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 get a Thanksgiving Freebie to focus on whatever topic they want. As such, I am going to take this opportunity to look ahead for the next three months. That is because today is the last Tuesday before December 2024, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read 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 2024 and 28 February 2025 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and my most anticipated books for the second half of 2024 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), 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 2024 and 2025.
Honourable Mentions:
Gunnawah by Ronni Salt – 1 January 2025
An intriguing Australian crime fiction debut from an awesome new author. Gunnawah will probably be one of the first books I read in 2025.
The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers – 11 February 2025
Another awesome sounding Australian crime fiction debut that will feature the beautiful and iconic Blue Mountains as a background setting.
Battle Mountain by C. J. Box – 25 February 2025
I had a lot of fun with the latest book in C. J. Box’s entertaining Joe Pickett thriller series, Three-Inch Teeth, and I’m curious to see how the series continues next year.
Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 27 February 2025
A complex and compelling upcoming science fiction novel from the always impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky.
Top Ten Tuesday:
Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett – December 2024
First on this list I had to include the upcoming Warhammer 40,000 novel, Interceptor City by Dan Abnett. The long-awaited sequel to Abnett’s classic novel, Double Eagle, Interceptor City will present readers with even more aerial combat awesomeness as he brings back one of his complex protagonists for another massive war. Set in his large inter-connected Sabbat Worlds Crusade series, Interceptor City sounds extremely epic, and if its anywhere as good as Double Eagle, this will end up being one of my top books of the years. I’m not 100 per cent sure when Interceptor City is out in Australia, but I should be able to get a copy of it in December so I’m happy including it on this list.
Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 5 December 2024
Another exceptional book to end 2024 with is the new Adrian Tchaikovsky book, Days of Shattered Faith. The third book in the author’s Tyrant Philosophers series, Days of Shattered Faith returns to his chaotic fantasy world, where a tyrannical nation attempts to bring perfection and correctness by any means necessary. This latest book will see two diplomats attempt to navigate a complex city filled with gods, necromancy and intrigue, while also trying to work around the constrictions of their own inflexible government. The previous two books in this series, City of Last Chances (one of my favourite audiobooks of 2023) and House of Open Wounds (one of my favourite books of 2023) have been unbelievably exceptional, and I cannot wait to see what hilarious insanity occurs in this next amazing novel.
Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland – 7 January 2025
One of the first books out in 2025 that I am excited for is the cool fantasy novel, Four Ruined Realms. The sequel to Corland’s brilliant 2024 fantasy debut, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms will see the author’s murderous and duplicitous protagonists try to pull off another impossible heist with everything they care about on the line. However, after all the lies in the previous book, none of the protagonists trust each other, especially with even more betrayals on the horizon. This should be an outstanding read, and I am hoping to grab Four Ruined Realms on audiobook, especially as it features several talented narrators.
Grave Danger by James Grippando – 14 January 2025
I’m looking forward to some fantastic legal thriller excitement in January with the next book from acclaimed author James Grippando, Grave Danger. The next book in the author’s Jack Swyteck series, Grave Danger features a new intriguing case that sees the protagonist become involved in a contentious international custody case. However, things become even more complicated when Jack’s FBI agent wife is dragged into events, and the protagonist finds himself navigating a massive international conspiracy. I really love the sound of this awesome book, and after having so much fun with Grippando’s previous novel, Goodbye Girl, I know I am going to love Grave Danger.
Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman – 6 February 2025
It isn’t the start of my reading year if I don’t have the new Alex Delaware novel (see my reviews for The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine, City of the Dead, Unnatural History and The Ghost Orchid). The next entry in the series, Open Season, will see Kellerman’s iconic protagonists return for a particularly complex case, when a spree killer starts taking out Hollywood hopefuls. Open Season sounds extremely awesome, and I cannot wait to check it out.
Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz – 11 February 2025
I always love how the start of the new year brings fresh thrillers from some of my favourite authors, and that includes Gregg Hurwitz. A talented author with a flair for action, Hurwitz has really impressed me in recent years with his Orphan X series (Out of the Dark, Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, Dark Horse, The Last Orphan and Lone Wolf). The next book in the series will see Hurwitz’s elite, but damaged, spy protagonist go to war with his only friend, with even more dangerous forces lurking on the horizon. This should be another exciting and addictive addition to the Orphan X series, and I cannot wait to see what amazing action Hurwitz features in his new book.
The Medici Return by Steve Berry – 11 February 2025
Another great thriller series I enjoy reading early each year are the Cotton Malone books by Steve Berry. A distinctive series that combines modern day thriller storylines with historical conspiracies and secrets, the Cotton Malone books are always a ton of fun, and I love some of the compelling topics that Berry cleverly explores. The next book in the series, The Medici Return, has an outstanding sounding narrative behind it that involves an ancient, massive debt owed by the Vatican, that could change the future of both Italy and the Catholic church. This is one of the more intriguing plots that Berry has come up with and I cannot wait to unwrap the many mysteries in this cool upcoming thriller.
Warrior by Simon Turney – 13 February 2025
Following on from his outstanding 2024 novel, Invader, Turney looks set to continue his great Agricola series in the new year with Warrior. Following the early life of famous Roman general Agricola, Warrior will see the young officer attempt to survive the deadly politics of the realm in the dying days of Nero’s rule. Warrior will no doubt be an exciting and captivating historical fiction novel, and I cannot wait to see how this fantastic series continues.
Midnight Black by Mark Greaney – 18 February 2025
In recent years I have become a massive fan of Mark Greaney’s Gray Man series, which is probably my favourite spy thriller series now (check out my reviews for The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out, Relentless, Sierra Six, Burner and The Chaos Agent). Following the titular Gray Man, a legendary killer attempting to survive in a complicated world, the Gray Man series is so damn good, and I love the complex scenarios that Greaney envisions. The next book in the series, Midnight Black, will see the Gray Man go to war with Russia after the woman he loves is captured and held in a prison camp. Likely to be a particularly intense and bloody addition to the series, I am so excited for Midnight Black, and it is one of my most anticipated thrillers of 2025.
Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed – 25 February 2025
The final book I want to highlight in this post is the epic upcoming Star Wars novel, The Mask of Fear. The first entry in the planned Reign of the Empire trilogy, The Mask of Fear will follow several key characters from the Star Wars franchise, including Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera and Bail Organa, during the first year of the Emperor’s rule. I love this period of Star Wars history and there is so much potential here to show the early days of the Rebel Alliance and the tyranny they seek to overthrow. It helps that Alexander Freed is a particularly impactful Star Wars writer, and after enjoying his Alphabet Squadron trilogy (Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall and Victory’s Price), I know that this is going to be an exceptional book. I cannot wait for this epic Star Wars novel, and it is a very worthy final entry on this list.
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. Each of the above should be extremely epic, 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 few books to get through soon and they should all be awesome.
The Unseen Library 