Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
This was a fun one! I can’t always remember which books I’ve read that have been debuts, so this did require some digging, but I found I’d read more debuts than I’d initially realised! I love reading debuts, too – it always feels exciting to come across a great author so early in their publishing career, and it can be great to watch that career grow.
Top Ten Debut Novels I Enjoyed
I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea
Genre: Horror
Age: Young Adult
Format: ebook
Published: August 29th, 2023
Review
This book was so good. An absolutely excellent YA Horror that shows a pure talent for writing. Shea has an incredible ability with words, and this one shines from the page.
Say You’ll Be My Jaan by Naina Kumar
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
Published: January 16th, 2024
Review
This book was so cute! Who doesn’t love a fake engagement? I really liked the relationship between the two main characters, but also the way Meghna’s relationship with her best friend, Seth, was portrayed – it felt unfortunately realistic, but excellent in the way she slowly comes to realise how much he’s been using her.
Genre: Horror
Age: Adult
Format: Audiobook
Published: September 24th, 2019
Review
This is an incredibly polarising book, and I can understand why, but I really liked it. Goodreads has it tagged as YA, but I’d argue it’s more Adult Horror than YA Horror. It’s an ambitious book, and one that requires a lot of attention – it’s not until midway through I realised we were almost dealing with a puzzle. And I liked this one so much, I now have the paperback so I can read it again in a different format.
Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald
Genre: Fantasy – Romance
Age: Young Adult
Format: ebook
Published: July 20th, 2023
Review
This book was beautiful. I loved the portrayal of the Underworld and Fitzgerald’s take on Persephone and Hades, it really made for a wonderful novel that served to make both of them strong in different ways and flawed in others, so they really compliment each other.
The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
Published: January 1st, 2023
Review
Add this to your Christmas TBR! This book is so cute and funny, I absolutely loved the story of Margot and Ellie, when Margot pretends to be Ben’s girlfriend over Christmas. Watching these two fall in love was a delight.
Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee
Genre: Fantasy
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
Published: May 25th, 2023
Review
This feels like one of those books that likely took a long time to write. There’s a lot to this dystopian version of Arthurian legends, and there’s some great social commentary underpinning it. I really liked this one, and I look forward to see what Lee comes out with next!
These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs
Genre: Sci-Fi
Age: Adult
Format: ebook
Published: October 17th, 2023
Review
I am so excited for book 2 in this trilogy! This sci-fi novel had me totally hooked, and it’s the exact kind of sci-fi I really like. Like the other writers on this list, Jacobs has talent and skill, and it’ll be a delight to see that grow in subsequent books.
Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy
Age: Young Adult
Format: ebook
Published: September 21st, 2021
Review
This book is brilliant and as soon as I read it I knew it would be top of my favourites for that year. I cannot explain how much I was blown away by this debut, and if you haven’t read it yet, I suggest doing so now, before book 2 is released later this year.
You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age: Young Adult
Format: Paperback
Published: June 2nd, 2020
Review
This book was as adorable as the cover! I loved Leah Johnson’s debut, and I really need to catch up with what she’s released since. This beautifully sapphic novel really made for a delightful reading experience, and if you like contemporary YA, I highly recommend this one.
If you’ve read these too, I’d love to hear what you thought, and let me know some of your favourite debut books – I’m always on the lookout for new recommendations!
Unwrapping Words 