Debuts We Can’t Stop Talking About Staff Picks (7/28/25)

We’ve got a lot of amazing debuts on the way, so here are a few that we loved and can’t wait to share!

AMANDA’S PICK: THE POET EMPRESS BY SHEN TAO

In the waning years of the Azalea Dynasty, as the emperor is dying, the land consumed by famine, and poetry magic lost to all except the powerful, a young woman offers herself as concubine to the cruel heir of the beautiful and brutal Azalea House and finds herself on the knife edge of civil war.  To survive, she must harden her heart, rely on her wit, and become dangerous herself by becoming a poet and composing the most powerful spell of all.  This debut introduces readers to a lush, deadly world perfect for fans of SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN.

EMILY’S PICK: MIDNIGHT ON THE CELESTIAL BY JULIA ALEXANDRA

The exact spot where fantasy and horror meet is aboard the Celestial, a magical ship filled with nightmares that kill staff members after dark. Roe Damarcus has the power to summon spirits, but when she fails a trial and is deemed too dangerous for society, she’s sent to serve her punishment on board the Celestial, where she begins to dig into the ship’s dark history. When she’s wrongly framed for a guest’s murder, Roe must use whatever power she has to uncover the secrets of the ship before she becomes its next victim. Magic, intrigue, and romance fill the pages of this immersive debut that will take you on an extraordinary voyage beyond your wildest dreams and darkest fears.

MARGO’S PICK: GOOD INTENTIONS BY MARISA WALZ

There’s nothing better than a twisted, gripping psychological suspense, and this is one that I’m so excited for. Cady has worked hard for a good life and a successful career as a luxury event planner. But when her twin sister Dana has an accident and dies, her perfect life comes crashing down. Strangely, however, Cady doesn’t become consumed by Dana’s death—instead, she becomes fixated on Morgan, a grieving mother that she met in the hospital waiting room the day Dana died. Cady doesn’t believe that it was a coincidence they met, and is convinced that she needs to help Morgan get through her grief, in order to process her own. But does she actually have darker motives in helping Morgan? With perfect pacing, emotional depth, and a gut-punch ending, you’ll be left wondering if good intentions can ever excuse misdeeds.

HALLIE’S PICK: TRIP BY AMIE BARRODALE

A debut that weaves in the Tibetan Buddhist afterlife—a state existing between death and rebirth—by blending in wisdom from actual Buddhist texts is definitely worth talking about. This hilarious, gut-wrenching story follows Sandra, who unexpectedly dies at a conference in Nepal, and her son, Trip, who runs away from a treatment center in the American desert. Adrift, Trip hitches a ride with a stranger and heads straight into a hurricane—literally and metaphorically. Upon learning of her son’s perilous situation while journeying through memories in limbo, Sandra embarks on an odyssey through the afterlife to save her lost boy. An exploration of childhood, motherhood, life, death, and everything in between, this story will resonate deeply with readers who loved BEAUTYLAND or the work of Miranda July.