Each month, Debutiful recommends noteworthy debut books for readers to discover.
The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan (Marysuu Rucci; January 2)
In her captivating debut, Chan unleashes a perfect storm of beauty, devastation, secrets, and success. Set during and before WWII, Chan follows an unlikely spy and how her actions may save a country but tear her family apart. This should be every reader’s first book of 2024. Everyone I know who has read it has been flabbergasted by its brilliance.
Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody (Soho Crime; January 2)
Soho Crime has been putting out a lot of thrilling bangers and Body’s debut continues that trend. It takes true crime fandom and turns it on its head in this page-turning binge that will shock and awe you.
River East, River West by Aube Rey Lescure (William Morrow; January 9)
Rey Lescure’s debut has a beautiful coming-of-age story nestled in a brilliant generational saga that touches on race, class, and place in the world. It is as equally intimate as it is an expansive note on today’s culture.
Sugar, Baby by Celine Saintclare (Bloomsbury; January 9)
This is a steamy and spellbinding story that will leave you hot under the collar, but also provide a sense of hopefulness regarding our own autonomy over this world. Saintclare follows a sex worker on a path of self-discovery. Sexiness sells, but the author’s sensitive portrayal of sexuality is what makes this book stand out.
Holiday Country by İnci Atrek (Flatiron; January 9)
A summer romance is the backbone of Atrek’s plot, but she unravels that trope and breathes fresh life into while also exploring family secrets and identity, and the different worlds we can inhabit at the same time. Atrek’s prose is lush and is a pitch-perfect match with the sensuality of the plot.
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan (Viking; January 9)
This book marks the U.S. Debut of Khan, who has published the essay collection How I Accidentally Became a Stock Photo in India and South Africa. Filled with luscious prose, her book is a vivid coming-of-age that uses gothic undertones to explore romance and beauty in a refreshing and haunting way.
Sex with a Brain Injury by Annie Liontas (Scribner; January 16)
Liontas is the author of the novel Let Me Explain You, and has shifted gears to debut an essay collection about life after multiple concussions. Her writing is exquisite and this collection is unforgettable.
City of Laughter by Temim Fruchter (Grove; January 16)
Fruchter is a breath of fresh air. There is a remarkable sense of originality in the pages of this debut that follows generations of Jewish women and a shapeshifter. Nothing about this debut felt forced and there is an easiness to the surprises and binge-worthiness of the story.
Broughtupsy by Christina Cooke (Catapult; January 23)
Cooke’s grasp on grief, language, dialogue, and queerness is unparalleled. The strained sibling relationship at the novel’s core, as estranged sisters traverse their native Jamaica after the death of their brother, is marvelously moving. The world Cooke brings you into is immersive and readers will feel the emotions swelling up and bursting off the page.
I Sing to Use the Waiting by Zachary Pace (Two Dollar Radio; January 23)
Pace’s essays are a beautiful ode to how musicians can shape us. The collection is a must-read for any musicophile. Their passion reverberates on every page while exploring their life and the musicians they admire.
How We Named the Stars by Andrés N. Ordorica (Tin House; January 30)
It’s no surprise that Ordorica’s prose is luxuriant and lyrical. After publishing a poetry collection, this is his first novel and it’s undeniably clear he has a master’s grasp on the written word.
This beautiful translation centers on a girl in a juvenile detention center who refuses to make amends for her violent actions even though doing so would see her released to a family that is falling apart on the outside. Deep and meditative, this book weaves through multiple themes to deliver a pinpoint gut punch to the reader.
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