Thought Corridor

Rakshasa's Wrath The Clawed Chronicles, Book 1  by V. Ajinkya I really have mixed feelings about this book. As another reviewer has stated there were a lot of characters and plotlines that felt unclear and a little unfinished, I struggled at times so see certain characters motivations. However the dialogue was well written on the whole and the interactions between the characters worked well too. The fantasy world was well developed and I liked Lyliana as a central character. I'm a huge fan of pirate stories so was excited to read this but it didn't quite grip me in the right way but that could just be that it was the wrong book for me in that moment. The action sequences were a highlight for me as I liked how snappy they felt. I would read the next book in this series. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

 The Shadows of Kensington Gore by Ross Montgomery I really enjoyed the first book The Murder At World's End and was really looking forward to reading the sequel. Once again I really enjoyed it. Stephen is very charming and Decima is a wicked delight. The plot is woven through with suffragettes and a lot of housemaids. It's a very fun read and I had no clue who did it. It's well written and very enjoyable. I look forward to see what's next for this unlikely pair.  Highly recommend if you like witty murder mysteries with a few red herrings. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for this ARC.  well-written, clever, sharp and funny. The mystery is intriguing and well done. I loved the introduction of the Ivy’s, and Stephen and Miss Decima have grown on me quite a bit since the first book. 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars Second books in a series can be tricky, especially if you have loved the first one as much as I did,   twisty and dark s...

 Little Spark by Jess Kidd The story is focused on the character of Bodkin Bell, who is initially the star of an electrifying travelling act until they end up in gaol until the mysterious benefactor Cornelius offers her a way out.  The characters are really great, the villains too. Lots of mystery with her backstory and it's a really compelling story set in a London that has both Victorian and Steampunk elements. It was a really good gothic and I found the plot flowed really nicely and Kidd's writing style is very engaging. Thank you to the author, to the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

 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

 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. 

 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,