Are you looking for something fresh and unexpected? Maybe you're in a reading slump and just need that perfect story to bring you out of it. Whatever your reason for looking, consider this the end of your search. We've got six very different books by brand-new authors that are good enough to become your next favorite.
If you like a novel in verse, Kauakanilehua Māhoe Adams's An Expanse of Blue is a vibrant new addition to the genre. Adams writes a down-to-earth and emotional story about growing up forced to practice a religion you don’t believe in and finding solace in one you do. With a touch of sibling reconciliation and a bit of romance, this book has it all.
Ahmad Saber has a different perspective on growing up with religion in his book Ramin Abbas Has Major Questions. Ramin is a devout Muslim who loves his god but cannot understand why he would be born gay if it’s so sinful. Hoping to find answers at NYU after graduation, Ramin is forced to join the soccer team with his crush to make up P.E. credit if he wants to graduate and see that dream come true.
These books keep the romance as a side story, but Delali Adjoa’s The Free Verse Society puts it front and center. Jae and Derek’s enemies-to-lovers relationship will have you smiling and kicking your feet - and shedding a tear or two. Though love is the main focus, each character has such depth that it feels like a much fuller story.
Moving on to more fantastical worlds, Heart's Gambit by J.D. Myall brings the enemies-to-lovers trope into a world of magic and time travel. This spellbinding tale of love, curses, rival families, and a battle to the death will have you flying through each chapter as the two ill-fated lovers find a new way to save their families and be together.
For those who want more fantasy than romantasy, Shannon J. Spann has a heart-pounding, theater-inspired story in A Stage Set for Villains. In this world, a playhouse is more than a place to see live theater; it is a moving and ever-changing home to immortal Players who perform with magic and threaten the lives of audience members and dissenters alike. It is up to Riven to save her home from them, but will she be able to resist their power?
Finally, if you're looking for a little bit of everything, Goldenborn by Ama Ofosua Lieb is the perfect next read. After a traumatic event and a cryptic message, teen detective Akoma must investigate a murder with deeper ties to her situation than she may realize. With supernatural elements in a futuristic version of San Francisco, this book brings together action, mystery, mythology, and more in a gripping yet cohesive story.
Which one of these debuts will you check out first? Let us know in the comments below!
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