This is the time of year publishers come out with their lists of the most promising debut authors — those who are not yet household names but who just may be by this time next year. It’s a thrill to discover a new author, and even better to get in at the beginning of a break-out author’s career. Here are some of the most buzzed-about books of the season from authors we think will be around for quite some time.
Witty, smart, and filled with lovably flawed characters, Be Frank with Me is sure to appeal to lots of people. And after getting an early listen to the audio — narrated by the super-talented Tavia Gilbert — we are all the more convinced that it’s going to be a big hit.
Given the subject matter, the fact that both books are YA, and how they even share Allan Corduner as narrator, comparisons will naturally be made between Anna and the Swallow Man and The Book Thief. But Gavriel Savit’s gorgeous debut is perhaps a more finely formed thing. It’s a stunningly profound war-time story that perfectly captures the simple poignancy of a child’s vantage point.
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend is a delightfully charming book that hits all the right notes: It’s a book about books (and who doesn’t love that?), and it shows the power of friendship and how it can transcend time and place.
The Plumb siblings have always counted on The Nest, the trust fund their father promised them, to be delivered when the youngest child reaches middle age. They all have big plans for the money. Jack will be able to keep his struggling store afloat and pay off the loan he took behind his partner’s back. Bea will finally be able to finish her novel. And Melody will save her house and send her daughters to college. Then Leo, the oldest son, ruins everything. The Nest is gone — used to fix the damage done by his last drunken mistake. As the siblings re-examine what their lives will mean without The Nest, they’re forced to face what money has done to their family. Narrated with wit and raw emotion, Mia Barron perfectly captures each child's struggle to accept their new reality and find out what remains after dreams are destroyed.
A debut author with a stellar resume. A nightmare-inducing, yet completely consuming premise. Two veteran performers narrating. This is a trifecta that is sure to make for an unforgettable listen.
