This month's debuts include fresh voices that are making their mark with captivating stories and unique perspectives. Here's a curated list of debut titles you won’t want to miss this February!
Talent by Daniel D’Addario
In Daniel D’Addario’s debut novel, a correspondent for Variety, five actresses grapple not only with the pursuit of the Academy Awards but also with the complexities of addiction, fame, friendship, family, and legacy. While there’s something undeniably captivating about reading a professional Hollywood insider weave fictional accounts of industry feuds and rivalries, D’Addario goes further. He delves into the lives of those behind the glittering facade, exploring the immense challenge of living up to—and sometimes escaping—the personas they are forced to embody.
Crush by Ada Calhoun
Ada Calhoun, the New York Times bestselling author, makes her fiction debut with Crush. Her previous works include the memoir Also a Poet, the history St. Marks Is Dead, and the Gen-X classic Why We Can't Sleep. In Crush, Calhoun draws from the literary canon and the experiences of middle age to uncover profound insights into the risks and freedom found in pursuing desire. The novel explores how to navigate the complexities of ambition, love, and partnership, offering fresh perspectives on living fully. Sharp and thought-provoking, Crush urges readers to cherish everything worth loving—friends, children, parents, passion, lovers, books, and, above all, one’s own deep sense of purpose.
What You Make of Me by Sophie Madeline Dess
In Sophie Madeline Dess’s debut novel What You Make of Me, two siblings, Ava and Demetri, confront the painful limits of loyalty as they navigate their complicated bond. On the eve of her first solo art show, Ava rebels against gallery interpretations of her work, which is deeply intertwined with Demetri, her brother and muse. Raised by absent parents, the pair’s once codependent relationship begins to unravel as betrayal, rivalry, and reckless decisions threaten to tear them apart. When Demetri is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Ava’s reflections on their past lead to startling confessions, revealing the heartbreaking sacrifices made in the name of ambition, family, and love.
Loca by Alejandro Heredia
Alejandro Heredia’s Loca captures the essence of Junot Díaz’s Drown and Janet Mock’s Pose, set in 1999 New York, where best friends Sal and Charo fight to hold onto their dreams in a city that constantly challenges them. Sal, a bookish science nerd from Santo Domingo, and Charo, a young mother stuck in a controlling relationship, find their lives changed when Sal discovers love in a gay club. Their journey of self-discovery unfolds as they confront their pasts, futures, and the deep bond they share, navigating migration, identity, and familial struggles in a year of bold living.
Mazeltov by Eli Zuzovsky
In his dazzling debut, Mazeltov follows Adam Weizmann as he confronts queer lust, shame, family turmoil, and the threat of war on the day of his bar mitzvah in Israel. At a banquet hall, his coming-of-age celebration spirals into a chaotic turning point, with Adam on the brink of a nervous breakdown. Narrated by a diverse cast, including his devout father, his rebellious best friend Abbie, and Khalil, a Palestinian poet, the story explores Adam's struggles with identity, desire, and the fractured world around him, blending tender moments with scathing satire and deep introspection.
Words Platform Desk
Date 07.02.2025