Tag: James Islington

WWW Wednesday – 10 December 2025

On 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 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.

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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.

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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.

Amazon

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.

Amazon

 

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.

Amazon

 

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

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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.

Amazon

 

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.

Amazon

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.

Amazon

 

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.

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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.

Amazon

 

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 – 19 November 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 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:

Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow (Trade Paperback)

I’ve just started reading the exciting new Eagles of the Empire novel, Tyrant of Rome. An intriguing new historical fiction novel from the always impressive Simon Scarrow, Tyrant of Rome sees the series’ two soldier protagonists fight on a new battlefield when they are given control of law and order in ancient Rome. Historical action and intrigue at it’s very best, Tyrant of Rome is proving to be an amazing read, and I’ve already made a fair bit of progress on this novel. I’m hoping to finish Tyrant of Rome off over the weekend and I cannot wait to see how the entire book comes together.

Amazon

 

The Strength of the Few by James Islington (Audiobook)

I’ve also started listening to the epic fantasy novel, The Strength of the Few by James Islington. 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. While this is a pretty massive book, I am making some good progress with the audiobook format, and I cannot wait to dive even deeper into this intricate and captivating novel.

Amazon

What did you recently finish reading?

Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose (ebook)

I managed to finish off the 2025 fantasy debut, Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose this week. An exciting and compelling novel full of cookery-based magic, Seven Recipes for Revolution was a really excellent read and I had an amazing time with it.

Amazon

 

Cold War by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

I also managed to finish of the dark and twisted science fiction audiobook, Cold War by Jonathan Maberry. The compelling sequel to last year’s NecroTek, Cold War was a really impressive novel, especially on audiobook, and loved where it’s shocking and exciting story went. One of the better novels and audiobooks of 2025, I’m hoping to have a review for Cold War written up soon.

Amazon

What do you think you’ll read next?

Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka

The next book that I am hoping to read is the amazing Japanese thriller, Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka. A follow-up to some of his previous novels, including Bullet Train and Three Assassins, Hotel Lucky Seven sees the unlucky protagonist of Bullet Train find himself trapped in hotel with several other deadly assassins. Based on the author’s previous books, Hotel Lucky Seven is going to be a ton of fun, and I cannot wait to check it out.

Amazon

 

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.

Book Haul – 28 October 2025

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2025 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.  The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week featured books with occupations in the title, which I actually completed last week, so instead I’m instead going to use this post to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the first Tuesday of Spring 2025 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 Spring (Autumn/Fall 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 September 2025 and 30 November 2025 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 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown by 9 September 2025

A deeply exciting thriller from the legendary Dan Brown that will once again present a compelling mystery from history.

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The Widow by John Grisham – 21 October 2025

An intriguing new legal thriller from the always impressive John Grisham.

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King Sorrow by Joe Hill – 21 October 2025

The highly inventive Joe Hill will present a compelling new horror thriller with King Sorrow, an epic novel that sees a group of friends experience the downside of summoning a vengeful dragon.

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Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath – 4 November 2025

One of top Australian releases of 2025, Kill Your Boss will follow Jack Heath’s previous outstanding novels, Kill Your Brother and Kill Your Husbands.

Top Ten List:

Circle of Days by Ken Follett – 23 September 2025

The first book I want to highlight on this list is the upcoming historical fiction novel from Ken Follett, Circle of Days.  A historical epic set around the construction of Stonehenge, Circle of Days will follow several complex characters as they live their lives in the shadow of an iconic construction.  I have no doubt that Circle of Days will be one of the top historical fiction releases of 2025 and this is an excellent novel to start this list on.

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The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman – 25 September 2025

Few Spring releases have me as excited as The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman.  The fifth book in the incredible Thursday Murder Club series by Osman, The Impossible Fortune will follow on from outstanding novels like The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).  Featuring a cool new case, The Impossible Fortune sounds like another entertaining entry in the series, and I cannot wait to see how the characters are going after the deep tragedy of The Last Devil to Die.  This will likely top all my end of 2025 best-of lists, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson – 30 September 2025

One of the more entertaining novels coming out in the second half of 2025 is going to be the brilliant Australian thriller Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson. The fourth book in the Ernest Cunningham series (Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, and Everyone this Christmas has a Secret), Everyone in this Bank is a Thief will once again place Stevenson’s insightful and unlucky protagonist at the site of another crime as he is forced to investigate a murder while trapped as a hostage in a bank robbery. Blending classic murder mystery elements with a fun heist narrative, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief is going to be a hilarious read, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Cold War by Jonathan Maberry – 14 October 2025

After already impressing with Burn to Shine, Maberry still has his second novel of 2025 coming out with Cold War.  A follow-up to his 2024 dark science fiction novel, NecroTek, Cold War will see a group of human scientists, soldiers and pilots trapped on the other side of the universe using death-powered alien mechs to fight against ancient cosmic horrors.  Sure to be another complex and chilling novel, Cold War has a ton of potential and will likely be a top book of the year.

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The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly – 21 October 2025

The always reliable master of crime fiction, Michael Connelly, has another awesome book coming out in 2025 with The Proving Ground. The next book in the author’s incredible Lincoln Lawyer series (which has previously featured books like The Law of Innocence and Resurrection Walk), The Proving Ground will team Mickey Haller with another Connelly protagonist, Jack McEvoy (the protagonist of books like Fair Warning), as he takes on a sinister AI company. Likely to combine great legal elements with a complex thriller narrative, I have a feeling this is going to be one of Connelly’s more captivating books, and I am very excited to get my hands on it.

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Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 6 November 2025

For some additional historical fiction awesomeness in 2025, we still have the new Eagles of the Empire novel from Simon Scarrow, Tyrant of Rome. Scarrow’s second book in 2025 after A Death in Berlin, Tyrant of Rome will follow on from the previous Eagles of the Empire novel, Revenge of Rome, as the protagonists return to Rome after ending Boudica’s rebellion. This time series protagonists Cato and Macro are dragged back into the excesses of Nero when they are chosen to take control of law and order throughout the city to keep the depraved emperor in power. I love this interesting change of direction away from the brutal war stories of the last few books and it is going to be fun to dive into over-the-top Roman politics.

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The Blackfire Blade by James Logan – 11 November 2025

Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading the outstanding fantasy debut, The Silverblood Promise by James Logan. An elaborate and compelling fantasy adventure that saw a young man travel to an unfamiliar city to uncover his father’s killer, The Silverblood Promise was an amazing read that blended inventive worldbuilding with a great conspiracy storyline. I had a ton of fun with this first book from Logan, and I have been eager to get my hands on the sequel for a while now. Luckily, I only have to wait a few more months as Logan’s second book, The Blackfire Blade, is one of the big fantasy releases of the second half of the year. Continuing to follow the protagonist’s quest to find clues related to his father’s murder, The Blackfire Blade takes the reader to another elaborate fantasy city and forces the characters to uncover the new setting’s dark secrets. I have no doubt this is going to be an impressive book, and I cannot wait to see how Logan continues his amazing series.

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The Strength of the Few by James Islington – 11 November 2025

Probably the most anticipated book for fantasy fans coming out in the second half of 2025 is the elaborate and intriguing novel, The Strength of the Few by James Islington. The sequel to Islington’s highly acclaimed The Will of the Many, The Strength of the Few, will continue to follow Islington’s compelling protagonist as he attempts to undermine the empire that destroyed his family, while uncovering the hidden secrets from the past. However, this book looks set to be even more complex as different versions of the protagonist are split across three separate realities, each of whom must face its own troubles and adventures. I am extremely intrigued to see how this split narrative is going to work out but based on how damn exceptional The Will of the Many was, I have very little doubt this is going to be a particularly epic novel.

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Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell – 11 November 2025

One of the more impressive fantasy novels coming out later this year is the very cool novel, Our Lady of Blades. The next book in Sebastien de Castell’s The Court of Shadows series, Our Lady of Blades will be another standalone novel in the author’s Greatcoat universe, that will build on the previous, loosely-connected novels Crucible of Chaos and Play of Shadows. Our Lady of Blades will explore a new location in this universe and will feature a The Count of Monte Cristo inspired plot, as a mysterious masked duellist returns to a corrupt city to get justice and restore her family through any means necessary, all while the big conspiracy of the series continues to unfold. Based on how exceptional the last two books in this series have been, I feel that Our Lady of Blades is going to be a top book of 2025, and it is one I am especially keen for, especially after having a blast with de Castells other release for the year, The Malevolent Eight.

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Star Wars: Master of Evil by Adam Christopher – 11 November 2025

The final book that I want to highlight on this list is the impressive and character-focussed Star Wars tie-in novel, Master of Evil by Adam Christopher. Set to follow Darth Vader during his early days as a Sith Lord, Master of Evil will provide some complex insights into this iconic villain’s mind as he attempts to uncover the true dark side of the Force. With a very intriguing and lore-heavy plot idea, and an even more awesome cover, Master of Evil has certainly caught my attention, and I cannot wait to see Adam Christopher’s take on this legendary Star Wars character.

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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 2025, 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 in the near future.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2025 (Fantasy and Science Fiction)

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction7 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 latest Top Ten Tuesday participants need to list their top anticipated releases for the second half of 2025.  I am planning to do two versions of this list, one that will exclusively look at upcoming thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction, and more, and this one that will focus on upcoming fantasy and science fiction books.

2025 has so far been a pretty amazing year for books (something I will cover in next week’s Top Ten Tuesday), with some outstanding and impressive novels coming out and blowing me away.  However, the year is far from over and there are so many incredible and epic-sounding novels set for release in the second half of 2025.  To fill out this list I have scoured my list of anticipated upcoming releases and tried to work out which of the books coming out between the start of July and the end of December I am most looking forward to.  I already have a couple of these books in advance, but I think it’s worth including them here, especially as I still need to make time to read them.

I had initially intended to only do a single list featuring all the genres, however, I ended up with way too many awesome upcoming novels on my radar.  So, to fairly feature them all, and to save myself from some hard decisions, I decided to split this post into two separate lists, starting with this one on fantasy and science fiction.  I still had to cut out several impressive upcoming releases, but I was a lot happier with how these lists turned out, especially as I was able to feature so many epic upcoming reads that I am going to have the most fun reading.  Due to how much potential that I think the entries on this list have, several have previously appeared in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday articles, as well as on my recent Winter TBR list.   So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated fantasy and science fiction releases for the second half of 2025.

Honourable Mentions

Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose – 22 July 2025

A cool fantasy debut with an interesting cooking theme that I have had my eye on for a while.

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Katabasis by R. F. Kuang – 26 August 2025

A fantastic dive into academic hell from the acclaimed R. F. Kuang.

Amazon

 

King Sorrow by Joe Hill – 28 October 2025

A very interesting upcoming book from Joe Hill that will see a group of friends suffer the consequences of summoning a dragon.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Voidscarred by Mike Brooks – announced for 2025

I’m very excited for the upcoming Warhammer novel by Mike Brooks that will set Aeldari Corsairs against Ork Freebooterz. Brooks is exceptional Warhammer 40,000 author, with books like Warboss, Da Big Dakka and The Lion: Son of the Forest really showcasing his talent, and I look forward to seeing this very fun upcoming book.

Top Ten List

Warhammer 40,000: Grotsnik: Da Mad Dok by Denny Flowers – 1 July 2025

There are several awesome Warhammer 40,000 novels still to come in 2025, but the one I’m currently most looking forward to is the epic novel Grotsnik: Da Mad Dok.  Written by the very talented Denny Flowers who has previously impressed me with books like Outgunned (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels) and Above and Beyond (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024), Grotsnik: Da Mad Dok has a ton of hilarious potential as it dives into the most insane and diabolical “medical” practitioner amongst the brutal orks.  I already know this is going to be a clever and very funny read (especially after seeing Flowers write ork characters in Da Red Gobbo Collection), and I cannot wait to see what insanity awaits in this cool upcoming book.

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Stone and Sky by Ben Aaronovitch – 8 July 2025

The always outstanding Ben Aaronovitch returns to his iconic Rivers of London series with the compelling upcoming Stone and Sky.  Part elaborate urban fantasy, part clever police procedural, Stone and Sky will see the series protagonist and his unusual family journey up to Scotland on a holiday, only to encounter a new supernatural mystery from the depths of the ocean.  Set to feature another amazing and addictive story told in Aaronovitch’s distinctive style, Stone and Sky will likely be one of the most captivating fantasy novels of 2025 and I look forward to continuing the series.

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Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland – 15 July 2025

In the last year I have had an amazing time checking out the awesome fantasy novels of the Broken Blades trilogy by Mai Corland.  Following several dangerous killers as they are forced to pull off impossible missions for a power-hungry king, the first two books, Five Broken Blades and Four Ruined Realms, have set up an outstanding story with some brilliant characters.  Fans of this series will be getting a conclusion to the trilogy later this year with Three Shattered Souls, which should be particularly epic.  I cannot wait to see how Corland wraps everything up, and I already know I’m going to love it, especially in its elaborate audiobook format.

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The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso – 19 August 2025

Another great upcoming fantasy murder mystery novel I have my eye on is The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso.  The sequel to Caruso’s amazing 2024 novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, The Last Soul Among Wolves will see the series protagonist caught in a cursed mansion during a doomed will reading.  Looking set to combine a classic murder mystery scenario with Caruso’s elaborate fantasy world, The Last Soul Among Wolves has a ton of potential and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan – 26 August 2025

One of my favourite fantasy authors, Anthony Ryan, returns with the second book in his awesome Age of Wrath trilogy, Born of an Iron Storm.  The amazing sound sequel to his 2024 novel, A Tide of Black Steel, Born of an Iron Storm will continue the elaborate adventures started in Ryan’s last book.  Set to once again feature a cool Norse-inspired setting, compelling characters, and all manner of plots and conspiracies, Born of an Iron Storm sounds pretty damn incredible and I have no doubt this is going to be one of the better fantasy releases of 2025.

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Cold War by Jonathan Maberry – 14 October 2025

The always impressive Jonathan Maberry continues to showcase his brilliant writing skills with Cold War, a fantastic upcoming follow-up to his 2024 dark science fiction novel, NecroTek.  Pitting human scientists and soldiers trapped far away in space against ancient cosmic horrors, Cold War should be another gripping read, especially as the humans are fighting back using their powerful, death-powered alien mechs.  Likely to be another particularly dark and haunting read, Cold War has the potential to be an incredible sequel, and I am very keen to check it out.

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The Blackfire Blade by James Logan – 23 October 2025

Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading the outstanding fantasy debut, The Silverblood Promise by James Logan.  An elaborate and compelling fantasy adventure that saw a young man travel to an unfamiliar city to try and uncover his father’s killer, The Silverblood Promise was an amazing read that blended cool worldbuilding with a great conspiracy storyline.  I had a ton of fun with this first book from Logan, and I have been quite eager to get my hands on the sequel for a while now.  Luckily, I only have to wait a few more months as Logan’s second book, The Blackfire Blade is one of the big fantasy releases of October.  Continuing to follow the protagonist’s quest to find clues related to his father’s murder, The Blackfire Blade takes the reader to another elaborate fantasy city within the same realm and forces the characters to uncover the new setting’s dark secrets to get what they want.  I have no doubt this is going to be an impressive book, and I cannot wait to see how Logan continues his amazing series.

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Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell – 6 November 2025

One of the more impressive fantasy novels coming out later this year is the very cool novel, Our Lady of Blades.  The next book in Sebastien de Castell’s The Court of Shadows series, Our Lady of Blades will be another standalone novel in the author’s Greatcoat universe, that will build on the previous novels Crucible of Chaos and Play of Shadows.  Our Lady of Blades will explore a new location in this universe and will feature a The Count of Monte Cristo inspired plot, as a mysterious masked duellist returns to a corrupt city to get justice and restore her family through any means necessary, all while the big conspiracy of the series continues to unfold.  Based on how exceptional the last two books in this series have been, I feel that Our Lady of Blades is going to be a top book of 2025, and it is one I am especially keen for.

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The Strength of the Few by James Islington – 11 November 2025

Probably the most anticipated book for fantasy fans coming out in the second half of 2025 is the elaborate and intriguing novel, The Strength of the Few by James Islington.  The sequel to Islington’s highly acclaimed The Will of the Many (one of my favourite books, audiobooks and Australian novels of 2023), The Strength of the Few, will continue to follow Islington’s compelling protagonist as he attempts to undermine the empire that destroyed his family, while uncovering the hidden secrets from the past.  However, this book looks set to be even more complex as different versions of the protagonist are split amongst three separate worlds, each of whom must face its own troubles and adventures.  I am extremely intrigued to see how this split narrative is going to work out but based on how damn exceptional The Will of the Many was, I have very little doubt this is going to be a particularly epic novel.

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Star Wars: Master of Evil by Adam Christopher – 11 November 2025

The final book that I want to highlight on this list is the impressive and character-focussed Star Wars tie-in novel, Master of Evil by Adam Christopher.  Set to follow Darth Vader during his early days as a Sith Lord, Master of Evil will provide some complex insights into this iconic villain’s mind as he attempts to uncover the true dark side of the Force.  With a very cool plot idea, and an even more awesome cover, Master of Evil has certainly caught my attention, and I cannot wait to see Christopher’s take on this legendary Star Wars character.

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That is the end of this list.  I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out, and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming fantasy and science fiction books that should prove to be incredible reads.  I think that every one of the books I mentioned above has some amazing potential, and most, if not all, will probably end up with a full five-star rating from me.  Make sure to also check out my next list where I dive into upcoming thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction and more.  Let me also know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Strength of the Few by James Islington

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday10 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight a major 2025 release that a lot of fantasy fans have been eagerly waiting for, with The Strength of the Few by James Islington.

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Back in 2023 I was very lucky to read the brilliant novel, The Will of the Many by Australian author James Islington.  The first book of Islington’s I had the pleasure of reading, The Will of the Many was a captivating novel that followed a young prince of a conquered land hiding in the one of the cities of the nation that killed his family.  Recruited by a powerful nobleman and placed in the crosshairs of a dangerous resistance movement, the protagonist is sent to a school for the conquering nation’s elite, where he must rise up the ranks of the hierarchical classes in order to expose various secrets that could have major implications for the future of the world.  I ended up getting really drawn into The Will of the Many’s epic narrative, and Islington pulled together an exceptional read that combined complex characters and intricate world building with some impressive and intense moments.  The Will of the Many ended up being one of my favourite books, audiobooks and Australian novels of 2023, and got a very easy five-star rating from me.

Due to how outstanding The Will of the Many was, myself and many other fantasy fiction fans have been eagerly awaiting a sequel since 2023.  Thankfully this patient waiting has paid off, as Islington just released details about his long-awaited sequel to The Will of the Many, The Strength of the Few, which has just been set for release in November 2025.

The Strength of the Few will be an intricate and compelling sequel, that will continue to follow the protagonist as he continues to infiltrate the Hierarchy and tries to uncover the dark secrets of the nation that took everything from him.  However, certain magical complications have resulted in the protagonist being split across three separate worlds, and each incarnation of him now has to play alternate games to survive.

Plot Synopsis:

This highly anticipated follow-up to The Will of the Many—one of 2023’s most lauded and bestselling fantasy novels—follows Vis as he grapples with a dangerous secret that could unravel history across alternate dimensions.

OMNE TRIUM PERFECTUM

The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. Still hail me as Catenicus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am.

But with all that has happened—with what I fear is coming—I am not sure it matters anymore.

I am no longer one. I won the Iudicium, and lost everything—and now, impossibly, the ancient device beyond the Labyrinth has replicated me across three separate worlds. A different version of myself in each of Obiteum, Luceum, and Res. Three different bodies, three different lives. I have to hide; fight; play politics. I have to train; trust; lie. I have to kill; heal; prove myself again, and again, and again.

I am loved, and hated, and entirely alone.

Above all, though, I need to find answers before it’s too late. To understand the nature of what has happened to me, and why.

I need to find a way to stop the coming Cataclysm, because if all I have learned is true, I may be the only one who can.

Now it sounds like Islington has quite an intriguing plot planned for The Strength of the Few, and one that has the potential to be pretty damn awesome.  Having the protagonist simultaneously stranded in three separate dimensions, with each version unaware of the actions of the other is quite ambitious, and it could result in some captivating scenarios, especially if each version of the protagonist needs to develop alternate skills to survive in each world.  While I can imagine the plot has some potential to get over complicated or confusing, if handled right it could be quite impressive, and I am very eager to see how it turns out.  Based on how well Islington managed the complex plot of The Will of the Many, I am very confident that The Strength of the Few is going to be pretty damn epic, and I cannot wait to see more excellent world building, some great character moments, and potentially some answers to the secrets from the previous book.

Due to how damn good Islington’s previous book is, there is no way that I will be missing The Strength of the Few when it comes out later this year.  An intense and ambitious book, The Strength of the Few has the potential to be one of the very best books of 2025, and I will be reading it the very first chance that I get.  An epic sounding read that is sure to impress.

Top Ten Tuesday – Longest Audiobooks That I Have Listened To – Part IV

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, List6 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 week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were given a love themed freebie in honour of Valentine’s Day.  As such, I’m going to focus on something that I have a lot of love for, the audiobook format, as I once again revisit and update a fun post I last looked at nearly two years ago.

As readers of this blog will be aware, I am a massive fan of audiobooks, and it is often the best way to enjoy a good book.  I have been lucky enough to listen to an impressive collection of audiobooks over the years, with some of them being extremely long, often taking me weeks to get through.  Back in 2019, I got curious about all the audiobooks I had listened to, and I wanted to know which was the longest one that I had ever listened to.  As a result, I sat down and worked out which ones had the longest run time and turned it into a massive list.  This ended up being such an interesting endeavour that I posted it on my blog here, with the longest 20 books featured.  I had such an amazing time doing this that a year later I had a go at updating it, adding in a few additional audiobooks I had listened to, and then I once again updated it in 2022.

Well, it has been nearly two years since I last updated this list and I always intended to keep coming back to this list to see how the recent long audiobooks I have listened to stacked up against the books already on this list.  Since the last update in 2022 I have managed to listen to quite a few new audiobooks, several of which had an excellent run time.  The list below is similar to the list I posted a couple of years ago, with several new additions added in (see the highlight posts).  I ended up returning the list back to the original 20 entry format I previously had, and the resulting post turned out pretty damn well.

Top Twenty List:

  1. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, narrated by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading – 45 hours and 48 minutes

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  1. The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss, narrated by Nick Podehl – 42 hours and 55 minutes

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  1. Magician by Raymond E. Feist, narrated by Peter Joyce – 36 hours and 14 minutes

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  1. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, narrated by Roy Dotrice – 33 hours and 45 minutes

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  1. The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding, narrated by Simon Bubb – 32 hours and 37 minutes

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The longest new entry on this list is the exceptional audiobook, The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding.  The sequel the Wooding’s previous novel, The Ember Blade (the audiobook version of which also appears on this list), The Shadow Casket proved to be a remarkable piece of epic fantasy fiction, and I loved the elaborate narrative that emerged.  The impressive narration by Simon Bubb helped to turn this massive audiobook into something very fun to listen to, and The Shadow Casket ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023.

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  1. Mistress of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts, narrated by Tania Rodrigues – 32 hours and 1 minute

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  1. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini, narrated by Gerrard Doyle – 31 hours and 29 minutes

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  1. Servant of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts, narrated by Tania Rodrigues – 30 hours and 42 minutes

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  1. The Ember Blade by Chris Wooding, narrated by Simon Bubb – 30 hours and 40 minutes

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  1. Brisingr by Christopher Paolini, narrated by Gerrard Doyle – 29 hours and 34 minutes

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  1. The Will of the Many by James Islington, narrated by Euan Morton – 28 hours and 14 minutes

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Another exceptional audiobook from last year was The Will of the Many by James Islington.  An awesome and complex fantasy book that saw a young, fugitive prince infiltrate an elite academy of his enemies, The Will of the Many had so many fun elements to it, and I was quickly enthralled by its brilliant narrative.  Narrator Euan Morton added his unique voice to the mix, and this helped to turn The Will of the Many into a pretty fun listen, and one I managed to power through quickly despite its over 28 hour long run time.  A highly recommended audiobook, especially if you are looking for a long listen to get lost in.

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  1. Howling Dark by Christopher Ruocchio, narrated by Samuel Roukin – 28 hours and 3 minutes

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  1. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, narrated by Nick Podehl – 27 Hours and 55 minutes

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  1. House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas, narrated by Elizabeth Evans – 27 hours and 50 minutes

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  1. Dragon Mage by M. L. Spencer, narrated by Ben Farrow – 27 hours and 18 minutes

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An intriguing and powerful fantasy audiobook from a couple of years ago.  Dragon Mage was an impressive book, that featured some great classic fantasy elements to it.  Following two young protagonists dragged into a deadly war for the fate of magic and its dragon protectors, Dragon Mage was an awesome listen that I couldn’t get enough of.

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  1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale – 27 hours and 2 minutes

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  1. Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry, narrated by Ray Porter – 25 hours and 55 minutes

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One of my favourite author and narrator combos, Jonathan Maberry and Ray Porter, made its way onto this list with Son of the Poison Rose.  The sequel to Kagen the Damned, Son of the Poison Rose is an excellent and very brutal dark fantasy read that I could not get enough of.  Maberry makes full use of the extra runtime of this novel to tell an impressive story, and this audiobook comes highly recommended, especially with Porter’s exceptional voice work.

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  1. Red Seas under Red Skies by Scott Lynch, narrated by Michael Page – 25 hours and 34 minutes

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  1. In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan, narrated by Damian Lynch – 24 hours and 52 minutes

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An epic and highly addictive new fantasy novel by Brian McClellan, In the Shadow of Lightning was one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022, and I really fell in love with its elaborate story.  I honestly flew through In the Shadow of Lightning’s near 25-hour runtime, and narrator Damian Lynch ensures the action and intrigue laden narrative really flows along.  An exceptional piece of fantasy fiction that comes alive in its audiobook version.

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  1. Murtagh by Christopher Paolini, narrated by Gerard Doyle – 24 hours and 32 minutes

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Considering how some of the other original Inheritance Cycle audiobooks dominate the top half of this list, it is unsurprising that Christopher Paolini’s latest addition to the series, Murtagh, also makes an appearance.  Featuring original narrator Gerard Doyle, Murtagh was a great addition to the series, and I had a wonderful time getting through this lengthy audiobook at the end of last year.

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Well, those are some cool new additions to this list.  I am pretty happy with how this new version of the list turned out, although I should work on listening to some longer audiobooks in the coming year.  I will have another go at updating this list in a couple of years or so, but in the meantime let me know what the longest audiobook you have listened to is in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books of 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List22 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 week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were supposed to list the top books they meant to read in 2023 but didn’t get a chance to, however, I am going to an alternate list today.  The reason for this, and the reason I delayed putting this list up by a day, is because Friday, 26 January, is Australia’s national holiday, Australia Day.  While Australia Day is getting a lot more controversial due to its historic implications, I like to look beyond that and focus on some of the amazing and varied talents our nation produces.  As such, I thought I would take this opportunity to once again highlight some of the top pieces of fiction written by Australian authors that I read in 2023.

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 (check out my 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 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 2023 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, including several novels that I considered to be some of the best reads of last year.  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:

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

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An interesting historical fiction/fantasy hybrid from a rising Australian author, Shelley Parker-Chan.  He Who Drown the World was the exciting sequel to the author’s debut, She Who Became the Sun, and it featured a unique and memorable adventure.

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Judgement Day by Mali Waugh

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An impressive debut from an outstanding Australian talent, that saw a damaged cop investigate the murder of a prominent judge.

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The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer

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A gripping World War II historical drama from one of Australia’s top authors of the genre, Kelly Rimmer, who previously wowed me with The Warsaw Orphan and The German Wife.  The Paris Agent had an outstanding plot that followed doomed female spies dropped into occupied France.

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How to Kill a Client by Joanna Jenkins

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How to Kill a Client was an amazing and dark legal thriller that followed members of a prominent legal firm who become suspects in a clients death.  One of the most entertaining debuts of 2023. 

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Top Ten List:

The Will of the Many by James Islington

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The first book I must highlight is the outstanding and epic fantasy novel, The Will of the Many by James Islington.  The Will of the Many was an amazing book that topped all my best-of lists last year, including my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023 lists.  Set in a great new fantasy world, The Will of the Many follows an exile who infiltrates an elite academy to uncover deadly secrets and find out ways to fight against the nation who stole his home.  An exceptionally addictive read, The Will of the Many is so damn good, and I was extremely impressed by my first book by Islington.

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Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

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The always hilarious Benjamin Stevenson followed up his outstanding 2022 novel, Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, with this fantastic and brilliant murder mystery.  Set on the legendary Australian train, the Ghan, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect is an intriguing and comedic take on the murder mystery genre, as the main suspects to the murder are all crime fiction authors.  Funny, smart and featuring homages to various crime fiction sub-genres and classic novels, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect was extremely awesome and I loved getting through it.

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Mr Einstein’s Secretary by Matthew Reilly

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One of Australia’s most recognisable authors, Matthew Reilly, had an amazing year in 2023 with Mr Einstein’s Secretary.  Following a fantastic protagonist through some of the most important historical events of the first half of the 20th century, Mr Einstein’s Secretary was a powerful, character-driven story, loaded with action, espionage, and captivating historical detail.  An extremely impressive novel that I managed to knock off in a very, very short amount of time.

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Ripper by Shelley Burr

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Shelley Burr produced an awesome sequel to her debut novel, Wake, with the outstanding read Ripper.  Set in a town made infamous for a deadly serial killer years ago, Ripper follows a new investigation when a body is found in the same spot as one of the original victims.  A twisty and captivating novel that has some great connections to Burr’s previous book.

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Killer Traitor Spy by Tim Ayliffe

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Tim Ayliffe brings back his rugged journalist protagonist for another dark Australian thriller in Killer Traitor Spy.  This time examining the impacts of foreign influence and espionage, Killer Traitor Spy was a brilliant read that makes great use of real-life concerns to contemporary Australia.

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Never a Hero by Vanessa Len

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After wowing me in 2022 with her impressive debut, the young adult fantasy novel Only a Monster, Australian author Vanessa Len produced an excellent sequel last year with Never a Hero.  An intense novel that cleverly makes use of the alternate timeline established at the end of the first book, Never a Hero was an exceptional sequel from a very talented author.

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Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath

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One of my absolute favourite Australian authors, Jack Heath, had another incredible year in 2023 with the amazing book Kill Your Husbands.  An intriguing novel that sees three couples in an isolated cabin all become murder suspects after an attempt at partner-swapping goes terribly wrong.  I love the unique and drama inducing plot of Kill Your Husbands, especially as it also served as a sequel to one of Heath’s previous novels, Kill Your Brother.  This was such a great read, and I really enjoyed the complex mystery Heath came up with.

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Vendetta by Sarah Barrie

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Sarah Barrie continued her dark and deadly Lexi Winter series in a big way last year with the exceptional novel Vendetta.  Following on from her previous books, Unforgiven and Retribution, Vendetta sees Barrie’s maverick protagonist infiltrate a deadly bikie gang she has history with, all while a vengeful killer seeks to blow everyone up.  This was one of Barrie’s best books yet, and I had an outstanding time getting through Vendetta.

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Fire with Fire by Candice Fox

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Candice Fox continued to dominate the crime fiction market with the impressive 2023 thriller, Fire with Fire.  Following several different protagonists as they try to save vital evidence being held hostage by two desperate parents, Fire with Fire had an amazing story and I loved how it turned out.  Another amazing book from Fox, who has several fantastic novels coming out in 2024.

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Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

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The final book on this list is the impressive 2023 novel from one of Australia’s fastest rising crime fiction authors, Megan Goldin.  Her latest book, Dark Corners, serves as a sequel to her previous novel The Night Swim, and sees the author’s podcasting protagonist join the hunt for a deadly killer stalking an influencer convention.  Featuring both an intense mystery and an entertaining look at the current obsession with influencers and social media, Dark Corners was another great book from Goldin that comes highly recommended.

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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 2023.  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 2024 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.