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 return to a previous list you’ve done as part of a Throwback Freebie. However, I decided to instead continue my literary examination of the first half of 2025 by looking at the top books from the first half of the year that I still need to read.
While I have already enjoyed a substantial number of outstanding books in 2025, there are still quite a few impressive novels from the first half of the year that I have yet to read. Many of these were on my most anticipated books lists for 2025 (both fantasy and other), and while I was really excited for them, I have honestly not had a chance to check all of them out yet. Therefore, I am going to use this freebie session to shame myself in the hope that it gets me into gear to finally check out these epic reads. This proved to be an easy list to pull together, as many of these books have been weighing on my mind for a while. All 10 novels below (plus honourable mentions) sound really, really good, and I hope I get the chance to read all of them soon.
Honourable Mentions:
Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton
A fun sounding fantasy novel about a hero whose chosen-one status isn’t what he thinks it is.
The interesting sounding sequel to Turney’s 2024 novel Invader. I failed to get a copy of Warrior earlier in the year, so I will have to see how I go continuing the series.
Vanguard Strike by Jarom Strong
A very exciting science fiction debut that I’m hoping to read soon, especially as Strong already has a sequel to it coming out.
The Venetian Heretic by Christian Cameron
An awesome historical thriller that I am going to try and grab a copy of soon, as it sounds particularly epic.
Top Ten List:
The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence
The first novel from the first half of 2025 that I want to talk about is The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence. The third and final entry in Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart will finish off the elaborate story of a war within a massive, impossible library that started in The Book that Wouldn’t Burn and continued in The Book That Broke the World. I deeply enjoyed the first two books in this series, and I really want to finish Lawrence’s trilogy off. Hopefully I will be able to fit The book That Held Her Heart into my reading schedule soon, as this is one of the biggest releases from the first half of the year I still need to read.
Another key book from early 2025 that I still need to read is the gripping Tyrant by historical fiction author Conn Iggulden. The second book in the author’s Nero series, Tyrant will continue to follow the young life of the infamous emperor Nero, as he slowly rose to power in ancient Rome. The first book in this series, Nero, was pretty damn good, and I cannot wait to continue Iggulden’s intriguing examination of this fascinating historical figure. I’m hoping to get a copy of Tyrant soon, and I have no doubt this will be one of the better historical fiction books I read in 2025.
The Medici Return by Steve Berry
One of the more surprising entries on this list is the new Cotton Malone novel from Steve Berry, The Medici Return. In recent years I’ve made a real effort to read the new Steve Berry book each year, especially as the Cotton Malone novels feature cool thriller stories based around complex historical secrets and conspiracies. Unfortunately, I just haven’t been able to fit The Medici Return into my 2025 reading schedule yet, which is a real shame as it has a very fun plot about the return of the legendary Medici of Florence, which could have massive impacts on modern day Italy. Sure to be another complex and culturally rich story, The Medici Return is very high on my to-read list.
Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky
I had really hoped to read the awesome new Adrian Tchaikovsky science fiction novel, Shroud, by this point in the year. A complex and intense read about two people who find themselves trapped on the surface a truly inhospitable and completely dark alien planet, Shroud has a fascinating story about survival and alien contact. I love the sound of this excellent science fiction novel, and I am determined to read Shroud in 2025.
You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego
I was happy to receive a copy of You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego earlier this year, although I unfortunately haven’t had a chance to read it yet. Featuring the fun concept of a group of mystery writer who find themselves trapped in an isolated manor with a dangerous killer, You Are Fatally Invited sounds like an incredible read, and one sure to be loaded with fun twists and complex turns. I really intend to explore You Are Fatally Invited by the end of the year, and I look forward to seeing how it comes together.
The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani
One of the more exciting novels from the first half of 2025 I still must read is The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani, an excellent and intense historical thriller that sees a farmer join Richard Lionheart’s crusade to get revenge on soldiers who killed his wife. A very cool sounding revenge novel amongst a great historical setting, I am very keen to get my hands on The Pilgrim’s Revenge, although I may have to wait until it gets a paperback release in Australia later this year.
A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde
The next entry on this list is an ambitious and compelling fantasy debut that I had hoped to have read by now, A Song of Legends Lost. A Song of Legends Lost is the excellent first novel from new author M. H. Ayinde, filled with war, rebellion and spirit magic. I am still hoping to dive into this massive fantasy debut soon, and I cannot wait to see what impressive story Ayinde has started his writing career with.
There Will be Bodies by Lindsey Davis
For the second year in a row, I am very behind in reading the new Flavia Albia book from Lindsey Davis, as I still haven’t enjoyed the latest book in the series, There Will be Bodies. Following on from the previous entry in the series, Death on the Tiber, There Will be Bodies sees the ancient Roman detective protagonist attempt to solve a murder that occurred in the aftermath of the eruption of Vesuvius. I love the awesome concept behind this book, and I am hoping to dive into this story soon.
With a Vengeance by Riley Sager
One of the more intriguing novels of 2025 that I have yet to read is the fantastic historical crime fiction novel, With a Vengeance by Riley Sager. A cool twist on the classic whodunnit, With a Vengeance sees an unforgiving woman’s plan to destroy the people responsible for her family’s downfall go off the rails when a mysterious killer starts to murder her targets while she is trapped on a train with them. I love the sound of this complex and fun read, and I cannot wait to see how it all comes together.
Warhammer 40,000: Hell’s Last by Justin D. Hill
The final book I want to highlight on this list is the cool Warhammer 40,000 novel, Hell’s Last by Justin D. Hill. Set to once again follow the damaged members of the Cadian 101st as they continue to fight after the destruction of their planet, Hell’s Last sounds like an awesome piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction from a very talented author. I’ve been a little slack in not listening to Hell’s Last yet, especially as I usually instantly snap up every Warhammer 40,000 novel that comes my way. Much of this is because I haven’t read the rest of the books in Hill’s Cadia series, which I might try and do first before diving into this latest entry in the series.
Well, that is the end of this latest list. As you can see, there are a bunch of exceptional novels from the first half of the year that I need to check out. All the above books sound incredibly epic, and I am going to have to try a lot harder to start reading through them. In the meantime, let me know which books released in the first half of the year you most regret not reading in the comments below.
The Unseen Library 