Books and Boba

On this episode, we catch up on the latest Asian American book news and publishing announcements for our October 2026 mid-month check-in Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: Front Desk by Kelly Yang; ilust. by Fumio Obata Olivia Harper Is Haunting Me by Zoe Hana Mikuta The Skull & the Seagull by Lenny Wen Belly Takes the Bus by Marie Tang; illust. by Tracy Subisak The Monster Who Almost Stole New Year by Eva Wong Nava; illust. by Lenny Wen It's Market Day! by Meghana Narayan Always a Corpse Bride by Kendare Blake The Escaped Bear by Sheela Chari; illust. by Stephanie Graegin Appa's Eighteen Wheels by Jessica Yoon; illust. by Cat Min Book news mentioned on this episode: Min Jin Lee’s American Hagwon debuted as a NYT Hardcover Fiction Bestseller Crazy Rich Asians HBO series sets cast: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Ronny Chieng Theo James, Hoyeon, Christian Slater to Star in Thriller ‘The Hole’ Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian…

On this episode we sit down with speculative fiction author (and writing Youtuber) Lynn D Jung to chat about her debut novel Mothsblood, A dark academia/fantasy mystery thriller following Larkspur Lee, an ambitions and competitive Korean American woman studying alchemy in modern day Paris, who's life is turned upside down when she finds herself in the middle of an investigation when the immortal headmistress of her school is found inexplicably murdered, and the conspiracy she thought she left behind in the States follows her across the pond. Follow Lynn on Instagram at @lynndjung and check out her novel Mothsblood available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads…

On this episode we welcome back author E. L. Shen to chat about her newest novel Foreigners! Loosely based on her own family's history, Foreigners is a compelling take on the multigenerational Asian American story following characters from Qing dynasty China, 1960's New York, and present day New England, and the lies (big and small) we tell to fit in. Follow E. L. Shen on Instagram at @elshenwrites and check out her novel Foreigners, available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba October 2026 pick is Ebony Gate by Julia Vee & Ken Bebelle This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we discuss our September 2026 book club pick, Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim, a classic Asian American multigenerational story, about the tenuous relationship between an immigrant mother and her American daughter, but with a magical realism twist as both mother and daughter also have mysterious powers from a family curse passed down through the generations (the mother can turn invisible and the daughter can feel the history of anything she touches). Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we catch up on the latest Asian American book news and the last 2 month of publishing announcements for our September 2026 mid-month check-is Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: For You I Would Forget by Zeyneb Holdridge We Rose from the Sea by Olivia Sun Fern and the Fox by Sophie Diao A Drop of Kindness by Andrea Wang; illust. by Sally Soweol Han Wings by Susan Tan; illust. by Rowan Kingsbury Yukiko and the Little Black Cat by Sarah Tsiang; illust. by Joey Ng Wanbo by Shiho Pate Incomplete Works by Sarah Chihaya From the Clear Blue Sky by Jackie Akiko Cloud Monster Moon Rising edited by Ellen Oh Meow Meow Magic by Yu Kito Lee The Boy from Cloud Mountain by B.B. Tan 10 Sleepy Cats by Lili Chin Z Is for Zoomies by Lili Chin Dear June, I'm Mad at You by Vivienne Chang & Eugenia Yoh Super Shy by Vivian Truong Tapestry of Gold by Tasia M.S Write Back Soon by Remy Lai Book news mentioned on this episode: Bridgerton star Yerin Ha to narrate American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee R.F. Kuang’s…

On this episode, we welcome author Julie Abe back to the show to talk about her newest middle grade fantasy novel, The Magic Library of Waterfall Way, a story about an unremarkable girl in a magical world of remarkable people, and her one chance at finding a guild to finally belong to in order to avoid exile, but in order to do so, she must fulfill a quest to save a magical library. We're excited to catch up with Julie as she launches her newest MG fantasy series! Follow Julie on Instagram at @julieabebooks and check out her latest novel The Magic Library of Waterfall Way available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba September 2026…

On this episode,we discuss our August 2026 book club pick, Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, following Klara, an android "artificial friend," and her quest to bring happiness to her teen Josie as she grows up in a dystopic future. Join us as we dive into another masterful Ishiguro tale about the fleeting innocence of children, having conviction in the face of despair, and the complex responsibilities of parenthood (and more specifically, how far should someone go to give their children a better life). Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba September 2026 pick is Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we chat with author Momo Yamaguchi about her debut novel, Hello, Limerence, an ode to bad decisions made in our mid-twenties following a young Japanese woman, dealing with a soul-sucking corporate job and a stagnant love-life, who lets a growing crush on a Japanese American man become an obsession that throws her life into chaos. Follow Momo on Instagram at @momoyamagucci and check out her debut novel Hello, Limerence is available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba August 2026 pick is Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we're excited to welcome author Susan Lee back to the podcast to catch up on BTS news as well as chat about her latest novel, See You at the Sunset, an adult romantic comedy about a young woman, who is staying with her grandmother in a Palm Springs senior living community after losing her job at a law firm in NYC, as she strikes up a relationship with her grandma's new neighbor's grandson, who also happens to be the man who signed her termination papers (as well as her one night stand)! Follow Susan on Instagram at @susanleewrites and check out her latest novel See You at the Sunset is available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The…

On this episode, we chat with author Erin Baldwin about her latest novel Good Luck, Babe! A sapphic YA coming of age romantic comedy about two former best friends who reluctantly agree to work together to pursue their dream of competing on an Amazing-race style reality TV competition, the catch is they also have to pretend to date because their season is for couples-only! Erin shares with us her journey as an author, her inspirations for the novel, as well as her own personal reality TV competition aspirations. Follow Erin on Instagram at @erinbaldwin.books and check out her newest novel Good Luck, Babe! available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook…

On this episode, we discuss our July 2026 Patron's Choice Book Club pick, Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen, A family comedy about the Trans of Toronto Canada, a messy but close-knit family who come together to try and save their family's nail salon when gentrification comes into their neighborhood in the form of a high-tech all-inclusive rival nail salon, by any means necessary. Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba August 2026 pick is Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we sit down with author Tania Tay to discuss her new cafe cozy romance novel The Matcha Maker Café (which she wrote under the pen name Lily Chen). We chat with Tania about her journey to becoming a novelist, her experience writing about the British East Asian experience for IP projects, as well as the rise (and decline) of cafe culture. Learn more about Tania at taniatay.com and check out her novel The Matcha Maker Café available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba July 2026 pick is Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we catch up on the latest Asian American book news and publishing announcements for our July 2026 mid-month check-is Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: Swaplife by Abdi Nazemian and Pedro Rhuas My Heart or Yours by K. Sugimoto Destined or Damned by Sara Jafari Chicken's Noodle Soup by Naaz H. Khan; illust. by Valentina Tu Novae by Jennifer Xu and Kate Rhodes Book news mentioned on this episode: Vincent Yu wins the 2026 Barnes & Noble Discover Prize Trailer for Director Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel Klara and the Sun released Hachette Book Group Employees Win Union Election Publishers, Authors File Class Action Lawsuit Against Google Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us:…

On this episode, we chat with author Yejin Suh to talk about her debut novel The Last Soldier of Nava, a Korean-inspired fantasy novel following a girl named Shadow, a former peerless soldier who awakens after a thousand years of slumber, who struggles to retain her freedom under a new identity, even as she is dragged back to her immortal father's court by his new protege (whom she also feels an attraction to). Follow Yejin on Instagram at @yejinsuhh and check out her debut novel The Last Soldier of Nava available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba July 2026 pick is Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen This podcast is part of Potluck: An…

Join us as we discuss our June 2026 pick, The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo. A queer retelling of the classic American novel The Great Gatsby. Set in a magical alternate Jazz Age New York, this version is told through the perspective of Jordan Baker, a side character in the original text, re-imagined as a Vietnamese American adoptee who does her best to survive in a high society as an outsider while trying to stay afloat amongst the tempest that is Jay Gatsby's obsessive quest to acquire the love of her best friend Daisy. Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba July 2026 pick is Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast…

On this episode, we sit down with author Yu-Mei Balasingamchow to talk about her debut novel Names Have Been Changed, a modern epistolary novel told in the style of tell-all podcast hosted by a Singaporean woman who has been on the run across the world for a decade. We're excited to chat with Yu-Mei about her debut that's part globetrotting adventure and part love letter to diaspora communities and the hidden sides of Singaporean culture. Follow Yu_Mei on Instagram at @yumei.balasingamchow and check out her debut novel Names Have Been Changed available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba June 2026 pick is The Chosen and the Beautiful…

On this episode, we catch up on the latest Asian American book news and publishing announcements for our June 2026 mid-month check-is Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: Life Is a K Drama by Sherri Shepherd & Jayci Lee Ophelia No. 23 by Saou Ichikawa A Girl’s Spine by Saou Ichikawa Birchwood Prep #1: Lina’s Secret by Mae Raespicio Kapa Kuiki: My Hawaiian Quilt by Ilima Kahokuhealani Todd; illus. by Mae Waite All the Gardeners by Varsha Bajaj; illust. by Grace Easton Shifu Mama by Roger Lam; illust. by Alina Chau Bamboo Magic by Teresa Robeson; illust. by Wazza Pink Kung Fu Crane Girl by Mia Wenjen; ilust. by debut artist Yujie Huang Boss Games by Kelly Yang Eight Little Hands by Hanh Bui; illust. By Kerisa Greene Flickers of Hope by Hanh Bui; illust. By Kerisa Greene Book news mentioned on this episode: Marjane Satrapi, author of Persepolis, dies at 56 Taiwan Travelogue wins the 2026 International Booker Prize Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian…

On this episode, we're very excited to welcome booktuber, and now published author, Cindy Pham to chat about her debut novel, The Secret World of Briar Rose, a sapphic dark retelling of the legend of sleeping beauty, following a jaded thief who, while searching for her missing sister, finds herself transported into the dream world of her fallen kingdom's slumbering princess. We chat with Cindy about the inspirations behind her debut, as well as how her experience reviewing books have prepared her to be on the other side as a published author. Follow Cindy on Instagram at @readwithcindy and check out her debut novel The Secret World of Briar Rose available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow…

We chat with Joseph Han about his debut novel Nuclear Family

On this episode we discuss our May 2026 pick is No-No Boy by John Okada, one of the earliest in the Asian American canon following the story of Ichiro Yamada who returns home to Seattle after serving 2 years in prison for refusing to serve in the military during the internment of Japanese Americans during World War 2. We're excited to dive into this Asian American classic from 1957, who's publication journey is just as interesting as the story itself. Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba June 2026 pick is The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we welcome author Vincent Yu to chat about his debut novel, Seek Immediate Shelter, which follows the stories of several members of a small town community in Massachusetts, who have to deal with the consequences of their impulsive actions when a faulty mass alert is sent our warning them of an imminent missile strike. Follow Vincent on Instagram at @vinyu12 and check out his debut novel Seek Immediate Shelter available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba May 2026 pick is No-No Boy by John Okada This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

For our mid-month book news check in for May 2026, we catch up on the latest Asian American publishing announcements as well as check in on some of the latest news and tea from the greater book industry. Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: The First White Hair by Yasmin Zaher The Dragon Thief by Ellen Oh It Begins with the End by Samira Ahmed Summers in Syria by Shifa Saltagi Safadi; illust. by Hatem Aly Our Built World: An Architectural Journey Along the Silk Road by Fiyel Levent; illust. by Daby Zainab Faidhi Sheen by Cindy Pon Our Chinatown Market by Jasmine Fang; illust. by Thai My Phuong Book news mentioned on this episode: TokyoPop launches Children’s imprint Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us:…

On this episode, we chat with Canwen Xu about her debut novel, Boring Asian Female, a thriller about a Chinese American college student who, in the midst of spiraling from having failed her life's dream of being accepted into Harvard Law School, decides to stalk a fellow Asian classmate who did make it in to see what makes her so special! Follow Canwen on Instagram at @Canwen.Xu and check out her new novel Boring Asian Female available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba May 2026 pick is No-No Boy by John Okada This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we discuss our April 2026 book club pick, The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao, chosen for us by our patrons (you can help us pick our next patron's choice in July by joining our patreon). Pitched a a Ghibli-style cozy fantasy (but we found it to be a little more than it seems), The Elsewhere Express is a ethereal train that appears to pick up passengers who have lost their purpose in life. This night, it picks up 2 wayward souls, and offers then a chance to find a new purpose on board it's dreamlike cars, but is there a catch? Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba May 2026 pick is No-No Boy by John Okada This podcast is part of Potluck: An…

On this episode, we welcome Kelly Yang to the podcast to chat about her adult novel debut, The Take, a story about a young Chinese American woman who aspires to become a novelist, and a veteran Hollywood producer who offers to help her break into the industry... in return for a bit of her youth. We're so excited to finally have the chance to chat with Kelly about her adult debut after a prolific career writing books for middle grade and young adult readers, including past Books & Boba book club pick Front Desk! Follow Lisa on Instagram at @kellyyanghk and check out her new novel The Take available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba…

For our mid-month book news check in for April 2026, we catch up on the latest Asian American publishing announcements as well as check in on some distressing news for our legacy Kindles. Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: The Library of Lost Time by Vaishnavi Patel BoxBoxBoxBox by Wan Sakamoto Mama's Magical Hands by Yu An Xie The Kids Came Back Wrong edited by Wen-yi Lee Crush by Souvankham Thammavongsa It Was an Ordinary Name by Souvankham Thammavongsa The Golden Shoes by Jocelyn Cho The Summer I Turned Pretty Graphic Novel by Cynthia Yuan Cheng and Arielle Jovellanos; illust by Sara Faber Before & Now by Balsam El-bayya Goat for Dinner by Tao Nyeu Curiosities by Robert Kondo and Megan Bartel Sarah in Charge by Ellen Oh This Is Our Diwali by Jyoti Rajan Gopal; illust by Michelle Pereira The Book Witch by Nora Elghazzawi Magic Shoyu Shop by Debbi Michiko Florence; illust. by Minako Tomigahara Book news mentioned on this episode: Amazon pulls support from Kindles pre-2013 Books & Boba is a…

On this episode, we're very excited to bring you an author chat with Rachel Khong, author of our September 2017 book club pick Goodbye Vitamin (episode 28), to talk about her latest book, My Dear You, a short story collection featuring a genre-spanning stories exploring themes of identity, relationships, and time. From a story about missed connections and a cat that conjures the ghosts of ex-boyfriends, to contemplation of the afterlife both literal and figurative. Follow Lisa at thedreamside.com and check out her new book My Dear You available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba April 2026 pick is The Elsewhere Express by Samantha…

We sit down for an author chat with Lisa Lee to talk with her about about her debut novel American Han, a Korean American family drama about the Kims, a family whose members are each going through their own personal crises. When an even bigger crisis occurs the whole family is forced to come together and deal with the consequences of decades of built up resentment and estrangement, all stemming from the relentless pursuit of the "Amerian Dream." Follow Lisa on Instagram at @lisaleehello and check out her new novel American Han available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba April 2026 pick is The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto…

On this episode, we discuss our March 2026 Book Club Pick, Butter by Asako Yuzuki, a story of food and murder following a Japanese journalist who begins a professional relationship with a convicted serial killer, charged with the murders of three domestic partners, in hopes of getting an exclusive interview. However, she ends up getting more than she bargained for as she gets sucked into the killer's philosophy and worldview that leads her to question amd she knows about the pleasures of food, the importance of friendships, as well as how traditional gender roles makes fools of us all. Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba April 2026 pick is TBA (check our Instagram or…

For our mid-month book news check in for March 2026, we catch up on the latest Asian American publishing announcements as well as check in on the ongoing fight against book bans: The Carlton Girls: Casey and the Cruel Thief by Julie Abe The Goodfolke Family by Roshani Chokshi P.S. Are We Friends Now? by John Schu and Jasmine Warga My Neighbor Yokai by noho Fall, in Love by Mia Kayla The Gravedigger's Apprentice by Linda Cheng Seeking Wonderful by Susan Yoon; illust. Veronica Mang We Are the Light: A Story of Diwali by Rajani LaRocca; illust. Sayan Mukherjee Home Is Waiting to Be Found by Tina Athaide; ilust. Vũ Thủy Ngọc Hà Matcha & Matches by Cara Tanamachi Tea Leaves and Fate Strings by C.B. Lee The Red Thread by Laura G. Lee Scream, Queen! by Sujin Witherspoon Book news mentioned on this episode: Lee & Low postpones their quadrennial Diversity Baseline Survey in order to concentrate on fighting book bans Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors…

On this episode, we discuss our February 2026 book club pick, Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho, a romantic comedy about two Asian lawyers in London who share an (kinda?) adversarial relationship who end up sharing an office and perhaps become something more as they find themselves in a pseudo fake relationship to help with each other's personal troubles. We read Zen Cho's Regency era fantasy romance Sorcerer to the Crown almost a decade ago and were very excited to see what a contemporary Zen Cho romance looks like. Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba March 2026 pick is Butter by Asako Yuzuki This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Happy New Year! On our first mid-month book news check-in episode for the year of the horse, we go over a hefty list of latest Asian American publishing news as the publishing industry revs back into gear after the holidays. Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: Blur the Lines by Kanitha P. Paper Ghosts by Samantha Chong Cold Blood by Aashna Avachat Untitled Contemporary YA By Jesmeen Kaur Deo The Strange Sketches of Luna Li by Gloria L. Huang She Comes Out at Night by Michelle Jing Chan If We Could Be Everywhere by Sarah Suk The Sisterhood of Southern Peaches by Katrina Moore Footprints in Snow by Keiko Hayner Something Inside Me Knows by Malinda Lo The Luckies by Sarah Mlynowski and Christina Soontornvat; illust. by Madi Wong The Monster Inside by Cherry Mo Jitty and the Machine by Mitali Banerjee Ruths; illust.by Iacopo Bruno Wipe Out by Saadia Faruqi; illust. by Karen De la Vega The Erhu Sings by Sally Deng Blooming Behind Barbed Wire by Traci Huahn; illust. by Mayumi Sasage House of Forgotten…

Happy New Year! We ring in the Year of the Horse with an exciting author chat with Lillian Li (author of past book club pick #1 Chinese Restaurant), who joins us to chat about her newest novel Bad Asians, a coming of age story following four childhood friends who all move home after graduating college in 2008 after their well laid plans were derailed by the great recession. They inadvertently become part of a viral Youtube documentary that will continue to haunt them throughout their adult lives as they drift apart and come back together again and again. Follow Lillian on Instagram at @zillianzi and check out her new novel Bad Asians available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram…

On this episode, we sit down with Yosha Gunasekera to chat about her debut novel, The Midnight Taxi. A murder mystery following a true crime loving Sri Lankan American cab driver who ends up accused of murder when a passenger ends up mysteriously murdered in her cab. Yosha shares with us her personal journey to writing her novel as well as how she drew from her experience as an attorney for The Innocence Project to construct her mystery. Follow Yosha on Instagram at @yosha.gunasekera and check out her debut novel The Midnight Taxi available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba February 2026 is Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho This…

On this episode, we discuss our January 2026 (and patron's choice) pick, Reef by Romesh Gunesekera, a historical fiction novel about a boy who grows up as the personal cook and housekeeper for a wealthy marine biology enthusiast in Sri Lanka, blissfully and willingly unaware that the world outside the walls of his residence is slowly descending into chaos in the years leading up to Sri Lanka's civil war. Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba February 2026 is Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On our first mid-month book news check-in episode for 2026, we go over the latest Asian American publishing news from the holiday season, as well as check out some of January's new releases from Asian and Asian American authors. Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: Death Wish by Lilly Lu What Hungers in the Dark by Monika Kim How to Crash a Kite by Ellie Peterson Tokki's Tricks by Aram Kim Girl Gods by K-Ming Chang Cerulean by Sajni Patel Hanging Out with Nani by Vikram Madan January New Releases mentioned in our book news: The Swan's Daughter by Roshani Chokshi (Jan 6) Fly, Wild Swans: My Mother, Myself and China by Jung Chang (Jan 13) A Year Without Home by V.T. Bidania (Jan 13) This Is Where the Serpent Lives by Daniyal Mueenuddin (Jan 13) City of Others by Jared Poon (Jan 13) The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller (Jan 13) A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa (Jan 13) How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder by Nina McConigley (Jan 20) The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto…

Hey everyone! We're back from our holiday break for our first podcast of 2026 and we're finally discussing our December 2025 Book Club Pick Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala. A X'mas themed cozy mystery (but actually a story about family and Filipino noms). At this point, we're kind of murder mystery connoisseurs so this was the perfect end of year treat for us. Fun fact, we did an author chat with the author back in 2021 for her first book so we're excited to come back to this world for the holidays! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba January 2026 pick is Reef by Romesh Gunesekera This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On our final mid-month book news episode in 2025, we review some of the latest Asian American publishing announcements, and weigh in on some recent book tea for December 2025! Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: Light and Thread by Han Kang When We Swallowed the Sea by Janet Hong Limitlessly, Mina by Gianna Lakenauth Take to the Sky by Christina Soontornvat Not Again, Dragon Chen! by Amanda Adams; illust. Wazza Pink Jin Young, In Between by Ellen Oh Don't Print This by Monica Chin A Super Definitely True Story of the Great Animal Race by Dane Liu; illust. Aki Foreigners by E.L. Shen Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba December 2025 pick is Blackmail and…

On this episode we discuss our November 2025 book club pick, Taiwan Travelogue by Shuang-zi Yang, translated by Lin King, a historical fiction novel (with a meta-fiction twist) about a Japanese travel writer invited to write about the imperial colony of Taiwan by the Japanese government in the 1930's, and follows her budding relationship with her Taiwanese translator as they eat through the island while she pushes on the boundaries between colonizer and colonized. Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba December 2025 pick is Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we chat with bestselling author Lyla Lee to chat about her new YA romance novel, The Cuffing Game, a modern Korean American take on the timeless enemy-to-lovers tale Pride & Prejudice, remixed with the chaotic reality TV energy of Love Island about an aspiring student producer who reluctantly recruits her crush to participate in the college dating show she is producing. Lyla shares with us her journey to becoming an author of young, middle-grade, and young adult fiction, as well as all her inspirations for The Cuffing Game. Follow Lyla on Instagram at @authorlylalee and check out her newest novel The Cuffing Game available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram…

On our second to last mid-month book news episode in 2025, we highlight some of the latest Asian American publishing announcements, and catch up on the latest book news for November 2025! Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: Overrated by Gene Luen Yang & Jacob Perez Ink & Blood: Poetry and Power in the Lives of Emperor Li Yu and Chairman Mao by Chun Yu; illust. Sungyoon Choi The Peacock Throne by Zeba Shahnaz Forest Freaks by Nat Iwata Mei Mei the Bunny by Laufey; Illusy. Lauren O'Hara Aunties by Pooja Makhijani; illust. Ruchi Mhasane The Girl, the Village, and the Terrible Thunder by Aimee Yealim Lee; illust. Hyewon Yum Jade vs. the Claw Machine by Margaret Chiu Greanias; illust. Heather Brockman Lee Sun's Eid by Natasha Khan Kazi The Echo of Empires by Shameen Abubakar untitled picture book biography of Katherine Sui-Fun Cheung by Cheryl Kim; illust. Nicole Wong. Mongoose's Holi Party by Darshana Khiani; illust. Abhilasha Khatri The Gods Will Sing Our Song by Autumn Krause Echoes Across the…

Join us as we discuss our October 2025 book club pick, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker, a Chinese American horror story taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic following Cora Zeng, a crime scene cleaner haunted by the trauma of witnessing her sister's murder in a NYC subway station, as well as what appears to be her sister's actual hungry ghost. We follow Cora and her co-workers on a blood-soaked quest as they try to simultaneously figure out how to exorcise her ghost, as well as solve a series of serial murders in NYC, all involving East Asian women. Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba November 2025 book club pick is Taiwan Travelogue by…

On this episode, we sit down with author Yume Kitasei to chat about her latest novel, Saltcrop, a science fiction story about three sisters who grew up in a near future Earth after an ecological collapse changed the world. When the eldest sister goes missing while working for a megacorporation (because capitalism persists even after the end of the world), the younger two set off on a dangerous trip across the seas to find her. Follow Yume on Instagram at @yumewrites and check out her newest novel Saltcrop available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba October 2025 pick is Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker This…

For our mid-month book news check in for October 2025, we're catching up on the Asian American publishing news for the past 2 months (since we didn't do a mid-month episode in September) as well as checking in on the news about the latest National Book Award nominations as well as some exciting new listings on the NYT bestsellers list! Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news: The Radiance by Ayad Akhtar The Museum of Modern Love by Mariko Turk Sir Silly by Gavin Aung Than Emily Min-ji Makes Kimchi by Meredith Seung Mee Buse; illust. Jenn Kocsmiersky The River of Caregiving by Jocelyn Chung; illust. Sarah Gonzales Of Wind and Dust by Shirin Yim Leos Project Juni by Kaitlyn San Miguel Medusa's Pet Rock by Steph Lau Chrysanthemum's Glow written by Livia Blackburne; illust. Julia Kuo Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim The Secret World of Briar Rose by Cindy Pham Born by Sarah Ling The Fallen Sun by C.M. Basma Swimming Lessons for a Mermaid by Yongchan Who the Flan Am I? by Kiera Wright-Ruiz and Claudia…

On this episode, we are joined by Jade Chang, the author of our August 2025 book club pick The Wangs Vs the World, to chat about her newest novel, What a Time to be Alive, which follows a messy Chinese American girl named Lola Treasure Gold who inadvertently finds internet fame when a tongue in cheek speech she makes at a party honoring her recently deceased best friend goes viral, turning her into an internet self-help influencer. Follow Jade on Instagram at @hellojadechang and check out her newest novel What a Time to be Alive available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba October 2025 pick is Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng…

On this episode, we discuss our September 2025 book club pick, A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna, a cozy magical story about Sera, who used to be the most powerful witch in the UK until losing all her power casting a forbidden spell to bring her beloved great aunt back from the dead. Now 15 years later, she runs a magical inn in the English countryside after being expelled from magical society, and we follow her adventures when a chance to regain her lost power emerges. Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba October 2025 pick is Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast…

On this episode, we are joined by best selling author Dustin Thao to chat about his newest novel, You've Found Oliver, the follow up to his bittersweet debut You've Reached Sam. Dustin shares with us how a real life glitch in the matrix inspired the supernatural setting of his latest romance as well as his thoughts on time, grief, and magic. Follow Dustin on Instagram at @thedustinthao and check out his newest novel You've Found Oliver available 9/30 on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba September 2025 pick is A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we are joined from all the way on the other side of the world by Emma Pei Yin to chat about her debut novel When Sleeping Women Wake, a historical fiction novel about three women who each find their individual paths to resistance during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during world war 2. Emma shares with how she was inspired to write the story after hearing about her grandfather's experiences as a resistance fighter in WW2 as well as how surprisingly difficult it was to find research about life under occupation from the Chinese perspective. Follow Emma on Instagram at @emmapeiyin and check out her debut novel When Sleeping Women Wake available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh…

On this episode, we chat with author Amran Gowani about his debut novel Leverage, a financial thriller about a rising star hedge fund analyst who is forced to dive into the seedy underbelly of the financial system when he loses his firm $300 million in a day and has to make everything back in 3 months or face some dire consequences. Amran chats with us about the themes of his novel as well as shares his inspirations for the story as a former Wall Street analyst! cw: discussion of themes involving suicidal ideation from 37:46 to 41:51 Follow Amran's writing at www.amrangowani.com and check out his debut novel Leverage available now on the Books & Boba bookshop! Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter…

On this episode we discuss our August 2025 book club pick The Wangs Vs. The World by Jade Chang, about the (formerly) affluent Wang family who embark on a road trip from from LA to NY after losing everything during the 2008 financial crisis. This is a book that is almost as old as our podcast and has been on our TBR for a long time so we're excited to dive in! TW: One of the storylines involve a character who's fascination with suicidal ideation is discussed at 1:05:10, if this is a sensitive topic for you, you can bypass this section by skipping ahead to 1:11:03 Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors Support the Books & Boba Podcast by: Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks Purchasing books at our bookshop Rocking our Books & Boba merch Follow our hosts: Reera Yoo (@reeraboo) Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh) Follow us: Instagram Twitter Goodreads Facebook The Books & Boba September 2025 pick is A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu…