Say hello to the first #22Debuts!

We have an amazing list of January releases for all ages. Check them out!

First we have four fantastic Middle Grade reads:

PIRATE QUEENS: DAUNTLESS WOMEN WHO DARED TO RULE THE HIGH SEAS by Leigh Lewis
January 11, 2022 from National Geographic
This wow-worthy book proves that women have been making their mark in all aspects of history―even the high seas! Vetted by the world’s leading pirate experts and historians, this book is a cool and edgy gift. It’s also perfect for any curious kid who dreams of adventure and for parents who are eager to show their tweens and teens that history is more diverse, daring, and surprising than what is typically found in textbooks.​
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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THE UNFORGETTABLE LOGAN FOSTER by Shawn Peters
January 18, 2022 from Harper Collins
Logan Foster is an undersized, neurodivergent 12-year-old orphan with a photographic memory and zero filter. He has no expectations of ever being adopted and spends his spare time searching for the younger sibling he believes is still out there. But when he’s fostered by a kind, suburban couple who are clearly hiding something from him, Logan’s logical mind won’t stop until he uncovers the super-secret truth; superheroes are real… and his new foster folks are actual superhumans.​
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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THE WAY I SAY IT by Nancy Tandon
January 18, 2022 from Charlesbridge
Rory still can't say his r's, but that's just the beginning of his troubles. First Rory's ex-best-friend Brent started hanging out with the mean lacrosse kids. But then, a terrible accident takes Brent out of school, and Rory struggles with how to feel. Rory and his new speech teacher put their heads together on Rory's r's (as well as a serious love of hard rock and boxing legend Muhammad Ali), but nobody seems to be able to solve the problem of Rory's complicated feelings about Brent. Brent's accident left him with a brain injury and he's struggling. Should Rory stand up for his old friend at school--even after Brent failed to do the same for him?
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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LEMON DROP FALLS by Heather Clark
January 25, 2022 from Jolly Fish Press / North Star Editions
THIS BOOK'S RELEASE DATE HAS BEEN PUSHED TO FEBRUARY 15
Brave the sour to taste the sweet. 
Mom's last words: Keep them safe. Help them be happy. Morgan promised, so she sacrifices soccer, free time, and friendships for her younger siblings. But when Dad's “talk therapy” campout ignites Morgan's anxiety, she makes a reckless decision to prove she can fill Mom's shoes . . . which leaves her literally fighting for survival.

Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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Second, we have five incredible books for Young Adults:

THE IVORY KEY by Akshaya Raman
January 4, 2022 from Harper Collins/Clarion Books
​In this epic YA fantasy debut, magic, a prized resource, is the only thing between peace and war.

​When magic runs out, four estranged royal siblings must find a new source before their country is swallowed by invading forces. The first in an Indian-inspired duology that’s perfect for fans of There Will Come a Darkness, The Gilded Wolves, and We Hunt the Flame.
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Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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THE BONE SPINDLE by Leslie Vedder
January 11, 2022 from Penguin/Razorbill
Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones in this thrilling fairytale retelling for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and All the Stars and Teeth.

THE BONE SPINDLE is a genderflipped Sleeping Beauty starring two girl partners: Fi, a bookish treasure hunter destined to wake the sleeping prince, and Shane, a queer ax-wielding mercenary falling for a mysterious witch. 
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Traps, ruins, riddles, curses, a little bit of true love and a whole lot of snark!​
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES by Meg Long
January 11, 2022 from Wednesday Books / St. Martin's Press
Meg Long's Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves is a captivating debut about survival, found family, and the bond between a girl and a wolf that delivers a fresh twist on classic survival stories and frontier myths.

On a frozen wasteland of a planet, a girl is on the run with a wolf who is born to be a killer but bound to be her guide. As they fight to escape ice goblins, giant bears, and a ruthless leader intent on trapping them both, one question drives them relentlessly forward: where do you turn when there is nowhere to hide?​
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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ICEBREAKER by A. L. Graziadei
January 18, 2022 from Macmillan/Henry Holt
Seventeen-year-old Mickey James III is a college freshman, a brother to five sisters, and a hockey legacy. With a father and a grandfather who have gone down in NHL history, Mickey is almost guaranteed the league's top draft spot. The only person standing in his way is Jaysen Caulfield, a contender for the #1 spot and Mickey's infuriating (and infuriatingly attractive) teammate. When rivalry turns to something more, Mickey will have to decide what he really wants, and what he's willing to risk for it. This is a story about falling in love, finding your team (on and off the ice), and choosing your own path.
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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THE TEMPERATURE OF ME AND YOU by Brian Zepka
January 25, 2022 from Disney-Hyperion
Sixteen-year-old Dylan Highmark thought his winter was going to be full of boring shifts at the Dairy Queen, until he finds himself in love with a boy who's literally too hot to handle.

THE TEMPERATURE OF ME AND YOU is the story of first love, and the lengths we'll go to figure out our hearts. What starts as an electric, chance encounter at a Dairy Queen quickly evolves into a heated romance, a journey of trust and identity, and a ticking clock for survival.​
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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And last but not least, 11 fascinating Adult releases:

JUST FOR SHOW by Julie Hamilton
December 28, 2021 from Harlequin/Carina Press
(Yes, we know it's a few days shy, but with an unexpected release date push back, it'd be a crime not to include this book as an honorary #22Debut!)

An aspiring photographer and a home renovation TV star have their airplane meet-cute go viral and realize fake dating can boost their careers—if they stick to the rules: cute selfies, fun dates, no kissing, and definitely no sex. They'll fake a relationship for the social media exposure, but can they be more than a hashtag?
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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LOVE AT FIRST SPITE by Anna E. Collins
January 4, 2022 Graydon/Harper Collins
They say living well is the best revenge. But sometimes, spreading the misery seems a whole lot more satisfying. That’s interior designer Dani Porter’s justification for buying the vacant lot next to her ex-fiancé's house…the house they were supposed to live in together, before he cheated on her with their realtor. Dani plans to build a vacation rental that will a) mess with his view and his peace of mind and b) prove that Dani is not someone to be stepped on. Welcome to project Spite House.
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Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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DEEP DIVE by Ron Walters
January 11, 2022 from  Angry Robot
Still reeling from the failure of his last project, videogame developer Peter Banuk is working hard to ensure his next game doesn’t meet the same fate. So when Peter’s tech-genius partner offers him the chance to beta-test a new state-of-the-art virtual reality headset, he jumps at it. But something goes wrong during the trial, and Peter wakes to find himself trapped in an eerily familiar world where his children no longer exist. As the lines between the real and virtual worlds begin to blur, Peter is forced to reckon with what truly matters to him. But can he escape his virtual prison before he loses his family forever?​
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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WAHALA by Nikki May
January 11, 2022 from HARPER COLLINS (US), TRANSWORLD PRH (UK)
An incisive and exhilarating debut novel of female friendship following three Anglo-Nigerian best friends and the lethally glamorous fourth woman who infiltrates their group—the most unforgettable girls since Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda.

A sharp, modern take on friendship, ambition, culture, and betrayal, Wahala (trouble) is an unforgettable novel from a brilliant new voice.
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Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS by Sue Lynn Tan​
January 11, 2022 from Harper Voyager
​An enthralling debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother sets her on a dangerous path and pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm. 
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Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic, of loss and sacrifice—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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SHIT CASSANDRA SAW by Gwen E. Kirby​​
January 11, 2022 from Penguin Books
Margaret Atwood meets Buffy in these funny, warm, and furious stories of women at their breaking points, from Hellenic times to today.

Cassandra may have seen the future, but it doesn't mean she's resigned to telling the Trojans everything she knows. From "The Best and Only Whore of Cym Hyfryd, 1886" to the "Midwestern Girl Is Tired of Appearing in Your Short Stories," Kirby is playing and laughing with the women who have come before her and they are telling her, we have always been this way. You just had to know where to look.
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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ALL THE SALT IN THE SEA by Tammy L. Harrow
January 11, 2022 from Red Adept
Abby West's goals to become a physician were derailed by an unexpected pregnancy, and after 19 years of being a dutiful wife and mother she discovers her husband's secret - a child from an old affair. Devastated, she flees to her grandmother's hometown on the Amalfi coast, where she meets Daniel Quinn, a former American soldier turned travel photographer. As she travels across Europe with him, she begins to imagine a new life, one without a controlling and unfaithful husband. Empowered by a newfound sense of freedom and courage, Abby returns to St. Augustine to settle things with her husband. But nothing goes as planned, and what awaits may very well destroy her.
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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LOVE AND OTHER DISASTERS by Anita Kelly
January 18, 2022 from Hachette/Forever
Dahlia Woodson's culinary dreams are coming true. Sure, her marriage ended in a hideous explosion of misery, and she’s quit her job for the gamble of a lifetime, but she's finally a contestant on the cooking show Chef's Special. London Parker is fighting for more than just a cooking title. Not only did they just come out as nonbinary on national television, but this is an opportunity for London to raise some support—and a ton of cash—for the queer community. No pressure. Getting distracted by a tiny and adorable tornado like Dahlia could be disastrous. Can London and Dahlia’s growing relationship take the heat, or are they about to get burned?​
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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MUST LOVE BOOKS by Shauna Robinson
January 18, 2022 from Sourcebooks​
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill meets Younger in a heartfelt debut following a young woman who discovers she'll have to ditch the ""dream job"" and write her own story to find her happy ending.

Your next book club read touching on mental health, happiness, and the peaks and perils of being a young woman just trying to figure it all out. Nora Hughes is the perfect heroine for anyone looking to get past their own chapter twenty-something and build their storybook life.
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Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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HOW HIGH WE GO IN THE DARK by Sequoia Nagamatsu
January 18, 2022 from William Morrow/Harper Collins and Bloomsbury
A spellbinding and profoundly prescient debut that follows a cast of intricately linked characters over hundreds of years as humanity struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a climate plague—a daring and deeply heartfelt work of mind-bending imagination from a singular new voice. From funerary skyscrapers to hotels for the dead to interstellar starships, Sequoia Nagamatsu takes readers on a wildly original and compassionate journey, spanning continents, centuries, and even celestial bodies to tell a story about the resilience of the human spirit, our infinite capacity to dream, and the connective threads that tie us all together in the universe.​
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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RISE OF THE MAGES by Scott Drakeford
January 25, 2022 from Tor Books
THIS BOOK'S RELEASE DATE HAS BEEN PUSHED TO FEBRUARY 8
Emrael Ire wants nothing more than to test to be a weapons master. His final exam will be a bloody insurrection, staged by corrupt nobles and priests, that enslaves his brother. With the aid of his War Master tutor, herself an undercover mage, Emrael discovers his own latent and powerful talents. To rescue his brother, Emrael must embrace not only his abilities as a warrior but also his place as last of the ancient Mage Kings―for the Fallen God has returned. 
And he is hungry.
Learn more about this book and where to preorder it here.

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Which books are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments or on social media @22Debuts. 

Post author and curator: Anna Kopp