Last year, after the Best Debut Books of 2022 came out, someone asked me what makes a debut book stand out. I responded, like I often do on the podcast, that it’s all about the vibe. Does it make me feel cozy? Do I want to live in the world for one reason or another? Whether it’s a dystopian horror or a sex-fueled romp, it’s really all about the writing. Is it damn good? That’s what I want.
I also have to have read it. I think often times readers view lists as a monolith of what the best books of the year were. Debutiful’s list will be very different from other lists because it’s Debutiful’s POV that is captured here. There are hundreds of debut books published and, on average, I can read around 150 titles. This list isn’t the end all be all, but if you read and listen to Debutiful, I think these are the best debuts that people who discover debut authors via Debutiful will enjoy.
This year’s best debut debut books feature a wide variety of style, tone, and genre.
You can support Debutiful by purchasing the books listed from our Bookshop.org page.
Continue reading “The Best Debut Books of 2023”
