Tag: three to read

March 30, 2020

Bookstr’s Three To Read This Week 03/27/20

Hello book lovers! I hope you’re well and, most importantly, home. The world has gone a bit upside-down hasn’t it? Hard to know what to do with everything changing. One thing you can count on, though, is the Three to Read. We’ve got you! I have three amazing reads for you this week – and with everyone self-isolating, your TBR pile might actually stand a chance. With no further ado; the Hot Pick, Coffee Shop Read, and Dark Horse.

Hot pick

Journey: A Novel

by Andrew Zimmerman.

image via amazon

Synopsis:

Paul is a top business executive hoping to be the next CEO of Ascendant―a New York-based tech giant. He neglects everything―his family and himself―in the race to the top. His fast-paced life is interrupted when he travels to Glastonbury, England, to visit friends in a village rich in history and mysticism.

Glastonbury represents a complete counterpoint to Paul’s elite corporate day job. It compares to an amusement park, with shops and venues catering to spiritual seekers ranging from would-be witches, goddesses and druids, and burned-out hippies. Like many seekers before him, he is attracted to the energy of a nearby hill―Tor―said to be the mythical Isle of Avalon. Paul meets a beautiful soul reader, Christine, who reads his soul and plants the seeds that turn his life upside down.

When he returns to New York, his wife, Mary, is skeptical. Is Paul having a spiritual awakening or is he falling in love with an attractive charlatan? His journey both scares and intrigues her as she watches him struggle to navigate between the business and spiritual worlds. A series of synchronistic events draws Paul closer to Glastonbury and Christine, compelling him and a reluctant Mary to return, unaware that their lives will never be the same.

Why?

Zimmerman’s novel is as spiritual as it is intriguing. The reader is faithfully brought along on Paul’s journey to spiritual realization after his trip to Glastonbury. Many will relate to Paul’s struggle with balancing his career with everything else in his life. This is particularly poignant and thought-provoking these days, with most of the world working from home and reevaluating what is important to them. This novel provides the reader with the inspiration and hope that it is never to late to change the course of your own life, and proves the importance of looking inward, and trusting your gut.

coffee shop read

Wicked as you wish

by Rin Chupeco

image via amazon

Synopsis:

Many years ago, the magical Kingdom of Avalon was left encased in ice when the Snow Queen waged war. Its former citizens are now refugees in a world mostly devoid of magic. Which is why the crown prince and his protectors are stuck in…Arizona.

Prince Alexei, the sole survivor of the Avalon royal family, is hiding in a town so boring, magic doesn’t even work there. Few know his secret identity, but his friend Tala is one of them.

A new hope for their abandoned homeland reignites when a famous creature of legend, the Firebird, appears for the first time in decades. Alex and Tala must unite with a ragtag group of new friends to journey back to Avalon for a showdown that will change the world as they know it.

Why?

Who doesn’t love a bit of escapism? Wicked As You Wish is a magical novel with endearing characters and an exciting premise, which Publisher’s Weekly have dubbed “A nail-biting quest that introduces a gripping new series.” Chupeco breathes new life in to many beloved fairytales, and takes some of their best aspects, building them into the totally unique universe that she has created.

Bonus points for Chupeco, too, in the seamless introduction of the novel’s non-binary character, who is correctly gendered and presented throughout. Non-binary readers will undoubtedly enjoy the fair and honest representation that Rin has managed to make natural and low-key.

“Rin Chupeco’s marvelously magical WICKED AS YOU WISH is a great read for fans of fairy tales, myths and legends. In fact, avid fans will want to read it two, three, or four times just to catch all the twists, updates and Easter eggs, as nearly every chapter is loaded with delights. Come for the adventure, stay for the sassy jerkwad firebird.” – Kendare Blake #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

dark horse

The Middle Finger Project

By Ash Ambirge

image via amazon

Synopsis:

“Don’t worry, this isn’t a book about God, nor is it a book about Ryan Gosling (second in command). But it is a book about authority and becoming your own.” –Ash Ambirge

After a string of dead-end jobs and a death in the family, Ash Ambirge was down to her last $26 and sleeping in a Kmart parking lot when she faced the truth: No one was coming to her rescue. It was up to her to appoint herself. That night led to what eventually became a six-figure freelance career as a sought-after marketing and copywriting consultant, all while sipping coffee from her front porch in Costa Rica.

She then launched The Middle Finger Project, a blog and online course hub, which has provided tens of thousands of young “women who disobey” with the tools and mindset to give everyone else’s expectations the finger and get on your own path to happiness, wealth, independence, and adventure.

In her first book, Ash draws on her unconventional personal story to offer a fun, bracing, and occasionally potty-mouthed manifesto for the transformative power of radical self-reliance. Employing the signature wit and wordsmithing she’s used to build an avid following, she offers paradigm-shifting advice along the lines of:

•  The best feeling in the world is knowing who you are and what you’re capable of doing.
•  Life circumstances are not life sentences. If a Scranton girl who grew up in a trailer park can make it, so can you.
•  What you believe about yourself will either murder your chances or save your life. So why not believe something good?
•  You don’t need a high-ranking job title to be authorized to contribute. You just need to contribute.
•  Be your own authority. Authority only works as long as you trust that someone smarter than you is making the rules.
•  The way you become a force is by being the most radically real version of yourself that you can be.
• You only have 12 f*cks a day to give, so use them wisely.

Why?

Who wouldn’t want to master the art of being their own authority? This novel is fun, fresh and on-the-nose. We all struggle with imposter syndrome, women in particular, and Ambirge will help you overcome this with The Middle Finger Project. Pulling from her own experiences, she inspires and instills hope in any woman (or person, for that matter) that is ready to break free of the shackles of the own worry that they aren’t good enough. Ambirge is inspiring both in matters of business, and life in general, with a down-to-earth and to-the-point read that will have you disobeying, making your own rules, and setting up your own business. The f-bombs are far from off-putting and instead come across as honest, because who hasn’t dropped a few of late? Ambirge doesn’t pretend that getting what you deserve is easy, either, and highlights the dangers and fears rather than hiding them. But this, too, is refreshingly honest and transparent. You’ll trust Ash, and most importantly, you’ll trust yourself. Go get this book and then go get your life!

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March 13, 2020

Bookstr’s Three To Read This Week 03/13

Welcome back, book lovers! These are some scary times, with what seems like every major city taking drastic steps to limit the spread of a certain novel virus. Take some time out from the panic and take a look at our Three to Read. After all, with schools closing and people working from home, the books on our TBR lists finally have a shot at getting read! Settle down, brew a tea, and let’s get into it.

hot pick

The body politic

by Brian Platzer

Synopsis:

New York City is still regaining its balance in the years following 9/11, when four twenty-somethings—Tess, Tazio, David, and Angelica—meet in a bar, each yearning for something: connection, recognition, a place in the world, a cause to believe in. Nearly fifteen years later, as their city recalibrates in the wake of the 2016 election, their bond has endured—but almost everything else has changed.

As freshmen at Cooper Union, Tess and Tazio were the ambitious, talented future of the art world—but by thirty-six, Tess is married to David, the mother of two young boys, and working as an understudy on Broadway. Kind and steady, David is everything Tess lacked in her own childhood—but a recent freak accident has left him with befuddling symptoms, and she’s still adjusting to her new role as caretaker.

Meanwhile, Tazio—who once had a knack for earning the kind of attention that Cooper Union students long for—has left the art world for a career in creative branding and politics. But in December 2016, fresh off the astonishing loss of his candidate, Tazio is adrift, and not even his gorgeous and accomplished fiancée, Angelica, seems able to get through to him. With tensions rising on the national stage, the four friends are forced to face the reality of their shared histories, especially a long-ago betrayal that has shaped every aspect of their friendship.

Why?

With the backdrop of societal uncertainty and political tyranny, this novel switches point of view periodically, introducing us to the inner workings of both the mind and human relationships. The novel has been praised for how it honestly – and brutally – hones in on the American political climate, which is particularly relevant in light of this year’s presidential race. It captures exactly how people felt during the trying times following two major events in history. The novel shows us just how linked our physical and emotional selves are to our political body. It is as insightful as it is truthful, and likely to resonate with a lot of readers, American or otherwise.

“Brian Platzer has done something marvelous — transmuted the queasy early years of the Trump presidency into a novel that’s a delight to read. The Body Politic is a book about many things — what it means to be unwell, what it means to heal, how deep and strange friendships can be, and how hidden things never stay hidden for long. I was grateful for its engaging, empathetic company during these fractious times.” —Rachel Monroe, author of Savage Appetites

COFFEE SHOP READ

american animals

by Eric Borsuk

Synopsis:

American Animals is a coming-of-age crime memoir centered around three childhood friends: Warren, Spencer, and Eric. Disillusioned with freshman year of college, and determined to escape from their mundane Middle-American existences, the three hatch a plan to steal millions of dollars’ worth of artwork and rare manuscripts from a university museum. The story that unfolds is a gripping adventure of teenage rebellion, from page-turning meetings with black-market art dealers in Amsterdam, to the opulent galleries of Christie’s auction house in Rockefeller Center. American Animals ushers the reader along a gut-wrenching ride of adolescent self-destruction, providing a front-row seat to the inception, planning, and execution of the heist, while offering a rare glimpse into the evolution of a crime—all narrated by one of the perpetrators in a darkly comic, action-packed, true-crime caper.

Why?

This memoir is fascinating, largely due to its completely true story. Little imagination is needed to see the story, when you can watch the film of the same name, and digest the media coverage of the case itself. American Animals takes the age-old story of young rebellion and a search for more, and turns it on its head. Borsuk’s writing is darkly comedic and bizarre, sure to keep you hooked. Plus, the novel rings in at a concise 147 pages, making it quickly digestible. You’ll be racing to the end.

“American Animals is a book unlike any I’ve ever read. The twist and turns and audacity can lend themselves to incredulity, but at the heart of this book is a humanness that even those shaking their heads the most will have to recognize. Eric Borsuk’s work here is as daring as any heist.”– Jared Yates Sexton, author of The People Are Going To Rise Like The Waters Upon Your Shore: A Story of American Rage.

dark horse

you let me in

by Camilla Bruce

Synopsis:

Cassandra Tipp is dead…or is she?

After all, the notorious recluse and eccentric bestselling novelist has always been prone to flights of fancy—everyone in town remembers the shocking events leading up to Cassie’s infamous trial (she may have been acquitted, but the insanity defense only stretches so far).

Cassandra Tipp has left behind no body—just her massive fortune, and one final manuscript.

Then again, there are enough bodies in her past—her husband Tommy Tipp, whose mysterious disembowelment has never been solved, and a few years later, the shocking murder-suicide of her father and brother.

Cassandra Tipp will tell you a story—but it will come with a terrible price. What really happened, out there in the woods—and who has Cassie been protecting all along? Read on, if you dare…

Why?

This novel is a genre-bending mix of fairytale/folklore and mystery. It is frightening and thrilling all at once. Perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson, the story is unsettling and, at times, horrifying. It is a dark family drama that just so happens to have its fair share of evil faeries. You’ll be left guessing throughout the novel, making up your own assumptions, just to have them dashed at the next turn. The story is fast-paced and the fantasy elements set it apart from many other novels under the dark mystery umbrella. One thing is for sure, this is no bedtime story.

“You Let Me In is a bewitching, beguiling, and deeply unsettling tale of one woman’s strange life. It will ensnare you from page one and keep you riveted until the end.” ―Caitlin Starling, author of The Luminous Dead.

all images via amazon, bookstr

March 6, 2020

Bookstr’s Three To Read This Week 03/05/2020

Welcome back, book lovers! It is that time of the week again and I have three amazing new books for your reading pleasure! As ever, we have a Hot Pick, a Coffee Shop Read, and a Dark Horse. Let’s get to it.

HOT PICK

the freedom artist

by Ben Okri

image via amazon

Synopsis:

In a world uncomfortably like our own, a young woman called Amalantis is arrested for asking a question. Her question is this: Who is the Prisoner? When Amalantis disappears, her lover Karnak goes looking for her. He searches desperately at first, then with a growing realization that to find Amalantis, he must first understand the meaning of her question.

Karnak’s search leads him into a terrifying world of deception, oppression, and fear at the heart of which lies the prison. Then Karnak discovers that he is not the only one looking for the truth. The Freedom Artist is an impassioned plea for justice and a penetrating examination of how freedom is threatened in a post-truth society. In Ben Okri’s most significant novel since the Booker Prize–winning The Famished Road, he delivers a powerful and haunting call to arms.

“Like George Orwell and Margaret Atwood before him, the Booker Prize–winning Okri writes a passionate cri de coeur, a clarion call to activists everywhere to resist apathy and recognize that we are all on this beautiful globe together and that it is ours to lose.”
—Library Journal

Why?

Ben Okri’s newest novel The Freedom Artist is a call for rally against oppression, following the arterial vein of The Handmaids Tale and Farenheit 451. Man Booker prize winning author, Okri, hooks the reader from the very beginning and spins a tale of courage in the face of institutionalized oppression. The short, punchy chapters keep the story moving and give the prose an addictive quality. The novel taps into ideas of morality, psychology, and sociology. The world building maintains an air of mystery, and the abstract nature of the prose adds to this.

Coffee SHOP READ

trouble is what i do

by Walter Mosley

image via amazon

Synopsis:

Leonid McGill’s spent a lifetime building up his reputation in the New York investigative scene. His seemingly infallible instinct and inside knowledge of the crime world make him the ideal man to help when Phillip Worry comes knocking. Phillip “Catfish” Worry is a 92-year-old Mississippi bluesman who needs Leonid’s help with a simple task: deliver a letter revealing the black lineage of a wealthy heiress and her corrupt father. Unsurprisingly, the opportunity to do a simple favor while shocking the prevailing elite is too much for Leonid to resist.

But when a famed and feared assassin puts a hit on Catfish, Leonid has no choice but to confront the ghost of his own felonious past. Working to protect his client and his own family, Leonid must reach the heiress on the eve of her wedding before her powerful father kills those who hold their family’s secret. Joined by a team of young and tough aspiring investigators, Leonid must gain the trust of wary socialites, outsmart vengeful thugs, and, above all, serve the truth — no matter the cost.

“Watching McGill coolly deploy the physical and intellectual skills he’d acquired in his previous life as an underworld “fixer” provides the principal pleasure of this installment, along with Mosley’s own way of making prose sound like a tender, funny blues ballad…Mosley delivers enough good stuff to let you know a master’s at work.”―Kirkus

Why?

This novel is a sure win for readers that are already fans of the McGill character and series, drawing them once more into his murky New York City. As it is a quickfire, shorter novel, it is accessible for all and the plot is so engaging you’ll be hurtling through the pages at breakneck speed. For newcomers to Mosley’s crime thrillers, it serves as an interesting opener into the series as a whole. For a lot of readers, their only criticism is that it isn’t long enough to satiate their need for all things Leonid. Plus, the novel deals with white privilege and racism, giving the overall book more of a weight.

dark horse

the regrets

by Anna Bonnaffons

image via amazon

Synopsis:

For weeks, Rachel has been noticing the same golden-haired young man sitting at her Brooklyn bus stop, staring off with a melancholy air. When, one day, she finally musters the courage to introduce herself, the chemistry between them is undeniable: Thomas is wise, witty, handsome, mysterious, clearly a kindred spirit. There’s just one tiny problem: He’s dead.

Stuck in a surreal limbo governed by bureaucracy, Thomas is unable to “cross over” to the afterlife until he completes a 90-day stint on earth, during which time he is forbidden to get involved with a member of the living — lest he incur “regrets.” When Thomas and Rachel break this rule, they unleash a cascade of bizarre, troubling consequences.
Set in the hallucinatory borderland between life and death, The Regrets is a gloriously strange and breathtakingly sexy exploration of love, the cataclysmic power of fantasies, and the painful, exhilarating work of waking up to reality, told with uncommon grace and humor by a visionary artist at the height of her imaginative power.

“Bonnaffons’s wonderful debut novel is a tale of ghostly love and passion…The tension of an ephemeral romance and impending loss will keep readers turning the pages, and the luminous prose is vibrant with penetrating observations, whether about moments that are a ‘crucial node in the universe’s vast plan’ or about dying-with or without regrets. This sexy, witty novel about life, death, and love’s power will enchant readers.”―PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (Starred Review)

Why?

Who doesn’t love love? Especially when it’s the twisty, messy, illicit kind of love. No Regrets has it all. The novel is “at once a love story, a ghost story and a low-key philosophical investigation into the nature of existence.” It is a darkly dazzling insight into female desire, shining a light on a topic that doesn’t get the spotlight it so often deserves. It will have you forming your own opinions about the limits of fantasy and the extent to which our own desires can betray us. The novel contains equal parts amazing and weird, carving out its own niche in the category of romance fiction. It is dark and entertaining, sexy and funny. You won’t regret picking up a copy.

featured image via bookstr

March 2, 2020

Bookstr’s Three to Read This Week 02/28/2020

Welcome back book lovers! I’m here with your Three to Read for this week. We’ve got queer romance, racial drama, and graphic fantasy fare. Let’s dig in!

Hot Pick

Red Rising: Sons of ares, vol 2: wrath

By Pierce Brown

Synopsis:

The world of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising expands further in the next installment of the Sons of Ares storyline. Fitchner’s quest for revenge continues as he and the other Sons of Ares seek out the Golds who have wronged his family. But actions come with repercussions and an elaborate game of cat and mouse is on. A battle of Gold versus Gold erupts further into more than acts of vengeance and becomes the seed of a revolution.

Why?

This is the second installment of the Sons of Ares prequel series, and is a thrilling read from start to finish. The novel gives a good insight into the origins of the Sons and has some punchy artwork to go along with it. The gloomy colors set the tone for the storyline. It serves as an excellent way to get more insight into the characters and their backgrounds, letting you understand their actions in the original series. The call-forwards to these characters and their positions in later parts of the novels are noticed by many eagle-eyed readers and leave an interesting trail of breadcrumbs.

Coffee shop read

Stormsong

by C.L. Polk

Synopsis:

After spinning an enthralling world in Witchmark, praised as a “can’t-miss debut” by Booklist, and as “thoroughly charming and deftly paced” by the New York Times, C. L. Polk continues the story in Stormsong. Magical cabals, otherworldly avengers, and impossible love affairs conspire to create a book that refuses to be put down.

Dame Grace Hensley helped her brother Miles undo the atrocity that stained her nation, but now she has to deal with the consequences. With the power out in the dead of winter and an uncontrollable sequence of winter storms on the horizon, Aeland faces disaster. Grace has the vision to guide her parents to safety, but a hostile queen and a ring of rogue mages stand in the way of her plans. There’s revolution in the air, and any spark could light the powder. What’s worse, upstart photojournalist Avia Jessup draws ever closer to secrets that could topple the nation, and closer to Grace’s heart.

Why?

This sequel is an un-put-downable installment of the series and is laced with romance, intrigue and drama. There is plenty to keep the reader guessing, right through to the end. The historical aspect of the novel, along with it’s lesbian representation, means that it surpasses any niche that would try and contain it, breaking free of any genre-based constraints. The tension in the book is both romantic and political, set in a hostile environment and climate. It sizzles with an electric dramatic undercurrent and stays with the reader long after they have put it down.

Dark horse

No truth left to tell

by Michael McAuliffe

Synopsis:

February 1994—Lynwood, Louisiana: Flaming crosses light up the night and terrorize the southern town. The resurgent Klan wants a new race war, and they’ll start it here. As civil rights prosecutor Adrien Rush is about to discover, the ugly roots of the past run deep in Lynwood.

For Nettie Wynn, a victim of the cross burnings and lifelong resident of the town’s segregated neighborhood, the hate crimes summon frightful memories of her youth, when she witnessed white townspeople lynch a black man. Her granddaughter Nicole DuBose, a successful journalist in New York City, returns to Lynwood to care for her grandmother. Adrien Rush arrives from DC and investigates the crimes with Lee Mercer, a seasoned local FBI special agent. Their partnership is tested as they clash over how far to go to catch the racists before the violence escalates. Rush’s role in the case becomes even more complicated after he falls for DuBose. When crucial evidence becomes compromised, threatening to upend what should be a celebrated conviction—the lines between right and wrong, black and white, collide with deadly consequences.

Why?

This novel presents the reader with those both innocent and guilty, giving a broad overview of each side of the story. It explores the power play between bigotry and tolerance that still stands in the new south. The insight into the judicial system gives the story a very real feel, as the reader gets to consider truth and lies in modern America. The pursuit of justice, spearheaded by prosecutor Adrian Rush, shows the corruption and hatred that runs deep in the history of America’s south. No Truth Left to Tell is a smart legal thriller that pulls readers into a compelling courtroom drama and an illusive search for justice in a troubled community.

There you have it! Our Three to Read this week are not to be missed. Let us know if you get to read any (bonus points if you do all three!)

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Catch you next week!

Images via Amazon

Featured Image via Bookstr

February 21, 2020

Bookstr’s Three to Read This Week 02/21/2020

Hello, book lovers and welcome back! If you’ve made yourself sick with discount Valentine’s chocolate, we’ve got just the remedy for you. Pick up one (or all) of our Three to Read picks for this week and forget about your far-from-romantic sugar crash.

Hot pick

What kind of girl

by Alyssa Sheinmel

Synopsis:

Girl In Pieces meets Moxie in this unflinching exploration of the many forms of abuse society inflicts upon women, and the strength it takes to rise above it all to claim your worth.

The girls at North Bay Academy are taking sides. It all started when Mike Parker’s girlfriend showed up with a bruise on her face. Or, more specifically, when she walked into the principal’s office and said Mike hit her. But the students have questions. Why did she go to the principal and not the police? Why did she stay so long if he was hurting her? Obviously, if it’s true, Mike should be expelled. But is it true?

Some girls want to rally for his expulsion—and some want to rally around Mike. The only thing that the entire student body can agree on? Someone is lying. And the truth has to come out.

Why?

What Kind of Girl is a visceral look at the question we have long been aware of; what kind of girl stays with her boyfriend after he hits her? I can’t give you the protagonist’s name without spoiling the plot as we are introduced to her by a label, rather than her actual name. This novel is a heavy read but a very fulfilling one, and is particularly relevant in today’s climate of victim-blaming and shame. This book will have you thinking about it long after you turn the last page. Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author says What Kind of Girl is “Both timely and timeless, a powerful exploration of abuse in its many forms, as well as the strength it takes to rise up and speak your truth.”

coffee shop read

Kidnapped on Safari

by Peter Riva

Synopsis:

Kidnapped in Safari is the third book in the Mbuno & Pero series, pulling terror from headlines to create a gripping international thriller.

Expert safari guide Mbuno and wildlife television producer Pero Baltazar are filming on Lake Rudolf in Northern Kenya when they receive the news: Mbuno’s son, himself an expert guide, has been kidnapped while on safari in Tanzania. Tracing the kidnappers back to an illegal logging operation, Mbuno and Pero uncover a vast criminal network run by the Nigerian terrorist organization Boko Haram.

Relying on Mbuno’s legendary bush skills, the pair face dangers both inside and outside the terrorist camp. But kidnapping and deforestation are only the beginning of this group’s sinister aspirations. When Mbuno and Pero discover just how powerful and far-reaching the network is, they realize that rescuing Mbuno’s son could put the entire region at risk.

Why?

While this book is part of a wider series, it works well as a standalone novel and is a great companion to any coffee shop trip! There are some stunning depictions of the African landscape that will transport you from your subway car or local Starbucks to an African safari. The story is punchy and thrilling, with danger at every turn for the story’s protagonists.

The characters are well-described and genuine, engaging and enjoyable. You’ll be turning the page both for the quick-paced plot and to see the fate of your favorite characters. Lose yourself in this thrilling read now!

“Peter Riva delivers again with a timely procedural thriller that will keep you up well past your bedtime. Set in East Africa, where the modern world coexists (not always peacefully) with ancient ways and traditions, this story seamlessly blends wonderful detail with relentless pacing in a nonstop adventure that you just can’t put down.” —Jeff Crook, author of The Sleeping and the Dead.

dark horse

Angels of Stockholm

by Neil D. Desmond

Synopsis:

This is Neil D. Desmond’s debut short story collection full of deeply enriching tales.

“Marina cut her small ration in half, sharing with the sick (possibly dying) young girl she had been trying to look after. The girl was too weak to leave the cramped, dirty sleeping quarters to work in the camp. Marina feared the girl would be sent to the gas chamber if the guards deemed her incapable of labor. Marina was beginning to think this might be worse than Auschwitz, where she and many other women and children had come from in the fall of 1944. She had hoped the transfer would have improved her chances of survival, but it appeared now there wasn’t much difference between one labor camp or another. Hope was in short supply, but not totally eradicated. Marina had heard rumors recently in the camp. Rumors the war was ending and the allies had won. Rumors of liberation. But she, like the other prisoners, had heard about liberators coming to save their lives before and it never seemed to happen.” – from the Angels of Stockholm.

Why?

The collection is well-crafted and paced, with each story grabbing your attention from the get-go. Covering a wide range of locations, you’ll be transported with each new piece. Travel the world from within one book! You can bring it with you and read one story at a time, or you can read it all in one fell swoop – each story is so engrossing you won’t want to put it down.

The title is based on a heartbreaking story from the time of holocaust, but the book covers so much more than that alone. From prostitutes in Pakistan to downtown New York City, the varied topics make it palatable for every type of reader in every kind of mood. Desmond has a deft hand at his craft of containing multitudes in each short story, and piecing them all together to create a cohesive and enjoyable read.