Take a photo of a barcode or cover
kristens_bookshelf's reviews
144 reviews
Camino Island by John Grisham
4.0
Lets be real...John Grisham can't write a bad book! I read my first Grisham book about 25yrs ago and I know I can turn to him for consistently producing a solid 4 or 5 star book.
I love that he has ventured down this "cozy mystery" path. This book was fantastic! It was fast paced and never hit a dull moment. Was it predictable? 100%...but aren't most cozy mysteries?
I love a book about books and this was just that! Mercer is an author and her first 2 books didn't do so well. She is swimming in student loan debt and is teaching at a college but budget cuts have affected her position. She receives an email about a potential job offer but the job turns out not to be the teaching job it advertised.
A team of thieves planned the perfect heist. They stole F. Scott Fitzgeralds original manuscripts that were housed at Princeton. They are floating around the black market and Mercer is recruited by an agency to help gain information from a person of interest. The person of interest lives on the island where Mercer spent summers with her grandmother so she has the perfect background story.
I love that he has ventured down this "cozy mystery" path. This book was fantastic! It was fast paced and never hit a dull moment. Was it predictable? 100%...but aren't most cozy mysteries?
I love a book about books and this was just that! Mercer is an author and her first 2 books didn't do so well. She is swimming in student loan debt and is teaching at a college but budget cuts have affected her position. She receives an email about a potential job offer but the job turns out not to be the teaching job it advertised.
A team of thieves planned the perfect heist. They stole F. Scott Fitzgeralds original manuscripts that were housed at Princeton. They are floating around the black market and Mercer is recruited by an agency to help gain information from a person of interest. The person of interest lives on the island where Mercer spent summers with her grandmother so she has the perfect background story.
Camino Winds by John Grisham
3.0
Mr Grisham...can we have a chat? Just between you and me sir...who ACTUALLY wrote this book?
Was this a first draft that got sent to the printer on accident and it was like "welp, we printed them, too late now"? If it weren't for all the food references (typical Grisham writing), I would think you let an assistant write this book sir.
I felt like I was reading a Nancy Drew book...super outdated writing and unrealistic character actions/reactions. The heart of the story was fantastic. But the execution of it was underwhelming. This is definitely the worst John Grisham book I've read out of the 12-15 I've read.
Luckily for readers, it appears each book can act as a stand alone in this trilogy. Camino Island was fantastic! But this one, if you aren't a John Grisham fan and must read everything he writes, I wouldn't recommend this one. I am still going to move on to the last book in the trilogy next. Fingers crossed we finish strong!
Was this a first draft that got sent to the printer on accident and it was like "welp, we printed them, too late now"? If it weren't for all the food references (typical Grisham writing), I would think you let an assistant write this book sir.
I felt like I was reading a Nancy Drew book...super outdated writing and unrealistic character actions/reactions. The heart of the story was fantastic. But the execution of it was underwhelming. This is definitely the worst John Grisham book I've read out of the 12-15 I've read.
Luckily for readers, it appears each book can act as a stand alone in this trilogy. Camino Island was fantastic! But this one, if you aren't a John Grisham fan and must read everything he writes, I wouldn't recommend this one. I am still going to move on to the last book in the trilogy next. Fingers crossed we finish strong!
Camino Ghosts by John Grisham
5.0
OK Mr Grisham, you got back on track with the third book in a BIG way!
It's VERY rare for a book to make me cry...but this book...made me shed a couple tears. The last 3 pages broke me. This is the John Grisham I know and love.
The same characters appear from the previous 2 books in the series but again you can read this as a standalone and not be confused about anything.
Dark Isle is a tiny island between Florida and Georgia that was inhabited by runaway slaves until the 1950s when the last 2 descendants had to leave the island as it was no longer wise to live there. Fast forward to 2020 when money hungry land developers want to buy the land from the state of Florida and pop a casino and hotels on the island. However, 1 descendant of the original occupants is still alive and is claiming ownership of the land. Leading up to the court case on who has the rights to the property, we hear the incredibly captivating and heartbreaking stories of how the first slaves got to the island and the challenges they faced while living there.
It's VERY rare for a book to make me cry...but this book...made me shed a couple tears. The last 3 pages broke me. This is the John Grisham I know and love.
The same characters appear from the previous 2 books in the series but again you can read this as a standalone and not be confused about anything.
Dark Isle is a tiny island between Florida and Georgia that was inhabited by runaway slaves until the 1950s when the last 2 descendants had to leave the island as it was no longer wise to live there. Fast forward to 2020 when money hungry land developers want to buy the land from the state of Florida and pop a casino and hotels on the island. However, 1 descendant of the original occupants is still alive and is claiming ownership of the land. Leading up to the court case on who has the rights to the property, we hear the incredibly captivating and heartbreaking stories of how the first slaves got to the island and the challenges they faced while living there.
The Half King by Melissa Landers
5.0
It feels like I am finding my favorite reads of the year toward the end of the year.
This was absolutely phenomenal! This book came out last week and I already NEED book 2!
This was a PERFECT New Adult Romantasy! The story was the best blend of fantasy, romance, and high-stakes adventure. The political complexities of the different noble families and the rich history behind the kingdoms add layers to the plot and made everything feel so so significant. There were multiple twists that gave me a "HAH, GOTCHA"!
I didn't put this book down...read it cover to cover in about 7hrs.
ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR RIGHT NOW!
This was absolutely phenomenal! This book came out last week and I already NEED book 2!
This was a PERFECT New Adult Romantasy! The story was the best blend of fantasy, romance, and high-stakes adventure. The political complexities of the different noble families and the rich history behind the kingdoms add layers to the plot and made everything feel so so significant. There were multiple twists that gave me a "HAH, GOTCHA"!
I didn't put this book down...read it cover to cover in about 7hrs.
ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR RIGHT NOW!
The Kennedy Girl by Julia Bryan Thomas
4.0
As always, thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me this ARC! I find myself looking at their upcoming releases more and more, definitely good books coming from this publisher lately!
This was such an interesting story. I couldn't read this fast enough. 1960s Paris fashion, good old fashion spy stuff and the geopolitical tension of the Cold War come together in this truly captivating story.
Mia is working in a bakery when she is approached by a stranger offering her a modeling job in Paris. She decides to throw caution to the wind and take this opportunity of a lifetime that has fallen in her lap. Little does she know she is being groomed to be used as a powerful asset to deliver information amongst the people vying for political power.
There were a couple paragraphs I skimmed over that had a little too much information for me on what was going on between all the parties involved in the Cold War. But the rest of the story had me sucked in completely!
This was such an interesting story. I couldn't read this fast enough. 1960s Paris fashion, good old fashion spy stuff and the geopolitical tension of the Cold War come together in this truly captivating story.
Mia is working in a bakery when she is approached by a stranger offering her a modeling job in Paris. She decides to throw caution to the wind and take this opportunity of a lifetime that has fallen in her lap. Little does she know she is being groomed to be used as a powerful asset to deliver information amongst the people vying for political power.
There were a couple paragraphs I skimmed over that had a little too much information for me on what was going on between all the parties involved in the Cold War. But the rest of the story had me sucked in completely!
Finding Home by Hannah Nicole
5.0
...the cover and blurb are deceiving but in the best way!
I LOVE the movie Sweet Home Alabama and this is a slightly dark and a little spicy version of it! I devoured this book. Started and finished today, I only put it down to make dinner.
I loved every single character in this little town, especially the town goat!
I LOVE the movie Sweet Home Alabama and this is a slightly dark and a little spicy version of it! I devoured this book. Started and finished today, I only put it down to make dinner.
I loved every single character in this little town, especially the town goat!
Feather and Famine: The Withering Saga - Book 1 by Mariah L. Rosewood
4.0
I NEED BOOK 2 RIGHT NOW!
I am so fortunate to be on the hype team for this book and got super early access to the arc. I can't wait for the rest of you to get your hands on this book! I dont want to say too much, but if you love fae, magic, a shadow daddy, dual POVs, "touch her and die"... this book is for you, add it to your 2025 TBR!
I am so fortunate to be on the hype team for this book and got super early access to the arc. I can't wait for the rest of you to get your hands on this book! I dont want to say too much, but if you love fae, magic, a shadow daddy, dual POVs, "touch her and die"... this book is for you, add it to your 2025 TBR!
The Story Collector by Evie Gaughan
5.0
Whew, I am NOT a crier but I am still wiping tears from my eyes after just finishing this book! I'm not quite sure what I was expecting from this book but I got 100x more than expected. I feel like a small part of my heart that needed healing, which I didn't know needed it, was healed after reading this story. I need a prequel...I need a sequel...I need supporting novellas...I need them all!
The author has created a tale that is both enchanting and thought-provoking, leaving readers with a lingering sense of wonder and a renewed appreciation for the stories that define us. Central to the novel is the theme of the power of stories themselves — how they shape lives, connect people across generations, and reveal universal truths.
This would make an incredible movie...Benicio del Toro needs to read this book!
The author has created a tale that is both enchanting and thought-provoking, leaving readers with a lingering sense of wonder and a renewed appreciation for the stories that define us. Central to the novel is the theme of the power of stories themselves — how they shape lives, connect people across generations, and reveal universal truths.
This would make an incredible movie...Benicio del Toro needs to read this book!
The Cursed by Harper L. Woods
4.0
...there is no way this is only a duology!? There is so much story left to tell! AND I NEED TO KNOW IT ALL!
I need a prequel, spin offs and an illustrated edition of the duology.
If this duology is on your TBR, move it to the top! The first book will hook you with the story and the second book keeps with the story and then blaps you in the face with some spice!
Gray, the MMC, is going to live rent free in my head for a long time.
I need a prequel, spin offs and an illustrated edition of the duology.
If this duology is on your TBR, move it to the top! The first book will hook you with the story and the second book keeps with the story and then blaps you in the face with some spice!
Gray, the MMC, is going to live rent free in my head for a long time.
The Wickedest of Things: A Thriller by Russel Barrie
4.0
If you are a video game player, (Call of Duty...Portal...Magrunner) you will like this book!
If you are a techy, you will like this book!
This was a nerdy and geeky utopia. Super fun read!
I overlooked the fact that the plot is, at times, quite mechanical and very predictable because the story around it was gritty, well paced and kept me engaged. Also, when the author can make me sympathetic toward the bad guy...I dig it!
If you are a techy, you will like this book!
This was a nerdy and geeky utopia. Super fun read!
I overlooked the fact that the plot is, at times, quite mechanical and very predictable because the story around it was gritty, well paced and kept me engaged. Also, when the author can make me sympathetic toward the bad guy...I dig it!