Each month, Debutiful recommends noteworthy debut books for readers to discover.
Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly (Avid Reader; February 6)
A luminous comedy that was already a smash hit in New Zealand. This is a laugh-so-hard-you-‘ll-cry story about found family, siblings, and queerness.
Ways and Means by Daniel Lefferts (Overlook; February 6)
What happens when the American Dream fails you almost instantly? Lefferts explores a finance bro who wasn’t while he tackles ambition and drive in a biting expose.
Antiquity by Hanna Johansson; translated by Kira Josefsson (Catapult; February 6)
A gorgeously written book about lust, desire, power, and obsession. Johansson, along with Josefsson’s translations, sophisticatedly tells a sultry story about a forbidden relationship that brings a family to the brink.
I Love You So Much It’s Killing Us Both by Mariah Stovall (Soft Skull; February 13)
There is so much bang for your buck in Stovall’s debut. It is an ode to growing up and letting music guide you. It is about an estranged friendship that can only be overcome through the perfect mix-tape. It’s a captivating play on friendship, anxiety, and the beauty of music.
The Blueprint by Rae Giana Rashad (Harper; February 13)
In an alternate version of America where choice no longer exists, Rashad offers a story about concubines and power. It’s a twisty dystopian tale about the power of Black women and the turmoil they go through daily.
Acts of Forgiveness by Maura Cheeks (Ballantine; February 13)
Cheeks offers a warm novel about a single mother’s drive and responsibility set against the backdrop of reparations for the descendants of slaves finally coming to fruition. Inspired by an article she wrote for The Atlantic, Cheeks explores what success means in a broken country.
Ours by Phillip B. Williams (Viking; February 20)
An epic, sweeping, historical novel about a mystical woman who destroys plantations in the 1800s, frees the enslaved who are held there, and then creates a haven for them called Ours. It is surreal and striking. For those who love long novels, this is definitely a doorstopper you need to pick up.
Slow Noodles by Chantha Nguon, with Kim Green (Algonquin; February 20)
Nguon’s memoir about being a Cambodian refugee surviving a genocide to discovering hope and faith through her mother’s recipes will move you to tears. It’s not all down notes though and the story beams with hope, pride, and determination.
The Turtle House by Amanda Churchill (Harper; February 20)
A stunning coming-of-age that shifts through time and touches upon different generations. Churchill’s characters will resonate with readers of all ages.
The highly acclaimed author’s fiction is finally available in English for the first time.
Green Dot by Madeleine Gray (Henry Holt; February 27)
Gray’s debut is a laugh-out-loud, messy love affair that is a refreshing take on younger women and older married men.
The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard (Atria; February 27)
Enlightening and uplifting. It’s a quiet novel about young love and growing up but also plays with time and memory. Howard’s town where the novel takes place is situated between decades and people can see the outcomes of their lives while revisiting the past.