Instagram story viewer> @andersbookshelf> Posts

Ander | Bookstagram 📚

@andersbookshelf

1.4K

followers

1481

following

📚 Book Reviews 📚
📖Fantasy | Mystery & Thriller | Horror | Comics 📖

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

Meeko Book Stack 🐶🐕‍🦺🐾

The last few days have been some of the hardest days of my life. Saying goodbye to my best friend was one of the most painful experiences I’ve gone through (and still going through). While I’m still grieving his loss, I’ve missed this community. I’m slowly trying to get back into the swing of things and I want to thank everyone who sent me messages over the last few days. It means a lot. I wanted to honor Meeko by making this post in memory of him while sharing some books as well. Dogs really are the purest creatures out there and Meeko showed us what true, unconditional love was like. While the pain is deep, I’m so blessed to have had him in my life, he truly enriched it in so many ways. You were incredibly loved by the whole family. I love you forever, Meeko. I hope you’re safe and having a good time up there. See you at the Rainbow Bridge one day. ❤️

Morning Star by @piercebrownofficial
Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell
Essex Dogs by @d_a_n_jones
Kingdoms of Death by @the_ruocchio
Ordinary Grace by @williamkentkrueger

#booksta #bookstagram #dogsarethebest #bookstack #readerslife by @andersbookshelf

105

22

5 months ago

Meeko. March 22, 2014 - April 14, 2026

I still remember the first time I saw you. Coming home from college break and that small brown fluffball came running at me, a big smile on your face and those big paws of yours! Since that day, you’ve been my greatest friend, who sat with me during some of my darkest moments and celebrated with me with my greatest wins. Through it all, you were a constant companion, sitting with me while I worked, maybe even photobombing a few work calls. You brought such warmth and joy to our lives and this post will never fully do it justice. I cherished the walks we took, all of the times we played together. Even the time we had to cuddle up because the furnace broke and had only each other for warmth. I’ve been dreading this post, the pain of your loss is so intense, but know that you were loved completely. Life will never be the same without you, your boisterous bark, your need to know where everyone is…and your playful growls. I hope you know just how much we all love you. Our family won’t be the same without you. Thank you for always being there Meeko, thank you for your love and companionship. Your absence is a void that can never be filled, but I know one day I’ll see you again buddy. So in the meantime, go hang out with Baci and we’ll see each other again before you know it and when we do, we’re going for a nice long walk. Maybe I’ll sneak a couple treats with me too.

I love you so much Meeko, I always will.

Love,

Ander by @andersbookshelf

166

90

6 months ago

📚 12 Books That Define Me 📚

It’s hard to determine which books “define” me as a reader, but I think I’ve settled on a few favorites of mine that have left a lasting impression. These properly represent the type of books and stories that speak to me the most. I’ve tagged a few accounts but there’s no pressure to join and even if I didn’t tag you, please feel free to participate!

📚 The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
📚 The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
📚 The Pillars of the Earth by @kenfollettauthor
📚 Morning Star by @piercebrownofficial
📚 The Will of the Many by @jamesislington_author
📚 Ordinary Grace by @williamkentkrueger
📚 Arthur by @gileskristian
📚 The Terror by Dan Simmons
📚 A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin
📚 Troy: Lord of the Silver Bow by David Gemmell
📚 I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo
📚 The Shadow of the Gods by @john_gwynne_author

What books define you? by @andersbookshelf

193

52

9 months ago

Happy #TolkienTuesday everyone!

Who is your favorite Tolkien character?

#booksta #bookstagram #lordoftherings #tolkien by @andersbookshelf

47

8

11 hours ago

About Me: Comic Edition

I’ve been seeing some posts having fun with this and I wanted to join in. Along with my interests in novels, I love comics too and I’ve been an avid comic reader for years. This was a fun (but hard!) challenge for myself and I’m sure I’ll flip flop on some of these. But I’ve included a couple pages for a general comic edition and then a page for Batman and Spider-Man too.

Favorite Comic Book Film: The Dark Knight
Favorite Comic: Book Character: Aquaman
Favorite Villain: Black Manta
Favorite Comic: Aquaman by Geoff Johns
Favorite Female Character: Mera
Favorite Male Character: Captain America
Favorite Casting: Chris Evans as Cap
Favorite show: Daredevil
Favorite Robin: Dick Grayson
Favorite Legacy Character: Miles Morales
Favorite Team: Justice League
Overrated Movie: Thor: Ragnarok

What’s your favorite comic book movie?

#comicbook #marvelcomic #dccomics #superhero

Favorite Batman movie: The Dark Knight
Favorite animated movie: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Favorite Batman comic: Batman: The Long Halloween
Favorite show: Batman the Animated Series
Favorite Batman Actor: Christian Bale
Favorite Voice Actor: Kevin Conroy
Favorite Batman Game: Batman Arkham City
Favorite Villain: Mr. Freeze
Favorite Robin: Dick Grayson
Favorite Batsuit: Arkham Asylum
Favorite Love Interest: Catwoman
Overrated Project: Joker

Favorite Movie: Spider-Man 2
Favorite Animated Movie: Into the Spider-Verse
Favorite Comic: Spider-Island
Favorite show: Spider-Man Animated Series
Favorite Actor: Tobey Maguire
Favorite Voice Actor: Yuri Lowenthal
Favorite Spider-Man Game: Marvel’s Spider-Man
Favorite Villain: Green Goblin
Favorite Ally: Black Cat
Favorite Suit: Superior Spider-Man
Favorite Love Interest: Mary Jane Watson
Overrated Project: Spider-Man Homecoming by @andersbookshelf

42

5

6 days ago

Damascus Station by @mccloskeybooks
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I’m always up for trying new spy thrillers, so when I heard great things about David McCloskey’s 2021 debut novel, I immediately wanted to try it out. Set in the backdrop of the Syrian Civil War, McCloskey crafts a tense and frightening thriller filled with authentic spycraft. Being a former CIA analyst, McCloskey does an admirable job painting a realistic world.

After the abduction of two fellow agents, CIA officer Sam Joseph is tasked with recruiting Mariam Haddad, a Syrian government official within Bashar al-Assad’s government. With the two of them sharing common interests, they work together to find the man responsible; Ali Hassan, the regime’s top spy catcher. But during their partnership, they begin to develop feelings for each other, which threatens to compromise their whole operation. Within the regime, various individuals play their own games against one another as they try to assert their place in al-Assad’s government.

Damascus Station was a captivating novel filled with plenty of intrigue, action, romance, and betrayal. One thing that I appreciated was that the book wasn’t your typical “James Bond” like action thriller, but relied more on realistic spycraft, and those moments were the best parts of the book. I really enjoyed learning more about the various Syrian characters as well, especially Ali Hassan, who is shown to be a very complex character and not just a 2-dimensional villain. It’s a thriller set in a place where everyone has a target on their back and under the brutal regime, the State knows just how to use their weaknesses against them. The romance was probably the weakest part of the book for me, mostly because it felt like it was too rushed, I would have liked more time to see that develop organically.

Overall, Damascus Station was a tense, gripping thriller filled with authentic spycraft that had me glued to my seat. Easily one of the best spy thrillers I’ve read in some time, and I’m eager to try more of his books!

#booksta #bookstagram #spythrillers #thrillerbooks #bookreviews by @andersbookshelf

44

6

7 days ago

Spooky Season Stack

This is one of my favorite times of the year! When the weather drops a bit, the leaves turn…it’s the perfect time to read some nice, spooky books! These are ones I’d love to get to. While I don’t know if I’ll get through them all, I’m excited to read these! Thanks to @timmo.reads for the tag. I’ve tagged some friends but no pressure to join in!

#booksta #bookstagram #horrorbooks #spookyreads #octobertbr by @andersbookshelf

56

26

9 days ago

Books I Loved Before Instagram

I joined Bookstagram back in 2023 officially. These were books that I had read before coming to the community and remain some of my favorite books ever! Thank you for the tag @chris.varen, this was fun! I’ve tagged a few accounts but no pressure to join.

📚 The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
📚 The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell
📚 The Troy Trilogy by David Gemmell
📚 The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
📚 Lancelot by @gileskristian

What books did you love before you joined Bookstagram?

#booksta #bookstagram #bookcommunity #bookstagrammer #readerscommunity by @andersbookshelf

72

25

13 days ago

Happy Hobbit Day!

Today is a very special day because it’s National Hobbit Day, which celebrates the birthdays of both Frodo Baggins and Bilbo Baggins. But it’s also a Tuesday, which is Tolkien Tuesday, so it couldn’t have landed on a better day!

I’ve spoken a lot about how much Tolkien’s work means to me. It’s true, the Lord of the Rings, both the movies and books, changed my life and shaped my interests. It led me to have a greater appreciation for fantasy, historical, and even nature. It might be time to dive back into the world I love so much.

#booksta #bookstagram #tolkientuesday #lordoftherings #fantasynovel by @andersbookshelf

59

4

14 days ago

Agrippa by Robert Harris
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Well we’re back at it with our books based in Ancient Rome. After reading Robert Harris’ Imperium not too long ago, I was thrilled to find out he had a new book set in Rome. This one focusing on the loyal friend of Octavian: Agrippa. I was excited to learn more about this pivotal historical figure, one of Augustus’ most valuable allies who defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra, who was responsible for the building of the Pantheon, and a brilliant military strategist.

Agrippa is told as a memoir, starting with his early days and his first encounters with Octavian during the days of Julius Caesar’s rise. From here, we get to see his own rise as he befriends Octavian and becomes his most loyal friend. Born a plebian, Agrippa had to earn the respect of his peers and he proved himself by joining the legionnaires and establishing himself as a respected leader. When Caesar is murdered, it’s up to Agrippa and Octavian to inherit the empire and crush their adversaries.

Agrippa is a fascinating story filled with plenty of intrigue that will captivate those who wish to explore more of this time period. While it’s an engaging book, it did feel like Harris wanted to write a book on Octavian more than Agrippa. I felt like we barely explored Agrippa as a person, he seemed to mostly explain historical events rather than living them. A lot of important events (and years) move by so quickly and I wonder if it would have been better to focus on a set range of years rather than trying to tell his whole life’s story.

Overall, Agrippa is an excellent and engaging historical fiction tale about the formation of the Roman Empire. While it’s not without its flaws, I had a great time reading this one!

#booksta #bookstagram #juliuscaesar #ancientrome #booksbooksbooks by @andersbookshelf

51

3

15 days ago

Books You Couldn’t Pay Me To…

This was a fun challenge! I’ve tagged a few friends but no pressure to participate! And if you’ve already done it sorry if you’re tagged again lol.

#booksta #bookchallenge #booktrend #bookstack #bookstagram

These were books that I couldn’t stop reading…I needed to be reminded that I need sleep!

Don’t start talking about these books with me or you’ll be there all day.

They just didn’t do it for me. That’s all I’ll say lol.

Books I just can’t wait to finally get to!!! by @andersbookshelf

93

57

a month ago

Razorblade Tears by SA Cosby
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Razorblade Tears is an emotional roller coaster filled with tragically flawed, yet captivating characters. I’ve been wanting to read a Cosby book for a long time and I saw a lot of fellow book readers loving this one. I’m so glad I read this one. Razorblade Tears is raw, heartbreaking, relentless, and powerful. The book is fast-paced which makes for a very quick read and keeps you engaged the entire time.

This is the story of two fathers –one black, one white who team up together to avenge the death of their sons. Both fathers disapproved of their sons being gay and throughout the story they grapple with their own prejudices and ignorance. Both men are incredibly flawed and damaged, yet their love for their sons is heartwarming.

Writing morally complex characters is a challenge, especially for characters like Ike and Buddy Lee, but Cosby handles it incredibly well. By the end, you really grew to care for them and I found myself very invested in their story. It’s a harsh but beautiful story about two fathers coming to terms with their own failings and a desire to be better.

This story deals with very real and difficult issues including homophobia, racism, grief, and toxic masculinity. What begins as a tale of vengeance soon becomes something much deeper; a story about love, loss, justice, and redemption. By the end, you can’t help but root for Ike and Buddy Lee as they seek justice for their sons and redemption for themselves. Fantastic book!

What’s your favorite S. A. Cosby book?

#booksta #bookstagram #bookreview #thrillerbooks #booksonbooks by @andersbookshelf

57

21

2 months ago