Tag: Sequels

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels of 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 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.  The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday required participants to list their most anticipated books for Summer (Winter for the Northern Hemisphere).  However, as I have already done this list a few weeks ago, I decided to continue with my annual end-of-year lists that I have been working on the last few weeks.  I have already covered my favourite new-to-me authors I read in 2025, as well as the best pre-2025 novels I read this year, but in this week’s list I am going to highlight the best sequels I read in 2025.  This is a relatively new topic that I have only explored in 2023 and 2024, however it’s proving to be a great topic that I’m keen to keep going back to.

Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career.  I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels.  I read a ton of sequels every year and I felt that it was about time that I highlighted the very best sequels of the year in a specific post.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released in 2025 that I had the pleasure of reading.  I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines.  For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead.  I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and definitely highlights my favourite sequels released in 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Crusade by Richard Cullen

A great and very exciting historical fiction novel that serves as an excellent sequel to the first book in Cullen’s Chronicles of the Black Lion series, Rebellion.

Amazon

 

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

Harlan Coben provided an intense and clever sequel to one of his better-known novels, Fool Me Once, this year with the awesome new book, Nobody’s Fool

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The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

I had a lot of fun reading the compelling Australian crime novel, The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins, this year, which serves as an outstanding sequel to the author’s debut, How to Kill a Client.

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Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka

One of the more entertaining sequels of the year was the hilarious and charming English release of Hotel Lucky Seven by iconic Japanese author Kotaro Isaka.  A direct sequel to Bullet Train, Hotel Lucky Seven follows the previous book’s terminally unlucky protagonist as he finds himself trapped in a hotel full of outrageous assassins.

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Top Ten Tuesday:

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

The first incredible 2025 sequel I want to highlight on this list is A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett.  An elaborate and deeply clever fantasy murder mystery novel, A Drop of Corruption serves as a sequel to The Tainted Cup, which was one of my favourite books of 2024.  Following an unnaturally skilled detective and her loyal assistant as they investigate impossible crimes in a land constantly under attack from giant monsters, A Drop of Corruption, was an outstanding read that will keep you hooked until the end.  Featuring an exceptional mystery that perfectly utilises elements from the universe started in The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption was one of the best books of the year and an incredible sequel.

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Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett

Possibly one of the most long-awaited sequel on this list is the awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Interceptor City.  The sequel to Dan Abnett’s classic novel, Double Eagle, Interceptor City sees the original protagonist return for another gritty war story, this time forced to fly amongst the ruins of a giant city.  Featuring some of the best aerial combat sequences you are likely to read in fiction, Interceptor City was an exceptional read and it was amazing to see Double Eagle’s story continue in such a fantastic manner.

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The Malevolent Eight by Sebastian De Castell

I had a hilarious time getting through the highly entertaining and gloriously over-the-top fantasy novel, The Malevolent Eight.  The sequel to De Castell’s outstanding novel, The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight follows eight crazy mages as they attempt to save their world from the combined armies of heaven and hell.  A comedic treat that I couldn’t put down, this was an incredible fantasy sequel that comes very highly recommended.

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Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

I had to feature the impressive Australian crime fiction novel Broke Road by Matthew Spencer on this list.  Serving as an interesting follow-up to Spencer’s debut novel Black River, Broke Road is a gritty and complex murder mystery that sees a troubled detective and a rogue journalist investigate a shocking crime in regional Australia.  I deeply enjoyed Broke Road and it ended up being a particularly amazing sequel that overshadowed Spencer’s original novel.  One of the best pieces of Australian fiction in 2025, I cannot wait to see how Spencer continues to grow as an author.

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Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

Acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan continues to greatly impress with his new fantasy novel, Born of an Iron Storm.  The second book in Ryan’s Age of Wrath series, Born of an Iron Storm continues the excellent story started in A Tide of Black Steel, as four separate protagonists attempt to weather a dark invasion coming down upon their lands.  A wonderful fantasy adventure sequel that makes full use of its Viking inspiration, Born of an Iron Storm was a powerful read that is really worth checking out.

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Cold War by Jonathan Maberry

One of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry, continued his distinctive and dark NecroTek science fiction series this year with the fantastic second entry Cold War.  Set right after the events of the first book, NecroTek, Cold War was an inventive, intense and disturbing sequel that pitted human scientists and soldiers against the very worst Lovecraftian monsters.  A great sequel that cleverly brings in some awesome new characters and further raises the stakes of the crazy plot, Cold War was an exceptional read that I honestly couldn’t stop listening to.

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Never Flinch by Stephen King

I’m slightly cheating by including this next entry, however, I honestly count Never Flinch as a sequel as it is the second novel from Stephen King to feature his unique character, Holly Gibney, as protagonist.  Following on from the success of Holly (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), Never Flinch sees the protagonist attempt to stop two deadly killers stalking their prey in her city.  A particularly moving and intense book, Never Flinch was so damn good, and I’m very glad that King produced a second Holly Gibney focused novel.

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

The always fun Django Wexler wrapped up his Dark Lord Davi duology in amazing fashion this year with Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me.  Following a slightly insane fantasy protagonist who finds herself trapped in a deadly time loop, this entry was the wonderful sequel to Wexler’s 2024 novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying.  With the protagonist now a deadly Dark Lord, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me sees her attempt to save the human nation her minions want to conquer through an elaborate infiltration mission.  Filled with mishaps, adventure and outrageous humour, Everybody Wants to Ruel the World Except Me was so damn fun, and I cannot recommend this sequel enough.

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The Strength of the Few by James Islington

I had to feature the very impressive novel I just finished, The Strength of the Few by James Islington, on this list.  The most elaborate sequel of 2025, The Strength of the Few, serves as a follow-up to Islington’s highly acclaimed 2023 novel, The Will of the Many.  Upping the ante in a particularly inventive way, this great sequel sees the protagonist of The Will of the Many split across three separate versions of the same world, requiring three unique story arcs.  A very ambitious novel that shows some true inventiveness, The Strength of the Few was an exceptional novel that serves as a worthy sequel to Islington’s previous epic book.

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Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

The final sequel I want to highlight on this list is Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland.  The sequel to Corland’s 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms sees the murderous and mistrustful protagonists of the first book attempt to once again work together to pull off an impossible heist.  Full of compelling characters, doomed romances and clever worldbuilding, Four Ruined Realms was an excellent novel, that worked extremely well as a sequel to Corland’s previous adventure.  Four Ruined Realms comes highly recommended as a result, and I really need to check out the third and final book in the series before the end of 2025.

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Well, that’s it for this list.  As you can see, I have read several outstanding sequels this year and had a wonderful time doing so.  Every entry above was an epic novel, and I loved how they each successfully continued impressive story threads started in the previous novel.  All these books come highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see how these talented authors add to their already awesome series in the future.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels from the First Half of 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

In addition to the highlighting some of the best Australian novels I read in the first half of 2025, I am also taking this opportunity to list some of the best new sequel novels that I have had the opportunity to read this year.

Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career.  I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels.  I read a ton of sequels every year, but I feel that the first half of 2025 has been particularly rich in the form of amazing follow-up novels from talented authors.  Indeed, the sheer quality of some of the sequels coming out this year has been quite remarkable, and it has compelled me to dedicate this list to highlighting the very best.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released so far in 2025 that I had the pleasure of reading.  I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines.  For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead.  I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and highlights my favourite sequels released in the first half of 2025.

Top Ten List:

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

The first book I had to highlight on this list was the deeply impressive and addictive fantasy/mystery hybrid, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett.  The sequel to one of my favourite books of 2024, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption continues to follow the author’s unlikely detective protagonists as they investigate dark conspiracies in a monster-besieged empire.  This second novel was particularly epic, featuring a complex investigation narrative well supported by Bennett’s unique fantasy elements.  A deeply addictive read, A Drop of Corruption was a very easy choice for this list, and I cannot recommend this sequel enough.

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Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

Next, we have the very cool sequel to Harlan Coben’s classic thriller, Fool Me Once, Nobody’s Fool.  Bringing back one of the police protagonists of Fool Me Once, Nobody’s Fool was an intense and quick-paced read, that saw a damaged figure attempt to find answers for one of the more traumatising moments in his life.  Loaded with cool twists and some great shocks, I flew through Nobody’s Fool in no time at all, and it was very interesting to see how Coben followed up his previous amazing read.

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Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett

A very outstanding sequel that ended up being one of the best books and audiobooks I enjoyed in the first half of 2025 is the epic Warhammer 40,000 novel Interceptor City by Dan Abnett.  The long-awaited follow-up to his iconic novel Double Eagle (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels), Interceptor City took readers back to the skies with another rich, aerial combat focused novel in the grim Warhammer 40,000 universe.  This time forcing his protagonist to fly in claustrophobic conditions amongst the ruins of a massive fallen city, Interceptor City was Abnett at his finest, and you will not be able to put down this exceptional Warhammer 40,000 sequel.

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Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

Mai Corland provided a great second entry in her Broken Blades trilogy this year with her brilliant novel, Four Ruined Realms.  The sequel to Corland’s 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms saw the author’s lethal protagonists forced to complete a deadly heist in an enemy nation.  Loaded with lies, betrayals and complex drama, Four Ruined Realms was a very impressive continuation of the series, and I had a ton of fun getting through it.

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Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

After impressing with his first novel, the Australian crime fiction read Black River, Matthew Spencer presented an incredible sequel this year with the dark and thrilling read, Broke Road.  Setting his protagonists on another harrowing investigation, Broke Road was an intense read that cleverly built on the relationships introduced in Black River.  A really amazing Australian sequel and one I’m very glad I got the chance to read.

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The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell

One of the more entertaining sequels of 2025 so far is the unhinged dark fantasy novel The Malevolent Eight.  The sequel to Sebastien de Castell’s extremely fun novel, The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight proved to be particularly awesome, especially as de Castell dialled up the mayhem and kept the readers entertained with the resulting carnage.  A very interesting and impressive novel, de Castell clearly had fun with The Malevolent Eight, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future, especially as he has another outstanding sequel coming out later this year with Our Lady of Blades.

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The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

Next up we have the really cool Australian fiction sequel, The Bluff by Joanne Jenkins.  The interesting follow-up to Jenkin’s first novel, How to Kill a Client, The Bluff was a great rural crime fiction novel that cleverly recreated the events leading up to a brutal death.  A fantastic, character-focused read loaded with twists, The Bluff was an excellent second novel from Jenkins, and one I had an amazing time reading.

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Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

After blowing me away with the hilarious fantasy novel, How to Become a Dark Lord and Die Trying, Django Wexler finished his story this year with the great sequel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me.  Following Wexler’s slightly unhinged protagonist as she attempts to save everyone after achieving her goal of becoming an infamous Dark Lord, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was an awesome second and final book from the author that I couldn’t stop reading.  Funny, addictive, and featuring some very interesting plot reveals, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was an outstanding read and an excellent sequel to Wexler’s previous book.

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Never Flinch by Stephen King

I’m slightly cheating by including the next novel, Never Flinch by Stephen King, however, I view it as a sequel to his previous novel, Holly, as they are the first books primarily focussed on his memorable character Holly Gibney.  An exceptional and powerful crime fiction read that saw Gibney contend with the worrying schemes of two obsessed hunters, Never Flinch was an outstanding novel that you won’t be able to get away from.

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Crusade by Richard Cullen

The final sequel on this list is the excellent historical fiction novel Crusade.  The second book in the Chronicles of the Black Lion series and works as a great follow-up to last year’s novel Rebellion.  Taking his protagonist on a dangerous adventure set around the Fifth Crusade, Crusade was an exciting and captivating read that I had an amazing time with.  A fantastic sequel and a great book to end this list on.

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Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list.  I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best sequels I have checked out so far in 2025.  I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt that some of the third and fourth books in these respective series are going to be just as impressive.  It will be interesting to see what other great sequels I will get to experience in the rest of 2025, and I am sure there are going to be some exceptional new books coming out soon.  Indeed, the upcoming sequels The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso, Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan and The Strength of the Few by James Islington, are all currently very high on my to-read list, and I am sure they are going to be spectacular novels and deeply impressive sequels.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels of 2024

On 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.  The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday required participants to list their most anticipated books for Summer (Winter for the Northern Hemisphere).  However, as I have already done this list a few weeks ago, I decided to continue with my annual end-of-year lists that I have been working on the last few weeks.  I have already covered my favourite new-to-me authors I read in 2024, as well as the best pre-2024 novels I read this year, but in this week’s list I am going to highlight the best sequels I read in 2024.  This is a relatively new topic that I only started exploring in 2023, however I had fun doing it last year so decided to replicate it again now.

Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career.  I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels.  I read a ton of sequels every year and I felt that it was about time that I highlighted the very best sequels of the year in a specific post.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released in 2024 that I had the pleasure of reading.  I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines.  For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead.  I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and definitely highlights my favourite sequels released in 2024.

Honourable Mentions:

The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox

The superstar team of James Patterson and Australian author Candice Fox had a great time returning to the unusual group of protagonists living at The Inn by the Sea, with their entertaining thriller, The Murder Inn.  The sequel to their previous novel, The Inn, The Murder Inn is a highly entertaining read and a great novel for fans of both these authors.

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The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman

A fast-paced and emotionally charged young adult fantasy novel from Australian author Amie Kaufman that finishes the story started in The Isles of the Gods.

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The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham

The highly entertaining novel, The Wrong Hands, was a very fun book that followed on from Billingham’s first DS Declan Miller book, The Last Dance.

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Top Ten Tuesday:

Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers

The first book on this list is one of my favourite sequels of 2024, Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers.  The follow-up to Flowers’ previous awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Outgunned, Above and Beyond reunites two of Flower’s complex and traumatised protagonists, a newly cynical propaganda expert and a broken war hero, and throws them into hell.  Taking them into another adventure laden with intrigue, lies and manipulation, Above and Beyond was Flowers’ best novel yet, and I loved how effectively it continued the epic story from Outgunned.

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Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven

M. W. Craven had a brilliant year in 2024, as not only did he release the exceptional and dark murder mystery, The Mercy Chair, but he also presented the fantastic novel, Nobody’s Hero. A sequel to his 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero is a beautifully over-the-top thriller loaded with brutal action and so much fun. Providing a very interesting continuation to several storylines started in Fearless while also standing on its on with its excessive plot, Nobody’s Hero is a great book and a wonderful sequel.

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War Cry by Ian Ross

Ian Ross continued his exciting historical adventures this year with War Cry, the fantastic follow-up to his captivating read, Battle Song.  Battle Song, one of my favourite books of 2023, introduced readers to a young squire who participated into one of England’s more intriguing historical civil wars, and featured an exceptionally addictive story.  Ross continued the series in a big way with his sequel, War Cry, that dragged his protagonist, now a knight, into the next stage of war, and all the tragedy that contains.  I had a great time with this sequel, and it really moved the overarching story along in a big way.  Special mention also needs to go to the third book in the series King’s Enemy, that also came out this year, and which ended the series in an excellent manner.

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The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe

Back in 2021 I had the very great pleasure of reading the particularly intense and clever young adult thriller, The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe, that followed a teenage former con artist caught up in a bank robbery.  I really loved The Girls I’ve Been, and I was very happy that Sharpe released a sequel this year in The Girl in Question.  Another captivating and exciting read that I really got hooked on, especially with its distinctive style and damaged teenage protagonists, The Girl in Question was an outstanding sequel that comes highly recommended.

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Deep Black by Miles Cameron

The most recent sequel I have picked up was Deep Black by Miles Cameron, which contains a massive and complex science fiction adventure.  The sequel to his previous novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black continues the great narrative of exploration and interstellar mystery, as the crew of a massive human trading vessel attempts to learn more about a series attacks trying to destroy it.  Cameron’s inventiveness and great character work is on full display in Deep Black, and I loved how he continued the outstanding story started in Artifact Space.

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Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell

I’m slightly cheating with the next entry on this list, Play of Shadows, as it is technically the first book in de Castell’s new Court of Shadows series.  However, at the same time Play of Shadows is also a loosely connected sequel to de Castell’s previous novel, Crucible of Chaos, which was released in advance of Play of Shadows as a prequel.  As such, I am counting Play of Shadows as a sequel, and frankly the book was so good I want to highlight it as many times as I can in the coming weeks.  An entertaining, compelling and unique fantasy novel, Play of Shadows saw a young actor unravel an ancient conspiracy infecting his city when he gains the ability to manifest the spirt of a notorious historical villain while on the stage.  A brilliant, witty and highly addictive read, Play of Shadows really impressed me, and I am so very eager to see how this series continues in the future.

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Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont

Another outstanding sequel I was happy to read this year was the intricate spy thriller Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont.  A particularly authentic spy novel set in Paris, Dark Arena serves as a sequel the Beaumont’s debut, The Frenchman (one of my favourite debut novels of 2021), and follows members of France’s intelligence community as they attempt to unravel a deadly plot impacting all of Europe.  A gripping read that served as a great continuation to The Frenchman, Dark Arena is an amazing sequel that is worth checking out.

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Warhammer 40,000: Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks

I had a lot of fun with Warhammer fiction in 2024, and that includes the outstanding Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks.  The direct sequel to Brooks’ hilarious Warhammer 40,000 novel, Brutal Kunnin, Da Big Dakka showcases the continued adventure of Brooks’ ork protagonist as he brings war, fighting and brutal fun to all corners of the galaxy.  This second book pits the orks against a tricky new foe in the most dangerous city in the universe, and the result is as hectic and bloody as you would expect.  Pure chaotic fun that any fan of Warhammer 40,000 fiction can enjoy.

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The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence

Another highly complex and powerful fantasy novel from the always impressive Mark Lawrence, The Book That Broke the World is a great follow-up to the 2023 novel, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn.  Continuing the elaborate narrative from the first book, while also expanding out the twists, turns and intricate details, The Book That Broke the World was a very smart novel that serves as a very satisfying sequel to The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and is very much worth checking out.

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Sentinel by Mark Greaney

The final sequel I want to highlight on this list is the action-packed novel, Sentinel.  The follow-up to the action-thriller, Armored, Sentinel throws the protagonist of the first book into an elaborate coup in Africa, with his family’s safety also at risk.  A highly exciting and compelling novel, loaded with impressive action and an elaborate narrative, Sentinel was an awesome sequel and I look forward to seeing how Greaney will continue this series in the future.

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Well, that’s it for this list.  As you can see, I have read several outstanding sequels this year and had a wonderful time doing so.  Every entry above was an epic novel, and I loved how they each successfully continued impressive story threads started in the previous novel.  All these books come highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see how these talented authors add to their already awesome series in the future.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels of 2023

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List10 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. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday required participants to list books that they hope Santa brings them.  While this is a fun topic, I decided to abstain and instead continue with my annual end-of-year lists that I have been working on the last few weeks.  I have already covered my favourite new-to-me authors I read in 2023, as well as the best pre-2023 novels I read this year, but in this week’s list I am going to cover a new end-of-year topic and highlight the best sequels I read in 2023.

Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career.  I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels.  I read a ton of sequels every year and I felt that it was about time that I highlighted the very best sequels of the year in a specific post.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released in 2023 that I had the pleasure of reading.  I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines.  For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead.  I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and definitely highlights my favourite sequels released in 2023.

Honourable Mentions:

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

He Who Drowned The World Cover

An intriguing and elaborate historical fiction/fantasy novel that serves as a wonderful sequel to the awesome She Who Became the Sun.

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The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

The Mystery Guest Cover

Nita Prose brings back her atypical protagonist from her exciting debut, The Maid, for another fun adventure.

Amazon

 

Ripper by Shelley Burr

Ripper Cover

A brilliant and addictive sequel to Burr’s outstanding first book, Wake, Ripper is an outstanding piece of Australian crime fiction that comes highly recommended.

Amazon

 

Her Sweet Revenge by Sarah Bonner

Her Sweet Revenge Cover

A brilliant and elaborate thriller that sees a woman do everything she can to get revenge for her best friend, no matter the cost.  An outstanding book that falls within the same universe as Bonner’s debut novel, Her Perfect Twin.

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Top Ten List:

House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky

House of Open Wounds Cover

The first sequel I want to highlight on this list is the outstandingly clever and wildly entertaining House of Open Wounds by the always impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky.  House of Open Wounds was an incredible follow-up to Tchaikovsky’s exceptional City of Last Chances, which is one of the best books and audiobooks I enjoyed in the first half of 2023.  Set in the same world and featuring the best protagonist from the first book, House of Open Wounds was an awesome sequel that continued some key storylines while also introducing the readers to a bold new cast of characters who staff an unconventional military hospital.  Funny and dramatic in equal measures, this was an amazing book and a truly great sequel.

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Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect Cover

One of the funniest sequels of 2023 had to be Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Australian author Benjamin Stevenson.  A follow-up to Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone (one of my favourite Australian books of 2022), Everyone on this Train is a Suspect was a great piece of Australian crime fiction that saw Stevenson’s plucky protagonist attempt to solve another murder aboard a train loaded with suspicious mystery authors.  Not only was this a great read, but it proved to be an excellent sequel that built on the story and writing elements of the previous release.

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Dead of Night by Simon Scarrow

Dead of Night Cover

One of my favourite historical fiction authors Simon Scarrow had an excellent sequel out this year with Dead of Night.  Scarrow’s second Berlin Wartime Thriller, Dead of Night was the follow up to Blackout, and presented the reader with another dark crime fiction read in Nazi controlled Berlin.  This time examining a mysterious murder tied into the darkest secrets of the Nazi reign, Dead of Night was an amazing book that threw Scarrow’s protagonists into another moral quandary.  An outstanding novel, I hope we get additional entries in this series soon.

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Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry

Son of the Poison Rose Cover

Another outstanding fantasy novel that got a sequel in 2023 was Jonathan Maberry’s Kagen the Damned, which was one of my favourite books and audiobooks from 2022.  This sequel, Son of the Poison Rose, saw the series’ titular damned protagonist continue his struggle to get revenge after the destruction of everything he loved, while also facing all manner of eldritch horrors.  A sharp, brutal and addictive read loaded with so much action, Son of the Poison Rose proved to be an exceptional continuance of a great series and I had such an epic time with this book.

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Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath

Kill Your Husbands Cover

I was very happy when I found out that Australian author Jack Heath was releasing a sequel to his exceptional novel, Kill Your Brother (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2021), this year, with the awesome and outrageous Kill Your Husbands.  Kill Your Husbands was a great book that saw the protagonists from the first novel try and solve a complex murder of three couples who were experimenting in a remote bushland location.  An extremely complex and clever read, Kill Your Husbands had a powerful mystery behind it, and I loved how Heath brought back two outstanding protagonists.

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The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison

The Last True Templar Cover

I had a lot of fun this year reading the second Tales of the Lawless Land novel by the team of Boyd and Beth Morrison, with The Last True Templar.  A fantastic historical thriller, The Last True Templar is a sequel to the Morrison’s first novel, The Lawless Land.  Set in 14th century Europe, The Last True Templar was another bold adventure that saw the authors’ protagonists get dragged into a race to recover the lost Templar treasures.  An amazing, action-packed novel, The Last True Templar did a great job continuing from The Lawless Land and I loved the awesome story it contained.

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Never a Hero by Vanessa Len

Never A Hero Cover

Australian author Vanessa Len did an outstanding job of following up her debut novel, Only a Monster (one of my favourite debuts of 2022) with the emotionally charged sequel, Never a Hero.  A gripping young adult fantasy novel that sees a time travelling monster being hunted by dark forces bent on changing the world alongside her monster hunter love interest.  A powerful read that cleverly reimagined elements from the first book and threw its characters into new and impossible situations, Never a Hero is a very clever sequel that really showcased Len’s writing ability.

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The Defector by Chris Hadfield

The Defector Cover

Astronaut Chris Hadfield did a wonderful job of following up his amazing debut novel, The Apollo Murders (one of my favourite debuts of 2021), with The Defector.  An exciting and awesome thriller novel, The Defector followed a Cold War Soviet pilot who defects to the United States for his own nefarious purposes.  An outstanding book that really showed Hadfield’s growth as an author, The Defector was a great sequel that is worth checking out.

Amazon

 

The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding

The Shadow Casket Cover

One of my most anticipated sequels for 2023 was The Shadow Casket by Chris Wooding.  The long-awaited follow-up to his epic fantasy novel, The Ember Blade, The Shadow Casket was an exceptional novel that deepened the complex lore of the series and took his existing protagonists on another dark ride.  A powerful, addictive and massive read, The Shadow Casket is one of my top books of the year and I am so glad we finally got a sequel to the first book.

Amazon

 

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin

Dark Corners Cover 2

One of my favourite Australian authors provides an intriguing follow up to her powerful novel, The Night Swim, with Dark Corners, a clever read that examines the world of influencers and social media stars.  Dark, compelling, and bringing back Goldin’s first recurring protagonist, Dark Corners was an excellent sequel from a talented author.

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Well, that’s it for this list.  As you can see, I have read several outstanding sequels this year and had a wonderful time doing so.  Every entry above was an epic novel, and I loved how they each successfully continued impressive story threads started in the previous novel.  All these books come highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see how these talented authors add to their already awesome series in the future.

Waiting on Wednesday – Upcoming Sequels

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday10 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.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I am going to highlight three upcoming novels that I think will be awesome follow ups to some excellent debut novels I’ve recently read.

Over the last year there have been some truly amazing debut novels coming out across the various genres.  This is particularly true in 2021, and I have already enjoyed some really great books written by talented first-time authors, with several other fantastic sounding ones set for release later in the year.  However, I am also particularly excited to see that some of these fantastic debuts are already producing some cool sounding sequels, which will be released over the next few months.  Considering how much fun I had reading the first books from these amazing writers, I am very excited for these sequels, especially as they are all continuing the compelling storylines from the initial books.

The first book I want to highlight is The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart, the second book in The Drowning Empire series and the cool sounding follow up to the 2020 fantasy debut, The Bone Shard Daughter.  The Bone Shard Daughter was a very impressive fantasy debuts and it instantly got a massive following of fans, especially as multiple reviewers quickly started raving about it.  I read it a few months after it came out and I really enjoyed its captivating story and clever setting, and it ended up being one of my favourite debuts of 2020.

The Bone Shard Emperor Cover

The Drowning Empire novels are set within a tyrannical empire of multiple islands, ruled over by a family of magicians who use shards of bone, harvested from their subjects to power dangerous constructs.  The first novel followed a great range of characters, including a smuggler, the Emperor’s rebellious daughter and several rebels, and resulted in an awesome read with a great conclusion.  I am pretty excited to check out the sequel, currently set for release on 11 November 2021, which will continue right after the events of the first book and feature a dangerous new enemy emerging to challenge the protagonists.  The Bone Shard Emperor sounds like a really good read and I cannot wait to see how Stewart’s second novel turns out.

Synopsis:

The Bone Shard Emperor is the unmissable sequel to The Bone Shard Daughter, one of the biggest fantasy debuts of 2020 – a captivating tale of magic, revolution and mystery, where a young woman’s sense of identity will make or break an empire.

The Emperor is Dead. Long live the Emperor.

Lin Sukai finally sits on the throne she won at so much cost, but her struggles are only just beginning. Her people don’t trust her. Her political alliances are weak. And in the northeast of the Empire, a rebel army of constructs is gathering, its leader determined to take the throne by force.

Yet an even greater threat is on the horizon, for the Alanga – the powerful magicians of legend – have returned to the Empire. They claim they come in peace, and Lin needs their help to defeat the rebels and restore order.

But can she trust them?

The next novel I want to highlight in this post is The Liar’s Knot by M. A. Carrick, the second book in the exciting Rook & Rose series.  The Liar’s Knot, which will be released in early December 2021, is the sequel to the excellent The Mask of Mirrors, which came out earlier this year.  The Mask of Mirrors is the first book from author M. A. Carrick, the joint pen name of Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, two established fantasy authors, although I am counting this book as a debut as it was the first time that they wrote together.

The Liar's Knot Cover

The Mask of Mirrors, which was one of my favourite audiobooks of the first half of 2021, followed a great group of protagonists as they engage in a game of deceit and lies in an amazing fantasy setting.  Set in the troubled city of Nadežra, the book primarily followed a former street kid turned con artist as she attempts to trick her way into the ranks of a wealthy family by rescuing them from poverty.  However, her ploy sets her against a range of dangerous adversaries, including a notorious crime lord, a mysterious vigilante, and an insidious magical threat from her childhood.  This results in an awesome and compelling fantasy adventure, and I really enjoyed how the story progressed.  The next book in this series, The Liar’s Knot, will continue the impressive story with the three central protagonists coming into conflict with each other, and the other sinister forces infesting the city.

Synopsis:

Trust is the thread that binds us . . . and the rope that hangs us.

In Nadezra, peace is as tenuous as a single thread. The ruthless House Indestor has been destroyed, but darkness still weaves through the city’s filthy back alleys and jewel-bright gardens, seen by those who know where to look.

Derossi Vargo has always known. He has sacrificed more than anyone imagines to carve himself a position of power among the nobility, hiding a will of steel behind a velvet smile. He’ll be damned if he lets anyone threaten what he’s built.

Grey Serrado knows all too well. Bent under the yoke of too many burdens, he fights to protect the city’s most vulnerable. Sooner or later, that fight will demand more than he can give.

And Ren, daughter of no clan, knows best of all. Caught in a knot of lies, torn between her heritage and her aristocratic masquerade, she relies on her gift for reading pattern to survive. And it shows her the web of corruption that traps her city.

But all three have yet to discover just how far that web stretches. And in the end, it will take more than knives to cut themselves free…

The final book in this post is the really cool sounding science fiction thriller, Outcast, by Louise Carey.  Carey is a talented author who, after writing several books with her family, produced her first solo novel earlier this year, Inscape.  Inscape was a captivating and intriguing read that featured a fantastic cyberpunk storyline in a dystopian future.  Inscape was one of the better debut novels I have read so far this year, and I was very excited to see that Carey already has a sequel on the way with Outcast.

Outcast Cover

Outcast, which is currently set for release on 25 January 2022, will continue to follow corporation security officer and spy, Tanta, as she attempts to unravel the various conspiracies dominating the futuristic society that she lives in, and which is threatening the corporation that raised her.  The first novel had a great story to it, which finished on a fantastic note, and I really enjoyed getting through this cool first book.  I am also very excited to see how this story continues, especially as the synopsis suggests that even more secrets and lies about Tanta’s past and her employers will be revealed in this latest outing.

Synopsis:

TRUTH. LIES. IT CAN BE HARD TO TELL THEM APART.

When a bomb goes off at InTech HQ, everything changes for Tanta’s corporation. Order becomes disorder. Safety becomes danger. Calm becomes chaos.

Tanta is tasked with getting to the bottom of the attack before violence and unrest overtake the city. But even though the evidence points towards rival corporation Thoughtfront, Tanta can’t shake the feeling that she’s missing something.

There’s a dark secret at the heart of the case, one that will reveal more about her own corporation than Tanta would like. And the closer Tanta gets to the mystery, the more she comes to realise something terrible:

Sometimes facing the truth can be the hardest thing of all.

As you can see from the above, there are some outstanding sequel novels coming out in the next few months, and I have to say that I am extremely excited for all of them.  All three of these fantastic upcoming books are following on from some amazing debuts, and I have very high hopes that these great authors will continue their excellent writing with these sequels.