Tag: Stephen King

WWW Wednesday – 28 May 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday3 Comments

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:

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler (Trade Paperback)

I just started reading the hilarious fantasy novel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler.  The sequel to the amazing and deeply funny How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me sees the new titular Dark Lord try to save the humans she is supposed to conquer, all while trying to survive her own minions.  I’ve only made a little progress on this book so far, but it is already quite funny, and I know I’m going to love every second I spend reading it.

Amazon

 

Never Flinch by Stephen King (audiobook)

I also just started listening to the new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch.  Featuring one of the authors more compelling protagonists, Holly Gibney (from books like Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider and Holly), Never Flinch will pit her against some dangerous new foes, as she tries to catch a killer planning to murder 14 people, while also protecting a women’s rights activist from a stalker.  I have had an exceptional time with King’s recent crime fiction novels, and I have no doubt that Never Flinch is going to be one of the top books of 2025.

Amazon

What did you recently finish reading?

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold (Trade Paperback)

I ended up having a wonderful time getting through the epic urban fantasy novel, Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold this week.  An exceptional addition to the author’s Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind was a brilliant novel that comes very highly recommended, especially as Arnold continues to evolve as an author and produces an outstanding mystery in his complex fantasy world.

Amazon

 

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie (Audiobook)

I finally managed to finish off the epic and outrageous dark fantasy novel, The Devils by Joe Abercrombie, this week, and boy was it something special.  One of my most anticipated fantasy novels of 2025, The Devils followed a mismatched group of monsters as they try to survive a dark and magic-filled alternate medieval Europe and place an unlikely princess on the throne of Troy.  Wildy entertaining and deliciously over-the-top, The Devils was so damn good, and I loved every single second I spend listening to it.

Amazon

What do you think you’ll read next?

Nightshade by Michael Connelly

The next book I am planning to check out is the new Michael Connelly novel, Nightshade.  Following an interesting new protagonist who is forced to investigate a murder on an isolated and iconic Californian island, Nightshade should be another amazing read from Connelly, who has great impressed me over the years with his exceptional crime fiction novels.

Amazon

 

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 on my Autumn 2025 To-Be-Read (TBR) List

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List2 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 involved character quotes, which, while interesting, isn’t something I felt I could contribute to, and I am instead going to use this post to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the first Tuesday of Autumn 2025 and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Autumn (Spring for folks in the Northern Hemisphere).  This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 March 2025 and 31 May 2025 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section.  I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world.  I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles and my most anticipated books of 2025 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads.  I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Pacific Heights by S. R. White – 25 March 2025

An interesting murder mystery novel about multiple witnesses seeing the same murder in different ways from one of the more unique authors of Australian crime fiction.

Amazon

 

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold – 29 April 2025

An excellent new urban fantasy novel from Australian author Luke Arnold.

Amazon

 

Tyrant by Conn Iggulden – 27 May 2025

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Conn Iggulden, presents an awesome sequel to his 2024 novel Nero.

Amazon

 

The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell – 27 May 2025

An exciting sequel to the hilarious fantasy novel The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell.

Amazon

Top Ten List:

Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry – 4 March 2025

First up we have the next entry in one of my favourite series with Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry.  The fourth book in the Rogue Team International series and the 14th overall Joe Ledger book, Burn to Shine follows on from some outstanding books including Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and Cave 13 (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).  This latest Joe Ledger novel sounds particularly awesome, as the protagonist and his high-tech organisation will have to face off against various enemies and dangers from their past.  I cannot wait to see how Maberry pulls this book together and I have a feeling it is going to be a particularly dark, if key, entry in the Rogue Team International series.

Amazon

 

The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 6 March 2025

Next, we have the awesome historical fiction thriller, The White Fortress by the sibling team of Boyd and Beth Morrison.  The third book in the Tales of the Lawless Land series (which previously featured The Lawless Land and The Last True Templar), The White Fortress will continue to follow two awesome protagonists, an excommunicated knight and his brilliant wife, as they become embroiled in deadly conspiracies across medieval Europe.  This latest Tales of the Lawless Land book finds the protagonists in historic Croatia, attempting to stop a conquering warlord by uncovering the legacy of Marco Polo.  I have deeply enjoyed the previous entries in the series, both of which have been outstanding historical thrillers, and I cannot wait to see how this great writing team will showcase medieval Croatia and its secrets.

Amazon

 

A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow – 11 March 2025

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, Simon Scarrow, has another cool book coming out next week with the intense World War II thriller A Death in Berlin.  Following on from the previous entries in the series, Blackout and Dead of Night, A Death in Berlin will continue to follow the last honourable detective in Nazi controlled Berlin as he attempts to investigate controversial crimes his superiors are covering up.  This latest book will see the protagonist face off against Berlin gangsters and their powerful Nazi patrons and should be another bleak and intense read.  I always have so much fun with Scarrow’s books, and this sounds like an awesome addition to a great series.

Amazon

 

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzane Collins – 18 March 2025

I had to include the epic new Hunger Games book from Suzzane Collins, Sunrise on the Reaping, which has really caught my attention thanks to its cool premise and connection to the excellent Hunger Games books and films.  The second Hunger Games prequel novel (the other being A Ballard of Songbirds & Snakes), Sunrise on the Reaping will be a dark novel that follows the younger version of a fan favourite character as he participates in the largest and most brutal Hunger Games.  This book has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how Collins’ sets out this latest entry in her iconic series.

Amazon

 

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi – 25 March 2025

The always entertaining John Scalzi (Redshirts, The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain), returns with another hilarious and satirical science fiction novel that will pose an interesting hypothetical scenario; what if the moon turned into a cheese-like substance?  Set to follow multiple people across the world impacted by this phenomenon, When the Moon Hits Your Eye has one of the more unique plot ideas of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Amazon

 

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackon Bennett – 8 April 2025

The next book on this list is the impressive and awesome upcoming fantasy novel, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett.  The sequel to Bennett’s incredible novel, The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024), A Drop of Corruption will bring back the author’s outstanding duo of detectives as they investigate impossible crimes in a magical nation constantly besieged by giant monsters.  The first book in this series was quite exceptional, and I have very high hopes for this sequel as Bennett has come up with another cool mystery that will no doubt have wider implications for the entire nation.  A book with a very high ceiling that I know I will love!

Amazon

 

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie – 6 May 2025

There are few novels out in recent years that I have been as eager to read as The Devils by legendary fantasy author Joe Abercrombie.  The first new book from Abercrombie since he finished his Age of Madness trilogy (A Little Hatred, The Trouble with Peace and The Wisdom of Crowds), The Devils will set up a new series in an alternate, monster-filled version of medieval Europe.  Set to follow a hapless priest who will lead the worst of the worst in a daring mission to save the world from a coming apocalypse, The Devils sounds extremely cool, and I am curious to try a series from the author outside of his Third Law universe.  Based on how exceptional Abercrombie has been in the past, I already know that The Devils is going to be an epic grimdark read, and I cannot wait to see what outrageous scenarios and elaborate characters will populate this incredible upcoming book.

Amazon

 

Nightshade by Michael Connelly – 20 May 2025

One of the world’s best crime fiction authors, Michael Connelly, is spoiling us this year with the cool murder mystery Nightshade.  Nightshade introduces readers to a new Connelly protagonist, Detective Sitwell, a burnt-out cop forced out town and stationed on the beautiful Catalina Island away from trouble.  When he discovers a body dumped in the island’s harbour, Sitwell embarks on a dogged investigation to find the truth, no matter who he upsets.  I have been having an incredible time reading Connelly’s books in recent years, and I am very excited to see how this new novel unfolds, especially if Sitwell becomes a recurring protagonist in Connelly’s wider universe.

Amazon

 

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler – 27 May 2025

Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading the hilarious fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying.  This fantastic novel followed an unhinged protagonist trapped in a time loop within a fantasy world who, after centuries of torture, decides to stop trying to be the realm’s saviour and instead becomes its new dark lord.  Thanks to its cool scenario, comedic protagonist, and over-the-top story elements, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was a very awesome book to read, and I had an amazing time getting through its fun plot.  As such, I am extremely excited to read the sequel coming out this year, Everybody Wants to Rule Except Me, which will see the protagonist try to save the humans of the realm from an army of monsters she’s leading.  Sure to be another amazing send-up of heroes and villains in fantasy fiction, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me will likely be one of the funniest books I read in 2025, and I am very excited to explore its outrageous story.

Amazon

 

Never Flinch by Stephen King – 27 May 2025

The final book in this list has the potential to be one of the very best of the year with Never Flinch by the legendary Stephen King.  Set to bring back one of King’s more unique protagonists, unlikely investigator Holly Gibney, Never Flinch will serve as a continuation of the protagonist’s storylines from Mr. Mercedes (and its sequels), The Outsider and Holly.  This new book will see Holly face off against both a deadly killer and a deranged stalker, as she finds herself drawn into a new dark web.  I have no doubt that Never Flinch is going to be exceptional and should end up topping my best of 2025 book lists.

Amazon

 

 

Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list.  I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months, and frankly this might be one of the strongest three-month periods in 2025.  Each of the above should be extremely epic, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon.  Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months.  In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a few books to get through soon and they should all be awesome.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Thrillers, Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction and Comics releasing in the First Half of 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Comics/Manga, Historical Fiction, List, Murder Mystery, Thriller13 Comments

Welcome to my second Top Ten Tuesday list of the week, were I look at my most anticipated thrillers, crime fiction and historical fiction novels coming out in the first half of 2025. Traditionally I usually only do one list to represent the top upcoming books for the year, however, I was inspired to separate out the fantasy and science fiction novels into my previous list, while this list will feature epic reads from the other major genres that I am interested in.

Despite only just starting, 2025 is already shaping up to be an epic and exciting year for books with a huge range of impressive and highly anticipated novels due for release in the next 12 months.  This includes exciting debuts, anticipated sequels and the latest entries in beloved bestselling series.  The first half of the year is looking particularly awesome, with a substantial number of incredible upcoming releases that I am deeply looking forward to. 

Even though I excluded fantasy and science fiction books, this ended up being a rather difficult list to pull together due to all the awesome releases coming out in Australia or on Netgalley between 1 January 2025 and 30 June 2025.  There were way too many extraordinary upcoming books that I could have included, and I ended up having to make some very tough calls and cutting several novels that have an immense amount of potential.  Despite this, I am rather happy with the eventual choices that I made, and I think that this list reflects the upcoming novels and comics I am going to have the most fun reading. However, there are also some interesting new books that I am discussing for the first time here, so that should give this list a bit of variety.  So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated releases for the first half of 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman – 6 February 2025

An interesting and entertaining new murder mystery from one of my yearly must-read authors, Open Season continues the awesome Alex Delaware series and pits the detective protagonists against a killer determined to take out Hollywood hopefuls.

Amazon

 

Pacific Heights by S. R. White – 25 March 2025

One of the more interesting authors of Australian crime fiction, S. R. White (see my reviews for Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge) is set to release a standalone whodunnit with Pacific Heights.  Featuring a cool plot about detectives trying to unwind different stories about who killed someone from five separate witnesses, Pacific Heights sounds really awesome, and I cannot wait to check it out.

 

The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani by 24 April 2025

An exciting and intense revenge thriller set in the time of King Richard the Lionheart; The Pilgrim’s Revenge should be a very epic read.

Amazon

 

Vanish by Shelley Burr – 30 April 2025

Rising Australian author Shelley Burr follows up her excellent first two crime fiction novels, Wake and Ripper with the intriguing third entry Vanish.  Once again set in a small Australian community, Vanish will see the series’ damaged protagonist investigate a problematic commune as he attempts to find out the truth behind a long-lost missing girl.  Sure to be one of the top Australian releases of 2025.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Grave Danger by James Grippando – 14 January 2025

Back in 2024 I had the pleasure of reading my first book from impressive James Grippando, Goodbye Girl, a fantastic entry in the author’s Jack Swyteck series.  A compelling and twisty legal thriller, Goodbye Girl was really fun to read, and I am now quite keen to continue the series.  As such, I am planning to grab the upcoming book, Grave Danger, as soon as it comes out.  Featuring an intriguing case about international child custody and murder, Grave Danger has some real potential, and I know I am going to have a great time with this awesome book.

Amazon

 

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 40: The Crow by Stan Sakai – 4 February 2025

A very easy inclusion to this list was the next entry in one of my favourite comic book series with volume 40 of the Usagi Yojimbo series, The Crow.  I only just published a review of the previous volume, Ice and Snow, a few days ago, so I am quite excited to see that a new entry is coming out very soon.  Set to continue some of the author’s excellent ongoing storylines about the titular rabbit ronin, The Crow should be another awesome volume in the series, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it the first chance I get.

Amazon

 

Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz – 11 February 2025

Early 2025 is filled with a ton of great spy thrillers from some of my favourite authors, and that includes the new Orphan X book from Gregg Hurwitz, Nemesis.  Set after the events of the 2024 book, Lone Wolf, Nemesis will see the former government assassin turned vigilante protagonist square off against his best friend over secrets that were kept from him.  However, other shadowy players soon reveal themselves, and Orphan X will need to fight deadly enemies and a former friend to survive.  This looks set to be a particularly compelling and emotionally charged addition to the series and I cannot wait to check it out.

Amazon

 

The Medici Return by Steve Berry – 11 February 2025

Each year I have a ton of fun with the entertaining and elaborate Cotton Malone books by Steve Berry that combine modern thriller storylines with hidden historical secrets and elaborate historical settings.  Books like The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web, The Last Kingdom and The Atlas Maneuver, have all really impressed me, and the Cotton Malone books are now a must-read for me each year.  This includes the early 2025 release, The Medici Return, which will see a dark conspiracy emerge in Italy when an ancient debt owed by the church threatens to destabilise everything.  This sounds like another awesome thriller, and I cannot wait to dive into the history of the famous Medici family with this new fantastic book.

Amazon

 

Midnight Black by Mark Greaney – 18 February 2025

A spy thriller book I am particularly keen to get my hands on this year is Midnight Black by Mark Greaney.  The 14th book in Greaney’s Gray Man series, Midnight Black follows on after the cliffhanger ending of The Chaos Agent and sees the titular assassin protagonist burn through Russia and Siberia to free his imprisoned love interest.  This latest Gray Man book has the potential to be one of the most intense and impressive novels of 2025, and I cannot wait to see how Greaney continues his elaborate and always action-packed series.

Amazon

 

Burn to Shine by Jonathan Maberry – 4 March 2025

Readers of this blog will know I am a huge fan of Jonathan Maberry, so the inclusion of his next big thriller, Burn to Shine, on this list should come as no surprise, especially after I just published reviews of his 2024 books NecroTek and The Dragon in Winter.  Once again focussing on the author’s iconic protagonist, Joe Ledger, Burn to Shine will be the fourth book in the Rogue Team International series, which has previously featured such awesome books as Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), and Cave 13 (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).  This new entry in the series will see Ledger and his team deal with a new world-ending threat, with old enemies returning, seeking revenge.  I really love the sound of this new book, and I already know it’s going to get a five-star rating from me.

Amazon

 

A Death in Berlin by Simon Scarrow – 13 March 2025

After wowing me last year with Revenge of Rome, one of my favourite historical fiction authors, Simon Scarrow looks set to continue one of his other cool series with the third Berlin Wartime thriller, A Death in Berlin.  Following on from Blackout and Dead of Night, A Death in Berlin will once again place Scarrow’s complex protagonist, the last honest detective in Berlin, as he tries to investigate dark crimes in the shadow of World War II and the crimes of the Nazi regime.  I have deeply enjoyed the previous Berlin Wartime thrillers, and I cannot wait to see what elaborate story Scarrow has for us this time.

Amazon

 

The White Fortress by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 15 April 2025

The awesome team of thriller author Boyd Morrison and historian Beth Morrison return with the third book in their Tales of the Lawless Land series, The White Fortress.  Continuing the story started in The Lawless Land and its sequel The Last True Templar, The White Fortress will once again follow the author’s excommunicated knight protagonist and his adventurous wife as they become embroiled in dangerous quests across 14th century Europe.  This time, the pair end up in Croatia, where they become involved in a deadly plot involving a prophecy and a lost codex written by Marco Polo.  I have had an amazing time with the first two books in the series and I cannot wait to see how this wonderful pair of authors continue their ambitious and thrilling historical series.

Amazon

 

Nightshade by Michael Connelly – 20 May 2025

One of my most anticipated upcoming murder mysteries is the new Michael Connelly novel, Nightshade.  While the cover for Nightshade has yet to be released, the plot synopsis sounds really cool as Connelly introduces a new police protagonist assigned to the idyllic Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles who is forced to investigate a sinister murder when a body washes up on the shore of the island.  I love the idea of exploring a new Connelly character, especially one based around a cool setting, and this should end up being an excellent and strong murder mystery from this always compelling author.

Amazon

 

Never Flinch by Stephen King – 27 May 2025

The final book I want to highlight on this list is probably the one I am most excited for this year with the new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch.  I have been having such a great time getting into Stephen King’s incredible books these last few years, and some of his most recent releases, such as Later, Fairy Tale, Billy Summers and You Like It Darker, have completely enthralled me. However, my favourite Stephen King books have so far been his compelling dives into crime fiction. Starting with the dark and powerful Mr Mercedes and featuring the three outstanding Bill Hodges books, King has expanded his crime fiction works by focussing on the unique protagonist of Holly Gibney. The subsequent Holly Gibney focused books, The Outsider (one of my favourite horror novels) and Holly (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), were extremely exceptional, and I have loved the brilliant, yet shocking, narratives they contained.  As such, I am very, very keen to read the upcoming Holly Gibney book, Never Flinch.  Set to follow this great protagonist as she deals with two dangerous opponents, a serial killer and a stalker, Never Flinch sounds incredible, and I have no doubt this will be one of the best things I read in 2025.

Amazon

 

 

That is the end of this list.  I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming books that should prove to be incredible reads.  I think that nearly every one of these books has the potential to get a full five-star rating from me and I cannot wait to see what amazing and exciting stories they contain.  While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you, as well as what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.  Also, make sure to check out my other Top Ten List with the top upcoming fantasy and science fiction books of 2025.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List41 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and feature bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  As we roll into the new year I am going to list my absolute favourite books of 2024, which is something I look forward to every year.  This is a continuation of several lists I have done in recent weeks that highlighted the authors and books that have most impressed me this year.  Previous lists looked at topics like my favourite pre-2024 novels, as well as my favourite audiobooks, sequels, and new-to-me authors of 2024.  However, this list is the big one as it covers my absolute favourite releases of the year, of which there are quite a few.

I think we can all agree that 2024 has been another rollercoaster year for the world, but thankfully readers got a little bit of solace as this was an amazing year for books, with a huge range of incredible releases coming out across the genres.  Not only did several outstanding new series start but we had some exceptional debuts, and some big continuations of established works.  I have had an amazing time reading or listening to some outstanding books this year and quite a few releases have become instant favourites.  I must admit that I somewhat struggled to pull this list together, as there were so many books that deserved to be mentioned.  Therefore, because I am a very soft touch, and because the quality of the books I read this year was so impressive, I have decided to expand this list out to 20 entries (just like I have the last five years, I’m a very soft touch).  These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2024, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.

To make it onto this list a book only needed to be released here in Australia during 2024.  I have naturally excluded anything I have not read yet, even though there were quite a few awesome-sounding books I sadly didn’t squeeze into my reading schedule.  I decided to leave off my usual Honourable Mentions section as the extra 10 entries make it unnecessary.  There will be a bit of crossover between the below entries and some of my previous lists.  For example, several of these novels appeared on my Top Ten Favourite Audiobooks of 2024 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2024 list, which I ran back into July.  Overall, I am very happy with how this Top 20 list turned out and I think it contains a pretty good range of novels that showcase the different types of books that I chose to read this year.  So, without further ado, here is the list.

 

Top Twenty List:

The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry

Let’s start this list off with the exceptional fantasy novel, The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry.  The third and final book in the Kagen the Damned trilogy, The Dragon in Winter follows on from the exciting and impressive reads,  Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and  Son of the Poison Rose (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).  Featuring an outstanding and action-packed dark fantasy storyline that saw the damned and damaged series protagonist attempt to finally get his vengeance during the final battles of a brutal war.  Intense, powerful and loaded with some dramatic character moments, The Dragon in Winter was an awesome end to one of my favourite fantasy trilogies and I was enthralled the entire way through this great book.

Amazon

 

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

Richard Osman has really become a notable fixture on these end of year lists thanks to his brilliant and hilarious Thursday Murder Club books (The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die).  This year he presented readers with a new treat in the standalone thriller, We Solve Murders.  Featuring the exceptional humour and fantastic writing that made the Thursday Murder Club books so much fun, We Solve Murders is a clever and addictive international thriller focused on a great new group of protagonists.  Witty, charming and extraordinarily compelling, We Solve Murders was another incredible novel from Osman that I cannot recommend enough.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers

2024 proved to be an outstanding year for Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and I had the pleasure of reading multiple fantastic novels from this franchise.  One of the best was the captivating and cynical novel, Above and Beyond.  The sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Outgunned, Above and Beyond reunites Flower’s damaged protagonists, a broken propaganda expert and a crass heroic pilot, for another outrageous adventure.  Cleverly examining the role propaganda plays in the wars of the grim future, Above and Beyond ended up being a very exciting and powerful thriller that I could not get enough off.  An incredible novel from one of the fastest rising Warhammer authors (make sure to also check Flower’s novella in Da Red Gobbo Collection).

Amazon

 

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Earlier this year I had the great pleasure of reading The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett.  An intriguing combination of fantasy and crime fiction, The Tainted Cup focussed on an unusual investigative duo in a monster besieged fantasy kingdom as they attempt to uncover the truth behind a series of brutal magical killings.  The Tainted Cup proved to be an exceptional and intelligent novel I could not put down as Jackson effortlessly combined complex fantasy elements with his brilliant murder mystery narrative.  One of the most inventive books of 2024, The Tainted Cup was something truly special, and I cannot wait to dive into the sequel, A Drop of Corruption, in the new year.

Amazon

 

The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney

I had a brilliant time in 2024 continuing Mark Greaney’s awesome Gray Man spy thriller series with The Chaos Agent.  Setting his iconic spy protagonist against a dangerous and terrifying new enemy, The Chaos Agent had a fantastic story behind it that proceeded to get very crazy once some memorable weapons are unleashed.  An amazing entry in one of the best thriller series out there, The Chaos Agent was epic from start to finish and leaves readers on a major cliffhanger that I am looking forward to seeing resolved in 2025 with Midnight Black.

Amazon

 

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor

One of the more unique novels of 2024 had to be The Gathering by C. J. Tudor.  A powerful and clever murder mystery set in a world where vampires exist, The Gathering follows a government vampire expert who travels to an isolated town to determine whether a recent murder was as vampire kill and whether the local colony should be exterminated.  Blending a great small-town murder narrative with an inventive world history featuring vampires, The Gathering was such a compelling and dark book, and I loved every single second I spent reading it.

Amazon

 

Play of Shadows by Sebastien De Castell

While I have previously enjoyed some of Sebastien De Castell’s great fantasy fiction before with The Malevolent Seven, this year I dove into his Greatcoat’s universe with the relentlessly entertaining novel, Play of Shadows.  The first book in his new Court of Shadows series, Play of Shadows followed a fugitive actor who gains the ability to manifest the spirt of a notorious historical villain whenever he appears on stage.  Suddenly caught in a massive city-wide conspiracy, the protagonist needs to survive to tell the spirit’s true story and soon finds out just how deadly the theatre can be.  A truly fantastic and fun novel that I couldn’t stop reading, Play of Shadows had such a unique and powerful story behind it that perfectly fit into the author’s existing universe.  A highly recommended novel, especially when read in concert with the outstanding prequel, Crucible of Chaos, that was released just in advance of Play of Shadows.

Amazon

 

The Mercy Chair by M. W. Craven

Awesome crime fiction author M. W. Craven had a great 2024, as he released two books including the outrageous thriller Nobody’s Hero.  However, my favourite novel of his was the sixth book in the Washington Poe series, The Mercy Chair.  Following the author’s cynical protagonist and his unusual team as they investigate the brutal murder of a controversial religious leader, The Mercy Chair contained an exceptionally intense narrative as the protagonists uncover a raft of shocking secrets that will shake you to your very core.  A dark and twisty British murder mystery, The Mercy Chair was a truly remarkable read that had me hooked from start to finish thanks to its barrage of clever reveals.  One of the best pure murder mysteries of 2024.

Amazon

 

NecroTek by Jonathan Maberry

In addition to The Dragon in Winter, Jonathan Maberry also released the dark and compelling science fiction novel, NecroTek.  A cool dive into pure science fiction, Maberry utilised his usual style to effectively tell a massive tale of survival in strange space as the protagonists encounter Lovecraftian horrors and must fight them using necromancy-infused alien technology.  Intense, compelling, and loaded with some powerful human moments, NecroTek was another impressive novel from Maberry in 2025 that I had to feature here as well.

Amazon

 

The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne

John Gwynne brought his epic Bloodsworn Saga to an end in a big way with The Fury of the Gods.  The final book in the trilogy that has previously featured the amazing reads The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods, The Fury of the Gods was a very awesome read that saw all the various character arcs finally come together as everyone picked a side in massive war between gods and mortals.  Making full use of the series’ Viking aesthetic, The Fury of the Gods was an exceptional fantasy epic from start to finish, and I deeply enjoyed how Gwynne brought everything together.

Amazon

 

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

This was a bumper year for Adrian Tchaikovsky as he released several amazing books across the science fiction and fantasy genres.  Of the ones I have so far read my favourite was Service Model.  An intriguing and captivating novel that follows a robot exploring a post-apocalyptic wasteland, this book was filled with great humour and cynical take on the future of humanity.  Service Model ended up being a very highly entertaining novel that I cannot recommend enough, especially to readers looking for something particularly clever and funny.

Amazon

 

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai

A surely unsurprising inclusion on this list is the latest Usagi Yojimbo comic, Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai.  One of my favourite comic series, I always make sure to grab the new Usagi Yojimbo volume each year and they always prove to be quite exceptional.  Ice and Snow was a particularly epic entry in the series, as the protagonists face off against a raft of supernatural foes, including Usagi’s dark nemesis Jei.  Beautifully drawn and incredibly fun to read, Ice and Snow was another brilliant and beautiful comic that I powered through the second I got my hands on it.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick

The other Warhammer 40,000 novel I wanted to include on this list was the twisted Renegades: Lord of Excess.  The debut novel of Rich McCormick, Lord of Excess followed a warband of the hedonistic Emperor’s Children traitor Space Marines as they take over an isolated planet.  McCormick perfectly captures the obsessive nature of his colourful characters, and I loved seeing the villain’s perspective in this deliciously dark novel.  I had an incredible time with this warped and complex character driven novel, and McCormick is an impressive new talent to keep an eye on.

Amazon

 

The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston

After wowing me with amazing books like The Traitor God, God of Broken Things and The Maleficent Seven, Cameron Johnston continues to get even better as an author with his 2024 release, The Last Shield.  Essentially a gender-bent, fantasy fiction Die Hard, The Last Shield sees a group of bandits and traitors take over a royal palace to rob its vault filled with powerful magical artifacts.  The only hope the inhabitants have is the wounded commander of the palace guard, who fights back from the many hidden passages to save those she loves.  Clever, compelling and loaded with so much incredible action, The Last Shield was a highly addictive read that I really couldn’t put down and Johnston is swiftly becoming one of my favourite dark fantasy authors.

Amazon

 

King’s Enemy by Ian Ross

Ian Ross brought his incredible de Norton historical fiction series to a gripping end with King’s Enemy.  Following on from Battle Song and the other 2024 release War Cry, King’s Enemy saw the recently knighted protagonist, Adam de Norton, declared a traitor and king’s enemy for the role he played in Simon de Montford’s rebellion.  Determined to fight back after losing everything, de Norton journeys towards the last bastion of resistance against the crown and finds himself engulfed in one of the most famous sieges in English history.  A fantastic and captivating novel loaded with adventure, action and some fascinating historical detail; King’s Enemy was an outstanding book that is really worth checking out.

Amazon

 

A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan

Acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan followed up his Covenant of Steel series (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor) in a big way with the new book, A Tide of Black Steel.  Featuring an exciting and intriguing new narrative that expands Ryan’s existing setting, A Tide of Black Steel was an epic fantasy novel that I had so much fun with, especially on audiobook.

Amazon

 

Darkside by Michael Mammay

Another awesome novel that is particularly cool on audiobook is Darkside by Michael Mammay.  The fourth book in the author’s excellent Planetside series (Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), Darkside follows a maverick former military officer when he investigates a missing persons case at a mining operation on an isolated moon.  Featuring intrigue, mystery and warring corporations, Darkside was another exceptional read from Mammay and one I really got hooked on.

Amazon

 

You Like it Darker by Stephen King

I just had to highlight the exceptional short story collection You Like It Darker by the legendary Stephen King on this list.  Featuring 12 short stories from King, You Like it Darker was a horror-themed thrill ride from start to finish as the author wowed me with his versatility and unique narratives.  This volume contains some noteworthy short stories, including a sequel to Cujo and an outstanding story about the downsides of psychic visions, all of which grabbed my imagination and refused to let go.  I loved every second I spent with You Like It Darker, and I cannot wait to experience more Stephen King awesomeness in 2025, especially with the epic upcoming book Never Flinch.

Amazon

 

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang

One of the most inventive and powerful fantasy novels I read this year was Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang, which, while technically released as an independent novel last year, I’m counting it as a 2024 release as that’s when it officially came out here in Australia.  I have so much love for Blood Over Bright Haven, as Wang centres a complex and emotionally charged narrative around an intriguing and unique magical system.  The result is an intense and memorable book that hits the reader with some amazing twists.  I honestly have still not recovered from all the big reveals of this book, and it was all I needed to read to become a major fan of this awesome author.

Amazon

 

Deep Black by Miles Cameron

The last book I want to highlight on this list is the massive and captivating science fiction epic Deep Black by Miles Cameron.  The sequel to the exceptional Artifact Space, Deep Black continues to follow a gigantic human trading space vessel as it attempts to survive a complex conspiracy to destroy it.  Featuring some impressive science fiction detail, powerful action sequences, and an elaborate plot, Deep Black was an outstanding read and a worthy final entry for this best-of-2024 post.

Amazon

 

Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2024. It turned out to be quite a good list in the end, and I am very glad that I was able to highlight so many fantastic books.  2025 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books next week.  In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2024 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Pre-2024 Novels

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List11 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. This week participants of Top Ten Tuesday get a freebie to list whatever topics they want.  So, I am going to take this opportunity to start my annual end-of-year lists here by looking at my favourite pre-2024 novels that I read this year.

Each December I have a lot of fun looking at some of the best and most impressive books and comics that I have read throughout the year in a series of Top Ten Lists.  While these lists will mostly focus on books that came out in 2024, for the last few years I have also taken the time to list out some of the best older novels that I have read in the last 12 months.  There are some excellent novels that were released pre-2024 out there that I haven’t had the chance to read before and it is always fun to go back and explore them.  I ended up reading a bunch of awesome older books throughout 2024, including some incredible novels that got easy five-star ratings from me and are really worth checking out.

To come up with this list I had a look at all the novels I read this year that had their initial release before 2024.  This proved to be a momentous task, as I read a ton of older books this year, including quite a few Warhammer 40,000 tie-in novels.  Despite the awesome array of older novels and audiobooks I enjoyed this year, I eventually managed to pull together a fantastic list that covered some of the best books released before 2024 that I read.  As I have in previous years, I combined novels that are part of the same series into a single entry, just to diversify it up a bit.  While I might be cheating in places, this list honestly reflects the best pre-2024 novels I read throughout the year, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000 Brutal Kunnin by Mike Brooks – 2021

A highly entertaining read from a great rising star of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.  Brutal Kunnin was particularly funny, and it allowed me to read it’s 2024 sequel, Da Big Dakka, in all it’s hilarious glory.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000 Witchbringer by Steven B. Fischer – 2022

A fantastic Warhammer 40,000 debut from a couple of years ago, Witchbringer was an awesome novel that I was really happy to finally check out.

Amazon

 

Rebellion by Simon Scarrow – 2023

I got Rebellion, the 2023 entry in one of my favourite historical series, a bit late last year and it ended up being an early January 2024 read for me as a result.  A captivating and action-packed novel, Rebellion was amazing and comes highly recommended.

Amazon

Top Ten List:

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett – 1989

I had a ton of fun re-reading one of my favourite Discworld novels this year with Guards! Guards!.  One of Terry Pratchett’s best books, Guards! Guards! was just as amazing as I remembered it, and I still laugh at its elaborate narrative and exceptional humour.  While I have read Guards! Guards! before, I’m including it on this list as it was the first time I listened to the new audiobook version with Jon Culshaw, Peter Serafinowicz and Bill Nighy.  An incredible listen that I cannot recommend enough.

Amazon

 

Gaunt’s Ghosts series by Dan Abnett – Straight Silver and Sabbat Martyr – 2002

As with last year’s pre-2023 book post, this list could have been dominated by the works of Dan Abnett if I hadn’t combined a few posts together.  That is because I am still making progress on his Gaunt’s Ghosts series, which is one of the seminal pieces of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.  Following the common soldiers of the Tanith First and Only, better known as Gaunt’s Ghosts, this series is a gritty series about camaraderie and the horrors of war for the common human soldier in the grim future of the Warhammer universe.  I managed to get through two exceptional entries in the series this year, Straight Silver and Sabbat Martyr, both of which were epic in their own way.  Featuring great characters, dark moments, and some particularly realistic depictions of war, these novels were so damn good, and I loved every second I spent listening to them.  I am hoping to dive even deeper into this series next year, and I know I am going to love it.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Double Eagle by Dan Abnett – 2004

One of the absolute best Warhammer 40,000 novels I enjoyed in 2024 was another classic read from Dan Abnett, Double Eagle.  A spin-off from his Gaunt’s Ghosts series (The Guns of Tanith specifically), Double Eagle was an exceptional and highly intense read that followed various Imperial pilots as they fight a brutal air war above a contested planet.  Essentially the Battle of Britain in the grimdark future, Double Eagle was utterly addictive, and I loved every single second I spent listening to it.  A must read for all Warhammer 40,000 fans, Double Eagle is just incredible, and I am looking forward to the sequel, Interceptor City, which is coming out soon.

Amazon

 

Ciaphas Cain series by Sandy Mitchell – The Traitor’s Hand (2005), Death or Glory (2006), Duty Calls (2007) and Cain’s Last Stand (2008)

Another long-running Warhammer 40,000 series I read in 2024 was the Ciaphas Cain series by Sandy Mitchell.  Following the heroic Commissar Cain as he fights in multiple battlefields, the Ciaphas Cain books are a particularly fun Warhammer 40,000 series due to the hilarious protagonist who is a lot more cowardly and practical than most people realise.  I read four books in this series this year, mainly because they are so easy to listen to and enjoy.  This includes The Traitor’s Hand, Death or Glory, Duty Calls and Cain’s Last Stand.  All four were extremely good and featured distinctive and entertaining stories, with the last three featuring a great, loosely connected storyline.  If I had to choose a favourite it would probably be Death or Glory, that set a young Ciaphas Cain on his path to hero status when he accidently leads a band of human survivors Mad Max style to victory.  An outstanding series I will probably read more of in 2025.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons – 2010

As I’m on a roll with awesome older Warhammer 40,000 novels, the next book on this list is the impressive Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons.  A particularly dark addition to the canon, Dead Men Walking pits Lyon’s favourite Imperial Guard faction, the Death Korps of Kreig (who Lyons also writes about in Kreig and The Siege of Vraks), against the unstoppable metal-coated Necrons, resulting in a devastating battle against two equally unrelenting foe.  Cleverly told from the perspective of the normal humans caught in the crossfire of this brutal war, Dead Men Walking showcases just how dark Warhammer 40,000 fiction can get, and I loved the entire captivating and ironic story.

Amazon

 

Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher – Skin Game (2014) and Peace Talks (2020)

After a couple of years of having a brilliant time exploring the Dresden Files books, I finally finished off the series this year by reading Skin Game and Peace Talks.  Two excellent and compelling entries in the series, these books were particularly awesome in all the right ways.  My favourite of the two was Skin Game, which saw the wizard protagonist forced to team up with his worst enemies to complete an impossible magical heist.  However, the other book, Peace Talks, was also particularly moving and exciting, especially as it set up Butcher’s other 2020 novel Battle Ground, which is where I entered the Dresden Files series.  I have had such an incredible time reading the Dresden Files books over the years, and I hope we start to get some new entries in it soon.

Amazon

 

The Outsider by Stephen King – 2018

One of the books I was particularly happy to read in 2024 was the intense and brilliant Stephen King novel The Outsider.  A complex, dark and shocking horror thriller, The Outsider starts off with a great concept when a local hero is accused of a terrible crime and all the evidence irrefutably shows that he did it.  The problem, the accused claims to be innocent and he has an impossibly airtight alibi.  I loved the fantastic and powerful story King wove around this idea, and I honestly could not stop listening to it.  Probably one of the better King books I have so far read, The Outsider was so damn good and still cannot get over its exceptional story.

Amazon

 

The Sandman – Act III by Neil Gaiman – 2022

After having a great time listening to the first audiobook adaptations of The Sandman in previous years (see my reviews for Act I and Act II), I managed to listen to the third act this year.  An intriguing continuation of the story, Act III featured an excellent and addictive story, told by an all-star full cast of excellent actors and voice talent.  I had such an outstanding time listening to the complex tales contained within this latest adaptation of The Sandman and I really cannot recommend it enough as an awesome way to enjoy this brilliantly dark and inventive series.  I hope we eventually get a fourth act of The Sandman at some point, as I really need closure around how the series ends.

Amazon

 

Saevus Corax Captures the Castle and Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder by K. J. Parker – 2023

After having an exceptional time with Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead last year (one of my favourite books of 2023), I made sure to read the simultaneously released sequels, Saevus Corax Captures the Castle and Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder in 2024.  Both were clever and hilarious reads that followed the series’ smart, cynical and unlucky protagonist through a series of complex adventures.  These sequels were extremely well written and planned out, and I loved how the overarching series came together.  I cannot recommend the final two Corax books enough, and together with Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead, they form and exceptional and extremely smart trilogy.

Amazon

 

Crucible of Chaos by Sebastien de Castell – 2023

The final book I want to feature on this list was the captivating fantasy novel, Crucible of Chaos by Sebastien de Castell.  A loosely connected prequel to de Castell’s new Court of Shadows series, which started this year with Play of Shadows, Crucible of Chaos was an outstanding read that I am glad I went back to check out.  Set in the author’s Greatcoats universe, Crucible of Chaos follows an unlikely magistrate as he journeys to an isolated monastery to arbitrate a religious dispute that has broken out on the grounds.  However, upon arriving he discovers that the situation has irrevocably deteriorated, and he must investigate a terrible murder amongst on the storm rocked island, whilst dealing with armed factions and dark magic.  A particularly impressive read that cemented my new-found appreciation for de Castell’s writing, Crucible of Chaos is an outstanding novel and a fantastic final entry on this list.

Amazon

 

And that is the end of this list.  As you can see, I have managed to read a huge number of epic pre-2024 releases this year.  Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend all of them, especially if you are in the mood for some fun fantasy or science fiction adventures.  I look forward to reading many more older books in 2025, and it will be interesting to see what makes my next version of this list then.  I imagine it will also end up being very Warhammer heavy, as I have plans to finish off the Gaunt’s Ghosts and Ciaphas Cain series, and I will probably also dive into a bunch of other awesome series from the franchise.  Make sure to check back in next week for some other end-of-year lists as I continue to highlight some of my favourite reads from 2024.

Waiting on Wednesday – Never Flinch by Stephen King

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday8 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.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight a book that is probably going to be one of the best things I read in 2025 with Never Flinch by Stephen King.

Amazon

Stephen King is an author who honestly needs no introduction, considering how much he has shaped our cultural landscape over the last 50 years (Carrie literally came out in 1974 people).  Despite his impact on the world of fiction, I’ve only started getting into King quite recently, although I have been making up for lost time by getting through some of his intriguing new releases.  This includes exceptional books like Later, Fairy Tale, Billy Summers (one of my favourite books of 2021) and the short story collection You Like It Darker (one of my favourite books from the first half of 2024), all of which have greatly impressed me and I’m barely scratching the surface of King’s many, many books.

Out of all the novels I have so far enjoyed from King, my favourites have been some of the author’s distinctive crime fiction novels, as King examines elaborate dark thrillers and murder mysteries primarily through the eyes of a truly unique protagonist.  This protagonist is the quirky and brilliant investigator Holly Gibney, who has emerged as one of King’s more distinctive and loveable long-term characters.  Holly made her debut in the awesome novel, Mr. Mercedes, where she served as a compelling supporting character to protagonist Bill Hodges.  King expanded the roll of Holly throughout the Bill Hodges series, before eventually spinning her off on her own adventures.  This included the gripping book, The Outsider, which I had the great pleasure of reading earlier this year.  The Outsider was a particularly impressive and dark novel that saw a man with an unimpeachable alibi framed for a terrible murder.  I deeply enjoyed the initial concept of The Outsider and King expanded it out into a powerful horror read that brought Holly in for its gripping second half.

I cannot emphasise how much I enjoyed The Outsider, and it turns out that King was only just starting with Holly Gibney.  That’s because last year King published an exceptional read simply titled Holly, that set the titular character on her first solo adventure.  Holly was a gripping and complex novel that saw the protagonist investigate a series of disappearances around town, only to discover a horrifying and disturbing secret in the most unlikely of places.  Holly was such an incredible book, and I still have chills from some of the big reveals that came out of it.  Due to its addictive plot, brilliant characters, and incredibly dark moments, Holly got an easy five start rating from me, and it ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023, as well as being one of my favourite horror novels of all time.

Due to how much fun I have been having with King’s books I am always eager to see what he’s releasing next, and that is why I was so happy to find out some details about his next book, Never Flinch.  A fascinating and awesome novel coming out in late May 2025, Never Flinch sounds extremely cool as King spins together another elaborate mystery.  I was also particularly excited to see that Never Flinch was another Holly Gibney novel, which frankly is all I needed to become completely obsessed with this awesome upcoming book.

Plot Synopsis:

From master storyteller Stephen King comes an extraordinary new novel with intertwining storylines—one about a killer on a diabolical revenge mission, and another about a vigilante targeting a feminist celebrity speaker—featuring the beloved Holly Gibney and a dynamic new cast of characters.

When the Buckeye City Police Department receives a disturbing letter from a person threatening to “kill thirteen innocents and one guilty” in “an act of atonement for the needless death of an innocent man,” Detective Izzy Jaynes has no idea what to think. Are fourteen citizens about to be slaughtered in an unhinged act of retribution? As the investigation unfolds, Izzy realizes that the letter writer is deadly serious, and she turns to her friend Holly Gibney for help.

Meanwhile, controversial and outspoken women’s rights activist Kate McKay is embarking on a multi-state lecture tour, drawing packed venues of both fans and detractors. Someone who vehemently opposes Kate’s message of female empowerment is targeting her and disrupting her events. At first, no one is hurt, but the stalker is growing bolder, and Holly is hired to be Kate’s bodyguard—a challenging task with a headstrong employer and a determined adversary driven by wrath and his belief in his own righteousness.

Featuring a riveting cast of characters both old and new, including world-famous gospel singer Sista Bessie and an unforgettable villain addicted to murder, these twinned narratives converge in a chilling and spectacular conclusion—a feat of storytelling only Stephen King could pull off.

Thrilling, wildly fun, and outrageously engrossing, Never Flinch is one of King’s richest and most propulsive novels.

Wow, I am so damn excited for this upcoming novel.  It looks like King has come up with another epic and enticing story concept for Never Flinch with two separate gripping cases that his protagonist becomes involved with.  The first case of the fourteen citizens about to be murdered is very interesting, and I am curious to see how that unfolds what twisted motivations lay behind it.  At the same time, the threat to the women’s rights activist should add some intense social commentary to Never Flinch, and a determined and ‘righteous’ stalker should make for a fascinating opponent.  While both cases sound extremely awesome on their own, I am very curious to see how King brings them all together and in what way the two distinctive crimes converge.  I feel that if King manages to combine the storylines in a particularly ingenious way, which is something King is perfectly capable of doing, then Never Flinch is going to be extremely impressive.  As such, I look forward to seeing how this new story unfolds, and I have no doubt that King is going to turn this upcoming novel into something very special.

In addition to these two complex cases, a key part of Never Flinch that I am keen on are the compelling and damaged characters that will no doubt fill the pages.  King has always excelled at creating captivating figures with unique life stories, and I have enjoyed seeing these characters used to their full potential in some of his previous novels.  I am especially keen to see more of Holly Gibney, who has really stood out as a protagonist to me in recent years.  An unusual and socially awkward figure who also proves to be a skilled investigator and a surprisingly effective monster killer, Holly has been expertly used as both a supporting character and the main protagonist, and I have appreciated seeing her continued growth as she grows more confident in herself.  It will be very interesting to see what happens to her in Never Flinch, especially after the chaotic events of Holly and the various secrets about her mother that came to light.

In addition to Holly, I am keen to see how some of the recurring characters from the previous Holly Gibney books will be utilised.  This includes siblings Jerome and Barbara Robinson, Holly’s younger friends and assistants who have been such a key part of the previous novels.  Both Jerome and Barbara have had compelling ongoing storylines throughout their previous inclusions, and it will be interesting to see how their lives have continued to change.  In addition, I will be very keen to see what sort of antagonists that King will feature in Never Flinch.  So many Stephen King books rise on the backs of their brilliant antagonists, and I know that I deeply enjoyed the outstanding and often disturbing villains of Mr. Mercedes, The Outsider and Holly.  As such, King has some big villainous shoes to fill with Never Flinch, and I cannot wait to see what complex and memorable antagonists appear in this next cool book.

Honestly, there is no way in hell I am missing out on Never Flinch next year and it is already firmly at the top of my to-read list for 2025.  Indeed, thanks to how I loved The Outsider and Holly, and the fact that it’s Stephen King writing this book, Never Flinch is one of my most anticipated book for next year at this point, and I think the only book I am currently as excited for in 2025 is The Devils by Joe Abercrombie.  I honestly believe that Never Flinch will be one of, if not the absolute best, novels I will read next year, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Top Ten Tuesday – Oldest (aka Earliest Published) Books on my TBR

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List9 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 tasked with listing the books with the earliest publication date that is currently sitting on their to-be-read (TBR) pile.

Like most book lovers, I have a huge backlog of novels out there that I want to read but I haven’t been able to fit into my schedule due to lack of time or other books I needed to get through first.  As such, this is a rather interesting list to pull together, and I hope that it inspires me a little to go back and read some books on my TBR pile.  I also love the shoutout to the older TBR books I have, especially as I am easily distracted by new and shiny things.

I must admit I struggled a little to pull together some really old titles, so my list is most made up of books from the 80s and 90s.  Still, this ended up being a rather interesting, if slightly predictable list if you know who some of my favourite authors are, although I made sure to limit myself to one inclusion from each author.  Despite these limitations, I really like how it came together, so let us see who made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

When the Bough Breaks by Jonathan Kellerman – 1985

A classic crime fiction book from an author still going strong.

Amazon

 

Space Marine by Ian Watson – 1993

An old-school Warhammer 40,000 novel I currently have on my shelf.  While not the first Warhammer 40,000 novel ever written, it sounds bonkers, and I’m curious to see original universe from before they established the current canon.

Amazon

 

Killing Floor by Lee Child – 1997

The first book in the epic Jack Reacher series.  I loved the television adaptation of this book and I’m curious to read the series from start to finish.

Amazon

 

Excavation by James Rollins – 2000

A fantastic older thriller I have sitting on my shelf. 

Amazon

Top Ten List:

Carrie by Stephen King – 1974

After some awesome recent experiences with Stephen King’s writing, I’ve been meaning to read more of his amazing books and there is no better place to start than his first novel, Carrie.  A classic piece of horror fiction, Carrie is a bloody and complex read that I hope to check out one day.

Amazon

 

Sharpe’s Eagle by Bernard Cornwell – 1981

I’m a massive fan of Bernard Cornwell, who is one of the biggest names in historical fiction.  While I have read a couple of books in his iconic Richard Sharpe series, I need to read more, including the first book he published, Sharpe’s Eagle.  A compelling historical adventure, Sharpe’s Eagle was the book that introduced the world to Richard Sharpe and Cornwell’s vision of the Napoleonic War.  Thanks to Cornwell releasing his books out of chronological order, Sharpe’s Eagle is now the eighth book in the series, but it remains a key entry.  I look forward to reading Sharpe’s Eagle one day and it sounds like a lot of fun.

Amazon

 

Magician by Raymond E. Feist – 1982

I am slightly cheating by including Magician here, as I have read it a couple of times before.  However, I really want to do a big re-read of Feist’s entire Riftwar Cycle and Magician is the best place to start this series.  A particularly iconic fantasy novel, Magician sees a young boy discover his destiny as a mighty mage after the kingdom he lives in is invaded by soldiers from another world.  This is a really, really good book and I cannot wait to read it again at some point.

Amazon

 

The Black Company by Glen Cook – 1984

I have long wanted to read the epic The Black Company fantasy series by Glen Cook, which started back in 1984 with this book of the same name.  Generally considered to be one of the best dark fantasy novels/series of all time, The Black Company follows a band of dangerous mercenaries as they find themselves drawn into a bloody and all-consuming war.  I already know that I am going to love this book, and I will hopefully be able to make time for it at some point in the future.

Amazon

 

The King Beyond the Gate by David Gemmell – 1985

A few years ago, I had the great pleasure of reading David Gemmell’s classic fantasy debut, Legend, which is honestly one of the best books I have every read.  Gemmell was a very skilled author, and I have been meaning to check out more examples of his work.  The obvious next step would be to read The King Beyond the Gate, which is the second novel in the series that started with Legend.  Another compelling read that follows a small band of aging heroes as they face a seemingly unbeatable foe, The King Beyond the Gate sounds awesome, and I need to dedicate some time to getting through the rest of Gemmell’s books.

Amazon

 

The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis – 1989

Long-term readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan of historical fiction author Lindsey Davis, who has greatly impressed me over the years with her Flavia Albia series, which follows some deeply unique murder investigations in ancient Rome.  However, the Flavia Albia books are only the latest series from Davis, who originally started back in the 1980s with her Falco novels.  Following the father of Flavia Albia as he solves his own crimes, the Falco books have been on my radar for a while, and I fully intend to read them at some point.  The obvious starting point for this would be The Silver Pigs, which introduced the world to Falco and Davis’s distinctive style.  I have a copy of The Silver Pigs sitting on my bookshelf, and I look forward to the day when I get around to reading it.

Amazon

 

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn – 1991

Some of my very favourite Star Wars novels were the recent Thrawn trilogies written by legendary author Timothy Zahn.  A complex and compelling collection of books, the Thrawn and Thrawn Ascendancy trilogies follow Zahn’s best original character, Grand Admiral Thrawn and help to reintroduce him into the new Disney canon.  However, Thrawn first appeared back in 1991 when Zahn released the iconic Star Wars novel, Heir to the Empire.  A sequel to Return of the Jedi, Heir to the Empire was one of the very first proper Star Wars tie-in novels, and it set the stage for the massive Star Wars Extended Universe that followed.  As a massive Star Wars fan, I have been remiss in not going back to check out this important novel, although I hope to change that in the future.  From all accounts this book is extremely epic, and I am very curious to see the novel that first introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn to the galaxy.

Amazon

 

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly – 1992

The next entry on this list is The Black Echo by Michael Connelly.  The very first book from Connelly to feature his famous detective character Harry Bosch, The Black Echo set up the author’s shared universe which would later expand to feature so many memorable protagonists.  I have had an exceptional time reading all of Connelly’s most recent works and I have been meaning to go back and explore his universe from the beginning, starting with The Black Echo.  Like The Silver Pigs, I have a copy of The Black Echo sitting on my bookshelf, and when my reading schedule opens up, I hope to grab it and power through it.  I have no doubt that I will love The Black Echo, and I am curious to see what Connelly’s writing style was like in this first book.

Amazon

 

The Demon Awakens by R. A. Salvatore – 1997

I am a huge fan of R. A. Salvatore various additions to the expanded Forgotten Realms universe, having read nearly all of them over the years.  However, I am also keen to read more books in Salvatore’s original Corona universe.  I had a ton of fun reading the latest trilogy set in this world (The Coven books made up of Child of a Mad God, Reckoning of Fallen Gods and Song of the Risen God), and I felt that this was an excellent fantasy universe that I’d like to see more of.  As such, I will try to explore this series from the beginning, which means starting with The Demon Awakens.  An exciting adventure novel with some great characters, The Demon Awakens should be a ton of fun and I am keen to read it in the future.

Amazon

 

A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin – 1998

The final book on this list is A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin.  The second book in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Clash of Kings doesn’t need a massive introduction.  I have been meaning to continuing this series after reading A Game of Thrones a few years ago, which means going through A Clash of Kings next.  I am sure I will deeply enjoy this major book, and I am curious to see how it differs from the television show.

Amazon

 

 

And with that, my list concluded.  I felt that this latest Top Ten Tuesday post came together well, and I like the intriguing collection of books I listed above.  It turns out there are a ton of older novels on my to-be-read list, and I hope I get the opportunity to get through them soon.  In the meantime, let me know what older books are on your TBR lists in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Horror Novels (Halloween 2024)

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Horror, List6 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 them is encouraged.  So, with that in mind, I thought I would take this opportunity to update some previous lists where I highlighted my favourite horror novels.

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 absolute favourite genre, I ended up producing a rather interesting list with some unique entries that I was very happy with.  I must admit that many of my entries are hybrid books which combine horror elements with other genres I prefer to read, however, I think they make for good Halloween fare.  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 produced some interesting updates to this list in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and I have once again decided to come back to it again this year, 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 and while I was sad to see some of the previously featured novels removed, I honestly felt that the new entries are better overall horror novels.  This resulted in a fun new version of this list, and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

Honourable Mentions:

You Like it Darker by Stephen King

The master of horror, Stephen King, is going to appear a few times on this list, primarily because I’ve been having an epic time reading more of his stuff lately.  One of the first books on this list is the recent short story collection, You Like it Darker, which gets an honourable mention here.  Featuring a range of compelling and powerful stories, including some very memorable dark reads and even a sequel to the classic novel Cujo, You Like it Darker is an amazing horror book for all fans of Stephen King.

Amazon

 

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

While more of a fantasy/superhero story than a pure horror comic, The Sandman did have some amazing horror sequences in it, including the infamous diner scene.  These horror elements are greatly enhanced in the full-cast audiobook and you will end up cringing away from how dark this gothic comic gets.  I also must highlight the Act II and Act III audiobooks that were released in subsequent years, especially as they also featured great stories and terrifying scenes.

Amazon

 

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

Fans of this blog will know I’m a big thing of all things Warhammer, and that includes the intriguing Warhammer Horror range.  I’ve only read a couple of these so far, but my favourite is The Bookkeeper’s Skull by Justin D. Hill.  A haunting and brilliant tale that makes full use of the grim Warhammer 40,000 setting, The Bookkeeper’s Skull was an amazing read, and I look forward to exploring more Warhammer Horror books in the future.

Amazon

 

Ink by Jonathan Maberry

I had to feature one of Maberry’s best pure horror reads, Ink in the honourable mentions. While most of the other Maberry novels with horror elements focus either on zombies or Lovecraftian monsters, Ink features a particularly horrendous tale of a depraved being who steals a person’s tattoos and the precious memories associated with them.  Set in one of Maberry’s most iconic settings, Ink had a very disturbing narrative, and I deeply appreciated this unique book.

Amazon

Top Ten List (unranked):

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

I think it says a lot about my horror choices that the first book on my list is about killer mermaids.  Into the Drowning Deep is exceptional book that actually turns a mermaid attack into a pretty terrifying experience.  Grant did an amazing job of this book and Into the Drowning Deep comes very highly recommended.

Amazon

 

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

Patient Zero Cover

I had a ton of awesome Jonathan Maberry novels that I could have featured on this list, but the obvious choice was the fantastically dark thriller Patient Zero.  An epic book that features an elite counterterrorist unit as they attempt to stop terrorists spreading a deadly zombie virus across America, Patient Zero was the first book in a brilliant science fiction thriller series, all of which have a great horror edge to them.  I have a lot of love for the thriller aspects of Patient Zero, however, the highlights of this book are the gruesome and terrifying zombie sequences, which sees the protagonists get overwhelmed by hordes of the infected.  This results in some truly impressive horror scenes, and I had to include this book on my list as a result.

Amazon

 

Holly by Stephen King

Holly Cover

One of my favourite books from horror icon Stephen King, Holly, is primarily a thriller that sees the titular protagonist investigate a missing persons case.  However, there are some devastatingly insidious and horrifying elements loaded into the story, especially with how exceptionally evil the excellent antagonists were.  I found myself shuddering multiple times throughout the course of Holly and if that doesn’t make it a horror book, I don’t know what will.  This was easily one of the best books and audiobooks of 2023, and I had to feature it on this list as a result.

Amazon

 

The Dark by Jeremy Robinson

I had to add this brilliant and compelling horror/science fiction read onto this list.  The Dark is one of the best novels I have so far read from author Jeremy Robinson that focuses on an apparent demonic invasion of Earth.  Filled with gore, monsters and body mutations, The Dark gets pretty gruesome and scary in places, which blends perfectly with the intense action and Robinson’s quirky humour.  An outstanding read, this fantastic horror novel comes highly recommended and was one of my top novels and audiobooks of 2021.

Amazon

 

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor

One of the newer entries on this list is the impressive and memorable novel The Gathering by C. J. Tudor.  A complex murder mystery set in a remote Alaskan town, The Gathering follows a vampyr expert as they attempt to determine whether a teenage was killed by members of the local vampyr colony, or other outside forces.  Cleverly introducing a vampire focused alternate history and using it as a basis for a tense and fascinating mystery, The Gathering was an exceptional read that perfectly utilised its horror elements to enhance the entire thrilling narrative.

Amazon

 

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger

The Anomaly is an excellent horror novel from 2018 which follows an unfortunate film crew after they get trapped in a series of ancient caves and are forced to face the terrible horrors waiting for them inside.  There are a lot of amazing elements to this book, but I personally appreciated the intense and claustrophobic atmosphere that Rutger was able to produce, especially as most of the novel takes place in the dark.  Highly recommended, especially in its audiobook format that deeply enhances the claustrophobic nature of the story.

Amazon

 

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, especially on audiobook which features an extremely stacked cast.  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.

Amazon

 

Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

I am a big fan of Star Wars fiction, but I had never been scared while reading a Star Wars novel until I came across Death Troopers.  Death Troopers is part of the Star Wars Legends canon and features an Imperial prison ship, which of course contains Han and Chewie, encountering an abandoned Star Destroyer filled with a zombified crew.  Watching a bunch of Star Wars characters attempt to escape from zombies is really cool, and Schreiber comes up with a number of gruesome scenes that will definitely stick in your mind.  Also, if you really want to get a fright out of this book, make sure to check out the audiobook version of Death Troopers, as the various sound effects they include are extremely disturbing.

Amazon

 

Devolution by Max Brooks

In addition to World War Z, Max Brooks also gets featured on this list for the brilliant novel Devolution.  Expertly making use of a whole new horror monster when he explores the fate of an isolated community who are attacked by a tribe of sasquatches, Brooks really turns these creatures into a frightening and deadly force of nature, and readers are in for an exciting and well-written tale of survival and brutality.

Amazon

 

The Outsider by Stephen King

The final book I want to highlight is the incredible Stephen King book, The Outsider.  An extremely tense and disturbing thriller, The Outsider features a captivating narrative that sees local town hero charged with the gruesome murder of a child, with ironclad evidence indicating that he did it.  However, the suspect continues to plead his innocence and has an impossibly perfect alibi for the time of the murder.  While primarily a thriller, there is some brilliant initial personal horror as you witness a potentially innocent man and town hero so thoroughly painted as a monster before your eyes.  King pivots to more supernatural horror elements as the book progresses, which fits perfectly with the dark narrative already ongoing, and the result is an exceptional book that proves deeply disturbing on multiple levels.  An incredible read and a worthy final entry on this list.

Amazon

 

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.