Books and Boba

On our latest author chat, we sit down with Ryan Lee Wong to chat about his debut novel Which Side Are You On? A story about a young Asian American man, struggling to live up to his ideals as an activist in today's world, who finds inspiration and frustration through conversations with his mother, who has a history in activism herself, as they drive around Los Angeles. We chat with Ryan about his real life inspirations for the story, his thoughts on activism, and why LA has the best Korean food in the country.Follow Ryan on instagram at @ryanlwong and check out her novel Which Side Are You On? on sale now!*Support the podcast by purchasing books at our bookshop *---Played by Obie Award winner Francis Jue (Pacific Overtures, Soft Power), a father learns that closing the door to his past means shutting his daughter out in Good Enemy, a haunting and hopeful world premiere play from Yilong Liu. Performances for this smart, thrilling limited engagement begin October 25 at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York. Unlock $25 tickets using code BOBA25- offer valid thru 11/5. Get your tickets now at: goodenemyplay.com---Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba October 2022 pick is The Hole by Hye-Young PyunThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we highlight the latest book and publishing news in Asian American literature for our October 2022 mid-month check-in, including checking in on some bookstore drama and unionizing in the publishing world.New books and authors mentioned in our publishing news:Homeseeking by Karissa ChenRed by Cherry ZongProdigy by Cyrena Lee; illust by Julia KuoThe Magic Lunch Box by Hanna Kim; illust by Emily PaikMy Mama Is a Work of Art by Hana AcabadoThe Healers of Harlem: The Lost History of the Black Women Medical Pioneers in America's First Desegregated City Hospital by Nina ChhitaThe Red Car to Hollywood by Jennie LiuThe Shadow and the Ghost by Cat MinDivining the Leaves by Shveta ThakrarLetters for My Brown Self by Sarah Mughal RanaLeo's First Vote by Christina Soontornvat; illust by Isabel RoxasMami King by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri; illust Kristin SorraOnce Upon a Sari by Zenia Wadhwani; illust by Avani DwivediChinese Menu by Grace LinLittle Night Says Goodnight by Grace LinBorn Naughty: My Childhood in China by Jin Wang, with Tony Johnston; illust by Anisi BaigudeWelcome, Pink! by Laan ChamThe Red Roti written by Namita Moolani Mehra; illust by Beena MistryScroll of Heaven by Shannon Lee & Fonda LeeThe Rainbow Bangles by Thushanthi Ponweera; illust by Maithili JoshiThe Rock in My Throat by Kao Kalia Yang; illust by Jiemei LinMaking a Scene by Constance WuEveryone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith IrelandIf You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang*Support the podcast by purchasing books at our bookshop *Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba October 2022 pick is The Hole by Hye-Young PyunThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we chat with author Lygia Day Peñaflor about her debut latest novel Creep: A Love Story, a story about a girl who might be too big a fan of her high school's "it" couple. We chat with Lygia about her inspirations for the story and what it was like to get into the head of an extreme stan.Follow Lygia on instagram at @lygiaday and check out her novel Creep: A Love Story on sale now!*Support the podcast by purchasing books at our bookshop *Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba October 2022 pick is The Hole by Hye-Young PyunThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we discuss our Books & Boba September 2022 pick, You're Invited by Amanda Jayatissa, a twisty thriller about Amaya, a woman who returns to her hometown for the first time in years to stop the wedding between her ex-best friend and her ex-boyfriend. To do so, she need to re-enter the cutthroat Sri-Lankan high society that she thought she had left behind forever. But is everything really how it seems? Or is there something dark festering underneath this perfect wedding that Amaya is willing to go as far as it takes to stop it?*Support the podcast by purchasing books at our bookshop *Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba October 2022 pick is The Hole by Hye-Young PyunThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we welcome bestselling author Judy I. Lin to chat about her debut duology A Magic Steeped in Poison and A Venom Dark and Sweet, an Asian-inspired fantasy series about magical tea, imperial court intrigue, and a young woman's quest for redemption. We chat with Judy about her inspirations behind the story, as well as her series' whirlwind publishing schedule. Follow Judy on instagram at @judyilinauthor and check out her novels A Magic Steeped in Poison and A Venom Dark and Sweet on sale now!*Support the podcast by purchasing books at our bookshop *Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba September 2022 pick is You're Invited by Amanda JayatissaThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we highlight the latest book and publishing news in Asian American literature for our September 2022 mid-month check-in, this month we also check out some recent book awards updates and have a chat about the sad recent trends of book bans.New books and authors mentioned in our publishing news:Song of the Six Realms by Judy LinGood Fortune by C.K. ChauCovenant series by LySandra VuongOxherd Boy by Regina LinkeMy Father, the Panda Killer by Jamie Jo HoangToto by Hyewon YumA Suffragist's Guide to the Antarctic by Yi Shun LaiThe Spirit Mirror by Roshani ChokshiA Drop of Venom by Sajni PatelThe No-Shoes Home by Helena Ku Rhee; illust by Myo YimI Drew a Heart by Gillian SzePerfect by Waka T. Brown; illust by Yuko JonesGanesha Goes Green by Lakshmi Thamizhmani; illust by Debasmita DasguptaA Sky That Sings by Anita Sanchez & George Steele; illust by Emily MendozaGoodnight Zodiac Animals by Jiemei LinPostcards from Malcolm X: How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Civil Rights Activist by Mia Wenjen; illust by Keith Henry BrownTogether on Eid by Sana Rafi; illust by Mariam QuraishiWhen We Were Sisters by Fatimah AsgharThe Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories by Jamil Jan KochaiAll This Could be Different by Sarah Thankam MathewsAs She Appears by Shelley WongThe Rupture Tense by Jenny XieA Thousand Steps into Night by Traci CheeMaizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa YeeAll My Rage by Sabaa TahirSeasons of Purgatory Shahriar MandanipourScattered All Over the Earth by Yoko TawadaIbn Arabi’s Small Death by Mohammed Hasan Alwan*Support the podcast by purchasing books at our bookshop *Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba September 2022 pick is You're Invited by Amanda JayatissaThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, author Tracey Lien joins the podcast to talk about her debut novel All That's Left Unsaid, a thrilling mystery about a journalist who returns to her hometown of Cabramatta after her baby brother's violent death in search for answers and to confront her past. Tracey shares about her inspirations for the novel, as well as about her journey to becoming a novelist.Follow Tracey on instagram at @hellotraceylien and check out her latest novel All That's Left Unsaid on sale now!*Support the podcast by purchasing books at our bookshop *---This episode was sponsored by the Ma-Yi Theater Company:From Ma-Yi Theater Company (The Chinese Lady, Teenage Dick) comes a generation-spanning new journey through the historical and fantastical. Mixing traditional Korean fables with the horrors of the Korean War, Daniel K. Isaac’s epic new play is a funny and deeply moving analog for the experiences of the Korean American diaspora. Isaac deftly moves his characters through time, tracing the legacies of trauma that are passed from one generation to the next, and the various coping mechanisms each one uses to soldier on.Playing August 23 - September 18 at the  La Mama's Ellen Stewart Theater in New York City---Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba September 2022 pick is You're Invited by Amanda JayatissaThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we discuss our August 2022 book club pick, Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar, a story about 2 Bengali Irish teens who enter into, you guessed it,  a fake relationship. Hani is doing i to prove to her very toxic friends that she is bi-sexual, and Ishu is doing it so Hani can help her become head girl. But what happens when the fake relationship starts becoming too real?*Support the podcast by purchasing books at our bookshop *Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba September 2022 pick is You're Invited by Amanda JayatissaThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we welcome author Sangu Mandanna to chat about her new novel The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, a cozy story about a lonely witch named Mika who finds herself in charge of educating three young witches in the English countryside. We chat with Sangu about her inspirations for this story of found family, generational trauma, and romance.Follow Sangu on instagram at @sangumandanna and check out her latest novel The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches on sale now!*Support the podcast by purchasing books at our bookshop *---This episode was sponsored by the Ma-Yi Theater Company:From Ma-Yi Theater Company (The Chinese Lady, Teenage Dick) comes a generation-spanning new journey through the historical and fantastical. Mixing traditional Korean fables with the horrors of the Korean War, Daniel K. Isaac’s epic new play is a funny and deeply moving analog for the experiences of the Korean American diaspora. Isaac deftly moves his characters through time, tracing the legacies of trauma that are passed from one generation to the next, and the various coping mechanisms each one uses to soldier on.Playing August 23 - September 18 at the  La Mama's Ellen Stewart Theater in New York CityTickets on sale now at:ma-yitheatre.org - use promo code BOOKSANDBOBA for discounted tickets.---Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba August 2022 pick is Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba JaigirdarThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we highlight the latest book and publishing news in Asian American literature for our August 2022 mid-month check-in, including the big news that's rocking the publishing industry right now.New books and authors mentioned in our publishing news:Worthy: The Brave and Capable Life of Joseph Pierce by Andrea Wang; illus by Youa VangThe Art Spy: The Untold Story of World War II Resistance Spy Rose Valland by Michelle YoungHaru, Zombie Dog Hero by Ellen OhFamily of Friends by Varsha Bajaj; illus by Ishaa LoboTemporary Bodies by Anuradha D. RajurkarYasmeen Lari biography by Marzieh Abbas; illus by Hoda HadadiGrief in the Fourth Dimension by Jennifer YuThe Runaway Dosa by Suma Subramaniam; illus by Parvati PillaiFood for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World by Mia Wenjen; illus by Robert Sae-HengThe Carpet and Sour Cherries by Dezh Azaad; illus by Nan CaoCall Me Adnan by Reem FaruqiPlay the Game by Amar ShahChickenpox by Remy LaiIn This Family by Shelly Anand; illus by Meenal PatelWhen a Rhino Has to WAIT by Dazzle Ng; illus by Estrela LourençoAnd Break the Pretty Kings by Lena JeongCamp Scream by Sarah C. Yung; illus by Kelsey Eng and Laan ChamHome in a Lunchbox by Cherry MoMichelle the First: How Action Hero Michelle Yeoh Danced, Acted, and Dreamed Her Own Path by Kristen Mai Giang; illus by Kuri HuangVanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu MandannaWings to Soar by Tina AthaideNavya Sings for Navarathri by Lakshmi Thamizhmani; illus by Avani DwivediA Name for Sister by Charlotte Cheng; illus by Sophie Diao*Support the podcast by purchasing books at our bookshop *---This episode was sponsored by the Ma-Yi Theater Company:From Ma-Yi Theater Company (The Chinese Lady, Teenage Dick) comes a generation-spanning new journey through the historical and fantastical. Mixing traditional Korean fables with the horrors of the Korean War, Daniel K. Isaac’s epic new play is a funny and deeply moving analog for the experiences of the Korean American diaspora. Isaac deftly moves his characters through time, tracing the legacies of trauma that are passed from one generation to the next, and the various coping mechanisms each one uses to soldier on.Playing August 23 - September 18 at the  La Mama's Ellen Stewart Theater in New York CityTickets on sale now at: http://ma-yitheatre.org/ - use promo code BOOKSANDBOBA for discounted tickets.---Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba August 2022 pick is Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba JaigirdarThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective