Debutiful’s Adam Vitcavage recommends noteworthy debut books for readers to discover each month.
The Road to the Salt Sea by Samuel Kolawole (Amistad; July 2)
From the publisher: As wrenching and luminous as Omar El Akkad’s What Strange Paradise and Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West, a searing exploration of the global migration crisis that moves from Nigeria to Libya to Italy, from an exciting new literary voice.
Kolawole’s debut is incredibly moving. Not only is it an eye-opening guide into Nigeria, but it expertly explores migration and community. On top of all of the heart is exquisite writing that will inspire you.
Anyone’s Ghost by August Thompson (Penguin Press; July 9)
From the publisher: An extraordinary debut novel in which the transforming love and friendship between two young men during one unforgettable teenage summer in rural New England haunts them into adulthood
An expansive coming-of-age novel where Thompson isn’t afraid to lean into heartbreaking moments. It’ll make you cry but it’s so much more than that. Thompson finds the funny, the horny, and the uncomfortable in growing up and finding yourself when everything around you just doesn’t seem right.
Lo-Fi by Liz Riggs (Riverhead; July 9)
From the publisher: In the sweaty music clubs and late-night house parties of Nashville, an aspiring songwriter tries to make friends, find love, and write songs–without losing herself
This is such a fun romp! Riggs provides a portrait of young people partying and listening to damn good music. As someone who spent my early 20s writing about indie music, this brought me home. It’s funny, sexy, and electric as hell.
More, Please by Emma Specter (Harper; July 9)
From the publisher: An unflinching and deeply reported look at the realities of binge-eating disorder from a rising culture commentator and writer for Vogue.
This is the type of memoir I wish I had a decade ago. Society has their opinions and advice about food, body, weight, fat, and what’s healthy. Those opinions are, in fact, unhealthy. Specter explores our relationship with those topics and will help reshape how you think about your body and your relationship with food. Simply brilliant and a must-read.
The Coin by Yasmin Zaher (Catapult; July 9)
From the publisher: A bold and unabashed novel about a young Palestinian woman’s unraveling as she teaches at a New York City middle school, gets caught up in a scheme reselling Birkin bags, and strives to gain control over her body and mind
A lusciously written and completely captivating debut. This is one of those books that was recommended to me by so many different people from writers to booksellers for months. Once I finally got my hands on it, it wasn’t a question of whether or not it was good. It was a question of how brilliant it was. I devoured this. It will easily be a book of the year and talked about for years to come.
A Thousand Times Before by Asha Thanki (Viking; July 9)
From the publisher: A heartrending family saga following three generations of women connected by a fantastic tapestry through which they inherit the experiences of those that lived before them, sweeping readers from Partition-era India to modern day Brooklyn.
An expansive and rich novel about generations of a family tackling love and grief. Thanki’s writing is beautiful and soft. She takes great care of her characters and readers in this debut.
Smothermoss by Alisa Alering (Tin House; July 16)
From the publisher: In turns both terrifying and otherworldly, author Alisa Alering opens the door to the hidden world of Smothermoss–a mountain that sighs, monsters made of ink, rabbits both dead and alive, and ropes that just won’t come undone. Unsettling, propulsive, and wonderfully atmospheric, Alering’s stunning debut novel renegotiates what is seen and unseen, what is real and what is haunted.
Where do I begin with this one? It starts with a vicious death and then spirals into a supernatural tale filled with pitch-perfect tension and atmosphere. The longer I sat with this book the more I realized how much Alering was doing. It’s a stunning book that stayed with me long after I read it.
The Melancholy of Untold History by Minsoo Kang (William Morrow; July 16)
From the publisher: A beautifully crafted, enriching saga inspired by East Asian mythology, The Melancholy of Untold History is Minsoo Kang’s debut novel, steeped in history like R.F. Kuang’s Babel, epic in scope like Anthony Doerr’s Cloud Cuckoo Land, and lyrically exciting like David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, interweaving four complex yet entertaining stories as they shape and create a nation’s literary narrative through the themes of love and grief.
This captivating story bends modern expectations of what a modern epic can be. It combines folklore, time travel, and multiple perspectives that will leave your jaw on the floor.
The Nude by C. Michelle Lindley (Atria; July 23)
From the publisher: A gripping, provocative, and sensual debut novel about an art historian who journeys to a Greek island in pursuit of a found sculpture and quickly finds herself immersed in a cultural tug-of-war and a complicated love affair.
This book is so hot that it swelters. It explores sexual power dynamics in an enthralling way while asking questions about art, ownership, and autonomy. I read this book fairly recently and wish I had read it earlier. This is perfect to read in the heat of the summer.
My Mother Cursed My Name by Anamely Salgado Reyes (Atria; July 30)
From the publisher: Three generations of fiercely strong and stubborn Mexican American women face grief head-on as they attempt to shed generational trauma and discover the true meaning of home in this lyrical novel that features magical realism in the tradition of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina and The House of the Spirits.
The standout aspect of this debut is how strong the characters are written. They are knockouts who weave through magical realism and profound relationships filled with a lot of personality.