Thursday, December 5, 2024

The latest must-read debut fiction

 
Readworthy by BookBub
This Month's Best New Debut Fiction
 
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Book cover for The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable
How did an Italian orphan become one of the 18th century's greatest violinists?
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Based on the true story of a little-known musical prodigy — and Antonio Vivaldi's muse
  • The glittering city of Venice is a character in its own right
  • "A fascinating story of music, ambition, and womanhood" (Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake)
FEATURED IN:
NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, Harper's Bazaar, The Guardian, The Times, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Electric Literature
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Book cover for The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
A case of mistaken identity shows an elderly man it's never too late for a new beginning
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Perfect for fans of A Man Called Ove and Remarkably Bright Creatures
  • When kindhearted widower Frederick takes a grumpy man's place at a nursing home, his lonely world is transformed
  • "A funny, heartfelt story about found family and seeing the silver lining in life" (Library Journal)
FEATURED IN:
The Washington Post, Parade, Library Reads, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, Literary Hub
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Book cover for Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney
After a precocious, death-obsessed teen finds a classmate's body, she takes on a killer
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • This award-winning debut is "exceptional in every way" (Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colors of the Dark)
  • "Beautiful and atmospheric. Ava is a strikingly original heroine, wise beyond her years" (The New York Times)
  • One of the year's best books according to Real Simple and The Times
FEATURED IN:
The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Real Simple, Parade, The Guardian, The Times, Paste, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, BookPage
Get on AmazonorLearn more...
Book cover for Women's Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery
If you liked The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Lessons in Chemistry, check in for a stay!
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • "I cannot imagine a more perfect use of an afternoon than reading this book" (The New Yorker)
  • Follows a group of working women from different backgrounds who live at the Biedermeier in 1960s New York
  • This first novel from an acclaimed writer came highly anticipated by The New York Times, Vulture, and more
FEATURED IN:
The New Yorker, NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Roxane Gay's Audacious Book Club, The Washington Post, Vogue, Vulture, Parade, The Boston Globe, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, BookPage, Literary Hub
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Book cover for The Stone Witch of Florence by Anna Rasche
In medieval Florence, stolen relics, forbidden magic, and dangerous secrets abound
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • "It's that precious and rare type of story — the kind that makes you want to fly through its pages while simultaneously savoring every word" (Katy Hays, author of The Cloisters)
  • Eight years after she was accused of witchcraft and exiled, Ginevra is summoned back to track down an elusive jewel thief
  • Fans of The Lost Apothecary will be captivated
FEATURED IN:
Book of the Month, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly
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Book cover for Pearly Everlasting by Tammy Armstrong
How far will a young girl go to save the orphaned bear cub she calls her brother?
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • "An unforgettable tale of unconditional love and the powerful bond of siblings" (Amanda Peters, author of The Berry Pickers)
  • Set at a Canadian logging camp during the Great Depression
  • When a bear named Bruno is kidnapped and sold, 15-year-old Pearly sets off through the icy wilderness to rescue him
FEATURED IN:
Locus, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, BookPage, Literary Hub
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Book cover for Libby Lost and Found by Stephanie Booth
A heartfelt testament to the life-changing power of a good book
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • After a beloved fantasy author is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, she turns to an 11-year-old superfan for help finishing her last manuscript
  • Filled with "funny, complicated, endearing, and relatable" characters (Laurie Frankel)
  • Will make you nostalgic for the novels you loved as a child
FEATURED IN:
Indie Next List, Library Reads, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, BookPage
Get on AmazonorLearn more...
Book cover for Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga
What gets lost in translation when memory and reality collide?
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • As an interpreter becomes inextricably tangled with her client's troubles, she spontaneously leaves Brooklyn for her ancestral Albania
  • A quiet, dreamlike novel about marriage, trauma, and translation
  • Shortlisted for the 2024 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize
FEATURED IN:
Kirkus Reviews, BookPage, Electric Literature, Literary Hub
Get on AmazonorLearn more...
Book cover for The Witches of El Paso by Luis Jaramillo
A spellbinding tale of family secrets for fans of Alice Hoffman
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • "Gripping and cinematic, the novel's worlds of El Paso past and present will bewitch and enrapture" (Kirkus Reviews starred review)
  • Marta and her elderly great-aunt, Nena, must use their supernatural gifts to find the child Nena once left behind
FEATURED IN:
The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, People, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, Electric Literature, Literary Hub
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Book cover for How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? by Anna Montague
Magda's best friend may be dead — but their final, rollicking road trip is still on
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
  • "At once tender and hilarious… A beautifully written and moving novel of loss and new beginnings" (Jonas Jonasson)
  • A sparkling debut named one of Oprah Daily's must-reads
FEATURED IN:
Oprah Daily, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, BookPage, Electric Literature, Literary Hub
Get on AmazonorLearn more...
 
  

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