On this episode, we discuss our Books and Boba October 2019 book club pick, Summer of the Big Bachi by Naomi Hirahara, a story about an elderly and jaded Japanese-American gardener named Mas Arai who also happens to be a competent (though reluctant) sleuth. Against his wishes, Mas is drawn into a series of unfortunate events that force him to re-confront his experiences as a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima as he braces himself for the big bachi.

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On this episode, we go over the latest book and publishing news in Asian American literature for our Books & Boba mid-month check-in for October 2019.

On this episode, we discuss our Books and Boba September 2019 book club pick, Everything Here is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee, a story about a pair of sisters and their the testing of their bond as the younger one struggles with mental illness. We discuss the book’s takes on the effects of mental illness on not only the person dealing with it, but also those around them. Reera also reflects on her own experiences and her thoughts on how the book addresses these issues.

CW: Discussion of mental illness and some mention of suicide

It’s time to go over the latest book and publishing news in Asian American literature for our Books & Boba mid-month check-in for September 2019. We also recap the results of the 2019 Hugo Awards including the big splash that Jeannette Ng made in her acceptance speech for the Best New Writer award.

On this episode, we discuss our Books and Boba August 2019 book club pick, Severance, by Ling Ma, a story about a millennial New Yorker dealing with (or not dealing with) a zombie apocalypse. Marvin and Reera discuss the book’s contemporary take on the Zombie genre and how the book deftly melds millennial anxieties with the nuances of life as a 1.5 generation Asian American immigrant.

On this episode, we go over the latest book and publishing news in Asian American literature on our August 2019 Books & Boba mid-month check-in. We also chat about the latest TV adaptation news and the recent passing of celebrated author Toni Morrison.

On this episode, we discuss our Books and Boba July 2019 book club pick, Zero Sum Game, by S.L. Huang, a thriller about Cas Russel, a mercenary who uses her superhuman math skills to “retrieve” things for her clients. She’s used to relying on herself to get through tough situations, but meets her match and has to rely on others for the first time to survive. Marvin and Reera discuss thier personal historie with math, how the diverse cast is portrayed, and the central themes of morality in the story.