Our friends at Asians for Collective Liberation (ACL) Spokane put together an incredible list of recommended reads in celebration of Asian American Heritage Month! The lists below include staff reads and books selected from their Chai Culture Club and Boba Buddies (young adult) groups.
Join us for upcoming events in partnership with ACL and One Book, One Coast, which culminates in a book club with author George Takei!
Key Dates for One Book, One Coast
- May 7th, 7-8pm: ‘The Afterlife Is Letting Go’ with Author Brandon Shimoda – A Reading & Conversation in Partnership with ACL Spokane Virtual, Registration required (free)
- May 12th, 5:30-6:30pm: ‘They Called Us Enemy’ with Lisa Heyamoto & Sharma Shields – A One Book, One Coast Community Discussion with ACL Spokane
- May 31, 2026, 2-4pm: Virtual Book Club with George Takei – A One Book, One Coast Event Virtual Event
STAFF PICKS
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and illustrated by Harmony Becker
The Afterlife is Letting Go by Brandon Shimoda
Down River, Deep Root: A Spokane Poetry Anthology, edited by Margaret Albaugh, Greg Bem, Asyia Gover, Dorian Karahalios, Sarah Rooney, and Jessi Vasquez
Arctic Play by Mita Mahato
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
My only complaint about this YA historical fiction is that it didn’t exist yet when I was a teen. Reading it for the first time felt like being teleported straight to 1950s San Francisco Chinatown where I was instantly caught up in the immersive writing style and great audiobook narration. I cannot overstate how profoundly impactful discovering this book was to me as someone who rarely sees representation of queer Asians in any media, not to mention in butch-femme subcultures. (I was also inspired to make ginger ice cream after reading this book and it’s one of my favorite flavors I’ve made so far.)
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
In line with the series title The Radiant Emperor Duology, my reading experience with this adult historical fantasy was blisteringly brilliant, like looking directly at the setting sun too soon and being temporarily blinded by the surprising intensity. I came for the genderqueer Asian protagonists and stayed for their legendary struggle for power and greatness in a world that wasn’t made to let people like them succeed.
(Check out the content warnings here.)
The Tiger Flu by Larissa Lai
When I recently read this adult science fiction book, I was continually surprised that its publication preceded the COVID-19 pandemic, because the premise of a post-apocalyptic world stretched to the breaking point by a pandemic, environmental collapse, and aggressive technological development felt like an eerie prediction of the future. One of the strangest books I’ve read in years, but worth checking out if you like science fiction that dives right into serving up feminist biopunk dystopia with a host of incredibly unique science fiction concepts.(Check out the content warnings here.)
Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H.
An adult coming-of-age memoir that’s an eye-opening glimpse into the world of a queer Muslim immigrant. Difficult to read at times but worth it, and you will walk away with a new perspective of how intersectionality deeply shapes people’s identities and experiences, whether it’s openly recognized or not.
CHAI CULTURE CLUB PICKS
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
This book has themes that will resonate for any time. It deals with anti-Asian hate, family, biracial children, and family separation. It’s hard to follow the life of a child who has to navigate the disappearance of his mother, navigating his identity, while trying to understand his father and his choices.
Time is A Mother by Ocean Vuong
Poems will resonate with people grieving as he makes sense of the loss of his mother.
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
A book about the author’s family’s immigration struggles and displacement from Vietnam. It’s a really beautiful graphic novel and I would be happy to recommend it to anyone. It’s gorgeously done.
Bone by Fae Myenne Ng
I love this book for its hauntingly sparse prose and its raw, unsentimental portrayal of a family grappling with loss in San Francisco’s Chinatown. It is a deeply moving novel about how the immigrant experience and “paper” secrets can weigh on a family, making it a must read for anyone who appreciates stories where the silences speak as loudly as the words.
My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki
A subversive blend of corporate satire and cultural critique, My Year of Meats exposes the dark underbelly of industrial farming through masterful storytelling. Ozeki’s dual-narrative approach is both educational and deeply personal, making it a perfect pick for anyone who wants a tale that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally resonant.
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Lahiri writes with a scalpel-like precision to map the quiet aches of the immigrant heart and the “maladies” of human connection. By elevating mundane domestic frictions into profound universal truths, she proves that the most expansive storytelling often happens in the smallest, most intimate spaces.
The Race for the Chinese Zodiac by Gabrielle Wang
This was one of my son’s favorite books when he was younger. Wang transforms a classic origin myth into a fun and high-stakes adventure. The narrative captures the clever—and sometimes slightly shady—tactics of the competing animals, making it a perfect way for kids to understand the lunar calendar while finally learning exactly why there is no “Year of the Cat.”
We do not have this in stock. If you want this title, fill out an Interlibrary Loan request.
Yellowface by RF Kuang
Struggling white author June witnesses her wildly successful “frenemy” Athena Liu die in a pancake choking accident and decides the best way to mourn is to steal Athena’s unpublished manuscript. A satirical look at the publishing industry, tokenism, cultural appropriation and how isolating social media is.
Lapvona By Ottessa Moshfegh
Read this if you’ve ever wondered, “what is the absolute worst thing a human could do in a drought?” You’ll never look at stew the same way again and when you finish you’ll want to take a scalding shower.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The novel tackles a lot of theme but what affected me the most about the book is the way Jin Lee wrote all of the characters with so much kindness and grace throughout the multigenerational arcs. Each character was given depth and dimension no matter how brief their appearance was. I could just read more and cry.
BOBA BUDDIES PICKS (Youth)
A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim
5/5 Stars
This is an amazing tale set in the city of Gangsun, following Truyan Saigas, a master art forger with a talent to paint the future. An alluring easy to understand story with a great not too complex plot and amazing characters, set in the same world as the “Six Crimson Cranes” duology, I only wish it had a sequel.
And the River Drags Her Down by Jihyun Yun
4/5 Stars
After losing both her mother and sister we follow Soojin as she struggles with her grief. Capable of revival, through ancient magic she revives her sister though she soon changes. This is an amazingly eerie and poignant book about grief, loss, and family. I recommend it for young adults, as it’s a bit dark, though easy to follow for most.
Six Crimson Cranes (Duology) by Elizabeth Lim
5/5 Stars
A stunningly wonderful series, with romance, dragons, magic, and amazing worldbuilding set in the same world as “A Forgery of Fate”. A wonderful read for basically everyone, this book is easy to follow, never dry or dull, and will have you reading for hours on end. (Which I doubt you would regret.)
Song of the Last Kingdom (Duology) by Amélie Wen Zhao
4/5 Stars
An amazing story enriched with demons, romance, secrets, magic, and the costs of colonization. Not the easiest to follow, but still an amazing read and it’s a great book for people that enjoy the Chinese xianxia genre, with dark secrets, and ancient demon gods. This is an amazing series for young adults.
The Book of Tea (Duology) by Judy I. Lin
5/5 Stars
A great story of family, devotion, and romance, with magic, and corruption, this is a great series for young, and older adults alike. With amazing storytelling and a great plot with the story being easy to follow for most.
The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur
4/5 Stars
Following Hwani in 1426 Joseon, Korea we uncover the truth behind a new string of disappearances that mirror a traumatic event from her own childhood. Full of mystic, dark, secrets, and human trafficking. This book is a great read, being somewhat difficult to follow at times, it is an amazing story while not for the faint of heart, it is a great read.
The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by Amélie Wen Zhao
4/5 Stars
This book is a great, somewhat easy to understand story that follows the main character Àn’yīng through numerous trials to save her dying mother, by winning a pill of immortality. Great for young adults with romance, practicioning, and demons. (Though the book is absolutely gorgeous.)
Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao
4/5 Stars
Great enjoyable book, for teens, and kids to enjoy with a sequel on the way. VR, video games, this book is amazingly enjoyable, and great for learning about Chinese history, and culture.
