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Hey everyone, and welcome back to the Epic Reads channel.
I'm Valerie, and today I'll be recommending some books in celebration of
Asian Pacific Heritage Month.
So Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is where we recognize the contributions
and influences that Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans.
Have made to the history, the culture and achievements of the United States.
And anyone who knows me knows that I'm super proud to be Asian American.
And I'm here for the representation, especially in young adult books, because I
feel like there's a stigma around Asian Americans dipping into the creative field.
We all know the stereotype, the one where Asian Americans are expected to
become doctors, or engineers, or even lawyers.
When truthfully, there are just so
many other professions out there that we want to pursue.
Growing up, I definitely experienced this, and
wish I had reassurance that going after your dreams didn't mean failure.
Especially if your passion is something that those that
doesn't lie within the imaginary guidelines that were imposed on you.
And I'm sure a lot of you can relate when I say that
I didn't see a lot of myself in books that I read growing up.
But in recent years I have seen parts of myself and
a lot of different books that I've been reading.
And as with every experienced Asian American, experience is not a monolith.
And there are just so many stories out there that need to be told,
not just in books, but in all forms of media as well.
And I think the successes of Crazy Rich Asians, To All the Boys I've Loved Before,
Parasite, Never Have I Ever, and beyond have really opened up everyone's
eyes to how many different stories there are.
So I'm happy to be here on Epic Reads to share with you
books with Asian American representation by Asian American Authors
in celebration of Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.
And that was like the 600th time that I said that, so finally got it.
So the first book I wanna recommend is Loveboat Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen.
So it's a juicy romp that takes us to Taiwan told in the point of view of
Ever Wong, who is a doctor in progress, but she nurses a secret passion for dance.
So her summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents sign her up for
a strict educational program in Taiwan.
They think it's strict, but when she gets to Taiwan she learns that this program is
actually a summer free-for-all where hookups abound,
and nightlife runs nonstop, and adults turn a blind eye.
So there's an exceptional cast of characters.
So there's Rick, who is a Yale bound child prodigy,
the bane of Ever's existence ever since she was a child, the boy crazy and
fashion obsessed Sophie, the dark and broody exterior Yeh.
And it's guaranteed to be a summer that they will never forget.
I was so excited when I first saw this cover.
Let me pull it back up.
The art and
the title lettering were created by two of my favorite creators out there,
who are both also Asian American, but I'll save my fan grilling for another day.
So this read, my God, at times I felt it
deep in my heart when Ever would air her frustrations of her parents and
trying to understand why they would send her on this trick educational program.
And I feel like that's something that a lot of first generation
Asian Americans can understand when they're reading this book.
And at other times it had me just purely
blushing on the subway from the juicy romps that they had.
So if you haven't picked up this read yet, you should.
But I'm going to say that for literally every book on this list, so
you might as well have your Goodreads open while I recommend books.
So the second book I wanna recommend is Mad, Bad and
Dangerous To Know by Samira Ahmed.
She's an author who always keeps it real.
So it's told in alternating point of views that bridge centuries.
So the first is in current day Paris, where a girl named Khayyam,
who's American, French, Indian and Muslim,
should be enjoying her dream trip in Paris as a budding art historian.
But she's at crossroads with herself.
Her maybe ex-boyfriend might be ghosting her and
she might have blown her chance at getting into her dream college.
And the second narrative is set 200 years before her summer,
where a girl named Leila is struggling to survive and hiding her true love
from the Pasha, who has gifted her the favorite status in his haram.
So in the present day, with the company of a descendant of Alexander Dumas,
Khayyam begins to connect allusions to a 19th century Muslim woman
whose paths may have crossed with a bunch of different artists.
Khayyam story is fierce, it's passionate, and it's full of heart,
all the while giving way to Layla to share her own story.
And I feel like both their stories really expose the way that
women are often not given their own space to share their story or
their opinions and often erased from history, especially women of color.
And this book, it's a fantastic blend of romance, mystery, and
history, all set in dreamy Paris with complex and strong characters.
You know that feeling when you're a teenager where you're a little lost, or
you're falling in love for the first time, even having you're heart broken for
the first time?
And it's figuring out where you belong in society and the world.
I think Samira does a really good job at portraying that
the profoundness of being a teenager and discovering everything has been something
that spans across generations and centuries.
I think like Samira really encapsulates that well.
So I'm a sucker for alternative point of views.
I think it really brings the characters to life and
enriches the story even more when you see all sides of it.
So the next book I want to recommend is Parachutes, by Kelly Yang.
So if you've never heard of the term parachutes before,
they're teenagers who are dropped off to live in private homes and
to study in the United States while the wealthy parents remain in Asia.
And the first point of view is told from Claire, who never thought that she would
become a parachute until her parents take her from a privileged life in Shanghai and
enroll her at a high school in Los Angeles.
Where she finds herself living in a stranger's house with
no one to tell her what to do for the first time.
So the second point of view is told from Dani de la Cruz, Claire's new host sister.
Dani is not thrilled that her mom rented out their extra room to Claire
as an academic and debate team star.
She's determined to earn her way to Yale, all the while competing with privileged
students who are buying their way to the top.
So they keep butting heads because Claire is exploring her newfound freedom
along with her new boyfriend, Jay, who is the bachelor of the Parachute community.
And Dani has to alter her game plan when she starts
working privately with her debate coach.
But then they find out that they have more in common than what meets the eye and
they come together.
In the end, they find out that they have more in common with each other and
that they have developed some sort of attachment and friendship with each other.
And I feel like this book really opens up readers' eyes to the struggle of
immigrants, whether they're first or second generation, and
what it means to be Asian in American society.
So as someone who was born in Hong Kong and
immigrated here to the US, the story really spoke out to me.
Cuz while you have to learn the culture and lifestyle and
assimilate to American society, you also have to remain true to your roots.
And I think that's a really important theme of
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Since so many of us have spent our entire lives
figuring out the balance between being Asian and being an American.
So Parachutes, by Kelly Yang, add it to your TBR.
So the next book I wanna recommend is Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay.
So it's a coming of age story about a high school senior named Jay who
plans to spend his last semester playing video games.
But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin, Jun, was murdered as part of
President Duterte's war on drugs, he travels to the Philippines to try and
learn more, since his family seems really unwilling to talk about it.
So it just forces him to learn the many sides of his cousin, his family, and
himself, even though sometimes he doesn't feel like he wants to learn.
He comes to terms with
the fact that sometimes people aren't exactly who you remember them to be.
And I feel like this book is so nuanced and
it tackles topics like colorism, drugs, grief, privilege, nationalism,
faith, and more, while tying in the lush backdrop of the Philippines.
So this is a read that will really stay with you long after you've read it,
especially since it's based on real events that are happening in
the Philippines right now.
And Randy actually included a list of nonfiction articles
in the back of the book for reference.
And I think something that really stands out to me was the fact that
the family wasn't really willing to speak of it.
And I think that's something that's common in Asian American families or
Asian families In general,
but I feel like that's something that's really important to talk about.
And I think that Patron Saints of Nothing is a really good book to expose that side
of an Asian American experience.
So if you're an avid fantasy reader,
I would recommend The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala.
It's a first book in a trilogy that's inspired by ancient Indian history and
Hindu mythology about two people whose paths cross.
So Esha moonlights as the Viper, who is a highly skilled assassin that's
trained to avenge everything they lost in the royal coup.
Now she's taking on her most important mission to date,
and that's taking on General Hotha.
So the second person is Kunal, who is a soldier that has been training night and
day to uphold the power of King Vardaan.
And his uncle, the General, has made sure that his path doesn't stray,
even though Kunal is really eager to join the outside world and longs to do that.
But then Esha and Kunal's paths cross in the most unexpected way, mind you,
Esha is trying to kill General Hotha and Kunal's mission is to take down the Viper.
So that sets up a chain of events when they meet and
their beliefs are challenged and they're forced to make tough decisions
that will ultimately make them discover themselves.
So it's a lot of cat and
mouse game because like they both think that they're the one in control, but
there's actually a third party that they don't know of also calling the shots.
So it has like an electric romance and tons of action.
There's an element of mystery and it ties in a magical world inspired by history and
mythology.
The sequel to this book comes out this year so you can read both at once.
So the next book I wanna recommend is, A Very Large Expanse Of Sea,
by the New York Times' best selling author of the Shatter Me series, Tahereh Mafi.
It's set in 2002, a year after 911 attacks.
And it's a politically turbulent time, especially for someone like Shirin,
who is a 16 year old Muslim girl who's really tired of being stereotyped.
She knows how horrible people can be at this point.
She gets rude stares, she gets degrading comments, and
she even experiences physical violence as a result of her race,
her religion, and the hijab that she wears every day.
So she drowns her frustrations in music and breakdancing and
she's put her guard up so high and doesn't wanna let anyone in.
But then she meets Ocean James,
who is the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know her.
And it terrifies her to let her guard down, but
it sets her on a journey to figuring out her own emotions and
what it means to let someone in after you've been hurt so many times.
I think almost everyone can remember where they were when they heard
of the 911 attacks.
I myself was only in first grade and
I was too young to understand what was going on at the time.
But I do remember growing up the prejudice that was painted across the world,
even years after the 911 attacks.
And I feel like A Very Large Expanse of Sea really exposes readers to a side
of the story that's often not told when we talk about the 911 attacks.
And it also ties in a normal stages of being a teenager, like falling in love for
the first time or what it means to let someone in after you've been hurt so
many times.
So if you've already read and love this book,
then you'll be happy to hear that she has another contemporary coming out, and
it's called An Emotion of Great Delight.
So add that to your TBR as well.
So, the next book I wanna recommend is Darius the Great is Not Okay,
by Adib Khorram.
It's about a boy named Darius who has an American father and a Persian mother, but
he doesn't feel like he fits in with either world.
He's about to visit Iran for the first time and meet his family and
it's overwhelming because he's also dealing with depression,
a disapproving dad, and a less than ideal social life.
And in Iran, he gets to know his grandparents who he's only
chatted with over video chat his entire life.
And he also meets Sohrab, who is the boy next door.
And you know anytime you use the descriptor the boy next door,
it means it's gonna change your life.
So Sohrab always make sure that people speak English around Darius so
he knows what's going on.
And he gives him an Iranian national football team jersey to make him
feel like a true Persian for the first time.
And they spend their days playing soccer, eating ice cream, and
sitting on a rooftop overlooking the Yazdi skyline.
So this is the first book I've ever read with an Iranian main character,
let alone that this is set in Iran.
It's full of heart and full of culture.
And it reminds us that the point of highly diverse books
is to allow us to discover a world outside of our own.
And so if you enjoy character driven books that explore family and friendship,
then this is the book for you.
For those of you who are trying to get back into reading or would like to but
don't have that much time to, A Thousand Beginnings and Endings is perfect for you.
It's a collection of short stories by best selling and
acclaimed authors that reimagine East, and South Asian folklore and mythology.
So it's compiled by Ellen And Elsie Chapman of We Need Diverse Books.
And it features authors like Renee Ahdieh, Sona Charaipotra, Roshani Chokshi,
Melissa de la Cruz, and more.
So from fantasy to sci fi to contemporary, there are tales of romance and revenge.
And reading some of these actually made me recall
folklore that my mom used to tell me when I was young.
This collection truly encapsulates the spirit of APHM and
celebrates the culture and heritage
by which these retellings were inspired by and adds like a modern flair to them.
So if you like short story collections, A Thousand Beginnings and
Endings is the book for you.
So this next one is one that will take your heart and will tear it apart and
it'll put it back together.
And it will stay with you for the rest of your life.
And it's The Astonishing Color of After, by Emily XR Pan.
So it's a lyrical novel that alternates between real and magic, past and
present, and hope and despair.
So it's about Leigh, who's half Asian and half white, and
she's reconciling with the fact that she kissed her best friend and longtime crush,
Axel, on the same day that her mother was taking her own life.
And when a crimson bird calls out her name,
she knows that it's her mother reincarnated.
And she travels to Taiwan to meet her estranged grandparents and
to find her mother, the bird.
And this leaves her uncovering a lot of family secrets by way of
a series of illusions and memories.
And she uses that to find out what happened to her family and
why their foundation fell apart.
So I think it's a fantastic depiction of grief, love, family, and depression and
really exposes the stigma around mental illness and the Asian American community.
Especially within our families because I feel like
Asian families are really unwilling to talk about mental health.
If you watched and loved Lulu Wang's film The Farewell, then you'll really love this
book because they both talk about family secrets as a method of protection.
And what it means to discover yourself when you go back to your roots and
learn about your culture and your family and how that can help you find yourself.
So yeah, The Astonishing Color of After,
by Emily XR Pan, is a book that I recommend for this month.
The last book I wanna recommend in this video is a book that I hold
close to my heart for many reasons.
It's Girls of Paper and Fire, by Natasha Ngan.
It's the first in the Queer OwnVoices fantasy trilogy set in the world of
Ikhara, where there's a demon and human hierarchy based on castes.
So each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as paper girls to serve to King.
It's both the highest honor and the most demeaning.
So Lei is a member of the paper cast, who lives in a remote village with her father,
where the memory of her mother being taken away from her
by royal guards like haunts her all the time.
And one day and the guards come back and they're there for
Lei who has peaked the King's interest due to her beautiful eyes.
So over weeks of training in an oppressive palace, Lei and
eight other girls learn the skills and charm befit for a king's consort.
But then she falls into forbidden love with another one of the concubines.
And a series of events unfold that involve her family and
she has to decide how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.
I could not put this book down.
It expertly tackles topics like sexual assault and domestic violence
while building one of the richest Asian-inspired worlds I've ever read.
It's due in part of the author's
own personal experiences growing up in Malaysia.
And the romance is sweet, and it's full of characters who reminded me of people
that I personally knew because they were so strong, and
just had different characteristics that really brought them to life.
And personally, I'm not like a huge fantasy reader, but
like this one is one that really captured my soul.
So I really recommend Girls of Paper and Fire for any time.
So while I only had time to recommend 10 books for you to read this month,
there are just so many stories out there waiting to be heard and told.
So I would like to invite you to join me in celebrating Asian and
Pacific Islander heritages and cultures every single day of the year.
Because I for one know that I'm super proud to be Asian American myself and
I love to celebrate it year round.
So, thanks for watching.
I'm Valerie and I'll see you next time here on Epic Reads.