Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Meant to Read in 2025 but Didn’t Get To

On January 13, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn List6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were required to list the books they are most looking forward to in the first half of 2026. I did a list around this topic last week, so I am instead going to continue my recent trend of end of year and examining the best books released in 2025. As such I will be listening the top books I meant to read in 2025 but that I didn’t get a chance to.

2025 was an awesome year for books and I had such an outstanding time getting through a solid collection of books from new-to-me authors, exciting sequels and great older novels, most of which were fun and impressive reads. However, no matter how hard one tries there are always a couple of books each year that you don’t get the chance to read, either due to time constraints, lack of access or being too overwhelmed with other reads. As a result, this is a list loaded with regret as each book I mention below is one that I really wish I had taken the time to explore.

To complete this list, I pulled together some of the more interesting and compelling novels that I didn’t get a chance to read in 2025. Each entry was released last year and while knew that they were coming out I did not get a chance to read any of them. In many cases I have these books sitting on my shelf, silently and constantly judging me, and I will have to try and read them to stop their bookish glares. I was eventually able to cull my list of regret down to 10 entries with an honourable mentions section. This list is an interesting collection of books from across the genres and include several major 2025 releases I did not get the chance to look at.

Honourable Mentions:

Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton

A fun sounding fantasy novel about the downsides of destiny.

Once a Villain by Vanessa Len

The final book in a young adult fantasy trilogy I was hoping to finish off last year.

The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch

An intriguing historical fiction novel with an awesome plot that grabbed my attention and which I’m still hoping to read.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

A very compelling 2025 fantasy debut that I regret not getting the chance to check out.

Top Ten Tuesday:

There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

One of the books I most regret not reading in 2025 was the latest book in one of my favourite historical fiction series, There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis. The latest book in the always entertaining Flavia Albia series, There Will Be Bodies sounded like an excellent historical murder mystery, when the protagonist uncovers bodies related to the Pompei volcanic eruption. I really liked the sound of this latest Flavia Albia book and I’m still hoping to read it at some point this year, especially as I’m curious to see how Davies envisions ancient Romans looking back at the volcanic event.

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland

One of the big fantasy releases I had hoped to read at the end of 2025 was Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland. The third and final book in Corland’s Broken Blades trilogy (which previously featured Five Broken Blades and Four Ruined Realms), Three Shattered Souls sounded like an excellent end to the trilogy, with the surviving damaged killer protagonists forced to face their enemies in a final fight. I’ve got copies of Three Shattered Souls on a couple of formats and I’m planning to read it this year as I’m very curious to see how everything ends in this series.

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

While I did manage to read Adam Plantinga’s cool 2024 debut, The Ascent, last year, I was unable to get my hands on a copy of the sequel, Hard Town. Following a rough former cop who keeps finding himself in deadly situations, Hard Town follows the protagonist as he travels to an unusual town and finds himself embroiled in a staggering conspiracy. I’m still extremely keen to read Hard Town at some point, especially as his first book was a wonderfully excessive and entertaining thriller, and I will probably try to get a copy of this sequel soon.

Tyrant by Conn Iggulden

One of the more entertaining historical novels from 2025 I regret missing was Tyrant by Conn Iggulden. The second book in Iggulden’s Nero series, Tyrant follows on from the excellent 2024 novel Nero and features the teenaged future rule of Rome and his diabolical mother, as they pave his way to the throne. I’m still keen to read Tyrant, as it sounds like an amazing read, and it should be a ton of fun to get through.

The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso

A unique fantasy novel I’m sorry to have not read last year was the new Melissa Caruso novel, The Last Soul Among Wolves. The sequel to the excellent 2024 novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, The Last Soul Among Wolves contained a unique locked room mystery, as a several friends are magically trapped in a house after an unusual will reading. I had an outstanding time with The Last Hour Between Worlds and this sequel sounded extremely good. I might attempt to read this sequel soon, as I am curious about how Caruso will top her previous cool story.

The Medici Return by Steve Berry

Probably the most surprising inclusion on this list for me is The Medici Return by Steve Berry, as I’m usually very good at reading Berry’s books as soon as they come out. The latest book in Berry’s Cotton Malone series, The Medici Return has a very interesting plot behind it, as the protagonist attempts to unwind an elaborate conspiracy from history when the legendary Medici family apparently return to Italy with a vengeance. This book sounds extremely awesome, and I’m hoping to read it before the next Cotton Malone novel comes out.

Valour by Richard Cullen

While I did manage to read Cullen’s early 2025 novel, Crusade, I didn’t get a chance to check out his other release from last year, Valour. The third book in the author’s Chronicles of the Black Lion, Valour sounds like another very exciting novel from Cullen, as the protagonist finds himself fighting pagans hidden in a deadly and remote European mountain range. I currently have Valour loaded up to read when I have a spare moment and the need for historical adventure, and I know I’m going to have a great time with this book when I do.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

There were a few books from the always impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky I regret not reading in 2025, however, the most interesting sounding was Shroud. A fantastic and tense science fiction novel that sees two crash survivors trapped beneath the dark atmosphere of a forbidden planet, Shroud had a truly outstanding plot idea behind it, and I was very curious to see how it would unfold. I have no doubt that Shroud was a particularly incredible novel, and I really do hope I get the chance to read it at some point.

The Detective by Matthew Reilly

One big end of year release I very much regret not reading was the new novel from Australian author Matthew Reilly, The Detective. An interesting and apparently clever crime fiction read set in the American south, The Detective was very high on my to-read list for the last few months of 2025. Unfortunately, I could never seem to make time for it, which was a real shame considering how much I loved Reilly’s previous novel, Mr Einstein’s Secretary. The Detective is one of the big releases from last year I will attempt to read in 2026, and I cannot wait to finally explore Reilly’s excellent new novel.

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

The final 2025 novel I want to highlight on this list is The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawerence. The third and final book in Lawrence’s The Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart follows on from the author’s excellent previous novels The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and The Book That Broke The World. I have been meaning to read The Book That Held Her Heart for a while, especially as I am curious about how this inventive fantasy series was coming to an end, and this final book sounds very impressive. I might try to read The Book That Held Her Heart in the next month or two, especially as Lawrence has a new book coming out soon with Daughter of Crows, and I look forward to seeing how he wraps up his last complex series.

Well, that is the end of my latest list and it looks like I have a lot catch-up reading to do if I am going to make a dent in it. There are some truly amazing-sounding novels on this list, and I fully intend to get through all of them at some point, although with all the outstanding books coming out in 2026, it might take me a little time. In the meantime, let me know what books you most regret not reading in 2025 in the comments below.

The Feeding by Anthony Ryan

On January 11, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Horror, Science FictionLeave a comment

Publisher: Orbit/Blackstone Publishing (Audiobook – 14 October 2025)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 10 hours and 13 minutes

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan continues to explore the horror genre with the fantastic post-apocalyptic vampire novel, The Feeding, an awesome and deeply addictive read that you won’t be able to read fast enough.

Anthony Ryan is an author I’ve talked a lot about in recent weeks, primarily because his outstanding fantasy novel, Born of an Iron Storm. The impressive second novel in the author’s Age of Wrath series, Born of an Iron Storm was one of my favourite books, audiobooks and sequels of 2025, and I am currently very excited for the third and final entry in the series, currently titled Upon a Forge of Battle, which is coming out later this year. However, before we get to that I need to also highlight Ryan’s second book of 2025, the awesome horror novel The Feeding. Released here in Australia under the pen-name A. J. Ryan, The Feeding is Ryan’s second major horror release after Red River Seven in 2023. This new horror novel had a great plot behind it, as a desperate protagonist attempts to survive a twisted landscape filled with dangerous monsters.

Plot Synopsis:

Layla has spent her entire life in the Redoubt, one of the last bastions of humanity in a ravaged world. She’s never been beyond the Redoubt’s walls; only Crossers, with their special training and survival skills, are permitted to venture into the shadow-haunted wastelands.

When Layla’s father falls ill, she knows she needs to find a cure. But no such medicine can be found within the Redoubt. Instead, her only chance is to pass a series of gruelling trials to become a Crosser, and then to strike out into the wilderness.

Where the feeders are.

Internationally bestselling fantasy author Anthony Ryan – writing as A. J. Ryan – delivers a nerve-shredding horror novel where humans are no longer top of the food chain.

The Feeding was another extremely awesome novel from Ryan that I ended up powering through in no time at all. A clever and intense vampire horror novel, The Feeding effortlessly keeps your attention with its impressive worldbuilding and fast-paced story. I had such an incredible time with this book, and I deeply enjoyed seeing what Ryan could do in the horror space.

The plot of The Feeding was a great, grungy post-apocalyptic read that was a very interesting change of pace from the sprawling fantasy epics I’m used to from Ryan. Featuring a much more fast-paced story, Ryan quickly and effectively introduces you to The Feeding’s protagonist, Layla, and the dark world she inhabits. A lowly scavenger in the dying walled city of Redoubt, Layla finds herself desperate enough to become a Crosser, the city’s elite runners who leave Redoubt to trade in the wasteland, to find medicine for her dying father. This leads to an excellent extended early section of the book where the protagonist needs to go through a compelling Selection process, featuring several trials designed to whittle down the applicants and ensure only true survivors can go over the wall. This early sequence does an excellent job of hammering home just how dangerous the world outside of Redoubt is, as well as giving some intriguing insights into what the feeders, this universe’s vampire substitute, are capable of. This first part of the book really sets the tone for the rest of the novel, and I was frankly hooked on The Feeding the second we got to Selection.

I felt that the second half of The Feeding, which takes place primarily beyond the walls, lives up to the expectations Ryan sets up in the first part of the book. The protagonist and an interesting band of supporting characters enter the desolate wasteland and soon encounter all manner of horrors from wild feeders, even wilder humans, and the general abandonment of the outside world. Ryan also starts working in an excellent overarching narrative threat that stalks the protagonists from a distance. While you can easily guess at who or what this threat is, as well as a certain supporting character’s connections to it, the full impact and intensity of this looming danger keep hitting the protagonists hard and fast. There are some brutal losses as the plot continues, and you are constantly on edge as everything closes in and the stakes keep on rising.

Everything leads up to an intense finale, as after another dark confrontation the protagonist finds herself at her most desperate. Forced to rely on an unlikely ally, Layla attempts the impossible and soon finds herself stuck in the middle of someone else’s dark tale. The raw intensity of the plot really grabs your attention at this point, and you are so very eager to see how the book will continue. Ryan also throws in some interesting additional worldbuilding as the novel heads towards the conclusion, which provides some answers to the questions you’ve built up throughout The Feeding, while also ensuring you’re even more curious about what else is out in the wasteland. After a gritty final confrontation, as well as some last-minute tragedy, Ryan ends The Feeding on a mostly hopeful and heartfelt note, which includes an excellent family moment bonding over a classic. This proved to be an excellent end to The Feeding’s standalone narrative, although Ryan does leave the story open for a potential sequel going forward, which I personally would be curious to see.

Ryan pulls together a tight, complex and character-driven narrative in The Feeding that I think worked extremely well. Grabbing the reader’s attention early, Ryan does an excellent job painting the post-apocalyptic scene, and I loved the complex world of walled cities and vampire-infested wastelands that emerged. The combined tension of mass human desperation and the dark overwhelming threat of feeders surrounding the city ensures that the reader knows how deadly this version of the world is from the beginning, which ensures you are really invested in the protagonist’s personal journey. The feeders themselves prove to be outstanding vampiric antagonists for much of the plot, especially with the combination of feral beast gamma feeders and more intelligent betas and alphas, providing some variation in the threat they posed. Ryan crafts together some outstanding and scary sequences involving the feeders as the novel continues, and your pulse is guaranteed to race every time they appear, especially once the death toll starts to rise. Combine that with Ryan’s proven ability to write good action scenes, of which there are some fantastic moments, as well as some excellent and compelling supporting characters (try not to get too attached though), and this really was a fantastically written novel. I was honestly really impressed with how Ryan transitioned from his usual fantasy style to this powerful and moving horror novel, while also retaining his typical imagination and intense storytelling ability.

As has become my habit with all the previous Anthony Ryan novels I’ve enjoyed, I ended up listening to The Feeding on audiobook, which I’ve always found compliments the author’s writing style and worldbuilding extremely well. This proved to once again be the case for The Feeding, with the format really enhancing the tension and fast-paced sequences loaded into this great horror story. It helped that they got another very skilled narrator in the form of Devon Sorvari, who took on the role of the one perspective protagonist extremely well. While it did take me a chapter or two to completely appreciate Sorvari’s narration style, once I got into her groove, I begun to really appreciate her take on the story and the intriguing characters. Sorvari perfectly captures the damaged and determined spirit of the main character Layla throughout The Feeding, and the alternate accents and voices she brings for the rest of the cast also work really well. Sorvari also keeps the pace of The Feeding constantly going, and the way she can enhance the tension of the audiobook through her voice work ensures you are constantly on the edge of your seat as you listen to it. Thanks to this excellent narration, I got through the audiobooks roughly 10-hour runtime extremely quickly, and this proved to be a particularly amazing audiobook to listen to.

Anthony Ryan continues to greatly impress with his captivating and highly entertaining horror novel The Feeding. Featuring an outstanding vampire-focused narrative in a complex post-apocalyptic world, The Feeding was a very fun and emotionally charged read, that I couldn’t get enough of. I had such a brilliant time with The Feeding, and it comes very highly recommend as a result. I will be seeking out more of Ryan’s dives into the horror genre going forward, and I cannot wait to see what other creepy tales he has planned.

The Final Vow by M. W. Craven

On January 11, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn ThrillerLeave a comment

Publisher: Constable (Trade Paperback – 12 August 2025)

Series: Washington Poe – Book Seven

Length: 390 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

One of world’s most outrageous and entertaining thriller writers, M. W. Craven, continues one of his best series in impressive fashion with The Final Vow, a captivating and highly addictive novel that I couldn’t get enough of.

M. W. Craven is an outstanding author who has written a truly interesting array of thrillers throughout his career. This includes his original Avison Fluke series, as well as the great action-focused Ben Koenig series, the latter of which I have deeply enjoyed in recent years thanks to amazing books like Fearless and Nobody’s Hero. However, his main body of work is his excellent Washington Poe series that started back in 2018 with The Puppet Show. Following a grumpy but skilled detective who gets partnered with a brilliant prodigy to solve the country’s most complex crimes, the Washington Poe novels are quite exceptional. I personally fell in love with the series when I read the dark and intense novel, The Mercy Chair. A particularly clever read loaded with an overabundance of well-thought-out twists, The Mercy Chair was an exceptional read, and it ended up being one of my favourite books of 2024. As such, I have been quite eager to continue the Washington Poe books, and the seventh entry in the series, The Final Vow, was one of my most anticipated books of 2025.

The people of England are living in a constant state of terror. A murderous sniper is stalking the nation, shooting people at random and leaving no evidence behind. This brutal shooter has so far killed over a dozen people throughout various parts of the country, never missing and always killing those who least expect it. With the entire population locked down and hiding in their homes, the police and government are so desperate for results that they turn to the unconventional team of Detective Sergeant Washington Poe and his genius partner Tilly Bradshaw.

After their last major case saw Poe reassigned to the worst position in UK law enforcement, and Bradshaw snapped up by the country’s intelligence services, the two seem like an unlikely choice to save the day. But with the help of their squad leader, Detective Chief Inspector Stephanie Flynn, there is no duo who stands a better chance of finding a killer who seems to strike completely at random.

However, as Poe and Bradshaw begin their investigation, they find themselves tracking a particularly skilled and deadly killer seemingly capable of countering all their moves. Forced to rely on unconventional methods and Bradshaw’s out-of-the-box conclusions, the duo soon finds themselves narrowing in on the shooter and identifying his sinister motives. But identifying the killer and capturing him are two very different things, and if they want to take him down, Poe knows he’ll have to make things personal, no matter what it costs him.

Craven continues to showcase why he is one of the world’s best rising thriller authors, as The Final Vow was a particularly powerful and impressive read that I had such a brilliant time with. Featuring a deeply compelling story, loaded with unique characters, complex motivations, and fitted with the author’s slick humour, The Final Vow was an incredible read from start to finish. I flew through this book in less than a day, it was that damn good, and I’m still thinking about its cool twists and reveals.

The Final Vow proved to be an extremely entertaining read, and it had one of the more unique and memorable thriller narratives of 2025. Starting off with a dark hint of events to come, Craven soon perfectly sets the terrifying scene for the novel, with the country shuttered by fear thanks to a deadly sniper. With the government desperate to stop the killing, they reluctantly bring back Detective Sergeant Washington Poe, whose reintroduction here was particularly entertaining and does a good job highlighting his unorthodox style. Once again teaming up with anti-social genius Tilly Bradshaw, Poe and his other police colleagues begin their unique investigation into the crime. Using some very interesting tactics while the body count from the sniper continues to rise, Poe and Bradshaw are soon able to determine the killer’s focus, which allows them to identify who the shooter is. However, uncovering their target’s skills, background and outrageously over-the-top motive completely changes the entire story, and forces the protagonists into a particularly deadly hunt.

Craven keeps up the intensity and complexity of the plot into the second half of The Final Vow, as Poe uses his new information to try and find the killer. However, after some very tense scenes and some surprising tragedy, Poe decides on a risky gambit, and makes the killer very angry by publicly humiliating him in a glorious scene. This results in an interesting final third of The Final Vow, which goes in some dark directions, while also setting up for a big final confrontation. I must admit that while I did enjoy how this final third of the book came about, I saw the author’s big twist coming from a mile away, which removed a lot of the emotional impact Craven was hoping for. Still, it was very entertaining and compelling to see this twist play out the way it did, especially as Craven also utilised an extended sequence showcasing the background behind the twist. While this behind-the-scenes section of The Final Vow is a little self-indulgent, it does provide some interesting context and entertaining character interactions, while also showcasing how easy it is to control public perception. This leads up to a heartfelt final sequence of the book, which is a nice reward after the very dark narrative that makes up most of The Final Vow, and readers will come away from this book very entertained and extremely satisfied.

The Final Vow proved to be another awesome read from Craven, who manages to ensure that this book is somehow simultaneously dark and thrilling while also being highly entertaining and a little light-hearted. The entire set-up for The Final Vow is extremely shocking, with a calculating sniper killing seemingly at random, and creating a palpable atmosphere of fear across the entire country. The tension and terror that inhabit the scenes where the killer strikes are quite exceptional, as is the impact his shots have on the witnesses and the public. However, Craven matches this excellent tension with the outrageous and over-the-top, both in the actions of the protagonists and in the crazy motivation of the antagonist, which alters much of The Final Vow’s underlying feel, turning it into quite a zany book at times. This underlying lightness does disappear at key moments, especially when the antagonist strikes at the main character’s heart, and there are some dark sequences throughout that will keep the readers on the edge of their seats. Combine that with Craven’s constant fast-paced revelations, clever investigation elements and great character work, and The Final Vow turns into quite an addictive read where you never know what is going to happen next.

Despite being the seventh book in the Washington Poe series, The Final Vow works well as a standalone novel, which is how Craven generally intends his novels to be enjoyed. New readers can easily jump into The Final Vow with no prior knowledge of Craven’s previous works and still get swept up in his entertaining storytelling, and this is a very fun author to read for the first time. While a great standalone novel, established fans of Craven and this series will probably get a little more out of The Final Vow, mainly because those readers will have a little more knowledge of the damaged protagonists, and the established relationships that they have. Watching these character elements, especially between Poe and Tilly, continue in this new novel hit a little harder if you’re already familiar with it, especially during some of the darker moments of the plot. Craven also makes some compelling references to the previous novel in the series, The Mercy Chair, throughout The Final Vow, including the utilisation of a very distinctive character from this earlier book, who has a great Hannibal Lecter inspired role in the plot. I felt this character’s inclusion was very fun, and readers familiar with their interactions with Poe in The Mercy Chair will appreciate how they continue to be used here. Throw in the utilisation of a character from another one of the author’s series, and The Final Vow is a book that Craven fans are going to have a lot of fun with, while still appealing to a wider audience.

The characters of The Final Vow were also a great highlight of this novel, and I loved how entertaining and outrageous they are at times. The continued antics of maverick cop Washington Poe and his unlikely offsider and best friend Tilly Bradshaw result in most of the book’s fantastic humour, especially when the characters are forced to interact with police and characters unfamiliar with their style. However, I really do have to highlight the antagonist of The Final Vow as my favourite character of the book. The deadly sniper who has single-handedly terrorised England with their killings works well as a fantastic villain for Poe and Bradshaw, especially as you quickly become aware of how clever and deadly they are, and they prove to be a great equal to the protagonists. However, it is their underlying motivations that really showcase just how despicable they are as a villain. While I don’t want to give too much away here, as discovering their motivations is such a fantastic part of the experience of The Final Vow, the sheer pettiness behind their actions really goes to showcase just how twisted and dark they really are. Combine that with their desire for revenge at any perceived sleight, and the lengths they will go to destroy their opponent, and this killer truly is an outstanding villain for the narrative, who you can’t help but be impressed with. This great combination of wacky protagonists, an over-the-top antagonist, and an excellent collection of supporting characters, including some recurring figures from the previous books in the series, and The Final Vow’s cast added a lot to the overall impact of the book, and it is going to be interesting to see where some of these characters go next.

M. W. Craven continues to shine as one of the more inventive and entertaining thriller writers currently release awesome tales. His latest novel, The Final Vow, was a particularly fun and exciting read, that perfectly combines its tense and deadly narrative, with the fun antics of its outrageous cast. I powered through The Final Vow in no time at all, and this was such a great novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next Washington Poe novel later this year, and I’m sure it’s going to be another exceptional read.

The Blackfire Blade by James Logan

On January 11, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy1 Comment

Publisher: Arcardia (Trade Paperback – 11 November 2025)

Series: The Last Legacy – Book Two

Length: 583 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Prepare for adventure, intrigue and some fantastic character dynamics in the outstanding 2025 fantasy novel, The Blackfire Blade by James Logan.

Back in 2024 I had the pleasure of reading the outstanding The Silverblood Promise, which was the debut of author James Logan. A cool fantasy novel and the first book in the author’s The Last Legacy series, The Silverblood Promise followed the banished scion of a noble house, Lukan Gardova, who finds out that his estranged father had been murdered. Determined to find out who killed him, Lukan follows the one clue his father left him and winds up in an enticing Mediterranean-inspired fantasy city teaming with its own secret problems. Needing to uncover a conspiracy deep within this setting before he can achieve his goals, Lukan finds himself teaming up with a brave street urchin and a talented master thief to save the day. I really loved this awesome first novel from Logan, and The Silverblood Promise ended up being one of my favourite debuts of 2024. As such, I have been looking forward to Logan’s second novel for a while, and I was very happy to get my hands on The Silverblood Promise’s sequel a few weeks ago. This sequel, The Blackfire Blade, was another amazing read with an outstanding and highly entertaining plot behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

Winter has come early to Korslakov, City of Spires, and Lukan Gardova has arrived with it. Most visitors to this famous city of artifice seek technological marvels, or alchemical ingenuity. Lukan only desires the unknown legacy his father has left for him, in the vaults of the Blackfire Bank.

But when Lukan’s past catches up with him, his key to the vault ends up in the hands of a mysterious thief known only as the Rook. As Lukan and his companions race to recover the key, they soon find themselves trapped in a web of murder and deceit. In desperation, Lukan requests the help of Lady Marni Volkova, scion to Korslakov’s most powerful family.

Yet Lady Marni has secrets of her own. Worse, she has plans for Lukan and his friends. Plans that involve a journey into Korslakov’s dark past, in search of a long-lost alchemical formula that could prove to be the city’s greatest discovery . . . or its destruction.

The Blackfire Blade was another extremely awesome fantasy adventure novel from James Logan, who showcases his growth as a writer with this excellent sequel. Following three loveable, if chaotic, protagonists as they explore a new intricate urban fantasy setting, The Blackfire Blade was an exciting blast from start to finish, and I cannot get enough of this amazing series.

James Logan produced another particularly entertaining adventure narrative for The Blackfire Blade, which quickly drags you in with its fun excitement. Effectively reintroducing you to the three main protagonists, Lukan, the former street urchin Flea and thief Ashra Seramis, better known as Lady Midnight, as they finally reach their destination of Korslakov. Hoping to uncover the clue to Lukan’s father’s murder that is hidden within Korslakov’s Blackfire Bank, the group finds their mission imperilled when a drunken Lukan immediately has the vault key stolen by a mysterious thief, known as the Rook. With no other way of accessing the vault, Lukan and his companions desperately search for the Rook with the help of some unlikely friends within the city. However, they soon run afoul of some of Korslakov’s elites and become indebted to Lady Marni Volkova, a minor character from The Silverblood Promise.

This first part of the book nicely sets the scene for the rest of The Blackfire Blade’s plot, and I found myself really drawn into the various political intrigues and complex feuds that make up high society in Kroslakov. Logan also does a great job setting up some interesting dynamics amongst the protagonists, which allowed the characters to come together as a more cohesive family going forward. The second half of The Blackfire Blade was all excellent action and adventure, as the protagonists find themselves continuously forced to take on even more dangerous escapades to pay off their debts and recover the key. This includes a particularly deadly job navigating the most dangerous parts of the city, to find an alchemical formula. This part of the story was so damn fun, and features a great mix of scary monsters, fast-paced action, and some very interesting details about the city.

The final third of The Blackfire Blade features a range of fantastic sequences that really showcase the author’s imagination when it comes to unique obstacles and threats. Highlights include an excellent heist sequence, manipulations of the city’s warring elite, and encounters with a secret society determined to keep the formula out of anyone’s hands. Logan throws in a lot of great twists and turns here, and you are constantly on the edge of your seat as you wait to see what chaos will be unleashed next. Everything leads up to the entertaining and destructive finale, where all the lies and secrets come to light, and the protagonists are forced to come together against a truly overwhelming opponent. Logan clearly has fun detailing the resulting insanity that emerges, and it led to an impressive and deeply entertaining continuous action sequence. The Blackfire Blade wraps up with Lukan finally getting some details about the larger series narrative, which looks set to lead to some awesome additional adventures, and readers are guaranteed to come away from this book extremely satisfied.

I really enjoyed how The Blackfire Blade came together as a novel, and it is very clear that Logan has developed his skills when it comes to writing action-focused, fast-paced fantasy adventure narratives. Working extremely well as both a standalone novel and a great sequel to The Silverblood Promise (thanks to a great summary of the first book included at the start), The Blackfire Blade continues in a similar vein to the first Last Legacy novel, with the protagonists forced to explore and understand a new city before they can continue their main quest. While some readers might not appreciate the requirement for each book in this series to devolve into side quests before the main storyline can be explored, I really liked how it turned out in The Blackfire Blade, as the resulting intrigue, exploration of the city, and following deadly adventures, made for some outstanding reading. It helps that Logan excels at writing awesome and intense action sequences, and there are a lot of extremely fun moments scattered throughout this novel. Throw in some very moment sequences where Logan continues to develop his protagonists and their unique relationships, and The Blackfire Blade was a very worthy sequel to the author’s first book, and I felt it was actually a stronger overall novel.

One of the things that most impressed me about The Blackfire Blade was the way that Logan built and introduced a whole new unique fantasy city that the protagonists were forced to explore and understand. Serving as a fantastic contrast to the sunny and crime-infested Saphrona, the setting of The Silverblood Promise, Korslakov is a grim and snow-shrouded city of power, invention and alchemical might. The gloomy, purple fire covered spires of Korslakov, perfectly matches the mood of the book’s main characters as they attempt to find their feet in this new local, and the subsequent exploration and understanding of this new urban setting, are some of the best parts of the book. It’s impressive how effortlessly Logan moves his characters through the various elements of Korslakov, from the decadent battles of the high society to the terrifying abandoned section of the city, infested with flesh-eating monstrosities. All these detailed and well-written elements of Korslakov play a compelling role in The Blackfire Blade’s narrative, and the city feels like a major character in the book, with the protagonists and the reader, needing to fully understand and appreciate its place in the narrative. It will be very interesting to see what awesome new city Logan comes up with in his third Last Legacy book, but it’s going to be hard to top the setting he utilised here.

The final element of The Blackfire Blade that I want to highlight here are the complex and likeable central protagonists that Logan bases his story around. The three main characters, Lukan, Ashra and the very entertaining Flea, are excellent figures, each of whom are dealing with their own issues, such as Lukan’s drunken depression, Flea’s fear of abandonment and Ashra’s constant worry about vengeful enemies coming after her. Logan ensures that all three of these characters are well utilised in The Blackfire Blade, with a mostly equal balance of perspective chapters where they can work out their separate issues. While in some ways these protagonists, mainly Lukan, have lost a little of the development from the first book, Logan works through that again, which ensures they come out of this latest adventure stronger. However, the real magic of these protagonists is the way that Logan has morphed them into unconventional and dysfunctional family unit, that never ceases to entertain. While they may bicker, argue and misunderstand each other throughout the book, the reader is never in doubt that they care for each other, and this allows them to be an extremely likeable bunch who you constantly root for (especially Flea).

Aside from the three main protagonists, The Blackfire Blade is loaded with a highly entertaining and often outrageous collection of supporting characters, all of whom add a lot to the book’s impact. Primarily focused on the elites of Korslakov, who the protagonists need to deal with to achieve their goals, you are introduced to an interesting array of backstabbing nobles and self-important lords, whose intrigues and squabbles are a key part of the plot. My favourites include grizzled general Leopold Razin, who proves to be a particularly entertaining, if tragic, ally to the protagonists. There was also the imposing Lady Wretzky, the Iron Dame, who more than lives up to her title during her interactions with the main cast. I also need to highlight the deadly Lady Marni Volkova, an ultra-wealthy heiress who Lucan finds himself indebted to and whose appearances are always quite entertaining as she pulls the main character’s strings. There was also the briefly featured Clank, a great character whose inclusion reveals one of Korslakov’s biggest secrets, while also having some amazing interactions with Flea. I’m honestly only barely scratching the surface of all the very entertaining and compelling characters featured in The Blackfire Blade, and I was really impressed with Logan’s ability to create and then utilise this amazing cast in his second book.

James Logan continues to shine as one of fantasy fiction’s newest rising authors. His second novel, The Blackfire Blade, was a wonderful and highly entertaining read, that serves as an outstanding sequel to his amazing first novel. Exciting, powerful and extremely addictive, The Blackfire Blade really showcased Logan’s amazing ability as an author, and I honestly could not get enough of this incredible fantasy read. This second book from Logan was so damn good, and I cannot wait to see what adventures, revelations and heartfelt moments await us in his next entry in The Last Legacy series.

WWW Wednesday – 7 January 2026

On January 10, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

On the Edge by Kate Horan (Trade Paperback)

This week I started to read the intriguing new Australian crime fiction novel, On the Edge by Kate Hora, next. Set in smalltown Australia, On the Edge follows a damaged protagonist who returns to her old hometown, years after her best friend was murdered. I’ve made a fair bit of progress with On the Edge so far, and it is proving to be an excellent and compelling read. I’m hoping to finish On the Edge off in the next few days and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Warhammer 40,000: Vagabond Squadron by Robbie MacNiven (Audiobook)

I was still in a Warhammer 40,000 mood this week, so I decided to check out the late 2025 release, Vagabond Squadron. The new book from impressive Warhammer author Robbie MacNiven (whose previous novel Oaths of Damnation I deeply enjoyed), Vagabond Squadron is an exciting read that follows an elite squadron of transport pilots who are forced through hell in the grimdark battlegrounds of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. I have been powering through the audiobook version of Vagabond Squadron this week and I’m hoping to finish it off very soon.

What did you recently finish reading?

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino (Trade Paperback)

I managed to finish off the debut novel from Marisa Kashino, Best Offer Wins, this week. A very fun and entertaining thriller about obsession and desperation in the current housing market, Best Offer Wins was an outstanding novel, and one I had such an amazing time getting through.

Warhammer 40,000: Demolisher by Andy Clark (Audiobook)

I also finished off Warhammer 40,000 novel Demolisher by Andy Clark this week. The sequel to Steel Tread, Demolisher was another outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novel filled with great characters, desperate situations and some amazing tank battles. An epic book I’m hoping to review soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Trespassers by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

While I have several awesome books to read at the moment, including some great early 2026 releases, the next book I’m intending to read is the late 2025 young adult thriller The Trespassers. This new thriller from Jennifer Lynn Alvarez is an amazing sounding novel that will follow a group of teens as they try to cover up the events of a deadly party in the Alaskan wilderness. I have been looking forward to reading The Trespassers for a while, especially after deeply enjoying Alvarez’s previous young adult thrillers, Lies Like Wildfire and Friends Like These, and I am sure this is going to be another gripping novel.

That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Waiting on Wednesday – Redbelly Crossing by Candice Fox

On January 10, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Waiting on WednesdayLeave a comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I check out an outstanding upcoming Australian crime fiction read with Redbelly Crossing by the always awesome Candice Fox.

I’m always down for an epic crime fiction read from a talented local author, and few Australian authors have been as consistently impressive with their thrillers and murder mysteries then Candice Fox. Currently one of Australia’s top authors of the genre, Fox has been on a roll in recent years, providing a range of excellent novels, from complex American thrillers like The Chase, Devil’s Kitchen and Fire With Fire, to unique Australian outback thrillers such as High Wire. She has also continued her exciting partnership with the legendary James Patterson, with some recent releases including 2 Sisters Detective Agency, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations and The Murder Inn. All these books have been a ton of fun to get through, and I always make sure to keep an eye out for anything new from Fox, especially as it’s likely to be a guaranteed hit.

For 2026 it looks like Fox will be returning to Australian outback thriller fiction, with Redbelly Crossing, an intriguing, character-focused novel with a lot of interesting potential behind it. Set for release in late March 2026, Redbelly Crossing will follow two estranged cop brothers who are assigned to the same murder case in small-town, outback Australia. Fox looks set to combine a compelling mystery with some intense character moments, as these two damaged police protagonists are forced to work together. I cannot wait to see what dark family secrets and historical wounds are reopened as the story continues, and it should provide a particularly dramatic backdrop to an intriguing outback mystery. Combine that with Fox’s exciting and fast-paced writing style and Redbelly Crossing looks set to be a particularly awesome piece of Australian fiction coming out in early 2026, and it’s one I cannot wait to check out.

Plot Synopsis:

Blood is thicker than water. But too much leaves a trail . . .

Russell and Evan Powder are cops.

The brothers haven’t spoken for five years, since a violent confrontation tore their family apart.

Now they are both assigned to the murder of a young journalist, Chloe Lutz, in the small town of Redbelly Crossing (population 205).

It’s the last thing Russell wants. This is supposed to be the week he repairs things with his teenage daughter Bridie. Now he’s had to drag her on a murderous ride-along to the middle of snake-infested nowhere.

But a big case like this is just what Evan needs after a terrible mistake nearly tanked his career.

Then a dark discovery leaves Evan with only one way out; to bury the truth Russell is so determined to uncover …

Top Ten Tuesday – My Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2026

On January 7, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn List5 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this Top Ten Tuesday, I will be listing my most anticipated books for the first half of the year. This is a regular post I do each year and I always look forward to highlighting the most awesome looking books coming out in the next six months.

2026 is shaping up to be an outstanding year for awesome and impressive fiction with a ton of epic and amazing sounding novels set for release throughout the year. I am particularly excited about the next six months as there are some deeply impressive books coming out that I am extremely keen for. This includes some fantastic sounding sequels, continuations to brilliant series, and several cool new novels from some very talented authors. Because there are so many incredible reads coming out across the genres, I am extending this list out to a Top Twenty list to cover all the big release coming out until July. I have already highlighted several of these books in some previous lists and Waiting on Wednesday articles which has made me really appreciate just how awesome the upcoming year is going to be.

For this list, I am only featuring books that are set for release in Australia or on Netgalley between 1 January 2026 and 30 June 2026 which I have some descent details about. I ended up with a huge collection of exceptional novels that I wanted to feature, which made completing this list surprisingly difficult. I made it a little easier on myself by only including one book per author, which helped considerably, and I was eventually able to break it down to the best 20 books and I feel that I have capture the books that are going to be the best fiction reads of the first half of 2026. So let us see what made the cut.

Top Twenty List:

The Right to Remain by James Grippando – 6 January 2026

Let’s start this list off with some awesome legal thriller fiction, with the cool new book from James Grippando, The Right to Remain. The 20^th book in the author’s Jack Swyteck series (of which I’ve previously enjoyed Goodbye Girl and Grave Danger), The Right to Remain will once again follow Grippando’s lawyer protagonist into a complex courtroom battle as he attempts to defend a man who literally refuses to say a single word in his own defence. The Right to Remain has a very interesting plot idea behind it and I cannot wait to check it out.

Dark Desert Road by Tim Ayliffe – 6 January 2026

There are quite a few excellent Australian novels coming out in the first half of 2026, but one of the ones I’m most excited for is Dark Desert Road. A new novel from Australian author Tim Ayliffe, who has previously impressed with his John Bailey series, Dark Desert Road will serve as an interesting change of pace from the author, as he provides a more thriller-based narrative around a new protagonist, while also touching on some worrying contemporary issues in Australia. I am extremely curious to see how Dark Desert Road turns out, and I’m hoping to read this book very soon.

City of Others by Jared Poon – 13 January 2026

One very fun debut that I am excited for in the coming months is the amazing sounding fantasy novel City of Others by Jared Poon. A cool urban fantasy set in Singapore, City of Others will follow an overworked bureaucrat tasked with keeping the city’s supernatural population happy while also attempting to stop all of Singapore from disappearing. Due to its entertaining plot and interesting setting, I think this debut has a lot of potential and I am extremely excited to check it out.

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher – 20 January 2026

One of the fantasy novels that I am most excited to read in 2026 is Twelve Months, the long-awaited 18^th book in Jim Butcher’s iconic Dresden Files series. Set in the aftermath of the devastating Battle Ground (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020), Twelve Months will see the grieving wizard protagonist continue to protect Chicago from all manner of dark supernatural threats, while also forced to deal with the complex magical politics infecting his life. I cannot wait to see how this series continues, especially after power reading the entire series after loving Battle Ground (all of which was pretty damn epic, including Dead Beat, Changes and Skin Games, just to name a few). If Butcher continues to feature his usual complex characters, impressive narratives and clever worldbuilding, Twelve Months will easily be another exceptional read, and I am so damn eager to read this new Dresden Files offering.

30Seven by Jeremy Robinson – 20 January 2026

One of the more inventive authors of science fiction thrillers, Jeremy Robinson, is set to have a very successful 2026, with a couple of fantastic novels on the way. The first of these is the particularly awesome novel 30Seven, which has such an epic alien abduction plot. I love the sound of this book, especially as the protagonist will not only have to protect his child from the aliens, but also from a human serial killer who has been abducted alongside them. One of the more distinctive science fiction novels coming out, I already know that 30Seven is going to be awesome and I’m very excited for it.

Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K. J. Parker – 27 January 2026

The always entertaining K. J. Parker returns with a cool new comedy fantasy series in 2026, starting with the awesome book Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead. The first book in the Loyal Opposition trilogy, Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead will introduce the trilogy’s titular protagonist, a faithful nun who also serves as her church’s murderous fixer. Tasked with making a meddling princess disappear, Sister Svangerd infiltrates a famed religious conference, only to encounter religious intrigue, murder and revenge, that they need to navigate their mission around. I really love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to see what over-the-top schemes and plots the protagonist will need to overcome. This is going to be such an epic book, and Parker already has a sequel set for release in May 2026 with Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know, which I also have very high hopes for.

Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman – 3 February 2026

Over the last few years, I have come to really enjoy the compelling and unique mysteries of Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series. Following two fun protagonists as they attempt to solve some of the more unusual murders in Los Angeles, the long-running Alex Delaware series always provides a fantastic mystery in the new year. Kellerman’s next book is the particularly intriguing sounding Jigsaw that will see the protagonists investigate two seemingly unconnected murders, neither of which are what they seem. I have had such a great time with the previous Alex Delaware novels, and I cannot wait to see how this new book turns out.

Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz – 10 February 2026

Greggy Hurwitz will continue to explore his complex former spy, turned vigilante protagonist Evan Smoake in the upcoming new Orphan X novel, Antihero. Following on from the traumatic events of Nemesis, Antihero will see a further damaged Evan attempt to save a woman in trouble. However, Evan finds himself with an unusual handicap, as his new client doesn’t want him to hurt anyone. I have no doubt that Antihero is going to be one of the more distinctive and emotionally charged entries in an always exceptional series, although I’m a little worried about what trauma Hurwitz puts his protagonist through next.

Pretenders to the Throne of God by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 12 February 2026

While the always impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky has several intriguing novels coming out in early 2026 (including the awesome sounding Green City Wars), the book of his I am most excited for is Pretenders to the Throne of God. The fourth book in Tchaikovsky’s Tyrant Philosophers series, Pretenders to the Throne of God will follow on from City of Last Chances (one of my favourite audiobooks of 2023), House of Open Wounds (one of my favourite books of 2023) and Days of Shattered Faith (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025). This new novel will once again follow a complex group of characters as they attempt to survive the dark expansion of a fanatical militaristic empire, this time centred around the siege of a magical city. The last three books in this series have been amongst the cleverest and most compelling pieces of fantasy fiction I have had the pleasure of reading, and I have no doubt that this upcoming book is going to be just as impressive.

The Hard Line by Mark Greaney – 24 February 2026

The thriller hits keep on coming in early 2026, as we also have a new Gray Man novel from Mark Greaney with The Hard Line. An amazing sounding continuation of this iconic thriller series, The Hard Line will see the protagonist forced to deal with family drama, while also contending with a vengeful assassin who may be even more skilled than he is. This sounds like another particularly incredible inclusion in one of the best ongoing spy thriller series out there, and I cannot wait to see all the elaborate action sequences and clever storytelling The Hard Line is sure to contain.

Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry – 10 March 2026

I doubt anyone familiar with my blog will be too surprised that a new Jonathan Maberry novel is making this list, especially after I have spent the last few weeks talking up Maberry’s most recent release, Cold War. Maberry’s next novel, Red Empire, will be the fifth book in the Rogue Team International series, which itself is a spinoff of the author’s epic Joe Ledger novels. Following on from excellent books like Rage, Relentless, Cave 13 and Burn to Shine, Red Empire will see the protagonists fight against an old enemy determined to unleash unimaginable destruction. This new novel from Maberry sounds pretty damn incredible, and I am very eager to read it, especially as the synopsis promises some big reveals regarding an enigmatic figure who has intrigued fans since the very first Joe Ledger book.

Blindside by Michael Mammay – 24 March 2026

One of the big science fiction novels I’m looking forward to reading in early 2026 is Blindside by the very talented Michael Mammay. Part of the author’s very impressive Planetside series, Blindside will see Mammay’s retired soldier protagonist, Colonel Carl Butler, engage in a new thrilling story when old enemies target those closest to him. However, this time the enemy is ready for Butler’s cowboy antics, and all hell looks set to be unleashed. I am extremely eager to get my hands on Blindside in March, especially after deeply enjoying all the previous Planetside novels like Planetside, Spaceside, Colonyside and Darkside, and I have no doubt this next book is going to be particularly captivating.

First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston – 14 April 2026

One of the more unique fantasy novels on this list is the very entertainingly titled First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston. Johnston, who has previously deeply impressed with over-the-top fantasy novels like The Maleficent Seven and The Last Shield, is going all out again with his new novel, which as the title suggests, will see a group of mages attempt to fly to their moon. Sure to be an extremely epic book that will combine magic with elaborate technology in a war-torn nation, First Mage on the Moon sounds like a particularly unique and crazy read, and I for one cannot wait to check it out.

Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie – 28 April 2026

One of the darker pieces of Australian fiction I am looking forward to in 2026 is the new book from Sarah Barrie, Dark Sanctuary. Barrie, who really impressed me with her Lexi Winter novels (Unforgiven, Retribution, Vendetta and Endgame), looks set to drop another elaborate and twisted thriller in Dark Sanctuary, and I love the cool synopsis for this book that will follow several people dragged into a series of connected crimes. I look forward to seeing what Barrie’s outstanding imagination has cooked up this time, and I feel that Dark Sanctuary has the potential to be one of the top Australian fiction releases of the year.

Sisters of the Lizard by Jackson Ford – 5 May 2026

One of the more unique entries coming out in the coming months is the very entertaining Sisters of the Lizard by Jackson Ford. The fun follow-up to Ford’s amazing 2025 novel, The Bone Raiders, which saw a small group of raiders attempt to keep their freedom by taming giant, fire-breathing lizards to use as mounts, Sisters of the Lizard will continue these character’s adventures, as they face off against new foes and dangers. I already know this is going to be an amazing and highly exciting novel, and I cannot wait to see where Ford takes his unique and extremely funny narrative idea going forward.

Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell – 12 May 2026

The next entry on this list was one I’d hoped to read last year, however, Our Lady of Blades got pushed back to 2026 (at least we got the bonkers novel The Malevolent Eight in 2025). Luckily, we don’t have too much longer to wait until Our Lady of Blades comes out, and it now looks set to be one of the top fantasy releases of 2026. The next book in de Castell’s Court of Shadows series (part of his larger Greatcoats universe), Our Lady of Blades will follow on from the loosely connected novels Crucible of Chaos and Play of Shadows. Featuring an intriguing story of revenge and redemption in a city obsessed with duels, Our Lady of Blades will feature de Castell’s trademark humour, complex storytelling, and expansion of his elaborate fantasy world. I look forward to seeing how Our Lady of Blades ties into the other Court of Shadows novels, and I have a feeling this is going to be a particularly impressive fantasy highlight of 2026.

A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman – 12 May 2026

While I was tempted to include Matt Dinniman’s other planned 2026 novel, Operation Bounce House, on this list, I instead had to feature the epic upcoming novel A Parade of Horribles (cover yet to be released), which is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. The eighth book in Matt Dinniman’s exceedingly popular Dungeon Crawler Carl series, A Parade of Horribles will continue to follow protagonists Carl and his sentient cat Princess Donut, as they attempt to survive the increasingly deadly and utterly bonkers dungeon formed from the detritus of a destroyed Earth. While most of the details about A Parade of Horribles’ plot have yet to be released (it will apparently have a cool race focussed plot, which gives me some awesome Mad Max flashes), you have to know it is going to be something particularly epic and incredible, especially as all the previous novels in the series have been utterly exceptional and brilliantly bonkers. I have so much love for this series after having become irreversibly addicted to it last year (highlights include Dungeon Crawler Carl, The Butcher’s Masquerade and The Eye of the Bedlam Bride), and I am so damn eager to see how this series will continue. I personally am planning to listen to A Parade of Horribles on audiobook (narrated by the insanely talented Jeff Hays), and I cannot wait to see how this new novel unfolds. If you haven’t experienced the Dungeon Crawler Carl series yet, do yourself a favour and check them out on audiobook before A Parade of Horribles comes out, you will not be disappointed!

Ironwood by Michael Connelly – 19 May 2026

One of the last crime fiction books I want to feature on this list has the potential to be one of the best with the next fantastic novel from Michael Connelly, Ironwood. The sequel to his intriguing 2025 novel Nightshade, Ironwood will once again focus on Connelly’s new protagonist Detective Stilwell, as he attempts to solve crimes from his banished post of Catalina Island. However, in this book, he finds himself teaming up with another Connelly protagonist, with Detective Renée Ballard serving as a supporting character. This should result in quite an intense and addictive crime fiction read, and I am particularly keen to read Ironwood as soon as I can.

Mortedant’s Peril by R. J. Barker – 19 May 2026

The penultimate book I want to highlight is the epic new fantasy novel from R. J. Barker, Mortedant’s Peril. An intriguing sounding urban fantasy, Mortedant’s Peril will follow a protagonist hunted throughout his city for reading the final thoughts of the wrong dead man. I have a lot of confidence that Barker is going to pull out something special with this new novel, especially after impressing with all his previous trilogies, and I am confident that Mortedant’s Peril is going to be a top book of 2026.

A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett – 9 June 2026

Perhaps one of the most impressive and addictive new fantasy series from the last two years has been the Shadow of the Leviathan books by Robert Jackson Bennett. An extremely clever and compelling fantasy murder mystery series that sees the chaotic team of an over-enhanced investigator and her faithful assistant, solve impossible crimes in a nation constantly under attack from giant monsters. Both the previous books in this series, The Tainted Cup and A Drop of Corruption, have been exceptional five-star reads, and I have been eagerly waiting for the next entry in the series ever since I finished the last page of the second Shadow of the Leviathan novel. This third upcoming book, A Trade of Blood (cover yet to be released), will see the protagonist attempt to stop a violent civil war by proving that a member of a powerful family is innocent of a gruesome murder. However, the protagonists soon find themselves dragged into a dark conspiracy against a ruthless opponent determined to destroy the nation. A Trade of Blood sounds just as incredible as the previous two Shadow of the Leviathan novels, and I cannot wait to unwind this latest narrative and it’s no-doubt elaborate and captivating fantasy-based mystery.

Well, that’s the end of this first list. As you can see, there are some mighty impressive novels coming out the first half of this year. All the above entries on this list have an incredible amount of potential and I have a feeling I am going to deeply enjoy every single of one of these great reads. 2026 is going to be an outstanding year for fiction, not only with these amazing books, but because of some of the other ones potentially coming out later this year. I look forward to seeing how all these cool novels turn out, and I think I am going to have an extremely incredible time reading these authors in 2026.

Waiting on Wednesday – Ironwood by Michael Connelly

On January 4, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight the outstanding upcoming novel Ironwood by the master of crime fiction, Michael Connelly.

Michael Connelly is an author who needs very introduction on this blog, especially with the impressive array of awesome crime fiction novels he has released over the years. I have had so much fun reading and reviewing several of his most recent books ever since I started the Unseen Library, including his latest novel, The Proving Ground, which recently appeared on my favourite books of 2025 list. As such, all of Connelly’s new books are instantly at the top of my to-read lists, and this includes his next intriguing novel, Ironwood.

Set for release in May 2026, Ironwood is the sequel to Connelly’s other 2025 novel, Nightshade, and will once again follow the author’s newest protagonist, Detective Sergeant Stilwell of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department, a stubborn and dedicated detective banished to Catalina Island. This novel will once again see Stilwell in trouble, as he attempts to find out who targeted his men in a deadly firefight, while also crossing paths with another Connelly protagonist.

Plot Synopsis:

Sworn to protect a scenic island that is meant to be far from the evils of the mainland, Detective Sergeant Stilwell can feel danger closing in.

Detective Sergeant Stilwell knows that his posting on Catalina Island is no paradise, but to most residents it seems blissfully separated – by twenty-two miles of ocean – from the troubles of Los Angeles County. But now a threat is coming to his safe haven.

Acting on a tip from a confidential informant, Stilwell and his deputies watch a plane land in the middle of the night at the Airport in the Sky, a remote airstrip in the mountains. A duffel bag of drugs is dropped and the deputies move in, but things quickly go sideways. While Stilwell chases the fleeing pickup man into the mountainside brush, shots are fired on the runway and the plane flies off.

An internal inquiry follows, putting Stilwell on the bench until he is cleared of responsibility for the disastrous operation. But he is determined to find out who brought deadly violence to his island and begins his own secret investigation into the drug deal gone wrong.

While under orders to remain in the sheriff’s substation, he finds in the lost and found a valuable backpack that was never claimed. He traces it to a woman who disappeared while hiking on the island four years ago. But then why was the pack only turned in two months back? Now thoroughly intrigued, he follows the mystery all the way to the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renée Ballard.

Stilwell and Ballard work the case from both sides of the channel, and soon realize they are on the trail of a criminal who revels in taunting the authorities. Meanwhile, frustrated at being shut out of an investigation on his own island, Stilwell risks his already shaky standing in the department to pursue a case whose reach is wider than he ever imagined.

Ironwood sounds like another awesome novel from Connelly, especially as he expands on story elements from Nightshade. Once again utilising the unique Catalina Island as an interesting background setting, Ironwood will continue to see the banished protagonist try to uncover a deadly crime on his supposed island paradise. Once again sideline by his superiors, the main case of Ironwood sounds extremely awesome, and I’m curious to see how it will follow-up on some of the excellent storylines from the previous book. This will no doubt be an outstanding center to Ironwood’s exciting narrative, and I cannot wait to see how this main case unfolds.

While the focus on the failed drug arrest and shootout should be awesome on its own, Connelly will further expand the narrative of Ironwood by teaming up Stilwell with another one of his protagonists, Detective Renée Ballard. Ballard has been one of Connelly’s main police/LAPD protagonists in recent years (having appeared in books like Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire, The Dark Hours and Desert Star), with Connelly clearly setting her up as one of the replacements for the aging Harry Bosch. As such, it isn’t too surprising that Stilwell’s first crossover will be with Ballard, especially as both characters are outsiders amongst their respective organisations. As such, I’m very curious to see the two of them work together in this new novel, especially as it will likely annoy both of their superiors. It is going to be very interesting to see how the Detective Stilwell series is incorporated into Connelly’s larger crime fiction universe, and it should result in a complex new novel from this great author.

Based on how exceptional all of Connelly’s most recent books have been, Ironwood is automatically at the top of my to-read list for 2026, and it is probably one of the crime fiction books I’m most excited to get my hands on. I had such an outstanding time with Nightshade last year, and I cannot wait to see how Connelly continues to utilise his new protagonist in this cool upcoming sequel. I have very high hopes for Ironwood, and I have no doubt it is going to be epic.

WWW Wednesday – 31 December 2025

On January 1, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the unique thriller Best Offer Wins. The debut novel from Marisa Kashino, Best Offer Wins is a fantastic book that shows just how far desperate people are willing to go to get their perfect house. I have only made a little progress on Best Offer Wins so far, but I am enjoying its fun style and interesting story. I am actually hoping to read through most of Best Offer Wins today, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Warhammer 40,000: Demolisher by Andy Clark (Audiobook)

I am still going with the new Warhammer 40,000 novel Demolisher by Andy Clark. The sequel to Clark’s amazing novel Steel Tread, Demolisher once again follows the damaged crew of the tank Steel Tread as they attempt to survive the crazy, grimdark battlefields of the future. I didn’t get as much time to listen to Demolisher this week as I had hoped, but I’m making some good progress on it and should finish it off soon. I cannot wait to see how this hectic read fully unfolds, and this proving to be a very good Warhammer 40,000 novel.

What did you recently finish reading?

Circle of Days by Ken Follett (Hardcover)

I managed to power through and finish off the new Ken Follett book, Circle of Days this week. An excellent historical fiction novel set during the construction of Stonehenge, Circle of Days was a very compelling read with an outstanding story behind it. A highly recommended read that I had a ton of fun with.

What do you think you’ll read next?

On the Edge by Kate Horan

I hoping to read the intriguing new Australian novel, On the Edge by Kate Hora, next. Set in smalltown Australia, On the Edge looks to be a compelling piece of crime fiction and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2025

On December 31, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List5 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and feature bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. As we roll into the new year I am going to list my absolute favourite books of 2025, which is something I look forward to every year. This is a continuation of several lists I have done in recent weeks that highlighted the authors and books that have most impressed me this year. Previous lists looked at topics like my favourite pre-2025 novels, as well as my favourite audiobooks, sequels, and new-to-me authors of 2025. However, this list is the big one as it covers my absolute favourite releases of the year, of which there are quite a few.

I think we can all agree that 2025 has been another rollercoaster year for the world, but thankfully readers got a little bit of solace as this was an amazing year for books, with a huge range of incredible releases coming out across the genres. Not only did several new series start but we had some exceptional debuts, and some big continuations of established series. I have had an amazing time reading or listening to some outstanding books this year and quite a few releases have become instant favourites. I must admit that I somewhat struggled to pull this list together, as there were so many books that deserved to be mentioned. Therefore, because I am a very soft touch, and because the quality of the books I read this year was so impressive, I have decided to expand this list out to 20 entries (just like I have the last several years, I’m a very soft touch). These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2025, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.

To make it onto this list a book only needed to be released here in Australia during 2025. I have naturally excluded anything I have not read yet, even though there were quite a few awesome-sounding books I sadly didn’t squeeze into my reading schedule. I decided to leave off my usual Honourable Mentions section as the extra 10 entries make it unnecessary. There will be a bit of crossover between the below entries and some of my previous lists. For example, several of these novels appeared on my Top Ten Favourite Audiobooks of 2025 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2025 list, which I ran back into July. Overall, I am very happy with how this Top 20 list turned out, and I think it contains a pretty good range of novels that showcase the different types of books that I chose to read this year. So, without further ado, here is the list.

Top Twenty List:

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

The first book I want to highlight on this list was one of my favourite fantasy novels of 2025 with The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. An exceptional and comedic dark fantasy from the master of grimdark fiction, The Devils is set in an alternate medieval Europe and follows several loveable monsters in the employ of the church as they attempt to enthrone a street thief as Empress of Troy. A gloriously over-the-top novel, The Devils was Abercrombie at his best, and I had an exceptional time getting through it.

Cold War by Jonathan Maberry

Diabolical dark fiction master Jonathan Maberry is an author who has appeared consistently on these end-of-year lists since I started them, and 2025 is no exception. Maberry had two books out in 2025, including the twisted thriller Burn to Shine. However, my favourite book of Maberry’s this year is the outstanding science fiction novel Cold War. The sequel to his 2024 release, NecroTek, Cold War was a gripping read that sees groups of stranded humanity facing off against Lovecraftian horrors in the future. Featuring an intriguing narrative split, awesome action and some classic Maberry horror, Cold War was another excellent novel, especially on audiobook.

Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow and Ten Thousand Plums by Stan Sakai

It’s kind of inevitable the new volumes of the Usagi Yojimbo comic series are going to appear on this end of year list. One of my favourite comic series, the Usagi Yojimbo comics follow a rabbit ronin as he traverses an alternate version of feudal Japan. I have so much love for this series, and creator Stan Sakai released two exceptional volumes this year with The Crow and Ten Thousand Plums. Both were amazing and intricate reads, and I loved every second I spent reading them. Due to how impressive there were, I am combining these two volumes together into one entry, and as both comics are very worthy inclusions to this list.

Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Easily one of the more impressive and complex fantasy novels on this list is the incredible Days of Shattered Faith by the highly inventive Adrian Tchaikovsky. The third book in the author’s Tyrant Philosopher’s series, Days of Shattered Faith follows on from City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds and focuses on a new fantasy city beset by internal strife and dangerous diplomats. A unique read, Days of Shattered Faith was one of the best books of the year, and I loved every second I spent in Tchaikovsky’s latest complex cityscape.

Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz

Acclaimed thriller author Gregg Hurwitz ensured readers were hooked this year with one of his best Orphan X novels, Nemesis. The 10^th book in the Orphan X series, Nemesis sees the relentless protagonist forced to go to war with his only friend in an emotionally charged and complex read. Filled with exceptional character moments, Nemesis was an especially compelling novel that keeps you hooked all the way to its powerful and heartbreaking end. I really loved Nemesis, although I way never forgive Hurwitz for what he put me through with this book.

Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett

I had so much fun returning to the skies this year with the incredible Warhammer 40,000 novel, Interceptor City. The sequel to Dan Abnett’s iconic book Double Eagle, Interceptor City saw the first novel’s protagonist return for another harrowing tour of duty, this time flying fighter aircraft in the ruins of a gigantic city. Featuring some of the best aerial combat sequences you are ever going to read, Interceptor City was a true highlight of 2025 and a must-read for all Warhammer 40,000 fans.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

The new master of fantasy crime fiction, Robert Jackson Bennett had another exceptional year, thanks to his new novel A Drop of Corruption. The sequel to his exceptional novel The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024), A Drop of Corruption sees an enhanced investigator and her loyal assistant, attempt to solve an impossible disappearance in an empire constantly under attack by giant monsters. Featuring a particularly elaborate and impressive murder mystery that makes full of it’s fantasy setting, A Drop of Corruption was unbelievably good, and I cannot get over how awesome and complex the story turned out. I love this series from Bennet so damn much and I cannot wait to read the third book in 2026.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

The iconic Hunger Games franchise got a major boost in 2025, thanks to the outstanding prequel novel Sunrise on the Reaping. Set at the 50^th Hunger Games, Sunrise on the Reaping follows a fan favourite as he tries to survive the deadliest games of all time. Suzanne Collins honestly outdid herself with this latest Hunger Games books, especially as she subverted all expectations and showcased a story with so many clever twists and manipulated surprises, all wrapped up with earthshaking tragedy. The Hunger Games series will never be the same again, and I am still not over just how far Collins went with this exceptional read.

Midnight Black by Mark Greaney

Mark Greaney continues to showcase why he is one of the very best authors of spy fiction with the amazing 2025 release, Midnight Black. A particularly exciting and intense entry in Greaney’s Gray Man series, Midnight Black sees an exhausted version of Greaney’s long-running protagonist attempt the impossible, as he takes on the entire Russian state to free the women he loves. An extremely exciting and moving novel, Midnight Black was Greaney at his very best, and I powered through this book so damn quickly.

The Malevolent Eight by Sebastian De Castell

This year, author Sebastian De Castell followed up his amazing fantasy novel, The Malevolent Seven, with an even more outrageous and frankly bonkers sequel, The Malevolent Eight. Following a group eight crazy individuals as they attempt to stop the warring armies of heaven and hell, The Malevolent Eight was utter chaos from start to finish, and I loved every second of it, vampiric kangaroo included. One of the funnier books of 2025, The Malevolent Eight comes highly recommended, especially for those who like their fantasy novels as cleverly weird as possible.

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

Another excellent fantasy novel released in 2025 was the very impressive and elaborate book, The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson. The author’s first foray into fantasy fiction, The Raven Scholar featured a fantastic tournament plot, with several champions competing to become the ruler of a divided realm. However, nothing is as it seems, and the contenders, including a damaged scholar dragged into the proceedings, are forced to contend with murder, intrigue and betrayal at every turn. A wonderful piece of fantasy fiction from a very talented new voice in the genre.

Never Flinch by Stephen King

The legendary Stephen King continues his domination of all thing’s fiction with the brilliant and deeply addictive Never Flinch. A sequel to the outstanding novel Holly, Never Flinch sees unlikely investigator, Holly Gibney, attempt to stop two deadly predators attempting to kill in her town, including a guilt-riddled serial killer and a troubled stalker. An excellent character-driven read, Never Flinch had me hooked very early on, and I still cannot get over how intense the last third of the book turned out.

Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

I had to include the awesome new fantasy novel from Anthony Ryan, Born of an Iron Storm, on this list. The second book in the author’s Viking-inspired Age of Wrath series, Born of an Iron Storm perfectly followed on from last years A Tide of Black Steel (as well as Ryan’s previous Covenant of Steel trilogy), and treated readers to a powerful narrative shown through the eyes of four different heroes. Loaded with cool world-building, great characters, and an adventure-laden plot, Born of an Iron Storm was an amazing read, and one I couldn’t get enough of.

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

Richard Osman returned to his Thursday Murder Club series this year, with the latest book The Impossible Fortune. Following the retiree protagonists as they try to uncover the secret behind a mysterious vault and its missing owner, The Impossible Fortune was a wonderful novel, that really dove into its amazing character’s lives after the great tragedy of the previous Thursday Murder Club book. Osman perfectly reconnected with all his great characters again, and this ended up being a very clever and heartwarming read.

King Sorrow by Joe Hill

For the first time ever, I have two separate family members appear on this list, thanks to the amazing Joe Hill trying to outshine his father. Hill’s new book is the massive, but deeply captivating King Sorrow, an elaborate fantasy horror novel with an exceptional plot behind it. Following a group of damaged friends who inadvertently forge a Faustian bargain with an interdimensional dragon, King Sorrow follows these figures over multiple years, as each member of the group is forced to designate several victims for the dragon to hunt down and kill. A complex and very powerful novel with some amazing characters, King Sorrow proved to be an outstanding book to fall in love with, and I still cannot get over some of the outstanding twists and turns Hill imagined.

The Strength of the Few by James Islington

The much-anticipated fantasy novel, The Strength of the Few, lived up to all the hype surrounding it, and ended up being one of the top books from the end of 2025. The sequel to Islington’s exceptional The Will of the Many (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), The Strength of the Few was an extremely ambitious read that followed three separate versions of the same protagonist as he lives through simultaneous adventures of three parallel worlds. A particularly intricate and intelligent fantasy novel, The Strength of the Few was a true highlight of the year, and I cannot recommend this impressive fantasy series enough.

Artifact by Jeremy Robinson

The always impressive Jeremy Robinson produced another captivating, standalone science fiction horror read this year with the fantastic novel Artifact. Following a small group of likeable and isolated Alaskans who attempt to discover what went wrong at the secretive scientific research laboratory hidden at the outskirts of town, Artifact was an ultra-exciting read that went to some dark places. An outstanding novel that is really worth checking out on audiobook.

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly

While I was spoiled for choice with Michael Connelly books in 2025 (including the great murder mystery Nightshade), my favourite was The Proving Ground. The latest Lincoln Lawyer novel, The Proving Ground saw the titular character attempt to take down an artificial intelligence company who he believes is partially responsible for a young girl’s murder. Clever, insightful and very addictive, The Proving Ground was a brilliant legal thriller and one I can’t stop thinking about.

Star Wars: Sanctuary by Lamar Giles

There were several amazing Star Wars books this year, including The Mask of Fear and Master of Evil, however, I had to focus on the amazing and highly entertaining novel, Sanctuary by Lamar Giles. A tie-in to the Bad Batch animated series, Sanctuary was an extremely entertaining and captivating read that saw the unruly clone protagonists attempt to pull off several easy-money gigs. Unsurprisingly, all their clever plans fall apart, and the protagonists and their trouble-causing cargo soon find themselves being chased by a brilliant ISB agent and a psychotic, uber-wealthy crime lord. Relentlessly entertaining and compelling, but with some real heart, Sanctuary was an exceptional Star Wars novel, and one I cannot recommend enough.

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the captivating urban fantasy novel, Whisper in the Wind. The fourth book in Australian author Luke Arnold’s Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind sees the very damaged protagonist once again dragged into a dangerous attempt to bring magic back to his devastated city. However, forced to contend with the city’s new elites, and their dark plans, Fetch finds himself pushed to his limit as his attempts at living a quiet life are blown to hell. A complex and wonderfully written novel, Whisper in the Wind is an impressive entry in one of the more compelling ongoing fantasy series, and Luke Arnold honestly gets better with every book he writes. A highly recommended read and a very worthy final inclusion on this list.

Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2025. It turned out to be quite a good list in the end, and I am very glad that I was able to highlight so many fantastic books. 2026 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books next week. In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2025 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.