Thought Corridor

 As You Wake, Break the Shell by Becky Chambers This is the first book in a duology and I really enjoyed it. The world building is so well done and it feels suitably epic and futuristic. The story follows Cora and Signy both before they meet and afterwards so there are two timelines at play. It is well paced and the writing flows along nicely and there is so much heart and love in this book. The supporting cast of characters are good too and it was nice getting to know more about our characters backstories as the book progressed. There is a found family in this book and that is always a trope I am happy to see in novels. Bits of this book made me smile while others broke my heart, and I cannot wait to read the sequel. Thank you to the author, to the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

 The Dungeon Book by Gareth Hanrahan Must admit I chose this book purely based on the cover and the title so had no clue what to expect when I started reading. It was a humourous book, and I liked Bait as a central character and the eyeless skull that acts as our narrator. It is a very whimsical fantasy book but some of the jokes were repetitive and the plot was little on the light side. That being said I did enjoy the book, I was rooting for Bait from the get-go and it's a fun read that doesn't take itself seriously at all. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

 As We Fall Through Time by Claire North I tend to enjoy time travel stories, and this one was a bit of a mixed bag for me personally. I loved the concept that one seemingly small change can have a huge impact and that's the basis for many time travel tropes however I felt there was something of a lack of world building in this novel that didn't draw me in to the story as much as I would have liked. There was a lot to follow in this book, so it did demand a lot of attention, and the pacing did feel a little uneven at times, there were moments where I felt things dragging a bit. I didn't feel emotionally invested in the characters romantic relationships, but I did particularly like Cal and  Fadimatu as characters.     It's a book that winds its way through time and is not a speedy plot heavy book but that being said it is thought provoking.  Many thanks to the author, to the publishers and to NetGalley for this ARC. 

 A History of The World in Ten Wars by Terry Deary Huge fan (like many others) of Horrible Histories as a child and this was the ideal read. It's much more grown up in tone but loses none of the charm or wit. Deary is a great writer, and this book is short and easily accessible to most readers. It's an enjoyable nonfiction and I found it easy to dip in and out of. It's an interesting and largely engaging read, lacking in detail in parts but that's due to the wide scope of the book. Recommend this one. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

 Maritime Master in an Age of Peril by Michael Thomas Price This book is a fictionalised version of the story of Captain Matthew Price (1777 to 1821). I must admit I had never heard of him but as a keen enjoyer of books set in the 18th/19th century, especially those with a maritime twist then I knew I had to add this to my reading list. I am glad I did. Matthew is an interesting character who takes to the sea as a child and this book is all about his endeavors. Over the course of his career he navigates slave rebellions, trades, and faces pirates on the high seas. After a shipwreck leaves him financially ruined he decides to take part in the  British blockade in the War of 1812. This book really shows the trials and tribulations of the people who embarked on this life at sea, and it is a very well detailed book and it's clear that the author has done his research on his ancestor. I'd recommend this book if you're interested in maritime history or are interested in tales of ...

Terms of Ascension by Julian Venn I really enjoyed this book, I found the fantasy setting very compelling, as the universe in which this book is set is a bureaucratic nightmare of sorts, It's set in  Continuance am afterlife run by a mega corporation.  where in order to ascend souls have to go through a trial. In this world we meet Compliance Auditor, Edwin who can expose the system’s rules and does do so along with his crew of "Clausebreakers" which includes  a giant, a disgraced executioner, and a bookmaker, together they  decide to expose the hidden corruption. Needless to say this is no easy task.  The characters are well developed and the plot flows well, I would read the next books in this series as it feels like there is more to come. Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC. 

 Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst This was a very cosy romantic read with a fantasy setting. It's a slow burn romance and I really liked  Marin and Dax. It is a little on the slow side but I didn't find that I minded all that much as I really enjoyed the seafaring setting.  If you like the trope of found families and are looking for something to curl up with and relax with then I'd recommend this one. It works really well as a standalone while still being set in Durst's cosy fantasy world. Thank you to the author, to the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC.  5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars

 A Drop of Corruption An Ana and Din Mystery  by Robert Jackson Bennett I loved The Tainted Cup and was very eager to read A Drop of Corruption and I enjoyed this one too but perhaps not quite as much as the first. One of this series strengths is the world building and this is just as excellent as before. As others have said I really enjoyed the meta element to the authors afterword too.  The mystery in this story is good too. If you like a fantasy set mystery that also has political and social commentary then I would highly recommend this series. Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC.

 The Body in the Bath by Ragnar Jónasson An interesting Scandi police procedural once again sees us back with detective Helgi who this time is tasked with solving  the disappearance of his predecessor, a retired officer long presumed dead. I would recommend reading Jonasson's previous books in this series before going into this one. Without giving away any spoilers I enjoyed this book, it was well paced and plotted well. It was a bit slow to start but that's a personal preference and once it got going then it mounted up at pace.  As in the previous books the world is richly detailed and feels very atmospheric. It was a fairly short read and I'd recommend it. Thank you to the author, to the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC.  

 A Trade of Blood An Ana and Din Mystery  by Robert Jackson Bennett I loved The Tainted Cup and Drop of Corruption so knew I'd enjoy this one too, and I did. The characters are developed further and the world building is just as excellent as before. It's really well written and vey engaging and I found myself engrossed from start to finish. The relationship between Ana and Din is really well written and I liked getting to know them both a bit better. The mystery in this story is really good too. As another reviewer has said I really enjoyed getting to know more about the Empire and I'm wondering where it will go next, If you like a fantasy set mystery then I would highly recommend this series. Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to Netghalley for this ARC. 

A Case of Fear and Favour by Sally Smith As a huge fan of crime and detective stories this one fits in well into the cosy historical crime trope. It's a welcome return for  Sir Gabriel Ward KC in this third book in the series and once again Smith details the workings of the Inner Temple really well. This book also sees the return of some characters from the previous books which was also great. Set again in the early 1900's the language and writing style feels period appropriate, and it's a slower paced novel but very enjoyable. Thank you to the author, to the publishers, and to Netgalley for this ARC  

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, 

 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.