Can’t-miss debut books you should read this October

Every month, Debutiful selects can’t-miss books from debut authors that readers will love. You can find more recommendations here.

Mama Said by Kristen Gentry (October 1; WVU Press)
The linked stories set in Louisville, KY follow a complex Black family chock-full of memorable characters. The collection will reshape what you think about the region and the people that inhabit it.

Company by Shannon Sanders (October 3; Graywolf Press)

This collection follows a single family through time and numerous locations. With each story, readers get a different understanding of the company they keep on each page. Sanders writes with such courage and complexity. She has a masterful grasp of characters, pacing, and plotting. Company is a delectable debut.

A Haunting in Hialeah Gardens by Raul Palma (October 3; Dutton)

Palma’s debut is filled with magic and trauma as it explores modern Latino culture. He bends genre into a new horror-tinged mythos exploring the classic immigration story. Whatever you think the experience Hialeah Gardens will provide, expect to be surprised every step of the way.

Small in Real Life by Kelly Sather (October 3; Univ. of Pittsburgh Press)

The winner of the 2023 Drue Heinz Literature Prize, this story collection is a character-driven exploration set in Southern California. It’s soft and subtle with keen observations.

Brutalities by Margo Steines (October 3; W. W. Norton & Company)

Brutalities is a memoir that reflects on past lives of sex, power, and brutality. Stienes writes ferociously about agency, bodily autonomy, and rage against systems.

The List by Yomi Adegoke (October 3; William Morrow)

The titular list is a viral list of names of bad men. Adegoke turns her main character’s world upside down when her fiance’s name is on it. The book is a propulsive page-turner that tackles social status on social status and relationships.

Edenville by Sam Rebelein (October 3; William Morrow)

A horror novel about a failed debut writer is the meta this world needs. Rebelein’s writing is sharp and witty. Edenville expands what it means to be a horror novel with a fresh approach and unique twists.

Shoot the Moon by Isa Arsén (October 10; Putnam and Sons)

This historical fiction is the perfect book club pick. It follows the life of a woman in a sweeping manner anchored by her work with NASA during the Apollo 11 mission.

House Gone Quiet by Kelsey Norris (October 17; Scribner)

This story collection bends the possibilities of what a story can be and do. Norris jumps from genre to genre and shows her talents are at the top of their game in every iteration. House Gone Quite will blow your mind.

Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind by Molly McGhee (October 17; Astra House)

This will hit close to home with millennials, but is a timeless story mixed with astounding imagination and innovation. Jonathan Abernathy is a loser thanks to late-stage capitalism and McGhee pulls no punches critiquing the financial mess politicians have put us in.

The Night Parade by Jami Nakamura Lin (November 7; Mariner)

This title was originally supposed to be released in October but shifted to a November release due to printing production and shipping needs. Even more reason to pre-order it now!

Jami Nakamura Lin reflects on a life with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, confronting monsters, and her father’s cancer. The book is broken into four acts, invoking the traditional Japanese narrative arc and promises a genre-bending approach to the memoir.

Pay As You Go by Eskor David Johnson (October 24; McSweeney’s)

A hilarious odyssey about a man without a place to live seeking what his place in the world is. It is Catcher in the Rye for the 21st Century.