WWW Wednesday – 4 March 2026

On March 7, 2026 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:

Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K. J. Parker (Trade Paperback)

I’ve recently started reading the awesome new fantasy novel Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by the always impressive K. J. Parker. Following a complicated monk and his murderous nun assistant as they investigate strange occurrences and deaths at a major religious conference, this book is already delivering all of Parker’s trademark chaos, clever humour and complex storytelling as he sets up another outstanding trilogy. I have made a fair bit of progress with Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead so far, and it already looks set to be one of my favourite books of 2026.

Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman (Audiobook)

I’ve also started listening to the new Alex Delaware novel from Jonathan Kellerman, Jigsaw, on audiobook. The latest entry in Kellerman’s long-running crime fiction series, Jigsaw sees the protagonists investigate two separate and complex murders which may have an interesting connection to each other. I have managed to knock off a good chunk of Jigsaw so far and I am once again enjoying the realistic style and pacing of this compelling novel. I will probably get through this audiobook in the next few days, and I cannot wait to see how this mystery fully unfolds.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan (Trade Paperback)

I absolutely absorbed the awesome Australian debut, The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan this week, which was so damn good. Primarily set in 18th century France, The Red Winter follows a magical scholar who is forced to face old demons when a monster he previously defeated returns to cause fresh chaos. I had such a great time reading this book, which blended cool fantasy elements with entertaining humour and a curious bit of French history. An outstanding novel I cannot recommend enough.

Warhammer 40,000: Apostle by David Annandale (Audiobook)

I also managed to finish off the latest Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Apostle by David Annandale. This was a fantastic and dark read that follows a member of the insidious Word Bearers traitor Space Marines as he attempts to convert an entire planet to worship the Chaos gods. A very clever novel that features a great villain perspective, Apostle was a particularly twisted read that I really enjoyed.

What do you think you’ll read next?

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson

I’m in the mood for more cool debuts so the next book I am hoping to check out is the first book from Australian author Shailee Thompson, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates. A very entertaining sounding read that will feature a deadly series of murders at a speed dating event, in fun and apparently romantic, horror novel. How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates sounds like the perfect book for me, and I look forward to seeing how crazy it turns out to be.

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 – 2 March 2026

On March 2, 2026 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.

Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K. J. Parker

The first book I recently received was the cool and sure to be hilarious fantasy novel, Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead. The first book in a new trilogy by K. J. Parker, this novel will follow a compelling nun character, who solves her church’s various problems through murder. However, her latest mission at an important religious conference quickly goes terribly wrong when certain impossible guests show up. I love the sound of Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead’s plot, and I already know this book is going to be amazing, especially after how damn impressive Parker’s previous two trilogies were.

Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell

I was also very lucky to receive an early copy of one of the most anticipated fantasy novels of 2026, Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell. The next book in de Castell’s Court of Shadows series (Play of Shadows and Crucible of Chaos), which is set in his larger Greatcoat universe, Our Lady of Blades will be another mostly standalone fantasy read, that explores conspiracies and crimes in the author’s fantasy realm. This next book sounds particularly impressive with an The Count of Monte Cristo inspired plot, as it follows a masked duelist who seeks revenge on her city’s elite after her family was betrayed and destroyed. I cannot wait to finally dive into this cool novel, and I have very high hopes for this incredible sounding book.

Dead Fall Lake by S. R. White

I also just received the latest unique outback murder from author S. R. White, Dead Fall Lake. Following on from Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge, Dead Fall Lake will force its detective protagonist to investigate the murder of a local sports hero, whose body is found in a sinkhole he routinely freedived into. This has the potential to be an outstanding Australian murder novel as White has no doubt written another amazing and complex mystery.

City of Others by Jared Poon

I also recently grabbed a copy of one of my most anticipated debuts of 2026, City of Others by Jared Poon. A cool sounding urban fantasy novel set in Singapore, City of Others sounds like an outstanding read, and I have been looking forward to it for a while. I am hoping to keep up my roll of great 2026 debuts by reading City of Others soon, and I already know I’m going to love this cool book.

The Book of Fallen Leaves by A. S. Tamaki

One of the more unique and striking novels I recently received was the intriguing fantasy novel, The Book of Fallen Leaves by debuting author A. S. Tamaki. A samurai inspired novel with some compelling dark fantasy elements, The Book of Fallen Leaves sounds very interesting, and I cannot wait to see what awesome world Tamaki has created in his first novel.

Star Trek: Red Shirts by Christopher Cantwell

I was very happy to receive an early copy of the new Star Trek comic miniseries, Red Shirts. A darker read that follows the expendable and doomed security officers of Starfleet, Red Shirts sounds like a particularly wild ride, and the above cover clearly shows that this isn’t going to be your typical, light-hearted Star Trek story. I am very curious to see how this comic turns out, and it looks set to be a particularly awesome read.

There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

I managed to finally get a copy of the Lindsey Davis novel; There Will Be Bodies. The 2025 entry in Davis’ Flavia Albia series, There Will Be Bodies promises to be another excellent read, that throws the protagonist into another investigation in the Roman Empire. This latest novel features a cool plot involving murders during the eruption of Pompeii, and I look forward to diving into this book when I get a chance.

The Debt by Glenn Cooper

Next up, I recently received a copy of the new novel from Glenn Cooper, The Debt. An intriguing thriller that features a cool plot about a debt owed by the Vatican, The Debt sounds like an excellent read, and I’m hoping to dive into it when I get a chance.

Finding the Bones by Natalie Conyer

A unique, multi-generational Australian crime fiction by a very talented author.

I, Claudia by D. N. Potter

A highly entertaining novel of revenge, murder, and lethal marriage that sounds quite delightful. I, Claudia promises to be an excellent read, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

What Rhymes with Murder by Penny Tangey

The final book I recently received was the Australian cozy murder mystery, What Rhymes with Murder by Penny Tangey. Following a group of amateur sleuths who attempt to solve a murder that took place at their local library, What Rhymes with Murder sounds like a lot of fun, and I am hoping to read it in the next few weeks.

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 – 25 February 2026

On February 28, 2026 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:

The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan (Trade Paperback)

I’ve just started reading the awesome Australian debut, The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan, which is proving to be a lot of fun. Set in 18th century France, The Red Winter follows a magical scholar who is forced to face old demons when a monster he previously defeated returns to cause fresh chaos. I am already having a great time reading this book, which blends cool fantasy elements with entertaining humour and a curious bit of French history. I’m hoping to really power through The Red Winter this weekend, and I already in love in this cool book from a talented new author.

Warhammer 40,000: Apostle by David Annandale (Audiobook)

I’ve continued my obsession with all things Warhammer 40,000, by diving into the latest release in the franchise, Apostle by David Annandale. A fantastic and dark read that follows a member of the insidious Word Bearers traitor Space Marines, as he attempts to convert an entire planet to worship the Chaos gods. A very clever novel that features a great villain perspective, Apostle is proving to be a particularly twisted read that I am quickly powering through. I will definitely be knocking Apostle off in the next few days and I look forward to seeing where this awesome story is going.

What did you recently finish reading?

Lives of Bitter Rain by Adrian Tchaikovsky (ebook)

I quickly finished off the excellent novella Lives of Bitter Rain by Adrian Tchaikovsky last week. A companion piece to his Tyrant Philosopher’s series, Lives of Bitter Rain follows the early life of the protagonist of Days of Shattered Faith and the events that would shape her into the entertaining and flexible figure we came to know and love. I really enjoyed this novella and I’m now ready to check out the next book in the series, Pretenders to the Throne of God.

30Seven by Jeremy Robinson (Audiobook)

I also managed to knock off the excellent and unique science fiction thriller 30Seven by Jeremy Robinson in the last week. An exceptional novel from a true master of suspense and horror, 30Seven cleverly twists the classic alien abduction narrative on its head by featuring a hidden human serial killer amongst the abductees. One of the best books I’ve so far read in 2026, this book comes very highly recommended and I’m hoping to get a review up for it soon.

Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz (Trade Paperback)

I also had the great pleasure of reading the new Orphan X book from Gregg Hurwitz this week with Antihero. Another deep and compelling thriller, Antihero saw Hurwitz’s long running vigilante protagonist attempt to help a woman in trouble without using his usual lethal force. This ended up being another exceptional read from Hurwitz, who utilized his unique style to make something very distinctive and special.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K. J. Parker

I’ve got a ton of great books currently sitting on my shelves waiting to be read, but the one with the most potential for laughs is probably Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by the always impressive K. J. Parker. Following the murderous fixer of a dangerous church as she attempts to take out her target at a major religious conference, this book looks set to deliver all of Parker’s trademark chaos, clever humour and complex storytelling as he sets up another outstanding trilogy. I already know that Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead is going to be one of my favourite books of 2026, and I cannot wait to finally dive into 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 – Books on my Autumn 2026 To Be Read (TBR) List

On February 27, 2026 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 week’s Top Ten Tuesday participants have a Thanksgiving freebie which I am going to use to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the last Tuesday before Autumn 2026, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Autumn (Spring for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

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

Honourable Mentions:

Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence – 26 March 2026

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

Redbelly Crossing by Candice Fox – 28 April 2026

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

Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie – 28 April 2026

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

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

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

Top Ten List:

Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry – 10 March 2026

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

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

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

Blindside by Michael Mammay – 24 March 2026

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

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

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

Paradox by Douglas Preston and Aletheia Preston – 21 April 2026

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

Sisters of the Lizard by Jackson Ford – 5 May 2026

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

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

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

A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman – 12 May 2026

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

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

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

Ironwood by Michael Connelly – 19 May 2026

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

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

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

On January 7, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn List8 Comments

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

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

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

Top Twenty List:

The Right to Remain by James Grippando – 6 January 2026

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

Dark Desert Road by Tim Ayliffe – 6 January 2026

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

City of Others by Jared Poon – 13 January 2026

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

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher – 20 January 2026

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

30Seven by Jeremy Robinson – 20 January 2026

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

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

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

Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman – 3 February 2026

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

Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz – 10 February 2026

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

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

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

The Hard Line by Mark Greaney – 24 February 2026

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

Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry – 10 March 2026

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

Blindside by Michael Mammay – 24 March 2026

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

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

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

Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie – 28 April 2026

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

Sisters of the Lizard by Jackson Ford – 5 May 2026

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

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

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

A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman – 12 May 2026

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

Ironwood by Michael Connelly – 19 May 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Summer 2025/26 To Be Read (TBR) List

On November 25, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn 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 have a Thanksgiving freebie which I am going to use to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the last Tuesday before Summer 2025/26, 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 Summer (Winter 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 December 2025 and 28 February 2026 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles, and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of both 2025 and 2026.

Honourable Mentions:

The Right to Remain by James Grippando – 6 January 2026

An awesome upcoming legal thriller from the very impressive James Grippando (Goodbye Girl and Grave Danger), with the lawyer protagonist forced to defend a client who literally won’t utter a word in his own defence.

Dark Desert Road by Tim Ayliffe – 6 January 2026

An intriguing and topical Australian thriller from a very talented author.

City of Others by Jared Poon – 13 January 2026

An exciting fantasy debut that I think has a lot of potential.

The Devil’s Bible by Steve Berry – 17 February 2026

The next intriguing entry in the long-running Cotton Malone spy thriller series. I am a big fan of this series, although I still need to read the 2025 entry first.

Top Ten List:

Warhammer 40,000: Demolisher by Andy Clark – 12 December 2025

The first summer release I want to highlight is the soon-to-be released Warhammer 40,000 novel Demolisher by Andy Clark. The sequel to Clark’s previous novel Steel Tread, Demolisher will once again follow a misfit tank crew as they attempt to survive in the grimdark future. Steel Tread was an impressive and exciting read, and I am excited to see how this sequel turns out.

Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums by Stan Sakai – 23 December 2025

The next Usagi Yojimbo volume looks set to be an outstanding Christmas present for me in a few weeks’ time. Featuring a deadly conspiracy in a cool seasonal location, Ten Thousand Plums sounds like another outstanding entry in one of my favourite comic series. Sakai has already had one amazing volume of this series out this year with The Crow, and I’m sure this next volume is going to be even better.

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher – 20 January 2026

One of the books I’m most excited to read in the next three months is the long-awaited new Dresden Files novel by the legendary Jim Butcher, Twelve Months. Following on from the chaotic events of Battle Ground, Twelve Months looks set to continue the series in epic fashion with dark new enemies, a compelling mystery, shocking revelations and some moving character moments. I have been desperately waiting for this novel since 2020, having read the entire Dresden Files series in the intervening time, and I cannot wait to see how this new book turns out. Sure to be one of the very best books of 2026!

30Seven by Jeremy Robinson – 20 January 2026

Next, we have the intriguing and unique new science fiction novel, 30Seven by the always entertaining Jeremy Robinson. Featuring a gripping and no-doubt terrifying alien abduction narrative with some cool twists, including the protagonist being trapped onboard the alien ship with the serial killer that murdered his wife, 30Seven has so much potential, and I’m planning to power through this book the second I get it.

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

I already know that one of the more hilarious releases of the next three months is going to be the awesome fantasy novel Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead from K. J. Parker. The start of a fantastic new series following a murderous nun who serves as the fixer for her corrupt church, Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead looks set to be an amazing read. I love the sound of this upcoming novel, and I already know I’m going to laugh myself silly while reading it.

Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman – 3 February 2026

The always reliable Jonathan Kellerman will continue his long-running Alex Delaware series in early 2026 with the intriguing new novel Jigsaw. Featuring two seemingly unrelated murder cases with a unique and clever twists behind it, Jigsaw is sure to be a real highlight of the next few months, and I cannot wait to check it out.

Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz – 10 February 2026

Few thriller series have been as consistently impressive and emotionally charged in recent years as Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series, which follows a former assassin turned vigilante as he attempts to make the world a better place, one desperate person at a time. This series has been extremely incredible, and it reached its height earlier this year with the highly moving and powerful 10^th entry Nemesis. While I may never forgive Hurwitz for breaking my heart at the end of Nemesis, there is no way I will not be continuing the series in 2026 with Antihero. Featuring a great new narrative that will be loaded with grief from the events of the previous book, Antihero looks set to be a particularly intense and memorable entry in the series and I cannot wait to read it.

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman – 10 February 2026

Readers of this blog will be well aware that I became a little obsessed with author Matt Dinniman this year, especially as I rapidly absorbed his entire Dungeon Crawler Carl series, with books like Dungeon Crawler Carl, The Butcher’s Masquerade and The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, and more, all proving to be outstanding reads. As such, I will be eagerly reading anything that Dinniman release in the future going forward, and that includes his February 2026 release, Operation Bounce House. A fun and no doubt bloody science fiction novel, Operation Bounce House will see desperate human settlers defend their planet from a greedy corporation using weaponised farming drones. I have no doubt this is going to be a particularly hilarious and over-the-top read and I cannot wait to get more of Dinniman’s insane creativity in the new year.

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

The always imaginative Adrian Tchaikovsky will continue his epic Tyrant Philosophers series in early 2026 with Pretenders to the Throne of God. Following on from his previous three exceptional novels, City of Last Chances, House of Open Wounds and Days of Shattered Faith, Pretenders to the Throne of God will continue to follow the expansion of the perfection seeking Palleseen as they find themselves besieging a magical city. Sure to feature a great story based around complex characters, all wrapped up with Thaikovsky’s wry humour, Pretenders to the Throne of God is going to be something special, and I will try to read it is as soon as possible.

The Hard Line by Mark Greaney – 24 February 2026

The final book I want to highlight in this post is the awesome upcoming spy thriller The Hard Line by Mark Greaney. The next book in Greaney’s iconic Gray Man series, The Hard Line will continue the intense action and clever spy craft this series is known for when the protagonist, feared assassin and covert agent Court Gentry faces off against another legendary killer, determined to get revenge on everyone Gentry loves. I have no doubt The Hard Line is going to be one of the more clever and exciting novels of the next few months, and I look forward to getting my hands on it.

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 2026, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a bit of reading to do in the near future.

Waiting on Wednesday – Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K. J. Parker

On November 13, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday5 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 latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight what is sure to be one of the more hilarious novels of early 2026 with Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K. J. Parker.

Fans of this blog will know that I love a fantasy novel that utilises humour and comedy to enhance its story, and to my mind few authors do that better than K. J. Parker. A pseudonym of author Tom Holt, Paker has been delighting readers for decades with his intriguing reads that blend his unique sense of humour with elaborate and well-thought-out fantasy or historical fiction-inspired scenarios.

I fell in love with Parker a few years ago when I was lucky enough to receive copies of his captivating and brilliant The Siege trilogy, which includes some of the funniest books that I have ever read. Set around a lengthy siege of a powerful city, all three books told unique stories of the besiegement from a different, unreliable narrator, in a great, loosely connected trilogy which perfectly showcased Parker’s outrageous humour and impressive inventiveness.

The first book in the series was the very impressive Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City (one of my favourite books of 2019), which saw an amoral engineer take command of the city’s defences and use a mixture of mechanisms and bluffing to keep out the enemy. This outstanding read was followed up by the extremely funny How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It (one of my favourite books of 2020). Set years after the events of the first book, this sequel followed an actor in the still besieged city tasked with impersonating a dead war hero, and who then uses his position to take over everything. Parker masterfully finished the trilogy off with A Practical Guide to Conquering the World (one of my favourite books of 2022). This outstanding finale saw a scribe and scholar from the city out on embassy duty manage to use his unique array of obscure knowledge, as well as a strong understanding of basic human nature, to overthrow a nation and then the entire world in a brilliant sequence of manipulation and cleverness.

After The Siege trilogy, Parker was fully on my radar as an author to grab as much as possible for, and I made sure to follow through with that in the following years. While I haven’t always been able to get his intriguing novellas, I did make sure to get his next three novels, all of which were part of the hilarious and gripping Corax trilogy. Set in the same universe as The Siege trilogy after a substantial time skip, the Corax series follows the titular Saevus Corax, a professional battlefield scavenger, whose secret past makes him one of the most dangerous and wanted figures on the continent.

All three of the Corax books were extremely impressive, with the first novel, Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead, introducing the titular protagonist and saw him engage in a series of brazen plots to stay alive after he is kidnapped and forced to become the ultimate pawn in a sprawling game of kings, religions and money. I had so much fun with this epic book, and Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead ended up being one of my favourite books of 2023. Naturally I had to keep going with this cool trilogy, especially as the next two novels, Saveus Corax Captures the Castle and Saevus Corax Gets Away With Murder, were released in quick succession in late 2023 (although I didn’t get a chance to read them until 2024). Both these impressive novels, which took Corax on even more deadly adventures, were simply incredible, and I loved the intense humour, elaborate schemes, constant betrayals, as well as the clever world building, as each of Corax’s adventures results in additional conflicts and wars down the road. All these books were instant five-star classics, and I have been eager to see what elaborate, comedic novels Parker will write next.

Well, it looks like I won’t have that much longer to wait, as Parker has an awesome new novel coming out in January 2026. This book, Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead, will serve as the first book in the author’s Loyal Opposition trilogy, and will follow an unlikely religious figure, as they engage in murder, intrigue and deadly theology, in what sounds like a brilliantly insane and hilarious read.

Plot Synopsis:

Not even the Church of the Invincible Sun is invincible – and somebody has to do its dirty work. Enter Sister Svangerd and her accompanying priest, both accomplished practitioners. Their mission is simple: to make a meddlesome princess disappear (permanently).

To get to her, they must attend the legendary Ecumenical Council, the once-in-a-century convening of the greatest spiritual minds the world has to offer. But when they arrive, they find instead a den of villainy that would make the most hardened criminal blush.

To complicate matters further, it appears that some people long considered dead might not be after all. What began as a simple murder is about to escalate into a theological debate of terrifying complexity.

From World Fantasy Award-winning author K. J. Parker comes a devilishly clever tale of murder, intrigue, and existential crisis.

Now this is another awesome and hilarious sounding book from Parker. Following a murderous nun who serves as a church’s troubleshooter and assassin is a very fun idea, especially as her next mission is in the middle of a cutthroat and corrupt religious conference to kill a meddlesome princess. I’m expecting that Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead is going to feature Parker’s trademark blend of clever storytelling, self-aware characters, and a massive array of betrayals and schemes. I’m honestly expecting so many secrets, lies and double-crosses to come out, and I cannot wait to see the protagonist navigate her way through the religious fanatics and corrupt clergy to achieve her goal. I’m also curious to see what world-building Parker does with this new novel and whether the Loyal Opposition novels sit within the same world as some of his previous series. Even if there is a different setting, I’m expecting a lot of the same energy as The Siege and Corax trilogies, which can only mean that Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead is going to be exceptional.

Look, there is honestly no chance I won’t be reading Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead in the new year, especially as K. J. Parker’s last two trilogies were just too damn good. I am so extremely excited to read another twisty and hilarious novel from Parker, especially one filled with killer intrigue and over-the-top religion. Sure to be one the funniest and most intelligent fantasy novels of 2026, Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead is so very high up on my reading list, and I will be devouring this the second I get it. Special mention also needs to go to the second book in the upcoming Loyal Opposition trilogy, Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know, which is currently coming out in March 2026 and will likely be a top sequel of the new year.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Pre-2024 Novels

On December 3, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List11 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. This week participants of Top Ten Tuesday get a freebie to list whatever topics they want. So, I am going to take this opportunity to start my annual end-of-year lists here by looking at my favourite pre-2024 novels that I read this year.

Each December I have a lot of fun looking at some of the best and most impressive books and comics that I have read throughout the year in a series of Top Ten Lists. While these lists will mostly focus on books that came out in 2024, for the last few years I have also taken the time to list out some of the best older novels that I have read in the last 12 months. There are some excellent novels that were released pre-2024 out there that I haven’t had the chance to read before and it is always fun to go back and explore them. I ended up reading a bunch of awesome older books throughout 2024, including some incredible novels that got easy five-star ratings from me and are really worth checking out.

To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2024. This proved to be a momentous task, as I read a ton of older books this year, including quite a few Warhammer 40,000 tie-in novels. Despite the awesome array of older novels and audiobooks I enjoyed this year, I eventually managed to pull together a fantastic list that covered some of the best books released before 2024 that I read. As I have in previous years, I combined novels that are part of the same series into a single entry, just to diversify it up a bit. While I might be cheating in places, this list honestly reflects the best pre-2024 novels I read throughout the year, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000 Brutal Kunnin by Mike Brooks – 2021

A highly entertaining read from a great rising star of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Brutal Kunnin was particularly funny, and it allowed me to read it’s 2024 sequel, Da Big Dakka, in all it’s hilarious glory.

Warhammer 40,000 Witchbringer by Steven B. Fischer – 2022

A fantastic Warhammer 40,000 debut from a couple of years ago, Witchbringer was an awesome novel that I was really happy to finally check out.

Rebellion by Simon Scarrow – 2023

I got Rebellion, the 2023 entry in one of my favourite historical series, a bit late last year and it ended up being an early January 2024 read for me as a result. A captivating and action-packed novel, Rebellion was amazing and comes highly recommended.

Top Ten List:

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett – 1989

I had a ton of fun re-reading one of my favourite Discworld novels this year with Guards! Guards!. One of Terry Pratchett’s best books, Guards! Guards! was just as amazing as I remembered it, and I still laugh at its elaborate narrative and exceptional humour. While I have read Guards! Guards! before, I’m including it on this list as it was the first time I listened to the new audiobook version with Jon Culshaw, Peter Serafinowicz and Bill Nighy. An incredible listen that I cannot recommend enough.

Gaunt’s Ghosts series by Dan Abnett – Straight Silver and Sabbat Martyr – 2002

As with last year’s pre-2023 book post, this list could have been dominated by the works of Dan Abnett if I hadn’t combined a few posts together. That is because I am still making progress on his Gaunt’s Ghosts series, which is one of the seminal pieces of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Following the common soldiers of the Tanith First and Only, better known as Gaunt’s Ghosts, this series is a gritty series about camaraderie and the horrors of war for the common human soldier in the grim future of the Warhammer universe. I managed to get through two exceptional entries in the series this year, Straight Silver and Sabbat Martyr, both of which were epic in their own way. Featuring great characters, dark moments, and some particularly realistic depictions of war, these novels were so damn good, and I loved every second I spent listening to them. I am hoping to dive even deeper into this series next year, and I know I am going to love it.

Warhammer 40,000: Double Eagle by Dan Abnett – 2004

One of the absolute best Warhammer 40,000 novels I enjoyed in 2024 was another classic read from Dan Abnett, Double Eagle. A spin-off from his Gaunt’s Ghosts series (The Guns of Tanith specifically), Double Eagle was an exceptional and highly intense read that followed various Imperial pilots as they fight a brutal air war above a contested planet. Essentially the Battle of Britain in the grimdark future, Double Eagle was utterly addictive, and I loved every single second I spent listening to it. A must read for all Warhammer 40,000 fans, Double Eagle is just incredible, and I am looking forward to the sequel, Interceptor City, which is coming out soon.

Ciaphas Cain series by Sandy Mitchell – The Traitor’s Hand (2005), Death or Glory (2006), Duty Calls (2007) and Cain’s Last Stand (2008)

Another long-running Warhammer 40,000 series I read in 2024 was the Ciaphas Cain series by Sandy Mitchell. Following the heroic Commissar Cain as he fights in multiple battlefields, the Ciaphas Cain books are a particularly fun Warhammer 40,000 series due to the hilarious protagonist who is a lot more cowardly and practical than most people realise. I read four books in this series this year, mainly because they are so easy to listen to and enjoy. This includes The Traitor’s Hand, Death or Glory, Duty Calls and Cain’s Last Stand. All four were extremely good and featured distinctive and entertaining stories, with the last three featuring a great, loosely connected storyline. If I had to choose a favourite it would probably be Death or Glory, that set a young Ciaphas Cain on his path to hero status when he accidently leads a band of human survivors Mad Max style to victory. An outstanding series I will probably read more of in 2025.

Warhammer 40,000: Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons – 2010

As I’m on a roll with awesome older Warhammer 40,000 novels, the next book on this list is the impressive Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons. A particularly dark addition to the canon, Dead Men Walking pits Lyon’s favourite Imperial Guard faction, the Death Korps of Kreig (who Lyons also writes about in Kreig and The Siege of Vraks), against the unstoppable metal-coated Necrons, resulting in a devastating battle against two equally unrelenting foe. Cleverly told from the perspective of the normal humans caught in the crossfire of this brutal war, Dead Men Walking showcases just how dark Warhammer 40,000 fiction can get, and I loved the entire captivating and ironic story.

Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher – Skin Game (2014) and Peace Talks (2020)

After a couple of years of having a brilliant time exploring the Dresden Files books, I finally finished off the series this year by reading Skin Game and Peace Talks. Two excellent and compelling entries in the series, these books were particularly awesome in all the right ways. My favourite of the two was Skin Game, which saw the wizard protagonist forced to team up with his worst enemies to complete an impossible magical heist. However, the other book, Peace Talks, was also particularly moving and exciting, especially as it set up Butcher’s other 2020 novel Battle Ground, which is where I entered the Dresden Files series. I have had such an incredible time reading the Dresden Files books over the years, and I hope we start to get some new entries in it soon.

The Outsider by Stephen King – 2018

One of the books I was particularly happy to read in 2024 was the intense and brilliant Stephen King novel The Outsider. A complex, dark and shocking horror thriller, The Outsider starts off with a great concept when a local hero is accused of a terrible crime and all the evidence irrefutably shows that he did it. The problem, the accused claims to be innocent and he has an impossibly airtight alibi. I loved the fantastic and powerful story King wove around this idea, and I honestly could not stop listening to it. Probably one of the better King books I have so far read, The Outsider was so damn good and still cannot get over its exceptional story.

The Sandman – Act III by Neil Gaiman – 2022

After having a great time listening to the first audiobook adaptations of The Sandman in previous years (see my reviews for Act I and Act II), I managed to listen to the third act this year. An intriguing continuation of the story, Act III featured an excellent and addictive story, told by an all-star full cast of excellent actors and voice talent. I had such an outstanding time listening to the complex tales contained within this latest adaptation of The Sandman and I really cannot recommend it enough as an awesome way to enjoy this brilliantly dark and inventive series. I hope we eventually get a fourth act of The Sandman at some point, as I really need closure around how the series ends.

Saevus Corax Captures the Castle and Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder by K. J. Parker – 2023

After having an exceptional time with Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead last year (one of my favourite books of 2023), I made sure to read the simultaneously released sequels, Saevus Corax Captures the Castle and Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder in 2024. Both were clever and hilarious reads that followed the series’ smart, cynical and unlucky protagonist through a series of complex adventures. These sequels were extremely well written and planned out, and I loved how the overarching series came together. I cannot recommend the final two Corax books enough, and together with Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead, they form and exceptional and extremely smart trilogy.

Crucible of Chaos by Sebastien de Castell – 2023

The final book I want to feature on this list was the captivating fantasy novel, Crucible of Chaos by Sebastien de Castell. A loosely connected prequel to de Castell’s new Court of Shadows series, which started this year with Play of Shadows, Crucible of Chaos was an outstanding read that I am glad I went back to check out. Set in the author’s Greatcoats universe, Crucible of Chaos follows an unlikely magistrate as he journeys to an isolated monastery to arbitrate a religious dispute that has broken out on the grounds. However, upon arriving he discovers that the situation has irrevocably deteriorated, and he must investigate a terrible murder amongst on the storm rocked island, whilst dealing with armed factions and dark magic. A particularly impressive read that cemented my new-found appreciation for de Castell’s writing, Crucible of Chaos is an outstanding novel and a fantastic final entry on this list.

And that is the end of this list. As you can see, I have managed to read a huge number of epic pre-2024 releases this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend all of them, especially if you are in the mood for some fun fantasy or science fiction adventures. I look forward to reading many more older books in 2025, and it will be interesting to see what makes my next version of this list then. I imagine it will also end up being very Warhammer heavy, as I have plans to finish off the Gaunt’s Ghosts and Ciaphas Cain series, and I will probably also dive into a bunch of other awesome series from the franchise. Make sure to check back in next week for some other end-of-year lists as I continue to highlight some of my favourite reads from 2024.

Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder by K. J. Parker

On December 3, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Comedy/Satire, Fantasy, Five-Star Books3 Comments

Publisher: Orbit (Trade Paperback – 5 December 2023)

Series: Corax Trilogy – Book Three

Length: 323 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

One of the masters of comedic fantasy, K. J. Parker, ends his fantastic Corax trilogy on an outstanding note with Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder.

As we get to the end of 2024, I’m desperately trying to finalise reviews for books I read earlier in the year. This includes the third and final entry in the Corax trilogy by K. J. Parker, which I enjoyed a few months ago. Parker, a pseudonym of author Tom Holt, released his entire Corax trilogy in 2023, which follows a resourceful and ill-fated rogue, Saevus Corax, as he finds himself in all manner of trouble. Set in the same universe as the author’s The Siege series, which featured Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City (one of my favourite books of 2019), How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It (one of my favourite books of 2020) and A Practical Guide to Conquering the World (one of my favourite books of 2022), this was a trilogy with a lot of potential, and I eagerly grabbed all three books the first chance I could.

While I managed to get all three of the Corax novels last year, I only had the chance to read the first novel, Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead before 2023 ended. This first entry in the trilogy was pretty damn incredible, and I loved the wonderful and highly entertaining story it contained, especially as it was masterfully layered with Parker’s trademark humour. Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead got an easy five-star rating from me, and it ended up being one of my favourite books of 2023. I quickly got onto the second book in the series, Saevus Corax Captures the Castle, earlier this year, and just like the first entry, it proved to be a remarkable read that I had a wonderful time with. As such, I made sure to read the final book in the trilogy, Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder, as quickly as I could, and it proved to be great reading whilst away on holiday. I regret not writing something about Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder sooner, as it was an outstanding and epic read that I could not put down, but hopefully I can make up for it now.

After years of schemes, daring cons, an unwilling coronation and other unfortunate adventures, Saevus Corax is still stuck doing the only job he’s good at, battlefield salvage. Unglamourous and often disgusting work, it provides a basic living for his large crew of outcasts and rogues as they tour their world’s many scattered battlefields, rescuing and repurposing everything they can recover from the dead. However, Corax’s band are about to encounter the only thing that can make their business unprofitable, a massive total war that threatens to burn the entire continent.

Seeing the signs of upcoming mass conflict, Corax and his crew attempt to flee to safer climates where they can still potentially make a living. However, Corax finds his plan to escape thwarted by the family he has long tried to run away from. His sister, Phantis, has finally caught up with him, but instead of the vengeance she always promised, she needs his help to survive a coup gone bad. Despite his reluctance to get involved, Corax attempts to help, only to get dragged into even more danger.

Soon, with war coming closer and various factions seeking to kill him and claim the many bounties on his head, Corax is forced into one final scheme to get enough money to retire and escape from everything. Reuniting with his old flame, the beautiful con artist Stauracia, Corax attempts to find a long-lost treasure that could solve all his problems. But with betrayal coming from all sides, can Corax survive the chaos to come, or has he finally encountered a situation that even he cannot think his way out of?

Parker continues to showcase why he is the master of hilarious fantasy fiction, as Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder was another amazing read with a captivating and unique plot behind it. Masterfully wrapping up the Corax trilogy with a dark and entertaining story, Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder had me hooked the entire way through and, just like all the other books in the series, it gets a full five-star rating from me.

This third Corax book proved to be an excellent read, with Parker taking his audience on a final wild ride of schemes, betrayal and family drama, as Saevus Corax comes face to face with all his demons. While easily enjoyed as a standalone novel, Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder is best read after the rest of the trilogy, especially as many of the ongoing storylines and character relationships come to an end here. The plot of this book is epic and entertaining, as war, his ongoing conflict with his family and a desire to finally live a normal life drive Corax towards one final scheme while also trying to wipe away the sins of his past. However, as this is Corax, nothing goes to plan, and he soon encounters multiple setbacks and conflicts that he is forced to overcome in his typical resourceful way. However, this time Corax experiences some truly devastating betrayals and dark moments that destroy him in a way never seen before. Parker really lays in the clever twists for this last book in the trilogy, and you will not be prepared for some of the dark routes he goes. I felt that the big betrayal halfway through the novel was pretty impactful, although the final twist of the knife from his worst enemy at the end was the most heartbreaking. Everything comes to an impressive end that, while satisfying, fits within the tragic narrative that is the protagonist’s life, and honestly could the author really have left this series on a true happy ending?

The author continues to utilise the writing style and intriguing setting that made the first two Corax books and the preceding Siege trilogy so successful. While this similarity in style and substance does deal a certain dose of repetition to this third book, I still have a ton of fun reading them, and Parker makes it work so well in the context of his story. Utilisng a chronicle format from the perspective of the protagonist, Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder recounts the events of this final adventure, once again loaded with Corax’s distinctive and often satirical commentary and observations on events. The author relies heavily on twists, betrayals and deep intrigues throughout the plot, all of which are carefully pulled together, explored and savagely roasted by the protagonist as he experiences them. The continued cynicism and sarcastic take on the world that Corax witnesses and human nature in general brings in much of the book’s humour, and it is hard not to enjoy Corax’s unique thoughts. This first-person perspective is such an effective storytelling method for the series, and I love how it enhances the humour of the story while also serving as a good tool for exploring the various aspects of the semi-fantasy/alternate history world that the author is setting so many of his books in. Parker’s style really fits the complex narratives of deception, lies and betrayal that are the hallmark of the Corax series, and I am so glad that he set out this novel the way that he did.

The final Corax book was just as character focused as the previous entries, and I appreciated how Parker brought his various character arcs to a final close in Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder. Most of the focus remains on titular perspective protagonist, Saevus Corax, and it was great to see his unique story come to an end. A typical Parker protagonist, in that he is clever, funny, unrepentantly cynical and just a little bit tragic, Corax has been a great figure to follow, especially due to the elaborate schemes and complicated history that define his life. Constantly analysing the world and relying on the predictability of human nature, Corax is a dangerous person, especially when dealing with the various people trying to manipulate him as he tries to do the right thing. While he is usually able to outsmart everyone, several betrayals in this book really get under his skin, and he ends up being particularly rash and devastated at times. Despite this, he is still the clever, surprisingly honest, and often thoughtful figure that you have come to love in the previous novels, and I really appreciated seeing how his story concluded in this final Corax novel.

Aside from the protagonist, Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder features an interesting range of supporting characters, many of whom have a complex relationship with the protagonist. The most prominent of these is the manipulative force of nature, Stauracia, a con-artist who has a lot of history with Corax. Corax and Stauracia play off each other perfectly, and I always enjoy seeing their unique form of courting involving cons, lies and deceit. Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder is the book that really defines their relationship, and it was awesome to see their chemistry on full display as they try to work together for the ultimate final score. The rest of the cast is pretty fun as well, with the highlight being Corax’s sister Phantis. Parker has spent the entire trilogy hyping up Corax’s family as dangerous antagonists, and the author didn’t disappoint when it came to finally featuring one. Phantis is an incredibly selfish, vindictive and manipulative figure, and it was great to see the fantastic scenes between her and Corax, which amped up the family drama. While I was slightly disappointed we didn’t get to meet another member of Corax’s family that has been talked about a lot, Phantis was more than enough for this book, especially as she hits Corax where it really hurts in some of the darkest scenes of the book. Throw in the recurring background characters from the previous novels, including Corax’s band of scavengers, and this proves to be a great cast with a lot of fun features. However, readers are warned not to get too attached to any of them, as Parker has final book killing fever and deals with several characters in intriguing ways, especially as many are tempted by betrayal and their own sinister schemes.

In the end, Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder was yet another outstanding and deeply clever novel from K. J. Parker that I honestly cannot rave about enough. Providing its own addictive and funny narrative, while also bringing the entire Corax trilogy to a fitting end, Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder was an epic read that proves near impossible to turn away from. Parker is such an impressive author, and I look forward to seeing what he produces next, especially as he appears to have a new series starting in mid-2025.

Top Ten Tuesday – Top Pre-2024 Novels That I read in the First Half of the Year

On July 31, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn List3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to lists books which you thought required either more or less of certain elements to make them better. While this is an interesting concept, I’m instead going to do something different and will provide two separate lists here that continue my them of recapping the first half of 2024. The first of these lists will look at the very best pre-2024 novels that I read in the first half of the year.

I have had a lot of fun recapping some of the best recent books and audiobooks released in the first half of 2024 in previous weeks, but I also need to talk about some of the books that came out before 2024 that I also read this year. I am a big fan of going back and checking out older series and books, and there are so many excellent pre-2024 novels that I haven’t had a chance to read before. This has been particularly true recently, as I have spent a lot of time this year pouring through novels and audiobooks with a variety of older release dates and featuring them in my Throwback Thursday posts. I honestly might have enjoyed too many of these older books, as I am way behind in my 2024 readings now, but I think it was more than worth it as there were some exceptional reads there, including a bunch that got five-star ratings from me. Due to the sheer number of pre-2024 books I have already read this year, as well as their amazing quality, I felt that it would be interesting to do a list highlighting them now.

To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2024. This list includes a range of pre-2024 releases, including quite a few that I had been meaning to read for a while. To make it a little more difficult for myself, I decided to limit myself to only one book from each author for the main list, which did reduce the choices I had. Thank to this I was eventually able to cull this down to a workable Top Ten list, with a descent honourable mentions section. Due to my current obsession, this list is extremely Warhammer 40,000 heavy, which I’m fine with because they are awesome books, so I apologise in advance if some of my choices are a little predictable. This proved to be a fun list to pull together, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000: Sabbat Martyr by Dan Abnett – 2003

An intense and epic Warhammer read that blew me away, especially as it provided a fitting end to several key characters.

Warhammer 40,000: Cain’s Last Stand by Sandy Mitchell – 2008

Commissar Cain “bravely” faces his toughest challenge ever in this very clever and hilarious book.

Cold Days by Jim Butcher – 2012

A fantastic, high-stakes addition to the always impressive Dresden Files series.

Peace Talks by Jim Butcher – 2020

Another intriguing Dresden Files novel, Peace Talks was a great read that masterfully set up its explosive sequel, Battle Ground.

Top Ten List:

Warhammer 40,000: Straight Silver by Dan Abnett – 2002

First up we have a great entry in the fantastic Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Straight Silver. I have been slowly making my way through this exceptional Warhammer 40,000 series by Dan Abnett and Straight Silver might be my favourite entry so far. Forcing the stealth-orientated Ghosts to fight in stagnate trench warfare, Straight Silver is a dark and compelling entry in the series that also does a good job setting up the following Sabbat Martyr. I deeply enjoyed this book, and it was a great pre-2024 novel to check out this year.

Warhammer 40,000: Death or Glory by Sandy Mitchell – 2006

There were several awesome entries in the Ciaphas Cain series that I checked out this year, including The Traitor’s Hand and Duty Calls, all of which were very fun and loaded with action. However, my favourite had to be Death or Glory, which sees a younger Cain crash-land on an ork controlled planet and is forced to fight his way across it. Essentially turning into a Mad Max inspired adventure with the cowardly Cain leading the charge, Death or Glory was pretty damn hilarious and I loved every second I spent with it.

Warhammer 40,000 Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons – 2010

One of the most intense pre-2024 novels I’ve read this year is Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons. A great novel that focused on Lyons’ beloved Death Korp of Krieg (check out his later novel, Krieg), Dead Men Walking saw the implacable Krieg soldiers face off against the unstoppable necrons. Essentially a battle between two faceless and unfeeling armies, with the poor civilians of the invaded planet caught in the middle, Dead Men Walking was an outstanding read that showed a particularly dark side to the already crazy Warhammer universe.

Skin Game by Jim Butcher – 2014

While Cold Days and Peace Talks were very good additions to the Dresden Files series, my favourite book from Butcher I read this year was Skin Game. One of the most highly regarded Dresden Files novels, Skin Game sees wizard protagonist Harry Dresden forced to work with his worst enemy to complete an impossible magical heist. Clever, exciting and loaded with memorable moments, Skin Game was one of the best books Butcher has ever written and I cannot recommend it enough.

Warhammer 40,000: Brutal Kunnin by Mike Brooks – 2021

Mike Brooks has been on a real roll with his amazing Warhammer 40,000 fiction lately, and I made sure to jump back and check out one of his older novels this year, Brutal Kunnin. A captivating and fast-paced read, Brutal Kunnin focuses on the always entertaining ork faction, as they attack a heavily defended planet. Mostly focused on the innate humour that surrounds the orks, Brutal Kunnin was an excellent book that will have you laughing the entire way through. It also sets up Brooks’ 2024 release, Da Big Dakka, and is a must-read as a result.

The Sandman Act III by Neil Gaiman – 2022

I had to continue the intricate and utterly brilliant full-cast audiobook adaptation of the classic The Sandman comics with the third entry, which made for some great listening during some road trips I recently had. Continuing the stories set up in Act I and Act II, this third volume had another amazing story that was expertly portrayed with the extensive, high-profile vocal cast who brought it together. A magnificent audiobook that you will not be able to stop listening to.

Warhammer 40,000: Witchbringer by Steven B. Fischer – 2022

An outstanding Warhammer debut from a few years ago I’ve been meaning to read for ages, Witchbringer was a very clever read from Fischer that saw a sanction psychic defend a regiment who all fear and hate her. An amazing read with some interesting examinations of Warhammer 40,000 lore.

Saevus Corax Captures the Castle/Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder by K. J. Parker – 2023

A quick double entry I had to include here was the second and third Corax novels, Saevus Corax Captures the Castle and Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder by K. J. Parker. Continuing from the amazing Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead, these two books continue to follow the titular master of battlefield loot as he attempts to survive an array of scams and cons being run around him. Both books are very entertaining, and contain Parker’s typical wit, intensity and cynical outlook on human nature.

Rebellion by Simon Scarrow – 2023

The latest entries from one of my favourite historical fiction series that I had to read earlier this year rather than when it first came out. A particularly epic book, Rebellion had a great story loaded with Roman historical action and adventure.

Crucible of Chaos by Sebastien De Castell – 2023

After loving the amazing 2024 novel, Play of Shadows, I had to dive back into the loosely connected novel from Sebastien De Castell, Crucible of Chaos. Released at the end of 2023, Crucible of Chaos had an exceptional story that saw an injured investigator and duellist travel to an important monastery to try and discover what drove all the monks crazy. An elaborate and highly entertaining novel, Crucible of Chaos got an easy five-star rating from me and is guaranteed to make you a fan of De Castell and his extended Greatcoats universe.

And that is the end of this list. As you can see I have managed to check out a bunch of epic pre-2024 novels in the first half of this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend them, especially if you are in the mood for some fun fantasy or science fiction adventures. I look forward to reading more older books in 2024, although I should probably slow down a little and check out my recent releases. However, I imagine it I will probably continue several of these series, especially the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, so be prepared to see more Throwback Thursday posts featuring. Make sure to check out my other recent lists about the first half of 2024, especially my other Top Ten Tuesday post tonight, and let me know what cool older books you have already checked out this year.