On this episode, we’re joined by author Naomi Xu Elegant to chat about her debut novel Gingko Season, a story about a young Chinese American woman finding love, identity, purpose, and political awakening alongside her friends, set in New York City in 2018.

Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors

On this episode, we discuss our June 2025 book club pick is Afterparties by the late Anthony Veasna So, a short story collection about a community of Cambodian Americans in San Joaquin County. Join us as we discuss all nine short stories that take us through a myriad of emotions with Anthony’s often melancholic, sometimes hopeful, and darkly funny storytelling.

Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors

On our mid-month check in for June 2025, we highlight some of the latest Asian American publishing announcements, and catch up on the latest book tea!

Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news:

• Stormraven by Kelsea Yu
• Momma’s Christmas Gift by Kao Kalia Yang; illust. by Jacqueline Tam
• Blood of Silver by Allie Nguyen
• Worth a Shot by Dora Wang
• Lion Dancer’s Lost Lettuce by Michelle Jing Chan
• Leaf It to Me! by Katrina Moore; illust. by Biva Nguyen
• Fried Rice Surprise by Patricia Tanumihardja; illust. by Shiho Pate
• More Than What Eyes See by Miso Kwak; illust. by Thaís Mesquita
• Kiri by Alice Chu
• The Quest for the Longest Noodle by Stephanie Sy; illust. by Cindy Wume
• Hunger Fighter by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri; illust. by Kristin Sorra
• Oh, My Affogato! by Daphne Ang and Donna Ghorbanpoor
• Planted by Niña Mata
• Today Is Children’s Day by Aram Kim
• The Shape of Love by Carren Jao; illust. by Corinne Caro
• Shaping Ramadan by Mustaali Raj
• Beneath the Same Round Moon by Jasmine Fang; illust. by Rồng Phạm & Vinh Nguyễn

Book news mentioned on this episode:

• Chicago Sun-Times publishes a summer reading list filled with fake titles generated by AI
• BookToker given book deals despite having zero writing experience

Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors

On this episode, we’re excited to welcome author Susan Lee to the podcast to chat about her latest novel, The Romance Rivalry, a YA romantic comedy about two rival booktubers who find themselves as freshmen at the same small liberal arts college and enter a competition with each other to see who can find love first using nothing but romance tropes!

Follow Susan on Instagram at @susanleewrites and check out her latest novel The Romance Rivalry available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!

Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors

On this episode, we discuss our May 2025 book club pick Blob: A Love Story by Maggie Su. A story about Vi, a twenty three year old biracial midwest Asian American woman, reeling from a bad breakup and a lifetime of bad choices, who finds a sentient blob in the alleys behind a bar and decides to mold it into her ideal romantic partner. What could go wrong?

Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors

On this episode, we’re excited to welcome NYT bestselling author Axie Oh, who joins us to chat about her latest novel The Floating World, an epic romantic fantasy following the adventures of an amnesiac mercenary and a small town village girl (with hidden chosen one powers) that blends the JRPG vibes of Final Fantasy with a re-imagining of the Korean Legend of the Celestial Maidens.

Follow Axie on Instagram at @axieoh and check out her latest novel The Floating World available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!

Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors