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

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

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly challenge that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with reviewing the last ten books they have read with only a single word.

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

Top Ten List:

The French Illusion by John Grisham

Thrilling

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

Epic

We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil

Demonic

The Only Way Out Is Up by Django Wexler

Robots!!!

He Who Fights With Monsters – Hero by Travis Deverell

Irresistible

Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor

Spooky

Hard Town by Adam Plantinga

Cathartic

Warhammer 40,000: Voice of Command by Richard Swan

Intense

He Who Fights With Monsters – Adventurer by Travis Deverell

Exhilarating

138 Main Street by Gavin Bell

Memorable

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

WWW Wednesday – 28 October 2026

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

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil (ebook)

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

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

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

What did you recently finish reading?

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

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

What do you think you’ll read next?

Adam & Eve by Jeffrey Archer

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

The French Illusion by John Grisham

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

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

WWW Wednesday – 21 October 2026

On October 25, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

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

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

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil (ebook)

I’ve started reading the cool horror thriller We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil this week. Following a priest and a cop as they attempt to investigate unusual events at an isolated island, We Are For The Dark is an intriguing and dark read that I’m really enjoying. I’m haven’t made a ton of progress on this book yet, but I’m hoping to get through it this week to see how it all comes together.

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

I was in the mood for some Warhammer 40,000 fun this week, so I started listening to the cool character-focused novel Bjorn: The Fell-Handed by Justin D. Hill. Following a legendary Space Marine as he attempts to protect his fellow Space Wolves from a deadly threat. I’m making very good progress through this relatively short Warhammer audiobook, and I should finish it off in the next couple of days.

What did you recently finish reading?

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

After having a blast with the first two volumes of the awesome He Who Fights With Monsters series, Outworlder and Adventurer, I powered through the third volume of this series, Hero, this week. Once again following the adventures of a complex protagonist as he explores a cool LitRPG world, Hero was an epic read full of adventure, clever humour and impressive moments. Highly recommended.

The Only Way Out is Up by Django Wexler (Audiobook)

I also finished off the awesome fantasy audiobook The Only Way Out Is Up by Django Wexler this week. An outstanding novel set around magical robot fights in a layered underground city, The Only Way Out Is Up was an exceptional read with some amazing concepts and great humour. I had an absolute blast with this book, and I’m hoping to review it soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

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

I’m probably still going to be in a Warhammer 40,000 mood this week, so I think I’m going to check out the recently released book, Cold Covenant by Peter Fehervari. Part of Fehervari’s loosely connected Dark Coil series, Cold Covenant has been getting a lot of love from fellow Warhammer fans and I’m expecting this to be a particularly epic 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 – 14 October 2026

On October 17, 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 – Hero by Travis Deverell

After having a blast with the first two volumes of the awesome He Who Fights With Monsters series, Outworlder and Adventurer, I have quickly dived into the third volume, Hero. Once again following the adventures of a complex protagonist as he explores a cool LitRPG world, Hero is off to a great start with some impressive moments. I’ve only made a bit of progress on Hero so far, but I’m expecting to power through a lot of it in the coming days.

The Only Way Out is Up by Django Wexler (Audiobook)

I’ve been having a blast listening to the awesome fantasy audiobook The Only Way Out Is Up by Django Wexler this week. An outstanding novel set around magical robot fights in an layered underground city, The Only Way Out Is Up is proving to be an exceptional read with some amazing concepts and great humour. I am currently halfway through this audiobook, and I look forward to seeing how this fantastic novel continues.

What did you recently finish reading?

Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor (Trade Paperback)

I managed to finish off the new C. J. Tudor horror novel Serenity Falls this week. An intriguing read that explores the dark side of a seemingly perfect community, Serenity Falls has an excellent plot behind it, backed up by the very talented writing of Tudor. An outstanding novel I’m glad I checked out.

Warhammer 40,000: Voice of Command by Richard Swan (Audiobook)

I also finished of the impressive Warhammer 40,000 novel, Voice of Command by Richard Swan this week. One of the darker Warhammer novels of 2026, Voice of Command an outstanding book that I am hoping to review soon.

What do you think you’ll read next?

We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil

I’m hoping to dive into the cool horror thriller We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil this week. Set to follow a priest and a cop as they attempt to investigate unusual events at an isolated island, We Are For The Dark sounds really cool, and I’m very keen 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.

Book Haul – 31 May 2026

On May 31, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book Haul2 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Book Haul post on this blog, and I think it’s time I remedied this, especially as I have been extremely lucky to receive an amazing number of books in recent weeks. Indeed, I’ve either received and managed to find and buy so many awesome novels and new releases, that I’m actually going to break this next Book Haul post into a few pieces. The first of which will cover some amazing and unique new and upcoming releases from an array of international talent.

Sisters of the Lizard by Jackson Ford

The first book I want to highlight in this post is the very cool fantasy novel, Sisters of the Lizard by Jackson Ford. The sequel to Ford’s 2025 novel, The Bone Raiders, Sisters of the Lizard will continue the chaos of the series, as a small group of independent raiders attempt to hold back a vengeful empire with their new giant, fire-breathing lizard mounts.

A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett

I was extremely happy to receive a copy of A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett. The epic follow-up to Bennett’s incredible fantasy murder mystery novels, The Tainted Cup and A Drop of Corruption, A Trade of Blood will present another unique and shocking crime in a fantasy realm constantly beset by giant monsters. Sure to be one of the cleverest and most compelling novels of 2026, A Trade of Blood has so much potential, and I cannot wait to read it.

Green City Wars by Adrian Tchaikovksy

I have had a pretty amazing time reading books from Adrian Tchaikovksy in 2026, but it looks like I’m only getting started as I just received a copy of his next entertaining novel, Green City Wars. An intriguing crime fiction read, where the protagonists are genetically engineered, sentient animals created to serve humanity, Green City Wars looks set to be one of the more unique releases of 2026, and I already know I’m going to love it.

Eight Tastes of Treachery by Ryan Rose

After falling in love with Ryan Rose’s debut novel, Seven Recipes for Revolution, last year, I’m excited for the author’s second outing with the awesome upcoming sequel, Eight Tastes of Treachery. Looking set to continue Rose’s cool story of revolution, magic and cookery, Eight Tastes of Treachery sounds like an outstanding novel, and I look forward to diving into it.

Duel of Beasts by Boyd and Beth Morrison

One of the more exciting novels I recently received is the next Tales of the Lawless Land entry, Duel of Beasts. The fourth historical fiction book from the duo of Beth and Boyd Morrison, Duel of Beasts throws the series’ protagonists into a deadly quest in medieval Spain, as they try to save a widowed noblewoman from a deadly conspiracy. Sure to be a compelling and intense read, Duel of Beasts is going to be a ton of fun, and I’ve deeply enjoyed the previous three books from these great authors.

The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell

One of the more hilarious sounding novels I recently received is the very entertaining The Dragon Has Some Complaints by John Wiswell. Following an argumentative three-headed dragon with some major issues as it finds itself accidently befriending a human, The Dragon Has Some Complaints sounds like pure fun, and I cannot wait to check it out.

The Bone Docs by Matthew Scura

Another entertaining new novel I recently received is the very amusing The Bone Docs by Matthew Scura. A desert island thriller that sees a group of stranded dentists go to war with similarly shipwrecked chiropractors, The Bone Docs has some absurd potential, and I’m very keen to see how crazy it gets.

Star Trek: The Last Starship: Volume 1 by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing

A very cool sounding new Star Trek comic, that will take an iconic character from The Original Series and set him to adventure in the far future.

The Damned by Matt Rogers

An intriguing spy thriller that sees a desperate protagonist trapped in the Columbian mountains being hunted by dangerous criminals

The Deep and the Drowned by Ian Green

Another recently acquired book that I am very excited to read is the epic upcoming fantasy novel, The Deep and the Drowned by Ian Green. Featuring a cool nautical narrative, set in a fantasy realm made up on thousands of chaotic islands, The Deep and the Drowned sounds so damn awesome and sure to be incredible. In addition, it also has one of the coolest covers of 2026, which can only indicate great things.

We Are For The Dark by Gretchen McNeil

An intriguing horror thriller from an author that I’ve had an outstanding time with in the past.

Drop Dead Famous by Jennifer Pearson

The final recently received book I want to highlight in this post is the cool young adult thriller, Drop Dead Famous by Jennifer Pearson. An intriguing crime fiction read set around the dark side of the music business, Drop Dead Famous sounds pretty amazing, and I’m very keen to read it.

Well, that’s the end of the first Book Haul post of the night. In my next post, I’m going to dive into some of the awesome new novels from Australian author’s I’ve recently received.