Happy New Year! On our first mid-month book news check-in episode for the year of the horse, we go over a hefty list of latest Asian American publishing news as the publishing industry revs back into gear after the holidays.

Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news:

1. Blur the Lines by Kanitha P.
2. Paper Ghosts by Samantha Chong
3. Cold Blood by Aashna Avachat
4. Untitled Contemporary YA By Jesmeen Kaur Deo
5. The Strange Sketches of Luna Li by Gloria L. Huang
6. She Comes Out at Night by Michelle Jing Chan
7. If We Could Be Everywhere by Sarah Suk
8. The Sisterhood of Southern Peaches by Katrina Moore
9. Footprints in Snow by Keiko Hayner
10. Something Inside Me Knows by Malinda Lo
11. The Luckies by Sarah Mlynowski and Christina Soontornvat; illust. by Madi Wong
12. The Monster Inside by Cherry Mo
13. Jitty and the Machine by Mitali Banerjee Ruths; illust.by Iacopo Bruno
14. Wipe Out by Saadia Faruqi; illust. by Karen De la Vega
15. The Erhu Sings by Sally Deng
16. Blooming Behind Barbed Wire by Traci Huahn; illust. by Mayumi Sasage
17. House of Forgotten Souls by Kat Cho
18. Hello, DELA, by Kiku Hughes
19. Tae Lim Decks It Out by Angela Ahn
20. Izzy and Wolfi by Dane Liu; illust. by Maya Tatsukawa
21. The Light Garden by Joanna Ho; illust. by Minako Tomigahara

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

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The Books & Boba February 2026 is Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho

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!