Finally, it's cool to be Asian! I have been living for Asian August with the release of Crazy Rich Asians (go see it in the theatre ASAP), the Netflix debut of To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and the new John Cho film, Searching. It was so satisfying to go to the theatre opening night to see Crazy Rich Asians and see a film full of Asian and Asian-American leads, and then I spent the weekend vegging out and watching To All the Boys I've Loved Before. To be honest, To All the Boys I've Loved Before is the series that got me into reading YA. So I figure, while everyone is here enjoying some Asian awesomeness, I'd put together a list of some of my favorite YA books by Asian & Asian-American authors that I would consider absolute must-reads. Let's do this!
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
Let's start with my favorite YA book I read this year; Emergency Contact really has it all when it comes to what I love about YA contemporaries. There's a relatable, awkward main character in Penny, whose anxiety impacts all aspects of her life, and a unique friendship that she builds with Sam, who is doing his best to recover from a background of trauma and alcohol abuse. The way that their relationship builds throughout the story of Penny's freshman year of college feels so real and I loved watching their characters develop. There are also moments of micro-aggressions that I definitely related to as an Asian woman, and, despite some heavy topics, Choi's humor still shines throughout the book. If you're going through what Penny is, you'll be able to identify and also if you are just revisiting those awkward, uncertain years of early adulthood, you'll be able to connect.
The Way You Make Me Feel &
I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo
Ahhh I loved both of these books! Again, these are YA contemporaries (sorry, that's kind of my jam) featuring Asian-American protagonists. In I Believe in a Thing Called Love, over-achiever Desi Lee is awesome at everything, except dating. Naturally, she decides to follow the examples of leading ladies from the K-dramas that she watches with her dad (their relationship is adorable) in order to score a boyfriend and check off that high school experience from her list before she goes off to college. Things get a bit complicated as actual feelings arise and Desi ends up doing completely insane things (driven by a bit of neuroses), but overall grows throughout the book and is hilarious the entire time.
Meanwhile, in The Way You Make Me Feel, the heroine, Clara, is anything but an over-achiever. Instead, the book starts off with her being suspended from school for a prank that goes to far. The sentence ends up being spending her entire summer working on her dad's food truck (Korean-Brazilian fusion, which sounds delicious) with her arch-nemesis. Clara comes off as completely obnoxious, but her growth throughout the story is amazing. Through it all, she learns who she really is and how to make sense of her atypical family structure. In typical Maurene Goo fashion, this book will also make you laugh out loud throughout.
See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng
Okay, so technically this is a middle grade book but I have to include it because it's one of my favorites! Author Jack Cheng is from Shanghai but grew up in the states and lives in Detroit, and the character he created in Alex Petroski is one that will stick with you long after you finish this book. 11-year-old Alex, who is half-Filipino, is obsessed with Cosmos (he has a dog named Carl Sagan) and his goal is to launch a rocket at an amateur rocket building meet-up and to send his Golden iPod into space.
Alex's humor and sweetness will definitely win over any reader, but there are lots of moments of real emotion throughout the book. Alex knows his mom has dark days, and thinks it's his job to take care of her, in what I think is a very thoughtful exploration of mental illness. Throughout Alex's journey with Carl Sagan at his side, he reconnects with his old brother, uncovers secrets about his deceased father, and tries to find his place in the universe. I highly recommend this book to everyone, even if you don't usually read middle grade.
American Panda by Gloria Chao
Don't hate me but this is another contemporary! It's so good though that I have to recommend it; American Panda, a debut from a dentist turned writer, follows ultra-smart Mei, whose Taiwanese parents are carving out a path for her to become a doctor and continue their legacy. Mei, however, hates germs and freaks out at the sight of blood, indicating that, although she has been admitted early to MIT, becoming a doctor may not be the profession for her. Instead, Mei loves dance and envisions herself dancing and teaching dance full-time. While this would be enough to drive her mother insane, Mei also meets a love interest who is Japanese; Mei's older brother has already been cast out of the family for dating someone the family didn't approve of, and Mei is terrified the same thing will happen to her.
Although this book deals with some harsh realities, Chao handles Mei's story with such humor and candidness that it ends up being a feel-good read. Mei's journey in her first year of college and the growth she undergoes, as well as the growing relationship with her parents and reconciling Taiwanese traditions with a Western life, make this an awesome read.
Warcross by Marie Lu
Hey look it's not a contemporary realistic fiction! Warcross, by powerhouse author Marie Lu, instead follows gamer extraordinaire and sometimes bounty hunter, Emika Chen, whose skills attract the attention the reclusive creator of Warcross, the biggest virtual reality game on the planet. Billionare game tycoon Hideo Tanaka whisks Emika from her life of poverty in New York to bring her to Tokyo and compete in the Warcross Championship, and utilize her skills to uncover a spy within his midst.
The world-building in this book is incredible, and Lu's settings and tech systems really transport the reader to Emika's world. I also appreciate that the gaming tycoon is Japanese, the game actually seems fun, and the world is super futuristic yet imaginable, unlike some other imagined gaming universes (cough, Ready Player One, cough). Emika is an awesome heroine and there enough twists in this book to keep you reading. Plus, the second book, Wildcard comes out this fall so you'll definitely want to pick this up soon so you can keep going with the series.
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee
Have you ever wanted to read a version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer featuring Chinese demons and mythology and an Asian-American heroine who has the Monkey King as a side-kick and doesn't contain nearly as much problematic content? Then you should definitely check out The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, a book in which Genie, a smart, capable teen, realizes there's a reason she's bigger and stronger than everyone else she meets, and her destiny is to fight demons and kick ass. Meanwhile, Quentin Sun, a trickster who seems to be hiding something from her, is a sort of a guide throughout her bizarre journey.
This book has a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor, nicely incorporates aspects of Chinese mythology, and has a strong heroine who is still easy to relate to. Plus, according to Goodreads there is a sequel in the future (fingers-crossed) to continue the adventures of this awesome, demon-crushing teen.
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings compiled by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman
If you've ever wanted to read a collection of myths and legends written by some of the best and brightest Sci-Fi/Fantasy writers like Alyssa Wong, Roshani Chokshi, Julie Kagawa, and more, then A Thousand Beginnings and Endings is definitely required reading. Each writer takes on a traditional myth or legend selected from cultures throughout East and South Asia. There's a good range of historical fantasy, contemporary settings, and the collection incorporates a variety of writing styles. Although not every story is a five-star read, there is definitely something for every reader in this collection, and it's awesome to have a collection of stories inspired by myths that are usually overlooked by mainstream publishing, like stories based on Hmong legends or Punjabi myths.
Okay, but what else is coming out....
Now for a few of the upcoming 2019 releases that are generating some buzz! One I'm super excited to hear more about is Gumiho, a debut by Kat Cho, that will be a YA urban fantasy set in modern-day Seoul and featuring Korean mythology. Um, yes please. There's also Ruse, a new edition to Cindy Pon's Want series, which takes place in a futuristic Shanghai, slated to be released in March of 2019. I'm also really excited for the release of The Tiger at Midnight, which draws on Indian legends and Hindu mythology and features an assassin heroine. According to Goodreads, it's also slated for a Spring 2019 release. Pardon me while I stalk NetGalley hoping that it pops up.
These are just a few of the books that have me so thrilled to see what other awesome Asian authors and Asian characters we get to read about and hopefully also see adapted into films! And the list of recommendations is like just scratching the surface of Asian representation in YA so if you need more reading ideas or have any to suggest, leave a comment below!
Happy reading!
