WWW Wednesday – 26 August 2026

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

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Doubles by Jacob K. Gallagher (Trade Paperback)

This week I started reading the intriguing Australian urban fantasy novel The Doubles by Jacob K. Gallagher. Set in rural New South Wales, The Doubles follows a human agent of angelic powers as she attempts to discover a sinister magical trespasser killing children. I haven’t made a ton of progress on The Doubles yet, but it’s got a strong introduction and I’m already intrigued by its underlying mystery.

Warhammer 40,000: The Wicked and the Warped by Robert Rath (Audiobook)

I’m still enjoying the incredible new Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Wicked and the Warped by Robert Rath. The fantastic sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, The Infinite and the Divine, The Wicked and the Warped follows two immortal rivals as they embark on another chaotic expeditions into one of the most dangerous places in this grimdark universe. I’ve nearly finished The Wicked and the Warped and it is proving to be a hilarious and highly addictive novel with a great plot behind it.

What did you recently finish reading?

Choppy Water by Jack Heath (Trade Paperback)

I managed to finish of my early copy of Jack Heath’s Choppy Water this week. A compelling thriller that sees a fugitive cop attempt to investigate a murder aboard a quarantined cruise ship, Choppy Water is a very distinctive and exciting novel with an interesting take on the locked-room mystery.

The Reckoning by Vikki Petraitis (ebook)

I also finished off the latest Vikki Petraitis novel, The Reckoning, soon. A continuation of her series that dives into gender violence in small town Australia, The Reckoning was another exciting and confronting novel that proved to be an excellent read.

The Wreck by Riley James (Trade Paperback)

Finally, I also finished the new Riley James book The Wreck. A unique thriller novel featuring secrets and lies on a deserted island; The Wreck has a very intriguing plot behind it, which comes highly recommended.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Five Voices by Tamara Moss (ebook)

I’ve got a few books on my to-read list at the moment, but the next thing I will probably dive into is the cool Australian young adult murder mystery Five Voices by Tamara Moss. Featuring an intriguing narrative about a group of podcasters caught up in the murder of one of their own, Five Voices sounds extremely awesome and I can’t wait to check it out.

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

WWW Wednesday – 19 August 2026

On August 21, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Choppy Water by Jack Heath (Trade Paperback)

I was in the mood for a fun thriller this week, so I jumped into an early copy of Jack Heath’s Choppy Water. A compelling thriller that sees a fugitive cop attempt to investigate a murder aboard a quarantined cruise ship, Choppy Water is a very distinctive and exciting novel with an interesting take on the locked-room mystery. I’m currently about a third of the way through Choppy Water and I’m hoping to finish it off over the weekend.

Warhammer 40,000: The Wicked and the Warped by Robert Rath (Audiobook)

I’ve also just started to read the incredible new Warhammer 40,000 novel, The Wicked and the Warped by Robert Rath. The fantastic sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, The Infinite and the Divine, The Wicked and the Warped follows two immortal rivals as they embark on another chaotic expeditions into one of the most dangerous places in this grimdark universe. I’ve only just started getting through The Wicked and the Warped and it is proving to be a hilarious and highly addictive novel with a great plot behind it.

What did you recently finish reading?

He Who Fights With Monsters by Travis Deverell (Trade Paperback)

I got through a few awesome books this week, including the compelling LitRPG novel He Who Fights With Monsters by Australian author Travis Deverell, better known as Shirtaloon. A reprinting of his novel originally released online, He Who Fights With Monsters is a progressive fantasy tale that follows a random Australian dragged to an elaborate fantasy world. I ended up powering through this novel, which was highly addictive and really fun.

Mortedant’s Peril by R. J. Barker (Audiobook)

I also finally finished the outstanding fantasy novel Mortedant’s Peril. The latest book from R. J. Barker, Mortedant’s Peril follows a man who can talk to the dead, as he attempts to unravel a dangerous conspiracy within his fractious fantasy city. An incredible fantasy murder mystery novel and one of my new favourite reads of 2026.

Star Trek: The Last Starship – Volume 1 by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Adrián Bonilla

Another cool thing I read this week was the advance copy of the new Star Trek comic The Last Starship. An intriguing comic that combined elements from several different eras of Star Trek lore, The Last Starship was a great read that explores hope in the darkest of situations. A fantastic comic that serves as an excellent start to a new series.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Reckoning by Vikki Petraitis

While I didn’t get to it this week, I’m still hoping to dive into the next Vikki Petraitis novel, The Reckoning, soon. A continuation of her series that dives into gender violence in small town Australia, The Reckoning looks set to be another intriguing and confronting novel and should be another top piece of Australian fiction for 2026.

The Wreck by Riley James

I’m also hoping to keep the Australian crime fiction train going in the next week with the new Riley James book The Wreck. A unique thriller novel featuring secrets and lies on a deserted island; The Wreck has a very intriguing plot behind it and I’m quite curious to see how it turns out, especially after enjoying James’ debut novel The Chilling.

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

WWW Wednesday – 12 August 2026

On August 15, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

He Who Fights With Monsters by Travis Deverell (Trade Paperback)

This week I started reading the compelling LitRPG novel He Who Fights With Monsters by Australian author Travis Deverell, better known as Shirtaloon. A reprinting of his novel originally released online, He Who Fights With Monsters is a progressive fantasy tale that follows a random Australian dragged to an elaborate fantasy world. I’m making some good progress with this massive fantasy novel, which has a great adventure story behind it, and I’m hoping to knock it off in the next week or so.

Mortedant’s Peril by R. J. Barker (Audiobook)

I’m still going with the outstanding fantasy novel Mortedant’s Peril at the moment. The latest book from R. J. Barker, Mortedant’s Peril follows a man who can talk to the dead, as he attempts to unravel a dangerous conspiracy within his fractious fantasy city. I am having an exceptional time listening to Mortedant’s Peril, which has an addictive narrative, an intriguing setting, and a very clever mystery behind it. I am hoping to finish off Mortedant’s Peril in the next week, and I’m very curious to see how Barker ends this incredible book.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Mortons by Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld (Trade Paperback)

I managed to finish off the entertaining crime fiction novel, The Mortons this week. Written by the team of Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld, The Mortons is a compelling novel that follows a member of an elite criminal family as she becomes part of their murderous business. An outstanding read with a very unique story behind it.

A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett (ebook)

I also powered through the new Robert Jackson Bennett novel, A Trade of Blood this week. One of my most anticipated books of 2026, A Trade of Blood lived up to all the hype, with another exceptional and clever fantasy murder mystery narrative. One of the best novels of 2026, this incredible and addictive read comes very highly recommended.

The Deep and the Drowned by Ian Green (ebook)

Finally, I managed to also read the epic fantasy novel, The Deep and the Drowned by Ian Green, this week. An exciting and powerful fantasy novel set on the high seas, this was a great novel and one you can really get lost in.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Reckoning by Vikki Petraitis

If I manage to knock off He Who Fights With Monsters this week, I’ll probably dive into the next Vikki Petraitis novel, The Reckoning next. A continuation of her series that dives into gender violence in small town Australia, The Reckoning looks set to be another intriguing and confronting novel and should be another top piece of Australian fiction for 2026.

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

Book Haul – 10 August 2026

On August 10, 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.

We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman

Let’s start this Book Haul post off strong with the new Richard Osman novel, We Chase Shadows. The sequel to Osman’s exceptional novel, We Solve Murders, We Chase Shadows will see some of Osman’s more entertaining protagonists embark on another international investigation to catch a deadly killer. I absolutely loved We Solve Murders and I have no doubt this amazing sounding sequel is going to be one of the best novels of 2026.

Choppy Water by Jack Heath

I also was very happy to receive an early copy of the new Jack Heath novel, Choppy Water. One of the more anticipated Australian releases of 2026, Choppy Water will feature a compelling locked-room mystery as a fugitive attempts to uncover a killer aboard a quarantined cruise ship. I love the sound of Choppy Water, and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into Heath’s latest crazy crime fiction read.

The Mortons by Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld

One of the more unique novels I recently received was the fantastic crime fiction novel, The Mortons. Written by the team of Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld, The Mortons follows a talented scion of a family of professional killers and manipulators, who find themselves dragged into a dark conspiracy surrounding their family. I’ve actually already finished The Mortons, and it turned out to be a deeply compelling and memorable novel I couldn’t get enough off. Highly recommended, I’m hoping to review The Mortons soon.

He Who Fights With Monsters by Travis Deverell (Shirtaloon)

I’ve recently received the cool LitRPG novel He Who Fights With Monsters by Australian author Travis Deverell, better known as Shirtaloon. A paperback reprinting of the author’s online LitRPG sensation, He Who Fights With Monsters sounds pretty amazing, and I’m hoping to dive into the massive novel soon.

Templar Assassin by Angus Donald

Angus Donald continues to explore the Mongol horde from a unique perspective with his next book Templar Assassin. The sequel to his fantastic historical fiction novel Templar Traitor, Templar Assassin will continue to explore the life of an apparently rogue Templar Knight, who journeyed into Asia and joined the army of the legendary Genghis Khan. I look forward to reading this book, which should provide some excellent historical adventure and intrigue.

The Reckoning by Vikki Petraitis

Vikki Petraitis continues to write timely and thought-provoking Australian fiction in 2026 with her latest novel The Reckoning. Following on from her previous novels The Unbelieved and The Stolen, The Reckoning once again returns to small town Australia divided to gender violence, when a poisoning targeted at two freed rapists threatens to kill multiple people. I am very curious to see where Petraitis takes her latest story, and The Reckoning will likely end up being one of the more intense and powerful Australian reads of 2026.

The Cruise by Naïma Brown

An intriguing new thriller that sees a woman and her squad of best friends attempt to get revenge on a man who wronged her many years ago. The Cruise sounds like a great book, and I look forward to diving into it.

Full Circle by Chris Hammer

An exciting and intriguing standalone thriller from one of Australia’s best-known authors, Chris Hammer, Full Circle sounds like a great novel, and I’m hoping to finally read something from Hammer after all these years.

Shadow of Dragons by Jacob Peppers

An intriguing epic fantasy novel with an awesome sounding plot. I am really hoping to get a chance to read Shadow of Dragons this year, and I’m sure I will love it.

Five Voices by Tamara Moss

The final book I recently received is the young adult thriller Five Voices by Tamara Moss. An excellent sounding novel about murder and mystery surrounding a group of young podcasters, Five Voices sounds like a fantastic read and I’m very excited to check it out.

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.

Canberra Weekly Column – The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis – 11 September 2025

On May 18, 2026August 10, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Canberra Weekly Column, Murder Mystery, ThrillerLeave a comment

Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 11 September 2025.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books of 2025

On January 31, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly task 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 were supposed to list the top new-to-them authors they read in 2025. However, as this was a topic I did a few weeks ago, I’m instead going to put together an alternate list today. The reason for this is because earlier this week, 26 January, was Australia’s national holiday, Australia Day. While Australia Day is getting controversial due to its historical implications, I like to look beyond that and instead focus on some of the amazing and varied writing talents Australia produces. As such, I once again took this opportunity to highlight some of the top pieces of fiction written by Australian authors in 2025.

Each year, a ton of talented Australian authors produce an impressive and exciting range of fiction from across the genres, many of which I am lucky enough to get copies of from my local publishers. Due to this, I tend to read and review a lot of novels by Australian authors, most of which turn out to be some outstanding reads that I deeply enjoy. As such, for the last few years I have taken to highlighting my favourite pieces of Australian fiction, which is something I really look forward to each Australia Day (check out my 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 lists).

I really love how much awesome Australian fiction there is each year, and this list is the perfect way to highlight some of the best Australian authors. Now 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. To qualify for this list, a novel had to be released in 2025 and be written by an Australian author, which I am defining as anyone born in Australia or who currently lives here (Australia is very good at adopting talented people as our own). This resulted in a long list, and I was eventually able to whittle this novel down to the absolute cream of the crop and came up with a fantastic top ten list (with my typical generous honourable mentions). I really enjoyed how this list turned out, especially as it features novels from a range of different genres, all of which were very awesome Australian books.

Honourable Mentions:

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

A compelling historical fiction novel and debut from the talented Ronnie Salt that makes great use of its 1970’s, small-town Australian setting.

2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox

The fun new novel that one of Australia’s leading thriller authors, Candice Fox, wrote with James Patterson. This one was a great sequel to their previous novel, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, and is well worth a read.

The Bolthole by Peter Papathanasiou

A great, slow-paced Australian crime fiction novel that features a unique Australian setting in the iconic Kangaroo Island.

Vanish by Shelley Burr

A particularly intense and creative crime fiction novel, from a brilliant rising Australian author.

Top Ten Tuesday:

The Strength of the Few by James Islington

I’m starting this Top Ten List off strong with The Strength of the Few by James Islington, a book that appeared on pretty much all my best of 2025 lists, including best book, audiobook and sequels. The deeply impressive sequel to Islington’s The Will of the Many (one of my favourite book, audiobook and Australian fiction novels of 2023), The Strength of the Few continues the epic story of rebellion and magic from the first book, however this time separate versions of the protagonist are simultaneously split across three different parallel words, resulting in an especially elaborate narrative. I deeply enjoyed how this incredible and complex novel came about, and I honestly could not get enough of this impressive novel from one of Australia’s most inventive authors.

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

From amazing fantasy to hilarious crime fiction, the second book on this list is the highly amusing and awesome Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson. An outrageous and self-referential novel that once again follows Stevenson’s unlucky protagonist as he gets caught up in another locked-room murder mystery. This time trapped in a bank during an armed robbery, the protagonist needs to discover who amongst a suspicious group of staff and customers, is a deadly killer. A highly clever read from the always entertaining Stevenson, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief was an exceptional read that had me chuckling the entire way through.

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

Rising author Joanna Jenkins impressed this year with her second crime fiction novel, The Bluff. A sequel to her debut legal thriller novel, How to Kill a Client, The Bluff was an outstanding novel that took Jenkins’ initial protagonist into a new small-town Australian setting. Featuring a great story that showcased the events that led up to the murder of the town’s local hero, The Bluff was a clever and addictive novel that I really enjoyed reading.

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

Actor turned author Luke Arnold continued to provide his amazing contributions to the fantasy genre this year with his new Fetch Phillips novel, Whisper in the Wind. Forcing his highly damaged protagonist to investigate a deadly conspiracy amongst a city devastated by the world’s loss of magic, Whisper in the Wind featured an outstanding plot loaded with twists, betrayals and impressive character moments. Easily Arnold’s best novel yet, Whisper in the Wind was so damn good, and there was no way it wasn’t going to be featured on this list.

High Rise by Gabriel Bergmoser

Probably the most intense, action-packed books I read in 2025 was the amazing Australian thriller High Rise by Gabriel Bergmoser. Essentially a reverse version of The Raid set in a Melbourne housing tower, High Rise forced one of Bergmoser’s dangerous protagonists to fight their way through a building of thugs all looking to collect a bounty on his head, while also trying to protect his estranged daughter. A particularly fun and addictive read, High Rise is well worth a read, especially if you are a fan of over-the-top action.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

One of the best Australian crime fiction novels of 2025 was the amazing Broke Road by Matthew Spencer. The sequel to Spencer’s debut novel, Black River, Broke Road featured a gritty and particularly intense murder mystery as a damaged detective travels to the Hunter Valley to investigate bloody murder. Featuring an excellent plot and a particularly complex mystery, Broke Road was an exceptional read that I couldn’t turn away from.

The Stolen by Vikki Petratis

One of the more intense and realistic pieces of Australian crime fiction in 2025 was the outstanding novel, The Stolen by Vikki Petratis. Serving as a sequel to Petratis’ hard-hitting first book, The Unbelieved, The Stolen continued to explore a small Victorian town riven by gender conflict and dissent, which only worsens when a baby is kidnapped by its father. An excellent and compelling read, The Stolen was a great sequel and an impressive piece of Australian writing.

Pacific Heights by S. R. White

British expat turned Australian crime fiction author, S. R. White, continued to impress in 2025 with his complex murder mystery Pacific Heights. A spinoff from his main series (which features books like Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge), Pacific Heights sees two detectives investigate a complex murder case where a young women is murdered in the middle of several overlooking apartment buildings. However, all the witnesses to the case are telling a different story about how events unfolded, and nothing is truly what it seems. I had an incredible time with this novel and White made full use of this book’s focus on perception and truth to tell and amazing story.

Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath

One of the easiest inclusions on this list was the incredible new novel from Canberra author Jack Heath, Kill Your Boss. Following on from two of Heath’s previous novels, Kill Your Brother and Kill Your Husbands, Kill Your Boss had a very entertaining story behind it, as a police detective attempts to uncover who killed the boss of a small-town library. However, everyone the victim knew had a motive to kill him, and the resulting complex investigation becomes a highly entertaining exploration of who actually succeeded in murdering him. An outstanding novel from one of Australia’s best and most outrageous crime fiction authors.

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

The final book I want to highlight on this list is also one of my favourite 2025 debuts, The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers. Following a group of friends who reunite years after a tragic event, The Reunion takes an interesting twist when they find themselves trapped in an isolated property in Australia’s Blue Mountains by someone desperate to find out what really happened in the past. This ended up being an amazing first book from Rivers and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Well, that is the end of this latest list, and I am really happy that I got a chance to highlight some of the best Australian releases of 2025. The above books represent an outstanding collection of fiction from talented Australian authors, and each of them comes highly recommended by me. I had a lot of fun coming up with this list and I cannot wait to find out what the best Australian books of 2026 are going to be. Until then, stay tuned for more epic reviews and lists, and make sure you let me know who your favourite Australian authors are in the comments below.

WWW Wednesday – 10 September 2025

On September 12, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday2 Comments

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Katabasis by R. F. Kuang (ebook)

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

Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

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

What did you recently finish reading?

The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis (ebook)

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

The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford (Paperback)

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

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett (Audiobook)

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

What do you think you’ll read next?

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

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

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

WWW Wednesday – 3 September 2025

On September 4, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis (ebook)

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

What did you recently finish reading?

Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont (ebook)

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

Star Wars: Sanctuary by Lamar Giles (Audiobook)

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

What do you think you’ll read next?

Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

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

Katabasis by R. F. Kuang

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

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

WWW Wednesday – 27 August 2025

On August 27, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont (ebook)

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

Star Wars: Sanctuary by Lamar Giles (Audiobook)

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

What did you recently finish reading?

The Bolthole by Peter Papathanasiou (Trade Paperback)

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

This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman (Audiobook)

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

Two Kinds of Stranger by Steve Cavanagh (Trade Paperback)

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

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

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

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis

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

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

Book Haul – 30 June 2025

On June 30, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

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

Never Flinch by Stephen King

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

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland

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

Cold War by Jonathan Maberry

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

Grave Danger by James Grippando

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

Valour by Richard Cullen

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

The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis

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

Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

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

Liar’s Game by Jack Beaumont

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

The Writers’ Retreat by Samantha Vérant

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

The Chemist by A. A. Dhand

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

Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin

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

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.