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.

On this episode, we bring you the delayed discussion of our Books and Boba June 2019 book club pick, Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami, a metaphysical coming-of-age story with talking cats, demon brand avatars, and lots of icky sex. Marvin and Reera do their best to talk about their first Murakami experience, breaking down the story and discussing the many metaphors in the book, as well as some of the parts that have not aged well.

For additional thoughts and discussion on the monthly pick, visit the Books & Boba Goodreads forums.

On this episode, we chat with author Misa Sugiura, author of the novel THIS TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT, a story about a Japanese American teen’s fight for justice against the family that swindled her family after they returned from being incarcerated during WW2. Misa discusses the inspirations behind writing the story as well as what she hopes readers take away from her book.