Tag: The Stolen

WWW Wednesday – 10 September 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 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:

Katabasis by R. F. Kuang (ebook)

I just started reading the fascinating new fantasy novel, Katabasis by acclaimed author R. F. Kuang in the next week. A curious and intense novel from a rising star in fantasy fiction, Katabasis has an intriguing plot about two rival students who must journey to hell to save their professor’s soul. I’ve made a good dent in Katabasis so far and I’m hoping to knock it off in the next week.

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Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I’ve also started listening to the excellent fantasy novel Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan.  The sequel to last year’s A Tide of Black Steel, Born of an Iron Storm continues the great story from the first book, as several compelling characters attempt to survive an oncoming invasion from a previously hidden nation.  While I haven’t made as much progress on A Tide of Black Steel as I had hoped this week, it is proving to be an outstanding listen, and I cannot wait to see where Ryan takes this epic tale of war, betrayal and hidden history.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis (ebook)

I had an outstanding time finishing off the compelling Australian crime fiction novel, The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis this week.  The sequel to Petraitis’s previous novel, The Unbelieved, The Stolen was an exceptional novel that covered some highly relevant social issues.

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The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford (Paperback)

I also had a lot of fun getting through The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford. An exciting and highly entertaining fantasy novel about grassland raiders who attempt to train fire-breathing giant lizards to win a war, The Bone Raiders was a fantastic read that is really worth checking out.  Review to hopefully follow soon.

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Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett (Audiobook)

A recent road trip gave me time to relisten to the classic Discworld novel, Wyrd Sisters.  An outstanding early entry in the series from Terry Pratchett, Wyrd Sisters was so much fun to get through again, and I still love its clever story.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

The next book that I am hoping to check out is the fun Australian murder mystery, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson.  The next book in the outstanding Ernest Cunningham series, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief looks set to be another hilarious and clever read, and I’m looking forward to checking it out.

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That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

WWW Wednesday – 3 September 2025

On 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:

The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis (ebook)

I’ve started to read the compelling new Australian crime fiction novel, The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis.  The sequel to Petraitis’s previous novel, The Unbelieved, The Stolen once again takes the reader back to a troubled small town, infected with systemic issues, with a powerful case about a kidnapped baby. The Stolen is already proving to be an exceptional novel and I cannot wait to see how it comes together.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont (ebook)

I managed to finish off the excellent spy thriller, Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont this week.  A great new entry in a particularly realistic and gripping series, Liar’s Game was extremely clever, and I deeply enjoyed this fantastic tale of espionage, betrayal and covert action.

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Star Wars: Sanctuary by Lamar Giles (Audiobook)

I also just finished off the latest Star Wars release, Sanctuary by Lamar Giles. A tie-in to the Bad Batch animated series, Sanctuary was a very exciting read that added a great new adventure to this fun group of characters from the extended Star Wars universe.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

I’m hoping to dive into the excellent new fantasy novel Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan next.  The sequel to last year’s A Tide of Black Steel, Born of an Iron Storm will continue the great story from the first book, as several compelling characters attempt to survive an oncoming invasion from a previously hidden nation.  Sure to be one of the more impressive and captivating fantasy novels of 2025, I am very excited to read A Tide of Black Steel, and it’s going to be pretty damn epic.

Amazon

 

Katabasis by R. F. Kuang

I’m also hoping to read the fascinating new fantasy novel, Katabasis by acclaimed author R. F. Kuang in the next week. A curious and intense novel from a rising star in fantasy fiction, Katabasis has an intriguing plot about two rival students who must journey to hell to save their professor’s soul. I love the sound of this book, and I cannot wait to see what dark magic Kuang will weave together in this excellent read.

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.

WWW Wednesday – 27 August 2025

On 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:

Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont (ebook)

I just started reading the excellent spy thriller, Liar’s Game by rising author Jack Beaumont.  A great new entry in a particularly realistic and gripping series, Liar’s Game is already proving to be quite interesting, and I’m keen to see where Beaumont takes his latest story of espionage, betrayal and covert action.

Amazon

 

Star Wars: Sanctuary by Lamar Giles (Audiobook)

I was in the mood for a fun new audiobook so I decided to check out the latest Star Wars release, Sanctuary by Lamar Giles. A tie-in to the Bad Batch animated series, Sanctuary sees the rogue team of clones attempt to pull off several dangerous heists with predictably disastrous results.  I have made a little bit of progress on Sanctuary so far, and I’m already really enjoying its cool story and fun take on the Bad Batch characters.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Bolthole by Peter Papathanasiou (Trade Paperback)

I managed to finish off the excellent Australian crime fiction novel, The Bolthole, this week.  The latest book from author Peter Papathanasiou, The Bolthole was a really intriguing novel that I’m glad I got the opportunity to read.

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This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)

After a couple of weeks of chain listening, I am now up to date with the incredible Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman.  The seventh and most recently released novel, This Inevitable Ruin, was a particularly epic read, which saw the protagonists engage in an all-out war against multiple armies of alien players. A truly impressive entry in an amazing series, This Inevitable Ruin was so damn good, and I absolutely powered through it.

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Two Kinds of Stranger by Steve Cavanagh (Trade Paperback)

I also managed to read is the awesome new Eddie Flynn novel from Steve Cavanagh, Two Kinds of Stranger.  A cool legal thriller with an addictive plot, Two Kinds of Stranger was a very entertaining read that I had an outstanding time with.

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The Final Vow by M. W. Craven (Trade Paperback)

The final book I got through this week was the epic thriller, The Final Vow by M. W. Craven.  Featuring an outstanding narrative about a deadly sniper terrorising England, The Final Vow was everything I’d expected after being blown away by The Mercy Chair last year, and this was easily one of the best thrillers of 2025. Review to hopefully follow soon.

Amazon

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis

The next book I am hoping to read is the compelling new Australian crime fiction novel, The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis.  The sequel to Petraitis’s previous novel, The Unbelieved, The Stolen once again takes the reader back to a troubled small town, infected with systemic issues. The Stolen looks set to be another deep and moving read, and I am looking forward to diving into it this week.

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.

Book Haul – 30 June 2025

On 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 several incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers and Netgalley.  These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year.  I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.

Never Flinch by Stephen King

First up I have to feature the cool new Stephen King novel, Never Flinch.  A particularly epic crime fiction read that brings back one of King’s best protagonists, I’ve already had the pleasure of reading Never Flinch and it was so damn good.  Review to hopefully follow soon.

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Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland

Another cool book I have recently received was an early copy of Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland.  The final book in the author’s Broken Blades trilogy, Three Shattered Souls will continue to follow a small band of desperate killers as they try to save the world and kill a tyrant.  I have had so much fun with the previous novels in this series, Five Broken Blades and Four Ruined Realms, and I cannot wait to see how Corland wraps up the trilogy.

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Cold War by Jonathan Maberry

I was very happy to receive an early copy of Jonathan Maberry’s epic dark science fiction novel, Cold War. The sequel to his brutal 2024 novel, NecroTek, Cold War will see several groups of scientists fight back against ancient cosmic monsters in a war to save humanity out in the stars. Sure to be an intense and complex read, I am really excited for Cold War and it should be an impressive sequel.

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Grave Danger by James Grippando

Next up we have the outstanding legal thriller, Grave Danger by James Grippando.  The latest book in the author’s Jack Swyteck series, Grave Danger sees lawyer protagonist Jack Swyteck fight to keep a mother and daughter together despite massive political and legal hurdles.  An outstanding new entry in a very compelling series, I am actually listening to Grave Danger right now and it is proving to be an amazing and highly recommended read.

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Valour by Richard Cullen

One of the more entertaining new books I have received is the upcoming Richard Cullen novel, Valour. The third book in the author’s Chronicle of the Black Lion series (which previously featured Rebellion and Crusade), Valour will see the book’s knight protagonist lead a desperate rescue mission to save captured missionaries from a band of pagans.  I am really intrigued by this new entry in the series, especially as it has a very different plot to the war-heavy previous novels, and I look forward to seeing how crazy things get here.

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The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis

One of the more interesting sequels of 2025 for me is the impressive sounding novel The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis. The sequel to Petraitis’ outstanding book, The Unbelieved, The Stolen will see the series’ detective protagonist try to save a missing baby, while also dealing with the dark secrets of her new small-town home.  Likely to be a particularly dark piece of Australian crime fiction, The Stolen sounds really captivating and I cannot wait to read it.

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Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

An exciting and crazy thriller from the legendary team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Badlands looks set to be an amazing read as the protagonists investigate a series of bizarre murders tied into ancient artefacts.

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Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont

I’ve just gotten my hands on one of the more intriguing spy thriller books of 2025, Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont.  Following on from the author’s previous novels, The Frenchman and Dark Arena, Liar’s Game will follow a member of French intelligence who finds himself burned by his own government and must try to survive the forces coming after him.  Sure to be a detailed and highly addictive read, Liar’s Game is very high up on my to-read list, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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The Writers’ Retreat by Samantha Vérant

An interesting and no doubt meta novel about mystery writers getting caught up in a dark thriller plot in an isolated cabin.

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The Chemist by A. A. Dhand

I was lucky to get my hands on one of the more intriguing debuts of 2025, The Chemist by A. A. Dhand.  Following a London pharmacist who gets caught up in a deadly gang war, The Chemist has a really unique feel to it, and I have no doubt this is going to be an exceptional thriller.

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Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin

The final book I have recently received is the Australian debut Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin. A small-town Australian crime fiction read with an Aboriginal police protagonist; Melaleuca sounds like an intense and dramatic novel that will dive into some of the deeper and darker elements of Australia’s outback culture.  An outstanding sounding book and one I’m glad I received a copy of.

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

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2025 (Mystery, Thriller and Historical Fiction)

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, List, Murder Mystery, Thriller6 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 list, I continue to examine my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2025.  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 Stolen by Vikki Petraitis – 2 September 2025

An intriguing upcoming Australian crime fiction novel that will serve as a sequel to the author’s emotionally charged previous novel, The Unbelieved.  I was deeply impressed with The Unbelieved and I cannot wait to see how the series continues.

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Final Orbit by Chris Hadfield – 9 October 2025

A cool Cold War thriller from astronaut Chris Hadfield that will follow on from The Apollo Murders and The Defector.

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The Widow by John Grisham – 21 October 2025

An excellent new courtroom drama from legendary author John Grisham, The Widow has a very fun story behind it as a small-town lawyer finds himself on trial for the murder after trying to scam an elderly widow.

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Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka – 12 November 2025

The upcoming English translation of Hotel Lucky Seven from Japanese author Kotaro Isaka is something I am very keen to read, especially after having so much fun with his epic novels Bullet Train and Three Assassins.

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Top Ten List:

No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe – 15 July 2025

After wowing me with the excellent young adult thrillers, The Girls I’ve Been and The Girl in Question, Tess Sharpe’s next cool book, No Body No Crime, is very high up my to-read list.  Set to follow two former lovers as they attempt to survive the consequences of a murder they committed when they were teenagers, this is likely to be another sharp, clever and moving thriller.  I have no doubt that No Body No Crime is going to be awesome, and I am hoping to read it soon.

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Two Kinds of Stranger by Steve Cavanagh – 24 July 2025

I love a good legal thriller, and few examples of this sub-genre are more entertaining or memorable than the Eddie Flynn books by Steve Cavanagh. I have had an outstanding time with novels like The Devil’s Advocate, The Accomplice and Witness 8, and I am always excited to see what new craziness Cavanagh has planned for his next courtroom escapades. Luckily, we don’t have too much longer to wait for the next upcoming book in the series, Two Kinds of Stranger, which will see an innocent client dragged into a legal nightmare when she tries to help a random stranger with dark secrets. I cannot wait to read this new book, and it should be particularly entertaining and compelling.

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The Final Vow by M. W. Craven – 12 August 2025

After absolutely loving the dark and twist laden novel The Mercy Chair last year (one of my favourite books of 2024), I am now a firm fan of all things M. W. Craven and I cannot wait to see his next epic read, The Final Vow. The new book in the author’s Washington Poe series, The Final Vow will see the series’ damaged detective and his unconventional investigation team attempt to stop a sniper terrorising the entire country. This amazing sounding book will likely be one of the very best mystery novels of 2025 and I am extremely excited to see how many complex twists and shocking turns Craven will load into this new book.

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The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown – 9 September 2025

Legendary author Dan Brown returns to his iconic Robert Langdon series, this time setting the series’ titular protagonist lose in Prague.  Set to see Langdon investigate a dark conspiracy rooted in the history of the city, The Secret of Secrets is going to be a pretty amazing novel, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the first Robert Langdon book released in years.

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Circle of Days by Ken Follett – 23 September 2025

Few big upcoming releases have me as excited as the new Ken Follett novel, Circle of Days, especially after absorbing the author’s addictive Kingsbridge novels, including The Evening and the Morning, A Column of Fire and The Armour of Light.  Once again diving into the history of England, Circle of Days will be an expansive, multi-character novel that will have the building on Stonehenge as its backdrop.  Sure to feature a lengthy narrative set over multiple years, Circle of Days is likely to be one of my favourite historical fiction books of 2025 and I am so very keen to read it.

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The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman – 25 September 2025

I am certain that this next book, The Impossible Fortune, is going to be the novel at the top of all my best-of lists later this year.  The next entry in Richard Osman’s exceptional Thursday Murder Club series, The Impossible Fortune will see the unlikely retiree protagonists attempt to solve a sinister crime at a wedding, with shenanigans and elaborate mystery to follow.  I have no doubt that The Impossible Fortune is going to be exceptional, especially after loving every second of The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020),  The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), and I cannot wait to see what magic Osman weaves with this incredible upcoming book.

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Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson – 30 September 2025

One of the more entertaining novels coming out in the second half of 2025 is going to be the brilliant Australian thriller Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson.  The fourth book in the Ernest Cunningham series (Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, and Everyone this Christmas has a Secret), Everyone in this Bank is a Thief will once again place Stevenson’s insightful and unlucky protagonist at the site of another crime as he is forced to investigate a murder while trapped as a hostage in a bank robbery.  Blending classic murder mystery elements with a fun heist narrative, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief is going to be a hilarious read, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly – 21 October 2025

The always reliable master of crime fiction, Michael Connelly, has another awesome book coming out in 2025 with The Proving Ground.  The next book in the author’s incredible Lincoln Lawyer series (which has previously featured books like The Law of Innocence and Resurrection Walk), The Proving Ground will team Mickey Haller with another Connelly protagonist, Jack McEvoy (the protagonist of books like Fair Warning), as he takes on a sinister AI company.  Likely to combine great legal elements with a complex thriller narrative, I have a feeling this is going to be one of Connelly’s better books, and I am very excited to get my hands on it. 

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Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 6 November 2025

Another upcoming book that I am particularly excited for is the new Eagles of the Empire book from Simon Scarrow, Tyrant of Rome (cover yet to be released).  Scarrow’s second book in 2025 after A Death in Berlin, Tyrant of Rome will follow on from the previous Eagles of the Empire novel, Revenge of Rome, as the protagonists return to Rome after ending Boudica’s rebellion.  This time series protagonists Cato and Macro are dragged back into the excesses of Nero when they are chosen to take control of law and order in the city.  I love this interesting change of direction away from the brutal war stories of the last few books and it is going to be fun to dive into over-the-top Roman politics and the insanity of the emperor.

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Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums by Stan Sakai – 25 November 2025

The final entry on this list is one of my favourites with the next Usagi Yojimbo volume by Stan Sakai, Ten Thousand Plums.  The 41st volume of the Usagi Yojimbo comic series, Ten Thousand Plums should be another intense adventure loaded with great characters, awesome action, and vibrant artwork, as the protagonists are thrown into a dangerous conspiracy within a vital plum plantation personally protected by the Shogun.  This will be the second entry from the Usagi Yojimbo series released in 2025 following the impressive volume, The Crow, and if Ten Thousand Plums is just as good as it’s proceeding volume, then I am in for an exceptional time when I pick this comic up in November.

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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 2025.  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.