The Most Anticipated Debut Books of 2025 – Part 2

The second half of 2025 is overflowing with debut books hitting bookstores. The longlist for books I considered covering totaled over 125 titles, and even now, new books are being pitched by the hour. There are simply too many good debut books to cover, but I’m trying my hardest.

Since starting Debutiful in 2019, nearly all of the books I’ve read have been galleys of unpublished debut novels. I try to avoid reviews from the likes of Kirkus and Publishers Weekly and lists from my favorite places to read about literature like Electric Literature, Literary Hub, and the Rumpus. I read too much, and 2026’s coverage will look different (more on that soon), but for the past few months, I have been reading books set to be published between July and the end of 2025.

Here are the ones I finished and loved the most, as well as ones I read about a large portion of and can’t wait to return to. They’re all novels, story collections, and poetry collections — I promise to make a better effort to cover nonfiction moving forward in the future.

I highly recommend preordering them because preordering books will help support these writers more than anything else right now. Preorders will drive stores to stock their books, convince event managers to book them for events, and provide numerous other intangible benefits. If you preorder through our Bookshop.org links below, Debutiful will also get a small sliver of the sale, which will help pay for website and podcast hosting fees.

Hot Girls with Balls by Benedict Nguyễn (July 1)

Meet Six and Green, two trans women volleyball players who are romantically entangled, and rising social media stars who balance jealousy, transphobia, and social media throughout this terrific and sidesplitting satire. It’s the type of novel that is effortlessly laugh-out-loud funny while also taking a sharp lens to the politics of gender and identity where two transwoman are forced to play in a men’s volleyball league. Nguyễn highlights how people hiding behind screens with parasocial relationships, obsession, and toxic transphobia can cruelly shape lives in a satirical novel fueled by social media comments.antici

Wanting by Claire Jia (July 1)

Through keen observations about friendship and (friendly) rivalry, Jia explores how friends ebb and flow through each other’s lives despite mismatched wealth and desire. As secrets of the past come to a head, two friends must balance marriages, cultural expectations, and keeping up with the modern noise infiltrating their peace. In the end, it’s an unforgettable friendship between Ye Lian and Luo Wenyu that readers will not soon forget.

Archive of Unknown Universes by Ruben Reyes Jr. (July 1)

The novel debut from Reyes Jr. follows up on one of the best debut short story collections from 2024. Here, he leans full tilt into speculative fiction in two timelines that explore the ramifications of war in El Salvador. A deliciously written novel with rich history, memorable characters, and heart.

Bitter Sweet by Hattie Williams (July 8)

A thrilling and seductive read about a younger woman and a powerful man working in the publishing industry. Williams, who worked for years in publishing, brings insights to the behind-the-scenes workings of the world that are so on the nose it hurts. It is a strongly written exposé on power, romance, and the ties that bind us.

House of Beth by Kerry Cullen (July 15)

An undeniable force that I couldn’t stop reading. It’s a modern gothic ghost story about getting over a break-up while maintaining your mental health and becoming a stepmother. Reading it reminded me of when I read Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt. It’s eerie with a modern twist. It’s quite possibly the most perfect book for Debutiful readers: it’s sad, it’s weird, and it’s horny.

Make Your Way Home by Carrie R. Moore (July 15)

Here is a short story collection ready to enter the pantheon of Best Short Story Collections of All Time. Moore’s collection proves debut books can arrive fully realized and perfectly written. Her stories about Black men and women across the American South as they confront the complexities of home, identity, legacy, and love are immersive and hypnotic. All eleven will knock your socks off.

My Train Leaves at Three by Natalie Guerrero (July 15)

The balance between ambition and authenticity swirls throughout Guerrero’s coming-of-age debut as Xiomara strives to break out and become a star while grappling with the loss of her sister. The book is set against the lively backdrop of Washington Heights, which feels as much of a character as any of the people in the book. It’s as equally soft and sweet as it is biting. Guerrero’s writing is fully charged from the jump.

Maggie; or, A Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar by Katie Yee (July 22)

I haven’t stopped thinking about how easily Yee balanced the ups and downs of life – jumping from laugh-out-loud humor to sobbing into your pillow – throughout this debut.  After the main character learns of a cancerous tumour (aka Maggie), Yee explores how one finds oneself, finds love, and finds humor in the darkest of times. Reading this was like riding an emotional rollercoaster.

First Time, Long Time by Amy Silverberg (July 22)

I’ve been aware of Silverberg for a while now as a comedian. When I discovered she had fiction coming out about a taboo romance, I was intrigued. So much so, I started DMing writers I saw posting it to get the tea. Rumor has it: this book lives up to the hype. I personally haven’t read it yet (this is a Most Anticipated list, after all), but I need to rectify this ASAP. Dear Amy, send me your book or I’ll die!

Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez (July 22)

This book lived with me for so long, I thought it had already come out, and the world had discovered its brilliance. Lucky for you all, you get to experience the deliciously wicked debut novel from Nicky Gonzalez for the first time. It’s a modern Gothic horror set in the swamplands of Florida that follows two estranged friends who reunite in a house in the Everglades. Each page will haunt you.

Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu (July 29)

Wambugu’s writing about the ups and downs of friendship and jealousy is breathtaking. As the decades progress in Ruth and Maria’s friendship, so does the tension. She’s able to bring characters to life with such ease and makes the world feel so alive. Reading this gave me a full-body buzz for days.

Extinction Capital of the World by Mariah Rigg (August 5)

These ten stories expertly explore desire, loss, displacement, and environmental fragility across characters throughout Hawai’i. Each is electric and lyrical. Rigg’s a master short story writer with unbelievable skill. As someone who has never been to Hawai’i, this transported me there and made me care about the people, locations, and history like no book ever has.

Dwelling by Emily Hunt Kivel (August 5)

A banger about the end of the world, philosophically, emotionally, and physically. Run out and pre-order this now. I haven’t stopped thinking about this since I put it down. Who could have imagined the housing crisis could be so captivating? There’s a bite to Emily Hunt Kivel’s writing that is so rare on the page. It’s going to be a crowd pleaser for years to come.

Atomic Hearts by Megan Cummins (August 5)

This book recently landed at Debutiful HQ, and the emotional rawness leaps off the page. It follows Gertie throughout her life, which is filled with carefree highs and disastrous lows. Gertie’s voice is so well developed and nuanced; she’s set to be one of the most memorable characters of the year.

Dead Girl Cameo by m. mick powell (August 5)

powell is a ferocious writer with an unapologetic voice. She explores how we treat our heroes, and what heroes do and do not owe us. The poems are odes to those we lost (Whitney Houston, Left Eye) and a reminder that we’re all hiding pain. Moving and refreshing. A knockout.

These Memories Do Not Belong to Us by Yiming Ma (August 12)

A slim and powerful speculative novel about what happens when memories are taken from us and given to everyone. Ma is a brilliant mind with a shining voice. His writing is spellbinding, and his plot and characters are innovative and engaging. Reading it was reminiscent of the first time I read Ted Chiang’s “Story of Your Life.” It made me believe that books can change my brain’s chemistry. 

The Sunflower Boys by Sam Wachman (August 12)

A tender and moving story about love and belonging, as a young boy comes to terms with his sexuality, set against war breaking out in Ukraine. This book could not come at a more poignant time as the world watches Ukrainian lives continue to be destroyed. Wachman immerses readers in the visceral realities of trauma and hope with profound insight.

Loved One by Aisha Muharrar (August 12)

Muharrar’s comedic chops are known to anyone who loved Parks and Recreation and Hacks. She turns her attention to the emotional and poignant story of Julia, whose first love dies unexpectedly. Julia then goes on a journey to find his missing guitar and becomes entangled with his most recent girlfriend. She brings heartfelt humor to the forefront.

Dominion by Addie E. Citchens (August 19)

Mississippi will always hold a special place in my heart. My wife lived there for a decade before we met, and we bonded over our love of Jesmyn Ward’s novels. This book is yet another Mississippi novel that fully breathes life into the state that many misunderstand. Set in a Black Southern town where faith, ambition, and violence collide, it’s a raw, intimate look at how we’re all caught in the webs we weave. Citchens is a powerhouse ready to step onto the scene.

The Once and Future Me by Melissa Pace (August 19)

This made my head spin as a woman enters a psychiatric hospital, remembering nothing. It’s a psychological thriller where her potential husband comes to visit, but can she really believe it is him? Pace blurs reality and delusion in an utterly thrilling way. Easily re-readable, which is such a rarity these days.

Black Cherokee by Antonio Michael Downing (August 19)

Downing has already accomplished in children’s fiction and has released an acclaimed memoir, and with his debut novel, he proves lightning can strike thrice. Black Cherokee is a captivating story about ancestry and belonging in a South Carolina Cherokee community.

Little Movements by Lauren Morrow (September 9)

A book oozing with soul. Morrow’s story about a Black dancer in a white dominated space leaps off the page as she balances exploring ambition, representation, and identity. 

The Belles by Lacey N. Dunham (September 9)

A screecher of a novel. It reminds me of the atmosphere of Catherine House, which is a longstanding favorite of mine. Dunham’s book is haunting and irresistible. It landed at Debutiful HQ recently and was quickly devoured in one night.

What God in the Kingdom of Bastards by Brian Gyamfi (September 9)

Diving into Gyamfi’s poem proves he has an eye for rich and evocative imagery on top of emotional language. He expertly blends a personal lens with the larger cultural roots that built him as a writer.

Someone Else’s Hunger by Isabella DeSendi (September 15)

DeSendi allows readers into intimate moments about topics ranging from eating disorders to fitting into toxic places controlled by masculinity. She somehow is able to radiate beauty with her words while writing about the darkest of times. This collection touched my heart and soul. Her poems are unforgettable.

Boy From the North Country by Sam Sussman (September 16)

It will be easy to pitch this book as a “Bob Dylan novel” – and it is that, but it’s so much more. It’s an intimate and stirring novel about a boy’s relationship with his parents, filled with heart. Sussman asks, Does it matter if biological parents who haven’t been around matter? And, if they do matter, how does one confront the desire to bring them into their life as an adult?

Kaplan’s Plot by Jason Diamond (September 16)

I’ve long been a fan of Jason Diamond. His website, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, was one of the first places that let me cover books. Searching for John Hughes is one of my favorite books about media and culture. I can’t wait for Kaplan’s Plot. I haven’t gotten my hands on a copy, and swore it came out in 2026 (too many books, too little time), but September can’t come here soon enough.

Thank You, John by Michelle Gurule (September 23)

Know this: you’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, you’ll pick your jaw up from the floor. Gurule’s memoir is a sublime and revealing story about being a sugarbaby in college. It reads like a Hollywood reality series in the best way possible.

Underspin by EY Zhao (September 23)

Drive, desire, and determination in the table tennis world are central to exploring how outside forces can shape us. I love a good sports novel and this is a gold medal of a novel. It shocks and awes as good as the masters.

Great Disasters by Grady Chambers (September 30)

From the early pages of this novel, you can tell this is a poet with a master grasp on language and movement. In novel form, Chambers gives readers a gift of breathtaking prose brimming with empathy and soul as friends navigate through the pitfalls of life (heartbreak, addiction, a country falling apart) in 2010s Chicago.

Something Small of How to See a River by Teresa Dzieglewicz (October 1)

A revelatory collection about operating a school in Standing Rock that opened my eyes to stories often forgotten. It feels like a docuseries in poetry form. Dzieglewicz strikes with undeniable force.

Herculine by Grace Byron (October 7)

A perfect psychological horror about a transwoman fleeing New York to a trans inclusive commune started by her ex-girlfriend. Byron’s book is a maze you can’t escape. You turn the page and discover something new. I could not put this book down.

Sister Creatures by Laura Venita Green (October 7)

Give me more books like this. Green grabbed me on page one and didn’t let me go. She has a pitch-perfect tone and pace. I felt like I lived in Pinecreek, Louisiana, where feral girls kick off a chain of events that consume the novel, for ages, and I never want to leave it. Her voice is one we’ll be reading for years to come. 

A Place in the World by Bill Gaythwaite (October 7)

Winner of the 2025 Drue Heinz Literature Prize, the first stories in Gaythwaite’s collection (the title story, “If You Only Knew,” and The Joy Factory”) are riveting portraits of voice-driven characters. Given the track record of the prize and his writing, the rest are sure to please.

Happy Bad by Delaney Nolan (October 14)

Buckle up and get ready for a ride. Nolan is wickedly hilarious and is bold and uncompromising in presenting how urgent we need to act on the climate. In Happy Bad, a blackout in the near-future Texas causes workers of a treatment facility to confront volatile girls. Catastrophic, indeed.

Happy People Don’t Live Here by Amber Sparks (October 14)

As a longtime fan of Sparks, when her debut landed on my desk, I stopped everything I was doing to read the first few chapters, where an unforgettable cast of characters call a peculiar apartment complex home. If you love And I Do Not Forgive You and The Unfinished World, you’ll love Happy People. 

This is the Only Kingdom by Jaquira Díaz (October 21)

Díaz’s debut memoir Ordinary Girls moved me in ways I can’t explain. I have been eagerly awaiting her novel, which is about the aftermath of a murder in Puerto Rico. 

Crawl by Max Delsohn (October 21)  

A writer on this list told me this was their most anticipated list, and we gushed over how smart Delsohn’s stories are. This is sexy, sharp, and sincere. Each story about trans life in Seattle is vibrant and electric. “Sex Is a Leisure Activity” is the perfect taste for what to expect in Crawl

Ravishing by Eshani Surya (November 11)

An emotionally resonant and deeply profound book, Surya captures the cost of what it’s like to chase “perfection.” It is a luminous story about learning that we were never broken to begin with. Incredibly written and moving. This will stick with me for a long, long time.

Let the Moon Wobble by Ally Ang (November 11)

The emotions in Ang’s poems jumped from the line and into my soul. They explore queerness without filter or apology. The poems are radiant. 

The Merge by Grace Walker (November 11)

Set in the near future, where a woman agrees to fuse her consciousness with her Alzheimer’s-stricken mother’s, this is an innovative and absorbing genre book with an exhilarating pace and world-building. This is going to be a longstanding book club for sci-fi fans.

Petty Lies by Sulmi Bak, translated by Sarah Lyo (November 11)

Told in epistolary form, this slim, thought-provoking novel is about a woman hellbent on revenge. Expect to finish it in one sitting. It’s dark, tense, and propulsive. 

Lucky Girls by Allie Tagle-Dokus (November 11)

When I first heard of Tagle-Dokus’ book, I emailed demanding a copy and put in on my “To Read List” instantly. A coming-of-age story backed by Annie Hartnett and Kiley Reid? November can’t get here soon enough.

The White Hot by Quiara Alegria Hudes (November 11)

The masterful Quiara Alegria Hudes is ready to send us into 2026 with a bang. The White Hot, which follows April on a journey of self-discovery, is utterly enchanting. It’s the book to read to recenter yourself and rethink what you want out of your life.

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Editor’s note: This list was updated on June 26th to include two books that were accidentally left off.