Books and Boba

On this episode we welcome back author E. L. Shen to chat about her newest novel Foreigners! Loosely based on her own family's history, Foreigners is a compelling take on the multigenerational Asian American story following characters from Qing dynasty China, 1960's New York, and present day New England, and the lies (big and small) we tell to fit in.
Follow E. L. Shen on Instagram at @elshenwrites and check out her novel Foreigners, available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!
Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks
Purchasing books at our bookshop
Rocking our Books & Boba merch

Follow our hosts:
Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

Follow us:
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The Books & Boba October 2026 pick is Ebony Gate by Julia Vee & Ken Bebelle
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we discuss our September 2026 book club pick, Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim, a classic Asian American multigenerational story, about the tenuous relationship between an immigrant mother and her American daughter, but with a magical realism twist as both mother and daughter also have mysterious powers from a family curse passed down through the generations (the mother can turn invisible and the daughter can feel the history of anything she touches).
Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks
Purchasing books at our bookshop
Rocking our Books & Boba merch

Follow our hosts:
Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

Follow us:
Instagram
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook

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

On this episode, we catch up on the latest Asian American book news and the last 2 month of publishing announcements for our September 2026 mid-month check-is

Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news:
For You I Would Forget by Zeyneb Holdridge
We Rose from the Sea by Olivia Sun
Fern and the Fox by Sophie Diao
A Drop of Kindness by Andrea Wang; illust. by Sally Soweol Han
Wings by Susan Tan; illust. by Rowan Kingsbury
Yukiko and the Little Black Cat by Sarah Tsiang; illust. by Joey Ng
Wanbo by Shiho Pate
Incomplete Works by Sarah Chihaya
From the Clear Blue Sky by Jackie Akiko Cloud
Monster Moon Rising edited by Ellen Oh
Meow Meow Magic by Yu Kito Lee
The Boy from Cloud Mountain by B.B. Tan
10 Sleepy Cats by Lili Chin
Z Is for Zoomies by Lili Chin
Dear June, I'm Mad at You by Vivienne Chang & Eugenia Yoh
Super Shy by Vivian Truong
Tapestry of Gold by Tasia M.S
Write Back Soon by Remy Lai

Book news mentioned on this episode:
Bridgerton star Yerin Ha to narrate American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee
R.F. Kuang’s Taipei Story debuts at #3 on NYT Bestsellers List for Hardcover Fiction
HarperCollins Launches Manga Imprint
C.B. Lee’s Coffesshop in an Alternate Universe wins Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book

Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks
Purchasing books at our bookshop
Rocking our Books & Boba merch

Follow our hosts:
Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

Follow us:
Instagram
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook

The Books & Boba September 2026 pick is Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we welcome author Julie Abe back to the show to talk about her newest middle grade fantasy novel, The Magic Library of Waterfall Way, a story about an unremarkable girl in a magical world of remarkable people, and her one chance at finding a guild to finally belong to in order to avoid exile, but in order to do so, she must fulfill a quest to save a magical library. We're excited to catch up with Julie as she launches her newest MG fantasy series!
Follow Julie on Instagram at @julieabebooks and check out her latest novel The Magic Library of Waterfall Way available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!
Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks
Purchasing books at our bookshop
Rocking our Books & Boba merch

Follow our hosts:
Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

Follow us:
Instagram
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook

The Books & Boba September 2026 pick is Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode,we discuss our August 2026 book club pick, Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, following Klara, an android "artificial friend," and her quest to bring happiness to her teen Josie as she grows up in a dystopic future. Join us as we dive into another masterful Ishiguro tale about the fleeting innocence of children, having conviction in the face of despair, and the complex responsibilities of parenthood (and more specifically, how far should someone go to give their children a better life).
Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors
Support the Books & Boba Podcast by:
Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perks
Purchasing books at our bookshop
Rocking our Books & Boba merch

Follow our hosts:
Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)
Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)

Follow us:
Instagram
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook

The Books & Boba September 2026 pick is Fishbone Cinderella by Elizabeth Lim
This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective