My Favorite Books by Asian Authors | What to Read Wednesdays

So, I’m starting a new thing. I want to put more variety into my blog. Right now it’s just full of reviews and Top 10s and Tags, which is fine! I love making each of these kinds of posts, but I’ve been inspired by reading other blogs to do a little something extra that is all me, hence my new regular post: What I Recommend Wednesdays.

What to Read Wednesdays is a weekly post just for recommendations. If you’re like me and are always looking for new book recommendations (despite having a never-ending-always-growing TBR pile), then this is the post for you! Each week I’ll be posting my recommendations for a specific theme, which will change week-to-week.

Feel free to let me know in the comments if there is a genre you’d like to see some recommendations for! I am an eclectic reader and I hit up almost any genre, so if there’s a type of book that is your favorite thing and you’d like a recommendation, let me know!

Anyways, now for the book recs!

~ My Favorite Books By Asian Authors ~

I’ve been wanting to do a post like this in light of recent events. The rise in hate crimes towards our fellow AAPI citizens is unacceptable. If you would like to find ways to support AAPI communities, visit StopAAPIHate.org. On this blog, I would like to take this opportunity to amplify AAPI voices and so below are some of my recommendations for books by AAPI authors.

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A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

This is a super cute YA romance about two teens from rival restaurant families. I recently reviewed this book on my blog and I love recommending it to readers. It’s a really sweet story and in addition to the romance line there is some really great stuff about families and self-discovery. I highly recommend it, especially if you’re a reader who loves books involving food. Be warned: this book will make you hungry!

| Related Post: A Pho Love Story // ARC Review |

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The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

I love, love, love this book. Not only does it have a gorgeous cover, but Lee’s YA historical fiction story about a young woman with Chinese heritage striking out to become a reporter in a town that is openly racist towards Asian-Americans is really inspiring. The writing is brilliant and Lee really digs into a little-talked-about piece of American history with this book. If you’re a lover of historical fiction, this is a must.

| Related Post: The Downstairs Girl // 5/5 Hats |

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Without You, There Is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea’s Elite by Suki Kim

Every opportunity I have, I always recommend this book. I have never read a more engrossing memoir (and I’m not one to read a lot of memoirs). For six months, Kim becomes an English teacher to the sons of North Korea’s ruling class. Her story is intense and jaw-dropping. I learned so much from this book and I couldn’t put it down. Even if you’re not a fan of reading non-fiction, this book will grip you. It’s so worth the read.

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The Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

This is a really moving story of a man looking for someone to care for his cat while he’s in hospital. Fair warning, this book made me cry! It’s a beautiful book and the writing is gentle. I listened to the audiobook and it was very well read. It’s broken up into parts, between past memories and the present, as the main character visits a variety of friends to see if they can take care of this cat. Part of the story is told from the cat’s perspective, which brings a lot of humor to the book. It’s a bittersweet read and I highly recommend it.

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Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

This is one of those books that took me by surprise. I read a blurb about it in a magazine and it sounded interesting so I put it on my TBR. Well, it blew me away. It’s a pretty straight-forward, feminist narrative about a woman who grows depressed after becoming a housewife and experiencing numerous instances of sexism. The book chronicles the various instances of sexism Jiyoung experiences throughout her life, into her adulthood, and the author also sprinkles in notes throughout the book with factual statistics about actual sexism in South Korea. It’s a very short book, but it’s very powerful and makes the most of every moment. Must read for feminists everywhere.

How about you?

What are some of your favorite books written by Asian authors? Please post yours in the comments and share the love! I hope you enjoyed the post and thank you for stopping by!