I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from local 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.
Never Flinch by Stephen King
First up I have to feature the cool new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch. A particularly epic crime fiction read that brings back one of King’s best protagonists, I’ve already had the pleasure of reading Never Flinch and it was so damn good. Review to hopefully follow soon.
Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland
Another cool book I have recently received was an early copy of Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland. The final book in the author’s Broken Blades trilogy, Three Shattered Souls will continue to follow a small band of desperate killers as they try to save the world and kill a tyrant. I have had so much fun with the previous novels in this series, Five Broken Blades and Four Ruined Realms, and I cannot wait to see how Corland wraps up the trilogy.
Cold War by Jonathan Maberry
I was very happy to receive an early copy of Jonathan Maberry’s epic dark science fiction novel, Cold War. The sequel to his brutal 2024 novel, NecroTek, Cold War will see several groups of scientists fight back against ancient cosmic monsters in a war to save humanity out in the stars. Sure to be an intense and complex read, I am really excited for Cold War and it should be an impressive sequel.
Grave Danger by James Grippando
Next up we have the outstanding legal thriller, Grave Danger by James Grippando. The latest book in the author’s Jack Swyteck series, Grave Danger sees lawyer protagonist Jack Swyteck fight to keep a mother and daughter together despite massive political and legal hurdles. An outstanding new entry in a very compelling series, I am actually listening to Grave Danger right now and it is proving to be an amazing and highly recommended read.
Valour by Richard Cullen
One of the more entertaining new books I have received is the upcoming Richard Cullen novel, Valour. The third book in the author’s Chronicle of the Black Lion series (which previously featured Rebellion and Crusade), Valour will see the book’s knight protagonist lead a desperate rescue mission to save captured missionaries from a band of pagans. I am really intrigued by this new entry in the series, especially as it has a very different plot to the war-heavy previous novels, and I look forward to seeing how crazy things get here.
The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis
One of the more interesting sequels of 2025 for me is the impressive sounding novel The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis. The sequel to Petraitis’ outstanding book, The Unbelieved, The Stolen will see the series’ detective protagonist try to save a missing baby, while also dealing with the dark secrets of her new small-town home. Likely to be a particularly dark piece of Australian crime fiction, The Stolen sounds really captivating and I cannot wait to read it.
Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
An exciting and crazy thriller from the legendary team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Badlands looks set to be an amazing read as the protagonists investigate a series of bizarre murders tied into ancient artefacts.
Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont
I’ve just gotten my hands on one of the more intriguing spy thriller books of 2025, Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont. Following on from the author’s previous novels, The Frenchman and Dark Arena, Liar’s Game will follow a member of French intelligence who finds himself burned by his own government and must try to survive the forces coming after him. Sure to be a detailed and highly addictive read, Liar’s Game is very high up on my to-read list, and I cannot wait to check it out.
The Writers’ Retreat by Samantha Vérant
An interesting and no doubt meta novel about mystery writers getting caught up in a dark thriller plot in an isolated cabin.
The Chemist by A. A. Dhand
I was lucky to get my hands on one of the more intriguing debuts of 2025, The Chemist by A. A. Dhand. Following a London pharmacist who gets caught up in a deadly gang war, The Chemist has a really unique feel to it, and I have no doubt this is going to be an exceptional thriller.
Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin
The final book I have recently received is the Australian debut Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin. A small-town Australian crime fiction read with an Aboriginal police protagonist; Melaleuca sounds like an intense and dramatic novel that will dive into some of the deeper and darker elements of Australia’s outback culture. An outstanding sounding book and one I’m glad I received a copy of.
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.
The Unseen Library 