On our second to last mid-month book news episode in 2025, we highlight some of the latest Asian American publishing announcements, and catch up on the latest book news for November 2025!

Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news:

• Overrated by Gene Luen Yang & Jacob Perez
• Ink & Blood: Poetry and Power in the Lives of Emperor Li Yu and Chairman Mao by Chun Yu; illust. Sungyoon Choi
• The Peacock Throne by Zeba Shahnaz 
• Forest Freaks by Nat Iwata
• Mei Mei the Bunny by Laufey; Illusy. Lauren O'Hara
• Aunties by Pooja Makhijani; illust. Ruchi Mhasane
• The Girl, the Village, and the Terrible Thunder by Aimee Yealim Lee; illust. Hyewon Yum
• Jade vs. the Claw Machine by Margaret Chiu Greanias; illust. Heather Brockman Lee
• Sun's Eid by Natasha Khan Kazi
• The Echo of Empires by Shameen Abubakar
• untitled picture book biography of Katherine Sui-Fun Cheung by Cheryl Kim; illust. Nicole Wong. 
• Mongoose's Holi Party by Darshana Khiani; illust. Abhilasha Khatri
• The Gods Will Sing Our Song by Autumn Krause
• Echoes Across the Water by Livia Blackburne
• What's for Iftar?! by Razeena Omar Gutta; illust. Esraa Hedery

Book news mentioned on this episode:

• 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards begins (Asian authors nominated for awards listed below)

Readers’ Favorite Fiction

• The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
• A Guardian and Thief by Megha Majumdar
• The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai

Favorite Historical Fiction

• Homeseeking by Karissa Chan

Favorite Mystery & Thriller

• Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Favorite Romance

• King of Envy by Ana Huang

Favorite Romantasy

• A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
• Alchemised by SenLinYu 
• Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan

Favorite Fantasy

• Red City by Marie Lu
• Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
• Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao

Favorite Science-Fiction

• Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto
• Saltcrop by Yume Kitase
• These Memories Don’t Belong to Us by Yiming Ma
• Luminous by Silvia Park
• Local Heavens by K.M. Fajardo

Favorite Horror

• What Hunger by Catherine Dang
• Bat Eater and Other Words for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
• Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang

Favorite Debut

• Homeseeking by Karissa Chen
• The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei
• Alchemised by SenLinYu

Favorite Young Adult Fantasy & Sci-Fi

• Hekate:The Witch by Nikita Gill
• Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
• Every Spiral of Fate by Tahereh Mafi
• Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi
• The Floating World by Axie Oh
• Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee
• Never Ever After by Sue Lynn Tan
• A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim

Favorite Young Adult Fiction

• You’ve Found Oliver by Dustin Thao
• When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur
• I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang

Favorite Memoir

• Finding My Way by Malala Yousafzai
• 107 Days by Kamala Harris
• Mother May Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy
• Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li

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

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• Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
• Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

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The Books & Boba November 2025 book club pick is Taiwan Travelogue by Shuang-zi Yang, translated by Lin King

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss Chinese Republicans, a new play from Alex Lin

Coming to the Roundabout Theatre Company this winter, Chinese Republicans is a biting new satirical drama from Alex Lin, directed by Chay Yew, following three high-powered businesswomen who meet for lunch every month to discuss their latest career triumphs, as they’ve done for decades. But the group is jolted when Katie, a bright-eyed 24-year-old new to the workforce, joins to navigate the world of corporate finance. As each of the women attempts to steer Katie towards what they’re certain is best, they’re forced to grapple with how much they already have and are willing to sacrifice to climb the corporate ladder.

Tickets for Chinese Republicans on sale now!