Award category archive

Kirkus Best Books of the Year – Debut Fiction Winners

Browse Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction winners and nominees by year. This archive follows one award category across the full Kirkus Best Books of the Year history.

Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction Cross-year archive

2025

Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction results for the 2025 award year.

View full 2025 awards

The Catch

Daley-Ward, Yrsa

Standalone · General Fiction

Jun-2025 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

A Gorgeous Excitement

Weiner, Cynthia

Standalone · General Fiction

Jan-2025 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Great Black Hope

Franklin, Rob

Standalone · Literary

Jun-2025 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Hounding

Purvis, Xenobe

Standalone · Historical

Aug-2025 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Old School Indian

Curtis, Aaron John

Standalone · Literary

Feb-2025 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Slip

Schaefer, Lucas

Standalone · Literary

Jun-2025 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Sunflower Boys

Wachman, Sam

Standalone · Literary

Aug-2025 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The White Hot

Hudes, Quiara Alegria

Standalone · Women's Fiction

Nov-2025 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

2024

Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction results for the 2024 award year.

View full 2024 awards

God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer

Thomas, Joseph Earl

Standalone · General Fiction

Jun-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Great Expectations

Cunningham, Vinson

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The History of Sound: Stories

Shattuck, Ben

Standalone · Historical

Jul-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Hombrecito

Sanchez, Jose

Standalone · General Fiction

Jul-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Housemates

Eisenberg, Emma Copley

Standalone · Literary

Jun-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Jellyfish Have No Ears

Rosenfeld, Adele

Standalone · Literary

Aug-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Let the Games Begin

Mazarura, Rufaro Faith

Standalone · Contemporary Romance

Jul-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Martyr!

Akbar, Kaveh

Standalone · Literary

Jan-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Ministry of Time

Bradley, Kaliane

Standalone · Literary

May-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Ours

Williams, Phillip B.

Standalone · General Fiction

Feb-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Safekeep

van der Wouden, Yael

Standalone · Literary

Jun-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

What Kingdom

Grabol, Fine

Standalone · Literary

Apr-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Yr Dead

Sax, Sam

Standalone · General Fiction

Aug-2024 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

2023

Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction results for the 2023 award year.

View full 2023 awards

Dearborn

Zeineddine, Ghassan

Standalone · General Fiction

Sep-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Deep Sky

Kitasei, Yume

Standalone · Science Fiction

Jul-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Good Women

Hill, Halle

Standalone · General Fiction

Sep-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Lucky Red

Cravens, Claudia

Standalone · Women's Fiction

Jun-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Museum of Human History

Bergman, Rebekah

Standalone · Literary

Aug-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The New Life

Crewe, Tom

Standalone · General Fiction

Jan-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Promise

Griffiths, Rachel Eliza

Standalone · Literary

Jul-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Shubeik Lubeik

Mohamed, Deena

Standalone · Graphic Novel

Jan-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

These Burning Stars

Jacobs, Bethany

Kingdom Series · Book 1 · Science Fiction

Oct-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Western Lane

Maroo, Chetna

Standalone · Literary

Feb-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The World Wasn't Ready for You: Stories

Key, Justin C.

Standalone · Science Fiction

Sep-2023 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

2022

Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction results for the 2022 award year.

View full 2022 awards

All This Could Be Different

Mathews, Sarah Thankam

Standalone · General Fiction

Aug-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Brown Girls

Andreades, Daphne Palasi

Standalone · Literary

Jan-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Calling for a Blanket Dance

Hokeah, Oscar

Standalone · Literary

Aug-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

A Calm & Normal Heart

Hicks, Chelsea T.

Standalone · Literary

Jun-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

If I Survive You

Escoffery, Jonathan

Standalone · Literary

Sep-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Lessons in Chemistry

Garmus, Bonnie

Standalone · Literary

Apr-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Night of the Living Rez: Stories

Talty, Morgan

Standalone · General Fiction

Jul-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Olga Dies Dreaming

Gonzalez, Xochitl

Standalone · General Fiction

Jan-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

An Olive Grove in Ends

McKenzie, Moses

Standalone · General Fiction

May-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Out There

Folk, Kate

Standalone · Literary

Apr-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Pretend It's My Body: Stories

Blue, Luke Dani

Standalone · General Fiction

Oct-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Rabbit Hutch

Gunty, Tess

Standalone · Literary

Aug-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Stories from The Tenants Downstairs

Fofana, Sidik

Standalone · General Fiction

Aug-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm

Warrell, Laura

Standalone · Women's Fiction

Oct-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Vladimir

Jonas, Julia May

Standalone · Literary

Feb-2022 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

2021

Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction results for the 2021 award year.

View full 2021 awards

Afterparties: Stories

So, Anthony Veasna

Standalone · General Fiction

Aug-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Build Your House Around My Body

Kupersmith, Violet

Standalone · Literary

Jul-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Damnation Spring

Davidson, Ash

Standalone · Literary

Aug-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Detransition, Baby

Peters, Torrey

Standalone · Literary

Jan-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev

Walton, Dawnie

Standalone · General Fiction

Apr-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Fugitivities

McCarthy, Jesse

Standalone · General Fiction

Jun-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Land of Big Numbers

Chen, Te-Ping

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

Jeffers, Honoree Fanonne

Standalone · Women's Fiction

Aug-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Milk Blood Heat

Moniz, Dantiel W.

Standalone · General Fiction

Feb-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

My Monticello: Fiction

Johnson, Jocelyn Nicole

Standalone · Literary

Oct-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

No One Is Talking About This

Lockwood, Patricia

Standalone · Literary

Feb-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Other Black Girl

Harris, Zakiya Dalila

Standalone · Psychological Suspense

Jun-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Skinship: Stories

Choi, Yoon

Standalone · General Fiction

Aug-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Three Rooms

Hamya, Jo

Standalone · Literary

Sep-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Walking on Cowrie Shells: Stories

Nkweti, Nana

Standalone · Literary

Jun-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Winter in Sokcho

Dusapin, Elisa Shua

Standalone · Literary

May-2021 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

2020

Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction results for the 2020 award year.

View full 2020 awards

Bestiary

Chang, K-Ming

Standalone · Literary

Oct-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Black Sunday

Abraham, Tola Rotimi

Standalone · Literary

Feb-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Days of Distraction

Chang, Alexandra

Standalone · Literary

Apr-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Discomfort of Evening

Rijneveld, Marieke Lucas

Standalone · Literary

Aug-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Fiebre Tropical

Lopera, Juliana Delgado

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

How Much of These Hills Is Gold

Zhang, C. Pam

Standalone · Literary

Apr-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Luster

Leilani, Raven

Standalone · Literary

Aug-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

New Waves

Nguyen, Kevin

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Precious You

Takhar, Helen Monks

Standalone · Thriller

Mar-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

Philyaw, Deesha

Standalone · Literary

Sep-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Sharks in the Time of Saviors

Washburn, Kawai Strong

Standalone · Literary

Mar-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Shuggie Bain

Stuart, Douglas

Standalone · Literary

Feb-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Something to Talk About

Wilsner, Meryl

Standalone · Contemporary Romance

Jun-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Such a Fun Age

Reid, Kiley

Standalone · Literary

Jan-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Take Me Apart

Sligar, Sara

Standalone · Thriller

May-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

These Ghosts Are Family

Card, Maisy

Standalone · General Fiction

Mar-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Thin Girls

Clarke, Diana

Standalone · Literary

Jul-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

The Vanished Birds

Jimenez, Simon

Standalone · Science Fiction

Jan-2020 Kirkus Best Books of the Year Debut Fiction *

Browse Award Categories

YA Fiction Archive Middle-Grade Fiction Archive Debut Fiction Current page YA Fantasy and SF Archive Picture Books Celebrating Family Archive Book Club Fiction Archive Short Fiction Archive Middle-Grade Fantasy and SF Archive Middle-Grade Graphic Fiction Archive Mysteries and Thrillers Archive Historical Fiction Archive Romance Archive

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