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The biggest debuts of 2023
These writers dazzle with their first books, and we’re confident they’re destined to write more great stories.
Publicat la 29 Noiembrie 2023
The Deep Sky: A Novel
Yume KitaseiWith Earth on the brink of destruction, a crew of 80 departs into space to recolonize a new planet. Among them is Asuka, who struggles to feel worthy of her place aboard “The Phoenix.” When disaster strikes and everyone suspects Asuka, she must find the saboteur to protect herself and the very future of humanity. This sci-fi mystery about human nature and survival features a layered and relatable heroine.
Flux: A Novel
Jinwoo ChongStrap in for the wild ride that is Chong’s debut. It begins with three timelines following seemingly unrelated characters before slowly and cleverly revealing how their stories intertwine. The result is a mind-bending mystery with elements of noir, sci-fi, and speculative fiction. “Flux” is unlike anything hitting the shelves this year.
The Golden Spoon: A Novel
Jessa MaxwellMaxwell’s debut is a delicious mystery fit for fans of “The Great British Baking Show.” Celebrity baker and reality cooking show host Betsy Martin is often hailed as “America’s Grandmother.” However, beneath her cheerful TV persona lies a steely matriarch who demands utter perfection on her show. As the contestants gather and things heat up in the kitchen, the competition takes a murderous turn.
Really Good, Actually: A Novel
Monica HeiseyMaggie is, of course, not really good, actually. Divorced before the age of 30 and still in graduate school, Maggie is riding millennial wit for all it’s worth as she joins online dating apps and takes up new hobbies like ax throwing in an effort to figure out what, exactly, went wrong in her relationship. (One of many reasons for the split: “because we finished watching ‘The Sopranos’ and never started ‘The Wire.’”) “Really Good, Actually” is actually really, REALLY good.
Bad Cree
Jessica JohnsPersonal grief reveals generational trauma in this horror novel that successfully reclaims Indigenous folktales from the talons of colonizer culture. Mackenzie’s nightmares involve her deceased sister and a murder of crows trying to peck at her dead body. When Mackenzie wakes up with a crow’s severed head in her bed after decapitating a bird in her dream, she rightfully freaks out. It turns out Mackenzie’s not the only one in her family experiencing this fraying between dream and reality, and, despite the long odds, the family members are determined to band together and heal.
My Last Innocent Year: A Novel
Daisy Alpert FlorinFlorin’s first novel takes readers back to the late 1990s in such vivid detail, it’s hard not to viscerally feel like you’re back in that decade. Set at an elite college in America’s Northeast, “My Last Innocent Year” follows Isabel Rosen as she works through problematic sexual encounters, her grief at her mother’s death, and her socioeconomic status in the world. Florin renders Isabel like the impressionist painting of the character on the cover: Muddled by the confusing politics and morals of the world, yet beautifully living her life.
The Militia House: A Novel
John MilasIn Kajaki, Afghanistan, Corporal Alex Loyette and his unit venture off to explore an abandoned — supposedly haunted — militia house. After their eerie adventure, haunting experiences drive the troop to a breaking point. Milas, a former Marine, deftly uses gothic horror to mirror the anxieties and traumas of war. “The Militia House” is psychologically unsettling and palpably tense, and Roxane Gay already selected it as the August read for her Audacious Book Club.
Sunshine Nails: A Novel
Mai NguyenNguyen’s delightful debut follows a Vietnamese Canadian family scheming to protect their mom-and-pop nail salon when a fancy competitor moves into the neighborhood. Witty banter, relatable intergenerational squabbles, and madcap antics drive the plot, but more profound messages on legacy, gentrification, and the enduring power of family make this story memorable.
Wannabe: Reckonings with the Pop Culture That Shapes Me
Aisha HarrisDoes pop culture mirror the real world, or vice versa? Harris, of NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour” podcast, explores this question and more in her debut. An essay collection on how movies, TV shows, and music shaped the author as a Black woman and critic, “Wannabe” takes on stereotypes, internalized racism, and performative politics in prose that’s sharply entertaining.
The Night Parade: a speculative memoir
Jami Nakamura LinLin’s debut is far from your typical memoir. Divided into four acts and using ghostly creatures and other myths from Japanese and Chinese folklore, the author confronts grief, rage, and the experiences that made her feel “monstrous” — including managing her bipolar disorder and watching her father battle terminal cancer. The result is mesmerizing, immersive, and haunting.
Girls Like Girls
Hayley KiyokoIn her debut novel, sapphic icon Kiyoko (whose fans lovingly call her “Lesbian Jesus”) expands on her hit music video “Girls Like Girls.” Kiyoko dives deeper into the messy, beautiful, heavy, and hopeful love story developing between Coley and Sonya, as the two young women come to terms with their feelings and fight the fears getting in the way of their happiness. Narrated by an all-queer cast, including Kiyoko, this audiobook makes the perfect soundtrack, especially when paired with the song on repeat.
Carmen and Grace: A Novel
Melissa Coss AquinoCousins Carmen and Grace grow up neglected and poor until they find a family in the Daughters of Durka, a drug cartel run by women. When their leader dies, Grace takes on the role of kingpin, while Carmen, who’s pregnant, considers a new path. Aquino’s novel is an emotional saga about the challenges of escaping poverty and the powerful pull of female friendship.
Homebodies: A Novel
Tembe Denton-HurstAfter putting up with a long string of microaggressions, Mickey Hayward, a queer Black journalist, is unceremoniously fired from her writing job. She lets loose about her experiences in an open letter, which goes ignored. It’s only after Mickey returns to her small hometown to reevaluate her life that the letter hits the public spotlight. A book that describes the transgressions of the media industry with painful accuracy, “Homebodies” follows one young woman’s reckoning with herself and where she fits in the world.
Hula: A Novel
Jasmin 'Iolani HakesThis immersive debut is a coming-of-age tale, fraught family saga, and a cultural history, all revealed through the ongoing trauma caused by the U.S. annexation of Hawaii. It follows the women of the Naupaka family, including young Hi'i, who wants to continue her great-grandmother’s legacy of hula despite being ostracized for her paternal lineage. Hakes reveals a Hawaii that only Hawaiins know in “Hula.”
After Sappho
Selby Wynn Schwartz“At its heart, the book is about trying to find a shape for your life that hasn’t already been prescribed as your inevitable, cramped destiny,” says debut author Schwartz of her new novel. “After Sappho” fills in historical gaps, speculating on the lives, pursuits, and feelings of 20th-century women like Virginia Woolf and Natalie Barney. This story splinters between the protagonists but reads like a collective chorus railing against patriarchal expectations.
Wolfish: Wolf, Self, and the Stories We Tell About Fear
Erica BerryWhat can our relationship with the elusive wolf teach us about ourselves? “Wolfish” begs this question and more in a blend of natural history, cultural analysis, and coming-of-age memoir. Berry grounds her work in OR-7, the first confirmed wild wolf on the U.S.’s West Coast since the mid-20th century. Along the way, she explores the ideas of predator and prey — and how humans often confuse the two. Perfect for fans of “H Is for Hawk.”
EVERYTHING/NOTHING/SOMEONE: A Memoir
Alice CarrièreOn paper, it would seem that Carrière’s life was grand: She’s the daughter of artist Jennifer Bartlett and actor Mathieu Carrière; she split her time between a mansion in New York City and a Paris penthouse; she had access to all the best doctors. But her parents were offbeat and ill-attentive (to say the least), which led Carrière to start cutting herself at age seven. In this debut memoir, childhood trauma is mined and refined to become some of the most mesmerizing prose of the year.
Maame: A Today Show Read With Jenna Book Club Pick
Jessica GeorgeMaddie, the dependable one in her British Ghanaian family, finally chooses to prioritize herself and build the life she deserves. George’s novel, called a “pitch-perfect debut” by Publishers Weekly, is a coming-of-age journey featuring a vulnerable protagonist readers can simultaneously identify with and root for. “Maame” includes themes of systemic racism, family obligations, and self-empowerment.
Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon
Wole TalabiInspired by Nigerian folklore, this is a fantasy heist unlike anything you’ve read before. Shidigi, a god of nightmares, and Nneoma, a succubus, are lovers and partners in the business of reaping souls. After the Orisha Spirit Company contracts them to retrieve a stolen African artifact from the British Museum, the duo must use all of their cunning and trickery to pull off the mission. If you enjoyed “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman, you’ll love Talabi’s spin on this in which Nigerian gods are forced to navigate bureaucratic red tape and corporate politics.
The Lagos Wife: A Novel
Vanessa WaltersNicole belongs to the Nigerwives, a group of foreign women who married into high society in Lagos, Nigeria. Her life seems picture perfect — until she vanishes without a trace. Nicole’s aunt Claudine travels to Lagos to find her niece, and her search slowly reveals the truth about Nicole’s not-so-idyllic life and marriage. Divided between the “before” and “after,” and delivered from dual perspectives, Walters’ work uses a thriller plot to dissect power imbalances, patriarchal cultures, and the choices women make to survive.
Godkiller
Hannah KanerKaner’s action-packed debut drew rave reviews from critics and fellow fantasy authors alike. Marked as a writer to watch by Publishers Weekly, the Northumbian writer delivers an explosive and grisly introduction to a world in which gods are outlawed and humans are paid to hunt them down. Fascinating worldbuilding and a motley crew of characters led by a godkiller with a heart of gold make for a promising start to a dark trilogy.
Night Wherever We Go: A Novel
Tracey Rose PeytonSet just before the American Civil War, “Night Wherever We Go” follows six enslaved women as they attempt to retain their bodily autonomy after the plantation’s owners try to force each woman to have children. New author Peyton depicts how everyone suffers from dehumanization under some of the most depraved practices of slavery, yet no matter how dark the hour, she ensures resilience and hope shine through.
The Great Transition: A Novel
Nick Fuller GooginsHumanity has narrowly avoided total climate devastation — but at what cost? Emi only knows the world as it is post-Great Transition. She doesn’t know about the sacrifices made to achieve net zero carbon emissions. However, her parents — tireless climate activists — will never forget the bloodshed and destruction that ran rampant before the transition. A heady mix of family drama, mystery, and cli-fi, Googins’ visionary novel offers a glimpse of life after a near-total climate apocalypse that is somehow both terrifyingly realistic and inspiring.
Killing the Guys Who Killed the Guy Who Killed Lincoln: A Nutty Story About Edwin Booth and Boston Corbett
Killing the Guys Who Killed the Guy Who Killed Lincoln: A Nutty Story About Edwin Booth and Boston Corbett
Jesse JoyceYou know of John Wilkes Booth and the guy he killed, President Abraham Lincoln. Now prepare to learn the far more outlandish stories of Booth’s killers — Boston Corbett, a literal mad hatter who castrated himself, and John Wilkes’ brother, Edwin Booth, a renowned but troubled actor. This wry, rollicking history from stand-up comedian Joyce provides an eye-opening account of America’s colorful past.
The Surviving Sky
Kritika H. RaoA married couple living on a floating jungle city far above now-uninhabitable Earth are at odds. Husband Iravan is an architect, the most respected profession in this world. Wife Ahilya, an archeologist, despises her husband’s superiority, but they must work together to save their planet from impending demise. Rao’s extraordinary world-building draws on Hindu concepts as she explores themes like oppression, forgiveness, and jealousy. This cli-fi, science fantasy debut is a heady adventure.
Thirst for Salt
Madelaine LucasIn Lucas’ pensive novel, a middle-aged woman remembers the love affair she had in her twenties with a much older man and how their relationship affected her views on intimacy, loyalty, and self. Set on the Australian coast and rich in metaphor, “Thirst for Salt” is a love letter to love itself, particularly young love with all its fraught ups and downs.
Y/N: A Novel
Esther YiDubbed one of the most anticipated releases of the year by outlets like Literary Hub, Esquire, and Entertainment Weekly, Yi’s fervent debut follows a Korean American copywriter who becomes entranced with a K-pop star. “Y/N” moves from Berlin to Seoul and between reality and fanfiction, exploring how art and fandom shape our sense of self.
The Spite House: A Novel
Johnny ComptonEric Ross, a desperate father of two daughters, accepts a bizarre proposal: Stay in the notoriously haunted Masson House in Degener, Texas, long enough to document ghostly activity. If Eric can complete the job (and keep his sanity), his money problems are over. In “The Spite House,” a Gothic horror novel told from multiple perspectives, paranormal threats put familial bonds to the test.
A Country You Can Leave: A Novel
Asale Angel-AjaniLara, a biracial teenager, struggles with the desire to separate herself from her mother, a Russian emigrant who’s at once emotionally distant and controlling. Angel-Anjani’s novel grapples with race, class, and sexuality — and how these complex issues can test already fraught mother-daughter relationships.
The New Life: A Novel
Tom CreweCrewe’s novel, set in 1894 England, explores how sexual oppression damages identities, families, and freedom. John Addington and Henry Ellis, both in nontraditional relationships, collaborate on a book that argues for the acceptance of homosexuality, ultimately sparking outrage and legal troubles. The story, inspired by actual historical figures and featuring Oscar Wilde’s criminal conviction for “indecency,” brings the period and all its injustices to vivid life.
Greenwild: The World Behind the Door
Pari ThomsonWhen 11-year-old Daisy’s adventure-seeking mother goes missing, Daisy’s search leads her through a mysterious door and into a new world full of wonder — including magical plants and animals. Daisy is soon called to protect Greenwild from dark forces, and her quest may also help her find her mother. Thomson’s book — the first in a new middle grades fantasy series — puts a botanical spin on magical schools and children’s empowerment.
Lies We Sing to the Sea
Sarah UnderwoodIdeal for fans of Madeline Miller and Natalie Haynes, Underwood’s YA debut draws on aspects of “The Odyssey” and other Greek myths to create a feminist sapphic romance. Each year, the Ithacan prince sacrifices 12 girls to Poseidon. Leto, a young orphan, not only survives the ordeal, but emerges from the ocean with newfound powers. It’s up to her to stop the prince of Ithaca and spare other maidens from the annual sacrifice.
The Daughters of Izdihar
Hadeer ElsbaiNehal and Giorgina, two women who can control the elements, are thrust together after an arranged marriage ties them to the same man. Their connection deepens as they become women’s rights activists for the Daughters of Izdihar. Elsbai’s first book in an upcoming feminist fantasy duology pits flawed but relatable characters against the patriarchy. It’s set in an alternate Egypt, where women must fight for their independence — and their magic.
Wandering Souls: A Novel
Cecile PinThree years after American troops leave Vietnam, civilians are left to pick up the shattered remains of a homeland torn apart by war. Anh and two of her brothers begin a perilous journey to Hong Kong with the ultimate goal of relocating to America. Their parents and four other siblings promise to follow. However, tragedy strikes, leaving Anh the sole caretaker of her brothers. The siblings must navigate trauma, prejudice, and a new culture and language as they try to make sense of an unfamiliar, lonely world. Kirkus Reviews praises Pin as “the new Didion of the Asian diaspora.”
We Are A Haunting: A Novel
Tyriek WhiteWhite’s debut follows three generations of an immigrant family as their lives (and deaths) unfold in a gentrifying neighborhood of Brooklyn. Though they contend with incredible loss — of family, home, and sense of self — the ghosts of what came before are never far away. “We Are a Haunting” is a family saga as well as a love letter to New York, particularly the working-class neighborhoods that sustain it.
Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller
Oliver DarkshireOld bookshops often have a magical allure in fiction, and debut writer Darkshire feeds into the fantasy with his humorous observations from his time as an antiquarian bookseller at Sotheran’s in London. There’s no overarching narrative to Darkshire’s musings, but there are plenty of quirky and humorous characters (collectors and fellow booksellers) for premium entertainment value.
Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs
Jamie LoftusA book about hot dogs might sound very strange and particular, but Loftus’ hilarious and informative travel narrative is a can’t-miss. Join the “Lolita Podcast” host on a cross-country road trip that dives deep into the fascinating history of the hot dog. As Loftus eats her way across the country, she investigates how violence, poverty, capitalism, and politics have all helped shape the seemingly humble American BBQ staple.