Book Haul – 2 March 2026

On March 2, 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. 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.

Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K. J. Parker

The first book I recently received was the cool and sure to be hilarious fantasy novel, Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead. The first book in a new trilogy by K. J. Parker, this novel will follow a compelling nun character, who solves her church’s various problems through murder. However, her latest mission at an important religious conference quickly goes terribly wrong when certain impossible guests show up. I love the sound of Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead’s plot, and I already know this book is going to be amazing, especially after how damn impressive Parker’s previous two trilogies were.

Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell

I was also very lucky to receive an early copy of one of the most anticipated fantasy novels of 2026, Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell. The next book in de Castell’s Court of Shadows series (Play of Shadows and Crucible of Chaos), which is set in his larger Greatcoat universe, Our Lady of Blades will be another mostly standalone fantasy read, that explores conspiracies and crimes in the author’s fantasy realm. This next book sounds particularly impressive with an The Count of Monte Cristo inspired plot, as it follows a masked duelist who seeks revenge on her city’s elite after her family was betrayed and destroyed. I cannot wait to finally dive into this cool novel, and I have very high hopes for this incredible sounding book.

Dead Fall Lake by S. R. White

I also just received the latest unique outback murder from author S. R. White, Dead Fall Lake. Following on from Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge, Dead Fall Lake will force its detective protagonist to investigate the murder of a local sports hero, whose body is found in a sinkhole he routinely freedived into. This has the potential to be an outstanding Australian murder novel as White has no doubt written another amazing and complex mystery.

City of Others by Jared Poon

I also recently grabbed a copy of one of my most anticipated debuts of 2026, City of Others by Jared Poon. A cool sounding urban fantasy novel set in Singapore, City of Others sounds like an outstanding read, and I have been looking forward to it for a while. I am hoping to keep up my roll of great 2026 debuts by reading City of Others soon, and I already know I’m going to love this cool book.

The Book of Fallen Leaves by A. S. Tamaki

One of the more unique and striking novels I recently received was the intriguing fantasy novel, The Book of Fallen Leaves by debuting author A. S. Tamaki. A samurai inspired novel with some compelling dark fantasy elements, The Book of Fallen Leaves sounds very interesting, and I cannot wait to see what awesome world Tamaki has created in his first novel.

Star Trek: Red Shirts by Christopher Cantwell

I was very happy to receive an early copy of the new Star Trek comic miniseries, Red Shirts. A darker read that follows the expendable and doomed security officers of Starfleet, Red Shirts sounds like a particularly wild ride, and the above cover clearly shows that this isn’t going to be your typical, light-hearted Star Trek story. I am very curious to see how this comic turns out, and it looks set to be a particularly awesome read.

There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

I managed to finally get a copy of the Lindsey Davis novel; There Will Be Bodies. The 2025 entry in Davis’ Flavia Albia series, There Will Be Bodies promises to be another excellent read, that throws the protagonist into another investigation in the Roman Empire. This latest novel features a cool plot involving murders during the eruption of Pompeii, and I look forward to diving into this book when I get a chance.

The Debt by Glenn Cooper

Next up, I recently received a copy of the new novel from Glenn Cooper, The Debt. An intriguing thriller that features a cool plot about a debt owed by the Vatican, The Debt sounds like an excellent read, and I’m hoping to dive into it when I get a chance.

Finding the Bones by Natalie Conyer

A unique, multi-generational Australian crime fiction by a very talented author.

I, Claudia by D. N. Potter

A highly entertaining novel of revenge, murder, and lethal marriage that sounds quite delightful. I, Claudia promises to be an excellent read, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

What Rhymes with Murder by Penny Tangey

The final book I recently received was the Australian cozy murder mystery, What Rhymes with Murder by Penny Tangey. Following a group of amateur sleuths who attempt to solve a murder that took place at their local library, What Rhymes with Murder sounds like a lot of fun, and I am hoping to read it in the next few weeks.

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 – Books I Meant to Read in 2025 but Didn’t Get To

On January 13, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn List7 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants were required to list the books they are most looking forward to in the first half of 2026. I did a list around this topic last week, so I am instead going to continue my recent trend of end of year and examining the best books released in 2025. As such I will be listening the top books I meant to read in 2025 but that I didn’t get a chance to.

2025 was an awesome year for books and I had such an outstanding time getting through a solid collection of books from new-to-me authors, exciting sequels and great older novels, most of which were fun and impressive reads. However, no matter how hard one tries there are always a couple of books each year that you don’t get the chance to read, either due to time constraints, lack of access or being too overwhelmed with other reads. As a result, this is a list loaded with regret as each book I mention below is one that I really wish I had taken the time to explore.

To complete this list, I pulled together some of the more interesting and compelling novels that I didn’t get a chance to read in 2025. Each entry was released last year and while knew that they were coming out I did not get a chance to read any of them. In many cases I have these books sitting on my shelf, silently and constantly judging me, and I will have to try and read them to stop their bookish glares. I was eventually able to cull my list of regret down to 10 entries with an honourable mentions section. This list is an interesting collection of books from across the genres and include several major 2025 releases I did not get the chance to look at.

Honourable Mentions:

Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton

A fun sounding fantasy novel about the downsides of destiny.

Once a Villain by Vanessa Len

The final book in a young adult fantasy trilogy I was hoping to finish off last year.

The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch

An intriguing historical fiction novel with an awesome plot that grabbed my attention and which I’m still hoping to read.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

A very compelling 2025 fantasy debut that I regret not getting the chance to check out.

Top Ten Tuesday:

There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

One of the books I most regret not reading in 2025 was the latest book in one of my favourite historical fiction series, There Will Be Bodies by Lindsey Davis. The latest book in the always entertaining Flavia Albia series, There Will Be Bodies sounded like an excellent historical murder mystery, when the protagonist uncovers bodies related to the Pompei volcanic eruption. I really liked the sound of this latest Flavia Albia book and I’m still hoping to read it at some point this year, especially as I’m curious to see how Davies envisions ancient Romans looking back at the volcanic event.

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland

One of the big fantasy releases I had hoped to read at the end of 2025 was Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland. The third and final book in Corland’s Broken Blades trilogy (which previously featured Five Broken Blades and Four Ruined Realms), Three Shattered Souls sounded like an excellent end to the trilogy, with the surviving damaged killer protagonists forced to face their enemies in a final fight. I’ve got copies of Three Shattered Souls on a couple of formats and I’m planning to read it this year as I’m very curious to see how everything ends in this series.

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

While I did manage to read Adam Plantinga’s cool 2024 debut, The Ascent, last year, I was unable to get my hands on a copy of the sequel, Hard Town. Following a rough former cop who keeps finding himself in deadly situations, Hard Town follows the protagonist as he travels to an unusual town and finds himself embroiled in a staggering conspiracy. I’m still extremely keen to read Hard Town at some point, especially as his first book was a wonderfully excessive and entertaining thriller, and I will probably try to get a copy of this sequel soon.

Tyrant by Conn Iggulden

One of the more entertaining historical novels from 2025 I regret missing was Tyrant by Conn Iggulden. The second book in Iggulden’s Nero series, Tyrant follows on from the excellent 2024 novel Nero and features the teenaged future rule of Rome and his diabolical mother, as they pave his way to the throne. I’m still keen to read Tyrant, as it sounds like an amazing read, and it should be a ton of fun to get through.

The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso

A unique fantasy novel I’m sorry to have not read last year was the new Melissa Caruso novel, The Last Soul Among Wolves. The sequel to the excellent 2024 novel, The Last Hour Between Worlds, The Last Soul Among Wolves contained a unique locked room mystery, as a several friends are magically trapped in a house after an unusual will reading. I had an outstanding time with The Last Hour Between Worlds and this sequel sounded extremely good. I might attempt to read this sequel soon, as I am curious about how Caruso will top her previous cool story.

The Medici Return by Steve Berry

Probably the most surprising inclusion on this list for me is The Medici Return by Steve Berry, as I’m usually very good at reading Berry’s books as soon as they come out. The latest book in Berry’s Cotton Malone series, The Medici Return has a very interesting plot behind it, as the protagonist attempts to unwind an elaborate conspiracy from history when the legendary Medici family apparently return to Italy with a vengeance. This book sounds extremely awesome, and I’m hoping to read it before the next Cotton Malone novel comes out.

Valour by Richard Cullen

While I did manage to read Cullen’s early 2025 novel, Crusade, I didn’t get a chance to check out his other release from last year, Valour. The third book in the author’s Chronicles of the Black Lion, Valour sounds like another very exciting novel from Cullen, as the protagonist finds himself fighting pagans hidden in a deadly and remote European mountain range. I currently have Valour loaded up to read when I have a spare moment and the need for historical adventure, and I know I’m going to have a great time with this book when I do.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

There were a few books from the always impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky I regret not reading in 2025, however, the most interesting sounding was Shroud. A fantastic and tense science fiction novel that sees two crash survivors trapped beneath the dark atmosphere of a forbidden planet, Shroud had a truly outstanding plot idea behind it, and I was very curious to see how it would unfold. I have no doubt that Shroud was a particularly incredible novel, and I really do hope I get the chance to read it at some point.

The Detective by Matthew Reilly

One big end of year release I very much regret not reading was the new novel from Australian author Matthew Reilly, The Detective. An interesting and apparently clever crime fiction read set in the American south, The Detective was very high on my to-read list for the last few months of 2025. Unfortunately, I could never seem to make time for it, which was a real shame considering how much I loved Reilly’s previous novel, Mr Einstein’s Secretary. The Detective is one of the big releases from last year I will attempt to read in 2026, and I cannot wait to finally explore Reilly’s excellent new novel.

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

The final 2025 novel I want to highlight on this list is The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawerence. The third and final book in Lawrence’s The Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart follows on from the author’s excellent previous novels The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and The Book That Broke The World. I have been meaning to read The Book That Held Her Heart for a while, especially as I am curious about how this inventive fantasy series was coming to an end, and this final book sounds very impressive. I might try to read The Book That Held Her Heart in the next month or two, especially as Lawrence has a new book coming out soon with Daughter of Crows, and I look forward to seeing how he wraps up his last complex series.

Well, that is the end of my latest list and it looks like I have a lot catch-up reading to do if I am going to make a dent in it. There are some truly amazing-sounding novels on this list, and I fully intend to get through all of them at some point, although with all the outstanding books coming out in 2026, it might take me a little time. In the meantime, let me know what books you most regret not reading in 2025 in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – Novels from the First Half of 2025 that I still Need to Read

On July 2, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn ListLeave a comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to return to a previous list you’ve done as part of a Throwback Freebie. However, I decided to instead continue my literary examination of the first half of 2025 by looking at the top books from the first half of the year that I still need to read.

While I have already enjoyed a substantial number of outstanding books in 2025, there are still quite a few impressive novels from the first half of the year that I have yet to read. Many of these were on my most anticipated books lists for 2025 (both fantasy and other), and while I was really excited for them, I have honestly not had a chance to check all of them out yet. Therefore, I am going to use this freebie session to shame myself in the hope that it gets me into gear to finally check out these epic reads. This proved to be an easy list to pull together, as many of these books have been weighing on my mind for a while. All 10 novels below (plus honourable mentions) sound really, really good, and I hope I get the chance to read all of them soon.

Honourable Mentions:

Forged for Destiny by Andrew Knighton

A fun sounding fantasy novel about a hero whose chosen-one status isn’t what he thinks it is.

Warrior by Simon Turney

The interesting sounding sequel to Turney’s 2024 novel Invader. I failed to get a copy of Warrior earlier in the year, so I will have to see how I go continuing the series.

Vanguard Strike by Jarom Strong

A very exciting science fiction debut that I’m hoping to read soon, especially as Strong already has a sequel to it coming out.

The Venetian Heretic by Christian Cameron

An awesome historical thriller that I am going to try and grab a copy of soon, as it sounds particularly epic.

Top Ten List:

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

The first novel from the first half of 2025 that I want to talk about is The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence. The third and final entry in Lawrence’s Library trilogy, The Book That Held Her Heart will finish off the elaborate story of a war within a massive, impossible library that started in The Book that Wouldn’t Burn and continued in The Book That Broke the World. I deeply enjoyed the first two books in this series, and I really want to finish Lawrence’s trilogy off. Hopefully I will be able to fit The book That Held Her Heart into my reading schedule soon, as this is one of the biggest releases from the first half of the year I still need to read.

Tyrant by Conn Iggulden

Another key book from early 2025 that I still need to read is the gripping Tyrant by historical fiction author Conn Iggulden. The second book in the author’s Nero series, Tyrant will continue to follow the young life of the infamous emperor Nero, as he slowly rose to power in ancient Rome. The first book in this series, Nero, was pretty damn good, and I cannot wait to continue Iggulden’s intriguing examination of this fascinating historical figure. I’m hoping to get a copy of Tyrant soon, and I have no doubt this will be one of the better historical fiction books I read in 2025.

The Medici Return by Steve Berry

One of the more surprising entries on this list is the new Cotton Malone novel from Steve Berry, The Medici Return. In recent years I’ve made a real effort to read the new Steve Berry book each year, especially as the Cotton Malone novels feature cool thriller stories based around complex historical secrets and conspiracies. Unfortunately, I just haven’t been able to fit The Medici Return into my 2025 reading schedule yet, which is a real shame as it has a very fun plot about the return of the legendary Medici of Florence, which could have massive impacts on modern day Italy. Sure to be another complex and culturally rich story, The Medici Return is very high on my to-read list.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I had really hoped to read the awesome new Adrian Tchaikovsky science fiction novel, Shroud, by this point in the year. A complex and intense read about two people who find themselves trapped on the surface a truly inhospitable and completely dark alien planet, Shroud has a fascinating story about survival and alien contact. I love the sound of this excellent science fiction novel, and I am determined to read Shroud in 2025.

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

I was happy to receive a copy of You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego earlier this year, although I unfortunately haven’t had a chance to read it yet. Featuring the fun concept of a group of mystery writer who find themselves trapped in an isolated manor with a dangerous killer, You Are Fatally Invited sounds like an incredible read, and one sure to be loaded with fun twists and complex turns. I really intend to explore You Are Fatally Invited by the end of the year, and I look forward to seeing how it comes together.

The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

One of the more exciting novels from the first half of 2025 I still must read is The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani, an excellent and intense historical thriller that sees a farmer join Richard Lionheart’s crusade to get revenge on soldiers who killed his wife. A very cool sounding revenge novel amongst a great historical setting, I am very keen to get my hands on The Pilgrim’s Revenge, although I may have to wait until it gets a paperback release in Australia later this year.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

The next entry on this list is an ambitious and compelling fantasy debut that I had hoped to have read by now, A Song of Legends Lost. A Song of Legends Lost is the excellent first novel from new author M. H. Ayinde, filled with war, rebellion and spirit magic. I am still hoping to dive into this massive fantasy debut soon, and I cannot wait to see what impressive story Ayinde has started his writing career with.

There Will be Bodies by Lindsey Davis

For the second year in a row, I am very behind in reading the new Flavia Albia book from Lindsey Davis, as I still haven’t enjoyed the latest book in the series, There Will be Bodies. Following on from the previous entry in the series, Death on the Tiber, There Will be Bodies sees the ancient Roman detective protagonist attempt to solve a murder that occurred in the aftermath of the eruption of Vesuvius. I love the awesome concept behind this book, and I am hoping to dive into this story soon.

With a Vengeance by Riley Sager

One of the more intriguing novels of 2025 that I have yet to read is the fantastic historical crime fiction novel, With a Vengeance by Riley Sager. A cool twist on the classic whodunnit, With a Vengeance sees an unforgiving woman’s plan to destroy the people responsible for her family’s downfall go off the rails when a mysterious killer starts to murder her targets while she is trapped on a train with them. I love the sound of this complex and fun read, and I cannot wait to see how it all comes together.

Warhammer 40,000: Hell’s Last by Justin D. Hill

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the cool Warhammer 40,000 novel, Hell’s Last by Justin D. Hill. Set to once again follow the damaged members of the Cadian 101^st as they continue to fight after the destruction of their planet, Hell’s Last sounds like an awesome piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction from a very talented author. I’ve been a little slack in not listening to Hell’s Last yet, especially as I usually instantly snap up every Warhammer 40,000 novel that comes my way. Much of this is because I haven’t read the rest of the books in Hill’s Cadia series, which I might try and do first before diving into this latest entry in the series.

Well, that is the end of this latest list. As you can see, there are a bunch of exceptional novels from the first half of the year that I need to check out. All the above books sound incredibly epic, and I am going to have to try a lot harder to start reading through them. In the meantime, let me know which books released in the first half of the year you most regret not reading in the comments below.