From murder mysteries on a sparsely inhabited Earth to emotional explorations of family ties, debut authors in 2025 have ensured that our bookshelves are packed with exciting stories across all of our favorite genres. Here’s a look at 20 debuts that deserve a spot on your TBR before the year is up.
This Is the Only Kingdom by Jaquira Díaz
A mother and daughter’s relationship to each other and their Puerto Rican community are put to the test in the aftermath of a murder in this novel about grief, family, and finding yourself.
The Once and Future Me by Melissa Pace
Fans of psychological thrillers won’t want to miss this summer release about a woman who wakes up at a psychiatric hospital without her memories and believes she’s there by mistake.
Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan
Playwright Eve escapes to the Tennessee mountains in search of a fresh start and meets single dad Jamie, who is also in the process of rebuilding his life. Could they each be what the other is searching for?
Deadly Ever After by Brittany Johnson
In this YA fantasy, two dead princesses are on a mission from the gods. Kissing their true loves will successfully bring them back to life, but the wrong kiss will make their deaths permanent.
Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards
Travel to 13th-century Bruges in this novel that explores the lives of medieval women through the lens of a young girl who runs away and joins a religious group that has separated from the Church.
If the Dead Belong Here by Carson Faust
Carson Faust’s Southern Gothic draws from Indigenous folklore and his own family history to tell the story of a girl guided by her elders as she searches for her missing six-year-old sister.
The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell
Stars Tess and Hugh clash while filming an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, but when an accident sends them 200 years back in time, they need to learn to rely on each other.
Dust Settles North by Deena ElGenaidi
Deena ElGenaidi explores themes of loss and familial bonds in this tale of two siblings who reunite in Cairo to bury their mother, offering them a chance to become closer or drift further apart.
Doll Parts by Penny Zang
Looking for your next suspense read? This novel, told in dual timelines, features a woman searching for answers that might explain the sudden death of her estranged best friend.
Song of the Hell Witch by Taylor Hartley
Romantasy fans, make room on your TBR for this second-chance romance between childhood friends: a duchess hiding her magical abilities and a thief searching for a cure to his daughter’s illness.
The Ganymedan by R.T. Ester
Verden Dotnet is on the run. After killing the creator of all sentient tech in the galaxy, he boards TR-8901, an outdated ship, to escape. But can you really hide when you’re on a sentient spaceship?
My Fair Monster by Adrienne Rivera
Between family obligations and competing in Miss Teen America, Corie’s schedule is booked. Still, the chance to follow her horror dreams and enter a monster costume contest is too strong to resist.
The Sunflower Boys by Sam Wachman
Sam Wachman’s debut is a coming-of-age story about a young boy’s exploration of queer identity and his fight to keep himself and his brother alive when Ukraine is attacked.
Oxford Soju Club by Jinwoo Park
Jinwoo Park weaves an exploration of the Korean diaspora with a spy thriller that finds an American CIA agent and the protege of a slain spymaster converging on a Korean restaurant in Oxford.
Girl Next Door by Rachel Meredith
This sapphic rom-com follows a freelance writer sent to dig up dirt on her childhood neighbor, who just might be the author of a steamy romance novel that seems to star the two of them.
Of Swamp & Sea by Mia Jay Boulton, Laurel Boulton
Graphic novel fans, rejoice! This Webtoon hit will be on bookshelves this fall. Join Mercy and monster hunter Jonah as they search for a way to rid her of the mist wolf she’s possessed by.
Secrets of the Blue Hand Girls by Rowana Miller
In this YA thriller, Kay is invited into a secret society and begins to participate in increasingly dangerous assignments that seem connected to long-kept secrets of her prep school founders.
Which of these books is being added to your TBR?
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Stuff Your Shelves
