When I started writing this post I was sure I wouldn’t be able to come up with ten debuts since they seem to be a hit or miss for me, but then I found there to be more than ten so I’m going to mention all fourteen of them because why not.
Autonomous by Annalee Newitz // September 19th // Adult
Pharmaceutical pirate and military robot team up ‘to stop a bizarre drug epidemic.’ Oh hey, say no more I’m convinced.
The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden // June 13th // Adult
This is a 2017 debut that I’m most excited for and rightly so. That badass cover alone would have been enough to convince me but the synopsis sounds equally amazing. I already mentioned it in my 2017 sci-fi releases post but it deserves another mention because sci-fi thriller set in South Africa involving a goddess and supernatural abilities.
27 Hours by Tristina Wright // October 3rd // YA
27 Hours is about ‘queer teenagers battling to save their homes and possibly every human on Sahara as the clock ticks down to zero’ and that’s all I need to know, really.
Hold Back the Stars by Katie Khan // January 26th // Adult
Hold Back the Stars is about characters who ‘revisit memories of their love affair on a utopian Earth while they are trapped in the vast void of space with only ninety minutes of oxygen left’ and I need since I haven’t read nearly enough shippable sci-fi yet.
Nyxia by Scott Reintgen // December // YA
I discovered Nyxia only a few days ago when I was making a list of all the books I possibly want to read in 2017. It’s about a teen who ‘accepts an interstellar space contract only to realize the promised millions must be won in a brutal competition where winners face the ultimate choice.’ Nyxia sounds like something out of Black Mirror so I really hope it doesn’t disappoint.
The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich // May 16th // YA
I’ve always wanted to read a book about queer characters who end up falling in love with each other instead of the character they’re supposed to and since Of Fire and Stars was a sore disappointment, I’ve shifted all of my expectations to The Love Interest. Moreover, a secret organization, teenage spies and a whole lot of danger makes it sound all the more interesting.
The Traitor’s Kiss by Erin Beaty // May 9th // YA
The Traitor’s Kiss is about an angry female main character (always a win) who spies on basically everyone around her and then is tasked with infiltrating the enemy ranks. Sounds a lot of fun to me! I did like the original title, The Matchmaker’s Apprentice, better but I’ll take this, too.
Barbary Station by R. E. Stearns // December 5th // Adult
Space pirates. Malevolent security AI. So naturally, another highly anticipated debut.
Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts // June 6th // YA
Royal Bastards is about royal bastards banding together to prevent a civil war and I’m honestly surprised that it took this long for such a book to come into existence.
Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly // February 7th // Adult
Amberlough is a debut fantasy/espionage thriller about ‘a gay double-agent [who] schemes to protect his smuggler lover during the rise of a fascist government coup.’ Like want. Also, the cover is just stunning!
Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller // September 5th // YA
I have such high expectations from this one because it’s about ‘a gender fluid pickpocket auditions to become a replacement member of the queen’s quartet of assassins.‘ Like what could be better than this?!
The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett // June 1st // Adult
Survivors of a super virus who ‘travel through the vast reaches of space, drawn to the promise of a new beginning on Earth. But their dream will pit them against those desperately clinging to the old ways.’ Here for this especially since it also reminds me of Chaos Walking by Patrick Ness.
The Tiger’s Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera // October 3rd // YA
I almost forgot to include The Tiger’s Daughter which HOW because this is a Mongolian-inspired epic fantasy that follows two female characters whose ‘love for each other is big enough to slay demons.’ Hell yeah, I’m here for this.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas // February 28th // YA
Lastly, I’ve already read and loved The Hate U Give to pieces and all I’d say is that everyone should read this important af and an emotional rollercoaster of a book.
Which debuts are on your list?
Thanks for sharing your list!
Here’s my Top Ten Books I Really Will Read This Year!
Lots of great picks on this list! I just added AUTONOMOUS, which I had never heard of. Thanks for the recommendations:-)
You’re welcome! I’m super excited for Automonous and even more so now that the cover has been revealed. =D
*pterodactyl screech* Sci fi set in South Africa featuring a goddess???? I am so there. 27 Hours by Tristina Wright is also a must read because 1) she’s very cool on twitter and 2) she’s trying to bring back “homies” while also writing about queer folks, which is truly the lord’s work.
The Love Interest isn’t normally the sort of thing I’d pick up (I don’t really care for spies unless they’re wearing Victorian era gowns, I’m afraid) but again: queer af. Apparently Barbary Station also features a lesbian protagonist/MC? So that’s another point in its favour.
HOW have I heard nothing about The Tiger’s Daughter before now?! I need it in my grabby little hands ASAP. The Hate U Give is also one of my most anticipated reads, and teens at the library are dying to read it too – I already ordered 5 copies for our collection.
Aaah, right?! The Prey of Gods is on top of my list (along with The Tiger’s Daughter and Barbary Station, heee)
I only recently started following Tristina Wright and I wholly agree! She tweeted that she’s seen the cover a few days ago and I’m just !!!
Yeah, I recently got back into reading teenage spies books so got immediately curious about queer teenage spies in The Love Interest haha.
OMG yes! Barbary Station does. I totally forgot to mention that.
I’m so glad you ordered 5 copies of The Hate U Give because it’s such a must-read. So many things to love about it.
“about an angry female main character” haha, the best, really
Hold Back the Stars is definitely shippable, at least it was for me. I already want to reread.
the cover for Amberlough is great too!
I feel like we’ve known Masks of Shadows for so long and we still next to nothing about it. WHY?
Here is hope that I actually get into contemporary this year (via Marchetta) and then get excited about The Hate U Give
Always need more of those to relate to haha.
OMG I know the fourth book I should start today: Hold Back the Stars!
I’m very close to tweeting the author of Masks of Shadows to ask about her book haha.
The dreeaaam! Heee
So many of these were on my list, too! But Sebastian wanted me to pick books with covers. He made an exception for the gender-fluid pickpocket/assassin, but I didn’t want to push it. xD
I hadn’t heard of Amberlough, but I immediately added it to my TBR! I also really like the cover for The Space Between the Stars.
Haha SEE, another reason to post something on that blog of yours.
I actually only found out about Amberlough while researching for other debuts haha.
Right? I definitely like this cover of The Space Between the Stars better than the US one.
I’ve heard so many people talk about how excited they are for The Hate U Give! It sounds like such an important book that I definitely want to get my hands on, it’s good to know you found it to be as good as everyone is expecting.
Sophie 🙂
Yes, The Hate U Give is definitely a must-read for years to come! I was nervous about reading it but I quickly fell in love with it.
I HAD NOT HEARD OF AUTONOMOUS BEFORE NOW AND THANK YOU SO MUCH! Aaaah it sounds amazing!
Eee another person to flail over it for me haha. Have you seen the cover yet?! I love it so much!
The Prey of Gods sounds fascinating, I haven’t heard of it!! Omg I can’t wait for The Love Interest, it’s like a shipper’s dream. I hope it’s amazing. The Space Between The Stars sounds heartwrenching but so interesting. Can’t wait to get my hands on The Hate U Give. Ooh I actually have an e-arc of Royal Bastards, I’ll let you know what I think when I read it!! Someone said on twitter that it has Finnikin-like friendships o_O
The Prey of Gods cannot release soon enough!
I approve of looking at The Love Interest as a shipper’s dream haha.
I’ve been looking forward to reading the heartwrenching variety of sci-fi so I hope The Space Between the Stars is good.
OMG that makes me so much more excited about Royal Bastards. I hope you like it!
Half of those were already on my TBR and I added all the others!! OMG! Such amazing sounding books, cannot wait for all of them :’)
YAY! Join me in the wait for all of them haha.