholm surrounded by poverty and criminals. He’s trying to turn over a new leaf, but the past just won’t let him go.
Niklas has always had a thirst for life. He traveled the world and made an effort to become someone who was both seen and heard everywhere he went, the sort of person people talked about. He followed through on his vision…and no good has come of it.
Zoran is a businessman. He knows everyone and who seals a deal with a handshake. When he was young, the ambitious Yugoslavian had a dream—to get rich, by whatever means necessary.
And Alexandra? She’s the reason that the four men found themselves plotting to rob a Stockholm cash depot in September 2009.
At first, the plan seems foolproof. Every contingency is covered, every detail is planned perfectly, and the payoff will make them all rich for life. No one would even get hurt. But not everyone is who they seem. Even as the gang’s stolen helicopter is lifting off from the cash depot with $6.5 million inside, questions remain unanswered. What secrets does each man hold? Who is the woman who has implicated herself in all of their lives? And who among them holds the key to the wealth they so desperately seek?
Why?
The best stories are the ones that seem real, so expansive that it feels large enough to live inside. Jonas Bonnier‘s The Helicopter Heist actually IS real—and that’s sure to make every twist and tragedy hit that much harder. Time magazine called this “one of the most spectacular heists of all time,” a crime so theatrical and audacious that it almost feels fictional. We assure you, it isn’t. The difference between a heist and a robbery tends to be that heists have a certain style to them, an irresistible allure. Challenging circumstances tend to open up the doors to those secret rooms in people’s souls, unleashing their most private emotions and darkest secrets. Bonnier portrays these characters as arrestingly human—because that’s exactly what they are. If that’s not reason enough to grab a copy, consider that most of us prefer reading a book before seeing it onscreen. Now’s your chance: Netflix is picking up The Helicopter Heist starring Jake Gyllenhaal, who called this book a “rapturous” account of the bold heist. No new details have been released since December, so if you want a sneak peek… get to reading!
our coffee shop read
Synopsis:
Heather Webber’s Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town Southern charm.
Nestled in the mountain shadows of Alabama lies the little town of Wicklow. It is here that Anna Kate has returned to bury her beloved Granny Zee, owner of the Blackbird Café.
It was supposed to be a quick trip to close the café and settle her grandmother’s estate, but despite her best intentions to avoid forming ties or even getting to know her father’s side of the family, Anna Kate finds herself inexplicably drawn to the quirky Southern town her mother ran away from so many years ago, and the mysterious blackbird pie everybody can’t stop talking about.
As the truth about her past slowly becomes clear, Anna Kate will need to decide if this lone blackbird will finally be able to take her broken wings and fly.
Why?
At Granny Zee’s café, the pies are magic—literally. Granny’s pies make people dream of those they’ve loved and lost, a gentle and captivating mystery that is sweeter than most. Of course, the pies aren’t the only magic in Midnight at the Blackbird Café; Heather Webber‘s immersive writing creates an immersive tone throughout. Anna may be the one coming to Winslow, but you may feel as though you’re returning home. Webber certainly knows what she’s doing: as the author of the seven-book Nina Quinn Mystery series, she’s a master of drawing readers in. But Midnight at the Blackbird Café isn’t a story of the kinds of secrets that can kill you; instead, it’s more about what might make you feel whole. This novel is as warm as the cup of coffee you’ll surely want to settle down with as you pick up this book and read straight through to the ending.
Our dark horse
Synopsis:
Featured Image Made With PhotoCollage.
