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Illusions (Faber Editions) by Ruth Rehmann; Megan Nolan with Rob Madole (Translator)

 Illusions (Faber Editions) by Ruth Rehmann; Megan Nolan  with Rob Madole (Translator) This book was not an easy read. It is set in post war Germany and follows the lives of four employees. We, as the reader, learn more about them over the course of a day or so and we see how they live their lives and how the events of their pasts have shaped them. As another reviewer has mentioned it is a fundamentally human story. Despite being written decades ago and largely forgotten until fairly recently it still feels very relevant and Rehmann is a very evocative writer. The translation feels very faithful and the book demands your attention. Not my usual read but enjoyed it nevertheless. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars
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Captain's Dinner by Adam Cohen

 Captain's Dinner by Adam Cohen This was not a subject I had heard anything but in an effort to read more non-fiction I chose this and am very pleased I did.  It tells the horrifying true story of the events that took place i n 1884 on a lifeboat at sea. Captain Dudley and his crew on the yacht Mignonette found themselves adrift, and in an effort to survive the crew decided to murder the young cabin boy Richard Parker. This led to a huge controversy and a landmark murder trial. The author gives us an interesting case and draws on legal documents to recount this harrowing tale.  It is very well written and researched. Highly recommended. Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 
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Mr Mendlebee's Pandimensional Literary Repository (And Yarn) by Rebecca McKee

 Mr Mendlebee's Pandimensional Literary Repository (And Yarn) by Rebecca McKee This was a cosy  read. It is very whimsical and charming. The writing style is nice even if the pacing felt a little off to me personally, I found it a bit too slow at times but I really liked the characters and the world building. Despite the slower start it does set up everything well. The bookshop feels very alive, its semi sentient and has the ability to help anyone find the object they need. It's a book with charming characters and I really liked Muriel. If you like whimsical stories with the found family trope then I think you'd like this one. Thanks to the author, the publishers and to Netgalley for this ARC, 
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Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty

 Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty This was not what I was expecting. The premise was really intriguing, a travel agency that specializes in time travel. I really enjoy science fiction books so this sounded really interesting. However while time travel does play a part in this novel it's not the main focus of the book. Instead the story is far more about grief and regret and relationships. It was not really my usual thing but it is well written although I do agree with another reviewer that the plot did seem to slow a bit in the middle before picking up again towards the books conclusion. The three storylines start separately before converging and it's a well written book just not quite what I was expecting. Thank you to the author, the publishers and to Netgalley 
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The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

 The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger I have heard so much about this book and when I read the premise I knew I had to try it. I really enjoyed the story of  Clare and Henry. The meet when Clare is 6 and Henry 36. An odd premise I admit but it's explained as Henry suffers from a rare condition that causes his biological clock to reset and he finds himself in his past or his future. It's using this condition that Niffenegger weaves this unusual love story. It is an emotional read and it's written really well and I found the characters well rounded. The time skipping around works really well and it's a classic of the sci-fi/romance trope. Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 
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Terrible True Tales: Pirates Inclusive Leadership in Practice by Terry Deary

 Terrible True Tales: Pirates Inclusive Leadership in Practice  by Terry Deary I loved the Horrible Histories books as a kid so it was great to read one of these again. It's humorous and very easily accessible with fun illustrations. It's a mix of historical facts and invented or enhanced stories. Very highly recommended to young readers who want to learn more about some historical pirates. Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 
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The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon

 The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon This was a little bit of a mixed one for me. I had not read the authors earlier novel The Frozen River (or any of their works) so did not know what their writing style etc was like before going into this one. I liked the premise but there were a couple of times when I found the different timelines a bit convoluted to follow but that said it was a fun take on Grace O'Malley and her life and exploits.  It is well written and I liked getting to know Grace and the author has done well taking inspiration from a real historical character and making her feel very real. If you like historical adventures with a strong female character then I think you'll enjoy this one.   Thank you to the author, to the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC.
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