2009 was a banner year for debuts, led by word-of-mouth sensations like The Help and quirky hits from authors like Victor LaValle and Brigid Pasulka.
This year, our August issue highlights seven talented debut novelists.
Leave a comment mentioning your all-time favorite debut novel, and you’ll be entered to win copies of two of them: Stiltsville by Susanna Daniel and How to Be an American Wife by Margaret Dilloway. Good luck! Contest ends on Friday, July 30.
ETA: Contest closed. Congrats to Sonya!
Loved David Gordon’s “The Serialist”
My favorite debut novelist is Julie Orringer (The Invisible Bridge)
My favorite was Simple Wishes by Lisa Dale.
I first read Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History” when I picked up a copy in Cannes at an English bookstore while touring Europe. For a whole week I devoured that book in between sight-seeing and it’s been my favorite debut novel for all these years!
Surely Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is the finest debut novel ever. It was her first – and last. Recently celebrating its 50th anniversary, it is thought by many to be the quintessential American novel.
Junot Diaz: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Just finished reading “The Help” and it’s my new favorite debut novel. Compelling and touching!
My favorite debut novel of all time is the Sunne in Splendor by Sharon Kay Penman.
I reluctantly read THE HELP, thinking that I would not be able to enjoy the racial strife I feared would be all-consuming. Rather, I found the sub-plots interesting and the entire novel, superb!
Gone With the Wind and To Kill a Mockinbird.
To Kill a Mockingbird and, more recently,
Oops! More recently, The Help.
The Kite Runner
Bidget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding is one of my favorites.
My favorite debut book? Definitely, The Help!
So many to choose, from, but I Have to mention three of my favorites that spring to mind immediately:
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
I enjoyed “The Help”,”Gone With The Wind”, and just recently, “Ruby’s Spoon” by Anna Lawrence Pietroni.
LOOKS LIKE GREAT BOOKS!
gotta be “the help”
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake is a great first novel!
Cecelia Ahern’s PS I Love You and I’ve enjoyed all her books that came after.
Gone With The Wind. One of a kind!
“A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole
So tragic that this was to be his only novel!
Congrats, Sonya — you won! We’ll be in touch.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” and ‘The Help”
ironically both set in the south.
harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone the imagination!
“The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd.
The “Help” was an engaging and intriguing debut novel that followed Mark Twain’s advice “The difference between the almost-right word & the right word is really a large matter — it’s the difference between the lightning-bug & the lightning.”
I have recently re read To Kill a Mockingbird due to its anniversary and re discovered its worth.
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
The Three Junes by Julia Glass was a favorite of mine
Definitely, The Help.
So many too choose, but I think ‘the Kite Runner’, although I did enjoy Harry Potter, too!!
I love reading debut novels. One of my favorites is The Help but I’ve also enjoyed many others.
My favorite debut novel is “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett. I am reading it right now and I do not want it to end. A wonderful book!
She’s Come Undone, debut novel by Wally Lamb is my
all time fave.
Difficult to chose just one – have to go with JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
I loved “The Help” by Katherine Stockett!
One of my favorites is Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, but I really loved The Help along with everyone else! The Postmistress and The Guernsey Literary Clug & Potato Peel Society are two other great ones.
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
The sequel to “The Glass Castle”—”Half Broke Horses” also by Jeanette Walls.
Though it wasn’t his debut, I read John Grisham’s The Firm before he was the “John Grisham.” Loved his actual debut A Time to Kill.
I have a new one each year. This year (so far), it is Robin Oliveira, debut author of My Name is Mary Sutter.
Oh, darn before that, it was/is Randy Susan Myers, debut author of The Murderer’s Daughters, in February 2010!!
That is Randy Susan Meyers…sorry, Randy! My fingers are not moving as fast as my brain…
That is Randy Susan Meyers…sorry, Randy! My fingers are moving faster than my brain…
I enjoyed “The Help.” It gave me a whole new perspective.
To Kill a Mockingbird is my hands down favorite.
Clam of the Cave Bear – Jean M. Auel
Without a doubt, “Sweetness at the Bottom
of the Pie” by Alan Bradley.
“Summer At Tiffany” non-fiction, but lite, reads almost like fiction. Great book to take along on summer vacation!
My favorite debut novel is The Help by Kathryn Stockett!!
I loved The Help
I absolutely loved “Lie In The Dark” by Dan Fesperman. It taught me more about the wars in the Balkans than any non-fiction book ever could. It was riveting and he has gone on to write six more books that are just as polished and gripping and eye-opening.
Loved “The Help”
I am reading “Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen and just love it so much. She has written poetry before but this is her first novel.
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens is compelling and unique. Thanks for this giveaway.
It definitely has to be “Saving Max” by Antoinette van Heugten.
THE HEALER BY GREG HOLLINGSHEAD IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES LOVE YOUR CONTESTS THANKS
In Lily Gayle’s modern day paranormal romance, OUT OF THE DARKNESS, Vincent Maxwell is a vampire who wants to be human again and discovers that Dr. Megan Harper has discovered a possible cure to vampirism, so he worms his way into her research and into her heart as well. Can a vampire and a mortal find a way to blend their lives and in the process find happiness together?
The plot turns, the familiar settings and the sexual scenes between Megan and Vincent were a fantastic, a can’t put down read and the surprising ending was superb with supporting characters such as a compelling vixon (Sonia), and a best friend (Tina). Of course, as an added attraction there were very chilling villains.
OUT OF THE DARKNESS is Lilly Gayle’s first novel, but I’m sure there will be many more entertaining novels in the future.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield was a great debut with excellent characters and a compelling storyline.
My favorite debut was BITTER SWEETS by Roopa Farooki. I loved it so much, I am now reading her HALF-LIFE and have her CORNER SHOP on hold at the library.
I really enjoy your contests and BookPage.
I loved, LOVED The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova!
A vert hard question! I’ve been reading debut novels for about five years lately. Those that stick in my mind as being among the best are:
The Warded Man (US Title) or The Painted Man (UK Title) – Peter V. Brett
The Red Wolf Conspiracy – Robert V.S. Redick
Watermark – Vanitha Sankaran
Mudbound – Hillary Jordan
But just to pick one? I can’t. Each of these authors’ work has its own special appeal to me. I am glad that I read all of them.
I loved “The good thief” by Hannah Tinti.
Audrey Niffenegger’s debut, The Time Traveler’s Wife, was a surprise favorite of mine. I actually put off reading it for a very, very long time as I assumed I wouldn’t like it. In fact, I loved it. It sits atop my all time favorites with a few others now. But, yes, my favorite debut novel by far.
I love to read, so friends and family often asked my recommendation on a book. One of the books that I’ve recommended this year is “Roses” by Leila Meacham and no one has been disappointed. This author’s name will be on my list for a future book.
Obviously, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, but more recently: Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
My all-time favorite debut novel is We Are All Fine Here by Mary Guterson. I reread it yearly.
To Kill A mockingbird.
Shopgirl by Steve Martin….it was not what I expected from him at all! His next novel The Pleasure of His Company was good also….but I am having a hard time getting into his next The Object of Beauty because the one character reminds me too much of Ann Heche….sorry Steve!
All time favorite, I’m not exactly sure, but one of my favorite recent debut novels was “Real Life and Liars” by Kristina Riggle.
The debut novel that I have most enjoyed is “Dirty Little Angels” by Chris Tusa. This dark novel about a dysfunctional family was a winner for our book club discussion. The story grabs you from the beginning and catches you in the end.
To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird is timeless.
I have a weakness for debuts…this is a tough one! Loved, absolutely loved The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Looking For Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore, Bloodroot by Amy Greene, The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley, Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum, the list could go for days. Like I said, debuts are a weakness.
I also enjoyed The Help and Still Missing.
I agree with The Help and The Thirteenth Tale.
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell was a memorable debut novel that I read as a teenager, well before seeing the movie.
To Kill a Mockingbird.
The Book Thief by Marcus Zuzak
My favorite debut novel was Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith.
I have just started The Passage-Justin Cronin-It is very interesting so far….was a must on my read list…Just finished The Search by Nora Roberts- it is an excellant book. I couldn’t put it down- loved the characters, the dogs are too funny and cute and keep you laughing at their cute actions. I highly recommend it.
I just finished Of Bees and Mist, which was a debut novel. Very different and fun to read. I recommend it and can’t wait for the author to write more.
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Really enjoyed The Time Traveler’s Wife.
Gone with the Wind read as a young teenager. The history and the romance of it was like nothing I had read before.
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.
The Help! Great book.
Right now I’m just starting the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy: Catching Fire. Need to finish it before the last book in the group comes out!
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe great debut novel
I was going to say The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, but I see that she wrote one book previous to that one. So I’ll go with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
Spare Change by Aubrey Mace. I loved her first book and both of the subsequent ones as well. The Fairy Grandmother is an excellent book for both children and adults. I really do hope that she publishes a sequel to it in the future. It definitely left me wanting more.
Sometimes it only takes one. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was one of my first loves.