19 Best Debut Novels of 2019 (Recommendation Nation)

I honestly can’t even think about the fact that 2019 is almost over. What happened?! I’m not ready for 2020. At all.

2019 was a mixed year, full of both bad things and good things, but one thing that significantly brightened it was all of the amazing debut novels that were released. Reading debut novels is one of my favorite ways to discover new authors, and 2019 brought in a lot of amazing new authors. So, naturally, I wanted to highlight some of my favorites.

Now, this will be split into 2 sections. The first will include all of my favorite debut novels I’ve read that were released this year, and the second section will include 2019 debuts that I really wish I got to read, but unfortunately haven’t had the chance (yet).

Also, if you’re looking for a list of my top non-debut 2019 releases, stay tuned!! I should have that out to you guys soon. To make sure you don’t miss it, click the button (or enter your email) in the sidebar to follow my blog!

[ Related: Top 18 Best 2018 Releases ]

* these are in no particular order *

Books I’m Dying To Read

19. There Will Come A Darkness by Katy Rose Pool

Release Date: 9/3/2019
Series: The Age of Darkness #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Page Count: 496
Purchase: Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

A multi-POV fantasy following five main characters: an exiled prince, a killer, a leader, a gambler, and a dying girl. The Seven Prophets guided humanity, until they disappeared, leaving behind one final prophecy that speaks of an Age of Darkness, and a new Prophet who could save them all, or destroy everything.

If you’re looking for some new books to read, keep reading for all of my recommendations!

Read More

2019 in 12 Book Covers

Let’s be honest. We all judge books by their covers.

There is nothing better than a beautiful book with a beautiful cover to match, so I wanted to highlight some books that are coming out in 2019 (or already have) that have absolutely stunning covers. Admittedly, this is just an excuse for me to fangirl over some beautiful art, but maybe you’ll see something you love as well!

Now for some quick disclaimers. Naturally, this is all my opinion. Maybe there’s a cover I love that you hate, but I just want to shine a light on some of the gorgeous works of art that I know I’ll be wanting on my shelf.

Also, I’ll only be covering covers of books released from January 2019 – July 2019. A lot of later 2019 releases haven’t released covers yet, and I don’t want to miss some potentially gorgeous covers. So we’ll be doing the first half of the year in the post, and hopefully, later I’ll make a part 2 with the July – December releases!

I tried to find the cover artists for all of these amazing books, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find them all. If you know any of the artists I missed, please let me know so I can correct it!

Okay, let’s get started fangirling over books.

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The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Release Date:
1/15/2019
Genre(s): Historical Fantasy (Paris, 1889)
Cover Artist:

I love the entire color scheme. I can’t think of many green books, and this one is absolutely stunning!

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King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
Release Date:
1/29/2019
Genre(s): Fantasy
Cover Artist: Billelis

This is a cover that gets better the longer you stare at it. There are so many details, and they become even more significant after you read the book.

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Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer
Release Date
: 1/15/2019
Genre(s): Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling (East of the Sun, West of the Moon)
Cover Artist: Sara Pollard

I’m absolute trash for illustrated covers, and I loved how intricate this design is. There is so much detail, and all of it relates to the story itself.

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An Affair of Poisons by Addie Thorley
Release Date
: 2/26/2019
Genre(s): Historical Fantasy (France, the reign of King Louis XIV)
Cover Artist:

Another beautifully illustrated cover. It was the colors and the elegance of this one that really stood out to me.

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Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
Release Date
: 4/2/2019
Genre(s): Fantasy
Cover Artist:

I just really love this cover, and this book in general. The cover really matches the atmosphere of the book and is overall gorgeous.

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Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
Release Date
: 4/2/2019
Genre(s): Fantasy
Cover Artist: Feifei Ruan

Soooo this is absolutely stunning and I can’t stop staring at it. From the art style to the color scheme, it’s perfect and beautiful and I’m in love.

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Nocturna by Maya Motayne
Release Date
: 5/7/2019
Genre(s): Fantasy
Cover Artist: Mark van Leeuwen
Design: Aurora Parlagreco and Jenna Stempel-Lobell

I just saw this book while getting all the covers saved to make this post and was blown away by the details in this design. I love the mosaic style used in the title, and the details in the design behind it.

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We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Release Date
: 5/14/2019
Genre(s): Fantasy
Cover Artist: Simon Prades (Typography: Erin Fitzsimmons)

Okay this post is just turning into me going on about color schemes and illustrations, BUT LOOK AT IT! That typography? Zafira’s cloak and hair caught in the wind? Gorgeous.

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The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad
Release Date
: 5/14/2019
Genre(s): Fantasy
Cover Artist:

Usually, I’m not a fan of people on covers, but just look at how beautiful this is! This cover is breathtaking, and I can’t wait for it to be published so I can actually hold it in my hands.

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Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Release Date
: 6/4/2019
Genre(s): Fantasy
Cover Artist: Charlie Bowater

Charlie Bowater can do no wrong. Any time I see a cover drawn by her, I immediately add the book to my TBR. It was Charlie’s cover on Margaret Rogerson’s An Enchantment of Ravens that got me to pick it up and fall in love with her Margaret Rogerson’s writing, so I was so happy to see her work on Sorcery of Thorns!

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Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
Release Date
: 7/9/2019
Genre(s): Fantasy
Cover Artist: Tran Nguyen

This cover is just so pretty. I love the way the skirt of Maia’s dress fades into the background towards the bottom, I love the details in the fabric, and the beautiful color scheme!

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The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson
Release Date
: 7/9/2019
Genre(s): Fantasy
Cover Artist: Tran Nguyen

I don’t really know what it is in particular with this cover that I love, but it is so stunning. Anthia’s expression just seems so intense, the amount of crows and the details on their wings is amazing, and I especially love the little crow sticking his beak into the “O” in the title. He’s adorable and he’s my favorite.

And that’s my list! Twelve 2019 releases with covers that I adore, and that I can’t wait to see on my shelf.

What’s your favorite book cover?

My 19 Most Anticipated Book Releases of 2019 (plus 81 more)

There are so many books coming out in 2019. From continuations of series I love to debuts that I’m dying to get my hands on, I wanted to talk about a few of my favorites that I can’t wait to read.

(These are in no particular order. I’m too indecisive to even try).

19. Small Town Hearts by Lillie Vale

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Release Date: March 19th, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary
Series: N/A
Synopsis: A reckless kiss causes Babe Vogel and her two best friends to break up, the summer before they go away to college.  If that wasn’t bad enough, her ex-girlfriend has come to town bringing a mix of memories with her. But things begin looking up when she meets Levi Keller, an artist from out of town there for the summer. “Can Babe keep her distance, or will she break the one rule she’s always had – to never fall for a summer boy?” (Goodreads)

18. Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

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Release Date: June 4th, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: N/A
Synopsis: A monster is released from the magical library Elisabeth has grown up in. “Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.” (Goodreads)

17. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

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Release Date: May 7th, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: The Kiss Quotient #2 (can be read as a stand-alone)
Synopsis: Khai Dep avoids relationships, but his mother decides to handle things herself and returns to Vietnam to get him a bride. When given the opportunity to go to America and get a husband, Esme Tran thinks this could be just what her family needs. But seducing Khai isn’t as easy as she expected, and with her time in the U.S. dwindling, she realizes she’s fallen for someone who doesn’t think he can ever feel the same.

16. You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn

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Release Date: April 2nd, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary
Series: N/A
Synopsis: Annie Mathers is heir to a country music legacy and owner of a skyrocketing youtube channel. Clay Coolidge is a superstar who’s label will drop him because of his bad reputation. But they’ll keep him if he can convince Annie to join his summer tour. When she agrees, fans make it clear they want them to be more than tour mates, but Annie wants nothing to do with a relationship in the spotlight. However, convincing her heart of that is another matter.

15. 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne 

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Release Date: January 29th, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: N/A
Synopsis: For Darcy Berret, no man could compare to Tom Valeska. The issue? He’s her twin brother, Jamie’s best friend.  When Tom comes to help Darcy flip the cottage she and Jamie inherited, sparks fly, but will Darcy be able to stand up to her twin?

14. The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

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Release Date: January 15th, 2019
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy (Paris, 1889)
Series: The Gilded Wolves #1
Synopsis: Severin Montagnet-Alarie wants nothing more than to receive his inheritance from the powerful Order of Babble. When they offer him just that, in exchange for finding an ancient artifact, Severin must enlist his band of experts to get the job done. “What they find might change the world, but only if they can stay alive.” (Goodreads)

13. Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

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Release Date: May 7th, 2019
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Series: The Aurora Cycle #1
Synopsis: Tyler Jones is prepared for his first mission after graduating Aurora Academy, but the team he’s stuck with is less than ideal. However, his biggest problem is “Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.” (Goodreads)

12. Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller

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Release Date: February 26th, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: N/A
Synopsis: “As her father’s chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: to win back her honor, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying.”  (Goodreads)

11. The Blood Spell by C. J. Redwine

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Release Date: February 12th, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy / Retelling (Cinderella)
Series: Ravenspire #4 (can be read as a stand-alone)
Synopsis: “When mysterious forces lead to disappearances throughout Balavata, Blue and [Prince Kellan] must work together to find the truth. What they discover will lead them to the darkest reaches of the kingdom, and to the most painful moments of their pasts. When romance is forbidden and evil is rising, can Blue save those she loves, even if it costs her everything?” (Goodreads)


10. Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao

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Release Date: June 4th, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy / Retelling (Anastasia)
Series: Blood Heir #1
Synopsis: “A fugitive princess with the power to control blood. A black-hearted conman with no past and no future. An Empire spiraling into darkness. A world worth saving.” (Goodreads)

Update (1/18/2019): After seeing reviews that have come in for the ARC, I’m removing this from my list of anticipated releases for the year. Many reviewers have stated that it contains problematic content, and is racially insensitive.

Update (1/30/2019): The author has now announced that, in response to the reviews, she will not be publishing Blood Heir.

9. Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

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Release Date: April 2nd, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: N/A
Synopsis: After her father’s murder, Princess Hesina of Yan finds herself the queen of an unstable kingdom. Desperate to find who killed her father, she seeks the help of a soothsayer. Magic had been outlawed centuries before, making her actions punishable by death. She turns to Akira, an investigator with his own criminal past, to work through the information she received. But will the cost of justice be too high?

8.  We Hunt the Flame by Hafiza Faizal

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Release Date: May 14th, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: We Hunt the Flame #1
Synopsis: Zafira is the Hunter. In order to restore magic to her world, she journeys to find a lost artifact that may help her. Nasir, the Prince of Death, an assassin for his father, the king, is sent on a mission to kill the Hunter and retrieve the artifact as well. “But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds—and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.” (Goodreads).

7. Soul of Stars by Ashley Poston

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Release Date: July 23rd, 2019
Genre: YA Sci-Fi / Retelling (Anastasia)
Series: Heart of Iron #2
Synopsis: “Once, Ana was an orphaned space outlaw. Then she was the Empress of the Iron Kingdom. Now, thought dead by most of the galaxy after she escaped from the dark AI program called the HIVE, Ana is desperate for a way to save Di from the HIVE’s evil clutches and take back her kingdom.” (Goodreads)

6. The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman

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Release Date: April 2nd, 2019
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy / Paranormal
Series: The Devouring Gray #1
Synopsis: “On the edge of town a beast haunts the woods, trapped in the Gray, its bonds loosening…” (Goodreads). Violet Saunders has just moved to a new school in Four Paths, a small rural town. She meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, who, like her, are descendants of the town’s founders, she sees the destruction they can create. When bodies start to appear in the woods, they must solve the mystery of the town, and their part in it.

5. Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi

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Release Date: April 2nd, 2019
Genre: YA Dystopian
Series: Shatter Me #5
Synopsis: “Juliette Ferrars isn’t who she thinks she is. Still reeling from the explosive events of the Continental Symposium and the secrets Warner has been keeping, Juliette has nowhere to turn and doesn’t know who she can trust. She’s desperate for answers, but to get them, she’ll have to face the nightmares that have been chasing her for a lifetime.” (HarperCollins)


4. The Wicked King by Holly Black

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Release Date: January 8th, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: The Folk of the Air #2
Synopsis: After binding herself to Cardan in order to protect Oak and the throne, Jude has more power than she could have imagined. Managing the politics of Faerie is a challenge on its own, but Cardan makes a point to undermine and humiliate her whenever he can. With a traitor endangering everything Jude has fought for, she must find a way to maintain control.


3. King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

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Release Date: January 29th, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: Nikolai Duology #1 (Part of the Grishaverse)
Synopsis: “Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.” (Goodreads)

2.  Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

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Release Date: March 5th, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: Legacy of Orïsha #2
Synopsis: “… With civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.” (Goodreads)

1. Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan 

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Release Date: April 2nd, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: Something Dark and Holy #1
Synopsis: “A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself. A prince in danger must decide who to trust. A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.” (Goodreads)

Even More Books!

Since I have no self-control, I have who-knows-how-many more books to mention! As I was writing this list I realized I wouldn’t be able to fit many of the books I’m dying to read, so here they are, in order of release date:

Slayer by Kiersten White (1/8/2019)
The Girl King by Mimi Yu (1/8/2019)
Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen M. McManus (1/8/2019)
White Stag by Kara Barbieri (1/8/2019)
The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden (1/9/2019)
Stain by A.G. Howard (1/15/2019)
Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills (1/15/2019)
Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer (1/15/2019)
Undying by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner (1/22/2019)
Imprison The Sky by A. C. Gaughen (1/22/2019)
Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye (1/22/2019)
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (1/29/2019)
The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan (1/29/2019)
Fame, Fate & the First Kiss by Kasie West (2/5/2019)
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (2/5/2019)
Enchantee by Gita Trelease (2/5/2019)
The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf (2/5/2019)
Stolen Time by Danielle Rollins (2/5/2019)
Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian (2/5/2019)
Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers (2/5/2019)
The Triumphant by Lesley Livingston (2/12/2019)
Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard (2/12/2019)
Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto (2/12/2019)
Last of Her Name by Jessica Khoury (2/26/2019)
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Sholte (2/26/2019)
We Set The Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia (2/26/2019)
An Affair of Poisons by Addie Thorley (2/26/2019)
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (2/26/2019)
The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco (3/5/2019)
The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton (3/5/2019)
Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith (3/5/2019)
Once and Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy (3/5/2019)
Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith (3/5/2019)
When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry (3/12/2019)
Beware the Night by Jessika Fleck (3/12/2019)
Sherwood by Meagan Spooner (3/19/2019)
Killing November by Adriana Mather (3/26/2019)
The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston (4/2/2019)
Defy The Fates by Claudia Gray (4/2/2019)
A Place for Wolves by Kosoko Jackson (4/2/2019)
Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett (4/16/2019)
The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala (4/23/2019)
King of Fools by Amanda Foody (4/30/2019)
Finale by Stephanie Garber (5/7/2019)
Hope and Other Punchlines by Julie Buxbaum (5/7/2019)
Wherever We Are by Jennifer Niven & David Levithan (5/7/2019)
Nexus by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings (5/7/2019)
Again, But Better by Christine Riccio (5/7/2019)
Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins (5/7/2019)
Finale by Stephanie Garber (5/7/2019)
There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon (5/14/2019)
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (5/14/2019)
I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver (5/14/2019)
The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad (5/14/2019)
Going Off-Script by Jen Wilde (5/21/2019)
Kingsbane by Claire Legrand (5/21/2019)
Dev1at3 by Jay Kristoff (5/2019)
Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout (6/11/2019)
Rage by Cora Carmack (6/11/2019)
Wilder Girls by Rory Power (7/9/2019)
The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen (7/30/2019)
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim (7/30/2019)
Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson (8/6/2019)
How The Light Gets In by Katy Upperman (8/6/2019)
Of Ice and Shadows by Audrey Coulthurst (8/12/2019)
Court of Lions by Somaiya Daud (8/27/2019)
The World of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (9/3/2019)
Three Dark Crowns #4 by Kendare Blake (9/3/2019)
Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff (9/3/2019)
Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin (9/3/2019)
When She Reigns by Jodi Meadows (9/10/2019)
The Tyrant’s Tomb
by Rick Riordan (9/24/2019)
Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco (9/26/2019)
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (10/1/2019)
The Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout (10/8/2019)
The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh (10/8/2019)
Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo (10/2019)
The Sky Weaver by Kristen Ciccarelli (11/12/2019)
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare (11/19/2019)
The Shaw Confessions #3 by Michelle Hodkin (11/2019)
Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell (2019)

Okay, my hands hurt from typing all of that. I think I’ll stop there. 

What books are you looking forward to? Is there anything I’m missing on my list?
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