Spotlight Time: 42 MORE 2022 Debuts I’m Excited For!

Hello everybody! Today, I’m going to be doing another list of 2022 debuts that I’m really forward to, because I loved writing the post I did like this back in November and loads more have come onto my radar or been announced since then, so I thought it would be really fun to chat about some more. Onto the post!

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Lemon Drop Falls– this only got on my radar a couple of weeks ago, but I was immediately very interested because it has a character dealing with OCD alongside the grief of losing her mother. I’m thinking it’ll be a really moving, lovely contemporary middle grade.

Leonora Bolt: Secret Inventor– this one probably has the most random reason for why I really want to read it of any book ever! The reason is that I’ve heard there is a pet otter and I just think that’ll be really fun, and it gets extra points for having feminist STEM themes.

What’s New, Harper Drew?– this one is also already out, and I’m going to be on the blog tour I think so you can keep an eye out for that if you want to hear lots more about it, but the basics is that it’s comedy middle grade about a girl and her embarrassing family!

The Witch, the Sword and the Cursed Knights– I think this is the last one where it’s already out when you’re seeing this, and it’s a kind of King Arthur/Camelot inspired fantasy that just sounds amazing. Also I think the author lives in Edinburgh which is pretty cool, especially as this is being published by an American publisher.

The Stone Beneath the Sky– this is being published by Kelpies so I’m pretty sure it’s set in my native Scotland, which is always exciting, and it’s about an expert Map reader named Ivy who must save her brother when he’s turned into a cockerel by a sorcerer. How fun does that sound?!

Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence- the second I saw this, I knew I had to read it. First off, From the Desk of Zoe Washington (known in the UK as the Faraway Truth), is one of my favourite ever middle grade contemporary books and this has that as a comp title, and also this one is about a girl fundraising to save the life of her cat. I’ll probably get the pages damp for crying but I’m looking forward to reading it anyway!

Wishing Upon the Same Stars– this is about an Arab girl named Yasmeen who is struggling with her family’s move to Texas from Detroit, until she meets her neighbour Ayelet, who is in a very similar situation of feeling like she doesn’t fit in. I’m very intrigued by the company to the Front Desk series and I think this will be a really lovely contemporary about identity and friendship.

The Secret of Splint Hall– the blurb for this basically ticks all of my bookish boxes- spooky house, historical setting and maybe a little bit of mystery. The cover is gorgeous and I’m just really looking forward to this because it sounds very me!

Yesterday Crumb and the Storm in a Teacup– so, if you read my posts regularly you’ll know I’ve already read this one last month, and you can read my review here if you’d like. But I felt like it must have been on the last list as I’d been excited for it for ages but I checked and it was not, so felt like it was worth flagging here in case anyone hasn’t heard about it and needs some gorgeous cosy fantasy in their life.

The Girl With No Soul– I absolutely love the concept of this YA fantasy. It’s about a girl who has no soul teaming up with a young scholar to track the missing pieces down before the Order catch her.

One For All- this is a YA feminist retelling of the Three Musketeers with a chronically ill heroine named Tania (who experiences dizziness!! Like me!!). I don’t really need to know finer details of the plot to know that I am BUZZING to meet her and read this book.

Ophelia After All– this is about a Latine girl named Ophelia, who is trying to work out her sexuality in her last year of high school and it just sounds like such a great YA contemporary. Also, the cover is SO pretty.

A Brush with Love– when I saw this, I assumed for some reason it was about painters falling in love, but it’s actually about dentists, which I think is super original and will probably be MUCH funnier. It’s also by a neurodiverse author, and has a neurodiverse heroine which just wins it all the points for me.

Ajay and the Mumbai Sun– this is about a group of children who live in slums in Mumbai setting up a newspaper to expose the difficult circumstances and abject poverty they live in. It sounds really interesting and I love the cover.

The Sky Over Rebecca– the cover of this one is absolutely STUNNING!! It seems to be a time slip story involving world war two and two girls connecting despite the different times they live in, and I’m so excited to read it. It just sounds amazing and right up my alley! I think it’s set in Stockholm as well which is cool because I don’t remember ever reading a book set there before.

The Prince of Nowhere– I’ll level with you, I saw this cover and was like “yeah, I’m reading that”. But after reading the blurb, it also sounds like quite a fun, cosy fantasy vibe and I also love the sound of the world.

The Civil War of Amos Abernathy– this is about a boy named Amos who is a civil war reenactor, and his research into LGBTQ+ people in history, because he lives for it and he really wants to see himself in it. Again, this is described as being like the Faraway Truth which makes it an instant must read!

The Wondrous Prune– I initially thought this was contemporary just based on the title, but in fact it seems like fabulism and very interesting fabulism as well. It’s about a girl named Prune who is having a really tough time, but then her drawings start coming to life and something puts her brother in danger, and she may be the only one able to save him. Also the yellow cover is so vibrant and fun!

The Secret Wild- this is one I found because the author followed me on twitter and it just sounded amazing so I added it to my list immediately. It’s about a girl moving to London with her botanist parents, and this magical plant she finds and befriends, which then becomes sick and she must work out how to save it before it’s too late.

The Map of Leaves– this is another one I found by stalking the Chicken House website (which I do honestly so often it’s slightly worrying!). It’s about a girl who lives in a wood shed by the river after the death of her mother, and the garden that provides for her, until people in her area start getting gravely ill and she must go on a journey with two other people to save them. It sounds amazing and I’m getting strong Where the World Turns Wild vibes so I think I’m going to really like this.

Zeina Starborn and the Sky Whale– again, this is one that I thought might have been in the last post but it was not because I only heard about it a few days later, so here it is in this one! It’s described as being steampunk fantasy and I love the title, so I have definite high hopes that it’ll be reminiscent of some books I really love.

Small– I think this is about a very small kid going to giant school, which is just such a fun, silly concept and I’m sure this will be hilarious! I’m looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds 🙂

Sister to a Star-I initially had the wrong book listed for this author, which Is super embarrassing, but her debut is about twin sisters who are very different, one of whom is an actress and the other is a fencer who’s asked to be her stunt double for a movie. It takes place on a film set and I love those settings so I’m very excited! And who doesn’t love a twin book?!?

Ellie Pillai is Brown– okay, so this one is again something that should have been in the last post because it’s been on my radar since October, but being a muppet, I convinced myself it was coming out in late 2021 because I won a proof copy in a giveaway ages ago. That is fake news and I have no clue why I thought that at the time, so can only apologise to the author that I haven’t talked about it sooner. It’s YA contemporary with themes of music and identity and first love and friendship, and it’s due out in May so I’ll hopefully be able to read and review long before then seeing as I won the proof.

Rebel Skies– this is a YA fantasy set in a world based on origami, which is such an original, clever idea and I’m really looking forward to learning more when I read it!

Twelve Days in May– we love an adult romance over here!! This one is by a Northern Irish writer and it’s about two people who were best friends up till 12 years ago reuniting at the Cannes film festival, and presumably falling in love. I have heard only the very best of things about it and I’ll be the perfect treat to tuck into either during or after my exams.

Never Been Kissed– I think this is a new adult male/male romance and it has something to do with a cinema, and that alone makes me want to read it! It just sounds super cute and I’m hoping for Red, White and Royal Blue type vibes.

The Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting– I love the story behind this one being on the list so I’m first of all going to tell you that and then a little bit of info about the plot. I found out about this because the author followed me on Instagram and I followed her back, and in her bio it said you had to read her book, so I went and looked it up and it sounds great so I obviously added it to my most anticipated list. It’s about a woman named Kitty in 1818 and her quest to find a very rich husband.

My Name is Sunshine Simpson– this only got announced a little while ago when I’m writing this and it sounds SO GOOD! It’s about a girl named Sunshine and her relationship with her grandfather, who is ill and part of the Windrush Generation, and I reckon it will make me cry but also be joyous.

How to Fake it in Hollywood– this is a US fake dating romance with two actors falling in love by accident when they’re forced together by their PR people! I need it in my life ASAP please, I think it’s going to be just right for a summer read for me.

Autumn Moonbeam– I’ve followed Emma on twitter for years and while I don’t read tons of chapter books, I will be reading this because I love the idea of dance magic and also just want to support her!

JR Silver Writes Her World- this is about a girl who is having a bit of a rubbish time starting a new year at school, and the strange power she acquires to have every story she writes come true, which causes some great things to happen but also some big issues.

You, Me and Our Heartstrings– this is a YA romance with not not one but TWO disabled leads, and it’s written by an own voices author. I could have really used a book like this when I was 16 and I’m so excited to read it even now, at 20.

Nura and the Immortal Palace- this is a fantasy adventure set in the world of the jinn, which sounds insanely cool, and the cover is just such a thing of beauty that I need this book in my life. I think it’s going to be such a good read.

The Asparagus Bunch– this is a comedy middle grade about an autistic boy who has just been diagnosed and I think it’s going to be brilliant. I think Welbeck Flame are a really exciting new (to me, at least!!) publisher and I also really want to be able to understand the significance of the total!

Crookhaven- this is about a school for thieves, which I just LOVE as a concept. I believe it’s the start of a series, and I think it’s a Robin Hood kind of thief vibe rather than stealing in a more evil way.

Mia and the Lightcasters- this sounds INCREDIBLE and I am so excited to read Hanelle’s writing! It’s about a girl named Mia who wants to be an umbra tamer and her fight against the shadowy Reaper King to stop her world being plunged into darkness.

The Impossible Girl- I’ve not been able to find a full synopsis of this but from what I can gather, the world sounds really exciting and interesting and it’s intrigued me enough that I want to read it regardless of what the plot turns out to be.

The Make-Up Test– I am SO HERE for plus size positive romance. Inject it into my veins please!! I think this one specifically focuses on two exes vying for the same PhD position, but it came on my radar when I saw the plus size protagonist on the cover when the author revealed her cover and I’m just so, so here for it.

Marikit and the Ocean of Stars– this sounds so unbelievably amazing. It’s about a girl named Marikit going on a quest in a fantasy world of Gods and spirits, and it’s recommended for fans of When You Trap a Tiger which I loved which just makes me EVEN MORE excited for it.

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston– I saw this on the same person’s Instagram that I saw Alexandria Rogers’ book on, and I just think it sounds super original and fun. It’s about Callie, who is non binary, and their dream of becoming a knight despite their kingdom’s gender-based restrictions about who gets to do it.

The Whispering Dark– I’m pretty sure this is by a disabled writer, which is mainly why it’s on this list, but the premise of a Deaf college student with an unusual connection with the afterlife does sound really interesting too. I’m not Deaf but I am hard of hearing so it’s really nice to see more characters with hearing loss because there are so few.

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Thank you so much for reading! Are there any debuts you’re looking forward to that aren’t on either of my lists? Have you found out about any new ones by reading this post? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Amy xx

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