I really hope you enjoy some of these! I can personally vouch for all of them (and some were ARCs, so I will be disclosing that in the description, so there is no conflict of interest).
⬇️ Tell me about some of your favorites in the comments ⬇️
11. SHIZUKO'S DAUGHTER by Kyoko Mori
My Goodreads review: [⭐️]
My blog review: [⭐️]
Genre: Young adult/Coming-of-age
This out of print gem from the 90s is a really sad story about a girl named Yuki, whose mother committed suicide. The story is about her growing up in the shadow of that grief, and her anger at her father and step-mother, whom she blames. Since her mother was fond of flowers, each chapter is named after a flower that is typical of a specific season. It's a beautiful, quiet, sad story that ends on a poignant note of hope as Yuki comes into her own and develops a sense of self and agency.
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10. THE BADDEST BITCH IN THE ROOM by Sophia Chang
My Goodreads review: [⭐️]
My blog review: [⭐️]
Genre: Memoir
This is a really great memoir that opens up with Chang's family escaping from North Korea and then segues into what it was like growing up in a small town as one of the few minorities in the 60s and 70s. Sophia Chang is considered the "first Asian woman in hip-hop" and managed Wu-Tang Clan, among other famous artists (including RZA, also known as "Bobby Digital"). Her life is so fascinating and I really enjoyed this memoir so much because of how deftly she deflects the stereotypes and labels people try to pin on women (especially Asian women). Love her!*
*I received a copy of this as an ARC
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9. BEGINNER'S GUIDE: LOVE AND OTHER CHEMICAL REACTIONS by Six de los Reyes
My Goodreads review: [⭐️]
My blog review: [⭐️]
Genre: New adult/Romance
Anyone who liked THE KISS QUOTIENT needs to read LOVE AND OTHER CHEMICAL REACTIONS, because LOVE came first and (in my opinion) did it better. Kaya Rubio is a neurodivergent woman in her mid-twenties who works in genetic research and decides that she's going to gamify her love life with cold, hard data. Of course, all of that ends up totally up in the air when she ends up falling for someone the numbers say she shouldn't. I love this book so much-- it's cute, sweet, and features a STEM heroine. Plus, it was my entre into the wonderful world of "romance class": a group of Filipinx authors writing charming romance stories.
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8. JADE CITY by Fonda Lee
My Goodreads review: [⭐️]
My blog review: [⭐️]
Genre: Fantasy
The author describes this series as a "wuxia gangster saga." I would describe it as MISTBORN in an Asian setting with Game of Thronesque Machiavellian politics. Basically, a special few can get magic superpowers from jade, which has created entire hierarchies over the collection, utilization of, and trading of jade. Anyone who likes dark fantasy with complex themes will really enjoy this one. It takes a while to get rolling, but once it does, you won't be able to put it down. It's that good.
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7. CRAZY RICH ASIANS
My Goodreads review: [⭐️]
My blog review: [⭐️]
Genre: Chick-lit
This book is just pure, unadulterated fun. I love the movie, but the book is amazing. Picture a Jackie Collins-like portrayal of the Singaporean super-rich and the guileless Chinese-American professor who accidentally snaps up one of the richest heirs and finds herself like a fish out of water. The social commentary is scathing, and the characters are surprisingly layered. I ended up reading all three books in the trilogy and am eagerly anticipating the author's new book, SEX AND VANITY.
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6. THE GHOST BRIDE by Yangsze Choo
OK, so I might be cheating with this one since I haven't actually finished it yet, but trust me... it's AMAZING. Set in 1890s Malaya (Malaysia), THE GHOST BRIDE is about a beautiful young woman whose father receives a proposal for her to become a ghost bride to a young man who has died untimely. Unfortunately, that young man is kind of a sadist and has no problem with haunting her and basically dragging her to the underworld in her dreams. The fantasy sequences are incredible and anyone who likes the surreality of Studio Ghibli films is going to LOVE this.
I'm not even finished and I can already tell it's about to become a new fave.
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5. THE TROUBLE WITH HATING YOU by Sajni Patel
My Goodreads review: [⭐️]
My blog review: [⭐️]
Genre: Romance
All my friends I've recommended this to have loved it! Picture enemies-to-lovers, with a dash of The Taming of the Shrew. The leads are an Indian couple whose families want them to get married. Liya, the heroine, is a biochemical engineer, and the hero, Jay, is a lawyer. Their first encounter goes badly and it gets even worse when they have to work together, too. Throw in a mix of lovable side characters, some serious topics like abuse and sexism, and a genuinely sweet and slow-burn romance, and you'll find yourself with a book that rivals THE HATING GAME for best enemies-to-lovers ever. I can't wait until the author writes more books. I hear Preeti's story is next...*
*I received a copy of this as an ARC
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4. MEMBERS ONLY by Sameer Pandya
My Goodreads review: [⭐️]
My blog review: [⭐️]
Genre: Comedy
This is ELECTION for the 21st century audience. The hero, Raj, is a professor who attends an elite tennis club. One day, a racial gaffe results in the other (white) members wanting to kick him out of the club. Shortly after, some of his students start accusing him of teaching "reverse-racist," "anti-white" propaganda in the classroom. It's a darkly comedic look at the awkward interactions that happen in the racially diverse, class-conscious suburbs of Northern California. Honestly, this portrays everything I love and hate about my state with such blunt honesty, I can't help but laugh... or cringe. Probably one of my top-5 comedies that I've read in the last ten years. Someone needs to snap up the film rights to this and make it a movie and cast Hasan Minaj as the lead.*
*I received a copy of this as an ARC
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3. THE PATRON SAINT OF NOTHING by Randy Ribay
My Goodreads review: [⭐️]
My blog review: [⭐️]
Genre: Young adult contemporary
Jay is half-Filipino and half-white. When one of his cousins dies under mysterious circumstances, he goes back to the Philippines with the intent of finding out more for himself. It's a brilliant book about privilege, the dark side of Duterte's government that doesn't always make it to the U.S., colorism, identity, and sexism. The comparison to THE HATE U GIVE is apt because it's a young adult book that tackles serious issues without talking down to its audience at all.*
*I received a copy of this as an ARC
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2. AMERICAN PANDA by Gloria Chao
My Goodreads review: [⭐️]
My blog review: [⭐️]
Genre: Young adult/New adult contemporary
This is a really sweet college-age YA about a freshman named Mei. Mei is Taiwanese and her parents want to be doctors but she has OCD and is highly germophobic, and the idea of blood makes her feel ill. I loved this book so much for the way that it puts a high premium on friends and family (but not at the cost of yourself), while tackling such issues as interracial dating and marriage and racism, including racism within Asian culture. I read this two years ago and I still think about how much I love it. Mei is so likable and so relatable, and the book had such a powerful message about finding your sense of self as a young woman. I think sooo many girls will relate to that message.*
*I received a copy of this as an ARC
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1. THE GIRL WITH SEVEN NAMES: ESCAPE FROM NORTH KOREA by Hyeonseo Lee
My Goodreads review: [⭐️]
My blog review: [⭐️]
Genre: Memoir
This is high key one of the best memoirs I've read in a while. In this book, Hyeonseo talks about surviving the 90s famine following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and then her decision to escape to China before going to university. Once in China, she is nearly put into a brothel, and forced to do minimum jobs under the radar to escape being forcibly repatriated. As if her own escape weren't risky enough, she then decides to help free her mother and brother. The whole time I was reading this, my heart was in my mouth. Hyeonseo is such a street smart, fast-thinking woman and the way she takes control over her future (and develops all these new skills) was just awe-inspiring.
So those are my eleven picks for Pacific Islander/Asian Heritage month! There are SO many other amazing books out there written by Asian and Pacific Islander authors, but these were the eleven that just happened to stick out in my mind as the obvious choices to share with you.
What are some of your picks? And what's on your to-read list? Let me know. 🖤
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