WWW Wednesday – 5 February 2025

On February 6, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday3 Comments

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme 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:

Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson (ebook)

I just started reading Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson. A fun young adult dark academia novel that sees a young protagonist investigate a mysterious Scottish boarding school with a demonic edge to it, Unhallowed Halls sounded very entertaining, and I have really enjoyed Wilkinson’s other young adult books in the past (see my reviews for The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out). I’ve only made a little progress on Unhallowed Halls so far, and I look forward to uncovering the complete complex narrative soon.

Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Audiobook)

I also started to listen to the audiobook version of the new Adrian Tchaikovsky novel, Days of Shattered Faith. The third book in Tchaikovsky’s Tyrant Philosophers series, Days of Shattered Faith follows two damaged diplomats from an unpopular empire as they try to navigate a crazy foreign city. I had so much fun with the previous entries in this series, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds, both of which were amongst my favourite books of 2023 (with City of Last Chances being one of the best audiobooks of 2023), and I have been looking forward to Days of Shattered Faith for a while now. I have made a bit of progress with this book, and it is proving to be a particularly captivating read, loaded with unique characters and an imaginative and elaborate setting. I am hoping to finish this book off in the next week or so, and Days of Shattered Faith is proving to be a very exceptional book.

What did you recently finish reading?

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris (ebook)

I managed to finish off the excellent debut thriller An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris this week. A powerful and intriguing book set around an interesting plot premise, An Ethical Guide to Murder was a very fun novel that leaves you thinking about the ethics of murder.

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young (Audiobook)

I also managed to knock off the audiobook version of Leontus: Lord Solar this week. The second Warhammer 40,000 book from Young, who previously impressed me with his debut novel Longshot, Leontus: Lord Solar was a very compelling and exciting read that was really worth checking out.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Crusade by Richard Cullen

If I get a chance in the next week, I’ll probably read the upcoming historical fiction book Crusade by Richard Cullen. The sequel to Cullen’s awesome 2024 novel, Rebellion, Crusade will follow the rogue knight protagonist from Rebellion as he attempts to prove himself in the crusades. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I cannot wait to see how Cullen continues the story in Crusade.

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 – 1 February 2025 – Netgalley Books

On February 1, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book Haul1 Comment

As I mentioned in my other Book Haul post tonight, I’ve had an excellent few weeks for books, especially when it comes to the haul from Netgalley. I have received a pretty awesome collection of great upcoming novels from the site, including several that have the potential to be some of my top books of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them and I am looking forward to reading all of them.

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris

The first new novel I want to highlight in this book haul post is the awesome and fun thriller, An Ethical Guide to Murder. The debut novel from Jenny Morris, An Ethical Guide to Murder sees a young woman gain the ability to transfer life from one person to another. Determined to use the ability for good, she goes about ethically taking life from bad people to gift it to those she believes deserves to live. I love this fascinating plot idea, and I have already started reading An Ethical Guide to Murder this week.

The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison

I was particularly pleased to receive an early copy of the historical fiction thriller, The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison. The third book in the authors’ Tales of the Lawless Land series, The White Fortress brings back the protagonists of the first two novels, The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar, and sees them become involved uncovering a dark plot in medieval Croatia. This sounds like such an awesome read and based on how much fun I had with the previous novels in the series, I have no doubt The White Fortress is going to be exceptional.

Battle Mountain by C. J. Box

An awesome thriller from acclaimed author C. J. Box, Battle Mountain is the new entry in the long-running Joe Pickett series, and it promises more bloodshed as one of the series’ protagonists sets out to get revenge. I had a ton of fun reading the last entry in the series, Three-Inch Teeth, and I look forward to seeing what craziness emerges in this cool new book.

Crusade by Richard Cullen

Another amazing upcoming historical fiction read I recently received is the fantastic novel Crusade by Richard Cullen. The sequel to Cullen’s 2024 novel, Rebellion, Crusade should be another outstanding book that will follow the author’s knight protagonist as he joins the crusades to test his mettle. Crusade looks set to be another fun and action-packed historical read, and I am hoping to read it very soon.

How to Slay on Holiday by Sarah Bonner

A fantastic and fun sounding thriller that follows a wife whose murderous plans are thrown into disarray by a chaotic holiday. I really love the sound of How to Slay on Holiday, and I am very excited to check it out, especially after having so much fun reading Bonner’s previous books Her Perfect Twin and Her Sweet Revenge.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

An outstanding and massively epic upcoming fantasy debut that I think has a ton of potential.

Landfall by James Bradley

An intriguing and unique upcoming piece of Australian fiction that will follow a police officer investigating a crime in an environmentally wrecked, future Sydney.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

The final book I want to highlight in this post is the cool upcoming Australian murder mystery Broke Road by Matthew Spencer. The sequel to Spencer’s debut novel, Black River, Broke Road presents a cool new crime fiction story that I am very intrigued to check out.

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.

WWW Wednesday – 29 January 2025

On January 30, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme 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:

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris (ebook)

I started reading the excellent debut thriller An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris. Set around a woman with the ability to redistribute life force, the book sees her come up with her own guide to taking life as she attempts to balance the karmic scales. I haven’t made too much progress with An Ethical Guide to Murder yet, but the first 50 pages of it were a lot of fun. I will hopefully power through this book in the next few days, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young (Audiobook)

I was still in a Warhammer 40,000 mood this week, so I started reading the intense novel, Leontus: Lord Solar. The second Warhammer 40,000 book from Young, who previously impressed me with his debut novel Longshot, Leontus: Lord Solar follows a legendary general as he leads a ragtag human army behind alien lines. A very compelling and exciting read, I am powering through the audiobook version of Leontus: Lord Solar and I should finish it soon.

What did you recently finish reading?

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis (Trade Paperback)

Death on the Tiber Cover

I finally managed to finish reading the 2024 Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber saw the protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I had an exceptional time with this book, and it proved to be an amazing addition to the series.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)

I also powered through the entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Emperor’s Finest this week. Part of the amazing Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest follows a highly pragmatic protagonist as he finds himself thrust into the horrors of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Another very awesome entry in the series, The Emperor’s Finest is very funny and I had such a great listening to it.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton (Audiobook)

Thanks to a productive road trip I also finished listening to the entertaining science fiction novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton. An excellent book that follows the misadventure of duplicated clones who no longer want to die, Mickey7 is proved to be an outstanding book and I’m glad I read it before the movie came out.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The next book I am planning to read is the new incredible novel from Adrian Tchaikovsky, Days of Shattered Faith. The third book in Tchaikovsky’s Tyrant Philosophers series, Days of Shattered Faith will follow two mismatched diplomats as they try to understand a crazy new city. I had so much fun with the previous entries in this series, City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds, both of which were amongst my favourite books of 2023 (with City of Last Chances being one of the best audiobooks of 2023), and I have no doubt Days of Shattered Faith is going to be just as epic.

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 – 22 January 2025

On January 24, 2025January 24, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme 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:

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis (Trade Paperback)

Death on the Tiber Cover

I finally managed to start reading the 2024 Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber sees the protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I am having an exceptional time with this book, and I am hoping to knock it off tonight.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)

I was in the mood for something fun this week, so I started listening to another entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Emperor’s Finest. Part of the amazing Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest follows a highly pragmatic protagonist as he finds himself thrust into the horrors of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Another very awesome entry in the series, The Emperor’s Finest is very funny and I am powering through it.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton (Audiobook)

I also started listening to the entertaining science fiction novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton this week while on a road trip. An excellent book that follows the misadventure of duplicated clones who no longer want to die, Mickey7 is proving to be an outstanding book and I’m very glad I decided to check it out.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga (Paperback)

I powered through the awesome thriller The Ascent by Adam Plantinga this week. One of the more exciting debuts of 2024, The Ascent followed former cop forced to fight his way out of a rioting prison. This was an incredible and deeply thrilling novel that I had a brilliant time read, make sure to check out my review for it here.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland (Audiobook)

I also managed to finish off the 2025 fantasy novel, Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland this week. The sequel to the awesome Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms sees a group of deadly killers and rogues once again try to work together to pull off an impossible mission. Loaded with action, fun characters, and some entertaining tension, Four Ruined Realms was a very worthy sequel to Five Broken Blades. Review to follow soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris

I have several awesome books to read next, but I think I’m going to check out the excellent thriller An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris. Set around a woman with the ability to redistribute life force, the book sees her pull together her own guide to taking life as she attempts to balance the karmic scales. I really love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to read it.

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 – Most Anticipated Fantasy/Science Fiction Books Release in the First Half of 2025

On January 8, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, List, Science Fiction15 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 for the start of the year. Because there are so many incredible reads coming out across the genres, I am doing two versions of this list, this first one that will exclusively look at upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, and another that will focus on upcoming books from other genres, including thrillers, crime fiction, historical fiction and more.

2025 is shaping up to be an outstanding year for fantasy and science 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. 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 in the fantasy and science fiction space, hence this list.

Just like with my other list of the night, I am only featuring books that are set for release in Australia or on Netgalley between 1 January 2025 and 30 June 2025 which I have some descent details about. Despite only being fantasy and science fiction books, I ended up with a huge collection of exceptional novels that I wanted to feature, which made completing this list surprisingly difficult. I was eventually able to break it down to the best 10 books (with honourable mentions), and I feel that I have capture the books that are going to be the best fantasy and science fiction reads of 2025. So let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland – 7 January 2025

The awesome action-packed sequel to Corland’s fantastic 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms is going to be a fantastic read, filled with drama, betrayal and great characters.

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris – 15 January 2025

A fun thriller debut with an interesting fantasy twist, as a woman with the ability to take life from one person and transfer it to someone else, tries to determine the best way to use her gift and ethically kill those who deserve to live.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde – 8 April 2025

Another cool upcoming debut is the fantasy novel, A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde. Featuring an intriguing plot set around revenge and spirt magic, A Song of Legends Lost has so much potential, and I look forward to reading it.

Strange New World by Vivian Shaw – 20 May 2025

I was pleasantly surprised to see we are getting a new Dr Greta Helsing novel this year with Strange New World. Following a doctor who specialises in treating monsters and the undead, this is a fantastic series (see my reviews for Strange Practice and Dreadful Company), and I look forward to seeing how it continues.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar by Rob Young – 28 January 2025

The first upcoming book I want to highlight is the next big Warhammer 40,000 fiction release, Leontus: Lord Solar. Following a skilled human leader who finds himself trapped on an ork infested world, Leontus; Lord Solar looks to be an exciting story of survival and overcoming the odds that I really love the sound of. I am also interested to see how author Rob Young goes with his second book, as his first novel, Longshot, was one of my favourite debuts of 2023.

Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed – 25 February 2025

There are several cool Star Wars novels coming out in 2025, however, the one I am most excited for is The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed. The first book in the new Reign of the Empire series, The Mask of Fear will follow the early days of the Empire as it comes to power and takes over the former Republic. Written by the very talented Alexander Freed, who really impressed me with his previous foray into Star Wars fiction with the Alphabet Squadron books (Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall and Victory’s Price), I think that this book has a lot of potential, and I love seeing stories set in this period of Star Wars fiction. As such I am planning to listen to the audiobook version of The Mask of Fear the second it comes out and I know I’m going to love it.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 27 February 2025

Awesome science fiction and fantasy author Adrian Tchaikovsky had a great 2024 with books like Alien Clay and Service Model, so I am excited to see what he writes in 2025. It looks like he’ll be off to a strong start with the science fiction novel, Shroud, that sees two women trapped on a planet whose surface is completely inhospitable to human life. This sounds like a very gritty and claustrophobic read, and I cannot wait to see how dark and dramatic Tchaikovsky makes this upcoming book.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – 18 March 2025

A major 2025 release that I’m sure a lot of people are excited for is the fifth book in the iconic Hunger Games franchise, Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. The second prequel set around the original Hunger Games trilogy (see my review for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will take readers back to the 50^th Hunger Games and explore the dark events that twisted fan favourite character Haymitch Abernathy. I am extremely excited to read Sunrise on the Reaping, especially as we get to see the ultra-violent second Quarter Quell in action, and it will be interesting to see how Collins’ sets this latest book out.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi – 25 March 2025

One of the more unique books coming out in 2025 is When the Moon Hits Your Eye by the always memorable John Scalzi. Featuring a very fun science fiction plot that sees the moon suddenly turned into a giant ball of cheese, When the Moon Hits Your Eye sounds so damn outrageous, and I know I’m going to love it. Based on Scalzi’s previous entertaining reads, I have no doubt this will be crazy, funny and thoughtful in equal measure, and I will have so much fun checking it out.

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 1 April 2025

One of my favourite urban fantasy series, the Fetch Phillips series by Australian author Luke Arnolds, returns this year with another awesome book, Whisper in the Wind. Set in a fantasy city which has lost all its magic, the Fetch Phillip books follow broken and guilty private investigator Fetch Phillips who is desperately trying to bring back magic, and which results in some dark and powerful adventures (see The Last Smile in Sunder City, Dead Man in a Ditch and One Foot in the Fade). This fourth book will see Fetch dragged out of retirement in back into action when a series of murders brings trouble and potential revolution to his door. Arnold honestly gets better with every book he writes, and I am expecting another outstanding novel with Whisper in the Wind.

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett – 8 April 2025

One book I am particularly keen for in 2025 is the awesome second entry in the Shadow of the Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett, A Drop of Corruption. The sequel to one of my favourite books of 2024, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption will continue to follow an unlikely investigative duo as they attempt to solve unusual magical murders in a land constantly besieged by giant monsters. This second book will feature an impossible locked room mystery as the protagonists attempt to unwind a dark conspiracy that threatens the entire realm. I have no doubt that this is going to be a particularly incredible novel, and I am hoping to read A Drop of Corruption very soon.

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence – 8 April 2025

One of the more complex science fiction and fantasy novels I will be reading in 2025 will be the third and final book in Mark Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart. Following on from The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and The Book That Broke the World, The Book That Held Her Heart will show the final battle for the impossible and infinite library, as the two separated protagonists must find a way back to each other to save the lives of those closest to them. I have no doubt this will be a moving, captivating and elaborate read, and I am very curious to see how Lawrence brings this entire ambitious series to an end.

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025

Easily the book that I am most excited about in 2025 (and I’m sure a lot of fantasy fans are in the same boat) is The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. Abercrombie has proven to be the master of dark fantasy fiction thanks to his iconic First Law series, as well as the incredible follow up Age of Madness trilogy. All of these books are just incredible, and I had a lot of fun reading and reviewing the Age of Madness books a couple of years ago, including A Little Hatred (one of my favourite books of 2019), The Trouble With Peace (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020) and The Wisdom of Crowds (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). I have been eagerly awaiting a new Abercrombie novel since The Wisdom of Crowds, and I was so damn happy to see he had a book coming out this year with The Devils. Set in an alternate medieval Europe, The Devils will follow a hapless priest as he tries to bind a congregation of monsters to save the world from a coming apocalypse. This book has so much pure potential and I have no doubt at all that it will end up being one of the best things I read this year.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler – 27 May 2025

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the hilarious sounding novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler. The sequel to one of the funniest fantasy novels of 2024, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will once again follow the unlikely Dark Lord of the realms, Davi, a human trapped in fantasy themed time loop who starts her adventure again after every painful death. This second book will see Davi attempt to save her former human subjects from her own upcoming invasion, only to encounter new opponents and obstacles. I had so much fun with How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, and this sequel should be another brilliant comedic romp that I know I am going to love.

Well, that’s the end of this first list. As you can see, there are some mighty impressive fantasy and science fiction books 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. 2025 is going to be an outstanding year for these two genres, 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 incredible time reading fantasy and science fiction in 2025. Make sure to also check out my other Top Ten List that looks at the top upcoming books of 2025 from the other genres.