Readworthy by BookBub This Month’s Best New Debut Fiction ---------------------------------- The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O’Neill At Thanksgiving, three estranged sisters face long-buried secrets — and one another - Tensions erupt and the past comes to light in this “bighearted” Read with Jenna pick (<i>Kirkus Reviews</i>) - Jessica Soffer, author of <i>This Is a Love Story</i>, calls it “utterly unputdownable, beautifully drawn, thrilling, and heartfelt at once” - Perfect for fans of Mary Beth Keane and J. Courtney Sullivan Media Praise: TODAY Book Club/Read with Jenna, People, The Times, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/5373?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/the-irish-goodbye-by-heather-aimee-... Boy from the North Country by Sam Sussman Don’t miss ‘the most beautiful and moving mother-son story in recent memory’ (<i>Kirkus Reviews</i>) - “A debut novel of rare power… This novel held me breathless at every turn” (Maria Semple) - When Evan returns home to care for his dying mother, he must confront the mysteries of his family’s past — including the possibility that Bob Dylan is his father - Named a Best Book of Fall 2025 by <i>Oprah Daily</i> and <i>The Washington Post</i> Media Praise: The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, Oprah Daily, The Washington Post, New York Post, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, BookPage, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/5368?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/boy-from-the-north-country-by-sam-s... Ruth by Kate Riley A rising literary star mines her experience in an insular religious community - Readers can’t stop raving about this “remarkable achievement” (<i>Publishers Weekly</i>) - Ruth lives in a devout commune in Michigan — and over time, she comes to question her regimented existence - “It claims a place on that high modern shelf next to the offbeat books of Ottessa Moshfegh, Sheila Heti, [and] Elif Batuman” (<i>The New York Times</i>) Media Praise: The New Yorker, NPR, The New York Times/The New York Times Book Review, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/5424?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/ruth-by-kate-riley?granted_at=2025-... Pick a Color by Souvankham Thammavongsa ‘One of the greatest novels I have ever read’ (Pulitzer Prize finalist Rita Bullwinkel) - This razor-sharp read is told over the span of a single day - A nail salon owner cuts a path through her inner landscape as her anonymous work as a manicurist leads to profound observations - In a starred review, <i>Publishers Weekly</i> says, “Readers won’t easily forget this deeply intelligent narrative” Media Praise: NPR, People, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Times, Publishers Weekly, Booklist Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/5374?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/pick-a-color-by-souvankham-thammavo... This Is the Only Kingdom by Jaquira Díaz A family’s origin story unfolds in this ‘gutting and gorgeous’ read (<i>People</i>) - Maricarmen and her daughter, Nena, grapple with the long aftermath of a murder in their close-knit neighborhood in Puerto Rico - The debut novel from the award-winning memoirist behind the 2019 sensation <i>Ordinary Girls</i> - “A lush, unflinching narrative about colorism, survival, love, music, and the brutal beauty of housing project life” (<i>USA Today</i>) Media Praise: NPR, People, USA Today, Elle, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Electric Literature Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/5367?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/this-is-the-only-kingdom-by-jaquira... Happy People Don’t Live Here by Amber Sparks The peculiar living and the troubled dead collide at a former sanatorium - “For anyone who has ever wished they made Nancy Drew novels for grown-ups” (<i>Kirkus Reviews</i>) - After Fern and her mother, Alice, move into a haunted building, the discovery of a dead body sends Fern deep into her eccentric neighbors’ secrets - “A quirky, surrealist tale that has some of the most engaging character work I’ve seen in a long time” (<i>Reactor</i>) Media Praise: People, Reactor, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/5370?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/happy-people-don-t-live-here-by-amb... Best Woman by Rose Dommu ‘Irresistibly fresh, bright, funny, and bursting with singular voice’ (Casey McQuiston) - After agreeing to be the “best woman” at her brother’s wedding, Julia tells a little white lie to her lifelong crush — who happens to be the maid of honor. Soon, everything spirals out of control! - Glowing praise from <i>Rolling Stone</i>, <i>Vogue</i>, and more - You won’t be able to put down this “very charming” ode to ’90s rom-coms (<i>Booklist</i>) Media Praise: Vogue, Rolling Stone, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Electric Literature Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/5375?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/best-woman-by-rose-dommu?granted_at... Alchemised by SenLinYu An intensely dark #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestseller everyone is talking about - Film rights have already sold for this hotly anticipated debut from an author with over 100,000 followers on Instagram - “The superb world-building and intricate plotline make this a must-read” (<i>Kirkus Reviews</i>) - Alchemist and healer Helena is a prisoner of war — and she’s missing most of her memories. Powerful necromancer Kaine is tasked with uncovering those lost memories, but he has dark secrets of his own… Media Praise: NPR, TODAY Show, Slate, Cosmopolitan, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Paste, Variety, Kirkus Reviews Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/5376?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/alchemised-by-senlinyu?granted_at=2... Little Movements by Lauren Morrow How much can one artist endure in pursuit of her longest-held dream? - Layla is offered a prestigious job as a choreographer in rural Vermont — but must leave behind her home, friends, and husband in order to take it - Named one of the best books of the fall by <i>People</i>, <i>Oprah Daily</i>, <i>USA Today</i>, and more - Told with “sharp, self-deprecating humor,” this is “a poignant tale of self-fulfillment” (<i>Publishers Weekly</i>) Media Praise: Oprah Daily, People, USA Today, Bustle, Ebony, Los Angeles Times, Publishers Weekly, Electric Literature, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/5369?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/little-movements-by-lauren-morrow?g... Marrow by Samantha Browning Shea How far will Oona go to access the magic her mother commands? - <i>Publishers Weekly</i> is full of praise for this “spellbinding tale” that “delivers a shocking twist” - Set on a small island off the coast of Maine - Megha Majumdar, the author of Oprah’s latest book club pick, calls it “an entrancing and eerie tale of longing, regret, and secrets” Media Praise: Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Literary Hub Buy Now: Amazon https://r.bookbub.com/et_active_check/5372?affiliate_variant=readworthy-emai... Learn More: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/books/marrow-by-samantha-browning-shea?gr... ---------------------------------- Discover more Readworthy recommendations: https://www.bookbub.com/readworthy/collections/best-new-fiction-books?grante... ---------------------------------- You are receiving this Debut Fiction email because [email protected] is signed up for updates highlighting the best new releases in your categories. 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