Every month, Debutiful selects can’t-miss books from debut authors that readers will love. You can find more recommendations here.
Carmen and Grace by Melissa Coss Aquino (April 4; William Morrow)
Two cousins get drawn into a world of drugs where they struggle to escape a fate neither of them wanted while figuring out who they are. The tension Melissa Coss Aquino creates will steal your breath. It’s a pitch perfect ode to growing up, finding trouble, and finding your heart.
Brown Boy by Omer Aziz (April 4; Scribner)
Aziz’s memoir about being a first-generation Pakistani Muslim living in Toronto explores turbulent times paired with great successes. He examines what it means to succeed when everyone still views you as an outsider.
House of Cotton by Monica Brashears (April 4; Flatiron)
This novel about the trials and tribulations of being a poor Black woman in the South has received praise from the likes of Deesha Philyaw, George Saunders, and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Described as a “sly social commentary” that “cuts straight to the bone” this is a novel for anyone who loved Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward.
Blue Hour by Tiffany Clarke Harrison (April 4; Soft Skull)
Harrison weaves together multiple themes in thought-provoking fragments that question how modern America reacts to grief, trauma, race, and motherhood.
Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling (April 4; Atria)
Throughout all the twists an turns of Camp Zero, one thing remains persistent: thoughtful and bold reflections on climate. This dystopian page-turner will hook you from the beginning and not let you go.
You Know Her by Meagan Jennett (April 4; MCD)
There’s a killer mystery at the center of this novel that will keep you up turning pages deep into the night. Jennett mastered the pace and secrets of this thriller that you won’t ever be able to forget.
The Dead Are Gods by Eirinie Carson (April 11; Melville House)
After the unexpected death of her friend, Carson sought to make sense of life and death. The result is a hauntingly beautiful and moving memoir about friendship, death, and our purpose in the world.
We Are a Haunting by Tyriek White (April 18; Astra House)
An ode to the working class hustle that America was built on but that never gets the praise it deserves. Kiese Laymon is right: “Tyriek White did not come to play.”
The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa by Stephen Buoro (April 18; Bloomsbury)
A humourous and heartfelt coming-of-age set in Nigeria. Buoro allows his originality to ooze off of every single page and he’ll mesmerize you with his language.
Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler (April 18; St. Martins)
This is a story of unrequited love. It’s less Bridget Jones’ Diary and more (500) Days of Summer. The humor lifts off the page but there is a poignant sensibility to emotions from your mid-20s. Wheeler’s book is bright and warm. The perfect Spring book.
Sisters of the Los Nation by Nick Medina (April 18; Berkley)
Medina weaves folklore, modern thriller tactics, and richly crafted characters in his haunting debut mystery. His sense of atmosphere will suck you in and wrap around you from start to finish.
The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher (April 25; Ballantine)
The search for identity pulses through this beguiling debut. With The Skin and Its Girl, Cypher launches herself into the stratosphere of best emerging writers. She’ll leave you gobsmacked as she weaves queer coming-of-age with a storied family drama.
debutiful 