List

Asian American and Pacific Islander Experiences in Fiction

By Rummanah Aasi

These stories highlight the experiences and perspectives of Asian American and Pacific Islander authors.

Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
2025 by Baker, Kylie Lee
Cora Zeng, a crime-scene cleaner in New York City's Chinatown, witnesses her sister's murder by a killer who yelled "bat eater." Despite her efforts, she can't shake the dread as bat carcasses appear at crime scenes and all her recent her cleanups involve East Asian women. Cora will soon learn you can't ignore hungry ghosts. Perfect for fans of supernatural and social horror, this adult debut shines a light on anti-Asian hate and harassment.

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I Leave It up to You
2025 by Chong, Jinwoo
Awakened from a coma after two years, Jack Jr. has no one to turn to and realizes it’s been 10 years since he last saw his family. A reflective and hopeful novel about love, family, food, and second chances.

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Hammajang Luck
2025 by Yamamoto, Makana
An action-packed sci-fi heist thriller that beautifully weaves Hawaiian culture and language with an enemies-to-lovers romance and queer characters to create an entertaining story.

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The Matchmaker
2025 by Saeed, Aisha
An engaging, quick read, this cozy mystery-romance hybrid debut follows Nura Khan, a matchmaking expert, who encounters a series of troubling events at the weddings of clients she's matched, only to discover that someone isn't just out to destroy her business—they are out to destroy her.

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Audition
2025 by Kitamura, Katie
An unconventional and thought-provoking novel that features an older woman and a younger man who struggle to understand their relationship to each other. In a glowing review, Kirkus Reviews says, in a "searing, chilly, and psychologically profound story lies insight into some harrowing human questions." Recommended for fans of stylistically complex literary fiction and for book club discussions.

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Call Her Freedom
2025 by Dorabji, Tara
Inspired by the stories of people from the embattled region of Kashmir, Tara Dorabji traces one family’s struggles from the 1970s through the near future of 2030 as they struggle to protect their culture and themselves amid the backdrop of a military occupation.

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Mỹ Documents
2025 by Nguyen, Kevin
A disturbing and intelligent page-turner traces the paths of four family members who diverge drastically when the U.S. government begins detaining Vietnamese Americans. This fast-paced and character-driven dystopian read takes a critical look at American racism.

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Goddess Complex
2025 by Sathian, Sanjena
A biting satire of millennial womanhood and the often fraught conversations around fertility, reproduction, and the painful quest to forge an identity after a failed marriage.

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The Snares
2025 by Grewal-Kök, Rav
This gripping political thriller follows Neel Chima, a recently appointed deputy director of a new U.S. intelligence agency, who finds himself swept into the dark corners of anti-terrorism policy, with dire personal and professional consequences.

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The Family Recipe
2025 by Huynh, Carolyn
An amusing and moving family dramedy about estranged siblings competing to inherit their father’s Vietnamese sandwich franchise and unravel family mysteries.

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Our Beautiful Boys
2025 by Pandya, Sameer
A suspenseful and stunning read that examines race, class, privilege, and masculinity when three star players on a high school football team are accused of attacking a teammate and are suspended. As the parents try to protect their children and determine the truth about what really happened that night, they find there are more secrets to uncover.

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Homeseeking
2025 by Chen, Karissa
This immersive and sweeping historical fiction debut illuminates more than sixty years of Chinese history through the eyes of Haiwen and Suchi, childhood sweethearts who are separated by war and reunited decades later in America. Perfect for fans of Panchiko by Min Jin Lee and for book club discussions.

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Water Moon
2025 by Sotto, Samantha
At Hana's pawnshop in Tokyo, people can sell their regrets. While Hana provides relief for them, she desperately seeks answers for her father's disappearance. This fantasy debut is a fascinating blend of magical realism, mystery, romance, and hope.

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Blob: A Love Story
2025 by Su, Maggie
An unconventional, quirky debut mash-up of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones’ Diary. Vi Liu sculpts a seemingly perfect partner out of a sentient blob, while navigating her relationships, identity, and adulthood. A clever parable of self-discovery.

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