For our summer issue, Millie editors chose to celebrate debut novels from five female authors who have bucked the odds and published books across a range of genres—from a graphic novel to the impossible-to-categorize chemist-turned-cooking-show-host. First up on our highlights tour is Messy Roots by Laura Gao (@heylauragao). This graphic memoir of self-discovery is a triumph. Wuhanese-American author Laura Gao beautifully illustrates her coming of age story and the challenges she faced as the daughter of immigrants and as a queer person in the middle of a pandemic. A visual exploration of identity that marries the duality of Chinese and American culture, this story will make you laugh and cry at the same time. What #debutwriters are you obsessed with lately? Let us know! #millie #milliemag #milliereads #bookstagram #books #femalewriter #femaleauthor #femaleauthors #pocauthors #womensupportingwomen #womenempowerment #womenempoweringwomen #queerbooks #romance #romancebooks #LGTBQIA #LGBTQ #lgbtqfiction #fantasybooks #thriller #fiction #graphicnovels