Sunday, August 31, 2025

The latest must-read debut fiction

 
Readworthy by BookBub
This Month's Best New Debut Fiction
 
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Book cover for The Compound by Aisling Rawle
Lord of the Flies meets Love Island in this GMA Book Club pick
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • One of the summer's best books, according to The New York Times, Vulture, Time, and more
  • Twenty contestants arrive on a remote desert compound to compete on a reality show — but the line between winning and making it out alive soon becomes blurred
  • "Every bit as addictive as your favorite guilty pleasure… but with all the substance of a literary classic" (Oprah Daily)
Learn more...
Media mentions for The Compound by Aisling RawleMEDIA MENTIONS:Good Morning America Book Club, Book of the Month, Time Magazine, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, People, Harper's Bazaar, Good Housekeeping, Vulture, Forbes, Reactor, Indie Next List, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, Literary Hub
GET EBOOK ON:
GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for Among Friends by Hal Ebbott
Two families, a lavish birthday party, and a shocking act with lasting consequences
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Named one of the books readers of The New York Times are most excited about this summer
  • In upstate New York, tension simmers at a country estate in "the kind of book Tom Wolfe used to write" (Kirkus Reviews)
  • An up-and-coming literary star delivers "a wonderful, sly, and subtle novel. Every sentence keeps you hanging in the air, waiting for the next punch to the gut" (Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper Palace)
Learn more...
Media mentions for Among Friends by Hal EbbottMEDIA MENTIONS:Book of the Month, The New Yorker, NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Economist, The Washington Post, Financial Times, Town & Country, The Guardian, Publishers Weekly, Literary Hub
GET EBOOK ON:
GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for Bitter Sweet by Hattie Williams
Jodi Picoult calls this discussion-worthy debut 'beautifully crafted'
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Publishing assistant Charlie's world turns upside down when she enters an illicit affair with her famous idol — an older, married author
  • "Very impressive," according to Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colors of the Dark
  • "This juicy, London-set story is a gem" (Good Housekeeping)
  • Perfect for fans of Conversations with Friends and Cleopatra and Frankenstein
Learn more...
Media mentions for Bitter Sweet by Hattie WilliamsMEDIA MENTIONS:Bustle, Good Housekeeping, The Times, Publishers Weekly, Literary Hub
GET EBOOK ON:
GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan
'World War II meets A Discovery of Witches' (Kate Quinn)
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • "An expertly woven story of fate, witchcraft, and war that will both thrill you and tug at your heartstrings" (Kristin Harmel)
  • Abandoned by her coven, Lydia must find a deadly grimoire before the Third Reich can use it
  • This USA Today bestseller is "a thrilling, fast-paced, and delightful adventure into the heart of witchy, war-torn London and occupied France" (Yangsze Choo)
Learn more...
Media mentions for A Resistance of Witches by Morgan RyanMEDIA MENTIONS:USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, BookPage, Literary Hub
GET EBOOK ON:
GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for Wanting by Claire Jia
The New York Times Book Review calls this new literary voice 'Ferrante-like'
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • One of Oprah Daily's most anticipated books of 2025 and a summer must-read, according to Harper's Bazaar
  • A rekindled childhood friendship forces Lian to reckon with her life choices in this "engaging and insightful take on desire, envy, and betrayal" (Kirkus Reviews)
  • Explores rosy childhood memories, aspirational YouTube channels, and complicated relationships in Beijing and California
Learn more...
Media mentions for Wanting by Claire JiaMEDIA MENTIONS:The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, Harper's Bazaar, Chicago Tribune, Kirkus Reviews, BookPage, Literary Hub
GET EBOOK ON:
GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for First Time, Long Time by Amy Silverberg
A directionless writer becomes swept up in the orbit of a Howard Stern–inspired radio host
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • A "funny, high-spirited" debut (Oprah Daily) about floundering and finding oneself in Los Angeles
  • Roxane Gay calls it "a brilliant novel" from "a witty, charming storyteller"
  • "Funny, smart, and tender" (New York Times bestselling author and comedian Michael Ian Black)
Learn more...
Media mentions for First Time, Long Time by Amy SilverbergMEDIA MENTIONS:Oprah Daily, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist
GET EBOOK ON:
GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for Maggie; or, a Man and a Woman Walk into a Bar by Katie Yee
Who would name a cancerous tumor after her husband's mistress?
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Named a best summer read by The Washington Post, The New York Times, Oprah Daily, and more
  • Nora Ephron fans will love this "delightful and quirky" novel (The New York Times)
  • When she's diagnosed with cancer soon after discovering her husband's affair, a woman decides to turn tragedy into comedy!
Learn more...
Media mentions for Maggie; or, a Man and a Woman Walk into a Bar by Katie YeeMEDIA MENTIONS:Time Magazine, NPR, TODAY Show, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, People, The Washington Post, USA Today, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, The Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Electric Literature, Literary Hub
GET EBOOK ON:
GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for The Other Wife by Jackie Thomas-Kennedy
Back in her hometown, Zuzu is forced to confront the choices that have shaped her life
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • "A searing, beautiful book" (Kiley Reid, author of Come and Get It and Such a Fun Age)
  • Explores midlife, the roads not taken, grief, and desire in profound ways
  • "Complex and enduring… We would follow Zuzu anywhere" (Oprah Daily)
Learn more...
Media mentions for The Other Wife by Jackie Thomas-KennedyMEDIA MENTIONS:The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Electric Literature, Literary Hub
GET EBOOK ON:
GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén
Can 89-year-old Bo mend his relationship with his son before it's too late?
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • Fredrik Backman promises, "You'll want to buy 20 copies and give them to everyone you love"
  • Inspired by the author's grandfather, this international sensation is a bestseller in Sweden
  • "A book that will echo in your soul" (Garth Stein, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain)
Learn more...
Media mentions for When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa RidzénMEDIA MENTIONS:The New Yorker, The Guardian, Indie Next List, Library Journal, Electric Literature, Literary Hub
GET EBOOK ON:
GoogleOther formats and retailers
Book cover for Loved One by Aisha Muharrar
From an Emmy Award–winning writer who worked on Parks and Recreation and The Good Place
WHY IT'S READWORTHY:
  • After her best friend's death, Julia sets out to find the pieces of his life he left behind
  • Named one of the most anticipated books of the summer by The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, W Magazine, and more
  • Received glowing reviews from Maggie Shipstead and Rachel Khong
Learn more...
Media mentions for Loved One by Aisha MuharrarMEDIA MENTIONS:NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, People, Associated Press, Vogue, Town & Country, Real Simple, The Boston Globe, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, Literary Hub
GET EBOOK ON:
GoogleOther formats and retailers
 
  

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