WWW Wednesday – 10 December 2025

On December 10, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday3 Comments

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

King Sorrow by Joe Hill (Trade Paperback)

I’ve started reading the massive and addictive horror novel, King Sorrow by Joe Hill this week. A particularly epic novel that follows a group of friends who make a dark deal with an ancient evil, King Sorrow is proving to be a very compelling read, with a fantastic story, compelling imagery and a growing sense of dread. I’ve managed to get a fair bit into King Sorrow already, although there is still a ton to go. I’m hoping to finish it off in the next week or so, and I’m very curious to see where this elaborate novel goes.

Star Wars: Master of Evil by Adam Christopher (Audiobook)

I also started listening to the recently released Star Wars audiobook, Master of Evil by Adam Christopher. An intriguing novel that follows the newly created Darth Vader on a journey of discovery as he tries to fully understand the dark side of the Force, Master of Evil is a fascinating read that I have been looking forward for a while. I’m making some pretty good progress on this audiobook as well, and I already think that Master of Evil has the potential to be one of the more compelling Star Wars novels of 2025.

What did you recently finish reading?

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon (Trade Paperback)

An awesome and compelling thriller, with some interesting twists to it.

The Strength of the Few by James Islington (Audiobook)

I finally finished off the epic fantasy novel, The Strength of the Few by James Islington this week. The sequel to Islington’s deeply impressive The Will of the Many, The Strength of the Few was a particularly gripping and captivating read with a really elaborate plot behind it. Easily one of the best books I’ve read in 2025, The Strength of the Few was so damn good and I’m hoping to write something about it soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Blackfire Blade by James Logan

If I managed to get through King Sorrow this week, I’m hoping to dive into the compelling fantasy novel The Blackfire Blade by James Logan next. The sequel to Logan’s excellent debut, The Silverblood Promise, The Blackfire Blade sounds like a very fun read as the protagonist and his unlikely companions travel to a new, unique fantasy city for their own mission, only to get sidetracked by crazy local plots and conspiracies. I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for a while, and I’m so excited to finally get the chance to check The Blackfire Blade out.

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

WWW Wednesday – 3 December 2025

On December 6, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon (Trade Paperback)

I’ve started reading the exciting thriller Gone Before Goodbye. Written by the intriguing team of Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon, Gone Before Goodbye follows a disgraced former surgeon who is dragged into a dark conspiracy when she is selected to perform surgery on a mysterious Russian oligarch. This book is proving to be awesome and compelling thriller, and I am hoping to finish it off soon.

The Strength of the Few by James Islington (Audiobook)

I’m still going with the epic fantasy novel, The Strength of the Few by James Islington this week. The sequel to Islington’s deeply impressive The Will of the Many, The Strength of the Few features a complex plot, as three separate versions of the protagonist from the first book simultaneously journey through alternate worlds. I’m in the final stages of this incredible book, and I am having an outstanding time, especially as things are getting so damn desperate and dark. I already know that The Strength of the Few is going to be one of my top books of 2025, and I cannot wait to see the final twists and turns that Islington has imagined for this intricate and captivating novel.

What did you recently finish reading?

Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka (Trade Paperback)

I finished off the amazing Japanese thriller, Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka this week. A follow-up to some of the author’s previous novels, including Bullet Train and Three Assassins, Hotel Lucky Seven sees the unlucky protagonist of Bullet Train trapped in hotel with several deadly assassins. This was a very fun novel, and I’m hoping to get a review up for it soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

King Sorrow by Joe Hill

I hoping to read the excellent sounding horror novel, King Sorrow, in the next week. A particularly epic sounding novel that will follow a group of friends who make a dark deal with an ancient evil, King Sorrow has a ton of potential, and it sounds like it is going to be a twisted and impressive read.

Star Wars: Master of Evil by Adam Christopher

Once I get through The Strength of the Few this week, I’m hoping to start listening to the recently released Star Wars audiobook, Master of Evil. An intriguing novel that will follow the newly created Darth Vader on a journey of discovery as he tries to fully understand the dark side of the Force. I have been looking forward to reading this novel for a while, and I think it has the potential to be one of the more compelling Star Wars novels of 2025.

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

WWW Wednesday – 26 November 2025

On November 29, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the amazing Japanese thriller, Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka. A follow-up to some of the author’s previous novels, including Bullet Train and Three Assassins, Hotel Lucky Seven sees the unlucky protagonist of Bullet Train trapped in hotel with several deadly assassins. While I haven’t made a ton of progress with this book yet, Hotel Lucky Seven is off to a strong start and I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

The Strength of the Few by James Islington (Audiobook)

I’m still going with the epic fantasy novel, The Strength of the Few by James Islington this week. The sequel to Islington’s deeply impressive The Will of the Many, The Strength of the Few features a deeply complex plot, as three separate versions of the protagonist from the first book simultaneously journey through alternate worlds. I’m currently over halfway through the audiobook format and this is proving to be an exceptional and deeply impressive listen. I already know that The Strength of the Few is going to be one of my top books of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how this intricate and captivating novel comes to an end.

What did you recently finish reading?

Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow (Trade Paperback)

I ended up powering through the new Eagles of the Empire novel, Tyrant of Rome in the last week. An excellent and captivating piece of Roman historical fiction, Tyrant of Rome was an amazing read, and I’m hoping to write a review for it soon.

Warhammer 40,000: Crossfire by Matthew Farrer (Paperback)

I dove into my collection of second-hand paperback that needed to be read this week and checked out the intriguing Warhammer 40,000 novel, Crossfire by Matthew Farrer. A more crime fiction focused novel in the franchise, Crossfire saw it’s determined protagonist uncover conspiracies and plots in a major grimdark city. I had an excellent time getting through Crossfire and I will have to read the rest of the trilogy when I get a chance.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon

The next book I am hoping to read is the exciting thriller Gone Before Goodbye. Written by the intriguing team of Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon, Gone Before Goodbye has an awesome sounding plot and I cannot wait to check this book out.

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Want to Read Before the End of 2025

On November 19, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn ListLeave a comment

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 latest Top Ten Tuesday the official topic involved listing modern books that have the potential to be classics in the future. However, I am going to do something a little different and instead I am going to list the top ten novels I want to read before the end of 2025.

We are once again nearing the end of another interesting and chaotic year, with only around 50 days left in it. While I am rather keen to see what’s going to happen in 2026, I am very mindful of the big pile of novels from this year currently sitting on my table (and a couple of bookshelves, and the floor). So, with that in mind, I thought I would pull together a list to inspire me to read these books and knock them out before this year comes to an end.

For this list I have had a look through my many book piles and reading lists to work out which novels I really need to read before the year ends. To focus this on the books that are cluttering up my house or my audiobook storage, I decided to exclude novels that I do not currently have copies of (such King Sorrow by Joe Hill), books featured in my latest Book Haul post, and novels that have not yet been released. I also decided to exclude novels that I am definitely going to read before the end of the year, as I have plans to review them for some Canberra Weekly holiday columns. Using these parameters, I was able to come up with a list of 10 books (with some honourable mentions), that I would really like to read before the year ends. This list includes an interesting range of novels, including some big 2025 releases and some other novels that came in under the radar. All 10 sound like outstanding reads and I desperately hope I have time to read them all.

Honourable Mentions:

Murder on North Terrace by Lainie Anderson

An exciting Australian historic murder mystery that serves as a sequel to Anderson’s 2024 novel, The Death of Dora Black.

The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch

Historical carnage as a brutal knight attempts to escort a potential saint from the Holy Lands to England.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

An intriguing fantasy debut that I have been hoping to read all year.

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

The final book in Mark Lawrences compelling and complex Library trilogy.

Top Ten List:

Circle of Days by Ken Follett

One of the main books I want to read by the end of 2025 is the captivating historical epic, Circle of Days by the always impressive Ken Follett. An elaborate story set around the construction of Stonehenge, Circle of Days looks set to be a detailed and expansive read, and I am hoping to get to it soon.

The Blackfire Blade by James Logan

Another major release from the second half of 2025 I need to check out is the outstanding new fantasy novel, The Blackfire Blade by James Logan. The sequel to Logan’s debut, The Silverblood Promise, The Blackfire Blade will follow the determined series protagonist and his friends to a new fantasy city, only to encounter more plots and corruption. I have no doubt that The Blackfire Blade is going to be an incredible read, and I am so excited to check it out.

Warhammer 40,000: Voidscarred by Mike Brooks

There is an impressive multitude of Warhammer 40,000 novels that have been released at the end of 2025, including several from some top authors of the franchise. However, I particularly want to read the intriguing novel Voidscarred by Mike Brooks, which sounds really fun. Following aeldari pirates and freebooter orks as they clash in the dark of space, Voidscarred sounds pretty damn amazing, and I’m very keen to read it, especially after the author touched on similar themes in the previous novel, Da Big Dakka.

The Detective by Matthew Reilly

I’m keen to try and read the new Matthew Reilly novel, The Detective before the year comes to an end. A dark and twisty mystery set in the American south, The Detective sounds like a complex novel, and it’s one I’m very interested in unwinding. I’ve had this book for a while now, and it would be good to get it off my bookshelf, especially as it sounds like an incredible read.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

One of the main science fiction books that came out earlier in the year that I’m still very interested in reading is the dark and claustrophobic novel, Shroud by the legendary Adrian Tchaikovsky. Following two humans who are forced to take an accidental road trip on a particularly hostile planet, Shroud had one of the more unique plot premises of 2025, and I really want to see how it comes together.

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon

The always reliable Harlan Coben teams up with actress Reese Witherspoon to create a thriller collaboration with Gone Before Goodbye. Following a skilled surgeon whose life is put in risk after a mysterious patient disappears, Gone Before Goodbye sounds like a ball of fun, and I’m very curious to see what sort of book this unique writing partnership has come up with.

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland

One of the books I’m most keen to read before the end of 2025 is Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland, especially as it finishes the Broken Blades trilogy that I have been really enjoying. Finishing the story started in Five Broken Blades and expertly continued in Four Ruined Realms, Three Shattered Souls will see the damaged and deadly protagonists attempt to save the world from dangerous enemies and dark magic. I know this final book is going to be incredible and I can’t wait to finish this series off.

Warhammer 40,000: The Relentless Dead by Steve Lyons

Another recent major Warhammer 40,000 release I want read this year is The Relentless Dead by Steve Lyons. The fourth Warhammer 40,000 book from Lyons that follows members of the relentless and dutiful Death Korps of Krieg, The Relentless Dead will follow a group of these faceless soldiers as they journey to a cursed planet and face enemies even more unstoppable than them. I’ve had an amazing time with Lyons’ previous novels, including Dead Men Walking, Krieg and The Siege of Vraks, and The Relentless Dead looks set to be another outstanding read.

How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

A great fantasy novel with a fun LitRPG twist, How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe has been high on my to-read list for a while, and I will be very happy if I can get to this book by the end of the year.

Valour by Richard Cullen

The final book I want to highlight in this post is the recently released historical fiction novel, Valour by Richard Cullen. The third book in the author’s Chronicle of the Black Lion series (which previously featured the excellent novels Rebellion and Crusade), Valour will pit the series’ knight protagonist on another compelling adventure, this time in the Carpathian Mountains. I really love the sound of this new novel from Cullen, and it is sure to be an amazing book to finish off 2025 with.

That’s the end of this week’s Top Ten list. I am happy with how this list turned out as I am extremely keen to read every one of the novels listed above. All of them have an amazing amount of potential and I think several could end up being some of my favourite books of 2025. Make sure to check back in a few weeks to see if I have managed to get around to reading any of them yet. In the meantime, let me know which books you really want to read before the end of 2025 and best of luck getting through them.

Book Haul – 28 October 2025

On October 28, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

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

The Strength of the Few by James Islington

The first book I want to highlight in this Book Haul post is the epic fantasy novel, The Strength of the Few by James Islington. The much-anticipated sequel to Islington’s deeply impressive The Will of the Many, The Strength of the Few will see the protagonist continue his attempt to take down an evil empire from within, while at the same time alternate versions of himself traverse other universes. I have a lot of hope for The Strength of the Few, especially after The Will of the Many ended up being one of my favourite books, audiobooks and Australian novels of 2023, and I am deeply excited to see how this awesome novel turns out.

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly

I was also extremely happy to recently receive a copy of the new Lincoln Lawyer book from Michael Connelly, The Proving Ground. Bringing together two of Connelly’s iconic protagonists, The Proving Ground will focus on a complex legal case, as Mickey Haller takes on a major AI company in court. I cannot wait to check this book out, and I have no doubt that The Proving Ground will end up being one of the more compelling novels of 2025.

The Widow by John Grisham

Another great legal thriller I recently received was the new novel from the legendary John Grisham, The Widow. Following a troubled lawyer who finds himself in deep trouble after a mysterious widow walks through his door, The Widow was an outstanding novel with a very clever plot behind it. I’ve actually already read The Widow, and it proved to be a pretty amazing book that I am hoping to review soon.

Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath

One of my favourite Australian authors, Jack Heath, returns with his new outrageous novel, Kill Your Boss. The fun follow-up from the author’s previous novels, Kill Your Brother and Kill Your Husbands, Kill Your Boss will see Heath take on the classic locked-room murder mystery scenario, as his protagonist attempts to find out who killed the hated boss of a local library. Kill Your Boss sounds very entertaining and I cannot wait to see how this outstanding novel unfolds.

Dark Desert Road by Tim Ayliffe

Another awesome Australian crime fiction read I recently received was Dark Desert Road from the always impressive Tim Ayliffe. An intriguing novel that will dive into the darker fringes of Australian rural society, Dark Desert Road is an excellent upcoming book set for release in early 2026. I was very happy to get a copy of Dark Desert Road from Netgalley last night, especially as I only just did a Waiting on Wednesday post about it, and I cannot wait to dive into Ayliffe’s new exciting crime fiction read.

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon

After already wowing me earlier this year with his fantastic novel, Nobody’s Fool, Harlan Coben is back with another excellent thriller. This time teaming up with acclaimed actress Reese Witherspoon, the two have written the intriguing novel, Gone Before Goodbye, which will follow an army combat surgeon, who finds herself in major trouble when a mysterious client disappears on her watch. I am really curious to see how this novel turns out, and I am hoping to read Gone Before Goodbye very soon.

Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana

The final book I recently received that I want to highlight on this post is the upcoming fantasy epic, Dawn of the Firebird. The debut novel from Sarah Mughal Rana, Dawn of the Firebird will follow a complex protagonist as she attempts to find both vengeance and her place in a deadly world of war, magic and treachery. Dawn of the Firebird sounds quite spectacular, and I am really excited to dive into this cool book from an exciting, first-time author.

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