Debutiful’s Adam Vitcavage recommends noteworthy debut books for readers to discover each month.
There Are Reasons for This by Nini Berndt (June 3)
From the publisher: There Are Reasons for This is a modern love song about the fallibility of love–in all its iterations–about the denial and tethering of desire, about the family we are given and the one we find for ourselves, and to what comes next, whatever that may be.
This is an undeniably engrossing read with a beautiful cover. Berndt’s writing blew me away time and time again throughout this novel. She writes like a boxer floating off the page with ease and packing the heaviest of punches with the simplest flick of her wrist.
The Slip by Lucas Schaefer (June 3)
From the publisher: For readers of Jonathan Franzen and Nathan Hill comes a haymaker of an American novel about a missing teenage boy, cases of fluid and mistaken identity, and the transformative power of boxing.
An ambitious and masterful book of epic proportions. Schaefer comes out swinging and delivers on every page. Crime, sports, and coming-of-age have never felt so alive in a book.
Songs of No Provenance by Lydi Conklin (June 3)
From the publisher: A suspenseful, wildly engaging debut novel by the award-winning author of Rainbow Rainbow, following a musician spiraling in self-doubt and self-searching after a night–and a relationship–gone wrong
Conklin’s short story debut, Rainbow Rainbow, was one of my favorites of 2022 and their debut novel has been on my radar ever since. Getting a copy of this novel about queer identity, kinks, and art was like winning the lottery.
Foreclosure Gothic by Harris Lahti (June 10)
From the publisher: A multi-generational and deeply autobiographical gothic tale of Hollywood dreams and upstate New York reality that feels like Andre Dubus III meets Chantal V. Johnson.
A wild ride that is on its way to becoming an all-timer. Lahti will grab you on page one and not let you go as you feel the unearthlyness take over your body. This is firing on all cylinders and the beautiful thing is it feels like Lahti did it effortlessly. Simply stunning.
Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin (June 10)
From the publisher: A gripping, elegant debut novel about a young Black man caught between worlds of race and class, glamour and tragedy, a friend’s mysterious death, and his own arrest, from an electrifying new voice.
Tantalizing, to say the least. Franklin’s ability to ooze authentic charisma from the page is unparalleled. This is the perfect summer novel and one that will transport you to the sweltering subway rides while dealing with sweeping themes. Franklin could very well be our next great American writer.
Unworld by Jayson Greene (June 17)
From the publisher: From the author of Once More We Saw Stars, an electrifying debut novel about AI that calls to mind Never Let Me Go and The Candy House’s tantalizing vision of the future.
A thought-provoking, great AI novel that will inspire how we write about AI. It was jaw-dropping to read how Greene explores the blurring between humanity and technology.
Girls Girls Girls by Shoshana Von Blanckensee (June 17)
From the publisher: Emma Cline’s THE GUEST meets Haley Jakobson’s OLD ENOUGH in this vibrant and intoxicating queer Jewish coming-of-age debut, set in 1990s San Francisco, about a young woman who finds herself torn between her fraught relationships with her childhood best friend and first love, and with an older lesbian she works for.
We’re in for a fun-as-hell ride with this one. It’s raw and authentic, nailing what it’s like to be weird in high school.
All the Lands We Inherit by Darby Price (June 17)
From the publisher: All the Lands We Inherit is a searing, heartbreaking, and formally inventive debut memoir about family, legacy, and identity.
This is the type of memoir I love to read. Earnest and delicate, with supple writing to invite readers into the journey. A strong writer with even stronger writing.
It’s No Fun Anymore by Brittany Micka-Foos (June 17)
From the publisher: It’s No Fun Anymore is a collection of eight stories that explore the politics of victimization, the sites of trauma on women’s bodies, and their attempts to divine meaning from suffering.
A slim collection that can easily be read in one sitting. In fact, you’ll want to power through and gorge yourself on these stories. The collection hauntingly explores victimhood and trauma with sharp prose and plot.
Among Friends by Hal Abbott (June 24)
From the publisher: What begins as celebration gives way to betrayal, shattering the trust between two families
Both a throwback novel to writers of yesteryear, but also one that has progressive prose and pushes boundaries for domestic dramas. Abbot dives into these characters’ heads so well that I felt like I was being analyzed at times.