‘Tis the season for giving, so why not give a new author an early Christmas present by ordering, or pre-ordering, one of their books?
We love seeing authors debut their first books, and we’ve got a great selection this month.
Featuring:
The Wondrous Life and Loves of Nella Carter by Brionni Nwosu
The current #1 best seller in Black & African American Fantasy Fiction on Amazon, Nella May Carter makes a bold bargain with Death and is granted an endless life, moving through centuries and across the world as she collects memories of joy, pain, friendship, and hope.
When she finally falls in love with Sebastian Moore and longs for a normal, mortal life, Nella must face Death again and decide whether her timeless journey is ending or just about to change into something new.
Dead Set On You by Lexi Alexander
In this contemporary romance novel, Evie Pope wakes up as a spirit in her rival Rafael’s apartment, trapped in a coma body and forced to strike a deal: he gets the promotion if he helps her get back into her body.
As they race the clock and rediscover the spark beneath their old grudges, their banter, chemistry, and second chances turn this ghostly disaster into an unexpectedly swoony romance.
The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage
A lot of buzz over this one, with Natasha Lester saying it is one of the best books she has read all year. This is an Amazon Editor’s pick for “Best Literature & Fiction”, and Booktopia made it their Book of the Month.
Lexi Villiers is a happy young doctor in Australia until a family tragedy reveals she’s now heir to the British throne, forcing her back to London as Princess Alexandrina.
Given one year to decide between her royal duty and the life and love she left behind, Lexi must choose whether to follow her heart or embrace the crown.
The Turing Protocol by Nick Croydon
If you’re a thriller fan, check out this historical thriller, which Don Winslow called incredible. It already released in Australia earlier this year, and this is its North American release.
During World War II, Alan Turing secretly creates Nautilus. This machine can send messages into the recent past, and Alan quickly realizes that its power to change history could be as dangerous as it is miraculous.
Decades later, Annabelle McIntosh becomes the newest guardian of Nautilus and must decide how far she’s willing to go to prevent catastrophe, in a fast-moving story that jumps through key moments in modern history and asks whether one genius invention can save the world………or doom it.
The Gallagher Place by Julie Doar
LibraryReads declared The Gallagher Place as a Top Pick, and Lisa Unger stated “Don’t miss it”. So don’t miss out on this “Gothic and Twisty” debut novel.
When Marlowe Fisher returns to her family’s eerie Hudson Valley estate for the holidays and finds a body in the woods, she’s pulled back into the unsolved disappearance of her best friend from twenty years ago.
As police dig into the property and old secrets rise to the surface, Marlowe must question her own memories and uncover what her brothers and neighbours are hiding in a tense, twisty mystery about family, loyalty, and the danger of silence.
No One Aboard by Emy McGuire
Billed as ‘The White Lotus meets The Last Thing He Told Me’ (and I love when new authors do that – it instantly tells me what type of book it is), this one is a domestic mystery about a billionaire couple and their two kids who set off on a dream trip aboard their private luxury sailboat, only for the boat to be later found drifting off Florida’s coast with no one aboard.
Told across their vacation and the gripping investigation that follows, this mystery slowly reveals the secrets the Camerons brought on board and asks whether the real danger came from the ocean, or from within the family itself.
Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards
Many readers are looking forward to this historical fiction novel, which made Goodreads’ Most Anticipated Books of Fall list.
Aleys is a sharp, stubborn sixteen-year-old in medieval Bruges who flees an unwanted marriage and finds freedom and friendship among the beguines, a bold community of women living by their own rules.
As church leaders grow suspicious of these independent women, miracle sightings, secret scripture translations, and rising danger force Aleys to face what she truly believes about faith, love, and the kind of life she is willing to fight for.
So be sure to check out at least one, and hopefully more, of these debut novels and make this a holiday season to remember for these debut authors!
Here’s our full list of debuting authors in December 2025:
Debut Authors for December 1st, 2025 to December 31st, 2025
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Graeme is the founder of Book Notification. Born in Scotland and now living in Canada, his lifelong love of reading began with Enid Blyton. He enjoys spy thrillers, psychological thrillers, light sci-fi, and anything to do with time travel. His favorite book is Replay by Ken Grimwood.