Thought Corridor

 The Trial of Dr Crippen: A Drop of Poison by Matt Richards  Narrated by Full Cast As a fan of true crime I was very familiar with the Crippen case but had only read about it so to hear it told like an old radio play was brilliant and by the end of the audiobook I had leant some things that I was not aware of. Having a full cast narration really helps make this very engrossing. At around an hour and a half its very easy to listen to and I found the pacing was just right.  I really enjoyed this audiobook and personally I preferred it over the earlier Trials Of The Century Audiobook..  Thank you to the publisher, and to Netgalley for this audiobook. 

Brokeula by Michael J. Seidlinger Michael J. Seidlinger's book was a fun take on the vampire genre. Our central character James is a vampire who quickly discovers that immortality has its drawbacks and the biggest of those is being broke so he thinks of a get rich quick scheme that's Multi Level Marketing (appropriately bloodsucking as schemes go) .  As a book it's on the shorter side but is a well written comedic novella with a few critiques on capitalism along the way. Some themes could have been explored in more detail and maybe the characters could have been fleshed out a little more but overall it's a fun read and it does handle the surreal subject matter well and I enjoyed it.   Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC. It will be published on published July 7, 2026. . 

 Hell to Pay Oceans Eight meets Six of Crows in this supernatural heist thriller with jaw-dropping plot twists  by Lora Beth Johnson This was the first heist type book I have read in a long time and I really enjoyed it. The premise of this book had me hooked from the get go and once I started it I finished it quickly. The book revolves around a gang of thieves who are going to steal a soul from the afterlife. It is a very enjoyable supernatural story and I really liked the characters. I'm a fan of any story involving a found family and this book has that as we see how the crew interact with each other and grow those bonds. It has drama and chaos and a sprinkling of madness and it's a very enjoyable read.  Thank you to the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC, 

 The Gray Sheep The Lochsmith Book I  by S. M. Somerset This book is the first in what will be a trilogy and it does a great job of setting up the characters and the world. The book is beautifully written and I liked the historical setting. The main character  Cosette  was likable and felt real and I was invested in her.  However my main complaint about this book is that at times it was a bit too slow and things did not feel to be progressing maybe it would have benefitted from another character's POV.  The book does end on a cliffhanger but that is to somewhat to be expected as it is the first book in a trilogy.  Thank you to the publishers and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

 Because I Killed Him by Edith Birde This note from the publisher is what drew me into this book. They state that this book is a '...sweeping, character-driven novel set in a bright, deadly world inspired by the glamour and decadence of the 1920s Jazz Age...written for readers who enjoy flawed, morally complex characters, lethal power struggles, dangerous alliances, forbidden relationships, found family, and a plot that unravels like a mystery'. That tikced a lot of boxes for me.   This is one of the longest books I have read in a while and because to read something over 800 pages is a huge time commitment I need the book to be epic. Because I killed Him is a great book but it misses the mark just a bit for me to give it a full five stars. I really liked  the characters and there is lot of world building that is very well done but I wanted more details on the world outside (but I assume that is to come in the sequel).  Without giving any spoilers this is a slow ...

   Terror From America by Terry Golway I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan so as soon as I saw this book I knew I had to read it. It's set later in the Holmes cannon than I usually read when I look for new stories to read but I did enjoy it. In this book Holmes is investigating bombings in New York and while there is called upon to solve the murder of two diplomats. I always tend to read Holmes stories that heavily involve Doctor Watson and in this novel Holmes does leave Watson behind to investigate the bombings in London while he himself is in New York and I must admit that I missed them working more closely together. Despite that it is a well researched novel and is well written. Well worth a read.  Thank you to the publishers and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

Before We Collide by Kate Dylan I really enjoyed the unique magic system in this book as it’s not like anything I’ve read before. I haven’t read any of Kate Dylan’s earlier works, but this one does stand well on its own though I suspect I might have enjoyed it even more as a direct sequel. As others have mentioned, the explanation of the magic system felt a bit oversimplified, but perhaps that was intentional. It didn’t bother me too much though I would have liked a bit more depth.  I liked Raya and Ezzo as characters, but since I hadn’t read the previous book they were entirely new to me. I think I might have connected with them more if I’d read their earlier story but as this was marketed as a standalone I expected to get a full sense of who they are and their motivations without prior knowledge.  Thanks to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the ARC. 

   Tyrants and Rogues Understanding the Declaration of Independence  by Robert G. Parkinson This was not a subject I was very familiar with and Parkinson tackles this immense subject in an engaging and informative way, The author places the Declaration of Independence firmly within the context of the Revolutionary War and looks at it in depth. Parkinson is an excellent writer and handles this complex subject really well. It would be must read for those interested in getting to know this particular time in America's past. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC. 

T.J. Klune's We Burned So Bright I am a big fan TJ Klune's writing and love the way they create characters. This book was highly emotive and I really enjoyed getting to know Don and Rodney as they traveled in their RV and it was nice to get to meet the different characters with their different views that we encounter along the way. This story is about the world ending and we follow our characters as they navigate this. It is heartbreaking at times but there's so much warmth too. Like many other of Klune's books this made me very emotional and reflective. It is beautifully written and Rodney and Don have my heart. This is a shorter book and I highly recommend it (don't forget your tissues)  Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan publishers for this ARC

 Tea & Treachery at the Infinite Pantry by Jo Miles I really enjoyed this book, such an interesting and fun premise. It is very engaging and warm, with a diverse cast of characters who I really enjoyed getting to know. The food descriptions are mouth watering at times and feel very vivid. It's a place you wish would actually exist! The romance in this is a slow burn and it's very charming. The book switches between the two POV's of Glendevyn and Irdruan and I really liked both characters. The rest of the characters are wonderfully diverse and I loved the found family aspect.  As others have said the villain of the piece was a little too easy to spot but I loved the book so much that I'm willing to forgive that. Highly recommend this book if you're looking for a cosy fantasy escapist read that has a little more plot than some others out there. Thank you to the publisher, the author, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

 Silks and Stones by Quinn Lawrence This was an interesting fast paced mystery and though it is book 2 in the series the publisher tells us that it is designed as a standalone and this is true. I love books that have found family elements and I really liked the family dynamic between Hokuren and Cinna. The magical elements in this book were really well written and the characters themselves are well developed. It has humour and darker moments and the author balances those really well. While it is a standalone it did make me want to read the first book to get to know more about these characters and return to their world for a little bit longer. Really recommend this one, it's a very good read. Thank you to the author, the publisher and to Netgalley for this ARC.  

Flickerstate by F. A. Davidson This is a really well written YA book and I really enjoyed the magic system in this. Our protagonist Norah Sullivan is a navigator and can manipulate probability and is a student of the Academy of Navigation, I liked her character even though she can be a bit challenging at times but she's going through a lot so perhaps we have to forgive her. I liked the way the characters were written and the academic setting was good with the challenges but sometimes the references to iphones, and memes etc did take me out of the world a little bit but that's probably my fault because I tend to stick to more historical books. Overall I enjoyed it.   Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Moon Over Brendle by Jeff Noon This book combines elements of a coming of age story and a fantasy adventure story while also being a book about stories themselves and the power they have. Noon is not an author I was familiar with at all but I really enjoyed his writing style. If you like books that combine magic and memoir then you might like this.  Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

 First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston I love books that have the found family trope and this ticks that box. This is a book that starts at the end with a trial and then goes backwards in time to show the events that caused this. It is a fast paced book that has humorous elements woven amongst darker times. This book combines engineering with magic and it's a delight. The world building is excellent and it's a great sci fi fantasy adventure. Very much recommended. Thank you to the publishers, the author and to Netgalley as always for this ARC. 

Twig's Traveling Tomes by Gryffin Murphy This is a very charming low stakes cosy fantasy read. If you like the slow burn, found family fantasy trope then this could be the book for you. It is really well written and the characters are likeable and I loved getting to take a break and spend time with them. It feels like a love letter to books and to reading and I loved it. The plot does move slowly but in the case of this book that is part of the charm as it feels nice to not have a book barreling through the plot. The main character of Everett really grew on me as at first I didn't warm to him but I did end up liking him. Not a book for everyone, if you're looking for heavily plot driven, high stakes fantasy then give this one a skip but it's perfect if you want to unwind and get lost in a cosy fantasy setting.  Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for this ARC 3 stars 3 stars 3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

  A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood I really enjoyed this book. I am a huge fan of any story involving revenge and fantasy and this one ticked a lot of boxes for me. This is a fun read and I'll keep this review spoiler free. The action moves along at a fast pace and it's a fun heist story with an added magic system that is very well integrated. The cast of characters are great and we get to know them over the course of the book without it feeling like its too heavily character driven. The dual pov works really well and there is great interplay between the characters.  Thank you to the author, NetGalley and to Bindery Books for the ARC.

 These Are Not My Final Words by Samantha Ryan First of all this book deals with sensitive topics like grief and loss so that is not to everyone's taste hut there is a lot of humour in this book and it is well written. We follow Johnny through the loss of his best friend and I found the character to be likeable and it's interesting to follow him through as he process his grief and has to move on. The book is on the shorter side and my main issue would be that the ending felt a little abrupt but that's fairly minor a complaint as I really enjoyed the book.  I also liked that the chapters were named after a tv show writing trope.   Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

  Hell’s Heart by Alexis Hall     Hell's Heart appealed to me as its selling point is a  ‘sapphic Moby Dick retelling set in space' now I read Moby Dick years ago and it was not quite like this!  It is written as a memoir and our unnamed narrator is escaping her religious upbringing. Its a hodgepodge of genres and is a fun read but not quite what I expected but that's not a bad thing. It is funny at times but maybe a bit challenging to read. The narrator had moments that were irritating and maybe one too many unrelated tangents so it's not going to appeal to everyone but that said there is an interesting and eclectic cast of characters and like another review has stated I too particularly liked Locke.  Thank  you the author, the publishers and to NetGalley for the ARC    2 stars 2 stars 2 stars 2 stars 2 stars

 The Darkness Bites Back by Laura R. Samotin; Ben Alderson I have to start this review by saying that I adored The Darkness Bites Back by Laura R. Samotin and Ben Alderson. The Romeo and Juliet retelling set in modern-day Oxford,  Alexander and Tobias are great characters and they have brilliant chemistry. The dialogue is really well written and the interplay between them is great. There is angst and romance and angstyromance .If you liked Interview with a Vampire then I highly recommend trying this book.  Thanks to the publisher, the author, and to Netgalley for this ARC

 Shake Out the Ghosts by Al Hess The premise of S hake Out the Ghosts was very interesting and I'll keep this review spoiler free. It's a hodgepodge of a few different genres and overall that works very well. There are darker themes in this book so I would advise caution but they are well handled. The two central characters are likeable and the story progresses well but at times it can get a little overwhelming but it is well worth a read. Thanks to the publisher, the author, and to Netgalley for this ARC.

Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee An Epically Short History of Our Kings and Queens. This was a fun audiobook.  Charlie Higson is an engaging and funny narrator. The book is interesting although short but we knew that from the title. The chronological order to the recounting makes sense and it helps to keep track of who we are encountering. It appeals to those of us who grew up watching Horrible Histories. Thanks to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for this ALC. 

  The Library at the Edge of the Wood Part of the Cozy Cottage Series  by Liz Delton Hello you, I'm back with more reviews and I start today with an audiobook called  The Library at the Edge of the Wood and its part of the Cozy Cottage Series  by Liz Delton . I really enjoyed this. It's such a cosy fantasy tale.  Everson's such a lovely character. If you like found family stories as I do then you should give this a listen. The author has created such a warm and welcoming world that feels vivid and inviting. The narrator is so good too, really plays the characters well and captures their voices.  Thank you to the publisher, the author, and  NetGalley as always  fo r this ALC.