I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive a huge number of 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.
The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
Let’s start this Book Haul post off strong with the new Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman. Following on from all the previous exceptional Thursday Murder Club books (The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die), The Impossible Fortune will bring back the series’ amazing pensioner protagonists and see them attempt to solve another complex crime in their typical, funny fashion. I have been so eager to see how this series continues, especially after the heartbreaking events of The Last Devil to Die, and I already know that this is going to be one of the top books of 2025.
Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan
Next on this haul we have the outstanding fantasy novel, Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan. The sequel to Ryan’s previous novel, A Tide of Black Steel (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024), Born of an Iron Storm continues the epic story from the first book, as several compelling protagonists try to fight back against a mysterious, invading force. I am currently listening to Born of an Iron Storm on audiobook, and it is proving to be quite an exceptional listen that I am deeply enjoying.
Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson
The laughs are sure to come with the new Australian crime fiction novel from Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief. The fourth book in one of the funniest Australian series currently running, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief has a great plot that see’s inadvertent detective Ernest Cunningham attempt to solve a new murder, this time in the middle of a violent bank heist. I cannot wait to see how this clever book unfolds, and I already know I’m going to love it.
Circle of Days by Ken Follett
The latest book I’ve managed to get my hands on is Circle of Days by the always impressive Ken Follett. Another massive and deeply compelling historical fiction novel Circle of Days will chronicle the lives of several characters as they witness the creation of Stonehenge. This looks set to be an epic new read from the author and I am very excited to see Follett explore a new period of history.
Crossroads of Ravens by Andrzel Sapkowski
I was particularly happy to receive a copy of the new Witcher novel from Andrzej Sapkowski, Crossroads of Ravens, which is probably one of the bigger fantasy releases of 2025. A prequel book set before the other The Witcher novels, Crossroads of Ravens will follow a younger Geralt on his earliest adventures as he attempts to survive a world that hates and fears him. I am hoping to read Crossroads of Ravens really soon, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.
The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
Dan Brown returns with an excellent new thriller with The Secret of Secrets. Bringing back his iconic protagonist for another thrilling examination of historical conspiracies, The Secret of Secrets is going to be one of the more awesome releases of 2025 and I am hoping to start reading it today.
The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani
Probably one of the more exciting novels I’ve received is the epic historical thriller, The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani. An excellent revenge novel that sees a man join the crusades to get revenge on a group of soldiers who killed his family. I am hoping to get to The Pilgrim’s Revenge really soon and I have no doubt it’s going to be a particularly impressive read.
How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe
I was very happy to receive the entertaining fantasy novel, How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe. A fun sounding book with some interesting LitRPG elements to it, this new release of How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps is going to be awesome, and I cannot wait to check it out.
Murder On North Terrace by Lainie Anderson
The next book I want to highlight in this Book Haul post is Murder on North Terrace. The sequel to Lainie Anderson’s 2024 novel, The Death of Dora Black, Murder on North Terrace is going to be a compelling Australian murder mystery set in Adelaide during World War I. I had an excellent time with The Death of Dora Black last year and I am looking forward to reading the sequel
Star Trek: Lower Decks, Volume 1: Second Contact by Ryan North
I had to feature Second Contact in this haul, which is going to be so damn good. A very fun Star Trek comic that focuses on the characters of the Lower Decks animated series, this first volume of this series, Second Contact, has a fantastic sounding plot that will place your favourite Star Trek characters into all manner of whacky situations. I have a lot of love for Lower Decks, which is such a funny Star Trek show, and I cannot wait to see its characters and unique humour comes across in comic book form.
The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch
The final book I want to highlight on this post is the intriguing historical fiction novel, The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch. Set during the Third Crusade, The Devil’s Knight sees a deadly knight attempt to escort a potential saint back to England while every other major force involved in the war tries to stop him. I really love the sound of this book, and it is an excellent recently received novel to end this post on.
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 