In Episode 180, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and Sarah return with the 4th annual Debuts Special! They’re sharing their favorite debuts, new and backlist — so far for 2024. Plus, their reading stats for debuts this year and the best sophomore novels of 2024.

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CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.

Highlights

• How debuts from 2024 compare to those from previous years.
• A full breakdown of Sarah’s and Susie’s 2024 debut-related stats.
• Featured debuts, divided into three categories:
  • Favorite Debuts of 2024 (so far)
  • Favorite Backlist Debuts Read in 2024
  • Best Sophomore Novels of 2024

Favorite Debuts of 2024 (so far) [7:13 ]

Sarah

• Only Say Good Things by Crystal Hefner | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [8:33 ]
• Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:50 ]
• Everest, Inc. by Will Cockrell | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:50 ]
• How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:30 ]

Susie

• Grown Women by Sarai Johnson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:18 ]
• How We Named the Stars by Andrés N. Ordorica | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:32 ]
• Perris, California by Rachel Stark | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:58 ]
• Women and Children First by Alina Grabowski | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:29 ]

Other Books Mentioned

• Victim by Andrew Boryga [7:54 ]
• Dixon, Descending by Karen Outen [8:04 ]
• River East, River West by Aub Rey Lescure [8:15 ]
• The Wives by Simone Gorrindo [8:23 ]
• The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin [8:43 ]
• Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen [14:59 ]
• Talking at Night by Claire Daverley [21:25 ]
• Groundskeeping by Lee Cole [21:29 ]
• People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry [29:38 ] 
• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld [31:26 ] 
• No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister [34:55 ] 
• The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring [34:58 ] 

Favorite Backlist Debuts Read in 2024 [36:02 ]

Sarah

• The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:09 ]
• Welcome to the O.C. by Alan Sepinwall, Josh Schwartz, and Stephanie Savage | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:20 ]

Susie

• There There by Tommy Orange | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:33 ]
• Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:13 ]

Other Books Mentioned

• Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange [39:06 ] 
• Girl at War by Sara Nović [45:18 ]
• The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway [45:20 ]  

Best Sophomore Novels of 2024 [45:33 ]

Sarah

• Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:39 ]
• A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:43 ]

Susie

• Bear by Julia Phillips | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:07 ]
• Where the Forest Meets the River by Shannon Bowring | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:40 ]

Other Books Mentioned

• Sandwich by Catherine Newman [47:52 ] 
• The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring [52:54 ] 

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