Category: List

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Winter 2026 To Be Read (TBR) List

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday participants have a Thanksgiving freebie which I am going to use to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the first Tuesday of Winter 2026, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Winter (Summer for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 June 2026 and 31 August 2026 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles, and I even have some early copies of a some of them (I’m hoping to read them soon). I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2026.

Honourable Mentions:

Hide and Seek by Chris Carter – 16 July 2026

A compelling and chilling thriller that I think has a ton of potential.

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Eight Tastes of Treachery by Ryan Rose – 21 July 2026

An intriguing food-based fantasy novel, that will serve as a sequel to last year’s fun debut, Seven Recipes for Revolution.

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The Unknown by Riley Sager – 4 August 2026

A very interesting upcoming mystery novel about missing people on a spooky island, with compelling horror elements also thrown into the mix.

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The Calamities by Chuck Wendig – 18 August 2026

An exciting tale of familial bonds and betrayal, when the scion of a half-demon business dynasty decides to turn his back on his family’s evil ways.

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Top Ten Tuesday:

Green City Wars by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 30 June 2026

The first book I want to highlight in this Top Ten list is the new upcoming novel from Adrian Tchaikovksy, Green City Wars.  One of Tchaikovsky’s more entertaining and distinctive scenarios (which is saying a lot), Green City Wars is a noir-inspired mystery, set in science fiction world where humans are served by unseen, genetically enhanced animals.  Set to feature a fun cast of sentient animals attempting to solve their problems without disturbing their human masters, Green City Wars sounds delightful, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

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One of Us Is Guilty by Steve Cavanagh – 28 July 2026

One of my favourite thriller authors, Steve Cavanagh, returns in 2026 with a new complex legal thriller.  Part of his Eddie Flynn series, One of Us is Guilty will see the protagonist try to determine which member of a seemingly perfect couple committed a brutal murder and which one of them is being set up by their partner.  Sure to be another awesome read with some fantastic legal twists, One of Us is Guilty is going to be an outstanding, and I’ve very excited to read it.

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The Infinite State by Richard Swan – 28 July 2026

Australian fantasy author Richard Swan takes a break from his acclaimed Empire of the Wolf/The Great Silence novels, and instead presents a cool, standalone science fiction release with The Infinite State.  Set to follow a suddenly ultra-wealthy widow and her allies as they attempt to buy a planet to set up a democracy in defiance of a galaxy-spanning fascist government.  I love the sound of this intriguing narrative, especially as Swan will likely utilise his prior Warhammer 40,000 experience, to create a unique and insightful read.

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Duel of Beasts by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 30 July 2026

The team of Boyd and Beth Morrison look set to continue their historical hijinks with their fourth Tale of the Lawless Land entry coming out soon.  This time set in medieval Spain, Duel of the Beasts will see the series protagonists get involved to help another helpless sole, only to find themselves hunted across the country.  Sure to be an exciting and intense historical thriller, Duel of the Beasts is going to be an awesome read.

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Bad Neighbours by Joanna Jenkins – 4 August 2026

A more grounded Australian novel that I’m keen to check out this Winter is the new Joanna Jenkins novel, Bad Neighbours.  The follow-up to Jenkins’ How to Kill a Client and The Bluff, Bad Neighbours will see the returning lawyer protagonist forced to investigate her new neighbours to find justice.  I love the sound of this new book from Jenkins, and I cannot wait to see her latest piece of Australian crime fiction.

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The Deep and the Drowned by Ian Green – 6 August 2026

One of the few books on this list from an author I haven’t previously read anything from, The Deep and the Drowned is an intriguing fantasy read that caught my attention a few weeks ago thanks to its cool plot and striking cover.  Featuring a compelling setting of giant, monster-filled seas, multiple chaotic islands, and sailors trying to cross between them, The Deep and the Drowned sounds very awesome, and I’m so glad I’ve gotten an early copy of it.

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A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett – 11 August 2026

Probably the Winter 2026 release I’m most excited for is A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett.  The third book in a deeply impressive fantasy murder mystery series that follows a unique team of investigators as they attempt to unravel empire-shattering crimes in a nation constantly under siege by giant monsters. This next book will follow the series protagonists as they attempt to prove that a young noble is innocent of murder, despite overwhelming evidence.  The previous novels in this series (The Tainted Cup and A Drop of Corruption), where both exceptional, five-star reads, and I have no doubt that A Trade of Blood is going to be one of the very best novels of the year.

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The Dungeon Book by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan – 11 August 2026

I always have my eye out for cool and unique reads, and one of the more outrageous fantasy novels coming out in Winter 2026 is The Dungeon Book by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan.  An entertaining standalone novel that will follow a young human who was raised by the monsters and creatures of a fantasy dungeon, The Dungeon Book sounds like a very fun and inventive upcoming fantasy release and I’m very keen to get my hands on it.

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The Killer’s Mark by M. W. Craven – 11 August 2026

One of modern crime fictions more distinctive voices, M. W. Craven, looks set to bring the chaos once more with his next novel The Killer’s Mark.  Bringing back the excentric protagonists of the Washington Poe series, Craven will present another unique mystery with some outstanding twists.  I’ve had a brilliant time with the last few books of this series, The Mercy Chair and The Final Vow, and I’m sure The Killer’s Mark is going to be another extremely fun murder mystery.

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Upon the Forge of Battle by Anthony Ryan – 25 August 2026

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the awesome upcoming fantasy release, Upon the Forge of Battle by Anthony Ryan.  The third and final book in Ryan’s Age of Wrath series (previous featuring A Tide of Black Steel and Born of an Iron Storm), Upon the Forge of Battle will see the series’ four embattled protagonists attempt to find their destinies as war, intrigue and betrayal overwhelms them.  Based on how impressive the rest of this series has been, Upon the Forge of Battle is likely to be one of the top fantasy books of 2026 and is a very worthy final entry for this list.

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Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. There are some impressive books coming out in this part of 2026, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a bit of reading to do soon.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books by my Favourite Authors

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Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly task that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics.  For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with identifying their top ten favourite authors and then listing out which one of their books is the blogger’s favourite.  This was a very interesting idea, and while I’ve previously highlighted some favourite books in a specific series, I’ve never tried to list my overall favourite authors and their top books.

This proved to be quite a difficult list to pull together, mainly because I had to spend a lot of time thinking about who my favourite authors are.  While several writers were instant choices that I didn’t need to think too much about, the rest of my current favourites was a little harder to pin down.  I was eventually able to whittle it down to my absolute favourite authors now (with a generous honourable mentions section), although it took some difficulty.  It was quite interesting to consider how my favourites have changed over the last few years, and it wouldn’t surprise me if this changes dramatically the next time I try to list it out.

After working out my favourite authors, identifying my favourite book from them was an easier process, although I did have to do some deep thinking at times.  It didn’t help that all these authors tend to have multiple epic novels to their name, all of which I’ve had an incredible time with.  Stil, I gave it a try, and I think the final list is a pretty good representation of both my favourite authors and my favourite books from them.  So let us see who made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Richard Osman – The Last Devil to Die

A brilliant and particularly heartbreaking entry in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series.

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Michael Connelly – Fair Warning

I have the pleasure of reading several of Michael Connelly’s more recent books, and my favourite is the chilling Fair Warning, which combines a great mystery with warnings about companies owning a person’s DNA.

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Mark Greaney – The Gray Man

There are so many exceptional spy thrillers from Mark Greaney out there, but my favourite remains his original release, the over-the-top and addictive The Gray Man.

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Adrian Tchaikovksy – Days of Shattered Faith

The consistently impressive and inventive Adrian Tchaikovsky had a range of awesome reads I could have featured here, but I had to go with his compelling and elaborate 2025 release, Days of Shattered Faith as my current favourite.

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Top Ten List:

Terry Pratchett – Guards! Guards!

With a blog named after a location in his Discworld series, I doubt anyone is surprised that Terry Pratchett is one of my favourite authors.  A master of humour, complex characters and elaborate worlds, Pratchett’s book are so damn good, and even after all these years I still get so much joy out of them.  As such, Pratchett was an easy author for this list, although I had a lot of trouble deciding which of his books to feature here (I’ve previously done a whole list about my favourites).  While books like Jingo, Small Gods and Witches Abroad were all strong contenders, in the end I had to go with the hilarious and clever Guards! Guards!.  Not only was it a complex novel, perfectly combining a clever crime fiction narrative with amazing fantasy elements and some outstanding humour, but Guards! Guards! also serves as the first entry in Pratchett’s City Watch sub-series, and I have so much love for how he set up some other amazing reads here.  An incredible book from my very favourite author, and a worthy start to this list.

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Stan Sakai – Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 11: Seasons

For as long as I have been reviewing, I have been singing the praises of Stan Sakai, who remains one of my favourite comic book authors thanks to his Usagi Yojimbo series.  I have had an incredible time reading the entire Usagi Yojimbo series multiple times over the years, but if I had to pick a favourite it would probably be the 11th volume Seasons.  Not only does this volume feature one of the stories that first drew me to the Usagi Yojimbo series, but it also features several other captivating stories that showcase both Sakai’s great artwork, and his long-term writing and character creation.  I particularly enjoy how he introduces various interesting figures and sets up multiple ongoing arcs in a series of fascinating shorter stories, and it was a real joy to see these play out in the next several volumes.  As such, Seasons has a very special place in my heart, and it’s an excellent comic to feature here.

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Jonathan Maberry – Code Zero

Few authors have kept me enthralled in recent years than the master of dark fiction, Jonathan Maberry.  An author primarily focusing on horror and science fiction themed thrillers, Maberry has produced some outstanding novels over the years, and has branched out into several different genres, including fantasy (with Kagen the Damned), and pure science fiction (NecroTek).  However, my favourite series is the amazing Joe Ledger books, which follows a highly damaged agent as he attempts to keep the word safe from all manner of advanced technology and weaponry.  There are some amazing entries in the Joe Ledger series, however, my favourite is probably the sixth novel, Code Zero.  Revisiting some of the worst weapons the protagonist has ever defeated and working against an enemy who knows all their secrets, Code Zero was an excellent read with some awesome intensity behind it.

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Jim Butcher – Changes

After spending years getting through his iconic and impressive Dresden Files series, Jim Butcher now reigns as one of my all-time favourite fantasy authors, and I have so much love for his main body of work.  Currently made up of 18 books, the Dresden Files follows Chicago’s only wizard as he tries to protect his city from various arcane threats.  There are multiple incredible novels within this series, although if I had to pick a favourite, it would be Changes (only just beating out Skin Game).  Changes is a standout entry in the series, especially as it completely alters much of the Dresden Files’ established status quo and pushes the protagonist to his very limits.  If you’ve read this series, you know why this book is so significant, and the raw emotion, carnage and multiple dark twists, ensure that Changes remains Butcher’s very best book.

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Matt Dinniman – The Butcher’s Masquerade

One of the more recent additions to my list of favourite authors is the very popular Matt Dinniman.  An author who primarily specialises in LitRPG fiction, I became a mega-fan of Dinniman last year when I decided to try his acclaimed book Dungeon Crawler Carl, which then led to me reading the rest of the series.  I honestly cannot remember becoming as obsessed with something as easily as I did with the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, as I absorbed all of them in record time.  I’ve only just finished the recently released eighth book in the series, A Parade of Horribles, and this has reinforced Dinniman’s inclusion on this list.  I did struggle to decide which of the Dungeon Crawler Carl novels to feature here, with the brutal sixth book The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, being a strong contender.  However, in the end I decided that the epic fifth book, The Butcher’s Masquerade, was the entry I had to include as my favourite.  Featuring some of the best combination of humour, tragedy and utter insanity that I have ever read in fiction, The Butcher’s Masquerade was an exceptional novel, that hits hard and refuses to let go.  A truly epic novel that earns its spot on this list with very little trouble.

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John Marsden – The Third Day the Frost

Going back to some childhood favourites, I’ve added the late Australian author John Marsden to this list, mainly because of his iconic Tomorrow series.  One of the best pieces of Australian fiction ever written, the Tomorrow series is a powerful young adult series that follows several teenagers caught up in a sudden invasion of Australia.  I have so much love for this series, and I’ve had the great pleasure of reading multiple times since I was a young teenager.  All seven books in this series are good, but my favourite is The Third Day the Frost, which serves as the dramatic third entry.  A powerful novel that sees the protagonists experience the horrors of war and learn to regret decision to fight like never before, The Third Day the Frost was Marsden’s most traumatic book, and it is a harrowing highlight amid the other exceptional entries.

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R. A. Salvatore – Homeland

I’ve had the pleasure of reading books from many fantasy authors over the years, but one of the original authors who I became a fan of was the iconic R. A. Salvatore.  One of the key contributors to the Forgotten Realms fantasy universe of Dungeons and Dragons, Salvatore has written so many books in this setting, as well as several outstanding series set in his own fantasy universe.  I have had so much fun over the years reading his various novels, with the extremely long-running Legend of Drizzt books and his Cleric Quintet being a major favourite.  Of these, the book I must highlight as my favourite is the 1990 release, Homeland.  A compelling read that serves as a prequel to Salvatore’s original Icewind Dale trilogy, Homeland follows the origins of Salvatore’s most iconic character, Drizzt Do’Urden, and his earlier years surviving amongst his brutal kind.  A complex novel that provides some chilling insights into the subterranean dark elves know as drow, Homeland is an outstanding read that provides an extreme version of nature vs nurture.  A very easy choice to include on this list.

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Simon Scarrow – Under the Eagle

I’ve always been a fan of historical fiction, and my favourite author of the genre is Simon Scarrow.  I have been a fan of Scarrow since I started reading historical fiction, with his long-running Eagles of the Empire series being a major factor in this.  Following two Roman soldiers as they try to survive the various battlefields and politics of the empire’s peak, the Eagles of the Empire books have always been must-reads for me, and I am still a fan to this day (check out my review for the latest entry, Tyrant of Rome).  There are way too many books in this series to have a definitive favourite, but I think I’m going to go with Scarrow’s very first book, Under the Eagle.  Serving as an excellent introduction to the main characters as they prepare to invade Britannia, Under the Eagle sets up the rest of the series perfectly and was an excellent initial entry.  A very impressive first novel that the series keeps coming back to, Under the Eagle was an amazing read that has had me hooked for so very long.

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Joe Abercrombie – The Trouble With Peace

I had to include Joe Abercrombie on this list, as the master of grimdark fantasy fiction has consistently impressed with his powerful plots and delightfully flawed characters.  His books, from the First Law series, all the way to last year’s entertaining gore-fest, The Devils, have all been quite incredible and addictive.  However, if I had to choose a favourite, I’d have to go with The Trouble With Peace.  The second book in Abercrombie’s Age of Madness trilogy, The Trouble With Peace narrowly edges out the trauma of excellent third novel, The Wisdom of Crowds, thanks to its concise story and powerful battle sequences.  I also love how it turns the previous novel’s seemingly foppish protagonist into an extremely likeable leading man, while the supposedly heroic young star of the preceding A Little Hatred, is effortlessly morphed into a selfish heel.  An incredible read from one of dark fantasy’s absolute best authors and a fantastic inclusion for this list.

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Dan Abnett – Warhammer 40,000: Double Eagle

The final person I want to feature on this list is Dan Abnett, who was an automatic inclusion here for being my favourite author of Warhammer fiction.  An intense author who always tries to showcase the average human perspective of the over-the-top Warhammer universe, Abnett has written some truly amazing novels over the years, many of which are among my favourite Warhammer 40,000 entries.  However, my favourite is probably his classic novel, Double Eagle, which follows a group of fighter pilots battling for survival above a bloody warzone.  Featuring some of the very best aerial combat sequences you are ever going to read, Double Eagle was an ultra-addictive masterpiece, that I couldn’t stop listening to.  A highly recommended and action-packed read that perfectly wraps up this list.

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Whew, well that was a far more extensive Top Ten list than I intended, although I’m happy with the result.  The above really are some of my very favourite books from some of my favourite authors, and I love every single one of them.  All the above come very highly recommended, and there is a good chance you will start a new obsession the moment you start to explore them, so good luck. Make sure to also let me know your absolute favourite books and authors in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Most Recent Five-Star Reads

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Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly task that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics.  The official topic for this week is to look at favourite secondary characters, which, while fun, is something I probably won’t attempt this week.  Instead, I’m going to fall back to a topic The Artsy Reader Girl blog did a few weeks ago and list out my ten most recent five-star reads.

2026 has been an interesting year for me so far, and I’ve had the great pleasure of reading an awesome range of books, including some incredible recent releases and some older books I’ve finally had a chance to check out.  Most of the books have been outstanding in their own way, and I’ve had fun getting through pretty much everything.  However, only a few have stood out as potential five-star reads, which I categorise as perfect (or near perfect) reads that have totally engrossed me.

For this list I am going to feature the last 10 of these books that I believe are five-star reads due to their complex stories, great characters, or well-written ideas.  This proved to be a fun task with some interesting contenders, which I was able to whittle down into a top ten list.  Each of these books have proven to be spectacular for various reasons, and I had an incredible time getting through all of them.  So let us see what made the cut.

Top Ten List (Reverse Reading Order):

A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman

The first five-star entry on this list is A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman.  The eighth book in Dinniman’s acclaimed Dungeon Crawler Carl series, A Parade of Horribles is an epic and incredible read that throws its complex characters into even more chaos and carnage as they attempt to navigate the next level of a deadly televised dungeon that has been formed in the ruins of Earth.  I’m slightly cheating with this entry, as I’m still currently reading A Parade of Horribles, however, it is so damn good I decided I was going to give it a five-star rating very early on.  A perfect continuation of the series that provides the reader will all the awesome action, outrageous humour and intense emotions that Dungeon Crawler Carl fans have come to expect, A Parade of Horribles is just incredible, especially on its exceptional audiobook format.

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Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The next book on this list is the older fantasy novel, Guns of the Dawn by the talented Adrian Tchaikovsky.  A distinctive fantasy read that cleverly parallels regency era fiction, Guns of the Dawn follows a compelling female character as she is drafted into a deadly war.  A sharp, moving and complex read that appealed to me on multiple levels, Guns of the Dawn is Tchaikovsky at his best, and an easy five-star novel in my book.

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Jingo by Terry Pratchett

I recently relistened to the classic Discworld novel from the legendary Terry Pratchett, Jingo, which proved to be outstanding entertainment for a lengthy road trip.  The fourth book in Pratchett’s City Watch sub series, Jingo sees the ragtag members of the Ankh-Morpork city watch accidently go off to war, in a brilliant parody of international relations gone mad.  Already one of my favourite Discworld novels, this latest listen reaffirmed my love for Jingo, and I honestly have a new appreciation for it due to this version featuring some outstanding alternate narrators.  An exceptional read that was always going to get a five-star rating from me.

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

It’s not an Unseen Library list without a Warhammer novel featured somewhere.  This next entry, Ghazghkull Thraka: Warlord of Warlords, is a bit of a niche inclusion, but it’s one that got an easy five-star rating from me.  A clever read from one of the rising talents of Warhammer fiction, Denny Flowers, Warlord of Warlords sees members of the always entertaining ork faction engage in hilarious, wholesale carnage in pursuit of becoming the most dangerous warlord alive.  An amazing read that will really appeal to hardcore Warhammer 40,000 fans, Warlord of Warlords is a fun entry on this list, and it’s one I had a great time listening to.

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The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman

After years of hearing how good The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman is, I had to go back and check it out myself, and it turns out people weren’t exaggerating.  A brutal and well-written book with a classic, if dark, adventure story behind it, The Blacktongue Thief sees a unique group travel across a war-ravaged continent on their own separate quests.  Cleverly introducing a very distinctive fantasy setting and some amazing characters, The Blacktongue Thief was an epic read that I rated very highly, and it’s one I’m glad I finally checked out.

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Pretenders to the Throne of God by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Adrian Tchaikovksy gets his second entry on this list with the impressive Pretenders to the Throne of God.  The fourth book in his Tyrant Philosophers series (following on from City of Last Chances, House of Open Wounds and Days of Shattered Faith), Pretenders to the Throne of God was a brilliant and relentlessly entertaining read that followed multiple characters living in and around a besieged city.  An intense and moving book that also brings out some subtle humour, Pretenders to the Throne of God works well as both a clever standalone novel, as well as a powerful continuation of the Tyrant Philosophers books, and it was one of the more amazing novels I have so far read in 2026.

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The Hard Line by Mark Greaney

One of my favourite thriller authors, Mark Greaney, continues to throw out bangers in 2026 with his new Gray Man novel, The Hard Line.  A gritty and fast-paced spy thriller novel, The Hard Line sees the protagonist attempting to investigate a series of destabilising assassinations across the United States.  However, complexities and mistakes from the past seek to hinder the protagonist and his team, with assassins soon targeting their loved ones.  Another outstanding read from Greaney, The Hard Line was so damn good, and I am still buzzing from the various action scenes and fun twists.

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The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan

I’ve had the pleasure of reading several debut novels so far in 2026, however the one I must give a full five-star rating to is the unique novel The Red Winter by Australian author Cameron Sullivan.  A distinctive fantasy/historical fiction hybrid, The Red Winter follows an ageless wizard through several periods of French history, as he finds himself hunting a legendary beast terrorising the countryside.  Making great use of three separate time periods and some interesting references to a fascinating and terrifying historical event, The Red Winter was one of the best and most original novels of 2026, and a great five-star read from a new author.

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Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

Another author with more than one book on this list is Matt Dinniman, who is fast becoming one of my very favourite authors.  This second entry is Dinniman’s other 2026 release, Operation Bounce House, a wonderful and complex standalone science fiction read.  Pitching simple farmers on a human colony planet against mechs piloted by deranged Earth gamers, Operation Bounce House brings the chaos early, and you are soon engrossed in the captivating story of family and survival that shows just how impressive Dinniman’s imagination is.  A wonderful read and a very worthy addition to this list, Operation Bounce House was so damn good, and I cannot wait to see what Dinniman comes up with next.

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30Seven by Jeremy Robinson

The last five-star book I want to highlight is the dark science fiction thriller, 30Seven by Jeremy Robinson.  A fast-paced, standalone novel that combines a compelling alien abduction narrative with a brutal mystery, as the protagonist is taken into a UFO along with the serial killer that murdered his wife.  Filled with some horrifying sequences, 30Seven was an exceptional read, that really pops on audiobook.  An amazing book that serves as a great final entry for this list.

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Well, that’s the end of that list.  As you can see, I’ve read an interesting array of awesome books recently, with all the above proving to be quite impressive and perfect to me.  While I haven’t had a chance to write full reviews of these books yet, all of them come very highly recommended, and I feel that most people will be able to appreciate the incredible and unique stories they contain.  I hope you all have fun with some of the above if you choose to check them out.  Make sure to also let me know which recent books you’d recommend as five star reads in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – Favourite Green Book Covers

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Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly challenge that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics.  In this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with listing their favourite books that have green covers in honour of Saint Patrick’s Day.

I always love lists that let me look at cool covers, and this was one of the more interesting ones I’ve had the chance to do.  It turns out that green is an awesome colour to use for book art, and a lot of novels I’ve loved over the years have made great use of green in their amazing covers.  As such, I was left with a huge list of potential covers to feature on this list.  I was eventually able to whittle it down to the very best, and I have included the 10 book covers (plus a few more in an honourable mentions section), that utilised this colour to its greatest effectiveness.  The resulting list is very cool, and I think it showcased an excellent cross section of books I’ve loved over the years with epic and green covers.

Honourable Mentions:

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

A great cover that makes strong use of green instead of the usual red we associate with Margaret Atwood’s books.

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Oaths of Damnation by Robbie Macniven

While there is a lot of focus on the red power armour of the Space Marine on this cover, I personally love the green mist and buildings in the background.  This green backdrop deeply enhances the already cool picture, and hints at the darker nature of these mysterious warriors.

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Colonyside by Michael Mammay

The green jungle really pops in this cool cover.

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The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

A simple but effective green cover that I’ve always enjoyed.

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Top Ten Tuesday:

Warboss by Mike Brooks

Thanks to an overabundance of green things throughout the franchise, there are several Warhammer 40,000 novels that I want to feature on this list, but I thought I would start off with an obvious choice and focus on a cover featuring the dangerous greenskins of this universe, the orks.  There were several ork focused covers I could have used here, but I liked the one for Warboss the most, mainly because it has the most variety and comedic charm.  This is one of the more entertaining covers I want to feature here, although special mention should also go to Brooks’ other ork Warhammer 40,000 books Brutal Kunnin and Da Big Dakka, both of which had great green covers.

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Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

A classic fantasy novel I had to feature here was the fourth and final original Eragon novel, Inheritance.  All four of the series’ original covers featured strong colours corresponding to a dragon from the plot, and this includes Inheritance, which features a cool green dragon.  The great inclusion of a new green dragon, plus the different shades of green around him as part of the cover really stood out to me, and this is one of first books I think of associated with the colour green.

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False Value by Ben Aaronovitch

Another cool fantasy novel that makes great use of the colour green in its cover is False Value by Ben Aaaronovtich.  The eighth book in the author’s Rivers of London series (all of which feature awesome covers), False Value really stands out thanks to its spooky use of green in the urban sprawl that makes up the cover.  The vivid and spectral bright green is very striking, and it also cleverly represents the ghostly nature of the investigation the protagonists are involved with.  An overall great cover that fits this interesting story extremely well.

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Boundless by R. A. Salvatore

I felt that the outstanding novel Boundless by legendary fantasy author R. A. Salvatore is a perfect inclusion here.  Featuring one of the book’s iconic Drow characters shaded in green, and with green colouration around him melding into a dark background, the cover for Boundless is pretty dawn awesome, and I’ve always loved its ethereal and intense vibe.

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Jingo by Terry Pratchett

It’s not an Unseen Library list without a Discworld novel, and for this post I decided to focus on Jingo, which features a gorgeous cover from unique author Josh Kirby (I featured Kirby’s expanded cover here).  While much of the action in this exaggerated cover takes place on brown/yellow ships, the use of green in the roiling ocean below is incredible, and it brings the entire artwork together perfectly.  I love the use of green here, and this cover was some of Kirby’s best work.

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Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

I really enjoy the great mixture of smaller sketches and creatures layered throughout this cover, especially as the various shades of green stands out amongst the black and yellowish green of the boarder.  A fantastic cover that makes excellent use of various shades and combinations of green to prepare readers for the adventure to come.

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King’s Enemy by Ian Ross and The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie

I’m doing a joint entry here for these two epic books, because both use green in the same way with their covers.  Featuring an emerald, green banner bedeck with a lion, the King’s Enemy and The Wisdom of Crowds’ covers both look very striking, with the green standing out amongst the raging battle and war behind them.  I like these two covers equally, as while the green banner in The Wisdom of Crowds looks cooler, I love the green smoke coming up behind the banner in King’s Enemy.  It helps that both these novels are exceptional five-star reads, and I’m really happy to feature them both here.

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Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The green shaded, ruined world of the cover of Service Model is very awesome, and I think it sets the mood perfectly for this outstanding narrative.  An excellent cover for a hilarious and thought-provoking novel.

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Deathworlder by Victoria Hayward

Another very cool Warhammer 40,000 novel I needed to feature on this list, is the brutal novel Deathworlder, the debut novel from Victoria Hayward.  This cover really fits the dark and desperate nature of Deathworlder’s plot, and I love the cool green colours used throughout it.  The green colouration of the Catachan soldiers are cool at several levels, especially as it highlights the jungle fighting, camouflaged nature of these characters.  At the same time, it also works to show how the humans are no longer blending into the now alien infested world they find themselves on, with the once green plants turning purple all around them.  As such, the green really helps to tell part of Deathworlder’s story on the cover, and it looks outstanding as it does so.

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Green Lantern comics

For the final entry on this list, I really wanted to feature at least one comic cover that used a lot of green.  While I was tempted to highlight some Marvel comics thanks to a variety of green Hulks, I instead went down the DC Comics route and chose some covers that were utilised during Geoff Johns’ legendary Green Lantern run.  There were a ton of awesome covers during this period that were so damn exceptional thanks to their different uses of green, and I ended up deciding to feature a few here as they all looked cool in different ways.  This includes the below cover for the volume, Revenge of the Green Lanterns, which has some subtle green up front and centre, with protagonist Hal Jordan’s ring coming up in front of his obscured body and face.

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I also loved the cover used for another volume of the same run, Wanted: Hal Jordan.  The use of green is a lot more prominent for this volume, and I like how it is showcased with the desperate and damaged protagonist.

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The below cover for the Blackest Night comic is also extremely awesome, especially with the more muted green light from the protagonist’s ring providing some spooky green illumination to the zombie characters surrounding him.

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The final Green Lantern comic I want to feature is from the first volume of the Green Lantern (2011) series in The New 52.  While I’m not the biggest fan of The New 52 relaunch, the below cover was pretty baller with the green smoke and Green Lantern symbols, and it was so cool to see Sinestro in the green again after all these years.  A very worthy final entry for this list.

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And with those amazing comic covers, we’re at the end of my latest list.  I think the above collection of covers came together extremely well, and the resulting barrage of green looks amazing.  Not only are all the books and comics above pretty to look at, but they also feature some great stories that are really worth checking out.  Let me know what you think about my collection of covers below, and I’ll be interested to hear about your favourite green covers as well.

Top Ten Tuesday – Book Titles Featuring Ordinal Numbers

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Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly task that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics.  For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants need to list their favourite books that feature ordinal numbers in the title.  As defined by The Artsy Reader Girl topic page, ordinal numbers are numbers that define an item’s place in a series, for example whether it’s the first, second, third, etc, book in the series.

This was a very interesting topic, which I was curious to try out.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a lot of books I’ve read that specifically used a number in the title to correspond where it sat in the series.  As such, I’ve been a little creative with this subject and included some more unusual examples, as well as books where the number in the title corresponds to where the novel sits in the series.  I’ve also wasn’t too attached to putting the actual numbers in and have relied on a few number-based words (for example first instead of one, twice instead of two and so on).  This produced an interesting list from a bunch of different authors, and I ended up liking the final result.  So, let’s see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Fool Me Twice by Jeff Lindsay

The fun second book in Jeff Lindsay’s Riley Wolfe series.  A special shoutout also needs to go the third and fourth entries in the series, Three-Edged Sword and The Fourth Rule.

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The Two-Faced Queen by Nick Martell

The ultra-impressive second entry in Nick Martell’s The Legacy of the Mercenary Kings.  I’ve left this as an honourable mention as the name really is a coincidence tied to a character’s title.

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Top Ten List:

First Watch by Dale Lucas

My first choice for this list (pun intended), was the cool fantasy crime novel, First Watch by Dale Lucas.  An interesting read with an excellent mystery premise behind it, First Watch was the great first book in a series and a fun inclusion here.

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First and Only by Dan Abnett

Another ‘first’ book in a series that identified itself as such in the title was the cool Warhammer 40,000 novel, First and Only by Dan Abnett.  Book one in the iconic Gaunt’s Ghosts series, First and Only was a great opening entry that perfectly introduced the series’ scenario and solider characters.  An outstanding first book in one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 series.

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Fool Me Once Harlan Coben

Another cool novel that proclaims’ where it sits in a series is the outstanding read, Fool Me Once from the always impressive Harlan Coben.  Previously a standalone novel, Fool Me Once just became the first book in a series after Coben released a sequel in 2025 with Nobody’s Fool, allowing for its inclusion on this list.

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Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

I’m being slightly cheeky by including Patient Zero in this list, as it was technically book one in Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series.  However, I think it’s appropriate because the premise of this novel is a team of elite operators attempting to hunt down and killing the first patient in a man-made zombie plague (i.e. the titular patient zero). In some ways, Patient Zero followed a similar trend as it was the first book in a series that quickly and relentlessly spread out into a massive, long-running franchise.  As such, I’m going to include Patient Zero on this list, and it comes very highly recommended for those who like an extreme, science fiction thriller.

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The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

Moving onto the twos/twice, we have The Man Who Died Twice.  The second book in Richard Osman’s exceptional Thursday Murder Club series, The Man Who Died Twice was an excellent novel and a wonderful sequel.  A fun and hilarious inclusion for this list.

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The Third Day, The Frost by James Marsden

I just had to include The Third Day, The Frost here, as it is one of my favourite Australian novels.  While James Marsden took the name from a Shakespeare line, the title does also correspond with The Third Day, The Frost being the third book in the author’s iconic Tomorrow series.  I have a lot of love for this novel, especially as this third entry is easily the best entry in this outstanding young adult war series.  A highly recommended read and a very worthy novel to highlight in this post.

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Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

The next entry on this list is a little different, as the Four Ruined Realms is the second book in its series.  However, as the four decreases from the five in the first book, Five Broken Blades, I think that it counts as an ordinal number as it does indicate to readers where Four Ruined Realms lies in the Broken Blades series.  It helps that the third book in the series, Three Shattered Souls (which I still need to read), also negatively changed number to reflect its position in the series, relative to the five in the first book.  As such, I think this is an acceptable inclusion for this list, and an interesting loophole I’m happy to exploit.

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The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett

Due to the name of this blog, I generally try to include one of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels on my lists, and for this Top Ten Tuesday I’m going to use The Fifth Elephant.  A fun and highly entertaining fantasy crime fiction novel set out in an entertaining Transylvania parody setting, The Fifth Elephant is a good inclusion for this list as it is the fifth book in the City Watch sub-series.  An excellent book that really expands the setting in some interesting directions for the rest of the Discworld series, The Fifth Elephant fits into this post perfectly, and I’m glad I could highlight Terry Pratchett’s legendary words again.

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The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell

This next entry is another slightly different inclusion, as The Malevolent Eight is really the second book in a series, rather than the eighth.  However, I’m including it here because The Malevolent Eight is the sequel to Sebastien de Castell’s fun, parody-titled dark fantasy novel, The Malevolent Seven, which as you can imagine brought together seven malevolent adventurers for a job.  The subsequent title of The Malevolent Eight helps to showcase this book as a sequel to The Malevolent Seven, and as such I think it counts as an ordinal number and a perfect inclusion for this list.  A highly recommended read as well, The Malevolent Eight is a ton of fun and I deeply enjoyed getting through it last year.

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Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh

The final book that I want to include on this list is the highly entertaining legal thriller, Witness 8.  A great read on its own, the eight in this title serves to refer to a malevolent witness who is manipulating the events of a trial for her own ends.  However, Witness 8 also serves as the eighth book in Steve Cavanagh’s outstanding Eddie Flynn series, so it also works as an ordinal number inclusion.  A very cool read whose title works on several levels, Witness 8 is an excellent novel for fans of crazy legal thrillers and the perfect book to end this post on.

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As you can see, I’ve had the pleasure of reading a few cool books with ordinal numbers in their titles over the years.  While I didn’t always follow the expected rules for this list, I quite like how it turned out, and I think it nicely shows off some of the unique novels that I have fun reading.  I had a great time pulling this latest list together, especially as I needed to think hard about the books I wanted to feature here, and I think the results speak for themselves.  Let me know what cool books you’ve enjoyed that had ordinal numbers in the title and make sure to check out some of the above awesome books when you get a chance.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Autumn 2026 To Be Read (TBR) List

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday participants have a Thanksgiving freebie which I am going to use to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the last Tuesday before Autumn 2026, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Autumn (Spring for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 March 2026 and 31 May 2026 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles, and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2026.

Honourable Mentions:

Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence – 26 March 2026

An intriguing new fantasy novel from the always impressive Mark Lawrence.

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Redbelly Crossing by Candice Fox – 28 April 2026

A cool outback thriller set to feature murder, mayhem and a ton of family drama, Redbelly Crossing sounds fun and I cannot wait to read my next Candice Fox book.

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Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie – 28 April 2026

Another cool Australian thriller that looks set to feature some intriguing and disturbing dark twists.

 

Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know by K. J. Parker – 12 May 2026

Another 2026 release from the legendary and hilarious K. J. Parker.  Details of this book are still a little scarce, and I haven’t had the chance to read the first book in the series yet, however, I have no doubt this is going to be a particularly funny

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Top Ten List:

Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry – 10 March 2026

First up on this list we have a fantastic new novel from one of my favourite thriller authors, Jonathan Maberry, with the awesome sounding Red Empire.  The fifth book in Maberry’s Rogue Team International series (which previously featured Rage, Relentless, Cave 13 and Burn to Shine), Red Empire will see the damaged protagonist engage with an old foe, with the fate of the world once again hanging in the balance.  At the same time, darker secrets about the mysterious leader of the Rogue Team International organisation will finally come to light, secrets that Maberry fans like me have been anticipating for years.  As such, Red Empire is extremely high on my to-read list for March, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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Dead Fall Lake by S. R. White – 17 March 2026

One of the more unique authors of Australian crime fiction will continue with his fantastic tales of outback murder in his new novel, Dead Fall Lake.  Following on from Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge, Dead Fall Lake will force its detective protagonist to investigate the murder of a local sports hero, whose body is found in a sinkhole he routinely freedived into.  This has the potential to be an outstanding Australian murder novel as White will no doubt write another amazing and complex mystery.

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Blindside by Michael Mammay – 24 March 2026

One of my favourite science fiction thriller series, the Planetside books by Michael Mammay, looks set to continue in 2026 with the cool new novel Blindside.  Set in the future and following a retired military colonel as he disrupts the genocidal schemes of corrupt corporations, the Planetside books (including Planetside, Spaceside, Colonyside and Darkside), have been extremely impressive since day one.  This new entry will see the protagonist and his team attempt to unravel a dark conspiracy surrounding him, as old enemies seek revenge.  I already know that Blindside is going to be an incredible read, and I look forward to seeing what cool and twisty narrative Mammay has cooked up for us this time.

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

Over the last few years, one of the more unique authors of dark fantasy fiction has been the very inventive and entertaining Cameron Johnston, who has written some amazing books over the years, including his Age of Tyranny novels, The Traitor God and God of Broken Things, The Maleficent Seven, and The Last Shield (one of my favourite books of 2024). His next book looks to be his most ambitious yet, with the awesome First Mage on the Moon.  As the name suggests, this fun new novel will see a group of mages attempt to use their magic to create a ship capable of travelling into space towards the moon in the hope of ending an ongoing war.  I love the sound of this unique fantasy fiction plot and Cameron Johnston is sure to create something very special with this outstanding new book.

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Paradox by Douglas Preston and Aletheia Preston – 21 April 2026

Legendary thriller author Douglas Preston teams up with his daughter Aletheia for a very cool and intriguing new novel.  The sequel to Preston’s previous novel, Extinction, which featured a brutal murder committed by cloned neanderthals, Paradox looks set to continue the weirdness, as the two protagonists from the first book attempt to uncover a complex crime in the Colorado wilderness which leads to a deeper conspiracy.  I am so very eager to read Paradox when it comes out, especially after loving everything about Extinction, and it will be interesting see how this father/daughter team continues this unique series.

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Sisters of the Lizard by Jackson Ford – 5 May 2026

Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading my first book from fantasy and science fiction author Jackson Ford, The Bone Raiders, which saw a group of grassland thieves attempt to train giant, fire-breathing lizards as the ultimate mounts to defeat an encroaching empire.  A funny and exciting read, The Bone Raiders was a ton of fun, which Ford is looking to expand this year with the awesome sounding sequel, Sisters of the Lizard.  Set to explore the consequences of their game changing actions from the first book, Sisters of the Lizard looks set to be another amazing novel from Ford that is guaranteed to keep me entertained.

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

One of the fantasy books I am mostly looking forward to in the next three months is Our Lady of the Blades by Sebastien de Castell.  The next book in de Castell’s Court of Shadows series (Play of Shadows and Crucible of Chaos), which is set in his larger Greatcoat universe, Our Lady of Blades will be another mostly standalone fantasy read, that explores conspiracies and crimes in the author’s fantasy realm.  This next book sounds particularly impressive with an The Count of Monte Cristo inspired plot, as it follows a masked duellist who seeks revenge on her city’s elite after her family was betrayed and destroyed.  I have been looking forward to Our Lady of the Blades for a while now, and it should prove to be one of the more interesting and captivating books of the year, especially when de Castell ties it into his larger series.

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A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman – 12 May 2026

I had to feature the epic upcoming novel A Parade of Horribles, which is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. The eighth book in Matt Dinniman’s exceedingly popular Dungeon Crawler Carl series, A Parade of Horribles will continue to follow protagonists Carl and his sentient cat Princess Donut, as they attempt to survive the increasingly deadly and utterly bonkers dungeon formed from the detritus of a destroyed Earth.  This next book sounds very fun, with a crazy set of race tasks, as well as hidden horrors coming up from the lower levels which will no doubt make this book even more outrageous.  I have so much love for this series after become irreversibly addicted to it last year (highlights include Dungeon Crawler Carl, The Butcher’s Masquerade and The Eye of the Bedlam Bride), and I am so damn eager to see how this series will continue.  I personally am planning to listen to A Parade of Horribles on audiobook (narrated by the insanely talented Jeff Hays), and I cannot wait to see how this new novel unfolds.  This book is going to be epic, and I will be reading A Parade of Horribles the very second it is released.

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

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

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Ironwood by Michael Connelly – 19 May 2026

The final books I want to feature on this list is potentially one of the best crime fiction novels of 2026, with the next upcoming Michael Connelly book, Ironwood.  The sequel to his 2025 novel Nightshade, Ironwood will once again focus on Connelly’s new protagonist Detective Stilwell, as he attempts to solve crimes from his banished post of Catalina Island.  However, in this book, he finds himself teaming up with another Connelly protagonist, with Detective Renée Ballard serving as a supporting character.  This should result in quite an intense and addictive crime fiction read, and I am particularly keen to read Ironwood as soon as I can.

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Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. There are some really impressive books coming out in this part of 2026, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a bit of reading to do soon.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books of 2025

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly task that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday participants were supposed to list the top new-to-them authors they read in 2025.  However, as this was a topic I did a few weeks ago, I’m instead going to put together an alternate list today.  The reason for this is because earlier this week, 26 January, was Australia’s national holiday, Australia Day.  While Australia Day is getting controversial due to its historical implications, I like to look beyond that and instead focus on some of the amazing and varied writing talents Australia produces.  As such, I once again took this opportunity to highlight some of the top pieces of fiction written by Australian authors in 2025.

Each year, a ton of talented Australian authors produce an impressive and exciting range of fiction from across the genres, many of which I am lucky enough to get copies of from my local publishers. Due to this, I tend to read and review a lot of novels by Australian authors, most of which turn out to be some outstanding reads that I deeply enjoy. As such, for the last few years I have taken to highlighting my favourite pieces of Australian fiction, which is something I really look forward to each Australia Day (check out my 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 lists).

I really love how much awesome Australian fiction there is each year, and this list is the perfect way to highlight some of the best Australian authors. Now I tend to take a bit of a different approach to Australian fiction than some other bloggers, as I highlight all books written by Australian authors rather than novels purely set in Australia or featuring Australian characters. To qualify for this list, a novel had to be released in 2025 and be written by an Australian author, which I am defining as anyone born in Australia or who currently lives here (Australia is very good at adopting talented people as our own). This resulted in a long list, and I was eventually able to whittle this novel down to the absolute cream of the crop and came up with a fantastic top ten list (with my typical generous honourable mentions). I really enjoyed how this list turned out, especially as it features novels from a range of different genres, all of which were very awesome Australian books.

Honourable Mentions:

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

A compelling historical fiction novel and debut from the talented Ronnie Salt that makes great use of its 1970’s, small-town Australian setting.

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2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox

The fun new novel that one of Australia’s leading thriller authors, Candice Fox, wrote with James Patterson. This one was a great sequel to their previous novel, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, and is well worth a read.

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The Bolthole by Peter Papathanasiou

A great, slow-paced Australian crime fiction novel that features a unique Australian setting in the iconic Kangaroo Island.

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Vanish by Shelley Burr

A particularly intense and creative crime fiction novel, from a brilliant rising Australian author.

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Top Ten Tuesday:

The Strength of the Few by James Islington

I’m starting this Top Ten List off strong with The Strength of the Few by James Islington, a book that appeared on pretty much all my best of 2025 lists, including best book, audiobook and sequels.  The deeply impressive sequel to Islington’s The Will of the Many (one of my favourite book, audiobook and Australian fiction novels of 2023), The Strength of the Few continues the epic story of rebellion and magic from the first book, however this time separate versions of the protagonist are simultaneously split across three different parallel words, resulting in an especially elaborate narrative.  I deeply enjoyed how this incredible and complex novel came about, and I honestly could not get enough of this impressive novel from one of Australia’s most inventive authors.

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Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

From amazing fantasy to hilarious crime fiction, the second book on this list is the highly amusing and awesome Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson.  An outrageous and self-referential novel that once again follows Stevenson’s unlucky protagonist as he gets caught up in another locked-room murder mystery.  This time trapped in a bank during an armed robbery, the protagonist needs to discover who amongst a suspicious group of staff and customers, is a deadly killer.  A highly clever read from the always entertaining Stevenson, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief was an exceptional read that had me chuckling the entire way through.

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The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

Rising author Joanna Jenkins impressed this year with her second crime fiction novel, The Bluff.  A sequel to her debut legal thriller novel, How to Kill a Client, The Bluff was an outstanding novel that took Jenkins’ initial protagonist into a new small-town Australian setting.  Featuring a great story that showcased the events that led up to the murder of the town’s local hero, The Bluff was a clever and addictive novel that I really enjoyed reading.

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Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

Actor turned author Luke Arnold continued to provide his amazing contributions to the fantasy genre this year with his new Fetch Phillips novel, Whisper in the Wind.  Forcing his highly damaged protagonist to investigate a deadly conspiracy amongst a city devastated by the world’s loss of magic, Whisper in the Wind featured an outstanding plot loaded with twists, betrayals and impressive character moments.  Easily Arnold’s best novel yet, Whisper in the Wind was so damn good, and there was no way it wasn’t going to be featured on this list.

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High Rise by Gabriel Bergmoser

Probably the most intense, action-packed books I read in 2025 was the amazing Australian thriller High Rise by Gabriel Bergmoser.  Essentially a reverse version of The Raid set in a Melbourne housing tower, High Rise forced one of Bergmoser’s dangerous protagonists to fight their way through a building of thugs all looking to collect a bounty on his head, while also trying to protect his estranged daughter.  A particularly fun and addictive read, High Rise is well worth a read, especially if you are a fan of over-the-top action.

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Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

One of the best Australian crime fiction novels of 2025 was the amazing Broke Road by Matthew Spencer.  The sequel to Spencer’s debut novel, Black River, Broke Road featured a gritty and particularly intense murder mystery as a damaged detective travels to the Hunter Valley to investigate bloody murder.  Featuring an excellent plot and a particularly complex mystery, Broke Road was an exceptional read that I couldn’t turn away from.

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The Stolen by Vikki Petratis

One of the more intense and realistic pieces of Australian crime fiction in 2025 was the outstanding novel, The Stolen by Vikki Petratis.  Serving as a sequel to Petratis’ hard-hitting first book, The Unbelieved, The Stolen continued to explore a small Victorian town riven by gender conflict and dissent, which only worsens when a baby is kidnapped by its father.  An excellent and compelling read, The Stolen was a great sequel and an impressive piece of Australian writing.

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Pacific Heights by S. R. White

British expat turned Australian crime fiction author, S. R. White, continued to impress in 2025 with his complex murder mystery Pacific Heights.  A spinoff from his main series (which features books like Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge), Pacific Heights sees two detectives investigate a complex murder case where a young women is murdered in the middle of several overlooking apartment buildings.  However, all the witnesses to the case are telling a different story about how events unfolded, and nothing is truly what it seems.  I had an incredible time with this novel and White made full use of this book’s focus on perception and truth to tell and amazing story.

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Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath

One of the easiest inclusions on this list was the incredible new novel from Canberra author Jack Heath, Kill Your Boss.  Following on from two of Heath’s previous novels, Kill Your Brother and Kill Your Husbands, Kill Your Boss had a very entertaining story behind it, as a police detective attempts to uncover who killed the boss of a small-town library.  However, everyone the victim knew had a motive to kill him, and the resulting complex investigation becomes a highly entertaining exploration of who actually succeeded in murdering him.  An outstanding novel from one of Australia’s best and most outrageous crime fiction authors.

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The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

The final book I want to highlight on this list is also one of my favourite 2025 debuts, The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers.  Following a group of friends who reunite years after a tragic event, The Reunion takes an interesting twist when they find themselves trapped in an isolated property in Australia’s Blue Mountains by someone desperate to find out what really happened in the past.  This ended up being an amazing first book from Rivers and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

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Well, that is the end of this latest list, and I am really happy that I got a chance to highlight some of the best Australian releases of 2025.  The above books represent an outstanding collection of fiction from talented Australian authors, and each of them comes highly recommended by me.  I had a lot of fun coming up with this list and I cannot wait to find out what the best Australian books of 2026 are going to be.  Until then, stay tuned for more epic reviews and lists, and make sure you let me know who your favourite Australian authors are in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Debuts of 2025

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  The official topic for this week involved listing your Bookish Goals for 2026, which while interesting, is something I don’t think I can contribute to. Instead, for this week I am going to continue listing some of my favourite books of 2025 (make sure to check out my previous lists that highlighted my favourite sequels, audiobooks, pre-2025 novels, new-to-me-authors in 2025 and overall favourite books of 2025), by examining my favourite debuts released in 2025.

2025 was an awesome year for debuts as there were an excellent array of new authors releasing some impressive and entertaining first novels.  I always love checking out new authors when they produce their first book or dive into a whole new genre, and I was blown away with some of the debut talent on display this year.  As such, I am glad that I can highlight some of the absolute best of these releases in this Top Ten list.

To be eligible for this list, the book had to be a 2025 release that was either the author’s first novel ever, or a novel that was substantially different from an author’s previous work (their debut in the genre).  I ended up reading quite a few good debuts in 2025, which allowed me to pull together a full list of 10 books.  I am pretty happy with the results, and I feel that this list captures my favourite debuts of the year and highlights them accordingly.  So, let us see what made the cut.

Top Ten List:

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

The first debut I want to highlight on this list is the very fun crime fiction novel, Best Offer Wins.  An impressive debut book from Marsia Kashino, Best Offer Wins follows an obsessed character, who after having her heart broken by the housing market too many times, vows to do whatever she needs to get her dream house.  A wonderfully over-the-top and addictive read, Best Offer Wins was an amazing first outing from Kashino and one I had so much fun reading.

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Warhammer 40,000: The Remnant Blade by Mike Vincent

Warhammer fiction is always a franchise that has a lot of new authors making their big debut, and this was particularly true in 2025 with some awesome first-time books from talented debuting authors.  One of my favourites was The Remnant Blade by Mike Vincent, which was one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 books of last year.  Following a small band of terrifying Night Lords Chaos Space Marines as they bring fear and death to all their enemies, The Remnant Blade was an extremely epic novel, and I was very impressed by Mike Vincent, who showed himself to be a new Warhammer author to watch.

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Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose

One of the more compelling fantasy novels of 2025 was the outstanding debut Seven Recipes for Revolution.  A great first outing from Ryan Rose, Seven Recipes for Revolution saw a lowly nobody rise to become an acclaimed and powerful chef in a society based around magical food that grants deadly abilities.  Loaded with twists, clever action and a ton of outrageous cookery, Seven Recipes for Revolution was an outstanding read, and I’m already excited to read the sequel coming out later this year.

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The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

I always love reading some awesome debut Australian fiction, and one of the best examples from last year was The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers.  Set in the Blue Mountains, The Reunion follows a group of former friends who find themselves forced to remember the tragic events the drove them apart years before.  A slick and compelling debut that grabs your attention quickly, The Reunion was an excellent crime fiction read that makes full use of its Australian bush setting.

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The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

The next book on this list was one of my favourite novels of 2025, with The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson.  A complex and highly addictive novel, The Raven Scholar was Hodgson’s debut in the fantasy genre (having previously written historical crime), and boy was it something special.  Set around several skilled competitors as they attempt to win a tournament to become king, The Raven Scholar forced them also contend with murder, betrayal and a deadly conspiracy.  An exceptional novel that I just could not put down, The Raven Scholar was an exceptional read, and it was so impressive how well Hodgson adapted to a new and very different genre.

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An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris

Jenny Morris presented one of the more unique crime fiction debuts of 2025, with the thought-provoking novel An Ethical Guide to Murder.  Following a damaged protagonist who develops the ability to transfer life between people, An Ethical Guide to Murder soon goes to a dark place as the protagonist becomes a deadly vigilante.  Clever and deeply intense, this was a great debut for an excellent author.

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Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

One of the more unique Australian novels of 2025 was the amazing debut from Ronni Salt, Gunnawah.  Set in small-town Australian during the turbulent 1970s, Gunnawah tells its own unique story set around the backdrop of historical drug wars and corruption.  An excellent novel and an outstanding debut.

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Warhammer 40,000: Final Deployment by R. S. Wilt

The other Warhammer 40,000 debut of 2025 that I want to highlight on this list is Final Deployment by R. S. Wilt.  Following a small band of elite soldiers as they attempt to stop a planet-wide rebellion, Final Deployment was an exceptional action novel, especially as the protagonists soon find themselves outmatched by three deadly opponents.  An ultra-awesome read from start to finish, Final Deployment was so damn good, and I will be grabbing more Warhammer 40,000 novels from Wilt going forward.

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Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon

This next entry on the list features a great thriller that was written by two interesting authors.  While leading thriller author Harlan Coben is not a new contributor to the crime fiction genre, it was the first book he wrote with actress Reese Witherspoon.  Serving as both the debut novel from this great pair, as well as Reese Witherspoon’s very first book, Gone Before Goodbye was an easy inclusion on this list, especially as it featured a fun and intense thriller narrative.  It will be interesting to see if these two write together again, and I personally would also be keen for Witherspoon to write her own solo book.

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Of Flame and Fury by Mikayla Bridge

The final book on this list was the excellent young adult fantasy novel, Of Flame and Fury.  The debut of Australian author Mikayla Bridge, Of Flame and Fury was a great read, that featured an entertaining enemies-to-lovers narrative set around racing giant phoenixes.  Initially appearing to be typical young adult fantasy fare, Bridge produces a very complex narrative in Of Flame and Fury that really impressed me, especially when it comes to the book’s big twist.  I ended up having an absolute blast with Of Flame and Fury, and it is a very worthy book to end this list on.

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Well, that is the end of this list.  As you can, there were some incredible debut novels that came out this year and I had a blast getting through all of them.  Each of the above debuts are really worth checking out, and I had an amazing time exploring these talented authors’ first forays into fiction.  I am excited to see what these authors produce next, and I have a feeling that quite a few are going to become major names in their genres.  I am also excited to see what amazing debuts come out in 2026, and I am currently enjoying my first debut from this year with A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by M. K. Oliver.  Make sure to check back this time next year to see what debuts from 2026 are the best from this year.

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

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List7 Comments

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

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

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

Honourable Mentions:

Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton

A fun sounding fantasy novel about the downsides of destiny.

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Once a Villain by Vanessa Len

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

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The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch

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

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A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

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

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Top Ten Tuesday:

There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

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

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Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland

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

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Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

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

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Tyrant by Conn Iggulden

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

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The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso

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

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The Medici Return by Steve Berry

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

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Valour by Richard Cullen

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

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Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

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

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The Detective by Matthew Reilly

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

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The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

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

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

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

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List8 Comments

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

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

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

Top Twenty List:

The Right to Remain by James Grippando – 6 January 2026

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

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Dark Desert Road by Tim Ayliffe – 6 January 2026

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

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City of Others by Jared Poon – 13 January 2026

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

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Twelve Months by Jim Butcher – 20 January 2026

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

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30Seven by Jeremy Robinson – 20 January 2026

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

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

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

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Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman – 3 February 2026

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

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Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz – 10 February 2026

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

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

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

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The Hard Line by Mark Greaney – 24 February 2026

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

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Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry – 10 March 2026

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

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Blindside by Michael Mammay – 24 March 2026

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

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

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

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Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie – 28 April 2026

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

 

Sisters of the Lizard by Jackson Ford – 5 May 2026

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

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

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

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A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman – 12 May 2026

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

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Ironwood by Michael Connelly – 19 May 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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