What else are you reading thread?

[Reera, Bookmaster]

David wrote: "So I'm reading a ton of Korean books in translation and want to send one your way as well! The Literature Translation Institute of Korea has sent me a dozen Korean works in translation released in ..."

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 has been on my TBR list for years now. I'm so happy that it got translated into English this year.

[Julie]

I just read F. C. Yee’s two Kyoshi novels. Had a lot of fun with these “soulless IP” books (thanks, Book Twitter). Enjoyed how he filled out the world, but left some gaps in what happened between Kyoshi’s era and Aang’s.

[Reera, Bookmaster]

Julie wrote: "I just read F. C. Yee’s two Kyoshi novels. Had a lot of fun with these “soulless IP” books (thanks, Book Twitter). Enjoyed how he filled out the world, but left some gaps in what happened between K..."

Interesting. I've only read The Promise and The Search in the Avatar graphic novel series. They were breezy reads, but I still couldn't mentally accept the books being canon if that makes sense?

[Julie]

Reera wrote: "Julie wrote: "I just read F. C. Yee’s two Kyoshi novels. Had a lot of fun with these “soulless IP” books (thanks, Book Twitter). Enjoyed how he filled out the world, but left some gaps in what happ..."

That makes perfect sense. Like, with what happened re: Zuko’s mom, I see that as an interpretation and not necessarily “canon.” It might just be the medium.

I guess because the Kyoshi novels don’t feel like something added to the ATLA or LOK series specifically, I’m a little more inclined to accept it; especially if it’s a neat character touch. For example, he tied Kyoshi’s dramatic makeup to what would be the equivalent of traditional Chinese opera in an interesting way. Fun, but I don’t know if I would call it canon.

[Gary]

Hi! I'm new to Books and Boba. I've been catching up on the podcasts for books I have read in the past.

That said, I am currently reading Two Trees Make a Forest by Jessica J. Lee! As she hikes through Taiwan, Lee is an environmental historian who writes about finding her way back through her family's ancestry to Canada from Taiwan from China. She writes about her memories and finding pieces of her family's story while also writing about Taiwan's unique geology and ecology.

[Lauren]

I just found out about this a few days ago: Apparently, actor Lou Diamond Phillips just released his debut novel. It's called Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira and it's a sci-fi story based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, "The Tinderbox." I started reading it this morning and I await to see what direction it takes me in.

[Lauren]

I finished reading Klara and the Sun this morning. It's the newest novel from Kazuo Ishiguro. I know that one of the previous books for this book club was, I believe, his most renowned novel, Never Let Me Go. While I attempted reading that one at the time, I just couldn't get myself to be invested in it for some reason. Looking back on it, I guess that just wasn't the right novel by Ishiguro for me, because I really liked this new one of his. It's definitely one of the more thoughtful takes on an AI character.

[Amit]

'I'm right, you're wrong' was a thought provoking little book

[Nina]

“Hybrida” by Tina Chang

[Julie]

Working on The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri and just started listening to Parachutes by Kelly Yang.

[梅根敏敏]

I just finished The Lost Imperial Seal by C.H. Henry Hsu.

A brilliant adventure novel! I LOVE this book!

Great story and great read. It’s an adventure fiction based on the perspective of Asian Canadian. I thought I'd just watched an exciting, action-packed Hollywood movie. It's a perfect fit to be adapted into film. An entertaining and easy read, with clean and simple storytelling. Overall, the story is mixed with suspense, thrill, and humour.

This book lets me see Taiwan! I’m very amazed by this book. How can the author (a Taiwanese Canadian) know Taiwan so well!? I highly recommend this book to all wuxia or action novel readers, Overseas Asian, Taiwanese, or anyone who wants to know more about Taiwan. It’s a must-read in 2021.

[brokebookmountain]

I'm currently reading Shelter by Jung Yun and A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara! Both are very heavy reads I must say

[Katherine]

I just finished Tastes Like War: A Memoir by Grace M. Cho. I read this book with tears in my eyes almost the entire way through (a mix of happy and sad tears). It’s Korean war history, with commentary on mental health, mixed with a loving mother/daughter story, and food memories. It was impactful to read, and I’m so glad I was able too.

[Nicole]

"These Violent Delights" by Chloe Gong.

[Reera, Bookmaster]

Nicole wrote: ""These Violent Delights" by Chloe Gong."

Ooh! We interviewed Chloe back when the book came out. Really loved the setting. Can't wait for the sequel, Our Violent Ends, to release in November!

[Christine]

Listening to Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

[Christine]

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book should come with a warning to have a box of tissues handy. Had I known, it would have made the awkwardness of my husband walking in the kitchen to find me weeping at the counter over the author’s words. Was it the onions? No. Michelle Zauner had me crying at the first chapter. From her complex relationship with her parents, especially her mother, to her mouth-watering description of the Korean meals prepared by her mother and aunties, this is a beautiful story of a young woman finding her way home.



View all my reviews

[Christine]

Listening to the autobiographical Eat a Peach by David Chang

[David]

OK Just finished the debut short story collection from Yoon Choi called Skinship and this is, hands down, the MOST Korean American thing I've ever read. This is all killer, no filler. While How to Pronounce Knife (also a fantastic short story collection) talks about Asian immigrants as reflected by the dominant white culture, Skinship is about Koreans from a Korean perspective. It's not from a marginalized attitude if that makes sense. The writing is incredible and there are just so many little notes and flourishes that resonated. Favorite read of 2021!

[Christine]

Finished reading Eat a Peach by David Chang

[Rosa]

David wrote: "OK Just finished the debut short story collection from Yoon Choi called Skinship and this is, hands down, the MOST Korean American thing I've ever read. This is all killer, no fille..."

I already had that book on my To Read list, but am moving it to the top based on your high praise, since "non-self-explain-y" Asian American writing is my default. Greatly appreciate the tip!

Two books I read recently that accomplished non-explaining beautifully were Anthony Veasna So's Afterparties (mentioned upthread) and Alexander Chee's Edinburgh - each portrays nuances of being Khmer, a child of refugees, Californian, and queer(So)/Korean American, biracial, small town New Englander, and queer (Chee) without ever coming across as entreating (for lack of a better term) the broader audience.

[Lauren]

I've been reading a lot of sci-fi novels as of late, all of which are pretty new. Titles include Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki, How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu, and I just finished reading the fourth novel by Mike Chen, Light Years from Home: A Novel.

[aisah c.]

Planning to next read Map of the Invisible World by Tash Aw :)

[Aisha]

The last book I read was Walking the Divide (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...). This historical fiction novel kept me awake nights.

Reading Room with a View by Ibsen now.

[A Public Space]

Hi All!

A book that we are reading is a short story collection by debut author Ada Zhang. My (Lydia!) personal favorite story from the collection is "The Subject." It's about a college-age Asian woman who ends up living with this elderly asian woman, and it explores that dynamic between old and young as well as immigration. It does all this through the use of the interview form, a structural technique that really amplifies the emotion of the story. Check it out if you get the chance!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

[Xinqi]

Im currently reading Strike The Zither by Joan He, its a fantasy retelling of the romance of the three kings but with women instead as the main characters. I absolutely love the main character Zephr, she is so sassy. I also have recently read This Time It's Love by Ann Liang, it was so a cute romantic read