When I started Debutiful in 2019, I relied on scrounging up galleys sent to Changing Hands Bookstore, where I worked one or two days a week, hosting author events. I received a few advanced copies because I was writing freelance for outlets like Electric Literature and The Millions, but not enough to truly keep up with the debuts.
Flash forward to 2026 releases, and I can’t even count the number of pitches I get. With a pile of books awaiting my eye, how does a book get selected for a Most Anticipated List?
This recent Galley Brag newsletter between editor Ezra Kupor and writer Kristen Martin shed light on most anticipated lists with Martin saying, “I mean this has been said thousands of times, but with those “most anticipated” lists, the people who are writing it are not reading the books. Like, you just can’t. There is not enough time, and you’re not being paid nearly enough.”
I’m not sure how other outlets choose their titles, but here is some insight into how I select these lists. Which, yes, does include publicists doing their jobs, but also includes me reading full books and a handful of pages of each book I can get my hands on.
The “long list” of books that caught my attention one way or another (a publicist’s email or a book deal from three years ago, I kept noted in a spreadsheet) clocked in at 180 titles that will be released in 2026. From there, I looked at every book I’ve received a copy or PDF of, read around 20 pages, and started compiling titles that excited me the most. This ranged from writers I covered who were now debuting with a novel, books with terrific opening pages, recommendations from writers, or just reading about a book deal that sparked a four-way, multi-million-dollar battle.
The final list of Debutiful’s Most Anticipated Debut Books is 66 titles, most of which are coming out in the next six months. A Part Two will come out in June covering the second half of the year. This is effectively my TBR pile. I want to read all of these, and I know books I don’t list on here will come out, and I’ll be dying to read them, so they become a new most anticipated book.
Before you enjoy the list, and pre-order the books that catch your eye, please check out DEBUT U, a new series of classes we’re launching in 2026 taught by Jared Lemus, Ehsani Surya, and m. mick powell!
Now, we’re proud to introduce Debutiful’s Most Anticipated Debut Books of 2026, Part One!
