Top Ten Tuesday – Top New-to-Me Authors That I read in the First Half of 2026

On July 23, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn ListLeave a comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday required participants to pick ten books that live in my head rent-free, and one I might come back to later, I’m instead going to continue my recent trend of discussing books from the first half of the year and highlight my favourite new-to-me authors That I read in the first half of 2026.

Each year I am lucky enough to read a great number of awesome novels, and this often includes books written by authors whose work I was previously unfamiliar with. 2026 is so far proving to be a great example of this as there were an incredible collection of amazing novels written by authors who were completely new to me. This included some debuting authors, as well as more established writers whose work I only got around to reading this year. Many of these new-to-me authors produced some truly exceptional novels, including one or two which I consider to be some of the best books released in 2026 so far and I really feel the need to highlight them here.

To appear on this list, the book had to be one I read this year and be written by an author who I was unfamiliar with before 2026. If I had not read anything from this author before last year or if their book was a debut, it was eligible to appear here. After some hard work I was able to whittle this down to a manageable top ten list, with my usual generous honourable mentions section. I am really surprised at some of the impressive and enjoyable authors I had to exclude from this list, but I think the below entry really highlights the best new-to-me authors I have enjoyed so far in 2026.

Honourable Mentions:

Kayte Nunn – The Yacht

Kayte Nunn excels with The Yacht, an excellent novel with drama and intrigue on a luxury yacht.

Kate Horan – On the Edge

I read my first Kate Horan novel this year with On the Edge, a deeply compelling Australian crime fiction novel with some great twists behind it.

Leodora Darlington – The Exes

Leodora Darlington had an intriguing debut this year, The Exes, which follows a troubled protagonist and her many difficult relationships.

Mercedes Mercier – The Couples Retreat

I also enjoyed a great book from Mercedes Mercier with The Couple’s Retreat, another fantastic Australian crime fiction novel that examines multiple toxic relationships on the picturesque Kangaroo Island.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Cameron Sullivan – The Red Winter

The first new author I want to highlight is debuting Australian writer, Cameron Sulivan, who presented one of the best books of 2026 so far, The Red Winter. Cleverly bringing together some unique fantasy elements with several periods of French history, The Red Winter was a riveting and highly entertaining novel that I couldn’t stop reading. Easily one of the top debuts of 2026, The Red Winter was so damn good and I am very excited to read more from Sullivan in the future, especially if he decides to write some sequels to this incredible first novel.

Christopher Buehlman – The Blacktongue Thief

After years of having him on my mind, I finally got the chance to read something from acclaimed fantasy author Christopher Buehlamn with his most famous fantasy novel, The Blacktongue Thief. An elaborate and brutal dark fantasy novel, The Blacktongue Thief lived up to all the hype around it, and I ended up powering through its clever adventure story filled with some great characters. I had such an incredible time with my first experience of reading Buehlman’s writing that I intend to read two more books from the author this year, the prequel novel The Daughter’s War and the upcoming sequel The Thrice-Bound Fool, both of which are bound to be extremely awesome.

Nicholas Timms – The Lineup

Another impressive debut Australian author from the first half of 2026 was surfer turned writer Nicholas Timms. Timms has already shown themself to be a rising crime fiction star by writing one of the more Australian novels of the year, The Lineup. Following a traumatised former surfer who returned home to solve a murder he witnessed through a webcam, The Lineup was a captivating and powerful read that I had a wonderful time with. Timms really showcased his ability to write damaged characters in this novel, while the underling surfing elements of The Lineup gave it a unique flavour. Timm’s really impressed me with this debut, and I look forward to reading more from him in the future.

Jennifer Pearson – Drop Dead Famous

Another great new crime fiction author I must rave about is Jennifer Pearson, whose debut young adult thriller, Drop Dead Famous, had one of the best mysteries of 2026 so far. Setting two compelling protagonists on a jarring and moving investigation that unlocks all their respective family’s darkest secrets, Drop Dead Famous had me hooked very early one and I just couldn’t get over how complex and layered the underlying mystery was. I came away really respecting Pearson as an author and I look forward to reading the promised sequel to Drop Dead Famous when it comes out next year.

Callum Davis –Warhammer 40,000: Chem Dog

Fans of this blog know I’m a massive Warhammer fiction fan, and one of the many things I really love about the franchise’s internal publisher, The Black Library, is the way in which they find and cultivate great new authors each year. In 2026 this includes Callum Davis, who presented a particularly exciting entry in the Warhammer 40,000 canon, Chem Dog. Following a trouble commissar as he leads members of a notorious penal legion on a suicide mission, Chem Dog was an excellent first outing from Davis, who really captured the dark nature of the franchise. Loading in some great action with various entertaining characters, Chem Dog showcased Davis’ writing potential, and I hope we see more Warhammer books from him in the future.

Douglas Preston and Alethia Preston – Paradox

The next entry on this list is a little different as Douglas Preston is an author I’ve read a few times before. However, this was the first time I’ve read something written by both Preston and his daughter Alethia Preston, who has made her debut here with Paradox. The sequel to Douglas Preston’s previous novel, Extinction, Paradox was another compelling and over-the-top thriller, that saw the returning protagonists investigate a series of murders seemingly connected to both aliens and radical elements of the Catholic church. I found it quite interesting to read something from this new father/daughter team and the two of them produced a highly entertaining and dark novel that was a lot of fun to get through.

Shailee Thompson – How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates

One of the more exciting and memorable debut authors of 2026 so far is Australian author Shailee Thompson, who provided an exciting and distinctive read with How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates. An exciting novel that served as a compelling hybrid of the slasher and romantic-comedy genres, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates was an amazing first novel from Thompson, and one that is really worth checking out.

Christopher Cantwell – Star Trek: Red Shirts

I had an amazing time reading my first comic from rising author Christopher Cantwell this year, with Star Trek: Red Shirts. Part of a new generation of Star Trek comics, Red Shirts was a particularly dark take on the classic trop of the doomed Starfleet security officer, and I loved the fun, if brutal, story that Cantwell effectively pulled together in this short miniseries. Filled with some excellent twists and compelling thoughts about life as a short-lived red shirt, Red Shirts was an excellent comic, and I fully intend to grab more comics written by Cantwell in the future.

M. K. Oliver – A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage

While I’ve had fun with many new authors this year, I think that the 2026 debut author with the funniest book of the year is M. K. Oliver, who wrote the hilarious thriller A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage. Following a driven sociopath who must balance a trouble homelife and great personal ambitions with murder, dark secrets and the machinations of selfish high-society ladies, A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage was an extremely funny read that I couldn’t put down. Oliver perfectly blended thrills, twists and entertaining insights from a murderous protagonist you somehow keep rooting for, and the result was something very special. An outstanding first outing from Oliver, and I’m already excited for the sequel coming out next year.

David Annandale – Warhammer 40,000: Apostle

The final new-to-me author I want to highlight on this list is David Annandale. Annandale is a well-known author to Warhammer 40,000 fiction fans, having written several intriguing novels from the franchise. However, until a few months ago I had never had the chance to read one of his books, until his latest entry, Apostle, came out. A fascinating and dark read about opposing religions in the chaotic Warhammer 40,000 universe, Apostle was a great showcase of Annadale’s style, and I’ll be keen to read more of his Warhammer novels going forward. An excellent final new author to highlight on this list.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list. I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best new authors I have checked out so far in 2026. I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt they will produce additional epic and incredible reads. It will be interesting to see what other great new-to-me authors I will get to experience in the rest of 2026, and I am sure there are going to be some exceptional new books from them.

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson

On July 22, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Horror, ThrillerLeave a comment

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (ebook – 3 February 2026)

Series: Standalone

Length: 378 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Australian author Shailee Thompson presents one of the more distinctive and entertaining debuts of 2026, with the addictive horror romance hybrid novel, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates.

Plot Synopsis:

A hilarious, swoony and downright terrifying horror romance in which a cinephile gets caught in the middle of a murder spree at a speed-dating event and must use her encyclopedic knowledge of the rom-com and horror genres to make it as a real-life Final Girl.

When cinephile Jamie Prescott attends a speed-dating event, she expects to meet some mediocre men and have a laugh – she doesn’t expect one of her dates to have his throat slit at her table during a blackout. When the lights come back on, there are more bodies on the floor and the doors are locked.

Armed with makeshift weapons and her extensive knowledge of what not to do in a slasher, Jamie must figure out how to make it out of the building alive. But as the night progresses, she begins to suspect the killer is committing the slayings to woo one of the daters. Whatever happened to roses and perfume?

And why can’t Jamie stay focused on the important thing here, which is obviously not getting murdered, instead of being distracted by a few hot guys? Especially if one of those hot guys happens to be the bad guy…

Oops.

Laugh-out-loud funny and hide-under-your-bed scary, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates puts the killer in killer love story.

I’m always on the lookout for unique and out-there crime fiction reads, and with its slasher parody narrative How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates had everything I look for in a novel. Combining a thrilling narrative with some amusing takes on two very different genres, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates was an excellent first novel from Thompson that is guaranteed to hook you like a serial killer.

Thompson provides a very fast-paced narrative for How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates, which works to bring you in quickly and allow you to enjoy the fun of her entertaining story. This book nearly immediately drags you into the action after an effective introduction to the protagonist and point-of-view character, Jamie, before providing readers with an extended speed-dating sequence. This sequence is fun on several levels, as it not only provides details about much of the supporting cast, including early hints and red herrings, but it also introduces some of the potential romance options for the protagonist. After a sudden yet brutal series of killings, the protagonist and several other speed daters are trapped in the venue, desperately trying to find a way out. Thompson builds up some excellent tension in this first half of the novel, especially with the labyrinthine setting and the clashing personalities, even before the masked killer makes their first official appearance.

Despite the protagonist following certain rules to survive a horror film, the group starts to get separated and hunted by the killer, who is given the moniker Heart Eyes. However, things only get worse when Jamie begins to understand that Heart Eyes is killing to specifically woo her as a messed-up courting ritual. This amplifies up the plot, with Jamie both attempting to sacrifice herself while also getting closer to some of the men she is trapped with in some entertaining, if a little inappropriate, romance sequences. In typical slasher fashion, the supporting cast of the novel are slowly whittled down, with revelations muddying who is responsible for the crime. All of this leads up to the big final confrontation, where Jamie attempts to become the final girl anyway that she can. Without giving too much away, I think the lead-up and execution of the big finale was done well, as Thompson provides a great deal of desperation and intensity, although the result is never in doubt. I will say that I figured out the big twists and identity of the killer early on, although much of this was because of the various film homages I was familiar with. Still, readers come away from this story very satisfied, and it was the thrilling, campy narrative you expect it to be going in.

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates is an exciting and tense read that cleverly brings two very different genres together. Filled with a range of big personalities, the story is well told from protagonist Jamie Prescott’s perspective, and I loved the intrigue, terror and mistrust that emerges as the plot continues. Thanks to the protagonist’s joint love of romcoms and horror films, as well as the presence of several suspiciously perfect men, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates quickly starts to feel like a fun mixture of the two genres. Thompson uses this genre mixture to great effect to increase both the entertainment value and the intensity of the plot, especially when it becomes clear that the killer is attempting to romance Jamie from afar. The resulting carnage is very over the top, which becomes even creepier once you realise how everyone is dying due to a killer’s twisted sense of love. Of the two genres, I think that the slasher elements of the book were stronger, and I really must highlight the claustrophobic setting, the various hidden clues about events to come, as well as the growing guilt and fear of the characters. The romcom elements of How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates were also pretty good, if a little forced at times, but it did help to lighten the plot. The result was quite gripping, and I felt that this was a book that will appeal to fans of both genres, as well as anyone looking for something entertaining and unique.

One of the very fun highlights of How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates was the references that Thompson made to classic and iconic horror and romcom films throughout the book. Much of this was in character, with the cinephile protagonist talking about her favourite films and revisiting famous slasher movies to predict how the killer will attack them next. It was very entertaining to see a character with some meta-knowledge of horror tropes try to survive their own slasher experience, although it was frustrating to watch all the characters ignore or forget the very simple rules the character (and the author) brings up multiple times. Still, that gave How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates a bit more of an authentic horror flair, and readers can have a good think about how they would act in a slasher film if they knew all the potential survival rules.

In addition to the references the protagonist deliberately makes there are also a lot more subtle homages that Thompson slides into the book, including in her character’s names. For example, the protagonist is named for two classic final girls, while another character was named for two major horror directors. The author loaded in a lot of other quotes and homages throughout the book, and while I’m personally not a mega fan of either genre, I felt I got most of these references. This allows fans of both genres, and films in general, to have a lot of fun as they try to pick out the easter eggs. Indeed, those readers with an in-depth knowledge of one of these genres can also unlock a teaser about how the plot unfolds if you really dive into the meta-inclusions, and I personally still got a chuckle about how Thompson did this. It was a shame that Thompson named her killer Heart Eyes, as it kept making me think of the 2025 film of the same name, which had some similar story beats. I’m not sure if this was a deep cut from Thompson or an unavoidable coincidence, but you couldn’t help but make some comparisons. However, this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the novel, and I felt that overall the references in How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates were never too overwhelming, and even someone who has never watched a film can still appreciate the story without getting lost or confused. A very fun inclusion to an exciting and entertaining read.

Shailee Thompson bursts into the fiction scene with the bloody and highly compelling debut, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates, which ended up being a very fun read. Fast-paced, exciting and featuring some great movie references, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates was an outstanding novel, and I’ll be very curious to see what this Australian author writes next.

WWW Wednesday – 15 July 2026

On July 18, 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:

Every Time She Wakes by Petronella McGovern (Trade Paperback)

An intriguing Australian novel that sees a women attempt to change her fate when she finds herself continuously thrown back in time after multiple dark tragedies. I’m enjoying this book and I’m hoping to finish it off soon.

Unsouled by Will Wight (Audiobook)

I’ve just started listening to the compelling fantasy novel, Unsouled by Will Wight. The first book in the intriguing Cradle series, Unsouled has been on my to-read list for a while, mainly because everyone always talks so highly about the Cradle books. I’m so far enjoying this first book, which is setting up both the protagonist’s narrative and the large universe the series is set in, and I’m very curious to see where this series goes. I’m hoping to get through Unsouled this week, and this seems like a great start to a cool new series for me.

What did you recently finish reading?

Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

I managed to finish off the incredible audiobook, Red Empire this week. The latest Rogue Team International novel by Jonathan Maberry, Red Empire was so damn good, combining intense action with some great historical universe developments around a key character. I am hoping to have a review for Red Empire up soon, and this book comes highly recommended.

The Lineup by Nicholas Timms (Trade Paperback)

An outstanding Australian debut, that follows a former surfer who has to returned to the sport that traumatized him to solve a murder. A particularly impressive read and a great first outing from a cool new author.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Detective Matthew Reilly

The next book I’m hoping to read is the 2025 novel, The Detective by Matthew Reilly. A compelling crime fiction novel from one of Australia’s top authors, The Detective has been on my to-read list for a while. I’m planning to prioritize reading The Detective now as Reilly has a sequel coming out later this year that I’m keen to check 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.

Waiting on Wednesday – Settle Down by Jeremy Robinson

On July 18, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, 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. For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight one of the more awesome sounding science fiction novels coming out in the second half of 2026 with Settle Down by Jeremy Robinson.

2026 has proven to be a particularly impressive year for author Jeremy Robinson, whose unique and over-the-top science fiction novels always entertain with they great mixture of action, horror and intriguing science fiction elements. I’ve already had an exceptional time with Robinson’s first 2026 release, 30Seven, which ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks from the first half of the year. However, we still have so much more to get through, as not only do I still have to read the recently released novel Parallax, but Robinson also has the fantastic upcoming book Settle Down coming out.

Of the two, Settle Down has definitely caught my attention more, and it is one of my most anticipated releases coming out in the second half of 2026. Set for release in late August 2026, Settle Down has an outstanding sounding plot idea behind it, which looks set to present a unique turn on a classic alien invasion story.

Plot Synopsis:

When Clayton survives a plane crash, he figures the worst is over―but he’s wrong―in this sci-fi genre mashup from the author of the Infinite Timeline series.

Stranded on a thirty-acre island with a handful of art students, a grieving widow, and a growing pile of corpses, Prof. Clayton Reed is forced into a role he never wanted: leader. Food is scarce. Water is scarcer. And trust? Practically extinct. When one of the survivors kills in self-defence, the fragile alliance fractures and a subset of the group flees in a dinghy to take its chances in shark-infested waters, leaving Clayton and six others behind.

But soon the night sky turns blue. Strange lights pulse across the horizon and strings of star-like objects pass by overhead. Something big is happening to the rest of the world, and the professor and his companions are sure it isn’t normal.

Rescued by a drifting luxury yacht loaded with food, weapons, and a fortune in cocaine, the survivors trade one nightmare for another. Earth is under attack, massive beams of light shooting down from space to the surface. As they sail toward home, not knowing whether it still exists, one thing becomes clear: Those looking at Earth with hungry eyes have noticed them . . .

New York Times–bestselling author Jeremy Robinson delivers a razor-sharp, character-driven survival thriller meets postapocalyptic alien invasion story that flips the genre upside down, inside out, and back again.

Wow, now that is a very awesome plot. I have to admit at the start of 2026 I never imagined that one of my most anticipated upcoming reads would be a science fiction thriller following plane-crash survivors on a desert island who are forced to contend with an alien invasion, although I should have known that Robinson would have come up with something this fantastically crazy. This entire book sounds so damn good, and Settle Down is exactly the sort of over-the-top read that I know I love on so many levels. I am excited to see how this excellent narrative unfolds, and you have to imagine it’s going to feature a lot of deaths, moving character interactions, and so many moments of insane action and intense science fiction horror.

Based on how much I have enjoyed some of Jeremy Robinson’s previous wacky adventure novels (such as The Dark, Mind Bullet, Artifact and Point Nemo), I already know that Settle Down is going to be an exceptional and highly addictive read, and I am so excited to check it out. While I was likely to read Settle Down based on my fandom of Robinson, the above synopsis is one of the most intriguing novel plots I have ever seen, and I love every single part of it. I have no doubt that this will be a true highlight of the second half of 2026, and I fully intend to listen to Settle Down on audiobook, especially with one of my favourite narrators, R. C. Bray, bringing all the insanity to life.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Audiobooks from the First Half of 2026

On July 15, 2026July 18, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, ListLeave a comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday required participants to list books from authors they are unfamiliar with. While this is an interesting idea, and one I might come back to later, I’m instead going to continue my recent trend of discussing books from the first half of the year and highlight my favourite audiobooks from the first half of 2026. This is a continuation of my Top Ten list from a couple of weeks ago that featured my favourite overall novels from the first half of 2026.

I have a great deal of love for the audiobook format, and it is one of the main ways that I tend to check out books. I have long been a major fan of audiobooks, and it is amazing the various ways in which listening to a book can enhance your enjoyment. An excellent audiobook can really bring you into the story, and I find that listening to a book enhances the amount of detail that you can take in. In addition, other features, such as captivating voices, music and sound effects can really make an audiobook something special, and there some great examples of the format I have enjoyed throughout my life. This year alone I have listened to a ton of outstanding audiobooks, includes some of my favourite books from early 2026. Because I love this format so much, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight my favourite audiobooks from the first half of the year.

To pull this list off I had a look at all the 2026 releases that I listened to on audiobook to figure out my favourites. It turns out that I have already gone through quite a few this year so there was a large collection of potential additions to this list, which I was eventually able to whittle it down to the best ten audiobooks. There is a bit of a crossover with my previous Favourite Books from the First Half of 2026 list, but I think there are enough new additions to make this list worthwhile. I made sure to feature only the very best audiobooks on this list, and, in addition to the quality of the baseline novel, I also looked at audiobook production and narration. This includes whether the audiobook has outstanding narration or uses music and sound effects to enhance the plot. Keeping these criteria in mind, I came up with the following strong Top Ten List and associated Honourable Mentions, and all the audiobooks listed below were exceptional listens that come very highly recommended by this blog.

Honourable Mentions:

Jigsaw, written by Jonathan Kellerman and narrated by John Rubinstein

A captivating addition to Jonathan Kellerman’s long-running Alex Delaware series. John Rubinstein does an amazing job bringing Kellerman’s characters to life throughout this excellent mystery.

Warhammer 40,000: Chem Dog, written by Callum Davis and narrated by Richard Reed

Callum Davis provides an excellent debut to the Warhammer franchise, with Chem Dog. A very fun read that comes across perfectly on audiobook, especially with talented narrator Richard Reed on board.

The Right to Remain, written by James Grippando and narrated by Jonathan Davis

James Grippando continues his fantastic Jack Swyteck legal thriller series this year with the very clever The Right to Remain. I had an outstanding time listening to The Right to Remain on audiobook, especially with Jonathan Davis (one of the best Star Wars narrators) reading it out.

Warhammer 40,000: Ghost Legion, written by Mike Brooks and narrated by Alex Lanipekun

Another great Warhammer 40,000 audiobook from earlier this year. Ghost Legion was a fantastic sequel to Brooks’ previous novel Harrowmaster, with a new narrator reading it out.

Top Ten List:

A Parade of Horribles, written by Matt Dinniman and narrated by Jeff Hays

Let’s start this list off with one of the more outrageous, epic and highly entertaining audiobooks of 2026, A Parade of Horribles. The eighth book in Matt Dinniman’s deeply impressive Dungeon Crawler Carl series, A Parade of Horribles is an outstanding and hilarious new entry in the series, which sees the surviving protagonists forced to compete in a series of deadly, whacky races as they continue to traverse the dungeon. Not only was this a particularly awesome book by itself, but it also had an exceptional audiobook version. Now, if you know anything about the Dungeon Crawler Carl series then you know that the audiobooks are the best format to enjoy the stories in thanks to the excessive range of entertaining and distinctive voices from narrator Jeff Hays. Hays has so much fun providing all the awesome voices in A Parade of Horribles and his brilliant take on the characters and crazy events was just perfect. While, as an Australian I have ‘thoughts’ about the accent he gave to some giant kangaroos, the rest of the voices he came up with were so damn good, with an unhinged AI and a certain talking cat being impressive highlights. Also, there are some exceptional musical chapters and other inclusions in this audiobook, which make A Parade of Horribles worth listening just on their own. Honestly, A Parade of Horribles’ audiobook was on a whole other level, and if you haven’t started listening to Dungeon Crawler Carl, you are missing out!

Warhammer 40,000: Ghazghkull Thraka: Warlord of Warlords, written by Denny Flowers and narrated by Harry Myers

I doubt anyone familiar with my blog is going to be too surprised that there are going to be a lot of Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks on this list. I have a lot of love of Warhammer fiction, and the audiobook formats are always the best way to enjoy these epic and entertaining novels. As such, one of the big entries on this list is the outstanding 2026 audiobook Ghazghkull Thraka: Warlord of Warlords. The latest novel from Denny Flowers, Warlord of Warlords was an addictive and awesome read that focused on the entertaining ork faction and their legendary new leader. Filled with humour, over-the-top action and some very interesting dives into ork lore, Warlord of Warlords was a great book on its own, but his was further enhanced by the excellent audiobook version. Much of this is down to the narration of Harry Myers, who frankly portrays the orks better than anyone else in the current stable of Warhammer audiobook narrators. His booming, laddish voice for the orks was just golden, and listening to a whole bevy of orks fight and scheme made for such an outstanding audiobook. A wonderful listen guaranteed to get a chuckle out of any Warhammer fan.

Twelve Months, written by Jim Butcher and narrated by James Marsters

When pulling together a list of the best audiobooks of 2026, there is no way I can exclude Twelve Months by Jim Butcher. The long-anticipated 18^th entry in Butcher’s Dresden Files series, Twelve Months showcases the dark fallout from the epic novel Battle Ground, with a particular focus on the mental trauma of the series protagonist. Twelve Months was one of Butcher’s most impressive reads, and it’s unsurprising that the audiobook version was also quite exceptional. Not only does Twelve Months’ emotional narrative become even more impactful when read out, but this audiobook also sees the return of the legendary James Marsters as narrator. Marsters, who has narrated all the Dresden Files books, has long figured out the best way to portray all the great characters in this series, and his work in Twelve Months was impeccable and captivating. I especially love how Marsters handled narrating the anguish and despair of the point-of-view protagonist, and this was one of his best audiobook performances. A standout audiobook from a series with so many amazing listens.

Red Empire, written by Jonathan Maberry and narrated by Ray Porter

It’s a rare year when one of Jonathan Maberry’s outstanding novels doesn’t appear on my regular lists of best audiobooks. This is because Maberry’s over-the-top books are so perfectly crazy and the awesome action and fantastic characters really come across when read out, especially with the very talented recurring narrator Ray Porter on the job. Maberry’s latest novel, Red Empire, was a particularly epic audiobook, which not only featured an excellent story, but because it has some of Porter’s best narration. I only just finished Red Empire today, and it is one of my favourites from his current Rogue Team International series, especially with some cool revelations about some key characters and some powerful tragedies loaded into the plot. An exceptional novel with an even more impressive audiobook.

Pretenders to the Throne of God, written by Adrian Tchaikovsky and narrated by David Thorpe

One of the more compelling and thought-provoking fantasy audiobooks of 2026 was Pretenders to the Throne of God by the always impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky. The fourth book in Tchaikovksy’s incredible Tyrant Philosophers series (City of Last Chances, House of Open Wounds and Days of Shattered Faith), Pretenders to the Throne of God told the complex tale of personal struggles, humorous brushes with authority and alternating motivations, all set to the background of a besieged fantasy city. A highly addictive read, loaded with moving character arcs and elaborate fantasy elements, Pretenders to the Throne of God was so damn good as both a novel, and an audiobook. Narrator David Thorpe expertly captures Tchaikovsky’s witty tone with his voice work, and I loved how he perfectly voiced all the unique characters, bringing their complex struggles to life. This was such an amazing audiobook, and I cannot recommend this series enough.

Warhammer 40,000: Hive, written by Dan Abnett and narrated by Toby Longworth

While some of the Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks of 2026 are great because they are fun and funny, this next entry, Hive, was particularly amazing because it dove into the grimdark roots of the universe. One of the longest and most complex Warhammer audiobooks, Hive was an exceptional read by one of the franchises best authors, Dan Abnett, that dove into conspiracies, rebellions and plant-ending plots in one of the franchises’ gigantic hive cities. A sprawling novel that wove multiple unique character arcs into one gripping narrative, Hive was so damn good, and I was deeply impressed with how amazing it came out in the audiobook format. The always amazing Toby Longworth, who has narrating most of Abnett’s many Warhammer books, did another incredible job in Hive, voicing the entire massive (and I do mean massive) cast, on his own. Not only does each character get their own voice, but Longworth perfectly captured the distinctive slang, language and accents of the hive city, enhancing the setting and allowing you to really envision the city and its trouble inhabitants. I was absolutely enthralled with this wonderful audiobook, and Hive is Warhammer fiction at it’s very best.

The Hard Line, written by Mark Greaney and narrated by Jay Snyder

One of the best spy thrillers of 2026 for me so far is The Hard Line by Mark Greaney. An excellent addition to Greaney’s long-running Gray Man series, The Hard Line was particularly awesome, loaded with some excellent action, intrigue and interesting character moments. I made sure to listen to The Hard Line on audiobook, which once again features narrator Jay Snyder. Snyder always does an outstanding job bringing Greaney’s espionage vision to life, and his narration adds to the tension of the plot, especially when describing the action scenes from multiple angles. I really loved how easy it is to absorb and become addicted to Greaney’s great stories on this format, and The Hard Line is a must-listen for all audiobook fans looking for an exciting and clever thriller.

30Seven, written by Jeremy Robinson and narrated by Scott Brick

Jeremy Robinson is an author who often appears on my best audiobook lists, and I love his complex and intense reads. In 2026 Robinson once again makes an appearance, especially with his unique and dark standalone science fiction thriller, 30Seven. An entertaining and disturbing novel that sets a serial killer loose amid an alien abduction narrative, 30Seven was a great book, whose unique narrative perfectly came across on audiobook. What was interesting with 30Seven is that it featured Robinson’s first collaboration with iconic audiobook narrator Scott Brick. Brick clearly has fun taking a break from his usual thriller work, and he provides an entertaining and haunting narration to this gripping read. I loved how well Brick enhanced this audiobook with his voice work, especially in scenes told from the killer’s perspective. A particularly fun audiobook, it will be interesting to see how some of Robinson’s other audiobooks this year (Parallax and the upcoming Settle Down) stand up to it.

Warhammer 40,000: Da Freebooterz Code, written by Justin Woolley and narrated by Harry Myers

The final Warhammer 40,000 audiobook I’m going to feature on this list, is the comedic goldmine that is Da Freebooterz Code. The second Warhammer novel by Justin Woolley, Da Freebooterz Code follows the alternating views of a bold ork pirate captain and a slowly unravelling rogue trader, as they engage in a brutal space war. One of the funniest Warhammer books I have read, Da Freebooterz Code was an incredible read, that gets even better on audiobook. Harry Myers, the only narrator to appear on this list twice, does another awesome job with Da Freebooterz Code, and once again loved his take on the orks. I particularly loved how, rather than just reusing the same ork voices he had in Warlord of Warlords, Myers went out of his way to make the orks in Da Freebooterz Code sound more ‘piratey’, which was just brilliant. Another exceptional Warhammer 40,000 audiobook.

Operation Bounce House, written by Matt Dinniman and narrated by Travis Baldree

Matt Dinniman is having an exceptional 2026, with two particularly awesome reads. His second for this list, Operation Bounce House, was a clever and heartfelt standalone science fiction novel, that saw a peaceful colony world invaded by destructive mechs remotely piloted by bloodthirsty Earth gamers. A very interesting and moving read from Dinniman, which is also further enhanced by an excellent audiobook version, this time narrated by Travis Baldree. Baldree, a narrator who fans of Dungeon Crawler Carl would be familiar with thanks to his work in The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, does an incredible job at bringing Operation Bounce House to life with his voice work. I really liked the personal and emotionally charged take Baldree had for this audiobook, and it resulted in one of the more moving audiobooks of 2026. A fantastic and powerful final audiobook entry for this list.

Well, that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, there have been some very good audiobooks out in the first half of 2026. It will be interesting to see which books make the cut later in the year, especially as I currently have several major 2026 audiobooks currently sitting on my phone, waiting to be listened to. While I get to that, make sure to let me know what your favourite audiobooks of 2026 so far are in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Movies and Tv Shows from the First Half of 2026

On July 10, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently reside at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. This is actually my second Top Ten List of this week, as I also looked at my favourite books from the first half of 2026. However, I also wanted to take the time to highlight some of the other awesome entertainment that came out in the first half of the year, and so with this second list I’m going to look at some of my favourite movies and television shows so far released in 2026.

2026 has so far been an interesting year for both films and television (a general term that also includes shows and miniseries released by streaming services), with some great new content coming out in both mediums. I’ve had the pleasure of watching various films and shows that have been released this year, and there are some real interesting gems. I must admit that my viewing habits for 2026 fiction has a been a little mainstream, but there are still some interesting and weird entries to thrown in as well.

I ended up deciding to highlight five films and five television series is this single list, with a couple of other honourable mentions thrown in. This was primarily done because I haven’t watched as much 2026 televisions series yet this year (I’ve been caught up with some older long-running shows). Still this breakdown between films and television series does a good job of showcasing some of the interesting stuff I’ve been watching this year, and I’m happy with how the list turned out. So let us see what makes the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (Film)

After many years, Star Wars fans finally got another film with the very entertaining The Mandalorian and Grogu. A well-made continuation of The Mandalorian television show, The Mandalorian and Grogu was a very fun watch, that brought some light-hearted adventure back into the franchise.

Young Sherlock (Television Series)

An excellent and thrilling series that showcased a young Sherlock Holmes getting involved in his first mystery and conspiracy. Filled with some great twists and surprise villains, Young Sherlock is a fine watch that you can power through very quickly.

Pizza Movie (Film)

One of the more unique movies of 2026 was the stoner comedy Pizza Movie, which saw several college outcasts attempt to obtain pizza to modify the effects of a crazy experimental drugs they’ve taken. A very ridiculous movie with some beautifully insane moments, Pizza Movie was one of the funniest things I watched all year and I had to give it an honourable mention here.

Pop Culture Jeopardy! (Television Series – Season 2)

While a fan of regularly Jeopardy!, I must admit there was something particularly fun about the easier Pop Culture Jeopardy!, the recently released second season of which I binge watched on Netflix. A very entertaining show that still engaged my brain, I had so much fun with this second season that I also went back and watched the original first season produced by Amazon.

Top Five List – Favourite Films from the First Half of 2026

Project Hail Mary

The first film entry on this list might be one of the best with the gripping science fiction epic, Project Hail Mary. An adaptation of the book of the same name, Project Hail Mary was an outstanding adventure in space, complete with great acting, an amazing alien sidekick and some deeply impressive special effects. Not only does this film hit all the right emotional notes, but it also is a faithful adaptation of the original book, which I personally really appreciated. An incredible watch that is best enjoyed on the biggest screen you can find.

Send Help

The next entry on this list, Send Help, is pretty darn bonkers, but it honestly was one of the best things I watched all year. A new Sam Raimi classic, Send Help has some great role reversals when a seemingly meek office worker played by an unhinged Rachel McAdams, is trapped on a deserted island with her abusive, yet hapless boss, fantastically portrayed by Dylan O’Brien. The resulting mind games, abuse and insane decisions adds so much tension to the mix, and you honestly don’t know which terrible person to root for as the film progresses. Throw in some over-the-top Raimi gore and some truly unsettling moments, and Send Help was a brutal watch you won’t be able to escape from.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Another outstanding cinematic smash from the first half of the year was the new 28 Years Later film, The Bone Temple. A twisted sequel to the first 28 Years Later film, The Bone Temple sees returning protagonist Spike caught up in the machinations of Jimmy Savile-styled cultists, who are somehow more dangerous than the zombies infesting the country. With outstanding performances from Jack O’Connell (who is killing it with villain roles at the moment) and especially Ralph Fiennes, The Bone Temple was in many ways better than the first film. It definitely had one of the coolest scenes of all time thanks to a dance number played to Iron Maiden’s The Number of the Beast, which was so cinematically awesome. A truly wonderful film, although it’s a shame, we might not get a third entry in the series after some disappointing box officer returns here.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Another outstanding sequel from the first half of 2026 is the second Ready or Not film, Here I Come. Bringing back Samara Weaving for another comedic slasher hunt, Ready or Not 2 was an over-the-top follow-up to the first film, with some excellent action sequences, humour and general carnage. Featuring some great supporting performances from an amazing cast, including Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy and Elijah Wood, Ready or Not 2 was relentlessly entertaining, and a fun continuation of the series.

Toy Story 5

The final film I need to feature on this list is the latest entry in the iconic Toy Story series, Toy Story 5. An emotionally charged animated triumph, Toy Story 5 takes the franchise back to the lofty heights of the first few films, with a heartwarming story about friendship, personal struggles and the impact technology is having on our children. I loved everything about this film, especially how it finally gave the viewers closure from some heartbreaking moments in Toy Story 2, and you’ll come away with all the feelings we have come to expect from classic Pixar animation.

Top Five List – Favourite Tv Shows from the First Half of 2026

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Topping my list of fantasy shows is the carefully crafted A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms televisions adaptation and prequel to A Game of Thrones. Set roughly 100 years before the events of the show, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms sees a simple hedge knight dragged into the machinations of the Targaryen family. Short and brutal yet bringing back all the magic and political intrigue of the original show, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms made excellent use of its relatively unknown, yet highly talented, cast, and produced a particularly gripping watch that could save the entire franchise.

One Piece – Season 2

I’ve long been a fan of the One Piece anime and I ended up really enjoying the epic live-action adaptation Netflix first released a couple of years ago (one of the only good live-action anime adaptations). However, I honestly felt that this second season was even better than the first as they cover some of the original manga/anime’s best early episodes in dramatic fashion. Perfectly leaning into the silliness and heart that made the original productions so iconic, this second season brought back even more of the franchise’s magic, while also providing its own unique take. Clearly made with love, and featuring impressive performances from a dedicated cast, including some great new inclusions, this second season of One Piece was one of the best things about 2026, and I cannot wait for the third season to come out.

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord

In addition to a new movie, Star Wars fans also got some incredible animated content this year with Maul – Shadow Lord. Another brilliant sequel to Dave Fillion’s iconic The Clone Wars, Maul – Shadow Lord follows the former Darth Maul as he attempts to rebuild his criminal network, while also embarking on far more sinister plans. However, the greater evil shadow of the Empire hangs over the entire cast, and soon Maul will come face-to-face with a true embodiment of the Dark Side, in a particularly epic final episode. Beautifully animated and featuring a dark story with so much cool action, Maul – Shadow Lord is Star Wars television at it’s very best, and I still cannot believe just how cool some of the final confrontations were. The second season of this show can frankly not come soon enough, and I just have to know what happens next.

Spider-Noir

Nick Cage steals the small screen with his appearance in the whacky and fantastic live-action Spider-Noir. A clever alternate reality story, featuring Nick Cage as failing private eye Ben Reilly, a former vigilante known as The Spider, in a 1930’s inspired New York, Spider-Noir was an excellent watch, that combined some serious comic moments with the over-the-top insanity of a Nick Cage performance. Throw in some great supporting performances, including Brendan Gleeson as the main antagonist, and the fun option to either watch the show in black-or-white or a unique colour style, and this was an outstanding watch that catches the imagination.

The Pitt – Season 2

The final entry on this list is a series that many people are going to have on their best-show lists, with the second season of The Pitt. A brilliant medical drama that captures a chaotic holiday shift at a busy emergency room, this second season of The Pitt had just as much drama as the first, with multiple tragic deaths and highly detailed depictions of medical emergencies. Also bringing in some great recurring characters and examining the personal dramas associated with the high-pressure lives of medical professionals, this second season of The Pitt hit the same high standard as its initial season, and you just keep coming back for more. Highly recommended, especially as a binge watch.

Well, that’s the end of my second Top Ten list for the week. I think combined these lists do a great job of showcasing what I’ve been up to so far this year and 2026 is really proving to be an outstanding time for fiction. Let us know what your favourite movies and television shows released so far in 2026 are in the comments below and keep up all the great viewing.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books From the First Half of 2026

On July 10, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently reside at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday involved listing books with a word of your choice in the title. While this is an interesting topic which I might come back to later, I had already decided in advance that this week I would take this opportunity to celebrate the fact that we are into the second half of 2026 by highlighting some amazing books from the first half of the year.

2026 has already proven to be a fantastic year for books, and I have already read some incredible new releases, including impressive standalone books, amazing entries in established series and fantastic debuts. Because of this, I thought that I would take the time to work out what my top ten favourite books from the first half of 2026 were. To be eligible, a book had to be a particularly epic novel released in the first half of this year. I have excluded any books released during this period that I have not so far read, although a couple of releases I have my eye on might have appeared on this list if I had read them in time.

Coming up with this list proved to be a rather bigger task than I originally intended, as I ended up amassing nearly 20 releases, all of which I consider to be outstanding reads. I was eventually able to whittle this down to an acceptable Top Ten list, although I did include my typical generous honourable mentions section. I am rather happy with how this list turned out, although I am surprised at some of the great recent books that ended up being excluded. Still, the entries below represent what I considered to be some of the best books from the first half of 2026, and I would strongly recommend each and every one of them.

Honourable Mentions:

Green City War by Adrian Tchaikovsky

A captivating and unique thriller featuring genetically engineered animals living in the shadow of the human world. A wonderful and addictive read full of Tchaikovsky’s intense imagination.

Warhammer 40,000: Ghazghkull Thraka: Warlord of Warlords by Denny Flowers

A very impressive Warhammer 40,000 novel that sees the always entertaining orks get involved in all manner of civil war shenanigans. I had a great time with this book which provides one of the best looks at the ork faction in this crazy universe.

Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry

The latest Joe Ledger/Rogue Team International novel from one of my favourite authors Jonathan Maberry, Red Empire features a particularly awesome story which pits the protagonists against some of their worst historical foes, while secrets from their mysterious leader’s past are finally revealed. This is turning out to be one of my favourite books of the year, although I’m going to leave it as an honourable mention as I am only halfway through, and I need to see how the final twists unfold.

Warhammer 40,000: Da Freebooterz Code by Justin Woolley

Another outstanding Warhammer 40,000 novel from rising star Justin Woolley. Featuring an epic story about an ambitious ork pirate captain facing off against an increasingly crazed rogue trader, Da Freebooterz Code was one of the funniest books of 2026 and I had an incredible time reading it.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher

The first book I want to highlight on this list is one of the best books of 2026 so far, the highly anticipated Twelve Months by Jim Butcher. The 18^th book in Butcher’s acclaimed Dresden Files series, Twelve Months captures the full traumatic fallout of the previous novel Battle Ground and takes the reader on an emotional and compelling journey. One of the more unique and powerful entries in an already incredible series, Twelve Months had me hooked from the very first page and was well worth the five-year gap between it and the previous entry.

A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman

The talented Matt Dinniman continued his insanely good Dungeon Crawler Carl series this year, with A Parade of Horribles, an instant classic in a particularly epic LitRPG series. Taking the surviving characters on a deadly racing car romp, A Parade of Horribles was an exceptional and hilarious read, that I was incapable of putting down. Loaded with amazing characters, impressive world building and some deeply moving moments amongst the chaotic action and amazing comedy, A Parade of Horribles was Dinniman at his very best, and I cannot recommend this book or its accompanying series enough.

Warhammer 40,000: Hive by Dan Abnett

I had to include at least one Warhammer 40,000 novel on this list, and in 2026 my absolute favourite was Hive by Dan Abnett. A complex and layered novel shown from the perspective of multiple characters in a gigantic and isolated hive city filled with billions of people, Hive has the reader follow multiple unique character arcs as revolution, conspiracy and other hidden insanities seek to bring the city down. I was absolutely addicted to this incredible novel right up to the bitter end, and Hive honestly highlights just how damn good and dark a novel in the Warhammer 40,000 universe can be.

The Hard Line by Mark Greaney

Another top novel for me in 2026 was the new Gray Man novel by Mark Greaney, The Hard Line. A wonderful addition to the series that sets up some major ongoing storylines, The Hard Line sees the spy protagonist attempt to uncover a major espionage conspiracy hitting Washington, while also fending off the attentions of a legendary assassin, intent on getting revenge. An ultra-exciting and cleverly written thriller, The Hard Line was another outstand novel from Greaney that I had so much fun with.

Pretenders to the Throne of God by Adrian Tchaikovksy

The master of unique fantasy and science fiction had an exceptional 2026, although my favourite new book from him had to be Pretenders to the Throne of God. The fourth book in the author’s Tyrant Philosophers series (City of Last Chances, House of Open Wounds and Days of Shattered Faith), Pretenders to the Throne of God followed multiple compelling characters around the siege of a fantasy city, with politics, personal ambitions and dark secrets all throwing calamity at both besieger and defender. Featuring a combination of excellent new storylines and the intense return of some familiar characters with major problems, Pretenders to the Throne of God was an exceptional novel from start to finish, and I am so damn excited to see how the series ends next year.

Ironwood by Michael Connelly

The legendary Michael Connelly provided more outstanding crime fiction delight in the first half of 2026 with his new novel, Ironwood. A sequel to his 2025 novel, Nightshade, Ironwood returns the reader to Catalina Island where his latest police protagonist investigates multiple murders occurring on his seemingly picturesque slice of California, only to uncover an even darker conspiracy coming for him. Easily one of the best crime fiction reads of 2026 so far, Ironwood was so damn good and I managed to finish it off extremely quickly. A very easy entry on this list, and one that comes highly recommended.

Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell

One of the more unique fantasy entries on this list had to be the impressive Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell. A compelling, character-driven fantasy novel that works as both a standalone read and part of de Castell’s Greatcoat universe, Our Lady of Blades follows a mysterious duellist who returns to her corrupt city to get revenge for her murdered family. However, nothing is what it seems, not even the identity of the protagonist, and the resulting narrative is a wonderful mixture of pain, impressive characters and amazing action.

The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan

While I knew well in advance of their releases that I was going to love most of the books on this list, the one that took me completely by surprise was the incredible debut novel, The Red Winter by Australian author Cameron Sullivan. An entertaining and moving fantasy epic that takes place across three different periods of French history, The Red Winter was an amazing novel that had me hooked very early on. I especially love how well Sullivan tied The Red Winter’s story into a unique historical event in rural France, and the resulting tale of magic, love and betrayal, was incredible from beginning to end. Easily the best debut of 2026 so far, and one that all fans of fantasy fiction should check out.

30Seven by Jeremy Robinson

Jeremy Robinson continues to provide outrageous science fiction hybrid novels in 2026, as he drops one of his best novels yet, 30Seven. A wonderfully warped novel, 30Seven follows a damaged father who is abducted by aliens alongside his son and multiple campers at an isolated campground. However, things quickly get even more insane when it is revealed that one of the other abductees is the serial killer responsible for the murder of the protagonist’s wife, and who is now unleashing artistic terror across the alien ship. An amazing novel full of twists, horrors and interesting alien encounters, 30Seven was so much fun, and I cannot wait to see what Robinson comes up with next.

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

The final book on this list is also the second entry from one of my new favourite authors, Matt Dinniman, with the powerful standalone novel, Operation Bounce House. Following a group of colonists on an isolated human world when they are invaded by murderous gamers piloting mechs from back on Earth, Operation Bounce House was a compelling novel about family, community and survival. Featuring a more subtle story than Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl series, Operation Bounce House was a particularly moving book, that provides its own brand of epic action and clever humour. An exceptional novel from an author who has really shown his ability to craft unique stories and worlds in the first half of 2026.

Well, that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, I have already read some amazing and epic books so far in 2026 and we are only halfway through the year. I am pretty happy with how this list turned out, and it will be interesting to see which of these books ends up being amongst my top reads of the year. All the novels above come very highly recommended, and you are guaranteed to have a wonderful time reading them. Let me know what your favourite releases for the first half of the year are in the comments below and make sure to check out my two most anticipated reads lists for the second half of 2026 (fantasy and science fiction and other). Make sure to also check out my other Top Ten Tuesday list of the week, where I highlight some of my favourite movies and television shows from the first half of 2026.

The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan

On July 9, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Historical Fiction, LGBT+1 Comment

Publisher: Tor (Trade Paperback– 24 February 2026)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 535 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Australian author Cameron Sullivan delivers one of the best and most compelling debuts of 2026, with the historical fantasy epic, The Red Winter, a truly impressive read that you won’t be able to put down.

Plot Synopsis:

A devastating love story.
A bewitching twist on history.
A blood-drenched hunt for purpose, power, and redemption.

In 1785, Professor Sebastian Grave receives the news he fears most: the Beast of Gévaudan has returned, and the French countryside runs red in its wake.

Sebastian knows the Beast. Twenty years ago, it nearly cost him his life to bring the monster down. Now, he has been recalled to the hunt by Antoine Avenel d’Ocerne, an estranged lover who shares a dark history with the Beast and a terrible secret with Sebastian. With the help of his indwelling demon, Sarmodel – who takes payment in living hearts – Sebastian must return to Gévaudan for a final reckoning, while the Beast is poised to plunge the continent into war.

In this dark retelling of the hunt for the Beast of Gévaudan, Cameron Sullivan tears the heart out of history. He lifts the veil on the hidden world behind our own and reimagines the story of Europe, from Imperial Rome to Saint Jehanne d’Arc and the first flickers of the French Revolution.

Wow, want an outstanding and incredible debut. I must admit that when I first received The Red Winter, having very little prior knowledge of what it was about, I didn’t know what to expect. Still, I decided to give it a chance, and found myself quickly enthralled by Cameron Sullivan’s brilliant storytelling, excellent humour, and use of multiple intriguing periods of French history. One of the best books I have so far read in 2026, The Red Winter gets a full five-star rating from me, and I loved it so damn much.

I loved the unique and layered story that Sullivan came up with for The Red Winter, which thrust readers through several different periods of French history in a slightly alternate world filled with demons, angels and spiritual power. Told primarily from the perspective of Professor Sebastian Grave, an immortal sorcerer with a demonic spirit bound to him, the book serves as a personal chronicle of several connected past adventures in France. Starting with a storyline set in 1785, the book sees Professor Grave encounter Jacques Avenel d’Ocerne, the son of his former lover Antoine d’Ocerne, who requests Grave return with him to the Gévaudan region of France to fulfil a contract he holds with his father. Setting off on this new journey, the reader soon starts following Grave’s previous adventure in Gévaudan in 1766, when Grave first encounters Antoine and finds himself drawn into the hunt for the infamous Beast of Gévaudan, a monster terrorising the area and killing many locals. The story also features an interesting third storyline set out as an Addendum to the main narrative. This Addendum takes place throughout the early 14^th century and is also told in the form a chronicle, this one primarily written by Grave’s succubus servant Livia, who attempts to uncover a valuable artifact in war-torn France, dragging her employer into further danger and carnage.

Without giving too much away, Sullivan masterfully binds these storylines together, as he simultaneously follows the events of all three time periods. Most of the focus is on the two 18^th century storylines, with the consequences of Grave’s attempts to hunt the beast in 1766 coming back to bite him when the same monster returns in 1785, with even greater savagery. At the same time, the Addendum narrative contains even more chaos, which sees Grave first unknowing encounter with the Beast, and establishes much of this creature’s history and motivations, as well as Grave’s long-time obsession with obtaining its power.

Each of these different plotlines provides the reader with something different, including a great tragic romance narrative in the 1766 adventures, covered over with dark unexplained events from real-life history. This blends well with the more entertaining misadventures showcased in the Addendum, and the darker storyline in 1785, as Grave and other character are forced to relive all their past mistakes and uncover how the Beast survived. I honestly grew quite attached to all three of the different plot threads, as each contains a brilliant and compelling narrative that stands on its own. However, it’s the way that Sullivan weaves a larger, more complete narrative from them, that is the real highlight of The Red Winter, and which raised this entire book to a five-star epic. Each storyline perfectly flows into the other, and learning revelations from one has great impacts on your understanding of the others. Sullivan also captures the regret and anger of the protagonist (and other characters), in each progressive timeframe, and I loved seeing the true impacts of past decisions and bad decisions haunt people years down the line. I really cannot emphasise just how impactful, addictive and well-put-together this incredible narrative was, and you are guaranteed to come away from it deeply entranced.

While the epic storyline of The Red Winter was very awesome in its own right, Sullivan’s moving writing style added an extra impressive kick to it that constantly kept the reader coming back for more. I’ve already mentioned a few times the different time periods, separate narrative threads and even an alternate narrator, and these effective writing tools were each used to great effect. However, I really need to emphasise the way that each of them had their own unique feeling of tragedy, anger and personal regrets, especially thanks to the different experiences of the protagonist, that ensured they all stood out. The difference in tone between these three simultaneous plotlines produces a truly vibrant and emotionally charged novel, and I loved how each storyline got dark in their own way, while still having some moments of levity.

While there are some tonal differences, each plotline has some excellent and consistent humour behind it. Much of this humour is driven by the interaction between Grave and his internal spirit, Sarmodel, as well as the selfish and cynical antics of Livia in the 14^th century plotline. Sullivan also makes great use of various entertaining footnotes, which not only provide further context for this fantasy version of the world, but also add some additional comedy outside the flow of the main story. This humour blends well with the darker elements of The Red Winter, and the contrast and occasional lighter tone makes this book even easier to read and enjoy. Indeed, Sullivan’s entire writing style in The Red Winter was very inviting and easy going at times, and I was quite impressed with how effortlessly he conveyed a lot of complicated bits of real-life history and his own personal lore to the reader. There was never a part of The Red Winter that got bogged down in extensive occult discussion or deep dives into history, and Sullivan’s writing keeps the reader hooked all the way from start to finish.

One of the big highlights of The Red Winter for me was Sullivan’s clever use of French history, which also tied into a wider world of magic and religious truth that only the protagonist and his associates are aware of. As with most successful urban fantasy series, Sullivan ensures that the setting of The Red Winter is very similar to the real-world in terms of history and society, but with hidden magic just beneath the surface and only visible to a few. The author works these elements cleverly into the story, with the protagonist explaining to the reader the realities of magic and the divine, both in text and through the aforementioned footnotes. These descriptions and explanations work into the main narrative well, and you soon understand the implications of what the protagonist is experiencing or doing, as well as the dark consequences of everything that he does. While much of the magic in this book is more subtle than some other fantasy reads, it is still quite impactful, and its clever design and inclusion of battling angels, demons and other godlike beings really upped the stakes at times.

On top of the fantasy elements, Sullivan does an excellent job showcasing three different periods of French history, especially based around the Gévaudan region of France. This includes the post-Hundred-Years War period in the 14^th century, the early waning days of the French monarch in 1766, and the angry start of the French revolution around 1785. Each of these are explored masterfully, and not only does this help to give each separate plotline its own unique identity, but Sullivan gives some interesting mystical or spiritual origin to some certain historical events. However, the historical element I liked the most was the compelling dive into the mysterious occurrence of the Beast of Gévaudan. A heavily documented series of creature attacks in Gévaudan in the 1760s, the story of the Beast of Gévaudan wasn’t something I was too familiar with before getting this book, but boy am I interested in it now. While Sullivan does put his own spin on the origins of these events, he did capture much of the actual recorded history of the Beast of Gévaudan attacks, with several historical figures appearing as supporting characters. I found this to be deeply fascinating, and it served as a very interesting centre to much of the story, primarily the near half of the book set in 1766. I cannot emphasise just how fascinating Sullivan’s dive and use of this curious event was to the plot of The Red Winter, and I really must congratulate him for finding and using such a fitting piece of historical weirdness.

Finally, I need to mention some of the great characters featured throughout The Red Winter. Sullivan utilises a rich cast, combining immortals and magical beings, with normal humans caught up in their crossfire. The obvious focus is on main protagonist and point-of-view character Professor Sebastian Grave, a seemingly immortal being who has already lived for over a thousand years at this point in the story. An entertaining figure, bowed by his experiences yet still retaining the ability to fall in love and make mistakes, Grave was an interesting conduit for the reader to explore this dark tale, and I loved his unique and often cynical take on events, often written with some unfortunate hindsight. While you don’t get a lot of character development from Grave due to his immortal status, there is still some moving moments with this character, especially when more tragedy comes his way, and he is forced to deal with old mistakes and failings. The way that Sullivan simultaneously showcases Grave’s passionate romance with Antoine in 1766, and the distain Antoine holds for him in 1785, added some great drama to the plot, and you really become intrigued by what led to these events. This doomed romance and the history behind it drive much of Grave’s later story, and it was compelling to see how much regret he holds and how it continues to impact him.

Aside from Grave, there are several other great characters of note in The Red Winter, many of whom steal the show in their own way. This includes the demonic spirit Sarmodel, a mysterious being that has lodged itself into Grave’s soul, giving him immortality and much of his power. Thanks to their connection, which is nearly another romance, Sarmodel serves as a background voice to Grave’s actions. I loved the constant bickering back and forth between Grave and Sarmodel (like a very old married couple), and it honestly added a lot of humour and internal discord to the novel. Sarmodel’s needs also serve as a great motivator for this protagonist duo, with Sarmodel constantly driving Grave to find sources of life and magic to feed him, and it was interesting to see how that impacted their adventures. The use of the d’Ocerne father and son duo was also an excellent character use in The Red Winter, primarily because of their relationships with Grave, but also because of how their separate mistakes and secrets impact each other and bring greater tragedy to the plot. Throw in a disobedient succubus assistant, controlled by her own vices, various interesting historical luminaries and even the Archangel Michael who is working his own angle in events, and the cast of The Red Winter was impressive, and helped move the story in some awesome directions.

Thanks to his obvious talent, impressive ability and fantastic imagination, Cameron Sullivan’s debut novel, The Red Winter, was an exceptional read, and I honestly still can’t get over how much I loved it. A particularly clever, moving and addictive novel, The Red Winter was an absolute pleasure to read, and I loved every single second I spent with it. I honestly hope that Sullivan revisits his main characters again in the future, as there is so much potential for further adventures across history. Until then, The Red Winter remains one of the most impressive recent debuts I’ve had the pleasure of reading, and indeed it was one of the very best books I read in the first half of 2026.

30Seven by Jeremy Robinson

On July 9, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Podium Audio (Audiobook – 20 January 2026)

Series: Standalone

Length: 11 hours and 51 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jeremy Robinson presents one of the most awesome and unique science fiction reads of early 2026 with the impressive and over-the-top novel, 30Seven, a clever alien abduction novel with some daringly dark horror elements behind it.

Jeremy Robinson is an outstanding author who has a fantastic career writing clever, fun, and occasionally terrifying thrillers that often feature intriguing science fiction elements. Best known for his Antarktos Saga, Chess Team and Nemesis Saga series, Robinson has written a staggering amount of fiction over the years, including additional cool series and standalone reads. I got into Robinson’s work a few years ago when I read a few books from his addictive interconnected Infinite Timeline series, including Tribe, The Dark and Mind Bullet (the latter two of which were amongst my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). I have also started getting into Robinson’s standalone novels, including Point Nemo (one of my favourite audiobooks of 2024), and Artifact (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2025). As such, I was very excited to read some more books from Robinson in 2026 novel, including the awesome sounding 30Seven, which was one of my most anticipated releases for the first half of the year.

Plot Synopsis:

Twenty-eight people are abducted from a lakeside beach-and a killer is among them-in this twisty UFO horror novel from the bestselling author of The Others.

After a year of torment following the loss of his wife, Isabella, to a serial killer with an artistic flair, Marcus Lockwood retreats with his son, Elias, to Moose Hollow-a secluded campground in backwoods Maine-in search of healing. There, a close-knit band of lifelong campers immerses them in a warm, nostalgic experience filled with fishing, canoeing, crackling barbecues, and a taste of normalcy.

When whispers of eerie UFO sightings ignite a vigil on the beach, Marcus and Elias eagerly join the hunt for the inexplicable. But when the sky erupts in otherworldly light, they’ll get much more than they bargained for. A mysterious craft descends, and in one surreal moment, the group is abducted and transported into the unknown. Amid the chaos and disorientation, a gut-wrenching discovery terrifies Marcus:

One of them is Isabella’s killer.

Jeremey Robinson hits it out of the park again with this outstanding standalone science fiction thriller. 30Seven was a complex and addictive novel, that cleverly twisted the classic narrative of alien abductions into a brutal and manic thriller. A highly addictive novel I couldn’t get enough of, 30Seven gets a very easy five-star rating from me, especially as I’ve still got some of the reveals and revelations stuck in my head.

I loved the dark and very clever story that Robison featured in 30Seven, which I frankly think was one of the strongest the narratives that I have so far seen from this author. A slick, character driven novel, the book quickly introduces you to the main point-of-view protagonist, Marcus Lockwood, a highly damaged figure who has journeyed to the remote Moose Hollow campgrounds with his son, Elias. However, despite the serene setting, nothing is quite what it seems, especially with strange alien sightings and evidence that Marcus and Elias were lured to the camp by the serial killer responsible for destroying their family. Robinson does an interesting job of setting up a lot of key elements in the first part of 30Seven, especially as you are introduced to the key cast of fellow campers, as well as some early information about potential alien encounters.

While this first part of the book moves quickly and effectively draws the reader in, Robinson makes sure to kick the narrative up a notch with the sudden abduction of the entire protagonist group by a UFO, a moment that changes 30Seven’s entire status quo. Not only do the characters now have to deal with terror caused by interacting with telepathic aliens but the abduction awakens the serial killer, who begins a murderous reign of terror aboard the ship. What follows is a horrifying jaunt as Marcus tries to find and protect his son amid disastrous alien first contact, while a deranged killer stalks around them, butchering and artistically posing multiple victims.

The entire second half of 30Seven is so damn good, and I loved just how dark things ended up getting, with so many gruesome horrors. The clash of fascinating alien interactions against human insanity makes for an intense and fast-paced story, and you race towards the end eager to see who the killer is. Everything leads up to a fantastic final confrontation, where all the author’s twists come to light. While I saw part of the big reveal coming, the full extent of it was very impressive, and it makes you rethink everything that took place earlier in the novel. Readers will come away very satisfied, if a little disturbed, and Robinson does an amazing job wrapping up the entire story and ensuring this was a tight and captivating read.

30Seven ended up being a spectacular novel, and I really enjoyed the unique feel that this book had. Featuring an alien abduction narrative that devolves into a horror-laden slasher novel, Robinson perfectly emulating both genres to pull together an intense read. The resulting story is unique, and Robinson expertly tells it through a primary first-person perspective which allows readers to have a front-row view of 30Seven’s crazy carnage. I loved how the book got darker the further you went along, with Robinson moving the story further into the horror genre, especially when it comes to having the bodies displayed as artworks (a certain moving art exhibit was particularly disturbing). This really ups the tension of the plot, and you are constantly on edge all the way through the final clever reveals. Throw in some interesting thoughts about the potential for alien life, the influence they’ve had on humanity, as well as some interesting concerns about the rise of AI, and this ended up being a very clever and well-written novel.

Robinson always excels at creating likeable figures for his readers to follow, and 30Seven was no exception, featuring an interesting collection of major characters. Unsurprisingly most of the focus goes to main protagonist, Marcus Lockwood, who serves as the novel’s primary point-of-view character. A clever and relatable father, who has been severely traumatised by the recent murder of his wife, Marcus serves as a great heart to the story, especially as he encounters the horrors of Moose Hollow. I felt that Robinson did a good job at painting Marcus as an excellent everyman hero, with some very understandable reaction to events going on around him. In addition, the first-person perspective allows Robinson to really get stuck into Marcus’s trauma, allowing for an authentic and powerful look at a grieving father’s fear, attempts to protect his child, and establish a new connection. All this allows for a fantastic emotional ride, which enhances 30Seven’s main narrative, while pushing the plot in some interesting directions.

In addition to Marcus, 30Seven features a great collection of supporting characters who help or develop the protagonist’s journey in some compelling manners. Most of these supporting characters are fellow campers at Moose Hollow, whose connection to the camp and previous alien encounters provide some interesting side-plots and hints at what is to come. I don’t want to go into too much detail about these supporting characters, especially as it could spoil who is and who isn’t the antagonistic serial killer. However, I will say that each of these supporting characters are well utilised, even if they have an untimely and brutal death.

The one character I do want to go into a little more detail about is the serial killer antagonist of the story. A sinister shadow for some of the early parts of the book, this serial killer awakens when the first alien abduction occurs, and you start seeing parts of the novel from their perspective. These additional perspective shots are some of the best parts of 30Seven, primarily because the killer talks to an unseen watcher that also acts as a proxy for the reader themselves. The resulting sarcastic commentary from the killer as he haunts the ship and the protagonists is so damn brilliant and adds a dark bit of humour to the story. There are also some extremely clever moments as the killer seems to taunt the reader with his words, while also providing hints about who he really is. The final reveal about the figure behind this narration is impressive, especially as it twists the hints around, while the killer mocks readers who guessed wrong (or even partially right). I laughed so damn hard at some of the jokes Robinson loaded into the killer’s chapters (especially those that seem personally aimed at cynical readers like me), and these sections were some of my favourites in the book, especially when they attacked my preconceived notions of how the plot should unfold. Honestly all the characters in 30Seven were great, and I really appreciated the amazing depth, complexity and humour they added to the plot.

As has been habit with all the previous Jeremy Robinson novels I have enjoyed, I ended up grabbing the audiobook version of 30Seven. This format always works extremely well to enhance Robinson’s outstanding and crazy narratives, and 30Seven is no exception to this, as I quickly powered through its near 12-hour long runtime. A lot of this is down to the exceptional narration of Scott Brick, who proves to be an interesting replacement to Robinson’s usual audiobook collaborator R. C. Bray. Brick, whose work on the Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz and Cotton Malone by Steve Berry audiobooks I’ve previously enjoyed, is a very talented narrator who brings his substantial experience with voicing thriller novels to this complicated read in all the best ways.

Despite this being Brick’s first time narrating one of Robinson’s novels, I felt that Brick did an outstanding job adapting to the author’s style. Not only does he have a little more energy in his voice when reading out the over-the-top science fiction action, but he also perfectly expresses Robinson’s excellent humour. I also really liked the fantastic voices that Brick pulled together for the extended cast of 30Seven. While a couple of voices were similar to tones Brick used in previous audiobooks, most of the cast sounds unique, and you’re able to easily distinguish between the characters. I especially loved the old, wise voice he gives to Emmett, the camp caretaker, while the over-worldly voices of several alien characters were well done. However, it is the sinister and delightfully malicious tone that Brick utilises in the various interludes where the serial killer is seemingly talking to the reader that was the true highlight of this audiobook’s narration. The sarcastic and mocking voice that comes out here was just perfect, and I loved how it helped increase the threat this mysterious figure had. All this results in an exceptional audiobook, which does an incredible job showcasing Robinson’s compelling story.

The brilliant and dark mind of Jeremy Robinson was once again on full display with his new novel, 30Seven. A wonderfully twisted science fiction novel that sets a serial killer loose on a spaceship with dark results, 30Seven was an outstanding standalone novel I couldn’t get enough of. Clever, shocking and highly addictive, 30Seven was an incredible novel and it was one of my top books so far this year. I will definitely be reading more Robinson in 2026, and I cannot wait to try out either the recently released Parallax or the upcoming novel Settle Down when I get a chance.

Book Haul – 6 July 2026

On July 5, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive some incredible and amazing new novels from publishers and Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.

Adam & Eve by Jeffrey Archer

The first book I want to feature in this Book Haul post is the upcoming release from Jeffrey Archer, Adam & Eve. The final book written by Archer, Adam & Eve is a compelling, standalone historical epic which sees two lovers divided by class dragged into the chaos surrounding World War II and the German invasion of England. Sure to be an excellent and captivating novel, Adam & Eve is high on my to-read list, and I am deeply intrigued to read Archer’s final book.

The Wreck by Riley James

Next on this list is the excellent upcoming Australian crime fiction release, The Wreck by Riley James. The second novel from James after her 2024 debut, The Chilling, The Wreck will see a group of UFO chasers trapped on a deserted island, with a dangerous presence stalking them from the shadows. I am very curious to read this second book from James, and I look forward to diving into The Wreck later this year.

Every Time She Wakes by Petronella McGovern

One of the more intriguing novels I recently received was Every Time She Wakes by Petronella McGovern. A compelling Australian crime fiction read with some interesting time travel elements to it, Every Time She Wakes has a lot of potential, and I’m actually hoping to read it next.

The Doubles by Jacob K. Gallagher

Another particularly interesting Australian novel I recently received was the cool fantasy read, The Doubles by Jacob K. Gallagher. A unique urban fantasy novel with some local Australian flair, The Doubles sounds like a great book and it’s one I’m looking forward to reading.

The Death Row Club by V. A. Vazquez

Next up we have the very entertaining and ultra-intense debut from V. A. Vazquez, The Death Row Club. A murder mystery thriller set at a gathering of the adult children of notorious serial killers, The Death Row Club sounds extremely awesome and I’m hoping to read it soon.

The Burn by Jessica Mansour-Nahra

A compelling and drama laden novel, set amid a climate of intense bushfires hitting Australia.

Devil Mountain by Inessa Jackson

An intense and impressive sounding Australian crime fiction novel, where an investigator must uncover dark and potentially occult secrets in a small Australian country town.

Just Like The Night by Michael Caleb Tasker

Another great sounding Australian read, featuring a con-woman mother who attempts to save her daughter from the dangerous criminal element she has become entangled with.

Island X by Marissa Yarrow

The final awesome book I recently received was Island X by Marissa Yarrow. A fantastic and creepy horror novel, where influencers at an exclusive music festival are being hostage by mysterious events and the dark whims of their social media accounts. I am very intrigued by Island X, and it sounds like it could be a weird, yet very fun, novel to check out.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.