Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Debut Novels I Enjoyed.
I had to go digging a bit, since I don’t necessarily know which of the books I’ve loved have been debut novels. But after a little research, here’s what I’ve come up with.
My top ten debut novels:










- Rosemary & Rue (October Daye, #1) by Seanan McGuire (review)
- Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (review)
- Old Man’s War (Old Man’s War, #1) by John Scalzi
- The Martian by Andy Weir (review)
- The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow (review)
- Shades of Milk and Honey (Glamourist Histories, #1) by Mary Robinette Kowal (review)
- My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (review)
- Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
- The Measure by Nikki Erlick (review)
- The Husbands by Holly Gramazio (review)
Which debut novels have you really enjoyed? Please share your links!

The Martian was excellent!
I agree! I loved Project Hail Mary too.
Old Man’s War and Ten Thousand Doors of January were both so good!
Loved them both!!
I forgot about Black Cake! Great choice!
I’m not sure I even realized it was a debut back when I read it. So good!
My Oxford Year is on my TBR list (and sitting on my Nook). I really need to get around to reading that.
I just finally read it about a month ago! It was great — highly recommended!
I’ll have to bump it up on my TBR!
The Martian and The Ten Thousand Doors are debuts I’ve loved too!! 😀 Great list!
Thank you! I loved both of those books 🙂
Nice work. I’ve heard good things about My Oxford Year.
It was terrific — I just finally read it after having it on my shelf for years. Such a great audiobook!
Even better–a good audio book!
I loved Remarkably Bright Creatures and The Martian, and I’ve read several great books by Harrow. I want to read Husbands, although it sounds like a strange book. I’m glad you liked it.
The Husbands was definitely weird, but so much fun to read. Harrow is great! I think I have one of her books still to read.
I’d have to check if a lot of my reads were debuts or not too. I think I’m fairly aware with newer releases but with authors that I read books by a few years ago who have lots of books out I doubt I’d know which of their novels came first 😂 it’s lovely seeing Ten Thousand Doors Of January here 😍 and the unusual premise of The Husband really intrigued me so maybe I should check it out sometime.
The Husbands was such a fun (and unusual read)! Someone from my book group mentioned it, and we all ended up gobbling it up. Thanks!
I’ll definitely have to check it out sometime then. I’m glad you, and the rest of your book group, enjoyed it.
I’m amazed that sometimes an author’s debut ends up being their best book (like The Ten Thousand Doors of January😁). And I cannot wait for Shelby Van Pelt’s next book!
I agree about Ten Thousand Doors! Ooh, does Shelby Van Pelt have a new book on the way? I’ll read it, whatever it is. 🙂
Ah I adored ten thousand doors of january!! And Martian was so good too!! Both of those books made me fans of the authors and I’ve read and enjoyed everything they’ve written since!
Same here — although I think I’m one book behind for Harrow (I need to read my copy of Starling House), and there was one Weir book I didn’t love (Artemis), although I did love Project Hail Mary.
Remarkably Bright Creatures was such an awesome debut. I was impressed.
Me too! I thought it was terrific. Would definitely read more by that author.