On this episode, we sit down with author A.H. Kim to talk about her latest novel Relative Strangers, a contemporary adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibilities following the Korean-American Bae-Wood family as they find themselves thrown from their home as the result of an unexpected estate battle. We chat with Ann about her inspirations for the story, and what goes into adapting a timeless story with an Asian American lens.

Follow Ann on Instagram at @ahkim.writer and check out her novel, Relative Strangers, 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 welcome author Vanessa Le to chat about her debut novel The Last Bloodcarver, a Vietnamese-American inspired YA fantasy about a girl with the power to alter human biology who wants to be a healer even if the world sees her as a monster, who is caught and sold into the service of a wealthy family to heal the last surviving witness to a suspected murder. We chat with Vanessa about her inspirations for her fantasy action meets medical murder mystery, as well as how her background as a Vietnamese-American med student helped her develop her book’s world and magic system!

Follow Vanessa on Instagram at @lochnessly and check out her debut novel, The Last Bloodcarver, available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!

On our mid-month check in for March 2024, we recap the latest Asian American book and publishing announcements, as well as go over some exciting adaptation and festival news!

Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news:

• The Perfections by Lulee Ma
• Revolutions Are Made of
• Love by Sun
• Yung Shin and Mélina Mangal; illust by Leslie Barlow
• Nunu and the Sea by Isabella Kung
•  A Home on the Page by Kao Kalia Yang;
• illust by Seo Kim
• Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai
• Dragon Force: Infinity’s
• Secret by Katie
• Tsang and Kevin Tsang
• Falling Star by Linda Liu
• I Guess I’ll Go Eat Worms by Linda Liu
• The Day the Books
• Disappeared by Joanna
• Ho and Caroline Kusin Pritchard; illust by Dan Santat
• Lou with the Band by Alexandra Leigh
• Young
• Prodigal Tiger by Samantha Chong
• The Art of How Dogs Sleep by Alison Kim

News stories covered on this episode:

• Babel optioned for screen adaptation
• YALLWEST announces lineup

On this episode, we welcome author Sophie Wan to chat about her debut novel Women of Good Fortune, a story of three “leftover” women living in Shanghai each stuck in their own ruts from living under the patriarchy, who decides to do something about it, by planning a heist to steal the red envelope money a crazy rich wedding. We had a great chat with Sophie about her inspirations for the story as well as what goes into constructing a good heist.

Follow Sophie on Instagram at @thesophiewan and check out Sophie’s debut novel, Women of Good Fortune, available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!

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On this episode, we discuss our February 2024 book club pick, Untethered Sky, an action packed novella by Fonda Lee about a young woman as she becomes a Ruhker, who are warriors that hunt monsters using giant mythical birds called rocs.

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