Showing posts with label Petrina Banfield. Show all posts

My Top Reads of 2018

The Best Books I read This Year

This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning, I get a commission if you purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

I read some awesome books in 2018.

I LOVED the Percy Jackson and the Olympians box set. Yes, fangirl! I thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series and can't wait to read more Rick Riordan books in 2019.

My reviews for the books:

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief

Percy Jackson and the Sea Monsters

Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse

Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth

Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian

Other books I read:

I also read Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella and it has now taken over the number 1 spot as my favourite book by the author. You can find my review here.

Letters From Alice by Petrina Banfield was probably my biggest surprise read of the year. Whilst I thought it would be interesting, I had no idea just how much I'd enjoy it. https://www.jolinsdell.com/2018/10/book-review-letters-from-alice-by.html

I loved The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. It was like Cluedo mixed with Quantum Leap.

https://www.jolinsdell.com/2018/06/book-review-of-7-12-deaths-of-evelyn.html

I read read The Art of Fear by Pamela Crane and will now definitely be reading more work by this author. https://www.jolinsdell.com/2018/02/book-review-art-of-fear-by-pamela-crane.html

How could I do a best reads list and not have something by Ethan Cross on it? Spectrum by Ethan Cross was just as good as the author's other works. https://www.jolinsdell.com/2018/02/book-review-spectrum-by-ethan-cross.html

Did you read any of these books? What did you think of them? What were your top reads of 2018?

You might also like: 2019 Releases I Can't Wait To Read

Book Review: Letters From Alice by Petrina Banfield

My thoughts about Letters From Alice by Petrina Banfield

This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning, I get a commission if you purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

Disclosure: I got sent a free ARC copy of this book from the publisher.

Two women. One secret. Will they be able to keep it under wraps?

It is a stormy evening in 1920s London. When newly qualified almoner, Alice, stepped into the home of Charlotte, a terrified teenager who has just given birth out of wedlock, she did not expect to make a pact that would change her life forever. Thrown into secrecy after an unexpected turn, Alice is determined to keep bewildered Charlotte and her newborn baby safe. But when a threatening note appears, she realises that Charlotte may need more protection than she first thought. But from who?

Based on extensive research into the archive material held at the London Metropolitan Archives, and enriched with lively social history and excerpts from newspaper articles, LETTERS FROM ALICE is a gripping and deeply moving tale, which brings the colourful world of 1920s London to life. Full of grit, mystery and hope, it will have readers enthralled from the very first page.

5 Star Award - Jo Linsdell Books and Blogging

US: https://amzn.to/2ptHGTg

UK: https://amzn.to/2Lf4dAA

Audiobook: https://amzn.to/2Lzxfa6

You might also like: Book Review: Hidden Pearl by JE Laufer

DEARathon 6-8 Sept 2018

I love taking part in readathons. It's fun to join together with the rest of the bibliophile community to share our love of reading.

I took part in the DEARathon (Drop Everything and READ!) last week, and it was so much fun.

One thing that drew me to this particular readathon was that it didn't involve any challenges or special requirements for what to read. This gave me complete freedom when picking which books to read, and wasn't too challenging either.

Drop Everything and READ! hosts impromptu readathons throughout the year, and I'll definitely be on the look out for future events to take part in. DEARathon is hosted by @LittleBookOwl and @LittleRedReads

Official Twitter for the event is https://twitter.com/DEARathon.

DEARathon also offered the most entertaining reading sprints I'm come across so far during a readathon. Well done ladies!

Clapping Standing GIF from Clapping GIFs

My TBR for the readathon:

Letters From Alice by Petrina Banfield

About the book:

Two women. One secret. Will they be able to keep it under wraps?

It is a stormy evening in 1920s London. When newly qualified almoner, Alice, stepped into the home of Charlotte, a terrified teenager who has just given birth out of wedlock, she did not expect to make a pact that would change her life forever. Thrown into secrecy after an unexpected turn, Alice is determined to keep bewildered Charlotte and her newborn baby safe. But when a threatening note appears, she realises that Charlotte may need more protection than she first thought. But from who?

Based on extensive research into the archive material held at the London Metropolitan Archives, and enriched with lively social history and excerpts from newspaper articles, LETTERS FROM ALICE is a gripping and deeply moving tale, which brings the colourful world of 1920s London to life. Full of grit, mystery and hope, it will have readers enthralled from the very first page.

Grab a copy: https://amzn.to/2x1GuK8

Everything We Left Behind by Kerry Lonsdale

About the book:

An Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller.

From the bestselling author of Everything We Keep comes the highly anticipated sequel. Told from one man’s two perspectives, Everything We Left Behind effortlessly blends suspense, mystery, and romance in an exploration of loss, resilience, and the compelling need to protect the ones we love at all cost.

Two months before his wedding, financial executive James Donato chased his trade-laundering brother Phil to Mexico, only to be lost at sea and presumed dead. Six and a half years later, he emerges from a dissociative fugue state to find he’s been living in Oaxaca as artist Carlos Dominguez, widower and father of two sons, with his sister-in-law Natalya Hayes, a retired professional surfer, helping to keep his life afloat. But his fiancée, Aimee Tierney, the love of his life, has moved on. She’s married and has a child of her own.

Devastated, James and his sons return to California. But Phil is scheduled for release from prison, and he’s determined to find James, who witnessed something in Mexico that could land Phil back in confinement. Under mounting family pressure, James flees with his sons to Kauai, seeking refuge with Natalya. As James begins to unravel the mystery of his fractured identity, danger is never far behind, and Natalya may be the only person he can trust.
Grab a copy: https://amzn.to/2Qj0DEc

Here's a vlog I did during the readathon: