WWW Wednesday – 26 October 2022

On October 27, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme 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?

Seventeen by John Brownlow (Trade Paperback)

I have just started reading the awesome and very fun thriller novel, Seventeen by new author John Brownlow. A fast-paced read, Seventeen follows the world’s most lethal assassin who finds himself caught in the crossfire between his deadly predecessor and younger assassins wanting to take his place. I sped through the first 60 pages of Seventeen in one go and I am already pretty hooked by this cool read. I will probably knock this off in the next day or so and I think I’ll have a very enjoyable time doing so.

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Warhammer 40,000: The Wraithbone Phoenix by Alec Worley (Audiobook)

I have been having an absolute blast with my latest exploration of Warhammer 40,000 tie-in fiction, with The Wraithbone Phoenix by Alec Worley. Part of the Warhammer Crime subseries, The Wraithbone Phoenix follows two criminal abhumans, a ratling and an ogryn, as they attempt to steal their big score, the mysterious missing artefact known as The Wraithbone Phoenix. However, after a series of misfortunes, every criminal, assassin and treasure hunter on the planet knows what they are after, forcing them to fight through a horde of outrageous assailants. Naturally, I am having a ton of fun with this impressive Warhammer audiobook, and I look forward to finding out who gets the prize, and which of the many distinctive supporting characters is going to suffer a gruesome death.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Fairy Tale by Stephen King (Trade Paperback)

I finally managed to finish off the massive new Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale, and it proved to be quite an awesome read. While a bit long, Fairy Tale had a unique and compelling story that saw a teenage protagonist descend to a fairytale realm, which has been overtaken by dark forces. A classic adventure story with a compelling setting and Stephen King’s distinctive voice, Fairy Tale was an excellent read and I am glad I spent the time getting through it.

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In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan (Audiobook)

I managed to knock off In the Shadow of Lightning a few days ago and boy did Brian McClellan outdo himself with this first book in an awesome new series. Set in an inventive new fantasy world where all magic is associated with glass, In the Shadow of Lightning provides the reader with a complex and intriguing tale, rich with politics, espionage, action, betrayal and more. I had such an outstanding time listening to this captivating book and this is easily one of my favourite fantasy books of 2022. Review to follow soon.

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Warhammer 40,000: Dredge Runners by Alec Worley (Audiobook)

I was in the mood for something short and sweet at the start of the week, so I quickly checked out the short Warhammer 40,000 audio drama, Dredge Runners. The audio drama that introduces the protagonists of The Wraithbone Phoenix (which I am currently reading), Dredge Runners was an extremely clever and highly entertaining short that set the two rogues against criminals and corrupt law enforcement in a well-written and brilliantly paced read. Featuring an amazing voice cast, Dredge Runners was an exceptional audio drama that comes highly recommended.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Desert Star by Michael Connelly

I have got several awesome books to read at the moment, but I think I’ll dive into the new Michael Connelly crime fiction read, Desert Star, next. Once again bringing together two of Connelly’s impressive protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, Desert Star sees them dive into several intriguing cold cases, including a murder investigation Bosch has been obsessed about for years. I love Connelly’s amazing crime fiction books and this one has a lot of potential to be a great read. I look forward to checking out in the next few days and I have very high hopes that Desert Star will end up being one of the better crime fiction novels of 2022.

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Star Wars: The High Republic: Path of Deceit by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland

My plan after finishing The Wraithbone Phoenix is to start listening to the Path of Deceit audiobook, written by the intriguing team of Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland. The first entry in the second phase of The High Republic sub-series of Star Wars fiction, Path of Deceit introduces the reader to yet another version of the High Republic, this time in a period of exploration and discovery. I am quite intrigued to see what is happening at this point in the Star Wars universe and I can’t wait to find out what interesting story Gratton and Ireland have chosen to introduce it to us.

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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.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Horror Novels (Updated – 2022)

On October 25, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Horror, List5 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. In this latest edition of Top Ten Tuesday, readers get a Halloween Freebie, meaning that they can list whatever topic they want, although a horror or Halloween theme is encouraged. So, with that in mind, I thought I would take this opportunity to update a previous list where I highlighted my favourite horror novels of all time.

Back in 2020 for Halloween, I came up with a list where I looked at my top ten favourite horror novels. While horror is not my favourite genre, I ended up producing a rather interesting list with some unique entries that I was pretty happy with. This list got a bit of interest, and I decided I would make a bit of effort to come back to update this list every Halloween, especially if I had some new horror novels to add to it. I did an update last year with several awesome novels, and I have decided to come back to it again in 2022, especially as I have had the opportunity to check out some excellent and intense horror reads.

To sort out this update, I took a critical look at the previous version of the list and made some hard decisions about whether any of the horror novels I read in the last year might fit in better. I ended up making a few changes, with new entries replacing some of the existing books (all new entries in red). While I was sad to see some of the previously featured novels removed, I honestly felt that the new entries are better horror novels. This resulted in a fun new version of this list, and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

Honourable Mentions:

Later by Stephen King

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The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

Sandman Act 1 Cover

I had to include the audiobook version of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman here, as it has some great horror elements to it. While more of a fantasy/comic story than a pure horror comic, The Sandman did have some amazing horror sequences in it, which are really enhanced in the full-cast audiobook. The Sandman features several great horror scenes, but the most disturbing would have to be the infamous diner scene. Contained within the sixth chapter/issues, 24 Hours, this epic extended sequence shows a group of customers in a diner slowly driven insane and then brutally killed by the villainous Doctor Destiny using Dream’s stolen ruby. This entire chapter is masterfully portrayed and you cannot help but shudder at every atrocity the innocent patrons experience during the worst 24 hours of their lives. This trippy diner sequence was recently adapted in the recent The Sandman television series, and while that was good, especially with David Thewlis playing Doctor Destiny, I felt that the version in the comics was even darker and creepier. This, and a several other dark scenes, ensure The Sandman an honourable mention on this list and this comic and its audiobook adaptation are highly recommended for all horror fans.

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A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising by Raymond A. Villareal

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Death of the Black Widow by James Patterson and J. D. Barker

Death of the Black Widow Cover

Another entry that is not a full horror book, but which features amazing horror elements is the recent novel by James Patterson and J. D. Barker, Death of the Black Widow. Following a young cop who becomes obsessed with a mysterious woman he encounters on his first day on the job, Death of Black Widow is a twisty and intriguing read that takes the protagonist on a dangerous journey to the edge of sanity. Initially portrayed as a compelling thriller story, this book eventually develops some excellent horror elements, which led me to include it as an honourable mention. Extremely addictive, I loved this thriller/horror blend and I look forward to reading more books from this excellent team of writers.

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Top Ten List (unranked):

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

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Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

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The Dark by Jeremy Robinson

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Warhammer 40,000: The Bookkeeper’s Skull by Justin D. Hill

The Bookkeeper's Skull Cover

One of the more recent horror books I had the pleasure of reading was The Bookkeeper’s Skull by Justin D. Hill. Part of the intriguing Warhammer Horror subseries, The Bookkeeper’s Skull is a haunting and brilliant tale that makes full use of the grim Warhammer 40,000 setting. The book follows a planetary enforcer as he investigates a mysterious and cursed agricultural community plagued by a series of gruesome murders. Hill creates a spooky and malevolent atmosphere, and you are constantly left wondering who is going to end up dead next. Tightly paced and featuring some brilliantly dark examinations of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, The Bookkeeper’s Skull was an amazing read and I look forward to exploring more Warhammer Horror books in the future.

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The Anomaly by Michael Rutger

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Code Zero by Jonathan Maberry

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World War Z by Max Brooks

World War Z Cover 2

After years of hearing how awesome it was, I finally got around to enjoying the iconic zombie novel, World War Z by Max Brooks. One of the more unique zombie books out there, World War Z recounts the history a devastating, world-wide zombie apocalypse and the various people it impacts. Told through a brilliant chronicle method where multiple interesting characters recount their distinctive personal stories, you get an impressive, multifaceted narrative that covers the beginning, middle and end of the zombie wars. Epic in its scope and filled with some great stories and characters, it honestly does not take long to get extremely addicted to World War Z. While the focus is more on exploring the impacts a zombie apocalypse would have on the world, World War Z does have some pretty creepy moment. The darker tales of underwater zombies, massacres of modern armies, and the mental turmoil suffered by zombie survivors, are excellent horror material that makes this an easy book to include here. An epic and outstanding book that lived up to all the hype surrounding it.

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Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

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Devolution by Max Brooks

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Ink by Jonathan Maberry

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That’s the end of this latest Top Ten Tuesday list. I think that the new horror novels were great additions to the list, and I think this new version of the list turned out really well. Each of the above novels, both new inclusions and existing ones, are outstanding reads that come highly recommended to all horror fans. I look forward to seeing how this list evolves once again this time next year, especially as I am sure some amazing and spinetingling horror books are likely to come out in the next 12 months.

WWW Wednesday – 19 October 2022

On October 19, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

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?

I didn’t make as much progress with my reading this week as I would have liked, mainly because the two books I was reading last Wednesday are so damn long, and it is taking me time to get through them. Still, both are pretty exceptional, so I am happy enough taking my time reading them.

Fairy Tale by Stephen King (Trade Paperback)

Fairy Tale Cover

I am still going with the intriguing new Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale, which is so far proving to be quite an impressive read. Fairy Tale is an intense coming of age story that follows a teenage protagonist and his dog as they venture into a dangerous and mysterious fairy realm. I have really got caught up in this book, and while it is taking me a little while to get through it, Fairy Tale is an exceptional and captivating read that is really worth checking out.

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In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan (Audiobook)

In the Shadow of Lightning Cover

I am also still getting through In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan, and I am just a bit over halfway through the audiobook version of it at the moment. I am really regretting not listening to this outstanding book sooner as it is proving to be quite an epic read. While I knew I would probably have a great time with this novel, especially after how impressive his previous book, Promise of Blood turned out, I am still blown away by how compelling and addictive In the Shadow of Lightning is. Set in a new fantasy realm where magic is contained in glass, In the Shadow of Lightning has a great blend of intrigue, politics, action and character development, and I am absolutely loving this book, especially with all the unique fantasy features McClellan has come up with. I can’t wait to see how this book comes to an end, but this is already one of my top fantasy books of 2022.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Nothing to add in here, hopefully I’ll have a few books finished off by this time next week.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Seventeen by John Brownlow

Seventeen Cover

My plan, after I get through the massive brick that is Fairy Tale, is to dive into some of the intriguing thrillers I have sitting in my to-read pile. The first one of these that I need to check out is the compelling debut, Seventeen by John Brownlow. Set to feature a bunch of awesome assassin characters duking it out, Seventeen sounds pretty incredible and I look forward to seeing what happens in it.

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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.

WWW Wednesday – 12 October 2022

On October 12, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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?

Fairy Tale by Stephen King (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the new Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale, today, which is so far proving to be quite an impressive read. An intense coming of age story that will see its teenage protagonist and his dog venture into a dangerous fairy realm, this book is pretty awesome so far and I am quite intrigued to see how this entire novel unfolds.

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In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan (Audiobook)

I had several awesome audiobooks to start up this week, but in the end I went with In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan, mainly because of how much I enjoyed his previous book, Promise of Blood. I have made a fair bit of progress on this audiobook already and it is proving to be just as epic as I thought it would be. Set in a new fantasy realm where magic is contained in glass, In the Shadow of Lightning has a great blend of intrigue, politics, action and character development, and I am already very hooked. I can’t wait to see how this book continues and at the rate I’m going with it, I’ll probably finish it off by this time next week.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis (Trade Paperback)

An excellent Star Wars novel that did a wonderful job capturing the romance between Han Solo and Princess Leia. I deeply enjoyed this cool book and it ended up being quite an intriguing read.

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Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill (Audiobook)

This has to have been one of the better Warhammer 40,000 novels I have read recently, especially as it had a brilliant and dark story to it. Depicting a massive siege of formidable fortress, this was a very exciting book, and I loved the cool directions that McNeill took the story. I am hoping to get a review up for this soon in a Throwback Thursday article, but this is a must-read for all Warhammer fans.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Seventeen by John Brownlow

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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.

WWW Wednesday – 5 October 2022

On October 5, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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?

Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis (Trade Paperback)

I didn’t make as much progress with the new Star Wars release, The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis, this week as I would have liked. Still, I am about halfway through it at the moment, and I will make an effort to finish it off in the next day or so, especially as this is proving to be quite an interesting read. Set immediately after the events of Return of the Jedi, this book explores the relationship between Han Solo and Princess Leia in the current Star Wars canon. Featuring both their wedding and their turbulent honeymoon, this is a must-read for all Star Wars fans, and I am already having a great time getting through it.

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Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill (Audiobook)

I was in the mood for some classic Warhammer 40,000 adventures so I decided to check out the awesome sounding Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill. An older Warhammer 40,000 novel, Storm of Iron depicts a massive siege that see the infamous Iron Warriors Chaos Space Marines use all their craft to attack an impregnatable fortress. I have only just started listening to this book, but I know I am going to have an outstanding time with Storm of Iron.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Martyr by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I absolutely powered through the new Anthony Ryan book, The Martyr, in the last week and it really lived up to all my expectations and more. One of my most anticipated books of the year and the sequel to the impressive 2021 novel, The Pariah, The Martyr is a brilliant fantasy adventure about a young bandit turned scribe who finds his fate bound to a bold and pious warrior woman, who is set to bring real change to an intriguing fantasy realm. This second novel sees his quest get even more dangerous and complex, as he begins to understand the full implications of everything he is involved with, while also finding himself thrust into several deadly wars. This was a deeply captivating, powerful and exciting read that I had such an exceptional time getting through. A perfect follow-up to The Pariah, The Martyr is one of the best fantasy books of 2022 and comes highly recommended. Review to follow soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

I am still planning to read the new Stephen King novel, Fairy Tale, next, which should prove to be pretty epic. An intense and dark novel about a dangerous fairy realm, this book is going to be awesome and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

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Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

I am also hoping to read the next book in the epic Locked Tomb series by intriguing author Tamsyn Muir, Nona the Ninth. Part of an awesome series about damaged necromancers in a desolate far future, Nona the Ninth follows on from the impressive Gideon the Ninth (one of my favourite debuts of 2019) and Harrow the Ninth (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020). I have no doubt this is going to be one of the more unique and captivating books of 2022 and I can’t wait to read it.

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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.

WWW Wednesday – 28 September 2022

On September 28, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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?

Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis (Trade Paperback)

I just started to read the new Star Wars release, The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis. Set immediately after the events of Return of the Jedi, this cool book explores the relationship between Han Solo and Princess Leia in the current Star Wars canon. Featuring both their wedding and their turbulent honeymoon, this is a must-read for all Star Wars fans, and I am already having a great time getting through it.

Amazon Book Depository

The Martyr by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I have also just started the new Anthony Ryan book, The Martyr, which was one of my most anticipated books of the year. The sequel to the impressive 2021 novel, The Pariah, The Martyr is a brilliant fantasy adventure about a young bandit turned scribe who finds his fate bound to bold and pious warrior woman, who is set to bring real change to an intriguing fantasy realm. I have been having a lot of fun with this audiobook and I have already made a ton of progress on it. I very excited to see what happens next, and this is already turning out to be one of the better fantasy books of 2022.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik (Trade Paperback)

Well, I was certainly impressed with The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik. The epic sequel to A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate, The Golden Enclaves was one of my most anticipated novels of 2022, especially after the epic cliff-hanger Novik left at the end of The Last Graduate. While the story went in some different directions than I was expecting, this was still a very impressive read that did an incredible job wrapping up a pretty epic series. I really appreciated the way that Novik answered several of the linger questions from the first two novels, and this was an excellent final book that comes very highly recommended.

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The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I just finished listening to the third book in the awesome Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman, The Bullet That Missed follows on from The Thursday Murder Club and The Man Who Died Twice, both of which were incredible reads. This latest book contained another exceptional mystery as the titular Thursday Murder Club, four unusual retirees with a talent for solving crimes, embarked on investigating another compelling murder. Loaded with amazing humour, an excellent mystery and some sensational characters, The Bullet That Missed is another top book of 2022 and I am so very glad I got the chance to read it. Review to follow soon.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

The legendary Stephen King writing an intense and dark fairy orientated novel, yeah that’s going to be awesome and that is why it is the book I am hoping to read next.

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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.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books by My Favourite Authors That I Still Need to Read

On September 28, 2022 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 called for participants to list their favourite books with typographical covers. However, I really didn’t have much for that one so instead I decided to dive into the backlog of topics from the Artsy Reader Girl’s past and choose one that I didn’t have a chance to do. The one that caught my eye involved listing books by my favourite authors that I still need to read, and so that is what I am going to do.

As a reviewer, and indeed as a reader in general, it is very hard not to quickly pick up some favourite authors. We all have that select group of awesome writers whose work just seems to naturally click with you, and you must go out of your way to read more of these books. I honestly have quite a few of these favourite authors, and I am having a great time exploring their impressive reads. However, due to time constraints I rarely have time to read an entire author’s catalogue of works and there is always some book or series of theirs that I need to check out. As such, I had quite a few options to include in this latest list and I think I made some interesting choices, even if some of the authors I chose were a little predictable.

To fill out this list I went through all my favourite authors now and tried to figure out which of their books I haven’t had a chance to read yet, I would probably enjoy the most. This resulted in a very big collection of books, which took a bit of choosing to get through. I tried to narrow it down by excluding books that are part of a series that I am currently in the middle of reading, which removed a few books of this list (including the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, the Gray Man series by Mark Greaney and more). I also tried not to include recent releases from my top authors that I haven’t had a chance to read yet, as that would likely mimic some of my recent most anticipated reads lists. This ended up being quite a fun list to pull together, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Malice by John Gwynne

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Mr Mercedes by Stephen King

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Star Wars: Twilight Company by Alexander Freed

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Warhammer 40,000: Xenos by Dan Abnett

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Top Ten List:

The Demon Awakens by R. A. Salvatore

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The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie

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Sword and Scimitar by Simon Scarrow

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Dead of Night by Jonathan Maberry

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Sharpe’s Eagle by Bernard Cornwell

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Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson

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The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis

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Bright Steel by Miles Cameron

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The Black Echo by Michael Connelly

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While I Live by John Marsden

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Well, that’s the end of this list. As you can see, there are several epic and intriguing books out there from some of my favourite authors that I really want to read. I have no doubt that all the above books are going to be pretty damn epic and I cannot wait to eventually try them out when I get a chance. In the meantime, let me know which books do you need to read that that were written by your favourite authors.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2022 TBR

On September 6, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 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 Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week was around books I got for my personal library, however, I decided to instead move up my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read (TBR) for the following three months. This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and as this Tuesday is just before Spring (Autumn for folks in the Northern Hemisphere), this is the ideal time to put this up.

For this list, I have come up with 10 of the most anticipated novels that are coming out between 1 September 2022 and 30 November 2022. There are quite a few very cool novels set for release in the next few months that I am extremely excited for, including some of my most anticipated books of the year. Due to how impressive some of these upcoming books are, it took me a little while to finalise my list but I was eventually able to whittle it down into a Top Ten list (with a few honourable mentions). 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 Top Ten Tuesdays and Waiting on Wednesday articles and I think all of them will turn out to be pretty incredible reads. I have extremely excited for the next three months as quite a few up these upcoming reads are easily going to be amongst the best books of 2022.

Honourable Mentions:

Falling Sky by Harry Sidebottom – 13 October 2022

An epic adventure from one of the best current authors of historical fiction, Harry Sidebottom. Set to bring back his best protagonist for a ton of historical action and intrigue in the Alps, Falling Sky is going to be a lot of fun and I cannot wait to read it.

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The Boys from Biloxi by John Grisham – 18 October 2022

After having a fantastic time with Grisham’s latest legal thrillers, The Judge’s List and Sparring Partners, I am quite keen to read something else from this iconic crime fiction author. Luckily his new book, The Boys from Biloxi, sounds very impressive and I know I am going to have a blast getting through it.

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Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez – 1 November 2022

Last year, Jennifer Lynn Alvarez greatly impressed me her first young adult thriller, Lies Like Wildfire, which ended up being one of the best debuts of 2021. I loved the complex and clever story that Alvarez featured in Lies Like Wildfire, and it looks like she’s set to continue her awesome young adult thriller ways with the upcoming Friends Like These, which explore the deadly consequences of a drunken party.

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Death to the Emperor by Simon Scarrow – 8 November 2022

I will of course be grabbing the latest historical fiction epic from one of my favourite authors, Simon Scarrow, when it comes out in November. Scarrow’s last few books have all been very exciting and I cannot wait to read Death to the Emperor when it comes out, especially as it sets his long-running Roman protagonists against a massed rebellion in Britain.

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Top Ten List:

Fairy Tale by Stephen King – 6 September 2022

First on this list is the upcoming fantasy novel from legendary author Stephen King, Fairy Tale. I have been deeply enjoying King’s last few books, such as the fantastic Later and the epic Billy Summers, and I am very keen to see King dive into a dark fantasy novel. Set around a young boy who finds himself drawn into a dark realm of fairies and magic, Fairy Tale promises to be an exceptional read, and I know I am going to have a blast with it.

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Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir – 13 September 2022

Since her impressive debut in 2019 with Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir has been one of the most intriguing science fiction authors out there. Not only was her first book a ton of fun with its dark story around a group of space-faring necromancers, but her sequel, Harrow the Ninth, was a truly exceptional read that ended up being one of the best books and audiobooks of 2020. I am exceedingly excited to see what happens in the third book, Nona the Ninth, and it looks let to continue the fantastic body-swapping antics of the previous two novels. Nona the Ninth is likely to be one of the best and most distinctive science fiction reads of 2022, and I am very excited for it as a result.

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Oath of Loyalty by Kyle Mills – 13 September 2022

There are some excellent long-running spy thriller series at there now, but one of my favourites is the action-packed Mitch Rapp novels. Originally written by Vince Flynn, the Mitch Rapp novels follow the titular spy and assassin as he lays waste to America’s enemies around the world. The last several novels, such as Red War, Lethal Agent, Total Power, and Enemy at the Gates, have been written by Kyle Mills and feature some amazing narratives to them. I have been having an outstanding time getting through this series recently, and the next novel, Oath of Loyalty, looks set to be another awesome read. Oath of Loyalty will continue the feud between Rapp and the new US president and will force Rapp to defend his family when they are sold out to a deadly and unstoppable group of assassins. I love the sound of this epic read and I know I am going to have an amazing time with it.

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The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman – 15 September 2022

There was no way I can possibly exclude the upcoming Richard Osman novel, The Bullet that Missed, from this list. The third book in the Thursday Murder Club, which follows on from the exceptional The Thursday Murder Club (one of the best debuts of 2020) and The Man Who Died Twice (one of the best books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet that Missed will bring back Osman’s fun group of crime solving senior citizens and set them on a new case. I love the sound of this amazing book and I can’t wait to start reading it.

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The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik – 20 September 2022

Easily one of my most anticipated books coming out in the next few months is The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik. The third and final book in Novik’s exquisite and epic Scholomance trilogy, The Golden Enclaves will finally provide some closure to readers following the impressive first two novels, A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate. Both books have had perfect, dark magical school narratives, and I have had such an incredible time reading them. However, I have been dying to check out The Golden Enclaves for a year now, especially after that brutal cliff-hanger at the end of The Last Graduate, and I am just going to absorb this book the moment I get my hands on it.

Amazon Book Depository

Khaos by Jeremy Robinson – 18 October 2022

I have no doubt that one of the most exciting and action-packed novels of the next three months is going to be Khaos by Jeremy Robinson. Following on from Robinson’s fantastic and fun novels, Tribe, The Dark, and Mind Bullet, Khaos will set three groups of Robinson’s protagonists on a joint mission to Hades to free the gods and titans for an upcoming war. This book has so much damn potential and I can’t wait to see what chaos happens in Khaos.

Amazon

Usagi Yojimbo: Crossroads by Stan Sakai – 25 October 2022

After already being blessed with one volume of the incredible Usagi Yojimbo comic series this year with Tengu War!, I am exceeding happy that we are getting another volume with Crossroads. Crossroads looks set to enthrall readers with several great new stories, and I am very excited to see how Sakai continues his iconic comics. There is a very good reason why this is one of my favourite comic series of all time, and I cannot wait to get another volume extremely soon.

Amazon Book Depository

The Voyage of the Forgotten by Nick Martell – 3 November 2022

Another epic trilogy that is coming to an end in the next few months is Nick Martell’s Legacy of the Mercenary King series with the third and final book, The Voyage of the Forgotten. I have been absolutely and incredibly impressed with Martell’s first two novels, The Kingdom of Liars and The Two-Faced Queen, both of which have been exceptional five-star reads. I am extremely excited for the final book, and I cannot wait to see how Martell will wrap up the multiple complex and captivating storylines. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that The Voyage of the Forgotten is going to be one of the top books of the year and it is going to be something truly epic.

Amazon Book Depository

Desert Star by Michael Connelly – 8 November 2022

Another must-read I must include on this list is the next book from acclaimed crime-fiction author Michael Connelly. His new book, Desert Star, is the latest entry in his Ballard of Bosch series, which has already featured three amazing reads, Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire and The Dark Hours. This new book sets the great protagonists on another intriguing case, and I look forward to seeing how Connelly sets out his new great mystery.

Amazon Book Depository

Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence by Zoraida Cordova – 15 November 2022

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the new upcoming Star Wars novel, Convergence by Zoraida Cordova. Convergence is part of The High Republic sub-series and will set up the entire next phase of the High Republic. This new phase serves as a prequel to the previous High Republic novels, and I am very curious to see how everything ties together. This should be a very awesome Star Wars novel and I am sure I am going to have a lot of fun reading it.

Amazon Book Depository

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 pretty awesome.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Wish Had a Sequel

On June 14, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 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. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday participants are tasked with listing the top books that they wish had an epilogue. This is a pretty fun topic, although I’m going to alter it slightly and change epilogue to sequel. There are a ton of great books out there that really deserve a follow-up in some way shape or form and I can think of several awesome examples of the bat that I would really like to see more of.

To come up with this list I looked at some of my favourite standalone novels and series and had a think about which ones I thought deserved a sequel. I made sure to avoid novels which already have a planned sequel coming out in the future (even if it has been promised for a very long time), and mostly focussed on books that have nothing currently planned or where the author has no real intention of ever doing a sequel for. In most cases this is a real shame as I think that all the entries down below definitely deserve some more content in one shape or another.

Honourable Mentions

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra by Sara Kuhn

I loved this audio adaptation of the various comics featuring standout Star Wars extended universe character Doctor Aphra, and I hope that they consider doing a sequel that covers some of her other adventures.

The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde

Jasper Fforde honestly tied up everything pretty perfectly in this awesome novel, although I would gladly read more books about these hilariously sentient rabbits.

Kal Jerico series

It has been a couple of years since the last Warhammer 40,000 novel or comic featured the amazing character of Kal Jerico, bounty-hunter extraordinaire. The last novel, Sinner’s Bounty, was really good, and I want to see more of this amazing and flamboyant protagonist.

Later by Stephen King

An awesome book from last year that really needs a sequel at some point. Get onto it Stephen King!

Top Ten Tuesday:

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

I would give anything to see more of the freaky and terrifying mermaid monsters featured in this impressive horror read by Mira Grant. There is still so much story that could be continued here, and I hope that Grant fleshes out Into the Drowning Deep’s unique plot into a sequel or even a whole series.

A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising by Raymond A. Villareal

A fun and clever novel about a vampire epidemic springing up around the world. Villareal left a lot of potential storylines open and I would love to see this world explored more at some point.

The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

Even after finishing more than 10 years ago, The Inheritance Cycle remains one of my favourite all-time fantasy series to this day, mainly due to its clever world-building and massive narrative. As such, I would love to see more adventures set in this universe and there are a ton of unanswered questions that need to be explored.

Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

Ok, so technically Death Troopers, a fantastically fun novel about zombies in the Star Wars universe, did get a prequel with the Old-Republic novel Red Harvest, that explored the origins of the zombie virus. However, I personally would love to see more zombie-related stories in the Star Wars universe and I think it would a fun addition to the current canon (although I can’t really see Disney doing that). Still, never say never, especially for something this awesome.

The Coven trilogy by R. A. Salvatore

Bestselling fantasy author R. A. Salvatore absolutely killed it between 2018 and 2020 with The Coven trilogy. Set in his Corona universe and featuring the novels Child of a Mad God, Reckoning of Fallen Gods and Song of the Risen God, The Coven trilogy was extremely compelling and introduced some intriguing new characters while also bringing back some iconic figures from his Demon Wars Saga. The final book left with several storylines wide open and I have yet to see any indication that Salvatore is coming back to this universe anytime soon. Hopefully we’ll see a sequel trilogy in the next few years, I know I will have a great time with it.

The Holdout by Graham Moore

The Holdout was a cool standalone legal thriller from a few years ago that I had a brilliant time reading. While this initial story was wrapped up really well, I would love to see more jury-related storylines in the future, potentially with The Holdout’s protagonist involved in other controversial jury cases.

Nuking the Moon by Vince Houghton

Give me more fun stories about the most idiotic military plans and technology from history!

Star Wars: Dark Disciple by Christie Golden

Another great Star Wars book that deserves a sequel of some variety. Dark Disciple followed two major characters from the Star Wars extended universe, including Quinlan Vos (recently mention in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series), and I would love to see what happened to him, and other characters, after the events of this book and Order 66.

Devolution by Max Brooks

Devolution was one of my favourite books of 2020 and contained an outstanding standalone read about sasquatches attacking a small community. While this was a really awesome novel that came together extremely well in the end, I always felt that Brooks could have made his novel longer and expanded the story out a bit more. As such, I think a Devolution sequel would be pretty awesome as there are so many more details that could be explored.

Redshirts by John Scalzi

Could we get another one of these that parodies Star Trek: The Next Generation? Wil Wheaton’s narration of the audiobook version would be even funnier that way.

Well, that’s the end of this latest list. I hope you enjoy my somewhat unique choices above, and maybe if we’re lucky there might be some follow up novels to the in the future. In the meantime, let me know what books you think deserve fun sequels in the comments below?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I was SO EXCITED to Get, but Still Haven’t Read (Waiting on Wednesday list)

On May 17, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn List4 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. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday, participants are required to list their favourite books that the were excited to get but still haven’t had a chance to read. There is also a side requirement to list the length of time since you’ve received or heard about the book, which adds some interesting complexity to the list.

Now, one of the saddest things about being a reviewer is that there are always far too many books coming out every year to keep up with. Despite my best efforts, at the end of each year there are always multiple books that I am extremely sad that I never got the chance to read. These books have built up over the years, and I currently have an extended list of awesome sounding novels sitting around waiting to be read. Many of these have been captured in my weekly Waiting on Wednesday posts, and I am quite ashamed to say that quite a substantial number of novels I previously highlighted in these posts haven’t been read. As such, I thought I might slightly alter the underlying basis of this list slightly by looking at the ten oldest Waiting on Wednesday posts I have where I never actually got around to reading the book.

This ended up being a rather interesting list to pull together as I have highlighted quite a few great novels over the years. However, it was fairly easy to find the ten oldest Waiting on Wednesday posts on my blog where I haven’t read the book, and I added them to this list in descending order. I did have to make a few exclusions for a couple of books which still haven’t been released yet, and I also had to filter out some posts where I failed to review a book after reading it. Still, this left me with a rather interesting top ten list of cool books that I really need to check out. So let us see which are the ten books I have been waiting the longest to check out.

Top Ten List (Descending by Date of Waiting on Wednesday Article)

10. The Shadow Saint by Gareth Ryder – Hanrahan -6 November 2019

The Shadow Saint Cover

The sequel to one of the more intriguing debuts of 2019, The Gutter Prayer, The Shadow Saint is a fantastic sounding grimdark fantasy novel that I really need to take off the shelf and read.

9. Anyone by Charles Soule – 31 October 2019

Anyone Cover

An awesome sounding standalone science fiction novels from one of my favourite Star Wars authors, Charles Soule (author of Light of the Jedi, and several awesome comic series). Anyone is an interesting thriller set around a future where people can transfer their consciousness into other bodies. I love the sound of this concept and I hope I can make time to read it at some point.

8. The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso – 15 August 2019

The Obsidian Tower Cover

Easily one of the books I most regret not reading is The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso. The first book in the Rooks and Ruins series, which serves as a sequel to her impressive debut Swords and Fire trilogy (made up of The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir and The Unbound Empire), this book has been high on my to-read list for ages, but I can never seem to find the time to read it. This is a real shame, as I have heard that this is an exceptional novel, and I am sure the following books in the Rooks and Ruins series are going to be really incredible as well.

7. #Murderfunding by Gretchen McNeil – 3 July 2019

#MurderFunding Cover

A fun and deadly young adult thriller, #MurderFunding is the sequel to the great 2018 read, #MurderTrending, and it is one I have been hoping to read for a while. This delay is because I unfortunately didn’t get a copy of this when it first came out. While I did eventually grab a copy a few months ago, I still haven’t had the chance to read it, even after reading the great prequel novel #NoEscape. I honestly need to sit down and try to read this at some point, as I will probably just power through it and finish it off in a day.

6. Grave Importance by Vivian Shaw – 19 June 2019

Grave Importance Cover

The third book in the Dr. Greta Helsing series, Grave Importance is an excellent book about a doctor who specialises in helping the undead, and who finds herself wrapped up in a mystery involving mummies. I loved the first two books in this series, Strange Practice and Dreadful Company, and I really regret having not seen how the series continued. This is another mistake I really should try to rectify, especially as my copy of Grave Importance is constantly judging me from a nearby bookshelf.

5. The Institute by Stephen King – 9 May 2019

The Institute Cover 1

I loved the sound of this unique and interesting Stephen King novel when I heard about it in 2019, however, I didn’t get a chance to read The Institute when it first came out. Despite hearing some amazing things about it, I have never gone back to check it out, even after having a blast with King’s two 2021 novels, Later and Billy Summers. I will have to carve some time out for The Institute at some point, although there are also many, many other Stephen King books I also want to read.

4. Salvation Lost by Peter F. Hamilton – 1 May 2019

Salvation Lost Cover

Another book that I deeply regret not reading, Salvation Lost is the fantastic sounding sequel to the great 2018 read, Salvation by science fiction master Peter F. Hamilton. I absolutely loved Salvation when it came out, and I honestly cannot fathom why I keep failing to read Salvation Lost, it is completely mind boggling.

3. The Andromeda Evolution by Daniel H. Wilson – 13 March 2019

The Andromeda Evolution Cover

The recently released sequel to Michael Chrichton’s iconic technothriller, The Andromeda Strain. I was very interested to see what they did in this sequel, written 50 years after the release of the first book, however, I was never able to fit it into my reading schedule.

2. The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling – 16 January 2019

the luminous dead cover

An interesting and compelling sounding science fiction horror novel that caught my eye a few years ago. I failed to even get a copy of this book when it came out, although it is still on my radar to read. Hopefully I will get a chance at some point, but it may be a while.

1. Alien: Echo by Mira Grant – 19 December 2019

Alien Echo Cover

The final entry (and oldest post) on this list is Alien: Echo, which I have so many regrets about not reading. An amazing Alien tie-in novel from one of the best authors of horror fiction, the talented Mira Grant (Into the Drowning Deep is still one of my favourite horror novels), I have no idea why I never tried to read this, but I am constantly berating myself for not checking it out, especially as I know I am going to love it. Hopefully I pull myself together at some point to read it, so we’ll see how that goes.

Well, that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, there are several awesome novels that I really need to try and read at some point, especially as I have been thinking about most of them for multiple years now. All 10 books above sound extremely cool, and I desperately need to carve some time out to read them. In the meantime, let me know which books you most regret not reading, and if you’ve enjoyed any of the entries on this list, I would love to hear what you thought about them.