Thought Corridor

 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, 

 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 

 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. 

 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. 

 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.

 The Queen's Pirate The Triumphant Life and Tragic End of Thomas Cavendish, Elizabethan Privateer  by Iain Gately The very first line of the description of this book is what drew me in. Gately focuses on the events of '... June 1593, {when} a ghostly ship drifted into an Irish harbour. Only 16 crewmen remained alive, and the deck was littered with the dead'. While this may be the ending of the ship Desire, Captained by Thomas Cavendish that had returned from exploring the globe, it is not the full story as Gately takes us back in time to two years earlier to when Cavendish hosted a lavish banquet on board ship for Queen Elixabeth I. The author Gately aims to create the first biography of this little known Elizabethan Captain. I must be honest I had never heard of Captain Cavendish and so was very interested to hear his tale as Gatley writes with skill and detail and paints a vivid picture of this man and his exploits. Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to Netgalle...

 The Carousel of Forgotten Places by S. Hati This was a nice cosy romantasy story. Ryka was a very engaging and likeable character and her journey was well written. The world building is really well done and the fair itself is written in vivid detail. It is a whimsical and magical world and while it took a little bit of time for me to get into the story once I did I really enjoyed it.  If you're a fan of found families with a dash of time travel and whimsy then this book would appeal to you too. Thanak you to the author, the publishers, and top Netgalley for this ARC,  5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars

Laurie Tulley an investigative journalist meets  wealthy glass industrialist Charles "Chary" Wright a man with secrets and when a worker from his factory is murdered Laurie knows there's a story to write, but will he be able to keep his distance from the handsome Chary? As a fan of KJ Charles and Cat Sebastian this book really appealed to me. This book is very plot focused and I really liked both the male main characters. I loved the early 1900's setting and this is the ideal blend of romance and murder mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep it interesting. The writing style took a little bit for me to get into but once I did I found I enjoyed it. I will be reading more from this author in the future.  Thanks to the author, to the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

 Heroes or Zeroes? Myths and Legends from the Bad Boys of Ancient Greece  by Lizzy Tiffin I chose this book as it's a subject matter I know very little about and was intrigued to know more. I really enjoyed this book. Tiffin writes engagingly and I appreciated the humour throughout. In this book are lots of names you'll be familiar with and also lots that you will not and that makes it a very interesting and enjoyable read. The chapters are well contained so it's an easy book to dip in and out of. It's ideal for those of us without the deep scholarly knowledge of these myths and legends as it's more basic and conversational in tone. Thank you to the author, the publishers. and to Netgalley for this ARC.

  The Halls of the Dead by S. M. Hallow I enjoyed this book. The three main characters of Irene, Agnes, and St John are well written and I liked the relationship between the three. The book is well paced and the writing flows well. It is inspired by the Victorian gothic genre and it's very detailed with some gory elements.  It is a little slow to start as the beginning is told largely through flashbacks so it takes a little bit to get on track with the current timeline but I enjoyed the writing style and the gothic atmosphere, the world building is detailed and the descriptions of necromancy were good too Thank you to the publishers, the author, and to Netgalley for this ARC.

 Henry Tudor Must Die by Jillian Laine I really enjoyed this book. An excellent mix of reimagined history, feminism and witchcraft. The story begins with Anne Bolyn offered an escape plan by  Catalina de Aragón and from there begins the revenge of women wronged by Henry VIII. It is a well written and interesting take on an alterative universe of the Tudor era and  Marguerite's notes throughout were a fun touch.  If you liked Six The Musical's take on the wives of Henry VIII then I think you'd like this book. Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to Netgaelley for this ARC. 

 The Jewel and the Comet by Tim Pratt Once this book gets going it's is a fun, well paced space opera of a novel. The characters (human and  non) are interesting and I liked Gwen/Glenn and Vivy. As other reviewers have stated there is a bit of sex mentioned so if that's not your thing then maybe not the book for you. Once I got into the book I found it to be enjoyable and as it's the first of Pratt's books I have read I would be eager to read the earlier ones. This book has the typical sci fi tropes with hero's and villains and the multiverse is a well established trope at this point. Thank you to the publisher, the author, and to Netgalley for this ARC.    1 star 1 star 1 star 1 star 1 star

 A World Apart by Meghan Nesmith I really enjoyed this book, the characters and the world building are really well done. It's a cosy read with a lot of heart. I'm always a fan of books that have that 'love at first sight' trope and  Kit and Wilfrith have a great chemistry and its such a romantic book with a detailed historical setting with fantastical elements. Nesmith writes beautifully and the book was a joy to read.  There is a cliffhanger so be warned if you only like to read completed book series' but as this book is the first in a two parter I am looking forward to the next one. Thank you to the author Meghan Nesmith, the publishers  Aria & Aries | Aria, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

Don't Call It Art 10 Ways to Create Like a Kid Again  by Austin Kleon This was a nice little book. It had helpful suggestions and inspiration interspersed with little bits of advice on how to embrace our inner child, to think back to a time when we drew pictures for the fun of it and not to create something that was ''art' As others have said, the format of this book would be better suited to a physical book rather than an ebook but it was still readable and enjoyable. It's a short book and I liked the quotes from creatives. Thanks to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

 A Family Affair by Jodi Taylor I'm a huge fan of Jodi Taylor so was delighted by the opportunity to read a new work. I rea;;y enjoyed this book. It's the second in the  Smallhope & Pennyroyal series set in the St Mary's universe and it picks up where the last one left. Loved the humour in this book and the time travel, Taylor is an exceptional writer and the characters feel very real as does the world they inhabit. Cannot wait to read the next one after that ending. Really well plotted and kept me fully engaged throughout. Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC.  4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars Was this review helpful?    Lisa S, Librarian 3 stars 3 stars 3 stars 3 stars 3 stars I think if I'd read the first Stanhope and Pennyroyal book I might have enjoyed this onemore. It has all the Jodi Taylor humour and flair but I just didn't engage with the characters as much as I do with St Marys and found myself skimming some...

 Country People by Daniel Mason This is the first book by Daniel Mason that I have read. It's a well written book, there are humourous moments with this move to a small town. There are a lot of characters to meet in this book and almost all of them are quirky sometimes to too great a degree and the story weaves around a bit. It was a bit too meandering for my tastes however. I have heard good things about Mason's earlier books so perhaps will give those a go as I did enjoy the writing style but the book was a bit of a trek to get through for me personally. Thank you to the author, to the publisher and to Netgalley for this ARC. 2 stars 2 stars 2 stars 2 stars 2 stars