Top Ten Tuesday – One-Word Reviews for the Last Ten Books I Read

On November 3, 2026November 3, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn ListLeave a comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly challenge 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 reviewing the last ten books they have read with only a single word.

I must admit that this list turned out to be a bit of a challenge for me, as I’m not exactly known for doing short reviews. Regular readers of this blog will know that I tend to post excessively long reviews of books, especially if it proved to be particularly good. As such, I struggled a little to use only a single word to describe some of the recent books I have enjoyed, as I really don’t think that I’m doing them justice. Still, I gave it a good go, and I’m happy that the below descriptions of the last ten books I have had the pleasure of finishing are very fitting and will hopefully encourage people to check them out.

Top Ten List:

The French Illusion by John Grisham

Thrilling

Warhammer 40,000: Bjorn the Fell-Handed by Justin D. Hill

Epic

We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil

Demonic

The Only Way Out Is Up by Django Wexler

Robots!!!

He Who Fights With Monsters – Hero by Travis Deverell

Irresistible

Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor

Spooky

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

Cathartic

Warhammer 40,000: Voice of Command by Richard Swan

Intense

He Who Fights With Monsters – Adventurer by Travis Deverell

Exhilarating

138 Main Street by Gavin Bell

Memorable

That’s the end of my latest Top Ten list. While I’m still not entirely sure a single word review was enough, I think this list turned out pretty well, and I enjoyed the unique takes I had on this interesting range of great novels. I hope people end up checking out some of these above books for themselves, as each of them were quite exciting and impressive in their own ways. Let me know what recent books you’ve recently finished off in the comments below, and if you can do so in one word, that would be very cool.

WWW Wednesday – 28 October 2026

On October 29, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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:

We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil (ebook)

I haven’t had as much reading time as I would have liked this week, but I’m still making some good progress with the cool horror thriller We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil. Following a priest and a cop as they attempt to investigate unusual events at an isolated island, We Are For The Dark is an intriguing and dark read that I’m really enjoying. I’m hoping to finish off We Are For The Dark this week and I’m very curious to see how this story unfolds.

Warhammer 40,000: Cold Covenant by Peter Fehervari (Audiobook)

I was still in a Warhammer 40,000 mood this week, so I started listening to the recently released Cold Covenant by Peter Fehervari. Part of Fehervari’s loosely connected Dark Coil series, Cold Covenant is a darker Warhammer 40,000 novel that follows several damaged characters as they navigate a vicious world falling into chaos. I’m currently a couple of hours into the audiobook version of Cold Covenant and I’m very intrigued by its unique story and take on the Warhammer universe. I’m not sure if I’m going to get through Cold Covenant in the next week, but I’m going to give it a try.

What did you recently finish reading?

Warhammer 40,000: Bjorn: The Fell-Handed by Justin D. Hill (Audiobook)

I managed to knock off the excellent Warhammer 40,000 novel Bjorn: The Fell-Handed by Justin D. Hill this week. An epic and striking Warhammer novel, Bjorn: The Fell-Handed comes highly recommended, especially on audiobook, and I’m hoping to get a review up for it soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Adam & Eve by Jeffrey Archer

The next book that I’m hoping to dive into is the last novel from the recently deceased Jeffrey Archer, Adam & Eve. A sprawling historical epic primarily set between World War I and II, Adam & Eve sounds like an amazing novel and I’m curious to explore Archer’s last literary adventure

The French Illusion by John Grisham

I’m also hoping to read the new John Grisham novel The French Illusion this week. A compelling thriller set in Paris and following a young lawyer brought in to resolve a kidnapping, The French Illusion sounds extremely interesting and I’m looking forward to reading it.

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.

Book Haul – 26 October 2026

On October 26, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive some incredible and amazing new novels from publishers and Netgalley, plus a few purchases of my own. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.

The Hollow by Michael Connelly

The first recent acquisition I want to highlight is the epic new novel from Michael Connelly, The Hollow. Once again focusing on Connelly’s iconic protagonist Harry Bosch, The Hollow will see Bosch attempt to investigate a murder from his childhood in an intriguing cold-case investigation. The Hollow sounds pretty damn interesting and I cannot wait to dive into it.

The French Illusion by John Grisham

The year wouldn’t be complete without the new novel from legendary author John Grisham, The French Connection. This time following a young lawyer involved in an unusual kidnapping in Paris, The French Connection has the feel of a unique spy thriller from Grisham and I’m very curious to see how it unfolds.

He Who Fights With Monsters – Hero by Travis Deverell

After having such an awesome time with the first two books in Travis Deverell’s He Who Fights With Monsters series (Outworlder and Adventurer), I was extremely eager to continue exploring the series, so I went out and grabbed a copy of the third book Hero, and I may have already read it. Once again following the series’ interdimensional protagonist as he adventures through a cool fantasy world, Hero was an extremely impressive entry in the series, with some major and impactful moments. I’m hoping to get a review of Hero up soon, and I can confirm that it’s a highly recommended book that I’m really glad I grabbed.

The Wolves of War by John Gwynne

One of the more impressive books I recently received was the awesome fantasy novel, The Wolves of Winter by John Gwynne. Another Viking inspired fantasy novel from Gwynne, The Wolves of Winter sets up a cool new series filled with magic, monsters and war. I cannot wait to dive into this novel, and I already know I’m going to love it.

Other Worlds Than These by Stephen King and Peter Straub

I recently received a copy of the massive novel, Other Worlds Than These. The third and final Talisman book from the team of Stephen King and Peter Straub, Other Worlds Than These brings back the series protagonist, now a retired cop who must once again deal with evils of two worlds. Sure to be an epic and powerful read, I’ve very excited to try out Other Worlds Than These.

The Unknown by Riley Sager

I finally got my hands on the intriguing horror thriller, The Unknown by Riley Sager. A fantastic sounding novel about a film crew attempting make a film about an infamous mystery on an isolated island which inevitably results in weird events, The Unknown has been on my radar for a while and I’m very keen to check it out.

Penitent by A. W. Hammond

An intriguing new thriller from Australian author A. W. Hammond, Penitent sees a priest forced to confront a violent killer and decide whether to keep silent or violate the rules of confession. This sounds like an amazing novel and I’m curious to see how it unfolds.

The Crack by Michelle Stephens

The 2027 novels are already starting to appear, including the Australian crime fiction novel The Crack by Michelle Stephens. Set in a coastal town, The Crack sees a troubled protagonist attempt to avenge the unsolved death of her sister before her own crimes are exposed. I’m already intrigued by this upcoming book, and I look forward to diving into it in the new year.

Hero Adjacent by Alexis Veenendaal

The final book I want to highlight in this Book Haul post is the fun sounding 2027 fantasy novel Hero Adjacent by Alexis Veenendaal. An entertaining take on the classic hero’s journey narrative, Hero Adjacent sees a very unlikely group of budget adventurers band together to save the day. This sounds like quite the entertaining novel and I’m sure I’m going to have a wonderful time with this upcoming debut.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2026 (Mystery, Thriller and Historical Fiction)

On July 1, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, List, Murder Mystery, Thriller1 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. In this list, I continue to examine my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2026. While my other list of the night looked at the best upcoming fantasy and science fiction novels, this list will look at the crime fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction novels that I am most excited for in the next six months.

Just like with my previous article about upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, this was a bit of a difficult list to pull together. Even after I excluded fantasy and science fiction novels from it, there were still a ton of great books I could feature, and I had a hard time deciding what to cut. I was eventually able to whittle it down to a top ten list (with an honourable mentions section), and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Just like with my fantasy and science fiction list, the following list does a great job of highlighting what books I am most excited for in the second half of the year, so let us see what makes the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

The Unknown by Riley Sager – 4 August 2026

An intriguing and spooky thriller from the always impressive Riley Sager.

King’s Ransom by Matthew Reilly – 29 September 2026

A new book from one of Australia’s best-known authors, Matthew Reilly, King’s Ransom sounds like a fantastic novel with a layered detective plot behind it. I’m very keen to read this book, although I’m leaving it as an honourable mention for now as I still need to read the initial book in this series, The Detective.

The French Illusion by John Grisham – 29 September 2026

Another intriguing and intense legal thriller from the legendary John Grisham, this time involving a kidnapping in Paris and the lawyer sent in to help.

Choppy Water by Jack Heath – 3 November 2026

A fun upcoming novel from one of my favourite Australian authors, Jack Heath. Choppy Water (no cover yet) has a very entertaining plot about a murder on a cruise ship, that I know I’m going to love.

Top Ten Tuesday:

One of Us is Guilty by Steve Cavanagh – 28 July 2026

The legal shenanigans of Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series look set to continue with the awesome sounding new book, One of Us Is Guilty. In this latest book, conman turned lawyer Eddie Flynn needs to figure out which member of a rich and supposedly perfect couple committed a brutal murder and which one is innocent. I love the sound of this cool new plot from Cavanagh, and I can’t wait to see the author’s next batch of crazy legal antics unfold.

Duel of Beasts by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 30 July 2026

The amazing author duo of Boyd and Beth Morrison look set to continue their exciting historical adventures with the upcoming fourth Tales of the Lawless Land novel, Duel of Beasts. Bringing back wandering knight Gerard Fox and his wife Willa as they journey across Europe, Duel of Beasts sees the two protagonists venture through medieval Spain to protect a recently widowed noblewoman from a vengeful relative. However, their latest adventure pits them against a menagerie of deadly beasts that are unleashed to hunt them throughout the countryside. This new book sounds just as fun and over-the-top as the previous Tales of the Lawless Land entries, and I have a feeling this one is going to be particularly entertaining.

Bad Neighbours by Joanna Jenkins – 4 August 2026

The next book I am excited to check out is Bad Neighbours by Australian author Joanna Jenkins. The author’s third book, Bad Neighbours will follow on from the excellent How to Kill a Client and The Bluff and sees Jenkin’s lawyer protagonist investigate the murder of a vagrant at her seemingly perfect new apartment building. Based on how impressive Jenkin’s last two novels have been, I strongly believe that Bad Neighbours will be one of the stronger Australian crime fiction novels of 2026, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

The Killer’s Mark by M. W. Craven – 11 August 2026

Highly entertaining escapes are sure to occur in the upcoming thriller novel, The Killer’s Mark by M. W. Craven. The next entry in the over-the-top Washington Poe series, The Killer’s Mark will see Craven’s extremely amusing protagonists start their own private detective agency and get drawn into a sinister case filled with dark secrets and conspiracies. I have had such an incredible time reading Craven’s last two books (especially his ultra-twisty novel The Mercy Chair), and I cannot wait to see what intriguing and unusual investigation the author has cooked up for The Killer’s Mark.

We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman – 15 September 2026

Richard Osman continues his crime fiction domination in 2026 with his next novel, We Chase Shadows. The sequel to his outstanding novel, We Solve Murders (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024), We Chase Shadows brings back the incredible cast of his previous novel and sets them on another globe-trotting investigation. Set to feature another hilarious and deeply clever mystery with some fantastic characters, We Chase Shadows is going to be amazing and will probably be one of my favourite books of the year.

Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor – 15 September 2026

One of the more unusual and potentially scary novels I am looking forward to in the second half of 2026, is the upcoming horror thriller from C. J. Tudor, Serenity Falls. Following a father and daughter who move to the idyllic town of Serenity Falls, this novel looks set to quickly go off the rails, with mysterious deaths and other dark secrets haunting the new inhabitants. Tudor has produced some incredible reads in the past, including her 2024 novel The Gathering, and I’m so excited to see what her next shocking book is going to contain. I did wonder if I should include Serenity Falls on my fantasy and science fiction list, but I have a feeling readers won’t truly know the cause of the dark events in this novel until the very end. As such, I’m leaving Serenity Falls as an entry on this list, and I know I’m going to love it no matter what.

Adam & Eve by Jeffrey Archer – 6 October 2026

After years of producing heartwarming and entertaining reads, the iconic Jeffrey Archer will finish off his literary career with his final novel, Adam & Eve. A historical epic, Adam & Eve will follow an unlikely couple and their journey towards World War II, with their forbidden relationship impacting the course of the war. Likely filled with compelling historical detail and fantastic character-driven drama, Adam & Eve should be an outstanding final outing from Archer, and I look forward to seeing the entire story unfold.

Shot by Shelley Burr – 27 October 2026

After finishing off her debut PI Lane Holland series (featuring Wake, Ripper and Vanish), Australian author Shelley Burr has another outstanding upcoming mystery that I’m very excited for, Shot. Set to follow a damaged true-crime vlogger as she attempts to solve a particularly infamous double murder, Shot sounds like an incredible read, and I’m already quite curious about its mystery.

The Hollow by Michael Connelly – 3 November 2026

Easily one of the books that I am most excited to check out in the second half of 2026 is the new Michael Connelly, The Hollow. Once again focussing on Connelly’s most iconic protagonist, Harry Bosch, The Hollow will see an older Bosch attempt to investigate a historic murder that has haunted him since he was a child. Thanks to its deeply personal and intense plot, The Hollow has a ton of potential, especially considering Connelly’s recent track record, and I have no doubt this is going to be one of the top books of the year.

The Sword of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 5 November 2026

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the upcoming 25^th entry in the epic Eagles of the Empire series by Simon Scarrow, The Sword of Rome. Following on from the political upheaval of Tyrant of Rome, The Sword of Rome will see the protagonists engage in another deadly mission as they travel to the edges of the Roman Empire to fight back an invading army. However, this mission could have grave consequences from the protagonists, as they must content with dangerous Roman politics and gamble with the lives of their families held hostage back in Rome. The Sword of Rome sounds like it is going to be a particularly awesome entry in one of my favourite series, and I cannot wait to see how it comes together.

Well, that’s the end of my second list. As you can see, there are some outstanding mysteries, thrillers and historical fiction novels coming out in the next six months which should prove to be amazing reads. Combine that with the fantasy and science fiction releases from my previous list and I know that I am going to have an incredible time in the second half of 2026. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.