Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels of 2025

On December 18, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday required participants to list their most anticipated books for Summer (Winter for the Northern Hemisphere). However, as I have already done this list a few weeks ago, I decided to continue with my annual end-of-year lists that I have been working on the last few weeks. I have already covered my favourite new-to-me authors I read in 2025, as well as the best pre-2025 novels I read this year, but in this week’s list I am going to highlight the best sequels I read in 2025. This is a relatively new topic that I have only explored in 2023 and 2024, however it’s proving to be a great topic that I’m keen to keep going back to.

Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career. I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels. I read a ton of sequels every year and I felt that it was about time that I highlighted the very best sequels of the year in a specific post.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released in 2025 that I had the pleasure of reading. I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines. For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead. I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and definitely highlights my favourite sequels released in 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Crusade by Richard Cullen

A great and very exciting historical fiction novel that serves as an excellent sequel to the first book in Cullen’s Chronicles of the Black Lion series, Rebellion.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

Harlan Coben provided an intense and clever sequel to one of his better-known novels, Fool Me Once, this year with the awesome new book, Nobody’s Fool

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

I had a lot of fun reading the compelling Australian crime novel, The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins, this year, which serves as an outstanding sequel to the author’s debut, How to Kill a Client.

Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka

One of the more entertaining sequels of the year was the hilarious and charming English release of Hotel Lucky Seven by iconic Japanese author Kotaro Isaka. A direct sequel to Bullet Train, Hotel Lucky Seven follows the previous book’s terminally unlucky protagonist as he finds himself trapped in a hotel full of outrageous assassins.

Top Ten Tuesday:

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

The first incredible 2025 sequel I want to highlight on this list is A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. An elaborate and deeply clever fantasy murder mystery novel, A Drop of Corruption serves as a sequel to The Tainted Cup, which was one of my favourite books of 2024. Following an unnaturally skilled detective and her loyal assistant as they investigate impossible crimes in a land constantly under attack from giant monsters, A Drop of Corruption, was an outstanding read that will keep you hooked until the end. Featuring an exceptional mystery that perfectly utilises elements from the universe started in The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption was one of the best books of the year and an incredible sequel.

Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett

Possibly one of the most long-awaited sequel on this list is the awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Interceptor City. The sequel to Dan Abnett’s classic novel, Double Eagle, Interceptor City sees the original protagonist return for another gritty war story, this time forced to fly amongst the ruins of a giant city. Featuring some of the best aerial combat sequences you are likely to read in fiction, Interceptor City was an exceptional read and it was amazing to see Double Eagle’s story continue in such a fantastic manner.

The Malevolent Eight by Sebastian De Castell

I had a hilarious time getting through the highly entertaining and gloriously over-the-top fantasy novel, The Malevolent Eight. The sequel to De Castell’s outstanding novel, The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight follows eight crazy mages as they attempt to save their world from the combined armies of heaven and hell. A comedic treat that I couldn’t put down, this was an incredible fantasy sequel that comes very highly recommended.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

I had to feature the impressive Australian crime fiction novel Broke Road by Matthew Spencer on this list. Serving as an interesting follow-up to Spencer’s debut novel Black River, Broke Road is a gritty and complex murder mystery that sees a troubled detective and a rogue journalist investigate a shocking crime in regional Australia. I deeply enjoyed Broke Road and it ended up being a particularly amazing sequel that overshadowed Spencer’s original novel. One of the best pieces of Australian fiction in 2025, I cannot wait to see how Spencer continues to grow as an author.

Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

Acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan continues to greatly impress with his new fantasy novel, Born of an Iron Storm. The second book in Ryan’s Age of Wrath series, Born of an Iron Storm continues the excellent story started in A Tide of Black Steel, as four separate protagonists attempt to weather a dark invasion coming down upon their lands. A wonderful fantasy adventure sequel that makes full use of its Viking inspiration, Born of an Iron Storm was a powerful read that is really worth checking out.

Cold War by Jonathan Maberry

One of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry, continued his distinctive and dark NecroTek science fiction series this year with the fantastic second entry Cold War. Set right after the events of the first book, NecroTek, Cold War was an inventive, intense and disturbing sequel that pitted human scientists and soldiers against the very worst Lovecraftian monsters. A great sequel that cleverly brings in some awesome new characters and further raises the stakes of the crazy plot, Cold War was an exceptional read that I honestly couldn’t stop listening to.

Never Flinch by Stephen King

I’m slightly cheating by including this next entry, however, I honestly count Never Flinch as a sequel as it is the second novel from Stephen King to feature his unique character, Holly Gibney, as protagonist. Following on from the success of Holly (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), Never Flinch sees the protagonist attempt to stop two deadly killers stalking their prey in her city. A particularly moving and intense book, Never Flinch was so damn good, and I’m very glad that King produced a second Holly Gibney focused novel.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

The always fun Django Wexler wrapped up his Dark Lord Davi duology in amazing fashion this year with Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me. Following a slightly insane fantasy protagonist who finds herself trapped in a deadly time loop, this entry was the wonderful sequel to Wexler’s 2024 novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying. With the protagonist now a deadly Dark Lord, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me sees her attempt to save the human nation her minions want to conquer through an elaborate infiltration mission. Filled with mishaps, adventure and outrageous humour, Everybody Wants to Ruel the World Except Me was so damn fun, and I cannot recommend this sequel enough.

The Strength of the Few by James Islington

I had to feature the very impressive novel I just finished, The Strength of the Few by James Islington, on this list. The most elaborate sequel of 2025, The Strength of the Few, serves as a follow-up to Islington’s highly acclaimed 2023 novel, The Will of the Many. Upping the ante in a particularly inventive way, this great sequel sees the protagonist of The Will of the Many split across three separate versions of the same world, requiring three unique story arcs. A very ambitious novel that shows some true inventiveness, The Strength of the Few was an exceptional novel that serves as a worthy sequel to Islington’s previous epic book.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

The final sequel I want to highlight on this list is Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland. The sequel to Corland’s 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms sees the murderous and mistrustful protagonists of the first book attempt to once again work together to pull off an impossible heist. Full of compelling characters, doomed romances and clever worldbuilding, Four Ruined Realms was an excellent novel, that worked extremely well as a sequel to Corland’s previous adventure. Four Ruined Realms comes highly recommended as a result, and I really need to check out the third and final book in the series before the end of 2025.

Well, that’s it for this list. As you can see, I have read several outstanding sequels this year and had a wonderful time doing so. Every entry above was an epic novel, and I loved how they each successfully continued impressive story threads started in the previous novel. All these books come highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see how these talented authors add to their already awesome series in the future.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite New-to-Me Authors I read in 2025

On December 10, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was books set in a snowy place, which while interesting, is something I am putting aside for the moment as I want to continue with my end of year best-of lists, which I started last week when I looked at pre-2025 novels I read this year. instead, this week I will be looking at new-to-me authors I discovered in 2025. This is a list I have covered for the last couple of years (make sure to check out my 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 versions), and it is one that I always have a lot of fun doing.

Each year I am lucky enough to read a great number of awesome novels and this often includes books written by authors whose work I was previously unfamiliar with. 2025 was a particularly good example of this as I powered through an incredible collection of amazing novels written by authors who were completely new to me. Many of these new-to-me authors produced some truly exceptional novels, including one or two which I consider to be some of the best books released in 2025 (more on that later), and I really feel the need to highlight them here.

To appear on this list, the author had to be someone whose work I checked out for the first time in 2025. All new-to-me authors were eligible to appear here, although I did exclude debut authors as I am going to cover them in another list. Even with debuting authors excluded, I still had a ton of potential inclusions, as I apparently got through 21 new authors in 2025. After some hard work, I was able to whittle this down to a manageable top ten list, with my usual generous honourable mentions section. I am really surprised at some of the impressive and enjoyable authors I had to exclude, and I was honestly tempted to increase this to a top twenty list. I managed to resist and I think the below entry really highlights the absolute best new-to-me authors I enjoyed in 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

Adam Christopher – Star Wars: Master of Evil

A talented Star Wars author whose latest book has an interesting look at the newly created Darth Vader. I’m only a little way into Master of Evil now, else Christopher would have likely made the Top Ten list

Matthew Farrer – Warhammer 40,000: Crossfire

An author of some classic Warhammer 40,000 novels, including the exciting early Warhammer crime fiction novel Crossfire. I’m hoping to read more from Farrer next year, especially as I have the two sequels to Crossfire siting on my shelf.

Joe Hill – King Sorrow

Joe Hill is another new-to-me author I have to keep on the honourable mentions list as I’m only partway through his latest book, King Sorrow. Still, I am really enjoying my first experience with Hill’s writing, and King Sorrow is shaping up to being one of the more compelling novels of 2025.

Ryan North – Star Trek: Lower Decks

A fun author who is currently leading the Lower Decks comic series. I loved the first volume of this comic, and I’m hoping to read more soon.

Top Ten List:

Matt Dinniman – Dungeon Crawler Carl series

Without a doubt the biggest new-to-me author in 2025 had to be Matt Dinniman, especially as I fell in love with his epic Dungeon Crawler Carl series. A cool LitRPG series that sees the remnants of humanity forced to fight down multiple levels of a dungeon as a form of entertainment for the rest of the galaxy, the Dungeon Crawler Carl series is pretty damn exceptional, especially as it is loaded up with intense action, awesome mechanics, over-the-top humour, complex characters, and so many entertaining moments. I ended up chain listening to the entire series this year, and all seven books in the series, including Dungeon Crawler Carl, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, The Gate of the Feral Gods, The Butcher’s Masquerade, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride and This Inevitable Ruin are exceptional five-star reads, and once you start reading this series, you won’t be able to stop. Dinniman is an author I will be reading more of going forward, especially as he has two books coming out in 2026, with a new Dungeon Crawler Carl book, and his standalone novel Operation Bounce House.

Lamar Giles – Star Wars: Sanctuary

I got back into Star Wars fiction in 2025 in a big way, with my favourite book so far (noting I have only made a little progress on Master of Evil) being Sanctuary by Lamar Giles. Giles really impressed me with his first Star Wars novel, especially as Sanctuary was an entertaining addition to the Bad Batch animated series. Following several of the titular clones on another bonkers adventure, Sanctuary was a great novel from Giles, and I loved his fantastic humour, amazing take on the established characters, and the outstanding new villains who were a highlight of the book. I hope Giles writes more Star Wars fiction going forward, as his first full novel in the franchise was really incredible.

Scott Mariani – The Pilgrim’s Revenge

I started reading veteran thriller author Scott Mariani this year, primarily because he started a cool historical fiction series this year, starting with The Pilgrim’s Revenge. An exciting and detailed novel that followed a peasant who chases after King Richard’s crusade to get revenge of the men who killed his wife, The Pilgrim’s Revenge was an outstanding historical novel and a great introduction to Mariani’s writing. I’ve already got a copy of the sequel to The Pilgrim’s Revenge, and I’m hoping to read it before the end of the year.

Adam Plantinga – The Ascent

Another cool thriller author I read for the first time in 2025 was new writer Adam Plantinga, after I finally got the chance to read his debut from last year, The Ascent. A gritty and bloody thriller that sees several entertaining characters attempt to escape through several levels of an out-of-control prison, The Ascent was an extremely exciting and gripping novel that I had an absolute blast with. I’m keen to read more from Plantinga going forward, especially the sequel to The Ascent, Hard Town, and I cannot wait to see what he writes next.

Jackson Ford – The Bone Raiders

I had the very great pleasure of reading my first book from Jackson Ford this year, with The Bone Raiders. A fun author who has previously come up with some outstanding scenarios for his books, Ford is an author I have been meaning to read for a while, and there was no way I could avoid the awesome sounding The Bone Raiders. Following a group of grassland warriors who attempt to defeat an invading army by taming giant fire-breathing lizards, The Bone Raiders was an amazing read that I got really hooked on. I will be grabbing the sequel to The Bone Raiders, Sisters of the Lizard, next year, especially as it sounds just as crazy as the first book.

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child – Badlands

For the next entry on this list, I am featuring the pairing of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. While I have read something from Preston before, with last year’s exciting novel Extinction, 2025 was the first year that I read something written by both authors. This long-running writing team’s new novel was awesome crime fiction novel Badlands, which saw the protagonists investigate several suspicious deaths linked by Native American artefacts each victim was holding. Part of Preston and Child’s Nora Kelly series, Badlands was a great read, and I loved the crazy ending and entertaining twists.

Gabriel Bergmoser – High Rise

Gabriel Bergmoser provided all the Australian action I could need when I checked out his 2025 novel, High Rise. An ultra-violent read that sees a former cop and his estranged daughter try to escape from a building full of killers and bounty hunters, High Rise was a very exciting read that I powered through extremely quickly. I really loved this book, and Bergmoser is now an author I will be keeping a close eye on for new, cool novels.

R. F. Kuang – Katabasis

I finally got around to reading something from R. F. Kuang, who has been on my to-read list for a while. Kuang, who has written several very interesting previous books, presented one of the more unique fantasy novels of 2025 with Katabasis, an intriguing and complex book about two academics journey to Hell to recover their professor’s soul. I really enjoyed this impressive and inventive novel, and Kuang really lived up to the hype around her intricate books.

Edward Ashton – Mickey7

A fun road trip gave me my first experience of science fiction author Ashton Edward this year, as I read his entertaining novel, Mickey7. A fun and clever novel about an inadvertent extra clone on a space exploration mission, Mickey7 has always sounded like an amazing read, and I was very glad I got the chance to read it this year. An excellent and highly recommended novel that is worth checking out.

Krysten Ritter (with Lindsay Jamieson) – Retreat

The final new to me author this year is actress Krysten Ritter, who presented her second novel Retreat. A wonderful and compelling thriller about a con artist who takes over a client’s rich social life, only to encounter murder, plots and snobby neighbours, Retreat was a great read with some fun twists to it. I ended up really enjoying this book from Ritter, and it will be interesting to see what other cool novels this actress/author will produce in the future.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list. I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best new authors I checked out in 2025. I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt they will produce more epic and incredible reads. Make sure to let me know which new authors you enjoyed in 2025 in the comments below and make sure to check back next week for another exciting end of 2025 list.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Pre-2025 Novels

On December 3, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. 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-2025 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 2025, 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-2025 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 2025, 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 2025. While I struggled due to an overabundance of choice, I eventually managed to pull together a fantastic list that covered some of the best books I read this year released before 2025. I did have to put one restriction on my choices for this year’s list, primarily because I read quite a few novels from authors, Matt Dinniman and Terry Pratchett, and I could have filled this top ten list with books from these two alone. As such, I limited myself to three books from each author, which ensured a bit more diversity in this list. With this rule in place, I feel that this list still reflects the best pre-2025 novels I read throughout the year, so let us see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000: Crossfire by Matthew Farrer – 2003

An intense classic novel from the Warhammer 40,000 franchise with a great crime fiction twist.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 2024

An intricate fantasy novel that makes excellent use of a clever, time-loop scenario

Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis – 2024

Flavia Albia returns for another ancient Rome mystery, this time hunting down an organised crime boss that she has a dark history with.

Top Ten List:

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett – 1992

I had a lot of fun re-reading several Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett in 2025, including the impressive and thought-provoking Small Gods. One of Pratchett’s absolute best Discworld books, Small Gods provides a clever and hilarious look at religion and how it impacts the human condition, all while following two of the author’s most relatable protagonists. There is so much to love about Small Gods, and it was a pleasure to read it once again, especially with the new audiobook format that featured narration from Andy Serkis.

Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett – 1993

Another outstanding Discworld book I enjoyed in 2025 was the second entry in the City Watch sub-series, Men at Arms. The sequel to Pratchett’s earlier release, Guards! Guards!, Men at Arms sees the unlikely heroes of the Ankh-Morpork city watch attempt to stop a deranged killer wielding the Disc’s first firearm. A very impressive crime fiction novel that makes full use of the iconic city of Ankh-Morpork as a gritty background setting, Men at Arms was another early classic from Pratchett, that I will never get tired of re-reading.

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett – 1996

The final book from Pratchett that I want to highlight on this list is the third City Watch book, Feet of Clay. Following the returning protagonists from Men at Arms as they attempt to solve a series of brutal murders connected to Ankh-Morpork’s golem population, as well as stop the poisoning of the patrician. Probably the best crime fiction novel that Pratchett ever wrote, Feet of Clay is an exceptional book that still brings me joy whenever I read it.

Warhammer 40,000: Titanicus by Dan Abnett – 2008

It wouldn’t be a reading year for me without some older Warhammer 40,000 novels thrown into the mix. One of my favourites of these was the epic novel Titanicus by the legendary Dan Abnett. A spin-off of his Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Titanicus follows a sprawling war between the gigantic Titan war machines, as they rain destruction and death across an entire planet. Massive in scope and featuring some outstanding battle sequences, Titanicus was an outstanding read and one I had such an incredible time getting through.

Warhammer 40,000: The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell – 2010

I also continued my dive into another awesome older Warhammer 40,000 series this year with The Emperor’s Finest by Sandy Mitchell. A particularly hilarious entry in the entertaining Ciaphas Cain series, The Emperor’s Finest once again follows the galaxy’s smartest, if most cowardly, commissar, as he attempts to avoid deadly danger in space, only to inadvertently end up facing even worse monsters or deadly situations. I laughed myself silly throughout The Emperor’s Finest and it was a great entry in one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 series.

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman – 2020

Those who are familiar with this blog will already know that 2025 started my obsession with the incredible Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman, as I dove into several of these novels which were all released before 2025. I ended up powering through the entire series on audiobook in a couple of weeks, it was that damn good, and I just had to include a few entries from this series on this list as a result. This includes the very first book in the series, Dungeon Crawler Carl, which serves as a powerful introduction to the elaborate narrative and setting. I love how well Dungeon Crawler Carl sets the entire adventure up, and you get a perfect taste of the author’s unique humour and crazy imagination with this incredible read. Highly recommended, although be warned, once you start reading this book, you won’t be able to stop.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton – 2022

The highly entertaining and inventive science fiction novel, Mickey7, proved to be excellent entertainment for a road trip earlier this year. A fantastic novel that I’ve been meaning to read for a while, Mickey7 featured a great story about an expendable member of a distant space colony, who gets in trouble when an extra clone of him is created. I really enjoyed this awesome novel and it really worth going back and checking out.

The Butcher’s Masquerade by Matt Dinniman – 2022

After already featuring the first Dungeon Crawler Carl novel on this list, I was spoiled for choice about which other entries from the series to feature here, especially as I read them all this year. however, in the end the choice was rather easy for me as I had to feature one of the very best books from Dinniman with the fifth book in the series, The Butcher’s Masquerade. Featuring an elaborate plot that sees the increasingly damaged protagonists transported to a new level filled with alien hunters who plan to butcher them for sport, The Butcher’s Masquerade was another exceptional entry in the series. Between its epic story, amazing humour, crazy moments, and impressive emotional depth, The Butcher’s Masquerade was a true standout amongst an already incredible series, and I just had to feature it here.

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman – 2023

The third Dungeon Crawler Carl novel I decided to feature on this list was the sixth book, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, which I honestly think was one of the most impressive entries in the series. Perfectly building on the plot from the previous novels, Dinniman turned what could have been a fun bridging novel into an emotionally charged and traumatic read that really dived into several of the series’ outstanding characters. Funny, exhilarating and absolutely heartbreaking, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride features some of Dinniman’s best writing, and I honestly could not get enough of the elaborate scenarios and shocking moments in this book. The crown jewel of one of the best ongoing series you need to read.

The Ascent by Adam Plantinga – 2024

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the very exciting 2024 thriller The Ascent by Adam Plantinga. A compelling read that saw a damaged former cop attempt to climb up through a chaotic and deadly rioting prison, The Ascent was a very impressive novel, and one I flew through extremely quickly. I really enjoyed this great book, and I’m hoping to read the sequel, Hard Town, sometime soon.

And that is the end of this list. As you can see, I have managed to read a huge number of epic pre-2025 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 2026, and it will be interesting to see what makes my next version of this list then. 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 2025.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Summer 2025/26 To Be Read (TBR) List

On November 25, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List5 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday participants have a Thanksgiving freebie which I am going to use to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the last Tuesday before Summer 2025/26, 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 Summer (Winter 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 December 2025 and 28 February 2026 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 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 both 2025 and 2026.

Honourable Mentions:

The Right to Remain by James Grippando – 6 January 2026

An awesome upcoming legal thriller from the very impressive James Grippando (Goodbye Girl and Grave Danger), with the lawyer protagonist forced to defend a client who literally won’t utter a word in his own defence.

Dark Desert Road by Tim Ayliffe – 6 January 2026

An intriguing and topical Australian thriller from a very talented author.

City of Others by Jared Poon – 13 January 2026

An exciting fantasy debut that I think has a lot of potential.

The Devil’s Bible by Steve Berry – 17 February 2026

The next intriguing entry in the long-running Cotton Malone spy thriller series. I am a big fan of this series, although I still need to read the 2025 entry first.

Top Ten List:

Warhammer 40,000: Demolisher by Andy Clark – 12 December 2025

The first summer release I want to highlight is the soon-to-be released Warhammer 40,000 novel Demolisher by Andy Clark. The sequel to Clark’s previous novel Steel Tread, Demolisher will once again follow a misfit tank crew as they attempt to survive in the grimdark future. Steel Tread was an impressive and exciting read, and I am excited to see how this sequel turns out.

Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums by Stan Sakai – 23 December 2025

The next Usagi Yojimbo volume looks set to be an outstanding Christmas present for me in a few weeks’ time. Featuring a deadly conspiracy in a cool seasonal location, Ten Thousand Plums sounds like another outstanding entry in one of my favourite comic series. Sakai has already had one amazing volume of this series out this year with The Crow, and I’m sure this next volume is going to be even better.

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher – 20 January 2026

One of the books I’m most excited to read in the next three months is the long-awaited new Dresden Files novel by the legendary Jim Butcher, Twelve Months. Following on from the chaotic events of Battle Ground, Twelve Months looks set to continue the series in epic fashion with dark new enemies, a compelling mystery, shocking revelations and some moving character moments. I have been desperately waiting for this novel since 2020, having read the entire Dresden Files series in the intervening time, and I cannot wait to see how this new book turns out. Sure to be one of the very best books of 2026!

30Seven by Jeremy Robinson – 20 January 2026

Next, we have the intriguing and unique new science fiction novel, 30Seven by the always entertaining Jeremy Robinson. Featuring a gripping and no-doubt terrifying alien abduction narrative with some cool twists, including the protagonist being trapped onboard the alien ship with the serial killer that murdered his wife, 30Seven has so much potential, and I’m planning to power through this book the second I get it.

Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K. J. Parker – 27 January 2026

I already know that one of the more hilarious releases of the next three months is going to be the awesome fantasy novel Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead from K. J. Parker. The start of a fantastic new series following a murderous nun who serves as the fixer for her corrupt church, Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead looks set to be an amazing read. I love the sound of this upcoming novel, and I already know I’m going to laugh myself silly while reading it.

Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman – 3 February 2026

The always reliable Jonathan Kellerman will continue his long-running Alex Delaware series in early 2026 with the intriguing new novel Jigsaw. Featuring two seemingly unrelated murder cases with a unique and clever twists behind it, Jigsaw is sure to be a real highlight of the next few months, and I cannot wait to check it out.

Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz – 10 February 2026

Few thriller series have been as consistently impressive and emotionally charged in recent years as Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series, which follows a former assassin turned vigilante as he attempts to make the world a better place, one desperate person at a time. This series has been extremely incredible, and it reached its height earlier this year with the highly moving and powerful 10^th entry Nemesis. While I may never forgive Hurwitz for breaking my heart at the end of Nemesis, there is no way I will not be continuing the series in 2026 with Antihero. Featuring a great new narrative that will be loaded with grief from the events of the previous book, Antihero looks set to be a particularly intense and memorable entry in the series and I cannot wait to read it.

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman – 10 February 2026

Readers of this blog will be well aware that I became a little obsessed with author Matt Dinniman this year, especially as I rapidly absorbed his entire Dungeon Crawler Carl series, with books like Dungeon Crawler Carl, The Butcher’s Masquerade and The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, and more, all proving to be outstanding reads. As such, I will be eagerly reading anything that Dinniman release in the future going forward, and that includes his February 2026 release, Operation Bounce House. A fun and no doubt bloody science fiction novel, Operation Bounce House will see desperate human settlers defend their planet from a greedy corporation using weaponised farming drones. I have no doubt this is going to be a particularly hilarious and over-the-top read and I cannot wait to get more of Dinniman’s insane creativity in the new year.

Pretenders to the Throne of God by Adrian Tchaikovsky – 12 February 2026

The always imaginative Adrian Tchaikovsky will continue his epic Tyrant Philosophers series in early 2026 with Pretenders to the Throne of God. Following on from his previous three exceptional novels, City of Last Chances, House of Open Wounds and Days of Shattered Faith, Pretenders to the Throne of God will continue to follow the expansion of the perfection seeking Palleseen as they find themselves besieging a magical city. Sure to feature a great story based around complex characters, all wrapped up with Thaikovsky’s wry humour, Pretenders to the Throne of God is going to be something special, and I will try to read it is as soon as possible.

The Hard Line by Mark Greaney – 24 February 2026

The final book I want to highlight in this post is the awesome upcoming spy thriller The Hard Line by Mark Greaney. The next book in Greaney’s iconic Gray Man series, The Hard Line will continue the intense action and clever spy craft this series is known for when the protagonist, feared assassin and covert agent Court Gentry faces off against another legendary killer, determined to get revenge on everyone Gentry loves. I have no doubt The Hard Line is going to be one of the more clever and exciting novels of the next few months, and I look forward to getting my hands on it.

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. There are some really impressive books coming out in this part of 2025 and 2026, 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 bit of reading to do in the near future.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Want to Read Before the End of 2025

On November 19, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn ListLeave a 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. For this latest Top Ten Tuesday the official topic involved listing modern books that have the potential to be classics in the future. However, I am going to do something a little different and instead I am going to list the top ten novels I want to read before the end of 2025.

We are once again nearing the end of another interesting and chaotic year, with only around 50 days left in it. While I am rather keen to see what’s going to happen in 2026, I am very mindful of the big pile of novels from this year currently sitting on my table (and a couple of bookshelves, and the floor). So, with that in mind, I thought I would pull together a list to inspire me to read these books and knock them out before this year comes to an end.

For this list I have had a look through my many book piles and reading lists to work out which novels I really need to read before the year ends. To focus this on the books that are cluttering up my house or my audiobook storage, I decided to exclude novels that I do not currently have copies of (such King Sorrow by Joe Hill), books featured in my latest Book Haul post, and novels that have not yet been released. I also decided to exclude novels that I am definitely going to read before the end of the year, as I have plans to review them for some Canberra Weekly holiday columns. Using these parameters, I was able to come up with a list of 10 books (with some honourable mentions), that I would really like to read before the year ends. This list includes an interesting range of novels, including some big 2025 releases and some other novels that came in under the radar. All 10 sound like outstanding reads and I desperately hope I have time to read them all.

Honourable Mentions:

Murder on North Terrace by Lainie Anderson

An exciting Australian historic murder mystery that serves as a sequel to Anderson’s 2024 novel, The Death of Dora Black.

The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch

Historical carnage as a brutal knight attempts to escort a potential saint from the Holy Lands to England.

A Song of Legends Lost by M. H. Ayinde

An intriguing fantasy debut that I have been hoping to read all year.

The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence

The final book in Mark Lawrences compelling and complex Library trilogy.

Top Ten List:

Circle of Days by Ken Follett

One of the main books I want to read by the end of 2025 is the captivating historical epic, Circle of Days by the always impressive Ken Follett. An elaborate story set around the construction of Stonehenge, Circle of Days looks set to be a detailed and expansive read, and I am hoping to get to it soon.

The Blackfire Blade by James Logan

Another major release from the second half of 2025 I need to check out is the outstanding new fantasy novel, The Blackfire Blade by James Logan. The sequel to Logan’s debut, The Silverblood Promise, The Blackfire Blade will follow the determined series protagonist and his friends to a new fantasy city, only to encounter more plots and corruption. I have no doubt that The Blackfire Blade is going to be an incredible read, and I am so excited to check it out.

Warhammer 40,000: Voidscarred by Mike Brooks

There is an impressive multitude of Warhammer 40,000 novels that have been released at the end of 2025, including several from some top authors of the franchise. However, I particularly want to read the intriguing novel Voidscarred by Mike Brooks, which sounds really fun. Following aeldari pirates and freebooter orks as they clash in the dark of space, Voidscarred sounds pretty damn amazing, and I’m very keen to read it, especially after the author touched on similar themes in the previous novel, Da Big Dakka.

The Detective by Matthew Reilly

I’m keen to try and read the new Matthew Reilly novel, The Detective before the year comes to an end. A dark and twisty mystery set in the American south, The Detective sounds like a complex novel, and it’s one I’m very interested in unwinding. I’ve had this book for a while now, and it would be good to get it off my bookshelf, especially as it sounds like an incredible read.

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky

One of the main science fiction books that came out earlier in the year that I’m still very interested in reading is the dark and claustrophobic novel, Shroud by the legendary Adrian Tchaikovsky. Following two humans who are forced to take an accidental road trip on a particularly hostile planet, Shroud had one of the more unique plot premises of 2025, and I really want to see how it comes together.

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon

The always reliable Harlan Coben teams up with actress Reese Witherspoon to create a thriller collaboration with Gone Before Goodbye. Following a skilled surgeon whose life is put in risk after a mysterious patient disappears, Gone Before Goodbye sounds like a ball of fun, and I’m very curious to see what sort of book this unique writing partnership has come up with.

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland

One of the books I’m most keen to read before the end of 2025 is Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland, especially as it finishes the Broken Blades trilogy that I have been really enjoying. Finishing the story started in Five Broken Blades and expertly continued in Four Ruined Realms, Three Shattered Souls will see the damaged and deadly protagonists attempt to save the world from dangerous enemies and dark magic. I know this final book is going to be incredible and I can’t wait to finish this series off.

Warhammer 40,000: The Relentless Dead by Steve Lyons

Another recent major Warhammer 40,000 release I want read this year is The Relentless Dead by Steve Lyons. The fourth Warhammer 40,000 book from Lyons that follows members of the relentless and dutiful Death Korps of Krieg, The Relentless Dead will follow a group of these faceless soldiers as they journey to a cursed planet and face enemies even more unstoppable than them. I’ve had an amazing time with Lyons’ previous novels, including Dead Men Walking, Krieg and The Siege of Vraks, and The Relentless Dead looks set to be another outstanding read.

How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

A great fantasy novel with a fun LitRPG twist, How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe has been high on my to-read list for a while, and I will be very happy if I can get to this book by the end of the year.

Valour by Richard Cullen

The final book I want to highlight in this post is the recently released historical fiction novel, Valour by Richard Cullen. The third book in the author’s Chronicle of the Black Lion series (which previously featured the excellent novels Rebellion and Crusade), Valour will pit the series’ knight protagonist on another compelling adventure, this time in the Carpathian Mountains. I really love the sound of this new novel from Cullen, and it is sure to be an amazing book to finish off 2025 with.

That’s the end of this week’s Top Ten list. I am happy with how this list turned out as I am extremely keen to read every one of the novels listed above. All of them have an amazing amount of potential and I think several could end up being some of my favourite books of 2025. Make sure to check back in a few weeks to see if I have managed to get around to reading any of them yet. In the meantime, let me know which books you really want to read before the end of 2025 and best of luck getting through them.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2025 To Be Read (TBR) List

On September 2, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week featured books with occupations in the title, which I actually completed last week, so instead I’m instead going to use this post to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the first Tuesday of Spring 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 Spring (Autumn/Fall 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 September 2025 and 30 November 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 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:

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown by 9 September 2025

A deeply exciting thriller from the legendary Dan Brown that will once again present a compelling mystery from history.

The Widow by John Grisham – 21 October 2025

An intriguing new legal thriller from the always impressive John Grisham.

King Sorrow by Joe Hill – 21 October 2025

The highly inventive Joe Hill will present a compelling new horror thriller with King Sorrow, an epic novel that sees a group of friends experience the downside of summoning a vengeful dragon.

Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath – 4 November 2025

One of top Australian releases of 2025, Kill Your Boss will follow Jack Heath’s previous outstanding novels, Kill Your Brother and Kill Your Husbands.

Top Ten List:

Circle of Days by Ken Follett – 23 September 2025

The first book I want to highlight on this list is the upcoming historical fiction novel from Ken Follett, Circle of Days. A historical epic set around the construction of Stonehenge, Circle of Days will follow several complex characters as they live their lives in the shadow of an iconic construction. I have no doubt that Circle of Days will be one of the top historical fiction releases of 2025 and this is an excellent novel to start this list on.

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman – 25 September 2025

Few Spring releases have me as excited as The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman. The fifth book in the incredible Thursday Murder Club series by Osman, The Impossible Fortune will follow on from outstanding novels like 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). Featuring a cool new case, The Impossible Fortune sounds like another entertaining entry in the series, and I cannot wait to see how the characters are going after the deep tragedy of The Last Devil to Die. This will likely top all my end of 2025 best-of lists, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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.

Cold War by Jonathan Maberry – 14 October 2025

After already impressing with Burn to Shine, Maberry still has his second novel of 2025 coming out with Cold War. A follow-up to his 2024 dark science fiction novel, NecroTek, Cold War will see a group of human scientists, soldiers and pilots trapped on the other side of the universe using death-powered alien mechs to fight against ancient cosmic horrors. Sure to be another complex and chilling novel, Cold War has a ton of potential and will likely be a top book of the year.

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 more captivating books, and I am very excited to get my hands on it.

Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 6 November 2025

For some additional historical fiction awesomeness in 2025, we still have the new Eagles of the Empire novel from Simon Scarrow, Tyrant of Rome. 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 throughout the city to keep the depraved emperor in power. 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.

The Blackfire Blade by James Logan – 11 November 2025

Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading the outstanding fantasy debut, The Silverblood Promise by James Logan. An elaborate and compelling fantasy adventure that saw a young man travel to an unfamiliar city to uncover his father’s killer, The Silverblood Promise was an amazing read that blended inventive worldbuilding with a great conspiracy storyline. I had a ton of fun with this first book from Logan, and I have been eager to get my hands on the sequel for a while now. Luckily, I only have to wait a few more months as Logan’s second book, The Blackfire Blade, is one of the big fantasy releases of the second half of the year. Continuing to follow the protagonist’s quest to find clues related to his father’s murder, The Blackfire Blade takes the reader to another elaborate fantasy city and forces the characters to uncover the new setting’s dark secrets. I have no doubt this is going to be an impressive book, and I cannot wait to see how Logan continues his amazing series.

The Strength of the Few by James Islington – 11 November 2025

Probably the most anticipated book for fantasy fans coming out in the second half of 2025 is the elaborate and intriguing novel, The Strength of the Few by James Islington. The sequel to Islington’s highly acclaimed The Will of the Many, The Strength of the Few, will continue to follow Islington’s compelling protagonist as he attempts to undermine the empire that destroyed his family, while uncovering the hidden secrets from the past. However, this book looks set to be even more complex as different versions of the protagonist are split across three separate realities, each of whom must face its own troubles and adventures. I am extremely intrigued to see how this split narrative is going to work out but based on how damn exceptional The Will of the Many was, I have very little doubt this is going to be a particularly epic novel.

Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell – 11 November 2025

One of the more impressive fantasy novels coming out later this year is the very cool novel, Our Lady of Blades. The next book in Sebastien de Castell’s The Court of Shadows series, Our Lady of Blades will be another standalone novel in the author’s Greatcoat universe, that will build on the previous, loosely-connected novels Crucible of Chaos and Play of Shadows. Our Lady of Blades will explore a new location in this universe and will feature a The Count of Monte Cristo inspired plot, as a mysterious masked duellist returns to a corrupt city to get justice and restore her family through any means necessary, all while the big conspiracy of the series continues to unfold. Based on how exceptional the last two books in this series have been, I feel that Our Lady of Blades is going to be a top book of 2025, and it is one I am especially keen for, especially after having a blast with de Castells other release for the year, The Malevolent Eight.

Star Wars: Master of Evil by Adam Christopher – 11 November 2025

The final book that I want to highlight on this list is the impressive and character-focussed Star Wars tie-in novel, Master of Evil by Adam Christopher. Set to follow Darth Vader during his early days as a Sith Lord, Master of Evil will provide some complex insights into this iconic villain’s mind as he attempts to uncover the true dark side of the Force. With a very intriguing and lore-heavy plot idea, and an even more awesome cover, Master of Evil has certainly caught my attention, and I cannot wait to see Adam Christopher’s take on this legendary Star Wars character.

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. There are some really impressive books coming out in this part of 2025, 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 bit of reading to do in the near future.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Occupations in the Title

On August 26, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List5 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature 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 get a freebie option, allowing them to post whatever they want. I’m going to use this freebie to jump ahead and do next week’s topic, mainly because I’m hoping to highlight upcoming books for Spring 2025 next Tuesday. As such, this week I will be listing my favourite books that have occupations in the title.

This was an interesting list topic, and I always enjoy Top Ten Tuesday tasks where I can dive into the titles of the various unique books I have had the pleasure of reading over the years. Listing occupations featured in titles was a cool choice, and there are a surprising number of books out there that feature job titles or professions in their names. I ended up with a substantial list of potential inclusions for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, so I made sure to restrict entries to one book from each author. I also tried to show the most varied list of occupations I could, as I didn’t want my list to get bogged down in the various uses of solider or miliary ranks. I think my resulting list had a great combination of various occupations used in book titles, and it liked the intriguing combination of novels that emerged.

Honourable Mentions:

The Recruiter by Gregg Podolksi

The No.1 Lawyer by James Patterson and Nancy Allen

The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson

The Maid by Nita Prose

Top Ten Tuesday:

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 30: Thieves and Spies by Stan Sakai

A classic entry from one of my favourite comic series. While early volumes The Ronin and Samurai would have also been excellent choices for this list, I’m instead going with the 30^th volume, Thieves and Spies, which features two separate occupations in the title.

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

An excellent recent fantasy novel that follows a scholar character as she tries to uncover a dark conspiracy amongst a complex and deadly tournament. Scholar was a great occupation to have in the title, and I deeply enjoyed this epic fantasy read.

Mr Einstein’s Secretary by Matthew Reilly

A deeply captivating historical fiction novel that follows a talented secretary who finds herself involved in multiple world events in the lead up to World War II.

The Judge’s List by John Grisham

A judge is an excellent occupation to feature on this list, especially as this judge has some very dark secrets.

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

A classic novel from the legendary Terry Pratchett that follows the humble city guard in a fantasy city as they come face to face with a magical murder. This is an incredible novel and a great choice for this list. Other books from Pratchett such as Men at Arms or Reaper Man might have fit in here nicely as well, but Guards! Guards! was my first choice for this list, and I’m glad I get to highlight it again.

The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney

I suppose that it was inevitable that a book in one of my favourite, long-running spy thriller series would feature “agent” in one of its titles, which is a great way to describe the occupation of the protagonist. This particular novel from Greaney was a great addition to the Gray Man series, and readers are in for a wild time with its cool plot and compelling action.

Priest of Bones by Peter McLean

An impressive and awesome fantasy novel that follows returning soldiers determined to take over their home city’s underworld. While the “priest” in this title is a little more criminal you would usually associate with the occupation, it still works to make this book a worthy entry to this list.

The Devil’s Advocate by Steve Cavanagh

A title taken from a classic saying, advocate works as an occupation for the sake of this list, and I was pleased to feature a fun legal thriller from Steve Cavanagh.

The Queen’s Captain by Peter Watt

I had a few novels with the occupation of “captain” in the title, but I decided to go with The Queen’s Captain by Australian author Peter Watt. While captain here refers to a military rank, the word also works to describe a general occupation, so I think it works well for this list.

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

The final novel I want to feature on this list is Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb. There were several amazing books I could have used here that featured the nefarious occupation of “assassin” in the title, but I decided to go with this beloved fantasy novel, which I deeply enjoyed reading years ago. Following a young bastard prince who finds a new, secret occupation as a court assassin, Assassin’s Apprentice is true classic and it rounds out this list perfectly.

Well, that’s the end of this list. I had fun listing my top books with occupations in the titles, and I’m happy with how the above list turned out, especially as there is an interesting collection of books there. All the above come highly recommended, and I hope everyone else enjoys this topic when they look over it next week.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels from the First Half of 2025

On July 29, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn List1 Comment

In addition to the highlighting some of the best Australian novels I read in the first half of 2025, I am also taking this opportunity to list some of the best new sequel novels that I have had the opportunity to read this year.

Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career. I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels. I read a ton of sequels every year, but I feel that the first half of 2025 has been particularly rich in the form of amazing follow-up novels from talented authors. Indeed, the sheer quality of some of the sequels coming out this year has been quite remarkable, and it has compelled me to dedicate this list to highlighting the very best.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released so far in 2025 that I had the pleasure of reading. I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines. For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead. I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and highlights my favourite sequels released in the first half of 2025.

Top Ten List:

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

The first book I had to highlight on this list was the deeply impressive and addictive fantasy/mystery hybrid, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett. The sequel to one of my favourite books of 2024, The Tainted Cup, A Drop of Corruption continues to follow the author’s unlikely detective protagonists as they investigate dark conspiracies in a monster-besieged empire. This second novel was particularly epic, featuring a complex investigation narrative well supported by Bennett’s unique fantasy elements. A deeply addictive read, A Drop of Corruption was a very easy choice for this list, and I cannot recommend this sequel enough.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

Next, we have the very cool sequel to Harlan Coben’s classic thriller, Fool Me Once, Nobody’s Fool. Bringing back one of the police protagonists of Fool Me Once, Nobody’s Fool was an intense and quick-paced read, that saw a damaged figure attempt to find answers for one of the more traumatising moments in his life. Loaded with cool twists and some great shocks, I flew through Nobody’s Fool in no time at all, and it was very interesting to see how Coben followed up his previous amazing read.

Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett

A very outstanding sequel that ended up being one of the best books and audiobooks I enjoyed in the first half of 2025 is the epic Warhammer 40,000 novel Interceptor City by Dan Abnett. The long-awaited follow-up to his iconic novel Double Eagle (one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels), Interceptor City took readers back to the skies with another rich, aerial combat focused novel in the grim Warhammer 40,000 universe. This time forcing his protagonist to fly in claustrophobic conditions amongst the ruins of a massive fallen city, Interceptor City was Abnett at his finest, and you will not be able to put down this exceptional Warhammer 40,000 sequel.

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

Mai Corland provided a great second entry in her Broken Blades trilogy this year with her brilliant novel, Four Ruined Realms. The sequel to Corland’s 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms saw the author’s lethal protagonists forced to complete a deadly heist in an enemy nation. Loaded with lies, betrayals and complex drama, Four Ruined Realms was a very impressive continuation of the series, and I had a ton of fun getting through it.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

After impressing with his first novel, the Australian crime fiction read Black River, Matthew Spencer presented an incredible sequel this year with the dark and thrilling read, Broke Road. Setting his protagonists on another harrowing investigation, Broke Road was an intense read that cleverly built on the relationships introduced in Black River. A really amazing Australian sequel and one I’m very glad I got the chance to read.

The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell

One of the more entertaining sequels of 2025 so far is the unhinged dark fantasy novel The Malevolent Eight. The sequel to Sebastien de Castell’s extremely fun novel, The Malevolent Seven, The Malevolent Eight proved to be particularly awesome, especially as de Castell dialled up the mayhem and kept the readers entertained with the resulting carnage. A very interesting and impressive novel, de Castell clearly had fun with The Malevolent Eight, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future, especially as he has another outstanding sequel coming out later this year with Our Lady of Blades.

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

Next up we have the really cool Australian fiction sequel, The Bluff by Joanne Jenkins. The interesting follow-up to Jenkin’s first novel, How to Kill a Client, The Bluff was a great rural crime fiction novel that cleverly recreated the events leading up to a brutal death. A fantastic, character-focused read loaded with twists, The Bluff was an excellent second novel from Jenkins, and one I had an amazing time reading.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

After blowing me away with the hilarious fantasy novel, How to Become a Dark Lord and Die Trying, Django Wexler finished his story this year with the great sequel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me. Following Wexler’s slightly unhinged protagonist as she attempts to save everyone after achieving her goal of becoming an infamous Dark Lord, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was an awesome second and final book from the author that I couldn’t stop reading. Funny, addictive, and featuring some very interesting plot reveals, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me was an outstanding read and an excellent sequel to Wexler’s previous book.

Never Flinch by Stephen King

I’m slightly cheating by including the next novel, Never Flinch by Stephen King, however, I view it as a sequel to his previous novel, Holly, as they are the first books primarily focussed on his memorable character Holly Gibney. An exceptional and powerful crime fiction read that saw Gibney contend with the worrying schemes of two obsessed hunters, Never Flinch was an outstanding novel that you won’t be able to get away from.

Crusade by Richard Cullen

The final sequel on this list is the excellent historical fiction novel Crusade. The second book in the Chronicles of the Black Lion series and works as a great follow-up to last year’s novel Rebellion. Taking his protagonist on a dangerous adventure set around the Fifth Crusade, Crusade was an exciting and captivating read that I had an amazing time with. A fantastic sequel and a great book to end this list on.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list. I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best sequels I have checked out so far in 2025. I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt that some of the third and fourth books in these respective series are going to be just as impressive. It will be interesting to see what other great sequels I will get to experience in the rest of 2025, and I am sure there are going to be some exceptional new books coming out soon. Indeed, the upcoming sequels The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso, Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan and The Strength of the Few by James Islington, are all currently very high on my to-read list, and I am sure they are going to be spectacular novels and deeply impressive sequels.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books from the First Half of 2025

On July 29, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List3 Comments

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 lists books with a beachy theme to them. While this is an interesting concept, it’s not one I think I can contribute to in the dead of Australia’s Winter and I’m instead going to do something different and will provide two separate lists here that continue my theme of recapping the first half of 2025.

I have had a lot of fun recapping some of the best recent books and audiobooks released in the first half of 2025 in previous weeks, but I also need to spend this time highlighting other specific releases from the first half of the year. While last year I examined new authors and pre-2024 fiction in my mid-year lists, as I had an abundance of these in my reading list, 2025 is shaping up to be very different, as I instead seem to have read an awful lot of novels from Australian authors. While I generally tend to read a great deal of Australian fiction each year due to my location, I have found that 2025 has been a particularly impressive year for Australian fiction, with some truly outstanding novels from very talented local authors.

As such, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight some of the very best Australian talents who have so far released books in 2025. To make it onto this list, the book had to be released by an Australia author this year. I tend to take a bit of a different approach to Australian fiction than some other bloggers, as I highlight all books written by Australian authors rather than novels purely set in Australia or featuring Australian characters. The eventual list I pulled together was pretty long, but I was eventually able to whittle it down into the absolute best Australian books of the year so far, which included some amazing reads from across the genres.

Honourable Mentions:

Landfall by James Bradley

A gritty crime fiction read set in a deteriorating future Sydney.

Barren Cape by Michelle Prak

A compelling contemporary read that touches on some very pressing Australian issues.

Of Flame and Fury by Mikayla Bridge

A great young adult fantasy debut from a talented new author.

Top Ten List:

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

First of this list we have the exceptional urban fantasy novel, Whisper in the Wind by rising Australian author Luke Arnold. The fourth book in his Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind was a powerful novel that saw the author’s damaged protagonist once again dragged into the chaotic events engulfing the formerly magical city he doomed. A very clever novel that perfectly built on the amazing narrative threads of the previous entries in the series, this was one of Arnold’s most impressive books yet and I cannot recommend it enough.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

Next, we have one of the best pieces of Australian crime fiction in 2025, with Broke Road by Matthew Spencer. The sequel to Spencer’s excellent debut, Black River, Broke Road brought back the author’s compelling protagonists as they investigated a brutal killing in small town Australia. Featuring a particularly impressive and gripping case, Broke Road had me hooked the entire way through and I deeply enjoyed this complex and powerful read.

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

New author Ronni Salt greatly impresses with her debut novel, Gunnawah. A captivating crime fiction read set back in 1970s rural Australia, Gunnawah provides an interesting examination of the period while hooking you with a cool mystery. A great piece of Australian fiction from a memorable debuting author.

Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes

John Byrnes once again dives back into the early 20^th century with his historical epic Sins of the Fathers. Following several battling young characters as they attempt to survive the harrowing 1910s, Sins of the Fathers was another strong outing from Byrnes who has really found his writing niche.

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

After having a lot of fun with her cool 2023 debut, How to Kill a Client, Joanna Jenkins returns with the outstanding sequel, The Bluff. Moving Jenkin’s big city lawyer protagonist from her first book to small town Australia, The Bluff sees the protagonist attempt to unwind a series of events that lead to the death of the town’s local hero, and the disappearance of a young outcast girl. A masterful read that cleverly recaps events from the past, The Bluff was a brilliant sequel from Jenkins, who continues to showcase her massive potential as an author.

Pacific Heights by S. R. White

The next book on this list is the intricate murder mystery, Pacific Heights, by the distinctive S. R. White. A spinoff from his main series, Pacific Heights follows two detectives as they attempt to solve a murder that took place in easy view of multiple apartments. However, the case becomes complicated when each of the witnesses has a different story, and no series of events truly matches up. A powerful read that combines an excellent mystery with a fun cautionary tale about perception.

The Whisperer’s War by Jackie French

A complex World War II drama from one of Australia’s best authors, this was an outstanding book and one I got really caught up in.

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

Another outstanding Australian fiction debut in 2025 was The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers. Following a group of former friends who return to the scene of a great tragedy from their shared past many years later, The Reunion brought out old secrets and lies as a deranged mother tries to discover how her son truly died. A clever and intense novel that you won’t be able to turn away from, The Reunion was very impressive, and I look forward to seeing what cool books Rivers will produce in the future.

2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox

Acclaimed Australian author Candice Fox once again teams with the legendary James Patterson for the exciting read, 2 Sisters Murder Investigation. A sequel to 2 Sisters Detective Agency, 2 Sisters Murder Investigation was a thrilling novel that followed the turbulent sister protagonists on another wild ride. Exciting, fast-paced and very fun, this was another great read from this impressive team.

Vanish by Shelley Burr

The final book was the distinctive crime fiction novel Vanish. The final book in the author’s Lane Holland trilogy (which previously featured Wake and Ripper), Vanish sees the protagonist embark on an unusual investigation to try and find the fate of a missing girl. An outstanding novel from one of Australia’s best rising authors, Vanish was a great conclusion to the protagonist’s ongoing storylines and a very worthy entry to this list.

As you can see from the above, I have managed to check out a bunch of epic Australian novels in the first half of this year. Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend to everyone. I look forward to reading more awesome Australian books in the second half of 2025, and I feel that books like The Strength of the Few by James Islington, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson and Once a Villain by Vanessa Len are likely to make the end-of-year version of this list. Make sure to check out my other recent lists about the first half of 2025, especially my other Top Ten Tuesday post tonight, and let me know what cool Australian books you have already checked out this year.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Audiobooks from the First Half of 2025

On July 22, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, List12 Comments

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 required participants to list their favourite books that take place in a setting of their choosing. While this is an interesting idea, and one I might come back to later, I’m instead going to continue my recent trend of discussing books from the first half of the year and highlight my favourite audiobooks from the first half of 2025. This is a continuation of my Top Ten list from a couple of weeks ago that featured my favourite overall novels from the first half of 2025.

I have a great deal of love for the audiobook format, and it is one of the main ways that I tend to check out books. Each year I enjoy a great number of different audiobooks and use the format to enjoy both recent releases and older novels. I have long been a major fan of audiobooks, and it is amazing the various ways in which listening to a book can enhance your enjoyment. A great audiobook can really bring you into the story, and I find that listening to a book enhances the amount of detail that you can take in. In addition, other features, such as captivating voices, music and sound effects can really make an audiobook something special, and there some great examples of the format I have enjoyed throughout my life. This year alone I have listened to a ton of outstanding audiobooks, includes some of my favourite books from early 2025. Because I love this format so much, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight my favourite audiobooks from the first half of the year.

To pull this list off I had a look at all the 2025 releases that I listened to on audiobook to figure out my favourites. It turns out that I have already gone through quite a few this year so there was a large collection of potential additions to this list, which I was eventually able to whittle it down to the best ten audiobooks. There is a bit of a crossover with my previous Favourite Books from the First Half of 2025 list, but I think there are enough new additions to make this list worthwhile. I made sure to feature only the very best audiobooks on this list, and, in addition to the quality of the baseline novel, I also looked at audiobook production and narration. This includes whether the audiobook has outstanding narration or uses music and sound effects to enhance the plot. Keeping these criteria in mind, I came up with the following strong Top Ten List and associated Honourable Mentions, and all the audiobooks listed below were exceptional listens that come very highly recommended by this blog.

Honourable Mentions:

Warhammer 40,000: Fulgrim: The Perfect Son, written by Jude Reid and narrated by Andrew James Spooner

An excellent and intense Warhammer 40,000 novel perfectly brought to life by narrator Andrew James Spooner.

Grave Danger, written by James Grippando and narrated by Jonathan Davis

James Grippando continues his fantastic Jack Swyteck legal thriller series, with the audiobook well presented by the always impressive Jonathan Davis

Badlands, written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child and narrated by Cynthia Farrell

Cynthia Farrell ensures this new dark thriller from the legendary team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child really shines with her outstanding narration.

Warhammer 40,000: Leontus: Lord Solar, written by Rob Young and narrated by David Seddon

A short, but very sweet Warhammer 40,000 audiobook that really pops when read out.

Top Ten List:

The Devils, written by Joe Abercrombie and narrated by Steven Pacey

Let’s start this list off with one of my top books and audiobooks of the year, The Devils by the master of grim dark fantasy fiction, Joe Abercrombie. An incredible and highly entertaining novel that sees a group of monsters attempt to place a street thief on the throne of Troy in a clever, alternate medieval Europe setting, The Devils was a particularly fun, bloody and compelling novel I couldn’t get enough of, especially on audiobook. Thanks to one of my favourite audiobook narrators, Steven Pacey, The Devils was so much fun to listen to as Pacey perfectly embodied the entire crazy cast of this book. Highly recommended, you are in for an epic time listening to The Devils.

Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City, written by Dan Abnett and narrated by Toby Longworth

Unsurprisingly to anyone who knows me, I have a Warhammer 40,000 audiobook on this list with Interceptor City. The long-awaited sequel to Dan Abnett’s classic novel, Double Eagle, Interceptor City was a gritty and enthralling science fiction war story that saw fighter pilots battle it out amongst the massive ruins of a fallen Hive City. A powerful and action-packed novel, Interceptor City becomes even more epic when read out by long-time Warhammer narrator Toby Longworth, who expertly showcases the intense, claustrophobic aeronautic combat sequences. I honestly could have listened to another 20 hours of Interceptor City, and there is no better way to enjoy this epic read.

Burn to Shine, written by Jonathan Maberry and narrated by Ray Porter

The dream team of Jonathan Maberry and Ray Porter continues to produce incredible audiobooks, this time with the gripping thriller Burn to Shine. The fourth book in Maberry’s Rogue Team International series (Rage, Relentless and Cave 13), Burn to Shine was another exciting read that pitted the protagonists against high-tech and supernatural threats from their past. Maberry writes an excellent story for this book, and Ray Porter once again effortlessly brings the complex characters and dark tone to life with his narration. A deeply impressive listen from two amazing creatives.

Sunrise on the Reaping, written by Suzanne Collins and narrated by Jefferson White

One of the more impressive audiobooks I listened to in 2025 was the new Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping. Suzanne Collins cleverly revisited her iconic world with a fantastic prequel novel focused around one of her best characters Haymitch Abernathy. This amazing book really hit the readers hard, and I found myself enjoying it even more thanks to the impressive audiobook narration of actor Jefferson White. White proved to be a perfect narrator for a young Haymitch, and I got deeply engrossed in this audiobook thanks to his fantastic voice work. An exceptional audiobook guaranteed to break your heart.

Midnight Black, written by Mark Greaney and narrated by Jay Snyder

The latest Gray Man audiobook from Mark Greaney proved to be an exceptional piece of entertainment for a long road trip, and I really got engrossed in this gripping thriller while driving around the United States. Once again narrated by Jay Snyder, Midnight Black’s compelling tale of desperation and imprisonment proved to be particularly addictive and constantly exciting, and I couldn’t stop listening to this book at times as I waited to see how everything came together. An impressive new audiobook entry in one of my favourite spy thriller series.

Four Ruined Realms, written by Mai Corland and narrated by various

One of the first audiobooks of 2025 I listened to this year was the awesome fantasy novel, Four Ruined Realms. The sequel to Mai Corland’s 2024 novel, Five Broken Blades, Four Ruined Realms had a great story that sent the author’s lethal protagonists to an enemy nation to complete a desperate heist mission, with everything and everyone they love on the line. Not only was this a great fantasy story, but the Four Ruined Realms audiobook once again came across as an incredible listen thanks to it’s six outstanding narrators. Jaine Ye, Sophie Oda, Greg Chun, Zion Jang, Roger Yeh and Donald Chang each excelled at narrating the perspective chapters of one of the book’s protagonists, and I like their unique take on each of the characters. Thanks to these six talented narrators, Four Ruined Realms was a real joy to listen to, and this proved to be a great second entry in the Broken Blades series. I’m planning to listen to the recently released third and final book in the trilogy, Three Shattered Souls, on audiobook soon and it’s going to be an outstanding listen, even with one of the narrators stepping away after the tragic ending to Four Ruined Realms.

Star Wars: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear, written by Alexander Freed and narrated by January Lavoy

This year Alexander Freed presented the start of a cool new Star Wars trilogy that aimed to show the early days of Emperor Palpatine’s rule and the steps that would lead some key figures to rebellion. The first book in this trilogy, The Mask of Fear, was a compelling and complex read that examined politics and lies in the Star Wars universe. Thanks to the narration of January Lavoy, as well as the cool music and sound effects Star Wars audiobooks are known for, The Mask of Fear proved to a particularly impactful listen, and there is really no better way to enjoy this novel.

Never Flinch, written by Stephen King and narrated by Jessie Mueller

Stephen King continues to impress in 2025 with his new and particularly powerful thriller, Never Flinch. Bringing back one of his more unique protagonists, Holly Gibney, Never Flinch was a dark and captivating novel of obsession, addiction and murder, that frankly was impossible to stop listening to. Narrator Jessie Mueller was particularly impressive, and I love her outstanding take on the story, as well as her excellent character voices. Easily one of the best books of 2025 that really comes to life on audiobook.

Open Season, written by Jonathan Kellerman and narrated by John Rubinstein

Another great murder mystery I was lucky enough to enjoy on audiobook this year was Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman. The 40^th book in Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series, Open Season was an outstanding and powerful novel that saw the team of a skilled psychologist and a veteran detective hunt a dangerous killer with a sinister motive. I really enjoyed the awesome audiobook of Open Season, which I powered through on a plane ride, and frankly I couldn’t stop listening to this book at times. Long-time Alex Delaware narrator John Rubinstein was once again amazing in Open Season, and I love his fantastic take on all the characters, including the main detective. Thrilling, exciting and very clever, Open Season was a great audiobook that comes highly recommended.

Days of Shattered Faith, written by Adrian Tchaikovsky and narrated by David Thorpe

The final audiobook I want to highlight on this list is Days of Shattered Faith, which I enjoyed early in the year. The third book in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Tyrant Philosopher series, Days of Shattered Faith continued to explore the author’s unique fantasy world where a dangerous empire of perfection-seeking fanatics conquers everything through various despicable, and often repurposed, means. This latest book was an incredible novel of diplomacy, clashing cultures and subtle wars, and I loved the varied storylines explored within. Narrator David Thorpe does an excellent job bringing this varied cast to life, while also capturing Tchaikovsky’s unique tone, and the result was a truly awesome listen that I deeply enjoyed. A wonderful new audiobook entry in one of Tchaikovsky’s best series.

Well, that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, there have been some very good audiobooks out in the first half of 2025. It will be interesting to see which books make the cut later in the year, especially as I currently have several major 2025 audiobooks currently sitting on my phone, waiting to be listened to. While I get to that, make sure to let me know what your favourite audiobooks of 2025 so far are in the comments below.