Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week involved character quotes, which, while interesting, isn’t something I felt I could contribute to, and I am instead going to use this post to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the first Tuesday of Autumn 2025 and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in 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 2025 and 31 May 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 of 2025 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 2025.
Honourable Mentions:
Pacific Heights by S. R. White – 25 March 2025
An interesting murder mystery novel about multiple witnesses seeing the same murder in different ways from one of the more unique authors of Australian crime fiction.
Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 29 April 2025
An excellent new urban fantasy novel from Australian author Luke Arnold.
Tyrant by Conn Iggulden – 27 May 2025
One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Conn Iggulden, presents an awesome sequel to his 2024 novel Nero.
The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell – 27 May 2025
An exciting sequel to the hilarious fantasy novel The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell.
Top Ten List:
Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry – 4 March 2025
First up we have the next entry in one of my favourite series with Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry. The fourth book in the Rogue Team International series and the 14th overall Joe Ledger book, Burn to Shine follows on from some outstanding books including Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and Cave 13 (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023). This latest Joe Ledger novel sounds particularly awesome, as the protagonist and his high-tech organisation will have to face off against various enemies and dangers from their past. I cannot wait to see how Maberry pulls this book together and I have a feeling it is going to be a particularly dark, if key, entry in the Rogue Team International series.
The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 6 March 2025
Next, we have the awesome historical fiction thriller, The White Fortress by the sibling team of Boyd and Beth Morrison. The third book in the Tales of the Lawless Land series (which previously featured The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar), The White Fortress will continue to follow two awesome protagonists, an excommunicated knight and his brilliant wife, as they become embroiled in deadly conspiracies across medieval Europe. This latest Tales of the Lawless Land book finds the protagonists in historic Croatia, attempting to stop a conquering warlord by uncovering the legacy of Marco Polo. I have deeply enjoyed the previous entries in the series, both of which have been outstanding historical thrillers, and I cannot wait to see how this great writing team will showcase medieval Croatia and its secrets.
A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow – 11 March 2025
One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Simon Scarrow, has another cool book coming out next week with the intense World War II thriller A Death in Berlin. Following on from the previous entries in the series, Blackout and Dead of Night, A Death in Berlin will continue to follow the last honourable detective in Nazi controlled Berlin as he attempts to investigate controversial crimes his superiors are covering up. This latest book will see the protagonist face off against Berlin gangsters and their powerful Nazi patrons and should be another bleak and intense read. I always have so much fun with Scarrow’s books, and this sounds like an awesome addition to a great series.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzane Collins – 18 March 2025
I had to include the epic new Hunger Games book from Suzzane Collins, Sunrise on the Reaping, which has really caught my attention thanks to its cool premise and connection to the excellent Hunger Games books and films. The second Hunger Games prequel novel (the other being A Ballard of Songbirds & Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will be a dark novel that follows the younger version of a fan favourite character as he participates in the largest and most brutal Hunger Games. This book has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how Collins’ sets out this latest entry in her iconic series.
When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi – 25 March 2025
The always entertaining John Scalzi (Redshirts, The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain), returns with another hilarious and satirical science fiction novel that will pose an interesting hypothetical scenario; what if the moon turned into a cheese-like substance? Set to follow multiple people across the world impacted by this phenomenon, When the Moon Hits Your Eye has one of the more unique plot ideas of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackon Bennett – 8 April 2025
The next book on this list is the impressive and awesome upcoming fantasy novel, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. The sequel to Bennett’s incredible novel, The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024), A Drop of Corruption will bring back the author’s outstanding duo of detectives as they investigate impossible crimes in a magical nation constantly besieged by giant monsters. The first book in this series was quite exceptional, and I have very high hopes for this sequel as Bennett has come up with another cool mystery that will no doubt have wider implications for the entire nation. A book with a very high ceiling that I know I will love!
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025
There are few novels out in recent years that I have been as eager to read as The Devils by legendary fantasy author Joe Abercrombie. The first new book from Abercrombie since he finished his Age of Madness trilogy (A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace and The Wisdom of Crowds), The Devils will set up a new series in an alternate, monster-filled version of medieval Europe. Set to follow a hapless priest who will lead the worst of the worst in a daring mission to save the world from a coming apocalypse, The Devils sounds extremely cool, and I am curious to try a series from the author outside of his Third Law universe. Based on how exceptional Abercrombie has been in the past, I already know that The Devils is going to be an epic grimdark read, and I cannot wait to see what outrageous scenarios and elaborate characters will populate this incredible upcoming book.
Nightshade by Michael Connelly – 20 May 2025
One of the world’s best crime fiction authors, Michael Connelly, is spoiling us this year with the cool murder mystery Nightshade. Nightshade introduces readers to a new Connelly protagonist, Detective Sitwell, a burnt-out cop forced out town and stationed on the beautiful Catalina Island away from trouble. When he discovers a body dumped in the island’s harbour, Sitwell embarks on a dogged investigation to find the truth, no matter who he upsets. I have been having an incredible time reading Connelly’s books in recent years, and I am very excited to see how this new novel unfolds, especially if Sitwell becomes a recurring protagonist in Connelly’s wider universe.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler – 27 May 2025
Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading the hilarious fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. This fantastic novel followed an unhinged protagonist trapped in a time loop within a fantasy world who, after centuries of torture, decides to stop trying to be the realm’s saviour and instead becomes its new dark lord. Thanks to its cool scenario, comedic protagonist, and over-the-top story elements, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was a very awesome book to read, and I had an amazing time getting through its fun plot. As such, I am extremely excited to read the sequel coming out this year, Everybody Wants to Rule Except Me, which will see the protagonist try to save the humans of the realm from an army of monsters she’s leading. Sure to be another amazing send-up of heroes and villains in fantasy fiction, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will likely be one of the funniest books I read in 2025, and I am very excited to explore its outrageous story.
Never Flinch by Stephen King – 27 May 2025
The final book in this list has the potential to be one of the very best of the year with Never Flinch by the legendary Stephen King. Set to bring back one of King’s more unique protagonists, unlikely investigator Holly Gibney, Never Flinch will serve as a continuation of the protagonist’s storylines from Mr. Mercedes (and its sequels), The Outsider and Holly. This new book will see Holly face off against both a deadly killer and a deranged stalker, as she finds herself drawn into a new dark web. I have no doubt that Never Flinch is going to be exceptional and should end up topping my best of 2025 book lists.
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, and frankly this might be one of the strongest three-month periods in 2025. 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 