Shailee Thompson – The Unseen Library

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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.

Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow

The first recently received book I want to highlight is the awesome historical fiction novel, Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow. The latest entry in the always impressive Eagles of the Empire series, Tyrant of Rome brings back Scarrow’s long-running soldier protagonists as they take on the impossible task of maintaining law and order in ancient Rome. I have been looking forward to this book for a while, and I am hoping to read it next.

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Star Wars: Master of Evil by Adam Christopher

I was very happy to receive a copy of the intriguing new Star Wars novel, Master of Evil by Adam Christopher. A chilling and complex sounding Star Wars novel that will follow the newly forged Darth Vader as he completes his journey from Jedi to Sith Lord, Master of Evil is going to be pretty damn amazing, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka

One of the more entertaining new novels I received is the amazing Japanese thriller, Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka. A follow-up to some of his previous novels, including Bullet Train and Three Assassins, Hotel Lucky Seven sees the unlucky protagonist of Bullet Train find himself trapped in hotel with several other deadly assassins. Based on the author’s previous books, Hotel Lucky Seven is going to be a ton of fun, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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The Knight’s Pledge by Scott Mariani

Scott Mariani continues his Will Bowman series with the exciting novel, The Knight’s Pledge. The sequel to Mariani’s other 2025 release, The Pilgrim’s Revenge, The Knight’s Pledge will place the author’s compelling protagonist in even more danger as part of the Third Crusade. Sure to be an exciting and intense historical read, The Knight’s Pledge sounds fantastic and I’m hoping to get to it soon.

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Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

One of the more interesting new books I recently received was Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino. A fun debut novel from a new author, Best Offer Wins will examine just how far someone will go to win their dream house in the current housing market. Sure to be a gripping, and highly relatable read, Best Offer Wins sounds amazing and I’m planning to get to it in the next few weeks.

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The Shark by Emma Styles

While I’m still mainly focused on 2025, I have received some cool 2026 novels, including The Shark by Emma Styles, an intriguing Australian thriller I only recently highlighted. Set in Western Australia, The Shark will see two teenage protagonists kidnap the person they believe are behind a series of brutal killings, resulting in mind games and uncertainty. I love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to dive into its compelling narrative.

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How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson

Another great 2026 novel I recently received is the fantastic and funny sounding thriller, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates. The first book from Australian author Shailee Thompson, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates will feature a deadly series of murders at a speed dating event, in fun and apparently romantic, horror novel. I love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

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To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast

Next, we have the excellent dystopian novel, To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast. Set in a prison where the rich hunt the inmates, To Cage a Wild Bird has a ton of potential and I’m keen to check it out.

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The Crossroads by C. J. Box

The final book I want to highlight in this Book Haul post is the awesome 2026 novel, The Crossroads. The next book in C. J. Box’s long-running Joe Pickett thriller series, The Crossroads sounds like another awesome and action-packed novel that will no doubt keep me very entertained.

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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.